I’m looking for something waterproof. Probably a backpack type. Big enough to carry a good bit of stuff but not too much.

Also looking for something better to keep in both cars.

What do you guys recommend. I’m open to other suggestions as well.

For that express purpose I use a North Face BASE CAMP DUFFEL (I think mine's the Large). Large, water-resistant, and can be used in backpack mode. Material is thick and very high quality, like from wetsuit. Nice color selection. This thing is a beast.

Alan Kay the survivor of season one “Alone” has this video and his reasoning...


https://youtu.be/Tk-r-X1i5i8

To add a tangent to this thread:

What do you keep in your BOB(s)?

I keep meaning to put together a couple car kits & a home bag. Need to stop putting it off.

You need a BOB that is waterproof...any reason why a rain cover won't do? A waterproof backpack is quite expensive for little capacity; the only activities that seek those type of packs are canyoneering packs, some travel packs and various one-off ideas. Check out Ortlieb, probably the most well-known of waterproof backpacks, otherwise, a rain cover for any backpack will do.

If you're planning to take your BOB to a vehicle, that vehicle will become a 4-Wheel Bug-Out rig, thus you can stock-it with a few Rubbermade containers full of food-stuffs, medicines, tools, sustainment clothing, fuel. Too many people think of just the BOB and imagine the apocalypse...the realistic societal apocalypse will be shelter-in-place, or, movement to a safe area, in-which case, you'll need a vehicle that can do that, and carry your necessary kit.

Mine is more suited to today’s situation. I just have a small “active shooter bag” has ar mag pouches on the outside, I have 6. Then I keep some hand cuffs and flex cuffs and extra pistol mags. Also have some first aid supplies like a tourniquet and Israeli bandage. Also keep some duct tape and a good pocket knife and a couple energy bars. It’s more to keep my rifle/pistol going while I gtfo. I’m not planning on running off to the woods.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Alan Kay the survivor of season one “Alone” has this video and his reasoning...

Argh!! Spoiler Alert please! I'm only halfway through the season!

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

If you're planning to take your BOB to a vehicle, that vehicle will become a 4-Wheel Bug-Out rig, thus you can stock-it with a few Rubbermade containers full of food-stuffs, medicines, tools, sustainment clothing, fuel.

This is the approach we take. If we need to get out of Dodge, our plan is to go to a friend's place that is in the woods, but can be reached without using the interstate and doesn't require crossing any major rivers.

We have a couple of these storage bins filled with gear and supplies in the garage, ready to go if the time comes.

quote:

Originally posted by limblessbiff:
Mine is more suited to today’s situation. I just have a small “active shooter bag” has ar mag pouches on the outside, I have 6. Then I keep some hand cuffs and flex cuffs and extra pistol mags. Also have some first aid supplies like a tourniquet and Israeli bandage. Also keep some duct tape and a good pocket knife and a couple energy bars. It’s more to keep my rifle/pistol going while I gtfo. I’m not planning on running off to the woods.

An honest question. Are you in law enforcement? If not why handcuffs?

quote:

Originally posted by Kuisis:

quote:

Originally posted by limblessbiff:
Mine is more suited to today’s situation. I just have a small “active shooter bag” has ar mag pouches on the outside, I have 6. Then I keep some hand cuffs and flex cuffs and extra pistol mags. Also have some first aid supplies like a tourniquet and Israeli bandage. Also keep some duct tape and a good pocket knife and a couple energy bars. It’s more to keep my rifle/pistol going while I gtfo. I’m not planning on running off to the woods.

An honest question. Are you in law enforcement? If not why handcuffs?

Every try to restrain a struggling perp? I can see how cuffs and/or zip ties would come in very handy in case of a garden-variety home invasion or other incident. I imagine it would be much better to cuff somebody than hold them at gunpoint for an hour. . .

Every try to restrain a struggling perp? I can see how cuffs and/or zip ties would come in very handy in case of a garden-variety home invasion or other incident. I imagine it would be much better to cuff somebody than hold them at gunpoint for an hour. . .[/QUOTE]

No, I haven't. I would think in a home invasion situation there would probably be gun play. Just my opinion. I can't imagine wrestling someone that was in my house in a home invasion because that is why I have other means of protection. I would think it would be dangerous to get close enough to someone, without backup, to restrain someonoe.

I am reusing my old high school backpack, roughly 3 day size, old REI. I organize everything with ziploc freezer bags, have several heavy trash bags, and a few ponchos that can cover myself and the pack. I suppose I should get a real pack cover for it. In this area I don’t trust waterproofing to one layer. I also don’t have the urge to replace my old pack.

I think I posted years ago.

(if stated, or obvious, forgive me)

Your BOB needs to be built to your experience.

Someone in Florida will be different than someone in the Rockies, Tuscon heat vs Grand Forks.
Can you survive to eat off the land or need to carry food/water?
How long?
How far will you travel?
Will you be "hunted"?
Alone or with group? Numbers matter as well as abilities of other compared to yours.
Do you have a plan?
Is it realistic?
Have you ever dragged a bag for days?

Every pound you carry is work on top of work.

Sort of like rocket to space, it takes X of fuel to lift Y of payload. Comes a point that the amount of fuel needed to get one more pound lifted, exceeds the ability to carry enough fuel to get the rocket off the pad.

There are a great number of very small and lightweight items you can carry and should have.

"Space blankets", fishing line and hooks (several individualized sets in small envelopes) small dense high carb and protein bars, drinking filter tubes, small fire starter (magnesium/flint) couple of folding knives, small low light flashlight or bright one capable of low light output. (you do not need a bright light for most things and batteries last longer) extra batteries.

Many items can have multi-use, like para-cord belt, or replacing straps on bags with handmade para-cord straps.

If money is not an issue, get the lightest weight rifle and handgun you can find. A .50 BMG and a Desert Eagle are not your friends when you have to drag them around.

Think small, be small, aim small, miss small.

Less is more.

There are a lot of things left out, the point is not to be all inclusive to any BOB, the idea is to think of what your experience might be.

Think about everything you can, yeah, your gonna miss a lot of things and not realize every possibility, but you will realize what starts making sense and what does not.

Most important.

What and why are you buggin' out?

That is the first question.

In some cases, one bag does not fit all possibilities you may encounter.

Lastly, unless one is in a "hunted" position, or fleeing from disaster, having a plan for "standing your ground" and being prepared makes more sense. You are more likely to encounter a SHTF incident in your house or vehicle than becoming a Wolverine.

Have fire extinguishers in various places, like bedrooms, keep your cellphone and charger in the bedroom, lock bedroom doors at night. (have a dog or fifty, if you can) Low light flash light (preserve night vision).
Keep a rifle or shotgun accessible in the bedroom. (various places/ways you can hide/secure them but have them loaded and ready).

Have ways and means to communicate with others, code words/phrases, places to meet depending on situations.
Think and plan and then test with family or friends that will be affected.

Your mind is your best weapon. Everything else is tools.

Keep you weapon able, clean, sharp and always ready.

And hope someday, that day, never comes.

If you intend on carrying a pack any significant distance, your only real choice is a backpacking style pack with real load bearing hip belts attached to a rigid frame.

Osprey makes good packs. REI makes good packs for a little bit cheaper. KUIU makes some compelling packs aimed for the backcountry hunter. All packs will be DWR coated for water resistance, and can be supplemented with a sil nylon pack cover for rain. Few packs are truly water proof, and as mentioned, are prohibitively expensive and have limited carry capacity.

For a smaller pack to keep in your car to "get home" with, something like a 40 liter REI Ruckpack, or Trail 40 would be about the right size to not stick out like a sore thumb. Each has a frame sheet or aluminum stay and a functioning hip belt. Designed for people who actually wear packs to go hiking, not for military cos-play like the "3 day assault" packs you see built by lesser brands.

Aside from a big 65-70 liter hiking pack to move over long distances, and a 40 liter pack to keep in your car, I learned last week with my near "bug-out" experience caused by the local wildfires that plastic bins or totes work far better than duffle bags or packs to get your shit into a car and on the move. Totes are stackable and protect the contents from being crushed. They're also way more space efficient than suitcases or pelican cases.

So, yeah, I would keep a bunch of heavy duty plastic stackable bins around. I would keep one packed with some camping gear, another packed with your dehydrated food, one packed with your tactical gear, and several stacked empty pre-staged around your house (a couple in the garage, one in the tool shed, one in each of the closets).

Get a couple of cheap Pelican style cases for important things.

Then, print out a list of things to pack, ordered from most important to least important (cash, passports, hard drive, original documents at the top -- toothpaste and toiletries at the bottom), and make copies to put in each empty bin.

Then, in a bug out situation, you can go down the list and fill the bins time permitting. Grab what you can until either the bins are full or time runs out. Load the car with the bins (each car has has a packed emergency kit in the above recommended 40 liter pack), throw the empty 70 liter packs on top and get on the move.

Later, if you have to abandon the car, you can repack into the 70 liter packs or a combination of the 70 liter pack with a lightened 40 liter pack strapped to it.

Vertx Contigency

quote:

Originally posted by Kuisis:

quote:

Originally posted by limblessbiff:
Mine is more suited to today’s situation. I just have a small “active shooter bag” has ar mag pouches on the outside, I have 6. Then I keep some hand cuffs and flex cuffs and extra pistol mags. Also have some first aid supplies like a tourniquet and Israeli bandage. Also keep some duct tape and a good pocket knife and a couple energy bars. It’s more to keep my rifle/pistol going while I gtfo. I’m not planning on running off to the woods.

An honest question. Are you in law enforcement? If not why handcuffs?

Not anymore, I have em from my time in the military police and I figure if shit flies you just may to cuff somebody, so you can get away and they can’t follow you. it’s more of a habit I guess, I realize I’d most likely never need them. But they don’t take up much room.

I use a nondescript medium daypack & store it’s contents in a dry sack. These days, can’t be too careful,right?

quote:

Originally posted by CQB60:
I use a nondescript medium daypack & store it’s contents in a dry sack. These days, can’t be too careful,right?

That’s a good idea. I’ve been trying to find something that doesn’t look like a gun case or something tactical that my tavor will fit in. The length isn’t my problem but the height, especially with an aimpoint on it is

quote:

Originally posted by Kuisis:

I would think in a home invasion situation there would probably be gun play. Just my opinion. I can't imagine wrestling someone that was in my house in a home invasion because that is why I have other means of protection. I would think it would be dangerous to get close enough to someone, without backup, to restrain someonoe.

Yes, going hands-on would be a last resort. But, when the crap hits the fan, one never knows in advance how it will go down.

Still, it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. . .

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
Still, it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. . .

There’s certainly an argument for that. And zip ties can be useful for all kinds of things.