AllOutdoor Review – GORUCK Bullet Ruck Heritage Backpack
Patrik Orcutt 01.17.24
GORUCK is a company whose very DNA comes from U.S. Army Special Operations. The company was started in 2008 by Jason McCarthy who served as a communications sergeant in the 10th Special Forces Group, and saw combat in Iraq. While visiting his wife – Emily McCarthy – who was working as a CIA case officer, he focused on equipping her for any situation that she might encounter. McCarthy soon designed a “go bag” for Emily. Their goal was pretty simple, “Build a rucksack with life-or-death quality standards that would thrive in Baghdad and NYC.” Today, GORUCK is a globally recognized brand for building some of the toughest rucksacks in the world. They also offer training events where highly motivated individuals can test the limits of their rucks and physical strength. With all of that being said, today we are going to take a look at the GORUCK Bullet Ruck Heritage to see how it performs.
Backpack Coverage on AllOutdoor
- AllOutdoor Review – Mystery Ranch Sphinx 60L Backpack
- AllOutdoor Review: F-Stop AJNA 37L DuraDiamond Adventure Backpack
- Why The 5.11 Rush 72 Should Be Your Next Backpack
The GORUCK Bullet Ruck Heritage was provided for this review by GORUCK and while I am allowed to keep this backpack indefinitely, it will not change my current or future opinion on any GORUCK Products. GORUCK has not been allowed to preview this review prior to publishing. Bullet Heritage was tested primarily as an EDC bag for the last few months, while I did not have much time with this bag compared to most of my reviews, I have previously owned the standard Heritage GR1 for over a year at this point and these two packs are very similar.
Specs – Bullet Ruck Heritage
- Capacity: 15L
- Primary Material: 10.10 oz Army Duck Waxed Canvas
- Weight: 2 Lb
- Dimensions: 10.75″ W x 18.5″ H x 5.5″ D
- External Slant Pocket: 10.5″ W x 11.5″ H
- Internal Mesh Pocket: 10.5″ W x 11″ H
- Internal Cordura Pocket: 10″ W x 6.75″ H
- Plate Pocket: 10.5″ W x 11.75″ H
- Laptop Compatible for Laptops under 13″
- Lifetime Warranty
- Made in the USA
- MSRP $345
Quality and Comfort – Bullet Ruck Heritage
The Bullet Heritage backpack stands out with its distinctive construction, utilizing ducked canvas infused with Martexin Wax instead of the traditional Cordura material. This unique canvas offers a smooth appearance, durability, and resistance to rain. Over time, the canvas develops a weathered and worn look, enhancing the bag’s beauty with individualized aging. GORUCK’s lifetime guarantee underscores their confidence in the backpack’s durability, with a bold claim that it should endure for more than 170 years.
There are full grain leather accents sourced from S.B Foot Tannery out of Red Wing, Minnesota on key parts of the pack. The grab handle on top, the entire bottom of the pack, and two strips on the back panel. The leather on the Bullet Heritage really elevates the looks of this bag from its contemporaries. All of the stitching is superb just like on everything GORUCK produces. I actually prefer the zippers on the Bullet Heritage over the traditional GR1. The main compartment zipper is enormous but opens with great ease. All zippers are YKK with silent, glove-friendly zipper pulls constructed from parachute 550 cord. If you haven’t gotten the hint yet, the Heritage radiates with quality craftsmanship and components.
As is customary with all GORUCK products for there to be a break-in period but this is the first Ruck I’ve used from them that seams to not have that problem. The pack was very comfortable from the time I pulled it out of its box. My biggest complaint with the Bullet Heritage is that there is little to no ventilation on the back of the pack. If it’s hot outside you can expect this pack to create a lot of sweat on your back. The shoulder straps are perfectly fine and provide good support when the pack is loaded down with gear.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Heritage comes with GORUCK’s “Scars Lifetime Guarantee. This means that If there is a defect in workmanship or materials or if you actually manage to wear something out, GORUCK will fix or replace (at their discretion) your item, free of charge, no receipt is necessary. I love seeing a brand stand behind its products like this and it truly demonstrates the quality of its gear.
Organization – Bullet Ruck Heritage
In terms of organization, the Bullet Heritage offers additional features compared to the standard GR1. Notably, it includes a small hidden zipper pocket beneath the handle. This subtle addition significantly enhances functionality by providing a convenient quick-access space for frequently used items. While the pocket is small, it proves ideal for essentials like headphones and chapstick. On the exterior, a 2″x3″ patch panel is present on the front, accompanied by a removable leather patch. This external feature adds to the bag’s versatility and customization options.
The Heritage boasts a complete clamshell design, ensuring easy access to all the gear inside the pack, even if it’s tucked away at the bottom. Internally, it features three pockets: one spacious elastic pocket, one large mesh zippered pocket, and one small go-to pocket. These pockets provide excellent storage options for smaller items, contributing to overall organization. Note there is no “official” laptop pocket on the Bullet but in my experience, you can fit a smaller MacBook in the weight plate compartment. Note their are no rows of MOLLE inside this pack as everything is “Slick” on the Bullet Heritage.
Likes
- Constructed from incredible materials
- Backed by a Lifetime Guarantee from GORUCK
- Less tactical look (if you get the non-camo variants)
- Comes in M81
Dislikes
- Price, is really steep and will be the biggest turn-off to most.
- Little to no ventilation from the back panel
Wrap Up – Bullet Ruck Heritage
Just like its bigger brother the GR1 Heritage, the Bullet Heritage is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and materials and can be something that you could pass down to your grandchildren. While it is very expensive and lacks some of the features of other bags in their line-up, the Bullet still fills a small niche of the market and that’s who this bag is for.
