Older Hikers
Advanced Tips for Older Hikers and Backpackers
As we age, hiking and backpacking remain wonderful ways to stay active, connect with nature, and enjoy life’s adventures. However, older hikers face unique challenges that require thoughtful adjustments to ensure safety, comfort, and enjoyment on the trail. This article provides advanced tips specifically designed for older hikers and backpackers, focusing on key areas such as joint care, pack optimization, pacing, nutrition, and preparation. By adopting these strategies, seasoned hikers can continue exploring with confidence and make the most of every journey.
1. Prioritize Joint and Foot Care
- Use trekking poles to reduce knee and hip strain.
- Wear high-quality, well-fitted hiking boots or shoes with good cushioning.
- Consider over-the-counter or custom orthotics if you have foot issues.
- Stretch regularly, especially hamstrings, calves, and lower back.
2. Optimize Pack Weight
- Invest in lightweight gear (tent, sleeping bag/quilt, sleeping pad).
- Minimize duplicate or non-essential items.
- Use a pack with a well-designed suspension system that evenly distributes weight.
- Re-assess each item before every trip—if you didn’t use it last time, reconsider bringing it.
3. Adjust Your Pacing and Daily Mileage
- Plan for shorter daily distances than you might have in your younger years.
- Schedule regular breaks (every hour or two) to rest, hydrate, and check for blisters or hot spots. Older hikers tend to under-hydrate.
- Listen to your body; don’t hesitate to cut a day short if you feel fatigued.
4. Manage Nutrition and Hydration
- Bring easy-to-digest, high-protein snacks (nuts, jerky, bars).
- Stay ahead on hydration—older adults are more prone to dehydration and may not feel thirsty as quickly.
- Carry electrolyte tablets or powder to replace salts lost from sweating.
5. Fine-Tune Sleep Systems
- Use a thicker inflatable sleeping pad for improved comfort and insulation.
- Choose a sleeping bag rated for temperatures lower than you expect (older adults feel the cold more).
- Consider a small pillow or stuff sack filled with clothing for neck support.
6. Prepare for Medical Needs
- Carry an updated first-aid kit, including any prescription medications.
- Keep a list of medications/allergies in your pack.
- Consider carrying a lightweight personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite messenger, especially if hiking alone.
7. Train Smartly Before Your Trip
- Focus on strength training (legs, core, upper body) to maintain muscle mass and balance.
- Include aerobic conditioning (walking, biking, swimming) to support cardiovascular health.
- Practice with your fully loaded backpack on local trails.
8. Mind Your Balance
- Practice balance exercises at home (standing on one foot, heel-to-toe walking).
- Be extra cautious on rocky or wet terrain.
- Cross streams carefully—consider removing your pack and tossing it across rather than risking a fall.
- Use trekking poles.
9. Be Flexible With Plans
- Build extra time into your itinerary for slower days or unexpected weather.
- Know alternate routes or exit points in case you need to shorten your trip.
10. Enjoy the Journey
- Take more photos and spend time observing wildlife or scenery—don’t rush.
- Hike with companions when possible for safety and companionship.
- Consult your doctor before undertaking strenuous trips, especially if you have chronic conditions or haven’t hiked/backpacked recently. Regular check-ins help ensure you’re fit for the activity.
I believe feet and ankle problems sideline senior hikers/backpackers more than anything else. The recommendation I saw here recently of replacing trail runners every 300 to 500 miles is spot on. I know it’s often hard to do it when the average price of quality trail runners is $150. However, even if the shoes still look good they have lost some of their shock absorbing qualities. Perhaps what’s more is they also widen out. A trail runner or mid hiking boot should fit snug enough around the sides because loose fitting shoes cause a lot of the lameness hikers experience. It’s also important to use the proper sock thickness and the need to go thicker or add liner socks tends to increase after about 30 miles in a new pair of trail runners.
Pro Tec PF ankle sleeves have been a godsend for me. I wear them on both feet. They greatly support the ankles and help protect against Planter Fasciitis (hence the name PF). I also alternate arch supports from the Good Feet Store with Sof Sol Gel Orthotics and Superfeet hard (medium arch) inserts, depending on the terrain and whether or not what I’m using is keeping me sound at the moment.
That’s a great system. Those PF sleeves/compression really are good for healing PF.
Thank you for the recommendation on the Pro Tec PF ankle sleeves. I want to try them since I am prone to PF. I’ve been doing stretches faithfully, and that has helped, but I’m always wearing of it returning. I’m assuming that you still wear socks over them? And if so, do you use a lighter weight sock?
Same socks. The pf sleeve is thin.
Good point on the shoes widening out. Many folks only think about the “longitudinal” arch (lengthwise) of the foot and forget there is also a “transverse” arch (cross wise) that needs to be supported medially and laterally by the footwear to keep from totally flattening out during the foot strike. A too wide shoe compromises this benefit meaning wider is not necessarily better. If the shoe is not too big or simply worn out, tightening the laces periodically or thicker/more socks can sometimes offset this.
I like the old age routine while hiking, but you forgot that eternal advise: hike with a companion
In as much as I cannot disagree that feet and ankle problems are of serious concern for hikers, knees problems should also be on that list as well. I have been battling with several issues with my right knee while working to strength the muscles that protect it, but just as I think I’m doing well some other issue arises with the same knee causing me to pull back on my plans to return to the trail. :(
Amen – ain’t no one going nowhere without their knees! A common (and often undiagnosed) knee problem for many is weakness of the inner (medial) thigh muscle (the VMO) that gets overwhelmed by the outer (lateral) quads. As they are all attached to the kneecap, the outer muscles can pull the cap sideways in a “bowstring” sort of motion with knee flexion/extension. When this happens the underside of the patella, which has a shallow “V” shape to it, can “high side” in the groove it is supposed to track in and cause chronic inflammation and premature cartilage wear and is often most painful going downhill. The cure for this is end-range thigh extension exercises, meaning resistance to the last 15d or so of extension. If using foot weights or a machine, the most exercise is not straightening the leg, but lowering it slowly under control which works the muscle harder. Fortunately, this is something that typically responds quite well to care. Also, for us older folk, a good glucosamine sulphate supplement really does help.
Aggressively (and expensively) cutting back pack weight has been a huge help for me. It’s allowed me to then add in some luxury items that are so appreciated as I age, such as a camp chair. If my pack is at 24# (10.9 kg), it doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing it. If I go to 30# (13.6 kg), I feel like a Roman slave, but I manage.
I did go too far on cutting some gear out and have added back a few things to help me if I get caught in a huge storm. That’s happened twice (I should have learned from the first one) and I’ll be better prepared next time. I was hiking with friends the first time and one friend had some extra dry clothes that got me thru. The second time, I was by myself, wishing I had a few things that are now in my pack.
I have really bad foot problems and have had surgery on both feet. I’ve also had plantar fasciitis in both feet the last couple years and PF has knocked me off trail in the past. I have expensive custom orthodics that I use and now I get preemptive shots in both feet before I go on a major hike.
I have arthritis in my hands and Reynaud’s, which have to be accounted for and are partially mitigated by my Pacerpoles and the neoprene pogies they offer.
I have severe back problems, have had many major surgeries (and need another) and going to a hammock on the AT helps me get better sleep. Of course, the hammock system is bulkier and a bit heavier. I also carry a 48″ Thermarest for use in times that I might sleep in a shelter. The tapered end of it fits into my backpack and the backpack then becomes the sleeping pad for my legs and feet.
My first aid kit and meds are bulkier and heavier than they used to be, but the meds help me handle the physical demands of this activity I love so much.
Being an old hiker does have its challenges, but it sure beats sitting at home!
I’ve found the only shoes that work for me are Topo Athletic. These shoes seem to have more room on the inside, big toe area, more so than Altras. The Altras wide toe box feels like it’s shifted to the right more. My jogging shoes are Hoka Bondis. I like the cushioning but the wide isn’t in the toe box, so I can’t wear them too long. Is there a shoe like the Topo with the comfort of the Hokas? I would use these for hiking/backpacking by the way.
Take a look at the new Altra Experience Wild. Cushioned with a slight drop.
https://sectionhiker.com/altra-experience-wild-2-trail-runner-review/
I think these tips are needed for all ages. While out hiking I see too many people not prepared for their hike. Not enough or no water! Not having snacks or food also.
Is there a favorite website or You Tube video that is useful for stretches or balance exercises geared toward older adults? I find it more difficult to negotiate rocky slopes, weather up or down, or boulder hopping, without going on my butt most of the way. This could be the topic of a future article since we are all getting up there in age. Just a thought
I was just encouraging someone to use their butt today! It’s a good fallback even if you have good balance.
The comment about hiking partners can not be overlooked. I was 1800+ miles into the AT alone when I bailed, because I didn’t feel safe hiking alone anymore. I will finish one day when I can find a reliable person to hike with. I still hike where I feel safe but the White’s are not hiking, it’s a obstacle course.
I’m a 58 year old bushwalker (hiker) and also a physiotherapist with a past history of knee injuries + .
The section on fitness for hiking is really important, I think. A lot of my patients are passionate bushwalkers who are getting older. One of my key messages for them is ‘incidental’ exercise isn’t enough anymore- you do actually need to deliberately maintain strength and mobility and CV fitness.
One of my essential pieces of hiking gear’ is now a power rack in my garage ?
I found this out the hard way. I loved my Altra Olympus shoes but after a few hundred miles I developed a wicked case of plantar fasciitis. I blazed through hundreds of dollars on trying to find the right combination of compression socks, orthotics, shoes, and stretching. It finally took a shot of cortisone in each arch of my feet to finally relieve the pain for good. I will never take for granted healthy feet again.
The article suggested strength training for muscle mass, but older people also can have bone density problems. The strength training is also useful for bone density. I have too many friends and family that are my age that have broken an arm or hip or pelvis or other bone from a minor fall. A fall while backpacking could be a disaster if you broke a critical bone, far from help. If you have not been doing very much strength training, you may want to ask your doctor about getting a bone density test.
If you do have to wear your pack while crossing a stream, before you cross you should disconnect the waist belt and sternum strap first in case you fall and need to get out of your pack quickly.
This is a timely article for many of us and after watching all my folks get a whole lot older over 45 years, I have learned to give anyone with a spine the same simple stretch because aging means spinal degeneration and thinning discs. (It’s true, you’re not as tall now as you were then.) This can bring the overlapping load bearing facet joints of each vertebra into closer contact with each other. After enough time, gravity and degeneration, you wind up with inflammation which can often be so painful, it feels like a blown disc. Also, as this process continues, it can choke off the holes (foramina) between the vertebra where the spinal nerves exit which can cause additional pain and lack of function. Because of this, it is safe to say for most elderly, extension stretches where one is leaning backwards as far as they can go, only serve to grind the facets further into each other and make the problem worse. So, the old hands-on the hips and lean back and bounce (!) is a big no go. As Phillip noted, a poor fitting pack pulling you backwards can have the same effect.
To counter this, the stretch I do give everyone regardless of age is to simply sit on chair (or log/rock) spread your knees apart, grasp your ankles and pull your upper body FORWARD between the knees and hold for 15-20 seconds in a static stretch. Do NOT bounce! Also, let your head dangle as holding it up uses the very muscles you’re trying to stretch. As the seconds go by, you will feel the long spinal muscles begin to release which in turn, fans open and decompresses the facets as it initiates a reflex stretch mechanism in the muscles causing them to relax.
When I hike, depending on load, I may need to do this every 30-minutes or so, (3 spinal surgeries) after which I’m good to go. It’s also a great stretch to do before you have pain, after working and just before going to bed at home or trail as it puts the muscles to rest in a relaxed state giving better circulation to help move out the lactic acid. Likewise, as with any joint involving cartilage, glucosamine as well as turmeric can be useful. N.B: this is not to be construed as medical advice anywhere in the galaxy, or New Jersey.
The days of big peaks and big miles are gone. Replaced by the joy of wilderness wondering – my adaptation after 65+. I simply go in for 1-2 days on trail, and then wander off-trail/cross-country for 5-10 days. No goals, no mile pacing, no 10-by-10. Just finding a beautiful lake/stream/view point and sitting there – maybe discovering something?
Beauty and joy become my goals. Flexibility my main tool. Exploration and getting lost, my companions. All my years of hiking and trail knowledge have welcomed me to this point. (Yes, I now carry a Garmin Mini)
Three approaches help keep me going to do this:
1) Each year I aim to take 1lb out of my pack base weight. The joke now is I am adding back a little for comfort.
2) Walk everywhere, each day. Just walk, keep moving. Yoga helps for balance and flexibility.
3) Treat learning to adapt to my physical limitations as a challenge. Lifelong learning, and now I’m the lab subject.
I should add, that while wilderness beckons, so do shared social and cultural experiences. Joining my, now older, hiking friends and my adult children (and soon grandchildren!) for trips greatly enriches my hiking life. It’s a balance.
You missed one very important tip. Arthritis was starting to sideline me. So I did some research, and found a list from several reputable web sites (I suggest webmed, Mayo clinic…) of foods that antagonize arthritis. No more cheese, no more tomatoes, (Pizza! Sobs of sorrow!). But my arthritis has subsided to the point where it is NEARLY UNNOTICEABLE. It is WELL WORTH IT.