Over the past few years, a new activity has been emerging and attracting more and more enthusiasts: fast hiking! Sitting right at the crossroads of trail and hiking, fast hiking can be described as dynamic, high-tempo hiking. It is essentially the art of moving lightly, with fluidity and intelligence across the terrain. That called for specific kit and garments designed expressly for this discipline. With its new Chamois collection, Cimalp lets you explore the joys and secrets of fast hiking to appreciate the mountains and nature even more — with lightweight kit and a heightened agility that gives real rhythm to your mountain outings.
Fast hiking is clearly a sport that will complement your cardio training and build muscular strength. It can be a standalone activity or a complement to other disciplines — whether for the trail runner looking for gentler training sessions, or the hiker wanting to push their limits and improve their dynamic movement.
Your heart rate will climb far higher than on a standard hiking outing, and the sustained pace will maximise fat burning. And unlike trail, the ground impact is lower, which is kinder on your joints and tendons.
But beyond the obvious physical benefits, most people who have tried it agree on one thing: the sheer enjoyment. It is an incredibly fun discipline that delivers unique sensations — moving swiftly on descents, flying across scree fields and feeling truly at one with nature in a progression that feels like an art form: pure evasion and rediscovered agility.
Fast hiking: between classic hiking, nordic walking and trail
This new sporting trend involves covering mountain trails at a sustained pace. Fast hiking can certainly be considered more dynamic than classic hiking, more athletic (particularly in terms of elevation) than nordic walking, and less rapid than trail, which is performed almost entirely at a run. The pace in fast hiking is sustained, demanding long strides on the descents and delivering 100% enjoyment with a real sense of speed and agility. It remains more accessible than trail running, where distances are often greater and running features across virtually the entire route. Fast hiking can be practised by almost anyone who walks at a decent level and has reasonable endurance. It is simply a matter of calibrating the difficulty of the route to ease into the discipline. Depending on your fitness and ability, your goal might be to complete a familiar walk faster than usual, tackle a steeper route, or reach a summit in a better time.
Fast hiking is clearly a sport that will complement your cardio training and build muscular strength. It can be a standalone activity or a complement to other disciplines — whether for the trail runner looking for gentler training sessions, or the hiker wanting to push their limits and improve their dynamic movement.
Your heart rate will climb far higher than on a standard hiking outing, and the sustained pace will maximise fat burning. And unlike trail, the ground impact is lower, which is kinder on your joints and tendons.
But beyond the obvious physical benefits, most people who have tried it agree on one thing: the sheer enjoyment. It is an incredibly fun discipline that delivers unique sensations — moving swiftly on descents, flying across scree fields and feeling truly at one with nature in a progression that feels like an art form: pure evasion and rediscovered agility.
New garments designed for fast hiking
Like any sporting discipline, fast hiking requires specific, appropriate kit. That is why Cimalp wanted to offer a specialist clothing line and perfectly designed for those who want to cover mountain trails at a faster pace. Engineered to be ultralight and breathable, freeing your movements and enabling agile, swift progress, these next-generation garments are brought together in a new collection. And what better symbol than the chamois to embody that lightness on steep trails and that fluid, rapid movement? The Chamois collection offers a sporty, dynamic approach to your mountain outings.A few examples of fast hiking garments from the Cimalp Chamois collection
An ultra-light, compact waterproof jacket
The Chamois waterproof jacket is the ultimate protection jacket, with its 3-layer waterproof Ultrashell® membrane and large chest vents that deliver excellent breathability at full effort! And to limit ecological impact, its fabric complies with the bluesign® standard, which evaluates and reduces the consumption of natural resources — particularly in relation to the dyeing and finishing of products.Durable, stretchy stretch shorts
The Cepha stretch shorts will give you perfect mobility and optimal comfort. With its clean look, it is both lightweight and breathable, and features a tailored, ergonomic cut. With plenty of pockets, it is practical and will push you to go further on the trails in fine weather!
A warm, stretchy sweatshirt
The Camoscio sweatshirt is warm and ultra-compact. It offers twice the insulation of a fleece and is twice as lightweight. It is also highly stretchy, giving you great freedom of movement — particularly in fast hiking where mobility is everything.
