(UPDATE July 2023: GORUCK has updated the Slick to now use 210D HT nylon on the back panel and the underside of the shoulder straps, an upgrade that was originally exclusive to the Rucker series and now comes standard on flagship bags like the GR1. It’s a great upgrade that now lets the Slick have the best of both worlds of 1000D’s signature durability and 210D’s comfort and significantly reduced abrasion.)
Whenever the topic of toughest EDC bags gets brought up, or talking about bags that make an ideal “one bag” for travel, it’s hard to leave out the GORUCK GR1 out of the discussion. Its simple, efficient design has stood the test of time, with an unchanged design and heavy-duty construction philosophy since blazing a trail for tactical bags a decade ago. But while the bag’s utility is universal, the tactical aesthetic isn’t for everyone. That’s why for the GR1’s 10th anniversary, GORUCK have partnered with Huckberry to produce the GR1 Slick, a modified version of the bag with a sleeker outer design while retaining all the best features of the original’s overbuilt construction. If you missed out on this limited edition collaboration when it sold out right after its initial debut in late February, you’re in luck—this made-in-USA bag has been restocked for the third time in both the 21L and 26L configurations, just in time for the holidays.
If you’ve never seen or handled the GORUCK GR1 before, its design may come as a surprise in a market flooded with more modern backpack designs. It takes a less-is-more approach when it comes to how you should carry your gear. It opens flat, giving you full organizational control thanks to three rows of MOLLE-compatible webbing on the interior for adding your own pouches and modular gear. Just below that you have access to a wide drop pocket for securing flat, fragile items like notebooks, tablets, and documents. The inner side of the front of the pack provides more storage with a horizontal zippered pocket as well as a zippered mesh pocket under that.
There’s also a suspended laptop compartment on the back of the bag, reinforced with a rigid frame sheet that keeps your computer off the ground and protected when you set your bag down. Last but not least, another zippered pocket for storing smaller, more frequently accessed gear on the front exterior of the GR1 Slick sits tucked away under a flap of fabric that helps keep out rain while maintaining a discreet outer appearance.
On the Huckberry GR1 Slick, that front pocket is the sole detail on the backpack’s front exterior. While the interior retains the webbing for expansion and customization, the rows on the bottom front and sides of the original GR1 design have been removed, as has the loop field above the zippered pocket. This gives the GR1 Slick a completely sterile, sleek profile, letting it fit right at home in an office as much as on a weekend rough-and-tumble rucking session.
More details that nod to the collaboration are on the inner zip pockets, where a special commemorative leather patch embossed with Huckberry and GORUCK collaborative branding replaces GORUCK’s usual logo patch on the right side, and a “Built in the USA” patch proudly takes a spot on the lower mesh pocket’s left.
Other than aesthetics, the GR1 Slick’s complete 21-liter backpack (with a 26L option as well) functionality remains intact. This includes the durable, rainproof 1000D Cordura nylon construction that can stand up to wherever you take it without being too heavy or uncomfortably rigid in structure. The shoulder straps also feature extra padding to maintain comfort even through the longest treks through the city or the woods. Frequent flyers can haul the GR1 Slick as their “one bag” and comply with TSA requirements too. With just a few packing cubes and pouches, the GR1 Slick can pull double duty as your go-to travel bag for shorter trips.
No matter how you use it, the GORUCK x Huckberry GR1 Slick is built to last, with a decade-long legacy of construction and versatility that few bags have been able to live up to. Be sure to grab one of the limited stocks from Huckberry at the link below.
