In many parts of the country, the fall is prime time for hiking. Not as wet as the spring, not as hot as the summer and no snow. And there are those famous fall colors to take in, especially in the northeast.
While throwing on a pair of sneakers and heading into the woods will work, the latest advances in high tech hiking gear will make for a much better experience.
More comfortable, safer and more enjoyable.
From the latest technology in lightweight hiking shoes to essential outdoor gear that fits in a backpack, we’ve put together a guide to the latest and greatest high tech hiking equipment.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Merrell All Out Fuse Trail Running Shoe
Wolverine World Wide’s (WWW) Merrell hooked me up with a pair of these All Out Fuse trail running shoes and when it comes to outdoor gear, they are among my favorites.
Extremely light weight (just 8 oz.), and loaded with high tech features like Unify impact absorption midsole, M Select GRIP high traction outsole and Merrell’s Omni-Fit lacing system, these shoes fit like a glove.
Despite their minimalist approach, the All Out Fuse provide the traction and support to tackle virtually any trail — walking or running.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Apple iPhone 6 Plus
An iPhone, seriously? Isn’t hiking about escaping smartphones, tablets and connectivity?
No one says you need to check e-mail, but a smartphone like Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone 6 Plus can be a great addition to your hiking equipment.
It’s a phablet, so you’ll need to save a little extra room in the backpack for it, but the iPhone 6 Plus offers one of the best cameras available in a smartphone — ideal for capturing those fall vistas.
In addition, its GPS can help keep you on the trail, apps are available for identifying plants and wildlife and it can keep track of how much distance you cover. If you somehow end up lost, you can call for help and its built-in flashlight is one less thing to carry.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Tracks Compact Travel Staff Trekking Pole
Poles aren’t just for skiing. If you are hiking anywhere that has uneven terrain — or you’re just not as steady on your feet as you once were — one or two trekking poles should be part of your outdoor gear.
A hiking pole offers stability you can count on.
This often overlooked piece of hiking equipment’s also very useful for safely poking at things. Is there a snake under that pile of leaves? How deep is that puddle on the trail?
This Tracks Compact Travel Staff Trekking Pole has push-button length adjustment, shock-corded lower sections, a contoured foam grip and a camera mount.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Lifesaver Bottle
The only thing worse than running out of water when you’re on a long hike is running out of water while having to look at a gurgling stream or river.
Lots of water, but probably not safe to drink…
Carry a Lifesaver Bottle and that’s not a concern.
Used by militaries worldwide, the replaceable cartridge in this bottle filters out anything you would be worried about drinking — bacteria, viruses, particles and parasites — leaving clean, safe drinking water.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Merrell Moab Gore-Tex Hiking Boots
Last year my wife went hiking in Iceland. Terrain was varied, including rolling grass land, volcanic plains and glaciers. Many of the excursions lasted for hours, so comfort was just as important as safety.
To cover all of these different needs, she packed just one pair of boots among her outdoor gear: Merrell’s Moab Mid Gore-Tex hiking boots.
These hiker offer an aggressive lug for grip on any terrain, the support of an Ortholite anatomical footbed and the waterproof protection of Gore-Tex.
They’re very capable hiking boots, and they’re also comfortable enough to wear all day — something you’ll definitely appreciate half-way into a six hour hike.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: GoPro Hero 4 Black Camera
What happens if you’re on a hike and see or do something extreme? You want to share that with the world, and that means no time for fumbling with a camera or a smartphone. Google (GOOG) Glass? Too expensive, too low-resolution and too fragile.
You need a GoPro (GPRO).
Mount a rugged, waterproof new GoPro Black camera to your helmet and everything extreme and worth sharing that happens on your hike — falling in a river, tumbling down a hill or surviving a bear attack — is captured in 4K Ultra HD video.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel Backpack
An essential piece of hiking equipment for even a walk of just a few hours is a backpack. For a fall day hike, you don’t need anything too massive or complex, but a school backpack may not cut it, either.
You’ll want room to stuff a light jacket, water bottle, snacks and other items like your camera and smartphone — you want to keep your hands free.
Adjustability, weight, padding, lots of easily accessible pockets and a durable fabric are also high on the wish list.
The Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack is a consistent favorite among Amazon (AMZN) customers when it comes to ergonomic compact backpacks.
This one also offers a laptop sleeve and meets most airline carry-on requirements so it can double as a travel pack when you’re done in the woods.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Eton Solarlink FR370
Make sure to leave a little space in your backpack for the Eton Solarlink FR370, a 6.5-inch square multi-purpose safety device that’s also very handy to have at home as part of your emergency preparedness kit.
The Solarlink has an AM/FM radio, LED flashlight, alarm clock, emergency beacon and NOAA weather radio (with flashing lights in the event of a weather warning) all in one compact package.
Where it really shines is its power source. You can use old school AA batteries, but you also have the option of using its hand crank to power up the built-in rechargeable battery or let the sun do the work thanks to its solar panel.
Better yet, that stored-up power — no matter how you get it — can be used to recharge your smartphone by plugging it in with a USB cable. Ten or 15 minutes of cranking equals 1-2 minutes of additional talk time on your phone.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: Merrell All Out Hybrid Jacket
Your fall hiking equipment should include a jacket that offers lightweight warmth as well as protection from rain — or even snow.
The Merrell All Out Hybrid is perfectly designed for the job.
The jacket is constructed with stretch fleece sides, back panel and underarms so it doesn’t hamper your mobility.
At the same time, a high-tech water-resistant finish where it counts (on the front, sleeves, back panel and hood) ensures that if you get caught in bad weather, you’ll shed the water instead of soaking in it.
High-Tech Hiking Gear: BioLite Stove
Rounding out our list of high-tech hiking gear is the BioLite Stove.
It may be overkill for a quick hike through the park, but for extended hikes in the cool fall weather, it may be worth finding a spot in your pack for one of these.
With a BioLite Stove, you can stop anywhere and with just a handful of twigs, rapidly heat up water for a hot drink. It’s safely contained, so no worries about setting the forest on fire.
This high tech wonder will also convert any excess heat into power to recharge your smartphone or camera — just plug in to its USB port.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
