backpack

Grey Ghost Gear Debuts Magnificent BAR-5200 Modern Ruck

Grey Ghost Gear is proud to announce the release of its BAR-5200: the mightiest of modern rucks. The magnificent BAR-5200 pack is an excruciatingly well-designed evolution of the old military ALICE pack. It features many improvements – and of course more than a little GG flair.

The BAR-5200 is constructed from 500 denier Cordura Nylon with reinforcing on the high-stress areas. The pack consists of eight exterior pouches plus a claymore pocket on the top of the flap with an additional zippered mesh pocket underneath. On the subject of zippers, we’ve made provision for those times when you forget to zip things back up in the pissing-down rain. All of BAR-5200’s exterior pouches are built with drainage grommets in the bottom.

As for the main compartment, it can be accessed either by unbuckling and lifting the top flap or by opening the backdoor that’s zippered in the back just above the carry handle. Because sometimes you just want to get in the back door. Hook and loop panels are available for personal identification, but that’s not all. Extremely generous foam padding in the shoulder straps and waist belt ensure you can strap her down tight and still hoof a heavy load in comfort thanks to the included ASTM B221 lightweight aluminum frame, straps, and belt.

With a total volume of around 5200 cubic inches, you’ll appreciate the added comfort when it’s loaded to capacity. BAR-5200 is currently available in MultiCam and Coyote Brown.

Check it out on the BAR-5200 pack page.

There is only one thing better for a warfighter to do than carry Grey Ghost Gear – and even then, it’s close.

Just ask a certain legendary barbarian.

If you have any additional questions or want to give it a hump for a review, feel free to reach out.

About Grey Ghost Gear

At Grey Ghost Gear™ our goal is to provide the professional soldier with the best, combat proven gear in the world. Our gear designs have been continually combat tested and utilized in combat for over 10 years and is a direct result of the successes and failures in combat. Collectively, we have learned a great deal from the research and development conducted during combat operations and we have worked hard to implement these lessons learned into our designs. Our gear is lighter, form-fitting and offers the Warfighter more protection than many other comparable manufacturers. This has also allowed the Warfighter to move faster and fight harder than ever before; giving them the competitive edge they need to achieve their objective.

Grey Ghost Precision (GGP) is on Facebook at /GreyGhostPrecision/; Grey Ghost Gear (GGG) is on Facebook at /GreyGhostGearGGG/; Grey Ghost Canada is on Facebook at /GreyGhostCanada/. Connect with these companies on Instagram, @greyghostgear, @greyghostprecision, or @greyghostcanada. We’re on LinkedIn at /Grey-Ghost-Gear/. Subscribe to our YouTube channel right here. Grey Ghost Gear is a part of the HMW Tactical Buyers Club. Follow us on Twitter, @GreyGhostGear, though we hardly ever say anything. Oh, and if we’re on Pinterest ain’t nobody told us about it. Still no channel on any of the naughty “Hubs” or “Tubes”, but if we had one it would be the most-watched one on the planet.

The Griff Pack from Grey Ghost Gear: Subtle and bad to the bone

The Griff Pack is named after an NCO that was killed in Tal Afar, Iraq in 2005. “Griff” was known as being tough, versatile, professional, and always with a trick up his sleeve – which is where the Grey Ghost Gear backpack draws its design cues. This is a subtle looking bag that doesn’t draw unnecessary attention, but it packs a punch with quality, storage capacity, and durability. I think the Griffin emblem that is sewn into the pack using matching grey (or black) thread is an awesome touch to give the bag some extra character.

Pack dimensions are 19” tall, 12” wide, and 8” deep – holding nearly 30 liters of gear. It is constructed of 500 Cordura and feels incredibly durable. Each compartment has heavy duty zippers, quality stitching, and very comfortable wide straps. The outside of the back panel is made of a breathable and padded mesh material that allows your back to breathe and increase comfort. There are two large main compartments – one in the back, one in the middle. The middle compartment opens in a clamshell style that provides access to a full loop Velcro panel that can secure pouches, or it can simply be utilized for various gear, food, and clothing.

The back compartment has a padded sleeve inside that can store a laptop (17” or smaller), a loop Velcro panel for pouches or a holster with hook Velcro. On each side, there are secret access doors that allow you to reach in and draw a handgun while wearing the backpack on one shoulder. The secret access doors can be left open or closed via a Velcro panel. It also features a smaller zippered compartment for storage of smaller items.

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The front of the pack has a small zippered compartment constructed of a soft cloth material to protect items from getting scratched, such as eyewear. On the outside of the pouch, there is a loop Velcro panel for patches or name tags. A larger front pocket has elastic loops for holding firearm magazines or other items as well as a key hook and an additional Velcro loop panel.

My Griff Pack has the following items (among others not listed) that I keep on hand as a larger go-bag option:

Front zippered compartment –

Whistle / compass / temperature gauge – combo

Front pocket –

Medical supplies including a tourniquet, pressure dressing, gauze, medical scissors and tape, etc.

Middle compartment –

Solo stove with fire starting materials, 550 cord, two field-stripped military MREs, LifeStraw, extra socks, folding saw, UCO folding USB solar panel charger, and Petzl headlamp, among other items

Back compartment –

Laptop and charger (optional), Sig P320 subcompact with extra mags, USMC Ka-Bar knife, among other smaller items

This is considered a medium-sized backpack but in my opinion, it seems to have a much larger capacity than other packs in this size range. I’m not sure if it’s just the appearance or if they somehow managed to make their storage more efficient. Either way, I am able to comfortably fit a ton of gear in there and it is a great bag. For the $148.50 MSRP, this is a great option and it is available in either solid black or grey. This is as good if not better than most other packs I’ve seen in price ranges far higher than the Griff Pack. If you’re in the market for a new bag, check out the Grey Ghost Gear site for this and other backpack options.

Hex Wet/Dry Surf Backpack: An all weather solution to a daypack

I use a backpack of some sort almost every day. Whether it be packing up to go to work, a road trip, air travel, or military purposes. The Hex wet/dry pack is one of the more unique and quality bags I’ve encountered. The features of this bag are endless. For starters, it is a sleek looking bag perfectly suited for daily civilian use as it’s not covered in molle or Velcro or any tactical features.

At first glance, it appears to be a standard backpack but let me assure you it is anything but. The exterior is water shedding black nylon that has handled the ever-present rain and surprise snowstorm, that North Carolina seems to enjoy, with ease. The central pocket is standard nylon with an elastic document or laptop compartment. The pouch behind that is coated in waterproof material with taped seams. It was originally designed to carry a damp wetsuit from the beach but works just as well for nasty gym shoes, board shorts, or gym clothes from a workout session. Along the back of the bag is a smaller pocket with the same waterproof coating that would work well for a tablet or important papers. The front of the bag has a very unique feature I’ve never encountered until now; it’s a small cooler pouch perfect for your lunch, beers on the beach, or anything you need to keep cold. And finally, there is a small pouch, again waterproof, for wallet, keys, or other small pocket items.

Hex designed this bag for surfers and beach goers alike. Once it warms up I look forward to taking this bag surfing as it has all the features that one could need in a beach bag. You can even take a hose to the slip-resistant bottom and internal pouches to clean out sand and seawater. For now, I have been taking this bag as my daily carry to work. I usually have a set of gym clothes, gym shoes, lifting equipment such as knee sleeves etc., my lunch, a laptop with charger, and cell charger. Depending on the day I might swim prior to work and carry a towel, goggles, and trunks. This bag makes it super convenient to carry all that and more. My favorite feature is the wetsuit pocket as it allows me to toss dirty gym clothes or wet clothes into it to carry home without having to use a plastic grocery bag or risk other things getting wet/dirty in my bag. Humans haven’t found a way to control the weather and if you’re like me I can’t even control when I’m out in the weather so the waterproof design also allows me to carry electronics or other important items with confidence in bad conditions that I might find myself in on a daily basis.

This bag is something I would recommend to anyone who has no need for military-style features and that appreciates protection from the elements. It’s large enough to carry what you need for tourism, surfing, or just a day out. But is small enough to prevent overpacking just leaving room for the essentials. Inside and out this bag is solid quality and you can tell a lot of thought went into its design with many unique features.

Author – Tanner Hodges is an Active Duty Marine Infantryman currently serving as a Platoon Sergeant with 3dBn 2d Marines. He holds two infantry MOS’s (0351/0365) and has completed Infantry Small Unit Leader’s Course, and Advanced Infantryman Course. He has trained in Mountain Warfare, Desert Warfare, and Jungle Warfare all around the globe.

Photo of the day: MUUL RuckBucket, When is the last time you broke a bucket? Never

The Muul RuckBucket is truly one of the more unique and versatile packs I’ve ever owned. It is a combination of a backpack and cooler, but with a core feature that sets it apart from similar products — a 5-gallon bucket inside. This provides added durability and protection for the contents of the pack. Contents are crushproof, waterproofed, and insulated. This pack is incredibly durable.

The rectangular bucket can be left in or removed from the pack to perform tasks such as hauling water or firewood at a campsite, holding fish, or anything else you may need to transport. This all-in-one design has more uses than I can even imagine — every day carry, camping, picnicking, fishing, survival, to name a few.

Check out our review of this new product

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Deuter Speedlite 20: The adventure go-bag turned mobile office

I have a lot of bags, probably more than most people. Most of it is due to my job, but some have also been personal purchases. I’ve tested many bags over the years and have my favorites. One thing I have come to accept is that there is no one bag for everything, but I’ve come pretty damn close with the new updated Deuter Speedlite 20.

I’ve carried the original Deuter Speedlite 20 for several years and it has been a great pack. While attending the 2018 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market show, I was able to get my hands on the newer updated version of the Speedlite 20. There are some similarities between the two and some differences as you’ll see in the side by side photos below.

I do have a home office that I work out of, but I do like to frequent my local coffee shop at least once a week. Weather permitting I enjoy working from one of the local Metro parks and that requires me to either hike in or bike in. Now I really like my GORUCK packs and my Recycled Firefighter pack and have used them A LOT, but sometimes it’s just a bit too much for my needs or I just want to keep away from the military/tactical pack appearance. That is where the new Deuter Speedlite 20 comes into play.

The Deuter Speedlite 20 is a total departure from the tactical bags. Even some of the tactical companies out there make ‘grayman’ bags designed to blend in, but they still have some tactical feel or look to them, in my opinion. That’s not really the companies fault, it’s just where their roots are. Deuter has never been in the tactical market, which makes it a great pack for urban adventures.

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One of the pieces of gear I carry in every pack is my Crye Precision soft armor insert. The soft armor fits in every ‘tactical’ pack that I own, but doesn’t always fit into a ‘normal’ backpack due to its width. To my surprise, it slipped right into the hydration sleeve inside the Deuter Speedlite 20 along with my 13″ MacBook Pro. Bonus! I can now 100% blend into urban environments while maintaining some ballistic protection and have absolutely no tactical footprint.

The Deuter Speedlite 20 has the perfect amount of room to support both my mobile office and adventure/go-bag loadout. That allows me to move seamlessly between urban environments and rural environments. Because of that, I can now take my mobile office off the beaten path and enjoy the outdoors while remaining productive.

Available on Amazon for around $75

Deuter XV 3 Rolltop Athletic Daypack

I’m one of those guys that are usually drawn to the heavy, overbuilt, tactical looking packs. When I got my hands on the Deuter XV3 Daypack, my view that “lightweight carry” meant “weak” completely changed. For one, this pack is one of the most comfortable packs that I have ever carried; and I have carried multiple different bags. From the sturdy waterproof/resistant construction to the simple things like the option to move the sternum strap, Deuter went the extra mile in designing this minimalistic, yet well-built backpack. The Deuter XV3 should be on your list of bags to utilize as an EDC or short-term “adventure” pack. Check out the video and pics below for a quick overview of this exceptional daypack and see for yourself.

Specifications (courtesy of Deuter)

Colour: navy-midnight (blue)
Weight: 1040 g
Volume: 21 litres
Size: 54 / 30 / 20 (H x W x D) cm
Laptop compartment: 38 / 28 / 3 (H x W x D) cm

Available on Amazon

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Author – Tony Kuhn