Monkey with Chainsaw

For a handful of reasons, I decided to pick up a GORUCK GR1.  It arrived at the end of last week, and like a giddy schoolboy, I unboxed it (and my new GR TAC) and wore it empty around my office.  (not really) ((ok, yeah, I did))

I’m not going to go into crazy detail about unboxing, and it’s features, because if you know how to use Google, you can see it’s been done many times already:  (here, here, here)  I’ll just throw a couple of pics up and compare it to my existing JanSport backpack (which was also made in the USA).

Side by side with my old JanSport pack, the GR1 is similar in size.  The straps are much beefier, with slightly wider padding and several more bartacks.  My JanSport hadn’t failed in any manner, the main signs of stress are on the attachment point of the shoulder straps.  The threads are stretched, but nowhere near failure.

Don’t worry, the fake mustaches will make the transition to the new pack.  As all of the reviews have stated, the finishing inside and out of this bag is top-notch.  My immediate impression is that I will miss the compression straps and will need to add a sternum strap.

With the bricks loaded (and a foam canoe block), the pack is stable with what seems like plenty of room for the rest of the gear needed for the challenge.  I’m looking forward to breaking it in this week.  I’ll post again if I come across anything noteworthy.