Step 1
Pick load
Start with 20 lb if you are new, or choose the pack weight you actually carry. Weighted walks count.
The loop
Enter load. Start ruck. Finish with proof. Compare next time.
This is the workflow we want every new user to understand before they ever think about Pro.
Step 2
Move
Use Apple Watch for big controls, loaded pace, time, distance, and the field stats that matter mid-session.
Step 3
Debrief
Ruck Mode shows why this was not a slow walk: load-distance, pace under weight, effort, readiness, and notes.
Step 4
Repeat
Pro is for history, comparisons, Loaded Mile Score trends, AI debriefs, exports, and group challenge proof.
Free
Free should prove the point.
Record rucks with pack weight, see the core workout context, and understand the value before deciding whether deeper history is worth paying for.
Pro
Pro should deepen the habit.
Unlock comparison history, Loaded Mile Score trends, AI debriefs, challenge tools, and exports after the first session has already made the problem clear.
Who feels it fastest
Ruckers first. Then everyone training under load.
Military and veteran prep
Repeat loaded miles without pretending this is official scoring.
Repeat loaded miles without pretending this is official scoring.
Ruck clubs and F3
Make group accountability easier than a chat thread and spreadsheet.
Make group accountability easier than a chat thread and spreadsheet.
Weighted walk beginners
Make a low-impact loaded walk feel like real training, because it is.
Make a low-impact loaded walk feel like real training, because it is.
The goal is simple: after one session, the user should say, "Apple Fitness recorded the walk. Ruck Mode understood the ruck."
Why it clicks
The same mile answers different questions.
This is where the app should feel better: each person gets a reason to care that is more specific than "another fitness tracker."
Ruckers
Was the load honest?
Pack weight, loaded pace, and Loaded Mile Score turn a normal route into a repeatable loaded benchmark.
Murph
Did the vest matter?
Vest miles stop disappearing inside generic cardio. The receipt shows what changed when the weight stayed on.
Hikers
Am I ready for the pack?
Pack hikes become comparable before the trip: load, pace, climb, notes, and how the next attempt should change.
Creators
Can I explain this?
The story is testable in one outing: Apple Watch recorded the walk; Ruck Mode understood the ruck.
Trust check
Before you start: the careful answers.
The first ruck should feel clear, safe, and honest. Ruck Mode is independent fitness software, not official scoring, medical advice, or an emergency service.
Privacy
No data sales
Ruck Mode does not sell health, route, or training data to advertisers, employers, insurers, or data brokers.
Battery
Start charged
Use normal Apple Watch workout battery discipline. For long outdoor efforts, start with a charged watch and phone.
Beginner
Start light
A 20 lb loaded mile is enough to learn the app. You can make the load heavier after the habit is working.
Proof
Judge the receipt
Do one real loaded mile. If the debrief does not explain the work better than a generic walk, the app has not earned Pro yet.