The Bugout Bag v2

 So, previously I had done a thorough teardown on my “old” getaway bag. Now, I’ll admit, there’s a couple things that I didn’t actually show you, because I was pulling them out of the bag anyway. Like, for example, the EDC belt kit

with a Streamlight Stylus Pro (h/t Juan Laluz at F3 Tactical) and Gerber Suspension NXT that I decided didn’t need to be in the bag. BTW – smart people looking over what I pictured vs what I listed will note there’s at least one item that didn’t make it into the inventory. Consider it a little hide and seek.

The big changes, though, were (a) in getting a new bag, specifically a VenturePal 40L Lightweight Pack,

to say – it’s really a nice rig for all of $30.

and (b) in reorganizing things internally (and a touch externally). I wound up grabbing a couple of pouch organizers to store various things in a neater, easier to dig through format. And… when all was said and done, and I threw it on the scale, it was down to 16.4lbs. So somehow in all that, I shed _four pounds_ of gear weight, without really losing any functionality.

Now, WHY did I do this? Because of a couple discussions about Gray Man Theory, which led me to write this article. And I realized that my Bugout Bag was a direct example of the very problem I was talking about. What I needed to do was repackage the whole BOB into something much more civilian, much less military. I needed to look less “prepared”, and more “oh, he’s just part of the landscape”. Because if you _look_ like you’re prepared, you paint a target on your back. As a former SEAL friend put it, you’re a loot drop.

So, what’s the “appearance” difference? Here’s the before and after shots:

They’re exactly the same size. But they look at feel different. Also – one thing to note – I’m taking advantage of the external storage on the new pack that the old one didn’t include. A ready water bottle and the Bowie knife both live in external access pockets.

One last thing. I mentioned last time that I’ve modularized my medical pouches. Those ARE in MOLLE pouches. But I thought I’d give a quick look at what my “standard” medical kit looks like. There’s even finger splints in there. What this is NOT is a tactical medical kit. No turniquets, no quick clot, none of the “tactical goodies” you would expect in a combat pouch. This is designed for regular day use. It lives in my car, and gets accessed for everything from cuts to sunburns. It’s better for a car accident than a gun fight.

So, what did I learn? Keep it simple. Modular works. Blend in - don't "look" like you're prepping.