The Best Tactical Backpacks of 2024

With this latest update, we had a hard time deciding if the Mystery Ranch 2-Day Assault Pack (2 DAP) ($229) was going to retain the top spot or if the Mystery Ranch x Carryology Dragon 2.0 ($399) was going to take its place. In the end, the 2 DAP edged ahead due to its ease of access via the tri-zip zipper design.

That being said, we are certain that this 27L pack is the most versatile tactical pack on the market today. Thanks to its lightweight profile, compact size, ease of access, and ample opportunities for external storage, the 2 DAP is the perfect choice for a weekend of camping when you don’t want to lug around a full-size backpacking pack.

The 2DAP is both comfortable and stays secure to your back whether you’re wandering the trail or walking down the street. Its large main cavity with storage pockets and top lid with organizational pockets make it easy to switch from activity to activity.

Though it may look a little too tactical for professional and urban use, it is more than suited for the job. The 2 DAP features both a padded laptop sleeve and an oversized water bottle pocket that can carry much more than your favorite Kleen Kanteen bottle. Additionally, the pack has a water bladder sleeve, which allows you to forgo a water bottle and dedicate those side pockets to bulkier items.

With such a broad array of features, this pack can easily serve as a bonafide quiver of one. Whether you’re about to set off on a few months of international travel or simply need an everyday pack that’ll hold up for years, you can’t go wrong with this beauty.

We love that this pack is made from hardy material. Its premium 500-denier Cordura fabric is field-tested and built to last.

For quick overnight adventures or practical everyday use, the Mystery Ranch 2-Day Assault Pack offers great features and overall value.

For $40, the 40-liter REEBOW Gear Tactical Backpack is a great balance between spacious and affordable. For those looking for a backpack designed for up to three days in the wild, this pack is well-built and our choice for the Best Budget Tactical Backpack.

Made from high-density, water-repellant fabric, this pack was built not only to hold up to the elements but also to protect against the use and abuse you’ll bestow on it. In testing, the REEBOW was both comfortable and conformed to our backs. However, it can get a little unruly if you pack it with more than 25 lbs of gear. With current and emerging gear being lighter and lighter each season, you should have no problem keeping the internal weight down while utilizing the ample size.

The REEBOW features two large compartments for bulkier items and two smaller front pockets that provide easy access and organization for smaller, needful items like headlamps, hand-held GPS units, and first aid kits. The pack also features an adjustable frame, sturdy shoulder straps, and the ability to be synched down for lighter hikes where you don’t need to carry much clothing or gear.

Given the price and feature set, we especially recommend this pack as a school bag or road trip knock-around. It’s the antidote to everything wrong with the ultralight craze. This is a classic, affordable backpack. What you see is what you get.

The latest collaboration between Mystery Ranch and Carryology, the Mystery Ranch x Carryology Dragon 2.0 ($399) is a love affair of a tactical pack. From the materials used to the overall design and carry, it’s very obvious to us that a lot of thought went into both the form and function of this pack. We enjoyed using it out in the woods, for our daily commute, and saw no end in sight in regards to what the pack can do.

Part of the appeal of the Dragon 2.0 is the Futura harness. Comfort plays a part in versatility and Mystery Ranch consistently gets comfort right with their packs due to this conforming harness. The same shoulder harness featured on their 2-Day Assault Pack, the Futura harness keeps even an overloaded pack comfortable and in place — allowing it to hug your body and move with you. In testing, we removed the waistbelt as the combo of the harness and load lifters kept the weight off our hips.

The Dragon 2.0 features a main compartment with internal pockets, a laptop sleeve, and a water bladder sleeve. The top of the pack features one large pocket and two smaller pockets. The large top pocket is ample for gloves, a journal, and maps, whereas the smaller pockets worked great for a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, and spare batteries for our headlamp.

Its unique opening allows the pack to be fully opened, or you can open it so only the top flaps over, giving you the same access you would have with a top loader. And everything is easy to access — with the one caveat that if you use the detachable front Stick It panel, you will need to disconnect it if you want to open the main compartment without fully unloading it for deeper items.

The overall appeal of the Dragon 2.0 is the materials used to make it. We tested the Ranger Green variant, which is made from X50 Tactical Cordura with a 400D aramid X-Ply, 210D CO DWR PU 20G, and 500D DWR PU 70G. What that all translates to is waterproof, rip-proof, and abrasion-resistant. But not bulky, stiff, or hard to work with. It’s a nice balance, which also allows the pack to keep its form when fully loaded.

With all of their packs, it’s obvious that Eberlestock understands not only the term “tactical” but also the needs of its users. That big star shines bright in their expandable EDC pack, the Little Trick ($249). This is a pack designed for concealed weapons carry without being obvious. In fact, unless the scabbard is extended a passerby might not even consider this pack tactical due to its streamlined design.

In testing, we loved how compact the Little Trick felt on our back, and, at 1300 cu-ins, it is a smaller pack. But it worked out great for commuting and day hiking. Also, because it’s designed for concealed carry — and has an ample amount of organization throughout, especially in the lid, it makes a great range bag as well.

Like the Mystery Ranch x Carryology Dragon 2.0 the front of the Little Trick is designed to be fully opened. This further aids in both the organization and access features of this pack which reign supreme over the rest of the packs on this list. It also makes packing and unpacking easy, and if you are carrying a rifle, gives you quick access if you find yourself in a jam.

The main reason this pack is on this list is because of how comfortable it is. We’re sure it would have fit into another category, but when you consider that you can carry firearms and ammunition in the Little Trick, as well as your personal EDC items, we were really impressed with how it carried up on a few day hikes in the Green Mountain National Forest earlier this fall. The weight of a rifle and a surplus of ammo can add up really quickly. Rifles alone can impact the way a pack handles. In the case of the Little Trick, that didn’t cause any stress or strain or keep it from hugging our back when we were roaming around.

Elephant in the room: if you’re not carrying a rifle, should you get this bag? We’re not sure why you would need to. However, it is a well-made, compact day pack built for your EDC life, in and out of society. So, we wouldn’t tell you to limit your options.

Designed specifically for military deployments, the RUSH100 from 5.11 ($255) is a versatile, heavy-duty bag with plenty of capacity for gear-intensive pursuits.

Compatible with any size hydration bladder, this pack thrives in hostile environments where water is scarce, and large volumes must be carried on your back. Also beneficial for rugged environments, a 500-denier outer material holds up well to repeated abuse, UV exposure, and abrasions.

With a 60L capacity, this is one of the larger packs on this list. The large internal storage is easy to organize thanks to an internal zipper admin compartment. Further, a custom aluminum and fiberglass internal frame supports heavy loads by transferring the load to the padded waist strap.

A 270-degree zipper allows the main compartment to fully open for easy packing and unpacking. On the outside of the pack, webbing stitched in a MOLLE configuration allows for modular customization and endless options for additional external storage.

Though it’s a bit overbuilt compared to traditional backpacking packs, the RUSH100 could certainly be used for multi-day trips on trail. Its hip straps are well-padded and contoured — purpose-built for hefty loads. When the time comes to haul a lot of water in the desert or a hunk of meat following a hunt, this pack shines.

For $255, the 5.11 RUSH100 is one of our more expensive tactical backpack recommendations, but it’s so well crafted that we feel it deserves a mention. For those looking for a bag capable of packing out an overnight camping trip or storing lots of heavy supplies, the 5.11 RUSH100 is one of the best tactical backpacks money can buy.

Growing up, we always called these things fanny packs, but as marketing has evolved, we can confidently say that the Eberlestock Bando Bag ($49) is one of the best waist packs around. This one has a tactical flair and is designed for concealed carry — which it does incredibly well.

How incredible, you ask? So incredible that when you have a handgun loaded in its specific compartment, it doesn’t impact the capacity of the main pocket. That’s pretty incredible for something as compact as the Bando. Especially when you’re carrying it around all day — hiking, shopping, roaming around, etc. You don’t need to pick and choose what you pack inside.

It’s also a nice alternative to a concealed carry holster in your waistband. It’s arguably just as easy to access your piece and eliminates the issue of imprinting, which can cause a stir in some social scenes.

When we received our test samples in August, the Bando Bag was the first one we put into rotation. And, no — we didn’t always carry a handgun around in it. But when we did, it went unnoticed and was thankfully never needed. When you’re not carrying a handgun, the back pocket doubles as a great place to carry a power bank, journal, map, or handheld GPS.

The Bando Bag works great as either a waist pack or a small form-factor sling bag. It’s designed to carry a subcompact pistol — in this case, a Springfield Armory Hellcat.

If you’re someone who’s got a bigger smoke wagon you need to conceal or if you tend to carry around a larger variety of essentials, Eberlestock also makes the Bando XL ($59), which has a 3.2L / 195 cu-ins capacity. We think it’s worth the extra ten bucks.

Kelty has been making packs since 1952. The brand is traditionally associated with recreational hiking and camping gear; tents, camp chairs, etc. However, Kelty also has an extensive history with tactical style and military spec equipment. Over 70 years ago, Kelty’s first packs were made from leftover WWI parachute pack fabric. To this day, Kelty maintains a thriving tactical gear division and regularly fills contracts for the U.S. military.

The Redwing pack ($120) doesn’t sport a blatantly military-esque aesthetic, but it certainly does everything that a good tactical pack should. Made from rugged abrasion-resistant nylon with a waterproof coating, the Redwing is fit for all forms of outdoor use and extreme conditions. All of the traditional wear points that backpacks suffer from — zippers, buckles, and straps — are reinforced and reliable on the Redwing.

We tested the smallest Redwing — 30 L and close to three pounds. It isn’t ultralight, but the extra weight is a natural byproduct of the robust build quality. It’s not ideal for light and fast thru-hiking, but it works well for just about everything else.

During testing, we found that the Redwing carries heavy loads exceptionally well. Generously padded shoulder and hip straps are rare on a tactical backpack, and the Redwing is easily the most comfortable that we’ve used. We loaded 40 pounds of food, water, and camera gear into the Redwing and took it on a lengthy day hike. At times, we almost forgot it was there.

Thanks to the effective pads and highly customizable fit, the Redwing sits close to the body, moving with the wearer rather than against it.

As for its pockets and layout, the Redwing is impressively adaptable. A padded laptop sleeve doubles as a spacious water bladder slot. The U-shaped main opening makes the pack easy to load and unload, and a handy flat front pocket is perfect for maps, snacks, notebooks, and other nickknacks.

The Kelty Redwing‘s supreme comfort may be its best feature, but the pack performs well across the board.

The Mole is the smallest medic pack that is made by Mystery Ranch. The Mole ($615) is a compact and feature-packed medical 22L backpack. Designed for quick emergency access to orderly medical supplies, the Mole splays open to expose removable pockets that allow you to work directly out of your pack.

On the front of the Mole, MOLLE webbing offers plenty of opportunity for modularity, and a removable “Stick It” flap creates an ideal place to store a helmet. Padded shoulder straps and a 1-inch waist strap fit securely to your body while on the go.

At $615, you’d think the pack would come stocked with medical supplies. The price will certainly be a deterrent for some, but others will understand that purpose-built medic packs that truly work in the field don’t come cheap.

For EMS professionals or military personnel, this niche bag does exactly what it was designed to do. For users with needs that aren’t strictly medical, this bag is probably not the best choice since its design is so purpose-focused. Still, in its class, the Mystery Ranch Mole Pouch is a truly standout tactical backpack.

The 24 BattlePack ($62) is heavy-duty and intentionally configured for heavy loads. Compared to the competition in this price range, this bag is tough, durable, and very military-minded.

An expandable interior storage compartment can accommodate 20 to 40 L of volume, while proprietary compression straps let you cinch the pack down so it stays compact even when it isn’t full.

Notably water-resistant on the inside and out, this bag is well-suited for wandering about in inclement weather. In addition to its heavy-duty quality and tactical appearance, the 24 BattlePack is full of internal features, including a laptop sleeve and hooks to hang a hydration bladder.

Like most tactical backpacks, the BattlePack is seriously lacking in the hip strap padding department. If it had better padding around the hips, it would immediately become far more capable as an overnighter.

A built-in concealed carry holster, insulated hydration bladder compartment, and a padded laptop storage area round out the bag. Built with features for various occasions, this bag is a handy everyday companion.

For $62, the 24 BattlePack is a solid value.

In a lightweight and compact package, the 5.11 AMP12 Tactical Backpack ($150) offers advanced modularity that gives this small pack the versatility of a much larger one.

The AMP 12 is a great addition to any tactical gear kit. An innovative hook-and-loop front panel provides attachment points for various 5.11 gear accessories. Unlike traditional sewn webbing attachment points, the hexagonal loops can mount gear at different angles for improved ergonomics.

On the bag’s interior, hook-and-loop paneling offers endless potential configurations, and multiple mesh-lined pockets allow for quick organization of your smaller gear.

For professional use, laptops up to 15 inches can be stored alongside the back panel. A four-way zipper makes for easy access to every area of the main compartment.

Built with 500-denier Dobby nylon, the AMP manages an ideal balance between weight and durability. Additionally, thermoformed back panels form to your body and offer unmatched support.

A truly advanced and well-considered tactical backpack, the 5.11 AMP12 manages to be overt and covert simultaneously. $150 is a steep price tag for 25L of storage, but this pack really does live up to its tagline: “One bag, all missions.”