BOB recommendations

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by lytefall, Nov 22, 2012.


  1. lytefall

    lytefall Monkey

    I am fairly new to constructing a BOB. We have a large supply in house in storage containers (medical supplies, food, water, misc gear). I am now constructing a BOB for my car, my wife's car and the house.

    I have done a lot of reading and think I have found the bags I want to use for the cars. Just wanted an opinion on the bag itself as well as color choice.

    I have been reading a lot about color and just can't decide. I live in a 4 season climate, thats a small urban area (40,000 people) surrounded in all directions by 30 miles of farmland and forest before the next built up area, so one color won't cut it anyway so I am just trying to figure out what's the best base color choice and I will buy pack covers from there.

    I am looking at the Condor 3 day assault pack as the bag.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    I guess I'm confused. If you are going to get covers, what difference does color make? (I'd go with a solid color in any case.)
     
  3. lytefall

    lytefall Monkey

    I guess as far as color goes I am asking that since I have to contend with all 4 seasons I won't be able to get a bag that encompasses everything. I am not planning on running out and buying covers right away so in the meantime if you had to pick a BOB color which would it be? My original intent was to ask that since I live in an urban area surrounded by a lot of rural and forest do I get some form of green camo? Or do I just get a basic black or olive drab solid colored pack. (Thank you for your opinion on the solid color). I have read a lot and a lot of opinions out there conflict. Half say blend into your surroundings and the other half says don't stand out with camo or military looking gear as you will make yourself a target for those who didn't prepare. So in all my research I have found that half the time it's saying buy camo or olive drab and the other half of the time opinion says basic black or even a normal backpack (trouble I find is packs that look like every day bags aren't heavy duty enough or large enough to hold enough gear/food/water).

    I guess it would be easier to leave the covers out of the equation and give me an opinion based on that.

    And also any opinions on the Condor 3 day assault pack would be appreciated as well. I was also looking at the Fox advance hydro pack.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  4. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    "Camo" doesn't by itself brand one as prepared. Camouflage is simply blending in with the area you find yourself. Urban, well, the same thing applies. What are the locals wearing and carrying? Camo? Then do camo. Yellow yuppie? Then do yellow yuppie. If it's Louis Vuitton, well, that's what you do. Black would be my choice, and dust it thoroly (or drag it behind the pickup for a mile or so) so it looks used. Color is a personal preference, nothing more, as long as you don't look out of place.

    Hydration is necessary. How you do it is again a personal preference deal. Don't forget weight counts. I have no opinion on any particular brand or arrangement for the pack itself. That said, take a couple bags of lead shot and go shopping, find one that is comfortable with the weight in it. There's no chance in a million that I would buy a pack or frame off the web without a fit check. (I like the pack frame idea, lots more versatility, but don't have one currently.)
     
    Brokor likes this.
  5. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    If you can't fill it with rocks and toss it around the yard for a half hour without it tearing apart, don't count on it. =)
     
  6. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    You can get a cover for your pack... get a comfy bag thats stoutly constructed and then get a rain cover of your choice (camo works if the bag is a civy bag...)
     
    KAS likes this.
  7. lytefall

    lytefall Monkey

    Thanks for the replies. As I said I live in a relatively small city surrounded by extensive rural areas. Theres also a larger city (about 400,000) about 40 miles away so theres a lot of people that live here and commute there.

    I guess I will have to think on what I am going to choose. Blending in with what's around me as far as the population is a crap shoot. It's such a mix match of people. For instance on one side my neighbor is a university professor that drives a BMW and wears suit and tie every day and the other is a ex-army now firefighter and avid hunter that drives a truck. The whole city is a mix in between so blending in with any one population makes you stand out among the rest.

    I think maybe a solid black or olive drab is the way to go as said. Then maybe invest in a couple pack covers.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  8. KAS

    KAS Monkey+++

    THIS is an entersting post the hole not "sticking out" thing has me boggled... being thought i have been threw Katrina .
    If im am some were and see a entire familt family all toting back packs {espically with camel pacs} and mostly oversize packs its gonna throw a red flag up...
    so now what is there to do ???

    as for the camo situation ??? it all depends on were u live???
    If i was from the "country " i would buy ur everyday "hunter cammo" the more standard for the "community"....

    Now if i lived in the" i would " Hood" I would have something more "military standard" that wouldnt be nothing out of the ordinary!!!
    But no matter were u are if there is a entire family walking down the street with bib ass bags on there back with straws hanging out of the sides and bottles hanging off of it {not to mention the head lamps } its goona start thorwing up red flags!!!
     
    Dawg23 likes this.
  9. lytefall

    lytefall Monkey

    Fair enough point KAS.

    Now what about the bags themselves? Good or bad choices? Quality? Anyone have any experience with them?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  10. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Buy them in Camo. Going strictly by tag numbers (I don't require tags on my own land) alone, hunters in just three average Eastern states outnumber the ENTIRE U.S. military's fighting men (and women) and even kids hunt, with and without their parents. You would be a blade of grass in an open field of grass. Indistinguishable.
     
  11. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    You can find numerous results with a search on this forum about backpacks / bug-out-bags and three day packs. I do believe that many of our users have quite a bit of combined knowledge when it comes to these matters. That being said, you are going to have to narrow your search down based on your monetary limitations, body type, intended use and personal preference. I will try to make this easy for you:

    1. Monetary limitations. Some folks can afford to throw $1000.00 or more at a piece of equipment. There's nothing wrong with this, because the price tag usually comes with custom measurements which equals a tailored pack that can suit you well. Check out Kifaru packs for more details if this is your route. They also have more affordable (yet still somewhat expensive) options available. On the other hand, you can save a lot of money if you buy military surplus (modern issue) packs, or other hunting packs of a similar caliber. I recommend you stay away from the old, Vietnam era ALICE packs --but by no means take my advice...try one out for yourself.

    2. Body type. Your own limitations may prevent you from going after a massive pack that can carry anything. Know your limitations. Generally, one-third your own body weight, fully loaded would be approximately the limit you should carry --and even that requires routine hiking to familiarize yourself with the added weight. Some people can carry quite a bit more than this, but it often takes practice and very good physical health.

    3. Intended use. Will you be planning to use this bag for a bug-out? Will it be a pack for up to three days and general hiking? Do you want an external frame or internal frame pack? All of these questions and more will help guide you when answered. Typically, an external frame pack is best for open country or flat terrain, but a lot of people still use internal frame packs regardless because they will offer a different fit and balance. An internal frame can be rigid or somewhat flexible --they do vary. For deep forest hiking and rough terrain, the internal frame is generally (but not always) preferred.

    4. Personal preference. For your first pack, I recommend buying one you can try on before buying. From there, it is a matter of your own comfort level and preference. Size your pack according to your weight constraints, but don't be afraid to size-up a little. You never know when you may need a little more room, and this may save you from having to buy a bigger pack in the future.

    General fitting:

    The pack should sit on your hips, or just above the rump. The waist belt should be adjustable and well padded. The pack should have adjustments for shoulders to snug against your upper back. This will allow you to control the load and keep it from swaying. It is best to have a pack that also has height adjustments so you can move the shoulder straps according to your own body --this is not always available, but it is highly recommended for packs that are not custom made.

    Quality:

    The materials for a pack will generally depend upon your preferences and environment, but denier cordura is a widely used fabric and it works very well. There are many other fabrics out there, too. Try to avoid thin fabrics which are commonly found on many civilian hiking packs --look more toward military or professional hunting categories.

    All of this said, I am still avoiding a great deal of information. In the years I have humped packs, from early hunting as a teen with my father to 20 mile ruck marches in the military and onward to extended deployments in the Middle East, and back to bug out preparation and casual hiking --I still am finding new products out there to sample. One part of any bug-out/combat pack I must have, for instance, is a quick-detach. This allows me to drop my pack in an instant and choose fight or flight. This is just one of my own preferences...you must find yours.

    Some pack choices:

    Arcteryx USMC Main Pack
    arcteryxUSMC.


    Webtex PLCE (DPM camo or plain green)
    web-tex-patrol-pack.

    US Military CFP-90
    cfp-90-field-pack-black.

    Kelty Super Tioga External Frame
    keltyexsupertioga.

    Kifaru EMR
    EMR_main.

    Again, take a look at the numerous threads we have on this subject. We also have some members here who sell equipment.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2015
    Smitty, chelloveck and kellory like this.
  12. lytefall

    lytefall Monkey

    Thanks Brokor for the very detailed reply. It is much appreciated.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  13. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    One additional point and it is an important one. Depending on the mission, an infantryman is capable of humping ~80 pounds (gear, extra clothes, etc) on a sustained basis. But, their pack isn't in the picture when they fight or are out and about looking for one. It doesn't matter how high speed, low drag he isn't going to fight carrying it.

    It is a BOB and bugging out is its prime purpose and not brawling.
     
  14. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    "The Word on the Street" is that there will be 750,000 deer hunters in the woods of PA tomorrow morning. (The "word" maybe a bit high, there's only a touch more than 46K square miles in the state. Still, the woods will be crowded, and the whitetails will be nervous.)
     
  15. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Not as nervous as the sheep in Scotland.....;)
     
  16. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    We back up to game lands. The terrain is steep mountainsides so it is really "challenging." As a result, hunters never walk this far; however, the deer they push out of the game lands sure do. ;)
     
    chelloveck likes this.
  17. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Give me a GPS fix and written permission, and I may come visiting......;)
     
  18. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    To shoot our deer? ;)

    Depending on the mission, an infantryman is capable of carrying ~80# sustained. However, he doesn't fight carrying 80#. It is a BOB, not a combat load out which is what infantry carry when they fight.
     
  19. hedger

    hedger Monkey+

    OK, the backpacks might stick out a bit. But would you rather have the emergency supplies that they are carrying or not??

    If I see a family carrying backpacks, I am definitely not thinking of them as victims. If I were a dumb predator looking to score some easy emergency prepper supplies, I might find myself on the receiving end of a serious reappraisal as one of the adult family members levels a loaded weapon and instructs me to turn around and walk away.
     
  20. KAS

    KAS Monkey+++

    OK do what u want!
     
  1. Coyote Ridge
  2. Tully Mars
  3. Motomom34
  4. GOG
  5. Asia-Off-Grid
  6. Asia-Off-Grid
    [ATTACH]
    Thread by: Asia-Off-Grid, Jul 25, 2018, 10 replies, in forum: Humor - Jokes - Games and Diversions
  7. DarkLight
  8. Thunder5Ranch
  9. Yard Dart
  10. Imasham
  11. Motomom34
  12. ED GEiN
  13. AxesAreBetter
  14. medicineman
  15. Motomom34
  16. Yard Dart
  17. ED GEiN
  18. GhostX
  19. TXKajun
  20. Oltymer
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7