I just spent five days hiking in the Fraser Island World Hertitage Park in Australia. This is a large and spectacular island completely built up by ocean sand movements, yet with a range of natural freshwater lakes and giant forests in wilderness settings. It sits off the south-east coast of Queensland, Australia.
I've been a hiker and backpacker most of my life, one way or another, and although those skinny sleeping mats are getting tougher to bear on hard ground, I still enjoy it immensely. We used to walk up to 25 miles (40 kilometres) a day with full packs, but these days we get along at a slower pace -- and probably enjoy it more.
One thing that has helped me with that pack hauling of tents and food and stoves and gear, which can get pretty heavy, is to build up that posterior chain of muscles right up from the core around the mid section to the trapezius and rhomboid muscles of the upper back, right down low to the erector muscles of the lower back. I appreciate all the back support I can get for hauling a large pack. Years ago, before I started strength training, I used to get up in the morning with serious lower back spasms after hiking with a heavy pack. Not any more, it's been a revelation.
Work on your pulldowns, pullups, rows and deadlifts to get that posterior chain in good shape.
