Plan a ruck by pack load, pace, route distance, grade, and terrain, or calculate the distance needed for a calorie target.
How the Rucking Calorie Calculator Works
This calculator treats a ruck as a load-carriage route. It converts body mass, pack mass, speed, grade, and terrain to gross metabolic power with the Pandolf equation, then converts power to calories.
Formula: M = 1.5W + 2.0(W + L)(L / W)^2 + terrain factor x (W + L) x (1.5V^2 + 0.35VG)
What the Results Show
The main result is route calories or target distance. Supporting outputs include route time, burn rate, calories per mile or kilometer, an unloaded comparison, load-attributable calories, pack ratio, and a model MET-equivalent.
Why This Calculator Is Different
Unlike a general weighted-walking tool, this planner requires a ruck load and models a route’s pace, percent grade, and dominant terrain. Reverse mode solves for route distance rather than a generic workout duration.
Assumptions and Limitations
The model estimates steady-state gross cost. Negative grade, pack placement, footwear, weather, fatigue, and individual gait economy are not modeled. Terrain is a categorical approximation, and the displayed pack ratio is not a load recommendation.
Browse the complete Running & Walking calorie calculator collection or return to the Sports & Fitness Calculators hub.
Sources
Pandolf, Givoni, and Goldman. Predicting energy expenditure with loads while standing or walking very slowly. Journal of Applied Physiology, 1977.
Soule and Goldman. Terrain coefficients for energy cost prediction. Journal of Applied Physiology, 1972.
U.S. Army Borden Institute. Medical Aspects of Harsh Environments, load carriage and terrain discussion.