Which GORUCK Bag Should I Buy?

GORUCK has a lot of different bags (rucks) to chose from. Here is our take on which one(s) you should buy.

Full Video Review of What GORUCK Bag You Should Buy.

First Question: What are you using the bag for?

Each GORUCK bag has unique features that make them the perfect bag for various situations. That said, here are the main case-uses that most people find needing a GORUCK bag.

EDC – Every Day Carry
Rucking
Travel
EDC & Rucking
Travel & Rucking
One Bag to Rule them ALL

Best GORUCK Bag for Every Day Carry

When it comes to EDC, I have three suggestions.

My personal favorite EDC is the GORUCK 15L Bullet Ruck (check out our full Bullet Ruck review). It is the perfect size for a few notebooks, a laptop, and some misc files, pens, plugs, and whatnot.

If you need more space than the 15L, the GORUCK GR1 21L is my preferred ruck. While the GR1 does come in 26L, I find that ends up having way too much empty space.

If you love compartments, I recommend the 26L GR2 (check out our full 26L GR2 review). The bag has all the functionality and compartments of the GR2, but it shrinks down to that reasonable 26L size.

Best GORUCK Bag for Rucking

The GORUCK Rucker (check out of full Rucker 4.0 review).was literally built for rucking and ruck workouts and is hands-down the best choice. I prefer the 20L version because there are rarely times that I need the extra space of the 25L. With the 20L you have room for the weight plate, water bladder, a light jacket, some snacks and everything I’d ever need for a ruck.

If you plan on doing any of the Tier 1 GORUCK events, you may want to consider the Rucker Long Range (check out of full Rucker Long Range review). The extra size will allow you to carry the full packing list and provide some compartmentalizing. However, for most day-to-day rucking, I feel like you’ll the Long Range is too big.

Finally, the GR1 is the original Rucking backpack. It is a great choice but will require some suggested mods like adding a new framesheet (instructions here) and cutting up some yoga blocks to raise the ruck plate within the laptop compartment.

Best GORUCK Bag for Travel

My hands-down favorite ruck for travel is the 40L GR2. The size, compartmentalization, and TSA carryon compliant size make it an absolutely amazing travel bag.

If your travel is mostly weekends or overnight trips, the 26L GR1 is a solid choice. All the space you need and easily converts to an around town backpack if you need it. In fact, my wife and I traveled on a 10-day trip overseas recently and both carried a 26L GORUCK Heritage ruck. We had to pack fairly minimal (leave the extra pair of shoes), but it totally worked.

Best GORUCK for EDC and Rucking

Here’s the big caveat. Any bag you use for rucking is going to begin to stink eventually. As you ruck, you sweat. The sweat soaks into the ruck and begins to stink.

That said, I am not a huge fan of using my EDC for Rucking.

But, if you’re determined to make it work, I’d recommend the GR1 or the Rucker. Personally, I’d probably go with the GR1 from an esthetic perspective as I think it is the sexier EDC and will work just fine for rucking.

Best GORUCK bag for Travel and Rucking

As noted above, I think this is a risky mix because of the funk factor. But, if you must, I think the Rucker Long Range or the GR1 are your go-to for this use and the determination on which one rests solely in your space needs for packing.

My recommendation for travel is to stick with the GR2 and buy a GORUCK Simple Sandbag (check out our full Simple Sandbag Review) that you take with you on your trip, using that for any workouts or rucks you want to do.

One Ruck to Rule Them All

If you are only going to get one GORUCK bag, I have to recommend the GR1. It is the classic, flagship, king of all rucksacks. As they say, it is built to be used “from Baghdad to NYC.” You simply can’t go wrong with this bag.

So, what do you think? Which is the best GORUCK bag in your opinion? Did I get anything wrong in my recommendations? Sound off in the comments below.