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A Revered Bag Brand Accidentally Unleashed Its Best EDC Pack. Now, It’s Way More Affordable, too

This rugged, minimalist backpack is designed with heavy-duty hauling in mind. Its formidability and focus make it great for everyday use, too.

Three people walking at night wearing backpacks with bright reflective vertical strips, with one person on the left showing a tattooed arm.GoRuck
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By Sean Tirman

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Since 2008, GoRuck has been making outstanding backpacks. While you might know them for their tactical-inspired EDC offerings, the brand has also long made bags for a specific military-derived outdoor exercise, called rucking. (Yes, that’s where the brand name comes from.)

Most recently, the brand has used its 17 years of experience crafting rucking packs to develop and launch its most purpose-driven bag ever. While designed for rucking, the GoRuck Basic Rucker might accidentally also be perfect for EDC usage.

But here’s the real kicker: It gets a fat discount as a bundle with rucking plates at the brand’s official site, and over at Huckberry, it just got hit with a 30-percent discount, making it even more of a steal than ever before.

Two black backpacks are shown side by side against a light green background. The backpack on the left is closed, featuring a vertical reflective stripe down the center and a patch with an American flag design and the word "GORUCK" in red. The backpack on the right is open, revealing an inner compartment with a label that reads "GORUCK 17L BASIC RUCKER LIFETIME GUARANTEE" and a flap with a stitched arrowhead logo. Both backpacks have a sleek, minimalist design.
This is the most specifically-focused bag GoRuck has released to date.
GoRuck

Rucking awesome

Durability and capability are of the utmost importance when it comes to rucking. That’s because the sport is designed around hauling literal weights in a bag on your back. As such, the Basic Rucker is extremely formidable.

It features a Robic nylon exterior (420D for the body and 840D for the bottom), which is lightweight and flexible, yet highly resistant to tears and abrasions.

A hand is holding a black 30-pound GORUCK weight plate with a handle, partially inserted into a black backpack against a brick wall background.
The internal sleeve is designed for rucking plates, which are about the same dimensions as the average laptop.
GoRuck

It also has a thick, padded 210D Cordura nylon back panel and shoulder straps to help users comfortably carry the weight of the bag and its contents. And, as is always the case, the craftsmanship and stitching are extremely high-quality.

Perhaps most crucially, this bag (like its siblings) comes with GoRuck’s rock-solid Scars Lifetime Guarantee. That means, in using it as intended (to haul heavy sh*t), the brand will repair it free of charge should any of its parts fail you.

Two views of a black backpack are shown against a light green background. The left side displays the backpack's profile, highlighting a side pocket and a zipper running vertically. The right side shows the back of the backpack with padded shoulder straps and a top handle. The back panel features stitched padding for comfort.
The bag’s stability is mated to a thick back panel and shoulder straps, ensuring comfort regardless of activity.
GoRuck

Accidental(?) versatility

Despite its purpose-driven design process, I believe this bag is secretly an exceptional everyday carry backpack — largely because of its rucking-friendly features.

Obviously, the external durability and exceptional construction are significant, as it means the bag will last through thick and thin. However, there are other features that are just as valuable, if perhaps a bit more sneakily.

Three people walking outdoors at dusk or dawn, each wearing a backpack with a vertical reflective strip that is brightly illuminated against the dark silhouettes and cloudy sky.
That thick vertical stripe is actually a reflector for exceptional visibility (and increased safety) in low-light situations.
GoRuck

For instance, the 17-liter main compartment is split into two: an ample unstructured space and a rucking plate sleeve. Funny thing is, rucking plates are about the same size and shape as the average laptop computer, making that sleeve perfect for your favorite folding computer.

Another extremely handy feature is the thick vertical strip on the bag’s front. That’s a reflective strip, meaning it helps increase your visibility tenfold, especially in low-light situations. That’s essential for increased safety in EDC capacities, as well as the outdoors.

This bag is secretly an exceptional everyday carry backpack.

Whether you use it as intended or take advantage of its properties for slightly different purposes, there’s no denying that the Basic Rucker is another exceptional bag in a long line of extraordinary GoRuck offerings.

A person wearing a black backpack with a vertical reflective strip and a patch featuring an American flag and the word "GORUCK." The person has tattoos on both arms, is dressed in a black t-shirt and olive green shorts, and is walking outdoors with two other people in the background also wearing similar backpacks.
The Basic Rucker holds up to 17 liters, but can handle a ton of weight.
GoRuck

Pricing and availability

The GoRuck Basic Rucker is now available as a bundle with rucking plates for $120, down from $238. It’s also available on Huckberry for $102, down from $145.

About the Author: Sean Tirman is an associate editor at Gear Patrol who specializes in EDC, cannabis and outdoor gear.

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