Hiking with trifocals

I had a set of trifocals once. I took them back the day after I got them. I found the intermediate step pretty much worthless. I hear progressive lenses have gotten better, but the ones I had were blurry everywhere except when you were looking directly forward. I didn't care for that either.

I do wear bifocals (non-progressive) and they are tolerable.

Graywolf, you put yourself to the test right away.  I get an eye exam every two years and even then a new prescription can take some getting used to.  You should know within a few days or a week if they will work for you on a daily basis.

I went from bifocals to seamless progressives for good two years ago.  Just to give my ears and nose a break I don't wear them for reading.  Trifocals do offer another range of vision over the bifocals, but the view area is too small to suit me and I don't like the sharp contrast between them.  I could not adjust to seamless progressives the first time I tried them, but several years ago a new technology came on the market and I love it.  The sweet spot is larger and I never had any trouble adjusting (the annoying head bobbing).  Now you can get progressives in polarized, light sensitive transition lenses.  They cost a bundle, but I might do it. 

My Dad is 85 years old and still very active. He wore progressives for at least a year or so and switched back to bifocals. He has an inner ear problem that affects his balance. Most of the time he is just fine, walks without a cane, climbs ladders, works on top roofs etc.

But he suspected that the progressives were aggravating his inner ear problem because whenever he looked upward in close quarters (i.e., he's a carpenter) he was looking through the wrong part of the lens. Without the right focus to help keep his balance, it was just enough to throw him off.

At least that is how I recall him describing the problem. He's happier now with the bifocals. So unless you have a similar inner-ear problem, none of this may apply to how you adjust. Just one perspective, if you'll excuse the pun.

I use progressive trifocals at home but generally hike with single vision (long distance)
Wearing the progressive ones on the trail can cause some unbalancing issues for me.
A few months ago I got a new pair of the progressive type with a different pattern from the previous one, took me a few weeks to get used to them.
Took me several attempts over a few months to get my brain to lock in to my first pair, it appears to be impossible at first then one day you just see everything in focus.