Minimilst Survival Bag or Bug Out Bag ?
So I have my own bug out bag . But theres one problem . ITS TOO BIG AND HEAVY . I dont feel like carying it around everytime I got to the outdoors . So what is a good minimilst bag that contains all the essintials ? Please help . And thanks to everyone that does .
P.S. It would be helpful if I got an answer before the weekend . Im leaving saturday morning to go camping with a couple friends .
Plastic or metal boxes, Dry or Not, pros and cons
Plano Brand lockers are fairly cheap but definitely not waterproof best to put stuff that needs this in dry bags inside them. Typically they have multiple latches and place(s) for padlocks or small carabiners. I occasionally add webbing straps with cam buckles but have never had anything significant blow out of a truck bed or open trailer. This on many trips locally (TX, OK, LA, AR) and also Western mountains, Gulf of Mexico, Canadian Rocky mountains etc. (i.e. high wind). Another lightweight option that some of my friends use in trailers, raft and large open canoes are the Canyon Camping Dry (or not sealed variations) plastic or aluminum boxes here is a link to NRS but several other retailers also sell similar boxes.
http://www.nrs.com/product/3058/nrs-...amping-dry-box
If I must leave gear out in the open where varmints, bear or human thieves can get to it I prefer metal boxes but plastic ones are easier to load and much cheaper. Some of my friends prefer to stay in motels when traveling multiple days by road to a camping location, I just insist we stay at one in a decent suburban neighborhood not low income area beside Interstate. Better is a private or state campground where I can keep an eye on the gear. Theft of entire trailers is a big problem in this region and I assume across N.A. If you are traveling in my region regardless of the no-firearms signs at campgrounds it is best to assume that every single vehicle and person is packing, and it is large caliber or gauge, so thieves (and varmints) should consider their health and not mess with other's gear. Personally I don't like to attract a lot attention and often go for a double edged dagger blade or short sword first, I no longer get much time to practice the old sport of "Indian Pig Sticking" but have not forgotten how. Was about 12 y.o. when first did it.
So a dry bag or plastic or metal box to protect gear from dust and moisture in a trailer or truck bed works well for me. Theft by critter or human is about the only concern. One friend of mine built a large heavy duty wooden box in the back of his pickup truck, it is very ugly but functional, and the canoes and kayaks still mount on rails above it. Another purchased an outfitters canoe trailer removed the lower racks, welded a large gear tray (6x8 ft) there but still has racks for 4-6 canoes/kayaks above. Many ways to travel cross country. #1 cost of camping is always petrol so packing tight and car pooling increased opportunity for adventure. That's my philosophy.
Edit: Yesterday I was chatting with an old school friend (Scottish who now lives in Scotland) about Scottish Festivals in the USA. He said that in the UK it was illegal to use or even own a sword. I told him good luck defending yourself (with sticks and kitchen knives) from ISIL trained extremists who have stashes of fully automatic firearms and will attack you in Edinburgh, Paris, London and Sydney. He agreed that fully trusting the Government to protect them from thousands of extremists was not working out well for them. 3-10 LEO per extremist, 5000 on watch list in France alone, it is virtually impossible. Over 1 million worldwide. Good luck with that. Saudi Arabia has spent over $100 Billion spreading their extreme beliefs worldwide (past 20-30 yrs), they are the 4th largest spender on military behind USA, China and Russian ($67 billion in 2013). Most of 9/11 hijackers were from S.A., most of $ for Al-Qaeda (and more recent offshoots) and early $ support for ISIL from S.A. (many criminals released from S.A. to go fight in Syria, easy to find documents if you can read Arabic) USA intelligence and military know this but US politicians have other concerns ($), they hunt a wolf by shooting at its tail (Iraq and Afghanistan) not the heart or neck/spine. Just my 2 cents.