Review: 5.11 Rush 24 Backpack

Like a fine sit-down dinner, we all love a high-end technical backpack, loaded with the latest features and optimized for efficiency in our preferred activity. But most days, a guy just wants some comfort food, and lots of it, to fill the belly after a long day outside. The 5.11 Rush 24 37L is the cheeseburger & fries of backpacks: simple, hearty, and well-suited to everyday demands. The 37-liter capacity includes a beefy main pocket for large items and layers, while various internal and external pockets allow ample organization of essentials. Customized compartments accommodate eyewear, laptop, bladder, phone, wallet, keys, and two-way radios. With its mid-sized body and liberal pockets, the Rush is a great day-hiker, while side compression straps allow you to cinch it down and streamline it for hunting, biking, or skiing. Keep it uncinched and it becomes a gym or errand bag, as well—the clamshell opening makes quick loading & unloading a breeze.

But all of this is secondary to the pack's primary virtue, which is durability. The Rush's 1000-denier nylon is as burly as badger hide, meaning it'll take all the abuse you can muster, and then some. The large carry-handle and thick, solid straps are made to match, so you can shoulder this ruck and go, no matter what adversity you may be facing—and with the hidden CCW compartment, this includes the inimical unknown.

Simple and spare in overall shape, but with ample fixins inside & out, this pack is the day-in, day-out workhorse that satisfies every outdoor appetite—and its modest pricetag reflects that workaday reliability.

Available at 511tactical.com; $175.