There’s a lot of “gear dumps”, “bug out bags”, and if I may say it, a lot of bullshit on the internet when it comes to gear. And there is little doubt that most of that gear has seen much more internet time than field time.
I write this post not as a list for the reader to go out and buy, or replicate because they liked it. But as a template for the reader to use in thinking about what they actually need to carry, as well as encourage the reader to actually carry and use whatever they settle on, adapting it to their environment and needs over time. Above all else be prepared for the unexpected when away from civilization!
I have carried this bag through glacier national park, in the car when travelling more than an hour from home, on countless day hikes, and it was on my hips this morning when I took to the field before dawn looking for deer. I also add and drop items from it as the situation and mission dictate. Hundreds of miles of woods have passed beneath it, and every item is there for a reason, preferably more than one reason…
The fundamental purpose of this bag is that if I take to the field and do not intend to be there overnight I am prepared to build shelter, maintain my core body temperature, re-supply water, make fire, get myself found, navigate, communicate, treat serious injury and get myself home; with a minimum of weight carried. And above all this kit needs to scale with anything else so that I can have a public/grey man profile or add overnight gear, mission specific gear, weapons, or anything else to be carried along with this equipment and none will interfere with the other. Modularity. Lego’s. Whatever you want to call it, it has to work together.
All up with water bottle full, it weighs 14 lbs. Think hard before copying the military in carrying too much weight. Choices must be made, and should always maximize chances of survival. Even 18-24 year old men see reduced efficacy under strain.
Built around the Helikon Foxtrot belt rig, I have pace beads on the shoulder harness, Anytone 878 radio with mic in a Condor pouch, Glock knife (Sexy? No. Destructible? Man I’ve been trying for years…) and single wall canteen, cup, and lid on the left side. On top is a Arcturus poncho, and the right side has my Shelter Kit, and IFAK.
Outside pouch:
A Bic lighter, rechargeable electric lighter with whistle, multi-tool, and compass. These are basically spares of things that I would carry on my body, but could get left or lost. (Ask me how I know…)
Main compartment:
With a lifeboat ration and a freeze dried meal I have 3800 calories of emergency food (The ration is 2400 itself). The lifeboat ration will get sometimes dropped for shorter trips to save weight. A hand full of zip ties and glow stick come in handy, as well as a hank of spare bank line. A thermal blanket and beanie / gloves offer protection from cold, chapstick for protection from sun (also useful for starting fires if needed). A pocket chainsaw cuts logs for baton-ing, and the H2GO for purifying any water you can find, no matter how nasty.
There’s just enough space left over to shove some snacks or a sandwich in there as well.
Inside top pocket: light and signalling gear.
Red lens headlamp, flagging tape, signalling mirror and bandannas. The bandannas are great for signalling silently, protecting the neck from sun, and as a pre-filter for really nasty water before purifying.
Inside front pocket:
Duct tape (1,000,000 uses) Vaseline cotton balls, ferro rod & striker, pocket bellows, water tablets (can’t carry enough ways to make water!) and caffeine pills. Are you a habitual coffee drinker? Could you foresee a circumstance where you are dead tired and need extra energy to get yourself out of a situation? Consider it.
Notice there’s no weapons gear in here. If there’s a rifle, there will be a line 2 chest rig to support it. The hip belt rides right over my holstered handgun, so that and my first line gear stays on my body if I take this pack off. Likewise my land nav kit rides in a cargo pocket. (I’ll do a post on that some time.)
Also a back pack will ride right above the hip belt, so when I was out hunting this morning all my game processing gear and hunting stuff was in a second bag. Mission specific.
And don’t be too rigid in what you carry, this morning I dropped the radio (I was alone, no one to talk to), lifeboat ration (the plan didn’t take me too far from my vehicle), and poncho (no rain today!).
So that’s it! Let me know about all the things You Tube says I “need” and don’t have in the comments, then get out there and spend time in the field. “Be the the reason the woods are haunted!”