This study was conducted to compare a modified load (ML) configuration (total mass = 36.5 kg) to a heavier load (total mass = 42.2 kg) comprised of currently issued items (SL) used by U.S. Army dismounted warfighters in theater. Both loads were compared to a baseline, i.e., a no-load (NL) condition (total mass = 9.1 kg). Fourteen Army Infantry Soldiers participated in this study, completing a series of tests in each load configuration. Oxygen uptake and gait kinematics and kinetics were recorded as participants walked (1.34 m/s on 0, 9, and 18% grades) and ran (2.46 m/s on a 0% grade). Rifle marksmanship (prone, kneeling, and standing firing positions) and grenade throws were assessed for accuracy and timeliness or accuracy and precision, respectively. Maximal effort physical activities were completed, consisting of five continuous 30-m rushes and obstacle course runs. Range of motion measurements and participants’ assessments of the load configurations were also included. Results: Mean oxygen uptake scaled to percentage of 2OVmax was significantly higher during walking and running for the ML and the SL conditions compared with the NL. Also, for walking at 9% grade, oxygen uptake for the ML was significantly lower than that for the SL. The kinematic and kinetic data generally revealed favorable significant differences for the NL compared with the ML and the SL configurations. On the shooting performance tasks and the maximal effort tasks, performance with the SL configuration differed from that with the NL to a greater extent than the ML configuration did. Participants rated the ML as their preferred configuration.

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