A Backpacker’s Perspective on Bugging Out, by Z.M.

27 Comments

1. What powers this uv stick?

2. I like the weight ideas of a Backpackers Perspective, I would add though, if you’re bugging out it is not for a pleasurable hike, but because your current position is untenable. This to me would mean along with the pack mentioned above you would need a weapon ammo and support gear, easily adding 20 lbs. Your suck factor just went way up. Weapons and ammo are heavy, obviously, try to stay as light as possible. This would be during a SHTF scenario and not some type of natural disaster, although even then you may wish to be armed. Remember training and PT so you are fully aware of your limits. It would be a shame that after a half hour and a half mile you realize you can’t continue. Get rucking my friends.

3. UV sterilizer is usually powered by Lithium AA battery.

   All good advice but like anything else there is much more to it – mostly related to the environment. A Georgia backpacker will do and carry things differently than a backpacker in the Colorado high country. Practice and experience matter.

4. Interesting picture. That is not the correct way to cross a stream. Always cross facing upstream and taking sidesteps. The force of the water “locks” your knees into place against the water and the chances of the water taking your knees out and dumping you into the stream is minimalized. Crossing as pictured, or worse facing downstream, will often lead to losing your footing and getting good and wet.

5. Hygiene – Carry some type of soap (biodegradable) that you can use to clean your body and cooking utensils. I also recommend a small light weight backpackers towel and pot scrubber. Trowel to bury waste, toothbrush, tooth paste, etc. Zip lock bags to keep things organized and dry. A thick (3 mil) trash bag to keep your sleeping bag dry when everything is getting soaked!
   Shoes – Quality shoes / boots to support the weight you’ll be carrying. Break them in or you’ll suffer greatly. Also a pair of water shoes or CROCS for wet crossings and when in camp.
   First Aid Kit – from minimal to extensive you need some basic things to care for yourself and others. Anti-diarrheal, insect bite remedy, antibiotic ointment, pain pills, sunscreen, liquid band-aids, duct tape, etc.
   All these things add weight but are essential.

6. I fully agree with the 35# weight goal as a maximum. Even in my twenties and early thirties and being quite fit anything over that amount of weight would become untenable is short order.
   Other than that much good advice and of course location does make a difference of what is need in your final decisions of gear.
   The one difference that we would make in taking off on a 3-5 day trip is we might carry some extra weight in food that would be used up that first day. On our recreational trips we might for example carry a frozen steak and a couple of beers wrapped up in a down vest (sierra high country), the frozen steak would defrost while keeping the beers cold while wrapped in the insulated vest.
   This was 35-40 years ago however but did make for a luxury meal in the back country.

   1. that first meal in the backwoods of steak sure helped set the mood!

7. Great article, precise. One change, “…carry a S&W Shield 9mm with an extra magazine of ammo.”

   1. Yes a magazine.

8. 1. For toileting I carry a few folded paper towels (find the soft and durable ones!) – far better than TP or Kleenix, Wet Wipes for followup, Zinc ointment for prevention, and hand sanitizer. A lightweight plastic trowel, a stand up urinal funnel (see Amazon) for the wife, and a contractor trash bag with a hole for my head as a one-person privacy shelter (Shepherdess appreciates this).

   2. For hygiene I take “cat baths” of the key rash areas with several baby wipes at once, and treat with a thin layer of zinc ointment proactively. Deodorant for the arm pits doesn’t make me less stinky, but does help to not get pit rashes. Look for the zinc ointment that also has vitamins A & D and aloe, but just plain diaper rash ointment works great.

   Keep your hands clean with soap and water, and keep them away from your food, mouth, nose and eyes when your hands are not clean!

9. Due to age, I have added a game cart to my preps, if I ever have to bug out on foot, this will help to carry gear, with absolute essentials in a smallish rucksack. I agree with an external frame pack, this after many youthful years of backpacking and climbing in the Cascade range.

10. I like the ideas as a get home bag or a bag to get to a prepared bug out location, and its great to have working knowledge of how to backpack. I too did a ton of backpacking in my youth, we never had our pack over 25 pounds even on 7 day treks.

    What I hate to see is any reference to this being a survival strategy for any extended period of time. In the summer you might last a few weeks, in the winter it all depends on how fat you are and how long it takes you to starve to death.

    IF this is a wilderness survival post I’d suggest the following:
    Ditch the Shield and buy a .22 rifle and ammo.
    Add a fishing pole with tackle.
    Ditch the stove and add pots for cooking over a fire.
    Learn about a Dakota fire pit for opsec cooking.
    Add long johns and rain gear for layering.
    Add a pound of salt and 4 pounds of lard.

    That should get you through the first month if you are not killed by another desperate person.

11. 1) The weight will be dropping each day as you consume supplies, so you might start out a little heavy but realize your first day distance will be limited.
    2) Why does no one favor just a poncho and poncho liner for shelter/sleeping? On the east coast in spring/summer/early fall that could be adequate if you have enough clothes to stay warm during the day and if you sleep in your clothes.
    Day -night temperature difference is usually 20 deg F or less. You need a poncho for rain cover anyway. also, you need a mosquito net to slip over your head– plus deet.

    3) What about the Sawyer All in One Squeeze water filter? No batteries, rated for 1 million gallons (you have to back flush it every so often). It can be set up with a squeeze bag for backpacking and then converted at your destination to gravity feed water from a 5 gallon bucket.

    https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-pointone-one-filter/
    http://momgoescamping.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/sawyer-squeeze.jpg

    4)Tall people appear to dislike the Army’s former Alice pack because it does not reach down far enough to put weight on their hips, which is essential. But it works if you are 5 ft 10 in or less and it has a lot of good qualities:
    a)not greatly overpriced the way civilian yuppie packs are
    b) it can carry a lot (2400 cu in — 3500 cu with Molle sleeping bag carrier)
    c) Meets the airlines’ size limits for carryon luggage if the 3 external packs are not filled–
    good feature for air evacs
    d) You can take off the pack, put the cargo shelf onto the frame and carry the NATO 5 gallon gasoline or water cans (about 42 lbs).

    https://cdn3.volusion.com/ycosk.ufqwe/v/vspfiles/photos/V-00273-5.jpg

    e) The cargo shelf is a great feature if you run out of gas. And in many third world countries, people in poor neighborhoods have to carry their drinking water from communal water sources.

    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Communal_tap_for_drinking_water_%282941731238%29.jpg

    Note that you may end up in a Mexican ghetto , esp if you are only able to export $20,000 or so past the border guards. Foreign countries don’t ladle out lavish welfare checks to refugees.

    1. PS Note that US neighborhoods could decline into third world ghettos is the Schumer really hits the fan. Your communal water source may be a National Guard Tanker truck or cargo helicopter that shows up a mile away once a week. Remember Hurricane Katrina?

       https://s3.amazonaws.com/attachments.readmedia.com/files/17925/original/dake_009.jpg?1291272383

12. I like the jet-boil for fast light and efficient all-in-one compact cooking. One burner and one cup can serve many as long as you don’t all have to eat at the same time and don’t mind sharing the same cup. You can use companion cups with just one burner to save on weight too, or everyone can just carry their own reasonably lightweight kit. One small butane canister lasts surprisingly long and it is much cleaner, lighter, and easier than a white gas stove. Also the intense flame is very small so it won’t be easily spotted at night.

13. Don’t forget the steel wool. It’s light and great for getting those dishes really clean. It dissolves when wet so it is completely biodegradable. Also when dry, it burns short and hot for a great way to get that fire going.

14. https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841/

    Generally look up “ultralight backpacking”

15. Cleaning filthy hands every time before prepping food and for when eating with my hands anything and then after doing so trying to clean hands again is tough with scarce water to do so very easily and thoroughly. So, I also carry a dozen extra surgical gloves more than what’s already in my first-aid kit and use them instead of always washing, with no worry anymore about dirty hands before, during or after food prep and eating. Cheap, tiny, lightweight, fast & effective, especially compared to precious water required otherwise.

16. I thought the game cart was a really great comment, and even a small kids bike can be used to walk beside and more than double the amount of cargo you can haul on most trails that don’t require scrambling. Google “bicycle Infantry” and the use of bicycles on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

17. first aid kit and manual

18. Good article to make one think on bugging out, which is to be avoided if at all possible. 2 years ago I decided at 60 years old to see how far I could carry my BOB pack. This is an REI Osprey, and fully loaded it weighed 38 lbs. I took more than our author, and could ditch the small multi band slim radio and the large machete type knife. I have 2 weapons, one being a KelTec Sub2000 in .40S&W, the other being S&W Compact in same caliber. Anyway I laid out a 10 mile course, up hills and down, although all on sidewalks and gravel paths. This took my 3 hrs and 20 minutes, and I did not sit down once. That was a goal, which I did. But the last 2 miles were very tough. What this taught me was you definitely have to do trial runs with your bag, and see what you can trim out if absolutely not needed. I had a solo stove and Katadyn pump water filter, I don’t like the purification pills.

19. I have a small goal zero 10 solar panel that has a 4 aa/ss battery pack charger that is lightweight that I keep in my bag. that way I can recharge my flashlight and headlamp.

20. With over 28 years in the Army (17 in Special Ops), IMHO, 35lbs is about the max anyone can be expected to carry for an extended period of time. Yes, please…work on your physical fitness now! Pack, sleeping bag, bivy, food, water, map, compass, .22LR rifle (we carry the Marlin Papoose) and a couple boxes of ammo and that 35lbs limit comes quick! Our BOBs are about 38lbs each. Really. Not plush, but manageable. YMMV.

21. jogging stroller. it will make your life MUCH simpler when the SHTF. agree on the 22 rifle instead of 9mm….and maybe even ar15, if bad enough out there. work gloves
    LED headlamp
    hat for sleeping in if really cold
    tourniquet
    my first-aid kit when hiking is TP and electrical tape….it has MANY uses
    dryer lint to guarantee starting a fire
    aspirin or acetaminofin
    gerber multitool
    my jogging stroller will allow me to take along a LOT more weight….but NONE of us are likely to survive if there’s a truly catastrophic situation.

22. At an age when my knees are beyond creaky, I appreciate the idea of wheeled assistance. Do any of you have experience with either the Honey Badger Wheel
    https://www.honeybadgerwheel.com/
    or the PackWheel
    http://www.packwheel.com/
    and a strong reason to prefer one over the other.

    1. it seems to me the guy pushing the honeybadger in that video, is going left and right on that trail…like he’s struggling to keep it going straight, which is what MY first thought was. i like the jogging stroller that can be had for 25 to 50$ at yard sales and such….get a good, sturdy one, with bicycle tires…..and if they go flat, you can still keep going, but you get better ride with tubes full of air. i do admit the badger goes on narrower trails, but where i go it’s usually wide enough. thanks for putting up those links!

23. This article I found interesting and informative as I am an old backpacker myself and have done many trips on the Appalachian trail in the Smokies lasting a week at a time from a Saturday to the next Saturday. I also used to lead groups of six on week long trips. I will add my additions to this article under the paragraphs in red from my own personal experience.
    Dejavous
    A Backpacker’s Perspective on Bugging Out, by Z.M.
    By SurvivalBlog Contributor | July 18, 2017 | July 18, 2017
    I like to backpack and want to share my perspective on bugging out. I’ve done hundreds of miles out on the Appalachian Trail and have spent a good number of nights out on the trail in the woods as a result. Having the wrong gear while trekking out for any length of time makes life pretty miserable.
    Totally agree with the above.
    Bugging In or Bugging Out, With a Comprehensive List
    With prepping there is a lot of debate on whether one should bug-in or bug-out post-disaster. The answer to that obviously depends upon not only the situation but how well prepared you are with tangible assets and outdoors skills as well.
    I’ve seen a host of writers, who talk about bugging out, give their “comprehensive lists” with what you’ll need. But, to me, it is readily apparent that very few of these writers have ever spent a night out in the woods.
    I have read some of these articles and I agree – some of them are clueless.
    If somebody did attempt to take all of the unnecessary junk itemized on those lists out into the woods for any distance, they would quickly discover that life is pretty miserable because it’s impractical to lug around the amount of stuff that was recommended in many of those lists.
    When I was learning myself – I once took all unnecessary gear I could do without and left it hanging in a shelter to anyone who found it and was willing to lug it. I sort of got famous for that one. People speculated that it was a wealthy doctor who left the stuff. Boy did I get a laugh out of that one. I just plainly refused to carry it one foot further. This is how legends are born and what the truth really can be – LOL. I almost left a Nikon camera hanging there but changed my mind at the last minute. When you go to Sugarland’s ranger station on a visit – ask them if hikers have ever left anything expensive hanging in a shelter on the trail? Then remember this post. Woooohooo!
    What To Take When Hiking Out
    The proper gear, when carried the proper way, is not only do-able but enjoyable as well. So I’d like to take a look at what you should take with you, and how to do so, if you are going to be bugging out.
    If you’re going to drive to your bug out location, this advice isn’t going to apply. A car lets you carry a lot of weight for a long distance without any physical exertion on your part. If you’re planning on just hiking out into the woods and getting as far away from people as you can though, you’re going to want to figure out how you can apply the below advice to your bug-out bag.
    He left out an important consideration below – Clothing
    Clothing
    What you wear is very important. What depends on where you live and the time of year you bug out and for how long.
    Clothing: Winter – never wear cotton clothing next your body. The reason for this is that cotton absorbs and holds sweat and when you stop walking – sweat can throw you into a hypothermia situation in short order. This can kill you. You body gets lethargic then your body begins to shut down. I once was cooking in a shelter and two men walked into the shelter of which one was listless and unresponsive I immediately noticed and began to check him out. He had on cotton clothing and a rain suit. I rushed to strip him down to his underwear and got him into a dry sleeping bag and told his partner to boil up some hot chocolate laced with honey asap while I worked on his friend. My partner lit a fire and began to dry the man’s sweat soaked clothing and then we got some hot liquids into him to warm him up from the inside out. We got him back in about 45 minutes and fed him and bedded him down for the night. They learned the lesson the hard way. Hopefully we saved him from a tragedy for the rest of the trip – hopefully. He definitely was not geared out for cold days or nights. This trip was in June in the Smokies where rain, sweat and cool can kill you even in warm weather. You can die from hypothermia in the middle of summertime.
    Wear things like nylon next your body as it bleeds off sweat into outer clothing where it can dissipate. Wear other materials on the outside what will not hold sweat. A point on wool: Wool has the properties to retain 90 percent of its warmth retention properties soaking wet. Layer your clothing. You can always strip down, if needed, if you overheat as you go and then put back on as needed.
    Shoes (Boots)
    Your feet are your transportation. Do not scrimp on this item. You will potentially be adding 35-40 pounds to your body weight while walking and you feet will be pushed down and they will spread out causing hot spots to form on areas where they come into contact with the leather. What works for normal exercise will not work with the extra weight. get a good pair of backpacking boots and buy some Mole Skin (Sold in drugstores). If you already know where hot spots form – apply moleskin BEFORE you begin walking. After you get blisters is too late. Then you must have medical help or you can walk yourself into a hospital.
    A poncho of good quality – not a cheap one. Think like – a military type poncho. It will let you body breathe while you walk and provide shelter as you do so and when you stop. It is not a tent but it is better than nothing. Staying as dry as possible in the rain is a must both for you and your gear (clothes – food – other gear). Packing wet clothes will not get it. Wet food will ruin your day big time.
    Never wear tennis shoes for packing. Possibly pack a light pair for ending the day at your camp. Pack at least one pair of extra socks (Thick ones) for packing. Buy your boots by trying them on with these socks on. Thick ones take up a little more room in the shoe. The rest of your clothes can be worn for a week or more. Getting into dry base clothing at the end of the day is a good practice. You may not smell good but you will BE good to go.
    BAG
    Your bag needs to have a frame. Whether it’s an external or an internal frame, I don’t care. But without some sort of framing system to it, you’re not going to last. A framed bag protects your back and makes hiking infinitely more comfortable. It’s hard to go very far with a school backpack crammed full of gear that pokes into your spine at sharp angles every step and forces you to slump forward just to keep from falling backwards.
    External frame bags allow you to stand up straighter and give you more ventilation at the cost of being more wobbly. Internal frame bags allow for greater mobility, but they hug your back close and force you to slump more. Choose one based on your preferences.
    I like external frames. I feel that the ability to stand up straight and pain free is well worth the small amount of wobble I get when moving quickly.
    You need something with a hip belt as well. Hip belts allow a good portion of the weight to go directly to your hips rather than your lower back. This enables you to hike farther and wake up less sore.
    Personally I used the internal frame pack (Good one). I used the Gregory line of packs. It is a personal choice. Try different ones out and take them to the park to see which ones loaded work the best for you. A real good padded waist belt and shoulder straps is a must. I cut off three inches from the foot of my sleeping pad (Closed Cell) and cut strips off to put under my shoulder straps next to my collar bone to ease the chaffing – worked like a charm. Adding a lot of weight to your hip bones without padding will also cause you a whole lot of discomfort and sore spots. Adjustment straps help a lot when the pack shrinks due to eating the food etc and using supplies.
    By The Way (Important) Try to limit your weight to ¼ you body weight. Being in shape also will help A LOT. Walk with your pack on with all supplies loaded to make adjustments BEFORE the need. Looks funny to others but will help you immensely. Who cares what others think anyways. They will wish they had sooner or later.
    SHELTER
    You have to have shelter if you are going to live out in the woods. Shelter is one of man’s primary needs. Without it, you die. Tents do a great job of protecting you from the elements, but they also take up a large amount of space in your pack. They can also be very heavy.
    If you can, I highly recommend a hammock with a tarp large enough to keep the wind from whipping against your butt all night long. Hammocks are light, compact, and inexpensive. Tarps are the same thing and provide excellent protection.
    However, if you’re in an area with little tree cover, are traveling with a wife and kids, or it’s incredibly cold outside, a hammock may not be the best option.
    If this is the case, I recommend finding as compact and as light of a tent as possible. I’ve done a fair amount of camping with a one-person tent, and while this does feel like you’re sleeping within your coffin all night long, it makes hiking in the morning much more enjoyable when you’re not carrying unnecessary weight.
    For tents with more than one person traveling where sleeping solo probably isn’t going to happen (such as with kids), get yourself as light of a tent as you can and be mentally prepared to not have as much space at night as you typically would. The point is to survive, not to stay at the Hilton.
    No tent – have a tarp. Stay as dry as possible. Cold and wet is miserable. If you have a tent – the parts (material – supports – stakes – ropes) can be split up among the occupants for carrying and spreading out the weight among the group. That is the way I did it. Think light weight on all items at all times. I once cut my tooth brush in half to conserve weight. Ounces make pounds. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

    FOOD
    I’ve found that easy to prepare dried foods are the most enjoyable to eat. They’re quick to cook, and they’re light, too. Pretty much anything instant works great. This includes things like oatmeal, pasta dishes, ramen, and the like.
    Anything canned is extra weight, extra bag space, and is out. Peanut butter, tuna packets, tortillas, granola, and Clif bars make great ready-to-eat meals that are well worth the little space they take up and are packed full of the calories that you’re going to need if you’re out there.
    I ate oatmeal with instant milk for breakfast and trail mix for lunch and a freeze dried Mountain House dinners for dinner. I also carried instant coffee and Honey to sweeten other things with. On short trips – I carried fresh eggs and ham for breakfast. Freeze dried works good for this also without the extra weight of fresh.
    For cooking, I carry a light stove and two fuel canisters that I got from Walmart. I keep the stove nested within a small lightweight backpacking pot. This allows me to cook my meals within 10 minutes. It’s not easily visible and is compact and light.
    I carried a white gas (Coleman fuel) type backpacking stove nestled in its pots. It is a Svea stove – I have two of them. One quart of fuel (White Gas) lasted me a whole 6 days of cooking two times a day for 6-7 days and I had a little fuel left over at the end of the trip. This saved me a little weight for a 7 day trip. Shorter trips give you some lea way on this. Plan carefully on what you will consume for every day you expect to be out and throw in just a little extra – just in case. You may have to hold up for a day. Try out all foods to make sure you can live with them and PLAN CAREFULLY. Food can take up a lot of your weight allotment for each person. The good side is that your pack gets lighter each day – woooohooo. Having a little fuel can also help to start a fire if all fuels are rain soaked. Read where to find dry wood fuel from a good backpacking book.
    BTW – Cotton balls swabbed in Vaseline salve and placed in a zip lock bag can each start a fire just fine. Plastic plates are also light and start fires well too. I have used both. Plastic plates are petroleum based. They are not echo friendly but when you are cold and freezing and everything is wet – echo friendly takes second place. When I was learning in the Smokies – I had a ranger once start a fire for us on a rainy day with a can of motor oil he had in his saddle bags. Go figure. I learned the hard way. I remember that to this day – 35 years later. Dry and warm is good – wet and cold and hungry is real bad. On one trip – I and my friend backpacked for 5 solid days in the rain. The weather reports did not warn us of this – freak weather event. Miserable event but made for a great lifetime memory and great learning experience. What do you do when things go wrong????
    WATER
    I use a UV sterilization stick as my primary water treatment source and chlorine tablets as a backup. Lifestraws are cool and light, but if you want clean water with them you have to suck it. I like cleaning my pot with clean water rather than my spit.
    Keep two large bottles of water filled per person at all times. Anything more is overkill in my opinion, but it depends on how much you sweat and how far away you think you’re going to be from water. If you’re bugging out on the Eastern U.S., there should be plenty available. If you’re in Arizona or Texas somewhere, extra water may be worth the effort.
    I am in the Southeast. I either use a straw filter (Life Straw) or boil water to use. I also carry water purification tablets in a pinch. Above is also good to know.
    SLEEPING BAG/MAT
    Get as light of a sleeping bag as you can afford that goes down to as low of a temperature rating as you can afford. Buy a mummy bag. They’re smaller, warmer, and lighter. Yeah, they give you less wiggle room at night, but the cost is worth it if you’re going to be moving around regularly. You can learn to sleep with your feet together if you have to.
    Personally I go goose down for weight but it must be kept dry.
    You need to have some sort of sleeping mat as well. These provide comfort from the hard ground as well as insulate you by keeping all of your heat from seeping straight into the earth. Trust me, without one you can get pretty cold even in July.
    I use a small foam mat, and have even used an inflatable pool float with success. Both of these options keep you comfortable, are light weight, and can be inexpensive as well.
    The sleeping mat must be closed cell. Open cell foam mats will allow body heat to be transferred to the ground. Place mat on a small tarp to keep moisture from coming up through the ground when it is rainy.

    MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT
    • Flashlight with extra batteries. I use a small Maglite that runs off of AAs. Anything larger is extra unneeded weight.
    I use the Led triple A battery type small Flashlights. I also have come to respect the well made head LED lamps. It frees your hands for chores in the dark.
    • Bandana. You’d be surprised at how handy these things are. You can use bandanas for all kinds of things.
    • Lighters. I always carry two small Bic lighters and a small flint and steel as a backup.
    Carry them in a zip lock bag for rain. I do this also.
    • A large knife. I carry a Cold Steel fixed blade knife that’s served me well. Anything that you get from those guys is going to be top notch quality. Leave the Swiss army knives at home. You need something with a fixed blade that you can trust.
    I carry a military bayonet M7. With the hole near the balance – with a staff – it can be configured into a spear. Mine is also real sharp and holds an edge pretty good.
    • Gun. I also carry a S&W Shield 9mm with an extra clip of ammo. It’s not great for hunting, I admit, but for self-defense it’ll work. It’s light weight, compact, and I always keep it easily accessible.
    I carry a Ruger Mark 11 and spare clips. Good for small game and accurate. The 22 allows me to carry more clips less weight. It is what I choose – others work as well – maybe better.
    • Map and compass. Knowing where you’re at will not only help you to find water and food, but it will help you to know how to avoid civilization and the best route to get away and back to it. A map is a huge morale boost as well. There’s something about knowing your location when you’re in the middle of nowhere that can help calm you down.
    • Watch. I wear an old tough-as-nails little thing I picked up from Walmart that’s lasted me for years. I’m able to accurately guess the distance I’ve hiked, when sundown/sunrise will occur, and know if it’s meal time thanks to my little watch. Once again, you don’t realize how much this simple piece of equipment helps you out mentally until you’ve spent a week out in the woods without having an accurate concept of time.
    • Clothes. I carry one extra pair of wool socks, one extra pair of non-cotton underwear, an incredibly lightweight rain jacket from Columbia, and one extra non-cotton shirt when I hike in. And that’s it. All of this is very lightweight and allows you to change out of wet clothing should you need to. I don’t carry extra pants. I don’t feel that the extra weight/space is worth it.
    The reason I like the poncho is it can cover me and the pack and still allow air flow to bleed off excess heat when walking. A jacket with a pack on over it restricts airflow too much and does not allow heat bleed of as well for me. Personal choice is the way to go BUT try them out in the rain and you will see what I mean. The military is not wrong on this one and this is what they issue.
    • Paracord. I always carry at least 50 feet. Having this paracord allows me to tie bear bags, secure my tarp, and make a host of other quick fixes to broken equipment. This stuff is lightweight and worth its weight in gold.
    • Small tissue packets. These are my toilet paper. I’m not a huge fan of leaves. I always carry four or five packets.
    Think picking the wrong leaves in the dark and stripping poison ivy or leaves with bugs to wipe with – oooops!.
    WEIGHT
    I do everything I can to keep the total weight of my bag to less than 35 pounds. With all of the above gear, I tend to average right at 32-34 pounds. Anything more makes trekking long distances not fun. Thirty-five pounds gives me all of the gear that I need to survive out there with enough food to last me about four days.
    My rule of thumb is ¼ personal body weight in general.
    If you’re going to anticipate being out there much longer, I recommend knowing edible plants, knowing how to set snares, and having food caches set out where you’re going beforehand. Joe Nobody’s The Prepper’s Guide to Caches is a good book on the subject that I recommend.
    Yeah, I get that military personnel commonly carry 55+ pounds worth of equipment. But odds are they’ve been training a lot harder and longer than you have. They’re probably also younger.
    Think you’re macho and that you can handle it? I challenge you to attempt a 10+ mile hike with that much gear and tell me how long it takes. You may be able to move that much stuff, but mobility is key after any disaster, and if you can’t lug your stuff around faster than a Pomeranian lugging a dog sled full of your wife’s travel luggage, you’re only messing yourself over.
    Also, it’s a lot harder to keep your balance and prevent a twisted ankle with that much weight on your back as well, and surviving is a lot harder when you’re injured.
    Good boots help with this ankle support consideration.
    As a side note:
    Pack all clothing in your pack in small bags or garbage bags so if your pack gets wet your clothing will not. Same goes for fire starter materials and other things you can not allow to get wet.
    A set of snake bite gaiters may be considered. These will also help keep water of leaves and brush from getting into your boots after a rain.

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