2023 Bag of the YEAR // My Favorites and a CLEAR WINNER! 🏆 

Pretty disappointing to see the unicorn 2.0 is a limited drop item, would love to have one. Not a big fan of the carryology hype culture. It is a nice bag nonetheless.

This year, i bought one bag. After deciding that one bag backpack air travel is inferior to two bag carry on travel with a rollaboard and personal item, I went searching for a smaller backpack that qualifies as a personal item on all major domestic airlines and could pull double duty as an EDC bag. I purchased the GR Bullet DC16 and could not be more pleased. I am not surprised it made JB's top 3. It holds all my tech, toiletries, liquids and more. Just about everything I need on a trip except clothes and shoes. So if the overhead bins are ever full and I have to check my rollaboard at the gate, I will always have my essentials with me. The Bullet DC16 is convenience and peace of mind in a GoRuck guaranteed for life wrapper.

Solid content all yearJB, it's been thoroughly fantastic!

Love the Mystery Ranch Unicorn 2 as well, I own 2 of them and it is by far my favourite bag of all time.

The MPL is the best bag of the year for me. It replaced my CHZ as an EDC and my dragonfly as a grab 'n' go/hiking pack. Love both the MPL 30 and 22.

Thanks for the video! Helpful and interesting.

Ive got most of those as well (just like many of us from Carryology) but honestly my bag of the year is the Rucker 4.0. That one was a game changer for me.

mine is %100 the GRXC2. Best bag i’ve ever owned 11/10. Second favorite is the m23. I use that when i have to work downtown chicago, as I don’t wanna bring my $700 backpack to such dangerous areas.

For me it's either the Rucker 4.0 or the GR3 35L. I use the Rucker a lot more but the GR3 was an insta buy since I've wished the GR2 34L would be one compartment. Congratulations for 10k subscribers btw, well deserved! Merry Christmas to you and your family 🎅🏻

Yeah, I can agree - I own 2 of the 3 top backs. I didn’t get the Bullet 16L because I missed out on when they dropped. But I’m enjoying the M23 as my 3rd bag of the year. Fun video. Looking forward to the EDC video.

Agree on the Bridger 65 My goto for heavy carries

Awesome video JB! Now i reallyyyy want to try out the Unicorn 2.0! lol

So my channel is going to go up pretty soon and I’ve been following yours for a little while… if I’m lucky, I will be doing my bag of the year right after I receive my Kaidan 3.0 bullet from the ultra collection. We have a lot of similarities in taste when it comes to bags but I started my journey (no pun) being almost exclusively a sling/crossbody bag enthusiast which is kind of different than the route most people take when venturing into technical aspects of carry such as materials, carry options, etc… I purposely waited to get the double compartment bullet from the kaidan 3.0 release so as tempted as I was to grab the rip stop version, I am glad that I paced myself and waited for the ultra variant as I’m sure it’s going to easily break my top five edc packs of the year even tho I did notice that it’s not made in the USA which I don’t care too much about but definitely interesting that Goruck didn’t stay true to overbuilt in the USA concept when collaborating with Carryology for the entire drop but that aside… what are the chances that you’re getting the metal patch? I’m so curious to see bc I actually submitted my order one minute before the hour of the drop which has never happened before but we shall see… long story short I did get mystery ranch unicorn 2.0 in two color variants which is something I’ve also done for the spartanalogy Cerberus drop and my edc color ways on both drops are woodland camo on spartanology and coyote/camo on unicorn 2.0…. I’m kind of rambling here but to be perfectly honest the biggest disappointment I have about unicorn 2.0 and also am extremely relieved that I wasn’t one of the 30 “lucky” people who ended up getting the $1200 USA variant of this bag because as much as I love just about every feature of the unicorn resurrection- there’s just no way that bag measures true to its advertised 22L capacity which is a bummer bc with all the bells and whistles and dope features this unicorn brings, it fails to deliver on the most important one in my opinion which is volume. Which makes Goruck stand out almost at the other pole of the spectrum bc I did grab the 26L M23 and I’m not kidding but I can literally fit double the load out in m23 26L than the unicorn 2.0… that aside I had a feeling you were going to have that as your bag of the year even tho I know you’re a huge Goruck guy whereas I’m pretty much mystery ranch over Goruck in general but I have to stay true and mention that you can always count on Goruck to be as voluminous as advertised. All that aside my other top choices include 1733 side pack 3.5 L sling in recently dropped micro grid and the 2.0 variant of code of bells annex wallet sling which to no surprise is even more awesome in eco pac than it’s smaller sibling in x pac. I haven’t yet decided on my top choice this year yet but I have a gnawing suspicion that the double bullet from kaidan 3.0 will carry a lot of weight in making that decision. It’s been an interesting year in Carry world and I will post the link to my channel as soon as it’s up and running - as usual thanks for amazing content and catch you on the up and up- peace!! Ps: I notice you love your melin hats and I’ve been grabbing more of their special drops as of late namely odyssey scout and am seriously considering getting that $300 fancy trenches as I call the decade bar hat bc I actually have some of the first Melins from about 10 years ago and they have come a long way I must admit… I did just miss out on the odyssey stacked infinite thermal blacked out with red plaid pattern on the inside but you can’t get them all… I might just settle for the Coronado in the same finish 😊

Wonderful video JB!

I agree with you JB, for me, the Unicorn 2.0 is the bag of the year. Taking second place is the Daily Plus.

I got a long range Rucker and it’s so good. Would love to try another bag but finances don’t allow it currently. Love your content man!

Unicorn 2.0 was also my favorite of the year.

I love that I have your top 3 in the closet. I'd rank it Bullet 18 - unicorn - mpl. Mpl is brilliant just a little plain. Unicorn I love but the Bullet blew me away. That is peak goruck to me and I love their aesthetic and comfort. Fun video!

Loving my MRxC Unicorn 2.0. Coming closely is the Matador x Carryology edu backpack

Of those 3, MPL 22. Of the year, so far - the samurai.

I like my mystery ranch backs for actually hiking and search and rescue, but as an EDC bag I just can't put them into rotation because of the zipper system. It's not great for getting daily use items out and ... well I just feel like that main compartment zipper set up actually lessens the space in the pack. For example, it feels way more difficult to pack out a Scree 32 to capacity and access the very same items I would put into a GR1 26L. It never really feels like you have the total liters of capacity the bags say you have.

For me it’s GR3 35L

Curtis from HK here....visiting brother in New Jersey.........I envy your life! That's it, you're living the bag fantasy that my HK wife would not allow 😂.... I'm partial to goruck and am eyeing the gr3 35L

Waiting for the PDW SHADO bag got the all terrain and for its aquatic features is awesome. I think MPL looks more conspicuous. I dont want to rain in the MR parade but i dont like that the buckles seem fragile. Ither then that good bags. I wish they did a bag with aluminum buckles. But thats my take.

Do you prefer the regular MPL22 over the Ecopak version? I have a CTB26 in XPac but am wondering if the ecopak has the same stiffness of the XPac

GRIFFIN 😊

Aer city pack pro was my most useful addition together with my evergoods cas2. But have a ton of new additions which I haven't been able to test.

After your videos I think im set on the 32L kitbag for extra clothing, tools etc (love that waxed canvas, not USA made doesnt faze me. Wished they did a GR1/2/3 in the material without the Heritage cost). And a GR3 35L for EDC, travel with tech etc. Its just hard to get this stuff in Australia, its very costly, lifetime warrenty is worth the purchase for me.

Love the picks! My pick for 2023 is the Kaidan 3.0 GR2 26L!

❤ nice sharing

Life is always about timing, and thus my answer on top bags of 2023 is answered 🤙🏽

Can you ruck with either M23 or the Bullet Ruck Double Compartment? Is one better than the other for that?

Hey JB would link or let us know where you got the strap keepers for the cpl griffin ? I have the same bag and it would be great to have them too

Does the unicorn hold more than the bullet 16l dc?

I'm really liking the M23. Just saying....

Aer TP3 🤘🏽

Did you see any traces of sasquatch on your Rainier expedition?

Great video. What hat are you wearing?

as usual the one that I like and need on an assignment is never available.

Kaiden 3.0 bollocks! Same packs, with a new fabric. Hardly a new pack.

only USA brands. Only brands that he has affiliate links with. wow.