The most common hiking gear that you need to stop wasting money on now
Is SPF 70 really worth the price?
Last year, I went to get a facial and a skincare assessment. The professional administering everything was very helpful and knowledgeable. She asked about what SPF I use while hiking at altitude, and I proudly replied, “ALWAYS at least SPF 70.” She explained that everything above 30 offers extremely diminishing returns. According to the University of Texas, SPF 15 sunscreen blocks 93% of UVB radiation from reaching your skin, SPF 30 blocks 97%, 50 blocks 98%, and SPF 100 stops 99% .
Yes, I’d been spending more money for a higher SPF rating on sunscreen that clogged my pores because it never occurred to me it was BS. I told a friend of this discovery and he laughed and said “SPF 1,000!”
But this isn’t the only gear that people regularly waste money on.
SPF >30 sunscreen
Boulder Medical Center also recommends an SPF of 30. And my esthetician recommended checking INCI to see which skincare products in general will and will not clog my pores and how safe for skin each product is. Currently, I use CeraVe SPF 30 along with other means of sun protection like hats and long-sleeve lightweight hoodies.
But this isn’t the only gear you don’t need.
Snake bite kits
I fell for this one, too. They don’t work and can actually make snake bites worse and—by concentrating the toxin—cause need for amputation! Instead, the Mayo Clinic advises what to do if you have been bitten by a rattlesnake:
Move far away from the snake.
Stay still and calm.
Remove any jewelry, watches or tight clothing before swelling starts.
Sit or lie down so that the bite is in a neutral, comfortable position.
Clean the bite with soap and water. Cover or wrap it loosely with a clean, dry bandage.
Some good news: Less than 1 in 600 rattlesnake bites result death, and around 33% do not inject any venom into the person.
Hiking boots
Hikers have realized that you actually don’t need hiking boots. You might prefer to wear them or appreciate their ankle protection, but they’re certainly not always necessary. On relatively flat, light trails, any sneakers with relatively good treads should be fine. You can use sneakers even on tougher trails. Trail shoes are also a revelation to growing hikers, with tons of memes about hikers all making this discovery. Plus, trail shoes sometimes come with ankle support.
Personally, I avoid boots at all costs, as they’re more clunky and tend to give my feet blisters. I spent 2021 and 2022 in Merrell Bravada, and 2023 in Merrell Antora 3. After destroying all of these and coming across a Zappos sale, I bought three new kinds of trail shoes I’ll be trying out over the next year or so. But so far, the Antora are my favorite. These trail runners offer great treads, arch support, and a frame that promotes movement.
Name-brand hiking clothing
There is nothing wrong with really liking a specific brand, but one big misconception is that you must buy, say, Columbia brand clothing in order to hike. Many hikes don’t require any climbing, so basic workout clothes are more than fine. Even for my most intense hikes, I love these basic Amazon leggings. With the exception of the marbled colors (which seem to be made of a weaker fabric) they’re generally pretty durable. I regularly slide down rocks in these and rips are infrequent.
Far more important than brand is learning how to layer in an effective way to protect yourself from the elements. On a general summer alpine hike—depending on the weather—I have a waterproof windbreaker compressed in a baggie in my backpack and I’m wearing a baseball cap, leggings, and a short-sleeved shirt with a sun-protective hoodie and maybe a sweatshirt over it.
Bulky metal water bottles
Unless you really care about your liquid staying hot or cold, these serve no purpose and weigh you down. If I’m hiking from a bit below freezing to 80 degrees—which is the range for most of my hikes—I don’t bother to worry about temperature control for my liquids. If I’m hiking in hotter weather, I’ll bring a metal bottle, add ice to my water bladder, or freeze a hard plastic water bottle or two. In very hot or very cold weather, a metal bottle is more useful, but in normal ranges it’s just extra weight.
Stuff that it’s just insane to bring
From toaster ovens to ice cream makers, people bring absolutely ridiculous stuff to camp. I researched a little to see if there was anything I was missing for this list, but most lists cover complete nonsense camping equipment. And who is making ice cream in the woods?? Apparently the ice cream balls don’t even produce much ice cream.
*Note: This post contains affiliate links.