CTactical The Bunker – Our Review

If you’re reading this in mid-2025 (and probably in the months to follow), I’m going to assume you’re here for one “kinda” reason and one big reason:

• You kinda want to know what CTactial bags are all about
• You really want to know how CTactical bags compare with GORUCK bags

Yeah? I assumed so.

I also assume you stumbled upon CTactical.vn (or it’s associate Chuyentactical.com), saw some…”familiar”-looking bags at a very nice price point and went through every stage of curiosity…

…and the answer to the question you’re (obviously) getting ready to ask is: “yes, these are legit bags that look and feel very familiar and are, in most cases, less than half the price of the others you probably have in mind”.

There, I said it.

For those of you who want to know a bit more about how these bags and what makes them unique (and what makes them not so unique), read on. After all, why wouldn’t you want to know why the brand made our list of the Best Rucking Backpacks or why it’s our favorite under-the-radar rucking brand today…?

Rucking

I’m going to assume that the vast majority of people are looking at this bag for “pure” rucking purposes (maybe 15-20 percent for EDC/Travel and 5-10 percent for training). If this is you, I’m happy to report that it does exactly what you want it to do at a level you’ve (probably) come to expect from…similar bags.

The shape is the same as many of its competitors, capacity is the same, it has a nice frame sheet, and it has a dedicated ruck plate “sleeve” (although it is slightly oversized in my opinion, being a little bit wide for even “standard” sized ruck plates. The good news is that at “normal” rucking speeds, I have never experienced any discernible plate jostling or other annoyances).

To cut the crap, if you’ve rucked in a GR1, the CTactical The Bunker is a very similar rucking experience. It has some of the same limitations (ex. no heavily velcroed and padded ruck plate pocket), but is more or less very similar.

I could go into painstaking detail in this regard/area, but I’ll focus on a few key points:

• The Bunker’s adjustability (great)
• The Bunker’s shoulder straps (not overly comfortable)

I have come to appreciate this bag’s Duraflex UTX buckles, but, in reality, its entire chest/sternum strap and adjustment system is really easy to navigate, even on the fly. I have found it to be incredibly responsive and that it takes a bit less effort to quickly tighten or loosen The Bunker than many other rucks. Because of this, I have been more vigilant about experimenting with different bag placements on my back (I still like it a little lower than the standard “high and tight” suggestion).

In contrast, I think I have gotten spoiled with other bags’, specifically GORUCK bags’, extra-padded shoulder straps. I don’t find that The Bunker’s straps really dig into my skin and they aren’t as skinny/flimsy as, like, your kid’s backpack’s straps…but they don’t feel that much thicker to me.

With that being said, I do notice a more pronounced (in a bad way) difference in how weight feels when jumping from 10 pounds to 20 pounds to 30 pounds with this bag than I do with others that have more heavily padded shoulder straps. Could be just a personal thing.

I’m not a big hip belt guy (I’m actually not a hip belt guy at all), but with so much exterior MOLLE on this bag, you shouldn’t have an issue attaching one if they’re your thing (just be sure to check compatibility, sizing, etc.).

To sum things up, I don’t really have that much to say about The Bunker in this area. In some ways, I wish I did, but I kind feel like it’s one of those “rest easy, no news is good news” types of things or a “the best referees are the ones you don’t notice” scenarios. I rucked for ~45 days straight in parts of February, March, and April of this year and used this roughly 80 percent of the time. I never felt uncomfortable and didn’t ever really get “sick” of using it.

I wouldn’t say the straps are anywhere close to being dealbreakers and The Bunker feels a lot more similar to You Know Who than it feels different, yet alone a downgrade. Don’t expect an experience on par with bag from the Rucker series, but it’s still pretty good.

Rucking: 85

“Dynamic” Rucking

Whether it’s fair or not, I’m pretty much never going to consider a ruck that doesn’t have a heavily padded and velcroed dedicated ruck plate pocket (like you would find on something like the GORUCK Rucker 4.0 or Rucker – Long Range) to be ideal for dynamic movements/dynamic rucking.

Yeah, a deep and decently snug ruck plate “sleeve” works pretty well for keeping your plate in place during runs, pull-ups, squats, ruck swings, ruck presses, etc….but there is always going to be a bit of jostling, give, and, in some cases, that constant “thud, thud, thud” of the plate jabbing into your back with each step.

If you’ve only ever rucked and haven’t moved fast or performed calisthenics movements in your ruck, you’re probably thinking “ohh…that can’t be that bad; I don’t feel that when I ruck”…trust me…it can be really annoying.

Because The Bunker falls into the “decently snug ruck plate sleeve” category and not into the “heavily padded and velcroed dedicated ruck plate pocket” category, we can only rate it so high here. With that being said, it does have some unique qualities that set it apart from more “traditional” ruck backpacks.

The bag’s 1680D Cordura (which we’ll discuss in much greater detail in the “Materials” section) ensures that you can throw it around to your heart’s desire without having to worry about it even really getting scuffed, yet alone beaten up. If you’re doing any kind of training that involves your bag constantly hitting the ground, this is the (rare) material you want.

The Bunker’s top handle works for carries and is sufficiently wide (i.e. your fingers won’t get smashed) for two-handed ruck swings. Another bonus is that while the bag isn’t overly compact, it is small enough to not overly hinder dynamic staples like pull-ups or really dynamic movements like ring muscle-ups (if you’re into CrossFit, you know that ruck muscle-ups are on the table!)

For a ruck that, other than its outer materials, isn’t really designed for this type of activity, I contend that it is actually slightly better at it/more up for the task than just about any of the popular “Travel Rucks” out there.

Slightly

Dynamic Rucking: 85

Load Capacity

This is the first “objective” scores in this review as we try to standardize how we rate capacities….i.e. 15-liter capacity = x; 40-liter capacity = y. The 21-liter rucks are solidly in the “average” category (granted, some of us would have been more…scared bringing home a 75 final grade in Pre-Algebra more than others…).

…and the CTactical The Bunker is a 21-liter ruck.

This isn’t a “shoot the lights” out capacity and it is pretty easy to find bags with much more substantial load capacities than this one. However, it is by no means a “small” or “low” load capacity bag.

The good news is, with its open-flat design and relatively wide-open main storage area, you really get your 21 liters worth of space. I say this because, in my experience at least, bags that brag about having 9238-1733 internal pockets/compartments effectively reduce (in many cases, significantly) their overall usable capacity. Not the case with this ruck.

On a side note, if you actually need a bag that allows you to haul more than 21 liters worth of gear, you’re going to have to go with a different brand as this is the largest size CTactical offers.

Load Capacity: 75

Everyday Carry/Travel

If you’ve read any of my previous ruck reviews, you likely are aware that I’m not the biggest EDC guy. I mean, I work out in a shed next to my house and work from my office upstairs…not too much everyday carry happening for me!

With that being said, it’s not difficult to assess how well a bag is going to be up for the task of hauling “standard” daily items around and The Bunker is certainly up to the task.

Besides the decent, but not overly impressive load capacity (which, for most desk jockeys, is going to me more than sufficient for what you’re hauling to work on a daily basis), the most important features for most EDC enthusiasts are likely the “exterior” laptop compartment and exterior, top access pocket.

The “official” laptop compartment (not the ruck plate sleeve) is similar to others you may have seen where it is buffered between the frame sheet and the exterior of the bag. Lower padding below it adds an extra layer of safety and it’s easy to quickly unzip and access at the airport. The top pocket is mainly intended for smaller items (phone, wallet etc.) and is similarly easy to access.

The main, internal storage area includes the aforementioned ruck plate sleeve (which can easily accommodate another laptop, albeit with less cushioning), a couple of mesh pockets, and a small zippered pocket. Standard stuff.

The larger external pocket is another pretty familiar inclusion and is deep and spacious enough to stash some decently substantive items. I’m not a Molle user (like, at all), but you get a few back and side rows to attach different kinds of pouches and whatnot…if…ya know…you lug these things kinds of things around on the reg.

Overall, I wouldn’t say that the CTactical The Bunker does anything world shattering in the realm of EDC, but it does offer everything you’d expect from a bag of this type. I’d venture to say that it’s better for EDC than it is for travel, mainly due to its not yuge load capacity, but it definitely works for a long weekend bag (although I’d just suggest not flying Spirit or Frontier…IYKYK…)

Everyday Carry/Travel: 90

Materials

The CTactical The Bunker bag is constructed of many of the same materials that more seasoned ruckers, particularly those using bags from the likes of GORUCK and 5.11 Tactical, have grown accustomed to. Looking at a more familiar ruck like the GORUCK GR1, there are quite a few similarities:

• Heavy-duty Cordura ballistic nylon comprising the lion’s share of the bag
• Durable, but not overly intrusive frame sheet
• YKK zippers (more or less indestructible)

These similarities are in addition to the similar size, shape, weight, etc. between these bags. However, The Bunker has a few unique qualities, some of which I find to be inferior to select competitors’ offerings while others are actually superior.

The most obvious is the bag’s 1680D Cordura primary material. These days, 1000D Cordura is oftentimes considered to be the durable and abrasion-resistant material as it is definitely more resistant than (also common) 500D Cordura. The Bunker’s 1680D Cordura has been described as being “(o)riginally created to be anti-fragment resistant for the military to prevent injuries from ballistic impact like flying debris or shrapnel.“

Now that is tough. Granted, I don’t know what the vast majority of casual ruckers are getting into that requires “anti-fragment” material…but…I guess they’ll be ready for it when that day comes!

I also find The Bunker’s Duraflex UTX buckles to be particularly easy to snap and unsnap while still being relatively tough and resilient hard plastic.

The lighter, less abrasive 210D Cordura in The Bunker’s lining nylon is an interesting inclusion and although the less common 420D Cordura in its back panel and straps is also less abrasive than 500D, 1000D, or 1680D Cordura, for those used to 210D Cordura on their exposed skin (in the exact areas where The Bunker’s 420D Cordura is located), expect it to be slightly scratchier and slightly more irritating.

I don’t find the material in The Bunker’s shoulder straps to be overly padded or soft, but it’s not exactly uncomfortable either.

Aside from these main observations, expect a lot of EVA padding (found in the back and bottom panels) which does add a layer of comfort (maybe to make up for the shoulder straps’ relatively average comfort).

Overall, the 1680D Cordura is The Bunker’s main draw, although it’s very apparent that a lot of care, deliberation, and attention to detail when into the bag’s design and engineering process. Personally, though, I’d prefer less (if any) 1680D Cordura since I don’t really have a “need” for it and a bit more 210D.

Materials: 90

Price

For a lot of people, this is the (pardon the pun) “moneymaker” category.

As we mentioned near the beginning of this review, a lot of comparisons have been made between GORUCK’s bag offerings and CTactical’s with many people focusing on how similar many of the bags’ respective load capacities, internal storage areas, and general looks are. However, one area where these bags are really not very similar is in the realm of “price”.

Outside of sale items, the Bullet, and the (made for kids) KR1, you’re pretty hard pressed to find a standard GORUCK ruck priced below $250 (before shipping). Meanwhile, the Bunker will currently set you back just under $110.

Quite the difference, if I do say so myself.

Something to note is that this price difference does come with a bit of a “catch”. Unlike when you order from most companies, when you order from CTactical, you’re ordering direct from a Vietnamese company. This means those “standard” (and generally pretty reasonable) shipping prices you’ve grown accustomed to…don’t apply here.

With that being said, you don’t get blasted all that badly and a recent email conversation I had with CTactical personnel confirms that you won’t even have to deal with pesky customs and, despite a rather long shipping duration (2-3 weeks), U.S. shoppers only need to cough up another $30 for shipping.

“…for orders to the U.S., shipping for the CT21 The Bunker typically costs around $30 via Standard Shipping (USPS/UPS). Delivery usually takes 15–21 days, and as of now, no import taxes are being charged upon delivery.”

Definitely not cheap shipping, but the bag still ends up being a bit less expensive than its closest competitors.

It’s definitely not impossible to find 21-liter rucks for less than ~$140, but this price point is solidly competitive (and in our opinion, very reasonable for what you get).

Price: 90

Customer Reviews

Unfortunately, despite CTactical’s growing popularity, it appears as though people haven’t been overly compelled to leave reviews of CTactical bags and other gear. This goes for the company’s official website(s) (both ctactical.vn and chuyentactical.com) and, you could say, for 3rd-party sites as well…since you can’t really find the gear, yet alone in large numbers, on sites like Amazon.

Because of this, we can’t assign a customer reviews score (no customer reviews, no customer reviews score!)

That being said, do us all a favor and leave a review if this review inspires you to pick up The Bunker (or any other CTactical bag). As always, I’d like to think that you’re happy to simply accept what I have written and to proceed with confidence…

Let’s get some reviews!

Customer Reviews: N/A

Customer Service

I can’t say that I’ve had a ton of interactions with CTactical personnel, but the moderate amount that I have had have gone exceptionally well.

I have greatly appreciated the quick, professional responses as well as the comprehensive and generally well-informed replies to my inquiries. It’s obvious that these workers not only really know their stuff, but are cognizant of the fact that many Westerners have likely not ordered directly from Vietnam and have excellently streamlined their responses to account for the expected questions and concerns.

Questions about shipping costs, timeframes, and tariff policies were quickly addressed and the specific information I personally (although most people reading this will not need this info) needed to facilitate my delivery were provided along with detailed follow-up instructions.

There is nothing overly “flowery” about the communication style (although it certainly doesn’t sound “robotic”), but the company has provided prompt, necessary, and personalized responses to my inquiries. I’ll take this over “nice”, but worthless interactions any day of the week.

Customer Service: 100

Who is the CTactical The Bunker ruck really for?

I actually think a lot of people would appreciate The Bunker, mainly due to its familiar look and feel and attractive price point. Let’s look at the groups who would really appreciate it (and those who most likely wouldn’t):

Those who want a “familiar” ruck at half the price

We weight scores the same (ex. Neither “Rucking” nor “Materials” receive a bonus or penalty multiplier in our rankings), but we’d be lying if we didn’t think that “Price” was/is the yuge elephant in the corner with The Bunker.

A GR1 isn’t an inexpensive bag.

A lot of “affordable” bags look and feel a lot different than what a lot of people want/need.

The Bunker combines the look and feel of the former with the affordability of the latter group.

Those who need a more durable ruck

1680D Cordura is a really serious material and is certainly one that you can actually feel when you get your hands on The Bunker. It’s just a thicker and denser material than what you’re probably used to from other rucks.

As I have stated before, I personally don’t feel the need for this type of material with my personal rucking ventures, but for those that do, The Bunker is a solid option in a rather spare field of rucks of its type that are mainly constructed of this material.

Not for those who want a ruck with a lifetime warranty

There are any number of reasons why two very similar items can garner two very different prices: name recognition, material costs, labor costs…whatever.

CTactical obviously has some rationale for why it prices its gear the way it does, but a major contributing factor for its lower price point may be the lack of lifetime warranties with its gear. The one-year warranty it offers is nothing to sneeze at, but rucks break down and, in most cases, have to be replaced.

If you value the ability to have your bag fixed or replaced (after one year of use) for a nominal price, The Bunker isn’t going to be your best option.

How we reviewed the The Bunker

I previously mentioned that I rucked for ~35 out of 45 days with The Bunker. However, I also put it to use in some ruck training (during my Murph prep, I would switch out my weighted vest for a ruck every now and then and The Bunker was one of my go-to items).

I also “loaned” it (not that I had a choice!) to my wife for use during a short (~3-day) trip that she took in the middle of the month (she gave it a good-to-great rating for her limited time using it for her travel endeavors!)

CTactical Alternatives

The irony here is that for most people, CTactical is the alternative. I don’t feel like this is going to be the case for that much longer, but in the meantime, let’s take a look at the other “usual suspects”:

Frequently Asked Questions

It can take a leap of faith to order from a less well-known, international company. If you have any last-minute questions before you hit “pay”, here’s your opportunity to ask ’em:

The CTactical The Bunker…the next big thing…

I’m not sure why I took my time in getting my hands on a CTactical bag and, after finally doing so, kinda regret that I did.

The Bunker is a legit ruck that boasts a legit price point.

While it can’t exactly replicate what you might have come to love (and expect) from similar rucks/ruck companies/brands, as we’ve discussed today, it actually does some things better.

Although we don’t come into these reviews with any type of specific “objectives” with this one, we did want to put to rest any apprehensions that prospective buyers may have had about:

• The bag itself
• The shipping/customs experience

I can confidently say that both of these pass with flying colors. If you’ve been curious about CTactical or otherwise on the fence about ordering a bag, go forth with confidence!

To close, I’m excited to get my hands on other CTactical gear, but, if I never do, I’ll be pretty well satisfied with my The Bunker…grammatical problems that go along with writing/saying “my The Bunker” be damned!