Hi all,

Say, I was hoping someone could help me...

Here's the rub; in my BOB, I have all of my necessary items I carry. However, the problem is that it's all kinda just crammed in there. Here's what I'd like to do.

I need to find someone who makes small zippered canvas or nylon bags of various sizes or that can even custom make them, in various colors. What I want to do is color-code the items in my bag by placing them in the different colored bags for easy ID and emergency situations. Here's my list so far:

Red- 1st aid
Orange- signaling
Blue-water treatment/hydration
Green-navigation/wayfinding
Yellow-shelter/protection/firemaking
Brown-food/candy
Black-personal protection
Hot pink (or other bright color)-Survival

I think this will work well for my situation. Now, EVERYTHING won't be in the bags. These are just going to be "grab bags" to make it easier and quicker to get the items I need, especially in low-light. Or, if I need to grab-n-go with a specific item out of the BOB without taking the whole thing. Such as a first aid situation, where I don't need the whole bag and can't be fumbling around in the pack for it.

So, anyone know where I could start? Or do you have any ideas that might work better?

DLR

Somewhere in the archives of this forum there is a post about just this thing, but search as I might, I can't find it. You might give it a try, or maybe someone better at it than I can help out...

You could try zipper bags that are used for bank deposits. They come in canvas and cordura, maybe other materials also. Here's a site where you can get various sizes and colors:

http://www.banksupplies.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/638_640

Well, it was obviously someone of great intelligence. Great minds think alike... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I did do a search just in case someone thought of it before me, but like you I came up empty.

Thanks for the heads up.

DLR

Personally, I like these Granite Gear "air bags", especially the transparent ones. Color coding doesn't beat being able to see into the bag, in my opinion.

http://www.granitegear.com/products/packing_systems/air_line/air_bags/index.html

Ask around for a local seamstress. Be ready with a drawing and a list of colors (with backups). Check out a fabric store for possible fabric and available colors. You can buy samples in one-eight yard lengths (4.5" x full width). Regular nylon or ripstop? (Ripstop has same-color 1/4" squares.) Do you want all of them to be the same size? Do you want flat pouches, or do you want a pleat in the ends? Are they all to be separate, or sewn together? Separate, but can somehow connect together?

For a seamstress, check with fabric stores, service ads in newspapers, bulletin boards, word of mouth.

And don't expect WallyWorld prices. You're asking for custom.

Sue

Glock-A-Roo pointed me to these a while back

http://www.allmed.net/catalog/item/92/2396

They are good quality and inexpensive

Hehe, thanks for posting that Malpaso; I was about to go searching for that link to post it again!

Go to wally world or your local target and check two areas. The first is in the school supplies and there you will find a wide variety of pen/pencil cases in various colors for under a buck. They will also have clear inserts with various color frames for use in a note book. Then go over to the makeup section and you will find all kinds of bags that might in the size range you are looking for.

I was going to suggest Granite Gear stuff sacks....I'm not familiar with the air bags, but the ones I use have been great for me...only about four colors I think, but the come in a variety of sizes and they're durable.

I think you mean like those bags they use in large EMT- kits?

Hey DLR,

That's a pretty good idea, but I'd try and condense some of the stuff into as few bags as possible. Your signaling and navigation could probably be combined, same with shelter/firemaking and survival stuff. I used to try and organize my stuff into separate bags like what you mentioned, but I found that having so many different bags wasn't much better than just throwing all must stuff in there loose. I guess it all depends on how much stuff you are carrying and what size bag you have. For a large backpack, it would work, but for a something the size of a daypack I think that 8 different bags is just too much.

For one thing, most of my items already come in some sort of carrying case, so by putting them in a bag, all I was really doing was adding unecessary weight and complication, because now to get to an item I would have to open my backpack, find the right bag, open it, find my item, and once again open the case. Just ended up being more trouble than it was worth, especially for items that are already self contained in their own case (like a first aid kit or water filter). Unless each bag contains a lot of smaller loose items, I don't think it would be much of a benefit

Right now, I have cut it down to about 4 bags. I guess you can say they're color coded, since i alwasy use the same bags each time, but I didnt' really plan that out ahead of time. One bag has extra clothes (thermals, hat, socks, gloves, etc), one bag has food, one bag has emergency items that I probably won't use very often (first aid kit, water filter, survival stuff, multitool, etc), and the last bag has stuff that I plan on using somewhat frequently (flashlight, map, compass, etc). Anything that I need quick access to or use a lot is just thrown in on top or outside.

The clothes bag and emergency equipment bag always stay in my backpack, whenever i decide to go hiking I just throw in some food and my frequent use bag. I picked up most of my bags at a garage sale, and have made a couple silnylon bags from leftover material from some other equipment. If you do plan on going the custom route, make them as light as possible because the weight of the bags do add up. No need for 1000D Cordura for something that just sits inside your backpack. Also, I started taking out all the heavy sheaths from my multitool and flashlights and throwing my stuff in the bag loose. I didn't think it would matter much, but once I started removing the extra "packaging" it made quite a difference. I'm not an ultralight hiker (probably as far from it as possible) but I hate carrying extra weight.

They look like nice bags, but I'm not a fan of vinyl in bags that I plan on being around for a while in poor storage. In my experience vinyl leaches easily...onto stuff...especially in high heat (in the car, etc). Additionally, it eventually becomes brittle and useless. I also find the vinyl to be much heavier than if it were solid nylon.

Added up, there is extra weight and much shorter lifespan. Since for me, they may end up in a car trunk for years on end...the shorter lifespan and greasy crud vinyl leaves on stuff when it degrades is undesirable.

However, in the short-term...the bags look very handy.

Maybe Aloksaks might be an option. The color coded may not be as much an issue since you'd see inside the bag. Plus they are strong and waterproof and also make good back up water carriers.

I love pencil cases and they come in all kinds of colors and shapes. They will answer your need. I use them for micro-kits (tool kits, FAKs etc.) especially inside my luggage when I travel.

Also depending on the sizes you need, you can buy miscelaneous sets of anything ( like a shaving travel set in the picture ) and use the case for the BOB.