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.