Best Rucking Set Up

[Cdroot89]

Is there anyone on here who has experience with rucking? I have been using my Mystery Ranch Guidelight MT frame with a mule bag and putting a 50 lb pig egg in the meat shelf. Most of the guys I work with run an ALICE pack on a frame with either the issued straps or the tactical tailor straps. I am thinking that I will switch to the ALICE with the tactical tailor straps. Does anyone have experience with the super straps vs low profile adjustable super straps and the super belt vs the ergo super belt?

Does anyone have any suggestions for better set ups? I know that rucking is never really truly comfortable but I am trying to find the most comfortable set up. I am trying to run a decent RPAT time. I am by no means old, but I am not as young as I once was and my back starts to feel it after awhile.

 

[Dave0317]

I like that you know what a Pig Egg is. Most guys here probably won’t.

I have plenty of experience rucking, but I’m not sure I have much helpful advice for you. I really think if a pack fits at all, getting comfortable is a matter of putting in some miles with it and making small tweaks to the setup. I think most guys would say that your Mystery Ranch frame is light years ahead of the Alice/Tactical Tailor setup.
I have plenty of time under an Alice, and I think I prefer a Molle 2. Neither is great, but I do ruck with my Molle 2 a lot. Using an Alice or other surplus ruck for training would probably help save a little wear and tear on your hunting pack.

Can you spend some money, or are you trying to make one of your current packs work?

-RLTW

 

[justinspicher]

A pack will only help you do so much on an RPAT, effort is what will do the most for you.

With that being said, I’d chose an MR frame over an ALICE frame any day.

 

[Cdroot89]

I wouldn’t mind spending money. I know putting time and effort is the key. Like many people on here I am a gear junkie and like to get my stuff dialed in.

The only thing with the MR frame is that it doesn’t get the weight high enough on my back. I will probably put some foam spacers or something like that underneath the pig egg to get it higher.I hunt with the bear tooth bag and bought the mule mostly for rucking.

Two reasons I am thinking about the ALICE set up is: 1.Decrease wear on my hunting frame as mentioned 2. It is what most guys are running and if I run to many things different they will look at me funny/think that I am trying to get an advantage.

I am not trying to qualify for anything and in fact don’t even need to meet the standards. Just trying to earn some respect and get in great shape for elk hunting.

 

[Dave0317]

Yoga blocks. Those will work well for getting the weight up higher.

the radio pouch that some Alice bags have works well also.

 

[Desk Jockey]

My rucking days are long over. Plenty of time under an old ALICE pack in my youth and they have their place. The tactical tailor hardware is an improvement but there are better options IMO. I have a couple of Molle rucks but haven’t used them much. Hate the frame though.

If I was looking to build a training rig, I would pick up an MR NICE frame. It is heavier than the guidelight but more durable and you are looking to haul weight anyway. Pair that with an ILBE bag or a mule or a crew cab if you can get one. You could buy the whole thing for $200 or so if you shop a bit.

For weight, I tried everything under the sun over the years. Sand a duct tape for the win. I make “pills” of 10# and #20 so I can mix and match. I took a GI sleeping mat, taped it into a cylinder and taped the bottom to make it somewhat rectangular. I wrapped a bunch of bubble wrap in furniture blanket and more duct tape to fill the bottom 12”. Then I can stack the sand bags inside the top half of the sleeping mat and drop that in my pack blanket end down so the weight is in the middle of my back. It doesn’t move or squeak or burn through the pack like hard weight. The NICE frame carries well and I don’t end up wearing out my hunting pack.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I use my stone glacier XCurve frame with a 55lb sandbag in the load shelf.

 

[WyoWrangler]

I’ve been using my beartooth, with a 60 lb sandbag that I wrapped with duck tape. It definitely was not comfortable for the first week, which ended up being a good thing because it forced me to experiment with different adjustments to get my pack properly fit. After the first week, I notice it’s definitely heavy, but not uncomfortable. I’ve also been playing with how the bag is positioned between the frame and bag. At first I had the sandbag too low because it was hitting my a**. I then placed the bag higher on the frame and tightened the straps that connect at the at the top of the frame so there’s not as much slack so the sand bag doesn’t slip down. My load shelf is also all the way cinched up so there’s not extra space there as well.

 

[justinspicher]

I wouldn’t mind spending money. I know putting time and effort is the key. Like many people on here I am a gear junkie and like to get my stuff dialed in.

The only thing with the MR frame is that it doesn’t get the weight high enough on my back. I will probably put some foam spacers or something like that underneath the pig egg to get it higher.I hunt with the bear tooth bag and bought the mule mostly for rucking.

Two reasons I am thinking about the ALICE set up is: 1.Decrease wear on my hunting frame as mentioned 2. It is what most guys are running and if I run to many things different they will look at me funny/think that I am trying to get an advantage.

I am not trying to qualify for anything and in fact don’t even need to meet the standards. Just trying to earn some respect and get in great shape for elk hunting.

I get your point. I was able to use a MR frame with my Alice pack so no issues.

 

[jmazz]

For military rucking I’ve been using the Crossfire DG16 frame with a MOLLE II bag. The Crossfire frame is head and shoulders above the Alice or standard MOLLE frames.

I haven’t adapted this frame to my hunting loadout yet and still use my Kifaru setup for hunting.

 

[hunting1]

I use a Goruck G1 with plates for the events and my favorite is my Kifaru Door gunner with belt. I bought a 22" frame and 22 Mag but my wife took it over.

 

[Cdroot89]

For military rucking I’ve been using the Crossfire DG16 frame with a MOLLE II bag. The Crossfire frame is head and shoulders above the Alice or standard MOLLE frames.

I haven’t adapted this frame to my hunting loadout yet and still use my Kifaru setup for hunting.

Do you know where you can buy the Crossfire DG16 frame in the US?

 

[epaultmbt]

RUCKING:
The Guide Light MT with BT bag is a great option. Don't use a dense load like a sandbag to make the weight. I use old BDU's, ACU's and other old uniforms to fill the bag and make up weight with water bladders at the top. The suspension systems need the fill to bear the weight properly and using a dense load is compromising the system. I like making up the weight with water as a contingence. If you get injured during the training you can dump weight without penalty by emptying the bladders.

If you want a more military looking training ruck the FILBE is a good option. the suspension system is better then the MOLLE II or MOLLE 4000. It also has a radio pouch that you can put you're pig egg in like all the other "young hooah's" to keep it high in-between you're shoulders.

RPAT:
It's been a while and I had to look up the RPAT events. I didn't see anything in their with a ruck? If my intent was to improve RPAT time I would run fast and do bodyweight training, and work under load sparingly (weight vest/body armor).

RLTW/De Oppresso Liber

 

[Desk Jockey]

RUCKING:
The Guide Light MT with BT bag is a great option. Don't use a dense load like a sandbag to make the weight. I use old BDU's, ACU's and other old uniforms to fill the bag and make up weight with water bladders at the top. The suspension systems need the fill to bear the weight properly and using a dense load is compromising the system. I like making up the weight with water as a contingence. If you get injured during the training you can dump weight without penalty by emptying the bladders.

Use water bladders long enough and one of them will leak or break or freeze.

RPAT a 16-mile ruck with 65# from what I gather.

 

[epaultmbt]

I was referencing the wrong RPAT. Thank you for the correction. Wiki states a 16 km / 10 mile ruck with a 50lb sand bag. If you're training for this event then I would train with the issued gear, so the FILBE would be in order. I would also recommend you run as much as possible on your route if you'd like the fastest time possible.

I agree that I've had bladders leak, break and freeze. use whatever you want to add the weight, but make sure it's something you don't mind leaving on the route. I like water carried by any means so I can dump it at no loss.

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

I picked up the outdoorsmans atlas trainer and it was so nice I found another one used and grabbed it too. Just put a 45 lb Olympic weight on and go for it. Can use at gym on the stair climber as well and its quite the conversation pc on the trail.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I was referencing the wrong RPAT. Thank you for the correction. Wiki states a 16 km / 10 mile ruck with a 50lb sand bag. If you're training for this event then I would train with the issued gear, so the FILBE would be in order. I would also recommend you run as much as possible on your route if you'd like the fastest time possible.

I agree that I've had bladders leak, break and freeze. use whatever you want to add the weight, but make sure it's something you don't mind leaving on the route. I like water carried by any means so I can dump it at no loss.

Hmm.

I do my training with between 20-70#.

Water is about .o3 # a cubic inch and sand is about .06# so about 2x weight by volume. At 8# a gallon, you are going to need three gallons to make 25# and 5-6 or more gallons for a heavy training weight. I guess you could haul a 5-gallon water jug in your pack or 5-6 single gallons or even a case of bottled water. As I said, I hauled some really dumb shit - mortar base plates, ammo cases, mre boxes, iron weights, kettlebells, bolt cutters, hand tools, lead fishing weights - so it all works at the end of the day. However, after ruining a few rucks by rubbing through them with hard objects I found that padded, softer weights made of sand work well. The rig I described above is roughly the size of a bed pillow when full and carries fine in my packs.

As far as running, do it if you must. If you are on terrain, think about running downhill and power walking the uphills. Ranger shuffle on the flats. Running uphill with weight is a good way to fry your quads and jacks your heart rate to a point that can induce cardiac fatigue pretty quick. If you do run with a ruck, just know that your body will have its revenge. When you are fat and old and your days of being a steely-eyed, barrel-chested freedom fighter are distant memories, your hips, knees and back will let you know how much they did not like all that those ruck runs.

 

[epaultmbt]

^This is good advice on pacing.

Do you have any pictures of your home made weights? I question how well they would stay high enough in the pack bag without a radio pouch. I don't like that the Kifaru (Reckoning) and MR (Beartooth) I've played with didn't have a way to hold the weight high.

Mortar base plate, gross.

 

[jmazz]

Do you know where you can buy the Crossfire DG16 frame in the US?

They just started distributing them in the US and you can get them at the link below. If you have any issues with the site, shoot me a PM and I’ll get you in direct contact with them. I’ve been talking directly with them about modifications for mine and they’ve been easy to work with. As far as military frames go, the DG16 is the best I’ve used in 16 years of military rucking.

DG16 Frameset

The DG16 frame system embodies everything we have learned in three decades. The culmination of polymer chemistry, engineering and biomechanics have created an experience on your back like no other suspension system to date. Our contoured harness is tailored with extra thick padding providing the...

crossfirepacks.com

 

[Cdroot89]

They just started distributing them in the US and you can get them at the link below. If you have any issues with the site, shoot me a PM and I’ll get you in direct contact with them. I’ve been talking directly with them about modifications for mine and they’ve been easy to work with. As far as military frames go, the DG16 is the best I’ve used in 16 years of military rucking.

Wow. Shipping is steep. Are these being shipped directly from Australia? How long does it take for the frame to arrive?

DG16 Frameset

The DG16 frame system embodies everything we have learned in three decades. The culmination of polymer chemistry, engineering and biomechanics have created an experience on your back like no other suspension system to date. Our contoured harness is tailored with extra thick padding providing the...

crossfirepacks.com