The GORUCK Bullet (15L) – Our Review

If you’ve recently grown interested in rucking (which you probably have, otherwise, you probably wouldn’t be reading this right now), the activity’s relatively low barrier to entry is likely appealing to you.

Sure, there is a lot of interesting ruck gear you can load up on, but at the end of the day, as long as you have some decent rucking boots/rucking shoes, bag/ruck, and something to weigh your bag down, you’re pretty much set.

…but…man. Rucks can get expensive! 

I know when I was looking for my first “real” ruck that I had to sift through a lot of bags that looked like (and were priced like) expensive travel luggage…when all I wanted to do was carry around 20 or 30 pounds worth of ruck plates.

The GORUCK Bullet ruck was this bag…sorta.

Truth be told, my Bullet and it’s 15-liter capacity, certainly can accommodate my laptop, some notebooks, and a few other items (and would likely receive fewer condescending stares than my worn and aged “personal item” on my next flight), but I bought it with one major intention in mind.

Rucking

Let’s discuss why the GORUCK Bullet is the best “starter ruck” for rucking enthusiasts …and why it will likely remain just that…a “starter ruck” for people who want a bit more from their bags.

Rucking

Point blank, I purchased my GORUCK Bullet because I wanted a smaller ruck to load with my specifically designed ruck plates. I had no illusions of wearing it to my non-existent office or…heh…”co-working space”. I also didn’t think about it replacing any of my consistently busting laptop bags.

I just wanted a dedicated rucksack to ruck with…and the Bullet does…decently well with this.

I have no way of knowing what the average weights are that people use for their rucking ventures. I know that most men and a lot of women at GORUCK events are packing 30-pound plates into their rucks. Others are regularly using (a lot) more than that.

…but I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of rucking enthusiasts are topping out at 30 pounds. If this is you, and your ruck outing aren’t overly long, the Bullet might work out pretty well for you.

A 20-pound ruck plate easily slides into the laptop pocket pretty well while an additional 10-pound plate (or even smaller, 2.5-pound, 5-pound, and/or “change” plates) can securely fit into the outer, zipped pocket. With a little effort (and a little trial-and-error), I can fit between 22 and 30 pounds, split between 2 plates, into my Bullet.

Just because these lower weights fit into the bag doesn’t mean they’re the most comfortable to ruck around in. As previously alluded to, the interior pocket is explicitly marketed as a “laptop pocket” as opposed to a “ruck plate pocket”. Because of this, there is very little padding and much of the time, I can feel the plate against the bag. In some cases, it will actually bump along with each step

I do find that there is a slight trade-off between the perfect, unakwakard fit of the bag (at least when there aren’t ruck plates jammed in it) and overall rucking experience in the form of the shoulder straps slightly digging into my upper arms and back over the course of a long ruck. When I experience this, I make slight adjustments, moving the straps a few inches across my shoulder. This provides relief for ~20 minutes…when I experience similar irritation…and I move them back to the starting point.

Heavier loads, where I can’t fit all of the requisite plates into the front pocket or the laptop area, aren’t nearly as comfortable to move with. If you plan on regularly rucking with ~35-plus pounds, you may want to start looking into GORUCK bags from the GR series (GR1, GR2, etc.)

One final observation, I don’t have a ton (ha!) of weights, but want to demonstrate what a few different weight combinations look like in Bullet.

A 10-pound plate in the front, zipper pocket. Probably the most secure arrangement.

A 20-pound ruck plate. The standard weight required for GORUCK event participants who weigh under150 pounds.  

A 20-pound plate and a 10-pound plate. The standard weight required for 150-plus pound participants in GORUCK events.

My two 20-pound plates.

This is what my 2 20-pound ruck plates and 10-pound ruck plate look like all packed in (with the 10-pound plate in the less-than-ideal webbed pocket)

So, the weights do fit in the bag pretty well.

Overall, I don’t think its shortcoming should completely erase the Bullet from consideration as a….”rucking ruck”, but unless you’re going to keep the weight really light for, like, forever and you’re using sand plates, it’s probably gonna get old pretty quick.

Rucking Score : 75

“Dynamic” Rucking

If I were writing this article as recently as 2 years ago, this section almost certainly wouldn’t exist. However, in recent years, with the popularization of incorporating rucks into CrossFit workouts and with the rise of the GORUCK Games and events such as TOUGH and HEAVY, more and more people are likely using their rucks to deadlift and thruster or wearing it while performing pull-ups or squats.

If this ain’t you, I’m sorry, but…

While I have mainly tested the Bullet on more of “pure” rucking ventures, in the last few months, I have made an effort to incorporate it into more “dynamic” workouts that involve “ruck” versions of traditional exercises (Ex. “ruck burpees”, “ruck muscle-ups”). These workouts have involved a combination of “modified” CrossFit exercises, running, and more “traditional” GORUCK-style movements.

During ruck run periods, the Bullet was easy to get into and out of without wasting much, if any time. I never hit a snag and am confident that in workouts where ruck removal is going to be a constant component, the Bullet will be my go-to.

Additionally, I actually find running in the Bullet (with a plate) to be more comfortable than walking in it. For some reason, there isn’t as much movement/flailing from the 20-pound plate.

Air squats, a staple exercise as both a weighted and unweighted movement (I guess with a ruck they aren’t really “air squats” anymore, but you get the point) go pretty well in the Bullet. As with the running, there isn’t nearly as much plate movement as I would have expected.

The burpees on the other hand…

…the burpees were…well…kinda like this…

I understand that there is more of an “art” to performing burpees in a ruck, but I don’t think the Bullet does you any favors when repping these out. The laptop pocket is just not up to the job of holding a plate securely in place during movements like burpees.

(so if you have been looking for an excuse not to do burpees…pick up a Bullet ASAP!)

I also have wanted to see what gymnastics movements are like in the Bullet. On a few occasions I have given the “ring complex” from the 2023 CrossFit Semi-finals second workout a try. 

As you will soon realize, my rings set-up wasn’t ideal for this task; I don’t have enough space for a traditional kip or to completely straighten my legs at the bottom. As it is, ring dips and toes-to-bar were not a problem in the Bullet; the weight stayed where it needed to. However, I experienced a similar issue with the muscle-ups that I did with the burpees (if you demand “clean” muscle-up technique, please close your eyes!)

The 10-pound ruck plate (I physically couldn’t complete the complex with a 20-pound plate) slammed into my neck or the back of my head on every rep. My wife (who is a pretty legit CrossFitter) had less trouble with these, but proved that you either have to have really clean muscle-ups to avoid bashing your head (or at least be cleaner than me) or you’ll want to wear a football helmet when performing these.

As mentioned before, the GORUCK Bullet is under GORUCKS “Travel Rucksacks” and that the athletes from the semi-finals workout were likely using RUCKER 4.0 “Training Rucksacks”. As such, I don’t want to pick on it too much for not being ideal for somewhat niche (ruck burpees) and very niche (ruck “ring complexes”) movements. 

With that being said, being very lightly padded and only possessing a top handle (no side or bottom handles) the Bullet doesn’t do you any favors when doing movements like ruck swings or when you’re tossing it around at all. As such, I don’t really recommend it as a first choice for most official GORUCK events.

Dynamic Rucking Score: 80

Load Capacity

My Bullet has a 15-liter load capacity, one of the biggest in the entire line of bags. These currently top out at 16 liters and go as low as 10 liters (which I wouldn’t really recommend, but you do you!)

Despite this, if you’re more into everyday carry than rucking, this capacity can be maximized pretty well, particularly if you use the laptop pocket for its intended purpose.

Load Capacity Score: 70

Everyday Carry

On occasion, I have gone out of my way to test the GORUCK Bullet as a type of everyday carry bag. I generally do not prefer the traditional “backpack” style when purchasing these bags and, for this reason alone, I personally would not purchase a Bullet if this was my main focus/purpose.

However, I know that many people do prefer this approach/style…and if this is you, you might just really like the Bullet’s setup.

The dedicated laptop pocket is a welcome addition, although unless your laptop is just the right size, it’s going to move around a little bit and won’t have the luxury of a padded travel experience. My 17” HP fits snuggly into the pocket and stays perfectly in place, while my 15” MacBook is a bit too small and moves around a little too much for my liking.

Regarding carrying capacity, besides my HP, it’s not difficult to fit a few decent-sized hardback books, notebook, and a change of clothes in the main storage area (the items that any self-respecting worker hauls around on a daily basis). 

The front pocket accommodates another medium-sized softback book with ease.

I appreciate that unlike many “training rucks” the Bullet not only opens perfectly flat (making organization and stacking luggage much easier), but also doesn’t lose space with superfluous middle “separators” which can make it impossible to pack larger goods (even if the overall space is sufficient).

You’re probably more efficient than I am at folding and packing your clothes, but I don’t try to push things. The last thing I want to be known as is the guy with the absolutely loaded, arrowhead-encrusted day bag (that possesses the distinct smell of metal ruck plates). Granted, these reflectors do come in handy when you’re out an about at night…so maybe my Bullet should be classified as an “everynight” carry bag?

Overall, I think the capacity is just a little too small for my needs. If you haul less stuff around with you (or you can be bothered to fold and organize properly), you’d probably appreciate it a lot more than I do!

Everyday Carry Score: 85

Materials

As with just about every legit rucking product, high-quality Cordura makes up the vast majority of the Bullet’s outer (backpack straps) and inner areas. In addition to be a resilient, durable material, the 210d Cordura back panel reduces friction against the body (I always wear a shirt with mine…but…have fun with this one if you don’t!)

On the outside, the front zipper opens and shuts with ease while the top handle makes it easy to grab and toss in the car. The internal webbing pocket/meshed pocket serves as simple separator while the internal pocket (which most people will use for their laptop or for a ruck plate) is adequate, but never seems to fully secure the item placed within it.

As much as I don’t use the Bullet as my edc bag, I trust it’s construction enough to accommodate my (sorta) expensive computers. 

The Bullet’s outer materials feel lighter than other GORUCK bags…mainly because they are lighter. The 500D CORDURA is a lighter material than some of the 1000D Cordura bags. Despite this, it still feels rather durable and resistant.

Materials Score: 95

Price

In terms of pricing, the Bullet is kinda all over the place.

Some of the more “advanced” versions rival GORUCK’s larger and more multi-functional offerings while others fall into a relatively affordable price range. At the time of this writing, my, rather basic, spearhead reflector ruck was priced at $135 (I have found that this particular ruck is regularly on sale and rarely goes for over $165).

Although this constitutes an “inexpensive” bag by GORUCK standards, there are certainly similar bags out there from less well-known companies that can be had for a little bit cheaper. However, as a first ruck or “introductory” ruck, the price is certainly fair.

Price Score: 90

Customer Reviews

The Bullet has become one of GORUCK’s most beloved bags. A ton of them have been sold and the people who have purchased the bag have collectively been quite pleased.

Approaching one thousand total reviews, the Bullet is holding strong at a 4.8/5 stars on the GORUCK website.

It should be noted that this calculation includes all of the Bullet models and some are likely to score a little lower (and some, a little higher) than others. However, with such a large sample size, it’s safe to assume that any model you opt for is going to have pretty good social proof.

Another thing to note is that all of these reviews come from the official GORUCK website. It is difficult to find a third-party aggregator site (like Amazon or something) with a significant number of reviews for GORUCK gear. As such, the “official” reviews are all we got to go off of!

Customer Reviews Score: 96

Customer Service

One of the things I enjoy about interacting with GORUCK personnel is that I always feel like, for lack of a better term, I’m dealing with “normal” people. They answer promptly, don’t sound like robots, and are generally understanding and good-natured.

I have had some minor gripes with mistakes made to orders that needed to be cancelled (there was no way to amend the orders) which seemed a bit superfluous given the circumstances, but overall these haven’t been huge deals.

In contrast, I had signed up for some official GORUCK events, only to injure myself a few weeks before they were to take place. Although, according to the company’s policy, cancelling at this point was not permitted, after explaining the situation, I was promptly given a full refund of the fees paid for the events. Just awesome.

“Hey Tom!

Thank you for reaching out and for letting us know. We have removed you from the event roster. We do require a 30-day heads-up if you are not able to attend any event to receive a refund per our policy since we no longer transfer event registrations or provide store credits for canceling them. See more about our updated policy here: Can’t attend your event?

We will be happy to provide a one-time exception due to this circumstance and issue a full refund for the registrations. You will receive an email shortly confirming the refund. If you paid by credit or debit card, your credit will be posted to your account within 2-10 days depending on your financial institution.”

Additionally, the company’s shipping, return, and other general policies aren’t bad. Most items can be returned (with free return shipping) within 30 days of purchase and the company’s SCARS Lifetime Guarantee on products is a nice, “built-in” insurance policy.

Customer Service Score: 90

Who is the GORUCK Bullet really for?

The Bullet is definitely better for some people than for others. Let’s take a look at who these people are:

Brand New Ruckers

If you’re just getting into rucking and want a dedicated bag that’s durable enough to handle 5-30 pounds of weight (preferably non-metal ruck plates), the Bullet is a good introductory ruck.

Low-volume Everyday Carry Enthusiasts

If you prefer a backpack for your everday carry needs and don’t travel all that heavy, the Bullet is a very comfortable option with good dimensions and an efficient sorting and organizing layout.

Not for Experienced Ruckers or “Dynamic” Ruckers

In fairness to the Bullet, it’s not designed for heavy duty rucking or for use in something like GORUCK Selection. In a pinch, it can handle these tasks (and probably better than the majority of other bags), but if these are your priorities, opt for something else.

How we reviewed the GORUCK Bullet

I ruck at least twice per week and threw my Bullet on for these outtings on a number of occasions. Additionally, the “dynamic” rucking workouts described took place over a number of sessions (in some cases, these were performed after my main, training session as I don’t do too much dedicated ruck work in my CrossFit programming).

I have also used my Bullet on a few everyday carry situations, walking to my office (a few rooms over in my house!) from another room.

GORUCK Bullet Alternatives

If I haven’t completely sold you on the Bullet, maybe you’ll find one of these alternatives to be more of your liking

Frequently Asked Questions

Just a few more questions…just to be sure:

The GORUCK Bullet…Have a Plan for it, Even if the Plan is for it to be Stepping Stone…

I can’t say the Bullet is the best ruck I own…and it’s certainly not my favorite.

Yeah, it’s a generously priced, “entry-level” ruck, making it accessible to most people and if you don’t have any “serious” (as in heavy) rucking aspirations, it could serve you pretty well. Also, if you want the option for a bag to load up for a short trip or to double as a work bag, this 15l backpack has you covered. 

Short of that, though…well…it’s still a “nice” bag and at that price point…you could do much worse…

…and if you decide that it isn’t for you, worst case, there is a lot of demand for these bad boys on the secondary market; you’ll always be able to find someone to purchase yours at 75-85 percent of the original price tag.

Thank goodness for Facebook Marketplace!