Carryology x GoRuck Kaidan Bullet Ruck 15L - super packable, super functional small EDC-use bag

[@arthuslim]

Only this guy can dissect a simple Goruck Bullet into a 30 mins video. To make a purchasing decision, Chase Reeves for the entertainment, Bo for the unbiased user’s perspective and this man for the ultimate buying decision.

[@TheMountainborn]

That may be the kindest thing anyone has ever said about my channel to date my friend. ☺️ Thank you so much and glad you're enjoying the video (long as they may be 😅)

[@random-videos]

Buying decision? Is it Even for sale??

[@PackingLess]

Another great video Mountain thanks! Can you tell me how much it weighs (while empty)? It frustrates me that goruck rarely tell (on their site) what the actual weight of their bags are while empty.

[@TheMountainborn]

Thank you so much my friend! Just weighed it! I got ≈640grams (with the sternum strap) on my scale. Hope this helps!

[@PackingLess]

@@TheMountainborn that’s great thanks, I love any bag that weighs less than 1kg lol

[@TheMountainborn]

For sure, and me too, especially when hiking!

[@beck4218]

TL; DR? A murdered out Jansport in VX 21.

[@TheMountainborn]

As someone who grew up rocking a Jansport for school (and who looked forward to the start of the school year since I could get a new one for that year!) I think we can probably apply this description to 90% of the bags out there :). You never forget your first love! (coincidentally I'm actually right this second rocking the Kaiden Bullet Ruck on an end of year one bag travel adventure - 12 days, 7.2 kg in 15L bag ...)

[@epretto]

Very interesting design choices. I still miss the side moles. I just can’t get through the idea that there is all this side real state…

[@TheMountainborn]

Hello there my friend! Yeah, I originally had a bit where I talked about the molle but had to cut it out for time. In the section I cut out I briefly mentioned that I didn't find the front molle all that useful given the floppiness of the fabric (anything I attached basically hung/swung/dangled off the front really unstably because the fabric is so thin/droopy) and it exacerbated the "droop" of the bag. (but in general I am not a huge fan of molle attachment so) I did opine that maybe it would work well for a bike light or hero clip etc. I don't mind they left it on as I think it lends a little visual interest to the front of the bag, but I kind of thought of it mainly for show (especially since you won't be really rucking in this bag). Interestingly, the regular 15L Bullet also doesn't have side molle, eschewing it in favour of an interior hydration bladder sleeve (the one i show with the laptop in the video, only in the regular bullet they have a hydration sleeve hook which this one is missing, and also a hydration hose passthrough where the quick access pocket is on the kaidan) so I guess their thinking is, people will use hydration bladders rather than attaching side water bottle pockets to the molle. (although the side molle could be a nice place to attach a knife for outdoors-ing)

[@epretto]

@@TheMountainborn MTN, I have tried blatters… not my thing. I am simply not a straw guy when it comes to drinks🍹. The original bullet didn’t have a top access pocket either…. So a side mole , IMHO, would be a nice addition. Maybe scars can add that and that is the intent.

[@Jimbo397]

Ouch on the description of the patch 🤣. But I have to agree. Always look forward to your reviews, thanks.

[@TheMountainborn]

hahahhaha 😂 sorry I didn't want to do anyone dirty but that was *immediately* what I thought of as soon as I saw the patch with this collab. I do like that it's so low-key simple all black though - ironically it's the only patch across all the carryology collabs that I actually leave on my bag full time so maybe there's something to be said for it!!

[@PanaMaJwaaRd]

Dont know why anyone would choose this over axiom 18. If its all about just volume then sure🤷🏻‍♂️. Then its a race to the biggest bucket lol. Every aspect ...... Lichurrralllly every, the axioms design and pockets are infinitely better to work out of. But hey 🤷🏻‍♂️.

[@TheMountainborn]

Hi @PanaMaJwaaRd - great question. The simple answer to your question (and every flavor/variant of your question, most of which are some form of “Why would someone choose product X over product Y when product Y is clearly superior based on attributes A, B, C (which are attributes I happen to value particularly highly while discounting other attributes like D, E, F, and I assume everyone in the world thinks the similarly)” is that everyone has different valuation paradigms. That is to say, every individual has particular attributes they “value” (usually equated as “think is worth paying for” or is “particularly attractive/useful/etc.”) and other attributes they consider superfluous (and thus unnecessary/not worthy of spending money on) when it comes to evaluating a product. However these attributes value significantly from person to person even though many people tend to assume that their valuation paradigm is universal (which they often describe as “common sense” or “obvious”) - this tendency is often exacerbated by the human tendency for people with similar sets of values (or valuation paradigms as it were) to clump together (I.e. “birds of a feather flock together”). The internet (and social media in particular) has thrown this innate human tendency into maximum overdrive (via filtre bubbles/algorithmic curation) by siloing people into groups with self-reinforcing similar viewpoints that continue back to each other until other viewpoints (or valuation paradigms in this case) tend to recede into the background. This leads naturally into questioning why someone would ever have a different valuation paradigm. Now that is not to say that some bags are not largely better or worse than others for a particular use case or design style, etc. - of course this is true, otherwise there wouldn’t be any need for online reviews of products! But I do think it’s important to keep in mind that there are many different perspectives on what makes a bag attractive or not attractive to people even when seemingly similar. WRT to the Axiom 18, having owned this bag in the past, I can share a few thoughts on why someone might choose the Kaidan 15 over the Axiom 18 * Main compartment is significantly larger - this is actually super important for some use cases. For example right now I am literally doing a 14 day overseas trip with just the Bullet 15L and would struggle to do the same with the Axiom 18 because the depth of the main compartment makes all the difference in being able to fit a large clothing packing cube and full frame mirrorless camera along with other essentials like a dopp and tech kit, etc. whilst still retaining high usability * Weight - the Kaidan bullet is notably lighter. * No superfluous load lifters - not really needed in a bag of 15-18L but TAD adds them because they are designing for a certain target tacticool demographic that values things like that highly (and it fits their design aesthetic which is great). Many people find load lifters annoying and extra strappy and less refined looking - a practical thing we tolerate for utility when necessary (heavy hiking packs) but eschew for other cases when not needed since they do things like interfere with easily laying shoulder straps flat when shoving a bag under a seat in front of you or in an overhead bag * Thin versus heavily padded shoulder straps - again, it’s an 15-18L bag, there definitely are strongly divided opinions on how thick or thin a shoulder strap should be especially at such a light capacity * Simpler design versus more complicated organization schemes - again heavily divided opinions in this space, some people love the simplicity of something like the Bullet, others can never have enough pockets. I personally find the Axiom’s organization/pocket layout annoying. * Secure vs less secure pocketing - I find the Kaidan has slightly more secure pocketing including a QAP on the rear yoke. The Axiom has a big external front-facing pocket area which I feel is slightly higher risk in high-theft areas and it lacks a QAP. This though is mainly down to carry style and preference but again, that’s what personal valuation paradigms are about. (One could invert this and point out the Axiom has external laptop access versus the Kaidan which doesn’t but that just reinforces my point that details matter differently to different people etc.) Anyway, I could keep going on but I think you get the point - it’s not that one bag is better than the other but just to share that there are a myriad of reasons why someone might choose one bag over another even when they seem very similar on the surface and those reasons are often due to very specific details that make a world of difference to one person but not another. And the fact that there are so many many different designs and products available in the world at just a click of the mouse away these days is why I think we are truly living in the renaissance times of the Carry world. :)

[@bingbing2515]

Excellent analysis/review! I wish these were more commercially available (I would of been interested)… im sure you know Carryology collaborations are very competitive to secure. I understand your next video is the CTB35 would love a noted comparison to the popular Aer TP2.

[@TheMountainborn]

Hi BingBing, Yes, I'm familiar with both the incredible competitiveness of the carryology drops and the subsequent online discourse around this issue (on the Facebook forums, reddit and other places). I have really mixed feelings around it because on the one hand I really love bags so these collaborations are really attractive to me, on the other hand I feel bad that more people can't get their hands on them - I understand the stated rational for the limited production numbers and that makes sense, but at the same time the increasing hype-culture around the drops really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. To date I have been really lucky as an actual real human to be able to score most of these bags when they drop just by being very fast. However I know that as the hype continues to build and people continue to flip these things for offensive prices on ebay, that the same scalpers and profit seekers that absolutely destroyed shoe drop culture with automated bots and machines that instantly scoop up all available inventory the second it releases and with which no human can compete no matter how fast they are, will eventually move in and I - and no other enthusiasts - will be able to score these bags any longer. And that will be a sad day for sure. :( With regard to the CTB35 - my review video of the CTB35 just went live and I did include a brief comparison against the Aer Travel Pack (v1 as that is what I had at hand) in the end. I hope this helps!

[@Datblonddood]

Nice review as always. But I have to ask, is that a DDCxTimex collab on your wrist?

[@TheMountainborn]

Thank you my friend! And yes, great eye! It is in fact the DDC x Timex collab (DDC-200). (I do enjoy funky affordable field watches ☺️)

[@Datblonddood]

@@TheMountainborna man of class and taste.

[@anas7hamed]

Thank you for the video. Do you recommend GR1 Dayneema over the 1000D/500D? And what do you think about it now? How does Dyneema age over time?

[@TheMountainborn]

Hi @anas7hamed ! Great question. In general I believe the answer to questions like this is usually "it depends on your use case" since the materials tend to have different strengths/weaknesses that may make them excel better at one use case or another. That said, my general, personal subjective thoughts on the three questions you asked: > Do you recommend GR1 Dayneema over the 1000D/500D? For myself, yes, especially for a smaller bag like the 15L Bullet. I don't take this bag rucking (in the way that GoRuck defines it) or abuse it carrying heavy metal plates through mud :) so for me there is not much benefit to using the heavier and rougher nylons here. I use this bag as a light but very functional packable daypack for destination use and it is here that the much lighter weight, superior packability and inherent structure of the Dyneema version of this bag prove superior. Also completely subjectively, I prefer the look and feel of the dyneema materialway over the 1000d/500d alternatives > And what do you think about it now? Generally my opinion remains the same as in this video though I say that the Matador x Carryology EDX Backpack that dropped earlier this year has now taken over in many of the use cases where previously I would have used the Carryology x GoRuck Kaiden bullet. The dyneema Kaiden is more robust and supportive (as I mentioned, I think this is a backpack with a high degree of packability that still is totally usable as a full time EDC pack) than the Matador EDX but the Matador has an even higher degree of packability and still has a lot of the great strengths of the Kaidan bullet. Note that the EDX is made of x-pac vs the dyneema of the Bullet. > How does Dyneema age over time? Dyneema has a very distinctive aging/wearing pattern which you should be able to find lots of examples of online if you search. Let me know if you can't find a good source though and I can describe it in detail. That said, in general, you should expect it to: become much softer in the areas where it folds/creases a lot, all the "noisiness" / "crinkle" sounds to go away as it ages, and for some of the inherent structure of the fabric to relax a bit but it still retains a fair amount. Some of the "sheen" of brand new dyneema will gradually give way to a more relaxed, matte appearance, especially in areas of heavy articulation/wear. You generally should not expect any rips/tears as the fabric is fairly robust, however with extremely heavy use/abuse/wear - usually something only experienced by dedicated outdoor hiking packs made of dyneema, especially those with roll tops that get repeatedly rolled/unrolled tightly multiple times a day for weeks or months at a time whilst dirty (dirt as an abrasive) - you can sometimes develop small pinholes in the high stress abuse areas. This is not very common in urban-use EDC bags however. I hope this helps!

[@davidrauche5592]

Hi MB, do you prefer the Evergoods CTB or GoRuck GR2 Kaidan? My issue is the weight of the CTB. I’d like something that looks and feels more compact but from looking at it on others, the CTB seems to stick out more or appear larger in general. Unfortunately, I don’t have either one yet in front of me but have the option for both and have to make a decision. Thanks for all your reviews. Love how thorough you are and appreciate how you always provide both pros and cons. The best.

[@TheMountainborn]

Hi David! I just uploaded a review of the Evergoods CTB35 and in the section at the end I briefly compare it against the GoRuck Kaidan GR2. Your impressions are aligned with my experience with both bags. Neither bag is particularly "compact" but I believe the Kaidan has a superior capacity to weight ratio versus the Evergoods and weighs (I believe) around 300 grams less. On the other hand, the evergoods has other advantages versus the Kaidan which I detail in the video. If your primary goal is to find a scaled-up daypack-style one bag travel backpack that is relatively compact then a strong contender to consider might be the Bellroy Transit line of travel bags. I briefly do a comparison against the Transit Plus 38L in my review of the EG CTB35, and the smaller Transit 28L is probably one of my all-time-favourite smaller one bag travel bags (though rated 28L I would say it probably holds around 30-31ish liters, so it might even cover what you're looking for in the CTB35 depending on how heavy you travel). I hope this helps!

[@davidrauche5592]

@@TheMountainborn sorry for the late reply but thanks so much for your input! Appreciate it. Your reviews are so thorough and it’s greatly appreciated.

[@CeeMKE]

Excellent review. A bag this size doesn’t need a sternum strap, the bag is too small. I wouldn’t look for a sternum strap for any bag under 21 Liters.

[@TheMountainborn]

Thank you so much! And yes, I think most people would definitely agree with you that a bag this size doesn't need it. I'm squarely in the #sternumStrapSquad 😂 however so I always prefer it when bags have at least the option of a sternum strap, even if they're small. (I just personally find it to be more comfortable in how it spreads the load out evenly over the straps when the bag is under heavy load). But I know I'm probably in the minority here (and there's definitely an aesthetic reason for leaving them off especially on smaller bags)

[@hellomartynas]

As you have a 16" MBP, do you think it will fit in the main compartment while being in a case? Thanks in advance!

[@AP-sc2cz]

Curious about this as well

[@markkrell7845]

the inferior sewing appearance is called puckering.

[@TheMountainborn]

That's the word!!!! thank you!

[@DesmondSG]

When the condition is real bad its sometimes called the mother of all puckering. Or in short Mother pucker

[@alexcheung821]

Got to do review on your watch too, another black orange carryology signature color combination! Don't forget to mention the James Brand x Timex one which you have a slight mention in your previous video.

[@TheMountainborn]

Aww thanks Alex! I do enjoy the field watch form factor. In this video I'm wearing the DDC x Timex collab DDC-200. If you like it, it's actually still available for sale on the Draplin Design Co website for the quite affordable price of $89.99 USD www.draplin.com/2021/05/for_immediate_release_the_fourth_offering_of_our_timex_x_ddc_scout_watch.html It's a cheapie field watch so nowhere near as nice as the TJB x Timex field watch collab (which has far nicer case materials, is an automatic and even has a clear case back), but as you noted, it has this awesome vivid orange band with a black case - it just seemed apropos to wear it whilst reviewing this Goruck collab bag. Additionally, since I'm often doing the all-black on black thing with my clothes/bags in daily life, I like the pop of colour accent it provides on the wrist. If you like the vibe and are just looking for a good beater watch I think it's a relatively easy pick up.

[@alexcheung821]

@@TheMountainborn Yeah, I quickly grab one there immediately. Great vivid orange black and definitely fit the carryology vibe! 👍

[@unmen]

Waiting with impatience upcoming reviews on CTB35 & CAP1L.

[@TheMountainborn]

Coming soon my friend!!!

[@algorerhyth]

i always keep my keys on my person .. for the most part my wallet as well

[@TheMountainborn]

I used to do that with keys but once virtually ever car started coming with a giant remote starter fob I just couldn't do it anymore as it became an unsightly and uncomfortable jumble in my pocket. The worst is the size of the fobs seem to be getting even larger and larger, often unnecessarily so (luxury cars are the worst, because even as they increase the fob size for apparently vanity's sake, the actual functionality seems to decrease). Le sigh.

[@algorerhyth]

@@TheMountainborn agree .. I'm just paranoid about losing them

[@josegoncalvesdias3242]

The Arc'Teryx on the left on the end is the Granville 16? Very nice video once again!

[@TheMountainborn]

Thank you so much and great eye! Yes that's right, I originally included it as one of the "also consider" options but had to cut it out of the final video to keep it under (sigh) 40 minutes 😂 I originally mentioned the Granville 16 as a possible "consider" along the dimensions of * Smaller sized daypack * Similar interesting high tech materials (Arcteryx AC2 fabric in this case) * Similar good levels of organization for the size The Granville is slightly less packable than the Kaidan bullet, but has a stiffer frame sheet, slightly narrower shoulder straps and is also very usable as a daily use EDC. It's also a fair bit less than the Kaidan bullet and fairly easy to get a hold of (meaning you don't need to pay crazy Ebay prices for it)

[@josegoncalvesdias3242]

I am looking for smothering to replace the Wandrd Veer that I have as the shoulder straps are just not good enough and this one looks great. I am not sure if I can justify the price tag. Already be Bellroy Apex is so crazy expensive and I use it everyday. Having this one just as packable backpack is hard to do. But at least you know that you have always a nice one to go with. Maybe the Arvteryx is an option. The Tortuga seems impossible to find in Germany

[@MrSobakaforte]

I've been loving my CTB35 - interested to see your take on it!

[@TheMountainborn]

Hi Conrad! My review of the CTB35 just went live now!

[@orbispictus6127]

Great review as always! Can't wait for the CTB35.

[@TheMountainborn]

Hi Orbis! My review of the CTB35 just went live now!

[@fjlbanks]

Love the in-depth commentary. Would you review the TBB Conceal 21 or 30?

[@714SNF]

Thx for the video! Do you also have the Dyneema Bullet 10L?

[@TheMountainborn]

Alas no. I missed the original drop and then when I took a look at the prices on ebay I just couldn't justify it since I know that in any situation I would reach for the dyneema bullet I would inevitably prefer the Kaidan Ruck. If I ever picked up the dyneema bullet it would be just to complete the dyneema goruck trinity with my GR1XC 21/26L but it would just sit on the shelf and collect dust and at this point I just couldn't really convince myself to get it. If the prices on ebay come down a bit and I manage to clear some space from my shelves then I might consider picking it up in the future.

[@714SNF]

@@TheMountainborn I'm in a similar situation with the Kaiden set. I just need the GR2 to complete the set but I don't know if I'll use it as often as my bullet for EDC

[@c.henry.3]

Another great video! Very excited to hear your thoughts on the Evergoods products shown in this video.

[@_krakra_]

Will you review also 34l version?

[@TheMountainborn]

Hi KraKra - I will at some point, but not for about another month or two as I've got some other stuff in the queue first. The next one-bag travel bag review will likely be the Evergoods Civic Travel Bag 35, coming in a week or so. :)

[@_krakra_]

@@TheMountainborn man! You need to help me today. If you have to choose one kaidan 34 and ctb35 which one would be? I might understand that view or perspective might change when you review them. But i have a chance to buy kaidan 34 today since in stock in eu. And the only thing bugging me is total weight of ctb35. Kaidan 34 is 500g lighter

[@TheMountainborn]

These are two very different bags! 😂 So in order to answer can you tell me the following? 1. The three most important things to you in a bag (especially a travel bag if you know) 2. Conversely, what do you strongly dislike in a travel bag? 3. Do you usually pack a second EDC use bag for use at the destination? 4. Would you describe your height/build as smaller, average, or larger?

[@_krakra_]

@@TheMountainborn : i am 6’ 170lbs average build. I hate having to many pockets for every thing. I use pouches. Sometimes i prefer to travel one bag travel style but in that case i use 28-30l bag. I would love to have 35l bag which i can still stuff under the seat. And use packable daypack when at destination. I do not need hip straps and prefer to have as light/durable as possible bag on my back. Prefer to have good quick access pockets, do not mind to have water-bottle in a bag. But ctb35 external elastic pocket are great dump pockets also. But i would still prefer to look clean and have water-bottle in the backpack. I had tom bihn synik 30 but sold it due to to many small pockets as mentioned i prefer big compartments and just pack with pouches. I for example love tom bihn techonaut 30 as big bucket space for packing. It is also very light at 1.1kg without a frame. And i can still use it as daily bag when at destionstion. As mentioned would love to have something bigger in case of winter travel or if i need to bring additional shoes etc..tom bihn T45 was simply to big and sholder straps were not doing as good as on t30 version. I hope i cover everything. I like the ctb35 and goruck 34 style very much. If i would prefer on ctb35 would be option to remove hip straps to save some weight. If i am not mistaken ctb35 is 1,8kg and goruck 34 is 1,3kg. That is maybe small difference but when traveling noticeable i think.

[@TheMountainborn]

Thanks! So given your description, I am inclined to think that the Kaidan 34 is going to be the better bag for you. It is much more of a "big compartment" (albeit with some organization) style of point-to-point bag in the grand tradition of "big black travel bags" versus the CTB35 which is much like a big scaled up CPL24 daypack and has tons of pockets everywhere. I believe the Kaidan has a much better capacity-to-size ratio than the CTB35 (although I'll share my final thoughts when I finish reviewing the Kaidan, I feel pretty confident in saying that) and works very well with pouches (so does the EG but it has a ton of pockets everywhere which are sort of wasted space/weight if you're not taking advantage of them). I would say that the space usage is arguably more flexible in the kaidan over the CTB 35 and it (the kaidan) punches above its weight in terms of capacity - i.e. though rated at 34, it feels like it holds a fair bit more than that. Both of these bags get pretty hefty when full but the base weight of the CTB35 is higher than the Kaidan. Additionally the CTB35 is like a big scaled up daypack with some great travel-oriented features versus the Kaidan which feels more like a purpose built travel bag from start, however a much more simplistic one (i.e. essentially a big black rectangle) - this has implications in how they carry and handle on the back especially at full loadout. One is not necessarily better than the other, but they're very different wearing experiences and I'm guessing based on what you said above, that you'll prefer the one of the Kaidan. The suspension system on the CTB 35 is arguably superior to that of the Kaidan (again, waiting on my full review of the Kaidan to say this definitively) but you mentioned you don't like waist belts and the integrated waist belt is not removable on the CTB35. I think that overall, you're likely to be more satisfied with the Kaidan as it's a simpler bag that works better with pouches, has a better capacity to size/weight ratio, is lighter and probably holds more than the CTB35 (pending my final review to confirm that, but feels like so). The downsides are going to be the typical sparse/brutish goruck construction (though fairly robust) that is nowhere as advanced/refined as Evergoods stuff, kind of a general floppiness/feeling a little less structured than the CTB35 at full weight, some odd internal organizational choices (the built-in top pouch pocket in the front compartment of the GR2 is such a bizarre, weird choice IMO), fairly tight laptop compartment and slightly less comfortable load carriage system vs the CTB 35. However both are excellent bags in their own right, so to a certain extent you can't go wrong with either. If you like the Kaidan, another bag to consider might be the Aer Travel Pack (especially if you get the Xpac version) which has a lot of similarities and is intermediate in weight between the CTB35 and the Kaidan 34 (and also has an interesting combination of features of the two bags - more EDC-oriented organization than the Kaidan without going to the full extent as the CTB35, and feels a little more structured than the Kaidan without being as fully structured as the CTB35). I hope this helps my friend! Happy hunting!

[@ОмарДалгатов-ы5б]

Please write the name of the card case?

[@TheMountainborn]

Sure thing. It's the Rofmia Shift Card Holder: en.rofmia.com/product-page/card-holder

[@ОмарДалгатов-ы5б]

Thanks