How To Hike 20+ Mile Days Backpacking (Without Killing Yourself!)

I'm 74 and have enjoyed backpacking for over 50 years. I would offer two suggestions that I have found make a huge difference for me. I now drink an electrolyte solution with my evening meal and take two Tylenol at bedtime. I wake up without stiff muscles and seem to have more energy. I appreciate all your other tips.

Gosh! I'm a 77-year-old former backpacker (almost 30 years former) who longs to backpack again and is working towards that goal, hopefully this year. My average, all here in the UK, was probably 12-15 miles per day, carrying circa 35lbs. Occasionally, I could walk 15-18 miles but very rarely 20 miles. I've been accumulating new, lightweight kit for two or three years, trying to get fitter, walking more, losing weight (I'd grown very over weight) and following/learning from the experience of others here on YouTube. The information in your video has given me tremendous encouragement and I have subscribed to your channel. Sincerely, thank you.

75 yo male. Been BPing every season since 2014. Lead an active lifestyle. When on trail: Up @ 5a. Full cold soaked breakfast. Hiking by 6a. Avg 15 mpd. Pack BW: ~17lbs. Asleep by 7-8p. Preseason conditioning 3-5 days per week: day hikes, some overnight bp, road cycling. Nothing else. High value trail food/electrolytes.

Solid advice. I agree 💯. One thing that works for me that sounds counter productive is to take a nap mid day. I will set up my tent and sleep for an hour or 2 when the sun is at its hottest. When I wake up I usually have energy to hike into the evening or even after dark.

Great tips, Dan. A lot of the hiking I do down here in Australia is in the cooler parts of the year, and so hours of available daylight is a factor. All the more reason to have an uncooked breakfast before heading off for the day. Coastal walking is slower due to the quality of ground underfoot, and I've seen many hikers unaccustomed to walking on soft ground miscalculate their potential mileage by quite a margin. I'm in my late 40s now, and am finding that frequent short breaks are becoming ever more important, if I want to hike for most or all of the day. I notice that I feel much better on subsequent days when I find the discipline to do keep to that plan. A cooked dinner is important to me - it's the largest meal of my day, and psychologically I think it's most important for me. It is the only time of the day in which I use a stove. Like you, I have cold coffee in the morning. In recent years it's been Tailwind recover mix, coffee flavoured, which is caffeinated and serves as a meal to get going. Pack weight is by far the most important for long days, as you say. With the fantastic array of light and ultralight gear available nowadays, there's no reason that moderately fit hikers can't do reasonably big mile days, well into 60s and beyond. I think many are just reluctant to try it, or focus on pace at the expense of distance covered.

Excellent advice. As I’ve returned to backpacking at age 74 and now a year older and still planning more trips this was very helpful. Thank you.

Great video on hiking more miles. I would suggest two other tips to help the body make long miles per day. I might have missed you mentioning them, but here they are: (1) remember to keep you back straight while hiking, especially up hill. (2) remember to not let your shoulder pronate in towards your chest. Instead rotate them towards your back.

20 miles are a great accomplishment to tell your friends . So is doing the PCT. 5-12 mile days are so much more enjoyable in my book.

4:30 Cooking breakfast down the trail in the morning instead of at camp does actually take more time because you're having to find a location, unpack your stove/food, then repack it. Those items are already unpacked when you're at camp and you're packing them twice instead of once by packing, hiking, then eating. You touch on this point later when talking about stopping for dinner, but I think it's also true of breakfast. I'm not saying people shouldn't do that, but you're taking more time that way unless you are just carrying your food and stove on the outside of your pack and that's where you carry them all day.

Ha! We have the same theme. We can do this! You can do this! Enjoyed your video. Exactly what I need right now walking on treadmill with 20 pound vest.

Time management. This is the most important advice and thank you for this.

It’s not rocket science! You nailed it man 👍 Start early, carry a very light pack, eat and drink regularly, poles help, take breaks but keep em short 🤜

I'm inspired!!! Thank you for sharing the video and all those who commented - you all are brilliant.

At 80 I'm carrying a 21 pound base weight. TENT-> Tarptent NOTCH Li Dyneema solo tent. PACK-> Osprey EXOS 58 (very comfortable) SLEEP SYSTEM-> Weatern Mountaineering Megalite overstuffed to 20 F. & REI Flash All Season insulated mattress. COOK SYSTEM-> CRUX folding canister top stove & windscreen, 3 cup aluminum anodized pot, plastic measuring/drinking cup, plastic bowl. All but stove fits into the pot. OR Trail Designs Sidewinder titanium sheet Caldera Cone stove for ESBIT tabs (my favorite), alcohol and, with the Inferno "gassifier" insert, a very hot wood stove (thus the need for titanium). I like CAMP COMFORT as well as trail comfort, thus these are very light (UL) items but not SUL. Absolutely NO frameless packs or 3/4 length mattresses for me! And NO tarps!. Been there, done that, don't want do it now.

These are great tips! I used to agree that making miles is more about efficiency and minimizing transitions than it is about walking fast, but I've changed my mind in a way. By maximizing hiking time AND dialing in the fastest speed I can hold consistently for long periods of time, I've been able to push from 20 mile days into the 40s. My gait is a consistent pseudo jog that combines aspects of nordic skiing, chi walking, and the first steps of a baby giraffe, and it allows me to travel near 4 mph indefinitely on most terrain. The real secret to pushing 40+ mile days: young knees

Excellent tips, thank you!

All Great advice. Thanks very much!!

Excellent video! Thank you so much

Really a great and informative video - subscribed looking foreward to your next video

Thanks. Just subscribed. I think the most I’ve backpacked in a day was 12 miles, but I live in the Sierra and head out to areas that are anything but flat. I’m 60 and am attempting the John Muir trail this summer and I am training NOW. With work, etc., I can hit some foothill trails and cover about 6 miles a week and I work out, but need to do much more and be more consistent. Pesky job that pays my way in the world gets in the way of my plans.