I saw this U-tube about drawstring bakcpacks,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuQTF4XOc5Y

and later saw another vid about someone testing bug out gear, wearing a BOB (backpack) on his back, and a smaller backpack on his chest. Since then , I have been thinking about the two together.

A drawstring bag or backpack can serve many sroles like :

- A support backpack for extra supplies when bugging out. You can use it for extra food, stove fuel, extra water bottles, and when they are consumed, you fold it and put it in the main BOB.

- Also it can serve as a daypack, or for collecting stuff around camp.

- And you can give it away ( with a few supplies) to a family member or friend who is less preapred.


Having said that, I couldn't stop wondering if there were a REAL backpack that can serve such roles. If you are buging out , those strings may dig in your shoulders and make your trip more painful. Not that it will matter much in a survival situation, but it wouldn't hurt to explore any better options.

So, is there a REAL backpack that can be folded away when not needed ???

I know the timing of this response is bad, but try looking at discount sellers near the beginning of the school term. I picked up an EDC bag (for toting things to work, not for a BOB) for $15, which retailed at $60.

If you're just looking for a very inexpensive back pack with better straps, I'm sure those $5 cheap school packs I see at some places would ride at least a little better than a drawstring bag.

This might be a little more than you would want to give away but here are a couple of fold up Maxpedition backpacks,

http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/ROLLYPOLY-Folding-Backpack-12p506.htm

http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/ROLLYPOLY-EXTREME-Backpack-12p474.htm

Have not used either one of these so I can't comment on the usefulness of the backpacks.

Years ago I purchased a Lowe "Alpine Attack Summit." It is a 1800 cu in bag made of very lightweight nylon which is tough as all getout. The shoulder straps are mesh; they work very well for the loads I have loaded in this pack - up to twenty pounds.

It is extremely versatile. It is usually my carryon when flying; it is great for day hikes; on longer trips, it serves as a stuff sack for clothes and my sleeping bag and it is available as a second pack for whatever purpose. I carry it also when bike touring.

It folds up into a bundle about the size of my two doubled fists. I bought it about fifteen years ago - I am not sure if it is still in production. I have seen similar packs from other manufacturers. To me they make a lot of sense.

Shoe stores often have bags designed to be used as lightweight backpacks. Most I've seen have rope for strap but I have also seen some with straps. I'm not a shoe girl so my knowledge is limited but they do look like they'd pack small and flat.

There are some silnylon packs/drybags with padded straps etc that are available. They generally are very lightweight but not very durable and are somewhat overpriced. There are quiet a few packs available for the ultralighters from companies from;

Gossamer gear.

http://gossamergear.com/packs/backpacks.html

Golite

http://www.golite.com/Product/ProdDetail.aspx?p=PA5264&mc=176&t=&lat=

Granite Gear

http://www.granitegearstore.com/Vapor-Trail-P8C7.aspx

Outdoor Research

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/dry_peak_bagger.html

Alpkit

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16363&category_id=251

Overall the packs require much more thought when packing and usually require using a sleeping pad to act as back padding to give the pack some shape and stability.

http://www.endicotts.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1869

If you like things a bit more old school....

I own a couple of the Outdoor Research bags and can testify to their usefulness - not as a bag to wear going great distances with a lot of weight, but more as a 'peak' bag that you keep in your backpack and take out to sling over your shoulder when you only want to carry a subset of your gear, such as headed up for a final assault up a peak. They are water proof / water resistant - I haven't swum with them, but rain doesn't soak the contents - and the shoulder straps are comfortable as long as you don't overload the bag.

For day to day use I use the OR bag to quickly pack up food for car camping - just throw it in the bag and go - or to stuff clothing in, because I almost always take more clothing than the average hiker. The bag compresses well but not like a stuff bag, and keeps it dry. The roll down top can roll down pretty much as far as you want, making the actual size of the bag on your back just whatever size of the stuff you carry. Ultra lighters might decry the peak bag as a waste of weight - unlike a syl nylon stuff bag, weight gets tacked on with the shoulder straps and related compression straps, but I gave up on the ultra light philosophy when I lost 90 lbs and realized that was more useful to me than cutting ounces :-). They are made with OR's traditional build quality. OR sells these in various sizes, we're lucky in Seattle to have the OR outlet in South Seattle where you can sometimes find the bags on close out for half the retail, mine cost me $15-20 each, they normally retail for $50 or $60.

The promo bags are just that, promotional only, I wouldn't rely on them to carry goods too far or certainly to keep contents dry, but could expect to find refugees wearing them if they were engaged on a death march away from a disaster. Anything in a pinch. You'll also find alot of folks wearing Hello Kitty book bags, but that doesn't mean I'd want to.

No compensation from OR or Sanrio, manufacturer's of the Hello Kitty brand - just a happy customer.

I am loath to wear two packs, one front and back. Instead, I use a claymore bag - the bag the actual mine is packed/shipped in. It has two sides, can hold a lot of stuff; and if you are so inclined, can be converted into a one big pouch bag. I accessorize mine with a d-ring, some paracord wrapped around the sling, and a pad duct taped to the sling. Maybe it doesn't hold as much as another pack, but is easier to slip on and off and doesn't cover my entire chest either.

As things stand now, I use the claymore bag as an immediate GOOD kit, with the minimal stuff needed to spend a night out. The pack has all the snivel stuff I need to be comfortable. With them together, I am in fat city.

If understanding the OP correctly, i would not recommend drawstring packs for a front chest rig. I own several and the biggest limiter is that there is no form to the shoulder straps and the bag just hangs there. On my back I tend to use a D-ring as a sternum strap just to keep it in place. Wearing on the front the thing would just hang at your waist and try to slip off your shoulders.

I have an older version of REI Flash 18, packs super small and cinches tight when worn. Great assault pack.