There’s no bad season to hike in Colorado Springs, but summer and fall are prime. With lots of new trails underway around town and around the Pikes Peak region, it’s a good time to get out and explore. The right gear can make the experience much more enjoyable, so here are some of our favorites we’ve been testing — from head to toe.
Buff 5 Panel Go Cap Domus
A good hat for hiking is essential, and we love Buff’s 5 Panel Go Cap, both for its style and functionality. Made of 76% recycled material, mostly polyester, it is lightweight and breathable. The Go Cap does a great job of wicking sweat away, whether you’re hiking or running. And on especially hot days, we’ll dunk it in a creek for extra air-conditioning — it dries super fast. It fits with a low profile and short bill, and the Domus designs mix three-colors for our favorite styles.
Tops in Tops for the Trail
Smartwool Active Ultralight Short Sleeve
In hot weather or as a base layer when it’s cooler, Smartwool’s Active Ultralight is an ideal shirt. It’s Merino wool and Tencel Lyocell blend give it a super lightweight feel — and make it comfortable on and off the trail. The Merino properties shine with excellent breathability, temperature regulation and quick-drying odor resistance. We also like the off-the-shoulder seams that feel especially comfortable under backpack straps. Available in men’s and women’s styles.
Find it locally at REI, Epic Mountain Gear, Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Outdoor Research Astroman Air Sun Hoodie
The OR Astroman is named for the legendary Yosemite climbing route, but it is out of this world for lightweight layering. Weighing less than 6 ounces, it feels absolutely airy and breezily stretchy even on a hot day when we’re wearing it for the UPF 50+ protection. But it also blocks wind and light rain in cooler, worsening weather. Laser-perforated side panels and a deep zipper give it excellent venting, even when trail running. And if it does get wet, it dries remarkably fast. It impressively repels stink too. We’ve worn it on blustery 14ers and in the tropics and just keep reaching for it first in the closet. It comes in men’s and women’s styles.
Find it locally at REI and Scheel’s.
Icebreaker Quantum Long Sleeve Zip Hoodie
As the weather cools, we find ourselves reaching for the Quantum Hoodie by Icebreaker. It is 100% merino wool with a soft, cozy feel and a stretchy, trim fit. The hidden-zippered hand and chest pocket lie flat and are positioned to work with a backpack — both nice touches. And we’re suckers for good thumbholes. The Quantum uses Merino 260 on Icebreaker’s 75 to 460+ scale, making it just right for cool to cold conditions — or just everyday comfort if you tend to run cold.
Find it locally at REI.
Hiking Shorts and Pants
Outdoor Vitals Skyline Trail Shorts
These OV Skyline Shorts are highly functional on any kind of trail, whether we’re hiking, running or fastpacking. We love their athletic style and durable stretch polyester finish. We’ve put them to the test from Colorado’s high country to Thailand’s seaside mud, and they’ve handled it all. Vented panels on the hips and crotch provide excellent breathability. They’re our shorts of choice if there’s water anywhere near the trail because we’re going in with full confidence the Skylines will dry fast. The mesh brief liner is especially handy in those cases, but it’s optional.
Outdoor Research Timberline Utility Short
We love outdoor gear that can do it all. After all, this is Colorado where trail wear is fashion. That’s a big reason we love these Timberline Utility Shorts by OR. They’re rugged enough to take on trails and repel rocks and branches but comfy and stylish enough to head straight to the restaurant or brewery after an outing. Honestly, we love them on short or long hikes and wear them all day. A 95% nylon, 5% spandex blend gives enough stretch to move freely and stay comfortably breathable. The cargo pocket is handy for small gear, and the Bluesign approval means their manufacturing process has passed strict assessments for chemical and environmental safety. They’re available in men’s and women’s styles.
Find them locally at REI.
Outdoor Vitals Altura Dynamic Pants
These pants hit the sweet spot of versatility. They’re rugged enough for high country scrambling and off-trail bushwhacking, blocking wind and repelling branches. They’re lightweight and breathable enough for warmer forays when you want more protection than shorts can offer — thank you, zippered hip vents for that solid AC. The Altura Dynamic Pants are designed to move, thanks to a soft four-way stretch double-weave nylon, which has 7% spandex. We’re fans of the cargo pocket on the thigh; its interior phone sleeve is ideal for keeping devices handy. These pants have been right at home on Cheyenne Canon trails and fall 14ers, as well as trails and streets in Thailand and Vietnam. Their style and comfort make them equally excellent for traveling or around-town too.
Icebreaker Merino 150 Anatomica Boxers
Performance pants or shorts are only as good as what’s underneath them. When it comes to performance underwear, Icebreaker’s Merino 150 are our favorites. For men, that’s specifically the Anatomica Boxers. We would call them boxer briefs, especially with their contoured pouch and stretchy fit. That comes from the Merino Corespun, which wraps merino wool fibers around a nylon center and gives the Anatomica a lightweight feel. We love their breathability too. The 150 refers to Icebreaker’s warmth system, which runs from 75 to 460+, and makes these ideal for all seasons. We love them on the trail and for everyday wear. For the women, Icebreaker’s Merino 150 comes in the Siren Hipkini, Bikini and Thong.
Superior Trail Shoes and Boots
Lowa Amplux 2
These are technically a trail runner that we love to hike in, especially on local Colorado Springs trails. Lowa’s Amplux 2 is built for medium distance trail running and daily runs — and that makes it a perfect all-arounder. A carbon-reinforced rebound plate in the midsole helps to strike a good balance of cushion and flexibility. The Amplux 2 feels well cushioned but not balloony; a moderate 6 millimeter drop helps with the grounded feel too. The mesh upper stays breathable, and the toe cap and heel wrap feel protective in rough terrain. Lowa’s rubber outsole bites in local gravel and grips well on rock, and we’re fans of the wide tongue that helps keep out that pesky Pikes Peak kitty litter-granite. It all adds up to one of favorite shoes for fast hiking and mid-pack running or mixing it all up on any given outing.
Find it locally at REI, Scheel’s or Envision Express on the U.S. Air Force Academy if you have access.
Salewa Pedroc 2 Powertex Shoe
This speed hiker delivers the comfort of a shoe and the burliness of a boot. To describe the fit in one word: solid. The Salewa Pedroc 2 eats up terrain, from Pikes Peak gravel to high alpine boulders. Salewa’s signature Pomoca outsole is super grippy on rock, and its reinforced heel and toe caps add to the sturdy ride. But the EVA midsole and plate keep things flexible too. The Italian brand’s proprietary Powertex waterproof membrane does a great, PFAS-free job of staying dry too. We’re fans of the earth tones too. Available in men’s and women’s styles.
Find them locally at Mountain Chalet, REI and Scheel’s.
Lowa Innovo GTX Mid
When the trail gets more rugged, the Lowa Innovo is impressively burly and lightweight. It has become our go-to for 14ers and short backpacking trips. The modern hiking boot delivers excellent lateral support, traction and protection from rocks, roots and bushwhacking debris. A waterproof Gore-Tex lining keeps feet dry. And the double-injected midsole gives just enough flex and cushion to feel nimble and sturdy at the same time. Lowa blended its 100 years of experience with new technology to make the Innovo our most favorite hiking boot in years. Available in men’s and women’s styles.
Find them locally at Mountain Chalet, REI, Scheel’s or, if you have access, Envision Express on the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Pack It Up, Pack It In — Trail Accessories
Gregory Arrio 28
When you need something to carry your gear on the trail, the Gregory Arrio delivers great storage without weighing you down. We’re fans of Gregory’s stretchy CloudControl hipbelt. But the VaporSpan mesh backpanel and shoulder straps really set the Arrio apart; they keep the pack off of your back and allow superior airflow and breathability. There are so many other details we love about this pack too, including the exterior bungee loops for trekking poles, the ComfortGrip zipper pulls and the front stuff pocket. The Arrio comes in 20, 24 and 28-liter sizes. We like the 28 for its extra room on all-day treks, 14er ascents or schlepping the whole family’s gear. And it’s only 2 pounds.
Find it locally at REI and Scheel’s.
Leki Skytera Carbon Lite
Trekking poles are great for alleviating the strain on your legs, but nobody wants to carry excess weight. That’s not a problem for Leki’s Skytera Carbon Lites at only 6.9 ounces each. Their hybrid shaft actually blends carbon and aluminum to keep them light but strong. We like the telescoping style that ranges from 100 to 140 centimeters. Each pole has two adjustments, so you make them shorter for ascending steep terrain or longer on descents. The Verticon grips and wrist straps stay comfortable, and swappable baskets are easy to switch for dry or snowy conditions.
Find them locally at REI.
Katadyn BeFree AC Bottle 0.9L
Water filter bottles were a great evolution in outdoor hydration. Case in point: the BeFree bottle by water purification O.G. Katadyn. We love not having to carry a lot of water weight when we know we’ll be hiking near a water source. Just refill and drink through the filtered nozzle. The BeFree uses a two-stage filter. Activated carbon handles bad taste and chlorine, and the 0.1 micron hollow fiber filter takes care of bacteria, protozoa and microplastics , including giardia, cryptosporidium and E. coli — all with an easy flow for drinking. It comes in 0.7 and 0.9 liter sizes.
Find it locally at REI and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Get some new gear and hit the trail on these 10 Favorite Fall Hikes In and Around Colorado Springs.
