Strength and Stamina

Practice matters, especially when you’re about to lug a small mountain around on your back.

Strength and stamina: aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re the quiet heroes behind every confident step. In the UK we call a kit bag a rucksack, but let’s be honest. Once you load it with 20% of your body weight, it becomes a stubborn, opinionated travel companion. And carrying that for 3–6 hours a day? 

That’s not “a gentle stroll”, that’s training with attitude.

For me, these walks are rarely on smooth, polite paths. I’m climbing, dropping off fells, wobbling over tussocks, and occasionally negotiating with gravity about who’s actually in charge. Balance becomes a full-time job, and staying upright is sometimes a creative art form.

So before any long-distance walk, do the simplest, most underrated thing:

Pick up your rucksack. Put it on your back. Throw in some random weight. Then go for a walk.

Not for glory. Not for Instagram. Just for practice, building muscle, memory, balance, and that quiet confidence that says, 

“Yes, I can carry this ridiculous bag and still remain vaguely vertical.”

The general rules are. 

I recommend to anyone looking to complete their Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedients over a four-day hike, aim for a total pack weight between 20 to 35 lbs (9 to 16 kg). As a general rule of thumb, your fully loaded expedition bag should not exceed 20% of your body weight, and should optimally sit under 15 kg before factoring in food.

Breaking Down the Weight

The weight of your pack is largely dictated by your gear, food, and water needs. Your walking location is the real changing factor.  If you are looking for off the footpath style of expedition you will need to think about your weight in greater depth.  Being near water supplies is vital and if you can find a tap, you’re winning.  

Here is how the weight is typically distributed:

Base Weight (10–15 lbs / 4.5–7 kg): This includes your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and empty pack. Keeping your base weight low makes carrying extra provisions much more manageable.

Food (6–10 lbs / 2.7–4.5 kg): Plan for about 1.5 to 2.5 lbs of lightweight, calorie-dense food per person, per day. Sharing weight across your team helps.  Always consider inviting a strong, tall, healthy person to join you! 

Water (4–9 lbs / 1.8–4 kg): Based on carrying 1–2 liters at a time, assuming you can filter and refill along your route.

What Impacts Your Total Weight?

Body Weight: If you weigh 70 kg (approx. 154 lbs), your target pack weight for multi-day treks should ideally max out around 14 kg (30 lbs). Look at your team, the ideal team has a mixture of skills and definitely a walking giant helps. 

Weather & Climate: Colder or wet weather means bringing heavier clothing layers and sturdier camping gear. Think, summer, expeditions with lighter clothing.  

Experience Level: Ultralight hikers may push closer to 15 lbs total, while beginners or hikers participating in a recognized program (such at the Bronze level Duke of Edinburgh Award) may carry up to 25% of their body weight to account for shared team equipment. 

The walking time: If you are planning long days, over four hours, the big question to ask yourself is. “ is this kit needed”.  Sacrifice non essential over comfortable and wellbeing. 

Is a fluffy white towel really needed.