# **Garmin Unveils Rucking Mode on the Tactix 8 – What Comes Next?**
Garmin has once again redefined the limits of fitness monitoring with the launch of a **rucking mode** on its latest **Tactix 8** smartwatch. Tailored for military personnel and outdoor adventurers, this feature enables users to **enter pack weight** for a clearer insight into the physical demands of carrying heavy loads. While this marks a notable advancement, there’s room for Garmin to enhance this feature even more.
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## **What Is Rucking and Its Significance?**
Rucking, which started as a military training regimen, consists of walking or hiking with a weighted backpack. It has surged in popularity among fitness buffs as an efficient method to **improve endurance, strength, and cardiovascular health**. By adding weight, practitioners can **elevate their heart rate and calorie expenditure** without the need for running or high-impact activities.
With the increase in rucking’s appeal within mainstream fitness, Garmin’s move to implement a dedicated **rucking mode** is quite logical. This feature is anticipated to **roll out to additional Garmin watches in 2025**, after an initial exclusivity for the Tactix 8.
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## **How Garmin’s Rucking Mode Functions**
The new **rucking activity profile** available on the Tactix 8 permits users to **manually log the weight of their pack**. This capability aids Garmin’s algorithms in more accurately evaluating the **training load and effort needed** for the activity. Additionally, Garmin has rolled out a **pack weight feature** for other activities, including **hiking, trail running, and walking**.
### **Effects on VO2 Max and Training Load**
– Garmin has indicated that **any activity with a pack weight of 2kg or greater will not be included in VO2 Max calculations**.
– This modification helps avoid **misinterpretation of heart rate metrics**, ensuring that users are not presented with artificially low VO2 Max figures due to the additional cardiovascular stress from bearing weight.
– While **rucking will not directly affect training load**, Garmin maintains that the **heightened heart rate from carrying extra weight will still impact training readiness and recovery indicators**.
Thus, rucking will continue to add to the **training load and fatigue monitoring**, but users will need to participate in non-weighted activities to observe enhancements in their VO2 Max scores.
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## **The Future of Rucking Metrics on Garmin Devices**
Although Garmin’s rucking mode is an excellent update, there is potential for **even more sophisticated tracking metrics**. Here are several suggestions for how Garmin might elevate this feature:
### **1. Rucking Performance Index**
Much like the **Endurance Score and Hill Score**, Garmin could create a **rucking-specific index** that assesses a user’s capacity to carry weight over time. This could include:
– **Heart rate responses to varying pack weights**
– **Distance achieved while rucking**
– **Elevation ascended with weight**
– **Recovery duration following weighted activities**
### **2. Personalized Training Suggestions**
Garmin could leverage **historical rucking data** to recommend **ideal pack weights and distances** for optimal training. For instance:
– If a user regularly carries **10kg over 5 miles**, Garmin could propose **incremental increases in weight or distance** to enhance endurance.
– Strength training routines might be recommended to **focus on muscles utilized in rucking**, targeting the **legs, core, and shoulders**.
### **3. Pack Weight Efficiency Evaluation**
Garmin could assess how well a user manages weight by analyzing:
– **Heart rate patterns over time**
– **Variations in stride length and cadence**
– **Caloric burn with differing pack weights**
This would enable users to fine-tune their **rucking form** and **avoid injuries**.
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## **Will Rucking Mode Be Available on Other Garmin Watches?**
Though Garmin has yet to officially disclose which models will incorporate the rucking feature, it’s plausible that **mid-range and high-end devices** like the **Fenix 8, Instinct 3, and Forerunner 165** will eventually receive this functionality.
Considering Garmin’s track record of implementing **quarterly software updates**, we can expect rucking mode to become accessible on more devices in **early 2025**.
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## **Concluding Thoughts: A Promising Development**
Garmin’s **rucking mode** represents a valuable enhancement for military personnel, hikers, and fitness advocates. Nonetheless, the company has the opportunity to **further enhance and broaden** this feature by releasing **rucking-specific performance indices, tailored training regimens, and efficiency assessments**.
For the time being, the rucking mode on the **Garmin Tactix 8** serves as an impressive launch point, and we are excited to see how Garmin continues to lead in this area.
Would you like to see **rucking mode** on additional Garmin watches? Share your opinions with us! 🚀
