A Sergeant Unboxes the CARGO

A US Army sergeant, fresh out of officer training, sat down with us to unbox the CARGO 48L on camera. He had just finished the Norwegian ruck march, so we asked him what he thought as he went.

The video below is the whole conversation, unscripted. He takes the pack out of the box, puts it on, opens every compartment, and finds the armor pockets. Tap any chapter to jump straight to it.

First Impressions

“It's just like a standard pack that we generally have with our rucksacks, our medium sized assault rucksacks. Yeah, I can handle this.”

The sergeant, on the weight

The CARGO weighs 5.2 lbs empty. That is heavier than a daypack, and we say so on the product page. It is built for structure, with an internal frame that holds the pack square when it is loaded. He put it up against the medium assault packs he carries in the Army, and it held up.

Then he converts it to a duffel. The sling clips to anchor points at the top and bottom, and the shoulder straps tuck into their own pocket. All three carry modes are here.

Why Inside MOLLE Matters to a Soldier

“Most of the guys I know, especially the senior guys, said the military is trying to go more slim, so they don't like to mount stuff on the side. That's why that MOLLE on the inside is so important, because you can customize it out.”

The sergeant, on the sample build

MOLLE pouches on the outside of a pack make it wider and easier to snag on a doorframe. The CARGO puts a MOLLE panel inside the main compartment, so a med kit or an admin pouch mounts where it stays put and stays out of sight.

The sample build in the video uses it that way. Water filtration, a way to make fire, shelter, and food, all mounted inside, with the outside of the pack left clean. There is MOLLE on the front and both sides too, for when you want it.

Compartment by Compartment

He works through the pack the way most people do, front to back.

• Main compartment. The big one, with the inside MOLLE panel and its own pockets.
• Shielded front pockets. For cards and small electronics, lined to prevent skimming. There are pockets inside pockets here.
• The back section. Two sections, with enough room for what he called a three day pack out.
• Shielded electronics bay. Fold the top down, close it, and no signal gets in or out. A computer or a phone goes here.
• Plate pocket. Heavier duty zippers on this version, and a height strap inside.

Where the Armor Goes

The CARGO has two armor pockets, and the sergeant finds both. The hard plate pocket takes a Standard 10" × 12" plate, and a hook and loop strap inside sets how high it rides, so the plate sits at the right height for your torso.

Behind it, the SHIELD IIIA aramid panel rides in its own compartment, held with hook and loop, and stays in once it is installed. In the video he holds a SHIELD IV plate. Our armor is tested to NIJ standards, and each level's tested threats are on its product page. Armor is sold separately. NIJ Ratings Explained covers what each level means.

The Norwegian Ruck March, in His Words

Near the end he talks about the Norwegian ruck march, which he had just finished. As he describes it, it is an 18.6 mile ruck finished in under four and a half hours, often done in teams, with a medal for finishing, and it is recognized by militaries around the world. He carried about 35 pounds.

We will be straight about fit. The CARGO has no hip belt, so the shoulder straps carry the load. That is fine for travel, commuting, and a loaded day. For 18 miles under weight, a pack with a hip belt is the right tool, and the CARGO is not that pack.

Common Questions

The sergeant appears in his personal capacity. His views are his own, and no endorsement by the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense is stated or implied.