Supplies and support on a long-distance walk

Supplies and support on a long-distance walk - Unrecognizable citizens on asphalt road under urban bridge

I've travelled long distances, but I've always had my backpack and used transport, and can get by that way fairly easily in general.

I've been reading about long-distance walkers - people who walk across America in 87 days, for example. I'm assuming they can't carry a 15kg pack on their backs this whole way, or food and drink - do they usually have support?

Put it this way, if I (or you) were to do it, what would one need to achieve a long-distance walk (aside from being fit and slightly mad :)), and how would you ensure you had enough supplies?



Best Answer

I have followed several long distance walkers, one on a blog and an other in the book they published about it, as well as seeing blog items that I do not follow long term. They use wheeled transports, dragged behind them, for those parts of their trip when they needed to transport more than they could carry or even for the whole.

Here is a link to the blog I followed. Only a small part is in English, but it is enough to show what he used. Jan Vroomans walked from the Netherlands, with no destination in mind, towards the east and decided it was enough when he was in China. Early on, maybe even from the start, he used a two wheeled luggage, at this time I can not find it on internet, the nearest I can find is a 'Burley travoy urban bike trailer', which might do the job.

One of the others used a more conventional hand kart which he dragged behind him, gripping it with one hand. And he only used one for the areas where re-supply would be very hard, like in the USA deserts.

I would say, having done it, that a 15 kg backpack is within reason for carrying, if on the heavy side when untrained. People I met traveling were carrying 30 kg backpacks, without training and out of an office job, they did suffer from back and knee complaints a few days in.
When you are trained up you can carry more than 15 kg for a few days, specially if you are not overweight, overweight people carry more than that extra over their proper weight all the time and their bodies do adjust to it.




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What do you need for a long distance walk?

A Packing List for Long Distance Walks
  • Backpack. You probably already have a decent hiking backpack, but consider upgrading if you're planning for a tougher excursion. ...
  • Clothing. ...
  • Seasonal Extras. ...
  • Sleeping Bag and Tent. ...
  • Toiletries. ...
  • Food & Drink. ...
  • Navigation. ...
  • First-Aid and SOS.


  • How can I improve my long distance walking?

    During the week, try to alternate days of brisk walking with a more moderate pace, and try to ensure you cover around 4-5 miles (7-8km) each day. At the weekends you can have back-to-back walks that concentrate more on building stamina for longer distances, developing fatigue-resistance and improving hill strength.

    What you need for a walk?

    But if you get all of your essentials, you will be able to walk in comfort and even prevent injury.
  • Layered Clothing. Maskot / Getty Images. ...
  • Walking Shoes. PeopleImages.com/DigitalVision/Getty Images. ...
  • Walking Socks. Geir Pettersen / Getty Images. ...
  • Hat. Rimagine Group Limited / Getty Images. ...
  • Pack. ...
  • Water. ...
  • Sunscreen. ...
  • Route Plan.


  • What should I bring on a 30km walk?

    Clothing:
    • Broken-in shoes. The right shoe is a worn in shoe \u2013 whether they're trail runners or hiking boots is up to you. ...
    • Trustworthy socks. ...
    • A spare pair of trustworthy socks. ...
    • Breathable, fast-drying shirts. ...
    • Long pants. ...
    • Lightweight fleece. ...
    • A hat. ...
    • Rain jacket.




    How to Train for a Long Distance Hike




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Plato Terentev, Gustavo Fring, Gustavo Fring, Andrea Piacquadio