The Best Summer Gear for Long, Hot Days
With 100-degree temps still cooking the country, it’s tough to imagine summer could be anywhere near ending. If you’re tired of sunburning, sweating, being eaten alive by mosquitos, or otherwise toughing it out with sub-par summer gear, now’s the time to upgrade.
These 14 finds are guaranteed to make the remaining days of summer exploration feel a lot cooler. Bonus: Some of these items are now on clearance.
Under Armour CoolSwitch
Technically designed for fishing, these UPF 30 shirts are ideal for any sunshiney adventure. Why? The magical inner coating sucks summer heat and perspiration away from your skin, making you feel cooler, drier, and up for staying outside longer. Anti-odor control means you can skip pit sniffing and deodorant reapplications all day long. $65
Wallaroo Women’s Capetown & Men’s Explorer Hats
Say buh-bye to your baseball hat and get a trusty, packable bucket hat instead. Judge the style if you like, but these wide-brimmed beauts protect your neck, ears, and face from sunburn, thanks to their full-coverage style and UPF 50 protection. Trust me, if you don’t board the bucket hat train now, your sunburned skin will make you wish you had later. $40
Trilipiderm® Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a summer gear essential, but finding a good one is tough. So we were stoked to try this broad-spectrum formula that blocks 97% of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB radiation. But what really sealed the deal is that it doesn’t dry out your skin. It’s actually a full-body moisturizing creme paired with sunscreen for all-in-one protection and pampering. Paraben and mineral oil free. $18
Therm-A-Rest Slacker Hammock & Compressible Pillow
After a day of hiking, biking, or backpacking, straight chillaxing is just what the doctor ordered. This single hammock sets up fast and packs down small; pairing it with a supportive camping pillow makes it nearly as comfy as your bed at home. After testing lots of inflatable pillows, this stood out for sleeping the most like a real pillow. The difference? Instead of being filled solely with air, it’s made from the scraps of Therm-A-Rest’s foam mattresses, so it puffs up big when unpacked for full neck and head support. Hammock $70, Pillow $28
Miir Camp Cup
A mug that actually keeps hot coffee hot and iced coffee cold? True to their word, this cup kept our coffee hot longer than it took to drink it, and the insulation kept our hands from burning. Sure, you likely already have a double-wall insulated thermos, but enjoying a from-the-mug coffee experience at just the right temperature makes this a worthwhile investment. Lid prevents spilling when swaying in your hammock. $20
Thrive Bars by GoMacro
Bars. They can be necessary when outdoorsing, but most are packed with sugar and mystery ingredients. That’s where GoMacro comes in. Their new line of tasty ancient seed superfood nut bars are low-glycemic so they won’t spike your blood sugar and contain only soy-free, plant-based protein (cashews, hemp, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, brown rice, flax). Thrive bars come in six flavors, but we’re biased—Ginger Lemon’s our fave. $2.19 each
Dandies All Natural Marshmallows
What’s summer without marshmallows toasted over a fire? While marshmallows will never be considered health food, Dandie’s marshmallows are better for you and the planet. They’re gelatin-free (read: vegan), gluten-free, and fat-free, and taste better than Kraft. Sold in biggie size for s’mores or mini for mixing into rice crispy treats. Available at Whole Foods.
Craghoppers Insect Shield Bailey Dress
Challenging the notion that technical gear lacks style, Craghoppers invented this summer dress, which offers 90% protection from biting, disease-ridden insects like mosquitos and ticks. After being bitten by a tick this summer, insect protection has become an obsession, and the sewn-in nature of this insect repellant means it lasts forever—without endangering humans. Newsflash: If Zika isn’t where you are yet, it’s going to be. Even if you’re not expecting, rolling the dice on a mysterious illness is bad. Protect yourself instead. $65
Craghoppers Nosilife Insect Shield Tristan Shirt
Stinger Cordless Insect Zapper
Merrell Around Town Backstrap
Netting points for style and comfort, this strappy sandal doesn’t cause blisters and is wearable on long walks straight outta the box. Pairs well with everything from dresses to jeans and could be worn when tooling around on any type of trip. Currently on sale for $20 off. $75
Superfeet Men’s Bison Sandals
We’d all but given up on flip-flops, favoring more supportive strap-and-buckle sandal options instead. But this year makers of the supportive insoles, Superfeet, came out with their own line of sandals that we can’t stop wearing. The synthetic leather strap dries fast so you don’t need to worry if they get dunked, and the heel cup holds your foot in place and prevents achy arches. Even after miles—yes miles—of walking in them. Took them on vacation with three other pairs of shoes—wore only these instead. They’re that good. $60
