What kind of bag is ideal for a survival kit?

I know a lot of the things that are ideal in a kit, but what's the ideal bag itself? What materials are ideal?

I'm thinking a hiking pack may be best as I could throw it on and be mobile for a while before getting tired. Something that goes over the shoulder is probably out of the question. I was also considering a 'fanny pack' type deal, but I don't know if there would be enough room. Regardless I would likely get one anyway to keep small things in. Anyway, what's your setup for your bug out bag? What material(s) is it made of? If it helps, I like in the Northeast. We have all four seasons and the only time it's really wet is May. It typically snows anywhere from December to March, but there are outlying storms.

 

Get yourself a good medium Alice pack they are bulletproof and they will carry just about most things they have a frame but ya can use it without if it was me I'd keep the frame ya can carry extra kit then If needs be

 

Unfortunately they are over the shoulder most packs are

 

I have layers not A pack as such!
I have a wide leather belt with the bare essentials
Then I have a small pack with living kit in it!
And then the weapon of choice with that weapons sustainment satchel!

 

I think the best kind of bag would be thermal, those that keep both heat and cold in. Also, bags that don't weight too much. You want something resistant but not heavy. Always choose backpacks, I think this goes without saying. You don't want to be bothered by an uncomfortable bag.

 

Our family of six go hiking while camping. We all have mid grade backpacks. Sturdy water resistant nylon. Comfortable padded straps that clip together across the chest. They all have a hydration pouch & port for the hose. Multiple spacious compartments. These bags were pretty inexpensive ($40'ish) for what they offer & can easily support 72 hours worth of kit.

 

For short term I have a gear belt with suspenders. I would be comfortable with just that for at LEAST 72 hours. Then i can also pull on a medium alice pack without the frame. If you are on the move there is a reason and you probably don't want to be weighed down so that you will be slow if something pops up. Try to keep your needs small but as varied as possible. I have a fanny pack kit that will also keep me going for a week or so. If you over load yourself you will hurt yourself unless you are in great shape and accustomed to this sort of wear and tear.

 

I used to wear Alice suspenders clipped to a wide quick latch type duty belt. It was a good way to support holster & canteen. Not very modular tho. Now the new Molle gear is widely popular & adaptable to almost infinite number of configurations.

 

Si

So very true my friend. It's no secret that you're expertise & wisdom runs deep.
It makes sense that most who are interested in gaining some if that wisdom will start somewhere. Such as a 72hr bug out bag for common events like a blizzard or hurricane. Using a similar bag to for 72hr intentional camping / walk abouts to test your survival skills. Building up that wisdom & confidence. Hopefully that 72hr bag will quickly develop into that long term survival kit.

 

I don't mind the concept of a 72 Hour kit or Bug Out. On the down side it is woefully inadequate, and may give a false sense of security. On the up side it is a start, and it will put you 72 hours ahead of most people. At least you will have something. My recommendation would be a minimum of a 7-10 day kit.

To get back to the original question I would recommend a mid size back pack made of strong material and good heavy zippers. I have had good luck with the North Face brand. Make sure it will hold everything you need, and you can carry it by yourself, unassisted.

 

it's a personal choice but if you use a military pack it will draw attention to you when you don't want it. A pack with an external frame is great for loading stuff and can carry a heavy load comfortably, but my emergency bags are internal frames as they are easier to maneuver in a pinch. As for size, put together a kit that holds the bare bones minimum and see how much room you need; things that are critical in emergencies as you run out the door because the house is on fire or a mob is approaching. Packs with lots of pockets are nice, except in hostile crowds that will steal anything they can....you will end up carrying your pack in front of you, to protect items in pockets. A pack with a good functional waist belt takes the load off your shoulders and distributes it on your hips, not only reducing fatigue but also lowering the center of gravity in the pack. A book bag or day bag is just that.......carry books or stuff you use in a day.....don't use them unless you have no other choice. And definitely buy a good name brand pack; their quality control is usually higher and the quality of their components is usually higher. That being said, you need to start somewhere and most people will buy a pack on sale or one that costs a 1/3 of a similar sized name brand bag. Experiment with it and learn before you put more money down. I still have a Jansport D3 external frame that I bought in 78....zippers all work, frame is scratched and ugly, but it's utterly dependable and I can carry a full load over rough terrain for miles, without ending up like an invalid. And there's nothing wrong with buying a pack in a garage sale or on ebay, if it's close to what you want.

Good hunting

 

I think this is really an "it depends". I think the idea of walking out the door with everything on your back to survive till eternity is doable for a select few but is not realistic for even most "hard core" survivalists/ preppers. I prepare for things based on probability - is it more probable that a tornado wipes out my home and we need to get out quick or to at least have a few days taken care of or do I think a pandemic will hit tomorrow that kills off 99% of humanity in 3 days or a financial collapse creates a shtf in 24 hrs. To me even a "72 hour" bag is a misnomer. With a little ingenuity and rationing I think many could go a week or more. For us our BOB's are for a "we gotta to get out and fast" contingency, otherwise we're focused more on being in place. I don't mean this to sound harsh but the folks thinking it's gonna be a Red Dawn run off to the mountain and survive existence would be like a miniature poodle dropped off in the wilds of Alaska; they're not going to last very long before the wolves eat them.

I'd think if anyone lives in a urban area the best thing they could do is have supplies stashed somewhere like a storage unit, friends garage, etc so their entire goal and kit is to help them get from the city center to that outer fringe location to resupply and move forward from there. To me this is going to need to be smaller lighter bag, like a shoulder bag/ haversack/ small laptop style backpack. Holds a few things but is lightweight and lets you move fast while others are likely still spinning in circles. I'd say you need to put a pack or bag on today and walk around and see if you get looks and what draws attention, a military or hiking pack will likely throw up flags even today, a smaller bag like I've mentioned or even a quality day pack/ school type pack won't maybe a darker color like navy blue or forest green that is still a dark subdued color without looking tactical even black in this style will blend. But some small pack that has molle all over it and looks tactical or that's coyote brown/ black/ FDE green much less military pattern camo is gonna get sideways looks. Likely you might get less looks if it were a hunting camo like RealTree but in a city setting that's going to standout.

 

How about a shoulder-strapped beautiful heavy leather bag containing a silver-lined ceramic water filter, scrap silver coins, and a holstered nickel-plated .357 loaded with Winchester Silvertips!

Don't scratch the engraving. Pretty guns attract Satan to your side and Satan always wins in this world. My family knew this thing. They survived right through the non-survivable.

And, Satan dresses well to boot.




And one must have their survival caviar!

 

No single bag is "ideal" for every person. People are different with different needs.

 

Must mention: The basic rule is a pack frame is ideal for flat terrain. For inclines and slope walking, avoid pack frames.

The "Northeast" has places like the Green Mountains of New Hampshire - winds like western mountain states and also tidal basins like around JFK airport, New York City.

Cyclist contributor must factor this into best overall pack selection.

 

Was discussing the - basic rule - about packs.

I am 72 yo and do not like the out of kilter center of gravity change with a frame when walking up inclines.

 

Good morning Lone Wolf,

It might just be preference, based on perception,..it's my experience that I do better walking the inclines with a no-frame pack.

I also like the Alice pack except for overseas when I avoid anything of MILSPEC.

 

I have moved away from the single pack concept, I now have layers
I have an essential belt order, knife, fire kit, survival kit, water bottle, multitool, waterproof cloak, trauma kit, navigation kit and a few bits an pieces.
then a daysack/small backpack, mostly water, filters, a little food, more shelter, hatchet and folding shovel, flysheets and string, net hammock, cook kit etc
and to top it off I have weapon specific satchels/shoulder bags, one bag for the gun I carry stuffed with ammo, cleaning/repair kit for that particular gun.

This setup is far more adaptable than a single large pack.

I do not keep any essential kit in pockets as they fail easy but I keep a space blanket in each rear trouser pocket.

 

Good afternoon Oldguy,

Didn't believe Lone Wolf and I were discussing single pack versus other arrangements.

When I carry a large pack, its load-out does not include a sheath knife (I usually carry an OKC 12" chisel tip survival machete),small fire extinguisher, satellite phone, flash light and strobe light. These things are on my equipment belt.

I have a big pack mainly for a max loft sleeping bag and some other items.

One of my arrangements is wearing 2 cargo vests with "essential" stuff I deem essential....might not be essential. It depends on the current objective.

 

Oldguy: I believe I have evolved in a very similar fashion; and I would like to think each step up will keep me prepared longer, and more thoroughly. Start with an Everyday Carry combined with a Get Home Bag that stays in the car. Small, very portable. Move up to a Bug Out Bag that would include more clothing and food. More of a 72 hour bag. The Largest would be an INCH bag that would include more tools and shelter. All of them start with the five C's. All of them include IFAK's. A couple of add-ons include an ARK (armed response kit) for weapons, ammo, cleaning. An expanded med kit with toiletries, and personal items (meds, glasses, personal hygiene.) Dry bags for just that mostly clothing and blankets. All of it is readily accessible, and could be assembled in five minutes depending on the severity of the emergency.

I don't know that one bag is practical. You could make do if you had to, but I prefer the layers.

 

Having humped an Alice you can keep them, way to heavy though I love the Alice Bag, I'm also a fan of the newer Molle frames with the plastics frame -- which I'm told you can fit an Alice bag to. I have several different internal frame bags that have served me very well, be them Kelty, North Face, Marmot or Jansport's higher end packs. I'd love one of those Eberlestock packs but until I win the lottery or sell a kid the price is to steep for me.

Out of curiosity where do your loaded out packs weigh in at or those using this layered approach all the layers combined with your utility belts (why am I hearing the Batman theme song... ) weigh out at?

 

I never weighed my belt or what is in my pockets. My inch bag weighs just over 40 pounds.

 

My EDC and Get Home Bags are pretty manageable; both in the 10-15 pound range, and a part of that, a firearm and clips, would be transferred either to a belt or vest. My INCH bag is a load; probably in the 40-50 pound range. We can be mobile or portable, but we certainly won't be fast. It is better suited to a car evacuation.

CG: I am with you. I love the Eberlestock packs, but it brought tears to my eyes to see the price. They are pretty proud of those. Put that one on the someday, maybe list.

 

Mine as well, although the style would be considered a satchel or shoulder bag. Nothing fancy. Very basic. Lonewolf, I think we might call your style of bag a fanny pack. Excellent choice.

 

I would be interested to know what you have in a fanny pack for GHB. Approximately how far will you be traveling to get home? any special terrain? how about predators two and four legged?

 

I won't speak for Lonewolf, but I will say it is not hard to do. When I first started prepping one of the people that impressed me was Cody Lundin. He had a " Never Go Into the Woods without This" kit. The link shows the basic contents. I have put together several kits that easily fit in a fanny pack. All of them include the 5 C's. I kind of made a game out of it to see how small I could go. I made a really nice fire kit that fits in a prescription pill bottle 3" high and 1" diameter. Put electrical tape around the closure, and it will float. Altoids tins work for first aid and fire kits. Much depends on how far you have to go, and some things I would consider a "given". If it is Winter I will be wearing the appropriate clothing. I would bet that almost all of us could grab a few things from our car, and be just fine. It doesn't take much to get home.

I understand the security issue, but to me, that is not something that goes in a GHB. That is carried all the time. I will always carry it separately, and conceal it appropriately.

Have some fun, and see how small a kit you can make.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/bawrq4/cody_lundin_an_ultralight_survival_expert/

 

Honestly, if I started in spring or early summer, I think I could live indefinitely off of my EDC and my belt kit. It would be a rough start, but once I got over the initial hump I would be fine. I have not made a complete list of my "web belt kit", but I do have the lists made of my EDC and my "web belt first aid kit".

 

I have found it interesting that on so many of these threads people talk of avoiding anything military looking or similar on the premise you stanD out. It must be area specific. In my neck of the woods every variety of cammo and surplus is common. The only people with other stuff are people passing through. Here to be grey you go carhart, denim or cammo with military surplus or surplus looking gear. I’m not talking about mall ninjas or wannabe operators, I am talking about everyday hunters, fisherman, hikers and campers

 

Great point InnKeeper. Being "Grey" or blending in really depends on where you are. If I were in the city or some hipster place I'm gonna stand out. I mean if you're in an area where people look sideways at you for wearing jeans and a flannel and not Khakis and a button down then that's not blending. But as you say if someone is out here in the country wearing some sort of fancy dress slacks, shirt and expensive looking shiny shoes he's gonna scream out of place. All about the situation and being situationally aware.