Camp under Mt Ossa, central Tasmania.How ready are you for your next multi‑day hike?
Answer 18 short questions and get a readiness report scored across the six parts of TRAILS, the framework I use to plan my own walks.
Free. I send your report to this address. No pass or fail.
What the quiz measures
Most multi-day trips do not come unstuck because of one big mistake. They come unstuck because one part of the preparation was weaker than the rest.
The quiz scores you across the six areas I check before every walk, so you can see which part is holding you back before you commit to a route.
- T
Training
How your fitness holds up carrying a loaded pack on back-to-back days, not just one strong day out. Day three is where most trips get decided.
- R
Route
Reading a topographic map, taking a bearing, and knowing what to do when cloud drops in and the phone battery dies.
- A
Appropriate gear
Whether your pack, sleep system, layers and water treatment suit the conditions, and whether every item is earning its weight.
- I
Intake
Food and water: calories per day, snacks that actually get eaten, and rationing water across several days without carrying more than you need.
- L
Logistics
Weather checks, permits and access, transport at both ends, and a day-by-day plan with distances and timings you can hold.
- S
Safety
First aid, emergency communication, trip intentions left with someone, and knowing your turn-around points before you need them.
How it works
Answer 18 questions
Plain questions about your training, navigation, gear, food, planning and safety habits. A few minutes, most answers are yes, sometimes or no.
See a score for each area
A readiness level for all six parts of TRAILS, side by side, rather than buried in a single number.
Fix the weakest link first
Your report explains what your lowest score means on the track and the one change that will make the biggest difference.
It suits anyone planning a first multi-day hike and wondering what they have missed, and experienced walkers doing a final check before the Overland Track, the Larapinta Trail or the Tour du Mont Blanc.