Chuyentactical CT15 Backpack v2 (Gray Ripstop) Impressions Review
Chuyentactical is a company/retailer based in Vietnam. They only started manufacturing their own bags in the last 1–2 years. While their primary customer base is in Vietnam, they offer shipping to the US so long as you’re willing to pay a hefty international shipping fee (for us it was about $60). The upside is their products are pretty affordably priced in terms of US dollars compared to similar items.
“Similar” may be a generous characterization depending on who you ask. The standard CT15 backpack with MOLLE looks like a GORUCK Bullet 15 and the CT4 is very similar to the Helikon-Tex Bandicoot. People are going to have different reactions and opinions on these heavily inspired designs. I can see how some will be angry and believe this is blatant copying. I can also see how there are some nontrivial differences that might make the CT15 more appealing to some than the Bullet 15. Price and international shipping from the US are also a significant consideration to customers. Personally, I do think the products are too heavily inspired from other brands, but if I lived in Vietnam I’d have no qualms about buying them. Anyways, for the rest of the review I will point out more detailed aspects that are similar and different compared to other brands, but will not make any more “moral commentary” about them. You can decide for yourself.
Disclaimer: Chuyentactical did send us these bags as samples to review, though we did cover the significant shipping cost. As always we do our best to publish our unbiased opinions based on usage and experience. In addition, we use Amazon affiliate links for a few products, which help support our blog.
Overview
- 15 L volume
- Dedicated rear laptop compartment
- Main compartment with a sleeve along the back wall, and two zippered pockets on the interior front panel
- Front external slash pocket with some organizational slots inside
- We have the slick/clean version which doesn’t have PALS webbing, but the “normal” version has it on the front and sides
While it looks equivalent to the GORUCK Bullet 15 (and even moreso to the newly released Bullet Laptop backpack), it’s more of a Bullet 15 with GR1-inspired features:
- Padded rear laptop compartment with 2-sided zipper
- Side PALS webbing for external attachments
- Elastic sleeve in the main compartment with a Velcro strap to secure it closed
One key difference from any of GORUCK’s bags is the external front pocket has admin organization— it has a few drop-in slots for pens and flat items like a wallet. There is also a key leash. This pocket is the most significant functional difference that I appreciate.
I asked one of the reps of Chuyentactical what some of the other construction differences are, and they listed the following:
- PU sponge foam padding, similar to what Mystery Ranch uses
- Interior of the main compartment has a second layer of fabric along the sides
- Tweaks to PALS webbing sizing and position for more compatibility with accessories from other brands
- Inner mesh zippered pocket is pleated to allow for some expansion
- Different modular attachment points
- Additional/larger loop panels on the front for morale patches
Variants
The CT15 is available in a variety of colors and “faces.” There are both MOLLE and slick variants in 500 D Cordura, a slick variant in grey ripstop fabric (looks like X-Pac but isn’t Dimension Polyant), and a couple multicam patterns. Based on the photos from their website, there is also some variation on a few things like:
- Location of loop field panels on the front
- Interior wall of the main compartment either having additional PALS webbing or a Velcro strap to secure the sleeve
All of this is to say that you get a little more choice in smaller functional aspects with the CT15.
Organization
The main compartment opens up clamshell revealing two pockets on the inner wall of the front flap, and a large sleeve on the back wall. On the front wall the top pocket is opaque, while the larger bottom pocket is pleated mesh. It’s nice that both pockets have room to accommodate some bulk, rather than being very flat.
Also along the back wall at the top are two lash points where you can attach a modular panel if you want to switch up the organization available. I ended up using those to attach a smaller pouch using Nite Ize magnetic carabiners.
As mentioned earlier, the front zippered pocket also has some internal admin organization. There are two pen slots, one larger slot that I use to store my reusable cutlery, and a key clip. These slots are pretty flat and don’t have much give to them. If the main compartment is really packed out, it would be difficult to utilize the larger slot for anything (and the whole pocket in general would be pretty squished, same as any of the GORUCK bags).
The rear laptop compartment has two zippers and they run along two sides. The dual zippers seems a bit unnecessary but I suppose it doesn’t hurt to have. Because the compartment access is underneath the shoulder straps, you’ll have to move them out of the way to get in and out. This is the same for the GR1 and I personally really dislike this design. I understand that durability/stress-wise, this makes the bag better handle heavy loads, but it’s cumbersome if you’re not carrying 20+ pounds of gear (i.e. rucking) and need to frequently access the laptop compartment. For example, the strap always gets in the way of fully closing the zippers.
Materials and Construction
Even if you consider the CT15 a knock-off bag, you can’t call it a “cheap” knock-off. Fabric, webbing, zippers, and plastic hardware all feel high quality and from recognized brands like Cordura, YKK, and Duraflex. Though I’d definitely bet that a GORUCK will take more of a beating than a CT bag (I mean I should hope so given the price and marketing), the CT still feels a big step above anything you’d find from a big box store.
The grey ripstop “fake X-Pac” also seems to hold up all right against normal use. It does appear to have some mild and very localized delamination that no doubt will worsen over time, but this isn’t out of the ordinary for sailcloth fabrics made with multiple layers of different materials.
The foam in the straps, back panel, and top handle feel firm and spongy so there’s at least a layer of closed-cell foam. The stitching on the bag also looks and feels pretty good. However, I did notice on the back panel some of the panels have some wrinkles, as if they weren’t totally flattened out before being stitched.
All the exterior zippers use an Aquaguard zipper, which seems to be specific to this grey ripstop variant. While it is a more water-resistant option to complement the fabric, it does mean the zippers are stiffer and require more effort to open and close. So you’re trading off weather resistance with ease of operation.
Carry and Harness
The shoulder straps and back panel look very similar to that of a GORUCK, from the attachment of the straps to the pattern on the back. The shoulder straps have longer segments of webbing for sternum strap adjustment, and yes, the sternum strap is included.
Because it’s like GORUCK, it also is unbreathable like a GORUCK. There’s no mesh or air channels to allow for ventilation so expect to get sweaty if you’re wearing the bag for extended periods of time in the sun. The grey ripstop fabric in particular will not help with sweat.
An interesting feature of the straps is they are detachable at the bottom via side-release buckles. This is similar to bags from Alpha One Niner. That allows you to “secure” a bag to a table leg or pole when you’re out to prevent anyone from just grabbing and running away.
The bottom also has some Duraflex Sliplok buckles where a hip belt could be attached. Though notably there isn’t a hip belt for sale at this time.
NOTE: the CT15 back panel has since been updated. Check out their website for the most recent iterations.
One more small difference
The CT15 has a hydration port hole located at the back of the bag, whereas for the GORUCK Bullet it is at the top of the bag underneath the handle. I actually prefer the CT15 placement as it’s a more water-resistant design.
Summary
The CT15 is a solid backpack on its own, and it doesn’t have any unique flaws compared to its close equivalent the GORUCK Bullet 15. Which one to get really comes down to how you feel about:
- Supporting GORUCK which is a heavy inspiration for the CT15
- Whether you really find the small differences or variety in the CT15 lineup more appealing (front pocket org is the biggest thing imo)
- Price — since GORUCK Bullets (including the newer Bullet 16 Laptop) are made in Vietnam, they are priced from $150-$175 at time of this writing. CT15 is right around $60, but international shipping will run close to the same amount so you’re looking at a net cost of $120+.
- Customer service —particularly if you’re in the US, GORUCK is gonna be in a much better position to provide support especially with things like returns and warranty (I couldn’t find an official warranty policy for Chuyentactical products).
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