Hiking may be an exhilarating experience for you, but torturous for someone with less experience. Going hiking with a weak partner can be extremely frustrating on the trail. Losing your cool on the trail because of a partner slowing you down, has the potential to ruin the trip for everyone.

If you’re going hiking with a weak partner, use the following tips to keep you calm on the trail:

1. Don’t Lose Patience

At times it will look like your hiking partner isn’t even trying. All they need to do is keep putting one foot in front of the other right? How difficult can that be?

Turns out, hiking is quite excruciating for those who aren’t in the best physical shape.

Hiking engages every muscle in the body, and if you’re taking on long trails with uneven terrain in extreme weather with an unfit partner, the hike is going to be a challenge.

Snapping at your partner isn’t going to do anyone any favors. It will just bring everyone’s mood down and put them under more pressure. Instead of lashing out on them in the middle of nowhere, stay calm and be positive. Tell them it’s alright for them to rest; encourage them to keep going and don’t do anything to demoralize them. You don’t want to get into a fight on your trip, it’ll just make everything worse.

2. Give Them Space

You don’t have to stop if you don’t want to. No one wants to feel like they are ruining the trip for everyone so if you think you want to hike ahead, go for it! It’s better to give the weak hiker some space if they don’t have it in them to keep going. Pressuring them into keep walking will only slow everyone else down, being forced to hike at a rate slower than your natural pace can get frustrating. That being said, don’t walk too far and avoid leaving the weak hiker alone.

3. Lighten Their Load

Lightening the weight of the backpacks weak hikers are carrying will reduce some of the pressure from their joints and muscles, making it easier for them to hike.

When they say they can’t keep going, see if they’d feel better about going ahead with a lighter, back. If yes, then take out some of the load in their bags and carry it yourself.

Having the right backpack is crucial for any hike. Light Hiking Gear has been developing award-winning backpacks gear for hikers around the world. Each of our backpacks is designed keeping the needs of hikers. Our backpacks reduce the pressure from your knees, shoulders, and backs so you can be comfortable on the trail.

Take a look at our collection of affordable daypacks, StrongLites, and UltraLites and place your order online.

There’s free shipping for everyone in the US!