Steps

[Rick Canter]

I use a step counter more than any other metric, but I have a short stride which makes me apples-to-oranges compared with other outdoorspeople. I am also in Maryland. Using Apple iPhone app, with Gaia. Elbert NE was 42K. Princeton from the towers was 22K. Sherman from Iowa Gulch was 25K. Huron from Winfield was 37K and Harvard through Horn Fork Basin was 48K. Mt. St. Helens was 36K (about 10 mi. RT, 4600' of gain). We have a couple of "challenge" day hikes here. Hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in Maryland (41 miles, 5000'+ of gain) was 105K steps for me, but others have done it in 80K. I regularly do the "Catoctin Challenge" 27.2 miles, 4000' of gain, takes me about 74K steps.

[dwoodward13]

Although I haven't explicitly tested this, I believe using trekking poles will screw with step counts on wrist based devices (in my case Garmin). It always feels a bit off to me but also I don't really care either.

Looks like there is at least one study to back this up. A counting of half when using poles is pretty significant. So the numbers in this thread might be a lot more in reality!

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol14/iss4/130/

[Ed_Groves]

^ +1
My step count decreases significantly when using trekking poles.

[nyker]

Interesting... But I guess that's mainly on wrist-based counters, not your phone in your pocket which shouldn't be impacted by the shorter arm movements when using poles

[Matt]

Before GPS, I used to count my steps on the trail to loosely estimate distance and keep my mind off the exertion on the way up.
3,000 steps/mile was the average over the time I was doing 14ers. Steeper sections increase the step count. I didn't use trekking poles then.
It's been pretty consistent. A few months ago, I walked mostly flat routes on neighborhood trails w my GPS and averaged about 2,700 steps/mile.

[The Turtle]

When I use trekking poles my Garmin watch does not count my steps. I’ve measured the number of steps many times on an outdoor track without trekking poles, just a walking cane, and it used to total about 2,000 per mile. That was flat paved surface and a mile took me about 20 minutes. As I age, it’s about 2,200 steps per mile and about 23 minutes per mile.

[nyker]

On a typical workday, without going to the gym/running, its pretty hard to even hit 5,000 steps a day with "normal" walking when otherwise commuting by car or train etc.

[Rick Canter]

I "sneak in" short walks around the office, walk around the building or to a nearby store. I park a block away. A goal is to reach 5000-7500 steps before I go home. If I take a sunset hike, I am up to 13K or 15K by dinnertime. Darkness and weather are making it difficult these days, and I hate going to the gym (but everyone is different). To your point, people who use public transportation get their steps in.

[Gulf_Coast_Hiker]

I ran/walked an 8 hour race today and the total was 59,500. About 29 miles, very slow cuz it was 85 degrees and humid. Plus I'm old. LOL!