Best for…
This bag is simple, tough, and backed by a well-tested repair-or-replace program. Short of purposefully slicing into it, there’s little you can do to it that it can’t withstand. But it comes with militaristic undertones that aren’t to everyone’s taste.
It sets the standard. The GoRuck GR1 is a hell of a tough bag that looks at home in an office, on a trail, or dragged through a muddy pit. Although a few companies made expensive backpacks before the GR1, GoRuck more or less invented (and now defines) the tough, buy-it-for-life pack.
The GR1 stands apart for its detailed construction, a flexible but simple organization that adapts to nearly any situation, and comfortable straps that mold over time to your shoulders. The GR1 is available in a 21-liter version, which is 18 inches in height, and a 26-liter one, which is 20 inches in height. If you’re over 6 feet tall, I suggest the larger version (unless you’re sure you’ll never need the extra space) since it will feel more proportional to your height.
It isn’t just tough, it’s nearly indestructible. Every seam and stitch of the GR1 is sewn with the strength of the bag in mind. The top handle, for instance, feels great in the hand. Stiff but still pliable, and reinforced beyond reason, it’s something of a GoRuck signature. Stress-tested for up to 400 pounds, the handle is ostensibly for hoisting your partner over an obstacle or wall. (GoRuck organizes obstacle runs where people carry weights in their backpacks and run along beaches and over mountains … ridiculous, I know.)
Made from 1,000-denier Cordura, a minimum standard for this kind of bag when it’s made from nylon fabric, the GR1 will withstand almost every type of abrasion besides a razor or knife cut. The YKK zippers aren’t waterproofed or sealed, but they do use a design, called reverse coil, that makes them stronger and tends to keep out more dirt and grime than a conventional zipper design. In my testing, the thick nylon fabric was fairly resistant to rain during a light shower.
It’s designed for easy access and organization. The GR1’s main compartment has a pleasing lay-flat clamshell design, which means you can open the entire bag up to reveal its contents—a handy feature if you’re packing and unpacking often. Inside the front flap are two pockets, one mesh and one covered. The front of the bag has a thin front pocket for holding slim books and the like. These three pockets provide some organization but not that much. The outer pocket is fine to use if the bag isn’t overpacked but difficult to use when it is. On the side of the bag that sits against your back, GoRuck has built an impressively sturdy laptop sleeve that is cushioned at the bottom from drops.
It’s customizable. Inside the main compartment, GoRuck added four rows of webbing for MOLLE-compatible gear. MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) is a standard attachment system adopted by the US and British militaries and subsequently used across a variety of equipment and manufacturers. Although any MOLLE pouches can attach to this inner webbing of the GR1, GoRuck does make padded pockets ($50 each), which fit very nicely into the overall backpack if you want the extra organization. If you truly want to customize your pack, you can replace the plastic backplate of the GoRuck, which can be a little too flexible for some, with a stiffer plate ($30) that provides a comforting brace and seems to place the weight of the bag higher up on the shoulders. If you want a sternum strap, GoRuck sells one for an additional $10.
It can go the distance. When I needed a backpack for a particularly confusing part of my life, when I wasn’t sure where I’d be from one month to the next, the 26L GoRuck GR1 was the bag I picked. The same bag has been with me for more than 11 years now. It is the only backpack I’ve ever washed with a hose and hung out to dry in the sun repeatedly. Over those years the bag has aged nicely, molding to the shape of my back, and if I keep taking care of it in the same way, it will last much longer on this Earth than I will. If anything does go wrong with your bag, GoRuck has a famous (among backpack-obsessive circles, anyway) repair program with an excellent online reputation.
In 2022, GoRuck made a change to its original design, something the company does very infrequently. Two years ago it removed the 1,000-denier Cordura back panel and replaced it with a smoother and less abrasive 210-denier fabric. But there’s still very little venting on the back panel. In hot or humid climates, you will perspire against your bag. It’s unavoidable. Personally, I tend to sweat a lot, and I didn’t notice too much of a difference between this bag and other designs with more airflow while hiking in Hawaii, but it may be a frustration for some people.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- The GR1 has three rows of external MOLLE webbing and an armed-forces-style Velcro patch decal, which together (along with GoRuck’s origins and firearms training courses) advertise a certain comfort with (some might say fetishization of) the steady militarization of the public space. Whether that’s a dealbreaker for you depends on how you perceive it.
Specs
- Material: 1,000-denier Cordura
- Size: 21 liters, 26 liters
- Weight: 2.9 pounds (21 liters), 3.5 pounds (26 liters)
- Warranty: lifetime repair or replace
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Best for…
This bag is simple, tough, and backed by a well-tested repair-or-replace program. Short of purposefully slicing into it, there’s little you can do to it that it can’t withstand. But it comes with militaristic undertones that aren’t to everyone’s taste.
It sets the standard. The GoRuck GR1 is a hell of a tough bag that looks at home in an office, on a trail, or dragged through a muddy pit. Although a few companies made expensive backpacks before the GR1, GoRuck more or less invented (and now defines) the tough, buy-it-for-life pack.
The GR1 stands apart for its detailed construction, a flexible but simple organization that adapts to nearly any situation, and comfortable straps that mold over time to your shoulders. The GR1 is available in a 21-liter version, which is 18 inches in height, and a 26-liter one, which is 20 inches in height. If you’re over 6 feet tall, I suggest the larger version (unless you’re sure you’ll never need the extra space) since it will feel more proportional to your height.
It isn’t just tough, it’s nearly indestructible. Every seam and stitch of the GR1 is sewn with the strength of the bag in mind. The top handle, for instance, feels great in the hand. Stiff but still pliable, and reinforced beyond reason, it’s something of a GoRuck signature. Stress-tested for up to 400 pounds, the handle is ostensibly for hoisting your partner over an obstacle or wall. (GoRuck organizes obstacle runs where people carry weights in their backpacks and run along beaches and over mountains … ridiculous, I know.)
Made from 1,000-denier Cordura, a minimum standard for this kind of bag when it’s made from nylon fabric, the GR1 will withstand almost every type of abrasion besides a razor or knife cut. The YKK zippers aren’t waterproofed or sealed, but they do use a design, called reverse coil, that makes them stronger and tends to keep out more dirt and grime than a conventional zipper design. In my testing, the thick nylon fabric was fairly resistant to rain during a light shower.
It’s designed for easy access and organization. The GR1’s main compartment has a pleasing lay-flat clamshell design, which means you can open the entire bag up to reveal its contents—a handy feature if you’re packing and unpacking often. Inside the front flap are two pockets, one mesh and one covered. The front of the bag has a thin front pocket for holding slim books and the like. These three pockets provide some organization but not that much. The outer pocket is fine to use if the bag isn’t overpacked but difficult to use when it is. On the side of the bag that sits against your back, GoRuck has built an impressively sturdy laptop sleeve that is cushioned at the bottom from drops.
It’s customizable. Inside the main compartment, GoRuck added four rows of webbing for MOLLE-compatible gear. MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) is a standard attachment system adopted by the US and British militaries and subsequently used across a variety of equipment and manufacturers. Although any MOLLE pouches can attach to this inner webbing of the GR1, GoRuck does make padded pockets ($50 each), which fit very nicely into the overall backpack if you want the extra organization. If you truly want to customize your pack, you can replace the plastic backplate of the GoRuck, which can be a little too flexible for some, with a stiffer plate ($30) that provides a comforting brace and seems to place the weight of the bag higher up on the shoulders. If you want a sternum strap, GoRuck sells one for an additional $10.
It can go the distance. When I needed a backpack for a particularly confusing part of my life, when I wasn’t sure where I’d be from one month to the next, the 26L GoRuck GR1 was the bag I picked. The same bag has been with me for more than 11 years now. It is the only backpack I’ve ever washed with a hose and hung out to dry in the sun repeatedly. Over those years the bag has aged nicely, molding to the shape of my back, and if I keep taking care of it in the same way, it will last much longer on this Earth than I will. If anything does go wrong with your bag, GoRuck has a famous (among backpack-obsessive circles, anyway) repair program with an excellent online reputation.
In 2022, GoRuck made a change to its original design, something the company does very infrequently. Two years ago it removed the 1,000-denier Cordura back panel and replaced it with a smoother and less abrasive 210-denier fabric. But there’s still very little venting on the back panel. In hot or humid climates, you will perspire against your bag. It’s unavoidable. Personally, I tend to sweat a lot, and I didn’t notice too much of a difference between this bag and other designs with more airflow while hiking in Hawaii, but it may be a frustration for some people.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- The GR1 has three rows of external MOLLE webbing and an armed-forces-style Velcro patch decal, which together (along with GoRuck’s origins and firearms training courses) advertise a certain comfort with (some might say fetishization of) the steady militarization of the public space. Whether that’s a dealbreaker for you depends on how you perceive it.
Specs
- Material: 1,000-denier Cordura
- Size: 21 liters, 26 liters
- Weight: 2.9 pounds (21 liters), 3.5 pounds (26 liters)
- Warranty: lifetime repair or replace
The Best Buy It for Life Backpack (Please Don’t Call It Tactical) of 2025
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