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GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

The Ultimate Travel Backpack: GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

In the past years, I have been trying dozens of different models of backpacks. Low-cost, premium, produced by famous brands or from emerging ones but for a problem or another I struggled to find a backpack with all the features I looked for. A couple of weeks ago, I discovered the GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range Backpack an innovative, fully sustainable, professional 24 litres backpack. Designed to resist and to adapt to a huge variety of situations and environments, will it become my ultimate backpack? Here you can find the GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range Backpack Review.

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range backpack Review

   

Let’s start with a short introduction. In the past years, I had a dream: being able to pack everything I needed to survive and work in just one backpack. When I started traveling, I was considering only 40 litres backpacks, but with the time and the low-cost companies changing their restrictions, I decided to switch to a more minimalist approach. In fact, I started travelling with a small (24-25 litres) backpack only. Until two weeks ago, I have never been able to carry, at the same time: my laptop; my camera with 2 lenses and the clothes to survive from 5 days to 2 weeks. In fact, as you may imagine, it hasn’t been easy at all to find a backpack with an internal organization that allowed to fit all those elements. Until when the team of GROUNDTRUTH reached me to introduce their new backpack and, of course, I had to try it. So I did put EVERYTHING inside the RIKR 24L and I took it with me in my latest adventure: one week of smart working around the UK.

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

Materials 4,5/5

From the moment of the unboxing, it was straight forward for me that I had in my hands a totally different product. Speaking with the team of GROUNDTRUTH, they told me that the RIKR Range Backpack was designed keeping in consideration 4 main elements: the environment, design, versatility and resistance. De facto, I found in the box an extremely solid and versatile product that has been built keeping the respect of the environment. GROUNDTRUTH used a new high-performance textile called GT-RK-001 that is manufactured from 100% recycled PET, using plastic waste collected from landfill sites, waterways and oceans worldwide. As said many times, I strongly believe that this kind of approach to materials should become an everyday standard, sadly it is still limited to some small innovative business.

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

The backpack is fully weather-sealed. What better occasion to test the feature than to bring it to the UK? During my week there, I’ve been walking around with my valuable electronics and, at the end of the day (after hours and hours walking under the rain), I did not find even a drop of water in the internal sections of the backpack or my equipment. Finally, another fundamental element to understand the construction quality of a bag are the zippers, the ones of the RIKR Backpack are pretty fluid and seems to be also pretty solid. ( I will update this in a couple of months to see how they are holding).

Internal Organization 4,5/5

Let’s get to the point. What did I like most about the backpack organization? The RIKR Range 24L Backpack could be front-loaded, side loaded and top loaded. It is really but really rare to find a bag with all those options, usually is either one or another or maximum 2 of them combined.

The internal organization is pretty good, as it has a tablet/small laptop pocket and several pockets all around the main section. I found them perfectly comfortable to access as they are in the external sides of the bag so even when the main compartment is fully loaded you can access to the majority of the pockets. The main section could fit up to 24L. Yes, you can take this backpack as “small bag” with all the mayor European lowcost airlines, even if completely full. Moreover, you can even customise it and make it modular by purchasing an extra camera bag that fits perfectly in the bottom part of the backpack and it will become easily accessible from the side pocket.

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

Behind the main section, there is a soft laptop compartment that could fit up to 15″ devices (space does shrink a bit if the top section is full). At the bottom of the back, you can find a “secret pocket” that will easily fit your passport/kindle. On the sides, you have one external section where to fit a water bottle or a tripod.

I have to be honest, so far this was one of the best internal organization I found on any backpack.

Comfort 4/5

One of the negative aspects, if not the most problematic one, when you try to fit everything inside one bag is the final weight. In this sense, finding a comfortable backpack becomes fundamental.

The RIKR Backpack offers a well-padded back with a comfortable system of straps and the possibility to remove the waist belt and the sternum straps (that could be placed in different levels). In this case, one of the features I liked most is the possibility to regulate the shoulder straps according to the weight you are carrying. I did not test it yet during summer, but I believe the ventilation of the padded back is quite limited.

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

Price 4/5

As you may have understood we are talking of a premium backpack, with a premium price range. The RIKR Range 24L BACKPACK is starting at a price of 315,95€. Excessive? Not really. If compared to other products of the same category, this product has a super competitive price range. Especially if you take into consideration that most of the “main” and most famous competitors are not using sustainable materials. Finally, we are talking of a design product that is developed to fit in any situation, from an arctic circle exploration to a business conferences in New York. A little downside, from a point of view of a Photographer, in fact, I would have preferred to find the camera bag included in the bundle or at least in a bundle with a discounted price.

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

Conclusion: The Ultimate Backpack

To conclude this GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range Backpack Review, I will just tell you that most likely this will become my main backpack for all my next adventures. An ethical and environmentally friendly product that has been developed taking into consideration the design, the versatility and the resistance. It is clear that has been designed paying regards to all the features that are fundamental for traveling but also for everyday life. Not only, but I do appreciate a lot also the features that will make my photographer life easier. What to say? If you are looking for the ultimate design backpack perfect for your everyday life adventures the GROUNDTRUTH RIKR 24L Range backpack is the one for you!

You can get a 20% off the final price with the code: PLASTICFREEOCT! 

GROUNDTRUTH RIKR Range BACKPACK Review

DISCLAIMER: THIS REVIEW HAVE NOT BEEN ANYHOW SPONSORED BY GROUNDTRUTH. 

 

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