Pacing, how and when to use it and when not to

An in-depth look at pacing when navigating: a fundamental skill which everyone heading out into the hills should be able to use accurately and confidentially.

[@Gaalification]

Yesterday I got navigationally challenged on a road in the woods. Road bearing and map told me I was on one of two choices, and I used pacing to find the nel crossroad and find exactly where I was. Great navigation tool, thanks for teaching it to me

[@Jerry10939]

My pace count is around 69. The first time I got my pace could was in Basic training in the Army. We went over a known distance of around one kilometer over various terrain, not just flat terrain. In the Army we travel more than just a few hundred meters. We travel several kilometers. Granted most of the time we use terrain association. But other times we have to do a lot of dead reckoning. Especially at night or in a desert with no terrain features. We did all this before GPS. The Captain with whom I worked with during Desert Storm trusted my navigation more than his own. I always got us to where we needed to be. Knowing direction and distance and keeping track of both is what is important.

[@Tyler.O]

Excellent video and knowledge. Thank you for doing what you do!

[@robertschuler6825]

On my farm during the growing season, I depend on pacing all the time to layout irrigation pipe or measure plots square footage for proper fertilizing and pesticide applications. Been doing this all my life, it's become second nature to me. Thanks for your helpful videos...

[@ginojaco]

Learnt my 100m figure in the Army >30 years ago; before then I didn't know the difference between a 'pace' & a 'step' (a pace is a step from both legs). It may interest some to know that, measured on the flat & with nothing or a only a small weight on my back, my pacing for 100m has increased by less than one pace over the last 30 years.

[@nikob5899]

I love the idea of walking to a feature on the map before I start pacing. I think that's likely to get to your destination more accurately. Great video once again!🎉

[@Buckrogers8746]

Pacing,, used it a lot in the military especially for night map reading,, thanks for reminding me about it ,,

[@stevenwild39]

My wife and I used to do Rogaining, which is a navigation sport a bit like Orienteering. In large, gently undulating open forests in Australia I found that pacing was a really helpful tool when going on long bearings, such as 1000m. Most Australian forests have lots of unmarked tracks, or tracks on maps are no longer there, so pacing is a great way to make sure that the tracks you cross are the correct ones. I also found that my pace for going cross-country was obviously different to when on a track. As you said, pacing is a very unsocial thing to have to do, and quite mentally draining, so best to use it only when necessary. It's also important not to count steps when side-stepping objects, like fallen trees, etc. One handy tool for pacing is a "clicker counter" where you press a button every pace; it becomes quite natural to do this without thinking, so you can still socialise. Great video.

[@asmith7876]

Pace count gets complicated…uphill, downhill, no pack, heavy pack, smooth trail, heavy growth…I really like your videos!

[@tamstergirl62]

I have been out pacing last 6 months with my Adirondack Mountain club.. Just learning and keep learning.

[@maxpower3050]

Orienteering plus a good pace count will get you to the checkpoint/target/destination. Great refresher!

[@pacediver2594]

Good topic ,I use it very little lately although I do practice it to feel comfortable with it,mostly through the bush which as you know is slow and subject to so many variables,nice job

[@stigcc]

Great advice

[@meanderingbird286]

Very sound knowledge and techniques evident in your videos. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@anthonyharris7780]

I have used pacing successfully on the top of Harrison and pike of stickle. The top area of the language pikes was in cloud/mist or clag as They call it up there. I have 65 paces (double) for a hundred meters. So I find my direction and destination from a known point. Work out with the ruler how far I am going then count my paces as I move off. I came within about 20m of my target. Works great.

[@briancarruthers5535]

Great refresher, I start with timing (2mph) ave then pacing when I'm quarter mile from destination start pacing

[@johnsullivan6560]

Have you noticed the relationship between your pace and your height? I have used running tracks for getting pace counts here in the US. I taught this for scouts, and military. Pace beads do help. Just tying a knot in a string also helps. Very good instructions and video. Thank you.

[@2adamast]

Makes me curious, how does the US fit pacing with non metric? I guess the military are just metric, but the common citizen

[@iggie1439]

Yes, Doing a double step using your right foot only my pacing is 70 to the 100 Mtrs

[@willian.direction6740]

I am a SOTA participant and I use a GPS on trip meter and compass. I try to walk 16 minute per kilometre on the uphill hike to a summit. I must test my pacing never tried it before. Really like your videos. Regards vk5cz..

[@GiC7]

Thanks

[@tomcreekdevil5967]

Excellent video and a fun technique to practice! I like to double-check my distance traveled using the pace bead method against Google Earth measurements. Wayne shows his land nav and teaching proficiency with this video. I especially like the mention of the scales not being accurate. I've noticed that on some base plate compasses, expensive ones at that! Wayne sets proper expectations mentioning they are not accurate. Another fun and educational land nav video from Wayne and The Map Reading Company. And I've found pace counting is anti-social! If someone asks me a question or engages in a conversation I'll try to stop at an easy-to-remember pace count i.e. I'll pause at 20 paces then engage in the conversation and TRY To remember I'm at 20 paces! Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't! Lol

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

Thanks Tom

[@jg2072]

I used pacing for locating sample plots although in USA its chaining at 66ft.

[@multigabby2]

Hi I'm doing my ML assessment this year, I didn't realise that the roamer wasn't accurate , thanks for pointing that out. Great videos appreciate you taking time to make them.

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

I tend to use the roamer for longer distances which don't need to be that precise. The reason I say the roamer isn’t accurate is that, normally, you’ll only Pace for shorter distances so the distance measured (by the roamer) is basically going to be a guess, as most of them are in 50m increments. Using the ruler you can go down to 25m (1mm) increments either way - so, as long as you take your time the max you’ll be out is 12.5m. Good luck with the ML.

[@multigabby2]

Hi thanks for reply, I generally only pace at 100m a time, but the point you made re error margin decreases over a longer distanced was interesting, something I will bear in mind. @@TheMapReadingCompany

[@xionix4]

Search procedures? What are those? I've been winging it, but I'd love to know some standard/useful techniques. :) I recently figured out my pace count using one of those measuring wheels (which I can't use in the corn), and I used pacing to find hidden stakes in a corn field for my job (with a map of where they should have been, and my trusty sighting compass). I was usually within about two meters of the stakes, but you can't see anything more than a meter away in that corn, lol.

[@easygroove]

your pace will be very different - depending on Terrain (flat, muddy, Uphill, downhill), your state (tired, fresh, hungry without energy...) and heavy Backpack or no backpack...

[@davespain7716]

Another brilliant video, but no trivia!

[@jacksyoungest5194]

I agree in principle that you don't use pacing for more than a few hundred metres, but if you are moving at night time then basically you are limited to what features you can see so there may be a time that you have to use pacing for say 4-5 kms

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

If you’re walking 4 to 5km then there will always be some feature on a map which you can aim for, even if it’s just a change in gradient. Let’s say you pace at 66 per 100m. For 5km this will mean counting 3,300 double steps. Unless you’re walking over flat featureless terrain e.g. flat desert, Antarctic icefield, etc. there really is never a reason to use pacing over this distance as there are many other, more accurate, options. Remember that pacing is just one of the navigation strategies, there are many more.

[@TruckerMike74]

I am going to the Rocky mountains. Will pacing help to find out how far I have gone? Since I will be off the beaten trail. Or should I get a watch that tracks how many steps I take or get walked?

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

Pacing is for relatively short distances. Timing is for longer distances.

[@martinbobfrank]

I have a question on pacing that you may have done. I was going to do a climb, I think it was Ben Nevis or at least one of the three peaks with work, but it eventually never happened. However, I read it can be a white-out up there and you need to do this as there is a left leg or something and you could drop off the thing. I did do some pacing and counting but never needed it. So, if it is that dangerous or needed how are the general public let up there, or is it something you should know and do before taking up what the general public can do? Could we have died?

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

Hi Martin I’ve guided Nevis many, and I do mean many, times as I used to work in Fort William (I’m a fully qualified Mountain Leader as well as navigation instructor). Yes the route down from the trig point is one of the most famous places in the UK where pacing is often needed. The mag bearings off the summit of 231 and 282 are, maybe, the best known bearings in UK walking. It’s the 150m on 231 from the trig then turn right on to 282 which does catch some people out if they don’t know how to pace - in a white out, blizzard, at night, etc, etc. People have been climbing The Ben for centauries and I would fully support everyone’s right to go for a day in the hills. There is a good deal of advice available, but if people choose to ignore it there’s not much anyone can do. Whether the people should be permitted to put themselves in danger by talking part in activities they really aren’t prepared for is a totally different topic and it’s not really my place to enter that discussion, so I’ll leave it to others.

[@martinbobfrank]

@@TheMapReadingCompany Wow, I feel better that I did the prep even though I didn't need it. I know that little trek is a bit of a push just for a KZbin video, and I don't know much about KZbin funding, but how about a target audience event such as this; say hitting 5000, 10,000 subscribers. You could spread the videos out to show what would be advisable to take, pre-Ben activities that you would advise people to take or the skills that could save your skin. Thanks again, as I didn't even expect a reply never mind such a reply 😁👍

[@naomiclarke121]

I didn’t know Romers were less accurate than ruler? How much less?

[@aridia5483]

what is, fast pacing ?

[@gammondog]

Pace count changes as you age. It might have been 65 at thirty years of age. Likely more when you’re sixty.

[@christophersolheim-allen8585]

Doesn't work on skis.

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

Hmmmmm kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXfHf2eJoa2kmdUsi=KEjwmdpNlxrg3L8_

[@gavinberry1796]

You really do some amazing videos, however, you also frustrate me with your carelessness. For example in this video - "you divide steps by meters - 350 (something) divided by 550 is 64" - actually NO the equation is steps divided by meters times 100 Lne of many examples - however, there is good content in your videos - and you are clearly better than some of these statements

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

Hi Gavin, I walked for 352 paces over a distance of 550m. So . . . . 352 / 550 = 0.64 As you can't walk less than 1 pace, all trekkers/hill walkers take the decimal as the pace count, and in this case it's correct. The idea is to keep things as simple as possible so the * 100 is omitted. As an example if I didn't have time (or space as maybe there was a cliff nearby) I could walk for just 50m. If my count was 32 this would mean that (32/50) my 100m count would still be 64 (0.64)