View Full Version : Fast/Slow hiker in same group.
My hiking buddy and I are taller and have longer legs than the third person in our group and simple hike faster than he. In the past we have hiked awhile and then stop for five minutes until the runt of the litter catches up. We then take off and he gets no rest. There has been much discusion on wether we should continue this practice or simple hike on and meet the slower one at camp. The latter makes us feel as if were blowing off our friend. We have tried walking slower but that just didn't work. Just looking for ideas from others that might have the same issue.
4eyedbuzzard
01-10-2012, 23:34
My daughter and I hike often together and she outpaces me on the uphills, so if there is a lot of elevation gain (say 2000') I often leave camp about an hour early in the morning. Usually we meet for lunch. Sometimes we'll hike together in the afternoon, or I'll get another head start away from lunch if there is another climb of any significance, while she finishes up and rests a bit. She still usually beats me to where ever we have planned to camp, but at least it's only by 1/2 an hour or so.
If we could get him to leave camp earlier that would be great...but that would never happen.
ChinMusic
01-10-2012, 23:57
I am often one of the slower ones in my group. I don't expect anyone to wait up. I actually like hiking by myself anyway.
See ya at camp.
There's a good chance he likes hiking alone better anyway. Maybe you're doing him a favor.
either carry his gear, or shoot him
fiddlehead
01-11-2012, 00:51
either carry his gear, or shoot him
Yeah, Group hiking just doesn't work well in the long run.
I've found that I hike much better (a lot less stress) by myself.
No waiting, my breaks are as long (or short) as I want them (if i want them, I camp wherever I choose, Cook when I want, get up as early (or late) as I like, hell, I even go hiking whenever i want. UP to me!
rocketsocks
01-11-2012, 00:52
If he is a good runt ,get him some stilts.
Pace setting can be tough in a mixed group. When I hike with my daughter I carry her stuff and let her set the pace. People are usually more motivated if they feel they are setting the pace. Sometimes I grunt and complain about how fast she is going. This usually spurs her on a bit. lol.
She kills me on the uphills though. She is 12 now, but still only 4'6" and 75 pounds.
RWheeler
01-11-2012, 10:25
I am often one of the slower ones in my group. I don't expect anyone to wait up. I actually like hiking by myself anyway.
See ya at camp.
There's a good chance he likes hiking alone better anyway. Maybe you're doing him a favor.
These posters bring up excellent points - have you talked to your friend about it?
Ask how they feel about it, if they'd feel comfortable just meeting for a lunch break or at camp. Make sure they know the trail, though.
I've been in groups where I was the quickest hiker by a long shot, and I always hated having to slow my pace or stop every 20 minutes for them to catch up, and I've been in groups where I was the slowest (or one of the slower) hikers and I always felt bad finding out the others waited for me.
Also, look into finding someone else that's more in line with their hiking speed if they want (or ask if they want that, first).
Kerosene
01-11-2012, 10:50
Hikerhead and I have done 3 sections together. Man, is he slow on the uphills, hence his given trail name of Hokey-Pokey. However, he's able to walk all day and well into the evening. He typically would break camp before me; I'd go into "pursuit mode" to catch him an hour or so later; we'd pick a place to stop for lunch; and then make camp at the same place. I actually prefer walking by myself rather than having to stand around and wait all the time.
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My 20-yo daughter actually does pretty well on the uphills, but she likes to take a lot of pictures and sometimes just stand in the middle of the woods and admire everything around her (something I don't want to dissuade). She's not yet experienced enough to hike all morning by herself, so I resigned myself to a much slower hike. In an attempt to make improve her experience (and slow me down), I end up carrying the heavier and shared food/gear to keep her pack weight to about 16% of her bodyweight. I still have to be careful about heading off immediately she catches up with me, but it does make for some very relaxing short-mileage days.
ekeverette
01-11-2012, 10:55
i had a friend on my last hike who blew by me. but it was always comforting that he was always at the shelter when i arrived. did'nt bother me a bit. i like hiking alone. as long as he was at base when i got there.... we became good buddies.
I can hike slow or fast just depends on my mood. Now let me see something in the distance that is off the trail and I will go to check it out. Plus I like to stop and take pics which slows me down. As long as I know where we are camping at I am good.
meet for lunch and then at camp. otherwise, it's every man for himself. are you going hiking to babysit or enjoy nature?
Put your slower friend in the front to set the pace. You and your other fast buddy will get used to a slower rythm more easily if your following someone than if your just trying to walk slowly out front.
Put your slower friend in the front to set the pace. You and your other fast buddy will get used to a slower rythm more easily if your following someone than if your just trying to walk slowly out front.
I have to disagree with that. If I am walking behind someone who is slower than I am it wears me out trying to stay on their pace.
I have to disagree with that. If I am walking behind someone who is slower than I am it wears me out trying to stay on their pace.
I respectfully disagree in most cases. i have been leading group hikes for about ten years now. i hage found several strategies that help, stronger hikers carry load from slower hikers. thos helps the most up amd down hills. the other is to put the slowest hiker in front that can follow the trail. thats not such a big deal on the AT. when u have bigger hikes u can split while up for work while ottyhers hike, such as sending ttyhe sslower grou ahead whipe faster hikers go to ttyhe bathroom or filter water. alsos u can send faster hioers ahead to do ttyhe same thing or set up camp or get fire wood. but these are all ideas to keep a group together.
if these ideas are anoying maybe you shpuld consider new hiking partners or solo backpacking... i would loveto hear ottyher ideas.
ChinMusic
01-11-2012, 14:22
I have to disagree with that. If I am walking behind someone who is slower than I am it wears me out trying to stay on their pace.
Been there, done that. Slowing down to their pace wore me out much fast than going faster. It actually hurt.
beakerman
01-11-2012, 15:46
Put your slower friend in the front to set the pace. You and your other fast buddy will get used to a slower rythm more easily if your following someone than if your just trying to walk slowly out front.
That doesn't work out for me...i find if I walk too slow my hips bother me and i always feel as if I'm pushing the person in front. What we (the wife and I) do is we hike our own pace and stop for water breaks about every hour. Even if you are walking a mile/hour faster you ususally only have to wait a few minutes until they catch up. We also send the the wife off earlier too this makes the waits even shorter.
We do the same thing with the scouts...at the start we send the slow pokes out early then 5-10 minutes later the rest of us hit the trail. We agree to stop in an hour and let who ever catch up, have a 5 minute break and start the cycle over again. keeping the breaks fairly short and the time between them lets everyone have a break and drink up.The group in front picks the stopping point after an hour.
I would talk to my slower hiking partner and see how they would like to deal with it. Just make sure you don't come off as saying "you are holding us back" There is a way to do it if everyone understands what is expected.
If you are going to hike together it is usually better to let the slowest hiker go in front and set the pace. It is better for their morale, and faster for the group. You should be thinking about your feelings if you are the faster hiker. If you insist on hiking in front, it would be better to leave them behind and meet up later, otherwise you are pretty much rubbing their nose in it, and stroking your own ego at their expense. Better than breathing down their neck and stepping on their heels though. I usually give my young daughter a 10 pace gap. Hills I let her blow me away, and wait for me at the top.
Sweetspot
01-11-2012, 16:18
Here is my tail f the fast slow hiker in the same group. Last year as I was solo hiking the AT. I ran into a group of 3 from NY I hiked with them for awhile and got to really liking the company. We had one fast and 3 slow hikers. I think one of the slow hikers just hung back with us to make sure we were alright. The fast hiker would hike up a head and wait. When we got up to him he would take off. We would rest. So it was like that for a couple of days. Then we picked up another solo hiker. He was slow. He caught up with us around the time we went to woods hole shelter. We all had a good time. So now we have one fast hiker 2 slow hikers and one that was hurt. It ended up for the next 10 days like this. We all started the same time. One went out in front. and would stop and wait. 2 would catch up and rest then the next 2 one hurt. we would wait till all 4 had there breathe and then take off. so one is still out front 2 in the middle and 2 at the end. But by the end of the day. around 5 who ever said next camp site we stop. No matter if someone could keep walking we stopped and set up camp. Some times I know some of us could keep walking on time it was around 8 before we stopped. We a enjoyed each others company that we didn't want to leave the pack. It was so much fun. I could of hiked on but chose not to. The others could of left me but chose not to. We are all still friends. We always ate all ours meals together. And we didn't even discuss it . It just happened that way.
Leave a note somewhere on the trail for the slower one if you go off trail for water or a view, and in difficult or potentially dangerous terrain (the Whites and southern Maine) it isn't a bad idea to wait at poorly marked trail junctions. I spent a lot of time when I was younger and hiked a lot in the Whites chasing friends who fell behind, took the wrong trail, didn't look at (or couldn't understand) the map, etc.
Make sure the slowest one has a map (and compass, if he knows how to use it properly). Agree on a final destination for the day before heading out, and have at least one of the "jackrabbits" in the group wait there for the last straggler if the others decide to hike on. Designate from fastest to slowest who waits for who (or whom).
ChinMusic
01-11-2012, 16:53
Leave a note somewhere on the trail for the slower one if you go off trail for water or a view, and in difficult or potentially dangerous terrain (the Whites and southern Maine) it isn't a bad idea to wait at poorly marked trail junctions.
I sometimes just scratch the time with initials in the dirt when I'm in the lead.
Farr Away
01-11-2012, 17:21
I am a slow, steady hiker. My hiking buddy is more of a jack rabbit. He hikes much faster than I do, but he also has to take a lot more breaks. He says I can walk him into the ground.
The way we settled on, he starts out and stretches his legs for a while. After about an hour or so, he's ready to slow down and falls in behind me. With me setting the pace, he doesn't hike as fast and doesn't need to take a break as often. It works for us.
In other situations though, I've felt 'pushed' when I had a faster hiker following me. I would much rather they had gone ahead, and I would eventually catch up. Like another poster said, maybe just wait at trail junctions/stream crossings, or whatever.
-FA
skinewmexico
01-11-2012, 17:31
Get your buddy some UL gear.
Here is my tail f the fast slow hiker in the same group. Last year as I was solo hiking the AT. I ran into a group of 3 from NY I hiked with them for awhile and got to really liking the company. We had one fast and 3 slow hikers. I think one of the slow hikers just hung back with us to make sure we were alright. The fast hiker would hike up a head and wait. When we got up to him he would take off. We would rest. So it was like that for a couple of days. Then we picked up another solo hiker. He was slow. He caught up with us around the time we went to woods hole shelter. We all had a good time. So now we have one fast hiker 2 slow hikers and one that was hurt. It ended up for the next 10 days like this. We all started the same time. One went out in front. and would stop and wait. 2 would catch up and rest then the next 2 one hurt. we would wait till all 4 had there breathe and then take off. so one is still out front 2 in the middle and 2 at the end. But by the end of the day. around 5 who ever said next camp site we stop. No matter if someone could keep walking we stopped and set up camp. Some times I know some of us could keep walking on time it was around 8 before we stopped. We a enjoyed each others company that we didn't want to leave the pack. It was so much fun. I could of hiked on but chose not to. The others could of left me but chose not to. We are all still friends. We always ate all ours meals together. And we didn't even discuss it . It just happened that way.That was one of the most enjoyable posts I have read in a while.
Nutbrown
01-11-2012, 18:17
Talk to your buddy. I was the slowest for a while and hated having the faster ones behind me. I'll go at my own pace and see ya at the top.
This is one reason I prefer to hike alone. Whether you're the slow one or the fast one, it's difficult to adjust your natural pace.
Blissful
01-11-2012, 20:02
I am often one of the slower ones in my group. I don't expect anyone to wait up. I actually like hiking by myself anyway.
See ya at camp.
That's about it. Or maybe at least meet somewhere for lunch too
4eyedbuzzard
01-11-2012, 20:04
I sometimes just scratch the time with initials in the dirt when I'm in the lead.As I usually break camp about an hour before my daughter, sometimes I take small sticks and arrange them to give the time when I was at a certain spot. She and her friend found it pretty amusing last time we hiked.
ever try talking it over with him? a little communication goes a long way
birdygal
01-11-2012, 20:57
Probably the best thing to do is just meet up at a certain place or don't hike together Obviously neither are going to be happy I see alot of replys did not understand your post. Long Legs and Short legs will never be able to keep the same pace. the only option would be to the long legs to slow down as making a short person hike faster to keep up with someone with long legs will result in injuries
I have short legs and Have just walked with someone 1 foot taller than me let me tell you just a normal pace for them and I have to take 3 steps for that persons 2
rocketsocks
01-11-2012, 21:51
Probably the best thing to do is just meet up at a certain place or don't hike together Obviously neither are going to be happy I see alot of replys did not understand your post. Long Legs and Short legs will never be able to keep the same pace. the only option would be to the long legs to slow down as making a short person hike faster to keep up with someone with long legs will result in injuries
I have short legs and Have just walked with someone 1 foot taller than me let me tell you just a normal pace for them and I have to take 3 steps for that persons 2Aw just get the little runt some stilts,tellem there carbon fiber and that all the kids are doin' it.
Split up and meet at lunch and camp. I hiked last year with 3 buddies (2 faster, 1 my pace), and that worked well. Sometimes they (faster) did their thing on the trail and we (slower) did ours, then did the group thing in camp. Sometimes the four of us hiked together, sometimes we were all hiking solo. Saw more wildlife, did not stress out trying to balance pace out among 4 people, did not get over tired of the same three faces and voices all day long. Wasn't so much of a group hike as it was 4 friends hiking the same trail that knew each other. Worked out really nice for us.
That, or shorten the legs on the fast hikers....
Been on both ends of this equation... I don't mind hiking by myself, but if slow, I always feel like I'm holding someone up, then I feel rushed to get going again when I catch up to them.
Lots of folks want to hike with others for safety reasons. I find if I'm faster that I can get ahead, but not so far ahead that I can't wait a bit here and there to make sure I know where they are and vice versa. I understand the pace thing, but its not that big a deal to wait here and there. Is it?
Thanks for all the insight. He is starting to get some UL gear and scince he has broken his foot (twice) I dont think stilts would be a good idea. Shooting him could work but I'll wait until he gets better gear I can pick threw after he's down. Talking to him will be the best bet as most suggested.
rocketsocks
01-16-2012, 17:45
Let the little runt go,if he comes back,he's your little runt.If he dose'nt,he never was your little runt.:-?
Many great suggestions here. Most of them (for better or for worse) require your group members to hike separately and at their own individual pace(s) for most of the day. Frankly, hiking "side-by-side" as a group rarely works when group members have significantly different paces. Most people find it difficult (and tiring) to alter their hiking pace to accommodate the pace of others.
My favorite ideas for hiking with others:
1) The slower person(s) leave camp earlier than the others (or the faster persons depart camp later than the slow ones).
2) Pick some times during the day (like lunch time) or some specific locations where you will meet for a break and to check in with each other.
3) Everyone Hike Your Own Hike during the day--but meet at the same location to camp at night. (This is my favorite--and the one I have done most often).
You two fast ones start carrying the fire wood. Great equalizer! :D
what to do with the runt? i have no comment!
Many great suggestions here. Most of them (for better or for worse) require your group members to hike separately and at their own individual pace(s) for most of the day. Frankly, hiking "side-by-side" as a group rarely works when group members have significantly different paces. Most people find it difficult (and tiring) to alter their hiking pace to accommodate the pace of others.
My favorite ideas for hiking with others:
1) The slower person(s) leave camp earlier than the others (or the faster persons depart camp later than the slow ones).
2) Pick some times during the day (like lunch time) or some specific locations where you will meet for a break and to check in with each other.
3) Everyone Hike Your Own Hike during the day--but meet at the same location to camp at night. (This is my favorite--and the one I have done most often).Yep, the 3 or 4 guys I've been doing week-long hikes with the last few years are very different. We all hike at fairly the same speed, but two of them like to be walking out of camp at the first crack of light - stopping for breakfast down the trail, while the other two of us (myself included) ease into the day a little slower . . . after enjoying breakfast and coffee. We mostly do #3 and sometimes #2, just depending on what's on the slate of hiking for the day. I very much prefer hiking solo and then enjoy the company of my hiker buddies in camp.