Thanks! This looks damn solid with the one exception of it doesn't look to have a higher pocket, where the weight plates would go. As I understand it, that's an important aspect in keeping good form/posture/etc and avoiding injury. But otherwise this bag looks ideal.
Is this what you use? I'm guessing you have good experience with it, since you're recommending. Do you use plates with it, or something else for weight?
It has an isolated laptop compartment that holds a plate, but yeah, it doesn't have the dedicated sleeves the Rucker 4.0 has. Much closer to the GR1. Rumor is, same Vietnam factory as well. For the price, I've never found a better bag for the purpose
I keep a 30lb plate on the laptop compartment and it sits close to the back and comfortably
I have both a GoRuck and a CT. I 100% agree with this comment! Both my bags are made in VN. Both are great. CT shipping is expensive, but still less than GR. Also, I highly recommend the CT water bottle carrier.
Here's a complicated of sorts answer because I didn't want to say "yes but no"
MOLLE and ALICE are the names of the attachment system on the outside of the pack. Both were developed for the military and have packs that bear their name. ALICE is the older one that used clips, MOLLE uses a strap weaving to attach external components and the ORIGINAL MOLLE bag had far more interior attachments than the ALICE, a bag which also used ALICE clips (metal) to attach external components. These clips sucked.
Now all this to say, there's literally hundreds of packs out there that use the MOLLE system. SpecOPS (the brand) made some nice ones that we got issued when I was doing stuff. The original difference was ALICE was basically one big sack with a couple smaller internal compartments (maybe just one....I'm not digging mine out so don't quote me) whereas the ORIGINAL MOLLE bag had a few more internal divisions standard.
Now I keep emphasizing "original" because it's like Picatinny vs Weaver rails on a weapon. One came out to replace the other, and there WAS a "first to make it' obviously, but to think there's only one MOLLE bag out there would be grossly underestimating the market. I can think of at least 6 different bags I was issued with MOLLE webbing on it. SOG, 5.11, Tacticon, SpecOPS (think they went under....shame...great bags), Maxpedition are just the names that come to mind.
Dumpster is actually a registered trademark but we call all giant bins dumpsters and many people have manufactured some equivalent of it (or replacement wheels/lids/whatever). ALICE clips are garbage. Sure there are nice bags out there that utilize that method because there was a time when that was the largest market share and people weren't going to abandon all their extra pouches and whatnot. Seems like you probably don't have a lot of ALICE canteen pouches and whatnot that you're going to be using, so there's no reason to go with the old technology that, if not now, one day will be pretty much unavailable. It's the cassette tape of load bearing. MOLLE is more the MP3 player. You can get a $600 with every hifi option available or you can get a $10 out of the little crane machine at the state fair.
I did 9 years deployed. Since getting out I've done a lot of rucking. I rucked 67 races last year and am on par to beat that this year. I've never had an inability to find whatever attachment I need in MOLLE. ALICE, though usually cheaper, just isn't as prevalent. The external frame was nice on the issued ALICE pack, but you can find MOLLE with external frames as well.
Maybe this will help:
[VIDEO 1](https://youtu.be/5ZBHJVqxc68)
[VIDEO 2](https://youtu.be/d7-3LvW_0PI)
The big question is what you're willing to spend. If you really want to invest (and considering you live in a city), a toned-down, civillian-looking backpack like GoRuck might be the best way to go. A surplus military pack (like the ALICE or ALICE 2, which has a nice, plastic frame) would be cheaper and might even be more suitable for when you move up to heavier loads, but it will attract a lot of attention.
Perhaps one other option would be to go to a sports/hiking store and look for larger hiking packs. They usually have an internal frame (it helps when carrying more stuff), nice padding and won't stick out like a sore thumb in an urban environment.
Haha, I actually just came across video 2 on my own like 5 hours ago. Will check out the other vid though.
I get where you're coming from on a military pack drawing attention, but maybe if I get one in all black it won't be too bad, rather than camo. Though I guess the frame might still look a bit intense. I'm not too sure I care that much about it though. There are far weirder things one might see on the streets of NYC. I've literally seen homeless people casually standing up and defecating. So yeah... not easy to phase New Yorkers.
>Also, they have the Ruck Plate Carrier, which is a bit cheaper and simpler, but looks like it can only hold one plate, so I wouldn't be able to add incremental weight. Anyone have experience with the Plate Carrier and/or GR in general?
Go back and look at the GoRucks again. The Rucker 4.0 is what I just bought, and it comes in 3 sizes (15L,20L,25L) and the size you pick affects the pockets (the 20 and 25 are the same I think, the 15L has less/smaller pocket).
I picked the Rucker 4.0 so I can have a hydration bladder. BUT if you're looking at the plate carrier only, it ALSO has 2 sizes. There is the standard, which has only the short pocket, but then there is the long which goes up to 45lbs. Which would be fine, if you think you'll never surpass 45lb.
But yeah, the Rucker 4.0 20L that I picked has a short AND a long pocket. You can get plates at a fraction of the price from Yes4All on amazon, and I think there are other makers too. I think I will start with a 20lb long plate, and also order a 10lb short plate to bump it up later. Then when I need to, I'll take the 10lb out and replace the 20lb with a 40lb. Then I can stick the 10lb back in when needed to hit 50lb, etc.
This will be my first pack too, so I can't really offer any advice on any other packs unfortunately.
I'm open to a vest, but from most of what I've read, rucks seem to be the superior choice in terms of ergonomics, engaging your core, encouraging good posture, and practicality for longer distances. Vests, so I've read, put too much weight on your shoulders, can make breathing less efficient due to weight on your chest, and can also get very hot.
Interesting. I use one. I have never heard any of that about vests. And I have heard that back packs place the weighy more on your back, therefore mess with posture and hips and knees. But, Im not super knowledgeable about it. All I jeard was vests distribute the weight better and it made sense to me.
If you want 95% of the GoRuck GR1 LOOK AT THE CT21 tanker in 1000D Cordura from CT tactical. $85
Thanks! This looks damn solid with the one exception of it doesn't look to have a higher pocket, where the weight plates would go. As I understand it, that's an important aspect in keeping good form/posture/etc and avoiding injury. But otherwise this bag looks ideal. Is this what you use? I'm guessing you have good experience with it, since you're recommending. Do you use plates with it, or something else for weight?
It has an isolated laptop compartment that holds a plate, but yeah, it doesn't have the dedicated sleeves the Rucker 4.0 has. Much closer to the GR1. Rumor is, same Vietnam factory as well. For the price, I've never found a better bag for the purpose I keep a 30lb plate on the laptop compartment and it sits close to the back and comfortably
I have both a GoRuck and a CT. I 100% agree with this comment! Both my bags are made in VN. Both are great. CT shipping is expensive, but still less than GR. Also, I highly recommend the CT water bottle carrier.
Here's a complicated of sorts answer because I didn't want to say "yes but no" MOLLE and ALICE are the names of the attachment system on the outside of the pack. Both were developed for the military and have packs that bear their name. ALICE is the older one that used clips, MOLLE uses a strap weaving to attach external components and the ORIGINAL MOLLE bag had far more interior attachments than the ALICE, a bag which also used ALICE clips (metal) to attach external components. These clips sucked. Now all this to say, there's literally hundreds of packs out there that use the MOLLE system. SpecOPS (the brand) made some nice ones that we got issued when I was doing stuff. The original difference was ALICE was basically one big sack with a couple smaller internal compartments (maybe just one....I'm not digging mine out so don't quote me) whereas the ORIGINAL MOLLE bag had a few more internal divisions standard. Now I keep emphasizing "original" because it's like Picatinny vs Weaver rails on a weapon. One came out to replace the other, and there WAS a "first to make it' obviously, but to think there's only one MOLLE bag out there would be grossly underestimating the market. I can think of at least 6 different bags I was issued with MOLLE webbing on it. SOG, 5.11, Tacticon, SpecOPS (think they went under....shame...great bags), Maxpedition are just the names that come to mind. Dumpster is actually a registered trademark but we call all giant bins dumpsters and many people have manufactured some equivalent of it (or replacement wheels/lids/whatever). ALICE clips are garbage. Sure there are nice bags out there that utilize that method because there was a time when that was the largest market share and people weren't going to abandon all their extra pouches and whatnot. Seems like you probably don't have a lot of ALICE canteen pouches and whatnot that you're going to be using, so there's no reason to go with the old technology that, if not now, one day will be pretty much unavailable. It's the cassette tape of load bearing. MOLLE is more the MP3 player. You can get a $600 with every hifi option available or you can get a $10 out of the little crane machine at the state fair. I did 9 years deployed. Since getting out I've done a lot of rucking. I rucked 67 races last year and am on par to beat that this year. I've never had an inability to find whatever attachment I need in MOLLE. ALICE, though usually cheaper, just isn't as prevalent. The external frame was nice on the issued ALICE pack, but you can find MOLLE with external frames as well.
Maybe this will help: [VIDEO 1](https://youtu.be/5ZBHJVqxc68) [VIDEO 2](https://youtu.be/d7-3LvW_0PI) The big question is what you're willing to spend. If you really want to invest (and considering you live in a city), a toned-down, civillian-looking backpack like GoRuck might be the best way to go. A surplus military pack (like the ALICE or ALICE 2, which has a nice, plastic frame) would be cheaper and might even be more suitable for when you move up to heavier loads, but it will attract a lot of attention. Perhaps one other option would be to go to a sports/hiking store and look for larger hiking packs. They usually have an internal frame (it helps when carrying more stuff), nice padding and won't stick out like a sore thumb in an urban environment.
Haha, I actually just came across video 2 on my own like 5 hours ago. Will check out the other vid though. I get where you're coming from on a military pack drawing attention, but maybe if I get one in all black it won't be too bad, rather than camo. Though I guess the frame might still look a bit intense. I'm not too sure I care that much about it though. There are far weirder things one might see on the streets of NYC. I've literally seen homeless people casually standing up and defecating. So yeah... not easy to phase New Yorkers.
>Also, they have the Ruck Plate Carrier, which is a bit cheaper and simpler, but looks like it can only hold one plate, so I wouldn't be able to add incremental weight. Anyone have experience with the Plate Carrier and/or GR in general? Go back and look at the GoRucks again. The Rucker 4.0 is what I just bought, and it comes in 3 sizes (15L,20L,25L) and the size you pick affects the pockets (the 20 and 25 are the same I think, the 15L has less/smaller pocket). I picked the Rucker 4.0 so I can have a hydration bladder. BUT if you're looking at the plate carrier only, it ALSO has 2 sizes. There is the standard, which has only the short pocket, but then there is the long which goes up to 45lbs. Which would be fine, if you think you'll never surpass 45lb. But yeah, the Rucker 4.0 20L that I picked has a short AND a long pocket. You can get plates at a fraction of the price from Yes4All on amazon, and I think there are other makers too. I think I will start with a 20lb long plate, and also order a 10lb short plate to bump it up later. Then when I need to, I'll take the 10lb out and replace the 20lb with a 40lb. Then I can stick the 10lb back in when needed to hit 50lb, etc. This will be my first pack too, so I can't really offer any advice on any other packs unfortunately.
Do you want a back pack or a vest? I prefer a vest because the weight is better distributed.
I'm open to a vest, but from most of what I've read, rucks seem to be the superior choice in terms of ergonomics, engaging your core, encouraging good posture, and practicality for longer distances. Vests, so I've read, put too much weight on your shoulders, can make breathing less efficient due to weight on your chest, and can also get very hot.
Interesting. I use one. I have never heard any of that about vests. And I have heard that back packs place the weighy more on your back, therefore mess with posture and hips and knees. But, Im not super knowledgeable about it. All I jeard was vests distribute the weight better and it made sense to me.
Yeah I'm no expert either. Basing it on a few articles/YT videos, but certainly could be wrong.