Gear Box: GoLite Hiking Clothes

It's no secret that I'm a fan of gear from GoLite. They have a reputation for making excellent products that are high in quality, very durable, and light in weight. Additionally, the company has made a commitment to limit their impact on the environment which I find highly commendable as well. When I traveled to Nepal this past spring, I even took one of their sleeping bags along, and found it to be an excellent piece of kit to have while trekking in the mountains.

Just before I left for my recent trip to Montana, I received a couple of new pieces of GoLite gear and with anticipation of having the opportunity to test them, I stuffed them in my pack, and took them along to Yellowstone. The first item was a Manitou shortsleeve tech shirt and the other was a pair of Yunnan hiking shorts, both of which seemed like the would make a great addition to my hiking wardrobe. Perfect for warm weather trekking.

Made of quick-drying and highly breathable fabrics, the Manitou tech-shirt is comfortable to wear either alone or a base layer under a jacket. Designed with flatlocked seams to prevent chafing on the trail, the shirt is form fitting, while still allowing you to move freely and without hinderance. It also offers UPF 50+ protection from the sun, not that I had a chance to take advantage of that feature on my trip, as it was raining and snowing for a good portion of the time I was in Montana. That said, the Manitou was super comfortable to wear, both on a hike or around town, and it served well as a base layer in the cooler weather and on its own when the sun started to shine.

Unfortunately, thanks to the snow and rain I mentioned above, I wasn't able to test the Yunnan hiking shorts in Montana, but had plenty of time to do so on my return to Austin, where summer is still in full swing. Turns out, the shorts are even more comfortable to wear than the Manitou shirt, offering a durable stretch nylon that is soft, looks good, and is perfect for a day on the trail. Additionally, the secure hand pockets designed to keep their contents safe and sound, as well as zippered cargo and rear pockets are a welcome addition to the design. With so many pockets, all of your small gear items will be close at hand when you need them. The shorts even look great, resembling something you'd wear kicking around town as much as into the backcountry.

While both of these gear items are designed for hiking, they also are perfect for travel too. Since they are designed and made by GoLite, they pack down very small and weigh next to nothing in your pack. They're also versatile, look great, and wear well, which means they would be perfect for an extended trip abroad where you want to travel light without compromising performance.

Like most of their gear, you can't go wrong with these two products from GoLite.

MSRP: Manitou Shirt: $45/Yunnan Shorts: $65

(Checkout more GoLite gear, including packs and clothes at TravelCountry.com)