Hiking Must-Haves from Backcountry

This post is sponsored by ShopStyle & Backcountry. All opinions & selections are my own.

Zach is an avid mountain biker and last Saturday the girls and I tagged along to do a little hiking while he rode. We hiked an easy loop with some friends, ended with a little river swimming and then grabbed lunch afterwards. It was a great non-pool or lake day that go us all up and moving early Saturday morning. If you are looking for what to wear hiking or just comfortable summer clothes to chase kids or just work around the house, you’re in luck! I’m partnering with Backcountry today to share our favorite day hiking must haves and the best of The North Face Sale, happening now on Backcountry’s site.

Why I Shop at Backcountry

If you are an avid reader of this blog, then you are no stranger to Backcountry and our monthly roundups! If you are new here, welcome! Let me tell you a little bit more about my favorite outdoor retailer. We are long-time shoppers of Backcountry due to their outstanding selection, 24/7 customer service and free 2-day shipping on all US orders over $50. I have called them countless times to get advice from their Gearheads about what items to buy, especially when I’m buying a present for Zach! Backcountry is our go-to retailer for all of our active and outdoor lifestyle wear. If you love being outside, hiking, camping or just wearing stylish & comfortable outdoor apparel then you will love their products!

If you are a new customer, then use code CRISTIN15 at checkout and instantly save 15% off your entire purchase (exclusions apply)! It’s very rare that you can save on new arrivals & full-priced styles so don’t miss the opportunity to take advantage of this discount at Backcountry.

Where We Hiked

We hiked in the Dupont State Forest and visited Triple Falls, High Falls and Hooker Falls. We started out in the High Falls parking lot and did the loop up to High Falls, over to Triple Falls and then got on the Hooker Falls loop and ended up at the Hooker Falls parking lot. You could definitely hike those two loops and then hike back but we were dropped off at one parking lot and picked up at the other since Zach and his friends were mountain biking.

Our entire trip was 2 miles from the High Falls parking lot to Hooker Falls and a 2 year old walked the majority of the trail himself! It is very easy for small kids and an awesome hike!

If you think these photos look familiar, it is where scenes from The Last of the Mohicans and The Hunger Games were filmed!

What to Wear Hiking

Here are links for our hiking must haves, the clothes, shoes and accessories we wore. If you are a new Backcountry customer, don’t forget to use code CRISTIN15 to save 15% off your entire purchase (exclusions apply)!

My Hiking Outfit

My Top // My favorite thing about Backcountry is how many brands they carry! These Alo Yoga tanks are so lightweight and comfortable. They are perfect to wear while working out, hiking in summer or just running errands. I’m in a small.

My Shorts // I’m constantly on the search for roomy shorts. I ordered these Patagonia shorts in a large but probably could have worn a medium. They are very lightweight and comfortable to hike in thanks to the light fabric and wide waist band.

My Shoes // Backcountry has an endless selection of shoes. I wore my favorite pair of ON running shoes since we were staying on the flat trails. I am eyeing this pair of hiking shoes for our longer hikes!

My Sunglasses // This pair of Ray Ban sunglasses is oversized and doesn’t fit under my hat as easily as others, but I love them!

My Sports Bra // A high-neck, long-line sports bra just makes me happy. This sports bra from The North Face is incredibly comfortable for hiking.

My Hat // I love Backcountry’s hats! A hat is on my list of hiking must haves because I have a strict no-ticks on my head policy.

Kids Hiking Clothes

Girls’ Patagonia Tee // The girls love these soft tees.

Girls’ Shoes // These Keen’s are the best summer shoes for kids. While they’re not officially hiking shoes, the soles are durable and comfortable enough for the girls to walk miles in. We wear socks for the hike and just the shoes for when they want to play in the river.

Girls’ Shorts // I’ve had these same pair of Patagonia shorts for the girls for two years and the quality is excellent! The fit is really roomy and the waistband is elastic with a drawstring so you can get so much wear out them as kids grow.

Day Hiking Must Haves

Backpack // This is my most-used backpack, and it’s specifically sized for women. The Patagonia Refugio backpack is small enough that you can’t pack it too heavy, but it’s large enough to hold all of the necessary items. I packed two of our water bottles, snacks, a change of clothes, wipes, bug spray and more inside! It’s a great day hiking backpack.

Hydroflask // This Hydroflask is HUGE! We filled it with cold water and left it in the car. It held enough water that all 8 of us were able to rehydrate after our hike!

Current Backcountry Sales

Backcountry has some great sales right now; 40% off The North Face; 20% on their New Camp Collection with code CAMP20; they even have select Arc’teryx items on sale for up to 35% off! Here are some of my sale favorites.