Posted: 6/26/2009 7:33:29 PM EDT
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In a lot of the PAW or survivalist literature, game carts are used to carry your stuff in a bugout. The Cabelas game cart is often the one mentioned.
I just got an ad from Sportsman's Guide. Has anyone ever used their's and did you like it? The price was considerably cheaper than Cabelas. Thanks |
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Before becoming mechanized, carts used to be a staple of many infantry/combat units.
They'd use them for hauling ammo and other gear. In the Longest Day one such cart is used to haul John Wayne around after he gets injured and can't walk. So the concept is not new at all and was widely used by armies (including the US) all over the world. Here's a website on military handcarts military handcarts Here's one that is pretty typical of the breed M1920 Infantry Hand Ammunition Cart note the T-bar and pulling slings. Carts were usually pulled by two soldiers but could be hauled by four. A lot easier for two guys to haul 2,000 rounds of .30-'06 machine gun ammo this way then on their back. The large wheels allowed it to go over harsh terrain and the rest of the squad would toss their excess gear onto it. |
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Quoted:
Before becoming mechanized, carts used to be a staple of many infantry/combat units. They'd use them for hauling ammo and other gear. In the Longest Day one such cart is used to haul John Wayne around after he gets injured and can't walk. So the concept is not new at all and was widely used by armies (including the US) all over the world. Here's a website on military handcarts military handcarts Here's one that is pretty typical of the breed M1920 Infantry Hand Ammunition Cart note the T-bar and pulling slings. Carts were usually pulled by two soldiers but could be hauled by four. A lot easier for two guys to haul 2,000 rounds of .30-'06 machine gun ammo this way then on their back. The large wheels allowed it to go over harsh terrain and the rest of the squad would toss their excess gear onto it. Here's a great pic of John Wayne in "The Longest Day." His battalion came across two exhausted GIs hauling ammo on their cart. Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort, played by Wayne, had broken his ankle on the initial parachute drop into Normandy, and had told the medic to bandage it up tight so he could march. When he found the ammo cart, he was about done in by fatigue & pain, so he ordered the two GIs to pull him. 
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I have one I made out of unistrut and 1" EMT tubing. The wheels were purchased at Northern Tools and the axle tube is from a metal table base. I have used it twice and it works pretty good. When I backpack hunt, I am usually solo and the cart allows me to carry a 4 man tent for more space as well as carrying any game back out. If you are bugging out on roads, coming up with some way to tow the game cart with a mountain bike ala rickshaw would be real cool.
RS |
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A cart, either of the military or mormon persuasion or a travois with a single wheel is on my list of preps. Will it be my primary BOV? No that is why I bought a 4x4 pick up at auction a couple weeks ago. But is it a viable alternative that allows you to carry more than you could on your back? Yes.
Options. They may not make surviving easier but they do increase the chances. |
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I am inclined to agree that a cart of some kind is a better choice for hoofing it then trying to carry it all on your back.
However, I have no intention of hoofing it any distance. My guess is that if I am not where I need to be, hoofing it there is going to be nie impossible when TSHTF. |
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There are several plans for bicycle trailers on the internet that could be adapted for bugout purposes. And there's a lot to be said for the concept. Most of the commerical ones are expensive and can't carry a lot of weight. But if solidly made and designed to keep the weight over the trailer's (sturdy) wheels, you could increase the capacity. A bicycle won't tow a 2,000 lb military trailer, but it can tow more weight than a person at a faster speed. Not as much wear and tear on the bike or rider as fully loaded panniers. Smaller and less dependent on technology and petroleum than a motorized vehicle.
A cart/trailer could be pre-loaded with preps and leave it in the shed or garage. If just an ordinary SHTF event  , put everything in the back of the pickup. If you have to bugout on foot because of an EMP or traffic or whatever, just attach the trailer to the bike and go. If you have 2 people on 2 bikes, both with the same attachment system, they can take turns hauling the load. If the bike breaks down a few miles from the BOL, just remove the cart and push or pull it the rest of the way. And once you make it to the BOL, a cart could be very handy for hauling firewood and other heavy stuff.
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A LOT of Mormons went across the U.S. to Utah pulling/pushing hand carts with all there possessions onboard. I am in awe of that one....  there was a re-enactment of that trek recently in NM. Here's a pic of one of the carts: 
LOTS of those Mormons were less than wealthy; many, in fact, were dirt-poor, and were lucky to have the hand cart! a travois with a single wheel
I mentioned this item several months ago. Balancing a single wheel cart is difficult; ask anyone who has used a wheel barrow. My idea was to have a 2-wheeled travois, which had the option of moving both wheels in-line (for narrow passages) or even have only one wheel on the ground. |
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I have one of the Cabela's game carts, it works OK for what it is intended to do, but the wheels really wouldn't stand up to much distance travel, and you have to bend over too much to go very far. A good garden cart, or jogging stroller, or something with bicycle-type wheels would be OK for a long trip if it was all you had. Kind of makes you a "refugee on the road" with something like that, but it could have a role in the right circumstances.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
A LOT of Mormons went across the U.S. to Utah pulling/pushing hand carts with all there possessions onboard. I am in awe of that one.... there was a re-enactment of that trek recently in NM. Here's a pic of one of the carts: http://www.globaladventure.us/images/mormon_handcart.jpg LOTS of those Mormons were less than wealthy; many, in fact, were dirt-poor, and were lucky to have the hand cart! a travois with a single wheel
I mentioned this item several months ago. Balancing a single wheel cart is difficult; ask anyone who has used a wheel barrow. My idea was to have a 2-wheeled travois, which had the option of moving both wheels in-line (for narrow passages) or even have only one wheel on the ground. A friend does the yearly re-enactment of it thru N Utah. Him and a few friends put their kit together and go pull/ push it some distance.... here is a link to the adventure.... IE IT would SUCK DONKEY BALLS, but I will give them their props. CLICK ME FOR LINK |
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find- old ladys trike cut off the seat and other crap that gets in the way. remove front tie( spare tire now) build a bed for it.. improvise a tow/pull point ( handle bars re bent etc) get crazy and keep the peddles on it, rig it so you can attach them to a belt driven genny or such and wham ..margaritas on teh back of the cart on day 12 of teh PAW well kinda jogging strollers are good, but make sure they have TALL wheels 13-15 nch ones, they make of road use easier |
| I was able to buy a 2-seater baby jogging stroller used for $16 this weekend. I am going to use it as a 3-gun cart to start off with, but I think it would also be good for SHTF since the wheels are big. It might be a little too wide & maybe a little too fragile but we will test it out this summer. |