Jim:
All the recent news stories showing people in New Jersey on foot queuing up at gas stations with red gas cans in hand, reminded me: gas cans are heavy! Did anyone think to put a old fashioned Pack Board in with the rest of the supplies? You know the kind, the one with the lip at the bottom? It would hold a two full gas cans with much less strain than carrying them in your hands. Or, how about taking a small load of fire wood to your relatives’ house? Just a thought. – Dale K.
JWR Replies: That is a valuable reminder. In addition to the older-generation military pack boards, keep in mind that ALICE Series (LC-1 and LC-2) backpack frames can have a cargo shelf [1] clipped on, for the same effect. There are also commercially made (civilian) equivalent packs, like those made by Stansport [2] and formerly by Kelty. These are often used by people who own remote “pack-in” or “ski-in” cabins, and for those who work at fire lookout towers that are only accessible by foot.