Walk with Weight: The Definitive Guide to Rucking

by Michael Easter

Two/ Born to Carry has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.

Genres: Nonfiction, Walking, Self Help, Health

208 pages, Hardcover

Published February 24, 2026

About the author

Michael Easter is the author of The Comfort Crisis, a contributing editor at Men’s Health magazine, columnist for Outside magazine, and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). His work has appeared in over sixty countries and can also be found in Men’s Journal, New York, Vice, Scientific American, Esquire, and others. He lives in Las Vegas on the edge of the desert with his wife and two dogs.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

feels like some blog posts turned into a book but if your new to rucking it'd be worth a borrow from your local library

[Ink_Drinker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I wanted to level up my own fitness routine this year. I know it's important to increase or, at least, maintain muscle mass as you get older and I have been doing that with strength training, but, I was especially curious about how weighted walking could benefit me, not just for muscle mass, but for overall strength, metabolism (weightloss), and bone health.

In Walk with Weight, Michael Easter blends science, storytelling, and real‑world grit to show how something as simple as adding weight to your walks can reshape both your body and your mindset.

One of the things I appreciated most is how Easter makes rucking feel incredibly doable. You don’t need fancy gear or a complicated plan, just a backpack, a little weight, and the willingness to give it a try. It’s approachable, adaptable, and easy to fold into everyday life, which makes the whole concept feel less intimidating and more empowering.

I really liked how Easter framed effort as a way to feel more capable and alive. His mix of research, adventure, and practical tips makes the book genuinely fun to read, and the message lands clearly, small, intentional challenges can create big shifts. It’s motivating without being preachy, and it left me excited to grab my weighted vest and get moving.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard about this book while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, 1000 Hours Outside, and the second it was mentioned, I knew I had to read it. I absolutely loved The Comfort Crisis, so anything Michael Easter writes is basically an automatic yes for me at this point. Somehow Walk with Weight wasn’t even on my radar but now I’m so glad it is.

This book focuses on the concept of rucking, walking with weight, and how something so simple can radically improve strength, endurance, mental clarity, and overall resilience. What I appreciate about Easter is that he doesn’t overcomplicate things. He takes research, evolutionary biology, and modern health data and makes it incredibly digestible. The chapters almost read like short blog posts, quick, punchy, and easy to move through but he absolutely gets his point across.

Beyond the practical fitness benefits, what stood out to me was the deeper thread running through it: we are not meant for constant comfort. We are built to carry, to move, to exert ourselves in meaningful ways. It ties beautifully into the themes from The Comfort Crisis, that a little intentional discomfort can bring a lot of growth.

I learned so much, and I’m genuinely excited to get myself a weighted vest or pack and start incorporating this into my own routine. Also… now I’m officially adding Scarcity Brain to my list, and hearing there’s another book coming about nature? Say less.

[Camden Schwiebert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Michael Easter and his two previous books. This book however was quite dry and boring. I’m not sure what I thought it would be, but it was just general information about the history of walking with weight. It did offer some specifics on how to begin rucking but overall the book was monotonous and dull.

[Ludwig Eriksson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inget nytt direkt men intressant ämne

[Patrick Duffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the biggest question I had about this book was, “do we need a book about walking with weight?” After reading it I’m not so sure.

Now, I am a big Michael Easter fan. His previous two books, The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain, are really good reads about how modern life is working against us and what to do about it. The chapter in The Comfort Crisis about rucking got me to start rucking, usually before school pickups (which helps me get a good parking spot too).

That chapter might have been enough, or that chapter and his Substack combined. This is still a good book, but it’s a little dry and a little drawn out. That said you should be walking with weight, and if you don’t know where to start reading this book will help you.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic case for "rucking," or going for walks while carrying weight. I walk at least 10K steps a day yet haven't really seen it contribute to my fitness in any measurable way so this inspired me to add weight (I already own a weighted vest but i never use it!) and i'm excited to see if i get any results this way in better BMI and increased muscle mass. I find when i run i often hurt myself and then i can't even walk for days or even weeks so i'm excited that this is a way I can continue walking like i've been doing but take it to the next level.

i also love how practical it is: i don't need any expensive equipment or memberships. all i need is my backpack loaded down with weight (or my weighted vest, etc) and my walking shoes! After reading this I took a trip and packed my weighted vest to walk at our destination but my husband took it out of the car before we left, so i just added a few water bottles to my backpack and walked with weight anyway! Here's to athletic progress!

[Jquick99 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whew boy this is bad…and it’s only 4 hrs, but kept skipping forward.

This book is kinda like* a book that wants us to drink more water, or stretch more, then comes up with reasons to justify.

* EXCEPT …more water and stretching IS good for you. Does the author ever discuss …if carrying extra weight around is good for you, then why aren’t morbidly obese people in the best shape? If he did, I missed that part.

The author is quite the name dropper.

The author assumes the audience is a 5 year old:
How do you know how much your pack weighs? Instead of a quick weigh yourself with and without the pack, he goes into great explanation of this process, AND even includes an example of how to subtract the 2 numbers.

Discussion re human babies walk between 12 - 15 months.

The author assumes the reader has never heard of BMI and explains everything you may want to know about this.

Who is his target audience?

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

75% good 25% disappointung

I'd read the Comfort Crisis so I had an idea of what would come here. Much of the book is useful, interesting and educational. But some was frustrating. There are the constant references to his Substack ... and although fewer, to his new rucksack business. But what annoyed me most were the almost patronising explanations of incredibly simple things, as if he thinks we are all stupid. The worst one was that to work out how heavy a pack was you could stand on a scale. Ok I think we get that. But then he explains that what you have to do is look at your weight with the pack and then take it off and weigh yourself again. Then you take one number from the other.... Good grief. Are people really that stupid that they can't work this out?

Ultimately I think this could have been a series of Blog posts rather than a book. I enjoyed it but I did feel like the author assumed I was stupid.

[Paige Money · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Comfort Crisis is one of my all-time favorite books, so I can’t believe I’m writing such a negative review of this one. I’m fairly certain parts of Walk With Weight are pulled almost word-for-word from podcasts or blog posts, which made large portions feel recycled rather than new. I’m honestly surprised a publisher printed this as a full book. The core ideas could easily have been summarized in a 10–20 page PDF, but instead the same points are repeated over and over again without adding much depth or insight. I still really respect Michael Easter and his work, but this felt more like stretched-out content than a thoughtfully developed book. I listened to the audiobook and by the end I was so ready for it to be over that I bumped up the speed just to get through the final chapters. Very glad I borrowed this instead of buying a copy.

[Gil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picking up where he left off with The Comfort Crisis, Michael Easter does a fantastic jobs of outlining the ins and outs, do's and don'ts of walking with weight. Easter is very patient with the reader, not expecting too much - if any - experience at all, and he presents options for the various fitness levels of his audience. The information is presented in an easy-to-understand way and is backed with research to support the fitness model Easter proposes which is that walking with weight is one of the safest and most effective methods of both losing weight and building muscle. If you're new to fitness and want to ease your way into a wellness journey, this book is essential reading.

[Jonathan Dunkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're thinking of taking up rucking, this is an excellent primer. As someone who has been rucking for many years, though, I didn't find it of tremendous value (although I did like some of the stretches Easter recommends). I'm not sure why it should since everything anymore is commercialized and ad-based but it rubbed me the wrong way that several times Easter mentions the rucking equipment company he recently started including providing reviews for his and competitors' products.

Despite my issues, I absolutely recommend picking it up if you are new to rucking. I think everyone would benefit from rucking and if you're going to start rucking, I think you will benefit from this book.

[Suzy Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gaaah, I can’t with Michael Easter saying our ancestors evolved to walk on two legs millions of years ago

Same as Robb Wolf and others in this space, he’s got an amazing brain and talent for teaching complex concepts in an east to understand way…but he loses credibility with anyone who believes in a Creator

It does get better from there but you’ve got to get to the military history section and if you’ve been rucking for a minute (15 years for me) the application section is really elementary.

Still, glad to see rucking go mainstream in fitness!

[Miranda Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

free goodreads book*
this isn't the normal type of book I read but it intrigued me. it definitely pointed out a few things i needed to work on. Curious to know the benefits of rucking from watching my husband in the Army, this book has made me consider doing my own rucking right along side him. (which us saying a lot from my lack of exercise in my life) it might even be our new couples activity.
Nice job Michael.

[Chris Schultz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the author's other two works, but I'm not sure an entire book on rucking was necessary. Grab a pack, throw in some weight, and go for a walk. That's about it. I would have done 3 stars, but there are constant reminders throughout that he has a Substack. Yes, I know, I'm already a paid subscriber :) I don't like when authors use their books to sell other products so I subtracted a star. That being said, I'm still looking forward to his 4th entry.

[Anthony Locke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened via Spotify audiobook hours. Yes, it reads/listens like a series of blog posts, but it's nice to have them all in one place to push a simple thesis: walk more with weight. As someone who thinks of himself as allergic to running, rucking seems like a good alternative. You'll likely see me toting my rucker more often, even as my EDC.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read everything Michael Easter writes. This book distills a lot of his core ideas on rucking, fitness, and a healthy lifestyle into ~175, quick pages. No filler, no BS, Massive bang-for-buck. This book is so lean it's as if it's been rucking itself!

And even though I've read every word he's written on the subject previously, I still learned some new things.

[Tyler Panko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This makes my list of top 5 health books everyone should read. Not because this has mind blowing info but because of how simple it is. We evolved and were born to carry. The data backs it up too and is a low barrier of entry way to make a massive impact on your health. Added bonus if you get outside in nature more often!

[Monty Dunnington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is all review

If you've read or listened to blogs about rucking, this is all review. As the author notes, rucking really is as simple as putting weight in a backpack and carrying it. I'm a big Michael Easter fan and so got the book.

[Jared Brinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted it to be a classic Michael Easter book like comfort crisis but it wasn’t. I think that’s ok. It was truly a rucking guid and I knew a lot of that already. Regardless it made me very excited for his next book and reinvigorated my joy for rucking

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good resource that could have been a long blog post. This book details the benefits of rucking, which is a simple way of increasing fitness.

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sammanfattning av boken i en mening:
Det är bra att promenera med en ryggsäck som väger 10-15% av din egen vikt.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not like his other books. Definitely more of a "guide". Feels like it could've just been a podcast.

[Kelsey Revak · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good but the Comfort Crisis was better and also covers a ton on rucking.

[Brie Aleshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick easy read on rucking. I was already rucking, but got some helpful tips on how much to use and some cool challenges to try.
Sending to other people so they can start rucking with me.

[Jon Barr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine, but felt like a really good 50 page book that had to be 200 pages for the publisher. Some good advice throughout and plenty of science to make his case.

[Giulia Dowgiallo]

3.5⭐️ I enjoyed the parts of this novella that resembled his other books but it is not best consumed as an audiobook

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have been a Ted talk. Lots of filler and repetition. Inspired me to get off my bum though, so I guess there’s that.

[Willie Gillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Micheal Easter’s Walk With Weight is a book that I’m glad was finally published. As someone who has been interested in rucking, the information to effectively training with weights wasn’t compiled into one resource until now. Easter explains why one should ruck, how to do it and how to build progress while continuing.

The information is straightforward. It’s not overly complicated. Grab a backpack, add some weight and get outside and walk.

Easter also gives a brief history on the activities which I found interesting along with the protocols to doing rucking.

If you’re at all interested in taking your outdoor walks or hikes to the next level, Walk with Weight is the resource for you.

[Nofar Spalter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review up on my blog:

http://writingatlarge.com/2026/03/22/...