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… What to do w/ what it do: Event Attire/Product Review of GORUCK Shirt & Pants…

Another frequent question that I get from people who decide to do a endurance event is “What do you usually wear to these events?”… “What kind of shoes do you wear?”…

The truth is that what works for me may not work for someone else. BUT, I have no problem telling people what I use and what works for me.

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In the video that is posted at the top of this post I go over in detail each of the items that I typically wear during events AND I also go over how the GORUCK pants and shirt fit on my body (and issues that I had while wearing them).

I typically do events that are in warmer weather.  2016 was the first year that I really did events in weather that was cold, rainy, and far from perfect.  That did cause me to have to troubleshoot my wardrobe choices and add some things to my list.

But in a nutshell:

Base Layer (layer closest to my body):

  • Compression shorts: to help assist with preventing with chaffing and other skin rubbing together.  This is the most important layer (other than foot attire).  NOTHING is worse than getting chaffing early in the event and having to deal with that the rest of the event.
  • Bra: I did have to troubleshoot this a bit and find a bra that would be comfortable for long periods of time (and while doing exercise). My top choice… Wal-Mart/Target high impact sports bra. Cheap (just in case they do get ruined during the event) and comfortable for me to wear with my ruck AND during the whole event with minimal discomfort issues.

Outer Layer (outermost layer):

  • IF I AM DOING A COLD WEATHER EVENT: quick dry/water wicking long sleeve shirt (to help keep me warm but will also not hinder me if I sweat/get wet)
  • IF I WEAR A TANK TOP it is typically UNDER a t-shirt (so I can take off the t-shirt when I want and put it back on if I am getting rubbing on my shoulders/back).
  • T-shirt
  •  Fitness Compression Workout pants: I got mine from JCPENNEY but you can use any brand that is comfortable.  OR
  • GORUCK Challenge Pants: I am 5’10 and I got size Waist – 36 Length – 34
  • Wind barrier jacket

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Footwear: 

  • Socks (I also usually pack a pair in my dry bag)
  • Shoes (or boots for those who use boots)

MISC Items:

  • Hat/beanie
  • Face protection (for cold events)
  • Gloves
  • Knee sleeves (or knee pads)

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The GORUCK Pants were a great asset to my event wardrobe.  I honestly was not sure what to think of the pants before I got them.  I have a huge issues with getting pants that will actually fit and BE COMFORTABLE.  I was very shocked at how well they did fit/feel throughout the entire event. The material allowed me to move as needed but also protected my legs when we had to do activities on the ground.  They dried quickly, were very comfortable, and most importantly they fit (like I said is usually a hard thing to find when it comes to pants).  Another plus… they made pants that were also long enough for me…

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My fellow long-legged endurance junkies may be able to appreciate this aspect.  Nothing is more annoying then getting pants and having then not be long enough.  These pants hit me exactly where I wanted and were an over all great fit. The two events I did with these pants on… one was a colder event and the other was a warmer event.  Both events weather conditions yielded no additional issues for me while I was wearing these.  Cold (about 35-45 degrees) and warm (60-70 degrees) weather did not cause me to feel colder/warmer than I would have normally felt while wearing any other pants that I would wear to a event.  Overall I would recommend these pants to anyone looking for good durable pants. I do plan on getting another pair when they are available.

Pants DOWNFALL: 

These pants would NOT stay zipped up. I am not sure why.  They would zip up, but throughout the event the zipper would creep back down. I was not too worried about it because (1) I had on compression pants under them, (2) my t-shirt was long enough to cover it.  But, this could be more uncomfortable if I was wearing a tank top or another shirt that was not long enough to cover it. I made my own latch with a hair tie and it did just fine after I was able to attach the hair tie to the zipper/pants fastening button.

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The GORUCK Shirt was something that I enjoyed having.  The material is thin but also provides protection when you need it (I like having my arms/legs covered during events because of the brush/grass you may go through since I am allergic to those things).  These shirts also dried fairly quickly.  They did not keep the wind out very well (I felt a slight breeze but nothing that would be moderately uncomfortable) but that is why I usually always have a under shirt and wind jacket on. LADIES: I got a medium in this shirt and it was fairly LARGE. I typically wear a small/medium t-shirt so if you do the same I would suggest a small for sure. As with the pants, the material was very durable and cleaned very easily after the event. I wore both the shirt/pants throughout portions of a HTL (GORUCK Heavy, Tough, and Light) so it was put to the test throughout event.

I hope that someone (especially the ladies) are able to find this information helpful/useful.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know!

***THANK YOU Nick Schrein for capturing these moments of me during the Oklahoma City, OK Memorial Event***

 

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…What To Do W/ What It Do: Gear Check…

GEAR IS A VITAL COMPONENT TO TRAINING FOR ANY EVENT.

If you know that you need to use gear for a event, you want to make sure to trouble shoot it and also figure out what will work best for YOU! There are so many options out there.  I am simply sharing my opinion and view point on products that I have personally used over the years.

You will want to use it as much as possible so you can see if you have any issues with the gear that you will use during your event.

DO NOT BE THAT PERSON who has gear that is too large, too heavy, or just not functional for the event.  Simplicity is key during any event and you want to make sure that your gear is function, easy to access, and can withstand the tortures that your event will throw at you. Some events are team events, so you can use your team as a resource to help you just in case something does happen.  BUT if you are doing an individual event, you want to do your best to be ready and to make sure that your gear is ready to complete the event with you.

Bag Reviews:

Tactical Back Pack:

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Detailed Description:

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  • Capacity:30L
  • Constructed with waterproof 600D Nylon material, the backpack is wearable and durable.
  • 1.5 Inch Waist Belt, 1 Inch Sternum Strap, padded and adjustable shoulder straps help relieve pressure on shoulders while carrying heavy loads.
  • Two large compartments with small pouches inside and two front pockets.  

Product Overview:

  • Great bag for the cost for those who are just starting.
  • It has a lot of pockets for storage and easy organization for placing things where they can be easily be found.
  • Waist and chest straps are very helpful and easy to use and manipulate.
  • MUST MAKE MODIFICATION (shown and mentioned in the above video) to ensure the bag will perform with minimal flaws.
  • The shoulder straps do lose “cushion” after a while and become uncomfortable (and at times painful) when used for long periods of time.
  • This bag is NOT waterproof (in comparison to water not seeping into the bag).  If it is raining lightly you are OK but a downpour did cause water to leak into the bag.  Also being submerged in water the bag did retain quite a bit of water.

GORUCK Bag:

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Detailed Description:

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Product Overview:

  • All products on the GORUCK website are made in the U.S.A.
  • The “GR0” (which I talk about in the above video is now called the “GR1” and you can get it in the 21 L size
  • All products on the GORUCK website come with a SCARS lifetime Guarantee
  • There are various sizes to accommodate any persons bag size preference.
  • If you get an item and do not like it, you can send it back and get your money back (as long as it has not been used).
  • Bags have a lot of padding on the shoulder straps and provide comfort when bags have additional weight in them.
  • Bags have several internal pockets for storing/organizing items you may need during your event.
  • MOLLE provides the opportunity for you to attach other add ons/carabiners/webbing
  • All bags have 2″x3″ velcro section on the bag so you can attach a patch (which can be earned via completing events OR you can purchase novelty patches).

Questions? Comments? Concerns? PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THEM!

E-Mail me at: [email protected]

In a later video I will go over some suggestions for your Packing list (things to carry in your bag during endurance events).

Please note that all products discussed in this video were purchased by me.  I have used them for an extended period of time to create my OWN opinion and views about how well they can perform.  I have participated in over 40 events over the past two years.  I am just sharing my own personal suggestions, opinions, and views about these products. 

 

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…GORUCK: HCLS Veteran’s Day Event…

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What is GORUCK?

To me… GORUCK is a family.  It is the reason I keep pushing to be better and stronger.  I do this not just for me but also for my team.  When you show up to an event your new family is your team.  Each person will get to a point where they will want to quit.  Their mind will realize that they could be comfortable at home, dry, sleeping, and not enduring the grueling miles of exercises that you are enduring while doing a GORUCK event.

I have been apart of the GORUCK family since late 2013.  I signed up not knowing what to expect.  The only thing that I was told was that I needed a backpack/rucksack that weighted at least 25lbs without water in it. So I trained with a backpack I found on ebay and bricks I had borrowed from a friend.

Two years later I have done countless events, traveled to dozens of cities, created a new family that I lean on for encouragement and support.

I was somewhat worried about this event because lets face it.  I HATE WATER and I HATE COLD! I knew that there would be two elements that I would have to face while in San Francisco.  To what extent I was unsure, but I wanted to mentally get prepared for the worse and I am glad that I did that.  I train hard….365 days a year…5-6 days a week.  People always ask me what I am training for, and I would honestly have to say I am training for life. There are so many different events that I would like to do.  So instead of focuses on just one event I focus on getting stronger and faster.  I focus on building myself up so I can tackle and obstacles that I encounter.  I want to be able to carry more weight for a longer period of time.  I want to be able to do PT without questioning if I had trained well enough for the workout I am pushing through.  I want to be a strong contributor to the team in a physical and mental way. The best way for me to do that is to be on my “A” game and to be prepared for whatever is thrown at me.

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Smile when faced with being uncomfortable and uncertain as to what is to come. Something that I thought when I saw this picture that was taken.  The cold surf crashing against our bodies as we endure PT as the sun is just coming up. To my left and right I have my team mates, in front of me I have the world.  I have spent a lot of time “getting comfortable being uncomfortable” and in this moment it showed.

Finishing this event meant so much to me and I had an amazing team and amazing cadre that lead the event. GORUCK is my addiction and I could not find a better way to spend my weekends. 60+ miles, 40+ hours, and countless memories make a HCLS.  If you are looking for a good challenge I suggest a GORUCK event.  It will test both your physical and mental strength.  And, you will walk away a wiser, stronger, and more humble person.

One of my favorite quotes:

“Never above, never below you, always beside you” … Something I tell myself before my events start.  Team first, my needs are always 2nd. 

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