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More BOB Stuff and Question About BOB Weight

6K views 36 replies 20 participants last post by  SurviveSHTF 
#1 ·
Since my present preparedness strong points are at home and involve a BOV, my weak point is if on-foot trekking with BOB were necessary.

For me … SHTF:
Home = Best
BOV (Evac Home) = OK
On Foot (Abandon BOV) = Not so good
Reach BOL; If on foot = Not so good (If in BOV, not as bad)

My wife and I camp, so we have the all of the basic camping gear, and some “luxury camping items,” some of which I would simply not pack in the BOV in an EVAC scenario due to insufficient room, because packing for survival would be a whole lot different than a weekend leisurely camp at the state forest campground.

If we had to abandon the BOV and set out on foot to our retreat location, I’m thinkin’ that it would be a major PITA to pick-and-choose the camping “essentials” necessary for survival and pack them into our BOB’s. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Let me say at this point, that we do not have good BOB’s. We have many of the components that could be packed into BOB’s, but not good backpacks. What I have is a couple of the German army rucksacks that, before I started doing much research and learning (some from here, thank you) were gonna be our BOB’s. While they are not bad day-packs and general-purpose equipment packs, they are nothing that I would call suitable for a bona-fide BOB.

So, now my issue becomes “How much can I [we] carry?”

Seems to me that between food and ammo … it would be a “however much you can stand” situation in the final weight.

I wonder if there is an official ratio of firearms/ammo/food/shelter/tools/supplies-to-weight?? LOL :)

I have no doubt I couldn’t carry the firearms and ammo with nothing else, so there has to be some give-and-take somewhere. :mad: :confused: :mad:

I understand caching, and having supplies at wherever it is that you are going (still working on that part) but I am having a bit of difficulty figuring out what should go where. :confused:

Here’s the reason for the post:

For those of you that are further advanced than I in prepping you BOB and are confident in it … how much does it weigh? I guess a better question would be “How much more do you weigh when you are fully geared than in your Fruit of the Loom’s?”
 
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#2 ·
The more you know the less you carry. My pack is only about 35 or so lbs. I've seen some poeples packs and think, how far do you really think your going to get? One dude from another forum a year or so ago said his was like 75lbs. His thought was that he could live for a couple of weeks on it.

I guess thats cool and all but it would take him that long to get to the same place it would take me days. To me a B.O.B. is not a camping trip. It's more of a OMG! I've got to get far from here and NOW kind of thing.
 
#4 ·
Ok, maybe I have the terminology incorrect ... I guess it's not a BOB that I am talking about. Perhaps it would be called an Evac Pack or a Firearm/Ammo-enhanced Backpack.

Several here are talking about large packs ... anybody know about how much a modern military (scout for example) gear weighs?
 
#3 ·
#5 ·
I have carried 75 lb packs (after the army). But only when I had two weeks without a hint of humanity available, and a majority of that was food. The other thing about my bag, is my bag is not geared for bugging out. My pack is geared for walking out. For me bugging out is a camping trip, cause if I get run off the mountain, I'm just heading deeper in the woods.

I of course agree, doc that the more you know the less you carry, but when realism puts you living in four feet of snow for a month, you need some gear.
 
#7 ·
everyone packs and travels differently.i live in a temperate climate and do not require such as snow gear.my weapons and ammo wiegh around 28 lbs.
the rest is around 20 lbs.food another 10lbs. hope this helps.
by the way i am 5' 7" and 160 lbs
 
#8 ·
The first stage of our bags came in at around 30 lbs. No problem for me, but it was already taxing on my wife. We haven't added clothes, sleeping bags, cook gear yet. In the ARMY... 10K road marches were with 60 lbs in the LCII bags, and FULL BATTLE RATTLE! (LCE, GAS MASK on leg, Rifle, Kevlar, 2 full canteens, ammo pouches loaded, E-TOOL).We've discussed taking hikes in the spring and camping to get used to it. That's some good advice for anyone. A cram packed bag is no good if you can't carry it to where you need to go! Practice and exercise, get used to it! When the SHTF... You'll be prepared!
 
#9 ·
Unless the EOTWAWKI or SHTF here comes on the third Wednesday in July, I would be a$$-deep in snow!

So far, it sounds like somewhere around 75lbs. is what I am looking at.

Training and practice for it - That's the whole idea behind be asking the question in the first place, so that maybe I can know a little more in order to carry a little less.
 
#22 ·
So far, it sounds like somewhere around 75lbs. is what I am looking at.
This sentence worries me, when later you say that you probably think that you couldn't handle 70 lbs. My suggestions for you would be a modular setup. By this I mean, your EDC, GHB, BOB, and fighting load, should compliment and expand on each other. I will not worry about the EDC or GHB right now. I don't think that you should consider the weight of your fighting load when deciding on the BOB. That will be a static weight that shouldn't change much.

From what I picked up, I would say that your max BOB weight should be 35 lbs without water. No offense to Voland, but his weights seemed a bit off to me. He had a fairly good perspective though.

Your first priority should be shelter, because exposure will kill you the fastest. This is where I think you probably want to dedicate the most weight. You need a good sleeping bag, insulating clothes, and something to keep you dry. A tent can really add significant weight to your BOB. An alternative to the tent is a tarp or bivy. This will drop ~4 lbs from your kit.

Water is your second priority. You will need to purify your water before you drink it. There are plenty of filters that weigh less than 1 lb. Chemical purification tablets are essential because filters don't remove everything. Boiling is another option. I personally carry all three methods but you can get by without the filter. Your choice.

Finally, you need something to eat. Fairly easy to accomplish, just pack the food that you think that you will require for the amount of time you expect to be gone. Remember that you will be walking most of the day, so you will need more calories than just sitting on your ass.

I hope this helped. I would like to know what kind of things you think you will pack. This would help me to give you better suggestions. If you want I could give more specific suggestions. Let me know. You can also check out my BOB. I've changed a few things up, but the last time I weighed it, it came out to 22 lbs without water.
 
#10 ·
my 2 cents

From my time in the Army and I know that the there is an Army TM out there that calculates a rough personal weight to pack to combat effectivness ratio. Er here we go:

The USAIS proceeded with its research based on the
following data. Firstly, studies indicated that the
fiftieth percentile soldier weighed 160 pounds. Secondly,
field tests demonstrated that the ideal soldier's load was
thirty percent of his body weight, or forty-eight pounds,
and that the maximum load a soldier could carry should not
exceed forty-five percent of his body weight, or seventy-two
pounds. (11:12)


grabbed it from here:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1985/IDC.htm
 
#13 ·
From my time in the Army and I know that the there is an Army TM out there that calculates a rough personal weight to pack to combat effectivness ratio. Er here we go:

The USAIS proceeded with its research based on the
following data. Firstly, studies indicated that the
fiftieth percentile soldier weighed 160 pounds. Secondly,
field tests demonstrated that the ideal soldier's load was
thirty percent of his body weight, or forty-eight pounds,
and that the maximum load a soldier could carry should not
exceed forty-five percent of his body weight, or seventy-two
pounds. (11:12)


grabbed it from here:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1985/IDC.htm
If I was at ideal body weight according to BMI, I should be able to do ideal of 55#, maximum of 83#. That's going to be tough.

I don't trust BMI.
 
#11 ·
I live in the tropics, so my BOB/Inch bag is going to have a much different composition that yours.

For one, heavy winter gear is not needed. My BOL is still in Florida, so it's unlikely that I'm going to need a parka and mittens.

One of the best weight saving devices I can carry is a water filtration device. Backed up by iodine tabs, this saves so much weight because surface fresh water is very plentiful down here. In a true Bug out, it's equivalent to camping, and I camp at least twice a year (May and October, near my planned BOL).

I can't emphasize enough that a rucksack for bugging out needs to have a frame, internal of external. Frameless backpacks are great for school books or a day hike, but real deep woods multi-day (of in the case of a bug out, multi-week) adventure requires a frame. Spend some cheddar and get a good pack, you'll be glad you did.
 
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#12 ·
I'm slowly shrinking my gear pile as I have several bug out locations and I'm begining to preposition heavy gear and duplicate pieces. My newly packed kit will probably wiegh 35 lbs plus rifle and 4 mags, wifes kit will be around 25 lbs with no long gun (she needs training first). It won't be fun at all but we will get to were we need to be.
 
#14 ·
More BOB Stuff and Question About BOB Weight Reply to Thread

Think of it this way.

You will end up with:

Backpack 5lb to 6lb
Tent, 6lb but this can be split between the two of you so lets call it 3lb
Sleeping bag, 4lb
Multi fuel stove + 1 can of fuel, 5lb (on one person needs to have one)
Water filter with extra core 2lb (on one person needs to have one)
Rope 3lb
Clothing for all seasons 10lb (depending on what’s going on… one thing to remember, if it’s a long term thing and it happens during the summer time, you will still need your stuff when the winter rolls around)
Med kit + extra vitamins and other meds that you might need 4lb (on one person needs to have one but the other should have a smaller one in the pack as well)
Rifle + at least 200 rounds of ammunition 15lb
Pistol + at least 200 rounds of ammunition, 6lb
So in total, you are looking at ~35lb to 40lb

Now, this does not include food, water and any other stuff that you want to bring. Even if you put the rifle in your hands or on a shoulder strap and use that room for other miss stuff you are looking at bugging out with close to 60 or 70lb on your body. Not an easy hike if you are on a paved road, much less trying to fight your way through some dense growth.

Can any one criticize? I would be curious to see how close I got to what everyone is planning for themselves.


V
 
#15 ·
Think of it this way.

You will end up with:

Backpack 5lb to 6lb
Tent, 6lb but this can be split between the two of you so lets call it 3lb
Sleeping bag, 4lb
Multi fuel stove + 1 can of fuel, 5lb (on one person needs to have one)
Water filter with extra core 2lb (on one person needs to have one)
Rope 3lb
Clothing for all seasons 10lb (depending on what’s going on… one thing to remember, if it’s a long term thing and it happens during the summer time, you will still need your stuff when the winter rolls around)
Med kit + extra vitamins and other meds that you might need 4lb (on one person needs to have one but the other should have a smaller one in the pack as well)
Rifle + at least 200 rounds of ammunition 15lb
Pistol + at least 200 rounds of ammunition, 6lb
So in total, you are looking at ~35lb to 40lb

Now, this does not include food, water and any other stuff that you want to bring. Even if you put the rifle in your hands or on a shoulder strap and use that room for other miss stuff you are looking at bugging out with close to 60 or 70lb on your body. Not an easy hike if you are on a paved road, much less trying to fight your way through some dense growth.

Can any one criticize? I would be curious to see how close I got to what everyone is planning for themselves.


V
Seems like a reasonable breakdown to me. I have been curious about this also.

In all honesty, I'm not sure I can hack 70lbs. for a long length of time. But, that's the whole point to this thread; to try to figure it out, so I can maybe begin some kind of training regimin.

One thing that is a concern of mine, is that alot of the civvy backpacks are rated for like 35lbs., which brings us back into the military-type packs.

Thanks for taking the time to break it down like you did.:D
 
#16 ·
No problem. Ive actually made a spreadsheet with pricing/weight/links to the stuff but its not quite ready to post. I should have it all wrapped up by this weekend and if any one is interested I can post it.

As far as civilian packs go, a good osprey is rated up to 70lb or so. Arcteryx and Gregory also make quality heavy duty mountaineering products. Be prepaired to pay in the $250+ range though. Its still worth every penny.

http://www.ospreypacks.com/
http://www.gregorypacks.com/
http://www.arcteryx.com/

Ive not been on a real multi day hike, Ive mostly done car camping, but my buddy did a run up mount Rainer plus multi week hikes solo so I trust him as an expert on this stuff. He recommends that you get the largest pack you can pretty much fit comfortably. All of these packs have compression streps so if they are not fully loaded you can tighten them down so the stuff inside doesn't roll around. I got one of the osprey packs and did a full day of hiking with about 40lb of gear and really didnt have a lot of problems. Granted my legs hurt like heck the next day but I think thats because I am WAY out of shape... :)

Good luck with your preps!

V.
 
#17 ·
I use a sort of "layering" scheme for my gear, which others have employed.

My primary BOB weighs in at 33 pounds fully loaded, and my SO's pack weights a few pounds less due to less redundancy although I keep in self-sufficient in case we were to get separated). Mine contains a tent and shelter-making materials, an untralightweight bivvy sack, food and water for 4+ days at 2400 calories, a mess kit and redundant firestarting supplies, redundant water purification supplies, extra clothing and weather protection, extra footwear, a folding shovel and various small tools, and 160 rounds of centerfire small arms ammunition.

My "fighting gear" is loaded on separate load-bearing equipment that can be worn with or without the pack. It also provides Level IIIA ballistic protection, front and back.

Together, these two "layers" still weigh in at less than 50 pounds.

IMO if you can't hike at a good clip carrying your BOB for at least 6 to 10 miles with minimal rest stops, it's probably too heavy to serve you well in a serious SHTF emergency. Individualize to suit you requirements and abilities, but make sure you cover all your basic needs.
 
#19 ·
dont carry a stove i use wood,

about 58 lbs----not a spring chicken anymore

6 mags 223
6 mags 45
LED-AA,Minimag-AAA,2-AA,2-AAA,1oz 100 DEET
leatherman,folding knife
150 rd bandolier,15-10rd clips 556,strippers
pens,pencil,3x5 notepad,3x5 index cards
compass(2,area topographical maps,protractor
poncho,binoculars
first aid kit(3-sutures,iodine,4-antibiotic capsules,4x4&2x2 pads,tape,antibiotic cream,antifungal cream,triang bandage
eye patch,knuckle band,clotures,assorted bandaids,iodine,
ace band,gauze roll,
fishin/sewin kit (assorted hooks,sinkers,3-small pladtic worms,20yd-12lb test line,20yd 30lb test line,sewing needles,15yd sewing thread,lg sewin needles,15yd rawhide string,eyeglasses repair kit,whetstone,assorted saftey pins,2-AA batt,2-AAA batt)
50' para cord,wool socks,foot powder,snake bite kit,cleanin rag,, poncho, spare compass,6oz liquid antibact soap,wire cutter,rawhide string,
14 day vitimans,zantac,asprin,amodium, gloves,spare glasses,contact lenses,1oz lens solution,10yd snare wire,weapon cleaning kit,box-50 .45
match bottle, trioxine,dryer lint,vasaline balls,
hat mosquito net,1oz 100 DEET,2-hand warmers,
(2) canteen,cup,25-water purification tablets,AA batt
bayonet&sheath

thigh holster 1911a1,2-8rd mags (95rds)

FN Sporter 556 w/sling,30rd mag (325rds)

Sleeping Roll
sleeping bag,casualty blanket,8"x10" tarp,50' paracord,100' 7/16
4-cabrenets,duct tape,pillow case,poncho,
3 spare-bulbs,6-AA,6-AAA,led bulb,

Cargo pants pockets
8-food bars,2-1 1/2 qt choc-dry milk-sugar mix-protien pwdr mix
 
#21 ·
the biggest consideration is your condition, have you done any hiking lately, do the gray man and get one of those vests with the weights, and try walking around the block a little and see what you can carry, if you can't get it down to what you can carry start some exercise program, but gear toward carrying more weight and moving faster, good luck, the alternative would be getting somethoing like a deer hauler( two wheel contraption) designed for use in rough country, best idea is get in shape. or don't bug out no matter what.
 
#23 · (Edited)
I'm sure someone already mentioned it but pack weight is extremely subjective depending on the pack itself, the support system of the pack, your body weight & even body type (your physical build, meaning that mesomorph stuff), the size, shape & weight of the actual contents of the pack, etc.
Right now I am 6'0", 215lbs. & fairly athletic. I use a JanSport Carson 80 (my medium ALICE is in the mail, then my girl gets this) which is a "weeklong" sized pack @ 5,350cu inches with the pack weighing about 45lbs. with my survival basics. & then the weight of my 12ga goes over my shoulder or around my neck & with that setup I can hike mountains all day long without really feeling the weight (meaning I hike about the same speed with or without it). The max I would carry if hiking out of the city would be 60lbs. unless I absolutely had to carry more.
What you should really do as some have said is walk around the block to get used to it & then take it hiking, not for a full day necessarily but long enough so you can get used to what it would be like & then go home & subtract any weight that you don't need or add anything you may if you can.

*Edit-09:30:* Added link & pic



LINK: http://www.jansport.com/js_product_detail.php?cid=31&pid=TFA8
 
#24 ·
The medium ALICE is about 3000 cu in smaller than the linked pack. I'm just curious why the girlfriend will have the larger pack. Are you changing up what your priorities are? Carrying more guns and ammo? Not saying that it is a bad idea to drop the size, but it seems to be opposite from what usually see. You will only be able to pack about half of the gear as before.
 
#26 ·
Does seem a bit backwards but the way this pack is built is much, much, much nicer than the average ALICE pack & with the frame you can't really feel the weight at all. I'm 6'0", 215lbs. & jog and/or go to the gym daily so I can take a lot more strain & stress because she can get a bit winded just walking around the block with the dogs, plus she's short & a bit squattier (NOT fat, just thick.....think "juicy") @ 5'0" & god only knows how many pounds (she won't tell me) so I think the quality frame pack would benefit her more than it would me & I can carry all the heavy stuff & tools & weapons so I don't have to wait around for her to keep up. The way I see it, once I figure how to figure out our bodyweight/pack weight ratios & learn how to even it out then I'll give myself around 60-75% more. That's why I figure on using the ALICE pack.
And plus let's face it, it just looks cooler!
 
#27 ·
Right on, that's understandable. I kind of figured that she would have to get the lighter bulkier items. I wish I had someone to bug out with. My girlfriends usually think I'm crazy and my preps are pretty minimal. I need to find someone that shares my views. Oh, and stop dating democrats.:D
 
#29 ·
Oh no, no, no see your going about it all wrong. The secret is not to let them know your a survivalist until it's too late. I didn't even explain the concept of a bug-out bag to her until we were already living together! :D
She's not really into it but we've talked & she knows she has to carry some weight in the event of an emergency, plus when your lady knows your going to protect her & take care of her, you get a lot more "wiggle room"! ;)
 
#32 · (Edited)
My BOB is heavy. I think it weighs 65 lbs. That isn't too bad, but my BOB is only part of what I would be carrying if the SHTF. I would also wear my vest, and have a pretty healthy amount of ammo. The vest rig weighs about 40 lbs (ammo, water etc.). So...105 lbs is too much. I am trying to decide what to do. I have thought about getting some type of backpacking cart to put the bag on, so I could transport a heavy load and not blow my knees out in the process. Does anyone know of a good cart like I am thinking of?
 
#36 ·
You could always buy a little 4 wheeler & just put a big ass basket on the back (and maybe something on the front or even some custom roll bars if your the welding type). Some type of ATV is definitely on my list of "things to buy when I win the lottery" because that would definitely take some weight off your back at the very least, not to mention the speed it would add! Even if you run out of gas half-way to your BOL you still saved your legs & back half the torture they would have normally endured had you hiked it the whole way, plus you'll have a lot more energy if you have to fight once you get there (not that I'm planning on it but you really never know).
 
#37 ·
The absolute best thing to do to figure out what you can carry, is go on a long weekend hiking trip. Leave the MBR home, but carry the ammo.

In the weekend you will quickly learn the things that you should have brought, if the weight was too darn much, or if you could have carried a little more in exchange for some more comfort.

For a huge amount of backpacking info, read up on "Thru-Hiking" There are many people who take a few months to backpack from georgia to maine. There are people who do it without tents, and ultra light setups, to the people who carry the kitchen sink.

On the Handgun - I'd not be without it in a true bug-out situation, the minimal weight is little compared to having to tote the MBR with you while doing all the chores you have to do around camp. The practice weekend above would make that abundantly clear to you. When hunting, i carry a handgun and a rifle, and set down the rifle when doing a task like putting up a treestand, but still have the pistol incase the biggest buck in the world comes to check out what all the racket is, or mama bear gets pissed at me for disturbing the peace. :)
 
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