B.O.B. (bug out bag)

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

The other variable here is everyone is a different size and in different condition. The guy who is 6' 4" and 230 will be able to carry more than the one 5' 10 " at 150. Some have a pot belly like me, some work out daily. You have to tailor size and weight to what you can actually do, which some here have done. There really is no right answer that fits all.

 

I do however enjoy these threads, always reading something I did not think about or do not have. Knowledge and experiences are great

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

Dad2142Dad is right about everone being different on what they can carry. I keep my pack as light as possible. I can carry more if I have to. The idea with backpacking is to be able to enjoy the hike not endure it. We find that we can hike alot further comfortably by keeping weight down were we can. Everyone should do test hikes with the pack loaded. If it works keep it all if it's too much, trim out the luxury items first.

[whitetrashrn 74]

AS with any BOB Load it out do your dry runs dont forget the water. I have 2 loadeded out except water just a couple

little survival packs but a filter in both. The truck is a MOLLE and the house is a SPEAR that has all the goodies.

The one mistake I made with the spear I put everything I wanted and couldn't get 2 miles. Since it had the things I needed so I needed to get body changed and in the gym. Got it up to about 7 miles and that is good enough for a first day to be under shelter and cleaning my wounds. The water filter and the $10 screw on nalgene bottles work very well.

Enough about my BOBS IF any one wondered where I went I had a stroke my neurologist said in my sleep which I show no signs except terrilble headaches. I'm still under care but Im back shooting and building but best of all I bought a new

Harley Street Glide Last fall and not riding it was killing me. At least IM alive. Thank GOD..

Edited May 12, 2012 by whitetrashrn

[YOT 3,743]

I got 2 new packs late last year and was planning on doing some "roughing it" this year like I did before I started my family. In January I began having moderate and continuous pain in my middle right side of my back. After going through a bunch of trying to find out why, they told me last week "advanced arthritis in your spine, and the muscles are trying to compensate for the lack of range of movement."

 

I won't be carrying anything more than absolutely necessary, but I'm going, dammit!

Edited May 14, 2012 by Yeoldetool

[Dochartaigh 7]

If you are truly bugging out, a 22 pound pack isn't going to contain enough gear to go a long time

I take it you aren't that familiar with ultralightweight hiking/camping. Some of those crazy guys get their base weight (base weight is shelter, sleep gear, stove/pot/fuel, first aid kit, clothes, redundant water filtering system, etc....basically everything they need to "rough" it while in the wilderness) down to ~8-10 pounds for a trip as long as they want to go for. For a 3-4 day trip, including food (still 2000+ calories a day), many of them are at something crazy like 15 pounds, including the weight of the pack itself.

 

For my own pack, I'm not quite that crazy, so 22 pounds does me well...and I even have 4 days worth of food (granted, it's three days of not-great-tasting US coastguard approved emergency rations, + two soup servings, a couple packs of fatty -but high calorie- spam, and some beef bullion for when food runs low; but it's enough. I even have what those light-weight hikers would consider "extras" like a blow-up sleeping mat, a much heavier "survival" kit to catch fish and snare small animals, GPS, UHF/VHF/FRM/GMRS multi-band radio with extra battery, 2 water filtering systems, 2x flashlights, even a pocket chainsaw for cutting through larger branches. Still at 22.05 pounds with all that.

 

...the argument about not having enough ammo is a moot point as this topic is talking about a bug-out bag, and a bug-out bag's sole purpose is to last for a couple days to get back to your house/compound/whathaveyou, or get out of town during a disaster to a safer place where you'll hopefully have all the ammo in the world and a wealth of food stored at... It's not meant to have enough ammo to fight a WWIII.

[storm6490 2,768]

If you are truly bugging out, a 22 pound pack isn't going to contain enough gear to go a long time IMO. If you are planning on getting into a firefight, 180 rounds is going to go quick and you will need a resupply from your ruck. Most rucks used in the Military are packed to a standard to last three days, then you need a resupply. Most are not packed with all kinds of field craft tools and equipment either. Bullets, beans, batteries, water, more bullets, and a few items of snivel gear are usually packed and they did get heavy. We did carry water purification capabilities with both a MSR mechanical filter and a Miox purification pen though. Hell, even a small patrol pack still weighed more than 22 pounds. I think fffpatriot's ruck looks well thought out.

 

I would agree with you if we were talking about truly bugging out in an infantry role. We're talking about the civilian world now. Instead of an air drop or cargo shipment of supplies after a given period of time in the infantry, a regular Joe would need to get the hell out of Dodge as fast as possible and use one of the pre selected routes to their safe house, bunker or camp. The supply chain to an individual would be already in place. You really only need enough kit to get you to the next cache. Bugging out of your home would really be a last resort and you wont have covering fire, satellite updates or any real good intel on the situation. You would be choosing the flight instead of fight. "A dude I know" developed the 30 lb rule for scouting and utilized it first in the bob marshall wilderness area in montana before using the same load in afghanistan. Lighter is better. Unfortunately, most infantry battalions load the grunts up so bad that their fighting ability is hindered by several factors of having poor packs with way too much gear.

 

It is very much a personal preference and if you can hump a 50 lb ruck while running for your life from the SS, then go for it! I'll try to work it smart instead of hard!

 

Check this ruck out! http://www.mysteryranch.com/military/assault-patrol-packs/3-day-assault-pack Montana made!

Edited May 13, 2012 by storm6490

[Dochartaigh 7]

Check this ruck out! http://www.mysteryra...ay-assault-pack Montana made!

Mystery Ranch is Great. Many people say only surpassed by Kifaru! (but I wouldn't know, I refuse to pay $350 for a 2k cubic inch pack

 

If anybody is looking for a great BOB/pack, check out the multiple Diamondback Tactical/Battlelab SOF Assault Packs on ebay now for $100. These things new were something like $220-250 (but DBT/Battlelab switched owners which screwed up everything, and this is the leftover stock from the original company).

[MT Predator 2,294]

If you are truly bugging out, a 22 pound pack isn't going to contain enough gear to go a long time

I take it you aren't that familiar with ultralightweight hiking/camping. Some of those crazy guys get their base weight (base weight is shelter, sleep gear, stove/pot/fuel, first aid kit, clothes, redundant water filtering system, etc....basically everything they need to "rough" it while in the wilderness) down to ~8-10 pounds for a trip as long as they want to go for. For a 3-4 day trip, including food (still 2000+ calories a day), many of them are at something crazy like 15 pounds, including the weight of the pack itself.

 

I realize you can get pretty light for backpacking for a limited time out. If you are going out and expect to last more than 3-4 days, you are going to need more equipment to survive beyond your limited food supply which will equal more weight in the pack. When bugging out, you may not simply be traveling to another location. You may need to hunker down for an extended period of time depending on the situation.

 

...the argument about not having enough ammo is a moot point as this topic is talking about a bug-out bag, and a bug-out bag's sole purpose is to last for a couple days to get back to your house/compound/whathaveyou, or get out of town during a disaster to a safer place where you'll hopefully have all the ammo in the world and a wealth of food stored at... It's not meant to have enough ammo to fight a WWIII.

I'm not the one who brought up how many rounds I am carrying or did I refer to shooting and moving with a heavy pack on. I'm just making the point that 180 rounds isn't shit if you plan on getting into a gunfight. Again, situation is going to dictate what you are humping but if it involves carrying a firearm or two to defend yourself, you are going to want a means to resupply your initial load. Edited May 13, 2012 by MT Predator

[MT Predator 2,294]

If you are truly bugging out, a 22 pound pack isn't going to contain enough gear to go a long time IMO. If you are planning on getting into a firefight, 180 rounds is going to go quick and you will need a resupply from your ruck. Most rucks used in the Military are packed to a standard to last three days, then you need a resupply. Most are not packed with all kinds of field craft tools and equipment either. Bullets, beans, batteries, water, more bullets, and a few items of snivel gear are usually packed and they did get heavy. We did carry water purification capabilities with both a MSR mechanical filter and a Miox purification pen though. Hell, even a small patrol pack still weighed more than 22 pounds. I think fffpatriot's ruck looks well thought out.

 

I would agree with you if we were talking about truly bugging out in an infantry role. We're talking about the civilian world now. Instead of an air drop or cargo shipment of supplies after a given period of time in the infantry, a regular Joe would need to get the hell out of Dodge as fast as possible and use one of the pre selected routes to their safe house, bunker or camp. The supply chain to an individual would be already in place. You really only need enough kit to get you to the next cache. Bugging out of your home would really be a last resort and you wont have covering fire, satellite updates or any real good intel on the situation. You would be choosing the flight instead of fight. "A dude I know" developed the 30 lb rule for scouting and utilized it first in the bob marshall wilderness area in montana before using the same load in afghanistan. Lighter is better. Unfortunately, most infantry battalions load the grunts up so bad that their fighting ability is hindered by several factors of having poor packs with way too much gear.

 

It is very much a personal preference and if you can hump a 50 lb ruck while running for your life from the SS, then go for it! I'll try to work it smart instead of hard!

 

Check this ruck out! http://www.mysteryra...ay-assault-pack Montana made!

I was merely making reference to what GIs are humping. Everyone gets to hump their share of crew served ammo, 40mm ammo, mortars, radio batteries, etc. Remove all that weight and replace it with field craft equipment to survive with and you are getting into BOB territory. Primary weapon ammo should still be in the BOB IMO for a self-resupply if you are planning on arming yourself.

[Dochartaigh 7]

Predator, I fully and completely understand what you're saying. But what myself and others are trying to convey is that the sole purpose of a BOB (and it's definition) is to make it back to your home, or a resupply point you've previously setup. The bug-out-bag (as this topic is titled) by definition is supposed to be light, and only have items you need to get back home; not necessarily fight your way home, or sustain you for a long period of time. Sure, many people carry a lot more stuff, especially survival and gun stuff (I like to carry items like fishing line/hooks, snare wire, water filter; things that could help me for longer than 72-hours...just in case I have to hunker down somewhere), but their BOB bag is still only primarily meant to get back to their larger cache of supplies. Many people don't even carry a gun, and their BOB bag solely consists of something like a bottle of water, a couple energy bars, a map of the area they're commonly in, maybe a flashlight and a jacket, that's it.

 

If we're talking about a sustained fighting load complete with hundreds of rounds of ammo and weeks worth of food (the proverbial kitchen sink), I wouldn't consider that a bug out bag…that's all we're trying to say.

Edited May 13, 2012 by Dochartaigh

[DogMan 2,343]

I think everyone is going to have a slightly different definition of what a BOB is. I consider mine to be something that can sustain me for at least two or three days, with the ideal scenario being able to get back to the homestead sooner than that or ASAP. I don't carry a gun or ammo in it. I will only have the one pistol and two extra magazines that I normally have close to me.

[storm6490 2,768]

If you are truly bugging out, a 22 pound pack isn't going to contain enough gear to go a long time IMO. If you are planning on getting into a firefight, 180 rounds is going to go quick and you will need a resupply from your ruck. Most rucks used in the Military are packed to a standard to last three days, then you need a resupply. Most are not packed with all kinds of field craft tools and equipment either. Bullets, beans, batteries, water, more bullets, and a few items of snivel gear are usually packed and they did get heavy. We did carry water purification capabilities with both a MSR mechanical filter and a Miox purification pen though. Hell, even a small patrol pack still weighed more than 22 pounds. I think fffpatriot's ruck looks well thought out.

 

I would agree with you if we were talking about truly bugging out in an infantry role. We're talking about the civilian world now. Instead of an air drop or cargo shipment of supplies after a given period of time in the infantry, a regular Joe would need to get the hell out of Dodge as fast as possible and use one of the pre selected routes to their safe house, bunker or camp. The supply chain to an individual would be already in place. You really only need enough kit to get you to the next cache. Bugging out of your home would really be a last resort and you wont have covering fire, satellite updates or any real good intel on the situation. You would be choosing the flight instead of fight. "A dude I know" developed the 30 lb rule for scouting and utilized it first in the bob marshall wilderness area in montana before using the same load in afghanistan. Lighter is better. Unfortunately, most infantry battalions load the grunts up so bad that their fighting ability is hindered by several factors of having poor packs with way too much gear.

 

It is very much a personal preference and if you can hump a 50 lb ruck while running for your life from the SS, then go for it! I'll try to work it smart instead of hard!

 

Check this ruck out! http://www.mysteryra...ay-assault-pack Montana made!

I was merely making reference to what GIs are humping. Everyone gets to hump their share of crew served ammo, 40mm ammo, mortars, radio batteries, etc. Remove all that weight and replace it with field craft equipment to survive with and you are getting into BOB territory. Primary weapon ammo should still be in the BOB IMO for a self-resupply if you are planning on arming yourself.

 

Been there. Only the shit they issued me was really shitty compared to the new stuff. 11-b 95-01

[MT Predator 2,294]

If you are truly bugging out, a 22 pound pack isn't going to contain enough gear to go a long time IMO. If you are planning on getting into a firefight, 180 rounds is going to go quick and you will need a resupply from your ruck. Most rucks used in the Military are packed to a standard to last three days, then you need a resupply. Most are not packed with all kinds of field craft tools and equipment either. Bullets, beans, batteries, water, more bullets, and a few items of snivel gear are usually packed and they did get heavy. We did carry water purification capabilities with both a MSR mechanical filter and a Miox purification pen though. Hell, even a small patrol pack still weighed more than 22 pounds. I think fffpatriot's ruck looks well thought out.

 

I would agree with you if we were talking about truly bugging out in an infantry role. We're talking about the civilian world now. Instead of an air drop or cargo shipment of supplies after a given period of time in the infantry, a regular Joe would need to get the hell out of Dodge as fast as possible and use one of the pre selected routes to their safe house, bunker or camp. The supply chain to an individual would be already in place. You really only need enough kit to get you to the next cache. Bugging out of your home would really be a last resort and you wont have covering fire, satellite updates or any real good intel on the situation. You would be choosing the flight instead of fight. "A dude I know" developed the 30 lb rule for scouting and utilized it first in the bob marshall wilderness area in montana before using the same load in afghanistan. Lighter is better. Unfortunately, most infantry battalions load the grunts up so bad that their fighting ability is hindered by several factors of having poor packs with way too much gear.

 

It is very much a personal preference and if you can hump a 50 lb ruck while running for your life from the SS, then go for it! I'll try to work it smart instead of hard!

 

Check this ruck out! http://www.mysteryra...ay-assault-pack Montana made!

I was merely making reference to what GIs are humping. Everyone gets to hump their share of crew served ammo, 40mm ammo, mortars, radio batteries, etc. Remove all that weight and replace it with field craft equipment to survive with and you are getting into BOB territory. Primary weapon ammo should still be in the BOB IMO for a self-resupply if you are planning on arming yourself.

 

Been there. Only the shit they issued me was really shitty compared to the new stuff. 11-b 95-01

Then you know what I am referring to. You got to carry a metric shit ton of weight but none of it really would sustain you in the field when your MREs run out.

[YARP 300]

To keep the gear discussion going, just thought I'd throw out another really nice piece of gear that's SUPER multi-functional. It's called the Crovel extreme

#!

 

The handle is longer then most which makes digging, cutting, prying, etc.......... Much easier then all the other multi-tool shovels that I've used. A "pocket" saw is still much better then the one on the crovel, the only other downside that I can think of is it's weight, but at the same time that's why it's so much more capable then other tools. The edgle keeps pretty well for use as a machete/axe but having a sharpening stone is still a good idea.

[BpS12 512]

Nice kit. A little much maybe. But then again, maybe not, lol.

 

I've a "grab-n-go" that I travel with. About 13# with First Aid, Land Nav, Survival gear(incl. SAS Survival booklet, poncho, extra side arm ammo, ERations(MREs are like 60-70% garbage vs. ERats about 5%), rope, change of undies, spam, nuts, dried fruit, etc. It's a buttpack slung for shoulder carry. Basically, 3+days to get somewhere "safe" if not all the way home.

 

My "Tacvest" is about 55# fully loaded with 400rnds of x39, Pt145 and 40rnds of .45, hydro, Erats/protein bars, Commo, Lights, Rope, NV, Gas mask, etc.

 

My BoB is more of a Bivouac pack and about 30# +/-. Old German issue sleeping bag (w/arms and zips out at the knees into a parka), Shelter, extra food/ammo, clothes, lil old scout mess kit, etc. The "luxuries", lol. Enough for a couple weeks till I can go home or the "primitive" skills get cranked up. Will be adding either a small break down crossbow or slingshot soon.

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

MRE's = HEAVY SHIT IN FOIL POUCHES

 

Invest in freeze dried pouches. With MRE's you're carrying alot of extra weight because of the water in the food.

 

Freeze dried weighs a lot less which in turn means you can carry more of it. Since you can get meals or staple items you only get what you want. With MRE's we always end up tossing half the crap in them. Going through and getting rid of packaging can help reduce some weight and getting rid of uneeded items can help reduce weight of MRE's but freeze dried is still lighter.

[devildogdakota 804]

I do appreciate the livin' hell outta all the good responses from everyone on here. I type slower than molasses in January, and been working six days a week. Would probably take me at least two weeks to respond to everyone. I wanted to let this thread simmer on the back burner for a bit, so I can gather as much info from others as I can. I guess I should have mentioned that this gear is my camping backpacking gear that would also double as my B.O.B. I know there's many different scenarios if and how the SHTF, and some items may be ditched, some added, depending on the situation. I have an Excaliber dehydrator and tons of Mylar bags that I've gone apeshit on as far as sealing dry goods for a few years now that I'm gonna dig into and build several days worth of dry rations sealed up in the one gallon bags that I have. I believe that if SHTF turned into TEOTWAWKI, my best bet would be to take my B.O.B. and find a nice hidey hole in the hills near to water and animals.

A thread like this could go on forever! Thanks again fellas, and keep the great info coming.

Edited May 17, 2012 by fffpatriot

[DogMan 2,343]

Here is the bag that I have decided to start using for my BOB from my collection of watersports gear. I like the fact that there are no external pockets. Everything is contained inside the main PVC enclosure with one waterproof seal at the top. Very comfortable to wear and absolutely impervious to the elements, and it floats. A camo cover is right under the fold of the top in case I don't want it to be quite so visible.

 

[mgconnor13 206]

I don't have a "bug out bag" but rather a "get home" bag. I keep a bag in my jeep that has blankets, couple MREs, water bottles, duck tape, para cord, multi tool, lighters, chem lights, vs-17 panel, compass, GPS, flash light, batteries, a med kit, gloves and a some dry socks. Also keep a box of spare fluids and tools in the back too. I drive almost 30 miles through the middle of know where every day to work. If things get bad I'm just going home and riding things out.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Rusty truck

[DogMan 2,343]

I don't have a "bug out bag" but rather a "get home" bag. I keep a bag in my jeep that has blankets, couple MREs, water bottles, duck tape, para cord, multi tool, lighters, chem lights, vs-17 panel, compass, GPS, flash light, batteries, a med kit, gloves and a some dry socks. Also keep a box of spare fluids and tools in the back too. I drive almost 30 miles through the middle of know where every day to work. If things get bad I'm just going home and riding things out.

Exactly my plan, too. Nothing that I can stuff into a bag can compare to the resources I have at home. At sea you never abandon ship until it is no longer a survivable platform. I regard my house and property the same way. It is also the one place that a man has a right to vigorously defend like no other he could potentially bug out to.

[bikermutt07 10]

I'm like 80% of BOB believers. I'm too damn fat to carry my BOB anywhere.

 

I'm working on lightening the load on both fronts. LOL

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

I don't have a "bug out bag" but rather a "get home" bag. I keep a bag in my jeep that has blankets, couple MREs, water bottles, duck tape, para cord, multi tool, lighters, chem lights, vs-17 panel, compass, GPS, flash light, batteries, a med kit, gloves and a some dry socks. Also keep a box of spare fluids and tools in the back too. I drive almost 30 miles through the middle of know where every day to work. If things get bad I'm just going home and riding things out.

 

I have both, the GHB to allow me to get back to the castle. Still have the BOB in case the castle gets overrun / destroyed. Don't let your gas tank get below a half, have a plan for on foot should it be needed and have more than one path if possible.

[DogMan 2,343]

This is going to be controversial but I want to get my hands on three or four "go pills". If you don't know what those are, ask anybody who has flown in the Air Force. In a real SHTF situation there could be a prolonged stretch somewhere along the way where not having to sleep could be advantageous or even save my life. I've already stocked prescription pain medications and antibiotics, all legally of course.

Well, yesterday my "go pills" arrived from Europe. They are not quite what I originally had planned, though. These are also used in the military alongside the Dextroamphetemines, but have a much better side effect and psychological profile. It is a narcolepsy drug but is also prescribed off-label for a variety of sleep and fatigue conditions. There is no high or euphoria, just absolute wide-awakeness for hours or days if necessary, with very little loss of mental acuity. It's tough to get it prescribed to you here in the states without a diagnosed sleep disorder, but not impossible, and there are, shall we say, "alternate sources" available overseas. Importation of small amounts for personal use is not a problem but it is a legal gray area so I'm not going to name the drug or post a "how to" here, but it's not difficult at all to figure out if anybody is really interested. I couldn't wait to test it out and believe me it works very well. Now that I know how it affects me, I'm putting it away strictly for when absolutely needed and I think it's a good tool to have in the tool bag.

[thebuns1 4,323]

I agree dogman. In certain situations, fatigue can interfere with your decision making, as well as alter your reflexes,judgement and cordination wich could very well get your ass hurt or worse.