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Road Gear

The Best Women’s Hiking Apparel of 2022

Technical layers for any occasion

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Fieldsheer Mobile Cooling Hoodie ($50)

Fieldsheer Mobile Cooling Hoodie
(Photo: Courtesy Fieldsheer)

On cloudless alpine days between 60 and 80 degrees, this UPF 50-plus top was the ticket. Mesh back and underarm panels vented heat, while wicking, sweat-activated fibers in the recycled-polyester fabric provided additional cooling. One weakness: stitches popped at the cuffs after five days in the jungle crawling over fallen trees. 6.3 oz (XS–XL)

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Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee ($70)

Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee
(Photo: Courtesy Ultimate Direction)

This was the only garment in our kit that dried in under an hour on a humid, 80-degree trek in Panama. Microscopic perforations in the recycled Polartec Delta material move moisture and circulate air, while a Polygiene antimicrobial treatment squashes stink. Caveat: the wide neckline offered no protection from rubbing backpack straps. 3.1 oz (XS–XL)

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Branwyn Essential Bralette ($42)

Branwyn Essential Bralette
(Photo: Courtesy Branwyn)

This merino bralette is so flexible that wearing it almost feels like going braless, but the two-inch-wide bottom band offers just enough support for intense hiking. The spaghetti straps crisscross in back for extra lift and are adjustable (the metal sliders don’t dig in). The wool-nylon-spandex blend wicked away sweat on an 80-degree hike near Sedona, Arizona, and double-layered fabric across the chest kept us from nipping out on a 50-degree trail run in Kansas. 4 oz (XS–XXL)

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Vibram FiveFingers KSO ECO ($115)

Vibram FiveFingers KSO ECO

This minimalist everyday shoe feels great on your foot and is made with eco-conscious construction. Featuring a grippy, flexible and durable Vibram N-Oil sole made with more than 90% natural ingredients. Slip in and see how you Move Freely.

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Mammut Runbold Pants ($139)

Mammut Runbold Pants
(Photo: Courtesy Mammut)

The Runbold is this season’s most comfortable pair of pants, thanks to a wide, high-rise waistband that doesn’t rub, bunch, or slide down. Lightweight and durable polyamide-elastane fabric with UPF 50 protection blocked wind and mist (not heavy rain). It also dried fast and breathed in temps around 90 during an eight-day hike of the Evolution Loop in California’s eastern Sierra. 10 oz (2–16)

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Ortovox Pala Hooded Jacket ($260)

Ortovox Pala Hooded Jacket
(Photo: Courtesy Ortovox)

An abrasion-resistant polyamide exterior and wool lining make the Pala jacket ideal for shoulder seasons: it kept us dry and warm at camp on a drizzly and breezy 50-degree morning on the Olympic Peninsula. Thoughtful details include a soft merino patch at the nape of the neck, a no-fuss stretch hood, and two spacious hand pockets. “I fit my phone, battery pack, and headlamp and still had space left for my hands,” said one tester. 13.8 oz (XS–XL)

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Prana Halle Short II Trail Shorts ($69)

Prana Halle Short II Trail Shorts
(Photo: Courtesy Prana)

Most trail shorts are too technical and dorky to wear around town, but not the Halle Short. A slim fit and flat-lying, jeans-style front pockets (plus two flap snap pockets in back) give them style points, while the wide waistband with its button closure helped them stay put on a 10-mile hike in Sedona, Arizona. The lightweight ReZion material, a recycled nylon-elastane blend with UPF 50-plus protection, was stretchy enough for deep steps and dried in under an hour after a heavy misting. 7.2 oz (0–14 / plus size 18–22)

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REI Active Hipster Underwear ($19)

REI Active Hipster Underwear
(Photo: Courtesy REI)

If it were socially acceptable to bring only one pair of underwear for a long trip, we’d pack these. The super-lightweight polyester and spandex mesh blend dried before our tester’s leggings after a waist-deep river crossing in Panama. The antimicrobial treatment kept us feeling fresh, even after five days, while flat seams and a high-coverage seat prevented wedgies. 0.6 oz (XS–XL)

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