Over the past two weeks we’ve received a number of emails and Facebook messages about Grunt Style’s “The Ranger” pack.
As of this post their website has three pictures of the pack which is why I bought one and shot a lot more. The following isn’t so much a review as it is a preview of what to expect from Grunt Style’s Ranger pack if you choose to buy it.
The Ranger is a nice looking pack featuring a skinny Velcro area, an outside pocket, and four rows of webbing.
I brought my GORUCK GR0 along for the ride because it is also a 21L pack and most of the ADR readers are familiar with its size. As you can see they are very comparable when it comes to sizing.
Flip the packs over and you can see that The Ranger has a mesh back with the laptop compartment on the left side.
The zipper runs the full length of the pack and should accommodate about a 15″ laptop.
The laptop compartment is a cavernous hole that runs the entire width and length of the pack.
The shoulder straps are sewn directly into the pack like the original GORUCK bags before they introduced the batwing.
The buckles used are all from ITW and hopefully the above picture is clear enough to show that…
…and there are a lot of buckles and plastic pieces on this.
When my Ranger showed up there was an abrasion already on the lower side of the pack. Not too big of a deal but it’s probably a good indicator of how the pack will look after some wear and tear.
One of the main parts my eyes jump to on the front of the pack is the large zipper pulls.
Due to the size I’m guessing they’re pretty easy to grab with gloves on. They also feature the S.O.Tech logo on them…
…which makes sense because the bag appears to be made by them.
The outside pocket is easy to open and runs to the bottom of the pack.
The shoulder straps are sewn directly into the backpack with a break in the padding on top so they’re flexible.
There are compression straps on each side of the pack so that it can be compressed when not full.
They work… not too much to say about them but they definitely compress the pack.
The top of The Ranger has a hydration port with a Velcro flap that covers it.
Here’s what it looks like with the Velcro flap open and ready for a hydration bladder.
Inside view of the top of the pack where you can see the hydration port open.
And here’s what the inside of The Ranger looks like. The pack has a slick inside with a single pocket against the wearer’s back.
Closer shot of the pocket on the pack.
The front panel of the inside features a mesh zippered pocket and a nice Velcro area.
Back with the GR0 you can see, again, that when it comes to size they’re nearly identical.
The GR0 has a structured bottom while the Grunt Style Ranger does not… it reminds me a bit of how the original GORUCK Bullet was set up.
The only real issue I had with the Grunt Style Ranger was the shoulder strap placement. You can see from the above picture how close the shoulder straps are sewn together especially when compared against the GORUCK pack.
There’s no frame sheet in The Ranger which is how you’re able to fold it in half.
Just like the GORUCK Shadow (SD) line these packs can be folded or rolled up for easily pack-ability.
The flip side of the S.O.TECH tag shows a “Made In The USA” flag, which is always nice to see.
If you’re interested in the Grunt Style Ranger pack you can pick one up in Ranger Green from their website.
Brian, the shoulder straps looks quick thick, similar thickness of the GR0. Those made from soft cushy type or stiff foam?
Looks like this has a thin back mesh cushion.
Thanks for the review.
This looks like the 3 day assault pack on SOTech’s website. They list four colors and a lower price of $150.
There’s a few minor differences between this one and the one on the S.O.Tech… even if they were priced the same I think the one on the S.O.Tech site is probably a better deal. It has one less row of webbing but it has the ability to integrate a waist belt.