All You Need is a Backpack: Why Rucking Should Be Your Next Fitness Challenge
HYROX, hybrid training, and fitness racing are having a moment, and more and more people are seeking an accessible way to get fit.
But another hybrid fitness activity is quietly gaining momentum, and it might take the simplest approach of all: rucking.
Yes, plain old walking with a weight.
Food for thought: For the CrossFit athlete who struggles to take a rest day, rucking might be the perfect middle ground. It offers a way to stay active and get outside without the intensity of another big conditioning or strength session.
- It can also be a great addition to HYROX training, as it helps develop your aerobic capacity and build that all-important base, according to long-time endurance coach and Adidas Global Performance Expert, Chris Hinshaw.
Hinshaw often includes rucking in his endurance and HYROX programs for various reasons.
First, it provides athletes with a way to “experience running on tired legs,” explained Hinshaw, who has also programmed for the U.S. Army in the past.
Further, rucking builds the structure needed to support running, all the while offering “an easier option to accumulate time in Zone 2” than just adding in more purely running volume, Hinshaw explained.
- “The ruck adds load through the bones, tendons, and ligaments, while the feet, calves, hips, and trunk work to maintain posture and movement. I introduce that load gradually so the athlete has time to build tolerance,” he said, adding that rucking is also invaluable at teaching athletes how to breathe more effectively.
And just like HYROX, rucking events happen all over the world.
Enter GORUCK Challenges
Founded by Emily and Jason McCarthy in 2008, the rucking company GORUCK began when Jason, then a Green Beret with the US Army, designed and built a homemade backpack for Emily.
- “He spent two years designing the toughest bag that would work in Baghdad and also look good in New York. A bag with a dual life,” Emily remembers.
At the same time, obstacle course racing was on the rise, and to demonstrate how tough their bags were, Jason and his friends tossed bricks into GORUCK’s GR1 backpack and rucked the first-ever Tough Mudder in Pennsylvania in May 2010. This ultimately became the start of what would become the company’s GORUCK Challenges.
A decade and a half later, GORUCK has hosted thousands of challenges worldwide, giving tens of thousands of people a glimpse into the world of rucking.
- Some challenges are 50-mile rucks in cities like Normandy, while others are 5-kilometer rucks through a city. Still others go beyond rucking and include functional movements like push-ups, squats, and swings with the rucks.
Today, more than 700 rucking clubs exist worldwide, many at CrossFit affiliates, where people come together to train for a GORUCK challenge.
As to why they have become so popular, Emily thinks it goes beyond just the fact that rucking offers “such a great accessible kind of strength training.”
- “People become very invested in our community from our events. They find new best friends or spouses through us. Because you get to know people when you’re under a ruck, or under a log, to see the sun rise,” Emily said.
Check out GORUCK’s upcoming challenges here.
Choosing the Right Rucking Backpack
If you’re considering a GORUCK challenge, you’ll need a backpack. Choosing the right one can make a big difference in your rucking experience.
In a nutshell, a rucking backpack needs to be durable enough to handle the load. It should be comfortable on your shoulders, and it helps if it’s designed to distribute the weight evenly across your body.
Here are three backpacks we recommend, all backed by GORUCK’s lifetime warranty.
GORUCK GR1
Back in 2019 at the CrossFit affiliate reunion in Whistler, B.C., each attendee received a GORUCK GR1 backpack, the original backpack the company began selling in 2008.
My first impression was that it was just another generic-looking black backpack. When I found out it cost $500, I was a little confused.
Seven years later, the backpack is still in perfect condition, and I have been riding it hard. I use it as my everyday backpack for my laptop and as a carry-on when traveling. (And I should mention that packing lightly isn’t my strength, so I have seriously tested the zipper more than a few times, and it keeps holding up.)
The bottom line is that if I didn’t have this backpack, I would have otherwise purchased a new backpack each year since 2019, so the price is more than justified. You’ll never need another backpack again.
Worth noting: The GR1 doesn’t have dedicated ruck plate holders inside the back—it’s more of an ultimate travel bag—but it has a laptop compartment that can double as a ruck plate holder, and it can definitely handle being loaded up.
Basic Rucker
As the name suggests, the Basic Rucker is a simple, entry rucker. It’s lightweight yet sturdy, and it features a reflective strip and a ruck plate holder—which again could double as a place to put your laptop—that Velcro-fastens.
What I love is how comfortable it feels on my shoulders and back. I recently took it on a mountain hike, and I barely knew it was there.
It has become my gym bag, too. I often walk my 3-year-old a mile to daycare, then another mile to the gym afterward. Again, the comfort is unmatched.
The Basic Rucker would be perfect for GORUCK’s Ride or Die events, which involve meeting up, usually around 1 am, and spending 10 to 12 hours working out and rucking through a city.
Rucker 5.0
The Rucker 5.0 is the ultimate rucking backpack. Sturdy, durable, and perfect for longer rucks.
Some of the notable features include:
- rainproof,
- two internal ruck plate pockets with magnetic closures,
- dual-density padded shoulder straps to allow forpp heavy loads,
- padded handles on the top, bottom, and side, and magnetic internal pockets for quick access, which function way better than Velcro,
- drain holes at the bottom in case you’re doing an event where there is water involved.
Check out all of the backpack’s features here.
What I especially love about the Rucker 5.0 is its back pad, which really helps with lumbar support and overall comfort.
One more thing: If you’re looking for shoes appropriate for rucking, we recommend GORUCK’s MACKALLs. Like all things GORUCK, they’re overbuilt and their quality is unmatched.
The Big Picture
We know from CrossFit and HYROX that fitness doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective. And while intensity matters, so does building a base through low-intensity volume accumulation. When it comes to this, rucking may be one of the simplest and most effective ways to do it.
