Bugout bag Vs Evac Bag

[HKaltwasser]

Knowing how to balance a pack is important as well. If you have a pack that isn't weighted properly, it will be hell to lug around.

A good pair of boots is just as important.

I have water proof match containers for the matches. In a serious SHTF get out quick, I could see where having my socks in a ziplock bag would be huge if it were raining outside or if I have to cross a creek. Everything else I have can get wet . I have a built in rain fly on my pack so that part is covered. There is the possibility of dunking your bag in the water, but this isn't a weekend trek , this is your new home and you have time to dry it out on a small fire or in the sun. If this were any where but Texas, I would be more concerned about cold exposure.

 

[Southpaw]

Then let me ask all of you. What pack are you guys using specifically? I know that your choice may be dependent on many factors, but honestly, I'm a bit overwhelmed in deciding. Right now I have a medium Alice pack and another backpack, but I am using them simply because I have them. I'm thinking I should put a lot more thought into the pack itself.

 

[M. Sage]

Knowing how to balance a pack is important as well. If you have a pack that isn't weighted properly, it will be hell to lug around.

A good pair of boots is just as important.

I have water proof match containers for the matches. In a serious SHTF get out quick, I could see where having my socks in a ziplock bag would be huge if it were raining outside or if I have to cross a creek. Everything else I have can get wet . I have a built in rain fly on my pack so that part is covered. There is the possibility of dunking your bag in the water, but this isn't a weekend trek , this is your new home and you have time to dry it out on a small fire or in the sun. If this were any where but Texas, I would be more concerned about cold exposure.

I like to hike a place that's along a river in the mountains, so waterproofing turned second nature pretty quick. What's it cost you? Nothing really. The weight of a few plastic bags is negligible and they can have other uses later.

I made the mistake of packing unbalanced once. And it wasn't even so much the balance was off, but I threw stuff in quick and left some spare shoes (dry shoes are a luxury) dangling on the outside of the pack. A short trip turned into hell, it felt like my pack was 10 lbs heavier because stuff was shifting around, and I had to muscle the pack around. It's eye-opening when you realize that carrying the pack isn't as much about strength as it is about balance. Get the pack set up right, keep the weight from moving around and you just move your feet under it. No big deal.

Sitting down for a break is another story. Ruck sack flop!

Then let me ask all of you. What pack are you guys using specifically? I know that your choice may be dependent on many factors, but honestly, I'm a bit overwhelmed in deciding. Right now I have a medium Alice pack and another backpack, but I am using them simply because I have them. I'm thinking I should put a lot more thought into the pack itself.

A Kelty Falcon. I got a sweet deal on it, but there are commercial-market packs that are at least as good. One of the things I like about this is that it's got a lot of the sweet features of commercial bags in it. And it carries like a freakin' dream. Last trip, we dropped a few pounds from our loads by packing a little smarter and I used new boots (Merrell Moab Mid Vent). Made it down the mountain in stellar time, feeling good the whole way. 45 minutes to come down 1000 feet over a mile and a half of fist-size boulders all over the trail and babysitting a first timer (telling him when stuff fell off/out of his pack, LOL) so he wouldn't hurt himself on the trail. I'm not an athlete, but trying to pretend I was cost me a disc in my back and whatever fell apart in my knee. I'm sure 20 year old me (before all that, and in a little better shape) could have done it quicker. Heck, this me could have if I hadn't had to keep making adjustments to the newbie's pack and load.

Anyhow, I used to use a Large ALICE until I realized it sucked (it's also something like 7,000 cubic inches, which encourages you to over-pack), and I'm sure the small version isn't a whole lot better. If you want to take my Kelty for a test drive, let me know. A more vertically-oriented pack balances a lot better, lets you get the weight a lot closer to your center of gravity and carries more like it's not there than the green ticks that are ALICE.

Once I got this Kelty, I literally gave my ALICE away. Not one regret.

 

[Southpaw]

Sage, thank you for the offer, details and the links.
Footwear was going to be my next question and I am going to have to get something other then I have now. So let me get that taken care of and then I think I should be ready to get out there.
I'll get back to you on taking the pack out for a spin. At $300, less would be better of course, I wouldn't have a problem with picking one up as it would eliminate any questions I have about my packs effectiveness and durability in any situation.

 

[breakingcontact]

Academy surprisingly carries some nice Kelty packs.

 

[M. Sage]

Like I said, I tried going budget. Packs are like optics. Buy something bad ass off the bat and it ends up cheaper in the long run (and way better).

 

[Southpaw]

Like I said, I tried going budget. Packs are like optics. Buy something bad ass off the bat and it ends up cheaper in the long run (and way better).

I'm thinking the same thing. Time to start putting together some funds.

 

[breakingcontact]

When i first started hiking id carry 55/60 pounds. Now i carry 35 pounds and am so much more comfortable, travel more quickly and more safely.

 

[M. Sage]

But how comfortable are you at night?

There's an art to figuring out exactly how much you need to carry and only carrying that. I don't know how much lighter I can or want to go considering my hiking trips see overnight temps drop into the low 20s.