The Hard Road Loadout | TS X GORUCK

From sitting all day at work to lounging on the couch, modern humans rarely use their bodies the way they’re built to be used, let alone discover their full potential. But as GORUCK co-founder Jason McCarthy discovered during daily hikes with a weighted backpack, or “rucks'', while enlisted in the US Special Forces, when we push our bodies the way they’re designed to be pushed, they thank us for it with improved cardiovascular endurance, the shedding of excess body weight, and stronger joints and muscles. So Jason and his wife, Emily (then working for the CIA), decided to start a backpack company out of their garage in war-torn West Africa to share the health benefits of rucking with the world.

Jason and Emily’s message of “doing hard things” and their unwillingness to compromise on the quality of their products made coming together on a collaboration capsule an easy decision. So we put our heads together on a run of limited edition gear specifically designed to get outside and take the rougher road. That can mean choosing a hardscrabble climb over a tamer hiking path, getting outside for a ruck, or taking the stairs instead of the escalator because, at the heart of the GORUCK initiative, it’s simply about doing that little bit extra whenever you can. Everything in The Hard Road Loadout is designed to perform under pressure and withstand years of abuse (and stand up to the occasional misogi) so you can stay focused on the goal at hand, namely, doing hard things.

To put this limited edition loadout to the test, we put it in the hands of author, professor, and outdoor adventurer Michael Easter to try it out for himself. Michael recognizes the benefits of passing up on the easy route, with his first book, “The Comfort Crisis,” being a passionate call to embrace daily discomfort. In his latest book, “Scarcity Brain” (set to release on September 26th of this year), Michael sets out to correct the modern consumer mindset that drives people into perpetual dissatisfaction and emboldens us to live a life of ever-present gratitude.

While researching for his first book, Michael learned that 98% of people will choose short-term comfort over long-term growth, and this revelation led him to raise a rallying cry to be the 2%.

If you’re asking how to join the intrepid minority, it may be easier than you think. At least, that’s the message of Jason and Emily McCarthy, who encourage people worldwide to just get outside and move, ideally with some weight on their backs.

Their flagship pack, The GR1®, is built to the life or death standards of the US Special Forces who field test them in active duty. Featuring a bomb-proof laptop compartment, lay-flat opening for easy loading, and insanely durable US craftsmanship, this isn’t just the perfect bag for rucking; it’s a handsome piece of tactical gear, every bit as useful on the battlefield as it is on a city commute.

In collaboration with GORUCK, we’ve designed an organic cotton waxed canvas iteration of the GR1®, combining the heritage design and Responsible materials that we’re known for with the overbuilt functionality that’s at the heart of everything GORUCK makes. In addition to crafting the world’s best backpack, we’re also offering a complete loadout of gear designed to outfit you with everything you need to take the hard way forward, be it in the city, or the backcountry.

If joining the 2% and pursuing misogi sounds good to you, check out everything on offer in our limited edition Hard Road Loadout, and gear up to challenge yourself, find new limits, and do hard things.

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