Hello all! I have been doing copious amounts of research on what kind of pack I want to invest in to begin rucksack marching (enlisting in the Army as an 18X after I finish my bachelor's in a couple years). The big question I have is, does having a waist belt on a pack matter? Does it help distribute the load/easier on your body? Will a nylon belt suffice or should it be of the padded variety? As far as the weight goes, I figured I start out with 20lbs, and work my way up to 60-70lbs or so.
My common sense says that having a belt will help distribute the load. However many packs that people seem to be using (or claim to use) for rucksack marching have no waist belt! The most notable example I can find is from a company called GORUCK which both sells rucksacks and gear and organizes Special Forces-like events (long rucks for many hours, obstacles, etc etc.). All the rucksacks they sell are without a waist belt.
http://www.goruck.com/gr1-black-/p/GEAR-000066
Thanks!
My common sense says that having a belt will help distribute the load. However many packs that people seem to be using (or claim to use) for rucksack marching have no waist belt! The most notable example I can find is from a company called GORUCK which both sells rucksacks and gear and organizes Special Forces-like events (long rucks for many hours, obstacles, etc etc.). All the rucksacks they sell are without a waist belt.
http://www.goruck.com/gr1-black-/p/GEAR-000066
Thanks!