How to measure distance in paces
Measuring distance in paces is a practice as old as marching armies and field surveying, and it’s surprisingly effective when done consistently. But you need to be precise about what a "pace" is, and how you calibrate it to your own body. A pace isn’t necessarily just a single step—it’s typically defined as a full stride, heel to heel, from the same foot to the same foot.
Here’s how to do it rigorously:
1. Define Your "Pace"
There are two main conventions:
Single step (left to right, or right to left): about 0.7–0.8m for most adults.
Full pace or double step: from left heel to next left heel (or right to right). This is the military and surveying definition. It usually measures ~1.4–1.6m.
Stick with one and be consistent. The second is better if you’re trying to cover longer distances with fewer counts and more stability.
2. Calibrate Yourself
You need to know your pace length. You can’t just assume 1.5m.
Method:
Find a straight path (20m is good).
Walk it at your natural, relaxed pace, counting how many paces (not steps) you take.
Divide the total distance by the number of paces. That’s your average pace length.
Say you walk 20m and count 13 paces:
20 ÷ 13 ≈ 1.54m per pace.
Repeat 2–3 times and average them. If you want to be more exact, do this at different walking speeds—your relaxed “counting” pace might be different from your purposeful stride.
3. Pacing in the Field
Now that you know your pace is, say, 1.54m, you can walk off distances without tools:
To cover 30m: 30 ÷ 1.54 ≈ 19.5 paces.
To measure an unknown distance: walk it, count your paces, and multiply by 1.54.
Don’t swing your arms or change pace artificially—just walk naturally. The key is rhythm, consistency, and some spatial awareness of terrain (don’t try it on a steep slope or in mud and expect sub-meter accuracy).
4. Refinements
Over rough ground, your stride may shorten. Adjust accordingly or recalibrate in similar terrain.
For extreme precision (surveying-level), mark every tenth pace with a clicker or hand tally so you don’t lose count.
If terrain varies wildly, measure distance in segments and recombine.
5. Recording
Keep a pace log for different surfaces (grass, concrete, sand), walking vs. jogging, etc. Over time you'll develop a feel—your foot-body feedback loop becomes a crude but effective measuring instrument.
So: measuring by paces is the conversion of your own rhythm into a distance tool. You calibrate once with care, then trust your feet. It’s surprisingly effective, and even today it's used in forests, archaeological digs, and military reconnaissance because it works when batteries die.