Clothes for a SOBO woman hiker

This is such a tax and I realize that this is a preference thing but what clothes/brand would you recommend on a hike leaving in June from ME to GA?

I've found myself more comfortable in legging type bottoms.. i'm thinking something like Nike dri-fit? and a same material for a top...

Is there a better brand or type?

Also I know its June but the weather is colder, should I be prepared to have some shorts sent to me Virginia area?

What if I packed: shorts, leggings, long sleeve, short sleeve, jacket, socks..

Is that a solid arrangement?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Turner

One my hike last year I wore
*Wicking t-shirt (when cold most say get ice breaker wool)
*Fleece pull over (for hot months)
*Soft Shell (for spring and fall)
*Rain Jacket and Pant (doubles as extra heat layer)
*shorts or skirt
*base layer pants (for spring or fall)
*exercise pants (wore during my winter hiking portion Nov-Dec)
*3 pairs of socks (winter one was fuzzy socks for sleeping only)
*1 pair of wicking underwear (for the special female days)
*1 sports bra (some had two)
*gloves (for spring and fall)
*have a PJ set (summer light weight pants and sun shirt, for proection of insects in camp)
(Spring and Fall have alittle bit warmer sleeping clothes, fleece is amazing)
*Hat (ball cap for Summer, and fleece for winter)

This is what I used on my hike, I was hiking from June (in Virginia-Maine) to December (Virginia to Springer)
I am not that picky on brand names as I did a cheap hike, my hiking skirt cost me 3 dollars from Lake shore house in Maine.

Good Luck on your hike, feel free to PM me if you have any question

~Sweet Tea '11~

Yes, do please wear clothes, even if you decide to go NOBO (sorry, couldn't resist).

I don't think there's an easy answer to your question about brands, but if you search this site (best rain jacket, best, pants, etc.), you'll find lots of fodder. You'll also find many gear lists, where hikers post everything they are planning to bring, and you can read critiques in the comments.

You probably won't need or want a complete new wardrobe. In general, depending on the garment, you'll want clothing that is light in weight, warm (or cool, as the case may be), functions as advertised, lasts a while, and suits your budget. You'll also want clothing that fits you well in colors you like. There's no need to pick a brand and stick to it, unless they are sponsoring you. People take really high-end clothing, while others find theirs at wally world or secondhand shops.

Hope this helps some, and good luck on your hike.

Some type of merino wool makes the best base layer, even when it is hot. I used smartwool on my thru, and now I have both Smartwool and Icebreaker. Shortsleeve T, longsleeve base, shorts or kilt, longjohn bottoms, down jacket (Montbell is the lightest), rainjacket (I used a Packa), and for winter rain pants. That's all the layers you'll need. Don't forget gloves and a warm hat, and at least three pair of socks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Turner

This is such a tax and I realize that this is a preference thing but what clothes/brand would you recommend on a hike leaving in June from ME to GA?

I've found myself more comfortable in legging type bottoms.. i'm thinking something like Nike dri-fit? and a same material for a top...

Is there a better brand or type?

Also I know its June but the weather is colder, should I be prepared to have some shorts sent to me Virginia area?

What if I packed: shorts, leggings, long sleeve, short sleeve, jacket, socks..

Is that a solid arrangement?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Turner

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Wool all the way.

Natural, breathable, keeps you warm when it's wet, retains less stink than petro-based synthetics, and if you buy a good brand of merino wool, it's surprisingly itch-free - and I'm the kind of gal who can's stand tags in my clothes and was adverse to wool because everyone knows "it's itchy."

I bought cheap merino wool baselayers from Sierra Trading Post for our thru attempt last spring, and this time 'round am buying a heavier gauge Icebreaker set. I was very happy with my wool baselayers and wore them when it was 35 degrees out and when it was 80 - but they were a bit too thin and already have some severe tears.

light colors are less attractive to the black flies. I used a light grey mhw wicking short sleeve shirt and a mhw synthetic button down shirt that was really breathable and protected my arms from the flies as well. my only other insulation for in camp was a mid weight smartwool long underwear top. Wool is nice because it doesn't hold the stink as much as synthetic but it's really expensive.
My clothing list for my sobo thru was as follows:
MHW synthetic T-shirt
MHW button down shirt
shorts
Long underwear bottoms synthetic
smartwool mid weight top (Sent home in Hanover and got it again in VA)
rain jacket (switched to a wind breaker in NJ, in retrospect I should have held onto it for the dration)
rain pants (sent home when I got to Hanover)
two pairs of underwear (wore one carried the other)
one sports bra

This worked well for me but it's all about personal preference.

Smartwool....

I wore a Patagonia silk weight base layer for sleeping during the first three months of my SOBO hike. All under rain wear when it was cold. During the day I mostly wore nylon shorts and T. I had a Montane wind jacket and pants as well as a silnylon rain jacket and pants. The wind jacket and pants were excellent against black flies and mosquitoes. A Patagonia R2 jacket, possum down gloves and hat, two pairs of thin socks, and underwear completed my clothing list. When hunting season started I added a blaze orange ball cap.

As fall came on I replaced the shortsleeved shirt with a longsleeved shirt, then went for a micro fleece base layer, which I ended up wearing all the time, and a full fleece second layer. In Harpers Ferry I went for blaze orange watch cap and pack cover.

Dont worry about the later part of the hike, though--you'll have plenty of time and opportunity to deal with that situation when you get to it.