The Trekker’s Friend and I have spent a lot of time together since around 2007 as I have developed and tested it. It has carried my pack for many hundreds of kilometres, which has been great! Personally, I have definitely found that the benefits of using a hiking trailer are very real.
I invented the Trekker’s Friend because I’ve always found it uncomfortable to carry a heavy pack for long periods. I know I’m not the only one that feels like that! In fact, it is common, as I found when I commissioned market research which is discussed here.
During the course of developing the Trekker’s Friend I also performed my own research that indicated the extent that carrying a heavy backpack slows you down and requires extra energy. This aligns with the findings of research done by the American military and reported here.
There have been great advances making lightweight gear to address these issues, but they can only partly solve the problem. The Trekker’s Friend presents the next step in that process, taking the weight off the body almost entirely when the terrain allows.
Just like using lightweight walking gear, the Trekker’s Friend can make your walk easier, faster and more comfortable.
Chris Lowe, inventor of the Trekker’s Friend hiking trailer