Yeah, I'm Heavily Vested.
What the Ruck is it to you?!?
When the sun is shining and the temps are warm I sometimes go out for a walk. But when I take a stroll, I like to get a little extra benefit for my time. So I usually throw on a 40-pound weighted vest to get a more intense workout.
Among a very small circle of devotees, walking around with added heft on your back is known as “rucking.” Despite that exceedingly simple concept, a surprising number of how-to guides have been written (some of which cost a pretty penny!)
Here’s how to ruck: get a backpack, fill it with heavy crap, and walk around.
Michael Easter’s book The Comfort Crisis is a solid read on both the evolutionary history of humans carrying weighty things long distances and the beneficial metabolic outcomes in can bestow in the present. (I’ve referenced Easter’s book in multiple posts over the past year because—frankly—it’s one of the most enlightening titles I’ve read of late.)
Speaking from Experience
A backpack works fine, but over the years I’ve found a good weighted vest helps distribute the load evenly and provides more stability. Several years ago I purchased this RUNMax Pro weighted vest, which get’s a big chef’s kiss from me. Here’s why:
I’ve put in a lot of miles with the vest and—so far—it shows absolutely no wear. You can add weight incrementally using the included set of 4-lb. sandbags to suit your fitness level. A sturdy chest strap and shoulder pads keep the vest snug and comfortable during extended wear. And it features a pocket, key ring, and water bottle holder for hands-free rucking.
Here’s an actual picture of me geared up that I snared from the Amazon product page:
Nice, right? Among that very small circle of devotees I mentioned earlier, I probably look like a stud. But to everyone else, this vest makes me look like a menacing, paramilitary whack job. Around my neighborhood, I get curious stares from doting dog walkers. When I approach, young children hurriedly cross the street. And when—after a long walk to the nearby Dairy Queen—I enter to order a Blizzard, families clear out expecting a first-degree felony.
But it’s all good. I totally understand. We live in troubling times when the meagerly odd can seem mighty suspicious.
Every once in a while, though, someone stops me to ask about my bulky breastplate. I am always more than willing to chat. “No, it’s not Kevlar,” I’ll reassure them, “it’s just sweaty sand.” In time—with repeated exposure and explanation—I’m sure my neighbors will come to recognize me properly as “a pretty harmless, menacing whack job.”
“Kettle to Pot, Over…”
But there is one class of gawkers who will never, ever get a pass from me: cyclists. More than once, I’ve had people nearly fall off their bikes while craning their necks to stare at me.
But you’re perched atop the saddle of your bright-red Cannondale. You’re dressed in skin-tight polyester festooned with an eye-watering clash of colors all the way down to your cod-piece-lined shorts. And you’re wearing an elongated helmet and wrap-around shades that make you look like an extra from SpaceBalls.
No, no, my friend. If you spend your days wearing tacky jerseys and clip-on shoes, you don’t have the right to stare at me in disbelief. If you feel the urge to gawk, steady your gaze, pedal yourself home, and take a good hard look at the parrot-colored whack job in the mirror.
🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵🔉🎧🎵
One Last Recommendation…
If I’m rucking alone, I like to listen to audio books, podcasts, or music. But I’m really picky about audio quality. I bothers me viscerally when sound is tinny or muffled, or doesn’t deliver deep bass when necessary.
But I’m also freaking che—….er, frugal. So I’m not about to shell out a mortgage payment for a set of Beats by Dre. Instead, I’ve purchased—and returned—countless sets of headphones over the years in search of reasonable quality.
The Anker Soundcore Sport X10 is simply the best I’ve found. It’s resistant to water and sweat and has a really comfortable fit. The wireless headphones pair easily and deliver excellent sound quality. And after a year-and-a-half, my pair still delivers six hours of playback on a single charge.
Another fine product to which a chef’s kiss is bestowed…
I admit I only did that when training for the pack test. RESPECT!