In product design, I believe that by default the best feature is no feature. As nature does, reduce something down to its simplest form. This means there’s less to go wrong and less in the way. Less Is More.
Rucker 1.0 came out 10 years ago with a flat back panel (no additional lumbar support). Rucker 3.0 added lumbar support - dense, padded foam to support your lower back on the move. I was shocked at how much more comfortable this was under load. Shocked.
Sometimes, good ideas begin with “What if…” and as we started doing some heavier rucking challenges (100# plus), and some longer distances (50 Miler anyone?), Christian on our product team said what if we add a bunch of extra padding to the lumbar. We sampled it and I’ve been testing it for a couple years now. It’s not as important on short, light rucks, but what is? What I’ve found paying close attention to my body, and always trying to keep my form as good as possible, is that right when it’s time to really start embracing the suck, my body has a tendency to lean forward at the hips, to transfer the weight on my back more over my center line. This, of course, is because my shoulders and back need to get stronger and I’m working on it! However, with the BIG ASS LUMBAR support on the 5.0, there is a natural tendency for me to keep my shoulders back as the pad pushes (comfortably) right back against my lower back, quieting those lower back muscles that so many of us keep engaged too often staring at a phone or sitting down in a comfy chair. I find it very good for my posture and my form when rucking, and I like that a lot.
As we know, said with a smile, comfort is the enemy. And less is more. Except when it comes to the Rucker 5.0’s BIG ASS Lumbar Support. More is better and I hope that in your life you push the boundaries and carry the weight far enough to feel your body in its true glory, pushing right back at the goals you set and the challenges of the day.
