Let's Get Specific, Ladies.

Imagine it now. Your perfect camping trip is approaching; you have two weeks off this summer to cut out all real-life distractions and get back to nature. Maybe you're thinking of hiking the four peaks of Mount Carleton park, or making it to the summit of the start (or finish) of the Appalachian trail's Mount Katahdin. Regardless of where you are dreaming of going, having comfortable, and functional gear is crucial to your adventure. It not only keeps you exploring, it keeps you safe from injury. Getting outfitted in the right gear can be time consuming, with all the review reading and spec comparing and it's even more tedious for the gals! There are tons of ladies that like to get just as dirty as the boys, but the gear that your guy hiking buddy has may not specific to the female form.

     For years, us gals have been subject to the ole "shrink it N' pink it" theory of making women's specific products. Although pink shows up nicely when I've dropped my utility knife on the mossy foundation of Fundy National Park, I don't want the entire contents of my pack (and my pack!) to be a smaller pink version of my hiking partner's fully functional, fast-packing Osprey Atmos 60.

Cute, but can it hold my trekking poles, stove, potset & sleeping bag? 

     Ladies also need fully functional gear, but the fit, construction and features may change drastically in comparison to men's gear. In a backpack, gals need to take into account their "girls" when strapping in, as well as the width between the shoulder straps for narrower backs. In hiking poles, generally you'll notice that the circumference of the handle will be smaller than that of a men's pole for smaller hands; though not every chick has tiny hands and would require a smaller handle girth, its an available option. Average height for women is shorter than men's so sleeping bags made for women are a few inches shorter and slightly wider through the hips in a mummy bag when compared side by side. When it comes to clothing, there are the obvious differences of fitting those baby-makin hips that just won't stick into men's multi-pocket convertible pants.

Thankfully, companies in the last few years have taken the hint that we need all the fantastic features of "guy-gear" and tweaked it a bit for the petites, made it not pink (but there are still pink options..hey, it's visible!) and women's specific gear has been very well received.
Here are some of our shop favorite women's gear for hiking & travelling!

Osprey Women's Packs:
Osprey is just one of those companies you can't help but love. Especially now that they've taken their best-selling Kestral and created the Kyte. They've taken the same sweet bag that we love, and tweaked it so that it fits smaller frames. The biggest difference that you'll encounter with the women's specific Kyte is that the literage is different from the Kestral. The reason for the difference between the bags (by two litres) is to consider women's gear - smaller clothing, smaller sleeping bags...etc.

Thermarest Women's Trail Lite:
It's greatly appreciated when sleeping pads make women's specific mats, like the trail lite for women. If you look at the construction of the inner foam, you'll notice a different pattern than the guys pad. The foam is structured so that there is more padding below women's hip area, as well as the cutouts are created diagonally rather than straight through to trap the air and make the pad warmer. Women generally have a lower core temperature than men, so most times women's specific pads will have a slightly higher R-Value. This is great for ladies, but its also great for guys looking to have a slightly warmer pad with a bit more cush.

Hiking Pants: Kuhl Bandita Convertible
You've read the reviews and heard your guy friends talk about how great their Kuhl Liberator pants are for hiking and travelling - well guess what, they've made some for chicks too! These pants a) do not scream tourist if you are on a whirlwind tour of Europe, and b) they are quick dry and lightweight for those multi-day hikes. Not to mention, they fit like a dream. They zip off at the calf to make a capri style for when you overheat or want to make it look like you're wearing more than just one pair of pants for 3 weeks. 

Travel Bag/Purse: Pacsafe Travel Handbag
These handbags are stylish, yet completely functional. You have all of the essential pockets for your ipods, phones, wallet, dermatone...etc, but with the added safety of theft proof construction. Zippers in these bags are thread locked, so pens or knives can't break through the teeth and the bag itself is SLASHPROOF! Between the layers of fabric is a weaved stainless steel wire mesh, keeping your belongings safe. The bag is still super light, that even with their "Exomesh" you don't feel like you are carrying a pipeline on your arm.

We've got tons of women-specific products in our shop and if you or any of your lady friends need help finding what is the perfect product to take on a hike, bike or excursion, we have very knowledgeable ladies on staff to answer your questions. Of course not every women will find that women's specific products are right for them, but it is good to know that the industry is taking care of the ladies that can benefit and have a better adventure with the right gear! 

What are your favorite women's specific products?