my first BOB - on a budget, use what ya got

[Y.T.]

I've finally put together my first Bug Out Bag. Funds have been super tight for the past year so this is a Use What Ya Got bag in terms of (not) fancy gear and supplies. It's somewhere between a 72 hr. bag and a we might be gone 1-2 months bag.

I'd appreciate any suggestions.
My main problem right now is that I need to shed about 10 pounds from the total weight.
With water the whole kit is about 35lbs. (* see my edit below)
While around 30lbs is about right for my weight (based on the bag = 1/4 body weight equation), I'm not strong enough to realistically carry that well for distances so around 25lbs is better. There's still room left in the bag, but I can't physically carry more.

edit 2 (08/28/08):
I've calculated all the weight as accurately as I could (added below). I don't think I had correctly calculated the prior weight since my scale seems wonky. The prior weight was probably closer to 32-35lbs WITHOUT water. See my post here for an update on my BOB stategy.

edit 1: I've received much helpful advice on reducing weight and additional items to consider, thanks.


Before I show the BOB pics and list contents I thought it would help to have some context for my choices since BOBs are kind of personally tailored:

SOME REASONING BEHIND THE ITEMS:

PURPOSE:
The bag is packed primarily for a car evac situation since we don't yet have the resources needed for a full foot evac (backpack tent or bivy, backpack stove, meal packages, etc.). The main provisions for shelter, food and water are in the camping supplies (listed briefly below). The BOB serves mostly to take care of health and hygiene needs, along with travel info and basic repairs.

the following are in the camping gear for car evac:

tent + stakes + ropes + mallets
sleeping bags + air mattress
stove + fuel
cooking items (pots, dishes, dish cleaning0
food items (beans, pasta, rice, peanut butter, etc. - will be packed from storage shelf in kitchen)
utility bag + work gloves
battery powered lanterns + coffee can of batteries
5 gal. gas container kept in car (Another 5 gal. container is kept in my bf's car. Time allowing we'd grab that too.)
7 gal. water container, filled
2 gal. water container, filled, kept in car (Another 2 gal. container is kept in my bf's car. Time allowing we'd grab that too.)

While the bag is made primarily for car bug out, I also tried as best I could to allow for the possibility of a grab-and-go scenario where there's no time to pack the car, or a scenario where we either have to abandon the car or take a day trip by foot away from the car camp. Which is why, for example, a fleece roll is included even though sleeping bags are in the camping gear, and an extra space blanket and stakes are included though there is a tent in the camping gear. Despite our current lack of resources I didn't want to be entirely screwed without the car.

PACKING:
Keeping in mind we could be bugging out for over a month, I've tried to pack 2-4 weeks worth of OTC meds and toiletries. Those items can not only be hard to find in a new area or PAW, but also be be pricey and the cost of replenishing them can add up quickly. I'd rather use my stash money on food, water and shelter. Most of the items in the FAK wouldn't be taken every single day so the supply for some items may last more than a month.

Clothing is a particular challenge for me because temperatures can change 40-50 degrees in a day in the desert (80 day / 30 night), depending on the time of year and altitude. That means that even in warm seasons here I need some cold weather clothing in the event that we have to evacuate to a higher altitude or a colder climate state.

I may reduce some of the quantities or transfer a few of the items to my bf's bag (my bugout partner) when he's completed his own BOB. For now I leaned on the conservative side and made my independent of his for the most part.

FOCUS:
My main focus for the bag is comfort and health over minimalism, which is why it's heavy on the hygiene and first aid even though a full FAK will be in my bf's bag. In addition to being a concession to some health issues I have, my reasoning there is that a SHTF situation is by nature very UNcomfortable. Anything I can do to make myself feel more comfortable will likely help my morale and mental capability, thereby helping my survival.

THE BAG:
Ok, now that that's out of the way, the next post shows the bag. Items in red are items I'm saving up for or in the process of acquiring.

I've put this intro in a separate post from the BOB details to try to make the thread easier to read. Even so, this is a mutha-long scroll because I just couldn't figure out how to include pics and lists in a shorter format. Huge thanks in advance to those who bother to read it. I'd appreciate any feedback you have.

edit: added formatting for emphasis and clarity, updates

[Y.T.]

FULL SETUP
full weight, all bags: 29 lbs 12oz. size: about 2920 c.i.
(orig weight: about 33 lbs)

with water:
- 3L adds 6 lbs 9oz = 36lbs 5oz total
- 6L adds 13 lbs 3oz = 42lbs 15oz total



The Camelbak (left) fits under the Backpack (right) . I tend to use the Camelbak as my quick access bag, or the bag I take with me into stores and such when traveling, rather than hauling the big backpack around to buy a bottle of water or pump gas.


CAMELBAK CONTENTS:
total weight: 5 lbs (orig: 5 lbs 6oz)



WEATHER / ELEMENTS
weight: 1 lb 3oz (orig: 1 lb 7oz)

* fleece sleeping sack (attached to top of backpack)
- cowboy hat (not shown, hangs from bag when not in use)
- sunglasses
- goggles
- 1 bandana (another packed with clothes)
- 2 dust masks
- plastic poncho (for me, another in backpack for gear)
- space blanket (for me, another in backpack to use as shelter)
- Krill light on a carabiner
- small flashlight
- LED headlamp w/3 settings
- 1 heavy duty carabiner
- crappy swiss army style knife (removed)
- mini box cutter (removed)

CONVENIENCE / HYGIENE
weight: 1 lb 13oz (orig: 1 lb 15oz)

-1 small suncsreen w/carabiner (another in Hygiene bag)
- 2 lip balms with sunscreen (1 for me, 1 designated to share)
- eye drops
- saline spray
- travel size hand lotion (removed)
- mini shea butter container (main in my FAK)
- container of mints (the tin makes a great container)
- mini ibuprofen container (main in my FAK)
- 1 pack of tissues (3 more in backpack)
- 1 travel size hand sanitizer with loop (another in potty bag)
- potty bag (see thread here for contents) ...weight: 15 oz

WATER
(weight not included: 1 lb 6oz to 14 lbs 8oz when filled)

- bleach container w/dropper (see thread here)
- 3L water bladder (main water compartment)
+ second 3L bladder (gear compartment) (added)
- .75L plastic bottle in sleeve with carabiner clip
+ bladder cleaning kit (put with bladder in Camelbak) (added, may keep in car bag)
to add:
- Potable Aqua (I have this somewhere, but can't find it)

BACKPACK CONTENTS
total weight: 24 lbs 11oz (orig: 27 lbs 3oz)
(see thread here for details about backpack mod)


1) TOP SACK:
weight: 1 lbs 14oz
- fleece zippered sleeping sack (rolls up and has a strap. I just didn't feel like taking it out of the bag to photograph it)




2) SIDE SACKS:
total weight: 8 lbs 6oz
(one bag for warm weather clothing, one bag for cold weather clothing)




WARM WEATHER CLOTHING
weight: 4 lbs 13oz

- 3 pairs of underwear
- 3 pairs of socks
- 2 sports bras
- PJ t-shirt and drawstring pants (clothes to sleep in so my day clothes can dry/air out)
- 1 pair cargo pants
- 2 tank tops
- 2 t-shirts
- 1 lightweight longsleeve shirt (for sun protection or cold)
- 1 cotton skirt (for privacy when bathing/changing)
- 1 belt
- 1 pair rubber flip flops (break from boots, use for showers)
- 1 pair hiking boots (not shown, wear out or clip to bag)
- black eye shade (for sleeping outdoors)
- extra bandana

COLD WEATHER CLOTHING
weight: 3 lbs 9oz

- neoprene knee brace (outside pocket)
- 1 pair fingerless gloves (outside pocket)
- 1 pair full gloves
- 1 wool hat
- 1 thermal pants
- 1 long sleeve thermal shirt
- 1 turtleneck thermal shirt
- 1 long sleeve cotton shirt (midweight)
- 1 cotton zip-up jacket
- 1 turtleneck fleece shirt

3) MAIN PACK CONTENTS:
total weight: 14 lbs 6oz (orig: 16 lbs 14oz)
(modular system created with small bags and pencil cases, items organized by function)

showing all modular bags together HERE

(each individual bag is then shown separately in the lists BELOW)


FRONT /OUTER POCKETS (MISC. LOOSE ITEMS)
weight: 1 lb 7oz (orig: 1 lb 10oz)

- crank flashlight
- deck of cards (removed)
- cash stash (in 2 different sections)
- quarter stash
- 3 rolls camp toilet paper
- 2nd plastic poncho
- 2nd space blanket
- small roll of duct tape
- 10 individual packages of wet wipes
- 4 packs travel tissues
to add:
- prepaid phone card (it's around here somewhere)
- copies of important documents (ID, phone numbers, etc.)

INDIVIDUAL MODULAR BAGS:

UTILITY BAG (TOOLS & USEFUL THINGS)
weight: 1 lb 15oz

* duct tape stored separately
- small 2-head screwdriver
- mini-screwdriver (for replacing batteries)
- tape measure
- 6 rubber bands
- 4 small binder clips
- 4 medium binder clips
- 5 carabiner clips
- 4 clothes pins
- 6 small metal stakes (for tarp tent)
- various key rings
- cotton/poly rope (for laundry line, fasten bags)
- nylon rope
- metal box cutter (removed)
+ Swedish Military Mora knife (added)
- small needle nose pliers
- utility scissors
- bundle of zip ties (4 colors, 6 of each)
to add:
- good folding knife (I have a Spyderco on my wishlisth)
- multi-tool with pliers/vicegrips
- set of lock picks (will pack once finished learning how to use them - for legal use only of course)

SIGNAL / INFO
weight: 1 lb 1oz

* binoculars are stored separately
- 2 glow sticks (may have expired - need to replace)
- 1 blinking battery powered light sticks (signaling, marking) (1 stick removed)
- whistle
- non-breakable mirror
- watch
- battery powered AM/FM radio
- 2-way comm radio (bf has other one)
- 4 AAA batteries
- 3 AA batteries
to add:
- more batteries (reg or rechargeable)

SEWING / REPAIRS
weight: 6oz

- 2 nylon straps w/buckles (2yd each)
- 1 spool heavy duty thread
- 1 spool regular thread
- set of heavy duty repair needles
- set of regular needles
- elastic cord and shoe lace cord, with plastic sliders
- safety pins and stick pins (various sizes)
- thimble
- rubber needle gripper
- folding scissors
- small seam ripper with cap (it's sometimes necessary to open part of a seam to do a repair)

TECHY / GADGETS
weight: 11oz (orig: 2 lb 5oz)

binoculars

removed, put in car bag:
iPod (left) (stored in BOB - for entertainment/sanity)
- iPod headphones
- iPod outlet charger
- iPod computer cord (needed for outlet charger)
* iPod car cassette adapter in car
* iPod car charger in car
to add:
- 2-person shared jack + headphones

removed, put in car bag:
camera (right) (used frequently so not stored in BOB - for documentation, info, legal support)
I have an extra set of accessories so this bag is stored in BOB, may put in bf's bag instead when his is complete.
- waterproof camera bag
- 2 memory cards
- 1 extra set rechargeable batteries for camera
- battery recharger + power cord
to add:
- USB cord (to download images - don't yet have an extra for the BOB)
- solar powered battery charger

WRITING & NAVIGATION
(in rubber pouches, somewhat waterproof)



Writing (left)
weight: 1oz

* highlighter & mechanical pencil in Navigation bag
- spiral note pad
- 5 paper clips
- 2 clicky ball point pens
- 1 sharpie
- 1 dry erase marker (writes on any slick/smooth surface, good for temporary notes like when medication was taken)
- 1 wax pencil (china marker - good for wet surfaces)

Navigation (right)
weight: 2oz

- compass
- clear plastic ruler
- mechanical pencil (for marking maps)
- highlighter (for marking maps)
- solar calculator (I need to put conversion notes on back)

FIRE STARTER & FOOD



Firestarter (left)
weight: 3oz
(in rubber pouch, somewhat waterproof)

- watertight container of medium strike-anywhere matches
- 1 box of small waterproof matches
- 2 bic lighters
- magnesium fire starter
- alcohol wipes

Food (right)
weight: 1 lb 10oz (incl. food from FAK)

* 4 Pure Protein bars in FAK
- 4 Cliff bars
- 6 herbal tea bags
- 2 packs of Skittles
- 2 packs TicTacs
- plastic fork/spoon
to add:
- A metal cup with handles
- camp stove (probably make one from a can)
- 1 pack liferaft bricks/MRE/etc.

MY FIRST AID KIT
weight: 2 lb 14oz (incl. ice and heat packs, NOT including items marked as part of Camelbak)
(partial kit for me, full FAK in bf's bag. I'm using one of those thermal lunch bags to try to keep meds from melting or getting too hot due to sun/heat. An actual FAK bag would probably be the same size or smaller.)



Misc. stored for temperature control:

- 5 condoms
- 4 pure protein bars and some candy

boo-boo kit / FAK:

* eye drops in Camelbak
* saline spray in Camelbak
* crush-and-use icepack stored separately in backpack
* single-use heat pad stored separately in backpack
* arch supports stored separately in backpack (I have insanely high arches)

- prescription sleeping pills
- prescription skin cream
- various "women's health" meds

- ibuprophen
- OTC sinus/alergy
- Benadryl (allergic reactions, stings, bites)
- Imodium tablets (anti-diarrhea)
- multi vitamin pills
- fiber suplements (cellulose fiber)
- acidophilis pills (for taking antibiotics, digestive problems)

- bug spray repellent
- bite/sting relief pen
- Tiger Balm
- shea butter (for burns, sunburn, dry skin)
- stye ointment
- neosporin/polysporin (antibiotic/anti-baterial)
- hydrocortisone cream (inflammation, irritation)
- multi-purpose antifungal cream

- pointed tweezers (splinters)
- individual alcohol wipes
- 4 pairs Nitrile gloves in ziplock
- bandaids (small and medium)
- small butterfly bandages (small and medium)
- gauze squares
- medical tape
- 3" self-sticking bandage roll

- throat lozenges
- 4 sugar packages
- 4 salt packages
- 6 Emergen-C packages

to add:
- prescription stimulants (have to renew prescription)
- moleskin (I have a ton around here somewhere)

BATHING
weight: 14oz

- net bag with loop (for drying clothes, holding wet things)
- pop-up dog bowl (travel sink)
- flat spray bottle (for washing hair or bathing with rationed water)
- camp towel
- washcloth (for rinsing, to conserve water)
- bath puff (for soap)
- nail brush
- body loofah + face loofah (my skin freaks out under stress and from desert dust. these are uber lightweight, flat items.)
- door hook (great for public restrooms or campgrounds, lets you hang your stuff without it getting wet or mucky)

HYGIENE
weight: 1 lb (orig: 1 lb 2oz) (NOT incl. items marked as elsewhere)
(kept in a ziplock bag to avoid leaks)

* hand sanitizer with loops in Camelbak
* shea butter (lotion) in FAK due to heat
* condoms in FAK due to heat
* tissues in backpack outside pocket
* wet wipes in backpack outside pocket
* 1 large claw clip attached to outside of backpack (to quickly put hair up and out of the way)

- toothbrush with case
- travel toothpaste
- dental floss (removed, put in civy bag)
- small bottle Doc Bronner's soap (almond)
- travel size conditioner (I have dry unruly curly hair, it gets itchy and distracting without conditioner. It also knots like a mofo and is impossible to comb or wash without conditioner.)
- travel size deodorant
- travel size medicated powder
- nail clippers
- nail file (to avoid ingrown nails and painful jaggies)
- q-tips (not sterile, but also helpful for FAK) (removed, put in civy bag)
- wide comb (for knots, washing)
- narrow comb (for bug checks)
- 4 bobby pins, 2 elastic bands, 2 small claw clips (again, unruly hair. it drives me crazy if it's in my face)

CIVILIZED BAG & STORAGE BAGS



Civilized Bag (left) -- removed whole bag, put in car bag
weight: 9oz

(Kept in ziplock bag to avoid leaks. I thought there might be times when it would benefit me to look less like a disaster victim, such as when dealing with authorities or needing to get service in hotel or restaurant. This is a first-to-discard item if necessary.)

- 2 flavored lip balms (morale/treat)
- razor + new blade
- hair cream (I have unruly curly hair, I can't look less crazy without some kind of product)
- blemish gel (again, my skin freaks out under stress and diet changes)
- travel concealer (so I look less like a scary heroine addict, also helps cover bruises)
- travel compact powder + sponge (ditto)
- travel size mouthwash
- extra sunscreen (will probably move this to my main bag to refill the first one when it runs out

Storage bags (right)
weight: 12oz
(Storage bags are not shown to scale there.)

- The black pop-up bag is about the size of the FAK bag. It can be used to gather supplies, as a bath bucket, as a garbage bin.
- The red tote bag folds up about the size of a checkbook, as shown in the image under the "Main pack" title. It's about twice the size of the FAK bag when opened.
- The plastic bag contains a variety of ziplocks, paper bags, plastic grocery bags, rubber/plastic "lunch sacks" to use as dry bags, and some garbage bags.

edits: added a few bits here and there for clarity; updated contents and added weights; fixed math

[Tactical Raccoon]

WOW

How much does all that weigh?

[Blacklabel]

SKITTLES FTW! Tic-Tacs FTL BOB bad breath?


But i like your set-up

[MosinMe]

A lot more than I have currently.

I guess I'll need to start adding stuff soon

[Y.T.]

WOW
How much does all that weigh?

Tactical Racoon, from my first post:


My main problem right now is that I need to shed about 10 pounds from the total weight. With water [bladder and bottles filled] the whole kit is about 35lbs. While around 30lbs is about right for my weight (based on the bag = 1/4 body weight equation), I'm not strong enough to realistically carry that well for distances so around 25lbs is better. There's still room left in the bag, but I can't physically carry more.

If I were healthy that would probably be fine. But some medical issues prevent me from building muscle adequately.

As I mentioned, this is somewhere between a 72 go bag and a we're-evac'ing-for-a-month+ bag. But I'd like to cut down if I can. This being my first BOB, I'm not sure where to cut.

[Y.T.]

SKITTLES FTW! Tic-Tacs FTL BOB bad breath?

nah. they're some morale/comfort/trading snackies. from experience, one wants more than dry protein bars when SHTF. I don't smoke, drink coffee, or drink alcohol. I'm a sugar junkie.

But i like your set-up

thanks. any suggestions?

[Blacklabel]

SKITTLES FTW! Tic-Tacs FTL BOB bad breath?

nah. they're some morale/comfort/trading snackies. from experience, one wants more than dry protein bars when SHTF. I don't smoke, drink coffee, or drink alcohol. I'm a sugar junkie.

But i like your set-up

thanks. any suggestions?

YES ditch the tic-tacs for snickers.. they are a feast!

IN paw snickers is worth atleast 10rounds of 9mm

I have no BOB, I have BO crates.. But I really appreciate the fact that you shared your set-up.. I have a family with a small child so I will have to bug out by vehicle..

[Y.T.]

YES ditch the tic-tacs for snickers.. they are a feast!
IN paw snickers is worth atleast 10rounds of 9mm

noted! I thought that was Twinkies, I didn't realize Snickers were top currency. I do luv me sum Snickers, but was afraid AZ heat + Snickers chocolate = gooey melty mess.

I have no BOB, I have BO crates.. But I really appreciate the fact that you shared your set-up.. I have a family with a small child so I will have to bug out by vehicle..

That sounds like a good plan. I have a loose crate + bag system for car bugout as well, but I need to clean it up to be more grab-and-go than it is. It's mostly all in one place, but not yet modular like my bag is.

[Blacklabel]

YES ditch the tic-tacs for snickers.. they are a feast!
IN paw snickers is worth atleast 10rounds of 9mm

noted! I thought that was Twinkies, I didn't realize Snickers were top currency. I do luv me sum Snickers, but was afraid AZ heat + Snickers chocolate = gooey melty mess.
.

Good thinking. but maybe juicy fruit instead of the tacs

[Woods Walker]

My main problem right now is that I need to shed about 10 pounds from the total weight.
With water the whole kit is about 35lbs.

If you are looking to cut back on weight I would remove the following items.

-black eye shade (for sleeping outdoors)
- mini box cutter
- potty bag
- deck of cards
- crank flashlight
- small 2-head screwdriver
- 2 glow sticks (may have expired)
iPod (left) (stored in BOB - for entertainment/sanity)
- iPod headphones
- iPod outlet charger
- iPod computer cord (needed for outlet charger)
* iPod car cassette adapter in car
* iPod car charger in car
to add: (maybe these should not be added)
- 2-person shared jack + headphones
camera (right) (used frequently so not stored in BOB - for documentation, info, legal support)
I have an extra set of accessories so this bag is stored in BOB, may put in bf's bag instead when his is complete.
- waterproof camera bag
- 2 memory cards
- 1 extra set rechargeable batteries for camera
- battery recharger + power cord
to add:
- USB cord (to download images - don't yet have an extra for the BOB)
- solar powered battery charger
- clear plastic ruler
Calculator.

Cut way back on the bathing items. Consider reducing some of the hygiene items. Same goes for Civilized Bag items. Make certain the tent stakes are not those cheap Al ones that bend. You can get good V stakes for under a dollar each. However these are just suggestions for what I would do to reduce pack weight. Everyone’s needs are different. Nice photos and good job.

[Molon Labe]

Pretty good initial set up, if I do say so myself.


I see that you have a Krill. Be aware that I've done tests on 2 seperate Krills (180 extreme models) and both have failed when dropped from chest high. This only happened when it contacted/landed on a hard surface (right side up), at approx. 40-45 degree angle (battery shown side.) Maybe I got 2 bunk lights, but I'm going the Glo-Toob route myself.

I'd also drop the stakes, if you already have some in your vehicle. Lose the rope as well and procure some 550 or 660 para cord, if it's for non climbing/utility purposes. It's lighter, stronger and you can generally find it for 10cents per foot (sometimes less, but those bargains are more often than not cheap knock off poly-cord.) I have some Swedish Mil. issue Moras coming my way. If you're in need of a decent (general purpose) fixed blade, then I'll be happy to send one your way. ZS has helped me in the past and I'm more than willing to "pay it forward". The plastic ponchos could be dropped, in the future when finances permit, for the lighter and more durable GI issue ones. SnugPak also makes a very decent poncho/smock as well. They both may be outside of your price range as is, but that's why I save up.

Needs more batteries. Even if it's just a second set for every item.
If you don't see carrying what you have as is, then adding water+more food will be an issue as well. Have you tried muscle supplements+protien supplements? My ex had a friend that had a problem in muscle building/strengthening as well and her doctor finally prescribed ONE cycle of steriods. She's been doing well ever since. Seems that when her body actually built the muscle, it kept it up with out a hitch. Don't know if that's your case though and I heartily recommend on seeking the advice of your personal physician before attempting something along these lines. Good luck

[Y.T.]

If you are looking to cut back on weight I would remove the following items.

Thanks for the suggestions! Very helpful.

I agree re: entertainment and superfluous items. The electronic stuff (iPod and camera) were on my first-to-go list if needed. That should cut a fair amount since they each have so many accessories. Ditto for the Civilized Bag and playing cards. If I want I can put those in with the camping gear to grab for a car evac, but leave them out of my BOB.

These 2 seem pretty important though:

The potty bag is kinda a must-keep since contains items needed for urinating and defecating in porto-potties or outside. Pee funnel, folding shovel (there are no rocks or leaves here to put on top of poop), feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizer.

The clear plastic ruler and calculator are needed for calculating distances and routes on maps, particularly when using the compass (such as having to triangulate a location based on topo landmarks). So I'm hesitant to ditch them outright, without an idea of what else could be used.

[Y.T.]

Pretty good initial set up, if I do say so myself.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions, really really helpful!

I see that you have a Krill. Be aware that I've done tests on 2 seperate Krills (180 extreme models) and both have failed when dropped from chest high. Maybe I got 2 bunk lights, but I'm going the Glo-Toob route myself.

Thanks for the scoop. I remember seeing that mentioned in another thread. I have some alternate light sticks on my "to upgrade list".

I'd also drop the stakes, if you already have some in your vehicle. Lose the rope as well and procure some 550 or 660 para cord, if it's for non climbing/utility purposes. It's lighter, stronger and you can generally find it for 10cents per foot

I honestly have no idea what kind of rope I have, it is left over from a tent that was stolen. I'm guessing I should add paracord to my upgrade list, too.

If you're in need of a decent (general purpose) fixed blade, then I'll be happy to send one your way. ZS has helped me in the past and I'm more than willing to "pay it forward".

man, that's such a generous thing to offer. I'll PM you to discuss.

The plastic ponchos could be dropped, in the future when finances permit, for the lighter and more durable GI issue ones. SnugPak also makes a very decent poncho/smock as well. They both may be outside of your price range as is, but that's why I save up.

good to know. thanks.

Needs more batteries. Even if it's just a second set for every item.

Ok. I was afraid I was being overly cautious about the battery needs, coz what are the odds of everything running down at once. But I can see that more would be helpful. Part of the reason why I wanted to get a solar charger is so I could keep the battery weight down by using just a few rechargeables.

If you don't see carrying what you have as is, then adding water+more food will be an issue as well.

Water is a challenge because it is so dang heavy. Since I have car containers I'm guessing I'll really only need the current 3L bag and bottle (about 6lbs, calculated into the current kit weight). Another 3L bag adds another 5-6 lbs. It is on my list in case of "holy freakin hell you have to walk for a day with only what you can carry", but probably not likely to often needed in most situations. My thought is that if I need to carry the second bag (full) I'm in such a shitter that I'm dumping items for weight anyway.

I think the food thing will balance out. I'm hoping to replace the existing snack bars with some food bricks or MREs at some point, which I'm guessing will be about the same weight. Even if the bag were empty I wouldn't be able to hike with cans and such, so I'd need to either rely on the car for larger meals or keep a small stove to just heat up water for instant things (or hunt/fish).

[Gatorfarmer]

If you could swing the purchase price, Katadyn water tabs are a good deal more useful than the iodine based PA tabs sold at Walmart an elsewhere. The PA tabs make the water taste like crap and won't kill crypto or viruses.

Those Target camping matches - I have some - they aren't actually waterproof, at least not to any real degree that I've been able to determine. They *might* have a thin coat of varnish applied to make them more damp resistant, but that seems to be it. I personally would suggest them for household use only, or to treat them as non waterproof/non damp proof. You could replace the Target match case with the Target 5:1 survival aid and gain a useable 2nd whistle and back up compass plus a flint surface actually long enough to spark. (Still not great, but better.)

If you need one, send me a SASE I'll send you a spare Target 5:1 that I have (sans matches so as to be mailable) plus a small folding knife that you can attach to the Magnesium fire starter to use for a striker. (My net cost would be to be out a dollar for both. I have a pile of them.)

You could save a bit of weight by not carrying all those pens and pencils and just carrying a number #2 pencil (you could sharpen it with a knife). You could also probably carry one less spool of thread, just a small bobbin even, or replace the thread and the rope both with some paracord. (I'm sure someone here could donate some.)

If you're near water at all, some kind of very basic fishing gear might be nice. It helps w/ boredom if nothing else.

You could also get rid of a lot of those tools by simply getting a Leatherman tool or even the 10 dollar Schrade knock off.

[TC]

Great looking bag, way more advanced and comprehensive than my sucky one.

About the glowsticks though, they will have expired. Once they are out of the wrappers, the chemicals inside deteriorate in light and won't work when you snap them or will give off a very dim light at best. If I were you, I'd replace them. Try to get a bulk lot of them, since they are useful during blackouts for marking doors, hazards etc and are much safer than using candles.

[phil_in_cs]

On the weight, a relevant point is that you don't currently know what your problem is going to involve. Having more than you would need for any given problem means you can decide later, and dump items as needed based on the information you have then.

Your BOB weight might be more than you can do on foot in the desert, but if you're starting the bug out in your car you won't need to decide right away what you need to ditch. Keeping your options open as long as possible is always a good idea.

I am impressed with how modular your packing is; that not only keeps things organized, but will make trimming items and weight later much easier.

[Paragon]

I've finally put together my first Bug Out Bag.

I've put this intro in a separate post from the BOB details to try to make the thread easier to read. Even so, this is a mutha-long scroll because I just couldn't figure out how to include pics and lists in a shorter format.

Y.T.,

As nice as your BOB is, it was actually the quality of your post that impressed me the most. Your photographs are very clear and professional, and the layout and formatting of the text is excellent.

Then again, anyone who accumulates 500+ posts in less than three weeks of membership should know a thing or two about posting.

There are obviously some things that I would suggest that you do differently, but as you've already acknowledged, BoB's are by nature a reflection of our personal style, needs, skills, and knowledge. What may be important and essential to you may seem trivial to others, and vise versa. Besides, several very competent people here have already hit on most of the major points.

Great job!

Jim

[Woods Walker]

I think your compass is a Suunto M2. I have one and it has everything that is need to navigate with a map. I never needed a ruler or calculator when using trail maps or navigation thought the backcountry. But maybe roads are another matter. I have a car GPS for that. I tend to think in terms of time not miles when on foot. Sometimes the shortest distance is the most time consuming. Elevation and natural things like rivers etc play a big part when walking. Often if the map shows lots of cutbacks aka switchbacks it means increase in elevation if the map has no topographical features. Even with these the cutbacks are a real good clue I am in for a hard time. If you really want to make walking 100% easier with a heavy load I would check into getting a set of hiking poles. Some are cheap others more expensive. Even a good walking stick helps and I guess someone could make a set of wooden hiking poles if money was tight. Hiking poles are almost like having super powers. 4 legs are far better than two.

[dani monster]

Y.T. - I would be happy to trade you a handful of new glowsticks, an Army surplus Mess Kit, a questionable MRE, and a pack of Starbursts for one of those potty kit bags (minus the glitter.)

Seriously - awesome post. I agree with everyone else to dump all the extra technology and cushy stuff. You want your pack to be easy to carry for 3-5 days.

[derajer]

As always, an awesome post Y.T.

WoodsWalker pretty much covered all of the glaring things, and I will probably repeat some of what the others have said.

The first I noticed was your "pull-outs" they appear to be various random types of zippered toiletry bags and what not, they organized well but they add significantly to the weight consider Kifaru (or knock-off equivalents FTW) to cut out some of that weigh. Again with the compass, it probably has the ruler you need. When you get a multi-tool ditch the cheap swiss army knife, the needle nose, and some the screw drivers. Use bandanas only instead of the dust masks. Replace all of you cordage with 550 paracord. Get a good large poncho that covers you AND your gear instead of carrying 2 ponchos, this poncho can also serve as a shelter to replace the one extra space blanket. Your clothing also seems to consist of a lot of heavy cotton stuff, consider replacing these with lightweight synthetic stuff. Finally, don't bother with chemical lights or krills. Krills are fragile and chem lights are even more fragile and will likely break before you need them. Chem lights use a fragile class vial to contain the reactant chemical that generates the light, the vial can't handle any shock.

I'm sure there's more, but I think that's a good start.

[Y.T.]

This has all been super, super helpful! thanks so much for the time and the feedback. It's given me the guidance I needed to move in a different direction for my BOB. As phil_in_cs touched on above, not knowing what the PAW circumstance could be was making it difficult for me to focus my efforts.

I'm going to take out the extras or less essential things and move them to a small grab-bag for the car. So if time allows to evac by car I can throw that grab-bag in too. However, if I need to go out on foot or later ditch the car I can have a leaner pack from the start. Rather than have to sort and drop from the backpack (as is the case now), I think it'll be better (and faster response) to go lighter and add from my grab-bag stash when needed.

I also appreciate the supremely generous offers people have made to trade or share their gear for my bag. I want to send everyone hug fuzzy hugs for that.

I'll respond to the individual feedback in the following posts.

[Y.T.]

Woods Walker

I think your compass is a Suunto M2. I have one and it has everything that is need to navigate with a map.

oh sheesh, you're right. I have about 1+1/2 inches of ruler on the side. I was figuring that wouldn't be enough to be really helpful, but it's probably not necessary to have a separate ruler. Thanks for the info.

The compass is one of those things we didn't buy. We just somehow acquired it, through lucky finds or people passing through leaving them at the house. The fleece roll and headlamp are the same way. Just one day turning around and going "why do I have this, how did it get here? I never bought one." The upside is hey free stuff. The downside is figuring it out. BTW, I have your "best of WW" thread bookmarked.


ETA, I forgot to respond to this:

If you really want to make walking 100% easier with a heavy load I would check into getting a set of hiking poles. Some are cheap others more expensive. Even a good walking stick helps and I guess someone could make a set of wooden hiking poles if money was tight. Hiking poles are almost like having super powers. 4 legs are far better than two.

Thanks for the scoop on the poles, I didn't realize that. I was looking into getting some for the BOB cause they make a handy tarp tent when you don't have trees around, but now I have an additional purpose for them. Definitely good advice for my particular situation.

[Y.T.]

Gatorfarmer

If you could swing the purchase price, Katadyn water tabs are a good deal more useful than the iodine based PA tabs sold at Walmart an elsewhere. The PA tabs make the water taste like crap and won't kill crypto or viruses.

Thanks for that info, I've been hearing great things about Katadyn. I'd like to get a proper water filtration and purification system, that's one of the top things on my upgrade/wish list.

You could save a bit of weight by not carrying all those pens and pencils and just carrying a number #2 pencil (you could sharpen it with a knife).

oh sheesh, you would think I would've thought of the pencil and knife thing... I went to art school for pete's sake, we did that all the time there. I'll probably keep a pen or sharpie for marking on items, then put the rest in the car go-bag.

Those Target camping matches - I have some - they aren't actually waterproof

I think I read someone else mentioning that, too. I have those in as a backup to the matches in the waterproof container, until I can get some proper ones.

You could also probably carry one less spool of thread, just a small bobbin even

I've thought about lightening that up, but since a lot of our gear is cheap and/or mod'ed I may need to be fixing things more often than usual. I may keep just a minimal kit in the bag and put a more extensive kit in the car go-bag.

If you're near water at all, some kind of very basic fishing gear might be nice. It helps w/ boredom if nothing else.

mostly desert around here. But after seeing the nalgene/can fishing kit I'd like to put one together. There are some lakes up near some of the mountains and we pass a large lake or two when heading across Nevada (those are a bit tricky though since some are on reservation land).

If you need one, send me a SASE I'll send you a spare Target 5:1 that I have (sans matches so as to be mailable) plus a small folding knife that you can attach to the Magnesium fire starter to use for a striker. (My net cost would be to be out a dollar for both. I have a pile of them.)

thanks for the offer, I'll PM you.

You could also get rid of a lot of those tools by simply getting a Leatherman tool or even the 10 dollar Schrade knock off.

That's what I've been hoping as well. From your post and others it sounds like continually upgrading to some proper gear will cut down on weight due to greater efficiency, so that's a good thing. I've been hesitant to get the cheaper knockoffs when it comes to things like knives or tools because I've found they tend to just break easily. Which ends up being wasted money in the long run and I think I'd rather wait a few months and have something I can rely on in an emergency. So I've been saving up from some better brands.


Some of these small things aren't expensive as single items, but when you add them up -- $1 here, $5 there -- you're easily shelling out $20, $50, $100 on stuff. I recently dropped a chunk of change just getting duplicates of house items like bandaids and creams for the FAKs, so starting with the next paycheck I'm back on the buy-one-small-thing-each-week plan.