I was back on KATU's Afternoon Live to share my hiking essentials!  It was a time-consuming and incredibly frustrating process trying to find the proper outdoor gear in my size and style for my big vacation (and for future hiking adventures).  So today I am sharing my favorite outdoor clothing that worked so well for me out in the wild!  And because I can only tell you so much in a short five-minute segment, I have tons more info for you here.  Check out my tips and recommendations below, along with links and details on the items featured in the video!


- I bought the items in this post.  All opinions presented are my own and without influence. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. - 

• Check out my previous At Home Fitting Room post in which I tried on lots of outdoor gear - jackets, vests, pants, shorts, skorts, and shoes!

Hiking Shoes:

• Featured in the video: Reebok Trailgrip, New Balance Hiking Shoes (thrifted)
• I wear an 11 Wide in shoes, so the other two styles that fit well (and are also waterproof) are the New Balance 13501 Fresh Foam Walking Shoe and the Columbia Wahkeena Hiking Shoe.
• I thrifted my current New Balance hiking shoes from ThredUp.  While thrifting is definitely a hunt, it can be a fun one.

Hiking Socks:

• While I didn't get a chance to talk about them in the segment, I did get new hiking socks this year and want to give you my top recommendations.

• My Smartwool socks are thick and comfortable, with support around the arch and a cushioned feel on the bottom.  The main style I own are the Outdoor Light Crew Socks, but I also want to point out the Outdoor Heavy and Pro Outdoor styles that are very similar. I wear a medium in Smartwool women's styles.

• After hearing about Bombas socks on podcasts I listen to, I finally decided to buy a pair and try them out.  I LOVE them.  They are so comfortable, especially the cushioned styles.  I wear a medium in the no-shows and a large in the other styles.  I felt a little guilty about spending a lot of money at once on socks, but I bought the Women's Hiking Calf Socks and LOVE them!  They are a cushioned sock with ventilation and moisture-wicking technology.  I even got my husband hooked on Bombas.  And with every pair purchased, one pair is donated to those in need.  You can use my referral code to get 25% off your first order.  You can also check here for all of their hiking styles.

Hiking Pants:

• Featured in the video: When I found the Columbia Anytime Outdoor Boot Cut Pant (more here) in a 24, I really didn't think they would fit.  By that time, I had already tried on a number of women's 3X jackets that were definitely too small, so my hopes were not high.  I ordered one pair, tried them on, and immediately ordered two more pair.  

• Despite my larger hips and thighs, these pants fit very well.  They are lightweight, super stretchy, easy to wear, easy to pack, and easy to clean.  I wore leggings underneath them for warmth in the colder weather.  I washed them in the hotel bathtub when needed. They dry fast.  I never had issues with the zip fly and loved that they also had a drawstring closure.  The length was pretty great for me also.  These particular pants also have stain and water resistance and UPF 50 sun protection. Navy, black, green, and beige are the basic neutral colors that are available, but they will go with pretty much anything.  And they are good everyday pants should you need to pack light.
• And as I mentioned in the video, if you have larger thighs stay away from the convertible pants with the zipper at the knee.  The zipper doesn't stretch and will cut into you.  The fabric is also not as stretchy, so they aren't as comfortable to wear overall.

• You can check out my fitting room post for try-ons of other Columbia hiking bottoms.

All Weather Jackets:

• This one was a doozy!  I spent a lot of time looking for options that fit well and had all the features I needed.  I wanted something that wasn't super oversized but still had room to layer.  It needed to be windproof and waterproof, lightweight and easy to pack, have a hood that fit my head, and be enough to keep me warm and dry.  I ended up trying so many jackets in both women's and men's styles, mostly from the Columbia brand because that is what I had easier access to.  Again, you can check out my try-on haul of jackets on my fitting room post.

• Featured in the video: A friend recommended the Ulla Popken brand to me because she saw they had some coats that might meet my needs.  I ended up ordered the Reflective Rainbow Stripe Triple Function Jacket (still available in sizes 12/14 and 32/24) and found it to be the best fitting jacket I had tried to that point.  I ordered the size 24/26 and found it to be generously sized, but I also had room to layer.  While it wasn't exactly what I was looking for in terms of defining my shape and not being a black coat, I loved the colorful lining and reflective stripe detail that gave it a little more design.  The jacket itself is well-made, with armpit vents and waterproof zippers even!  I was really impressed with it and happy I bought it.

• Featured in the video: When Ulla Popken saw my post about the jacket, they ended up sending me the All Weather Lined Hooded Jacket.  It was more along the lines of the style I was looking for, with a drawstring waist to give me some shape.  They had a navy version at the time, which is what you will see me wearing in most of my vacation photos.  And I absolutely LOVE it!  It was just what I wanted and did everything I needed it to do.  And because of the quality of these jackets, I am an Ulla Popken fan now.  I highly recommend checking out their items.

Layering Options:

• Layering is both a practical need and a chance to add some color and personality to your hiking wardrobe.  When you do find these practical hiking pieces in plus size, they generally come in very few neutral shades.
• For warmth, I found the Columbia Benton Springs Fleece Jacket and Benton Springs Fleece Vest. Both are the Columbia brand so their 3X is more fitted on my size 22/24 body, but it was fine for layering.  I wore the vest a lot more than the jacket, but definitely still needed it from time to time. The jacket was more fitted than the vest, but the fleece is thick and doesn't cling to tummy rolls and the like.  I tried both of these pieces on through Amazon Prime Wardrobe, and caught them on sale for $35 each.

• I opted for color and print in my basic layering tops.  
• Featured in the video, even though I didn't get to talk about them, are: 
• Columbia Fall Pine Washed Henley - I bought a 3X and found this style generously cut.  It was a great oversized comfy shirt for wearing on the airplane ride also. (similar)
• Kohl's Simply Vera Vera Wang Printed Top - I am wearing a 3X in one of the vacation photos and LOVED this tee.  I wish there were more prints and colors available.  It is super soft and fit very well.  It is on clearance now for $16.
• Daily Ritual Jersey Long-Sleeve Crew Neck Tee - Daily Ritual is an Amazon brand with lots of soft knit basics.  I bought the tee in the navy and white stripe in a 4X.  It is SUPER soft, but does cling a little to my tummy roll.  Still, it is a great piece for layering and looks very cute with a vest.
• Daily Ritual Cotton Modal Hooded Henley - I ended up buying this hoodie in all three colors.  I wear a 4X and find I have plenty of room.  This Amazon brand has lots of basic styles in soft knits in both plus and straight sizes.  This was one of my favorite layering pieces on the trip, and I felt it looked super cute with my vest also.

More Info:

• Utilize Amazon Prime Wardrobe to try on clothing from the site and pay when you decide to keep something.  Shipping takes a little longer and not everything in your size will be available for Prime Wardrobe, but it has been a convenient way to try jackets, tops, shoes, and a variety of bottoms.

• Most of the outdoor specialty companies stop at a 16 or a 24/3X.  I find some items to be made a little smaller too, though some things are also more generously sized depending on the style.  If you wear larger than a size 24, some of the men's style jackets may fit you better.  Brands like Woman Within (up to a size 46/48) and Ulla Popken (most styles go up to a size 30, some to 38) are good places to start looking for items like these in extended sizes.