Bug out bag

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will62

Joined
Oct 18, 2002
Messages
372
Not really sure if this is the best forum for this, so I will apologize in advance if it needs to be moved.

A friend of mine brought this up recently, he feels that mil surplus and other tactical bags, packs, and ect. may draw too much attention to you if you are part of a mass evac.
He feels that tactical gear bags scream "this person has his act together".

He thinks bags from wilderness outfitters in bright colors may make you less of a target by both the no loads and possibly the authorities.

I think he may have a valid point if you have to get out of an urban area, low profile might be the way to go. It should not matter much if you are in rural area.

Any thoughts on this??
 
I tend to think that it's not gonna matter what bag you're carrying if it's clearly stuffed full of goodies... Anybody with a bag is going to get noticed and be some kind of target. It's the haves and the have-nots.
 
When it hits the fan. It won't really matter what color it is. Buy the best quality bag with the features you want.
 
I would go with one of the outdoor brands just because they are generally lighter and more comfortable, but you lose the PALS if that is important to you.
 
I believe the style of the bag could make a difference. You stand out when you look tactical and that isn't smart.

I'd rather blend in an be secretly prepared than be screaming look at me I have cool shit come get me!

A nice regular looking but great quality bag at great price is the ll bean continental rucksack. Bought mine last fall for $30 shipped.
 
I think this can go wither way. If people are looting and robbing to get what they need, and they see someone wearing ANY type of bag, there's a good chance they're going to want to take it from you. OTOH, if the situation hasn't reached that level yet, you will definitely stand out more with a high tech bag with all sorts of pouches and pockets hanging off of it. Don't get me wrong, I like all of the Maxpedition products I've handled, but I'd prefer something a little more discreet. I know this isn't the topic, but I also don't see the need to spend a couple hundred bucks on a bag to carry your gear.
 
The OP has a valid point. Let assume for instance you are trying to exfil your butt out of New Orleans 6 hours before Katrina makes landfall. Your CFP 90 in OD or Coyote brown is drawing the eye of not only every lowlife who glances your way but the sauron eye of every rookie PD who is really really tired of dealing with lowlifes and jumpy as a 3 legged cat in a room full of PitBulls besides. As such, A Blue Osprey with black trim and maybe even day-glo striping might let you walk on by..But your CFP with Molle and a wah-wah of Mil-Spec pouches on it is going to invite investigation. I call this "UF" or "urban friendly" camo...Its not what your eyes see..its what your eyes dont see that trips you up. yes?
 
How does this sound as an idea?

For those that have a military/ tactical looking bag, what if you kept an "outdoor sports colored" rain cover in your bag? Takes up little room and you could always throw it over your pack if the situation called for it. I'd think if it's a real emergency, many people wouldn't have the presence of mind to notice it's not raining. Sure some people might notice the straps, but it would at least disguise casual glances.
 
there is always an option for a couple of cans of spray paint....I think geographic location as well as perception of threat, and your anticipated response to that threat are the deciding factors..... to evacuate New Orleans by making your way on foot to a public transportation stop, with possessions hand carried requires a different model than what I face living 3 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.... a societal collapse of the form that would require me to leave my home, and possessions to head out on foot to insure personal survival.... then what you would see would be an old fat version of "Comrade Nguyen" pushing a bicycle along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the suspicious identifier would be the M4 looking carbine slung across my chest....I'd be heading to the coastal mangrove bays and lunch
 
Just blend in w/ the displaced masses who don't have their heads on straight. If you're carrying your favorite pillow or your beloved PS3 with a tangle of cords, nobody is going to take the time to figure out what color/brand your pack is.
 
I think a mid size "military" pack that is well worn, in a solid earthtone (not camo) and not overburdened w/ lots of dangling pockets/pouches/dodads/zombie patches/etc would probably blend in pretty decently

that said, a "civilian" pack in most instances would probably blend in better

as someone eluded to above- the most important considerations are adequate size to carry your load out, carries comfortably and is durable enough for the job
 
It depends on the specific pack too. The Maxpedition Vulture 2 is what I would call "tactical" due to the brand and materials, but in the khaki color, doesn't look as tactical as some of their other stuff.
 
I make the decision on my Grab n' Go bags based on durability vs. how it will look or how people will perceive it. My small hand carry bag that compliments the ruck sack is a Filson. Bombproof design, heavy duty zippers, water proof, and great storage options. It's main function is the storage of gear that will be used or gear I may need to get to fairly quickly. If they think I may have some valuable gear based on looking at the USMC ILBE on my back, their right......but that's one of the things the HK USP .45 is protecting that's inside the Filson :)
 
I think folks get too 'into' this subject, and over analyze it.

When the time comes, and you feel the need to follow the other sheep out of the city, you will have a heck of a lot more to worry about than the color of your pack.
Frankly, most folks bugging out in a time of crisis are clueless to start with, and have no idea of where they are going, or what they need along the way.
 
get an army duffle bag, huge and solid and lots of folks got em. what are yall planning to find when you get out of the city? just gonna be more country folks with more guns.
 
This is approximately what I think. With the exception that I don't really care what non-cops think about my pack. I went with a neutral earthtone sort of good quality civillian pack.

I imagine that military style packs in a disaster scream out to cops "Search Me for Guns!"

Maybe you don't expect to run into any armed authority figures on your BO?
 
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