Tacticool Meets Practicool: Grayl Carry Project Transport EXP Daypack 20L Review

I wound my way down Muddy Creek — in the heart of Utah’s Swell — deeper into a canyon that narrowed with every mile. The morning sun, still inching its way above the horizon, promised a warm, clear trek.

But spring in the desert is nothing if not unpredictable — brutally hot and dry one second, and then harsh winds, a snap of cold, and potential snow or even flash flooding. So with me, I had a rain jacket, fleece, sun hoodie, swim trunks, snacks, lunch, water, beer — even a book — all swallowed up in the Grayl Carry Project Transport EXP Daypack.

This was my maiden adventure with one of Grayl’s debut packs. Previously, I’d put it through its paces as my primary work pack, lugging around my computer, notebook, charger, and various writing utensils. It also served as a travel bag during a trip to Southern California and so far, had transitioned seamlessly from one use case to the other.

However, on this hike into Muddy Creek Canyon, I wore the pack longer than I had before. Certain things that my casual use hadn’t revealed quickly became apparent.

In short: The Grayl Carry Project Transport EXP 20 L Daypack is built like a tactical backpack and made for abuse. It’s durable, packed with pockets, and it has daisy chains galore, a hydration bladder sleeve, and a separate computer pocket. Like other packs in the Carry Project line, the Transport EXP 20 L has a very grippy rubber bottom, designed to carry a Grayl water filter, water bottle, or even an extra layer. That feature still needs some refinement, as it was somewhat uncomfortable on longer hikes. But generally, travelers, hikers, survivalists, and anyone who appreciates military-style backpacks will recognize the utility and quality of this pack.

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Grayl Transport EXP 20 L Backpack Review

Grayl is known for its water filtration and purification systems, like its Geopress and UltraPress. But the Carry Project marks its first line of packs.

I first saw the Carry Project at the Outdoor Market Alliance (OMA) trade show. Keeping in line with the brand’s military/survival aesthetic, the Carry Project line (which includes a fanny pack, Mission EXP packs, and the Transport EXP packs) has a tactical design. They have daisy chain webbing, Velcro (for adding patches or G Mods), loads of pockets, and come in covert black, olive drab, coyote brown, and wander blue.

I received the Transport EXP pack in mid-April, and it became my go-everywhere, do-everything bag. I used it for work, travel, and outdoor recreation, walking, hiking, rucking, and even short bike rides.

Layout & Design

Like any good 20L pack, the Transport EXP can be compressed with straps on its sides to become a much smaller, slimmer backpack. But when you need its full volume, it opens up pretty expansively. Two vertical zippers access the large overlaid pockets on the front. Either side of the pack has an expandable water bottle holder that fits a standard Nalgene. At the top is a smaller sunglasses-lined pocket for any odds and ends.

The main compartment opens like a clamshell via dual wrap-around zippers for full access. You can also unzip just the top or sides if you want to grab something specific. Inside, against the back, there is a hydration bladder sleeve with a Velcro loop at the top. Velcro openings are located on either shoulder for the hose.

Inside the pack is another small pocket, opposite the small one on the outside, and a large zippered mesh pocket. Likewise, these are good spots for keys, chargers, sunglasses, chapstick, or other small objects. There is also a padded laptop compartment on the side of the pack.

Far and away, this pack’s most unique feature is its Bottlelock Tie-Down System. The bottom of this backpack has a grippy rubber panel. The idea is to strap a Grayl water filtration or purification device underneath (like a spare tire). Then, you don’t even need to necessarily carry a water bottle. You can filter/purify on the go. The Bottlelock Tie-Down System also works with regular water bottles.

Of course, no tactical backpack would be complete without MOLLE webbing, to which you can attach Grayl “G-Mods” (pockets and other storage items — more on these later). The pack also sports a large Velcro panel to pop patches on to rep a regiment, state flag, personal symbol, or any other logos/designs you want.

In the Field

As mentioned, the Grayl Transport EXP Backpack seamlessly transitions between a commuter pack, a travel pack, and a hiking pack. It didn’t fall short in any of those capacities, but it definitely felt most at home outdoors.

The top exterior pocket has a small zippered mesh compartment inside it. That was perfect for my car keys when I knew I wouldn’t be using them for one (or multiple) days and didn’t want to lose them. It includes a small tether you can clip onto the key ring as well for added peace of mind. I carried first-aid supplies and snacks in the two larger overlapping pockets on the outside.

The pack naturally wanted to ride pretty high on my back. It sat almost squarely between my shoulder blades. The bottom was about 3 inches above my hip bones. If I loosened the shoulder straps, it would ride lower, but would swing around more than I liked.

The removable waist strap clipped right at/above my belly button. It felt secure when the straps were tightened. Scrambling over boulders or hopping creeks, it stayed put.

I particularly liked the Bottle Lock Tie Down System. I used it for both the Grayl filter and extra layers while hiking. If you roll up your rain jacket or a fleece, loop it through, and cinch it down, the Transport EXP easily carries it on the bottom. It’s a really fast and handy way to access a layer without taking the pack off. The tacky-feeling rubber ensured it didn’t budge during carry.

While the laptop sleeve on the side of the pack is padded, I didn’t end up using it because it couldn’t fit my computer case. Instead I just popped the laptop, case and all, into the hydration bladder sleeve, and it was perfectly safe.

Main compartment access was a cinch, too. The dual zippers allowed me to open up the side if I wanted to grab something at the bottom, or open it just at the top. For ease of packing, I could also unzip the main compartment completely and open the pack up like a clamshell. I didn’t do that very often, but it was a handy access feature and much preferred to standard top-zip daypack designs.

Adding Grayl ‘G Mods’

Part of the allure of Grayl’s Carry Project packs has to do with what it calls G Mods, or small accessory pouches that can adhere to the MOLLE webbing or the Velcro face. The brand offers three different G Mods, a Pod Pouch, a Flat Wallet Pouch, and a Flat Molle Pouch. All three of these stick to the Velcro extremely easily.

Honestly, I wasn’t confident enough in the MOLLE’s strength to put my passport or wallet in one of them and go hiking through the desert (or the wastelands of LAX and DIA). The G Mods come with little carabiner clips that can be fastened to the daisy chain webbing for extra security. But I was still uncertain. Valuable items belong inside my bag, or I tend to lose them.

That said, the Velcro is surprisingly secure. When I popped on the G Mod Pod Pouch, it had to be physically ripped off the pack to remove it. Brushing up against things, or knocking the pack around wouldn’t dislodge it. I kept a lighter, knife, pen, and small notepad in there.

The G Mod Flat Wallet and Flat Molle Pouches also have Velcro on their exteriors. So, if you really want to get wild, you could G Mod your G Mods and stack them on one another.

One Pain Point

The single biggest problem I had with the pack also had to do with one of my favorite features of it: The Bottlelock Tie-Down System. After two days of hiking around 8 to 10 miles a day, that rubber lining on the bottom of the pack started to feel abrasive on my back, right at its two corners.

The rubber is stiff enough that it felt like there was a rock back there. I actually had marks on my lower back after that 2-day trip.

As is, though, I wouldn’t want to carry this pack for more than two long days of hiking.

That’s not such a big deal with a 20 L pack because it isn’t meant for backpacking trips. But the Transport EXP also comes in 25L and 30L volumes that could be used for longer, possibly multiday trips. I’m not sure if those have the same issue, but if they do, that could make for an uncomfortable few days in the backcountry.

Grayl Carry Project Transport EXP 20 L Backpack: Who Is It For?

This daypack fits the bill for travel, commute, and work, as well as survival and outdoor recreation. This pack would be equally good as a bug-out bag, as it would be your daily driver computer carry pack. Grayl swung for the fences with its Carry Project line of packs, and if the Transport EXP is any metric, it at least legged out a triple.

While the Bottlelock Tie-Down System needs to work out a few kinks, I really came to love this pack overall. It is functional, offers useful features, checks all of the boxes I look for in a daypack, and has that classic military-esque aesthetic. It’s like a high-quality army surplus backpack, and there are a lot of people out there who that will appeal to.

Especially if you own a Grayl water filter/purifier that you want to carry into the outdoors more easily, the Transport EXP should be a consideration. The G Mod MOLLE attachments and Velcro accessories make it versatile, and the general construction is pretty bombproof. Calling this pack a “jack of all trades” might be a stretch — but not by much.