Weighted Vests and Backpacks

[McLovin32]

Anyone have any experience with stuff like this? I've talked about it a lot on here over the last few years that I do a lot of walking/hiking in the mornings before work. I'm looking to add a bit more to it to make it more difficult and burn some additional calories. I know "rucking" has become more popular lately, but their bags cost a pretty penny. Not sure why someone couldn't just use a regular backpack to put weights in.


Any advice/tips would be appreciated. Any OP's mom jokes will result in a gif punch.

 

[HawCory]

Fill all of your pockets with Osmium dust, OP. No backpack needed.

 

[McLovin32]

Fill all of your pockets with Osmium dust, OP. No backpack needed.

Not a fan of having full pockets while exercising. Thank you though!

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Anyone have any experience with stuff like this? I've talked about it a lot on here over the last few years that I do a lot of walking/hiking in the mornings before work. I'm looking to add a bit more to it to make it more difficult and burn some additional calories. I know "rucking" has become more popular lately, but their bags cost a pretty penny. Not sure why someone couldn't just use a regular backpack to put weights in.


Any advice/tips would be appreciated. Any OP's mom jokes will result in a gif punch.

I weighted your mom's FUPA this morning.

Honestly, how old are you? How are your joints? I mean, we had to carry body armor and rucksacks with pounds of weight. That was a young mans game. I just don't want you to do more damage than good

 

[McLovin32]

I weighted your mom's FUPA this morning.

Honestly, how old are you? How are your joints? I mean, we had to carry body armor and rucksacks with pounds of weight. That was a young mans game. I just don't want you to do more damage than good

I'm 37, and the joints are better than they've ever been. Had some back issues a few months back, but got that all taken care of. I'm not real concerned about causing any damage. I walk anywhere from 5-7 miles, 3-4 days a week and hit the weights 2-3 times a week. Sometimes I'll get up to 10 miles in the morning when I'm out there. The weighted vest/pack would only be used once maybe twice a week.

 

[Hawki97]

Anyone have any experience with stuff like this? I've talked about it a lot on here over the last few years that I do a lot of walking/hiking in the mornings before work. I'm looking to add a bit more to it to make it more difficult and burn some additional calories. I know "rucking" has become more popular lately, but their bags cost a pretty penny. Not sure why someone couldn't just use a regular backpack to put weights in.


Any advice/tips would be appreciated. Any OP's mom jokes will result in a gif punch.

Just take a backpack and wrap a dumbbell or kettlebell in something that will fill the space in your back and center the weight. I use a rumpl blanket. The nice thing about this method is you’ll be weighting and using the backpack you’ll have on your shoulders during your adventures while you train. Do the rucksack or something else and you may get a surprise when you switch to your actual pack.

I’ve hiked / climbed thousands of miles and this approach has served me well for training.

 

[Jerome Silberman]

What about a backpack and some gallon bags of sand? You could also get a part time job as a masonry laborer. They carry heavy stuff and get paid.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I'm 37, and the joints are better than they've ever been. Had some back issues a few months back, but got that all taken care of. I'm not real concerned about causing any damage. I walk anywhere from 5-7 miles, 3-4 days a week and hit the weights 2-3 times a week. Sometimes I'll get up to 10 miles in the morning when I'm out there. The weighted vest/pack would only be used once maybe twice a week.

I used to have a great walking regiment at your age. Time for me to me get back to it. Easy way to keep weight off. Put on the headphones and go. It's easy to rack up the miles when you are listening to a podcast. Walking will obviously help with the back. Kudos to you!

 

[The Tradition]

What about a backpack and some gallon bags of sand? You could also get a part time job as a masonry laborer. They carry heavy stuff and get paid.

In Coast Guard boot camp they used filling your seabag with beach sand and making you march around with that as a punishment.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I need to get a new pair of shoes though. Good shoes are so important. If you have ever had plantar fasciitis, you understand

 

[millah_22]

My mother made me wear a sweater vest with a t shirt to 6th grade school pictures and I've been carrying that weight of shame my whole life.

 

[McLovin32]

I need to get a new pair of shoes though. Good shoes are so important. If you have ever had plantar fasciitis, you understand

You're not wrong. I had plantar fasciitis in both feet severely in my early 20's. I've found the pair of shoes that works best for me and what I do, and it's great. Last summer I attempted to try a new style out and within a week I could feel the beginning of the pain in my heel/bottom of my foot again. I immediately ordered another pair of the shoes that I knew worked.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

My mother made me wear a sweater vest with a t shirt to 6th grade school pictures and I've been carrying that weight of shame my whole life.

How can you live with yourself?

 

[millah_22]

How can you live with yourself?

Bro my mom told me i looked SO GOOD and I BELIEVED HER and my classmates roasted the ever living shit out of me.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

My mother made me wear a sweater vest with a t shirt to 6th grade school pictures and I've been carrying that weight of shame my whole life.

You wore it well

 

[Hawki97]

You're not wrong. I had plantar fasciitis in both feet severely in my early 20's. I've found the pair of shoes that works best for me and what I do, and it's great. Last summer I attempted to try a new style out and within a week I could feel the beginning of the pain in my heel/bottom of my foot again. I immediately ordered another pair of the shoes that I knew worked.

And they’re quite stylish.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

And they’re quite stylish.

New Balance makes the best walking shoe. I'll take anyone to fight bar over it.

 

[jasonrann]

I'm 37, and the joints are better than they've ever been. Had some back issues a few months back, but got that all taken care of. I'm not real concerned about causing any damage. I walk anywhere from 5-7 miles, 3-4 days a week and hit the weights 2-3 times a week. Sometimes I'll get up to 10 miles in the morning when I'm out there. The weighted vest/pack would only be used once maybe twice a week.

I'm curious what you did for your back? Mine has been fooked since I broke it about 18 months ago. I think I have some nerve compression going on. By the end of the day, the area from my lower back down through the outsides of my legs to my knees is ridiculously painful. I have tried physical therapy and exercising on my own without much success.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

Just take a backpack and wrap a dumbbell or kettlebell in something that will fill the space in your back and center the weight. I use a rumpl blanket. The nice thing about this method is you’ll be weighting and using the backpack you’ll have on your shoulders during your adventures while you train. Do the rucksack or something else and you may get a surprise when you switch to your actual pack.

I’ve hiked / climbed thousands of miles and this approach has served me well for training.

This.

I did the ~50 mile 12K feet Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim hike in late Feb and my training all winter was pretty much this. Worked like a charm.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

I wouldn’t. Just risking injury.

Go further and cut your calories.

A little extra weight isn’t going to make up for whatever you are eating.

 

[nu2u]

I'm 37, and the joints are better than they've ever been. Had some back issues a few months back, but got that all taken care of. I'm not real concerned about causing any damage. I walk anywhere from 5-7 miles, 3-4 days a week and hit the weights 2-3 times a week. Sometimes I'll get up to 10 miles in the morning when I'm out there. The weighted vest/pack would only be used once maybe twice a week.

Wow congratulations brother. That is serious dedication to exercise. I hope some decent recommendations are posted cuz I’m thinking about getting a weighted vest also.

 

[SSG T]

As I learned in the Army (the army that destroyed my back) always walk around carrying as little extra weight as possible.

 

[jonesy5960]

New Balance makes the best walking shoe. I'll take anyone to fight bar over it.

That tells me you've never worn a pair of Hokas.

 

[McLovin32]

I'm curious what you did for your back? Mine has been fooked since I broke it about 18 months ago. I think I have some nerve compression going on. By the end of the day, the area from my lower back down through the outsides of my legs to my knees is ridiculously painful. I have tried physical therapy and exercising on my own without much success.

It was surprisingly simple for me. After I had the xray done, the Dr gave me some simple stretches to do. I started doing then 2-3 times a day, and did "Wall Sits" every day. That stuff combined with my regular walking (well, I started at a mile a day and worked myself back up to 5ish miles a day now), got me back to a good spot. I know the nerve compression can be a bitch.

New Balance makes the best walking shoe. I'll take anyone to fight bar over it.

You're not wrong. The shoes I was referring to that are awesome are New Balance trail/walking shoes. I'll never stray away from them again.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

That tells me you've never worn a pair of Hokas.

I'll be honest here....I've seen you guys talking about these, but I've never googled them. I'm sure it is a long standing joke.

 

[Aardvark86]

A funny side story about weight vests.

A colleague at work signed up to do a charitable hike up Kilamanjaro with a firm group from our London office. Said colleague was not in particularly good shape, and decided to hire a personal trainer to help him prepare. So, during one lunchtime training session, the personal trainer, who was a young african american fellow with quite a set of dreds, had my colleague put on a very conspicuous weight vest (think suicide bomber) and do a series of intervals running up a small hill by our office. He's literally screaming at him from behind while he's running, and when he gets to the top of the hill, tells my colleague to put his hands up (to recover). On about the sixth interval, the DC po-po showed up, and asked my colleague "sir, is everything all right here?"

Epilogue: None of it mattered. About 3/4 of the way up Kilamanjaro, my colleague got significant altitude sickness, and had to be brought down to the valley by the sherpas. Somewhat hilariously, when he got to the bottom, there were multiple ambulance companies fighting over which one was going to get to take him to the local hospital.

 

[BrunoMars420]

And they’re quite stylish.

This is actually in for the young crowd now.

 

[Derekd3408]

I wrap my body in my daily spending cash before I hit the trail. Adds about 25-30 lbs.

 

[McLovin32]

I wrap my body in my daily spending cash before I hit the trail. Adds about 25-30 lbs.

Wanna workout soon? If you show up it shows consent, and then I can rob you

 

[Jimmy McGill]

A funny side story about weight vests.

A colleague at work signed up to do a charitable hike up Kilamanjaro with a firm group from our London office. Said colleague was not in particularly good shape, and decided to hire a personal trainer to help him prepare. So, during one lunchtime training session, the personal trainer, who was a young african american fellow with quite a set of dreds, had my colleague put on a very conspicuous weight vest (think suicide bomber) and do a series of intervals running up a small hill by our office. He's literally screaming at him from behind while he's running, and when he gets to the top of the hill, tells my colleague to put his hands up (to recover). On about the sixth interval, the DC po-po showed up, and asked my colleague "sir, is everything all right here?"

Epilogue: None of it mattered. About 3/4 of the way up Kilamanjaro, my colleague got significant altitude sickness, and had to be brought down to the valley by the sherpas. Somewhat hilariously, when he got to the bottom, there were multiple ambulance companies fighting over which one was going to get to take him to the local hospital.

When my buddy was stationed in Africa (undisclosed location), I told him I would come up to Alaska (where he lives) to do Denali. His laughter at this statement helped get him through deployment.

 

[Moral]

The J6 crowd really ruined rucksacks and weighted vests for me.

 

[millah_22]

New Balance makes the best walking shoe. I'll take anyone to fight bar over it.

I'm all about Brooks

 

[jonesy5960]

I'll be honest here....I've seen you guys talking about these, but I've never googled them. I'm sure it is a long standing joke.

C'mon man. They're an orgasmic feast for the feet. Plus someone on here (I forget who it was) was shopping around on Facebook and got hooked up with some $150 Bondi's for like $45/pair on special!

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I'm all about Brooks

Brooks are great as well.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

C'mon man. They're an orgasmic feast for the feet. Plus someone on here (I forget who it was) was shopping around on Facebook and got hooked up with some $150 Bondi's for like $45/pair on special!

I absolutely have no idea what they are. It is one of those special times when I'm the guy on the outside looking in.

Sell me

 

[millah_22]

I absolutely have no idea what they are. It is one of those special times when I'm the guy on the outside looking in.

Sell me

they're like snow shoes for pavement so old people don't roll their ankles.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

they're like snow shoes for pavement so old people don't roll their ankles.

Better than my Yak Tracks?

 

[jonesy5960]

they're like snow shoes for pavement so old people don't roll their ankles.

Old people? I think not! They've become one of the athletic shoes of choice for young people. You'll see them all over Iowa City. Seriously though @Jimmy McGill , if you're looking for max cushion walking/running shoes, these are the ones you want. I used to swear by Asics running shoes until they balked at me returning a pair of brand new $160 Gel Kayanos with a collapsed heel cup. I must have spent over $1000 on shoes with those assholes. Now I shit on them every chance I get.

If you have a Hoka store nearby check them out. If not, they can be found online or at many high quality athletic shoe stores.

Edit: With respect to models, I recommend Bondis or Cliftons.

 

[mnole03]

The J6 crowd really ruined rucksacks and weighted vests for me.

Do you know how much respect I have for GoRuck for selling 10lb weights for $75 each?

God bless America.

 

[millah_22]

Old people? I think not! They've become one of the athletic shoes of choice for young people. You'll see them all over Iowa City. Seriously though @Jimmy McGill , if you're looking for max cushion walking/running shoes, these are the ones you want. I used to swear by Asics running shoes until they balked at me returning a pair of brand new $160 Gel Kayanos with a collapsed heel cup. I must have spent over $1000 on shoes with those assholes. Now I shit on them every chance I get.

If you have a Hoka store nearby check them out. If not, they can be found online or at many high quality athletic shoe stores.

I agree on Asics. Used to like them, now don't.