Bug Out Bags 101

[Sailor]

I like the three exterior pockets on my Alice Bag for this reason. The main things I would need most often are kept in them.

 

[WETSU]

Organizing is important, having a system is important, actually using and working with that system and your gear is very important.

Also, to aid in finding stuff in the dark, if you don't EDC a light, you may want to consider clipping a small LED pinch light onto your BOB, so you can quicky access it and use it to find your skittles.

 

[Icarry2]

Also, to aid in finding stuff in the dark, if you don't EDC a light, you may want to consider clipping a small LED pinch light onto your BOB, so you can quicky access it and use it to find your skittles.

I took this advice..

Nice litle solar LED light I found for $2 is hanging off my EDC bag..

 

[teddy12b]

Regarding lights, as far as considering weight, durability, size, use and all the other factors that come into buying a flashlight I think you all owe it to yourselves to spend the less than $2 on this 10 pack of led lights:

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001I9EICI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?ie=UTF8&m=ATJ1HHEILSBYQ[/ame]

I ordered two of these and one was faulty. I left it turned on in my basement straight and it lasted for almost two weeks. Not bad for about $0.25.

 

[EvilBlackGun]

Price reduced, value enhanced.

Elsewhere on the site this "iTP 700Lumen A6 POLESTAR" led flashlight is noted as a good value. It is. I bought mine @ a GS, "marked down from $79.95." Yeah, well maybe at the height of TSHTF. I got it @ $29.00. The vendor also threw in a dozen squeeze-lights, and 4 12ga-sized 7-led focusing sticks. If you buy this light, do not leave it where kids may find it and shine it in their eyes. As far as learning to pack, if I'm not gonna need stuff until we stop, it gets packed deep. If needed along the way, it hangs on the outside, well strapped. I'm looking for the "survival blog site" where I saw this, but it lashes a 3-l jug of stream water at the top of the ruck, a filter is semi-permanently mounted a bit lower, and the drip-tube takes the filtered water down to the potable canteen. It works as you walk. At camp, it can be tied to a tree or tent-pole and continue working. The one I saw filtered 1-cup / hour. Has anyone checked out how many cells a solar-charger will actually boost over the trek-time of an average day, say 5-6 hours? EBG

 

[nemo97]

Really starting to dig this forum a lot. So much of what I am looking for in one place.

 

[Fastmover]

Good pointers here. Lots of talk about carrying water but nothing about waterproofing your gear that in your BoB aside from standard hefty baggies for organization purposes.
In my experience, water introduced to your gear can make for an unpleasant time especially if it renders some of your gear useless.
Lots of bags are water resistant from the outside but none will help when your water storage inside the bag is ruptured.
I would recommend picking up a heavy duty dry sack to hold gear that would be most sensitive to water. Anything electronic, paper or fiber based.
I'd also put my change of clothes, socks etc in there as there is nothing worse than not having nice dry socks to change into after a long hard tab.

 

[RobF82]

Great info.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Good pointers here. Lots of talk about carrying water but nothing about waterproofing your gear that in your BoB aside from standard hefty baggies for organization purposes.
In my experience, water introduced to your gear can make for an unpleasant time especially if it renders some of your gear useless.
Lots of bags are water resistant from the outside but none will help when your water storage inside the bag is ruptured.
I would recommend picking up a heavy duty dry sack to hold gear that would be most sensitive to water. Anything electronic, paper or fiber based.
I'd also put my change of clothes, socks etc in there as there is nothing worse than not having nice dry socks to change into after a long hard tab.

We vacuum seal our sock and other such items. It not only protects them, but also reduces the required space.

 

[under32hurts]

Just a little RANT!......I ordered a few things from Maxpedition (new Versapak and some extras) and chose the FedEx ground option to save a few bucks........I WANT MY STUFF!!!! I know this is my fault...Im just sayin.....It took them four days over the weekend to get it out to FedEx*** NOW I must wait the 5 to 8 days!!!!Did I say I WANT MY STUFF????....That's what I get for tryin to save a few bucks. Sincerely IMPATIENT BUYER!!

 

[Icarry2]

Good pointers here. Lots of talk about carrying water but nothing about waterproofing your gear that in your BoB aside from standard hefty baggies for organization purposes.
In my experience, water introduced to your gear can make for an unpleasant time especially if it renders some of your gear useless.
Lots of bags are water resistant from the outside but none will help when your water storage inside the bag is ruptured.
I would recommend picking up a heavy duty dry sack to hold gear that would be most sensitive to water. Anything electronic, paper or fiber based.
I'd also put my change of clothes, socks etc in there as there is nothing worse than not having nice dry socks to change into after a long hard tab.

Everything in my bags is waterproofed and most will float. Critical items are stored in bags or water proof containers.

I use multiple heavy duty zip lock bags, vacuum sealed bags and heat sealed bags. Also like Plano Waterproof storage boxes.

Look at Plano ® :: Fishing Products go into the StowAway Utility Boxes and then look for waterproof boxes. They don't give real good information about them but I like the small red boxes and the larger yellow and super large red. Cam lock latches and large o-ring seals.

I also carry a rain proof pack cover for my pack.

 

[Fastmover]

SealLine Baja™ Dry Bag

This is what I use for a dry sack. I've had to ford rivers and used my pack as a flotation device. Without that dry sack, every item would have been soaked.
The 55 liter sack is the same size as my main compartment, so I know that if it fits in my ruck, it'll be waterproof.

 

[B27R]

Thx for these ideas!

 

[jwfuhrman]

I keep 3 broken down MRE's, 10x10 camo PVC tarp, 300ft roll of 550 cord, 3 1 liter bottles of water, 2 spare mags for my M&P 9, a E-tool, MagLight, and a extra set of clothes. I keep it a 3 day assault pack, but after back packing across Europe for 2 weeks using that bag(emptied it out obviously), I want a back pack with a frame. That pack kills my back and shoulders by dragging down on it. Anyone know of a backpack about the size of the typical 3day packs with a frame? Coyote in color preferably.

 

[jsx1043]

Good pointers here. Lots of talk about carrying water but nothing about waterproofing your gear that in your BoB aside from standard hefty baggies for organization purposes.
In my experience, water introduced to your gear can make for an unpleasant time especially if it renders some of your gear useless.
Lots of bags are water resistant from the outside but none will help when your water storage inside the bag is ruptured.
I would recommend picking up a heavy duty dry sack to hold gear that would be most sensitive to water. Anything electronic, paper or fiber based.
I'd also put my change of clothes, socks etc in there as there is nothing worse than not having nice dry socks to change into after a long hard tab.

One of the cheapest and easiest fixes to "waterproof" your pack is to line it with an open 39+ gallon leaf bag. Use the excess bag sticking out of the top to roll it down like at drysack. Unless you tape it or bungee it down, it won't be completely waterproof, but will most definitely keep the rain out. I've used this method before on hiking packs and have been able to float them across rivers and streams since they form an air pocket.

 

[indytechnerd]

I keep 3 broken down MRE's, 10x10 camo PVC tarp, 300ft roll of 550 cord, 3 1 liter bottles of water, 2 spare mags for my M&P 9, a E-tool, MagLight, and a extra set of clothes. I keep it a 3 day assault pack, but after back packing across Europe for 2 weeks using that bag(emptied it out obviously), I want a back pack with a frame. That pack kills my back and shoulders by dragging down on it. Anyone know of a backpack about the size of the typical 3day packs with a frame? Coyote in color preferably.

Kelty - Courser 40
It's not Coyote, but Kelty is a quality name and the size is about right, 38L.

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

Found this on another board. It's interesting.. A long read too..

The Will to Act: Your Ultimate Bug-out Kit by R.B. - SurvivalBlog.com

A long read, but worth it. Lots of great info! Thanks!

 

[jbrooks19]

Awesome BOB! I just started working on mine!

 

[jbrooks19]

Any suggestions on what i should include in mine?

 

[sbsg2005]

Over the previous 9 pages there are many.