Let’s take a quick break from talking about what I did in Alaska to talk about what I wore. My friend put together an excellent packing list that I used as my guide. But, I had some workhorses that I wore over and over again. I mean, hey, I never got that sweaty and who cares if your pants are a little muddy?
Most of my items came from REI. I swear, I just handed them my paycheck. I bought my first pair of hiking boots and LOVED them. They’ll probably become my winter boots, too, for when it’s gross and slushy outside. They’re super comfortable, waterproof, and I hiked 10+ miles in one day in them with no blisters. Total winners.
I also bought two pairs of convertible pants. I never did zip them off into shorts, but I loved having so many pockets. Plus, they were water resistant which was perfect for glacier climbing and kayaking and, for, uh, learning how to “go” in the woods. I also bought a pair of these North Face pants and they were great for travel. Now they’re my go-to post-workout pants at home.
Oh, and I can’t forget my rain jacket that my friend Annabelle gave me!
Of course, when I wasn’t hiking or climbing or being active, I needed something to wear around the campsite. My recommendation? Sweatpants and a sweatshirt. They’re even perfect for giving a ranger talk. Long story. I’ll share it soon!
My sweatshirt was also a gift from Annabelle but my sweatpants are from Shopbop. And, yes, Shopbop is having a sale if you want to stock up on sweatpants, or sports bras, or other activewear or athleisure. Look! It comes in handy for the gym, for lounging around the house, or pretending you know what you’re talking about in front of a group of strangers.
The sale starts today if you use the Shopbop Mobile App or tomorrow if you don’t. But I recommend you don’t wait as things do sell out quickly. What’s the sale, you ask?
- 20% off orders under $500
- 25% off orders of $500 or more
- Use code STOCKUP18 when you checkout
My exact sweatpants are here. I also recommend a few running or sweat-wicking tops like this one to wear as base layers. Also, if you’re going hiking, you’re going to want to wear something other than your hiking boots around camp. A pair of sneakers is perfect. Mine are Nike but I really like these, too.
Oh, and some sports bras. That’s what I wore the entire trip. And lots of socks. Having clean socks is the best. I bought a bunch of SmartWool socks and plan to wear them a lot this winter, too.
Other items I recommend? A packable vest, at least one pair of running tights or leggings, a hat, sunglasses and gloves (especially if you want to go glacier climbing!) I think I wore everything I brought at least once. And, to be honest, I could have worn some things a few more times than I did.
Figuring out how to layer is key. Most days I wore a sports bra, running tank top, long sleeved running top, my vest, a jacket and a pair of my convertible pants. Then I would strip off a layer on top and put it in my backpack as I got warm.
I learned a lot on this trip. How to dress for summer in Alaska is just one of the many things. In my next post I’ll tell you what I learned about behaving around caribou, what happens when there are bears on the trail you want to hike, and how to pretend you know everything there is to know about dinosaurs in Denali.
Loop Looks 