Bug Out Bags 101

[gewehr3]

a gill net, and large rat traps for squirrels and such

 

[kawasakiridrzx6r]

I have been trying to put my BOB together for a while now and trying to get the right things in the bag without getting a bag ending up like my wifes 400lb travel bag for a two day trip ....haha ....but after reading a few posts here I have gotten my BOB exactly perfect (I think )...thanks guys for all your help!!

 

[jndturner]

Might try these Concealed Carry Backpacks | Covert Bags & Backpacks | 5.11 Tactical,

If you look around you can get them cheaper.

Has anyone tried one of these for an EDC. I travel quite a bit and am looking for a combination EDC/GHB.

 

[mk2ja]

Has anyone tried one of these for an EDC. I travel quite a bit and am looking for a combination EDC/GHB.

Check out GoRuck.com. I don't just mean "go look at their packs;" I mean, go look at the people and for what they stand. As you read through their pages about the different events and their goals for making better citizens, their criteria for selecting their Cadre, their support for military veterans, and their unbelievable dedication to incredible equipment, you'll get an understanding of their unusual devotion to superior quality—in everything.

I don't own a GoRuck pack and I haven't done any of their events, but it is only a matter of finding the right time. I've got a buddy who owns a couple and has done a few (found out he did the stuff AFTER I'd already been interested in them), and he confirmed every notion you'll pick up from reading their website.

As far as using a GoRuck as a GHB, you probably won't be able to find a more appropriate bag anywhere. That type of role fits in perfectly with why it was designed. And when you read about how many variations it has gone through to reach the current design — we're talking down to the details of figuring out which angle is perfect for the shoulder straps to be attached to the bottom of the pack, let alone the manufacturing techniques that maximize durability — you'll feel confident that a GoRuck pack will fit your needs. And being all black will help it look a little less militaristic if you want to stay under the radar, but having the MOLLE straps means you still get the utility of adding attachments.

 

[jndturner]

The reason I am looking at the Covrt bag is I can get it essentially for free. With the amount of travel I do I can use my rewards points to get gift cards from Cabela's, Basspro etc. I am looking for something that looks non-tactical,, that will blend in in case something does happen. More of the Gray Man type of bag. I was hoping to get some input on this bag if anyone was using it.

 

[ParaSig44]

WETSU that was an informative post. I love reading about what others carry in their BOB. The best thing about yours is it all seems affordable. I think to many people get wrap around the axle by trying to buy the latest and greatest gear. Yours seems very cheap and easy yet reliable. Thanks for the intel.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Has anyone tried one of these for an EDC. I travel quite a bit and am looking for a combination EDC/GHB.

I use one daily. I change the load between range bag, day kit, carry on, whatever. It's a good pack. It handles a heavy load very well for a daypack.

 

[psyop]

I have made BOB for everyone in my family of 6 (wife and I + kids 9,8,5, and 2). It seems most of us have very similar items in our bags. After spending 8 yrs rucking my tail off in the Army, I carry the most stuff in my pack; wife carries less but still has enough to make it. I have a minimum of double redundancy of every item and 6 x of some things (fire starting and water cleansing). I found that having the kids make their own bags has helped get them involved in the whole idea of bugging out. Their bags are light with things mostly geared toward them (ie clothes, hygiene items) and a few things that can be used by the group (ie card game, candle, first aid, pictures and copies of documents). Their bags are all under 10 lbs and if we had to head out on foot they could carry their own packs and not be physically taxed to keep up a good pace.

We talk about bugging out in the case of natural disasters and test them by saying we have to go and have them help load everything up in the car as quickly as they can. We then take them camping for a few days. Each time we do a practice drill they do better and better.

 

[thePinolizer]

what is the best chest/shoulder rig to compliment a BOB

 

[ddavidson]

what is the best chest/shoulder rig to compliment a BOB

More info needed. What bag are you carrying? What do you need the shoulder rig for? The "best" of anything will likely be different for each of us.

 

[tonywilson]

This is the beautiful bag i would like buy thank you.

 

[7.62]

I'm picking up an MSR pocket rocket stove today. These things are so lightweight and compact and boil water in 3 mins....they are awesome!

 

[dontcha]

where is the mule needed to lug all that? I have a lot of food and stuff cached about 15 miles away. If shtf, I am taking a mountain bike, but I have to walk alongside of it for a big chunk of the way (at night) My "get to the caches" pack is about 40 lbs. Just a pair of 30 rd mags for the M4, a pocket 9mm with one spare mag. The 40 lbs includes 6 lbs of concealable armor and 1/2 gallon of water. 10 lbs of gun-stuff. I'm not taking any "2nd or 3rd tier" stuff. That is cached, and there's little that could make me abandon the cache circle (far enough that i'd be unable to transfer the contents). You can kick-roll a 200 lb, 50 gallon drum quite a ways, use a rope to drag it, etc.:-)

 

[bmiley1963]

My question is do you keep a BOB for every member of the family or try to put everything the family would need into one BOB.  I figure that a wife and older children could carry a BOB with their own stuff (contents approved by me).  If you would want each member to carry a BOB, would you put the same stuff in every bag?  Each with a first aid kit, each with fire starting material, each with a compass, etc.

 

[the1kidd03]

My question is do you keep a BOB for every member of the family or try to put everything the family would need into one BOB.  I figure that a wife and older children could carry a BOB with their own stuff (contents approved by me).  If you would want each member to carry a BOB, would you put the same stuff in every bag?  Each with a first aid kit, each with fire starting material, each with a compass, etc.

It depends on YOUR perspective of what a BOB should do for you. Some feel it is a "3 day bag" to get you from point A to point B over a certain period of time, typically 3 days. Others feel as though they should be able to sustain themselves for considerably longer out of the bag if need be. This distinction will help you determine WHAT a bag needs, but also WHO needs to have one.

I would recommend that regardless of your perspective on the use of the bag, EVERY bag should have a means of providing the bare essentials to sustain life (fire starting, water purifying, shelter) at the very least. They are relatively light and don't take up a lot of room anyhow.

 

[teddy12b]

My question is do you keep a BOB for every member of the family or try to put everything the family would need into one BOB.  I figure that a wife and older children could carry a BOB with their own stuff (contents approved by me).  If you would want each member to carry a BOB, would you put the same stuff in every bag?  Each with a first aid kit, each with fire starting material, each with a compass, etc.

This is different for every family and largly due to ages & discipline of the children. My oldest child will soon be a 5 year old daughter. She likes to carry a backpack like her dad, but after a while she gets bored with it and I end up carrying it. If we were leaving to go somewhere she would take her backpack with just a few toys in it, but otherwise it'd be worthless. For me & my family, our emergency bag has food, shelter, water supplies for everyone. The more I think of having to carry all of the families needs, the more I know I want to stay home if given the choice.

 

[dontcha]

what we want and what we;'ll have to do, someday, are mostly not the same.

 

[SMiller]

Cosermann, my BoB weighs about 40 pounds.

Chraland51. I did not include GMRS radios because I doubt we would use them. Not part of SOP for my family. We don't chatter a lot. I use them a lot during training for intrasquad comms however. In a SHTF scenario, my family would typically not be out of my sight. Not to say it couldn't happen, but like everything, its a trade off, weight/space vs utility. In my experience the utility is small, based on our SOPs.

Your pm box is full, sorry for the hy-jack...

 

[printcraft]

This is the beautiful bag i would like buy thank you.

 

[Amishman44]

My BOB is an older, external-frame hiking backpack with a 72-hour 'survive alive' kit including Cliffbars, Powerbars, etc. (changed out every June 1st), 3-pair socks & underwear each, first-aid kit (I'm a former EMT) with mainly blood-stoppers, bandaids, and CPR stuff! No tent, but a large tarp which can be used to provide protection from the rain, or wrap everyone inside for protection against the cold, if needed.

My wife's kit is smaller, focusing on her 'special' needs + pistol + ammo (Springfield XDm 3.8 9mm) and her Remington 870 Tactical 20 GA + 2x50-round bandoliers.

Each kid has a backpack with their clothes, H2O, snack bars, and a knife.

We're about 10 miles from my dad's farm (who has amish neighbors) and things will get much better quickly if we can all get there!
Plan #1 is to simply drive / meet there with the kids.
Plan #2 is to ride mountain bike there with the kids.
Plan #3 is to hike/walk there with the kids.