That's all the more reason for a study. The typical effects of weight and marching may not be empirical, but ability to run a simulated battle or obstacle course should be pretty clearly affected if the study breaks down into broad enough weight classes.
You might start with three broad weight classes (light, medium and heavy) and then distribute those between carried on the back vs at the waist. That gives you six groups, plus you can use a group with "standard" equipment for a control. Have each group run your obstacle course or whatever and time them. Then put them through force marches of increasing length and have them run the course at the end. Differences in timing should become obvious if carried weight is an issue (it is). But differences in how the load is carried also come out.
As far as individual fitness, because you have course times before and after the weight gets carried you can compare the reduction in performance as a relative, rather than an absolute.
Originally Posted by Jones_RE
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