This Is What It's Like to Run the Darby Queen Obstacle Course
Вставка
- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- With over 20 obstacles and covering a mile of rough terrain, the Darby Queen Obstacle Course is considered one of the hardest courses in the world.
Every service member who attends Ranger School must complete this course if they want to graduate and earn their Ranger Tab. But for this video, we followed two Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment who took on the course during Day 3 of the 2019 Best Ranger Competition.
Want to keep up with all the latest stories on Coffee or Die? Go to www.coffeeordie.com.
Make sure to follow Coffee or Die on social media:
Facebook: coffeeordiemag
Instagram: @coffeeordiemag
Twitter: @coffeeordiemag
Follow Marty Skovlund Jr.:
Instagram: / martyskovlundjr
Facebook: / martyskovlundjr
Twitter: / martyskovlundjr
Are you tired of trendy coffee drinks and pretentious urban cafes? Check out the coffee specifically made for those who love America at www.blackriflecoffee.com.
Learn more about why Black Rifle Coffee Company is America's Coffee: brcc.coffee/2rg...
Follow BRCC on social media:
Instagram: / blackriflec. .
facebook: / blackrifleco. .
twitter: / blckriflecoffee
Did you know that we are on Amazon? amzn.to/2oFoBek
For those that don’t know, this is not Ranger School. This is Best Ranger Competiton where 2 man teams of soldiers with Ranger tabs, from across the army compete. This team happens to be from the 75th so they are scrolled and tabbed. They go for about 60 hours straight and cover 60 miles in that time period, rucking, running, doing obstacle courses, shooting ranges, even an airborne op. The Darby queen is towards the end of the competition on day 3 so these guys are running on fumes. Trust that these guys are in phenomenal shape, half iron man level athletes at least.
Oh wow!~ I was already impressed but now I am floored! Thank you for the context.
I wish our parks and rec department would set one of these up.
I wish too
People would die trying to do it. Like literally death.
Some snowflake would fall or twist something and sue them
@@DrLove911
Exactly
Now ppl r too concerned about lawsuits. Parks are being taken away cause everyone wants to sue if someone gets hurt =(
If you see me at a kids playground training for this, mind ya business
Now that is funny as hell. The really funny thing is I can imagine it as it plays out in the family housing area playgrounds, running circuits from one to another. All the little dependent kids crying and complaining that you are "too big" for the monkey bars as your knees drag the ground.
@@ernestpaul2484 😂😂
Tanner William 😁
Lol
💪
As a former British Army veteran I give a massive shout out to my American Brothers in Arms. Well done lads. Cracking effort. 🤟
Right back at ya!
I need to take a break from watching these guys...I'm exhausted.
Just think they enter this competition, it's all volunteers, for bragging rights, a 1911 & can only compete in the competition a total of three (3) times.
Hahaha me too
Thomas O'Hanlo
Literally me too
💪
When I ran this course we had just completed a two day non stop patrol with no sleep and very, very little to eat. In between obstacles, we were subjected to additional exercises while waiting for your Ranger buddy to catch up. Ranger school Class 9-82.
This is the Best Ranger competition not School
Thomas O'Hanlon this is part of the school. Every person has to complete this to earn their tab.
@@bradleyballard7336 Yes the course true, but this video is from the Best Ranger competition. Look it up if you think that I'm making it up. Why do you think there are civilians there? Were thet there when you ran the course for your Tab, also take a look there are scrolls on their sleeve's.
@@bradleyballard7336 this is Best Ranger Competition( BRC) Ranger school graduate's from any branch of service ( mainly Army) volunteers to compete unless you're from Ranger Regiment you are voluntold last minute (occasionally) to compete....April of every year with the exception of cancellations due to major events or very "extreme" weather forecast like a hurricane or something of that nature...
Do you think that you are the only reg to employ sleep deprivation mate- can’t believe these guys qualify as sof tbh.
Reading some of the negative comments tells me many don’t have a clue to the context here. Wether it’s the Best Ranger competition or Ranger School, when you hit the Darby Queen you are already beaten down , with more pain to follow. This is not for the weak, the feint of heart or the video gamer pretending to be hard.
"It is was harder when I went through" or "I went through the last hard class" or "I went through when there were four phases(me)" or "I went through before they let GIRLS in" (that one's gotta hurt!). RLTW!
gary cole Beaten down or not this would be easy af brother, I’m a marine and can tell these badass men that I saw put in their all but they still would never be able to be on my brothers level
NiTE ZEREP negative , got my buddie in the marines (0311) . I’m assuming you are as well ? Anywho, he knows this shit is tough.
@Stephen Vergopoulos airborne school is harder than this playground
Or for marines
What fond memories. Last time I had the great opportunity to run the bitch was in 86' as a RI at Benning. And then a couple of weeks later being dragged thru the pine trees prior to being dunked in Victory Pond for a Rangers in Action demonstration. Followed by the magnesium battery in the PRC-77 burning up on my back as the two of us flew suspended beneath the Blackhawk. Good times. I'm 61 now and would do it all over again if it were possible.
@Ernest Paul were you an RI at Darby phase? I went through in class 10-88 (recycled into 11-88) Wondered if you were an RI then as well.
@@BekahEmma RI from Sep85' - Nov88'. York Team, which was a Train the Trainer instruction team and walked patrols out at Dugway (Desert Phase) when needed.
@@ernestpaul2484 Did you serve in a Rgr. Bn.?
@@BekahEmma Yes, 1/75th B. Co., Feb 78' - Sep 79'. Went to Charlie Abn., 4/9, 172LIB at Ft. Wainwright, AK after Bn. That's another story though.
@@ernestpaul2484 2/75 B. Co. Jan 87-Apr. 90. Spent 2 enlistments (7 yrs) on Ft. Lewis. I was on TDY to Ft. Richardson in 90. Beautiful!
I remember doing this back in '89. Great to see these youngsters doing it.
When did 89 become so long ago. I miss it.
It's been over 20-years and the SUCK NEVER GOES AWAY. the Darby Queen was truly a nightmare, every frickin time I ran it. At least it looks like some obstacle upgrades
every time??? how many times do you gotta run it?
@@flappyBoi When I went through, it was on average every few weeks, normally on a Friday. They kept score of your time and the obstacles you failed on. By the end of that phase, you had to have had at least one run where you successfully negotiated each obstacle. Of course this was back in 1975 so I'm sure things have improved for the better now.
Muscle failure SUCKS, brain says keep going, muscles say nope😂
Mister Smartypants yeah do that in a run they are going to yell at you!
The opposite. You can keep doing it, but it's just your brain that says it hurts.
Literaly you can overcome that by not focusing on it.
@@lkvideos7181 I've yet to run into a situation where I overcome it. And it's not because I'm not trying haha. You hit a point where your muscles will not function any more
That is why they are called the Rangers !!!
wow, this is incredibly tough. wonder what they had been through before starting this course. they already look tired.
These guys were up for about 60 hours before hitting this obstacle course during the annual Best Ranger competition, which means they already did this once and graduated. If you go to ranger school, you may be operating on 2 hours of sleep at the most when you hit this part.
Good stuff! Get some!
Marine Staff NCOs be like, “Boots were not bloused, you failed.” 🙄🙄
Mitch lol
I did a similar course, way back in the day, when I was stationed at Ft. Bragg. Even then most were timed with a stopwatch. My team was timed with a calendar.....and it was a leap year. Much Respect to those who Lead The Way.
Me too! All American Mile near Ritz-Epps Field and another at Camp Mackall. Wasn't there another in area J? It's been 33 years since I ETS'd and my memory has faded. lol
It’s important to note that these guys are both already graduates of the Ranger course and are serving as Airborne Rangers in a Ranger Regiment so they have done this and much more hard training besides. They volunteered to serve in the Army, then again to undergo Airborne training, then again to attend Ranger School, then volunteered once more to serve in the demanding Ranger Regiment. The Army forces no one to do any of these things so went far above and beyond the norm and willingly undertook all of these challenges to serve an elite role in their nation’s Armed Forces. After all that, they then volunteered to go through the optional, but grueling Best Ranger Competition which is what is being filmed here. This is day 3 of a competition that makes an Ironman race seem like a Sunday stroll and it’s designed to literally find the best of the best among Rangers. Since this is Day 3, they are already running on sheer intestinal fortitude and the never quit spirit that Rangers cultivate. The Darby Queen is a bitch on your best day, but imagine facing it after being completely smoked for 3 days. Having spent time in the community, I can tell you that the things our elite warriors face is unfathomable and incomprehensible to most people.
Wow... And his smile at the end is just amazing... Go Rangers! Rangers lead the way
Honestly, it looks awesome, and the teamwork reminds me of collegiate crew. At 42 its hard to accept that this Army Ranger path is now closed. That part of me that wants to be a ranger, is sad and also excited for these men. They are killing it. Lastly, this is a timed course with very precise maneuvers that require tremendous physical strength and endurance. These men did it. Wow!
This video brings back memories...Ranger class 2-94. The DC was tough then and it's still tough today, so good job to anyone who can complete this course.
You can tell the second guy, I believe his name is Henry? He hit his wall, and kept powering through anyway. That kind of mental fortitude is very rare, especially these days. I have a huge amount of respect for these guys.
In ranger school... It’s the events in between the obstacles that make the Darby Queen “memorable”
I was never tabbed, sadly, but I can tell you the instructors at Air Assault school made day 0 hell. Run the obstacle course, get smoked while waiting for your turn, then go right to the PT test after 2 hours of pure hell.
@@joshuanewcombe8454 Air Assault. Air Assault! AIR ASSAULT!!!
I ran a couple obstacle course and when I first saw them, I was like "Yeah, I can totally do that obstacle" then you realize the obstacles are miles and miles after running through utter harassing terrain. Then I was like "Ohhhhh"
thanks this brings back memorys for an old vet
I remember when purdy was a e5 good to see him still in the army
760 WoodPile I swear he was one of my RIs
I just was talking to a guy that recently retired after 27 years in the Regiment, he bought some property near me. As we spoke whiling filling up our trucks, Purdy's name came up and this guy said he just got done doing some work with him. I had thought Purdy had popped smoke a while back, but I guess I was/am wrong.
What is he now? Retired?
One of my friends just posted this on Facebook & I was just thinking, man wouldn't mind getting someone with me to attempt this beast of a course as those height based obstacles would definitely mess with me for sure.
Putting your arms up and hands behind head opens up your lung cavity, allows for more oxygen when breathing 👍🏻😉🇺🇸
Mister Smartypants okay boomer
My instructors keep telling me that too. But that’s actually just a mental thing lol. If you think it helps it will. So it’s a perfectly reasonable thing. The best way to open your airway is actually called the tripod position. Your hands on your knees with your head facing foreword. That’s what your body naturally goes to when you’re in respiratory distress to help open it up.
@@knifelover73 Yeah. The same way you should only focus on the current activity and absolutely nothing else. That one obstacle or task in front of you. That's your entire world right now.
@Maynard G Krebs I found the actual person who is offended.
It also feels like your being crucified. If it made it easier, they probably wouldn't tell you to do it...
Watching this is my daily workout.
I think the feeling of being one of this guys can't be compared to anything else.
I'm a bit exhausted after WATCHING them! 😂 You can see how exhausted they were getting with one obstacle after another.
From 0:15 to 13:32 was just for the cameras and a warm up - From 14:10 is where they do it all again for real in full kit. Good effort guys and a very nice course even without any water obstacles.
Just know this happy music ain't going through these soldiers heads while doing this! They look extremely exhausted already to begin with! Sleep deprivation is your worst enemy in the military.
Those trapeze safety nets and high jump pads are new additions
My class 14/87 was a good class , we gave hands to each other , support each other all the way training, RANGERS LEAD THE WAY
I ran this course when I went through AIT. What people don't realize is the Darby Queen it is 2.5 miles long, with uneven ground, and roots to trip over, gravel, and rocks that tear off the skin, and almost the ENTIRE course is uphill in a higher than average altitude. The parts that are downhill like the start are equally bad because gravity is trying to pull you down hard to eat it in the rocks. It really takes a toll on you. In the meantime, the Seal obstacle course at Buds is only about 100 yards in soft sand on a level surface :)
How do people not realize that? you can literally see that in the video.
that's badass....
I miss being young and in the military lol....
Hope this veterans day finds you well and in good spirits.
the sergeant first class isnt young. hes a monster
@@josephgoette9473 He is a lot younger than me, dude. lol...anything under 40 is young as you will one day find out. lol
I miss sandhill 20 years ago I would have said never.
They are one though group of people who can finish this course. Thank you all for you sevice!
This makes my 4 mile run I’m about to do look like a walk in the park. Thanks for the motivation guys. 🤙
Incredible strength and endurance
Thank you all who have or are currently serving we can not thank you enough
This is unbelievable.
Fitness goals!
Remember they have been going for almost three (3) days nonstop before this.
This is really amazing!!!!
Good job. 👊
Respekt vor der Leistung. Respekt der Leistung der Soldaten. Spitzensportler.
They forgot to show the part where you get smoked in between each obstacle 🧐
This is BRC not Ranger school
What does it mean to get smoked between obstacles?
So you know CrossFit? Or like HIIT training? Imagine performing those exercises but you can’t stop until someone tells you to. It’s a fucking good time
@@linazlatin1285 basically the instructors run a train on u after completing each obstacle.
@@blackbeard0074 Thanks for the info.
My suggestions, here's 1 of many... for the courses and challenges during training is meant to be tough and strenuous to break you down and test your metal to see if you can take it without quitting, esp not on your teammates when they need you most. Even though many of us would perform better in the real thing bc of the magnitude of consequences of failure or death much better than "scenario" training. Just sayin. .And it also instills more confidence in you upon successful completion. So just instill into your brain from here on out that you love and live for this stuff and its fun. That helped me psychologically.
"NEVER QUIT" is plastered everywhere.
Me personally I've already loved obstacle courses., Esp in grade school competitions.
Flashback of exhausting HELL!!! But over 20 years later, there's many fond memories!! RANGERS LEAD THE WAY 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅🦅
As a Spartan racer, this looks like a lot of fun. I understand that this would be appreciably less fun if you're forced to do it, and if there's a time limit hanging over your head.
Those two Rangers did it after being up for 3 days straight and having very little food during the best Ranger competition and yes there is normally a time limit for this
Awesome assault course. Only the fittest of the fit can do this. Mega, respect 💪💪
Ran the Darby Queen three times in 1985 (Benning OCS, class 5-85) and again in 1992 as a CPT. In 85 we had a Wet Course and a Dry Course to run. This was the dry course. The wet course was a whole different animal; it includes LBE and a creek crossing by rope and cargo net climb against a muddy cliff.
11:08 My knees and elbows started to sore as soon as I watched this scene...
9:09 I remember the weaver - It was hard until I knew the trick. I implement that trick now when I want to lift myself off the couch :)
Funny how shit we learned 30/40 years ago while we were in is helping us get thru life now that time has caught up with us. My favorite is the "ruck roll" to get off the ground after messing around under my truck.
@@ernestpaul2484 Hahah Or the PLF. Never forgot that
@@Invisible_Socks At my current age and level of health, I prefer not to put myself in a situation where I would have to do a PLF. I still know how to do one and a forward roll back to my feet should I trip, but it is one of those "avoidance maneuvers" I rather not HAVE to do.
@@ernestpaul2484 I hear ya brother.
How much sleep are these guys on? Maybe 8 hours...in the last week? Lol some of these guys are hallucinating while doing this, so for all you athletes saying this isn't that hard...You don't understand the context.
I agree, these wannabe UA-cam commandos don’t have a clue to the context of this video. These guys are already exhausted and are operating on instinctive courage. Most people will never be physically pushed like this, and they still aren’t done when this is completed.
Sleep dep is nothing to take lightly. You close your eyes for a second and you’re knocked TF out. Will power and your buddies slapping the shit out of you are all that keep you trucking. Those are some dedicated mofos.
I'll admit, I totally thought that at first but then the look at the beginning when these guys already looked utterly trashed made me think differently
the government is only required to allot 4 hrs and they dont have to be consecutive (stateside, deployed is its own thing)
The crucible I went through in the Marine Corps makes this look like a McDonald's playground. Oorah !
When I had to run the Queen as a Ranger in 1/75 Infantry (Ranger) prior to the Regiment back in 1973-‘74 , and before tmy going through the SFOQC at Ft Bragg in 1975 and the Nasty Nick obstacle course, they didn’t have those gym mats and nets. It was reality training. If you fell off of an obstacle you landed on the hard ground. Cargo nets and telephone poles were for climbing. At Ft Bragg’s Nasty Nick, going through the Officers Q Course, we carried all our gear and weapons and ran it day, night sun or rain. When we did it bare without the gear it was kind of fun. But it never got easier. Just when you had it memorized, the Black hats would add or change an obstacle. I’m now 64 and retired. Whenever I see a young guy wearing a Black & Gold Tab I smile knowing he’s run the Queen.
Much respect to you blokes 👍🇬🇧
I am 50 years of age and I would enjoy this challenge. I Love America.
RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!!!
My arms felt like logs early into the course...right at the Tarzan obstacle too...fun times
I am literally breathing hard and drinking water for these guys. Great work!
Thank you guys for what you do . Rangers lead the way Hooah!
Fantastic gentlemen. Well done.
It’s the music that slowed them down.....
These are America's best and baddest
The ATTEMPT means they're amongst the best...completing is a different thing entirely...don't act like you don't know who I'm talking about...
@CNE no they're rangers but not 75th scrolled rangers. Except those two.
@CNE no, those two are scrolled doing this course.
Nah. Special Forces are
@@TheDamascenoFamily what?😂
...after decades of SELF-DISCOVERY I can say: I AM READY FOR THIS !!! 💪💪🇺🇸💥🙏
Damn. That was outstanding. Really inspiring.
Memories!!! I’ve landed head first from the skyscraper 😂
Strong Ranger
Before 1 inch mats or after?
07/08 Ranger buddy and I got a minor plus for having the best time...that was quickly erased with a major minus for not having eye protection on during a patrol. :)
You boys are awesome keep kicking ass
"Wow that sucked, now let's hurry and put all our heavy gear back on" 😫 it never ends!!
Damn... These guys were moving on will and guts. Both of them were smoked and I know how that feels. They are bad dudes. I have a lot of respect for the Rangers.
I got to do this as an Air Force guy, boy did I catch it everyday, lol!
They had me at the quarter-mile long, fat-grip monkey bars. I know it’s the point but had they not had the rough few days prior, I’m sure doing this course would’ve been pretty fun. At first, I thought he was moving slow.. then I let the “grueling two days” sink in. Shout out to the troops that get it done.
Good memories. Thank you. I miss that course. And damn, when did I become the old veteran watching. I remember meeting them when I was in, but I definitely didn’t understand. Thank you.
The day we went through the Darby Mile is a blur 😅 thanks for sharing!
Amazing American Soldiers!!!! Rangers lead the way! 🇺🇸👍
In my 1993 OSUT class, we ran parts of the Darby Queen. What you're seeing here is competitors for the Best Ranger Competition held every year.
It needs a lot of phyiscal and mental strength to tackle such a challanging task. It reminds me of my training at PMA. Being a Doc I had to go through a lil softer version of obstacle course lol. Lots of respect from Pakistan. Buck Up!
To think that they got maybe two MREs per day and two hours of sleep per day and have been getting smoked continuously gives me reservations about this. Hats off to them and anybody else with a tab.
ITs a tuff course alight, cause your already tired some, good course. Glad I made it
Amazing video but the audio seems to be a tad off?
I didn’t do this one but one that’s near it when I was in Infantry school. We got to repel off the Ranger tower though.
I never looked at the darby queen as anything more than fun.
Warriors...Bravo!
All I can say is amazing...
15 seconds in i would have been complaining that i wore the wrong boots and ill come back tomorrow
What an assault course this is. Those two guy's doing this here, must be the fittest of the fit 💪💪
The guys in the Best Ranger Competition are machines. They are insanely fit and have grit that is unimaginable.
Fcking unbelievable. Hats off those gentlemen . 🦅 🇺🇸 💪
Hell yeah! I remember that SOB! Good times!!!
Loved doing this stuff esp as child.gymnastics help with some that crawling on ground stuff.
Honestly, I grew up in the mountains climbing and running all day long. Every day , all year long. The Q was pretty standard. I was, I admit, in the best shape of my life. But still....when you grow up running everywhere because it was faster than walking...this seemed like another long day of ridge running. Jump run climb..rinse and repeat. Side note: I am in no way taking anything away from these fine soldiers. Some things are just easier for others is all.
With no sleep and very little to eat would be very hard for anyone
@@artful362 I agree. It was hard for many people.
This course needs the following : drop inn by parachute, actual barb wire... And water... More water.. Lots of water. Fire hoses spraying you, Smoke bombs, some fire jumps, live rounds overhead, guys with batons beating you on certain sections, sneak tazer attacks, hidden electric shock wires, hidden pits would be cool, a hand to hand combat section, more explosions, tunnel crawls but with sharp rocks and sticks, a huge pool filled with ice water to swim through to shock the body, a burning jungle village to navigate, then a 50 story city building to clear, then base jump off, a live shoot and run section, carry your buddy section, and yes definately a tear Gass filled trench... Awsome... That should do it.. 🙂
Thank goodness we have the Rangers.
Awesome course, I use to love doing obstacle course's and confidence course's. They can definitely challenge your mind and body. For some reason the Bayonet Assault Courses wore me out the fastest. Oh and the NBC runs or courses will definitely smoke you I remember watching sweat spray out of my voice mitter I didn't think that was possible. I was never a Ranger in my 23 years of service. All the respect to the Army Rangers always.
The best trick for the logs you have to go over is to rock yourself to get momentum over it while youre hanging on. I remember doing this back in 2010 and the thing I fucked up was the combat dive over a log of all things. For the life of me I couldnt dive and roll to save my life haha
I'm already sweatin from watching. Still, would love to have such a course nearby for training.
They made it look so easy.
Been there, done that - Ranger Class 5-70.
@5:10 looks like the scariest for me. It's a leap of faith.
Fun times 💪... Wish we had one close.
I want to do that, looks like fun! And yes, coffee!!!
Four times in a row. Class 501-73. Our TAC, Captain Reitzell, made sure only the strong survived. 😁
502-73, dangit! Failure to proofread! Minus 25! Elevate your feet, Ranger!
It's called the Queen, because the King is set up at Camp MaCall, in NC.
I am so envy-us of those who get to say that they have served our great nation (and very thankful!), especially of those who are Rangers. To me, being a Ranger is one of the most badass things someone could be. One of my biggest regrets in life is going to be me not serving. If it weren't for the family business, I would have enlisted the day I was of age. Army Ranger is what I would have loved to be. Another life perhaps.