Hiking in jeans in sweltering heat? Swimming in sewage-filled rivers? RFK Jr's recent hiking adventures are a textbook case in what not to do when you head outdoors

Whether he's fueling vaccine hesitancy, comparing autism to the holocaust or calling Lyme disease a "military weapon", Robert F Kennedy Jr is no stranger to inciting mixed and strong reactions to his views. But he might have been a little surprised by the uproar of his recent choice of hiking gear.

The internet has been roasting the US Secretary of Health and Human Services after he shared an image on social media of himself hiking in sweltering heat wearing jeans. The July 19 post on X showed Kennedy standing at the top of Camelback Mountain with his son Finn wearing dark blue denim and a sweat-soaked green T-shirt.

"Enjoying the fact that you must be chaffed and miserable af wearing jeans on a Camelback hike in July," writes X user Robbie Sherwood, while other critics called the sartorial choice "hilarious" and "diabolical".

Hiking in jeans?

Wearing jeans to hike isn't exactly a criminal offense, despite what some rabid outdoors folk claim – those of us born before a certain date have all likely done it and lived to tell the tale – but temperatures in the area were forecast to be as high as 106°F (41°C) and judging by the looks of Kennedy's shirt, we can only imagine his jeans were about 3lb heavier by the time he reached the summit. Chafe much?

Jokes aside, Arizona heat in the summer (and spring and fall) is notoriously dangerous for hikers – earlier this month, a family of 11, including six kids, was rescued from a closed Phoenix trail in scorching temperatures – on the same mountain where a 10-year-old boy died of heatstroke a year ago. And at the end of May, hiking influencer Hannah Moody succumbed to extreme heat despite carrying five liters of water on a hike in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and just a couple of weeks prior, 33-year-old Noah Farabaugh died on a hike on the Wave Cave Trail in the Superstition Wilderness.

So perhaps, for once, we can all stand united in calling jeans for hiking a poor choice, especially if you're heading out in extreme heat?

The best way to stay safe in extreme heat is not to go hiking at all, and that's why Phoenix area trails are often closed during the day when temperatures are predicted to reach triple digits. If you are hiking in hot weather, you'll need to do what you can to try to keep yourself cool. That means carrying a lot of water (we suggest loading up a large hydration bladder), seeking shaded trails and dressing in breathable, light colored clothing that's designed to wick sweat, which supports your body's natural air conditioning system. Think: lightweight hiking shorts or pants if you want to protect your lower legs.

While Merino wool is always praised for its moisture-managing qualities, synthetic fabrics excel in the summer months because they dry in a flash rather than getting heavy and wet like jeans. Learn more in our articles on when it's too hot to hike, and how to dress for hiking in hot weather.

Swimming in sewage?

Of course, if you're out in the summer months, you can always hike near water so you have the option of taking a dip to cool off, but even when he's doing that, Kennedy manages to set a bad example.

Back in May, he posted several pictures of himself swimming in Rock Creek in Dumbarton Oaks Park. The problem? Washington DC officials have closed the creek to swimmers due to dangerously high levels of bacteria like E. coli – it's used to drain excess sewage whenever there's been heavy rainfall in the area and poses dangers to human health. Maybe we should have listened when he claimed a parasite had eaten part of his brain?

Here at Advnture, we're not shy of taking a wild dip to cool off on a hike, and in fact we rarely set off without our water shoes, but it's important to know that pollution and algae in water can pose serious health risks.

Always do your research to see if there are any alerts on the quality of a body of water you want to swim in. During heavy rains water companies will often discharge waste water into local rivers and the coastline. You may be able to track this in the US using the How’s My Waterway interactive map and in the UK with the Surfers Against Sewage live map that gives updates on water quality.Some infestations, such as blue green algae are highly toxic and can cause skin rashes, vomiting, and even liver and brain damage.

If you're unsure or public information isn't available, at the very least keep your head out of the water since the easiest way for bacteria to enter your body is through your mouth, eyes and ears. Learn more in our article on how to find wild swimming spots and wild swimming safety.

Boots aren't bad

Before you accuse of us being biased, we're happy to concede that one area Kennedy appears to have got things right is in the footwear department. His photos from the trail reveal that he has donned decent-looking protective hiking boots that hopefully have good traction – what are those, Merrell Moab 3s? Just when you thought he was getting sensible though, turns out he also wears them at the gym. Weird.

• Best hiking boots: hit the trails
• Best hiking shirts: great-fitting active tops