Hiking Gear

Proper hiking gear is important for your safety and enjoyment of the trail.

Boots

Your shoes are one of the most important things to get right for your hike.  You should never break in a new pair of boots or shoes on the trail, always wear them around for a week or so to break them in before the hike.  

Know your terrain! Make sure that your footwear provides adequate protection and support for the hike.  This includes some ankle support especially for rocky or slippery terrain where you have a higher likelihood of rolling onto the inside or outside edges of your foot.  Some people prefer not to have the ankle support and trail running shoes have become a very popular and comfortable alternative for light hiking.  

Know your conditions! Here is local most of the year is dry and the trails are covered with loose dirt and rock. After rain, the loose dirt becomes slippery clay. But if you hike in higher elevations, winter conditions can be a consideration so you may need to account for micro spikes or crampons and warmth.

Recommendation:  I recommend a light hiking boot with a quality sole and ankle support that are waterproof and breathable.  This is versatile and will work in nearly every hiking situation you will experience with our group.

The ability to tie the boot above the ankle will help protect your toes when going downhill.  Be sure the sole is adequate to protect your feet when you are walking on rocks.  

Get measured to make sure you have the proper length and width.  When you try on boots wear the socks you plan to hike in and go in the afternoon or evening when your feet are a little swollen from the day. This is closer to how they will fit when your feet get a little swollen on the trail! Each manufacturer fits a little differently especially in the toe box so try on a few pairs and find one that works for your feet.  

Clothing

Always check the weather conditions and know your terrain when you are selecting your clothing.  It’s always good to have extra clothing with you in case you get into an emergency and need a change of clothes.  

Layering is your friend so find the right combination for the high and low temperatures on your hike and be sure to prepare for the night time low’s in case you get lost or end up not getting back before dark.

Sun Protection

1. Hat with a wide brim.  I use one that can be rolled up and stored in my pack.
2. Sunglasses with adequate UV protection.
3. Sunscreen.  This is a must and use the kind that will not come off with sweat.
4. Protective clothing.  

Insect Protection

Bugs can be annoying on the trail during certain seasons and it areas with water.  Here is what you should pack.

1. Insect Repellent Spray on your skin and clothing is the most effecting way to keep the bugs at bay.  DEET is widely considered the best for ticks and mosquitos but here in SoCal you are likely to encounter flies and a 20% or more Picaridin spray is more effective for flies.
2. Mosquito Net.  Its handy to carry a net that is designed to go over your hat and cover your face and neck.  This keeps the annoying gnats out of your eyes and the flies away from your face.  Be sure and get one that as a ring to keep the netting away from your skin.  Thes are compact and easy to have in your back just in case.

Hydration Pack

Hydration is essential when hiking in SoCal due to our dry air, intense sun, and heat. You will need more water than you think and in most situations there will not be water sources on the trail to filter and refill. We recommend a Hydration Pack which has a bladder and is a lot more convenient and comfortable than packing water bottles. We also recommend a 3 liter bladder, you need it on most of our hikes and on the easier ones you don’t have to fill it all the way up.  

My favorite pack size for day hiking is a 34 liter because it has storage for all the essentials, emergency, first aid and room for layers.  For lighter shorter hikes a 20 liter is fine but for level 2 and above you will find that 24-40 is a more comfortable capacity. The size includes the water capacity. 

When choosing a pack consider the following: 

1. Get the correct fit on your torso, gender specific designs are best because they account for body features. 
2. Make sure it has a waist strap.  This takes a lot of weight out of your shoulders and is essential.  
3. 3-liter water reservoir.  
4. Get a mouthpiece cover.  This is sold separately but when you bite into a mouth full of dirt or sand you will regret saving a couple of bucks on it!
5. Another optional accessory is an insulated tube which is kind of nice so your fist sip isn’t hot all the time.  
6. Pack your bag and take some time to adjust all the straps so that it sits correctly on your hips and shoulders.  This step will prevent a lot of pain and chaffing especially around your arm pits. 

There are other brands but I have found that the Camelback and Osprey are versatile, easy to maintain, and easy to get replacement parts.

Pro Tip: After filling your water bladder, turn it upside down and suck the air out. This keeps your water from sloshing around as you drink it down!

Hiking Poles

There are a lot of benefits to using hiking poles.  

1.  A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine reported that hiking poles can reduce the compressive force on the knee by 25%.  So, you are saving wear and tear on your knee joint with each step.  
2. Hiking poles allow you to get your entire body involved with the movement which increases the efficiency of forward motion by engaging your arms and shoulders.
3. Hiking poles offer two additional points of contact when descending steep or slippery slopes, crossing streams, or walking along tight edges and logs.  
4. Hiking poles are handy for moving things off the trail like spider webs and thorny brush.
5. Hiking poles offer all sorts of other handy uses such as building shelter if needed or probing into areas and testing the depth of a water crossing.
6. Hiking poles are great for establishing the rhythm of your hike. They can be collapsed down and stored on your pack when you aren’t using them or when you are climbing and need your hands free.

REI makes a good and relatively inexpensive set and Lekki, Black Diamond and Mountain Smith are all quality choices.  

Water Filtration

International travelers should always have some form of effective filtration with them as should overnight hikers or day hiking guides.  

A versatile filter should eliminate heavy metals, chemicals, viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and particulates at a minimum.  Most filters do not filter all of these things but there are a few that do.  So rather than having a filter for fewer water concerns and different filters for really dirty water or sketchy situations where heavy metal pollution is a concern, I prefer to just invest in one that works on all of the things.  

There are two kinds of filters that I recommend.  Both filter all the things but they have different uses.  For longer hiking trips or if you are leading a group of day hikers, I recommend the MSR Guardian.  This is reasonably light weight and will filter everything in every country and situation.  Great for filling hydration packs and water bottles.  

The second is my personal favorite for travel.  It’s the Grayl Geopress.  Again, it filters all the things but it’s also your water bottle, so you only have one thing to carry.  And its easy to use!

The main consideration here is how much water you will need to process.  The Geopress is adequate for most every situation for filtering personal amounts for drinking.  But if you are filtering for a group, cooking in the back country and want to do more water then MSR is a great way to go.  

You should always check the water on your routes to make sure it is safe to drink even when filtered!

Emergency Gear

A ditty bag containing these items is in my pack each time I go out on a hike. They are essential if you get lost or if something goes wrong, but they are also handy.

1. Utility knife.  I carry an old school Swiss Army knife but I take a Gerber Multitool on larger trips. 
2. Headlamp with spare batteries. I also carry a small flashlight and usually have a light stick or two as back up for the back up. But its not necessary.  
3. Waterproof fire starter.  I like the UST Strike Force and a few pieces of dry starter material. Waterproof matches also work well. I generally dont recommend regular lighters because they don’t work if they get wet
4. Emergency shelter.  I carry a space blanket and hiking poles and you can fashion all sorts of shelter configurations with those two things.
5. First Aid Kit.  There are good lightweight versions made for hiking that contain all of the basics for cuts, scrapes, and blisters.  Trip leaders and guides will carry a more extensive kit and are trained to use it.  
6. Repair kit.  It is essential to be able to repair what you are carrying.  On a light hike this may be a bit of duct tape and some safety pins for a pack repair. But if you are carrying a water filter, have the repair kit and know how to use it, same with a stove tent, or anything else you bring.  
7. Rain Poncho.  No matter the forecast an emergency poncho is always in my pack.  You can get the clear disposable ones.  Its not a bad idea to have a more durable one if you do a lot of hiking.
8. Signaling devices.  I use a Garmin In Reach Mini but there are several satellite communication devices on the market with emergency beacons. Guides will always have these but if you are hiking alone its worth investing in one and learning how to use it. With modern beacons its kind of gone by the wayside but I still carry a whistle and a small mirror.  Call me old fashion but if all else fails I have that.
9. Body Heat Containment: I carry a space blanket but there are many different options on the market that are quite effective including blankets and bags. This is a must!

Navigation

1.  Paper map and manual compass.  I carry the Suunto M-3.  And know how to use it! When hiking in remote areas alone you should have route planning and navigation training using maps and compasses. This is essential for your safety.
2. Altimeter.  This is handy when you are trying to pinpoint your exact location on the map.  
3. Phone GPS with map downloaded.  Alltrails is a great app for hiking maps but be sure to get the pro version and download the map before you leave.  It will still work with the GPS on your phone without cell signal in an offline mode.  
4. Personal locator beacon.  I use the Garmin In Reach.  It has a longer battery life, two-way satellite txt communication and an SOS beacon among other cool options.  You can also download maps into this device.  Requires a satellite subscription.  
5. Battery Backup. Your phone will go dead and with it your map, so its not a bad idea to carry a small back up charger.

Food

Even if you are not planning a long hike, you should always carry extra food.  You never know when a short hike will turn into something else due to injury, weather, or navigational challenges.  Energy bars, gels, gummies and a healthy trail mix, nuts, and dried fruit are great options.  Its light and you can easily carry and extra day’s worth of calories just in case.  For longer trips you should plan to carry even more excess food.  

For day hikes where you are stopping for lunch you don’t need a shelf stable lunch but your extra supply should be.  For the most part you should try to pack food that doesn’t require cooking.

Don’t forget electrolytes! When hiking in SoCal you lose a lot of water through sweat which often you don’t notice. You should alway