Organizing your BOB?

[GOODdaysir]

Hey all, I have just taken my BOB on a field test and I noticed one thing, it was disorganized, I was wondering what you ZS'ers do to fix that and what you use to make your bag organized and neat, any help would be greatly appreciated!

[74 or more]

Maxpedition makes a lot of pockets and organizers that could be used 100 different ways. Other companies do also I just happen to be a Maxpedition fan. Check out there Cubeoid for some quick "inside of the bag" organization.

http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/CUBOIDâ„¢-LARGE-14p523.htm

Their stuff can be pricey but you get what you pay for.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

Plastic bags ("crack bags) liek a well-made ziploc kidnaa thing work for small stuff. For larger items (clothes, blankets) try a dry-sack.

[jamoni]

Stuff sacks. I have some cheap walmart "dry bags", some crown royal bags, some homemade sacks, and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff. Mess kit goes in one, hygiene stuff in another, etc.
Stuff I might need quickly (FAK, wet weather gear, flashlight etc) goes on top or in outside pocket. Everything else goes in reverse order of how I'll need it in camp.

[GOODdaysir]

Are the maxpedition packs millennium comparable? Because I love those bags and I want something just like that. Are there any other companies that make stuff bags like maxpedition?

[74 or more]

Are the maxpedition packs millennium comparable? Because I love those bags and I want something just like that. Are there any other companies that make stuff bags like maxpedition?

I'm not familiar with millennium bags. Maxpedition doesn't make "stuff sacks" in the sense that you would stuff a sleeping bag into them or some clothes. The Maxpedition bags are more for keeping small to medium things organized. Later today I'll post some pictures of what I have.

If your looking for bags (stuff sack/dry sack) to put something like clothes in, here is what I use:

http://proforceequipment.com/product-de ... 0&catid=30

[GOODdaysir]

Oh ok. I was looking for one or two of that type of bag, and also the pouches that are easy to put onto a belt so I have a quick E&E pouch

[Niblick]

Haha Jamoni I use the crown royal sacks too. But mainly I use the Kifaru ultralight pullouts to keep my bags organized, I love those things.

[GOODdaysir]

Haha Jamoni I use the crown royal sacks too. But mainly I use the Kifaru ultralight pullouts to keep my bags organized, I love those things.

Do they have a way to attach them to a duty belt?

[74 or more]

Oh ok. I was looking for one or two of that type of bag, and also the pouches that are easy to put onto a belt so I have a quick E&E pouch

Any one of these pouches would make a good E&E bag (in my opinion). An most of them attach to your belt.
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/Pou ... ets-c7.htm

But for bigger stuff in the pack, go for the dry-sack.

[GOODdaysir]

Yeah. Im going to put my basic survival equipment into a smaller pouches in case I need to ditch the backpack, all large/ unnecessary stuff will go into larger sacks. I really want an IFAK Pouch, and another small pouch

[none1]

garbage bags
zip lock bags

I got lots of higher tek pouches/ drybags that I use. All you NEED are

garbage bags
zip lock bags

[Jeriah]

There are two principles that will help here: the "bag of bags" concept, and the "Line" approach. This isn't an either-or; they are two different concepts that address different aspects of the problem. A word of warning, each of these concepts contributes organization at the expense of cost, bulk, and especially weight.

"Bag of bags" is an old phrase going back at least to the old (1940s?) Boy Scouts Fieldbook. The concept is similar to how you organize files on your hard drive. On your hard drive, you've got the drive itself, and on that drive you have folders, each of which contains your files. So you might have Documents, Applications, Porn, etc. Well, your pack serves as the drive, and the folders are smaller bags (the aforementioned "stuff sacks") which contain thematically-related items. So you'd have one bag that's Clothes, one that's Food, and so on. (I could see some logic in having instead a bag that's Day 1, a bag that's Day 2, and a bag that's Day 3, each containing that day's food, change of socks, and change of underwear...but that seems weird to me.)

The "Line system" is a modular or tiered approach in which you have layers of gear which can be shed when not necessary. In a military context Line 1 is survival essentials (carried on your body), Line 2 is fighting kit carried on a chest and/or belt rig, and Line 3 is your sustainment load carried in your ruck. This doesn't translate 1:1 to survival because in a military context your goal is to fight, so you'll set down your ruck and fight til you win, then go back for your ruck. In a survival context, things are somewhat different: you're trying to survive, and fighting only when necessary. So it's a somewhat different implementation of the concept. Also you should have your bug out vehicle as part of this system. But broadly speaking, you should have your big ruck which is everything you'd want to carry on foot to help you survive (basically a backpacker's setup), then a small daypack/"assault pack" that contains only those essentials you'd want to keep if you had to ditch the main pack, and then some bare minimum essentials on your person/belt/pockets.

Implementing both of these concepts means buying, and carrying, a lot of nylon. I'm working on it.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

Bag of bags is taught in boot camp, because not only does it work, but a bag of properly waterproofed bags...floats. Try it. use things that can get wet the first time, but I can bag of bags my ILBE, patrol pack (they nest, we'll get to that later) and wear my plate carrier, kevlar, and full cammies and use the ILBE as a flotation device. Last time I had to swim qual, I went for the higheest qual (failed ) which includes several laps with a bagged daypack weighing 20lbs. I had to get out of the pool and try to compress more air out of the bags, because the bouyancy was making the bag squirrel out from under me, but as a basic survival float, it would have kept my head and shoulders out of the water with zero effort on my part. Just something to consider.

The "line approach" works too. It's one of the reasons I like the ILBE when not wearing armor, because IU can hump around with the ILBE and nested daypack, and then when I hit camp, I can pop the daypack off for any kind of ranging/hiking in the area, or throw the buttpack onto a "war belt" and use that to carry my IFAK, some food and water, and basic bushcrafting supplies whilst I go frolicking through the forest looking for possibles and candy houses.

[GOODdaysir]

What both of you say is exactly what I want. The line system!
If you check out my bug out bag thread, you can see what I've got as of now

[ninja-elbow]

Bag of bags concept is easiest and most applicable to the common folk in the woods type scenerio. I use it. I had the habit of putting EVERYTHING in some stuff sack though and then I'd end up with 9 stuff sacks flitting about in my camp after I got all set up. So... you only need to bag what needs to be bagged... savy?

Let's expand on Jeriah's really good analogy - as I am a records guy at a law firm and what he described is my living and specialty:
You've got your hard drive (rucksack)
Youv'e got your folders (stuff sacks)
You've got your files (things)

Some of your "things" aren't at that level though. Some of your things can stay at "folder" level and just don't need a stuff sack. For instance my Jetboil stove. It's self contained and stays pretty clean. It didn't need a stuff sack. An extra waterbottle? Don't need a stuff sack. Tarp? No stuff sack needed really.

Also, consolidate your stuff sacks. Let's say you have a small Ziploc baggy with a pencil, notepad, and pen in it. You've also got a map and compass in another small Ziploc bag. Consolidate those. We do this to our files in the records department all the time. Fire kit of matches/lighter/ferro and a container of PJ cotton balls in one bag and your stove stuff in another? Combine.

Another really good way to keep your gear organized is to not have too much gear. Get rid of stuff. Replace it with skill and knowledge.

[sarky]

All my basic survival gear from my BOB goes into a Spec Ops Pack Rat pouch. It seems to be perfect for this.A lot of my EDC stuff goes into a Spec Ops Dry Cell Onboard. Every thing else in my BOB is in dry bags Or freezer Zip Lock bags. My food is in pouches on the out side of my pack as they are consumables and as they get used up I simply have to compress the pouch and not shift gear around inside the pack. Also since it is light weight freeze dried food it doesn't shift my packs CG very much.

[Tetra Grammaton Cleric]

Good posts in this thread.

Organisation is one reason I like MOLLE inside and out and am prepared to give away a fair amount of "grey man" in return for that organisation and modularity.

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[Doctorr Fabulous]

I've seen two bag of bags scenarios.
1. Divide by type
This is when you have pouches or bags labeled or organized by what the items inside are used for. For instance, medical, fire/cooking, sleeping, clothing, and shelter. You get the point. This works really well for single-site camping, where you can unpack most of the bag into a tent or living space, and then bear-bag your food elsewhere.

2. Divide by access.
This is what I like to do for bug-out gear. I like to have the most readily necessary items easily at hand first. So, extra clothes will likely go near the bottom, since if I need them, it isn't likely to be in a scenario where digging them out will be too much of a hassle. Sleeping system, extra medical gear, and the bear bag of food will be right at the top, where I can get to the quickly and conveniently.

[Tetra Grammaton Cleric]

Yeah, on the access thing, in my next wave of purchases I'm looking to get a small IFAK or Battlefield dressing pouch to mount on the outside for quick access so that bleeding all over everything else while trying to get to the main FAK isn't on the menu. I already have a little keyring CPR mask on one of the shoulder straps for convenience.

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[jamoni]

I've seen two bag of bags scenarios.
1. Divide by type
This is when you have pouches or bags labeled or organized by what the items inside are used for. For instance, medical, fire/cooking, sleeping, clothing, and shelter. You get the point. This works really well for single-site camping, where you can unpack most of the bag into a tent or living space, and then bear-bag your food elsewhere.

2. Divide by access.
This is what I like to do for bug-out gear. I like to have the most readily necessary items easily at hand first. So, extra clothes will likely go near the bottom, since if I need them, it isn't likely to be in a scenario where digging them out will be too much of a hassle. Sleeping system, extra medical gear, and the bear bag of food will be right at the top, where I can get to the quickly and conveniently.

I basically do both. My main bags have one big compartment, one compartment in the "lid", and one large pocket on each side. Gear goes in stuff sacks by purpose.
Emergency stuff goes in the lid compartment. That's basically FAK and rain gear.
Trail food and water bottle goes in one side pocket.
Need-a-lot items go in other side pocket. Lights, hygiene stuff, sunscreen, bug juice, multitool, etc.
Sleeping pad goes in main compartment, rolled as a loose tube and then stuffed with other gear. This acts as a frame of sorts.
Other gear gets stuffed in in reverse order of when I need it. So extra clothes first, then sleeping bag, then hammock, then tarp, then mess kit and water filter, then layering clothes. I also throw a canteen in there for dry stretches.

[ninja-elbow]

Yeah, on the access thing, in my next wave of purchases I'm looking to get a small IFAK or Battlefield dressing pouch to mount on the outside for quick access so that bleeding all over everything else while trying to get to the main FAK isn't on the menu. I already have a little keyring CPR mask on one of the shoulder straps for convenience.

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It's why I got a Boo Boo kit seperate from a FAK. I have been in that situation and that is when the hanky comes out.

[shrimpwd]

In my recent update to my kits (sig link below), I took pictures of my packing order. Not the most expensive setup ever, but when ounces (and dollars) count...

I don't place my sleeping bag in it's small stuff sack, that's why it goes towards the top. Perhaps I should change that. (thinking about water resistance and packing order...) Maybe when I purchase an actual bag for my food, instead of just using plastic bags?

I like that I keep my FAK on my waist, but I really need to upgrade my belt kit from a fanny pack to an actual belt & pouches setup.

[ppfd]

LoL thought I was the only one to use Crown bags!

Look around Home Depot and Lowes, Harbor Freight. The all have various small bags, and tool organizers.