The 5 Types of People You Want in Your Pack

03 October 2022

When it comes to hiking, there are some people you want in your pack… and some you don’t.

Best case scenario – You’ve just completed a gruelling two-day hike, your head is hanging in-between your knees and you’re really struggling to suck the air in. All of a sudden, your best buddy comes bounding over, grinning from ear to ear, before clapping you on the back with one hand while holding a steaming hot cuppa in the other. Perfect.

Worst case scenario – You seriously contemplate murdering your best buddy within about three hours of being with them. Or worse, you do murder them. Not so perfect!
Obviously, we want to make sure the first scenario happens a lot, and that the last scenario never ever happens.

Here are 5 types of people we think you might want on the trail:

The Leader

If you can only hike with one person, make sure it’s the leader, especially if you lack leadership skills yourself!

These are the ones who tell you exactly what you need to bring, what time you need to be there, and everything else involved on the hike.

Also, when things go wrong, and they often do when you’re out in the middle of nowhere, then your leader will grab the bull by the horns, really take control of things and make sure you get back on track.

The Navigator

Lost? Not a problem; navigators know how to get you out of any situation, no matter how dire they seem.

They have the route carefully planned out, and when you get lost (let’s be honest, it’s not truly a hike unless you get lost), then they’ve got their phone with all the directions, a backup GPS system, an old-school map, and they’ve even tattooed topographical charts on the inside of their forearm.

And if all else fails, they can somehow navigate just by looking at the stars.

The Mule

Okay, so these guys and girls are like Hercules; no matter how much you load them up with bits and bobs, they just keep on going, one foot in front of the other.

Having a mule on your team really helps with carrying all the heavy stuff – this is invariably all the water, food and cooking equipment.

They’re especially handy when you’re a kilometre from camp and you just can’t bear the thought of slinging your backpack over your shoulder. Don’t worry about it – that’s what the mule is for!

The Snack Packer

Hiking can take it out of you, and no matter how much food you pack, you’re always going to want more (trust us on that one).

That’s where the snack packer comes into play.

At times of really low energy, they are always there with their biscuit bars, dried fruit, trail mix, and our favourite – sweets! Also, snack packers really give you the opportunity to stop, snack and catch up with your leader on how the hike is going.

Hiker who Brings the Beer

Beer? On a hike? You betcha. We’ll admit this one sounds a little weird, but there’s nothing better than crowding round at the end of a hike and sharing a bevy or two together.

That’s why you need the hiker who brings the beer!

However, they don’t just bring the beer… They bring the party, too – they’re always the most sociable people and they always make sure the end of a hike really is one to remember!

Enjoyed this? Check out 5 Essential Items to Take Camping.