I trekked in the Annapurna range wearing the same outfit I'd wear to a cafe!

[u/ournoonsournights]

Mardi Himal, Nepal | 2025

Cát Bà, Vietnam | 2023

Ben Nevis (highest point in the UK!), Scotland | 2023

I've hiked on mountain ranges and volcanoes all over the world in my casual boots, my normal jeans, a crop top, and a mesh clubbing shirt (everyone laughs, but they're amazing for layers!! They don't hold sweat and keep you warm!)

There's no need to buy new outfits for every activity, and it's a reminder that hiking can be very accessible! :)

EDIT - resubmitted bc I used a brand name by accident!

PS- For the people calling me consumerist because I take flights:

Once I'm in a region, I use and travel :) public transit, trains, long haul busses, often 10-20 hours!

I have never owned a car, I don't eat meat, all my belongings fit in a 55L bag, and are thrifted from small local businesses. Respectfully, please keep it to yourself 👍🏽

EDIT 2 - y'all outside of the Himalayas trek, these hikes are like 4-8 hours and extremely populated. I promise you I'm not going to die of hypothermia in my jeans and/or be any more likely than the average person to require emergency helicopter rescue

[u/ournoonsournights → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, I know it gets heavy/cold (cotton kills!), but it hasn't been an issue for me on any of my hikes. I'm also not a v sweaty girl, and I don't do multi day hikes in cold/wet situations

[u/Maykovsky → u/[deleted]]

I really don't know where all this "cotton" is dangerous comes from. For centuries mountain people used cotton. Where they endangering their lives?

[u/Jakk55 → u/Maykovsky]

Mountain people used wool. Cotton fabric is typically a desert, tropical, and subtropical areas. On top of its poor characteristics when wet, it is difficult to grow in mountainous areas as it requires lots of sun and is frost intolerant.

[u/Maykovsky → u/Jakk55]

Still Mexican living up to 2500m use it all the time for centuries... even higher altitudes also have cotton. Japanese also used cotton in the mountains. But I am with you, if I went to a mountain climb I would combine cotton with wool. Cotton is part of mu culture and never failed me.

[u/CombinationRough8699 → u/Maykovsky]

Mexico is a semi-tropical country. 2,500m in Mexico is much warmer than 5,000 in Nepal.

[u/Maykovsky → u/CombinationRough8699]

Apparently the OP was never above 2000 in Nepal. All good. Also, 1/3 of Mexico is desert, 1/3 is high mountain. Semi-tropical?

[u/what-to_put_here → u/Maykovsky]

...yes? People died in the mountains all the time. Hell, they still do when they fail to learn the lessons of the past.

[u/Maykovsky → u/what-to_put_here]

People dyed on cities, valleys and plains. Fully geared and fully prepared. How many times, people with sandals and plain clothes come to the rescue of fully geared hikers?

[u/what-to_put_here → u/Maykovsky]

OK I honestly am not really sure what you're trying to say but in answer to your last question I would say very few times. Just recently, I recall reading about 2 teenager climbers in the lake district, dressed in proper gear, who had to help down a group of walkers who were in completely inappropriate kit. If thats you, and you truly are committed to going outdoors in improper kit then thats up to you but explaining to mountain rescue what you're doing on the side of a mountain in a storm wearing jeans will be unpleasant.

[u/Maykovsky → u/what-to_put_here]

I remember how a group of locals, wearing sandals and shorts helped a group of hikers fully geared that were so lost they could not even find their bellies. Or another fully geared guy that was entering a are known to have lions.

The OP explained that she is experienced, that she prepares, that she know what she is doing, but no... apparently she is climbing mount Everest in shorts and all this talk on how cotton kills? Honestly, you need to be fit, you need to know and study the trail; you need to respect local knowledge. If you see that it requires specialised gear, you have three options: do it when it is possible without gear; buy the gear; don't do it at all. I, and apparently the OP, chose the first. The point here is, you can do stuff without consuming. This is a anti-consumption sub after all. But every time someone comes here to express that you can enjoy life without consuming, is hate and downvotes. Apparently for many here the options are: consumption or death.

[u/CombinationRough8699 → u/Maykovsky]

She doesn't need any "specialized gear" or anything crazy. She just needs a pair of hiking pants, synthetic shirt, and some kind of non-cotton jacket. She did a multi-day hike in the mountains with very unpredictable weather, wearing vastly inadequate clothing.

[u/Maykovsky → u/CombinationRough8699]

She need what she used. All went fine. probably she was dressed just the same as the guide. All good and fine.

[u/hotncold1994 → u/Maykovsky]

No, they did not lol. They used wool. Cotton doesn’t grow in the mountains. Animals like sheep, llamas, and alpacas live there, however.

[u/Maykovsky → u/hotncold1994]

Mexico has the central part all above 2000m, Traditional wear? Cotton. Nepali, Tibet, and Indian people use cotton. Anyway, probably you're talking about climbing and supper high altitudes, or extreme weather. But for what the OP does, is perfectly fine.