What to Wear Hiking in Northwest Arkansas

Can you hike in the clothes already in your drawers? Yes, with a few caveats. Before you head out, check each piece against three things.

• Friction. Seams in the wrong place and wet fabric rub your skin with every step. Over a few miles, that rubbing turns into chafing and blisters.
• Heat. Your clothes need to let heat escape in summer and hold it in during winter. The wrong fabric does the opposite of what you want in both seasons.
• Movement. Fabric needs to be loose enough, or stretchy enough, to move with you. Hiking means high steps over rocks and roots, and stiff clothes fight you the whole way.

Cotton fails on all three counts. It soaks up sweat and holds it against your skin, so it stays wet long after you stop sweating. Wet cotton gets heavy, clings, and rubs, which is how most hiking blisters and chafing start.

In summer, a soaked cotton T-shirt traps heat and never seems to dry. In cold weather it is worse. Wet cotton pulls heat away from your body quickly, and you can get dangerously cold even on a day that didn’t feel that cold when you started. Never wear cotton in the cold.

Socks matter most of all, because your feet do all the work and sweat inside your shoes all day. Swapping cotton socks for wool or synthetic ones is one of the cheapest, biggest improvements you can make.

Leave these at home.

• Cotton clothing. This includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, and especially cotton socks. And never wear cotton in the cold.
• Jeans. Denim is heavy cotton that doesn’t stretch, rubs at the seams, and stays wet for hours once it gets damp.

Wear these instead.

• Merino wool or synthetic socks. They pull moisture away from your skin and keep blisters away. Our shoes and socks guide explains how to choose them.
• Pants that stretch. Leggings, joggers, shorts, or any pants with some give all work well. Zippered pockets are a real bonus, because they keep your phone and keys from falling out on the trail.
• A synthetic workout shirt. Any polyester or nylon shirt you already wear to the gym is a good hiking shirt. It dries quickly and lets heat escape.
• Layers you can take off. Bring a light top layer you can tie around your waist or stuff in your backpack once you warm up.

Your shoes matter too, but they deserve their own guide, so read that one before you buy anything new. Long pants also help keep ticks and poison ivy off your legs, and our hiking safety guide covers why.

Here is one hiker’s temperature ladder, a real example of what to wear at each temperature. Each rung assumes you’re moving at a steady hiking pace. Below 40°F, each rung adds to the one above it.

Dress for how you’ll feel 15 minutes into the hike, not how you feel in the parking lot. Hiking warms you up fast in any season. On a cool or cold morning, that means starting out a little chilly. If you feel cozy standing at the trailhead, you’ll be sweating a mile later, and in cold weather that sweat chills you as soon as you stop. On a warm morning, it means dressing as lightly as you can from the start, because you’ll only feel hotter once you’re moving.

Your ladder will likely look different, because everyone is different. Use this one as a place to start, and move up or down a rung as you learn what works for you. For cold-weather gear, icy trails, and winter trail care, read our winter hiking guide.

On cool and cold days, layers let you adjust as you go instead of guessing right at the start. Your body heats up on the climbs and cools off in the shade and on breaks, and a cold morning often warms up by the time you finish.

• Choose layers that pack small. A light long-sleeve top or a thin jacket should tie around your waist or fold into a backpack without taking up much room.
• Take a layer off before you sweat. Stopping for a minute to peel off a layer early is better than hiking damp for the rest of the trail.

• Getting Started on the Trails—everything else a new hiker needs to know.
• Beginner Hikes—try your new outfit on an easy route.
• Route Library—go find a hike.

This guide is general information from a volunteer trail organization, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911. See our Terms of Use and Trail Safety Disclaimer.