Ready To Trek With JLF

If you’re taking part in the Jodi Lee Foundation Trek this year, first of all, well done for supporting such a great cause! Hopefully you’ve been training, which tends to work a little better than crossing your fingers and hoping for the best - although both are perfectly acceptable strategies.

The other thing you’ll need to be thinking about is what to wear. The weather in August can dish up a bit of anything and everything, so the best thing you can do is wear something that will keep you comfortable for longer, no matter what Mother Nature has in store.

(If you’re new to Merino and want to know more about why it’s so good and why it’s the most popular fabric in the world for people in the outdoors, you may want to check out this article.)

Here’s our top (and bottom!) tips for things to keep in mind.

Comfort starts with great socks

You’re going to be spending a lot of time on your feet, so a good pair of socks are going to be critical. Our socks are 80% super fine merino making them one of the merino-iest socks on the market. That means they’ll keep your feet warm when it’s cold, let your feet breathe if it warms up, and be soft enough to help prevent blisters.

SHOP THE MOST MERINO-IEST SOCKS HERE

Don’t forget your undies. 

It's amazing how many people put a whole lot of thought and effort into what clothes are going to perform best, then wear their regular undies. You might even be tempted to think 'why would I buy Merino underwear when I can just wear my regular cotton ones?'. Well, you could, but there’s a good reason Search and Rescue teams across the world refer to cotton as 'Killer Cotton', so be sure to check out our Merino thermal boxers for men and boy briefs for women before you hit the trails next.

SHOP YOUR NEW FAVOURITE UNDIES HERE

A must-have accessory. 

This one takes up next to no space, and is an absolute must-have for anyone out on the trails as it’s a super versatile little accessory. Let’s be honest here, we basically stuffed up when we did named this “Head Thing”. Yes, it can keep your neck warm, but it can also be worn as a headband, bandana, beanie, face mask… the uses are endless. You’d basically be mad to not have one of these handy when you’re out and about. Unlike other “Head Things”, the unique MicroMerino® fabric will prevent any condensation build up from freezing and it’ll stay warm even when it gets wet. Check the Altitude Neck Tubes out here.

Keeping your hands warm.

For many hikers, cold hands can be a real problem in cold weather. Your arms and legs usually warm up nicely enough, but your hands don’t have the same level of circulation and can stay cold, so a good pair of gloves is essential. Ours are lightweight, natural, breathable, soft, warm and comfortable. And you can even use your touchscreen devices without taking them off, thanks to the touchscreen-friendly pads on the thumb and forefinger.

CHECK OUT OUR GLOVES HERE

Which long sleeve top is best for you?

We’ve basically got three different ranges for you to choose from, that all have a slightly different fit and set of features. All of them deliver the high performance of our unique MicroMerino® fabrics, but to help you decided which one best for you, here it is in a nutshell:

Contact fit top.

The Altitude range is cut a bit longer, and it’s what we call a ‘contact fit’. In other words, it’s designed to hug your body. It’s perfect for wearing under other layers without bunching up, but can also be worn on its own. It comes with this like flat lock seams to prevent chafing and thumb loops to help layering and to keep your hands warm. There’s a zip version for extra versatility, if you want extra warmth there’s a hooded version, and if you want a version that’s a little but out there, make sure you check out The Mongrel.

SHOP THE ALTITUDE RANGE HERE

Sport fit top.

The Ultra range is our sporty fit. Not tight, not casual fit, somewhere in between. Still has flat lock seams, with a regular length. Also has thumb loops and comes in a crew neck and zip up version.

SHOP THE ULTRA RANGE HERE

Casual fit top.

If you’re looking for a more regular, casual fitting top, but one that still delivers all the performance of merino, check out our Universal range. It’s actually made from the same fabric as the Ultra range, just cut for an easy fit. You won’t find a zip version of this one, just a range of colours and designs.

SHOP THE UNIVERSAL RANGE HERE

Not colourful, but amazing.

We know some of you like to make a statement with your leggings and there’s certainly some colourful designs out there. But if warmth and comfort is important to you, it’s worth considering our plain old black compression tights. These are made from a world first fabric that delivers the fit and feel of compression leggings, with the high performance comfort of merino. Don’t take our word for it, check out the reviews - people love these leggings. They can be worn on their own or under your hiking pants. Although if you want something to wear underneath your pants, you might also consider our Altitude tights - slightly lighter fabric with less compression.

 SHOP TIGHTS AND LEGGINGS HERE

Your new favourite Hoodie.

If it’s super cold out on the trails, you might want to get yourself into one of these, otherwise save it for the end of the day when you want to sit back and defrost with a nice glass of… soda water. Or something. These hoodies take comfort to a whole new level. We could try and tell you how great they are, but you’d think we’re just making it up. But this will seriously be your new favourite hoodie. The 100% merino fleece fabric is so comfortable it's ridiculous. 

SHOP HOODIES HERE

The Absolute Love Guarantee.

Nervous about spending your money on something you’re not familiar with? Hopefully the reviews speak for themselves, but if you’re still not convinced, there’s always our Absolute Love Guarantee: Buy it, wear it for up to 60 days, absolutely love it, or return it. Simple as that. That’s how confident we are that you’re really going to love it once you’ve tried it.

Any questions?

As always, our team and Outsiders are pretty helpful when it comes to answering questions, so if you have any that aren’t too difficult, send us an email anytime and we’ll get straight back to you. (Unless we’re out hitting the trails ourselves in which case you may need to be a teeny bit more patient!).