The GR Echo by GORUCK is their smallest rucksack available. By no means does this mean it is not a capable bag but instead it just means that it is the most capable and functional pack per inch that you will ever own. GORUCK prides itself on building durable products, that aren’t necessarily made to look pretty, but they are made to work perfectly.
GR Echo Features
I have owned my GR Echo for over a year now and it hasn’t started to show any signs of aging. One of the great features of the bag is the stitching on the bag. The stitching doesn’t loosen or budge at all when under 40 lb. of weight per strap as seen in this photo:
And you might be wondering how I have 40 lb. stuffed into such a “tiny” backpack. Check out how I can fit my entire pancake in there to make for a soft quickly interchangeable rucking weight. I’d say there is even room for another 5-10 lb. of sand at the top. Also with their new Ruck Plates you can also fit the 30 lb. plate without taking up much more space than a laptop.
Like I said before they build highly functional bags and the storage on this bag is so well arranged. You have the 2 main pockets on the back flap with one being mesh so you can see what’s in there at a glance and the smaller one being closed off completely. I like to store my valuables in the top pocket area. It’s nice to have the more protected pocket up top because naturally all of the heavy items in your bag will be settled towards the bottom and your back. The third pocket is the one that most people will find themselves using on a regular basis for everyday tasks and working out. It is a slightly expanding pocket that can fit small laptops (13″), 30 lb rucking plates, or a hydration bladder. The hydration bladder option works well because at the top there is a velcro opening below the handstrap that you can sneak your hose through.
GR Echo Durability
It seems a little funny to make a section describing a bag like the GR Echo’s durability. One of the main points of this bag is for it to be durable, without that the bag would just be a normal bag with some nice features and not a GORUCK bag. Yes this bag is durable – on a scale of 1-10 it’s a 12.
GR Echo Usage
After having a functional bag like this for over a year I have used it for a wide range of tasks. It is commonly used as a bad ass backpack for my daily needs when biking around town or heading to work. For this it serves its purpose very well if you aren’t planning on bringing too much with you. When I go to the gym with a complete change of clothes with shoes included they all fit very well but maybe a tad snug.
For rucking with the GR Echo you won’t find a better choice, besides getting a bigger GORUCK bag. The rucksack takes the weight you put in and says is that it? You will break down before this bag will. Add as much weight as you can fit and ruck around the mountains all day and see which ones need a shower and rest first – it’s you not the bag.
GR Echo Verdict
If you like buying things that aren’t disposable and you can really use for a long time then this bag is for you. The only downside is that you pay accordingly, the GR Echo comes in at $145.00. When you think about it that’s not so bad since before owning the GR Echo I had probably worn out enough bags to total that much. I’m confident this bag has at least another 5 years of heavy usage before I even think about replacing it. Before then I will likely upgrade to a larger bag to fit more stuff like water and food for longer rucks along with the weight for the day.
but wait there’s more….
You might be asking yourself how small or large this bag really is. Here are some photos of what will and won’t fit in a GR Echo.
A three step ladder
A one step ladder
A corny keg of beer
A six pack of bottled beer
Enough booze for you and a few close friends
What can you fit in your GR Echo?
Dario
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