For me, the most pleasant walking clothes are giveaway Gildan t-shirts that I picked up for free at some event, shin-length, Sandler-esque basketball shorts, and sneakers that are absolutely beat to hell but hug my feet better than the clean ones. For colder weather, designate a few hoodies, zip-ups, and beanies that you don’t mind getting lightly battered by the elements, and throw those on when you’ve got a walk-sized hole in your schedule. Then, you can get creative with the lower body accoutrements. Some people like shorts in any weather, maybe with some performance leggings underneath when it’s too chilly to have the gams fully out. Others prefer sweatpants or joggers, a perfectly acceptable choice for this style of walk, which is about physical and mental maintenance over getting a fit off.

For sunny weather, you’re also going to need some sunglasses, preferably some that are well-worn and comfortable, so as to not be distracting. A baseball cap is the ultimate walk accessory, though, which serves many functions. The first is obviously to keep the sun (or rain) off your face. The other is to cosplay as a celebrity hiding from the paparazzi, which is always fun. The more tattered and slovenly the hat, the better. Again, you’re walking to get some exercise and clear your mind, not to earn a modeling contract.

If you feel comfortable being slightly shut off from the world, I’d also advise you go with over-the-ear, “can” headphones rather than earbuds, which love to wiggle around. Constantly fiddling with your AirPods is a major vibe killer on what is supposed to be a blissful experience. If headphones make you too unaware of your surroundings, there are plenty that allow you to turn off the noise-canceling function and remain alert. Or, you can just go pioneer mode and soundtrack the walk with birds chirping and children playing.

Lastly, you’re going to need a plan for all your objects. If you want to feel liberated and unencumbered, leave any sort of big bag at home. A backpack leads to major back sweat, and a tote bag means doing the shoulder readjustment dance every 200 yards. But what is a walker to do with the necessities? Phone, wallet, keys are the backbone of existence, and they’ve gotta go somewhere. My best advice? Find a garment that has a zip pocket and can comfortably stow all of them, or get some sort of fanny pack/crossbody bag that can clip across your torso and be relatively out of the way. Feeling all your belongings bang against your thigh with every step is particularly irksome, so do whatever it takes not to stuff everything into baggy shorts pockets that will create that issue.

Location, location, location

Realtors, MLB pitchers, and experienced walkers will all tell you the same thing: location is everything. You’re going to want somewhere that’s not too crowded (high-tourist areas are an instant no) but also not completely desolate (going too long without seeing another person gets very creepy very fast). Depending on how you’re feeling, be intentional about finding the sunny side of the street, or cooling out in the shade if that feels better. If you’re in a city, good sidewalks are key, and you don’t want anything that will put you in close proximity to a highway or other parts of town where cars are zooming at high speeds. The street with all the flowery boutiques and coffee shops is nice, but the street two blocks over that’s mostly residential is even nicer.