5.11 Rush 72 Tactical Rucksack Review 2013/11/27
The 5.11 Rush 72 is a great bug out bag and three day pack. Featuring
a durable load carry system. I have been using it extensively for
running survival lessons and one feature I found really useful was the
organisation made possible by all the pockets that the 5.11 Rush 72
has.
Introduction
Most rucksacks straight out the box come with miles and miles of extra
webbing which make the pack look messy and unorganised. On the other
hand my 5.11 Rush 72 was super neat and tidy from the beginning. The
webbing is short and is kept from flapping around by elasticated
sections that actually work. It’s super tidy from the word go and this
really helps you out when getting in and out of vehicles. Moreover when
you are setting up camp. Since there is no webbing to get caught up and
slow you down. Above all the 5.11 Rush 72 doesn’t get it your way. This
review is based on a running survival courses on an island which
involves both water and land based group travel. So it’s essential to
have items quick to hand and keep things organised at all times. Items
like first aid packs, knives and stationary for looking after the group
you are in charge of.
Using the 5.11 Rush 72
During the summer months and especially on the water it’s a requirement
to wear good sunglasses. The 5.11 Rush 72 has a very handy felt lined
pouch at the top of the pack to keep glasses safe from scratches as well
as having them easily accessible. Being at the top of the pack it’s safe
from being crushed by heavier gear too.
For the land based sections, for
instance walking to shore. The 5.11 Rush 72 has really wide shoulder
straps which help spread the load over a wider area. This is one feature
that stands out for me as once it’s on your back it feels very comfy
indeed. It is not a long distance hiking bag and works best when it’s
being used over shorter distances with plenty of stop starts.
Design
Storing large bits of gear like helmets, roll mats or buoyancy aids is a
real pain with most other rucksacks. The 5.11 Rush 72 has a really
helpful pouch on the front of the pack which can be expanded to carry
equipment. In this case a buoyancy aid as it's right there. Consequently
I waste no time in getting it to hand and in turn moving the group to
the water as quickly as possible. Say if everything does go south and
you end up capsizing!? Well I always use waterproof stuff sacks when on
the water but as an extra layer of confidence the 5.11 Rush 72 does
feature several drainage grommets built in to the bag. This allows the
water to drain which prevents the pack retaining extra weight from the
water.
Once on land again the 5.11 Rush 72 can
act as a mobile field office. Carrying forms, pens and stationary in its
outer most pocket. Everything is neatly stored and secured, but most
importantly it’s easy to access. Items I don’t want to carry on my
person are stored in the larger pockets, things like mobile phone and
wallet. From an instructors point of view being able to produce
anything the group may need in an instant makes a real difference.
Something the 5.11 Rush 72 really excels at.
Fabrics
But life around camp is never predictable and so a rucksack should also
be tough to cope with the rigors of instructing. The 5.11 Rush 72 has a
very high denier 1000D nylon face fabric which copes well with being
bashed around and especially in resisting dirt in the base of the
canoes. Nylon is one of the toughest face fabrics out there and is
generally a sign of quality.
The 72 in Rush 72 does not have any
link to its capacity, which is confusing at first. The Rush 72 is in
fact 47.5 litres in volume. This size makes for a perfect 3 day bag.
Instead the 72 states how many hours you can use it for before you may
need to restock on supplies. The pack has a large section in its main
compartment which can easily fit things like a small sleeping bag, bivi
bag and tarp along with food and a small stove. Spare clothes can go on
top and as I mentioned earlier any big bit of gear, such as helmets, can
be stored in the external pouch. The front pocket I would keep for
smaller bit of equipment, like a headtorch and knife along with the
field office essentials I mentioned before.
Conclusion
Overall the 5.11 Rush 72 is a great companion in the field and makes a
very good instructing pack. It’s the level of organisation and quick
access that helps my job out on location go smoothly. Walking in to a
job is also made a better experience by those extra wide shoulder
straps. Recommended
