Below is my wife’s BOB bag inventory and images.
Current weight with the complete below listed inventory – 45lbs even. This counts the Sig 229, mags and holster.

Weights Measured with "My Weigh Ultraship-75lb" scale. When weighing under 2 lbs accuracy is to 0.1 oz, above 2 lbs accuracy is to 0.5 oz.

I am currently making some adjustments as I want to drop approximately 10lbs of overall weight while adding some more food and either MUM-14 or PVS-18 night vision.

I plan to accomplish this by:

going to a light more efficient sleeping bag
reducing the cold weather gear by switching to merino wool
trimming the medical kit
trimming the repair kit
trimming the hygiene kit
switching Streamlight M6 for Surefire X300

As always, it is a balance as I do not want to lose capabilities. Though physically and mentally prepared, neither my wife nor I want to make a foot movement when we can either drive out or stay at home. Regardless, worst case is something we prepare for.
There are a number of items that are unnecessary for survival so-to-speak, but are in place as they fulfill there role in what I foresee as the most likely events occurring in SoCal whether natural (fire, earthquake, flood, etc.) or man-made (political unrest, HazMat spill, etc.).

Our bags are packed under the premise we may not be able to return anytime soon and our house will be ransacked or destroyed upon return. Nothing we will be wearing/carrying mark us as anything other than a couple idiots with big backpacks. My truck is preloaded with additional equipment and supplies almost continuously as I have a locking tonneau cover and I only drive a couple miles each way to work.

Our bags complement each others, though there is a bit of redundancy. I have a MSR Sweetwater (though the HyperFlow looks nice), more advanced medical gear, and more food. My bag is a coyote ruck that I will post as soon as I reconcile everything in it.

Our hard drives (each of us has a duplicate copy 2.5” hard drive updated weekly) contain all of our pictures scanned at 600x600 dpi, all account, medical, professional, etc information that we have. It was a pain to scan it all, but it is easy to maintain once your up-to-date.

BTW, my background and profession have me training, if not working almost continuously ─ in the field and elsewhere. My training/experience is above average. We are both fit. The reason most of our gear is new/like new comes from my obsessive desire to have new/like new crap if it becomes so bad we need it. I purchase it through work and test it out; if I like it, I buy it new for our bags, verify it is good to go, modify as needed and store for a rainy day. Everything is always left packed and ready to go with what is on the appropriate listing. Perhaps not the cheapest or most efficient way to do it, but it works.

If you have questions or constructive suggestions/advice, let me know.


































CARRY METHOD Quantity Present
PRIMARY STORAGE
Kelty Coyote (2007) 4500 Women's - (4500ci/73.8liters, 5.6lbs/2.4kg) - Sky Blue & Pearl Gray 1
Maxpedition OCTA Versipack - Black 0
Maxpedition M-5 Waistpack - Black 0
Maxpedition Rollypoly Folding Dump Pouch - Black 0
INTERNAL PROTECTION & ORGANIZATION
Sea to Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack - Large - Gray/Black/Mustard 0
Small Plastic Pill Bags 8
Ziploc Freezer Bags - 1 Quart 44
Ziploc Freezer Bags - 1 Gallon 13
Ziploc Freezer Bags - 1 Gallon - Gorilla Tape Wrapped 1
Eagle Creek Pack-It Sac - Small - 10" x 8" 1
Kifaru Ultralight Pullout - Small (5" x 8") - Coyote 4
Kifaru Ultralight Pullout - Medium (6" x 10") - Coyote 2
Kifaru Ultralight Pullout - Large (8" x 13.5") - Coyote 2
Kifaru Ultralight Pullout - X-Large (10" x 15") - Coyote 1
MISCELLANEOUS/ADDITIONAL - CARRY METHOD
Full Size Locking Aluminum Carabineer 1
Small Non-Locking Aluminum Carabineer 1


FOOD - 3 days of food, cooking/eating gear Quantity Present
SNACKS
Clif Bar - Crunchy Peanut Butter (250cal, 6gm fat, 40gm carb, 12gm protein) 2
Clif Bar - Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch (250cal, 6gm fat, 43gm carb, 11gm protein) 1
Clif Bar - Peanut Toffee Buzz (250cal, 6gm fat, 42gm carb, 11gm protein) 0
Trail Mix Fruit & Nut Bars (140cal, 4gm fat, 25gm carb, 3gm protein) 1
Fiber One Bar - Oats & Peanut Butter (140cal, 4.5gm fat, 28gm carb, 3gm protein)
Fiber One Bar - Oats & Carmel (140cal, 3.5gm fat, 30gm carb, 2gm protein) 1
Fiber One Bar - Oats & Chocolate (140cal, 4gm fat, 29gm carb, 2gm protein) 1
South Beach Diet Protein Cereal Bar - Cranberry Almond (140cal, 5gm fat, 15gm carb, 10gm protein) 1
Swiss Miss Cocoa w/ Calcium & Caffeine 4
Pack of Gum - Dentene Ice 1
FOOD
Lipton Pasta Sides - Chicken - 4.2oz wt (Requires: 2 cups water )(440cal, 6gm fat, 82gm carb, 14gm protein) 2
COOKING TOOLS & EATING UTENSILS
Cleaning Kit - Green Scratch Pad, Sponge, Campsuds 2oz travel bottle soap 1
Titanium Fork - Snow Peak 1
Titanium Spoon - Snow Peak 1
Titanium Cup - Vargo Ti-Lite Mug w/ Lid 750ml 1
Titanium Esbit Wing  Stove 1
Esbit Solid Fuel Tabs 6
Thermojet MicroLight Alcohol Stove - Stove, Windshield, Pot Support, 4oz fuel bottle w/ alcohol, storage bag 1
Fuel Bottle - w/ 4oz alcohol - 1oz S-L-X Denatured Alcohol 1


WATER - 2 Liters packed, 6-12 month filtering capability Quantity Present
WATER STORAGE/GATHERING
Nalgene Wide mouth Bottle w/ Guyot Splashguard & Bottle Harness 1
Platypus 1-Liter/35oz Bladder 1
Platypus 4-Liter/140oz Bladders 2
Disposable 1 Liter Water Bottles - Prefilled 2
WATER FILTERING/PURIFICATION
Katadyn Micropur Water Tabs - 30 Pack - Expires: 1
Sweetwater Purification Solution 1


SHELTER - Lightweight expedient w/ poncho, poles, stakes, guy lines                                                                                                                                  CLOTHING - Rain/Windy/Hot/Cold weather clothing, sleeping gear                                                                           Quantity Present
SHELTER & SLEEPING GEAR
Sea to Summit Sil Tarp-Poncho - 57" x 110" (12.2oz) 1
Disposable Plastic Poncho - Clear 1
Vargo Outdoor Titanium Nail Pegs 8
Bungee Cords - 36" 4
Sleeping Bag - Military Sleeping System - Green Military Bag 1
Bivy Bag - Outdoor Research Aurora Bivy - Mojo Blue/Gray 1
Space Blanket 1
CLOTHING - LAYERS, BASIC CLOTHING & UNDERGARMENTS
Sea to Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack - Large - Gray/Black/Mustard 1
TAD Gear Stealth Jacket SS v4.0 - Small - Dark Grey - NiWax Treated 1
Long Underwear - REI Lightweight MTS Synthetic long sleeve zippered top - Small - Black 1
Long Underwear - REI Lightweight MTS Synthetic bottom - Medium - Black 1
Microlight Terramar EC-2 Synthetic Top - Small - Black 1
Under Armour Fleece Beanie - One Size - Black 1
Turtle Fur Windtech Shaped Fleece Neck Gaiter - One Size - Black 1
Smart Wool Socks - Women's Size 8.5 - Grey 2
Pearl Izumi Synthetic Socks - Women's Size 8.5 - Grey 2
ExOfficio Underwear Synthetic briefs - Medium - Black 1
ExOfficio Underwear Synthetic Boyshorts - Medium - Black 1
Under Armour Synthetic Sports Bra - Medium - Black 1
Columbia Explorer Synthetic Convertible Pants - Size 6 - Mossy Banks 1
UnderArmour Synthetic T-Shirt - Small - Black 1
Boonie Hat - Tan 1
Hatch Gloves - Medium - OD 1
Outdoor Research Gloves - Medium - Black 1
Slippers - Locals 1


MEDICAL - Basic First Aid for: Pain, discomfort, bleeding                                                                                                                                                             Quantity Present
PERSONAL PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE
Yasmin Birth Control Pills - 1 Pack of 28 pills (4-weeks) - Expires: Feb2010 3
PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE
Doxy - Doxycycline 100mg - 50ct - Expires:
Ery-Tab - Erythromycin 250mg - 50ct - Expires:
Cipro - Ciproflaxin Hydrochloride 500mg - 50ct - Expires:
Z-Pak - Zithromax 250mg - (2) 6ct Z-Paks - Expires:
Flexeril - Cyclobenzaprine HCl 5mg - 21ct - Expires:
Percocet - Oxycodone and Acetaminophen Tablets USP 5mg/325mg - 84ct - Expires:
OVER THE COUNTER MEDICINE
Tylenol Extra Strength - Acetaminophen 500mg - 20ct - Expires: 1
Motrin Extra Strength - Ibuprofen 200mg - 20ct - Expires: 1
Bayer Extra Strength - Aspirin 500mg - 20ct - Expires: 1
Sudafed Nasal Decongestant - Pseudoephedrine HCI 30mg - 24ct - Expires: 1
Imodium - Loperamide HCl 2 mg - 12ct - Expires: 1
Ex-Lax - Sennosides USP 25mg - 12ct - Expires: 1
Benadryl Allergy - Diphenhydramine HCI 25mg - 20ct - Expires: 1
Pepto Bismol Tabs - Bismuth subsalicylate 262 mg - 12ct - Expires: 1
TUMS EX Extra Strength - Calcium Carbonate USP 750mg - 8ct roll - Expires: 1
Blistex Medicated Ointment - Expires: 1
Neosporin + Pain Relief .5 oz - Expires: 1
Lotrimin Ultra Anti-Fungal Cream - Butenafine Hydrochloride 1% - 12gm - Expires: 1
Preparation H Cooling Gel - Phenylephrine HCl 0.25%, Witch hazel 50.0% -  .6oz - Expires: 1
MEDICAL SUPPLIES & TOOLS
Uncle Bill's Sliver Gripper Tweezers 1
6" Trauma Shears 1
Ace Wrap 1
3M Coban Self-Adherent Wrap - 3" x 5 yards 1
Gauze Pads - 2"x 2" 5
Adhesive Bandages - 3" x 2" 2
Adhesive Bandages - 4" x 3" 2
H and H Compressed Gauze - 4.5" x 4.1 yards 2
Nitril Gloves - pair 4
Medical Tape - 1 roll 1
Adventure Medical Kits - Blister Medic 1
Water Gel Burn Jel - 1oz 5
Body Glide Anti-Friction and Sun Formula - 1.3oz 1
DENTAL
Adventure Medical - Dental Medic - Expires: 1
Anbesol Maximum Strength - .41fl oz - Expires: 1

HYGEINE GEAR - Toiletries, Personal Cleansing Quantity Present
HYGIENE KIT
1/2 Bar of Soap 1
Soap Box 1
Crest Toothpaste .85fl oz 2
Toob Brush w/ refillable toothepaste tube 1
Reach Dental Floss - Waxed 1
Small Mirror - Coghlan's 1
Venus Handle 1
Venus Razor Blades 2
Fingernail Clippers 1
Tweezers 1
Curved Blade Cuticle Scissors 1
Purell Hand Sanitizer 2.0fl oz 1
Banana Boat Aloe Vera Lip Balm w/ SPF 30 1
Dove Deodorant 2.6oz 1
Q-Tip-30 Purse Pack 1
Shampoo - 2.0fl oz 1
Conditioner - 2.0fl oz 1
Hair Clip, Large 1
Hair Clip Small 4
Hair Band 4
MSR Pack Towel - 12" x 36" 1
Charmin Toilet Paper Roll 1
Baby Wipes - 40 pack 1
Freshette Urinary Aid 1
Maxi Pads 10
Panty Liners 14
Thong Liners 7
Visine AC Eye Drops - .5oz 2

TOOLS - Basic repair, rigging, signal, fire, power, miscellaneous Quantity Present
MULTI-TOOLS & CUTTING TOOLS
Leatherman Pulse w/ case 1
Benchmade Model 9100 Auto-Stryker - Folder 1
Sabrecut Saw 1
ResQMe Tool - Black 1
LIGHT
Fenix P2D CREE LED 2-4.2v - 9 lumens/30hrs, 40 lumens/5.5hrs, 80 lumens/2hrs, 135 lumens/1hr, Strobe mode, w/ (2) CR123 Battery 1
Petzl Headlamp - Tactikka XP 60hrs/high output, 120hrs/low output, w/ (3) Energizer Lithium AAA 1
FIRE
Brunton Firestorm Lighter - Full 1
Wet Fire Tinder 2
Disposable Butane Lighter - Full 2
Blastmatch 1
12 Waterproof matches (REI) in orange waterproof match case 1
REPAIR/RIGGING SUPPLIES
Zipties - medium 20
550 cord - 50 feet 1
Gorilla Tape - 25' 1
Krazy Glue - 2gram
Patch Kit - (2) Gortex-Black 4" x 2", (6) Platypus-Clear 1" x 1" , cloth, (4) rip-stop-Black 3" x 5", SilNylon, no see-um netting 18" x 24" 1
Sewing Kit - Includes 1 50 yard spool black Kevlar thread, 4 Safety Pins, straight pins, buttons 1
McNett Tenacious Tape (Stored in Blue Plastic Tube Marked "Clean Tape")  - Clear 20" x 3" 1
McNett SeamGrip - 1oz w/ brush and brush cap 1
McNett SilFix Repair Kit (Stored in Orange Plastic Tube) - SilFix 1/4oz, (1) Clean Tape Patch, (1) Sil-Nylon Swatch, Brush, guide 1
.032 dia Non-Insulated Steel Wire - 20' 1
SIGNALING
Whistle - Jet Scream - Black 1
Aviators Signal Panel (Ultralight Air Panel)
POWER  
Vector Power Adapter - 12v clamps to female cigarette socket 1
Spare Batteries CR123 - Energizer Lithium 6
Spare Batteries AA - Energizer Lithium 12
Spare Batteries AAA - Energizer Lithium 4
SF Planet Battery Travel Charger - Mini USB Cell Phone Charger w/ Moto-Q Adapter - Holds 4AA batteries - 1.5oz Empty 1
MISCELLANEOUS - TOOLS
Trowel - Plastic - Orange 1
Timex Women's Ironman Watch 1

NAVIGATION - Day/Night, starting from known/unknown point, with/without GPS Quantity Present
Navigation Cheat Sheets
Navigation Plan w/ Destinations, Routes & Alternate/Tertiary Destinations and Routes
Brunton Eclipse 8096AR UTM Compass - Primary 1
Brunton Glowmate Button - Tertiary 1
Rand McNally Easyfinder Street Map 1
Protractor - Civilian and Military 1
Map Pens - 4-color kit 1
Alcohol Pen 1
Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx w/ carrying case, lanyard, 2GB MicroSD card, 2008 Topo Maps loaded 1
Rite in Rain Book w/ case - 3" x 5" - Tan 1
Silver Sharpie 1
Black Sharpie 1
Black Space Pen 1
China Marker 0
Mechanical Pencil 1

COMMUNICATIONS - Short range COMMS with ability to extend range at will - Situational Awareness Quantity Present
COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION
COMM Plan - Contacts, Phone #'s, Addresses, Frequencies, Brevity Codes
Phone Card - AT&T
Phone Card - Sprint
ARRL Repeater Directory
HAM Reference Sheets, HAM License, Comm Reference Sheets, 1
COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES
Yaesu VX-7R w/ Extra battery, AA battery case, cigarette lighter adapter, carrying case, Barometer chip, BNC antenna adapter, aftermarket tri-band antenna, handset, Ear piece PTT, Y cable,  w/ 2 Lithium AA 1
Grundig World 100 Shortwave Radio, w/ 2 Lithium AA 1
COMPUTER/DATA
Otterbox 3000 1
UPGRADE TO 320GB - 160GB 7200 RPM USB/Firewire Hard Drive w/ Encrypted Data Backup of: Financial, Documents, Files, Records, Photographs, Information, All irreplaceable/difficult to replace data 1

DEFENSE - Non-lethal, Close Quarters, Short Range, Medium Range, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), SECURITY - Alarm Quantity Present
NON-LETHAL
FIREARMS
Streamlight M6 Pistol light 6v - 90lumens/60min w/ 2 CR123 Lithium Batteries 1
Blackhawk Nylon Belt Holster - Universal for Mid/Large Pistols carried without light 1
SigArms 229 - 9mm Luger 1
Bladetech Holster for SigArms 229 Pistol w/ Light Mounted 1
SigArms 229 10 Round Magazines - Loaded w/ Hydrashok 2
SigArms 229 13 Round Magazines - Loaded w/ Hydrashok 2
Weapons Cleaning Gear - Lube, Bore Snake, AP Brush, metal brush 1
RECON
MUM-14 Generation-3 Night Vision w/ Accessory Box, IR Strobes, White Strobes
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
3M N100 Mask 1
ESS CDI Eye Protection w/ Clear and Dark Lenses in case 1
Peltor Skull Screw Ear Plugs - Pair 2


MISCELLANEOUS Quantity Present
Emergency Checklist - What to Grab, What to do if: Displacing or Staying Home
Inventory Sheet for Entire Kit
Keys - Home, Vehicles, Work, Safety Deposit Box Keys
Wallet w/ Government ID, Credentials, Drivers License, Passports, CCW, money - $5000+ cash, debit cards, credit cards, immunization record
$10 Quarters 1

***BELOW ITEMS NOT COUNTED IN WEIGHT ****

STANDBY BAG W/ CLOTHES, EXTRA EDC - If not dressed/dressed properly, clothes prepped to wear Quantity Present
Columbia Trail Meister - Women's 8.5 - NiWax Treated 1
Columbia Explorer Synthetic Convertible Pants - Size 6 - Mossy Banks 1
Blackhawk CQB Riggers Belt - Small - Black 1
UnderArmour Synthetic T-Shirt - Small - Black 1
Long Sleeve Cotton T-Shirt - Gray 1
ExOfficio Underwear Synthetic Boyshorts - Medium - Black 1
Under Armour Synthetic Sports Bra - Small - Black 1
Smart Wool Socks - Women's Size 8.5 - Grey 1
Motorola Q Phone w/ High Speed Internet & GPS, 2GB MicroSD
Street Maps
Flash Drive w/ Data including a database of repeaters, contact information, resources
Neck Holder for ID

Very, very, nice.

Only suggestion I have would be some afterbite or bug repellent, or both.  You might have some, it just didn't jump out at me.  

I've also found it *extraordinarily* useful to get a postal scale and measure each individual item in my bags.  (Fish scale for the bigger ones and for the totals, like you).  Put the items, quantities, and weights in an excel spreadsheet, then sort it by total weight.  That showed very quickly what the biggest problems were.  It also showed that, once you got past the big 5 or 10 items (maybe more in your case, due to the firearm and ammo and drive and such), weight significance plummeted.  So much so that it became clear that eliminating one water bottle, or one emergency ration, allowed me to quadruple the lighter capabilities.  I've thus, over time, added significantly to my first aid kits and to some of the other areas, while barely making a dent in the overall weight.  In fact, after the first 5 or 10 items, and some light clothes, everything else in my bags, all dozens and dozens of tiny items that you'd think would "add up", didn't even break 10 pounds.  That's pretty obvious in theory, but actually seeing it in practice, in a spreadsheet, really allows you to figure out your cuts before you actually make them.  It also, of course, gives you a nice inventory of what you've got.

I love those little 100PE radios as a complement to a VHF/UHF ham HT.  Heck, I like them by themselves, too.

Could you give some more info on your shelter solution, and what temperatures/conditions it's suitable for?

Your pretty good, I was looking at the bug repellant issue earlier and realized I took off her list and in turn, never packed it in her bag.

As far as the shelter.

I have the sleeping bag and bivy bag. Together they claim down to about 20 degrees. I think thats optimistic, especially since alot of women sleep cold. I am planning for 30 degrees with the bag and bivy, not counting beenies or other cold weather protection. The sleeping surface could also become an issue, but I don't want us to carry mats so I'll just have to as slective as possible before bedding down. The poncho has stakes, bungees and 550 cord to use as necessary to augment for rain. The fact is I'm in Socal and I'm more concerned about shady people than the environment.

Quoted: Your pretty good, I was looking at the bug repellant issue earlier and realized I took off her list and in turn, never packed it in her bag. As far as the shelter. I have the sleeping bag and bivy bag. Together they claim down to about 20 degrees. I think thats optimistic, especially since alot of women sleep cold. I am planning for 30 degrees with the bag and bivy, not counting beenies or other cold weather protection. The sleeping surface could also become an issue, but I don't want us to carry mats so I'll just have to as slective as possible before bedding down. The poncho has stakes, bungees and 550 cord to use as necessary to augment for rain. The fact is I'm in Socal and I'm more concerned about shady people than the environment.

elements can kill ya just as fast as "shady" folks

very nice kit for sure, lotta good well thought out items.

whats the total weight of her load out and can she hump it?nvm re-read it.
only thing that i dont like is stuff in heavy/bulky packaging(aka the razors etc)
one hint, drop those h20 bottles, and just carry one of those platys filled. or replace it with the small 1 liter they make with the sport bottle cap.
drop the poncho for a sil tarp- it'll save some bulk and some lb's.
but sides that very nice post!

Didn't go through everything in detail yet but one thing I noticed is that you have denatured alcohol in there for stove fuel.

For the small quantity involved I would just use everclear, mainly just because of poisoning concerns for leakage/spillage/accidental consumption.  Would also be useful medicinally as a topical antiseptic, and straight ethanol is a little easier on seals and gaskets than the denatured which has methanol.

ETA:  You also have a bottle of Purell hand sanitizer which is just ethanol with a gelling agent... could just replace that with additional liquid ethanol and have more flexibility.

You could save .05 or whatever ounces by using the wallet size amateur radio license versus the picture frame size

Protus - your right. too much unnecessary plastic packaging

Gamma762 - Good point. Trimming down the licenses will also be less annoying. I would shitcan the Ham reference sheets too, because we're both solid on the radios, but the lingo is a bit different than what I normally use. You also forgot about the last advantage of the everclear instead of denatured alcohol....


Thanks for your help and input

You can laminate that license, if you haven't already, for a buck at Kinko's.  Much more resilient that way.

looks very nice. I see a few things I recognize. A bunch of stuff is more complete than my kit, time to get off my butt! You guys have done a LOT of hard work. All the little stuff is the hard parts and you’ve done it. Impressive.

you already figured out where to trim weight. I don't have much time tonight, so here’s just a few things I see.

Get a small electronic kitchen scale, that alone will save you 5% on your weight as you look hard at stuff and packaging etc.

What is the hard case? I personally dumped my hard cases and a lot of little ditty bags and replaced them with thick zipper style ziplocks and saved a lot of weight.

You have a lot of batteries, how long do you plan to go? Would a charging system be lighter or more versatile? Can you get rid of AAAs and just use AAs

After talking light I like footwear that will stay on my feet. The lightest sandals that strap on would be my choice, even if they weigh more than flip flops. Back in the day, we would all wear tevas in the Patrol base when we needed to get out of our boots.

Alcohol pens and heavy notebook with cover?

The 550 will do what the bungees will do for less weight and more versatility. I dumped my stakes even though they were T-stakes, I found (as I already knew) that I could do anything I wanted with sticks and rocks.

In NOLA I was able to get all the news stations and emergency broadcast I needed on my HAM, didn’t need another radio. Can your radio do FRS/GMRS? I modded mine to.

Does your phone have onboard GPS or just cell enabled GPS? Because that would save you the GPS and charging system, batteries, etc.

I’ve decided I don’t need a heavier bag than a snugpack jungle bag. I can add my clothes and if it is colder than that I should be upping my clothes to match, therefore my sleeping system bumps up automatically. First things I have is a puffy jacket, then thin mountain hardwear puffy pants, then thicker puffy pants, then a puffy vest, etc.

A sleeping pad is worth at least twice its weight in sleeping bag. Tyvek groundsheet weighs almost nothing and help a lot in the wet.

Can you store your information requirements off-site with loved ones so you only need a thumb drive?

I say the same thing every time....

hump it for 3-5 days, then re-evaluate.. you never know what is truly going to piss you off about your load or what you really like until you get dirty with it.

Otherwise looks like a good bunch of stuff.

ETA: make sure your wife has basic orienteering/land-nav skills with just a compass and a map.  I did an exercise with some buddies one weekend (both former eagle scouts, one with extensive .mil experience) expecting to do fine and left feeling like I needed much more practice.

JBlitzen - Docs are laminated

Ragnar - I am a reader of your bag thread as well as the one by Protus.

I found your logic to be gtg and in many areas I adopted a modified version. As you said, there are somethings that are easy to recognize.

I have been using a digital mail scale as mentioned above. It does work wonders. Everything is accounted for very tightly on a spreadsheet.

The hard case is to protect the hard drive. While perhaps not an absolute necessity if I am careful (or if I utilize a flash drive as suggested) it is what I am using simply because of the sheer volume of docs and pictures, etc that are backed up. I'll have to attempt to make up for the dead weight elsewhere.

The bungess, notebook case and extra pens are gone now. I am in search of a lighter weight sleeping bag, preferably under 24oz. While also partial to using with bivys, I may drop that as well.

Both of our phones have GPS and data, but I am not confident in the phones offline capabilities yet. I have a ready back staged next to our emergency bags with a complete change of appropriate clothes and basic items. I will post it later with my bag as it is pretty basic.

My goal is to get both bags (hers and mine) under 40lbs (with hers around 30lb even) counting 1 pistol w/ x300 and mags for each of us. I need to do that while increasing the chow, and dropping some non essential crap.

I also am trying to maintain fundemental items that increase our efficiency/capabilities. Food/water purification/shelter/pistol/NV/surreptitious (covert) entry/Nav, etc. Unfortunately, I am overdoing this a bit and have her gear overloaded.

I have removed a number of basic hygiene and medical items from this bag in an effort to reduce the overall weight to under 40lbs closer to 30lbs


TxRabbitBane - As far as me going out and humping it for 3-5 days....you clearly didn't read the whole post....A 3-5 day nature walk isn't a "hump", and neither one is what I am preparing for. (though I do like nature walks) I appreciate the advice though, because you have a valid point. You are right on the money about land nav. Her's needs alot of work.



Thanks all for the input. I have some down time for the next week or two. I will scrub these items, adjust and repost soon along with my bag. Maybe seeing them both together there will be more obvious weight to drop.

I wondered if the hardcase was for the harddrive, understandable. I’d try to figure out how to offsite that data and dump it personally. But honestly depending on how bad the situation is I’d be tempted to keep my laptop!

Phones are a pain in the ass but if you can make them do everything they are supposed to do they are awesome. I’ve read of some guys putting full PDA operating systems on thumbdrives but don’t know anything about that stuff. Hopefully a friend is going to sit down and give me a private lesson in tech stuff. The bigger IPODs can do some great stuff also. I’m tempted to get a one and put a lot of stuff on it.

300 rounds! Shit I can barely bring myself to carry a third magazine! I wouldn’t carry more than 3 mags and another 50rds extra personally, by that time let’s get a real gun.

It appears primloft is the best insulation when wet there is right now. Do a 40-50 degree bag and a puffy jacket with hood (to get 10 more degrees from the bag and have wearable shelter) I’m using a snugpack but I don’t know that it is the best. I just liked the bug net and I liked that it zips out flat., I’d also rather have a couple more oz and some foot room.

Seriously though, I’m impressed with your stuff. I’m obsessive/compulsive but as a EOD guy its apparent you are pretty anally retentive! (which is a  good thing with your job!) Your attention to detail is obviously very high.

Bivis are nice I can just never bring myself to carry one. Just seems wasted weight. I’ve never “needed” one, but everyone sure seems to use them.

Also get some of the military bug stuff that you spray your clothes with and wash with and do everything, including the pack, outside of sleeping bag, poncho, sleeping pad, the whole deal. Re-do every six months. I also carry a little bug headnet. I just can’t see doing everything else right and then letting the little bastards bring me down!


If you are ever in WA let me know.

TxRabbitBane - As far as me going out and humping it for 3-5 days....you clearly didn't read the whole post....A 3-5 day nature walk isn't a "hump", and neither one is what I am preparing for. (though I do like nature walks) I appreciate the advice though, because you have a valid point. You are right on the money about land nav. Her's needs alot of work.

I love my wife, but the only place she has dead-on land nav skills is in the mall, and I don't think she can even read the "you are here" map.  And I think you get my point about humping the gear, and that's that you never really know what works and what does not until you actually have to use it.  Certain things that seem really neat turn out to not work for shit, and other things get overlooked leaving you in the "damn I wish I had X" position.  It would suck to be in a disaster situation only to find your untried gizmo doesn't work under the conditions you're facing, or is too heavy, or pokes you in the kidney while you walk, etc.  I say this in numerous posts, because it's especially important for someone like me (who follows the "less is more" philosophy).  Every time I take stuff out (not nearly often enough), I learn something that either doesn't work for me, or think of something I really wish I had.  It's a continual process.  In another 20-30 years I might know as much as someone like Protus, at which point it'll all be old hat

Ragnar - My typing skills aren't the best. By "x300" I was referring to the weapon light (Surefire pistol light that replaced the X200). I apologize for the miscommunication. Yeah, if I'm carring 300 rounds for the pistol in my bag, it might be time to re-evaluate what I am planning for and what I am using. I only have 3 mags total per bag. I am researching storing data off site as you have suggested. I just need to come up with something fail safe while remaining secure. As far as the bag and shelter, I am going to shitcan the bivy and bag for something along the lines of a Marmot Pounder. that would drop about 56oz alone.

TxRabbitBane - Your definately right. I know guys that can't find themselves out of a wet paper bag. The land nav is an issue I am addressing (she has the concepts down, her prac ap is getting better) as well as advanced medical training. I am trying to sneak her into a Live Tissue Medical course, but I have to get her base skills improved to make it worthwhile. I also see eye-to-eye with you about trying your gear as well as regularly getting used to carrying it. Plenty of people overestimate their abilities to move distance under weight. So we are working on her conditioning with a heavier load, though we are going to start using that pack when we hike together so she gets used to the different strap configuration, etc.

I nominate this for the title of

MOAB

Mother Of All Bobs'

great post, well equipped trio you have there... use it and see what you need or don't need.

is this a pack to live out of for a few days? or to use to get to a destination??

good stuff
Mike

Ok.

So on my wifes bag, I cut several pounds pretty quickly, but then added some weight in food. I am hovering around 40lb now. I still need to drop around 10lbs in the bag.

Immediately after working on her bag, I began to check mine (48lbs). Seeing the amount of unnecessary redundancy between the two bags, it became evident that in my plan for redundancy, I had went a bit overboard. Checking the bags together helped make it easier to see. There is a lot I can drop between the two bags and maintain a reasonable capability for the goals I have outlined. Before I continue my revision, I wanted to post what I saw when I got my hands back in both bags and you will see what I mean. For example, I have a shortwave radio in my bag and another in my wifes. A good capability? Yes. Necessary to have one in each bag? Not exactly. The list goes on.
I do want to maintain a certain amount of redundancy, but not at the cost of sacrificing all mobility. While I have no intention of putting on my ruck and making a long foot movement, I believe at least the capability to move reasonable distances on foot must be maintained for contingency planning. In all actuality, if used for a contingency, these bags will be placed in my truck along with a large quantity of sustainment gear similarly staged and I will drive to one of several predetermined locations.
I am on leave for another week before heading back to work. I am currently in a school phase, so time is at a premium. I am trying to get a better working product, but I am limited in the amount of time I can currently invest. Hopefully the attached pictures can help spark some additional ideas for someone out there on things you want to add or things you do not want to do. This is what I am working on. I have taken a lot of advice, respectfully declined some more, but all constructive comments are welcome.

The tan bag in the foreground of the other two bags is a pack that is staged with our rucks. It contains a complete, change of clothes, semi/new hiking shoes that are freshly treated with NiWax and a brief list of crap to grab when running out the door and time is available. This was invaluable during the wild fires last year. I was in FL training and my wife had to grab everything out of the house on her own. She knew what to grab, and everything was easily manageable.


Wifes Bag Revision I













My Bag Revision I











Bag containing consolidated change of clothes




Beyond the items previously mentioned for review and correction, you will notice some similarities between bags. This makes it easier for us to manage as the bags remain packed as is at all times.

This isn't page two.

Quoted: This isn't page two.

damn tried to make it lol.

good pic's.

lotta ways to cut Lbs man,, just a matter of really cutting fluff out- not useless fluff but bulk/vs weight.

use items that pull bdl duty.
example-
stove- why pack two.  one person carrythe stove,one the fuel . even without a stove you can still cook via fire. or pack small versions. aka soda can stoves or similar designs. ya get the idea  i hope.

Quoted: Your wife's pack is 40 pounds? How far can you guys go in a day carrying those loads, and can you carry my pack too? I mean at a normal pace on an easy flat trail or dirt road

I didnt really give any though to the fact that we will be together and items can be cut when I packed these rucks. As mentioned above, the goal weight for her ruck is around 30lbs. Now that I have reviewed the contents of mine, it becomes more clear which items can easily be cut.

I am confident in my ability to move my ruck far longer distances than the above average man with no external support system. Still, I am cutting mine another 10lbs. My wife is in far better condition than the average woman. No matter how far I cut my wifes pack, she will be unlikely to be able to move it as far as I would like. This is the reality, fantasies of foot movements for long distances likely not be very successful here in Southern California except in minor circumstance. Other methods of transportation are preferred and more efficient use of energy.

Quoted: Quoted: This isn't page two. damn tried to make it lol. good pic's. lotta ways to cut Lbs man,, just a matter of really cutting fluff out- not useless fluff but bulk/vs weight. use items that pull bdl duty. example- stove- why pack two.  one person carrythe stove,one the fuel . even without a stove you can still cook via fire. or pack small versions. aka soda can stoves or similar designs. ya get the idea  i hope.

Yeah, Pt2 / Pg2 I cant count or type.


I thought the alcohol stoves were pretty handy so I packed one in each bag. The stuff just adds up. At least now I have what I need, I will just be cutting items out and/or replacing them with lighter weight models at the first chance (sleeping bag and bivy are one of the first items I want to replace.)

good to go!

I have some work to do...thanks for the great article on this and photos!

You packed your wife a boonie cap but what about a beenie cap made of fleace? It will keep her warmer. Remember when your feet are cold put on hat.