GORUCK is on a roll right now with this fast developing excellent lineup of everyday carry friendly packs made in 420d ripstop nylon. I believe it first appeared on the 16L and 14L laptop Bullet packs, then the 18L double compartment Bullet, and now this really neat M23.
I love the GORUCK GR1. I’ve owned two, sold them both but the latter one just recently because something special is in the mail and headed my way. (more on that later) The GR1 21L is an excellent size for 95% of what I need. It’s the most comfortable pack I’ve owned, it’s got a great slim profile, and it’s built to last. The problem is with organization and perhaps materials. Per my review, you get an irritating front slash pocket, one usable interior pocket, the mesh, and that’s about it. It really feels just ONE pocket short. I’m also not really a 1000d fan, it’s great for durability but quite abrasive and stiff, and I’m really not that hard on my packs.
Enter the M23 (released in late 2023), an interesting new design paying homage to the M1945 pack issues to US soldiers in the Second World. (There was also a 2022 M22 version which was similar that I haven’t used)
This is a radically different design from most GORUCK bags up to this point, shifting to a top loader instead of clamshell, and now made in 420d nylon rather than 1000d or 500d. The 420d nylon feels great, it’s a much more smooth and livable fabric day to day and seems plenty durable. (Though perhaps less suited for dragging around in the mud/sand/ocean) I would absolutely think the M23 could be used for rucking up to any reasonable weight. I worry slightly about the bottom, 1000d might have been good there, but the concern is really just about getting marked up, and not straight up tearing. Regardless, like all GORUCK gear, it’s guaranteed for life. If it does rip or fail in some capacity, you can send it to SCARS and they’ll repair or replace.
I really like the aesthetic, it stays slim to the back (one of the most important things to me), and drapes really nicely thanks to the 420d. The lash straps look quite unique on the front and feature terrific magnetic Fidlock buckles with the GORUCK spearhead logo. If you’ve never used these buckles before, they are a treat, very fun and easy to operate one handed. The lash straps themselves however are extremely stiff, which makes actually adjusting them quite tricky and harder than it should be.
The bag includes a plastic sternum strap, haven’t seen that before on any of my GORUCK bags, and a nice touch that will save you $10.
The 21L is a great every day size, and feels quite a lot bigger than a 21L GR1 for some reason. (Other owners have confirmed this) The bag expands quite a bit vertically when you want it too which offers nice flexibility when you need it, while looking quite small and low profile when you don’t. There’s also a 26L version.
This bag is made in Vietnam and there is speculation that the build quality is actually a little better on the MiV bags than the MiUSA. I can confirm that my USA made 21L GR1 had a lot of loose thread I had to snip and burn. This MiV M23 is flawless. Small differences either way, just possibly a little more precision on the Vietnam bags, but YMMV.
Comfort is identical to the GR1, which is to say as good as it gets. Straps are very wide and absurdly padded and like a GR1, they need a little breaking in. It should be worn high on the back where it will distribute the weight nicely. With my normal load out I usually forget I’m wearing it.
The top loading is an interesting change. Generally clamshell feels a little more usable to me, but there are times when a top loader is good to have. Any environment where you might need to fish around but can’t set the bag down anywhere clean for example, things feel much more secure in a top loader. Not bad for the outdoors or on the go, perhaps not as good for travel. The beauty of a clamshell bag is it can be whatever you need though, top load, side, half zip, full clamshell, and you do lose that flexibility with the M23. It is however still a very usable bag.
Organization is where it truly shines, and that is a welcome addition to a 21L bag with GORUCK comfort. There are two zippers running along the side of the bag near the back panel, one to a pocket well suited to a water bottle, the other to an amazing similar pocket with a little internal organization. These are really nice, but you’ll need to access with the bag on its side or on its front, otherwise you run the risk of things falling out.
There’s an additional side zip near the front of the bag (on the right hand side) leading to a nice thin pocket at the very front of the bag. Would be great for documents or passports but this one is risky in terms of theft, so lesser value thin items would be better.
There’s a matching side zipper on the left, but this one leads directly into the main compartment of the bag. This really helps increase the utility of the top loader, it’s huge and you’ve got great access to things at the bottom. It’s so big I can pull out my mirrorless camera or GORUCK a field pocket, really impressive addition. It could use the addition of pull tabs though as the bag will bunch up if you pull this zipper in either direction without holding the opposite side.
On the interior of the top lid is another nice mesh pocket with key loop, then along the back of the main compartment another mesh pocket for thin items, as well as the elastic sleeve you’d see in a GR1.
Add it all up and compare to most GR bags, this is a LOT. Honestly it’s more than I need most of the time, but I love having it there and if you were using this for your daily commute, it would all come in handy I suspect.
The bag features the standard GORUCK “bombproof” laptop compartment at the back, which comes with the same caveats I outlined in my GR1 review, plus one more big one. GORUCK bags are meant to be worn high on your back, and ideally they should curve over the shoulders a little. Put too big of a laptop in, and you feel like you’ve got a board on your back. You then need to drop the back lower to relieve pressure on the laptop and things just don’t fit as good anymore. The catch with the 21L M23 is the compartment appears to actually be smaller than on a 21L GR1 even according to the website where they recommend up to 15" on 21L GR1, and only 14" on the 21L M23. (They recommend up to 16" for the 26L on both) Personally my 13" MacBook Air feels pretty good in both, but I’d be nervous about even 14". If you buy the 26L, I’d stick to only 15" laptops.
The 21L made in Vietnam M23 currently costs $245 USD. A made in USA 1000d 21L GR1 is $335. I don’t know the actual cost of 1000d cordura vs 420d ripstop nylon, but these seem comparably priced and fair if you compare to offerings from Evergoods for example. It’s also a far cry cheaper than the more exotic GR1’s lately made from X-PAC/Ultra/Dyneema/Denim. (Up to $600 USD)
All said this is a really nice bag and a nice departure for GORUCK from their normal designs and materials. I hugely prefer this 420d for day to day use,
Would I recommend it? If you like the idea of a top loader and lots of organization, then yes definitely. This is GORUCK comfort combined with a much more livable fabric and a ton of well thought out organization.
However, can you imagine a GR1 made in 420d, perhaps with that missing quick access pocket it so desperately needs? As of two weeks ago, such a thing exists, I have one on the way and will be posting a mini review vs the current GR1 review already posted here. THAT pack is the real problem for the M23, although it is MiUSA and a LOT more expensive. We’ll see how it goes but I think for me, despite the many great things about the M23, the GR1 in 420d will probably have a slight edge.