GORUCK and Birdwell – two iconic American brands renowned for their commitment to quality and craftsmanship – are proudly launching a limited-edition capsule that brings together GORUCK’s legendary GR1 rucksack and Birdwell’s classic 300 boardshorts, embodying durability and timeless design.
Courtesy of GORUCK and Birdwell
This collaboration is a celebration of two American legacies—Special Forces durability and surf culture authenticity. Together, the brands created products that bridge adventure, craftsmanship, and timeless appeal.
Founded in 1961 by Carrie Birdwell Mann, Birdwell was one of the first businesses specializing in surf wear, turning Mann’s living room where she sewed into one of the first surf shops. Her original customers were lifeguards in Newport Beach, California. The first product she created is still the main staple of the Birdwell brand: two-ply nylon boardshorts, built for surfing.
“Birdwell is passionate about creating functional, high-quality beach styles that help people lead healthy lives,” said Birdwell CEO Eric Crane. “Training has become a standard for those looking to gain and maintain strength throughout their lives. This collaboration with GORUCK upholds the shared value of keeping people active long term by promoting exercise in and out of the water.”
“What makes this collaboration significant is the shared values both brands represent,” says Jason McCarthy, founder of GORUCK, and former Green Beret. Toughness, quality, and functionality are the pillars in which GORUCK products are built upon and the signature GR1 is built so that it would thrive in both Baghdad and NYC.”
The GORUCK x Birdwell collaboration includes the world’s best rucksack and the world’s best boardshorts. Built in the USA, the 26L GR1 Birdwell was customized using Birdwell’s ultra-tough, water-repellent, quick-drying black camo SurfNyl™️ fabric. The boardshorts are from Birdwell’s popular USA-made SurfNyl™️ 300 line, which are cut to a medium-length with reinforced seams for pure function and utility. Tying the collection together is a one-of-a-kind co-branded patch, which comes pre-patched on the rucksack and sewn onto the boardshorts.
The GR1 x Birdwell will be sold for $345 and the 300 Boardshorts x GORUCK will be sold for $125. Both brands will sell the product on their websites; for more information, visit goruck.com or Birdwell.com.
About GORUCK:
Founded in 2008 by former Green Beret, Jason McCarthy, GORUCK is headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Jason’s commitment to the Special Forces way of life, coupled with what he had learned in war, inspired him to build a “go-bag”, or “go-ruck” for his wife and co-founder, Emily, who was a Case Officer in the CIA working in French-speaking West Africa. The bag was meant for her to keep in her vehicle and at home, ready to go at all times.
This “go-bag” would serve as the catalyst for what eventually became GORUCK’s original piece of gear, the GR1. It took over two years to design and manufacture the rucksacks and ensure they would thrive in both Baghdad and NYC — Green Berets were judge and jury of quality and functionality.
GORUCK prides itself on building the toughest rucking & workout gear on the planet backed by our SCARS Lifetime Guarantee, offering rucksacks, footwear, apparel, ruck plates, training gear, and more. The company builds every style from the ground up and continues to work with Special Forces soldiers, male and female CrossFit® Games Champions, and World Champion Athletes to test, iterate, and build the best.
ABOUT BIRDWELL:
Since 1961, Birdwell has hand-made boardshorts of enduring quality and timeless style out of the sunny beach towns of Orange County, California. A pillar brand in authentic American beach culture, Birdwell sets the bar in its craftsmanship of dynamic boardshorts for surfers and other ocean lovers. To this day, Birdwell proudly manufactures its flagship products in the USA, offering a variety of elevated lifestyle goods for men and women, including its cult-followed shorts, as well as other coastal apparel and essential beach accessories. For more information and to view current collections, visit www.birdwell.com.
