My truck bag, for your review and suggestions

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  • teddy12b

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    It's been a while since I've posted any pictures and since I really enjoy seeing a lot of pictures of gear and setups I think it's only fair that I put some out there myself every once in a while.
    This bag is in the back of my truck all the time. I tried to take pictures of the bag and the show where the different items are stored in the bag. I'm up for any suggestions for improvement. The bag itself is a Camelbak BFM and it's been a great bag.

    This is how the bag sets and looks.
    IMG_3570.jpg


    Different angle.
    IMG_3572.jpg


    Opening up the bag to access anything.
    IMG_3573.jpg


    Water purification tabs, Solar & hand crank radio, matches, toilet paper & gorilla tape.
    IMG_3574.jpg


    Altoid tin for starting fire (matches, lighter, tinder), Altoid tin for fishing (line, hooks, flies), SAS handboook, fire piston, light stick, industrial trash bag, camelbak waterproof bag cover (foliage on one side, bright orange on other).
    IMG_3575.jpg


    MRE's, food bars, 1qt canteen with stainless cup and stove piece, marlin papoose in the blue bag.
    IMG_3576.jpg


    Side pocket.
    IMG_3581.jpg


    Medical kit inside of side pocket. Bandades, alcohol wipes, iodine wipes, bandades, triple antiobiotic, suture kit, ammonia tabs, safety pins, GI bandages, small bar of soap, toilet paper, medical tape, stainless tools, and a pop up flare.
    IMG_3583.jpg


    Outside of bag focusing on lower pouch that contains the rain gear.
    IMG_3584.jpg


    Cabelas rain gear. This rain gear fills that bottom pouch all by itself and it's come in handy more times than I can remember.
    IMG_3585.jpg


    IMG_3586.jpg


    Outside pouch contains a streamlight headlamp, a couple cheapo lightweight led flashlights, GI compass, GI E-tool, lighter, fire steel, camo rain poncho, led keychain light attached in the bag, and of course more toilet paper.
    IMG_3587.jpg


    Small pouch on the outside.
    IMG_3588.jpg


    Pouch contains a slingshot and a schrade survival knife. The handle is stocked full of fishing line, hooks, & flies. The pouch has a fire steel, tinder, a lighter, and a keychain led flashlight.
    IMG_3589.jpg


    This is my survival blanket with a poncho liner secured to it. I keep it rolled up and attached to the side of the bag.
    IMG_3590.jpg


    Anyway that's basically it, and the way it's sitting now. It's definately different for me to see it in the form of pictures and compartments. It really made me wonder why I have a slingshot and also why I had so many lighters, flashlights, & toilet paper rolls, but I guess if I'm going to overdue it somewhere in the bag that's not a bad place to do it.

    Normally in the fall/winter I keep a poly pro top rolled up on the opposite side of the blanket poncho liner. I also realized that I don't have a change of socks or two and that's a pretty big fail as well. I wear hiking boots and jeans every day to work so I'm good there.

    Here's some more pictures of the papoose:
    IMG_3577.jpg


    IMG_3578.jpg


    IMG_3579.jpg


    IMG_3580.jpg


    I'm not a big duracoat guy, but I had a guy do my survival knife listed above so I could cheaply experiment with it. I decided to have the papoose done also just because it's a cheap rifle to try it on and I don't like the idea of my truck gun stickout out like a sore thumb being all black and shiney stainless steel. I also just wanted to give the stuff a shot and see how well it holds up. I really haven't had the chance to test either the knife or rifle since I got them coated.

    I still want to get more factory mags, but right now I've got (2) 10rd mags, and (1) 7rd mag. I'm not going to durcoat any more mags than the two that already are. I keep the mags loaded and an additional 100rds of 22lr in the plastic case.
     

    sgreen3

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    Looks good to me:yesway:, But do you have anything in there for fire starting except the lighters, or did I miss it If those get wet or broke or who know's. Other than maybe that, thats what Ive been thinking about doing. nice job!
     

    teddy12b

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    I've got a fire piston, and matches in a couple different places. Another nice thing about having some 22lr with me is that I can pop the bullets off easily and pour out the powder to help get a fire started if I need to. :)
     

    WETSU

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    He had a separate fire kit w/ matches, lighter, tinder.

    Looks good. What duration are you thinking for this? Lots of MREs. I would field strip those and put in some handfood-eat on the run.

    Have you gone out and used this pack much, like done a 3-6 mile ruck march and field day?

    Whats the E tool for. Besides digging? Is there a smaller version you could use to save weight?

    I assume the bladder is kept full along with the canteen?
     

    teddy12b

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    He had a separate fire kit w/ matches, lighter, tinder.

    Looks good. What duration are you thinking for this? Lots of MREs. I would field strip those and put in some handfood-eat on the run. Basically I want this bag to be enough that I could get home from just about anywhere I'd ever have to drive to for work. There are times that I'll have to drive within an hour or so to jobsites and I just want to know if I had to ruck it home that I could.

    Have you gone out and used this pack much, like done a 3-6 mile ruck march and field day? I've done a fair amount of 1-2 mile ruck marches with it. I've taken it bear hunting in Ontario and other places, where going through the woods is really rough and a real pain in the arse. I haven't gotten to use it as much as I'd like, but I have given the bag enough of a beating to feel confident in it and I've humped it far enough to know it's going to be reasonably comfortable.

    Whats the E tool for. Besides digging? Is there a smaller version you could use to save weight? The e tool is just something that I keep in the bag in case I need to dig. If I ever did need this bag as a means of getting home safely thats probably the first thing I'd take out of the pack just for the sake of saving weight. I've kept it in there for now because I've got a sharpened edge on it in case I need a hatchet also.

    I assume the bladder is kept full along with the canteen?


    The Canteen is kept full and the water is rotated. The bladder is in the bag, cleaned and ready to use, but because I worry about puncturing it while under pressure or a hose getting pulled loose I keep it empty. In my vehicle I also keep a 2qt canteen with fresh water that's regularly rotated so I could fill the camelbak bladder with a good start if I needed to. I kind of have those water tabs in mind for the camelbak bladder.
     

    2ADMNLOVER

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    . I'm up for any suggestions for improvement.

    Medical kit inside of side pocket. Bandages, alcohol wipes, iodine wipes, bandages, triple antibiotic, suture kit, ammonia tabs, safety pins, GI bandages, small bar of soap, toilet paper, medical tape, stainless tools, and a pop up flare.
    IMG_3583.jpg

    .

    Ditch the "suture kit" , no medic worth his salt is gonna sew you up in the field , unless you are highly trained , don't do it yourself either .

    Unless the GI field dressings are new issue , ditch them also . The cotton ends / ties tend to fray and come apart from the actual dressings after time .

    Update them with new dressings , I like the Israeli style . Same concept as the GI style , just new proven dressings . carry at least 4 of them .

    Safety pins , iodine / alcohol wipes , increase to at least 10 of each .

    Medical tape , make sure to use the cloth kind and increase to 3 rolls .
    Duct tape , throw a roll in there also .

    Two inch Ace wraps , get some , at least six . They won't take up much space and come in real handy if you have to improvise a litter , splint or abdominal dressing .

    Cravat , bandanna (triangular bandage) , carry at least 6 of them , see above on improvising .

    ABD (abdominal) dressing , get a new one and carry it .

    2x2's and 4x4's , at least 10 each . There light and don't take up much space .

    Needle less syringe , 100 cc type or "turkey baster" type from the grocery store . One of these and a 4x4 works great for flushing / cleaning a wound in the field .

    PPE , personal protective equipment . Surgical style gloves , at least 10 pair . If you work on someone else don't be afraid to wear two pair at a time .

    Some type of eye wear , and a N95 mask . You don't want to catch anything from anyone .

    OTC meds , Ibu , visine , aspirin and "other" meds if you have access .
     

    alloyguitar

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    Wow. That's quite a list of first aid stuff. Definitely makes me rethink my car first aid kit.

    And for fire, I also saw at least two fire steels. Definitely have many options for fire. Are those the chinese firesteels, or a lightmyfire? I'm curious as to how well the chinese ones work, since their mag bars don't work at all aside from the flint.
     

    iamaclone45

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    Ditch the "suture kit" , no medic worth his salt is gonna sew you up in the field , unless you are highly trained , don't do it yourself either .

    Unless the GI field dressings are new issue , ditch them also . The cotton ends / ties tend to fray and come apart from the actual dressings after time .

    +1 To this.

    Update them with new dressings , I like the Israeli style . Same concept as the GI style , just new proven dressings . carry at least 4 of them .

    Safety pins , iodine / alcohol wipes , increase to at least 10 of each .

    +1 to this.

    Ditch the medical tape all together and just use the duct tape you carry. I would also wrap the duct tape around old credit cards, ID cards, etc to conserve space.

    Two inch Ace wraps , get some , at least six .

    +1 to this. I would carry atleast one large and one small ace wrap.


    OTC meds , Ibu , visine , aspirin and "other" meds if you have access
    +1 to this.
    .

    Other then that your bag looks pretty good.
     

    teddy12b

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    The suture kit is a last resort item in the event something would happen on a hunting trip. Generally I go black bear hunting in Ontario and I go with guys who aren't as woods savy or up to speed on the great outdoors. I know it's not perfect training but there's lots of great suturing video's on google that if I absolutely had to do it I really think that I could.

    The GI bandages are new issue, but I'll look into the Israeli style if they really are that much better.

    Thanks for the good advice on the first aid kit. I know there's always room for improvement there, especially in my first aid kit.
     

    WETSU

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    A note on first aid stuff.

    First aid stuff is for boo-boos. Bandaids, neosporin, ibuprofen.

    Trauma stuff is for when things go south. Fast and bad. A bug out/get home bag is one of those situations. Also, if you drive a car or motorcyle, carry a gun, hunt, ride ATVs/snowmobiles, ski, or run a chainsaw, you need to have serious medical supplies and TRAINING!

    You medics, cops, firemen and EMTs know what I'm talking about. You use up a lot of dressings, gauze, coban, ACE and gloves on a relatively minor injury. There is lots of blood.

    Carry more than you need. I carry a shat ton of medical stuff, everywhere.

    As far as sutures? Have you EVER sutured? Even a pigs' foot? Ever sutured a guy without lidocaine? Did he like that? Do you know when or when not to suture? Are there better means to close a wound? Have you ever debrided and mechanically cleaned out a wound to the point that it was not compromised?

    Leave the sutures for Rambo unless you have proper training. Seriously.
     

    teddy12b

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    As far as sutures? Have you EVER sutured? Even a pigs' foot? Ever sutured a guy without lidocaine? Did he like that? Do you know when or when not to suture? Are there better means to close a wound? Have you ever debrided and mechanically cleaned out a wound to the point that it was not compromised?

    Leave the sutures for Rambo unless you have proper training. Seriously.


    Fair enough. I've never done it. I watched videos and practiced the knots, but I've been fortunate enough to not have to do that to anyone else or myself. I'll take it out of the kit. Any suggestions of what I should put in its place, if anything?
     

    WETSU

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    Steri strips. Great gear. They will get you close. Swab the skin with tinture of benzoin and they will stick really well.

    With suturing its not the knots, its actually punching it through the tissue with a cutting needle, lining up the wound edges and getting a decent result, both cosmetically as well as outcome-wise. Look up deadspace. Not a good thing in wound closure, easy to do.

    Good call.

    With a lot less practice you can use surgical staples, but there are do and don't there as well. But less ways to screw it up. I get a better result with staples than sutures. Sutures **** me off.
     

    G_Stines

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    Fair enough. I've never done it. I watched videos and practiced the knots, but I've been fortunate enough to not have to do that to anyone else or myself. I'll take it out of the kit. Any suggestions of what I should put in its place, if anything?

    Super glue. Seriously. Some people may say that it's toxic and could kill you and what not, but my view is that I would rather die 20 years from superglue than right then and there from bleeding out. Its small and can seal a wound faster and more effective than any butterfly strip or suture kit. It stings but not as bad as a suture kit digging around in your body. They used it Vietnam and my grandpa has done it several times since, and I have used it various times on myself when I probably should have had stitches.
     

    Taylorz71

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    I am so unprepared. I have a nice Eagle pack that I am starting to fill, but I really need to get going on it. Thanks for posting.
     

    Icarry2

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    paracord
    couple more flares
    batteries??
    bag items that water can harm, radio, etc.
    ear peice for radio
    paracord
    meds and such like mentioned
    for super glue consider the gel type
    paracord
    a couple more trash bags
    maybe some solid fuel tabs
    a multi tool, I suggest a Leatherman
    a small saw, either folding or cable
    signal mirror
    maps of your area
    spare cell phone, battery, etc
    cash, coins, etc..
    list of emergency contacts, think, if you don't have your phone do you have numbers memorized? If someone finds you and your unconscious is there info on your person to tell them who to contact?


    from what I know water tabs in a camelbak will taste nasty and the taste will never come out. Consider a straw.. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Emergency-Disaster-Preparedness-Survival/dp/B0014EAYUM"]Amazon.com: Water Filter Straw, Frontier Emergency Water Filter System for Emergency Disaster Preparedness, Survival Kits, Survival Packs, Survival Gear, Camping,: Sports & Outdoors[/ame] or a camelbak mounted filter, watch cause some only filter taste not bad stuff..


    Good job on the kit.
     
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    alloyguitar

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    Super glue. Seriously. Some people may say that it's toxic and could kill you and what not, but my view is that I would rather die 20 years from superglue than right then and there from bleeding out. Its small and can seal a wound faster and more effective than any butterfly strip or suture kit. It stings but not as bad as a suture kit digging around in your body. They used it Vietnam and my grandpa has done it several times since, and I have used it various times on myself when I probably should have had stitches.

    I second the superglue. I've never had it sting, though. I couldn't even feel it was there, and I've done it several times on deep cuts (deep by my standards, anyway. Definitely stitches material).
     

    indytechnerd

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    I second the superglue. I've never had it sting, though. I couldn't even feel it was there, and I've done it several times on deep cuts (deep by my standards, anyway. Definitely stitches material).

    Hell, we have some actual wound glue at the house, thanks to my wife working in the ER for most of her career.
     

    alloyguitar

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    Jealous. I use the 3 for a buck at the dollar store kind.

    They have 'liquid stitches' or 'liquid bandaid' or something that I may have to try next time. Lol
     
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