The Two Percent Pack System

Post summary

• 🚨 The Two Percent travel pack system is live. Get it here or here.

• 🚨🚨 You can also WIN one of the packs. Here’s how:

  • Sign up for a paid Membership to Two Percent in the next 72 hours. You will automatically be entered to win the 40L Two Percent pack. Sign up here:

  • All current Members of Two Percent are entered to win the Two Percent Bullet pack.

  • Good luck.

• We’re breaking down the pack system and why I created it. Watch the video above and read the text below.

Housekeeping

• This post, like all Monday posts, is free to all subscribers of Two Percent.

• But only Members get full access to Weds and Fri posts.

  • You’ll be entered to win the 40-liter Two Percent pack if you sign up for a Membership in the next 72 hours.

• Explore the Edges Live: I’m going live with Pieter Slegers of Compounding Quality on Tuesday, 3/11 (tomorrow) at 9am PST. Compounding Quality is the top investment Substack. Join our conversation from the app or your computer.

• Thanks to our partners:

  • GORUCK, with whom I collaborated on this travel system. GORUCK offers bombproof, streamlined travel packs that work no matter the environment. Get the Two Percent pack on GORUCK’s website here.

  • GOREWEAR, who just dropped the greatest windbreaker jacket of all time, the Concurve Windbreaker. It’s the first windbreaker to not cling to your skin if you sweat while wearing it—making it an amazing piece for exercising on windy and sprinkly spring days. Check it out here and use EASTER for 30% off.

  • Eight Sleep. Humans evolved to sleep in cooler temperatures—but that’s not always easy to do in modern homes with modern mattresses. Eight Sleep goes on top of your normal mattress like a fitted sheet and allows you to dial in your mattress’ temperature for better sleep. Data shows Eight Sleep can increase sleep quality and, in turn, your health. It also saves you from having to blast AC throughout your entire home at night. Use code EASTER at Eight Sleep for a discount.

Audio/podcast version

• Listen on your preferred player here.

The post

My work as a journalist takes me all around the world—from the streets of Baghdad and jungles of Bolivia to mountaintop monasteries in Bhutan and laboratories in Boston.

I wanted a pack system to optimize my travel and keep me safe.

And so it was, a couple of years ago, I began working with Justin Kiel—who manages GORUCK’s custom pack division called SCARS—to begin tweaking some of the packs I used for travel. He started cutting, sewing in hidden pockets, tweaking fabrics, and more.

After our designs became really, really good, we all got the idea to team up with Huckberry and release some of the designs we’d created.

The result is a two-pack system to help you travel more efficiently and safely. We used GORUCK’s 40-liter GR2—big enough for a week of travel—and Bullet—a great day bag.

Watch the video above for a visual breakdown. Here’s a description of some of the features:

We made it work as a system

When I travel to kinetic places, I use backpacks to carry my clothes and gear.

• Packs are far more streamlined and efficient than roller or duffel bags.

• Packs allow you to move quicker and easier through airports, cities, and remote areas.

• Packs are less likely to be stolen because they’re attached to your body.

• Packs also mean you don’t have to check your luggage (and have it get lost by the airline …)

But here’s the thing:

• On longer trips, taking one pack means your single pack will be relatively large—and walking around a destination with a big backpack can be cumbersome.

• Meanwhile, if you want a smaller, streamlined bag for your destination, you won’t be able to travel with as much necessary gear.

Hence, we created a larger (40L) pack and a smaller (15L) pack that works as a system.

• The smaller pack fits into the larger bag when moving from destination to destination.

• Then, when you’ve established a home base, you can leave the larger bag at your home base and have a smaller and more streamlined bag in the field.

We made it lighter, stronger, and more waterproof

GORUCK typically uses Cordura for their packs. Cordura is a proven, tough fabric.

But it’s rather heavy and only sort of water resistant.

In the Two Percent system, we used 420D ROBIC Ripstop Nylon. It’s about 50 percent lighter than Cordura, tough as hell, and super water-resistant. We also upgraded to YKK AquaGuard zippers, which are highly water-resistant.

I’ve dropped bags into rivers and hauled them through rainy cities. The ROBIC Ripstop fabric paired with the AquaGaurd zippers means these packs can take a hell of a beating and protect your goods from the elements.

We added two concealed side compartments

I like GORUCK packs for travel. They’re streamlined and designed with one or two main compartments and pockets within that larger compartment.

But there’s a downside: You must open a large compartment to access any items.

With that in mind, we added concealed pockets to each side of the GR2. You can use these to hold a water bottle, passport, cash, phone, etc. If you’re a concealed carry person, they’ll also work for that purpose.

We backed off the military vibes

GORUCK was founded by soldiers and the brand has a rich military history. Their packs use military designs, and many have military flare.

It’s great if you’re into that look, but when I travel abroad, the last thing I want to do is look like someone who’s come for war. To avoid standing out, we did two things:

• Removed the front webbing from the GR2 and dialed it back on the Bullet. (Webbing is common on military gear.)

• Used Ripstop ROBIC fabric. Cordura is a standard military material, while ripstop ROBIC is not.

We kept the laptop compartments

Obviously.

Use them for laptops, ruck plates, iPads, documents, etc.

We added a secret shoulder strap compartment

This idea came from Mike Moreno, my partner in the Don’t Die events. Mike was a CIA operative in Baghdad and other kinetic Middle Eastern countries during the height of the war.

When I was talking to him about this pack, he said:

It would be cool to have a tiny compartment on the inside of the shoulder strap where the strap hits your chest. That way, you could quickly hide or grab something like a key, small map, or memory card.

It wouldn’t be weird to see a person holding the front straps while wearing the bag, whereas if you quickly had to hide or grab something in a compartment in the back of the bag, you’d have to take the bag off, which would stand out.

Ask and you shall receive.

We made the interior highly visible

The interior of the bags is orange, the official color of Two Percent. But this interior color isn’t just for branding.

Orange is easy to see from afar. If you find yourself in a pinch, you can use the bag’s interior to signal and be seen.

What’s more, orange is the same color used on VS17 flight panels. Mike Moreno says VS17 panels are a sign that you come in peace.

It’s also a practical color for a bag’s interior. Orange makes the gear in the bag’s interior easier to find compared to if the bag had darker interior.

We maintained the top stash pocket

GORUCK recently began adding top-of-pack stash pockets to some of their bags. We included that feature in both bags.

Here’s how I typically use the top stash pocket:

• I throw valuables like my watch in it as I go through TSA or other security checkpoints.

• I’ll also keep a GPS unit or other valuables I don’t want found in the stash pocket.

Pro tip: I typically cut the pull tab off the top pocket, so no one knows the pocket exists but me.

Have fun, don’t die, buy gear, not stuff.

Michael