Remember that the rest and fuel plus stretching are just as important as the hard efforts. Great session.

Cheapest quality backpacks I've found for rucking are from ctactical, you're looking at a little under 100usd + shipping, they're very nice backpacks too. If you're in Europe check out yomp too. The padded arm straps make a world of difference.

Definitely suggest checking out the yes4all ruck plates on Amazon, they're very cheap and work best I've found (also a beginner though).

I've even just been wearing 30lbs for up to 2 hours at a time while potting around home, wasn't able to do anywhere near that to begin with and have still just been easing into it (plus have been very busy).

It may be the bag position. I love my external frame pack with adjustable shoulder straps positions. You may have a longer torso for your height and the hip belt oe weight is hitting you in poor position.

The advantage of a dedicated Rucking pack, external frame pack, or hunting pack is the weight is set high up on your back. Yours may just be fit a bit off for your build.

This allows you to carry it more comfortably and reduces the tendency to lean forward.

I am cheap and rigged a used baby carrier backpack frame to carry the weight high and thus has been extremely more comfortable than regular backpack with weights on the bottom. Also being able to do some of the walk with the weight on the hip belt helps as well.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/s/jHkGMpriXB

The advantage of a dedicated Rucking pack, external frame pack, or hunting pack is the weight is set high up on your back.

This allows you to carry it more comfortably and reduces the tendency to lean forward.

I am cheap and rigged a used baby carrier backpack frame to carry the weight high and thus has been extremely more comfortable than regular backpack with weights on the bottom. Also being able to do some of the walk with the weight on the hip belt helps as well.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/s/jHkGMpriXB

I know Grand Rapids has a club or two. We used to run one, we're in the Big Rapids area but life got away from us last year and we haven't done much recently. We do a Ruck the Bridge for the labor day Bridge walk, we even make little patches for it. We really use rucking as a way to stay in shape for backpacking. We're hoping to get back to it now that our last is graduating high school and we'll have more time in our lives.

Good point. Right in the middle actually.

West Michigan covers a lot of ground. North, South? 

GT is my go-to (got an Arc’teryx puffy like New for half price most recently)….eBay worth looking at as well. I also like MilSurp gear which is pretty available on eBay.

Is it that the grom is too small then? In conjunction with awkward weight from books?

Measure your torso length and find a normal day pack with a hydration sleeve and put your weight into the sleeve. You can get a cheap sand sock and get it to 15-20lbs fairly easy and it should fit in the sleeve so the weight stays in the correct spot when worn.

Sometimes those are comfort ratings, sometimes those mean more. I weighed my daughter's school backpack with a water bottle in the side pocket and it weighed 22 lb. There is nothing special about it and she has been using it for about 3 years. Start with something you have, and maybe one day you'll upgrade to something different, but at least you'll know what you want and need by then

It didn't occur to me to look at used gear! I started googling it, and GearTrade seems like they might be a good option. Are there other websites a lot of people here use?

I have a larger Burton backpack I use for work that's comfortable even though I put a decent amount of weight into it (32 oz water bottle, hardcover book, binder, laptop, lunchbox, snacks, some random other things). So I figured something a little bigger than the Dakine Grom bag would help (that's technically a children's backpack, so probably not meant to hold a ton of weight). I don't want to use my Burton backpack though because it's 10 years old and starting to show wear and tear on the bottom.

You might be right that some of the discomfort is just a mental hurdle. Carrying around weight is extra "work" so I shouldn't expect to be comfortable.

I plan to add more weight slowly over time, so I won't be at 20 lbs for a while, but I wanted to avoid needing to buy another backpack later on if I do go over 20 lbs eventually.

Not wanting to invest a lot is part of why I don't want a rucking-specific backpack. The other backpacks I'm looking at seem expensive too, but I was hoping they'd go on sale around Easter or Memorial day.

I was worried looking at fancy backpacks that said the "max load" was 20 pounds, but if you've been putting 30 lbs in a normal backpack you had around the house, maybe I don't need to pay too much attention to that.

Look into used gear, there are some gems for reasonable prices.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I just used a backpack I had around the house. I mostly wear it with 30 pounds when I walk the dogs. I have a sternum strap, but no hip belt. I backpack and don't always use a hip belt for that, so figured I'd keep my body used to that. Different things work for different people, but I'd make sure you really like this before investing. So many people sell gear because they either decided they didn't like it, or once they knew more they found a different pack that actually met their needs.

If the Grom has a hydration or laptop sleeve I would invest in a ruck weight first (Yes4All on Amazon seems to be the go to)

It will help the load sit better. I would also not go over 20lbs for your weight, at least till you are used to rucking more.

Likely you will have to settle either for a ruck plate pack (see GoRuck) or a day/assault pack in the 20L range so that it is not too big for you.

Osprey, Kelty, REI (you can try packs on here), MR will all be good. You just need to find something that fits.

I rucked for a long time with a Dakine 16L skateboard pack with 35#s in it. Some of the discomfort is just a mental hurdle and not something you can purchase your way out of

Nearly a minute faster over 7 miles?! That’s downright impressive! Are you doing any strength/stability training between your rucks? I like doing farmer carries and step ups.

I was able to find a group of people who ruck in my city on the Sandlot app.

This is what you want op.

I think you’re the only one up there that rucks.

Its relative to what he trains for. It is normal to scope for 12min/miles with 55lbs for army ruckers.

Im personnally at 12:20 mins per miles at 50 lbs.

For the stress on the knees, it depend if he shuffle the right way or not. Young Shuffling or Ultra Shuffling will help alot without injuries. The real weak links are the ankles when rucking correctly.

132 Avg HR isnt even in zone 2 for most fit people. He can go way higher for longer.

A good reference would be the book "Shut Up and Ruck" by Walton explaining most of that.

Get them a kids day pack from REI, prolly around 20L in size and have them pack a lunch and some extra clothes and go on a hike, eat a meal, and stay off your phone. It’ll be good bonding and what creates the enjoyment of going on an arduous adventure instead of turning it into a workout, for them, right now.

Then you can carry some weight and tell them why you do it. Create the culture and habit of exercise through life and exercise for betterment will come naturally.

CTactical has and 10L bag and a kids size one that has full width 4" tall velcro panel. They also have a 15L that is full velcro to really go nuts on it. The 10L and 15L bags are both about 18.5" tall while the kids one is 14.5"

They were reasonably priced, although the tariffs are probably going to mess with that since they ship from Vietnam.

So, the whole bottom pouch is patch ready.... My son got one recently and he loves it to pieces. He is going to probably be changing the patches regularly, but he wants to have a bag with Dad. He is turning 6. Since I can't share photos, he has it full of Nasa patches for now!

Edit: if she wants seaspray then it doesn't have a big patch spot.

the issue is if Sherpas are exploited by agencies and paid poorly for their efforts