I just recently got into mountain biking and had a couple of questions. First question, are clipless pedals a must have for trail riding? I currently just have the stock platform pedals on my bike. I've never ridden clipless pedals before, but I'm considering getting some hybrid pedals that have clips on one side and platform on the other. Any thoughts on this?

Second question is what kind of gloves work best for riding in colder weather? Now that the temp is starting to drop I figured I better pick up some gloves, but I'm not sure what to go with. Any advice would be much appreciated.

I look forward to meeting and riding with you guys out on the trails!

Thanks,
JT