The GORUCK Challenge give us a lot of access. Access to people we love to meet and access to our own rucks after they carry and drag them through every element imaginable. Mud, sand, dirt, ice, excessive weight, and just about everything else that damages and dirties a ruck. And by dirties I mean betters. Our gear is better when broken in, then cleaned.
The rucks start dirty. Sand, in this case.
Water, and lots of it, is the first step. I hosed these rucks down for a long time, making sure to zip and unzip everywhere to free the sand up. Sand has a tendency to get absolutely everywhere, especially in zippers.
Soapy water and a brush, and some elbow grease, are next.
Wash and rinse, wash and rinse, until your ruck is as clean as you want it.
The final step before reusing a better, more distressed ruck is to air dry. Preferably outside in the sun. The more you use it, and have to clean it, the better it gets.
Please stop teasing us with pictures of coyote and foliage packs. 😉 Is there any chance of us seeing these colors in the near future?
I love your photos, been meaning to let you know for some time. Also dreaming of a day I will get to love, abuse and clean my very own Echo….
Keep up the good work!
“I second the motion” -Stop teasing us with the coyote bags.
Most all USMC folks are not allowed to carry ANY EDC ruck type bags unless they are approved unlike the USA or USAF folks.
However our Battalion CO has made some minor exceptions….if it is Coyote Brown it will be allowed for EDC or Go-bags when on deployment or when in garrison when we are wearing MARPAT clothing on duty. He too is a fan of Goruck, but told us No Gorucks until the color is offered. Right now many of us use our Arcteryx gear that is really only for 7day plus “outings”
I will buy a GR1 as soon as it is available in Coyote.
Another motion for coyote! 🙂
Will buy the GR1 or GR2 when Coyote comes.
Thanks for your service and for the products.
V/R,
MHH
Something to add on zipper maintanence that I learned from AF flyers.
If you rub beeswax or soap on the teeth of the zipper after washing it will both clean and protect the zippers. Some flyers do this to their flight suits to keep the zippers in goos shape.
I now rub my zippers down with Irish Spring after cleaning because I like how it smells. It has really helps keep the zippers movnig how they should.
Yup…bugging y’all about the coyote colored GR2…as soon as it comes out I’m buying it. Please, please, please put em out!
I’ve emailed customer service and they mentioned colors coming Summer ’12, but I’m adding my voice here to the throng: I want a GR2 in coyote tan something fierce!
Coyote colored Echo please!
Is there a good or bad soap to use on the bags? Dish soap or something else?
Hurry up with those Coyote GR2s!! Will buy when they come out.