Taking Wassermann's example – or a little about the loadout vest As Anatoly Wassermann (Translator's note: Russian TV personality, multiple Jeopardy winner, nerd, gun collector) became more popular, his famous vest had also become more popular. According to the media, it weighs 7 kilograms, containing items that this famous intellectual needs in daily life. The vest had become more popular due to Wassermann – but he is not its inventor. Such vests are long known by outdoorsmennd the military. Such vests, equipped with many pockets, are designed to shift the load of daily items from one's clothing pockets. They exist in many versions for civilians, soldiers, and hunters, for winter and summer. For example, the military vest has special pockets for AKM rifle magazines, attaching pistols and other items useless for a civilian. The summer vest may be made of a lighter, thinner cloth, the winter vest – from a warmer, more durable one. Specialty shops carry a variety of these. Why does a civilian need a vest like this? [*]The vest is needed as a first line of defense in an emergency. If you had lost or had to abandon your bug out bag, this vest will hold your primary items. [*]You may use the vest in your daily life – hunting, fishing, on your dacha, it. It will keep your clothing pockets free from various items that you might need outdoors. It has many other use. It is not possible to lose the vest, it's comfortable, fits easily under your upper layer of clothing and serves as a layer of clothing unto itself. What must you have in your vest for an emergency The vest must hold the basic minimum supply of medicine and items necessary for an emergency. The author of these words has the following in his Russian-made vest: x1 pair of household gloves Handkerchief Flashlight Soap 10 tablets of dry fuel Pen Paper-cutting knife Waterproof matches x 4 boxes of ordinary matches x2 Cricet lighters x1 pair of contant lenses Minor items: needles, pins, razors blades Paper tissues, one pack “Russian Defense” pepper spray Iodine in a small plastic bottle Hydrogen peroxide Chapstick Absorbent cotton sticks for cleaning injuries Eyedrops. OTC medicine [Translator's note:[b/] The original provides a lit, but I omit it – I am not sure what the trade names for these medicines is in English, nor that they are necessarily available OTC where you may be] [*] Bandaging materials: individual bandaging kit, bandages, 1 roll of plaster. Please note that this is not a full list, but only a partial example of what should be done. Translated by MicroBalrog. http://www.trevoga.su/articles/additionally/razgruzochnyj_zhilet.html Please understand, I did not write it, I am merely translating it from Russian. I am not posting it because I endorse everything it says, but because I feel the membership here may find it interesting.
In lieu of a get home bag I have a few load bearing vests similar to the one described in the OP. They make useful E & E load carrying gear, and may be particularly useful in an urban environment, getting home from the office, or wherever you work in an emergency, wearing a vest under a coat, or a quilted jacket, it may only indicate to the casual observer someone who's carrying a bit of a paunch, instead of some useful gear....a back pack may attract unwanted attention from villains wanting to rip off what you have.... Even if carrying a backpack, a load bearing vest gives you some means to keep going if you have to sacrifice your main bag, or if contingencies force you to cache your main bag. The ones I have equiped, I could last for several days without undue inconvenience. High energy, dehydrated food is light, and can sustain me for 4-5 days comfortably.
Not yet. I was busy working through the first year of my Master's degree, writing a novel, and getting a job. And moving to a new place. So I'm not living uphill from a massive chemical storage facility.
