For those who do serious hiking

What do you wear?

I need to figure out what to buy clothing wise for a very hard hike/mountain climb. It will be hot (i will be in the rainforest) as well as up and down a rocky volcano.

Any suggestions? Should i wear long pants or shorts? What kinds? What do you wear on top? Are any hiking shoes better or worse than the others? Help!

Re: For those who do serious hiking

I love my convertible pants. They are long pants that have zip offs so they can become shorts. They can also be rolled up and buttoned to become capris.

On top I'd recommend a lightweight tech shirt that will draw the sweat away from your body.

I personally like high top hiking boots for ankle support, but my DH prefers low top ones. It's probably best just to go try some on and see what you like.

If you have a store like REI or EMS near you I've found that a lot of their employees are really knowledgeable and can give you great recommendations for the specific climate you are going to.