The Informant: The Last Backpack You’ll Ever Need to Buy
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For decades, if not centuries, designers have adapted military pragmatism into civilian fashion, taking colors, fabrics and silhouettes from the uniforms of war and placing them in a generation’s couture. But in the past decades, the car wreck of “Operator Culture,” or a reverence to the special-ops badasses glorified in every action movie under the sun, has given way to some truly obscene items: pants and shirts festooned with pockets and places to conceal a weapon, bags and luggage loaded down with flaps and straps and all manner of buckles. I’m a features writer who often covers war and armed conflict, so it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you need to be geared out like a Call of Duty character everytime you leave the house. That thinking, however, has often led men of my generation – and some in my profession – toward ridiculous acts of overcompensation like “tactical” baby carriers and combat-ready footwear that rarely treads outside of suburban shopping malls. But that doesn’t mean everything designed for the military minded among us is a failure.
The GoRuck GR1 is by far and away the greatest backpack I have ever used. Its branding and marketing panders to the worst of our operator-obsessed culture, but the product itself manages to keep the practicality and function of actual military tech without abandoning classic design and simplicity. Other “tactical” backpacks look like an accessory to a cheap action figure – bogged down by pockets and zippers, hanging off their wearers’ backs like massive camouflage tortoise shells. Sure, the GR1 comes in two lurid camo patterns, but the standard option is a flat black clamshell rucksack that’s streamlined and unobtrusive enough to pair with everything from gym clothes to a rumpled casual suit. I bought mine for its tactical utility – I wanted a rugged all-conditions bag for overseas reporting trips and plenty of domestic travel, but it quickly became something I used on a daily basis for almost any occasion.
Its capacity surprised me as well. The GR1’s clamshell opening and no-frills interior – two zippered pockets and a laptop sleeve – can pack more gear and goods inside that I would have thought. If I need to leave for a short trip to the gym or up to a week of travel, I can fit everything I’ll need – cameras, clothes, all my tech – in the bag without much hassle, and still slide it underneath an airplane seat to maximize the value of a budget no-carry-on flight. The MOLLE webbing on the outside is useful without becoming a hindrance. There’s enough space to attach or strap accessories as needed – when I’m working in a conflict zone, I carry a small trauma first-aid pouch strapped to the side – but I’ve also used it to clip on a pair of flip flops for a trip to the beach.
And as advertised, the bag’s construction is military grade. In over a year of use I can’t find a single stitch that has frayed. The zippers have never caught once and held up under considerable strain. The rugged Cordura material holds its shape and dries fast when it gets wet; even caked-on dirt brushes off with little hassle. Like the best of army-inspired gear, it will withstand the test of time in both function – and style.
GoRuck GR1 – USA Backpack
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This backpack looks as great as it functions in the field.
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