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Rucking Calorie Calculator
Calories for a loaded march, using the military Pandolf equation.
Results
- Calories
- 233 kcal
- Distance
- 3.6 km (2.3 mi)
- Load carried
- 20 kg
Pandolf equation (1977)
Metabolic rate from body + load mass, speed, and grade
Pack weight and grade raise the burn sharply — rucking can double the calories of unloaded walking.
Rucking — walking under a loaded pack — burns roughly 1.5–3 times the calories of unloaded walking. Pack weight and grade drive the increase.
This calculator uses the Pandolf load-carriage equation from military research, accounting for body weight, load, speed, and slope.
How to calculate rucking calories
To calculate rucking calories, the Pandolf equation combines your body and pack mass with speed and grade into a metabolic rate. Heavier loads and steeper grades raise it fast.
Worked example: a 70 kg person carrying 20 kg at 3 mph on flat ground for 60 minutes burns about 500 calories.
Frequently asked questions
About 400–700 calories per hour depending on pack weight, pace, and grade — well above unloaded walking.
Yes. Adding load raises the burn roughly in proportion to total carried weight, so a heavier pack burns more.
Yes. It burns high calories at low impact and builds leg and core strength, which supports a deficit.
Results are estimates based on population averages and are not medical advice. Consult a doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) before making large changes to your diet, especially for deficits over 2 lb (0.9 kg) per week, during pregnancy or nursing, or for anyone under 18.