Which is the best way to pack a ruck, making it top, mid, or bottom heavy?

2020-09-01T19:57:56-04:00

Hello RallyPoint, hope you are all doing well. As I am soon to enlist as an infantryman, I have been practicing rucking for the past month (sadly, I haven't been able to go past even 3 miles without caving). I have a vet friend of mine (former 0311 marine himself) that has insisted (for the life of him) that the only way to ruck is to keep it bottom heavy (have all the weight at the bottom). Although I have no doubt he knows of what he speaks, I can't help but question if there is a better way (at least one that has escaped him during his time in the Corps) to ruck. I keep hearing from many others of doing it the complete opposite (top heavy) instead. Not gonna lie, having it bottom heavy tends to sag my ruck (a USMC issued ruck that I bought from a surplus store). It sags to a point where it bounces a bit and it also drags my ruck back down almost in a way which pulls me back. Am I doing something wrong here? Hope you guys are all doing well.

P.S. Up top is a pic of the ruck I bought from the surplus store.

Response by SFC James Cameron made Sep 1 at 2020 8:11 PM

2020-09-01T20:11:47-04:00

Marines hump heavy all the time, no way around it for Infantry. Especially the 21 and 31’s. Your hips are where all the weight bearing happens. The Marine Mountain Ruck is designed to work like that. The MOLLE ruck, not so much. It really depends on the ruck style. I have a MOLLE that I packed high. Did runs with 45 pounds in it. Same with an ALICE. My Mountain ruck I packed low. My Mystery Ranch bag I packed mid-weight. It depends on the style of bag and your comfort level.

Another thing to take into consideration is that if you haven’t rucked before is to take baby steps unless you like stress fractures and femoral head injuries. Wear soft shoes and build up to distance and weight.

We marched OSUT Trainees around the running track in soft shoes with the prescribed packing list up to the 6 mile benchmark as a risk mitigation measure because those musculoskeletal injuries were becoming so common.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2020 8:33 PM

2020-09-01T20:33:26-04:00

I am 100% a top heavy guy. Think of your body and what it can handle. You can put a ton of weight on your shoulders, much like a squat. I’d rather my shoulders do the heavy lifting, rather than my lower back.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Sep 1 at 2020 8:34 PM

2020-09-01T20:34:23-04:00

Also, if I were you I would stop rucking until you get to INFANTRY OSUT itself, they are going to teach you how to do it and 22 weeks is more than enough time for them to ease you into it and they will ease you into it from point zero (not being able to ruck a mile). Reason your failing can be many, not enough rest, not eating balanced meals, jumping right into a fully weighted ruck and expecting a miracle to happen, etc. If you were going to RANGER or SPECIAL FORCES school, different story but Infantry OSUT.........rucking prior to the course is unnecessary and you could injure your back if your not careful. Also they give you rest periods during the ruck.....which you are probably not taking on your own. Want to prep for Infantry OSUT don't attempt the military things or heavy weight loads. do things like ride your bike for distance to build your legs up. Or do some deep knee bends using just your body weight. Do Cardio. You don't need to show up like Rambo or the Terminator. The course is designed to build an average person off the street, into a Infantryman. RANGER OR SPECIAL FORCES, different story and those courses expect you to be in good condition.

Response by Jake Lang made Sep 1 at 2020 8:54 PM

2020-09-01T20:54:44-04:00

Just for reference, this was the ruck that I bought.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2020 8:59 PM

2020-09-01T20:59:06-04:00

You never want to pack your ruck so low that it feels like you’re dragging a big anchor and you never want it so high that it pulls you when you lean left or right. Depending on what ruck you wear and how you like to ruck it should be as close to your back and between your hips and shoulders as much as possible. Hips if you use the hip belt, shoulders if you don’t. Your weight should never be on/below your butt or over your head if you can help it.

In the Army you have two kinds of rucking - fast and light, or slow and heavy. Your timed rucks will be light, 35 pounds before adding water and 12 miles in three hours at a 4 mph pace. It’s just a little faster than comfortable on a road, and a bit difficult in the sand. Your heavy rucks will usually be 55-70 pounds before adding food and water. You’re usually moving at 1-3 mph, usually over rough terrain, and usually for several hours at a time. Every selection in the Army is based on rucking. SFAS is rucking for weeks. Ranger School is rucking off and on for two months.

You should not be increasing your weight or distance any more than 10% a week and at your level I recommend it’s no more than 10% every two to three weeks. Rucking isn’t about muscle it’s about tendon and ligament strength and they take approximately five times as long to strengthen as your muscles.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2020 9:07 PM

2020-09-01T21:07:25-04:00

As a 12B in a sapper unit, we ruck everywhere, all the time. I usually do about 4 to 6 miles every Saturday for exercise and practice. With that said you want it mid to high (IMO). Not so high that it forces a lean, but not so low that is pulls you back. The idea is to balance the weight on your hips. One thing that helps me is that I put even weight in my side sustainment pouches as well to help keep that weight between the middle of my back and hips.

However, the greatest attribute to my ruck speed and distance.... solid boots and socks. Your feet get you there, take care of them.

Best of luck!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2020 9:09 PM

2020-09-01T21:09:02-04:00

Keep heavy stuff up high in pack, and keep items that you always need first at the top. Don't keep thinking about how heavy your ruck is, concentrate on where you're going, and everything around you.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2020 9:47 PM

2020-09-01T21:47:44-04:00

I always go top

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Sep 1 at 2020 10:45 PM

2020-09-01T22:45:46-04:00

Top heavy worked for me,although my rucksack was the Sixties version and I’m sure there’s been major changes in design,that being said, the constant, never changing challenge will be mental, you will find you can do seemingly impossible physical tasks,truthfully ,and you are getting some excellent advice from these professionals here on Rallypoint ,Good Luck ,Jake

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2020 1:19 AM

2020-09-02T01:19:12-04:00

Put the weight over your shoulders as much as you can; so top heavy. My experience: I was a 135lb RTO with over 150lbs of gear. This was back in the first gulf war where we still had PRC-77 and KY-57 security on them with extra batteries plus all the gear of an airborne division battalion scout. Not the 19D guys in vehicles but the 11B on foot.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Sep 2 at 2020 1:59 AM

2020-09-02T01:59:21-04:00

What is far more important than top bottom or middle is front or back. Keep the weight as CLOSE to your body as possible.

Response by SGT George Stephens made Sep 2 at 2020 3:44 AM

2020-09-02T03:44:00-04:00

Getting ready sound like a smart ass here but, i always just packed MOLLE ruck to the accordance of the packing list.

I also had a medium ruck as well that was my mission ruck. It allowed me to carry my mission specifics. No more or less. My large ruck and duffle bags was my home.

However, this said, i tried to keep it balanced and put the heavier objects in the middle closer to the top of the ruck. If you have to lean forward you definitely could put some pep in your step but also could slow down without feeling like you're dragging a boulder.

So really in the end, it's mission based for me and how I'm packing. If we're just going for a stroll for the hell of it then dead center it is

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2020 8:52 AM

2020-09-02T08:52:20-04:00

There's a whole post about rucking in here.

https://www.rallypoint.com/professional-military-education/special-forces-assessment-selection-sfas/answers/what-do-you-need-to-know-about-preparing-for-an-arsof-assessment-and-selection-a-s-and-or-joining-one-of-these-cmfs

What do you need to know about preparing for an ARSOF Assessment and Selection (A&S) and/or...

Ask those who have been and gotten selected how to prep for A&S. Whether physically, mentally, academically, ask your questions here and provided the answer is able to be discussed, you can receive the information to not give you an advantage, but to help you prepare yourself. Those selected: please post what got you prepared and what you are glad you did beforehand. Those interested in ARSOF: ask away. If I don't have an answer I will ask...

Response by CPT Jose A “Tony” Fernandez made Sep 2 at 2020 12:26 PM

2020-09-02T12:26:58-04:00

As an ARMY Infantryman I always made a well balanced distribution of weight in my ruck. It depends on the mission. If you’re doing a ruck march, in my experience, is best a top heavy packed, for me. I also tried to prioritize the stuff I need to get to quickly as easily accessible as possible, in the middle of a heated engagement, etc. Keep practicing...you’ll the spot! Good luck and God Speed!

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Sep 2 at 2020 7:03 PM

2020-09-02T19:03:36-04:00

Even though I was not an 11, we still humped rucks, made Tops heart sing to watch us die. The higher on your shoulders you can center the weight the better it is, but it’s still not easy. If your ruck gets to riding low on your back it just increases the misery. But make no mistake the best way is also pretty miserable.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Sep 2 at 2020 7:21 PM

2020-09-02T19:21:50-04:00

I'm with SFC James Cameron on how to pack the rucks.
Remember the ruck gets dropped when the gunfire starts. Battlepack only.

Response by LCpl Jon Stephens made Sep 3 at 2020 11:53 AM

2020-09-03T11:53:07-04:00

Weight low. Put it on ur hips. Top heavy will pull u if its really heavy. I have umbumbed for sack 16 mi one way no stops and thats how we did it. Pack it tight too. Really tight.

Response by Cpl Louie Serrano made Sep 6 at 2020 4:17 AM

2020-09-06T04:17:21-04:00

I tried to keep mine balanced. Keep in mind that I used the ALICE pack. Always adjust your gear before you go on that hump, it sucks to adjust flak, and deuce gear while you're moving. Tape straps down that you don't have to adjust once you get a comfortable fit.

One thing that I have yet to see mentioned, waterproof the contents of your pack/sack. While the Corps did issue me a waterproof bag, it's never enough to rely on as its made by the lowest bidder. Get some ziplock bags and let all the air out. Not only do you have peace of mind if it pisses on you, you can also compact the items you carry

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 28 at 2020 6:25 PM

2020-09-28T18:25:56-04:00

Top heavy, as close as possible to the spine.

It sends the weight straight down evenly in a straight line down your back. You won't deal with the bounce.

Tighten the straps as much as possible as well. Keep it from sagging. If you can, ruck with the kidney strap on. Keep it loosish, as in, contact with no pressure. It stops bounce.

Personally, I never fucked with the chest strap. All it did was fuck my breathing, but if you like it, send it.

I put my SAPIs in my radio pouch. Zipped the bottom divider and kept NOTHING below it. Clothing/sleeping system in the middle. MREs, boots, gas mask, and anything else stupid at the top. Put your ISO mat between the top flap and drawstring and clip the flap to the ISO mat's original bottom clips. Tighten it like a fucking Godking.

You end up with a small, tight, dense pack that won't move at all and will be balanced enough to ruckrun upright without any leaning required.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Oct 17 at 2024 11:20 PM

2024-10-17T23:20:13-04:00

Mostly top heavy and as close to your spine as possible. Lightest/fluffiest stuff on the bottom. Midweight and lighter/bulky gear on the outer part of the pack.