For several years now, a new activity has been emerging and attracting a growing number of enthusiasts: fast hiking. Sitting right at the crossroads of trail and hiking, fast-hiking can be described as dynamic, fast-paced hiking. It's an art of lightness and fluid movement — intelligently reading and adapting to the terrain. It called for specific gear and clothing designed expressly for the purpose. With its new Chamois collection, Cimalp invites you to discover the joys and secrets of fast-hiking, helping you enjoy the mountains and nature more than ever, with lightweight clothing, and a rhythmic, amplified agility for every mountain outing.
Fast hiking: between classic hiking, Nordic walking and trail
This growing sport involves covering mountain trails at a sustained pace. Fast hiking can be seen as more dynamic than classic hiking, more demanding in terms of elevation than Nordic walking, and less intense than trail, which is performed almost entirely at a run.
The fast hiking pace is demanding, with long strides on the descents and 100% pure enjoyment — a genuine sensation of speed and agility. It remains, however, more forgiving than trail running, where distances are often greater and running features across virtually the entire route.
Fast-Hiking is accessible to almost anyone who walks at a decent level and has reasonable stamina. It's simply a matter of calibrating the difficulty of your route to ease into the discipline. Depending on your ability and fitness level, your goal might be to complete a familiar walk faster than usual, tackle a steeper trail, or reach a summit in a better time than before.
Fast-Hiking is clearly a sporting activity that complements your cardio training and builds muscular strength. It can be a discipline in its own right or a complementary activity — whether you're a trail runner looking for lower-intensity training sessions, or a hiker wanting to push your limits and improve your fitness.
Your heart rate will climb far higher than on a standard hiking outing, and the sustained pace will maximise fat burn. Unlike trail, the ground impact is lower, protecting your joints and tendons.
But beyond the obvious physical benefits of this discipline, most people who've tried it agree on one thing: it's fun. It's a genuinely playful activity that delivers a unique set of sensations — progressing quickly on descents, scrambling over scree, and feeling at one with nature through a flow of movement that's part art of evasion, part rediscovered agility.
New clothing adapted to fast-hiking
Like any sport, fast-hiking requires specific, well-adapted gear. That's why Cimalp set out to create a line of specialist clothing, perfectly designed for those who want to cover mountain trails at a faster pace.
Designed to be ultralight and breathable, freeing your movement and enabling agile, fast progression, this new generation of garments is brought together in a brand-new collection. And what better symbol than the chamois to embody that lightness on steep trails and that fluid, rapid movement?
The Chamois collection brings a sporting, dynamic rhythm to your mountain outings.
A few examples of fast hiking clothing from Cimalp's Chamois collection
An ultra-lightweight, compact waterproof jacket
The Chamois waterproof jacket is the ultimate protective layer, with its 3-layer Ultrashell® waterproof membrane and large chest openings that deliver excellent breathability at full effort. To further reduce environmental impact, its fabric meets the bluesign® standard, which evaluates and reduces the consumption of natural resources — particularly in dyeing and finishing processes.
A durable, stretchy pair of shorts
The Cepha stretch shorts deliver perfect mobility and optimal comfort. With a clean look, they're lightweight and breathable, with a fitted, ergonomic cut. Multiple pockets make them practical, and they'll push you to go further on the trails in fine weather.
A warm, stretchy sweatshirt
The Camoscio sweatshirt is warm and ultra-compact. It provides twice the insulation of a fleece at half the weight. It's also highly stretchy, giving you excellent freedom of movement — especially important in fast-hiking, where mobility is everything.
A stretch, durable trouser
The Capreolus trouser is built for fast-hiking. A true alliance of lightness, comfort and durability, it lets you push the pace on any terrain. It delivers a windproof structure with a water-repellent DWR finish. Lightweight and stretchy, with a highly modern ergonomic cut, this trouser is the perfect partner for comfortably summiting your next peak.
How to get started and train in fast-hiking?
Fast-hiking is a mountain activity, but it's perfectly possible to train for it even if you don't live in a mountainous region. You can find hills, slopes or small peaks near home to work on your stride.
To quickly find a good pace over shorter or longer distances, you'll need to ditch the casual walker's swagger early on. That style simply doesn't work on technical terrain, and even less so when significant elevation is involved.
The key is to stand tall, roll through your feet properly (this improves propulsion) and walk as if you're in a hurry. You may sometimes be tempted to break into a light jog, but the ideal pace sits just a notch below that.
On the ascent, your cadence will drop, but you should focus on maintaining a dynamic posture. On descents, you can break the gradient by making small turns that minimise ground impact and protect your joints, while avoiding leaning too far forward.
After a few sessions, you'll pick up the technique fairly quickly and start to measure your progress. Above all, you'll find yourself enjoying fast-hiking more and more, covering your regular routes at a faster pace. And by equipping yourself properly with Chamois fast-hiking clothing, you'll discover a unique sense of lightness and a new agility out in the open air.
