As I’ve said before, I love backpacks. Always have, hopefully always will.

For a while now, I’ve used and really enjoyed some Tom Bihn bags, including the Synik 30 (which I had dubbeed “My Favorite Backpack… ever”), the absolutely incredible Brain Bag, and some of their briefcase bags.

I really like Tom Bihn — very well made, very functional, comfortable. The Brain Bag was absolutely awesome on our recent trip to Germany, easily carrying a ton of equipment and clothes.

This said… in the back of my mind… I’ve always thought about a good ol’ rucksack. The GoRuck GR2 looks great, but is both a bit large (34L for the small) and ridiculously expensive. The starting price of a GR2 is $385.00. Some less tactical looking options cost over $500.00.

Enter Ctactical

Ctactical, a Vietnam company, makes a smaller rucksack at a fraction of the price. Some say the company basically “ripped off” the GoRuck bag while others say thay took a basic concept and made a ton of improvements.

Their current largest bag is a 21L pack; a much better size than the GR2 for daily carry. This said, 21L is much smaller than I’m used to, and I was hesitant to buy the bag… which of course, I absolutely bought one.

I chose the CT21 V3.0, which starts at just $89.00. The one I chose was the “CT21 V3.0 Backpack Slick - ECOPAK EPX400 WBP,” which cost me $139.00.

What is ECOPAK?

ECOPAK EPX is a recycled polyester fabric, designed to be strong and abrasion resistant. The EPX400 claims to have almost twice the abrasion resistance to comparable nylon. The polyester is recycled with each yard “upcycling” approximately 20 water bottles.

The fabric is waterproof, has UV resistance and is PFC free.

Bag Thoughts

This is a fantastic bag and has become my daily carry. I tried it recently for travel as well, using it to head to ClueCon 2025 in Chicago.

The bag itself is a bit small… I really wish there was a 24 or 26L size. This said, it carried all of my (and AnneMarie’s) equipment for the trip without issue.

Under heavy load (as in 20+ pounds / 9+ kg) it felt great. The straps are some kind of magic harness that let you comfortably carry whatever you desire. I walked the streets of Chicago with a heavy loaded pack and never thought about it.

The material is smooth, yet strong. Water just (literally) rolls off without a care. The design of the bag makes it absolutely perfect for every day carry.

Unlike the GoRuck, there are compartments on the side perfect for water bottles as well as interior options for holding water bottles, rain gear, umbrellas, or whatever.

I love this bag.

Will I take it to Berlin next year? If I do, it will be packed inside my luggage or hidden inside the Brain Bag. At 21L, the CT21 is a great every day / light trip bag, but there’s no way I could fit my gear and a change of clothes.

The Brain Bag is still just a beast that takes what you give it and begs for more. I just wish the straps felt as good as the CT21’s magical harness.