GORUCK Rucker vs GR1: Which One Should You Buy?

GORUCK makes possibly the most durable backpacks out there. From the tough Cordura material, to the heavy stitching, if you’re simply looking for a backpack that will last a lifetime then all of GORUCK’s backpacks will meet your need! Since all of GORUCK’s backpacks are all made with the same quality, the same durability, and are promised to last a lifetime, then the only thing your decision on which backpack to buy is based on is what purpose you need the backpack for and what scenarios you will be in.

How I’ll compare these two legendary backpacks is I’ll put together all the commonalities of the Rucker and the GR1, followed by the differences, and giving an in-depth review on all these features.

(Both the Rucker and GR1 have larger versions, like the Long-Range Rucker and the GR2 & GR3)

Since I personally own both of these backpacks, be assured I’m not just searching for information on these backpacks, but I’m going based on my own personal experience. Now, the Rucker has gone through some version changes since I’ve bought the one I own back in 2020, but I’ll mention what those changes are.

After I go into the features of the Rucker and the GR1, I’ll discuss what these backpacks are intended for and what scenarios each are best suited for. The reason this is good to know is because depending on your lifestyle, one of these backpacks may do a better job at meeting your requirements in a backpack.

Right away you could say that the Rucker is meant for ruck marches or training, while the GR1 (or any of the GR bags for that matter) is more suitable for travel or as an everyday carry backpack. For the most part this is true, and if that’s all the information you need then I’ll link the two backpack below.

GORUCK Rucker

GORUCK GR1

But if that’s not off enough and you want to dive deep so that you can select the most suitable GORUCK backpack for you, then let’s get to it!

Similarities

Material

The Rucker and the GR1 are both built with the ultra-durable 1000D Cordura, which is scratch and abrasion resistant and highly water resistant (rain-proof). These bags were designed to be able to handle anything thrown at it. GORUCK’s Scars Lifetime Guarantee also says just how confident they are in their gear. Also, the material is very easy to wash. A good hose down of water should get all the dirt and grime off.

Shoulder straps

When carrying a lot of gear or going on a long heavy ruck, it’s crucial to have shoulder straps that takes the burden off your shoulders and traps. The straps of both the GR1 and Rucker are very well padded, and curve out so it doesn’t cause uncomfortable rubbing as your arms swing back and forth. The buckles on the bottom are also placed on the bottom of the shoulder straps so it’s not digging into your side.

Large Single compartment

Nothing fancy here, but a single storage compartment (with smaller compartments within that). There’s a lot of room in here for gear to carry. The GORUCK Rucker and GR1 were designed to be laid down with the back on the ground, and the front compartment opened all the way and flapped down. This is how I personally do it with my GORUCK bags and it’s so easy to store gear this way, and also allows you to see everything inside without worrying about storing one thing on top of the other. Actually, at the time of this article, my wife and I are using our Rucker as a diaper bag. It can hold tons of extra clothes, diapers, wipes, medicine, and more.

Waist belt option

Both the Rucker and the GR1 have the option to have a waist belt attached to the webbing on the sides. A waist belt is handy to have for those extra heavy loads on your back. Once you get your Rucker or GR1 on and tight, do up the waist belt, get that tight and as comfortable as possible on your hips, and then loosen the load slightly on your shoulders, which will put more load on your hips. Because your hips are more central on your body, it will be much more bearable for long rucks or walks.

Inner pockets

The inner pockets are the same, but different. The Rucker has a lower mesh and an upper pocket with Velcro to fasten it, while the GR1 uses a zipper with parachute 550 cord pulls to fasten the lower mesh and upper pocket. The Rucker used to be the same as the GR1 in this area but GORUCK made modifications on the Rucker to Velcro in order to prevent the excess zipper malfunctions due to heavy rucks hitting the concrete ground repeatedly. The zipper lost every time.

Top handle

Both of these packs come with an ultra-rugged and durable top handle. If you’ve ever had a backpack or rucksack where the top handle would come apart over time, there’s no worry about that happening with GORUCK products. These top handles have some of the most heavy duty stitching I’ve seen.

YYK Zippers / Parachute 550 cord pulls

I love this about the GORUCK backpacks! All zippers used are heavy duty YYK zippers and the pulls are made using parachute 550 cord with a heat shrink material which is extremely easy to find and grab. You’re also not going to get any metal on metal clanging.

Hydration slot

Both the Rucker and the GR1 has a slot under the top handle which allows for a hydration bladder hose to be fitted through. This is excellent and I would say necessary for both the Rucker and GR1. The Rucker because of lengthy rucks, having the ability to carry and drink water without having to hold a water bottle is a game changer. The GR1 because as an everyday carry bag, you could be on a hike, or traveling by bus or train, so having a hose off your shoulder to stay hydrated is key. Also, you can still utilize the GR1 as a rucksack to some degree, so it could serve the same purpose as the Rucker.

Sternum Strap

The Rucker and the GR1 have the option to have a sternum strap installed on the shoulder strap webbing. This is ideal for any sort of heavy loads. It’ll keep the shoulder straps nice and close together so that they’re sitting high on your shoulders and trap muscles, which can handle the weight (hopefully).

Differences

Sizes/volume

Although the Rucker and the GR1 both come in different sizes (a smaller and a larger), they don’t have the exact same valume capacity, although very close. The Rucker is available in a 20L and a 25L capacity. The GR1 on the other hand is available in a 21L and a 26L capacity. I own the 20L Rucker and the 21L GR1 and to be honest I don’t notice which is larger or smaller between the two.

Outer Pocket (GR1)

My Rucker (the 2.0 version) actually has the outer zippered pocket, same as the GR1. But GORUCK had said that they were constantly getting Rucker bags sent to them for repairs because the outer zipper was getting completely smashed from the intense workouts people were putting them through. So to solve this, GORUCK did away with the Rucker outer zipper pocket completely. The GR1 still has the outer pocket though which is great for putting documents such as a passport or boarding pass.

Inner Slots for Ruck Plates (Rucker)

The Rucker was built for, well, rucking. In my personal experience, in order to get a rucksack with a decent amount of weight, you had to pack it with a bunch of gear and kit. The only way to practice rucking to build up your endurance without carrying a massive ruck on your back was to bring a backpack with dumbbells in it. Which, after about 12 seconds I realized it was a bad idea. The weight wouldn’t be centred, the backpack couldn’t handle the weight, and my hips, back, and shoulders were screaming STOP. The Rucker is by far the best backpack on the market for rucking. Having the option to either use the Rucker as an everyday carry backpack or use it to go on a ruck march is ingenious.

The Rucker 20L has a single slot for a GORUCK Ruck Plate, while the 25L Rucker has 2 slots for Ruck Plates. Keep in mind that if you want to do some heavy rucking then getting the 25L Rucker will allow you to carry the 45LB Ruck Plate, in addition to a 20LB or 30LB Ruck plate, allowing you to carry up to 75LBS!

It is worth mentioning that the GR1 is able to insert Ruck Plates in the interior elastic slot, but is only recommended for upright rucking, because there isn’t a flap to secure the plate in place. Also, I find the GR1 interior slot doesn’t hold the ruck plate perfectly in place like the Rucker does, so you may feel some weight shift if you use the GR1. At the end of the day, the GORUCK Rucker is the ideal backpack for any sort of rucking.

Bottom & side handles (Rucker)

Because the Rucker is ideal for workouts, the Rucker has a bottom handle and side handles to allow you to do a number of exercises. Overhead press, weighted one arm carry’s, kettlebell swing, and many more. My wife and I currently use the Rucker as our diaper bag, so when we open the backseat door, the bottom handle of the Rucker is right there, so I can easily pull it out.

Bombproof Laptop Compartment

Along the backside of the GR1 is a bombproof laptop compartment. I was able to store my 13” MacBook inside without its case on, but it was very secure and protected. The bottom of the laptop compartment doesn’t reach the bottom of the bag either so you don’t have to worry about the laptop contacting the ground if you place it down. To access the zipper of the laptop compartment I just flipped one of the shoulder straps over the front of the bag and then I can easily pull the zipper to open the compartment. This is a great feature for anyone in University or College.

Inner webbing

Inside the GR1 there is MOLLE Webbing which can be used for attaching specific gear to the inside of the backpack with carabiners. You and also use it for securing the top of a hydration bladder. The Rucker does not have this feature because instead it has the weighted Ruck Plate slots.

Hi-Vis Reflective Stripe

As mentioned before, the Rucker has gone through some modification over the years. One of which was the removal of the exterior zippered pocket, which in its place is not a big angled reflective stripe. This is excellent for traffic to be able to easily spot you on the side of the road as they’re approaching behind you. If you’re looking for a backpack to be used for operations though, then you may want to go with the GR1 which wouldn’t have the reflective stripe.

Scenarios / Utilization

Both the Rucker and GR1 can be used for all aspects. The Rucker is going to better suit those who are more into rucking and general fitness, but can still be used as an everyday carry backpack.

The GR1 is able to be used as a rucksack, but is more suited as an everyday carry backpack and excellent for travelling and being able to carry a bunch of stuff comfortably.

I personally own these two backpacks myself and without question they are the most durable backpacks I have every used.

I hope this article has been helpful to you in making your decision on whether to buy a Rucker or GR1. Whichever you decide to go with, you won’t be disappointed.