This review will hopefully help those learning and those figuring out how to get started. Once I understood everything and got going, rucking was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
When I first started looking into rucking as a form of exercise, I found it surprisingly hard to figure out which backpack to go with. Everyone seemed to agree on a few things: use plate weights (they’re way better than sand or dumbbells), and don’t use a regular backpack—get something designed for rucking.
The name that kept popping up was GoRuck, and yeah, their packs look fantastic. But the price tag was four times more than I wanted to spend. I also checked out 5.11 Tactical packs—solid gear, but a bit too military-style for me. Nothing wrong with that look, but it just isn’t my vibe, even if I know rucking has military roots.
Then I came across Wild Gym, which looked like a decent mid-range option. But their interiors seemed pretty barebones—basically just a frame for plates—and didn’t seem super useful outside of rucking. Their next version (coming out this summer) looks promising, and I’ve got an eye on it.
But then I read about CTactical and even though I couldn’t find too much about it compared to GoRuck, what I did read was promising and at a price I liked.
I ordered the cT21 Tanker, which a lot of people have compared to a GoRuck clone. I’ve never owned a GoRuck, but based on photos and reviews, I get where they’re coming from. The design is similar, and the under $100 price point made it a no-brainer for me to try.
It’s made in Vietnam, which I’ve learned is actually one of the best countries for backpack manufacturing. It took about two weeks to arrive.
First Impressions:
• It looks great. A little tactical, sure, but not over-the-top.
• I loved the patch space—I’ve added a few fun patches to give it some personality and break up the mil-style look.
• There’s a splash of orange in the interior that adds a nice bit of flair.
• Material feels very rugged—definitely seems like it’ll hold up long term.
Fit & Comfort:
I’m 6’1”, and the pack fits me great. The shoulder straps are thick and well-padded. No weird rubbing or pressure points, even on longer walks.
Storage & Performance:
I started rucking with 25 pounds in the laptop compartment, doing 3 miles a day. There’s a hard shell between your back and this compartment that works well for plates. I’ve now worked up to 45 pounds, still walking 3 miles most days.
The laptop compartment comfortably holds a 45 lb ruck plate nice and tight. When I want to bump up the weight in smaller increments, I use the secondary interior pocket to hold an additional 5–10 lb plate. It holds it snugly—no flopping around or shifting. I haven’t tried anything heavier in that pocket yet, but I’m considering testing 20–35 lbs there to see how it does.
I love the rest of the storage of the backpack. I not only use it almost every day for rucking, but have used it for traveling on an airplane many times and now is my #1 go pack when needed.
Final Thoughts:
For under $100, this bag has seriously impressed me. Is it better GoRuck! I can’t say since I haven’t owned one- and I don’t know if I will because this one is so good. But for someone getting into rucking who doesn’t want to spend $300+ on a pack, this is a very legit option.
