How far can you carry your bag?

[Blackhawk2001]

I bet running in your pack is a great way to optimize your gear.

Great way to wreck your knees.

I might run across the street these days, but once I retired from the Army, my running days were over. Even though I wasn't a grunt, my knees got trashed by Army runs. Anywhere I go nowadays, if I can't drive, I'm going to walk. And if I'm getting chased, I don't plan to die tired.

 

[Woobie]

I think you are spot on with this. If you're going to put it in a bag, you need to be able to move it. If you're going to have to move it, you'd better need it in the pack. 1000 rounds of 5.56, a case of MREs and a full set of lodge cookware is nice to have around, but it might not be the best thing for a 3 day pack. If you think you can't live without it, see if you can develop your fieldcraft to eleminate the unit taskers from your pack. Ounces = pounds and pounds = pain.

Fitness will hide a multitude of sins, as well. You can pick up the slack for an injured family member, be more resistant to injury, or able to cover the ground in a hurry.

Rucking isn't too bad, and can even be an enjoyable form of exercise when you can do it on your own without the headaches of a military road march. It's when you have to carry a rifle at the low ready (or worse lug a medium machine gun), maintain intervals, pull security, maintain accountability, and motivate the slow all while having night vision hanging off the front of your face in the middle of the night that it umm, loses its appeal, lol.

If you push it, there will always be an element of suck. But as you pointed out, it is about mindset. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

 

[Woobie]

Great way to wreck your knees.

I might run across the street these days, but once I retired from the Army, my running days were over. Even though I wasn't a grunt, my knees got trashed by Army runs. Anywhere I go nowadays, if I can't drive, I'm going to walk. And if I'm getting chased, I don't plan to die tired.

Yeah, it's definitely hard on them. I reccomend trying it to see what comes apart in your gear, but a one time run of a quarter mile after you pack your bag will tell you what you need to know about that.

My my last release ruck I pushed it to try to get a good time. That required running about a 1/3 of the distance. 6 miles, 40 pounds, 72 minutes. But I won't make a habit of that. Hip and knee replacements aren't a good, or cheap, alternative to a well kept set of the OE.

 

[TWalker]

I went hiking this past weekend/week. I was planning on doing a 22+-mile overnighter but I started vomiting while on the trail. If you think rucking is hard wait until you're a few miles in and get sick. Obviously we called it off early and headed for the truck before I got too dehydrated to be able to get myself out. No I wasn't excessively drinking the night before and I wasn't vomiting due to physical exhaustion. Luckily my pack wasn't super overloaded, follow the advice of keep it light. Also, stay off of pavement/hard surfaces. It's harder on your body and dirt/mud/clay/sand will build much better muscle.

 

[TWalker]

Fitness will hide a multitude of sins, as well. You can pick up the slack for an injured family member, be more resistant to injury, or able to cover the ground in a hurry.

This!!!!

[h=2]“STRONG PEOPLE ARE HARDER TO KILL, AND MORE USEFUL IN GENERAL” – MARK RIPPETOE[/h]

 

[Woobie]

Wow, that sucks. But it's a good reminder that things like that can happen when you have to be out there. Hope you're feeling better

 

[Jackson]

Well, it was nice out and I decided to go for a walk today. Just left the house and started walking. Did 11.2 miles before I got back to the house. Made a couple short stops and took 3 and 54 minutes overall. So I'm not setting any speed records. I didn't carry a 35lb pack but I did have a little hydration pack with some water, random stuff, and my rain jacket strapped on the back of it. It might have weighed 8-9lbs total, water and all.

Seemed like a good way to spend the afternoon.

 

[SSGSAD]

I will never again go on a ruck march. Period. After 21 yrs as a Grunt my body is trashed after many miles of forced ruck marches, falling out of airplanes etc. I can go recon mission speed with a 35+ lb pack for most the day. That's good enough for me.
It is a battle to just get out of bed most days and I don't run with my knees. Walking with a load on pavement has never been a good idea and I sure won't start that back up again. it was exciting when I was young but at 57 I'm wondering if it was worth it............ never mind, it was, but I'm paying for it now.

Bob

I'm 59, and I know what you are talking about .....

 

[Woobie]

Well, it was nice out and I decided to go for a walk today. Just left the house and started walking. Did 11.2 miles before I got back to the house. Made a couple short stops and took 3 and 54 minutes overall. So I'm not setting any speed records. I didn't carry a 35lb pack but I did have a little hydration pack with some water, random stuff, and my rain jacket strapped on the back of it. It might have weighed 8-9lbs total, water and all.

Seemed like a good way to spend the afternoon.

That's a good hike! If you add 5 pounds at a time you'll hardly notice it. And it is a god way to spend a day. A good way to clear your mind. Merry Christmas!

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I first read the thread title and I thought this was going to be a boxers vs sports briefs discussion.

 

[Jackson]

I first read the thread title and I thought this was going to be a boxers vs sports briefs discussion.

Underarmor boxer brief type underwear for long walks. Only way to go.

 

[Woobie]

Underarmor boxer brief type underwear for long walks. Only way to go.

QFT. The Adidas ones are great too.

 

[HamYankee]

I highly recommend everyone do a 12 hour GoRuck Tough Challenge. It is not easy by any means and I would imagine it would, at least for a moment, humble almost everyone, no matter your age or experience. It is a good test to see how much crap you can take and not quit. It is a good experience for peepers who might imagine having to lug water or other heavy things around when gas is too expensive or not available.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

I've recently decided to start getting SOME sort of exercise again. Took my BOB to the local walking track. Could have walked longer than I did, but I'm obviously going to have to work up to being able to go any reasonable distance - and at 65, I have no idea how long it will take me to get back into some semblance of "good" physical condition.

 

[rhino]

I have wheels on my bag. I can't go very far compared to most, but on a reasonable surface I can go a lot farther pulling it on wheels than I can carrying it. If I had to take a bigger load, I'd go with a cart.

 

[Thor]

I have wheels on my bag. I can't go very far compared to most, but on a reasonable surface I can go a lot farther pulling it on wheels than I can carrying it. If I had to take a bigger load, I'd go with a cart.

Yeah, I'd take my Class A RV...I can go nationwide.

I did take a 75lb pack and my -06 5 miles in the mountains at 13k' but that may have been a few years ago. I'll just sit here and think I could still do that.

 

[rhino]

Yeah, I'd take my Class A RV...I can go nationwide.

I did take a 75lb pack and my -06 5 miles in the mountains at 13k' but that may have been a few years ago. I'll just sit here and think I could still do that.

Well, yeah.

Plan A is stay home.

Plan B is stay home.

Plan C is use the truck.

Plan D is stay home.

 

[Dean C.]

I normally run around campus with a 40LB bag on campus Chemistry and Biology textbooks are heavy especially when I run my laptop and all the notebooks it all barley fits in my TAD assault pack.

 

[Leadeye]

I plan to be at home, this humping long distance stuff is for young people.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I plan to be at home, this humping long distance stuff is for young people.

While I understand the sentiment, sometimes that might not be a smart option. At the very least, if reasonably healthy, you should be able to crack out 20 minute miles, which is more than reasonable for most people in not that great of shape.