The Biggest Name in Mil-Spec EDC Bags Just Released Its Most Surprising Backpack Yet

Mike Vallely is one of the baddest dudes in all of skateboarding history.

His accolades are wide ranging, but include gracing the cover of Thrasher Magazine; winning a contest that earned him a full-page spread in Transworld Skateboarding; riding for Powell, World Industries and Element; and performing in multiple punk bands, including legendary outfit Black Flag and his own group, Mike V & The Rats.

So, it makes perfect sense that one of the gnarliest brands in EDC and tactical packs would team up with him on their first skateboarding-focused bag, the GoRuck Skate Ruck. Now, they’ve teamed up a second time for a redux of that very same pack, making way better this time around.

GoRuck

Skate or die

The first edition of the Skate Ruck was based on the brand’s legendary GR1. And while there’s no denying the impressiveness and significance of that bag, it did come with some downsides, like a too-bulky 26-liter capacity.

To fix that issue, the brand has swapped the base bag for the more svelte and compact Bullet Ruck. While still built similarly tough, this brings the bag’s capacity down to 18 liters — still plenty for a day bag, especially for athletic endeavors, like skating.

GoRuck

Much of the Bullet Ruck’s other outstanding features remain intact. For instance, it has a dual-compartment design with a lay-flat opening, making access to the gear inside a cinch. It also retains the brand’s signature bombproof laptop compartment with its false bottom — a modern essential, even for scrappy skaters.

And it has plenty of lumbar support and padding on the straps. Again, this is ideal for athletic endeavors, like skating, where users are frequently jostled and need the extra support to keep the struggle to a minimum.

GoRuck

Do a kickflip!

Swapping the bags isn’t the only thing GoRuck did to improve this new version of the Skate Ruck. Most essentially, the brand has upgraded the very element that makes it skate-friendly: the skateboard storage straps.

On the previous bag, the straps were thin and had plastic hardware (you can see them in this eBay listing). On this new take, the straps are thicker pieces of nylon, making them sturdier and tougher overall. But more importantly, the hardware has been swapped for military-inspired quick-release buckles.

GoRuck

Unfortunately, the brand hasn’t made clear what these buckles are, but they appear similar to AustriAlpin’s Cobra Buckles, the quick-releases employed by Special Forces and other elite military units. Either way, they function similarly, keeping your board locked down when you need it but making it easy to free when the time comes to put wheels on concrete.

Alongside the strap system, the bag has plenty of other small, important details, too. Those include YKK AquaGuard zippers, multiple storage compartments inside and out (including a discreet top pocket for quick-access) and an internal frame sheet to give the bag more structure.

GoRuck

Available now

The GoRuck Skate Ruck is now available on the brand’s site in all five colorways for $275 apiece.

GoRuck

GoRuck Skate Ruck

• $275 at GoRuck

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