Low-Tech Men’s Hiking Clothes: Channeling the Early GOATS of The Great Outdoors

It's the 1970s, and you're gearing up for a hike. There are no fancy performance fabrics or moisture-wicking technology, no trendy hydration vessels with a cult-like following—just you, your adventurous spirit, and some makeshift men's hiking clothes that consist of not much more than a pair of track shorts and a graphic tee you found in the trunk of your car. Your sandals will do just fine, but throw on some socks for protection.
Little did you know then that variations of this gear would become the iconic uniform of the legendary GOATS of the great outdoors, the ones who inspired a whole industry of innovation out of the glaring lack of it during their time. Let's pay homage to these low-tech outdoorsmen of the 1970s who wore whatever it took to enjoy the view.
Forget about the high-tech hiking pants with a pocket for every gadget on the market. In the 70s, it was all about the leg agility of short shorts, baby! No place to hold a water bottle? No problem, just find a stream, you wuss.
Kiss self-cooling, anti-microbial layering tees goodbye. It's time to wear that old graphic tee you cut into a half-shirt. How's that for temperature control?
And you can forget about taking energy gel packs or scientifically formulated macro snack bars. They don't exist. Even better, however, you whipped up a batch of your own trail mix that is wrapped in tin foil and wadded in your pocket.
The 1970s marked the birth of outdoor recreation as we know it. During that time, hiking clothes were whatever made sense for the task at hand and evolved into modern-day gear through trial and error. There were no fancy gadgets or specialized gear—just a passion for traversing field and forest, wearing whatever was available. These early nature men exuded a true sense of wonder and adventure, passionately blazing a trail for everyone to eventually enjoy.
So, embrace that spirit of adventure and make it work with what you have. Who knows? You might discover something new in the process...and I'm not talking about a granola recipe.