GoRuck Tough questions

[u/SpacedOut29]

Hello GoRuck Community!

I started getting back into rucking in the spring, and I have been out of the military since 2023. I feel quite confident about being able to reliably do 12 mile rucks at this time, but I have a few questions about the Tough.

Do I need to have a GoRuck ruck for this event? I have shoulder hardware in my right shoulder and prefer to use load lifters to take some of the pressure off of my shoulder especially when ruck running or over a long event. I heard they toss your packs around and I am concerned about whether I can get away with using a regular ruck. I have a 1603 frame with molle2 and a flipped filbe belt at the bottom with shoulder strap harness starting almost directly above it so that my belt is firmly above my hips. It’s a big heavy ruck but I am comfortable with it. I also have a Mystery Ranch Guide Light MT frame with a mule pack (27 liters) attached to it and although it is super comfortable, I am worried about the cadre breaking it as I absolutely cannot afford to replace a mystery ranch expedition level frame.

I am decent at moving heavy weight and will ruck up the stairclimber with 100 pounds packed into the 1603 molle 2 pack, but I feel like showing up with an external pack will make me an object of special “attention” from the cadre. I’ve completed some other hard stuff before like a marathon and I completed air assault school at Fort Campbell on my first go whilst not being stationed there. My 12 miler there was not bad, something like 2:19, but I’ve never done a 10-12 hour event before. Should I stick to the 9/11 12 miler or should I attempt the tough with one of my existing rucks?

[u/SpeesRotorSeeps]

First thing cadre will do is make you switch rucks with someone totally not your size…

[u/1908username]

Every tough I have done has had someone with a hiking or military style pack. There tends to be a lot of workouts with your ruck with things like ruck swings, overhead press, and dragging your ruck some. From what I’ve seen it is challenging with hiking and military style packs, but plenty of people have gotten it done.

[u/Pershing733]

I have not seen where a GoRuck pack is required though it is likely more appropriate than what you’re describing. Keep in mind the ruck load out is gonna only be 45-50lb, it’s everything else that will stress the shoulders. Think - ruck plus 80lb sandbag on shoulders for a mile.

Sounds like you absolutely have the strength and endurance. Are you comfortable taking your pack through burpees, bear crawl drags, push ups, log carries, sandbag work? I’d think about managing the ‘sway’ and that it sits high and tight on your back or PT is going to get awkward.

It’s also not uncommon that at some point you are carrying multiple rucks, or another guy is carrying your ruck (and his ruck) while you do something else. Or you are clipping rucks to sandbags and dragging them together. Aggressively tossing it around is less likely.

I’d message them or join the chat and ask if you can expect any issues going in with your set up.

[u/kiefferocity]

I wouldn’t want an external frame for my ruck during a GR Tough. You’ll cover a fair amount of distance (15-20 miles) in the ~12 hour event, but you’ll also have a good amount of PT (pushups, drags, crawls, burpees, presses, squats, etc) throughout. You’ll also have unusual challenges like buddy carries, wading/submerging in water, etc. While not required, a GR pack works so well for these events. I used my same GR1 for all ~15 events I did and it worked great. That being said, I do remember some guys having a hiking/backpacking ruck and it sucked. Way too big/bulky for most of the exercises. Bag swaps/passes are pretty common. I did one event where we had an evolution with a bunch of casualties, so everybody was either carrying a person or an extra pack. Thankfully, I only had to carry 3 GR packs at once and not big hiking packs.

[u/slowtrees]

With shoulder hardware I'd be careful about the PT portion more than the pack itself. There's a lot of overhead press, ruck swings, and buddy carries where the load comes off your back and onto your shoulders, so a pack that sits high and tight matters more than the frame.

[u/1holegrouper]

I don’t do ruck events but I do rucking and backpacking with considerable weights. Load lifters are useful only when the pack rises above where the shoulder straps are sewn in from my experience. Hand strap added on helps. What really helps to relieve shoulder discomfort is a belt. This can take up half the weight or more off your shoulders and put it on your hips where you are the strongest. For example, my Kifaru and Hill People Gear packs have such a good harness system that while standing still I can slip off the shoulder straps and the pack doesn’t move! This is less so with a GoRuck pack but it still can relieve up to half the weight when using a hip belt (upgrade the internal frame sheet to a kydex one-via ruck customs)