Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit

Posted by: Anonymous

Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/21/02 12:03 AM

PW here,<br><br>I am looking for a way to store all my growing gear for a 72hr kit in a organized manner. I would like to use some kind of soft sided case whith some sort of adjustable dividers so I could get into and find what I need fast. (the kit will be for 2 adults + 1 toddler) Any ideas?<br><br>P.W. Martin<br>Pwmartin@gospeldefender.com<br>Are you set for the defense of the Gospel?<br>Visit: www.gospeldefender.com <br><br>Proverbs 26:4,5 "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes."
Posted by: Chris Kavanaugh

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/21/02 02:23 AM

Buy a good surplus flight bag and various colored stuff sacks. You can either mark, or go by a simple code; red for first aid, green for food, orange for signalling etc. Do your praying quietly, and in private- Book of kells
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/21/02 02:42 AM

Chris,<br><br> Thanks for the idea, That may be the way I go, right now I am looking at EMT type bags that I can use to sort the gear a bit, but I am being a bit picky.<br><br>BTW, intersting note about the 1200 year old copy of the four gospels, And you are corect, prayer in general is best done in private.<br><br>PW
Posted by: billvann

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/21/02 01:28 PM

You may want to look at the various book bag backpacks they sell for school. Most are inexpensive and the straps make them easy to carry if you are mobile.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/21/02 01:39 PM

Years ago someone told me a pack should be a bag full of bags. They proposed everything goes in a ziplock. They are clear so you can see the contents, they are resealable, they are watertight, they are odortight (used socks), and they are cheap. Since then I have used that idea whether I am loading a pack for a hike or a suitcase for a business trip. <br><br>I tend to put like supplies together into various sized ziplocks to make finding things easier. I have a sewing kit that has a pack of upholstery needles, pack of assorted size sewing needles, safety pins, spools of waxed thread, folding scissors, awl, buttons, thimble, needle threader, etc. All that stuff goes in a single quart ziplock. It keeps it all together and easy to find. Instead of rummaging around looking for the small needle package, I just pull out the ziplock of sewing stuff. <br><br>I can easily see whats inside each ziplock. Other family members who may not be as familiar with the packs can easily find stuff if I am unavailable. Similar use or items that would be used with each other are bagged together. For instance there is a plastic spoon and McD's packet of honey in the ziplock with the instant oatmeal. It I can find some hot water, pour the water in the ziplock and it becomes my bowl. When all through, the trash goes in the ziplock and clean up is done.<br><br>You can put as many ziplocks in a daypack as you need and not worry about running out of colors. If you need something, you can easily dump out the entire daypack and not worry about losing something. You know all the equipment is grouped together, it is easy to see, it wont get wet.<br><br>I keep thinking someday I will get some nylon stuff sacks and develop a system of color coding my equipment. Then I take my Sharpie maker and write on the outside of my ziplock "Sewing Kit". Or I am repacking my stuff and I notice through the ziplock that I only have 2 quarters and 2 dimes and think payphones no longer are $.10, why not replace with all quarters and a pre-paid phone card?<br><br>As to the type of container for the total 72 hour kit, I propose something that can be worn like a backpack. Duffels will work if the straps are long enough to be used like sholder straps. As some point you may have to carry this kit and I would perfer to have my hands free. I have a Rubbermaid tub that has 4 fanny packs, some water bottles, and tyvek coveralls. I can throw the Rubbermaid tub in the vehicle and move all the stuff in one motion. I know the contents wont get crushed and its all in there. If I have to abandon the vehicle, every family member can stuff a water bottle in the pouch on the side of the fanny pack, put on the tyvek coverall for basic protection, and snap the fanny pack around their waist. Protected, Portable, Complete.<br><br>A while back someone on another board had a 5 gallon plastic bucket contest. See what you can fit into a single 5 gallon bucket and make a theme kit. I was able to fit my daypack 72 hour kit into the bucket along with a couple of bottled waters. The bucket has a handle so can be carried, is crush proof, with the lid on can be watertight, bugproof, and is generic enough not to arouse suspision. If I grow tired of lugging the bucket, I can wear the daypack and use the bucket as a seat, something to collect berries or water, or leave behind with little concern. Ziplocks in a daypack in a bucket. A bag full of bags.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/29/02 11:16 PM

Wow, this is hugely helpful to me resqman--I had the general concept, but your "bags in a bag" explanation is simple and precise. Thanks so much.<br><br>Robb.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/30/02 01:44 PM

In my deployment pack for National Medical Response Team-WMD East, I packed everything in ziplock bags and tried to squeeze out the air. Unfortunately, the bags don't seal all that well. <br>I then packed the soft goods in packing bags with a dual seal and one way valve that I got from Brigade Quartermaster. They do hold the seal and don't "re-inflate" like zip locks do.<br>These are advertised on TV all of the time.<br>If I was not using this stuff so often, I would use my vacuum sealer that I use for the freezer and heat seal them after sucking all of the air out. Just too expensive to do with the frequent use I am getting out of the stuff lately.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/30/02 04:47 PM

<br>> why not replace with all quarters and a pre-paid phone card?<br><br>Several reasons...<br>- Many phone companies and long distance resalers are facing troubling times. No guarantee that when you go to use the card that it will actually work.<br><br>- Some cards automagically deduct a portion of the balance if left inactive for a certain period of time.<br><br>- Coins can be used for both phone calls and as normal currency - dual purpose!<br><br>Keep the coins is my advice.<br><br>
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/30/02 05:26 PM

I agree that even if you squeeze all the air out of the ziplock, that most tend to leak and fluff back up to some degree. A vacumn packer is great for packing the stuff at home but once out in the field, they are difficult to reseal. Of course, you also need something to open the vacumn sealed bags while the ziplocks are self contained regarding opening and closing.<br><br>It might make sense to vacumm pack stuff in a BOB because they sit for long periods without use. By vacumn packing you reduce the chance of mold and bug investation. I would suggest keeping a few extra ziplocks to put stuff in once you break the vacumn seal. That way you can seal things back up to a lesser degree but still provide some basic water protection. <br><br>I recently used a vacumn packer to seal some bdu's before a trip. They got stiff as a board. Took up less space but became a hard item in my pack vs. a soft something up against my back. Less space, watertight, but less comfortable. Trade off.<br><br>I did use my vacumn packer to seal one 0000 steel wool pad, 1 book of matches, 3 squares of char cloth, some natural rope disassembled into a birds nest, and dryer lint in a package about 3"x5". I wanted all this tinder to be dry. The fact that the vacumn packer compresses everything made it small and helped protect the somewhat fragile char cloth. Actually made a few of these and gave them to members of my SAR team.
Posted by: Doug_Ritter

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 05/30/02 08:50 PM

Solution to rock hard vacuum packed gear is not to draw down the vacuum quite so much. The difference in pack size is minimal, the difference in flexibility is significant.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 06/01/02 12:37 PM

Why do you want to vacuum pack your gear? I'm always going over my bags, modifying things, changing them, replacing things. I guess I can see vacuum packing perishables but why the rest of the stuff? I pack foodstuffs in ziplocks, but the rest of my gear goes in either silicone impregnated stuff sacks (very lightweight) or nylon mesh sacks.<br><br>My tarp, for instance, fits nicely in a nylon mesh sack and I can tell at a glance that it's my tarp. Why would I want to vacuum pack it? If you do it to reduce bulk, the next day after the first night of bivouac, you will have a bunch of gear that won't fit in your pack. Soooo...I guess I'm interested in knowing what the advantages are to vacuum packing your gear.<br><br>Thanks from a new guy,
Posted by: Doug_Ritter

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 06/01/02 02:41 PM

Vacuum packing is a way to reduce bulk, prevent deterioration and reduce pilferage. Oftentimes when assembling a survival kit, which is what we are talking about here, one or more of these attributes are an advantage. In my experience, vacuum packing can reduce bulk of a kit by 20%-50%. In many instances that is critical. Vacuum packing keeps things dry and clean and can significantly extend the useful life of some items. Things that are vacuum packed tend to be there when you need them, there seems to be much less tendency to “borrow” items from kits when this is done, items that are too often not returned or replace.<br><br>Typical survival situation does not require moving once established, and in any case there is usually some reduction in bulk, where that was the concern, due to consuming contents or moving them from the original packaging to one’s person. I have never know this to be a problem.<br><br>For camping and similar pursuits where you are moving daily, vacuum packaging via “permanent” means (vs. Jeff’s reusable vacuum bags) is generally not nearly as useful except as you note.<br>
Posted by: Anonymous

Resqman, your 5-gal can?! - 06/02/02 02:28 AM

Resqman,<br>I was sceptical about being able to put the entire contents of my 72-hour kit into a 5-gallon plastic bucket. I must say I'm impressed! I love your idea of bags within bags and I hate not knowing immediately what is inside a bag, so the Zip-Loc baggies are great.<br><br>My question is about getting the #!!!**&$$) lid off the bucket. If it is sealed tightly, getting the lid off is, for me, next to impossible without one of those lid tools. I sure don't want to schlep that around. What's the secret? Just don't torque down the lid so tightly in the first place?<br><br>Thanks for your tips -<br><br>Mamabear
Posted by: AndyO

Re: Resqman, your 5-gal can?! - 06/02/02 02:39 AM

How about taping one of the paint store freebies to the lid or attaching it to the bail?
Posted by: AyersTG

Re: Resqman, your 5-gal can?! - 06/02/02 03:27 AM

Mamabear,<br><br>Replace the lid with a gamma seal. It has a very good gasket and is very easy to open and close. Makes 5 & 6 gallon buckets very useful as storage containers.<br><br>Do a Google search on "gamma seal" and find the best price - you should be able to get them for about $6 US.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom
Posted by: Anonymous

Tom, great suggestion! - 06/02/02 01:56 PM

Tom, <br><br>I'm always amazed at the level of my ignorance! I had never even heard of gamma seala -- they look perfect for what I need. I also like the different colors available for those of us who are borderline compulsive ;-) .<br><br>Thanks for the heads-up.<br><br>Mamabear
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Tom, great suggestion! - 06/02/02 03:14 PM

I can vouch for the "gama seal" lids also. Iv'e used<br>them for a long time river canoeing. I keep a "just in case<br>I loose the canoe and all my stuff kit" and camera,electronic<br>etc. in it. It always bobs to the top of the river and<br>the contents perfectly dry. Pretty bomb proof!<br>A couple of hints for it's use:<br>Get a bucket with nice smooth brim<br>Lube the rubber seal on the outer ring (snaps on bucket)<br>with silicon lube for better seal. (Be generous this part<br>stays put)<br>Give lid seal a light coat of lube <br>If you really pack the bucket full the lid will snag while<br>trying to screw it on.I solved this problem by cutting<br>a circle slip sheet out of thin plastic and place it between<br>the contents and the lid.<br>I bought mine in six-packs from Sportmans Guide and<br>got a good deal.<br><br>Hope this helps<br>JBL<br><br><br><br>
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 06/21/02 03:57 AM

Resqman: I sort of do that way, too. I have a large backpack with everything sorted by category in those clear plastic ziplocks. Mainly it's my hurricane kit, as I live in FL . It got a test when hurricane Floyd almost came and I took the car to a truck stop up state to wait for where it would go. I had everything I needed and so easy to keep track of. I slept in the car, with one of those battery-operated fans that work well. A few of those fans actually do work fine for 8 or ten hours. That's necessity, not luxury, in Florida.
Posted by: red_jeep

Re: Basic Bag, Case, Box For 72hr kit - 07/01/02 05:27 AM

If you're looking for EMT-type kits, I'd recommend the Jump Kit from Nocora (http://www.nocora.com/MO1.html). I use this for my personal "comprehensive" first aid kit, which is a combination of Doug's Copmrehenisve kit, and the one available at www.aeromedix.com. At $105, it's a bit pricey for a nylon bag, but extremely well-made and keeps your supplies well organized. There are zip-loc style bags velcroed into the inside (heavy-duty 3-4+ mil thickness), as well as plenty of zipper pockets inside and out to separate your gear. I only wish it had some waterproofing for the whole pack. The zip-locs stay pretty dry by themselves. <br><br>Also, on the subject of buckets: does anyone know a source for good quality, *NEW*, clean 5 or 6 gallon buckets? Does Lowe's or Home Depot carry these (without paint in them already? ) I'm in the process of assembling the supplies I have into a 72-hr kit, but haven't gotten the container yet. Right know it's all in a cardboard box waiting to be moved to my new home.