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Other/Mixed Rucking with plates vs. kettlebell in backpack

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
sigmafloyd

sigmafloyd

First Post
Hi everyone. I spent most of last summer rucking with just my 35lb kettlebell in an old backpack. Worked great, felt great.

At the end of the summer I upgraded to a goruck setup with weight plates. I actually don't love the backpack and just prefer the KB approach.

Before just going all in on KB approach, I'm wondering if there are any downsides in terms of muscles used, weight distribution, etc, where carrying plate would produce better results than carrying the KB

thanks
 
Out of curiosity: what kind of padding did you use? I'm warming up to this approach, but I'd appreciate hearing what you did.

I've got a leather non-padded rucksack i'd use.
 
Grip endurance stops being a factor if it's on the back.

If I'm doing a KB mile or a farmer's carry, my grip endurance is always the limiting factor.

If I'm wearing a weight vest, it's my torso muscles, which can last a lot longer.
 
sigmafloyd said:
Hi everyone. I spent most of last summer rucking with just my 35lb kettlebell in an old backpack. Worked great, felt great.

At the end of the summer I upgraded to a goruck setup with weight plates. I actually don't love the backpack and just prefer the KB approach.

Before just going all in on KB approach, I'm wondering if there are any downsides in terms of muscles used, weight distribution, etc, where carrying plate would produce better results than carrying the KB

thanks
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Seems like a kettlebell would be uncomfortable. You want to try and pack your ruck sack evenly. I made my weights out of grocery bags sand and duct tape. Made like pills. They work great because you can position them evenly in the pack. I use towels to fill the sack out. It’s not as fancy as the goruck plates but it works.
 
sigmafloyd said:
Hi everyone. I spent most of last summer rucking with just my 35lb kettlebell in an old backpack. Worked great, felt great.

At the end of the summer I upgraded to a goruck setup with weight plates. I actually don't love the backpack and just prefer the KB approach.

Before just going all in on KB approach, I'm wondering if there are any downsides in terms of muscles used, weight distribution, etc, where carrying plate would produce better results than carrying the KB

thanks
Click to expand...
For the most part weight is weight. Like some others have pointed out you want your pack appropriately packed. Using a KB is just fine as long as its loaded correctly.
 
There was a mob a few years ago making a special backpack to put a kettlebell in. I think the idea was you could walk into a park or wherever and train then walkout, both ways with backpack. Read about it. Don't know if they are still around. the backpacks were not cheap.
 
oab said:
There was a mob a few years ago making a special backpack to put a kettlebell in. I think the idea was you could walk into a park or wherever and train then walkout, both ways with backpack. Read about it. Don't know if they are still around. the backpacks were not cheap.
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There is a recent thread that mentions that pack. I actually thought it was pretty inexpensive, as far as good packs go…
 
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TedM said:
The McGyver Pack

I'll think about this. 1.5 liter water bottles are popular around here. I could fill some up with sand... Hmm
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Or water.
You can dump the water if you need to lighten the load.
You can drink the water if you get thirsty.
Easier to fill a narrow mouth bottle with water than sand.

Only drawback is that sand is denser than water, so you might need more water…
 
Rigggghhhhhttt....
So I guess a pound of water and a pound of sand are about the same weight. ;)
But the weight/volume of sand is roughly 2*H2O. I can fit 4 1.5 liter bottles into my pack...
So, looks like there is a way forward.

12 kilos is all I'll ever need to get up to.
My wife can carry the bottle of water. :)
 
Thanks for the replies.

This is the backpack I used: Amazon product ASIN B00ID62L9Q
The one I have doesn't have a chest strap though. It was actually surprisingly comfortable with a 35lb KB in it

I upgraded to the GORUCK Rucker with plates. It's not bad, per se, but pretty stiff, and for whatever reason, I just preferred the kettlebell approach for simplicity.

I got to the point where I was doing about 3miles, 4-5 times a week and then a basic KB routine (100 single-handed swings each arm, 5 sets of 10 presses each arm, 50 curls) several times a week
 
So, in the end, I got a pretty sleek 21 liter Mystery Ranch pack - after I read a review about someone carrying his 20 lb plate in it. (I actually bought mine on ebay for under $100). I personally needed a multi-use pack and not one just for rucking.
I put a bunch of duct tape around the foam-supports from a computer box and made a slot to hold a 5 kg. barbell plate, in the laptop pocket. (I'm on the short side @ 5'6", and so the bottom of the pack is a bit low for me). Between the weight and another 2 kg of water (when we start out...) - it's enough of a load for me, for now.
 
Would wrapping a pool noodle around some plates be to bulky or awkward? Just make a slit half way through it a press it on around the plate.
 
CoreyW said:
Would wrapping a pool noodle around some plates be to bulky or awkward? Just make a slit half way through it a press it on around the plate.
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That's a good idea. You can shave off the round side against your back so it'll be a bit thinner and sit better. I'd definitely line the inside of the noodle with a strip of duct tape - it'll keep the metal from eating away at the noodle, and the weight of the plate will mold into the shape.
 
I have a cheap life jacket (floatation device?) that I manage to wrap around a KB or 3 in a backpack. Every once in awhile, i need to stop and make an adjustment, but it works pretty well.
 
Speaking as an avid backpacker, weight distribution makes a big difference for comfort. So does having a hip belt to keep the majority of the old off your shoulders. Shorter rucks this might not matter much. But longer ones it will. To me sand seems to be the best option. Majority of the weight in the middle of the pack close to your back.
 
Georgiaoutdoors said:
Speaking as an avid backpacker, weight distribution makes a big difference for comfort. So does having a hip belt to keep the majority of the old off your shoulders. Shorter rucks this might not matter much. But longer ones it will. To me sand seems to be the best option. Majority of the weight in the middle of the pack close to your back.
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Out of curiousity: I hear this, but the GoRuck bags do not have hip belts, and if i recall correctly, Al Ciampa's articles didn't advocate them - or sternum straps, for that matter.
 
TedM said:
Out of curiousity: I hear this, but the GoRuck bags do not have hip belts, and if i recall correctly, Al Ciampa's articles didn't advocate them - or sternum straps, for that matter.
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My GoRuck came with a hip belt, and it can also be purchased separately:

www.goruck.com

Padded Hip Belt

Padded Hip Belts allow you to rest (more of) your ruck’s weight on your hips with the added comfort of hip padding. A padded stabilizer belt will pull the bottom of your ruck inward around your hips or belly and keep it in place, not allowing it to ride upward over your head and shoulders.
www.goruck.com www.goruck.com
 
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