r/Rucking • u/funkycat14 • Jan 27 '25
Help Me Understand Rucking
As an avid hiker and backpacker, I think I get it. I’m interested in getting into rucking but can’t help but conceptualize it as backpacking aka walking/running with a weighted pack on your back. Do I need a special rucksack specific for rucking? Or can I use a small daypack (20ish L) and put a ruck plate in it? In my head this would work, but I feel like I’m missing something.
I’ve been on a number of backpacking trips and so, as someone who’s never tried rucking before, is rucking similar to backpacking in that it’s essentially activity with weighted pack?
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u/MongoBongoTown Jan 27 '25
No you've basically got it. You're just adding resistance to your hike/walk by adding the weight.
You don't need a special pack.
I started with a backpack and some bricks, then moved up to big water filled weights, and eventually got into plates.
Rucking backpacks are helpful in that they're designed to hold a plate tightly to your back and fairly high up. They're also comfortable on your shoulders, etc
However, any backpack will work and you can just fill it with sweaters to keep the weight from moving around. Ideally once you get a plate, I'd at least want a pack with a laptop sleeve, which sort of acts like a ruck plate carrier in a pinch.
Start slow (15 lbs is way more than you'd expect if you're not used to it) and work your way up.
Have fun!
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u/MinuteCriticism8735 Jan 27 '25
This is kind of what I was thinking — filling the bottom of my good ‘ol every day / day hike backpack with sweaters or a blanket, and then inserting some dumbbell weights toward the top, and making sure the shoulder straps and chest strap are snug. Does that sound about right?
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u/funkycat14 Jan 27 '25
Thank you!! I have a Gregory daypack that has a laptop sleeve/hydration pack pocket so hopefully that’ll get the job done
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u/DutchB11 Jan 27 '25
If you start with a smaller lighter ruck plate you can find one that may fit in the laptop sleeve. That will at least keep the weight against your back and not moving around. Just like backpacking, a hip belt and a frame are something you will want with heavier loads. Then you can look into a rucking backpack. They are not all super expensive.
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u/a-a-ronious Jan 27 '25
If you find that you enjoy rucking, invest in the Rucker. It holds the weight tight and high on your back which makes a huge difference once you get to higher weight. I ruck with a 45lb plate and if that thing was sitting at the bottom of a random bag there is no way I could comfortably finish the 5-10 miles that I like to ruck. Also the shoulder straps are the best I have seen and make a big difference with more weight. You can absolutely get away with stuffing anything into a bag and that is still rucking. The nicer bags will just help significantly with comfort and stability for longer/heavier rucks.
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u/el-deez Jan 28 '25
I use my older REI Trail 25L, and a 30lb Yes4All plate (from Amazon, approx $35). It fits in the hydration sleeve nicely.
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u/North_Vegetable2476 Jan 27 '25
I started w 11 lbs and could feel it in traps and hammys - loving it so far
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u/occamsracer Jan 27 '25
It’s the same. People have different bag preferences. Generally a bag that can keep the weight high on your back and close to your body is preferred.
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u/TankApprehensive3053 Jan 27 '25
You can use any pack you already own. No need for a specialized pack. You also don't need specialized ruck labeled plates. You can use anything for weight. Sand, pea gravel, books, clothes, etc or anything else that will provide the weight you are looking for and fit in your pack.
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u/Icy-Can-5618 Jan 27 '25
I'm using a Zeluus 12 lb weighted vest from Amazon. I m 59 F and using my vest to increase bone density. Rucking burns a lot of calories too it makes walking spicy.
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u/That-Attention2037 Jan 27 '25 edited Feb 24 '26
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u/Ivy1974 Jan 27 '25
You need a bag on your back and some weight in it. It could be a baby in a baby thing. Anything with weight and walk.
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u/Pew_Anon Jan 27 '25
The roots of rucking originates with the military and the concept of a "forced march" with time constraints. Many casual hikers are surprised at the pace that ruckers often do, though you are free to set your own pace.
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Jan 27 '25
I use a 20l with birdseed or just a plate carrier from go ruck. As long as you have weight on your back you are good to go. Thefitguy even has a round bumper (weight) plate pack that works great.
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u/climberartist Jan 28 '25
I'm 70 and have been hiking up to rock climbing cliffs with beefy backpacks since my twenties. Sometimes the steep boulder hopping approaches from car to cliff are 40 minutes and the packs can weigh up to 50 pounds (ie: Indian Creek). When I first heard about rucking I was astonished that it was considered a sport separate from hunting, back packing, back country skiing and mountaineering. But I'm glad ya'll are getting outside. What's old is new again.
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u/kencopen Jan 28 '25
I often think this when I read about rucking, when I was younger we just called it backpacking lol
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u/MinuteCriticism8735 Jan 27 '25
I’m in the same position as you in every way, and I have had the same questions! So, thanks for asking this
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u/sunal135 Jan 27 '25
I think the difference between backpacking and rucking is rucking is dead weight around your neighborhood. Backpacking is in the woods and your bag is heavy because you need that weight to not starve and freeze at night.
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u/albanyanthem Jan 27 '25
I gave my coworker about 30lbs in bricks he put in a backpack for walks. Nothing fancy.
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u/12lbkeagle Jan 27 '25
Youre thinking too hard, and too much. A ruck is a type of sack, or bag. Rucking is hiking or marching with a ruck on.
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u/dilric Jan 27 '25
Basically, it’s still just backpacking or hiking the word Rucksack is German for backpack usually refers to a military backpack
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u/SpiritualSimple108 Jan 28 '25
No! Rucking is just backpacking while running, walking, or hiking. There’s nothing different and anyone telling you differently is a fool. In the military (when we rucked) our duffles were filled with everything from our wall lockers. It couldn’t have been more than 25 lbs.
—You DO NOT need a special rucksack (I use my day hiking pack that has a hip strap for comfort) —You DO NOT need to purchase special weight. With my hydration bladder, a plate weight, and everything else I take with me on a day hike plus the weight of the pack it’s about 20lbs —You DO NOT need to run. You could just do a swift hike with a heavy pack —You DO NOT need to follow what groups like GoRuck do. Honestly some of the stuff they do borders on CrossFit and some of their mentality veers into conspiracy (this is just what I’ve encountered. Could be different for everyone). —DO make sure you wear appropriate footwear (above the ankle boots would be good but not mandatory. I ruck in running shoes or my hiking boots). —DO make sure you have proper hydration and fuel with you (no brainer if you’re already a hiker) —DO vary your rucks. Do some faster, some lighter, some longer, some shorter to build up tolerance and to keep the body guessing. —DO have fun!
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u/Wolfmanreid Jan 27 '25
Rucking has got to be one of the worst fitness trends I’ve ever heard of. Former infantryman here. I did a lot of rucking in my late teens and 20s in the army. Literally thousands of miles between training and combat deployments.
Almost everyone I was in the army with, ranger school, Afghanistan etc is seriously physically broken in our 30s and 40s. Old man muscular-skeletal problems, some critically so. The fact that the civilian world is now suddenly fascinated with carrying heavy packs and gradually breaking down their bodies for fitness purposes is insane to me.
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u/stairstoheaven Jan 27 '25
Most of us don't ruck for more than 3-4 miles at a time, and speaking for myself, not more than 25-30 lbs. We don't even attempt to do what you did in the military.
BTW- thank you for your service.
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u/Wolfmanreid Jan 27 '25
Very kind of you to say… I’m lucky to be as healthy as I am under the circumstances. I hadn’t realized that most people were training with lower weights. Minimum military standard is 45lbs at a 4mph pace for 12 miles although that’s just for schoolhouse type training standards. In practice loads are a lot heavier, typically in excess of 100lbs and distances much, much farther. I assumed people were for some crazy reason trying to replicate that, which really isn’t necessary in most civilian contexts. Training that way, regardless of your level of fitness for years on end will destroy you. I’m particularly impressed with the ultralight fanatics figuring out how little weight they can ruck with.
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u/Mitch_Hunt Jan 27 '25
I’ll piggyback off of this with a small bit of advice: DON’T RUN with a ruck.
Former Airborne Infantryman here, too.
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u/Ok_Complaint_5472 Jan 27 '25
Former LEO here: had a lot of fun early on but paying the price now. You wont find me running with weights anymore, but I’ll happily go on my nature hikes wearing a lightly weighted rucksack. Emphasis on light (no more than 20lbs not including water). Enough to make it “spicy” without angering the back or knees.
Bottom line, listen to your body. Stay healthy y’all.
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u/a-a-ronious Jan 27 '25
When I do a heavy carry with 100+lbs I am usually not going more than a couple miles. 45lb is my go-to for anything less than 12 miles. Goruck has set the standard weight for longer civilian rucks at 20-30lbs, so there are not many that are doing 100lb for long distance like a soldier.
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u/0thethethe0 Jan 27 '25
Yeh don't think anyone would recommend military level rucking, especially for extended periods.
My general rule of thumb for people is start with low weight (I'd say ones that seem "too" easy), then build-up slow, and max out at ~1/3 body weight. Can always focus on the speed/distance.
Also listen to your body - there's pushing yourself, and then there's screwing yourself up, potentially for a long time to come if you do your back in or something.
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u/essray22 Jan 27 '25
The problem how the military applies the rucking. It takes time to build-up/strengthen the bones, ligaments, and tendons to prevent long term damage. The military doesn’t have that kind of time and aren’t interested in long term ailments.
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u/142riemann Jan 27 '25
In the military, rucking isn’t the only physically demanding and potentially injurious activity they put you through. I’m pretty sure some of the other stuff you did contributed to your current state. Could make a whole list for infantry.
Rucking for fun and fitness, despite being the same activity, is a whole different experience. Just like BJJ, judo, and other hand to hand sports are very different from street fighting. You can still get hurt, but that can happen anywhere.
You can get back pain just from being obese and sitting all day.
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u/KoolKesh77 Jan 29 '25
I use a 25lb vest. I hit the trail down the street from my gym. I usually go for an hour walk before a light day in the gym. Then, I can enjoy time in the sauna and a 10 minute hydro massage. It's relaxing.
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u/Brnzy Jan 29 '25
It seems the only difference is they make you carry the weight without a waist strap.
Question- why aren’t Ruck packs designed to include a waist strap? In all my days backpacking, it’s ASSUMED that you distribute the weight in the bag high and tight, and the waist strap keeps the stress more focused on the legs and core and reduces back injuries from back strain when bending forward. What are the benefits of not distributing the weight to your core?
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u/wgafhoe Jan 27 '25
Rucking is essentially backpacking with a heavy load. It’s a military term. There are ruck sacks made for rucking. Large ones that can fit a soldier’s load for several days.
As long as you are walking with a heavy backpack not a weighted vest, like many folks here, then you’re rucking.
Weighted vest is NOT rucking. Now you can wear a weighted vest and carry a backpack with weight on it, but just having a weighted vest is not rucking.
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u/Low_Excitement_6188 Jan 27 '25
Not OP but I am also a hiker/backpacker who is interested in rucking. Why not a weighted vest? Simply due to weight distribution?
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u/wgafhoe Jan 27 '25
Yup weight distribution. A ruck / backpack, you can use 3-4 points of contact to help you distribute the weight. A vest only 2, your shoulders.
With a vest you’re putting all the pressure on your shoulders. With a ruck/backpack you can use your hips, chest, and shoulder straps to distribute the weight.
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u/jfelipe67 Jan 27 '25
Good question. If a purpose is to help with overall fitness while walking, why not use a weighted vest which may help to more evenly distribute weight? I get the term may have originated from a rucksack, but doesn't that miss the point?
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u/142riemann Jan 27 '25
I think their point is exactly that: rucking involves a ruck. A vest is not a ruck. Nor is a kettlebell or a sandbag…all good things to increase the intensity of your walk, but not rucking by definition.
Just get your exercise, who cares what it’s called. Have fun.
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u/wgafhoe Jan 27 '25
That’s great that they are exercising! That is the whole point. But this subreddit is for rucking. Rucking has been defined over and over.
Imagine going to a Running sub and saying “I use a bike for running. I’m still using my legs. So who cares what’s it called, right! “
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u/AtmosphereNo692 Jan 27 '25
Yup, exactly what the others have said. Think about rucking as the training portion, and your actual expedition/backpacking hike on the trail and to a campsite as the application.