I started stuffing in gear like a GPS, spare socks and pants, and knifes and it quickly became apparent that I was going to easily fit what I needed in THE Pack. Using the GRID-LOK accessory loops, I attached 2 Spec-Ops Brand X2 magazine pouches, but I wanted to demonstrate the flexibility of the GRID-LOK system and also attached an old ALICE M16 magazine pouch, an ALICE 2qt bladder canteen and strapped a 1 liter Nalgene bottle on with a carbineer. When all the gear was in, I had some extra room that I would normally use to stuff in rations, but since I didn’t have any MREs handy, I topped it the load off with extra boxes of ammunition, a spare weapon and magazines for it, and a poncho liner.

All told I fit the following in to, or on to, THE Pack:

A pair of BDU pants, a 5.11 Tactical shirt, 3 pairs of socks, a pair of Patagonia base layer pants, an REI Fleece shirt, a poncho liner, a keffiyeh, a desert scarf, 3 pairs of gloves, kneepads, a Blackhawk emergency belt, a Garmin III+ GPS, a Kabar fighting knife, a Cold Steel throwing knife, a pair of Wiley X goggles, a Surefire G2 flashlight, a pair of Bushnell binoculars, a Moleksine notebook, a hip flask, a Leatherman Wave, a 2qt Bladder canteen, a 1 liter Nalgene water bottle, a Walther PPK with 2 spare magazines, 5 spare M16 magazines, 3 spare magazines for my 1911, 470 rounds of .223, 274 rounds of .45 ACP and 24 rounds of .380.

Had I used a load plan, and shucked the ammo out of the boxes and into magazines, I have no doubt that I could have put even more in THE Pack. Loaded up, the entire thing weighed a manageable 55 lbs and rode rather comfortably on the back considering THE Pack has no internal or external frame. The external cinch straps and combo of chest and waist belt help tighten up the load and distribute the weight for an easy carry.

One of the real advantages of THE Pack is the GRID-LOK loops all over the back, bottom and sides of THE Pack. If the circumstances called for it, a hydration system fits in an internal pocket and I could have ditched the external canteens and water bottles and used that space for more magazine pouches. The combination of external pouches and gear that can be strapped on is virtually limitless, and the strength of the loops and the stitches holding them on means you don’t have to worry about the weight of the load you’re strapping on. If you can lift it onto your back, THE Pack can hold it.

Procuring a quality tactical backpack that fits common operational needs can be a daunting task. All too many of the commonly available packs aren’t durable enough, have inadequate storage space, or are unavailable in subdued colors. Many have extraneous options like external webbed pockets that appeal to the hiker, but can cause your gear to get snagged on underbrush or other obstacles while maneuvering in tight situations. A few backpacks that are branded as “Tactical” are simply civilian hiking packs that have been produced in camouflage or black. While they may work for a while, they haven’t been designed for or buy anyone with tactical movement in mind, and frequently are not up to the rigors that soldiers and other operators may place on them.

It’s for these reasons that Spec-Ops designed T.H.E. Pack. The acronym stands for Tactical Holds Everything, and while that isn’t quite literally true, it is a versatile and reliable piece of gear that meets the demands that a contemporary tactical operator will place on it. It can also carry damn near anything you might want it to.

19 inches high, 13 wide and 12 inches thick, T.H.E Pack has a spacious main cavity that measures 1730 cubic inches, and two other large zippered compartments on the outside; an upper one that has 250 cubic inches of capacity and a lower at 570 cubic inches. That makes for a whopping total of 2550 cubic inches of storage capacity in a backpack with a very close profile. The main compartment is further divided with compartment for a hydration system, and a zippered mesh interior pocket.

There’s enough room in there for a few thousands rounds of ammunition, a spare uniform, gloves, a hat, kneepads, and probably more. They’ve thoughtfully designed the interior with a high visibility yellow lining to make it easier to find what you’re looking for in all that space. The exterior color is fortunately more subdued and it can be had in ACU, Black, Coyote Brown, Foliage Green, Olive and Tan.

If you run out of interior space, the entire outside, both along the sides and the face of the zippered pockets, is covered in Spec-Ops GRID-LOK attachment loops that are compatible with their own X-System accessories, MOLLE accessories, and even the old ALICE system. Just about anything can be lashed, strapped, or bundled onto the exterior of this pack and it will be secure.

If you’re moving with a lighter load, you don’t have to worry about the pack flopping around. Each side has two compression straps that are integrated into the load loops of each external zippered pocket to allow the load, no matter how small, to be cinched tight. In combination with the chest strap and the removable, adjustable, waist belt, practically any sized load can be secured to your back with little shift during even strenuous movement.

T.H.E. Pack fits very comfortably and can be worn for hours with little discomfort. The waist belt isn’t padded, but it’s 2 inches wide with a large and easy to operate buckle. If you don’t like it though, it’s removable. The shoulder straps are well padded and easily adjusted with cinch straps. If you want more rigidity and support for the pack, an internal frame can be purchased separately that slides down into the hydration pocket and helps distribute the load between the shoulder straps and waist belt.

The entire package is assembled with the sort of over engineered enthusiasm that can only be delivered by someone who’s had gear fail on them at critical times. Constructed entirely of heavy duty 1000D Cordura nylon in the US, specific areas like the drag handle and shoulder strap anchors have been double layered and reinforced with extra stitching to prevent tear outs. The compartment zippers are huge and rugged, and never bind, although sometimes, especially near the top, they do jam up on the zipper flap. It never binds enough to cause the zipper to misthread, but is enough to be irritating and may be enough to prevent complete closure in a high stress situation where time is a factor. This minor annoyance is, literally, my only complaint about this back pack.

I’ve worn this pack for hours at a time, overloaded and under loaded with a variety of gear and in a number of mobility situations. I’ve treated this pack the way you only treat gear that you know won’t fall apart, and I’ve never been displeased with it. I take it with me nearly every time I leave home, whether I’m just going to the office, traveling, or headed into the field. If for some reason it ever failed me, it’s covered by Spec-Ops lifetime guarantee. If it’s a fault in materials or construction, they’ll repair or replace it. If it’s your fault, they’ll fix it, and if your story is good enough they’ll probably do it for free.

T.H.E. Pack gets a rating of 5/5