Backpacker’s Pantry Trail Mix ($2.50 per packet @ Amazon.com)
Don’t rely on your skills at trapping bunnies if your hike goes a few hours longer than you anticipated. Slip a few packets of trail mix into your backpack for an easy-to-carry snack. Trail mix — or gorp, as it’s known to hikers — is dried fruit, grains, nuts, and chocolate and will give you a boost of energy, carbs, and fats.
KEEN Newport H2 ($65 @ Amazon.com)
Whether you’re crossing rivers, hopping streams, or kicking rabid animals when they try to take a chunk out of your leg, the Newport H2 sandal’s patented Keen Toe Protection will keep your toes safe. The razor-sipped outsoles and 3mm lugs supply ample traction while the EVA midsoles’ antimicrobial footbeds help keep foot odor under control.
North Face Paramount Peak Convertible Pants ($65 @ Amazon.com)
Although wearing pants can fend off poison ivy and serve as a barrier between you and the pointy teeth of a wilderness creature, sometimes it gets too damn hot to keep them on. These North Face slacks (that’s right, we said “slacks”) give you options. The lightweight nylon fabric is wind-resistant and the bottoms zip off below the knees if you get too warm. Zippers near the ankles let you pull them over your feet without taking off your boots, and you can stuff the severed pant legs into one of the many pockets. Choose the pockets wisely, and you may even wind up impressing the ladies on the trail.
Casey Schreiner writes the blog Modern Hiker.
