Hiking Gear

[jmart]

Utah and Wyoming in Aug can be hot, especially in early Aug. You may need a light fleece pullover and some pants for after the sun goes down or if a hailstorm passes through, but during the day I would expect you to be wearing shorts and T's. Some folks use the convertible pants that you can zip the legs off and they become shorts.

Smartwool socks are good, even when it's hot.

Get your boots early and break them in. When you select a size, use the socks you'll be hiking in, and stick to that size throughout your trip.

Wicking fabrics are what you are looking for, stay away from cotton T's.

A Goretex rain suit can come in handy. I've been in the mountains where one hour it's 80 degrees and sunny, and within one hour clouds will roll in, the temp will drop 25 degrees and you'll get hailed on.

Bring sunscreen. Especially if you will be at altitude, the UV is bad up here. A brimmed hat can come in handy.

I would call out to the areas you'll be hiking in and get some recommendations from the folks out there. If you plan on spending much time above timberline, then you'll need some warmer stuff, that's a different deal altogether, but if you are just hiking/camping in National forests, then you can get by lighter.

Sorry, can't help you out on packs, I've just day hiked before and camped.

[Obiwan]

Personally I like Thorlo's for socks

But the biggest thing is having fairly light hiking socks and boots that breathe

Wet feet (from perspiration) are the number one source for Blisters

I also spend a lot of $$ at REI

[UVvis]

Also look for a lightweight wind shell. Winds in those parts can be downright fierce at times, and it only gets worse if there is some water around. They work well with a light fleece very well.

Get a couple of light weight expanding bottles that can carry a ton of water. You might find yourself setting up in a camp and having to head somewhere else on a water run. If you aren't used to the area, there are many places where you might end up drinking 3-5 gallons of water a day to keep hydrated. The higher winds keep you cool, but can blow the water out of you.