My camping bugout bag

[Frnc]

Decided to lightly oil my knife, so thought I'd take a snap of the bag while I was at it. My camping gear is mostly in one bike pannier. If I was going on foot this would get emptied into my bugout rucksack which is only half filled. There are certain camping items not in this pannier, which I'll try to note.





1. Pannier Altura Vortex 260g each, 15 l each, these go on the front of the bike, rack is strapped to lower leg of suspension forks. The other front pannier is mainly for non-camping gear - general bugout stuff I might want en route. But it does have my airbed in it. Clothing and sleeping bag are in rucksack.

2. Tent. Geertop, fairly cheap (about £100), weight 975g inc bag, pegs and small rear pole. Small rear pole in rucksack. Main pole is trekking pole (180g) strapped to rucksack.

3. Green drybag (Exped ultralight 20l 30g) contains var freeze dried meals (cals 365 + 385 + 589 ie about 4 main meals, can split the big one, I carry a few empty bags that are similar ie can stand up, hold boiling water, and be sealed if desired)

4. Home made pot cosy, 1.1l titanium pot, hanging chain, stove, gas canister. Chain is more for longer durations, if the gas runs out and I need to make a fire.

5. Mora knife

6. Leatherman Rebar

7. Extra insulating/reflecting bubblewrap sheet, can use as wind shield.

8. Sporks, spatula, tent pegs (mostly titanium wire), canister stabaliser.

Total weight 2.95 kg

Additional camping gear carried in other front pannier:
air bed, thermarest uberlite 170g this just went in to balance the weight and volume.

also:
camo poncho (not really camping gear, but attachment points to use as shelter) 288g
Seven Oceans ration pack 510g (again not really camping gear, this doesn't need cooking)
plastic groundsheet 46g thin but tough, to protect tent's groundsheet, or just to lie on for a rest, or to cover gear in a storm.

This pannier also has first aid kit, wash kit, repair stuff, various bits and bobs. This pannier is basically non-camp gear, but I added the air bed just to balance out the weight. Also I could be sleeping on a floor or something and want the air bed.

Carried in rucksack:
Sleeping bag, 236g, synthetic half bag OMM. Would be wearing insulated jacket.
Quilt, 444g, just a cheap thing, packs small if necessary. Probably not the warmest but better than nothing. Could ditch in summer.

Top of rear rack or strapped to rucksack if walking:
5 season foam sleeping mat 350g in bag 50g

[kaosandy]

Hello , I have just joined this site and couldn't find where to post my introduction .

Regards camping out , preparation is the way ... what I mean by that is , you need so much stuff that more than one carry-journey is needed . Usually it takes me 4 loads (by bicycle using backpack) to have enough essentials , on a camping site .

Some reconnoitre NOW and campsite preparation is recommended.

Water is great to have plenty of . There's nothing worse than being thirsty when you're out miles from nowhere . Glass bottled water keeps better especially if the sunshine can reach it .

As for my introduction : I have stored food , for years before . Basically what I learned was 1) tinned stuff tastes metallic after two or three years . 2) dried food like rice and pasta lasted me five years IF I took measures to keep out Rats & Mice. 3) Glass Stored food can last many years IF the jar is UPRIGHT eg the liquid doesn't touch the metal lids . Bestest lasting glass jar food for me was Pickle. Also mint sauce & apple sauce condiments kept good for years.

Anything in plastic or paper packaging can easily be spolied by rodents because they have sharp teeth : hence : really Steel Boxes are needed . That way , rodents teeth cannot reach the stored food .

So for the camping , do some location research first , take and leave some essentials on site , make sure you've enough water and it'll probably take you several trips to bring enough items .

This may depart from conversation but I suppose ONE bugout bag is not enough. Several bugouts stored in previously researched locations, makes life tolerable.

Thank You . from Kaos Andy in Hampshire .

[itsybitsy]

Hello and welcome. I've approved this post, but please can you post an intro in the New Members Start Here section - thanks.

[Winterprep]

Hers a link to the introduction area for new members viewforum.php?f=9

Welcome. WP

[Frnc]

Hello , I have just joined this site and couldn't find where to post my introduction .

Regards camping out , preparation is the way ... what I mean by that is , you need so much stuff that more than one carry-journey is needed . Usually it takes me 4 loads (by bicycle using backpack) to have enough essentials , on a camping site .

Some reconnoitre NOW and campsite preparation is recommended.

Water is great to have plenty of . There's nothing worse than being thirsty when you're out miles from nowhere . Glass bottled water keeps better especially if the sunshine can reach it .

As for my introduction : I have stored food , for years before . Basically what I learned was 1) tinned stuff tastes metallic after two or three years . 2) dried food like rice and pasta lasted me five years IF I took measures to keep out Rats & Mice. 3) Glass Stored food can last many years IF the jar is UPRIGHT eg the liquid doesn't touch the metal lids . Bestest lasting glass jar food for me was Pickle. Also mint sauce & apple sauce condiments kept good for years.

Anything in plastic or paper packaging can easily be spolied by rodents because they have sharp teeth : hence : really Steel Boxes are needed . That way , rodents teeth cannot reach the stored food .

So for the camping , do some location research first , take and leave some essentials on site , make sure you've enough water and it'll probably take you several trips to bring enough items .

This may depart from conversation but I suppose ONE bugout bag is not enough. Several bugouts stored in previously researched locations, makes life tolerable.

Thank You . from Kaos Andy in Hampshire .

Hi Andy. Welcome to the forum. I can carry all my gear at once. My setup is:

Front rack strapped on forks
2 x 15 litre ultralight panniers. As described above, one contains tent, stove, pot, gas, food, knife etc. The other has my airbed plus more food plus bits like first aid.

Rear rack
2 x 20 litres panniers. One is the one I use for routine bike rides. The other is for long-term bugout only. I wouldn't take it if I anticipated just a few days.

Bag strapped on top of rear rack. Capacity 20 litres. My foam mat is strapped to the outside of this bag. The bag itself isn't essential. If going long term in summer I could put my boots in it.

Rucsack. 55 litres for short bug-out or any bugout going by bike. As I said, this is only half full, mostly with the lightest stuff: sleeping bag, clothes etc. The front two panniers' contents could fit in this if necessary.

Also attached to the bike: lock, 3 x water bottle cages.

So I have about 145 lites capacity plus a couple of lites of water.

I do have some minimalist gear, eg my sleeping bag only comes up to the waist and isn't very thick so it packs small. You sleep in your insulated jacket with this type of bag.

[Droidy]

Hello , I have just joined this site and couldn't find where to post my introduction .

Regards camping out , preparation is the way ... what I mean by that is , you need so much stuff that more than one carry-journey is needed . Usually it takes me 4 loads (by bicycle using backpack) to have enough essentials , on a camping site .

Some reconnoitre NOW and campsite preparation is recommended.

Water is great to have plenty of . There's nothing worse than being thirsty when you're out miles from nowhere . Glass bottled water keeps better especially if the sunshine can reach it .

As for my introduction : I have stored food , for years before . Basically what I learned was 1) tinned stuff tastes metallic after two or three years . 2) dried food like rice and pasta lasted me five years IF I took measures to keep out Rats & Mice. 3) Glass Stored food can last many years IF the jar is UPRIGHT eg the liquid doesn't touch the metal lids . Bestest lasting glass jar food for me was Pickle. Also mint sauce & apple sauce condiments kept good for years.

Anything in plastic or paper packaging can easily be spolied by rodents because they have sharp teeth : hence : really Steel Boxes are needed . That way , rodents teeth cannot reach the stored food .

So for the camping , do some location research first , take and leave some essentials on site , make sure you've enough water and it'll probably take you several trips to bring enough items .

This may depart from conversation but I suppose ONE bugout bag is not enough. Several bugouts stored in previously researched locations, makes life tolerable.

Thank You . from Kaos Andy in Hampshire .

Hi Andy
May be a cycle trailer might help with your transport problem.
I bought one that attaches to the seat stem that I have also used to walk my gear into the woods with (NewForest) I can load it with more than I can carry in a back pack and it is remarkably stable over ditches and large logs as long as you approach them squarely.
Cheers AndyP

[Droidy]

Decided to lightly oil my knife, so thought I'd take a snap of the bag while I was at it

I don't know if you are aware but for carbon steel blades you can use the oil your body produces to protect them.
Just behind your ears gets quite oily and is ideally applied with your finger, just a smear is sufficient to exclude the oxygen and water.

[Frnc]

Decided to lightly oil my knife, so thought I'd take a snap of the bag while I was at it

I don't know if you are aware but for carbon steel blades you can use the oil your body produces to protect them.
Just behind your ears gets quite oily and is ideally applied with your finger, just a smear is sufficient to exclude the oxygen and water.

Good idea. I'll remember that. My Mora is actually stainless and I think my Leatherman Rebar is also all stainless, but a drop of oil does no harm anyway. I did oil my Rebar, partly because it was very stiff, quite hard to open at first.