Posted: 5/15/2009 5:31:25 PM EDT
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My job has me traveling anywhere from 78-125 miles a day, (2hours total trip going speed limit). From the coastal areas of NE Florida to NE Georgia (JAX to Savannah). I know I-95 like none other. As most know, this freeway runs close to the coast for the majority of th time (w/in 20miles). Alot of this area is marsh/swamp, with several bridges inbetween.
My wife is currently stationed in Pensacola, FL which is directly west through similar types of terrain, for approximately 380 miles, (5 hours by car). With Hurricane season coming up, I want to be able to be prepared to leave behind the car, bump out of the car for halfway drag, etc for whatever reason, and make it home to JAX from work. So the stipulations are it must fit in the car, be 'deployable' from the car, etc. My future plans will be to setup to meet my wife half way from JAX to Pensacola which is Tallahasse. I have only bought a couple of things that I need so far, but wanted to ask for guidance on the rest. If I had to hike any of this trip it would take me quite awhile I'd imagine. A conservative guess would be that I could cover 15 miles a day? Im 26 years old, 'average' shape. So this would be 4-5 night type "go bag". Here we go (the things in red are my primary concerns/questions/looking for guidance) My intial bag I am going to try, a 5.11 "RUSH 24" Back Back. I have never honestly been a fan of 5.11 gear, but Ive been impressed with this pack. The only thing I might do to it is send it off to have a belt sewn on it. I am not married to this at all, but its small, yet large enough to keep me honest with what I NEED, and not what I want. Details here... [Shelter]: -5'x8' Silt Tarp, weighing in @ 7ounces. When packed correctly, takes up 3"x6". -6 Ti Stakes -'space blanket' -(debating on any type of cushioning, i sleep on a real hard bed. But for the protection from elements, insects, maybe something to get me off the ground? That doesn't take too much space/weight) Need help with this. Food/Water + their accessories : -Some type of broke down set of MREs -Bags of Rice, chex mix etc -broken down box of MR bars (cliff, daily meals, etc) I think these come to approx 7 or 8 bars depending on what I buy -1 or 2 gallons of jug water (i will not put this in the bladder, I will keep the jug in the trunk until needed, sealed) -100 Ounce bladder in back of pack - Katadyn Micropur MPI Tablets -Katadyn Bottle w/extra filter - Propel/gatorade supplement packets -"cooking utensils" - what do you recommend thats light, doesn't take up alot of space? ** I went heavy on the purification since I will be anywhere from 78-125 miles away, there is plenty of inland streams to get water from, I figure the more I can purify after my gallon is up. the better ** School me if this is not rational.. Clothing -comfortable/broke pair of hiking shoes (this will not be in the bag, these will sit in the trunk) -4 extra sets of socks (i went high on these as its rainy/wet where I am during the summer, want to keep the feet dry) -4 x extra set of undershirts, shorts, pants, underwear -hat -poncho -small sweater? If I get drenched, it would be nice to have something to warm I want to vacuum pack all of these to reduce loading space in the pack. Suggestions? Navi+Comms: -Spare 'morphie' back up battery for iPhone -Kaito Solar SB/Emergency Radio -Maps of Jacksonville, Brunswick, Savannah, Tallahassee, Pensacola (i've been looking for topo's w/freeways as well, any guidance on these?) -Garmin 60 Series (down the road, not totally sold on this) -Brunton Compass First Aid/Medical: -Sunblock, 3oz -Deet, 3oz -2 x Basic First Aid kit for cuts/bites/cleaning/sores/etc -small tube of Ibprofen -small tube of vitamins -small tube of dawn liquid soap -pack of sani wipes -body/foot powder -ace bandages [Protection]: -I always have a carry gun on me, but in the car I usually keep my XD40 w/2 mags accessible and a 5.56 SBR in a very discreet case. Wether or not I leave with the AR is a long discussion, very situational dependent I'd imagine. But this AR would be carried in its discreet case with 3 30rounders, small tube of Slip2000, and its own 2point sling. If I bugged out/in w/this, it would have to attach to the pack separately. -Spare set of Sun Glasses (wiley's) [Tools]: Some can overlap w/protection as well but so far I have down: -the popular Folding Pruning Saw, 7in blade -Ontario Rat 5" Fixed Blade Knife -Desert Iron Wood Walking stick, 51inches long w/spike -Gerber Multi Tool -high grade zip-ties -durable 'spork' -fire starting tools -matches (secured against moisture/water) -Sewing Kit -Snares/Fishing Kit (this I want to make bigger than usual, as im near the water for most of the "hike" home, suggestions?) -2 Surefire Handhelds (G2, and E2d) -Zippo -chem light x 2 [MISC/Odds+Ends] -2 x industrial trash bags -small plastic bags -paracord (unknown amount) -baking soda (unknown amount) -tape -backup batteries for all electronics (123s, AAAs, AAs) -balacava -Photocopies of relevant IDs, passport, degrees, and a couple small pictures of the wife/family -Unknown amount of Cash? -Shammy Cloth to keep things dry -small head lamp -small flask of scotch -small tube of lighter fluid for zippo? So there it is, its pretty humbling trying to move that far, for that long, out of this "3day pack". But I know weight is a huge concern, I need to put the calories on the road, and not humping this shit around. I have no idea if all of this will fit in the pack, if not, easy fix, I'll get another pack. But if I can restrain the objects to this pack, it would be an ideal size/weight. Thanks in advance for any improvements. |
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Now Ive never been on the coast during a hurricane, but here's a couple thoughts. If there is a hurricane, the storm surge may make the water salty/undrinkable. Heavy rains may wash a whole lot of crap into those creeks and make them unapproachable as they flood, as well as polluted. Said storm may also make it difficult/impossible to fish/hunt as the animals will have taken cover also. How about some chem lights/and or a good strobe? Most of the time you wont want the attention, but if you need it, a strobe is nice. Lightweight also. A hat? My Gerber Multitool rusted in the salt air. Havent had a problem with the finish on the leatherman. REI sells topo maps of any area at a scale of your choice that can be printed on waterproof paper. You can also buy the paper for an inkjet. |
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Quoted:
Now Ive never been on the coast during a hurricane, but here's a couple thoughts. If there is a hurricane, the storm surge may make the water salty/undrinkable. Heavy rains may wash a whole lot of crap into those creeks and make them unapproachable as they flood, as well as polluted. Said storm may also make it difficult/impossible to fish/hunt as the animals will have taken cover also. Very good point. Suggests maybe I need to pack more food than originally planned? And maybe some more cash if any mom/pop stores are open. How about some chem lights/and or a good strobe? Most of the time you wont want the attention, but if you need it, a strobe is nice. Lightweight also. Definitely. Noted. A hat?
Always have 2 in the car, forgot to mention that. My Gerber Multitool rusted in the salt air. Havent had a problem with the finish on the leatherman. Noted... REI sells topo maps of any area at a scale of your choice that can be printed on waterproof paper. You can also buy the paper for an inkjet. [/quote] Awesome..thanks |
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Weigh your bag with everything in it. I like assault-sized packs, but if you're humping more than 30-40 pounds for several miles, you're going to want some type of framed-pack...either internal or external. Given the purpose and area, your priorities are water, shelter and food. Since you know the route, I would highly recommend a couple of 5-gallong bucket caches...mostly food, a little extra ammo, extra knife, etc.
My wife is from Panama City, and we've done a lot of camping in northern FL. I would take a look at a hammock set up like Hennessy. The fly can be used as a stand-alone and the hammock gives you good bug protection and off the ground if it's wet. Regardless, I would still look at adding a ground pad for insulation (it can get pretty cold during a storm). Some of the 3/4 Thermorest pads can be rolled pretty small. Cooking utensils...just a small nesting pot/mug (single wall stainless, aluminum or titanium) a lid is good to have but you can use tinfoil as well. I like Sporks, but a simple stainless steel spoon will do 90% of what you need. I would look at a pot/mug big enough to boil at least a quart of water. Your reasoning on socks is a good one. I think 4 sets of clothes is too much. Get a good pair of synthetic underwear, extra shirt and maybe a good pair of synthetic pants that dry quickly. I like convertible pants (Ex Officio, Columbia, REI, Northface) as you can dress-down to shorts if it's too hot. Railrider makes great pants as well. If you go with cotton, make sure it's a poly blend for quicker drying. I definitely recommend a simple Polartec 200 type fleece pullover...insulate when wet, dry quickly and pretty light. A watch cap would help at night as well. If you're soaked, you can still get hypothermia in FL during the summer...I've seen it! I have a compact fishing pole...Emmrod Packer, but you could always just improvise a pole with a decent compact fishing kit...here's mine: 
Found a picture of the Emmrod Packer and a handcaster... 
As far as cash...try to keep a few hundred in small bills (5, 10 and 20's). You may find a hotel or pay a trucker for a ride once you get out of ground zero. A small flask of scotch may be okay for trade, but unless you're in a very secure area to consume, hydrogen peroxide would be a better disinfectant. ROCK6 ROCK6 |
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I also don't see any way to cook anything, other than the fire starting material. Good luck finding dry wood in a hurricane, or keeping one going in the wind. I am building one of these... http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/stoveinstruct.html A penny stove that burns readily available achohol (everclear, rubbing alchohol, denatured alchohol...) and is made of beer or soda cans. The author states it can boil 2 quarts of water on a couple ounces of fuel in 12 minutes or so... I'm building the smaller soda can version to use with a canteen cup (1 qt of water), in order to make soup, oatmeal, ramen, etc... The stove and small fuel bottle should fit inside the canteen cup for storage. |
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Quoted:
Weigh your bag with everything in it. I like assault-sized packs, but if you're humping more than 30-40 pounds for several miles, you're going to want some type of framed-pack...either internal or external. Given the purpose and area, your priorities are water, shelter and food. Since you know the route, I would highly recommend a couple of 5-gallong bucket caches...mostly food, a little extra ammo, extra knife, etc. Roger that on the pack.. Im no where near married to it, I was hoping that it would encourage me to stay as light as possible. That 5.11 pack does has a small light backing where the bladder goes, I wouldn't consider it a complete frame, more of a support. What do you mean by 5-gallon bucket caches? Quoted:My wife is from Panama City, and we've done a lot of camping in northern FL. I would take a look at a hammock set up like Hennessy. The fly can be used as a stand-alone and the hammock gives you good bug protection and off the ground if it's wet. Regardless, I would still look at adding a ground pad for insulation (it can get pretty cold during a storm). Some of the 3/4 Thermorest pads can be rolled pretty small.
Thanks, I like that right there, it definitely weights more, but it really helps out with staying dry, keepings bugs out.. Quoted:Cooking utensils...just a small nesting pot/mug (single wall stainless, aluminum or titanium) a lid is good to have but you can use tinfoil as well. I like Sporks, but a simple stainless steel spoon will do 90% of what you need. I would look at a pot/mug big enough to boil at least a quart of water.
roger, 1qt of water.. Quoted:Your reasoning on socks is a good one. I think 4 sets of clothes is too much. Get a good pair of synthetic underwear, extra shirt and maybe a good pair of synthetic pants that dry quickly. I like convertible pants (Ex Officio, Columbia, REI, Northface) as you can dress-down to shorts if it's too hot. Railrider makes great pants as well. If you go with cotton, make sure it's a poly blend for quicker drying. I definitely recommend a simple Polartec 200 type fleece pullover...insulate when wet, dry quickly and pretty light. A watch cap would help at night as well. If you're soaked, you can still get hypothermia in FL during the summer...I've seen it!
That makes sense as well, get an extra set of clothes, that is good at whisking water away and remaining dry. saves space, weight. Quoted:I have a compact fishing pole...Emmrod Packer, but you could always just improvise a pole with a decent compact fishing kit...here's mine:
Found a picture of the Emmrod Packer and a handcaster... How much space does that take broken down? Quoted:
As far as cash...try to keep a few hundred in small bills (5, 10 and 20's). You may find a hotel or pay a trucker for a ride once you get out of ground zero. A small flask of scotch may be okay for trade, but unless you're in a very secure area to consume, hydrogen peroxide would be a better disinfectant. ROCK6 That was my feeling as well with the $$$, scotch was serving a multiple role niche, consumption, anti-septic, trade. Quoted:
I didnt see any toilet paper ....  I had some san-wipes in there. Should I substitute those for TP? Quoted:
I also don't see any way to cook anything, other than the fire starting material. Good luck finding dry wood in a hurricane, or keeping one going in the wind. I am building one of these... http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/stoveinstruct.html A penny stove that burns readily available achohol (everclear, rubbing alchohol, denatured alchohol...) and is made of beer or soda cans. The author states it can boil 2 quarts of water on a couple ounces of fuel in 12 minutes or so... I'm building the smaller soda can version to use with a canteen cup (1 qt of water), in order to make soup, oatmeal, ramen, etc... The stove and small fuel bottle should fit inside the canteen cup for storage. That was one of my questions above in my OP. Since my hike would be a several days at the worst, would it be worth dedicating some space to a small portable cooking aparatus? Fuel powered.. I do like the idea of that penny stove.. |
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The nice thing about the penny stove for me is that it's essentially free. Just need a little labor. The need for the stove depends on what you plan on eating. If you are packing traditional full MRE's, you can eat them cold or use an MRE heater. If you are packing something else like mountain house that may need boiling water, then your need will go up, as well as fuels consumption for X number of meals. If you're going the squirrel route and packing granola and power bars, good luck...  I'm a big guy and would never make it on that stuff alone. Check out the home made MRE thread http://www.ak47.net/forums/topic.html?b=10&f=17&t=622585 for some ideas. I recently found flat vacum packed tuna sold at walmart. Has the same amount of tuna as a can, but in a flat, tear open bag, and wieghs far less. Good protein source. A bit pricey at $1.50 each, but this is emergency use only. I think the cost is justified for the situation. I think powerade and gatorade also make single serving drink mix. If you have a spare 20 oz bottle, you can make batches of this stuff up to keep you going on the long walk home. MRE's come with TP, otherwise I'd definately throw a roll in a ziplock and bring it along. Waterless hand sanitizer may be more compact than the wipes and less likely to accidentally dry out. For the 5 gallon cache, I think he means find a secluded spot in the woods where you wont be observed. Bury a sealed 5 gallon bucket , filled with food and backup supplies. Mark it on your gps so you can find it on the hike back if need be. |
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......... I recently found flat vacum packed tuna sold at walmart. Has the same amount of tuna as a can, but in a flat, tear open bag, and wieghs far less. Good protein source. A bit pricey at $1.50 each, but this is emergency use only. I think the cost is justified for the situation. ....... I'm doing the same thing, but with chicken. I've got 2 "bags" of the vacuum sealed pre-cooked chicken in my GHB, plus some dried fruit, and a nut/trail mix thing. I figure 2 packages of that chicken (which since it's cooked can be eaten on the go, right out of the bag, no stopping and cooking/heating/etc) is a good source of quick sustinence. I'm sure it'd be better warmed, seasoned, and with other "stuff" along side it- but this is a "the SHTF and I'm trying to get back to my people" situation- I want to get back quickly and efficiently, so screw all that, at least for the short term. |
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As part of your MISC/ODDS and ENDS I would suggest the following...
1 x 32Gb or 64Gb USB Thumb Drive that is secured in a Tube Vault. The Thumb Drive should contain PDF files of your Most important records and other items if you wish. The Tube Vault is built to seal and be water proof, so put your files on it and seal it up. I suggest this because you may not need to bug out away from your home forever, it may be for a few days even a few weeks. Also these may not be the original records but they well help when the time comes to sort threw the mess of who owns what. I can imagine what it may have been like for folks after Katrina and have most of their records destroyed by water. |
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Quoted: Good idea for SHTF. I'm doing that with a small thumb drive. Except the OP is building a get home bag, not a BOB.....As part of your MISC/ODDS and ENDS I would suggest the following... 1 x 32Gb or 64Gb USB Thumb Drive that is secured in a Tube Vault. The Thumb Drive should contain PDF files of your Most important records and other items if you wish. The Tube Vault is built to seal and be water proof, so put your files on it and seal it up. I suggest this because you may not need to bug out away from your home forever, it may be for a few days even a few weeks. Also these may not be the original records but they well help when the time comes to sort threw the mess of who owns what. I can imagine what it may have been like for folks after Katrina and have most of their records destroyed by water. |
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What do you mean by 5-gallon bucket caches? Just load up some 5-gallon buckets with some long-term essentials, good sealable lids with some desiccant packs for moisture protection and make sure you contents are pretty well protected. Given the humidity in FL, I would rotate and check items at least once a year if not every six months. A lot like geo-cache hobbies, you can place them in public (or private land if you know the owners) land...100 yards off the main road, a back road, etc. Put them in a shed or if the ground doesn't get too saturated, you could bury them with just a few inches of soil over the top. Have a map with their location marked well...GPS coordinates, etc. As to items, well, I'm sure plenty could offer suggestions here, but typically they are the heavier items that get expended quickly. You don't have to invest a lot as you could just toss in some freeze-dried or canned foods, water purification tablets, extra pr. of socks, surplus shirt/jacket, cheap Mora knife or Swiss Army Knife (SAK), surplus poncho, extra ammo, etc. If you're traveling from A to B and time is an issue, snares become less desirable as about the only time you'll get to use them is when you stop for the night and set them up and then collect them in the morning...placement and patience are the key ingredients to successful trapping. Having some stashed food will keep you load light and travel speed up and f you lose your knife, having a cheap Mora stashed can be a big asset. Quoted:
How much space does that take broken down? The actual rod comes out from the socket attachment, so it's only as long as the rod...which is pretty compact. I was amazed at how far you can cast the spring-rod and the other nice feature is the compact length as you can be more effective in smaller streams with heavy overgrowth. Quoted:
I had some san-wipes in there. Should I substitute those for TP? Those would be fine, but they do weigh a little more. I like a 1/2-3/4 role of TP in a ziplock bag and a small travel pack of wet-wipes. Quoted:
That was one of my questions above in my OP. Since my hike would be a several days at the worst, would it be worth dedicating some space to a small portable cooking aparatus? Fuel powered..I do like the idea of that penny stove.. This is a tough one. Advantages of just building a fire are that you should have plenty of fuel around, but you'll have to build fires in a small sump (ala Dakota) to keep smoke to a minimum. Open fires are good for putting out heat, however they do require time to get fuel and can hinder your light discipline plus they can you can see and smell them from some distance depending on the size. The big bonus is that the only weight needed is a good fire steel, matches or cigarette lighter and some tinder material. With the warmer temps in FL, alcohol stoves would work fine, but fuel is going to weigh more (another good item to store in your 5-gallon cache buckets?). About the only other light and compact options are the butane stoves (Snow Peak, MSR, Primus, Jetboil, etc.); the only down sides are fuel weight and once you're out, you probably won't find any along your route (stores). They are quick and fast to boil water (best attribute), pretty efficient and some are pretty compact. If you augmented with a open fire, you could stretch a couple canisters 10 days to two weeks depending on how much they were used. Both the alcohol, butane and even the smaller solid fuel stoves (trioxane/hexamine) are all pretty quite, very little to know odor and simple in operation (alcohol and solid fuel stove can be very robust). The multi-fuel or liquid fuel stoves are pretty bulky and heavy...great options, but in FL, I don't see the need for an expeditionary type stove. Best advantage of the stove is if you can't build a fire or it's too wet to try...it's nice to get a quart of water boiling for coffee, tea, instant soup or oatmeal without too much hassle. ROCK6 |
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-I always have a carry gun on me, but in the car I usually keep my XD40 w/2 mags accessible and a 5.56 SBR in a very discreet case. Wether or not I leave with the AR is a long discussion, very situational dependent I'd imagine. But this AR would be carried in its discreet case with 3 30rounders, small tube of Slip2000, and its own 2point sling. If I bugged out/in w/this, it would have to attach to the pack separately. -Spare set of Sun Glasses (wiley's) [Tools]: I am curious about the SBR AR15. Will you be able to carry it inside the discreet bag without off balancing your ruck sack? |
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Just at a glance, you are looking at a load of 50lbs or better, more if you drag along an AR.
Toss 1/2 the clothes, the Surefires, Zippo, extra batts, chem lights, 1 garbage bag, 5" blade, fishing kit (if more than 1 oz or so), photocopies, flask of scotch, and zippo fluid. Don't bring along an AR. That will be a savings of at least 17lbs, maybe more. Get a multimode light that runs on a battery common w/ any other electronics, and use it on low. Or ...just use the headlamp. Take 4 MREs, and 4 Mountain house or similiar, and maybe 8 Clif bars. If you can't heat water, you will have 1/2 rations. Take a small stove and pot, which will weigh less than a lb. With all this, you will still probably be at a 40ish lb pack, plus 8lbs per gallon of water. That means that a small assault pack won't do it. The Thermarest inflatables fold quite small, but are a heavy option. An ultra thin foam would be lighter, but less comfy. While it is all kind of fun to build kits for, it is also rather unrealistic. Most guys that are 26 and in average shape will hardly be able to walk after 40 or more miles over a few days. That doesn't count 1/2 rations, increased stress, inability to find water, etc. I'm not trying to be a prick, just saying that things are probably doable for some at 30-40 miles, but things would be considerably more difficult for every 5 miles over that. I am sure many will argue, but I would allow a person in decent shape with a 40lb pack 10m a day or so. While some may do more, they won't do it for days on end, and they won't do it in extremely different circumstances. To get 60 miles I would expect a person to be in excellent shape, carrying enough food for 2 days, along with a water filter and a tarp, who could take a 20lb load and make 20 miles a day. On the last day, they would only be carrying 10 lbs or so, so could still go fairly fast. Obviously, something like that would be hugely tiring, so wouldn't translate into doing 80 miles in 4 days, as it would require too much more gear, health, food, etc. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
-I always have a carry gun on me, but in the car I usually keep my XD40 w/2 mags accessible and a 5.56 SBR in a very discreet case. Wether or not I leave with the AR is a long discussion, very situational dependent I'd imagine. But this AR would be carried in its discreet case with 3 30rounders, small tube of Slip2000, and its own 2point sling. If I bugged out/in w/this, it would have to attach to the pack separately. -Spare set of Sun Glasses (wiley's) [Tools]: I am curious about the SBR AR15. Will you be able to carry it inside the discreet bag without off balancing your ruck sack? it wouldn't definitely throw off the balance, for sure. Thats why it would be a very hard decision on how to proceed with it.. |
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Just at a glance, you are looking at a load of 50lbs or better, more if you drag along an AR. Toss 1/2 the clothes, the Surefires, Zippo, extra batts, chem lights, 1 garbage bag, 5" blade, fishing kit (if more than 1 oz or so), photocopies, flask of scotch, and zippo fluid. Don't bring along an AR. That will be a savings of at least 17lbs, maybe more. Get a multimode light that runs on a battery common w/ any other electronics, and use it on low. Or ...just use the headlamp. Take 4 MREs, and 4 Mountain house or similiar, and maybe 8 Clif bars. If you can't heat water, you will have 1/2 rations. Take a small stove and pot, which will weigh less than a lb. With all this, you will still probably be at a 40ish lb pack, plus 8lbs per gallon of water. That means that a small assault pack won't do it. The Thermarest inflatables fold quite small, but are a heavy option. An ultra thin foam would be lighter, but less comfy. While it is all kind of fun to build kits for, it is also rather unrealistic. Most guys that are 26 and in average shape will hardly be able to walk after 40 or more miles over a few days. That doesn't count 1/2 rations, increased stress, inability to find water, etc. I'm not trying to be a prick, just saying that things are probably doable for some at 30-40 miles, but things would be considerably more difficult for every 5 miles over that. I am sure many will argue, but I would allow a person in decent shape with a 40lb pack 10m a day or so. While some may do more, they won't do it for days on end, and they won't do it in extremely different circumstances. To get 60 miles I would expect a person to be in excellent shape, carrying enough food for 2 days, along with a water filter and a tarp, who could take a 20lb load and make 20 miles a day. On the last day, they would only be carrying 10 lbs or so, so could still go fairly fast. Obviously, something like that would be hugely tiring, so wouldn't translate into doing 80 miles in 4 days, as it would require too much more gear, health, food, etc. Damn, i was thinking maybe 30lbs...close to 35... But 50 sans the SBR? I guess I wont know what the hell im talking about until I get it packed.. No worries, I do agree that this is an extremely long damn hike and there is a good chance I wouldn't make it without some assistance... |
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Damn, i was thinking maybe 30lbs...close to 35... But 50 sans the SBR? I guess I wont know what the hell im talking about until I get it packed.. No worries, I do agree that this is an extremely long damn hike and there is a good chance I wouldn't make it without some assistance... I am just sort of winging it, but there is a lot of stuff there. Also, the more you have, the more the pack needs to weigh to carry it. I am just going by my own pack weights, which typically run about 26lbs or so with 48hrs worth of MH, and 6lbs of tent and sleeping bag. I don't carry a lot of what you are mentioning, and only a liter of water at a time. I am not trying to knock what you are doing, I am hoping it helps you figure out the right pack the first time around, because things just add up quick weight and volume wise. You might put everything together, and weigh it on a scale. I notice that the little things that seem light are sometimes the biggest offenders. Extra clothes, flashlight, batteries, too big a knife, etc. I typically will throw something in if it weighs about an ounce or less without too much thought. Once it is 3 oz, it has to have a real purpose in order to come along. The bad thing is, EVERYTHING seems to weigh at least 3 oz. Tshirts, extra pants, some stuff sacks, etc. Once you know what your gear weighs, and how much room it will take up, then find the right pack. You can pick the right volume, and also decide ahead of time if it will allow you to take an SBR, if you even want to hump it around. I was also thinking earlier, that a bike would make things MUCH simpler. Your mileage could double or triple, and weight would be a bit less of an issue, as it wouldn't be on your back. Maybe you could fit a bike in the trunk if the wheels and seat were off, with some saddle bags to go on it. |
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While it is all kind of fun to build kits for, it is also rather unrealistic. Most guys that are 26 and in average shape will hardly be able to walk after 40 or more miles over a few days. That doesn't count 1/2 rations, increased stress, inability to find water, etc. I'm not trying to be a prick, just saying that things are probably doable for some at 30-40 miles, but things would be considerably more difficult for every 5 miles over that. I am sure many will argue, but I would allow a person in decent shape with a 40lb pack 10m a day or so. While some may do more, they won't do it for days on end, and they won't do it in extremely different circumstances. To get 60 miles I would expect a person to be in excellent shape, carrying enough food for 2 days, along with a water filter and a tarp, who could take a 20lb load and make 20 miles a day. On the last day, they would only be carrying 10 lbs or so, so could still go fairly fast. Obviously, something like that would be hugely tiring, so wouldn't translate into doing 80 miles in 4 days, as it would require too much more gear, health, food, etc. Any-Cal, brings up several good points. I would take your bag/contents out, even in the back yard and sleep a night or two, eat the meals, build the shelter, etc. You'll find a few pounds you can cut just by not having much of a use for them. I've done my share of humping a loaded ruck and Any-Cal is spot on. I did a lot of walking on my last deployment, but very little weight (mostly FOB work and traveling via helo). I got home a little over a year ago and started rucking again and I was physically able to do a 6-8 mile road march with 40-50 pounds, but my feet were chewed up pretty bad and it took a few days and several shorter ruck-marches to get them conditioned again. I consider 10 miles a day with a 40lb pack to be a great planning factor for those that don't hike or get out often with their pack. I would say that a 50 pound pack for 20 miles would be similar to a marathon (which I've done also)...don't expect to just get up and do it one day without some conditioning. If you do, be prepared with plenty of mole-skin, pain killers and time built in for recovery during and after the hump. I’m just talking feet…another reason I mentioned a good frame is so you back isn’t as bad as your feet. Getting the right pack weight, essential equipment and your personal level of comfort and security is an evolution. The only way to find that ideal set up is to hump it/hike it, and use it. Don’t shun the 4-5 mile walk around the neighborhood and bivouacking in the backyard…that’s a start that many need to at least try before relying on their set up. ROCK6 |
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Quoted:
While it is all kind of fun to build kits for, it is also rather unrealistic. Most guys that are 26 and in average shape will hardly be able to walk after 40 or more miles over a few days. That doesn't count 1/2 rations, increased stress, inability to find water, etc. I'm not trying to be a prick, just saying that things are probably doable for some at 30-40 miles, but things would be considerably more difficult for every 5 miles over that. I am sure many will argue, but I would allow a person in decent shape with a 40lb pack 10m a day or so. While some may do more, they won't do it for days on end, and they won't do it in extremely different circumstances. To get 60 miles I would expect a person to be in excellent shape, carrying enough food for 2 days, along with a water filter and a tarp, who could take a 20lb load and make 20 miles a day. On the last day, they would only be carrying 10 lbs or so, so could still go fairly fast. Obviously, something like that would be hugely tiring, so wouldn't translate into doing 80 miles in 4 days, as it would require too much more gear, health, food, etc. Any-Cal, brings up several good points. I would take your bag/contents out, even in the back yard and sleep a night or two, eat the meals, build the shelter, etc. You'll find a few pounds you can cut just by not having much of a use for them. I've done my share of humping a loaded ruck and Any-Cal is spot on. I did a lot of walking on my last deployment, but very little weight (mostly FOB work and traveling via helo). I got home a little over a year ago and started rucking again and I was physically able to do a 6-8 mile road march with 40-50 pounds, but my feet were chewed up pretty bad and it took a few days and several shorter ruck-marches to get them conditioned again. I consider 10 miles a day with a 40lb pack to be a great planning factor for those that don't hike or get out often with their pack. I would say that a 50 pound pack for 20 miles would be similar to a marathon (which I've done also)...don't expect to just get up and do it one day without some conditioning. If you do, be prepared with plenty of mole-skin, pain killers and time built in for recovery during and after the hump. I’m just talking feet…another reason I mentioned a good frame is so you back isn’t as bad as your feet. Getting the right pack weight, essential equipment and your personal level of comfort and security is an evolution. The only way to find that ideal set up is to hump it/hike it, and use it. Don’t shun the 4-5 mile walk around the neighborhood and bivouacking in the backyard…that’s a start that many need to at least try before relying on their set up. ROCK6 I will echo what Rock 6 is saying here. When I left active duty in 1996 I continued to P.T. and go on minor road marches. I even took a 26 mile hike across the new county I moved to in Texas. I made it in about eight hours. Being about thirty two, i still felt invincible. thirteen years and around hundred pounds extra today, I would be foolish to try this even though I just know I could make or force myself to do it, I would severely risk my health and possibly a trip to the podiatrist. I've recently begun to go back easy and started to "Airborne" Shuffle my way about 1.5miles three times a week. I plan to go back to road marching, but not with my beloved BLACK LEATHER COMBAT BOOTS. Hiking shoes and boots will be the official uniform for this event. Start slow. The only thing I have to say about carrying the AR15 is that you will need to carry it at a modified port arms or rig one of those cool new slings to hang just right. Carrying a rifle at port arms for long distances take practice and lots of hard time put in to it. I would much rather carry a long arm in the type of situation discussed here, but I just know that just as you may not see a single person or vehicle during your sojourn back home, a man seen carrying an EBR will quickly draw the attention of law enforcement or worse. |
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I really am not intending to encourage anyone here to break any laws, but why not learn how to "appropriate" a vehicle? If you're looking at an 80+ mile trek under extremely adverse conditions, think about it... You're quite likely to end up walking past lots and lots of vehicles of all types... Presumably at this point chaos reigns, correct?
Just sayin'. Maybe turn a weeklong trek into an hour's drive. Return it later with a grand or two in the glove compartment if your conscience begs and circumstances allow. Payoffs often work. Or just find a really nice one, it'll probably have full insurance... Just sayin'.
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Quoted:
I really am not intending to encourage anyone here to break any laws, but why not learn how to "appropriate" a vehicle? If you're looking at an 80+ mile trek under extremely adverse conditions, think about it... You're quite likely to end up walking past lots and lots of vehicles of all types... Presumably at this point chaos reigns, correct? Just sayin'. Maybe turn a weeklong trek into an hour's drive. Return it later with a grand or two in the glove compartment if your conscience begs and circumstances allow. Payoffs often work. Or just find a really nice one, it'll probably have full insurance... Just sayin'. Not to get too off topic but how do you go about learning about that? I joined my local lockpicking club at college (legal of course) but have since graduated. We did deal briefly with car locks but though we would be able to get the car started, the steering column would have remained locked. So what books/websites do you suggest? |
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With most modern cars, you're unlikely to be able to hotwire it like in the movies. They are equipped with a transponder anti-theft system that required the proper key in the ignition or close vicinity to activate it. Without the correct key, nothing will happen. Not all cars and trucks have them, but most newer ones do. If I have to make it home from work without a car (30+) miles, I'm stopping at the walmart across the street and picking up a bike. |
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Here we go (the things in red are my primary concerns/questions/looking for guidance) My intial bag I am going to try, a 5.11 "RUSH 24" Back Back. I have never honestly been a fan of 5.11 gear, but Ive been impressed with this pack. The only thing I might do to it is send it off to have a belt sewn on it. I am not married to this at all, but its small, yet large enough to keep me honest with what I NEED, and not what I want. Details here... [Shelter]: -5'x8' Silt Tarp, weighing in @ 7ounces. When packed correctly, takes up 3"x6". -6 Ti Stakes -'space blanket' -(debating on any type of cushioning, i sleep on a real hard bed. But for the protection from elements, insects, maybe something to get me off the ground? That doesn't take too much space/weight) Need help with this. It won't help with the bugs. It's not cushioning, it's insulation. This involves making a decision based on time of year and climate of your AO. Before someone says Florida doesn't get that cold...I've slept on ground in Texas that was cold enough to make my hip bones ache for days. Georgia definately get's colder. Food/Water + their accessories : -Some type of broke down set of MREs -Bags of Rice, chex mix etc -broken down box of MR bars (cliff, daily meals, etc) I think these come to approx 7 or 8 bars depending on what I buy -1 or 2 gallons of jug water (i will not put this in the bladder, I will keep the jug in the trunk until needed, sealed) -100 Ounce bladder in back of pack - Katadyn Micropur MPI Tablets -Katadyn Bottle w/extra filter - Propel/gatorade supplement packets Why? -"cooking utensils" - what do you recommend thats light, doesn't take up alot of space? You have a spork and knife listed below. ** I went heavy on the purification since I will be anywhere from 78-125 miles away, there is plenty of inland streams to get water from, I figure the more I can purify after my gallon is up. the better ** School me if this is not rational.. I know others here may disagree but I prefer pump-style filters to bottle-style. The bottles work great in streams and rivers, but the pumps can suck water out of tiny pools in rocks, puddles etc. Perhaps not an issue if you're sure there will be water sources available. The other advantage is that they purify water for more than just drinking. If you want water to say put in a cup of dry noddles the pump will do that. With a bottle you have two options. The suck and spit method which will draw porn-star jokes from your friends or trying to squeeze the bottle. Some bottles will squeeze, others will leak, blow the cap off etc... Clothing -comfortable/broke pair of hiking shoes (this will not be in the bag, these will sit in the trunk) -4 extra sets of socks (i went high on these as its rainy/wet where I am during the summer, want to keep the feet dry) I'll never fault a man for bringing extra socks. -4 x extra set of undershirts, shorts, pants, underwear Extra underwear. /end (If you absolutely must have a clean change of clothes...perhaps you feel you might have to approach a group of people...bring one shirt and pair of pants. Resereve them for when they are needed.) -hat -poncho -small sweater? If I get drenched, it would be nice to have something to warm Fleece pull over. I want to vacuum pack all of these to reduce loading space in the pack. Suggestions? Navi+Comms: -Spare 'morphie' back up battery for iPhone -Kaito Solar SB/Emergency Radio -Maps of Jacksonville, Brunswick, Savannah, Tallahassee, Pensacola (i've been looking for topo's w/freeways as well, any guidance on these?) -Garmin 60 Series (down the road, not totally sold on this) -Brunton Compass First Aid/Medical: -Sunblock, 3oz -Deet, 3oz -2 x Basic First Aid kit for cuts/bites/cleaning/sores/etc -small tube of Ibprofen -small tube of vitaminsOnly useful over the long term. In the wilderness you'll starve before you die of scurvy. Arghhhh matey! -small tube of dawn liquid soap -pack of sani wipes -body/foot powder -ace bandagesKerlix...it will stabilize sprains, broken bones etc. as well as functioning as a wound dressing, arresting bleeding etc. [Protection]: -I always have a carry gun on me, but in the car I usually keep my XD40 w/2 mags accessible and a 5.56 SBR in a very discreet case. Wether or not I leave with the AR is a long discussion, very situational dependent I'd imagine. But this AR would be carried in its discreet case with 3 30rounders, small tube of Slip2000, and its own 2point sling. If I bugged out/in w/this, it would have to attach to the pack separately. -Spare set of Sun Glasses (wiley's) [Tools]: Some can overlap w/protection as well but so far I have down: -the popular Folding Pruning Saw, 7in blade -Ontario Rat 5" Fixed Blade Knife -Desert Iron Wood Walking stick, 51inches long w/spike -Gerber Multi Tool -high grade zip-ties -durable 'spork' -fire starting tools One of the most important parts of your kit and you haven't listed them. -matches (secured against moisture/water) -Sewing Kit Do you know how to sew? Needle and dental floss. -Snares/Fishing Kit (this I want to make bigger than usual, as im near the water for most of the "hike" home, suggestions?) -2 Surefire Handhelds (G2, and E2d) 1 Surefire for tacticool "blindyness" and 1 LED flashlight the most durable and with the longest battery life (+100hrs) you can find. You're going to have to accomplish more tasks in the dark than you are going to have to blind and shoot people. -Zippo -chem light x 2 [MISC/Odds+Ends] -2 x industrial trash bags -small plastic bags -paracord (unknown amount) -baking soda (unknown amount) -tape -backup batteries for all electronics (123s, AAAs, AAs) -balacava If it's cold enough to need a balaclava it's cold enough to need a coat and a sleeping bag. Or is this for robbing liquor stores? -Photocopies of relevant IDs, passport, degrees, and a couple small pictures of the wife/family -Unknown amount of Cash? -Shammy Cloth to keep things dry -small head lamp -small flask of scotchWatch that flask. Both tequila and whiskey will leak out of a flask if the inside of the car get's hot enough...ask me how I know. 
-small tube of lighter fluid for zippo? So there it is, its pretty humbling trying to move that far, for that long, out of this "3day pack". But I know weight is a huge concern, I need to put the calories on the road, and not humping this shit around. I have no idea if all of this will fit in the pack, if not, easy fix, I'll get another pack. But if I can restrain the objects to this pack, it would be an ideal size/weight. Thanks in advance for any improvements. |
| I would ditch the two gallons of water and replace with say, 6 liter size bottles of water instead. Do not trust the gallon jugs. I had one leak all over hell in the truck of my car inside a cardboard box. It got everything wet and I did not catch until lots of things were moldy. Put the water bottles inside large zip lock bags, or better yet, sealed in a 5 gallon bucket like one of the previous posters mentioned. |
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I anticipate the scenario as follows:... SHTF... you drive as far as you can, and then have to abandon the car and go on foot with your GHB....
So the "mission" is get home quickly and safely. That means most of your time will be spent hiking home, with breaks to eat, sleep, and eliminate waste. MOLESKIN!!! I don't see any real foot care stuff, and if your feet become unusable you are hosed. Additionally, for your clime, you may want to add some sandals/ flip-flops/ river shoes for use when crossing mud and water. It sucks to have to cross a swollen stream at Mile 3 of your journey and have soggy shoes for the rest of the day, you can try barefoot, but then you risk gashing your foot open on unseen debris, and that can slow you down a whole lot! Eating: You seem to have the food covered, but not any cooking... I would go with a single small pot (with a handle!) and your spork. Use an alcohol stove, either home made or store bought. If something requires more cooking, you probably don't want to bring it. Also check your MH meals, some do require more pots/prep than just boiling water, ditch those for simpler ones. The Zippo... notorious for leaking/evaporating fuel. Replace with a couple of disposable bic lighters. Lighter weight, and longer shelf life. You may want to add a blast match or fire steel, and some starting tinder (dryer lint, vasaliene balls, etc...) Extra socks and underwear... good, other cloths, not so much... Extra weight for little use. Look into the "convertible" pants, made by REI, Columbia, North Face, Grammuci(sp?), etc... they double as shorts OR pants, dry quickly, and take up much less weight than having both shorts AND pants. Also allows you to zip the legs on when it gets cool at night. Sleeping, Replace the tarp with a camping hammock. This gives you "cusion", gets you off the ground, keeps bugs away, and puts a roof over your head. HEnnessy is one brand, there are others. Fishing/ snaring... if you are doing that, you are not hiking home... those are activities that are time consuming. Means you are not making progress. Maybe a minimal kit, if you find yourself injured, and immobile for a few days, but I wouldn't invest to much of your weight budget on it. TP , hand sanitizer and moist wipes. The TP, and Wet wipes keep ypur bum clean, which prevents incapacitating "monkey butt" hand sanitizer is good hygene for disaster areas... imagine all the sewer and chemicals that have been stirred up by a storm. Clean your hands before you eat/drink. Ditch the RAT knife... what will it do, that the Knife on the multi-tool will not? Ditch one of the Surefires... redundant weight. replace the sewing kit with duct tape.... plus DT has multiple uses! Just my $0.02 Good luck, and hope it helps RB Edited to correct typos |
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A few thoughts:
Water is the most important problem to solve. It does not take a lot of effort to become dangerously dehydrated in the high temperatures and humidity that is normal for that area. You do see a lot of flowing water along I-95, but almost all of it is too salty to drink. There is also a possible danger from chemicals in the water (industrial pollution and agricultural runoff). Desalination equipment is really just too heavy and inefficient for foot travel. Ordinary camping style filters and tablets won't remove the salt or poisonous chemical. But they will work if you find a source of fresh water like a rain puddle. I would add more bug spray in more than one container (in case you lose one). The sand gnats and mosquitos are unbearable. You will be reapplying the repellent constantly because of sweat, moving around, etc. Also definitely get a bug net to put over the top of your sleeping bag if you are using a tarp for shelter. Landnav gear and skills are important, but you probably shouldn't stray too far from civilization. Because the ground is so flat, it's easy to get lost in the woods if your GPS quits working, even if you have a map and compass and know how to use them. There aren't any major terrain features like mountains to use to triangulate a position. There are a limited number of places to cross each river, and there are a lot of rivers between Sav and Jax. Definitely don't try to bushwhack across the marshes. The mazes of creeks and rivers are always changing, so maps are never completely accurate. It's slow and exhausting to simply walk because of the mud. And the tides mean the whole place gets flooded and drained twice a day. Become familiar with alternate routes like Hwy 17. If something does happen, you can exit ASAP and have a huge advantage over all those people that get stuck in traffic because they don't realize there are other roads that travel parallel to the interstate. The Delorme "Street atlas and Gazetteer" has better details and topo info than ordinary road maps, but are easier to keep in the car than a stack of every possible USGS topo (and cheaper). |
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A few thoughts: Water is the most important problem to solve. It does not take a lot of effort to become dangerously dehydrated in the high temperatures and humidity that is normal for that area. You do see a lot of flowing water along I-95, but almost all of it is too salty to drink. There is also a possible danger from chemicals in the water (industrial pollution and agricultural runoff). Desalination equipment is really just too heavy and inefficient for foot travel. Ordinary camping style filters and tablets won't remove the salt or poisonous chemical. But they will work if you find a source of fresh water like a rain puddle. Roger that...all good points I would add more bug spray in more than one container (in case you lose one). The sand gnats and mosquitos are unbearable. You will be reapplying the repellent constantly because of sweat, moving around, etc. Also definitely get a bug net to put over the top of your sleeping bag if you are using a tarp for shelter.
Roger. I think Ive decided on some time of Hennessy hammock or alternative, to get me off the wet/cold ground, and to get some type of 360 protection from bugs Landnav gear and skills are important, but you probably shouldn't stray too far from civilization. Because the ground is so flat, it's easy to get lost in the woods if your GPS quits working, even if you have a map and compass and know how to use them. There aren't any major terrain features like mountains to use to triangulate a position. There are a limited number of places to cross each river, and there are a lot of rivers between Sav and Jax. Definitely don't try to bushwhack across the marshes. The mazes of creeks and rivers are always changing, so maps are never completely accurate. It's slow and exhausting to simply walk because of the mud. And the tides mean the whole place gets flooded and drained twice a day.
Agreed, I got several weekends w/uncle same behind the compass, protractor, and topos. No expert by anymeans, but I can do better than the average civi. Your post made me do something on the way to work today, so I should thank you. I counted 9 bridges along my car drive from my house to the hospital I work at in Brunswick. If I were going to savannah, I would assume I could double that. If one of those were to go out, 17 is definitely an alternative on the car. And I agree, screw hoofing it across anytime of marsh for sanity and safety. In regards to the Tides, I believe the GPS im looking @ has Tide data coming into as well, which could be beneficial. Become familiar with alternate routes like Hwy 17. If something does happen, you can exit ASAP and have a huge advantage over all those people that get stuck in traffic because they don't realize there are other roads that travel parallel to the interstate. The Delorme "Street atlas and Gazetteer" has better details and topo info than ordinary road maps, but are easier to keep in the car than a stack of every possible USGS topo (and cheaper). [/quote] Roger on Delorme. Thanks for the advice bud. |
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Quoted:
I anticipate the scenario as follows:... SHTF... you drive as far as you can, and then have to abandon the car and go on foot with your GHB.... So the "mission" is get home quickly and safely. That means most of your time will be spent hiking home, with breaks to eat, sleep, and eliminate waste. MOLESKIN!!! I don't see any real foot care stuff, and if your feet become unusable you are hosed. Additionally, for your clime, you may want to add some sandals/ flip-flops/ river shoes for use when crossing mud and water. It sucks to have to cross a swollen stream at Mile 3 of your journey and have soggy shoes for the rest of the day, you can try barefoot, but then you risk gashing your foot open on unseen debris, and that can slow you down a whole lot! Rog, i wasn't too specific, but moleskin is definitey on the inventory. one of the few things on the list that I actually already have :) Eating: You seem to have the food covered, but not any cooking... I would go with a single small pot (with a handle!) and your spork. Use an alcohol stove, either home made or store bought. If something requires more cooking, you probably don't want to bring it. Also check your MH meals, some do require more pots/prep than just boiling water, ditch those for simpler ones. roger, I added a simple 1 quart titanium pot for boiling water. The Zippo... notorious for leaking/evaporating fuel. Replace with a couple of disposable bic lighters. Lighter weight, and longer shelf life. You may want to add a blast match or fire steel, and some starting tinder (dryer lint, vasaliene balls, etc...)
roger that on the zippo. The fire starting kit while listed, I hadn't decided on anything specific, but I was going to double/triple up on simple effective starters. Extra socks and underwear... good, other cloths, not so much... Extra weight for little use. Look into the "convertible" pants, made by REI, Columbia, North Face, Grammuci(sp?), etc... they double as shorts OR pants, dry quickly, and take up much less weight than having both shorts AND pants. Also allows you to zip the legs on when it gets cool at night. Roger that, thanks. This seems to be repeated, ditching the unnecessary clothes. I'll take that as a clue bird flying over.. 
Sleeping, Replace the tarp with a camping hammock. This gives you "cusion", gets you off the ground, keeps bugs away, and puts a roof over your head. HEnnessy is one brand, there are others.
roger Fishing/ snaring... if you are doing that, you are not hiking home... those are activities that are time consuming. Means you are not making progress.
Maybe a minimal kit, if you find yourself injured, and immobile for a few days, but I wouldn't invest to much of your weight budget on it. agreed, this is why I posted it above, I think I was getting the BOB/GHB intermixed where I shouldn't have.. TP , hand sanitizer and moist wipes. The TP, and Wet wipes keep ypur bum clean, which prevents incapacitating "monkey butt" hand sanitizer is good hygene for disaster areas... imagine all the sewer and chemicals that have been stirred up by a storm. Clean your hands before you eat/drink. all 3? really? I guess they wouldn't take up too much space or weight, and good point on sanitation in the event of a hurricane. Ditch the RAT knife... what will it do, that the Knife on the multi-tool will not? Defense? Ditch one of the Surefires... redundant weight. roger replace the sewing kit with duct tape.... plus DT has multiple uses! 100mph tape! how could have I forgotten.. Just my $0.02 Good luck, and hope it helps RB Edited to correct typos thanks rb, appreciate it bud |
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If you still want to keep a zippo like lighter with you, this is a good alternative. It doesn't seem to leak and the design is bullet proof.
There is a ton of other little things on this sight that I've found useful in my kit. Peanut Lighter |
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Hunters, Awesome suggestions, thanks man. After looking at my list, I think when I wrote it I was muddying the waters of BOB/GHB, which is why I called it "GO BAG". I am starting to see the distinct line here... No prob. For what it's worth GHB/BOB etc. are just labels we use for the sake of expiedency. My job like yours requires me to sometimes travel. My kit changes depending on how far I anticipate being, and by time of year. 75% of the time I'm at the office which is like 26 mi. from my house by two lane road, and I only bring a small hydration pack with barebones essentials. I'd rather go light and make it home in a day, or overnight. The other 25% I'm driving up to 140 mi. At about 80 mi. or so I start taking my full BOB. If it's winter then there's more bulk/weight, with a bag, and ground pad. I use the same BOB for backcountry camping, simply because if the SHTF I'd rather be using gear I'm familiar with and have tested. WE do maybe 12 small camps a year with 2 or 3 additinal long backcountry trips. |
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2 other things...
My personal opinion is to keep the RAT. Not for defense (If you're knife fighting you've seriously screwed up somewhere) but for hardiness. (It is a bit big for a GHB in my opinion.) I have a good multitool at home that's broken. You'ld have to work really hard to break a quality fixed blade knife. The other is: If you can try out a hammock ahead of time, do so. Half the world loves them, half hates them. I'll use them in a swamp or jungle, but generally will not use one otherwise. I have bad knees and no matter how tight it's strung the sag in the middle, kills my knees. The other downside which probably will not apply to your AO but for anyone else who is following this thread is they require trees. I've been many places in the desert where they are useless. Someone will be along shortly to say that if there aren't any trees you can pitch them like a tent with sticks. That's great if there are sticks around. Apparently some people can't imagine a place where there are no sticks of sufficient size...I've been there, it's hot, dry, dusty and strangely beautiful. 
I suppose you could make the argument that some sort of hiking pole arrangement could be used...but if you're going to carry hiking poles you might as well carry a tent and tent poles which are lighter. Once again I'm not knocking them. I've used them and will continue to do so...within their range of usefulness. |
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Quoted:
I anticipate the scenario as follows:... SHTF... you drive as far as you can, and then have to abandon the car and go on foot with your GHB.... So the "mission" is get home quickly and safely. That means most of your time will be spent hiking home, with breaks to eat, sleep, and eliminate waste. MOLESKIN!!! I don't see any real foot care stuff, and if your feet become unusable you are hosed. Additionally, for your clime, you may want to add some sandals/ flip-flops/ river shoes for use when crossing mud and water. It sucks to have to cross a swollen stream at Mile 3 of your journey and have soggy shoes for the rest of the day, you can try barefoot, but then you risk gashing your foot open on unseen debris, and that can slow you down a whole lot! Eating: You seem to have the food covered, but not any cooking... I would go with a single small pot (with a handle!) and your spork. Use an alcohol stove, either home made or store bought. If something requires more cooking, you probably don't want to bring it. Also check your MH meals, some do require more pots/prep than just boiling water, ditch those for simpler ones. The Zippo... notorious for leaking/evaporating fuel. Replace with a couple of disposable bic lighters. Lighter weight, and longer shelf life. You may want to add a blast match or fire steel, and some starting tinder (dryer lint, vasaliene balls, etc...) Extra socks and underwear... good, other cloths, not so much... Extra weight for little use. Look into the "convertible" pants, made by REI, Columbia, North Face, Grammuci(sp?), etc... they double as shorts OR pants, dry quickly, and take up much less weight than having both shorts AND pants. Also allows you to zip the legs on when it gets cool at night. Sleeping, Replace the tarp with a camping hammock. This gives you "cusion", gets you off the ground, keeps bugs away, and puts a roof over your head. HEnnessy is one brand, there are others. Fishing/ snaring... if you are doing that, you are not hiking home... those are activities that are time consuming. Means you are not making progress. Maybe a minimal kit, if you find yourself injured, and immobile for a few days, but I wouldn't invest to much of your weight budget on it. TP , hand sanitizer and moist wipes. The TP, and Wet wipes keep ypur bum clean, which prevents incapacitating "monkey butt" hand sanitizer is good hygene for disaster areas... imagine all the sewer and chemicals that have been stirred up by a storm. Clean your hands before you eat/drink. Ditch the RAT knife... what will it do, that the Knife on the multi-tool will not? Ditch one of the Surefires... redundant weight. replace the sewing kit with duct tape.... plus DT has multiple uses! Just my $0.02 Good luck, and hope it helps RB Edited to correct typos For the bold, I have to recommend a pair of Crocs. As much as some GD guys like to call them homo, they are the best water/beach shoes I've ever used. They stay on your feet underwater and have about an inch of rubber on the bottom so if you step on something you've got good cushioning. They are also really shock absorbing, I go walking in mine a lot as they're lower impact for my knees and ankles than my shoes. |
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My suggestions (in the order you have them)
Shelter: how about a hammock? Clothing: I would go with a pull over sweatshirt with hood and pocket before a sweater. Between that, your clothes and space blanket you are probably ready for most of the cold weather you will get in hurricane season. Sunglasses? Is your hat mosquito net/sun shade type or just a cap? Navi+Coms: Maybe add a "dry bag" for that stuff to go in? Add a magnetic declination table for as many small towns on your potential foot journey to add to your compass usage. Signal mirror? (A CD from your car will work for that in a pinch.) Maybe an arial rescue signal tarp? Are you planning on hiding the whole way? If so, what is it you think is going to be safe in Jax? Tools: I would drop the zippo and add two mini-disposables, make sure your fire starting tools can get drenched and still work (Mag block in other words). Zippos will leak fuel over time so unless you are a smoker and using it all the time it's not going to store well. I am not sure I would spend any effort on cooking utensils, there are aluminum cans _everywhere_ and if you are going to stick to roads and not drudge through the swamps you can find something to cook and heat water in. Protection: I'd probably stick with just a pistol to put in the pack. You don't need the additional attention of a rifle. Also, maybe stick with civie colors for your pack, hat, and such. Misc: Add a thumb drive with encrypted scans of your entire paperwork needs to restart your life. (Check the Katrina Blog web site for a detailed plan on that) Those are mostly waterproof (your paper is not) and all you need is a working computer to get at it. (Include the binaries for both Mac and Windows to decrypt) I'd add a couple bucks in quarters and less than $100 cash. You should have the thumb drive done and with you anyway for other scenarios; say pulling home after a long trip and finding your house burned to the ground. You also need a plan, since you are dealing with another person (wife) you need to know what she will be doing, and she knows what you will be doing. Stuff you didn't mention: Outfitting your vehicle to not have to be abandoned in the first place; extra gas, always keep the gas tank over 1/2, flat fix, spare inflated properly, etc. I might also take advantage of the space and weight capacity in the vehicle to top off the food, water and optional tools. Eating and drinking your fill out of the vehicle stores before starting, then working on the pack after you have been on the road. I see someone already mentioned a bike, I might add perhaps a two wheeled cart? Both of these might be easy to obtain with a few bucks on the road, and if you are on the road the cart will vastly increase your ability to move without stopping for fresh water, etc. Even a bike that doesn't fit you can be outfitted to carry cargo and walked along. (Think Ho Chi Min Trail) If you are part of refugees and not in constant need of concealment it will allow a lot more carrying capacity of heavy stuff at the onset, and then you can just dump it when the supplies are used or you have to move faster. |
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Quoted:
There is a HUGE difference in the performance of a solid fixed blade knife like the RAT and a fold out blade on a multitool. I agree completely, there is a huge difference, however, I've found when I'm camping fast and light, (as one would do in trying to get home or to a bugout location,) there just aren't a lot of things you use a knife for, that you can't do with a multi tool knife. Again, if you are doing lots of knife work, you probably aren't moving toward your destination. Additionally, he still has the small folding saw listed, that can do most bigger cutting. The RAT becomes redundant. Just my $0.02 RB |