Hiking gear, footwear and trekking poles

Hiking gear is mostly a question of feet, load and weather. Get the footwear right and everything else is easier to solve.

The footwear here splits into two groups. Leather models from HIKEUP, including suede and full-grain builds, hold up on rough ground and through wet grass but take longer to break in. Mesh all-terrain shoes are lighter and breathe better, which suits summer trails, dry paths and anyone walking on well-made routes. Alongside those sit the trekking poles, the waterproof daypack, the running hydration vest, snow gaiters and snake gaiters.

Poles are the item most people skip and then regret. On descents they take a meaningful share of the load off knees, and the three-section telescopic sets here collapse short enough to strap to a pack when you do not want them.