Campman Outdoor Gear & Apparel

Summer along the Wasatch Front doesn't ease you into it. One week you're layering up for a chilly morning in the canyons, and the next you're hitting triple digits in the valley with UV numbers that would make a desert dweller wince. Beating the heat here isn't about one piece of gear, it's about matching the right layer to the right kind of hot, whether that's baking on a sandbar at Bear Lake, wading the Provo River, or watching the sun bake an alpine lake at 10,000 feet while your morning coffee still needs a puffy. This guide breaks summer gear into four scenarios you'll actually live through this season: lounging in the sun, beach days, rivers and lakes, and high alpine trips where the heat and the cold show up in the same afternoon.

Fun Under Sun

Backyard barbecues, patio hangs, tailgating at the trailhead, or just running errands on a 95-degree day, this is the gear that keeps you covered without making you sweat through it. A good sun hat and a hoody built for UPF protection go a long way toward making the brightest part of the Utah summer bearable.

Flylow River Cowboy Hat

You're a river cowboy come summer. Instead of a horse, you got a boat. Instead of an actual cowboy hat, you have the Flylow River Cowboy Hat. It's is a wide-brimmed straw hat built for exactly the kind of sun you get lounging on a sandbar or floating the Provo. The integrated cinch-cord keeps it locked on when the canyon wind picks up, so you're not chasing your hat downstream every time a boat wake rolls through. It's an easy add to the beach bag or truck console for whenever the sun gets serious.

Rab Force Hoody

Stay undercover with the Rab Force Hoody, built specifically for covering up as temperatures rise. The Motiv single jersey fabric carries built-in UPF protection, so it works for a full day outside without needing a reapplication of sunscreen every hour. The snug hood and high collar shield your neck and ears, low-bulk flatlock seams keep things itch-free under a pack strap, and hidden stretch thumb loops keep the sleeves from riding up on hot, sweaty days. 

Men's

Women's

Beach Day!

Utah doesn't have an ocean, but Bear Lake's turquoise water, the sandbars at Willard Bay, and the shoreline at Sand Hollow have convinced plenty of locals otherwise. Beach days here mean sand, sun, and usually a quick change out of a wet swimsuit into something drier. This is the gear that keeps you comfortable from towel time to the drive home.

Leus Beach Eco Microfiber Towel

Chilling by the water is one of life's simple pleasures, and the Leus Beach Eco Towel doesn't overcomplicate it. Made from 100% premium cotton, it's plush enough for serious lounging while still drying you off in a hurry once you're ready to head out. It comes in a range of styles to match whatever vibe you're bringing to the sand, and it packs down easily enough to toss in with your cooler and chairs. It's currently marked down, making this an easy one to grab a couple of for the whole crew.

Picture Organic Camba Stretch Shorts - Women's

The Camba Stretch Shorts are built for the stretch of beach day that happens off the sand, whether that's the walk down from the parking lot or the burger stop on the way home. The technical stretch fabric dries quickly if you sit down still a little damp, and Picture's Dry Now technology keeps things breathable when the temperature climbs. A PFC-free DWR treatment adds a layer of protection against splashes, while the adjustable waist with an integrated belt and two zippered side pockets round out a short that works just as well on a summer hike as it does at the lake.

Picture Organic Alpho Shorts - Men's

The Alpho Shorts blend organic cotton with nylon for a fit that's genuinely comfortable, not just technically stretchy. The 2-way stretch and Picture's Woven Light construction keep them lightweight without feeling flimsy, and four pockets, two at the hand and two at the thigh, give you somewhere to stash your keys and phone while you're not carrying a bag. Belt loops let you dial in the fit for a day that starts on the beach and ends at dinner.

Rivers & Lakes

Between the Provo, the Weber, and the countless alpine reservoirs scattered through the Wasatch, moving water is never far away in the summer. Whether you're wading in to fish, tubing with the family, or just wandering the bank barefoot, this gear is built for the transition between wet and dry that defines a river day.

Astral Loyak Barefoot Water Shoe

Astral's best-selling shoe earns that reputation by going anywhere without complaint, river bank, boat deck, or gas station on the drive home. The zero-drop Level Footbed and wider toe box give it a genuinely barefoot-like feel, while the G.15 rubber outsole with razor siping grips just as well on wet river rocks as it does on dry pavement. The quick-drying canvas upper has drainage ports built in, so you're not sloshing around after wading in to release a fish or line up a tube.

Orvis Pro Sun Hoodie - Men's

Avoid cooking in the summer sun with the Orvis Men's Pro Sun Hoodie. Built from Polartec Power Grid knit fabric, it spreads moisture out over a large surface area for rapid evaporation and noticeably better cooling than a standard sun shirt. It's cut for fishing first, so it layers well under a wading belt or pack strap, but it's just as capable on a hot trail or a day rowing the boat.

Summertime In The Alpine

Summer in the Uintas plays by different rules. You can be sweating through a midday scramble and shivering at the same lake an hour after the sun drops behind a ridge. High alpine trips demand gear that handles both ends of that swing, breathable enough for the climb, warm enough for camp once the temperature falls off a cliff at 10,000 feet.

Rab Microlight Alpine Down Jacket

Packing light doesn't have to mean freezing once the sun goes down. At just 17 ounces and packing down small, the Microlight Alpine takes up minimal space in an already overstuffed summer pack. Rab builds it with a recycled outer fabric and recycled 700-fill down, with a combination of mapped micro and nano baffles that boost warmth without adding bulk. Harness-compatible pockets, an adjustable hood, and a layer-friendly fit make it as useful for a belay in the Cottonwoods as it is for camp in the high Uintas.

Men's

Women's

Rab Incline Pants - Men's

The Rab Incline Pants are quintessential mountain pants: breathable, weather resistant, and light enough to forget you're wearing them on a long approach. The midweight Matrix double weave stretch fabric handles multi-day backpacking trips and scrambling days alike, while the shaped waistband, belt loops, and tethered drawcord hem let you dial in a fit that won't hinder a high step or a deep squat at the crag.

Rab Incline Light Pants - Women's

The lightest pant in the Incline family, built for the spring-summer stretch of the season when you want protection without the weight. A single weave Matrix stretch fabric keeps things breathable on steep, sweaty climbs, while articulated knees and a long gusset add mobility for scrambling over talus. Low-bulk and packable at under 230 grams, these are built for multi-day trips where every ounce in the pack matters.

Rab Incline Light Shorts - Men's

Your favorite old cut-offs have their place, but when you're covering ground on a hot alpine approach, the Rab Incline Light Shorts are the better choice. The Matrix single weave stretch nylon is lightweight, quick drying, and more resistant to abrasion than it looks, while an extended crotch gusset adds freedom of movement for scrambling. Zippered pockets keep your permit or phone secure without a chest harness digging into them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does UPF mean on summer clothing? UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor, and it measures how much UV radiation a fabric blocks. A UPF 50 garment, like the Rab Force Hoody or Orvis Pro Sun Hoodie, blocks about 98% of UV rays, which is especially useful at Utah's altitude where sun exposure is more intense than at sea level.

Why would I need a down jacket in the middle of summer? Temperatures at altitude drop fast once the sun goes down, and high alpine trips in the Uintas or the upper Cottonwood Canyons can see 40-degree swings in a single day. A packable piece like the Rab Microlight Alpine Down Jacket takes up almost no room in a summer pack but makes camp mornings and evening scrambles bearable.

Do I need dedicated water shoes for river days? Yes, if you want to actually enjoy the day. A shoe like the Astral Loyak is built with drainage ports and a grippy, non-marking outsole for wet river rocks, which flip-flops and running shoes can't match. It also transitions straight to casual wear once you're back on dry land.

What makes a beach towel "eco-friendly"? Eco towels like the Leus Beach Eco Microfiber Towel are typically made from certified sustainably sourced cotton or recycled microfiber, and are produced to meet standards like Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which certifies the fabric is free of harmful substances. They perform the same as a standard towel, just with a lighter environmental footprint.

Are stretch shorts better than regular shorts for hiking? For most summer trail use, yes. Stretch shorts like the Picture Organic Camba or Alpho use 2-way or 4-way stretch construction that moves with a high step or a deep reach, and they typically dry faster than cotton if you get caught wading or in a surprise thunderstorm.

What's the difference between the Rab Incline Pants and the Incline Light Pants? The standard Incline Pants use a midweight double weave Matrix™ fabric for more durability and a bit more weather resistance, while the Incline Light versions use a single weave of the same fabric family for a lighter, more packable pant built specifically for hot-weather mileage.

Gear Up and Beat the Heat

Utah summers ask a lot of your gear closet, sun protection for the valley, quick-drying layers for the water, and something warm tucked away for when the alpine air turns cold at altitude. Every piece in this guide is in stock at Campman with free shipping on orders over $50. Whichever scenario you're headed into this weekend, gearing up right means spending less time managing your discomfort and more time actually enjoying the season.

About the Author

Derek Newman

Born in the Wasatch, Derek has had an affinity for mountain life since day one. He was on skis the year he learned to walk, and as a high school graduation present he gifted himself rock climbing lessons. Nearly two decades later, Derek spends most of his time climbing up and/or skiing down most of the mountains around Salt Lake City, and he’s traveled around the world multiple times for the sole purpose of peak exploration. When he isn’t a man about camp, he’s working in Campman’s content marketing crew writing up blogs about backcountry skiing or rock climbing as well as describing products that he’s used personally. He’s climbed in most climbing shoes, toured on most backcountry skis, and ridden the resort on skis, snowboards, and even some evac sleds.