Vest / Pack combo

[ShaiVong]

Greetings all!

I've been doing some pondering about my go-bag. I've gotten all of the "survival" essentials pretty effectively lined out. I put together a hiking pack and took it on a mulit day hike on the AT (Springer Mt to the other side of Blood Mt. Neals Gap? ~35 mi).

Here is the problem. I have two pretty good solutions for tactical gear. A 5.11 vest that can carry six 30 rd AR15 mags + a pistol and a few mags, or some eastern euorpean mil surp LBV with 2 3x AR15 mag pouches and a drop holster.

Here is the problem. Trying to put a 30lb backpack over top of that is impossible and uncomfortable. I have been less than sucessful putting MOLLE or spring clip gear onto the pack.

How do you carry tent, food, clothes, gear AND ammo and backup? Anyone found a solution they wouldn't mind walking for a week with?

 

[JWarren]

What exactly are you foreseeing doing to have all this on?


-- John

 

[jobu07]

I've gotta tell you from a military perspective - anytime you put on some sort of LBV or MOLLE and then throw any type of back pack on over it (be it ALICE or ruck or whatever) it just ain't comfortable. Next try going 25 miles in it...

 

[kd7nqb]

Seems like a lot of ammo for a 35mile hike. But thats just me, to each their own. When I hike its my M&P and 2 extra mags.

 

[LAK]

The best military loadbearing gear I have seen is old south african and israeli stuff made of cotton canvas. To each his own, but I dislike nylon gear, and especially velcro. Both are noisy - and brass/copper or bronze snaps are easily replaced with some simple hand tools.

However, material is really down to your predominant climate. If you you live in an area that has alot of rainfall and moisture nylon might be the way to go as cotton or leather is going to deteriorate unless very well cared for.

My option is to wear a large waterproof outer garment over everything. This is my preference after years climbing in the often wetter mountains and hunting in the coastal area of North Wales and other parts of europe.

I really do not think you are going to find any commercial or military-type vest or loadbearing gear that is going to work with a regular backpack. I am probably going to make my own vest; selecting a snug fitting jacket of the right material, remove the sleeves, and add hangers, pockets, pouches, intergral holster etc as desired.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

If it's a GoBag, then that means that you'll be using it because something bad happened and you need to get out of Dodge fast.
So, go superlite.
Instead of a tent, use a sil-nylon tarp for shelter. That'll be about 1lb with cordage instead of 3-6 lbs for a tent.
An alcohol stove can pare down a lot more weight as well, depending on your cooking requirements.
Remember, the idea of a gobag is having to move fast and maybe far. You ain't moving fast with a 35lb pack and another 20 lbs of ammo and such.

To me, an LBV would be dead weight I wouldn't carry.

 

[ShaiVong]

Well, it is a TEOTWAWKI type of situation. I can carry everything I need to eat and live with for ~ two weeks in the hiking bag. but if I also want to have protection (assuming hypothetical aforementioned TEOTWAWKI), then a G22 stuffed in a pocket doesn't make me comfortable. I want to have a long gun, and with a long gun comes mags.

I live in coastal Georgia (now), so sub-freezing temperatures aren't really an issue, but violence is. I moved here from Maine, where violence isn't really an issue, but weather is.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I've walked most of the Appalachian Trail, Horseshoe Trail in PA, the Ozark Highlands Trail, and so on. I'm also an old infantryman.

"Comfortable" and "combat" don't go together. There is no way to carry all you need to survive and all you need for combat in comfort.

My advice is to ask yourself, "What sort of scenario do I visualize? Why would I be out on the AT with a rifle, full load of ammo, etc.?" I think you'll see that long range hiking over a public trail when it all hits the fan is not a likely scenario.

Much better to have your own little bolt hole somewhere, and stock it properly. If you expect to walk to it, carry what you need to survive and a handgun. And practice avoiding strangers.

 

[ShaiVong]

I certainly don't expect to be hiking the AT with a long gun! I don't know if I could do it slack packing... I just used the AT gear as a general test for "what equipment do I need to have to self-sustain for many days?".

I know the whole go-bag theme has been done to death. But how do you balance between living equipment and protection equipment?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

how do you balance between living equipment and protection equipment?

You start with your scenario. What is the threat or disaster you are preparing for? Then you match your equipment and load to that scenario.

For example, in the Ozarks, a very real threat is loss of power in winter -- a few years back we went a week without power, due to an ice storm. So we prepare for that -- wood stove in the basement, coleman lantern for light, small generator to keep the freezer from thawing, chain saw to cut fallen and bent-over trees so we can get out, chains for the tires, 4X4 vehicles, and so on.

Our survival kit weighs tons -- but we have no need to pick it up and walk off with it.

 

[ShaiVong]

The scenario would be a major disaster that requires me to flee my home.. That could be a katrina that goes a bit more eastward or some kind of biological or nuclear attack (I live nicely between Hunter AA and Paris Island, two prime targets). If there is a breakdown of services, hell, I'll just stay home!

If I leave the house then I may not be able to get all the way clear via road (just keep going north until I can meet up with family). Which means walking or biking. I don't have a bike, which means I'm going to at least be walking to begin with (if a vehicle is abandoned).

Most of the SHTF threads are just "this is the gun you need" type threads. To me, the gun is largely irrelevant. Just that you have one... it's all of the other stuff that you need to take with you (food, shelter, clothing, water purification) that seems the most important. Thats obvious, but how do you bring some of both... comfortably?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That could be a katrina that goes a bit more eastward or some kind of biological or nuclear attack

In the actual hurricane Katrine the most needed survival device was a boat.

In a biological or nuclear attack, why would you be outdoors at all? Stay under shelter -- all travelling does is expose you more.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

You should look into some better packs ShaiVong.
Deuter makes a pack for skiing and guidework that has side accomodations for strapping on skis and poles.
You could convert a pack like this to rifle duty pretty easily, since the weight of skis is about the weight of a survival rifle.

this is the pack.

Scaling back on the essentials only is what a GoBag really is. It's enough for you to get by until things get better or get somewhere else. 35 liters should be plenty of room for you to pack what you need, strap on a rifle, and get out of dodge.
And, really, you may want to carry the rifle in your hands and pack the ammo. But, it's nice to be able to fasten it to the pack and store it.

However, if you are not an avid backpacker, you really will want to learn how to get in the groove of living on this small amount of stuff before you have to do it. You'll have enough stress without having to go through the learning curve of trail life.

 

[ShaiVong]

Thanks Wheel, that helps.

I don't have a real good picture of my pack, but it's not very large. It's light and its good for ultralight hiking, but it it doesn't have much in the way of attachments. Or provisions for attachments.

 

[ShaiVong]

By chance I came across Sniper on AMC last night. The first thing I noticed was that Tom Berringer was wearing an LBV with a backpack attached to it. It was close to what I need.