5 Items You'll Need If You Want To Start Rucking
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If you're looking to mix up your fitness routine with a new, easy-to-learn workout, you might want to consider rucking. Rucking, or walking with a heavy load on your back, has exploded in popularity since last summer, with new devotees joining the practice every day. Its adoption is not hard to understand since it's a straightforward, back-to-basics exercise. Rucking is a low-impact workout that can burn a lot more calories than a regular walk without putting as much strain on your knees and other joints as running or jogging otherwise would.
Plus, rucking is easy to get into — it requires very little gear and can be done pretty much anywhere you can walk, like parks, indoor gyms, tracks, or even neighborhood sidewalks. You'll want to ease into rucking at first, starting with 15 to 20 pounds on your back and only walking a mile or so before gradually ramping up your weight, distance, or both. (The recommended maximum weight for rucking is one-third of your body weight.)
If you already like hiking or walking, transitioning to rucking will be easy. Before you start, there are a few things you'll need. Some are necessary — like something heavy and a backpack to carry the weight — while others aren't mandatory but can greatly enhance the experience, like fitness trackers or the best iPhone apps for hiking and backpacking, which can help you find great trails to ruck along.
It's also smart to wear breathable workout clothes and good walking, running, or hiking shoes that protect your feet and ankles. Here are five items you'll need if you want to start rucking based on personal experience and reviews from reputable publications (more information on this can be found at the end of the list).
ModGear Water Weight 2
You can use anything to weigh down your backpack, but it makes sense to use actual weights so that you know exactly how much you're carrying. There are flat iron weights made specifically for fitting into your rucksack, but these can be shockingly expensive. That's why your best option might be the second-generation ModGear Water Weight, an ingenious product that uses water as its weight. When you purchase it, it's a very lightweight empty plastic bladder. It has clear markings in 5-pound increments, allowing you to fill it with water and know how heavy it'll be. This gives it a huge advantage over iron weights since you can raise or lower the weight as needed, which is especially useful when you're just starting out and gradually increasing how much you carry on your rucks.
Plus, it has a convenient handle that makes the filled bladder easy to carry and insert into a backpack. I own a ModGear Water Weight 2, and it made rucking much easier to get into. Made from a durable, BPA-free PEVA material, it's never leaked a drop of water in the several months and countless rucks I've used it for. It's easy to fill, and I haven't noticed any evaporation — I'm still using the same water I originally filled it with last year.
One drawback is that it's limited to 25 pounds — if I want to ruck at one-third of my body weight, I'll need another 40 pounds of weight to add to my backpack. You can buy them in two- or three-packs, but they're pretty big, and it'll be tough to squeeze more than one into your rucksack. I still find it worth using, however. You can purchase the ModGear Water Weight 2 from Amazon for $30.
GoRuck GR1
One essential item you need for rucking is something to carry the weight on your back as you walk. GoRuck is one of the biggest names in rucking and makes weights, vests, and several different designs for rucksacks, among other gear. Its GoRuck GR1 is a solid rucking backpack that comes in 21- and 26-liter capacities and a few different colors. It's made from a high-tenacity 210D Cordura fabric that is extremely durable as well as comfortable on your back and shoulders, even when weighted down.
Wirecutter named the GoRuck GR1 its "Best Buy It for Life Backpack," calling it "nearly indestructible" while also sporting "minimalist looks that will blend in anywhere." However, like many GoRuck products, it's pretty expensive. For rucking, you can really use any tactical backpack, as long as it can support weight and keeps it higher on your back. (I personally use the Exos Bravo Tactical Backpack, which costs just $30 and is still as good as new after seven years of continuous use. It also gets the job done for rucking, which I've regularly used it for over the past several months. But if you want the best of the best and have the budget for it, you'll almost certainly be satisfied with GoRuck's GR1, which costs $345 in the 26-liter size.
Sony WF-1000XM5
Headphones can make rucking a much more enjoyable experience, giving you something to listen to during your workout. Wireless earbuds are the best option since they're lighter, and you won't get any cords entangled with your rucksack. Plus, you can keep one ear open to monitor your environment if you wish. I use Apple's AirPods 3 when rucking and am very happy with them, even after more than two years of use. However, if you don't like to shop within the Apple ecosystem and prefer a more universal set of wireless headphones, you can't go wrong with Sony's WF-1000XM5 earbuds.
In our hands-on review of the product, SlashGear named the Sony WF-1000XM5 "the best wireless earbuds" on the market, giving it an impressive nine out of 10 rating. Among its many perks, we praised its solid battery life, outstanding noise cancellation, and easy setup, as well as the fact that it comes with several different tips for ears of all shapes and sizes.
However, our SlashGear review did note that the headphones are not without its flaws: calls can disrupt audio connections, its mic quality can be tinny, turning off noise cancellation might magnify other sounds, and the in-ear design of the buds can potentially make them uncomfortable after a while. Despite this, you won't find many better Bluetooth headphones than Sony's, which also have a stylish, modern look. Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds have a list price of $299.99, though they're currently available for $266.84 on Amazon.
HydraPak Shape-Shift Water Bladder
It's crucial that you stay hydrated when working out, and there's a good chance you already own a dedicated water bottle that you bring to the gym. However, one benefit of rucking is that you're equipped with a handy backpack that can store stuff for you, including water bottles. By using a water bladder that fits snugly in your bag, you can make things even more convenient for yourself since you won't need to go in and out of your rucksack when you need to quench your thirst.
The HydraPak Shape-Shift Water Bladder is a great option for rucking thanks to a slim design that allows it to fit alongside the weights in your backpack easily. It can hold 2 liters of water and is engineered for high flow, so you won't need to put effort into drawing water out through its drink tube. That tube can also be quickly removed, which — when paired with the auto shutoff valve — prevents leaking and makes refilling a cinch. Plus, it's reversible, easy to clean, and clearly marked if you want to track exactly how much water you're imbibing throughout your workout.
Gearlab named the product its "favorite pick" for ultralight water bladders, saying it "strikes a nice balance between weight and design." However, after hands-on testing of the bladder, Gearlab noted potential durability issues, especially with its O-ring. If that's not a dealbreaker, you can find the HydraPak Shape-Shift Water Bladder on Amazon for $42.
Apple Watch
To get the most out of your workout, you should get a fitness tracker, which can record your progress and provide important metrics like your heart rate and calories burned. It's also useful for measuring distance traveled, which is important if you're trying to keep your rucks consistent or gradually increasing how far you go in a given session.
Any quality fitness tracker, like a Fitbit Inspire 3, will enhance your rucking experience, but the Apple Watch is perhaps your best option. In addition to being a top-of-the-line fitness tracker, the Apple Watch comes with a ton of other uses, including calls and messages, navigation, and listening to podcasts or music. Plus, if it has its own wireless connection, it allows you to leave your phone at home. I use the Apple Watch Series 5 for my rucks, and even after four years, it works great — though the battery is not what it used to be. After our hands-on testing, SlashGear gave the current-generation Apple Watch Series 9 a stellar review, rating it nine out of 10.
One drawback to using an Apple Watch for rucking is that the activity is currently not included on the Workout app, which is frustrating. However, I use the Hiking activity during my rucks, which still gives a rough estimate of calories burned while providing an accurate heart rate and distance traveled. If you're using the Series 9, another unfortunate downside is the current lack of a blood oxygen reader. If you don't own an iPhone, you may also be better off with a Fitbit or Galaxy Watch. However, Apple users who want to ruck should invest in an Apple Watch, which is available from Amazon for $429.
How these rucking essentials were selected
I'm one of the many newbies who've taken up rucking in the past year, and I can attest that it's a robust, satisfying workout and growing in popularity. I'm crossing paths with sweaty people huffing and puffing while wearing backpacks more and more these days. I've personally tested and used multiple items on this list, including the ModGear Water Weight 2 and Apple Watch, which have made my rucking experience more convenient and fulfilling.
For the items you'll need if you want to start rucking on this list that I haven't personally tried, reviews from reputable publications who have — including The New York Times Wirecutter and Gearlab — were taken into account. That also includes my colleagues at SlashGear, who have tested and evaluated products (like the Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds) that help make rucking a great workout — one you should consider trying out for yourself, if possible.