Rucking Accessories to Help Lighten the Load

Rucking Accessories to Help Lighten the Load

Strap it On

As you continue to ratchet up the intensity of your rucking, you will inevitably meet the option to carry more weight and/or ruck farther. In either scenario, you’ll gain more traction by incorporating a few basic rucking accessories that allow for quick, convenient access to the tools that will help you ruck smarter, not harder.

STRAPS

One of the most inclusive benefits of rucking is that it’s a you vs. you workout. The weight of what you carry will always be proportionate to what you’re physically capable of. As your strength and stamina increase, your shoulders will catch the brunt of it. Sometimes, it’s going to feel like you’ve got the weight of the world on them. Ruck straps will help.

Ruck Straps

Use our ruck strap w/carabiner on your ruck, sandbag or any coupon that the cadre makes you carry. The carabiner allows for quick set-up and disconnect.

Not to be confused with your ruck’s shoulder straps, these heavy-duty nylon ruck straps anchor to your preferred MOLLE with a carabiner at the top of your shoulder straps. The opposite end is a soft loop handle, by which you can adjust how and where your ruck is resting on your shoulders and back. 

As you chalk up more rucks under your padded hip belt, you’ll notice yourself at times fidgeting with your ruck to shift it an inch this way or that way. That momentary alleviation feels sooo good. Sooner or later, your shoulders will eventually start talking to you, and these ruck straps are the best rebuttal.

Nylon Runners

Picture shows actual product in use at the GORUCK Chicago Heavy (9/4/20). Photo by Amelia Fuscone.

Stitched with a nearly unbelievable 3,600-pound working load limit, these impressively heavy-duty nylon runners have become a default accessory for those who regularly complicate—scratch that, we mean “complement” [wink, wink] their ruck with external weight outside of and in addition to what’s already in their rucksack.

“Coupons” are a term of endearment in the world of rucking. Referring to sandbags, cinder blocks, loose weights, hell—even fallen trees, if the Cadre tells you to pick up one of these bonus buys and carry it, you better. With their double-looped ends, and longer than the ruck straps suggested above, nylon runners are invaluable leverage when you need to carry or drag anything that the Cadre is selling as today’s special.

PALS + MOLLE

This MOLLE Starter Kit includes four of the simplest, yet most repeatedly used items: D-ring Grimlock Clip, Hydration Hose Retainer, Tactical Key Ring Holder and MOLLE Clip.

Referenced relatively interchangeably, you’ve already noticed that proper rucking backpacks are covered in external and internal grids of nylon webbing known as PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System). This allows you to secure an infinite combination of compatible, interchangeable MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment), pronounced “Molly.” For simplicity’s sake, and because most ruckers do anyway, from here on out we’ll refer to both features as MOLLE.

Almost every critical rucking accessory will attach to your rucksack via MOLLE. 

This MOLLE Starter Kit includes four of the simplest, yet most repeatedly used items.

• D-ring Grimlock Clip | Designed for quick-release access to frequently used items

• Hydration Hose Retainer | Convenient elastic cord to hold your water bladder’s hose against your ruck’s shoulder strap when you’re not sippin’  

• Tactical Key Ring Holder | So you can finally toss that college lanyard that dangles out of your pocket and drags on the ground

• MOLLE Clip | Useful for securing any number of miscellaneous straps out of your way when not in use (see Ruck Straps, above)

Multi-use Pouch

Everyone carries even a little baggage, and you’re going to need a place to check it so you can focus on the ruck ahead. An EDC (every-day carry) pouch like this one is ideal for storing your essentials. Its straps lace through your ruck’s MOLLE to keep it and its contents safe right where you attach it. 

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