Clothing recommendations. These all roll up nice and small and I have one of most of these in the car at all times. They can be found at various times on sale for 30% or more off.

Unfortunately, Marmot is among the worst for saddling women with girly colors. But they usually have black.


Marmot Dri-Clime Windshirt
http://www.rei.com/product/794868

A friend got me onto the Marmot Dri-Clime Windshirt a decade ago when she came back from her first Himalayan trek. She said the most experienced trekkers and climbers had the Dri-Clime and swore by it as a layer on the coldest days and a light jacket on milder days. I now have several. Seriously, several. It's a great jacket into the 60s over a t-shirt or tank and great over fleece during vigorous hiking down into the 30s. I also have a vest version of this jacket which I wear alone around the house as well as biking and under winter parkas.


Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket - Women's
http://www.rei.com/product/718308

Another Marmot that I've collected like M&Ms -- many great colors, my favorite being this brown one below. There are other great waterproof parkas (an LL Bean version has served me well for many years) but this Marmot PreCip is my go-to. I keep a green one in the car.


Marmot PreCip Full-Zip Rain Pants - Women's
http://www.rei.com/product/738816

A New England trip a few years ago turned into a soggy saga as a raging torrent of record-breaking rain closed roads. An Oregon friend was with me and being an experienced Pacific Northwest backpacker she did not flinch from hiking in downpours so we went on with our itinerary. These Marmot rain pants and the OR gaiters and Lowe Renegade GTX boots and an LL Bean parka mentioned previously kept me dry.


HATS -- I have got dozens of hats. Golf, Tilley, fleece, OR sombrero and on and on. I like hats to shade my eyes from the sun, rain and to keep my hair from blowing. How many dozens I don't know. Lots. My favorite rain hats -- unlined and fleece-lined -- are no longer carried by REI (was their brand). In the interest of mentioning men's gear that I've appropriated to my usage, here's an LL Bean men's hat that I love and have in dark brown and dark green. They're waxed cotton and I just love waxed cotton. It's not for hot weather but great for 40s-50s. And I see now that Bean is saying it's for men and women. I know it was originally men-only but apparently it's now unisex. Great hat at a great price.

Waxed Cotton Packer Hat
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/47349?pag...7-sub2&np=Y