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The Banff Blog

Recommendations

We get a lot of questions about gear and travel booking sites.

You’ll find all our favorite gear and clothing for exploring the Rockies on this page. We’re fortunate enough to spend most of our days exploring the mountains, which means we test a lot of gear. We use and love the following items and services.

We don’t require a subscription or a paywall to access all this content, and we are not beholden to shareholders who shape our opinions and advice. But you can help support The Banff Blog and let us keep this information absolutely free for everyone. By booking your accommodation, tours, or buying travel gear through our links, you help keep our small team working and the site free for everybody. We receive a small compensation when you purchase through one of these links, but it won’t cost you anything extra.

Please bookmark this page and use it to plan and book your next adventure. Below, we have assembled a list of some of the most useful platforms, outdoor gear, and our favorite travel websites, which we have been using for the last decade of travel.

Our Favorite Clothing For Hikes

Down Jacket

It’s always down jacket season in the Rockies, and the Cerium LT Hoody is our favorite. It’s lightweight, warm, and super comfortable. Get it here!

Shop Jackets

Hiking Shirt

Cotton shirts are slow to dry and pull heat away from your body. Opt for a wool shirt like the Smartwool Merino Sport shirt.

Shop Shirts

Shorts

We both love lined shorts as they reduce the risk of chafing. Check out the Swiftland Running Shorts and Fast and Free Lined Shorts.

Shop Shorts

Pants

The Men’s Renegade pants and Women’s Freeflex pants are exceptional for travel and hiking.

shop Pants

Underwear

Wool underwear offers better performance and comfort than cotton. Icebreaker has fantastic underwear for women and men.

Shop uNDIES

Socks

Darn Tough’s Micro Hiker Socks come in a range of cuts and offer tremendous on-trail performance.

Shop sOCKS

Boots

Boot choice depends on their intended use, but for most hikers, the Merrell Moab is a perfect choice.

Shop bOOTS

Shoes

We ditch the cumbersome boot for most hikes and wear the Salomon Speedcross, trail running shoes.

Shop shOES

AllTrails

AllTrails is our favorite app for planning hikes. We suggest downloading it and paying for a subscription so you can download their topography maps right to your phone and access them offline. It could be better, and we have our critiques. However, AllTrails provides a lot of the info you’ll need on most hikes in the area, including helpful details like the start of the trailhead, current conditions, elevation, elevation gain, average time, and distance.

More About AllTrails

Safetywing

We always travel with travel insurance. With all the risks of travel in a foreign country and insurance coverage, we never have to worry about a good health plan. SafetyWing offers incredible flexibility and great plans! You never know if the worst could happen while you’re abroad, and your insurance plan at home often may not cover medical emergencies abroad. Regardless of your decision, search and rescue is free in Canada, so do not hesitate to call in the event of an emergency.

More About Safetywing

Our Favorite Gear

Poles

Hiking poles are a tremendous aid in the Rockies with uneven and loose rocky terrain. We love these hiking poles from Black Diamond.

Hiking Tips

InReach

There is not much cell service in the Canadian Rockies. In case of emergencies, we carry an emergency beacon with GPS, Garmin inReach.

Shop In Reach

Backpack

We recommend a backpack of around 20L for most hikes. Osprey backpacks are a great choice for hiking.

Shop Backpacks

Multiday Backpack

For backcountry adventures, we love the Men’s Gregory Baltoro Backpack and Women’s Deva Backpack.

Shop Backpacks

Capture Clip

This nifty clip from Peak Design secures a camera to my backpack strap for easy reach. No more digging in the backpack!

Shop Peak Design

Microspikes

When trails are icy or have packed snow microspikes are literal lifesavers. Amazing traction devices that we could not live without.

Shop Microspikes

Helmet

If you plan to tackle any of the fantastic scrambles in the Rockies it’s a good idea to protect your head with Half Dome Helmet from rockfall.

Shop Helmets

Tent

We use the three-person Nemo Dagger for a comfortable amount of room and protection.

Shop Tents

Travel Credit Cards

Many financial institutions add a surcharge and a currency conversion fee to every foreign currency purchase, particularly for debit cards. We highly recommend that everyone traveling from another country use a rewards travel credit card for purchases in Canada.

Not only will it save on foreign currency conversions, but it also comes with a ton of other advantages. Most notably, the awesome rewards can translate to free travel.

Explore Credit Cards

Resources For Travel Planning

Click one of the logos below to learn more!

Want More Insider Tips?

If you’re busy planning your trip, this is the weekly newsletter you want to have delivered. It is filled with our best secrets, practical tips, useful resources, hike guides, and park information from our own unbiased experience around Western Canada.  

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© 2025 The World Pursuit LLC

Privacy・Terms ・ Site Credit

  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Work With Us
  • Learn More
    • Rocky Mountain National Parks
      • Banff National Park
      • Yoho National Park
      • Kootenay National Park
      • Jasper National Park
      • Waterton National Park
    • Towns and Villages
      • Banff
      • Canmore
      • Jasper
      • Lake Louise
      • Fernie
      • Golden
      • Revelstoke
      • Whistler
  • Plan Your Trip
    • What to Pack
    • Transportation
    • Weather & Webcams
    • Example Itineraries
    • Resources
    • Route Guides
    • FAQ
  • Where To Stay
    • Hotels
    • Camp
    • Lodge
    • Cabins
    • Short Term Rentals
  • Things To do
    • Book A Tour
    • Hike
    • Lakes
    • Gondolas
    • Scramble
    • Icefields Parkway
    • Eat
  • Need Help Planning?
    • Digital Travel Guide
    • Trip Consultation
    • Custom Itinerary
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