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The Best Tactical Backpacks for Extra Durability and Organization

Using rugged materials and packing as much function as possible, these utilitarian backpacks effortlessly blend into the everyday.

a group of backpacks Red Rock Outdoor Gear, GoRuck, Mystery Ranch

By Tanner Bowden, Hayley Helms, and Steve Mazzucchi

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Once it’s declassified, advanced military technology tends to drip down into civilian goods. It’s how we got GPS, the internet and the Jeep. But the relationship goes both ways, with innovative outdoor products and materials influencing what the military uses, too.

The tactical backpack exists on a spectrum that covers outdoor-specific and everyday use. Like the war zone-ready backpacks worn by service members around the globe, today’s military-inspired backpacks are tougher than hell, with organizational features that go far beyond the capabilities of ordinary backpacks.

Heavyweight reinforced nylon, weatherproofing capabilities and earth tone colors are common themes in these crossover bags. They also often feature PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System) webbing to be MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) compatible. There’s no better catch-all for all the things you carry throughout your day. And these 15 picks are the leaders of the pack.

Additional contributions by John Zientek and Michael Finn.

Products in the Guide

  • GoRuck GR1

    Best Overall

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  • Mystery Ranch 2-Day Assault 30L Backpack

    Best Upgrade Tactical Backpack

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  • Red Rock Outdoor Gear Large Assault Pack

    Best Value Tactical Pack

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  • Mission Workshop Speedwell 20L

    Best Single-Day Tactical Backpack

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  • Prometheus Design Werx S.H.A.D.O.

    Best Designed Tactical Pack

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  • 5.11 RUSH72 Tactical Backpack

    Best Bugout Bag Tactical Pack

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Pros

  • Goes anywhere, does anything

Cons

  • Could use more volume for larger loads

Fifteen years ago, ex-Special Forces soldier Jason McCarthy founded GoRuck with the simple conviction that he could build a backpack unlike any that existed at the time. He wanted one that would be ideal for service members fighting overseas and desk workers heading in for a day at the office. His answer was the GR1 Rucksack, a backpack that has become the standard bearer for military-inspired everyday bags. The GR1 blends commuter-friendly features such as a padded laptop compartment and interior organizing pockets with a tough, take-anything construction. The pack has a plastic backing plate and a false bottom for extra protection and its weatherproof exterior seals up with silent zippers. The GR1 is also equipped with MOLLE-compatible webbing on the face and straps, plus a velcro hit for your favorite patch.

  • Volume: 26 liters
  • Weight: 3.2 lbs
  • Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

Pros

  • Made in the U.S.A.

Cons

  • On the bulky side
  • Volume: 30 liters
  • Weight: 3 lbs
  • Material: 500-denier Cordura nylon

Bozeman, Montana-based Mystery Ranch is another one of our favorite pack makers, and this offering is a great example of why. Made in the USA, the 2-Day Assault Pack features the brand’s distinctive three-zip design that allows easy access to your gear at a moment’s notice. An internal sleeve accepts a hydration reservoir — or a 17-inch laptop — while PALS webbing on the sides and daisy chains on the straps and back enable you to carry additional gear. There are also side water bottle pocks, plus internal drop-in pockets and zip mesh pockets. Compression straps keep the pack compact when it’s not fully loaded, and the waist belt tucks away when it’s not needed either. Last but not least, the Futura Frame system keeps your back feeling great during long days on the trail.

Pros

  • Great value for price

Cons

  • Less durable materials used to cut costs
  • Volume: 35 liters
  • Weight: 3.15 lbs
  • Material: 600-denier polyester

The value proposition here is borderline insane. For less than 80 bucks, Red Rock’s big-time 35-liter pack boasts internal dividers, zippered pockets, padded shoulder straps, adjustable waist and sternum straps and a padded mesh back panel that can also store a hydration reservoir. The pack also features compression straps to condense the size when it’s not fully loaded, plus plenty of external MOLLE-compatible webbing on the back and sides for securing add-on packs or extra gear. Our only major knock? Unlike most of the packs here, this one is made of polyester rather than Cordura nylon.

Pros

  • Elevated fabrics and construction mean this bag will be in your arsenal for a very long time

Cons

  • Pricey for its smaller size, compared to other tactical packs on this list
  • Volume: 20 liters
  • Weight: 2.84 pounds
  • Material: Dimension Polyant X-Pac fabric; MultiCam Cordura

While it’s technically a hydration/laptop pack, Mission Workshop elevated this everyday pack into something that could be taken on the most rugged of adventures. The ultra-tough X-Pac fabric and MultiCam Cordura come together for ballistic-level abrasion resistance and durability, available in a variety of colorways. Hydration reservoir compatibility makes it easy to stay slaked on the go, and the fully waterproof construction keeps rain and moisture at bay. At 20 liters you’ll be able to carry the essentials for a day or two adventuring, but don’t count on the Speedwell as your week-long survival bag; its specialty is short-term jaunts.

Pros

  • Useful and sleek design

Cons

  • Heavy for its capacity
  • Volume: 24 liters
  • Weight: 3.8 lbs
  • Material: 500-denier Cordura nylon

Suspension, haul, access, durability, organized — these are the guiding design standards that Prometheus Design Werx applied to the S.H.A.D.O. (hence the acronym). The pack leans more toward technical outdoor than tactical, but it’s not without fundamental military-inspired features such as strap-mounted MOLLE-compatible webbing and an oversized Velcro panel for patches. The S.H.A.D.O. is filled with small features that make it a great everyday and adventure pack — a laptop sleeve, hydration compatibility, an external bungee for securing gear — but its most useful component might be a massive, top-to-bottom zip opening into its main compartment.

Pros

  • Great for emergencies

Cons

  • Not an everyday pack
  • Volume: 55 liters
  • Weight: 4 lbs
  • Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

The “72” in this pack’s name refers to “72-hour capacity.” That number is considered the benchmark for optimal bug-out bags as if you can hang in there that long, help is likely on the way. With its two side pockets and front admin pocket, this pack will easily hold hold three or more days of food, water, shelter and assorted survival tools. The front admin pocket neatly organizes smaller goods, and a sleeve tucked away in the main compartment holds a large hydration bladder. This pack is also almost completely covered with MOLLE-compatible webbing, enabling you to attach anything that doesn’t fit inside onto its exterior.

tech roundupAmazon

Best Camera Bag Tactical Pack

Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW II Pro

Pros

  • Will protect/ organize your expensive gear

Cons

  • Heavy
  • Volume: 25 liters
  • Weight: 6.26 lbs
  • Material: Nylon

Carry your camera gear, tactical style, with this fully loaded — and fully loadable — Lowepro pack. Lightweight FormShell construction, internal padding and an all-weather cover protect one or two pro DSLRs (one with lens attached), a drone, a 360 cam, plus lenses, lights, battery packs, a 15-inch laptop and more. External MOLLE-compatible straps let you attach a tripod and other accessories to the outside, while the waist belt detaches into a utility belt for streamlined missions.

Pros

  • Keeps things nice and dry

Cons

  • MOLLE bags can get in the way traveling
  • Volume: 40 liters
  • Weight: 4 lbs
  • Material: Tarpaulin PVC

By itself, the main pack here is a top-notch, 100 percent waterproof dry bag that can protect electronics and other delicate gear. It also boasts heavy-duty zippers, buckles and padded strips for a secure and comfortable carry. But Bru’s bag really excels via its handy PALS webbing and the six included MOLLE bags: three large, two medium and one small flashlight holder). Though these mini-packs are not themselves waterproof, they are perfect for stashing clothes, food, tools and other essentials you need out on the road or trail. Hopping in a kayak? Throw the bags in the main compartment, seal it up and you’re good to go.

tech roundupAmazon

Best Hydration Tactical Pack

Camelbak M.U.L.E. 100oz Mil Spec Crux

Pros

  • Capable and rugged hydration

Cons

  • Not a lot of volume
  • Volume: 8 liters
  • Weight: 1.8 lbs
  • Material: 500-denier Cordura nylon

Lotta acronyms in this roundup already, so why not one more? This one stands for Medium to Ultra-Long Endeavors, and you’ll have enough water for just about any mission thanks to the 100-ounce Mil Spec Crux Reservoir. With tough 500D Double-rip Cordura Fabric, this pack can also carry up to 8 liters of additional cargo in the top and bottom pockets, with the lower one also featuring MOLLE-compatible webbing. The suspension system keeps the pack snug on your back and can be removed quickly via the side release buckle.

nike rpm backpackNike

Best Urban Tactical Pack

Nike RPM Backpack

Pros

  • Durable and practical everyday bag

Cons

  • Not made for tactical use
  • Volume: 29 liters
  • Material: polyester

You won’t find any mention of MOLLE or PALS in Nike’s RPM Backpack description. Still, a full face of one-inch webbing — along with larger Velcro straps for carrying a skateboard — is the defining feature of this everyday backpack. Of all the bags on this list, it exhibits its military inspiration the least, though Nike was the first to bring MOLLE over to an everyday bag with no intention of actual tactical use. Nevertheless, the functionality is here, and the bag’s overall streamlined design can serve as an entry point into the tactical backpack category. (There are also external pockets, a laptop sleeve and a padded back panel.)

Pros

  • Great for multi-day trips

Cons

  • Bulky
  • Volume: 50 liters
  • Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

Take away its MOLLE webbing, and Condor’s 3-Day Assault Pack looks a lot like the backpack strap-equipped adventure travel duffels that caught on a few years back. Those bags are ideal for weekend trips and minimalist travel, and so is this one. It has a 50-liter main compartment that provides more than enough space for such trips, and a clamshell-style opening and internal compression straps make packing it more akin to loading a rollaboard than a backpacking bag. There’s also a smaller front pocket with loads of organizational sleeves and three more exterior pockets that are ideal for items like water bottles or a spare pair of shoes. The bag is compatible with hydration reservoirs too, and its hipbelt is removable.

maxpedition falcon ii backpackMaxpedition

Best Organized Tactical Pack

Maxpedition Falcon-II Backpack

Pros

  • Clever organization

Cons

  • Not made for multi-day excursions
  • Volume: 23 liters
  • Weight: 3.2 lbs
  • Material: 1050-denier Cordura nylon

It may be on the smaller side, but the Falcon-II makes this list because it uses the space it does have smartly. You can think of this backpack as having three layers — the main compartment, a smaller middle compartment and a front that’s split into two separate pockets. All of them have internal mesh sleeves for small items, and compression straps allow you to cinch them all down depending on how full a load you’re shouldering. The pack also has a hydration pocket and, of course, lots of MOLLE attachment points.

Pros

  • Ideal for hunting

Cons

  • Over-engineered to be an EDC option
  • Volume: 30 liters
  • Weight: 4.75 lbs
  • Material: Microsuede waterproof fabric

Yes, the X2 can accommodate a compound bow or Eberlestock’s A1SS or A2SS Side Scabbards for toting shotguns and hunting rifles. But this pack is actually loaded with smart features that extend its value beyond intended use. The Ample FlexChassis can not only cradle loads you strap to the back but flip forward for use as a clever and convenient seat. The oversized compression straps can lash down a heavy load, while quick-access side pockets keep whatever you need close at hand. The X2 also features a back-friendly tubular aluminum Intex frame and plenty of PALS webbing for additional packs or equipment.

Pros

  • Streamlined and slim

Cons

  • Not a ton of capacity
  • Volume: 17.7 liters
  • Weight: 2.4 lbs
  • Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

Perhaps the most unique option here is this streamlined sling pack from Hazard 4, which is great for navigating confined spaces and darting through crowds. The single padded strap is ambidextrous and ergonomic, so you can wear it comfortably over either shoulder. You can also swing it around to the front to access its fully unzippable main pocket and two smaller outer pockets. The main pocket also features a photo bag-style internal divider and accommodates a hydration reservoir. And of course the MOLLE-compatible sides and back can be loaded with additional gear or add-ons.

Pros

  • More unique than other fanny packs on the street

Cons

  • Over the top
  • Main pocket dimensions: 7.9″–12.6″ (length) x 5.1″ (width) x 5.9″ (height)
  • Weight: 0.9 lbs
  • Material: 1000-denier Oxford nylon

If you love your fanny pack but wish it were a bit more, you know, tactical, here’s your low-cost upgrade. DYJ’s over-the-top pack features a zippered main pocket and front pockets, plus two zippered slots (front and back) for all kinds of storage options. Slightly bigger than your average fanny pack, it’s got room for your phone, wallet, keys, pocket knife, portable charger and more. And because it’s, you know, tactical, a couple of Velcro strips and MOLLE-compatible straps permit you to attach even more stuff.

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