Was looking at the options for a trash carrier and, seemed to me, there really are not too many viable options other than the Trasharoo
So I started looking at it and reading reviews. What I found was what seemed to be a trend where people liked the idea but were not impressed with the execution. Common complaints were that it was very difficult / time-consuming to install and remove and that it did not hold up well over time / use.
So, I sat there, staring at a couple pics of it, and it came to me that it seemed rather familiar. A bit of digging and, sure 'nuff, it looked a heck of a lot like a ACU (Army Combat Uniform) Rucksack. So a few minutes later, I had my plan hatched.
Enter the US Army Official Large ACU MOLLE Rucksack in olive digital camo. My thinking was to take this sack and combine it with a couple of common tie-downs to make a "Trasharoo-killer". Something that would do everything a T-roo would do, but with more do for you!
I looked around and found a source for the sack at $30, used in good condition and with free shipping...and purchased it. When it came in a week later, I opened the box and was thrilled! This was exactly what I had hoped and, that evening, I started the realization of my nefarious plans. And here it is; I present to you, the RuckARoo!
The RuckARoo! does everything that the Trasharoo does but it does it cheaper (at least a little), it does it faster and easier (by all accounts), it does it better (best I can tell), and it does it in official Army camo...what the hell else could you possibly want?
Try to ignore the strange outlines on the Jeep, it's still covered in tarps until I get the roll cage kit installed and the top back on this weekend. Now, for the what-all and how-to:
I got the sack from McGuire Army Navy but I saw an ars-load of these sacks on ebay (be sure to look around as there are a lot of people selling them for way too much, once you include shipping). Remember, what I used is the Large ACU MOLLE (or MOLLE II) Rucksack. You don't need the rack, shoulder harness/straps, kidney belt, or anything other than the sack alone. You can get add-on packs like the sustainment pouches, grenade pouches, and canteen pouches (be sure to get them with canteen) to hang from those spiffy MOLLE connectors if you like.
The tie-downs I used are plain ol' cinch type (not ratcheting) in six-foot length that I got from HF. I'd say that, for a 33 - 35" tire, a five-foot length would be ideal but the six footers worked just fine. I got a four-pack but you only need two tie-downs.
There is a set of straps sewn in near the top of the sack on either side in the back that you should tie together with a nice little square knot as shown below. This will produce a perfect loop that will hold your RuckARoo! loosely in place on top of your spare while you lock it on with the tie-downs. You will need to make the length of this loop proper to have your RuckARoo! hang pretty close to where it will finally rest when all cinched down on your spare, so some adjustment may be needed...for now, make it a bit loose, if anything. You can always re-tie it to just a bit loose (as shown) once you get your RuckARoo! totally put on. There is another set of straps just like these about midway down the sack. I couldn't think of an immediate use for these so I just wove them through the MOLLE loops next to them to keep them tucked away, nice and tidy.
You can also see in this pic how I dealt with the extra length of the tie-downs by just using a series of simple overhand loops....once they are on, of course.
Next, take one of your tie-downs, pull it out to about 5 feet and attach the end with the grabber to the top-left of the rucksack (as you face it from the rear of your Jeep), on the loop that has a plastic buckle on it, as shown above. I ran the extra bit of strap that was also sewn in at the same point, in and over/through the buckle just to add a bit off extra strength to it.
Now, run the tie-down across the back of the tire, around the center of the tire carrier (the part that sticks out and the tire gets mounted to), and then back to the left side, out and under (a bit) the left side of the tire and attach to the second-from-the-bottom MOLLE loop that is closest to the inside of the sack on the back on the same side (left) as shown above and below.
Then, with the other tie-down, do the same thing on the right side. You will end up with the tie-downs in the arrangement shown below; with the blue tie-down going from the upper-left-side point on the rucksack, around the tire carrier center, and back to the lower-left-side MOLLE connection point on the sack and the red tie-down to the same connection points on the right side. Adjust the position of the straps up or down where they cross the tire so that they come straight out from the point they attach to the sack. That way, they will not want to get loose or move from that position. If you have a knobby spare tire, place the straps between the treads nearest this point.
Cinch the tie-downs loosely and jostle the sack around to get it centered right-to-left, straight up and down, and sitting on the top as shown in the pics. Where the bottom ends up will depend on your tire size...the tire shown is a 33" (about 32 actual). Once the sack is in the proper position, cinch the tie-downs up but not very tight, you don't need to torture the sack, just make the tie-downs non-floppy.
Here's what it looks like fully strapped on and empty. I used the bottom cinching straps to collapse up the bottom so it wouldn't flap around and wove the loose ends of those straps into some of the MOLLE points.
To show the capacity of the pack, I crammed a couple of queen-size pillows into it and took the next two shots. You can see there’s still unused space. The RuckARoo! is plenty big enough for the trash you can generate and/or pick up from the trail, as well as for fire wood or other expendables you might want to pack in to camp.
The sack also comes with a handy mesh bag on the inside of the lid flap that is held closed by Velcro. This is great for lightweight items that you might want easy access to. Remember, however, that, like the Trasharoo, the RuckARoo! is not sealed so anything in it is prone to getting plenty dusty.
The top of the main sack has a drawstring closure with an automatic retainer. You can just see the retainer in the above pic.
OK, so the RuckARoo! has the space you need, but is it strong enough? Well here’s a pic of some ugly cuss hanging from it with no problems at all. if it can hold my 215 Lbs., it should certainly handle your collective rubbish and sundries.
For added convenience, your RuckARoo! comes standard with a bottom zipper opening! Great for dumping out that firewood and any miscellaneous debris. I would strongly suggest using a plastic bag or similar as a liner in the sack for holding your trash, just to keep it smelling great (you know, like trail dust).
Here’s a shot of the tie-downs stowed in the lid flap’s pouch.
A shot of the RuckARoo! hanging by the built-in straps (the ones you tied together with a square knot), ready to be strapped on or taken off and stored away.
And finally, next to my favorite after-ride beverage, the RuckARoo! folded in half, with tie-downs inside. Ready for the next ride!
SO, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUT ON & TAKE OFF? Putting it on took right at 5 minutes but that was figuring out exactly how to run the tie-downs and I was absolutely in no hurry…probably closer to 3 mins to do it again. To remove it took me just under 2 minutes, including rolling up the tie-downs and tossing them into the mesh storage pouch in the sack’s lid flap, again, in no particular hurry.
I’m considering adding some sort of wear-protection padding between the RuckARoo! and the tire to keep it from getting rubbed-through from being jostled around on the trail, but I haven’t got that figured out just yet. I think some denim from some old jeans or even a thick T-shirt might be a good plan. Prolly look more into that this weekend.
This is an easy one gang. Trust me, you'll spend far less time doing this than I spent writing it up!
EDIT: A follow-up on wear protection. I tried an old T-shirt as shown in the below pics and it seems to work well. It should keep the tire from wearing holes in the sack while on the trail...at least at the top, where I would expect most of the wear to occur.
I think I'll get some stainless steel safety pins and try pinning the shirt to the back of the sack. That way, I don't have to mess with the shirt separately and I might even be able to get some better coverage in the middle and lower parts of the sack.
So I started looking at it and reading reviews. What I found was what seemed to be a trend where people liked the idea but were not impressed with the execution. Common complaints were that it was very difficult / time-consuming to install and remove and that it did not hold up well over time / use.
So, I sat there, staring at a couple pics of it, and it came to me that it seemed rather familiar. A bit of digging and, sure 'nuff, it looked a heck of a lot like a ACU (Army Combat Uniform) Rucksack. So a few minutes later, I had my plan hatched.
Enter the US Army Official Large ACU MOLLE Rucksack in olive digital camo. My thinking was to take this sack and combine it with a couple of common tie-downs to make a "Trasharoo-killer". Something that would do everything a T-roo would do, but with more do for you!
I looked around and found a source for the sack at $30, used in good condition and with free shipping...and purchased it. When it came in a week later, I opened the box and was thrilled! This was exactly what I had hoped and, that evening, I started the realization of my nefarious plans. And here it is; I present to you, the RuckARoo!
The RuckARoo! does everything that the Trasharoo does but it does it cheaper (at least a little), it does it faster and easier (by all accounts), it does it better (best I can tell), and it does it in official Army camo...what the hell else could you possibly want?
Try to ignore the strange outlines on the Jeep, it's still covered in tarps until I get the roll cage kit installed and the top back on this weekend. Now, for the what-all and how-to:
I got the sack from McGuire Army Navy but I saw an ars-load of these sacks on ebay (be sure to look around as there are a lot of people selling them for way too much, once you include shipping). Remember, what I used is the Large ACU MOLLE (or MOLLE II) Rucksack. You don't need the rack, shoulder harness/straps, kidney belt, or anything other than the sack alone. You can get add-on packs like the sustainment pouches, grenade pouches, and canteen pouches (be sure to get them with canteen) to hang from those spiffy MOLLE connectors if you like.
The tie-downs I used are plain ol' cinch type (not ratcheting) in six-foot length that I got from HF. I'd say that, for a 33 - 35" tire, a five-foot length would be ideal but the six footers worked just fine. I got a four-pack but you only need two tie-downs.
There is a set of straps sewn in near the top of the sack on either side in the back that you should tie together with a nice little square knot as shown below. This will produce a perfect loop that will hold your RuckARoo! loosely in place on top of your spare while you lock it on with the tie-downs. You will need to make the length of this loop proper to have your RuckARoo! hang pretty close to where it will finally rest when all cinched down on your spare, so some adjustment may be needed...for now, make it a bit loose, if anything. You can always re-tie it to just a bit loose (as shown) once you get your RuckARoo! totally put on. There is another set of straps just like these about midway down the sack. I couldn't think of an immediate use for these so I just wove them through the MOLLE loops next to them to keep them tucked away, nice and tidy.
You can also see in this pic how I dealt with the extra length of the tie-downs by just using a series of simple overhand loops....once they are on, of course.
Next, take one of your tie-downs, pull it out to about 5 feet and attach the end with the grabber to the top-left of the rucksack (as you face it from the rear of your Jeep), on the loop that has a plastic buckle on it, as shown above. I ran the extra bit of strap that was also sewn in at the same point, in and over/through the buckle just to add a bit off extra strength to it.
Now, run the tie-down across the back of the tire, around the center of the tire carrier (the part that sticks out and the tire gets mounted to), and then back to the left side, out and under (a bit) the left side of the tire and attach to the second-from-the-bottom MOLLE loop that is closest to the inside of the sack on the back on the same side (left) as shown above and below.
Then, with the other tie-down, do the same thing on the right side. You will end up with the tie-downs in the arrangement shown below; with the blue tie-down going from the upper-left-side point on the rucksack, around the tire carrier center, and back to the lower-left-side MOLLE connection point on the sack and the red tie-down to the same connection points on the right side. Adjust the position of the straps up or down where they cross the tire so that they come straight out from the point they attach to the sack. That way, they will not want to get loose or move from that position. If you have a knobby spare tire, place the straps between the treads nearest this point.
Cinch the tie-downs loosely and jostle the sack around to get it centered right-to-left, straight up and down, and sitting on the top as shown in the pics. Where the bottom ends up will depend on your tire size...the tire shown is a 33" (about 32 actual). Once the sack is in the proper position, cinch the tie-downs up but not very tight, you don't need to torture the sack, just make the tie-downs non-floppy.
Here's what it looks like fully strapped on and empty. I used the bottom cinching straps to collapse up the bottom so it wouldn't flap around and wove the loose ends of those straps into some of the MOLLE points.
To show the capacity of the pack, I crammed a couple of queen-size pillows into it and took the next two shots. You can see there’s still unused space. The RuckARoo! is plenty big enough for the trash you can generate and/or pick up from the trail, as well as for fire wood or other expendables you might want to pack in to camp.
The sack also comes with a handy mesh bag on the inside of the lid flap that is held closed by Velcro. This is great for lightweight items that you might want easy access to. Remember, however, that, like the Trasharoo, the RuckARoo! is not sealed so anything in it is prone to getting plenty dusty.
The top of the main sack has a drawstring closure with an automatic retainer. You can just see the retainer in the above pic.
OK, so the RuckARoo! has the space you need, but is it strong enough? Well here’s a pic of some ugly cuss hanging from it with no problems at all. if it can hold my 215 Lbs., it should certainly handle your collective rubbish and sundries.
For added convenience, your RuckARoo! comes standard with a bottom zipper opening! Great for dumping out that firewood and any miscellaneous debris. I would strongly suggest using a plastic bag or similar as a liner in the sack for holding your trash, just to keep it smelling great (you know, like trail dust).
Here’s a shot of the tie-downs stowed in the lid flap’s pouch.
A shot of the RuckARoo! hanging by the built-in straps (the ones you tied together with a square knot), ready to be strapped on or taken off and stored away.
And finally, next to my favorite after-ride beverage, the RuckARoo! folded in half, with tie-downs inside. Ready for the next ride!
SO, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUT ON & TAKE OFF? Putting it on took right at 5 minutes but that was figuring out exactly how to run the tie-downs and I was absolutely in no hurry…probably closer to 3 mins to do it again. To remove it took me just under 2 minutes, including rolling up the tie-downs and tossing them into the mesh storage pouch in the sack’s lid flap, again, in no particular hurry.
I’m considering adding some sort of wear-protection padding between the RuckARoo! and the tire to keep it from getting rubbed-through from being jostled around on the trail, but I haven’t got that figured out just yet. I think some denim from some old jeans or even a thick T-shirt might be a good plan. Prolly look more into that this weekend.
This is an easy one gang. Trust me, you'll spend far less time doing this than I spent writing it up!
EDIT: A follow-up on wear protection. I tried an old T-shirt as shown in the below pics and it seems to work well. It should keep the tire from wearing holes in the sack while on the trail...at least at the top, where I would expect most of the wear to occur.
I think I'll get some stainless steel safety pins and try pinning the shirt to the back of the sack. That way, I don't have to mess with the shirt separately and I might even be able to get some better coverage in the middle and lower parts of the sack.
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The cost difference and, frankly, the lack of availability of the multicam sacks was kind of a real no-go for me.
