Just wondering, I have a BOB that weighs about 8 lbs. but, does anyone put more extensive equipment in it that weighs it down? Mine is a more 72 hours bag. Any suggestions?

i dunno about everyone else here but i try to keep mine as light as practically possible because too much weight on the lower back and you wont do anyone much good.

Weight is that one gremlin that can spoil everything. Survivalists tripping over 100,000 rounds of ammunition and stacked boxes of MREs in the dark don't fare as well as the guy moving fast when illusions of black helicopters give way to the reallity of black tornadoes. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Just think of your own parameters.I expect to maintain minimal safety for 72 hours until the situation stabilises or I have additional resources. I may need to carry those supplies on my back, all additional resources stowed in a vehicle subject to the whims and wrath of my bugout antagonist. Backpacking guides are closely relevant with what people can actually pack. I can easilly hoist 50 lbs. Hoisting and walking are two different deals, and my real limit is @ 35 lbs. You get to know what really works and is needed out there. Some items I won't compromise on; my sleeping bag, extra ( and heavy) water, teddy bear. Others I've learned to eliminate; sextant, field surgery triag pocket set, grappling hook... The nice thing about your 8 lbs is you are better prepared by 8 lbs of critical gear than the guy without anything. Sometime take a little 'what if' excursion and see how you do.

Hi Bugman37

Can you list what's in your bob, as most people's differ, it would be good to see how your 8 lbs is made up.

I have to agree with Chris on this one. Weight is a very important issue. I can carry a bit more than 35#, but I am a pretty big guy, and work out regularly. I also have the added advantage of recently having lost quite a lot of weight. As of my last checkup I have dropped 40# and still going. So the extra loss of weight make is easier to carry those little exrtas I may need. Also, less weight on me means fewer calories I need to sustain myself. A nice little positive returns cycle.

I am a big lightweight backpacking enthusiast and I try to use the same criteria for my BOB as I do for my pack when I am lightweight hiking/camping/backpacking. I try real hard to keep it under 10# and rarely ever go over 15#. I can carry up to 35# but it?s not very comfortable, especially on rough terrain that requires climbing hills or small cliffs, crossing rivers, etc and I imagine rummaging through massive amounts of hurricane/flood/tornado debris would be much the same. I find that 10#-15# of gear that never leaves my side is better than 35# or more of gear that I am removing from my back at every possible opportunity. Not to mention that when in a situation that requires my BOB, much like when I?m backpacking, a sore back doesn?t do me or my wife and child any good. I figure that above all else I need to be in the best possible mental and physical health I can be in (sore or injured back included) in order to keep the three of us safe. I have lived through two hurricanes and more tornados than I care to count with a lot less than 10# of gear so I am confident that this is all I require. I don?t know what your exact BOB situation is, like whether it is just for you or for supporting a family of four but in my case a lot of what I have in my BOB is more for my wife and one year old son than myself. If it were only for me then I doubt if my BOB would contain much more than a radio, my PSK (which is also quite small) and my EDC. One thing I have learned is that for myself I need little more than my EDC to get me through most situations. Everything else (PSK/BOB/etc) just makes things easier. One thing I learned in our most recent tornado incident is that a crank operated radio or a radio with FULLY charged batteries brings a lot of peace of mind. When the weather forecaster on the television says to take cover and two minutes later the power goes out (this time power was out for nearly 72 hours), it sure is nice to be able to know when its safe to come out from under the mattresses in the laundry room without having to go take a look outside to determine for yourself. Especially if you?re in the laundry room with the wife, an infant, and labrador retriever, a german shepherd and a jack russell terrier like I was. You defiantly want to know as soon as it is safe to go outside. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Make sure your batteries are charged and that nobody has removed them (as was the case in my situation). Or better yet, obtain a quality hand-crank radio.

I always have my BOB with me... My Purse!

But seriously - I have two smaller day packs that I have and use for my BOB. I have created a vest with one in front and one in back with both attatched to a hip belt. With the weight distubution, I can carry about 30# easily, more if I am wearing pants with lots of pockets. If nessisary, I can drop what is in the front either into the back or leave it and carry an infant instead. I usually have things like toiletries, food and other things I want more often in the front so that I do not have to take the pack off to get to it. I thought of this from the ALICE module packs that are available.

In the back pack(litterally), I have:
drop cloth/tarp/poncho
space blanket(new because I can never refold the blasted things)
scout pan with matches, condiments(like salt and soy sauce), tea bags
inflateable pillow
zippy bags, both empty and around other things
candle stubs(great for starting fires in wet conditions)
3 yards of netting(for bug control and other things)
Notebook and pencil in a zippy(sometimes in the front pack)
little cans of food stuffs including potted meat, tomato sauce and fruit cocktail
Small container of cooking oil
med kit, lacking a little right now because I needed to use it over the last week and I have not restocked
small camelback with tube out the top of the pack
too many knives and tools... I keep finding ones I like, but don't seem to get rid of the old ones
sewing kit with thread, needles of various types, buttons, safety pins and t-pins
Clothes pins and small clamps
duct and gaffers tape
cotton twine(specificly cotton to make an oil lamp if batteries go dead)
solar battery charger (to make sure the batteries don't go dead)
LED flashlight on Lanyard tied to the shoulder connection of the two packs
and a few odd bits and peices

the front pack has in it:
washcloth and hard castelle soap in a zippy
various lotions, including sunscreen, bug lotion, anti-biotic cream
Moleskin in a zippy
energy bars and granola bars
suppliment pill case with my multivitamins and other things
whistle, metal reflector/mirror
zippy with photocopy of ID, $30 cash and change, contact names and addresses on folded 8.5 x 11 inch paper
MY COMPUTER(with gps and other gadgets)
smaller water bottle with resealable top and filter
more knives and tools...
two silk scarves, one white and large(36x36) and one raw tan silk and smaller(20x20)
and more stuff...

Need to get in there and see if I can invest in a small radio. I haddn't really thought that I would want to know what was going on with other people until I started coming to this forum...

and more stuff...
<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Rena

A quick question - are you assuming you will be on foot with you BOB? I have a "get back home bag" that is extremely light and would allow me to get home it has 2-3 days of worth of supplies – it grows a little in the winter.

However, my BOB is large and heavy it assumes I will be leaving by means other than my feet – I’d be in a truck, boat or plane. This is assuming I could bug out which in all likely hood, it would be near impossible.

I hear you, Adam. We're in the same boat as far as bugging out. Remember the evacuation plan for the Shoreham nuke plant? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I get obsessive about kit weight, because:
a) I actually use my kits frequently and
b) my wife is not as strong as me

8 Lbs is plenty light, the bag I carry in the truck at all times, and gets used on SAR and other situtations weighs in at a hefty 25 pounds, but that's because of the water on board (2 liters) as well as some tools that I need to carry in the kit for first-responder stuff (heavy cable cutters for car batteries, a pretty good sized first aid kit, a fleece blanket, and more stuff. The bag is designed for spending the night whereever I happen to be, ranging from the woods to the rehab tent at a large-scale incident. Unfortunately, in winter, it gets quite a bit heavier, as the sheer volume of stuff increases.

YUP.........Hard to bug out when you live on an island.

Adam:

Ride the wave, or........................Wave for a ride.

Bountyhunter

Ok guys, here is a list of what I have in my bag

spark-lite
poncho
mirror
3 in. folding buck knife
aa flashlight
whistle
emergency blanket
triox 3 days supply
tuna can stove for triox
compass
combination compass, whistle, match holder w/wax coated matches

3 days MRE's
led light from countycomm.com for $1
water purifying bottle
aqua pure tablets

"survival kit" containing:
aa flashlight
whistle, compass, thermometer combo
whinchester knife multi-tool
snare wire
wire saw
alluminum foil
baggies
anti diareah tabs
fishing kit
signal mirror


I think I have enough things to survive for 3 days with what I have. I didn't have my BOB in front of me while I put down the contents, but it's what I know is in there. Hey, don't ask what I have in my truck at all times. LOL

forgot the TP in the BOB LOL

then make sure to include an inflatable raft in your kit and your set.

Bugman hi, how do you have 3 days worth of MRE's and still have the total weight down to 8 pounds? Even if they're just 9 entrees and none of the other stuff, I'd guess that's around 6 pound right there?

Please help me understand.

I just have the entrees in the pack. Most of the fruits and other items in an MRE I leave out. I also don't carry the accessory packets that come in MRE's. That leaves about 4lbs of food, which is the heaviest part of the pack. Hope that answers your question.

I've found that 25-35 lbs is a realistic amount to carry, as I learned today carrying 63 lbs of 5 year old boy on my shoulders for three miles up hills from the Bethlehem Musikfest.

Mine's 29.5 pounds (Weighed it on a postal scale)

It feels heavy as hell. I can walk around on level pavement for 4 miles with it (did it once, probably could do it again).

I have no CLUE as to how to get under that weight, and even AT that weight, there are still some very critical things I know I'm missing.

I'm planning for 72 hours minimum, stretchable to a week, off of that pack. Expected to be on foot at start of emergency, inappropriately dressed (clothing not conducive to survival)...thus, a change of appropriate clothing must remain in the BoB. Water is a must. Fire, Light, Food, and a tarp for shelter are corner stones. All the other crap is "Ya know, it'd be nice ta have that when I'm out in the middle of nowhere and don't have a Wal-Mart to toddle off to..."

Any suggestions for lightening the load?

Panz

Don't carry on your back unless you have to.

Depending on your environment, you may consider carrying your BOB backpacks in a wheelbarrow, garden cart, or lashed to a handtruck or dolly. If you're on foot and most of your potential evacuation route is flat or paved, wheels could be a real back saver. If the going gets rough, ditch the wheels and strap the backpack on. Wheels could help with tired little feet as well.

This is just another view, it may not work in all situations, but it might make miles of walking a little easier. Sometimes it helps to approach problems an alternate way. Adapt & overcome.

Not sure if you were joking but I don't think an inflatable raft would work as a serious bug out option. I have access to a 20' fiberglass boat 24 hours a day. Even that has limitations when factoring the seas and space availability.

It would have to be one hell of an event to make me consider using the boat.

This probably isn't what you want to hear but in order to lighten the load I would suggest simply getting rid of all the "Ya know, it'd be nice ta have..." stuff and sticking with the essentials. My BOB is designed to sustain myself, my wife and my one year old son. It weighs 8.5# without water and it still contains a bunch of stuff we could do without. With fresh water weighing about 8.35# per gallon you can easily do the math to see how I weigh in carrying various amounts of water with the BOB.

I'm still curious about the methold of bugging out. I still think of bugging out as grabbing a bag that contains enough supplies for 72 hours and getting in my Jeep w/ my family and leaving as fast as I can. For me weight is not an issue for my BOB.

Like I said I have a get back home bag which is very light maybe it's the same thing as other people's BOB.

With out knowing exactly what you're carrying, it's hard to say, but if we're of a like mind (and from past posts, I think we are), you're probably right about not wanting to drop anything. My thought on the subject is, start with all I can handle, and if I have/choose to leave something for a given reason, I can cache it then, knowing that it's there to fall back on. While this may be a little over-the-top for some, I'm comfortable with it, and that's what COUNTS. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

You bring up a good point, what definition of a B.O.B. are we talking about? My definition covers bugging out of where I'm at to ANY location to get away from where I'm at, and I don't limit myself to 72 hours (yes...this is a holdover from my Y2K and teotwawki days, just can't seem to shake it <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />), but if you're shooting for getting home from work, I would imagine you could get by with MUCH less.

Troy

Much like Wildcard my BOB is a holdover from the Y2K days and is designed to provide the bare necessities for 3 people for far longer than 3 days. It is also designed specifically to carry easy while on foot and moving fast. Now that's not to say that I wouldn't throw a bunch of extra stuff in the Jimmy (cause I would) if given the extra 5-10 minutes it would take to do it. But that would be all the "extra" stuff... not what I consider a necessity. If there is one thing I have learned from being present for two major disasters, it's that the roads clog up fast and sometimes very severely (I experienced one in a large city and another on an island with only two bridges to the mainland). That's why I plan for being on foot for part of the journey if need be.

if you live on an island and theres no acess to the mainland during an emergency, a inflatable boat would become a more important tool then.

so its not important for most people but plan for your enviornment.

Heheheh... In my case the disaster I experienced on the island was a hurricane, so getting in to a small boat was last on my list of things to do. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Seriously do you think an inflatable raft will be good enough to get you from Long Island to Connecticut? If you’re talking about crossing the East River maybe it would work, but I think I’ll stick with the 20’ fiberglass boat w/ 70 horsepower evinrude.

I’ve given a lot of thought into the boat option for bugging out and like I said it would have to be an extreme circumstance for me to consider it. I can’t imagine taking a family of 4 on an inflatable raft.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Also it doesn't even have to be a hurricaine just a windy day and all bets would be off for water travel.

well im not talking about a toy inflatable raft.

there are river rafts, military surplus etc that are made to fit several people with gear and take a pounding because they are made from stronger puncture resistant materials.

the reason being the inflatables arent as big or cumbersome (before inflating of course) then your large fiberglass boat.
i couldnt hide your boat in a bag or backpack to keep prying eyes off it.

so yes id be serious about one if thesituation or environment called for it.

the hurricane is a good example of not needing it i agree.
but better to be prepared and not need it, then need it and not have it.

Well, after much thought these past few days, I dismantled my BOB last night. However, I promised Frenchy that I would post my list with the total weight, and a promise is a promise. I dismantled it mostly because I just didn?t have enough gear to keep both mine and my wife?s car kits properly stocked (they were getting kinda thin) and also keep a properly stocked BOB at home (at least not without dipping in to my camping/hiking gear). The amount of gear already at my house for hunting/hiking/camping/etc with a few extras like battery powered radios are perfect for "bugging in" and my car kits seem more appropriate for "bugging out" so I decided that the car kits were more important, especially since 95% of the time we are close to our cars and when we are at home both cars are just as close as the BOB would be with it sitting it the office closet anyway. I divided the contents of the BOB in to the car kits so now I have a car kit in my car stocked ideally for my own survival (I always ride alone since there?s no baby seat in my car) and the wife?s SUV has a kit that is equipped to sustain the entire family. The only real difference in the car kits from the BOB is that the car kits also contain jumper cables and a few basic tools for emergency roadside repairs. The car kits are still designed so that you could grab them and go off on foot after dropping only 3 large tools and a pair of jumper cables (all bundled together). With that said, here is the contents of my former BOB. I hope I didn't leave anything out but I probably did. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

1 Day Pack Style Lightweight Black Jansport Backpack
1 Fox 40 Mini Whistle
1 Fox 40 Flat whistle
1 SOG ParaTool MultiTool
1 Winchester Full Tang Knife with 4" blade and Nylon Sheath
1 Rescue Flash Signal Mirror, 2 x 3 inches
1 Mil Spec USAF SERE Manual (circa 1999)
2 Box Windproof/Waterproof Matches
3 Compressed Toilet Paper Rolls
1 Rubber Surgical Tube 5'
2 Mosquito Head Nets
2 Large Black Trash Bags
1 Metal camp cup
1 Single Edge razor blade
1 Bundle 10' Braided Nylon String 150#
20 Katadyn Micropur Water Purification Tablets
1 Spool White upholstery thread
2 Gerber 12ox Breast milk Bags
1 Platypus Water Container 1 Liter
1 Nalgene Water Container 96oz
1 Photon II White LED flashlight
1 MiniMag (AAA) MagLite Flashlight
2 REI Button compass 20mm with clear, marked map reading base
1 Texas State Map
1 Bundle 50' of #69 Black Nylon Thread 10.5#
1 Bundle mil-spec grade Stainless Steel Wire 6'x.020"
1 Bundle bailing wire 6'x.20"
1 Bundle aluminum wire 4'x.20"
2 Bundle duct tape 20' x 2"
1 Scalpel blade
6 Single-edged Razor blades (in sealed container)
2 Bundle heavy duty foil 6'x2'
1 Mini (AAA) Radio
4 Extra AAA Batteries
2 Bundle 50' Mil Spec 550# Paracord
6 SOS Food Labs 3-day 3600 Calorie Food Bars (6 days food for 3 people)
1 Mini Bic Lighter
1 Bottle Hand Sanitizer 1oz size
5 Female Sanitary Pads
12 Disposable Diapers
2 Traditional Cloth Diapers
2 Travel Pack Baby Wipes 12)
1 Bottle Baby Tylenol
1 Bottle Baby Motrin
1 Complete Change of Baby Clothes
1 Pair Baby Socks
2 Pairs Adult Socks
3 Emergency blankets
1 Emergency bivy sack
2 Adult T-Shirts
1 Pair Leather Summer Gloves (soon to be replaced w/ Kevlar gloves)
1 Pair Large Nail Clippers
2 Safety Pins
6 Small Gold Fish Hooks
3 Small lead split shot
2 Bundles 50' clear fishing line 20#
1 Large Sewing needle
1 Bottle New Skin liquid bandage
2 Large aluminum carabiners
2 Small aluminum carabiners
1 Carefully stocked FAK in clear vinyl AMK pouch 4"x5" (4"x3.25" with top folded)
1 PSK (the contents of this little guy is a whole nother post)

Loaded Gross Weight = 9.2# w/o Water

fair enough

wow - all that in just 9#? Cool.

Looking through the list reminded me of one thing that I ahve done in the past- just to start even more thread drift...

I have a crafty side. I have taken topographical maps, park maps, city maps available on the web and put it on iron-on tranfer paper. I have t-shirts for Black river falls WI, Chicago, St. Louis MO, part of the painted dessert(sorry, hungry), and several smaller parks. I get odd looks for having an upside down map on the front of my shirt, but it is actually very useful.

Rena

No offence meant, but I've got a six-man Zodiac, and I wouldn't want to be out of sight of land in it, and before any thought of just being afraid of the water comes to mind, I've also got a 23 ft sailboat that I wouldn't mind trying to take to the Bahamas some time. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

FAN-tastic idea...Thanks

no worries there, you just have to understand im a recovering packrat so i like to try to plan for anything heh.

NY Rat:
I sponsor a treatment program for recovering packrats. Just send all of your stuff to me, and I'll dispense it back to you as needed.

Hahaha... great idea on the t-shirts. I spend a lot of time in very large TX state parks and this would be great for me while on more unfamiliar trails, not to mention the funny looks I would get while stting around at the trail head would be fun too!

... It's just good that I am usualy alone when I take off he tshirt to orient myself...

Rena