Can a Brand Built by Ex-Special Forces Members Beat The North Face at Its Own Game?

Most hiking packs announce themselves with loud colorblocking and logos that read from across a trailhead. Thrudark’s new Pinnacle Hiking Backpack line does the opposite, while still offering the kind of feature density that invites direct comparison to field-tested packs from legacy outdoor titans like Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Osprey, The North Face and others.

For hikers and campers who’ve never warmed to the outdoor industry’s louder aesthetics, that alone is worth paying attention to. Whether the brand behind it has earned that comparison is a more complicated question.

A niche technical outfitter with British military roots

Thrudark

Thrudark was founded by British Special Forces veterans, and its origin story and marketing materials lean hard into that credibility — touting gear designed under operational pressure, built for people who don’t get second chances on kit.

That lineage and angle put it in recognizable company for American consumers with an interest in military-grade performance and aesthetics. GoRuck followed a similar trajectory, parlaying its military-rooted credibility into a bag-and-performance brand that helped transform rucking into a full-on fitness movement. Ditto Ten Thousand in the gym and activewear space.

Thrudark

But unlike either of those stateside comparisons, Thrudark’s bona fides in the hardcore mountaineering realm of performance gear are far clearer.

One of its founders, Anthony ‘Starz’ Starzicker, has summited Everest himself as part of a charity-focused mission that involved him and a small team traveling from London to the top of Everest and back in just seven days, thanks to a combination of hypoxic chamber training and specialized summit suits made by Thrudark.

But despite roots in technical mountaineering apparel and an established line of travel and adventure packs, Thrudark’s new Pinnacle pack, as well as a climbing-focused Oribital Daypack, represent a clear push into highly technical bags built specifically for outdoor pursuits that trackers of the industry and adventure seekers alike should pay close attention to.

Challenging the big boys

Thrudark

On paper, the Pinnacle lineup holds up. The 42L version features all of the details you’d expect from an elite hiking pack, including a water reservoir pocket, integrated rain cover, trekking pole lash points, an adjustable padded back system, and a hip belt, more. A smaller 28L version rounds out the lineup for shorter objectives.

Both are available in olive green and obsidian black — threading a needle between trail-ready and understated tactical in a way that legacy brands rarely manage.

Thrudark

But the Pinnacle’s unique combination of features and looks comes with one obvious trade-off relative to competitors: sizing.

The Pinnacle is available in two volumes, but the gap between 42L and 28L is notable, given that most competitors’ hiking packs have a volume sweet spot in the middle.

Patagonia’s largest Terravia Roll-Top Pack is 36L, while the Arc’teryx Aerios is 35. The North Face Trail Liteline comes in 36L and an expedition-sized 50L option.

Thrudark

Thrudark

These aren’t obscure alternatives — they’re field-proven packs from brands with decades of refinement and established customer support infrastructure.

And all of those packs offer at least one short/medium and tall option to suit different body types, vs the Pinnacle line’s one-size-fits-all approach. That said, Thrudark does state that the bag’s adjustable back panel offers 75mm (~2.95 inches) of length adjustment.

Thrudark

The quality and dependability of the Pinnacle line also remain to be seen. Community feedback on Reddit about other Thrudark goods is clearly biased based on a small sample size, but shares a consistent theme.

Quality is generally praised, while prices draw scrutiny. It’s a tension familiar to any brand stretching from tactical roots into lifestyle territory, and it’s one Thrudark hasn’t fully resolved.

Pricing and avalability

Thrudark

The 42L costs $275, while the 28L costs $235. Both are available online directly through Thrudark’s website.

Since the Pinnacle line’s sizes don’t directly match competitors’, it’s hard to make a direct apples-to-apples assessment of their value, but both price points are at least in line with premium offerings on the market.

Thrudark

Arc’teryx’s Aerios 35 costs $250, while Osprey’s premium Manta 34 retails for $240. Patagonia’s Terravia 36L is slightly less expensive at $229, while The North Face Trail Lite 36 is significantly cheaper at $170.

Thrudark

Taken together, these packs should rightfully represent a genuinely compelling new option for buyers in search of a serious hiking bag with a more muted, modern, or tactical aesthetic.

But for those optimizing purely for trail performance per dollar, or the peace of mind of defaulting to a better-known brand, the legacy names will still likely hold an edge.

Thrudark

Thrudark Pinnacle 42L Hiking Backpack

• $275 at Thrudark

Thrudark

Thrudark Pinnacle 28L Hiking Backpack

• $235 at Thrudark

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