Bug out bags: more like bug out BAGS

[Defense Minister]

The focus of my GHB has always been shelter (including extra clothing), food, and water with hygiene and medical as secondarily important components. Personal defense is a must, but carrying long guns and plate carriers will null and void the grayman concept in a big hurry! I stick to my daily concealed carry with maybe a second spare mag thrown in. If I bug out, it will be by vehicle

 

[ArgentineSteel]

It is important that one "weighs" their gear and bag.
Not just the actual weight in pounds and ounces....but...
"Weighs" as in just how useful the items are as well as in...are they needs or wants / "nice to have" items.

Now I am not saying that one must pair everything down to the bare minimum*.
Some items many not have a actual practical use...but have immense psychological or "morale" value...
Those items may make or break a person.
*the bare minimum...can be vastly different from one person to the next.

Also it may be wise to note that the contents of the bag may change from season to season or require batteries , expiration dates etc..
Good to remember to check the items periodically , before the change of season or the need to use 'em.
Andy

And test out your gear. Friend and I got into trying to pack super light for hikes, and we skimped on the sleeping bags. Bad idea, I spent some cold nights in the passes during the summer with a fleece liner when I needed down. He was fine, he had his son in the tent to warm it up.

 

[Bushman]

Water, warmth, dryness, doctoring, food, fixing, fighting. That's the order of the priorities I have plans for, and infantry-type gear Is definitely the last consideration. 2 bags, one in the house and one in the truck, 30#s each, 4 liters of water each. My main concern is disaster from earthquake that necessitates hoofing it for some awful reason. Which would really stink with 3 kids. I really enjoy my nice easy life.

Water is literally the easiest resource in this region to come by. Every hike I go on, even just a mile, there is water in the summer. Cities have spigot's you can use a silcock key on. I'd drop the water weight and carry more ammo. There is water everywhere, there is no ammo tree in nature, and in a bad situation, the unprepared will use force to take your preps.

 

[The Heretic]

Water is literally the easiest resource in this region to come by. Every hike I go on, even just a mile, there is water in the summer. Cities have spigot's you can use a silcock key on. I'd drop the water weight and carry more ammo. There is water everywhere, there is no ammo tree in nature, and in a bad situation, the unprepared will use force to take your preps.

West of the Cascades, yes, water is plentiful.

But...

If an earthquake hit, probably going to have problems getting it from a municipal water system. And if you can, it may be contaminated.

You should have a hydration bladder and a filter setup. You don't want to be spending more time than absolutely necessary acquiring water and filtering it - you want to be moving out of risky areas, and to do that you need to have water on your person while on the move. Preferably have water to start with and a way to replenish it without getting sick from the water itself.

 

[Patriot1775]

More "tacticool" sellers producing gray colored gear for those "low-vis operators". So a guy doesn't want to sport OCP, Coyote, or Multicam, gets grey colored outerwear. Now he screams Gray man. Just wear regular cloths and be armed to the teeth!

 

[CamoDeafie]

More "tacticool" sellers producing gray colored gear for those "low-vis operators". So a guy doesn't want to sport OCP, Coyote, or Multicam, gets grey colored outerwear. Now he screams Gray man. Just wear regular cloths and be armed to the teeth!

I'm waiting for cordura in plaid colors so I can make carriers and gear in plaid

 

[bgdawgrr]

I'm a GHB guy in all the cars and take advantage of good boot sales from LA Police Gear or Boatach when they roll around.
The weight thing is real! I started rucking today. (Need the training, so plan is a 1hr walk and I'll track distance progress. I put a 25lbs bag of rice in the pack and a 2l water bladder thinking "I'll start light". Didn't realize that was a significant load. I do now!
Goal is to work up to 60lbs. A weighted vest is significantly easier imo that a pack. Def train with whatever your plan is.

 

[Ben B.]

...You should have a hydration bladder and a filter setup...water to start with and a way to replenish it without getting sick from the water itself.

Yes, that's my thinking. If everything goes sideways enough that I'm walking with a damn pack, I probably need to GTFO fast and keep moving for a long time before foraging. Moleskin and dry socks will probably be a factor. It all sounds rather miserable, to me.

 

[Member 34319]

If I were to leave. It would be on bike. Both of us have trailers for the bikes. Spare tubes, wheels, parts etc. Kid and some gear in one, All gear in the other.

Knowledge of back roads and bike trails is a plus.

 

[The Heretic]

If I were to leave. It would be on bike. Both of us have trailers for the bikes. Spare tubes, wheels, parts etc. Kid and some gear in one, All gear in the other.

Knowledge of back roads and bike trails is a plus.

View attachment 745782

 

[Member 34319]

@The Heretic look into burleys seat stem mount. It will get you better turning clearance.

 

[zenbreath]

Water, warmth, dryness, doctoring, food, fixing, fighting. That's the order of the priorities I have plans for, and infantry-type gear Is definitely the last consideration. 2 bags, one in the house and one in the truck, 30#s each, 4 liters of water each. My main concern is disaster from earthquake that necessitates hoofing it for some awful reason. Which would really stink with 3 kids. I really enjoy my nice easy life.

I like your list of priorities. I would push one category to the front of it, Intel.

Maps, binoculars, NODs or thermal and radio comm with others who have the same.

 

[The Heretic]

I like your list of priorities. I would push one category to the front of it, Intel.

Maps, binoculars, NODs or thermal and radio comm with others who have the same.

Navigation - Security - Communication to put another more general face on it.

NVD/Thermal and armor are two things I have wanted for quite a while. NVDs/Thermal/et. al. for decades. Armor is a bit more affordable.

 

[Defense Minister]

I like your list of priorities. I would push one category to the front of it, Intel.

Maps, binoculars, NODs or thermal and radio comm with others who have the same.

A small, lightweight monocular and my handheld dual-band radio are two of the "luxury" items in my GHB. I like the idea of knowing what's going on down the road before I get there if the chips are down.

Also, I will travel at night and along trails or railways if the option is presented.

 

[Bushman]

I'm a GHB guy in all the cars and take advantage of good boot sales from LA Police Gear or Boatach when they roll around.
The weight thing is real! I started rucking today. (Need the training, so plan is a 1hr walk and I'll track distance progress. I put a 25lbs bag of rice in the pack and a 2l water bladder thinking "I'll start light". Didn't realize that was a significant load. I do now!
Goal is to work up to 60lbs. A weighted vest is significantly easier imo that a pack. Def train with whatever your plan is.

I don't know if I'm just used to it or it's the way it's distributed, but 60 lbs is not that bad. I carry that for hours on end in hills. But once you add the extra stuff it ends up at 80+ lbs and then you really have a hard time maneuvering and carrying it.

I got my BOB down to 20 lbs including the pack for now. That's 5 lbs shelter kit (backpacking sleeping bag and sil nylon tarp) with additional defense stuff and survival stuff. I really went through my stuff and paired things down again. I could do 15 lbs spring and summer with a poncho and bivvy sack.

Training with more weight is good, but if you can do 60 lbs for hours fine, then you will be 10X better off with 15-20 lbs in the real world and able to move much faster.