Budget Bug-Out Bag

[imkopaka]

I'm interested in buying a pack that I can use for hunting/hiking/camping/range or as a light bug-out bag. I'm thinking something like a military day-pack (assault pack). Something durable with 2-5 sections/pockets, a waist strap, and tactically colored - preferably some sort of tan. Ideally I want to spend less than $50 on it, but I also don't want to sacrifice quality. Any suggestions?

[Jusme]

Here is what I have, it's a little more than your $50. limit, but it is awesome!
It's the Condor Venture Pack


Here is a video review on the condor web site:

http://www.condoroutdoor.com/Condor-160.aspx

I keep it in my truck, and I have everything I need for three days plus. It has a very comfortable waist belt, and is hydration compatible. There is a space between the main pack and the outer compartment that I keep my rain gear in, it expands and has adjustable straps so there is a lot of room.

It sits just right on my back, and even fully loaded doesn't put strain on my back and shoulders. I can't recommend this highly enough.

[Beiruty]

La Police Gear

[Skiprr]

A decent pack within the $50 limit may be difficult. Something I'd add to the criteria (which the Condor meets) is MOLLE webbing. Being able to go modular is important to me; allows you to quickly add or remove inexpensive pouches/kits that you need only for certain purposes. For example, going camping/hiking you might want a separate pouch to hold a handful of compact MRE entrees, a spork, and whatever else you want to go with; but you wouldn't want to lug that with you for a two-hour trip to the range.

[Jusme]

A decent pack within the $50 limit may be difficult. Something I'd add to the criteria (which the Condor meets) is MOLLE webbing. Being able to go modular is important to me; allows you to quickly add or remove inexpensive pouches/kits that you need only for certain purposes. For example, going camping/hiking you might want a separate pouch to hold a handful of compact MRE entrees, a spork, and whatever else you want to go with; but you wouldn't want to lug that with you for a two-hour trip to the range.

I have a rip-away first aid pouch and an H2O water bottle holder (also by Condor) attached to mine, The waist belt is also molle compatible and I have a Condor holster and double mag pouch on it. I looked at several brands including Maxpedition, 5.11, and Voodoo Tactical, for the money, I didn't find one I liked better. With some internet shopping, you may be able to find it cheaper, I think I only paid $60 for mine two years ago.

[kvaca]

Don't have one myself, but I do exclusively use their belts; I'd recommend anything from
Special Operations Equipment. They're a colorful bunch, but their products are
very well crafted. An LEO I work with has one of their bags and he enjoys it quite a bit.
I'm pretty sure all their products come with a lifetime warranty as well.
Not sure if it's what you're looking for, but take a look at their 6x6 utility pouch.

Their shipping times are abysmal, but expected for the time and work they put into their products.

[Jusme]

Went out at lunch and took a couple of pics of mine. ( I forgot that I took my first aid kit in the house on Sunday)

[Jusme]

I thought it put both photos on one post but here's the front.

[The Annoyed Man]

I have two bags, a Get Home Bag, and a Bugout Bag. The GHB is a RUSH 24 from from 5.11. The BOB is a RUSH 72 from 5.11. But neither of those bags will meet the OP's price requirement. However, they are useful for illustrating the different types of bags.

Most of us are just thinking in terms of getting home from wherever we happen to be when the sewage hits the air circulation device. That means they need a GHB. If you're at work, and you have a family, you're not going to bugout from work and just abandon your loved ones. You're going to try and get home first. So what you need is a bag that will support you for up to 24 hours. Most of us, even the infirm ones, could log 20-25 miles on foot in one day if we had to, and 45-50 miles if we kept going for 24 hours. It would be hard, but feasible. Doing the math, and figuring an average pace of 2.5 miles/hour with a 15 minute rest at the end of every hour, that's 19.2 walk/rest cycles, times 2.5 mph equals 48 miles in 24 hours. A half mph faster pace nets you 57.6 miles in 24 hours. The point is, for most working people, a 24 hour GHB pack has more than enough capacity to sustain them long enough to get home from work on foot if they ever had to abandon their vehicle. And unless it is a complete piece of junk, almost any halfway decent smaller backpack is going to fit the bill. I like 5.11 packs because they are REALLY well made and rugged, but I'm sure that there are a lot of less expensive bags that are more than up to the task.

But bugging out is a whole 'nuther level of crazy and hard work. I'm not trying to sound snobbish about it, but frankly, a pack costing less than $50 is not likely to be able to be well enough made to carry enough weight, long enough to sustain life, for an extended length bug out. One of the things I like about the 5.11 RUSH packs is that they have an accessory strap system called the RUSH Tier System that allows you to piggyback one of their smaller packs onto one of their larger packs. Here's an image of a RUSH 12 piggybacked to a RUSH 24. But I can do the same thing with my RUSH 24 mated to my RUSH 72:


I can carry a ton of stuff that way if I had to, but that kind of scenario is really a last-ditch survival thing for when beating feet into deep woods and tall grass is the only rational option. It would be my hope to never need that full capacity, and if it were necessary, then one or the other of our 4WD SUVs would be the better way to get out of Dodge. In the meantime, my 72 Hour pack makes a dandy travel bag, and my 24 hour bag is my EDC bag, with a mind to just getting home from wherever I happen to be when bad juju happens.

That EDC pack contains a small food supply, water, a filter straw, a mini stove and fuel tablets, Bic lighter and an alternative fire starter, a Toaks titanium cup, some tea bags or instant coffee (depending on mood), an ultra-lite canopy/shelter-half and ultra-light tent pegs, three extra 33-round Glock magazines full of 9mm ball, my personal IFAK, a spare flashlight and spare knife, knife sharpener, small notebook and pen, a small toolkit and a multi-tool, spare fold-up reading glasses, rain jacket (depending on season), puncture-resistant gloves, a small cheap pair of binos, any portable electronics for the day, like my iPad, and small miscellaneous items. It stays in my car most of the time when I'm out and about, so it's not like I carry that stuff on my person all the time.

[mojo84]

Looks like someone is getting ready for election day.

[The Annoyed Man]

Looks like someone is getting ready for election day.

A bugout bag ain't gonna do it. I need a back-hoe so that I can bury my safe.

[Jusme]

Looks like someone is getting ready for election day.

Nope just an excrement contacting the rotating turbine.

I agree with TAM, with a couple of exceptions, navigating back home, in a grid, down/natural disaster will slow down the rate of hoofing it, due to the possibilities of roads being impassable, causing the primary route to be cross country/private property etc..
Add in the fact that one will be carrying an extra 15-25 lbs, the walking rate, will decrease further. Also one walks much slower at night.
Until October of last year, my one way commute was 50 miles. So I set up my GHB to accommodate a minimum of 4 days, just because of the terrain, distance, and possibly having to take alternate routes, which included railroads, and utility easements, putting my distance as much as 65 miles.
I now work 25 miles from home, railroads are not an option due to their direction, in relation to to my destination. But if roads prove to be too dangerous, I will be traversing a lot of semi wilderness area, while avoiding concentrations of property owners who may not take too kindly to a stranger traversing their property.
I keep maps of the areas I may have to travel, with routes and alternate routes marked.
There are,several schools of thought regarding g GHB/BOB.
My first goal is to get home where I can make better decisions regarding Bugging out.

[mojo84]

TAM, wholeheartedly!

[locke_n_load]

I have two bags, a Get Home Bag, and a Bugout Bag. The GHB is a RUSH 24 from from 5.11. The BOB is a RUSH 72 from 5.11. But neither of those bags will meet the OP's price requirement. However, they are useful for illustrating the different types of bags.

Most of us are just thinking in terms of getting home from wherever we happen to be when the sewage hits the air circulation device. That means they need a GHB. If you're at work, and you have a family, you're not going to bugout from work and just abandon your loved ones. You're going to try and get home first. So what you need is a bag that will support you for up to 24 hours. Most of us, even the infirm ones, could log 20-25 miles on foot in one day if we had to, and 45-50 miles if we kept going for 24 hours. It would be hard, but feasible. Doing the math, and figuring an average pace of 2.5 miles/hour with a 15 minute rest at the end of every hour, that's 19.2 walk/rest cycles, times 2.5 mph equals 48 miles in 24 hours. A half mph faster pace nets you 57.6 miles in 24 hours. The point is, for most working people, a 24 hour GHB pack has more than enough capacity to sustain them long enough to get home from work on foot if they ever had to abandon their vehicle. And unless it is a complete piece of junk, almost any halfway decent smaller backpack is going to fit the bill. I like 5.11 packs because they are REALLY well made and rugged, but I'm sure that there are a lot of less expensive bags that are more than up to the task.

But bugging out is a whole 'nuther level of crazy and hard work. I'm not trying to sound snobbish about it, but frankly, a pack costing less than $50 is not likely to be able to be well enough made to carry enough weight, long enough to sustain life, for an extended length bug out. One of the things I like about the 5.11 RUSH packs is that they have an accessory strap system called the RUSH Tier System that allows you to piggyback one of their smaller packs onto one of their larger packs. Here's an image of a RUSH 12 piggybacked to a RUSH 24. But I can do the same thing with my RUSH 24 mated to my RUSH 72:


I can carry a ton of stuff that way if I had to, but that kind of scenario is really a last-ditch survival thing for when beating feet into deep woods and tall grass is the only rational option. It would be my hope to never need that full capacity, and if it were necessary, then one or the other of our 4WD SUVs would be the better way to get out of Dodge. In the meantime, my 72 Hour pack makes a dandy travel bag, and my 24 hour bag is my EDC bag, with a mind to just getting home from wherever I happen to be when bad juju happens.

That EDC pack contains a small food supply, water, a filter straw, a mini stove and fuel tablets, Bic lighter and an alternative fire starter, a Toaks titanium cup, some tea bags or instant coffee (depending on mood), an ultra-lite canopy/shelter-half and ultra-light tent pegs, three extra 33-round Glock magazines full of 9mm ball, my personal IFAK, a spare flashlight and spare knife, knife sharpener, small notebook and pen, a small toolkit and a multi-tool, spare fold-up reading glasses, rain jacket (depending on season), puncture-resistant gloves, a small cheap pair of binos, any portable electronics for the day, like my iPad, and small miscellaneous items. It stays in my car most of the time when I'm out and about, so it's not like I carry that stuff on my person all the time.

The GHB is good, and it reminds of something that I keep in my truck - workout gear.
I couldn't do 20 miles in my work boots and jeans - that's why I keep a pair of old tennis shoes and some workout clothes in my truck at all times.

I was also going to ask, for that 5.11 piggyback system, does the 72 hour pack have enough rigidity to support that much weight away from your body? I have a 3 day pack (condor, I believe) that does not give enough support, so it ends up bending and putting a lot of weight on your shoulders, as I found out on a 14 mile bug out drill.

ETA: looked into replacement plates for my pack, grainger sells HDPE sheets that should work nicely.

[WTR]

Army surplus Alice pack. I bought one 50 plus years ago. It has been through Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and countless trips to the Gila. If you can't fit it in or attach it to the pack, you don't need it. Best 25 cents I ever spent.