Most of last week, I was either on a much-needed holiday in the frozen wilderness or gearing up for said holiday in the frozen wilderness. Though I didn’t have time to thoroughly research a new topic to write about for this week’s issue of Ruckr, I decided to do something different.
For the past few months, I’ve been collecting articles about rucking. These have given me a fascinating front seat to this fast-growing trend. So…in this issue, I give you a brief roundup of the very current world of rucking, including links to a bunch of recent articles about the same. I hope you like it!
Before we dive right into the latest rucking news, I wanted to let you know that we’ve partnered with 1440 Media, a completely bias-free daily newsletter that helps more than 3.3 million Americans stay informed. It’s news without motives, edited to be as unbiased as possible. This is the news my family reads every morning.
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Motivation
Rucking’s Rise: From Tactical Roots to Mainstream Movement
Not long ago, rucking – walking with a weighted backpack – was mostly a military or outdoorsy pursuit. Having grown up around military families and having backpacked since I could walk, I never really thought of carrying a backpack filled with gear as anything but…carrying a backpack filled with gear. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing fitness trends, embraced by everyone from CrossFit athletes to office executives. Rucking has gone beyond its military roots to become a fixture in gyms and on hiking trails across the country. GORUCK, a brand a first-of-its-kind rucking you probably know all too well at this point, even saw sales surge by 40% in the last year. And…importantly, rucking is the reason I started this newsletter. As an outdoor exercise, it provides me with time and space away from my devices, while still kicking my butt. I think everyone capable of rucking should!
The Health Benefits of Rucking
Why are so many people like us picking up a rucksack? One reason is that rucking delivers broad fitness benefits with minimal fuss. It turns a simple walk into a strength-and-cardio workout that’s dead simple (even if it hurts a little). The key perks we’re all after (and I’ve been writing about for the last year) are…
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Endurance and Heart Health: Rucking raises your heart rate and builds aerobic endurance. Studies show that walking with added weight can significantly improve physical performance and stamina.
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Functional Strength: Carrying weight engages your legs, core, and back muscles more than normal walking. Even older adults saw increased leg power and functional strength from adding weighted steps to their routines. And because it’s low-impact, rucking strengthens muscles and bones with less strain on joints.
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Calorie Burn: Moving with a loaded pack burns up to three times more calories than an unweighted walk. Many enthusiasts find it a gentler alternative to running that still torches calories.
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Mental Boost: Ruckers often report stress relief and improved mood. Exercise releases endorphins, and being outdoors amplifies the effect by lowering stress hormones. Plus, rucking with friends or a club adds a social connection that can lift your spirits.
Community
The Ruck Challenge – Riverside Veterans Court Ruck Challenge
A Booming Rucking Community
What began as a military drill has evolved into a full-fledged community. In the past few years, rucking culture has exploded both in person and online:
Ruck Clubs and Events: All over the world, people are forming ruck clubs and meetups. GORUCK alone has organized thousands of events since 2010, creating what founder Jason McCarthy calls “a new fitness category” that brings people together through shared challenges. From casual group rucks in the park to all-night endurance treks, there’s a rucking event for everyone. In fact, the strength and conditioning franchise MADabolic has teamed up with GORUCK to “launch weekly ruck clubs at select MADabolic locations nationwide”. Suffering under a heavy pack as a team seems to build special camaraderie among us.
Social Media & New Faces: Online, rucking. Is. Everywhere. There are now millions of posts tagged #rucking on TikTok and Instagram – from everyday folks going on ruck dates to elite athletes incorporating weighted hikes. Influential figures have helped fuel the trend: David Goggins, a Navy SEAL turned motivational icon, touts rucking to his followers, and even The New York Times recommended rucking as a “workout to try” in 2024. New demographics are joining in as well. Busy professionals are swapping coffee meetings for “ruck meetings,” combining networking with fitness walks. And many women are discovering that rucking builds strength and bone density without the intimidation of a weight room. In short, rucking isn’t just for soldiers anymore – it’s for everyone.
What’s more, organized rucking events are multiplying, giving enthusiasts a chance to test their mettle:
GORUCK Challenges: GORUCK’s veteran-led challenges have become legendary. Since 2010, they’ve put on events ranging from half-day “Light” rucks to 24-hour endurance slogs, often with team missions and military-style tasks. These events push participants to their limits, with finishers earning a coveted patch as a badge of honor.
Ruck Races and Virtual Challenges: Traditional races are adding rucking categories, and stand-alone ruck races and charity marches have sprung up. It’s now common to see competitors rucking a 5K or even a full marathon for a cause. Virtual ruck challenges also gained popularity, allowing people worldwide to join a challenge (say, ruck 50 miles in a month) and share their progress online. These events give ruckers goals to train for and a taste of friendly competition.
Gear
My personal GORUCK GR2
Gear Innovations Fueling the Trend
Modern gear has made rucking more comfortable and accessible than ever, which in turn fuels its popularity. Gone are the days of throwing bricks in a canvas pack – now we have purpose-built equipment:
Specialized Packs: Companies like GORUCK and 5.11 Tactical produce rucksacks built for training. They feature padded straps, hip belts, and sleeves for weight plates. These design tweaks keep the load stable and secure, preventing the awkward sloshing of DIY weights.
Footwear for Ruckers: You can ruck in hiking boots or running shoes, but now there are boots made just for rucking. For example, MudGear’s Speed Ruck shoe is marketed as the first shoe specifically designed for ruckers, blending a running shoe’s agility with a boot’s load-bearing support. The right footwear helps ruckers go farther, faster, and with fewer blisters.
Apparel & Accessories: The rucking boom has spurred a mini-industry of gear. Apparel brands offer durable, moisture-wicking clothes for ruckers, and accessories like hydration bladders or weighted vests (plate carriers) let enthusiasts customize their ruck. Garmin even added a rucking tracker to its fancy new tactix 8 watch!
From Tactical Roots to Mainstream Fitness
Rucking’s journey from the battlefield to the neighborhood sidewalk shows how a tough tactical practice can transform into a fitness staple. Marching with a loaded pack has been a test of grit for soldiers from the Roman legionnaires to today’s infantry – but now ordinary people, like you and me, have adopted a much lighter version. Soldiers might trudge 20 miles with 100-pound packs, whereas a typical fitness rucker might do 3 miles with 30 pounds. That accessibility is key to rucking’s mainstream appeal. You get a flavor of that military toughness without the extreme strain. Plus…just about everyone has access to a daypack and weighty stuff that they can jam in there, thereby making it a proper weighted rucksack.
By reinventing a military necessity as a fun, scalable workout, rucking kept its core simplicity. It doesn’t require a gym membership or high-tech device – just a backpack and some determination. This back-to-basics ethos, combined with real results, has resonated in a big way. Rucking delivers a unique mix of cardio, strength, and adventure that few workouts can match. It builds endurance, muscle, and even community, all at once. No wonder so many people are hitching up a pack and joining the rucking revolution. And I, for one, am thankful that you’re here and we’re doing this together!
Tip of the week: If your ruck suddenly feels suspiciously light, congrats—you either got way stronger… or you forgot to put the weights in. Either way, enjoy the easiest PR of your life!