Hiking and climbing gear

Regicid3 · April 2008

My friends and I like to do random midnight hikes up mountains and while it's a lot of fun, going up there with no gloves, climbing boots, etc is kind of annoying.

What should I look for when buying hiking gloves, boots, pants? I don't know. What is comfortable attire for hiking up a mountain so I'll have a good grip when I'm going up and I'll be able to protect my skin. I was also wondering what kinds of foods I should eat before going up so I'll have the most amount of energy. Are there any sort of other supplies I should bring up with me too?

Thanks.

Daemonion · April 2008

What should I look for when buying hiking gloves, boots, pants?

I have a few different models of these (I wear them all the time), but here are the best hiking shoes on the planet:

They also have a similar model with neoprene to keep more warmth in if you are doing stuff in snow. They may look funky, and you and your body will need to get used to them, but I have been wearing the five-fingers line all day, every day, for running, hiking, martial arts, and weight lifting. I will never go back to conventional running shoes, and I've been running for some time.

What is comfortable attire for hiking up a mountain so I'll have a good grip when I'm going up and I'll be able to protect my skin.

Well, I personally don't wear gloves unless it is a difficult hike (i.e. more of a climb). When I do, though, I wear gloves from Blackhawk industries. Yes, yes, they are meant for military use, but I use them for both and they work fine. http://Click here.

As far as shirts and boots and pants, I just wear Dickies pants or shorts with whatever on top. I usually wear a super-light breathable tee (one of my running shirts), and if I'm in the snow I'll wear a sweatshirt. Pretty much wear whatever you want or are comfortable with.

I was also wondering what kinds of foods I should eat before going up so I'll have the most amount of energy. Are there any sort of other supplies I should bring up with me too?

Well, this is more of an all-day kind of thing. If you are doing a midnight hike, you need to have your first solid meal around 0800 or 0900. They keywords are moderate protein and high calorie.
BFast:
Eggs
Oranges
Apples

Lunch
Turkey or Chicken
Tomatoes
Broccoli

Dinner
Salmon or Talapia
Tomatoes
Broccoli

Regicid3 · April 2008

Do . . . do I put my toes into those individually or is it just a style? Wouldn't I be more likely to injuring my toes wearing those?

I love those gloves.

Thanks for the tips, I wll more than likely end up buying these.

saltiness · April 2008

Is the lack of tread on those shoes an issue? Seems like they would be less than ideal for loose gravel or slippery surfaces.

corcorigan · April 2008

Those are awesome shoes. Although you'd look silly.

Surely you mean high carbohydrate food, rather than just purely calorie count?

Daemonion · April 2008

Yes, the toes are separate.

The tread reveals itself when you bend your foot. To be honest, the tread doesn't really matter. Unlike regular shoes, you can dig in with your toes like you would with fingers. Rock climbing is incredible with these on.

Yes, they look pretty silly. I get at least 1 - 3 comments/questions daily about them. I'll never hike/trail run without them, though. Amazing.

About the food recommendation, I just mean energy. Make sure you put enough in your body that you don't go all catabolic.

Regicid3 · April 2008

Do you wear socks?

McViking · April 2008

If you just want gear for three-season midnight hikes close to home, then I don't think you need to be too picky. (I'd be more worried about a good head lamp than a good pair of pants. Although I'd personally opt for shoes with more ankle support, especially if you're trailblazing in the dark.) But if you're going to be doing any multi-day hiking, then you want stuff that is 1) light, 2)warm, and 3)quick-dry. (No cotton, which gets heavy as hell when it rains, loses heat fast, and takes days to dry.) I wear a silk base layer (long sleeves and long underwear), a synthetic shirt and fleece, and nylon pants with zip-off legs. Overtop of all that goes a rain jacket and rain pants in case of inclement weather. Synthetic socks underneath, smart wool socks on top, inside of gore-tex lined boots. The whole kaboodle (boots included) weighs about 7 pounds, and has kept me warm even in driving rain and hail. Might be overkill if you aren't doing any multi-day hiking, but doesn't actually cost that much, in any case.

Phil G. · April 2008

Those look like awesome shoes. I would be worried about stubbing/breaking a toe though.

Anyway, so midnight hiking. That sounds definitely odd, aren't you ever worried about, I dunno, breaking something? Sorry, it is just something I have never heard of. If you're doing these random midnight climbs, glow sticks are always nice so that you can see your friends, especially if something happens to them. Also, a small survival kit in case you get stuck is an incredibly good idea, and if you pack it right shouldn't be a bother at all.

This is a good starting place for general info though.

Regicid3 · April 2008

So far all we have done is just walk up an Intermediate hiking trail. We've gone off the trail a few times but I would like to do it a lot more which is why I've made this thread. I definitely need to look into head lamps too. We will usually have flashlights but we've gone up a few times with out. It's a lot more fun in the dark, I dunno. We went last night and I hurt my ankle but it wasn't that bad, it's definitely something we should worry about but [probably stupidly] don't.

Daemonion · April 2008

Regicid3 wrote: »

Do you wear socks?

No, I don't.

The website just launched some new models and stuff, which include new toe-socks that are meant to be worn in conjunction with the shoes for those who are interested. I may give them a shot.

Oh, and I have done everything in them and have yet to injure myself in any way.

I also will put a vote in for some kind of portable, hands-free light source. Walkie-talkies might be a good idea, as well.

Blake T · April 2008

If you are going to do honest to god climbing I would recommend that you go somewhere to teach you how to do real rock climbing.

Those 5 fingers will be absolutely worthless as they have too much flex in the toes.

A rock climbing boot has a ridiculously stiff but thin sole while a shoe better compresses the toes to make it easier to grip foot holds, the shoe however you can't walk for long distances (nor is it designed to). I personally have a pair of Mammut goblins

Again with equipment you will be look at 14mm rope several quick draws, bolt plates, if you are doing clean runs you will need several sized cams.

Regicid3 · May 2008

Thread hijack!

Now I'm loooking for some good boots for exploration in places that are wet. My friend and I were exploring an area where the water went just a little bit above our ankles. We were wearing fishing boots at the time.

Mephistopheles · May 2008

First thing you should get while midnight hiking is a map.

No, seriously, it's dangerous and stupid if you don't know where you are (ie, a trail).

/had a friend walk off a 60 foot cliff at night

mastman · May 2008

A pair of hiking boots. Waterproof them. I walk through large creeks all the time in mine, never notice it. Thick soles protect your feet from rocks, ankle support protects your ankles from rolling.

asolo, montrail are good brands. You can spend any amount of money on them depending on how much "ass kickery" you want in your boot. When you go look at various models, you'll understand what I mean.

mastman · May 2008

Mephistopheles wrote: »

First thing you should get while midnight hiking is a map.

No, seriously, it's dangerous and stupid if you don't know where you are (ie, a trail).

/had a friend walk off a 60 foot cliff at night

or a flashlight and to open your eyes

CooterTKE · May 2008

Danner makes some good boots for hiking in wet weather.

AtomBomb · May 2008

Just wanted to say I picked up a pair of those five fingers shoes when this thread first started. Thanks Daemonion

They're pretty bad ass. They take a bit of getting used to, but I really like them. I ended up walking all around Vegas with them and had no real issues. Your feet will get more tired than normal, but I think that will abate as they get stronger. I also went running in them, and had to stop much earlier than normal, but I think it's just because they highlight how weak your feet are. I find I'm a lot more surefooted, as I can feel exactly what I'm standing on. It's weird, you can tell you're standing on something like sharp rocks, but it doesn't hurt.

I wish I could wear them all the time but works a bit too formal

If you could do that I bet you would aclimate real quick.

/end hijack

Daemonion · May 2008

I wear them to work

I'm also wearing them for the Bolder Boulder 10k on Monday.

Regicid3 · May 2008

mastman wrote: »

A pair of hiking boots. Waterproof them. I walk through large creeks all the time in mine, never notice it. Thick soles protect your feet from rocks, ankle support protects your ankles from rolling.

asolo, montrail are good brands. You can spend any amount of money on them depending on how much "ass kickery" you want in your boot. When you go look at various models, you'll understand what I mean.

This. It sounds like a good idea. How do I go about waterproofing normal boots?

Penny Arcade

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