The 6 Best Rucking Backpacks, Trail-Tested by Fitness Editors

You’ve probably seen GORUCK’s packs somewhere in your IG feed— the brand is favored by a certain group of training professionals that are both prolific and public in their love of GORUCK’s products. When that happens, it’s natural to start feeling like it’s too much of a good thing. So does the brand live up to the hype? Short answer: absolutely. We found that in a sea of great backpacks, GORUCK’s range was best suited for rucking-specific activities.

The Rucker 4.0 in particular emerged as a winner. The padding blends the comfortable and the practical, with an extra 10 mm of EVA foam padding along the bottom section of the back panel supports the natural curve of your back and helps relieve pressure and balance weight. Adding to that sense of balance, the interior ruck plate pocket is elevated, keeping the weight high and secure to help prevent friction and injury.

We also like that the back panel and underside of the shoulder straps use High Tenacity CORDURA® to help prevent friction when rucking shirtless or with pilling-sensitive fabric like merino wool. We found the Rucker 4.0 to be intentionally designed at every level and, if anything, overbuilt, which is perfect for a pack you’ll lug heavy-weighted plates in.

Editor Charles Thorp adds “I first got the GoRuck 4.0 specifically for rucking on the trails by my house, but it quickly became my everyday bag as well. Everything that makes it a great rucking bag also makes it a great work bag, because no matter what kind of gear I’m taking to the office, from multiple laptops to recording equipment, the design supports proper posture while I’m on the move. On top of it being incredibly functional, I also like the utilitarian look of the bag in contrast to other options that have too much going on. While the pack doesn’t come with an integrated hip belt, it is compatible with the brand’s sold separately version for heavier weight and longer rucks.

While we’d love to see that included with the pack, it’s a smaller and more inexpensive addition for those who prefer it.