I bought my one and only Goruck GR1 back in 2014. It has traveled the world multiple times, used as a door stop, shooting rest, groceries, everything. It’s not the perfect bag for every situation, but for some reason, despite trying out many other bags, it just keeps going. Literally nothing on it has ever broken. It’s incognito enough to pass through lesser developed countries but classy enough to carry through the fashion mall. People recognize it, but only those who know. It takes heavy loads and is more comfortable than most other bags other than real hiking bags. Peak Design, Wandrd, etc can try to price their bags $$$ like a Goruck, but I don’t think those bags will last as long or be as versatile as the GR1. It’s just a ruck. Simple as that. I feel like I’ll have it forever.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the bag! Glad to hear it has held up so well across tons of adventures! I’m regularly impressed with the build quality and the aesthetic is something I will always have a soft spot for! :)
Expensive…haha. Have you seen the recent collaboration bags with Carryology? Carryology has been doing co-labs with a lot of pack makers including, Mystery Ranch, Alpha One Niner, Evergoods, and GoRuck. The GoRuck one went for $525, sold out in 5 minutes. In fact all the co-labs with the other makers sold out in under 10 minutes!
Awesome to see this bag revisited! I'd like to see you turn this into a series where you visit older bags to see how they've held up. I bought the slick version last year right before the pandemic so not a lot of chances to use for travel yet but it's a solid gym, grocery, commute bag. Kind of wish I'd gone with the 26l but honestly the 21l has worked fine for even a 1 week trip (was fun to pack super minimal). Awesome video!
Thank you for watching and I really like the suggestion for a series revisiting older bags! I’ll have to see which ones would people might be most curious about! Great to hear youve been enjoying the slick version, it looks really nice as well and the amount of stuff I can fit into the 21l version never ceases to amaze me!:)
Thanks for revisiting the GR1 Danny. For me the GR1 will always remain the GOAT. It seems to me that the huge rise in clamshell/one bag movement is largely due to this bag and led to many other companies taking their design cues and inspiration from it. I’ve been using mine as an EDC into the office for several years now, as well as the GR2 for travel. Whilst I’ve never much cared for the company’s “go America” shtick one can’t deny they have made a wonderful bag and an all time classic. The initial outlay for the bag(s) was somewhat hard to swallow but having now used them I would not hesitate to replace any of my Gorucks if I ever lost any of them. In terms of alternatives I think one is now spoilt for choice and one probably couldn’t go wrong with the Evergoods CPL, the Bellroy or even the custom made efforts of Greenroom136. But I’d also encourage anyone with the budget to check out the granddaddy of them all too.
Thank you for watching and I agree regarding the influence the GR1 has had and definitely made me a clamshell bag convert! :) and good call on the rainmaker as a solid alternative!
I just got the recent Heritage version. I was in doubt about the size, but as always your consistent comparison of carrying capacity made it easier. 21L it is. I went with Goruck because the heritage fit my style, despite considering an exaggeration all the hype. Now that it arrived… damn I understand now. It is insane quality.
Great review Sir! I use my GR1 26L for everyday carry and weekend trips and love it. For longer trips I'll use my GR2 40L. Are they perfect bags? Probably not. That being said, they do check all the blocks for sturdiness, flexibility, and comfort. Bottom line, they're rock solid bags that last!
I agree. I have many go ruck bags. I also have a few new bullit 15 liter but my favorite is my 15 L gen 1 Bullit. It’s a tad bit smaller and has a second zipper in the back for iPad and books.
I’ve had my GR2 since 2016 and it’s been thrown through dirt at Army guard field training, travelled around the world, and currently I use it every day for work to fly across the country. This thing is literally a tank. Insanely expensive yes, but it will last you a long time. It might be hard to justify but at the time I was still in the Guard and the issued “assault bag” is garbage. I’m so happy I bought this bag. I pack for 3 day+ trips in it no problem.
@@sup_orthobro I believe so. I actually went back into my emails and I’ve had the GR2 since 2015 and it was just the one size as far as I can remember. They added the 26 and 40 later on. So 34 gets you a long way.
Been using the black Vietnam version and love it. Just bought the USA wolf grey version. And there is not a difference at all in quality. Save your money and get the Vietnam version.
Rather hand my money to American workers who need it to feed their families and pay their bills then to ever hand it to someone over seas who can give a shit about us. So no, I’ll gladly buy the American version. Twice. Support local communities and domestic products, buy American.
Thanks for long term review of how its holding up Danny. The thing i wish Goruck would consider is having more rows of molle on the sides. The reason is that when you put a water bottle pouch there the bottle would lean away from the bag and move around. With extra rows of molle you could attatch bungee cord on the upper molle to hold the bottle tight to the bag. Cheers and God bless.
I wonder why they do not make a gusseted front pocket or double front pocket for ease of use. Every review I see state that they have a hard time really utilizing that front pocket due to depth and packed out bags basically eliminate that pocket. Just a thought. 🤔
Thank you for watching and definitely a fair question! Goruck seems to be pretty intentional about updates they make to their lines, so maybe it’s something they haven’t found a solution for they are happy with, hopefully we’ll see something cool in the future!
Great video! It's nice to hear a bit of your personal preference and experience using the bag. No offense, but some of your reviews can seem a bit like you're reading from the exact same script as previous reviews, so it's nice to mix it up (a bit)! I Know it's not a FULL clamshell, but maybe the Mystery Ranch Prizefighter could be a good alternative that's cheaper and more lightweight? I wonder if you continued to use that bag after the review period...? :)
Thank you for watching and for the positive feedback! Definitely hoping to continue to switch things up a bit and good call on the prizefighter as a good Goruck alternative! I still use that one quite a bit and I actually find it a bit more comfortable!:)
Is there a big difference between the main compartment of the 21L vs the aer TP3 small? I know the aer has 7 extra liters on its specs but do you think most of the extra space is in the main compartment or also the external pockets, etc? In other words, does the TP3 small pack noticeably more than the Gr1 21L?
Thank you for watching! The main compartment of the two bags is not hugely different but the travel pack 3 can hold a bit more since it’s slightly taller and the bag holds more overall with the other compartments that it offers
Thank you for watching and definitely a tough choice! For me, I would probably lean towards the cobra as I prefer the size, the harness system, and it’s nice to have the additional organizational options, but if you prefer a simpler layout then the gr1 may be a little better :)
Thank you for watching! I think that will depend on what you normally carry and the size you go with, for me the 21l holds everything I wills need for school and the 26 could fit even more if needed but if you have to carry lots of binders and large text books it might start to get a little tight. Hope that helps a bit and please let me know if there are any additional questions I can help answer about the bag!:)
@@dannypacks Wow, you posted your video 6 months ago and still reply comments! Thanks for your answer. Yeah I think about getting the rucksack for christmas but it’s very expensive. What makes him better than a normal rucksack that it’s so much more expensive?
Thank you for watching and tough choice between the two! I go back and forth quite a bit between the two, overall the axiom has a lot that I slightly prefer (it’s more comfortable and weather resistant and it’s also nice to have some of the extra organization). My two biggest issues with it are the loadlifter straps which are always getting in the way and I don’t like how they make the shoulder straps stick out when you have them tightened and also the laptop sleeve doesn’t have a false bottom). Also, the Goruck still feels more durable overall, so if I’m taking a bag for any sort of extra active activity or carrying a ton of weight I would lean towards the Goruck but for normal edc I’ve found myself using the axiom a bit more :)
I have a black GR1 but I barely use it. I think it's a decent backpack but totally overrated and way too expensive for something that probably cost around $10 to manufacture in Vietnam. IMHO, there's many better options available out there for half the price.
I bought my one and only Goruck GR1 back in 2014.
It has traveled the world multiple times, used as a door stop, shooting rest, groceries, everything. It’s not the perfect bag for every situation, but for some reason, despite trying out many other bags, it just keeps going. Literally nothing on it has ever broken. It’s incognito enough to pass through lesser developed countries but classy enough to carry through the fashion mall. People recognize it, but only those who know. It takes heavy loads and is more comfortable than most other bags other than real hiking bags.
Peak Design, Wandrd, etc can try to price their bags $$$ like a Goruck, but I don’t think those bags will last as long or be as versatile as the GR1. It’s just a ruck. Simple as that.
I feel like I’ll have it forever.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the bag! Glad to hear it has held up so well across tons of adventures! I’m regularly impressed with the build quality and the aesthetic is something I will always have a soft spot for! :)
Not to mention the warranty, so if you do manage to wear it out they're gonna replace/fix it for you
I love my GR1 21L. Super durable, simple design, and the clam shell opening is excellent. Crazy expensive, but definitely worth it.
Thank you for watching and I agree even tho it’s pricey you get a lot of value!:)
Expensive…haha. Have you seen the recent collaboration bags with Carryology? Carryology has been doing co-labs with a lot of pack makers including, Mystery Ranch, Alpha One Niner, Evergoods, and GoRuck. The GoRuck one went for $525, sold out in 5 minutes. In fact all the co-labs with the other makers sold out in under 10 minutes!
Yeah this is the best backpack for me. It's overbuilt and looks good.
Had mine for 13 years and still love it. No other bag can compete.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the bag! Glad to hear it has held up so well!
Awesome to see this bag revisited! I'd like to see you turn this into a series where you visit older bags to see how they've held up.
I bought the slick version last year right before the pandemic so not a lot of chances to use for travel yet but it's a solid gym, grocery, commute bag.
Kind of wish I'd gone with the 26l but honestly the 21l has worked fine for even a 1 week trip (was fun to pack super minimal). Awesome video!
Thank you for watching and I really like the suggestion for a series revisiting older bags! I’ll have to see which ones would people might be most curious about! Great to hear youve been enjoying the slick version, it looks really nice as well and the amount of stuff I can fit into the 21l version never ceases to amaze me!:)
Thanks for revisiting the GR1 Danny. For me the GR1 will always remain the GOAT. It seems to me that the huge rise in clamshell/one bag movement is largely due to this bag and led to many other companies taking their design cues and inspiration from it. I’ve been using mine as an EDC into the office for several years now, as well as the GR2 for travel. Whilst I’ve never much cared for the company’s “go America” shtick one can’t deny they have made a wonderful bag and an all time classic. The initial outlay for the bag(s) was somewhat hard to swallow but having now used them I would not hesitate to replace any of my Gorucks if I ever lost any of them. In terms of alternatives I think one is now spoilt for choice and one probably couldn’t go wrong with the Evergoods CPL, the Bellroy or even the custom made efforts of Greenroom136. But I’d also encourage anyone with the budget to check out the granddaddy of them all too.
Thank you for watching and I agree regarding the influence the GR1 has had and definitely made me a clamshell bag convert! :) and good call on the rainmaker as a solid alternative!
I just got the recent Heritage version. I was in doubt about the size, but as always your consistent comparison of carrying capacity made it easier. 21L it is.
I went with Goruck because the heritage fit my style, despite considering an exaggeration all the hype.
Now that it arrived… damn I understand now. It is insane quality.
Have had mine for almost 3 years now. THE best out there. The gr2 and gr3 obviously are amazing as well for traveling
Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the bag! Glad it has held up so well!:)
Great review Sir! I use my GR1 26L for everyday carry and weekend trips and love it. For longer trips I'll use my GR2 40L. Are they perfect bags? Probably not. That being said, they do check all the blocks for sturdiness, flexibility, and comfort. Bottom line, they're rock solid bags that last!
Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! And I definitely agree, some of my favorite bags to use!:)
Love my GR1 21L! Will never let it go. These days been using the new 15L bullet which is phenomenonal as a edc bag
Thank you for watching and I agree! I can’t see myself letting this bag go any time soon!:) haha
I agree. I have many go ruck bags. I also have a few new bullit 15 liter but my favorite is my 15 L gen 1 Bullit. It’s a tad bit smaller and has a second zipper in the back for iPad and books.
I’ve had my GR2 since 2016 and it’s been thrown through dirt at Army guard field training, travelled around the world, and currently I use it every day for work to fly across the country. This thing is literally a tank. Insanely expensive yes, but it will last you a long time. It might be hard to justify but at the time I was still in the Guard and the issued “assault bag” is garbage. I’m so happy I bought this bag. I pack for 3 day+ trips in it no problem.
Thank you for watching and I’m glad to hear the bag has held up great for you over the years!:)
Is your bag 34l sir?
@@sup_orthobro I believe so. I actually went back into my emails and I’ve had the GR2 since 2015 and it was just the one size as far as I can remember. They added the 26 and 40 later on. So 34 gets you a long way.
@@Polletross thanks sir
Been using the black Vietnam version and love it. Just bought the USA wolf grey version. And there is not a difference at all in quality. Save your money and get the Vietnam version.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the two options! That’s great to hear the quality was the same!:)
Rather hand my money to American workers who need it to feed their families and pay their bills then to ever hand it to someone over seas who can give a shit about us. So no, I’ll gladly buy the American version. Twice. Support local communities and domestic products, buy American.
Thanks for long term review of how its holding up Danny. The thing i wish Goruck would consider is having more rows of molle on the sides. The reason is that when you put a water bottle pouch there the bottle would lean away from the bag and move around. With extra rows of molle you could attatch bungee cord on the upper molle to hold the bottle tight to the bag. Cheers and God bless.
Thank you for watching and that’s a good idea on the use of a bungee cord to keep the water bottle better held! :)
Yeah I’m considering a trip to scars.
Thanks for the video!
Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful!:)
I wonder why they do not make a gusseted front pocket or double front pocket for ease of use. Every review I see state that they have a hard time really utilizing that front pocket due to depth and packed out bags basically eliminate that pocket. Just a thought. 🤔
Thank you for watching and definitely a fair question! Goruck seems to be pretty intentional about updates they make to their lines, so maybe it’s something they haven’t found a solution for they are happy with, hopefully we’ll see something cool in the future!
It's the land cruiser of backpacks.
Thank you for watching and definitely a classic that has never let me down!
Nice review. I never use the laptop compartment for just the reason you mention. Too much pressure on the laptop screen.
Thank you for watching and yes I wish there was just a little more space in that pocket to give some extra peace of mind!
I've used my GR1 with my MBP15 for 5 years now. Never caused an issue for me.
Thank you! 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful!:)
Great video! It's nice to hear a bit of your personal preference and experience using the bag. No offense, but some of your reviews can seem a bit like you're reading from the exact same script as previous reviews, so it's nice to mix it up (a bit)! I Know it's not a FULL clamshell, but maybe the Mystery Ranch Prizefighter could be a good alternative that's cheaper and more lightweight? I wonder if you continued to use that bag after the review period...? :)
Thank you for watching and for the positive feedback! Definitely hoping to continue to switch things up a bit and good call on the prizefighter as a good Goruck alternative! I still use that one quite a bit and I actually find it a bit more comfortable!:)
Is there a big difference between the main compartment of the 21L vs the aer TP3 small? I know the aer has 7 extra liters on its specs but do you think most of the extra space is in the main compartment or also the external pockets, etc?
In other words, does the TP3 small pack noticeably more than the Gr1 21L?
Thank you for watching! The main compartment of the two bags is not hugely different but the travel pack 3 can hold a bit more since it’s slightly taller and the bag holds more overall with the other compartments that it offers
I have a nephew who's 5.2" and will a GORUCK GR1 21L will do it?
Hello! Thank you for such an informative video! I wanted to ask you for the width of the straps... it looks pretty big
Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! The straps are fairly wide coming in at almost 3”
@@dannypacks Thank you so much for helping me! Have a great day!
Is there a small pouch you would recommend to attach to the outside molle to store things like a portable power bank and keys?
Thank you for watching! I like some of the options offered by orca tactical and 3v gear, they’re offered in a few different styles and sizes
If you had to choose between this bag in 26l and a carryology cobra, which would you prefer? I can't choose between the two!
Thank you for watching and definitely a tough choice! For me, I would probably lean towards the cobra as I prefer the size, the harness system, and it’s nice to have the additional organizational options, but if you prefer a simpler layout then the gr1 may be a little better :)
@@dannypacks Thank you for your time! I think i'm on the same boat as you are!
Are these not made for “rucking” like the smaller go ruck bags ?
Thank you for watching and yes this one works great for rucking as well! :)
Has anyone reviewed the Orbit Gear Sharpshooter yet? I wondered if that could be a contender to GR1 at a lower price about $159.
Thank you for watching! I haven’t had a chance to try that one out but it looks like a pretty solid option!
My dude where did u get the deadpool patch?
Thank you for watching! I was able to get it from Amazon :)
Is the Rucksack big enough for school or is it to small?
Thank you for watching! I think that will depend on what you normally carry and the size you go with, for me the 21l holds everything I wills need for school and the 26 could fit even more if needed but if you have to carry lots of binders and large text books it might start to get a little tight. Hope that helps a bit and please let me know if there are any additional questions I can help answer about the bag!:)
@@dannypacks Wow, you posted your video 6 months ago and still reply comments! Thanks for your answer. Yeah I think about getting the rucksack for christmas but it’s very expensive. What makes him better than a normal rucksack that it’s so much more expensive?
Which size HLT is that? Looks like a HLT2?
Thank you for watching and yes it is the size 2 (larger) hlt pouch :)
How do I get the Deadpool patch
Thank you for watching! I got that one on Amazon a while ago!:)
Do you prefer this bag over your axiom 24?
Thank you for watching and tough choice between the two! I go back and forth quite a bit between the two, overall the axiom has a lot that I slightly prefer (it’s more comfortable and weather resistant and it’s also nice to have some of the extra organization). My two biggest issues with it are the loadlifter straps which are always getting in the way and I don’t like how they make the shoulder straps stick out when you have them tightened and also the laptop sleeve doesn’t have a false bottom). Also, the Goruck still feels more durable overall, so if I’m taking a bag for any sort of extra active activity or carrying a ton of weight I would lean towards the Goruck but for normal edc I’ve found myself using the axiom a bit more :)
Did you use it during those 2 years? Lol
I have a black GR1 but I barely use it. I think it's a decent backpack but totally overrated and way too expensive for something that probably cost around $10 to manufacture in Vietnam. IMHO, there's many better options available out there for half the price.
Which one would you recommend?
Its not just made in U.S.A. They donate to the US military. I´ll pass. Thanks.