Tested: These Are The Best Rucksacks For Serious Hauling

From duffels to slings to briefcases to modern messenger bags and backpacks, there’s no shortage of options on the market for hauling your gear and belongings. However, if you’re looking for pure utility, durability, and cargo space, there’s objectively no better choice than a modern rucksack. Utilizing a simplistic design where fashion takes a backseat to function, contemporary rucksacks were first introduced to meet the needs of military personnel, and have since become an integral component of the U.S. Army Special Forces’ training program, which sees trainees carry packs heavily loaded with military equipment and supplies over vast distances.

Characterized by their spartan and incredibly rugged nature, military rucksacks were eventually adopted and adapted by the civilian world, where the bags are often slightly tweaked in order to better lend themselves to everything from everyday use to camping to hiking — or “rucking.” With so many options on today’s market, we thought we’d take the time to round up our picks for the latest and greatest models currently available in this guide to the best rucksacks you can buy. In addition to counting down our picks, we’ll also be delving into what exactly a rucksack is, the bag’s history, and what to consider when shopping for one.

Factors To Consider When Buying A Rucksack

Though they’re pretty much all designed for the same purposes, rucksacks do possess a myriad of finer points to which one should be privy when shopping. Below, we’ve highlighted five of the most crucial areas to take into consideration before pulling the trigger on your purchase.

Primary Storage: Because rucks are meant for schlepping around heavy loads, the amount of storage space that they offer is immensely important. This metric is usually measured in liters (or gallons). Additionally, you’ll also want to explore a bag’s weight capacity (i.e. how many pounds of gear it can accommodate without ripping or failing).

Supplementary Storage: Rucksacks are typically focused on and built around a single main compartment, though in recent times we’ve seen these primary areas supplemented with additional exterior pockets, as well as straps, MOLLE webbing, and other attachment points for hauling extra gear on the bag’s exterior. Some rucksacks are also expandable and can be opened up to unlock even more storage space.

Materials: Just like with any regular backpack, the materials used to construct a rucksack play an enormous role in its overall durability and quality. This is especially important when dealing with rucksacks as these vessels need to be able to withstand immense loads. As such, rucksacks tend to be crafted from particularly hardwearing materials like CORDURA, X-Pac, and ballistic-grade and other high-tenacity, high-denier nylons.

Load-Bearing Capabilities: Unsurprisingly, a rucksack’s load-bearing capabilities play an enormous role in determining its overall quality, as the entire purpose of these bags is to be able to carry ample gear for extended durations. As a result, factors such as the construction techniques used to produce a bag and what areas are reinforced both play pivotal roles in a rucksack’s performance and capabilities.

Style: Though rucksacks put a premium on functionality and utility over aesthetics, these bags nonetheless come in a wide variety of different styles, as well as in a host of different colors. This segment is comprised of everything from hardcore military packs to rucksack-backpack hybrids and practically everything in between. So, while we’d always recommend focusing more on utility when buying a ruck, there’s nothing wrong with letting your personal taste play a minor role in your decision.

Selection & Testing

When we first set out to uncover the latest and greatest rucksacks on the market, we kicked off our search by first generating a list of criteria that we would use to guide or selections. This included areas such as a bag’s materials, manufacturing technique(s), size, design and features, and hardware and trim, along with each pack’s harness system and ergonomics. This criteria would ultimately allow us to generate a shortlist of candidates that we felt may stand as some of the best on the market. In order to gain a more comprehensive sense of a rucksack’s performance — and how well it actually lends itself to rucking —  you have to actually fill each pack and set out on an extended march. So, with this in mind, we proceeded to do exactly that; getting hands-on with each rucksack from our shortlist and then putting it through its paces.

This hands-on testing process not only shined a light on performance and conduciveness to actual rucking, but it also helped us to glean info on other firsthand areas such as each pack’s build quality and ergonomics, as well as how its organizational features and layout actual work in practice. After heavily loading up each back and testing them individually and side-by-side, we then used our firsthand findings to narrow our initial shortlist down to a final hard list of backpacks that our testing showed to be the best rucksacks currently on the market. 

Chrome Industries Barrage Cargo Backpack

Best Cyclist Pick: Offering incredible value considering its extremely rugged materials and build quality, the Chrome Industries Barrage Cargo Backpack is an expandable roll-top pack that boasts a main compartment with a watertight seal that offers between 18 and 22 liters of storage space. Inside, the bag is lined with a floating, welded waterproof bucket liner while its exterior has been fitted with a padded back panel and a series of criss-crossing webbing adorning its front face. In addition to its watertight seal, the fact this pack comes loaded with a 15” laptop sleeve. I was quickly impressed with the Barrage Cargo bag’s rugged materials and build quality, expandable design, and ample external mounting and lashing options, however, what  really earned it a spot on this list is its advanced ergonomic harness system.

Equipped with one of Chrome Industries’ signature seatbelt-style buckles, this harness system did a phenomenal job evenly and comfortably distributing weight across my entire back. And, even when it was overstuffed, the pack’s sternum strap did a stellar job of keeping it from moving around on my back as I moved around. Though this system was technically engineered for cyclists, it nonetheless does a phenomenal job of lending itself to rucking — even without the benefit of a was it strap. 

Fjällräven High Coast Foldsack 24L

Best Outdoor Pick: Extremely lightweight at just over 1lb, the Fjällräven High Coast Foldsack 24 is a versatile, outdoor-ready carry solution that’s crafted entirely from recycled 210-denier polyamide. Produced in more than 10 color options, the exterior of the pack boasts padded shoulder straps, a quick-access pocket, and a detachable hip belt. The bag’s primary compartment features a zippered fold-top closure that’s secured via an aluminum G-hook. Inside, there are multiple organizers, along with a dedicated laptop sleeve capable of accommodating notebooks of up to 15” in size.

Is this bag as rugged or robust as most of the other models I tested? No. In fact, not by a long shot in some cases. Having said that, the High Coast Foldsack 24L wasn’t the result of Fjällräven setting out to deliver a bombproof backpack, and was instead meant to be a decently-durable yet extremely lightweight outdoor pack that affords decent comfort and 24 liters of storage space — all for only $100. And considering their aim, it’s hard to say Fjällräven did anything other than crush their objective here. I should also point out that, because it looked rather thin in the photos I saw of it before actually getting hands-on with the bag, I expected its waist strap to be more of an afterthought on Fjällräven’s part more than a functional element, but I was definitely wrong there, as it really did help more evenly distribute weight across my body. 

Topo Designs Rover Pack Premium

Best Vintage-Inspired Pick: Made in America, Topo Designs’ Rover Pack Premium is an updated, top-shelf take on one of the brand’s most popular backpacks. This high-end variant sees its standard construction counterpart’s shell material replaced with a hardwearing combination of 1,000-denier ballistic-grade nylon and 200-denier nylon before being fitted with 450-denier TPE-coated polyester ripstop and a 210-denier nylon pack cloth liner. Offered exclusively in a fully-blacked-out colorway, this old-school-inspired design conceals a useful suite of internal organizational features including an internal laptop sleeve.

The outside of the bag also boasts a pair of zipper-secured exterior pockets — one of which is built into the bag’s storm flap. Despite its unmistakably-retro-inspired appearance, this Topo Designs bag really surprised me with how comfortable and supportive its harness system was — though the bag is devoid of a waist strap to help further distribute the pack’s load. Between an excellent fit and finish, a striking black-on-black dual-construction exterior, and custom-Topo Designs-branded, blacked-out exterior hardware, this contemporary rucksack model also has a very elevated look and appearance that doesn’t necessarily scream “luxury” or “high-end” upon first glance, though upon closer inspection it at least announces it. Best of all, the thing costs less than $175 — a bit of a steal considering the quality and materials alone. 

DSPTCH Ruckpack

Best EDC Pack: Though DSPTCH’s Rucksack is a modern and thoroughly-calculated bag, it nonetheless possesses all of the hallmark traits of a classic ruck. Made in America, the bag features mil-spec webbing, a panel-loading design, Duraflex hardware, and 25 liters of internal storage space. What’s more, the bag’s also cut from ultra-rugged 1,680-denier nylon, though if you somehow manage to damage this ballistic-grade material, DSPTCH stands behind the product with a generous lifetime warranty.

On top of a 1-inch-thick padded laptop sleeve, this rucksack also features an expandable top with a drawstring closure and a flap-top with two integrated quick-access pockets. This setup not only provides decent coverage from the elements, but it also allows for a bit of expandability when maxing out the ruck’s capacity. What makes this bag so unique, in my opinion, is the fact that it delivers the actual capabilities of a true rucking-focused rucksack — with a military-inspired layout and stellar load-bearing and weight distribution — in a thoroughly modern-looking, slimmed-down package that would blend right in with the rest of the bags at practically any campus or workplace. And, while it’s admittedly not cheap, the pack’s lifetime warranty literally guarantees a lifetime of use — though with its materials and build quality, you’ll probably never need to use that warranty. 

Mystery Ranch BLITZ 35

Best Tactical/Military Inspired Pick: Sporting a 35.8-liter capacity, the Mystery Ranch BLITZ 35 is a modern rollmop-style pack that brilliantly balances tactical design features with amenities aimed at everyday use. Constructed around a framed harness that’s produced in multiple sizes, the BLITZ 35’s  military-inspired exterior is cut from rugged 500-denier CORDURA nylon and boasts several rows if PALS webbing, an attached admin lid, and a hydro-ported body panel. Tipping the scales at under 4.5lbs, the bag also features coated YKK #10 zippers that run almost the entire vertical width of the bag, providing access from the roll-top opening or complete unobstructed access to its contents via the vertical side zip. These heavily-weather-resistant zipper tracks open to reveal a minimalistic interior that provides organization and storage for basic essentials in the form of internal water bottle pockets and a loop-lined padded, floating laptop sleeve that fits notebooks of up to 15”.

This internal storage in its main compartment is supplemented via external water bottle slips and a pair of stacked quick-access pockets that are both adorned in rows of PALS webbing and fitted with the main cavity’s same coated YKK zippers. What really makes this bag so special is its ability to serve as a wildly competent everyday carry pack while also ticking just about every box one could ask for in a purpose-built rucking sack, with its hardwearing construction, flap and roll-top-secured main compartment, bevy of side and lower compression straps, and low-profile, removable pocketed waist belt to help more evenly distribute the bag’s load across its wearer. 

GORUCK GR1

Best USA Made Pick: When it comes to modern rucksacks, nobody does it better than the seasoned experts at GORUCK, as the company’s bags have been setting the standard in the segment since the Floridian firm’s inception in 2008. Sold in 21- and 26-liter sizes and produced in seven solid and camo color options, GORUCK’s immensely popular GR1 bag was designed by Special Forces soldiers operating in Baghdad and modeled after the medical rucks they carried — leading to its flat-lay-opening setup and ridiculously durable 1,000-denier CORDURA construction. Other highlights on this TSA-compliant bag include three external rows of MOLLE webbing, an external slant pocket, a trio of interior pockets, a removable hard plastic frame sheet, glove-friendly YKK zippers with 550 paracord pulls, shoulder straps with ultra-thick padding, and a literally bombproof suspended laptop compartment with a false bottom. This extremely rugged, American-made bag also comes backed by GORUCK’s SCARS Lifetime Guarantee.

Honestly, once you actually experience this bag’s robust feel and rugged build quality, and spend even a brief time using it, it becomes abundantly clear why the GR1 has become one of the most sought-after backpacks on the market. And, though I’d argue it doesn’t even begin to in anyway outweigh its slew of strengths and pros, I do need to acknowledge the fact that the GR1 sadly doesn’t come equipped with a waist strap — or even an optional one — which is a real shame because practically every other aspect of this bag otherwise make it an outstanding choice for actual rucking. 

Check out our in-depth GORUCK GR1 backpack review here.

Mission Workshop Rhake VX

Best Overall Pick: Made in America in small batches to ensure the highest possible levels of craftsmanship and quality control, the Mission Workshop Rhake VX is a super premium roll-top bag that’s been engineered using a spare-no-expense design ethos. Crafted from insanely durable — and completely waterproof — X-Pac VX-21 sailcloth, the Rhake VX offers 22 liters of storage space that includes an externally-accessible 16” laptop sleeve, a secondary 10” tablet sleeve, and a pair of front fold-out pockets secured using a set of FIDLOCK buckles. A magnetically-coupling FIDLOCK is also used for the bag’s adjustable sternum strap. 

The Rhake VX’s combination of an X-Pac sailcloth construction, weatherproof zippers used on all external tracks, and a uniquely-folding triple-secured Velcro and G-hook-secured roll-top closure together afford this modern-day ruck with exceptional levels of weather resistance. And, while it boasts some of the best overall build quality of any bag we’ve tested, the Rhake does come at a fairly steep price — the top-of-the-line Rhake VX even more so. With that said, it’s bevy of features, genuinely clever design, immense weatherproofing, top-shelf materials, and the fact it will almost certainly provide a lifetime of dependable use collectively make its exorbitant price a lot easier to stomach. We should also acknowledge the fact this bag is devoid of waist straps and — unlike some MW backpacks — can’t be optioned with an available upgrade set. 

Check out our in-depth Mission Workshop Rhake backpack review here.

Filson Rugged Twill Rucksack

Best Heirloom Worthy Pick: Sporting a classically-styled design that’s been brought to life using super premium, ultra-durable materials, the Filson Rugged Twill Rucksack is a 33-liter heirloom-quality backpack that comes backed by a lifetime warranty. Made in America, the Rugged Twill Ruck is pieced together from a lightly-waxed Rugged Twill construction that’s been supplemented via vegetable-tanned Bridle leather accents. The bag’s main compartment is covered by a storm-flap that’s secured via a pair of leather straps and a rustproof heavy-gauge YKK zipper that’s also made from brass. 

Despite its yesteryear appearance, Filson’s Rugged Twill Rucksack is no doubt massively elevated by its ability to marry traditional design language with an amalgamation of the best of both modern and old-world construction techniques — which includes seeing the heritage brand’s Tin Cloth construction used at the binding of all interior seams. Benefitting from a spare-no-expense approach and a meticulous level of fit and finish, this heirloom-grade rucksack also boasts a set of genuine brass hardware that’s been custom-sand-cast for Filson. It’s probably also worth noting that this bag is devoid of waist straps, pretty hugely mitigating an already less-than-ruck-ready bag — albeit a very characterful one that’s practically begging to become a modern-day family heirloom. 

Best Rucksacks Comparison Chart

A Condensed History Of The Rucksack

Taking its name from “der rücken,” the German word for “the back,” rucksacks have been used by military forces for decades, though they also represent some of the very first bags ever used by humans, dating all the way back to the Copper Age. These bags were essentially primitive, single-pocket backpacks with a soft flap opening that were often crafted from animal skins or furs and typically constructed around a rigid frame — not unlike a modern backpacking pack. In fact, Ötzi the Iceman mummy was famously discovered in the Val Senales Valley in Italy with a primitive fur-construction rucksack.

Some of the earliest military use of what we’d today identify as a rucksack began with Union soldiers in the Civil War, who used a canvas knapsack with a single main compartment, a flap opening, and leather straps for securing additional gear. This design saw continued use into the early 1900s, receiving minor tweaks along the way. In 1909, the U.S. Army Infantry Equipment Board convened to review standard-issue gear for soldiers, resulting in new specifications that led to the creation of the olive drab canvas haversack. From this point, the U.S. Military began using increasingly purpose-built and specific bags such as the M1936 haversack.

In 1941, the War Department tasked the National Ski Association with evaluating multiple new bag designs, leading the NSA to select a rucksack. Built around an external metal frame, this rugged bag was made from duck canvas or rattan and was engineered specifically for military personnel engaging in mountain warfare. Capable of supporting heavy loads thanks to reinforcements at key stress points, these bags featured a truly game-changing shoulder and waist strap system that better-distributed weight across the wearer’s body — a design that’s been utilized on the majority of rucksacks and backpacks ever since.

Over the last 80 or so years, rucksacks have continued to evolve, gaining ever lighter, more rugged, and more weatherproof materials and construction techniques, additional pockets and organizational systems, and a slew of other contemporary updates. Despite their advancements, the basic concept of rucksacks has gone largely unchanged, with the bags being designed to carry heavy loads across long distances — a practice that’s known as “rucking.”

Unpacking The Finer Points Of Rucksacks

Though very similar to backpacks in many ways, rucksacks are engineered with a single focus in mind: hauling heavy loads on foot for prolonged periods over vast distances. As such, rucksacks tend to be markedly more rugged and robust compared to traditional bookbag-style backpacks. In addition to being able to carry more weight — and often afford more cargo space — rucksacks also do a far better job of spreading the bag’s weight across the upper body of their wearers thanks to suspension systems comprised of shoulder straps paired with waist belts and sternum straps.

Frequently capable of accommodating several hundred pounds of gear, most rucksacks sport a clamshell or soft-flap opening at the top of the bag that grants access to the main compartment. Like most military garments or pieces of gear — or military-inspired offerings — rucksacks tend to boast an extremely minimalistic outward appearance, with spartan designs that favor function over form. Compared to backpacks, rucksacks can often be overkill for most daily-use needs, however, for applications such as camping, backpacking, and hiking, rucksacks are truly hard to beat.

Tested: The Best Commuter Backpacks for Heading Back to the Office

Want to check out another selection of stellar carry solutions? Then be sure to cruise over to our guide to the best commuter backpacks.