I love my
Vasque Sundowner Women's. They're available in a Gore-Tex lined version, but you can shave some cost off by getting the non Gore-Tex ones, which I have (assuming those are still sold; all the ones I see in a quick search are "GTX" which denotes Gore-Tex.) I've had Gore-Tex boots before and loved them, but found I didn't slog through tons of water enough to warrant the extra cost when good leather boots keep my feet plenty dry for short puddle jumps and rock hopping. I bought the Vasque's a couple years ago and they're a wonderful fit. I, too, have never had a blister or other issue with them -- proper sock selection is key, here, too. The Vasques and many other hiking boots assume you'll be wearing thick hiking socks, so don't try to get by wearing athletic socks.
Sock liners can be worn if you want to further decrease the chance of blisters (the liner moves against the sock, dissipating the friction your skin would otherwise have to deal with, which would result in a blister.)
Hiking equipment can be very minimal until you get to know what you like most about it and thus what kind of hiking you'll tend to be doing. You might find all you need are tennis shoes for some of the trails you do; conversely, you may find you want to upgrade to some backpacking type gear to explore longer-than-dayhike trails and be more self-sufficient when you're "out there".
For longer hikes, Justin and I both have Camelbak's now. Mine is a larger capacity one (actually marketed for police departments) with no pockets, since I tend to drink a lot of water on and off-trail, and hate running dry. Hubby likes to have places to stow stuff, so his Camelbak is slightly smaller liquid capacity but has pockets and cubbies. I use my Camelbak for mountain biking, also -- it has a sternum and waist strap that keep it from jostling all around when I'm biking.
Layered clothing is essential, moreso in mountainous areas of the state and country, but still important here in ordinarily sunny Texas. Start with a good base layers -- silk or warm synthetics in winter are good, as are most of the various athletic and exercise clothing. (We're currently hooked on the "Under Armor" brand, although it costs a bundle -- we both bought one $50 UA long-sleeved shirts, and we wore them in Colorado this past week as our base layer any morning that was cold enough to warrant that warm a base layer. You want something close to your skin that will help retain your body heat but wick away moisture from perspiration, so you don't get chilled. All the other layers are pretty much up to you. We get by with our normal leisure clothes as intermediate layers.
For hiking that takes you more than sprinting distance from your vehicle, you should also consider carrying good rain and wind protection, just in case. We skimp on this in Texas most of the year because, really, we hike mostly at or near sea level. But in Colorado I can tell you we made sure we had our rain/wind gear every time we went out, and we used it every single day at some point, either during ascent or descent on various alpine trails, etc. Don't skimp on your rain gear. Get Gore-Tex, especially in Texas, imho. Why? You want something that will keep you dry. A plastic bag will keep you dry from the rain, yes, but you will perspire and start getting soaked under that bag. The same holds true for any inexpensive, waterproof rain jacket that doesn't contain Gore-Tex (or one of the other "breathable fabrics" on the market -- there are others). So, get a jacket with Gore-Tex if you get one at all, that way you'll stay dry from the outside and the inside.
Someday, we'll get Gore-Tex rain pants but I've found you almost never need them here in Texas unless you're going to be in the mountains or do winter hiking extensively. I want them for when we go snowshoeing in Colorado someday, since wet denim or cotton just isn't fun!
A good hat is important if you intend to protect your noggin, face and neck from the oppressive sun's rays. Now is not the time to worry about fashion -- go for function. Whether that means a baseball cap or a wide-brimmed, crushable bucket hat is your answer, so be it. I usually wear a baseball cap unless I know I'm going to get a lot of sun, in which case out comes the bucket hat to protect my ears, temples, nose and neck.
I don't usually carry a backpack when hiking, although I used to (before I had so much camera gear). For the past 7 or 8 years, though, Justin and I both carry our camera bags (with 1 to 3 lenses, the camera body, and maybe a
GPS) and the camera bag serves as our stash for snacks or whatnot. I have a small first aid kit I throw in there if I'm hiking somewhere more remote or unfamiliar. It doesn't contain much and really wouldn't be a life-saver, but it makes hikes more comfortable -- there's moleskin and bandaids and Benadryl and such in there for any minor issues that crop up. I have a larger, more expensive first aid kit with splints and all sorts of stuff for whenever we do go backpacking (we have the gear, just haven't had the will or time, and now I'm pregnant so it's kind of on hold.)
What else... a
GPS would be very nice, especially if you have any geek inclinations whatsoever. They're quite useful, especially if you purchase or obtain topographic maps for your unit (I use Garmin's
MapSource US TOPO series on my Garmin 60CS, and used it prior on my former unit, a Garmin GPSMap 76S.) When you get home, you can download your hiking track and create maps of trails, including any waypoints you saved to note scenic locations or other sites you wanted to return to (potential future campsite, etc.) You'll also have exact data on miles hiked, moving and stopping time (how much time you were actually hiking vs. relaxing, taking photos, eating a snack, etc.), and ascent/descent data, among other things depending on the unit you get. You don't have to spend many hundreds of dollars -- get the unit that suits your needs and usage, not one with every bell and whistle that you may never use. That said, geeks tend to do the latter, regardless, and I'm guilty as anyone... I don't hunt or fish, but I do actually use the hunting/fishing menu on my new
GPS. Why? The times it suggests for best hunting/fishing also happen to be the times that tend to be best for wildlife viewing and wildlife photogrpahy!
I've droned on long enough. That should give you some things to chew on for a bit.
Hiking Basics
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