My first ex and I worked one summer as outward bound counselors, packing groups of a dozen disadvantaged kids around the Colorado mountains a week at a time… because the kids were small, the adults carried all the heavy gear. I elected to not weigh my pack before going out. I weighed it when we got back after one trip… after a weeks worth of food was out, and without water, it weighed over 60 lbs
So I learned to pack heavy, but be veeery choosy about my equipment and consider the risks based on how remote we’d be and how far from help or communication. There are things you can get by without, and things you really need… and a lot of stuff in the middle. Most of which needs risk-assessment to sort in-or-out.
I figure on taking my truck - which gets me home the 800 miles in a day, but if I’m actually having to walk the 800 miles it means things have gone very badly wrong and there are some things I’m really going to want to have, even if it slows down my travel speed.
As I mentioned above my truck bag (my get home bag) weighs over 40lbs which is fine for any distance if I’m driving…but if I’m walking farther than 20mi…around mile 10 I think I’m going to need to make some tough decisions and shed some stuff so I can actually make it the entire distance. (do I really need that hacksaw and 4way water key?)
That or just pull out my shovel and dig and build my underground bunker that I’ve packed in the bag there at that spot…
Luke if you have a full size AR rifle you’re going to be hard pressed to find a BOB that will store it fully assembled that isn’t very obviously a rifle case.
You can just pull the rear pin and fold it in half however that would allow for a very quick reassembling and getting it into battery in an emergency if necessary.
Take a look at this video. It is an easier way to retrieve your AR or weapon of choice. The guy, and his co-workers, are using this bag everyday. Check it out!
I’m surprised you don’t keep a bug out bicycle in the back of your pickup or at your rental. Mostly quiet movement, and it’s faster than walking, would also be significantly less tiring than trying to ruck 800 miles when SHTF.
