Hiking Gear for Men

Get started with camping and hiking gear, or upgrade your basics! Here are some of our favorite ideas for hiking gear for men.

Over the years, the husband and I have done our fair share of hiking and camping.

Some of our trips have been real bucket-list adventures: hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, seeing the sunrise in Acadia National Park, trekking in the pre-dawn hours to Delicate Arch, and so forth.

And as camping and hiking became more of a way of life, we realized that some shopping was in order. The better prepared we were, the more we could just relax and enjoy the trip.

So we browsed and shopped and gradually upgraded our gear.

I've already covered my favorite items in camping gear for women (including how to dress for winter camping and the best shoes and boots). Ditto for camping gear for couples, the best camping kitchen gear, and the best gear for backpacking trips.

Now it's time to round up the best things we've found in hiking gear for men. Here are our favorites!

Looking for some nice gadgets and gifts for the outdoorsy person in your life? See my guide to the best gifts for campers!

The Best Hiking Gear for Men

Here are the most useful clothing items we've found for hiking and camping:

Best Hiking Pants

These lightweight hiking pants are a great budget option.

Like all the best hiking slacks, they're quick-drying and water repellent.

But my husband's favorites are these Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Pants.

He finds them super comfortable, and they hold up well in a variety of climates!

There's also convertible Eddie Bauer Pants — perfect for summertime hiking in shorts.

Best Hoodies, Jackets + Tops

The Spyder men's athletic top is a great base layer for all seasons.

Quick-dry clothing is a must for hiking and camping because it helps keep you comfortable whether it's hot or cold outside. (Plus, it's ideal for water sports!)

What about camping or hiking with a chill in the air? The Under Armour fleece hoodie is our choice for the warmest, softest outerwear.

Sometimes, though, you need to really layer up for protection from the wind or cold (like we did on top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire!).

For those times, go for something like the North Face Men's Triclimate Jacket. (They have women's versions too, and I love mine!) It has a waterproof outer coat and a fluffy down inner coat to keep you toasty.

Best Hiking Footwear for Men

Sturdy footwear with great traction is a must when you're looking at hiking and camping gear for men.

For boots, we recommend you invest in something like the Keen Targhee II boots or a pair of men's Keen Pyrenees boots.

Prefer a shoe over a boot? We also love these Keen Ridge Flex hiking shoes.

Add a pair of classic wool socks for hiking, and your feet will likely stay comfortable and well protected on those long treks.

Other Hiking Gear for Men

For carrying supplies, the REI men's Trail 25 pack is a great budget choice for a shorter hike.

The Osprey Katari 7 hydration pack is just right if all you need is to carry water or a few other items.

For something larger, the Osprey Syncro 20-liter hiking and cycling pack works well.

Are you going on a longer hike, perhaps overnight? Make sure you know how to size your backpack to your torso so that you can carry gear as efficiently as possible.

We find the Deuter Aircontact Lite Backpacking Pack to be a great, high-quality choice.

For everyone, I recommend a trekking pole! They really help with stability on hikes with a lot of elevation change.

These Kelty trekking poles are a good place to start, or for something higher-end, try the Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles.

Do you have any other favorites? We love to swap recommendations with other campers and hikers, so let us know in the comments!