Patrol Packs

[USMC-03]

After the recent thread on get-home-bags, I thought a discussion on patrol packs might be both enjoyable and info.

Here is my current pack. It's a Condor medium with additional pouches attached; I've carried it for a couple of family trips to Disney World (configured differently) and its worked very well.

Weighs in at 27 pounds, two over my goal. I've incorporated a rip-away general purpose first aid kit on the left, binocular case on the right, 2 liter internal water bladder and large utility pouch on the center bottom that can hold eight AR magazines as needed.





The intent is for sustaining a 24 to 72 hour security patrol in a medium to long term grid down situation. I'm located in a suburb/rural interface and

Some additional items:

- Smallish tarp and tent stakes for shelter making
- Gortex rain jacket
- Work gloves, extra socks and thermal under shirt
- Weapon maintenance kit
- Clear and tinted safety glasses, dust mask, hearing protection
- Red and green surveying tape
- Maps, log book, pens, paint marker
- Pry bar and rope
- Utility kit with para cord, electrical tape, fire starter, zip ties, batteries, etc.

So, if any other NWFA members have a patrol pack or other emergency bag, please do share. Always interested in improving the knowledge base.

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[Lasers]

What's normally in the utility pouch?

Great setup! I have mine built up for a different purpose but I'll try to get pics and a list tomorrow... Probably time for a re-assessment anyway.

 

[USMC-03]

What's normally in the utility pouch?

I keep eight extra magazines in it, but can switch that up as needed.

 

[Lasers]

Gotcha, misread that part. Figured you meant you could put 8 mags in, but not that it was the intent.

I really like the sawyer filter and lifestraws to go with my bladder. There's a few plastic water bottle brands that fit them perfect and it's easy to go from dirty water in the bottle to clean in the bladder.

 

[Bushman]

My patrol pack is 15 lbs, 21 with extra ammo to support chest rig if needed for longer patrols. Shelter is a poncho and mylar blankets. Water filter, water bottle, stainless cup, fat wood, waterproof writing pad and mechanical pencil, compass, the usual survival basics, extra batteries to support NOD's (had to do a swap in the dark recently in training in the complete darkness), a stripped MRE, solar battery bank and cable, very basic needs. Travel light as far as a pack. You'd be surprised how little of the stuff you actually use. I keep some items like dust goggles for just in case urban crap happens but the rest I've weeded out over time after years of never using some items. With other gear such as a chest rig and rape whistles, I'm at around 50 lbs. Down from 60-80 depending on the patrol. TQ's and trauma kit are on chest rig in case I stage the pack in a fall back area.

I'd bet if you go out 10 times you'll never use that rope or prybar. I'd ditch them. Maneuverability with all that stuff attached outside is going to be tough. I had a setup like that and it snagged constantly, in buildings, in the woods, everywhere. Now I run a slim pack with minimal kit that I know I can survive off because I've survived off of less in real situations.

 

[Lasers]

Good points.

I like taking my bag up camping and going through it. Make notes on what you don't use and what you wished you had (always more fire starters)

 

[Bushman]

Good points.

I like taking my bag up camping and going through it. Make notes on what you don't use and what you wished you had (always more fire starters)

Yep. Of course there are some things you may never use but are there as a necessity regardless, medical for example. But in general people pack way too much. While I have several fat wood sticks to shave down into hundreds of fires, I also know how to source natural fire starters in the wild. Last few trips even with wet wood, I showed my friend the viability of the technique. Natural fire starters are everywhere out there. Only reason I carry some anyways is for those cases I don't have 5-10 minutes to find it because I'm wet and freezing NOW.

Last weekend I found a big grocery bags worth of edible mushrooms in the woods. Chicken of the woods (it really does taste just like chicken!!). More time in the wild learning to live off the land > than gear. Knowledge weighs nothing and I've now added another type of edible food type to my growing list of wild foods I know I can eat if needed. The mushrooms I found would feed me for a few days so that don't starve. Here are their nutrition facts:


Chicken of the Woods Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 360.
• Carbohydrates: 71 g.
• Dietary Fiber: 6 g.
• Protein: 21 g.
• Fat: 2 g.
• Potassium: 150 mg.
• Vitamin C: 10% of daily recommendation.
• Vitamin A: 5% of daily recommendation.

I'll post a pic of it later.

 

[Lasers]

Damn, sounds like a super shroom!

 

[Bushman]

Damn, sounds like a super shroom!

I started a new thread on it. Practice living off the land. These mushrooms would have fed me for several days....There is no resupply...learn natural fire starters, food, shelters. You'd be surprised how often I find a natural shelter I can hole up in...

Found several lbs of edible mushrooms (chicken of the woods) that is super nutritious on my last outing

Big grocery bag full. Really tastes and feels just like chicken. Nutritious too. Part of me ever expanding skill set from constantly going out and learning new survival skills. Chicken of the Woods Nutrition Facts (per 1.5 cups) Calories: 360. Carbohydrates: 71 g. Dietary Fiber: 6 g...

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[USMC-03]

I'd bet if you go out 10 times you'll never use that rope or prybar. I'd ditch them. Maneuverability with all that stuff attached outside is going to be tough. I had a setup like that and it snagged constantly, in buildings, in the woods, everywhere. Now I run a slim pack with minimal kit that I know I can survive off because I've survived off of less in real situations.

You're quite correct and this is the feedback in looking for.

The rope is something of a holdover from the old days; it can easily be dropped off depending on the specific area. The pry bar on the other hand is a fairly new addition; in an extended grid down situation my expectation is we'll be needing to force entry/egress into empty buildings, cars, etc.

I'm working on another small pack for the less than 24 hour periods. Looking at a large hydration pack and keeping it to absolute essentials

 

[loucfir]

My pack is approx.16# with about everything mentioned. If the case urban crap happens, I also carry a pick set, bolt cutters are bulky. Watch a few youtube on picking locks and then try at home. If in a pinch, at that time and need to get thru or into a hide location, maybe a lifesaver! Going mushroom hunting Friday...

 

[Bushman]

You're quite correct and this is the feedback in looking for.

The rope is something of a holdover from the old days; it can easily be dropped off depending on the specific area. The pry bar on the other hand is a fairly new addition; in an extended grid down situation my expectation is we'll be needing to force entry/egress into empty buildings, cars, etc.

I'm working on another small pack for the less than 24 hour periods. Looking at a large hydration pack and keeping it to absolute essentials

Dropping off is fine IMO. Good to have in your AO. Anything you can do to decrease the bulk of the pack would be good, you can survive a few days with very minimal kit. Focus on shelter and water. You can find water and shelter as well as food in nature. I don't use bladders. I like the soda type bottles because my sawyer mini screws on top perfectly. Very popular thing you see with through hikers for a reason. Also, I can wrap cordage around my water bottle and lower it to a water source not accessible by foot and pull water up more easily than a bladder.

I have a few bags with compartments galore and molle pouches I added. It snagged everywhere constantly. Buildings, cars, the woods. It was impossible to make it through doorways normal, turn in hallways or move in the woods without it snagging on a branch and rustling it thus making noise. My current pack is a simple 3 day assault pack with basic fighting, NOD and survival supplies to "exist" for a few days. In such a situation I will be sleeping while wearing my poncho in a reclined position (and have tried it) so I can quickly get up and run if needed. Plus it makes my shelter BLISS (Blends in, Low silhouette, Irregular Shape, Small, Secluded location). I can also wrap myself with the mylar blanket (works great) and light a candle between my legs if needed.

 

[CoastRange57]

Clear definitions of what your pack is supposed to do and support you. With the recent fires and evacuations I have reassessed our GHB packs. New pack, additions to the pack, subtractions and constant scenario reviews. On a recent trip to Eastern Oregon, I kept asking myself a bunch of what if questions and if I was prepared for that scenario as outlandish as it seemed. I kept testing my comms via ham radio in a lot of situations.

I found a lot of deficiencies in my preps. Some pertained to traveling in a vehicle, having to dismount for some reason and move on foot and how long I expected to be on foot. At 63 years old and reasonable health you make constant adjustments.

I have looked at every situation we were in this year as far as outdoor and away from home activities. In most cases, we were well armed, but deficient in survival tools. Traveling Hwy 244 between LaGrande and Ukiah one downed tree would have stopped our movement since I left the chain saw at home.


Vehicle oriented or dismounted ?
Do I need the AR or will a .22 breakdown work ? What situation for each ?
What is the end scenario / exit strategy from a dismounted travel situation ?
Define most likely situation to need & use the GHB and the 72 hour bag.
Easy on the medical supplies, the need for a trauma kit with sucking chest wound materials is probably not going to happen, since your chances of survival are slim anyway.