Hello   I am new to the site  
I wanted to get some advice on my  Bugout Bag / Adventure gear bag  
I keep this bag in the trunk of my car   most everywhere  I go .
I go on hiking  excursions   , caving , camping / Hunting trips  as often as time permits   and always take  my gear  to  find out what works  and what doesn't  
I am constantly upgrading  the  contents   and finding items   that are  Lighter weight   and  higher quality  
but I  just wanted to share and get some opinions  

If I can get  the photos  and video to load please take a look at them and give me some advice   on how I could make it better  

This is the Backpack I found at the flea  market  the guy wanted  more but i talked him down to $20
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8105/8596879609_0ca9c619d7.jpg
It still had the tags  and Plastic packaging on it   .  I know its not a great pattern  but I thought it was a ok  deal  
here is a actual shot of  my pack  with My US Survival Rifle  and my handheld CB that I keep in the bag  
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8595885125_8f846ca77b.jpg




http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8523/8611309547_7decb9ec5c.jpg
Here is a Shot  Of  some of the items in my kit  

I really dont like the  desert Camo   that much   anyone ever tried   to dye or spray paint   cordura  ?

I tried to  embed the youtube video I made of my Kit  but I cant get it to work here    

MORE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS WILL be posted  

You need water purification and extra ammo for the .22LR. If I were you, I would try and score some flares, add a few more MRE's, another water bag as two would fir, and .22LR tracers to use for signaling.

Kit looks good.

I would probably upgrade the flashlight to a cheap LED light with extra batteries.  Plus extra mags/ammo for the guns.

I assume you fill the camelback with water before you go out, otherwise pack lots of water.

Since you bought the backpack for $20 bucks, spray it with some spray paint in your camo colors of choice.  Whatever colors work for your environment.

Lee

cool ideas   thanks  for the   tips

I do Plan on upgrading the flashlight in this kit   for sure   probably a  high quality headlamp  
and maybe a surefire  if i can come across one at a good enough deal

Has anyone  here ever used any  spraypaint on this cordura material  before?

anyone Know  why my video on this kit wont  embed  ?

[youtube]http:///https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7uJk15cOSU[/youtube]

here are the threads you are looking for:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_18/506065_BOB_what_it_should_be_.html
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1446491_Help_me_pack_a_bugout_BAG.html
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_17/618058__ARCHIVED_THREAD____BOB_Truck_Bag_pics___56Kers_go_get_some_dinner_.html

ar-jedi

team member assists:




ps
you are either going to be loved or run out of town.  good luck.  

<--------------------------------------------

Countdown until the leghumping and inevitable purchase of a team membership in 3....2.....1....

+1.

There are some small changes that I would make, but this is the only red flag for me.

Truth.  
You've started down a potentially dangerous path, OP.  Be very aware of it.

Looks good so far.

Needs more fire!

Im lost   , dangerous  path?

Yes, you can paint Cordura with Kylon or other spray paints.  I am actually a big fan of Tan, as it blends in better in most places than any other color (ever wonder why grass eaters (deer, elk, moose) in all the continents who are hunted by Pumas (also tan) and wolves and all the other carnivors around the world are almost always colored in Tan(s)?   Because it works!  

If you paint your gear, paint it in LARGE broken lines as small super detailed micro camo details are lost an almost any viewing distance past a few feet and they stand out more as the "clump effect" happens.

I really like the 3 Color Desert   Which is available surplus for a song or if you want more color / detail you could go more busy like ASAT cammo.  You already have a 3 color desert pack, so why not same for some BDU's which are functional and very affordable?  If you wear a lot of "girl clothes" skirts, shorts ect... you might want to buy a cheap used set of BDUs at any surplus store to have in the trunk with your bag.  Likewise make sure you have some boots in there so you can walk home...  a Great pack being carried on foot for many miles on high heels and a long dress might not be as comfortable or practical as you'd like.      

+1 on water purfication system while having a 2 liter soft GI canteen is great, Pillow at night, carries your water in the day.  It is a big larger, but having water ready and not needing to try and find water by the liter is a blessing.    If I might suggest, you really need a small hand pump purifier (higher filtration level than a filter) and some water purification tablets (they come in a tiny bottle) would be good to have if you need a refill prior to returning home

Do you have a Tommie Cooker?  Inexpensive stamped steel folding stove that is great to use either with fuel or pick up kindling to boil up some water (again water borne disease will be a major issue and boiling, then filtering your water will keep you out of a lot of trouble.  Besides some hot tea or coffee will pick you up and give you some smile and zip.

Have you thought about a set of mini binoculars or a simple monocular?  Being about to see in the distance what is up ahead can be a good thing to know before you get there, especially if you don't want to end up somewhere you don't want to be...

I didn't see a road map.  You really should have that.  You can silicon spray a paper map to increase it's resistance to water, because if you don't know what is around you, you don't know where to go or what direction to head to get there.  Get the full sized State Hwy map from your State Hwy Dept., as it will show many of the back roads you may need to use that a road atlas might not detail (being focused on interstates)

Ammo for your AR-7 is very light, and the little extra weight goes a long ways in more ways.  That is the big benefit of picking a .22lr rifle for survival on foot.  I'd suggest maybe pick up some of the 15 round mags for your external carry for unfriendly encouners (just in case).  Maybe a 2 or 3 100 round boxes would only set you back $20 to $30 and don't weigh much.

I picked up a neat harness for my AR-7 from e-bay that makes toting the AR-7 easier to do (since it doesn't have sling swivels.)  I am tall enough that the bbl hangs down about knee height if wear it cross chest across my body.  Even if you don't have it fully assembled, it means you have an extra hand free.



I'd lose the full MREs and keep the entrees and "vitals", MRE take up more space and weight with some of the fillers in the package and you could double your calorie carry for the same weight and space.

GI space blanket is also a good thing to have (two) one for under, and one for over.  They make a light flimsy one use and a heavier duty mulitiple use space blanket.  Get the better one (multiuse).  Layer it over a sleeping bag on a very cold night and you can really feel the heat coming back to warm you.  Only down side is you need to remember they don't "breath" moisture (they are waterproof), so you can accumulate moisture on the bottom of the space blanket depending on conditions.

Instead of the Tomahawk, have you though about using a folding E-tool?  The German ones are excellent and affordable as surplus.  They have a wood handle and a 3 position folding head so you can use it as a shovel (to dig out your car to keep from getting stuck or to dig a cat hole / latrine), 90 degrees over as a hoe / pick for digging., and if you use a grinder, you can easily sharpen the sides (to use as a light axe or excellent defense weapon (ala Spetnaz shovel).  E-tools can be awesome weapons for close quarters defense & one of the Best features is that it doesn't scream "WEAPON" like the tomahawk does so you maintain a lower profile, especially if you hike outdoors to gain experience and conditioning with your pack.

Very nice kit over all

Be sure the overall final weight is right for your ability to carry for long walking distances and you are used to carrying it.  Get out, take some long hikes to figure out what is comfortable and what needs adjusting before you really need it.  

an inexpensive pack can work well, (that looks like a heck of a deal for only $20) but just be sure it is tough enough for your real use to carry a load across terrain.

Nice bag, Betty! As a guy that has eaten a LOT of MREs while in the service of the govt., I will advise you to strip them bastards down. I think three stripped MREs equal the space of one packaged MRE. Also, look into Datrex lifeboat rations. Small, compact, with all the calories you need and like a 5 yr shelf life. I would add that yes...more .22LR ammo. Otherwise, great!

I've got a bunch of water purification and filtration items but I'd suggest you look at these initially.





McNett Frontier


http://www.amazon.com/McNett-Tactical-Aquamira-Frontier-Ultralight/dp/B0041HS4WO/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1365552133&sr=1-2&keywords=mcnett+filter





Sawyer filter


http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-SP181-Emergency-Filtration-Light-Weight/dp/B004TZ86M6/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1365552173&sr=1-2&keywords=sawyer+water+filter



You need to consider adding a small folding saw or a multitool with a saw.



 

I have several lighters   in this kit and plan on buying a magnesium fire starter  soon

Biggest change I would make is the flashlight.  I've used the old school green ones and they suck.  Get a surefire or fenix light.  I've even got a $7 Nebo from my local ace hardware that is 10 times better than the old .mil light.
 

you need a pair of lights -- a bright, short duration light, and a mild, long duration light.  a 87bajillion candlepower combat light that lasts for 30 minutes is not a good SHTF flashlight *by itself*.

ar-jedi

Um, yeah you're going to need chaps around here; you made a major strategic error with the video.

I wouldn't worry in the slightest about the bag color.  Military bags are a dime a dozen around here and the nation,  they're as common as the green army field jacket in the 70's.  Urban camoflage or actual camoflage it'll work.

You could also skip the stainless steel messkit and go lighter.

ETA- a LED headlamp is damn damn handy.  and matches store better than lighters, lighters lose their juice after a while.  Arfcom rule, get both.

There is a survival forum that will have all of the information you need in it. Be sure to check that out. Stop by the women's forum too.

I would like to know how heavy your load is with all of that and how far you plan on going? Like is it a get home bag or more like a real BOB?  

Ill admit I couldn't get your whole video to work so I may have missed some things. I would add underwear, another pair of socks, more loaded mags, a lula if you don't have one, fire starters, water purifier, sleeping bag or tent or hammock, batteries, water purification tablets, set of gloves, I would also ether break down the mre like others said or ditch for single meal mountain house, pony tail holders, small gun cleaning kit.

I'm sure there is more. Good luck.

I usually just carry my Surefire P2X Fury with a 46hr 15 Lumen run time or 1.5hr 500 Lumen run time.  Works pretty well for most situations.



 

If I could make a friendly suggestion, also consider a simple fold up string hammock (rolls up to be about tennis ball sized) along with some extra paracord as sleeping will be much better if you are off the ground, especially if it rains or the ground is damp.  If it rains, the space blanket will keep the water off you and your warmth back to you.  (I have done it both ways, and trust me, you never want to be both cold & wet on the forest floor at night ...  -


The size and weight are negligable, but the difference in your overnight accommodations will astonish you.

Decent basic kit just some suggestions.  Also I am at work and can't watch the video so I may have missed some things that are there.

Ditch the MRE's unless you are eating them frequently.  Once the temp breaks 100 the shelf life drops drastically.  If your inside car temps hit 130 in the summer the mil shelf life rating is about one month iirc.  It would probably last longer than that but why take the risk?  Or is you like the MRE convenience try putting them in a cooler in the summer (I do this with bottled water when my trunk isn't full of other crap).

More water and purification as some one else said.

Ditch the tactical hawk and replace it with a more realistic hatchet and/or compact saw.  If you need to cut bigger wood the saw will take less energy, is safer and weighs less and you can still split wood by batoning with the knife.

Might have missed it but a small folding stove (esbit makes one for $5 with 3 fuel blocks).

Replace messkit with canteen cup to save weight?

On the flash light while it is not uber cool and it is made in China, I picked up a night armor tactical pen and flashlight combo on amazon for the pen.  Bought two more for the flash lights. 65 lumen 1 AA battery and can survive a drop from 6 feet on to concrete.  I got mine on amazon for around $18.  IIRC the price has gone up to around 25.

Poncho liner.  Life is not complete without a poncho liner.

roll of flagging tape

JMHO YMMV

Like someone else said, lifeboat rations have a lot of calories for their size. I have 2 sizes in my bugout [$30 brand new Alice with frame], a 2400 calories size and a 400 calorie single bar [several different flavors. I also carry some jerky and along with a water purifier, I carry some crushed down plastic water bottles that take up almost no room or weight but can be used for additional water storage if needed. I also carry a couple spare mylar "blankets.

Survival Discussions would be a better LZ for this thread.  OP click here
alternatively, Survival Gear, although that is not trafficked as much.  OP click here

ar-jedi

lets not and say we didn't


~cowboy

lets not and say we didn't


~cowboy

Others have already made plenty of good suggestions, but here some more to consider.

Overall, you're off to a good start. I'm a budget conscious person myself, so my suggestions will focus on that aspect:

• While it is true that a water filter has a slightly lower filtration level than a water purifier, the cheap work-around to that is to carry a small squeeze bottle of household, non-scented bleach. Filter, then 4-6 drops of bleach per quart, allow to set 15 minutes, voila, purified water.

• USGI mess tins are fairly heavy for what they provide. If you must have a plate or bowl, consider an orikaso set (available at most outdoor stores). These are like thin poly cutting boards, but fold up like origami to make a plate, bowl, or cup...they are cheap, weigh nothing, and fold flat. You could probably make your own if you google for DIY plans.

• For cooking/boiling, consider a USGI canteen cup, or if you can really afford to upgrade, a JetBoil, which is basically an insulated mug that goes on a small camp stove. Several manufacturers make something nearly identical.

• A USGI poncho is not a bad choice for a rain tarp, just have some 550 cord pre-cut so you don't have to make guy-lines in the dark.
  

• As others have said, MRE's are heavy for what they provide. Contrary to popular myth, they are not 3000 calories each...more like 1200 tops, all contents included. Probably the most valuable thing in there is the toilet paper, and you can collect those very easily and inexpensively. Keep several in a ziploc bag, along with a small plastic or metal spade, and wet wipes, so if you need to "use the facilities", you have a kit pre-made for that purpose.
  

• Depending on your requirements, you can basically make an MRE from common items in the grocery store. Foil pouch meats, Knorr pasta and rice sides, and a few spices are very cheap, and take up less space than an MRE. You can easily afford days of carefully chosen grocery store items for the cost of a few MREs.
  

• The IFAK is a decent first aid kit for combat trauma, but it doesn't really cover the day-to-day, nuisance type medical things. A small kit bag with over-the-counter meds (for pain, diarrhea, etc), band-aids and anti-biotic cream will get a lot more use than an IFAK, and it shouldn't cost much either.
  

• Definitely lose the USGI angle light...even a cheap walmart headlamp would be an improvement, because you can keep your hands free.
  

• Ditto for the hatchet. A pocket chain or folding camp saw (NOT a wire survival saw) is less work to use and more compact. The bayonet is good if you only need a knife...but for most situations, it is too much knife. A decent quality folder or multi-tool is simply more practical.
  

• I am guessing the green things are water bottles? If you want something in addition to a camelbak bladder, ask your friends to save the bladder bag from boxed wine--no kidding. Clean with warm soap and water, put in a coat hangar to hold open, and hang dry. I promise, you can literally fill these bags up with water, pop in the twist valve, and STOMP on these bags, and as long as they don't tear, they won't bust. They are free after the wine, super tough, and hold a LOT of water.
  

Ok, phew, that's enough for now. Browse the forums, you'll get the picture!

Awesome   Tips and advice    wow   thanks  I need to start making a list  of things to look out for

Another idea for a water/boda bag is the bag from "wine in a box". empty the bag (your choice on how ), pop the spout off, wash the bag, roll the bag flat, then put the spout back on. works great.

I would say one more pair of socks, better flash light, small tarp, extra ammo and mags, make sure the pistol is easily accessible if in the bag.

Bug spray,  and flex/ handcuffs ya never know just saying! A Multi tool could replace your screw driver and pliers and add some extras.

And sunglasses/ eye pro and a tourniquet.

I used dark green Rit dye. This vest was the same color as your pack. I made it stong and let it sit for a long time.



And a multi tool would be much smaller and lighter than full sized pliers and a screwdriver.

@OP - Thanks for the pics and video.  A couple days ago my wife was wondering
if many women outside the doomsday prepper show packed a just in case bag.
Showed her your video last night and now she wants to get something similar
set up.  

One quick question.  How much does that bag weigh when it's fully packed.

I'd consider upgrading that Bic Pen to a Grease Pencil (which can pretty much write on anything) or a Carpenters Pencil.

I wanted to add a few things. You have clothing for cold weather you might throw in a tan t-shirt or something for hot weather. A brimmed ball cap to keep sun off your face, sunblock, wrap your sensitive stuff in water proof bags, a shemagh or scarf of some sort and I second the multitool instead of pliers.

I'm okay with your gun selections as long as those aren't the only guns you own. I would always suggest a higher caliber rifle but obviously that won't fit in your bag. So get a truck gun.

Still want to know how heavy your load is currently. And what the purpose of the bag is. To get home or bug out?

that is a awesome looking bag    
Love the patches and  color

You've covered the basics pretty well.I'd add a multi-tool and some gloves,water purification has already been mentioned.
In the packs I put together for my wife and myself I went with several options for water and fire starting, but this can add weight real fast.
Before I had to part with it for financial reasons, I owned an AR7 survival rifle, an earlier version of your Henry.Underrated rifle, IMHO; accurate for a takedown and good reliability.

Pretty good bug out bag. I'd get rid of the MRE's & get some high calorie energy bars. For some reason I wasn't able to see the whole video.

Be careful if you try to rit dye you stuff. My wife tried to turn an ACU assault pack brown. For some reason it ended up purple. We still don't know why. I would do a test run.

Your pack looks well thought out. My only advice is to practice with it as if in a bug out situation. The more you practice with it the more you will find out what is needed and what is excess weight. So you should be able to do overnight stays using just your bag. Also if you think you may be moving through empty builds and such that pack maybe more cumbersome than you will like if full loaded.

I agree with all this but will say I think a water filter and purification tablets are a must also.  The bleach is also good low cost alternative but water is the most important item in survival and having a back up plan for water is top of my personal list.  You can get a decent filter and a bottle of tablets both together for about $80 or so cost wise.  Without water, you can't survive long at all.  I believe in the "2 is 1, 1 is none" philosophy.  Oh, also I would pack a few fishing hooks to go with your fishing line.  You can pack them in a small pill bottle full of cotton balls.  If you ever need to fish for food you are set and cotton balls make great firestarters while keeping the hooks from rattling while moving.  Other than this, I think this post is spot on.  

welcome to the site and nice start!

thanks for the welcome   and  taking a  look at my   survival gear  thread

thanks for the warning    , I have heard that you cant  dye  this type of material   so i probably wont be trying to dye  it  
But i am considering   a Good grade spray paint