Best bug out bag backpack

John AdamaStaff - August 4, 2017

Experts research and field test popular bug out bag backpacks. See our top choices for the best bag for most adults, best upgrade pick, and best budget bag.

[See the full post at: Best bug out bag backpack]

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In this post I shared my experiences thus far with my 5.11 RUSH72. tl;dr, it was *not* comfortable during a 9 mile hike, I think mostly because it’s a “one size fits most” pack and the waist belt can’t get tight enough around my waist to take the load off my shoulders/upper back.

My GB isn’t yet complete (right now some TP stuff + “pre-made kit” stuff from my pre-TP days), and looking at the 45-55L premium options is still overwhelming because there’s variables I don’t yet know the answer to: Do I want to have my FAK strapped to the exterior of my pack? How important is out-of-the-box internal organization? Where can I even try on most of these packs, especially when some promising options are online-only with no returns?

My current plan (please validate!) is to just stick with the RUSH72 for now, continue to fill out the pack with GB supplies, and then once I’ve got all the supplies go on a spree of ordering packs online, loading them up, going on long hikes, and returning the packs that don’t sit on my body well.

 

I have found Maxpedition to be the best of the best. Anyone looking for any type of bag should look hard at them. Buy once.
The 5.11 is good stuff too.

 

Thanks for the feedback. We’re starting to collect more product research to update this guide soon, and we’re looking at the Maxpeditions.

 

You just gained a new subscriber, John! Thank you for devoting time and effort to research everything in here. I think the Kelty should do the trick when everything crumbles. 🙂 ^Eric

 

Thanks Eric, glad it’s helpful! I plan on putting some more work into this article in the next few weeks, too.

 

My bag is my old green school laptop backpack. I have a UST tube tent yeah it’s shiny but with 3 mylar blankets and body heat pads the thing turns into a walk in oven. One thing I noticed you and many others don’t put down is the nice inexpensive baofeng uv-5r portable radio which runs around $30 and in emergencies you don’t need a liscense for. All the others I have to modify once I get a CCW. Thanks for the great jump off points to better items to cut 75% of the weight down.

 

We do recommend the Baofengs in our Ham 101 guide: https://theprepared.com/sur…

 

Redwings are running around $100. Was just at the Kelty HQ this week picking up more of their bags for the review that will update this page soon. What size Redwing have you used for your BOB and do you think it was too big/small?

 

The Redwing Tactical 44 is a GREAT bag size and layout.  But TERRIBLE suspension.  And doesn’t seem like it’s made anymore, which may be a good thing.  If you’re over 5’10”, it’s too small and not adjustable.  Painful to carry.

 

Nice list. Maybe sleeping bags/quilts/emergency bivy bags next?

 

Thanks James! We’ve already started collecting some bivy bags samples and other sleeping gear, want to tackle it this summer, so stay tuned.

 

I’ve been waiting anxiously for this post ever since you teased it.  Can’t wait to read it in depth.  Huge amount of information to digest. Thank you!

 

All great info. Glad to see Rothco was mentioned (one name I recognize). Keep up the good work!

 

Great guide folks, keep it up. Agreed on the top vs front loaders. I’ve lived on the streets/travelling for years with my technical top-loader pack only. Pack in itself was fine, but I utterly hated not having front access. It just makes things so much easy and less frustrating to be able to reach your stuff fron the front (as if you opened a suitcase), rather than having to take everything out into the dirt just to reach something (imagine that in a rush, or under the rain, etc).

 

My cheapo pack from Amazon just broke (zip) and need to get a new one. I’m still in need to buy something budget friendly so will check second hand shops and this guide is really helpful! Thanks!

 

A big plus for simple “technical” (or preferably, hiking) packs for me is actually the comfort. Something that works for expeditions also works well for situations, if you expect to carry pretty heavy survival gear, food and water for weeks in the wilderness on your back. Few points:

1) Carrying system. Deuter, Arcteryx and other good expedition style packs are way above any tactical packs in how much better distribute the weight over your body. Even much better than most GI army packs (the old Arcteryx would be an exception). Even in 30-liter size the carrying system makes a big difference and most of the tactical packs in that size are awful compared to their civilian counterparts.

2) Front opening. I tend to disagree. It’s a common failure point. Any big front opening zipper is bound to fail and impossible to repair in the field. At most, some (Deuter Guide and others) have a simple side zipper that allows easier access inside the pack or a separate front compartment for commonly used light items. I put my first aid kit near the zipper, and I could get it out in seconds the last time I had to treat a wounded friend during a mountaineering accident. The rest is all about good organisation of your stuff.

3) A good compromise could be some of the high end army packs, Arcteryx tactical range, Tasmanian Tiger (Tatonka), Deuter Guide tactical and the cottage industry ones. But only the bigger ones that inherit their civilian carrying systems. Maxpedition, 5.11 – no. While tacticool, carrying one a whole day will hurt your back.

4) Mind the difference between types of “technical” hiking packs. Some are are ultralight and made for one purpose (climbing, UL thru-hiking, etc.). The expedition style ones are more universal, without MOLLE or PALS but plenty of strong attachment points nevertheless.

 

I just ended up getting arctery’x mantis 26 for my bug out bag. I’m 5’1 and weigh a little over 100 lbs so I’m hoping your that your advice will be right, I have always hated carrying bags even when hiking. The most important thing for me is to be sure I can actually CARRY the damn thing!! All the gear in the world is useless if I can’t gtfo

 

I have tried many many back packs and bags. Recently, I found Vanquest and liked them so much I became a dealer for them. I know that’s a weird thing. I am not trying to say buy a bag from me but check out their bags. They are durable and easy to open. I tried 5-11, maxpeditions, and a few others. Vanquest stuck out to me online and even better in person. Thanks Josh http://www.redlineprep.net

 

Thanks for input, will look harder at them next time! Just got some new bags in today from LA Police Gear and a review of a Maxpedition Tiburon pack will go up soon.

 

First of all, thank you for all this deep detailed reviews, now days there are only sponsored articles and is really difficult to buy the best products. Your research saves us a lot of time and money.

Secondly, I would like to know your opinion in First Tactical brand for bug out bag backpacks, specially the TACTIX 3-DAY Plus, and also the SOG Barrage. Maybe for the next update?

Cheers and thanks again!

 

That Tactix 3-day looks good at first glance. I would absolutely add a hip belt though, and likely a side pouch via MOLLE for a water bottle. Will add it to list for next time.

I haven’t touched the SOG Barrage, but it looks too cheap, poor hip belt, MOLLE is too conspicuous, etc. Pass — there are better budget options.

It’s so hard to know what you can trust on the web. Doing this job/work has made us even more pessimistic about anything we see online 🙁

 

We have two toddlers, aged 2&4. The two year old will only walk for about a quarter mile in any given situation before he wants to be carried.  What are your opinions on having a carrier – style backpack? I imagine it would make travel a lot easier, but might compromise on equipment and gear.  Thoughts

 

I don’t know of a model off the top of my head. Anyone else? Otherwise, just be thoughtful and do the best you reasonably can on finding something that meets the requirements laid out here (eg. size range, accessibility, ability to strap shelter gear on, etc.)

Personally, I’d lean towards having a normal pack with some kind of extra setup for carrying a child on my chest. That way I can separate concerns and not sacrifice too much in a hybrid pack that doesn’t do either function well.

 

This article ranks the current top three:

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hiking-baby-carriers/

It’s been many years since I needed one but did many mountain hiking miles with a Gerry we bought used in a baby hand me down shop in CO. Had a folding aluminum frame that you could set the baby down in. Since your kids won’t be small forever, baby shops in hiking towns might be a good place to look if ebay fails.

As I recall the bottom of the Gerry frame was empty and we rigged a bunch of mountain smith pouches to it to carry other gear. Most of the baby carriers at that time were good for hefting a baby but not great for gear: you may want to either add accessory pouches or go with a chest rig for extra gear regardless.

Also depending on your terrain, I did a lot of miles in airports with one or two toddlers dragged around straddling a Boyt rolling duffle bag. They actually loved it. Way better than a backpack on flat ground when two kids are crashing at once.

 

Why did you not include Vanquest in this list?

 

Because they didn’t respond to our initial requests. But they’re on the list for next updates, and I’m guessing the brands that didn’t participate before will jump in in the future.

Do you have a model you like for a BOB?

 

Probably one of the backpacks, but I’m just guessing. I’ll say a couple things as someone with 3 Vanquest bags – the material (1000D nylon?) is very rugged and will ruin a nice dress shirt, so be careful what you’re wearing when you use these bags.
The Skycap bag is interested because it’s sized for airline carry-on, not saying it’s perfect for BOB, but for someone who flies a lot there’s some interesting options there I think. I just know it’s a good company, they care about their customers, their products seem to be built like brick S-houses, and have lifetime warranties…
(edit: they’re also notorious for having lots of compartments)

 

Yeah, 1000D is overkill in most cases. 500-600 seems to be a sweet spot.

 

Hello,

First, thank you. I’ve been reading more and more about prepping over the last year. You have hands down the most thought out articles I’ve read; especially for a newbie.

My question: after reading about bag selections and going through many of them and their companies; why aren’t they waterproof? Many, if not all, say water resistant but I have yet to see one that is “proof”. The only mention I saw in the article was about included rain covers not being necessary.

 

Hello,

Thank you for the article.  I was curious what you guys think of Sandpiper of California? I’ve had a few bags from these guys and they seem good, my only problem is they aren’t contrast colored on the inside and they lack advanced organization panels in the pockets.

Thanks again,

Dennis

 

Hey Dennis. We had reached out to SOC in September ’19 asking them to participate in this review, but they never replied, which frankly we take as a bad signal because a quality company will reply to those kinds of emails / it says something about their service culture.

We wanted to evaluate their Bugout Bag and Bugout Voyager 50L because they seemed like possible contenders on the budget end.

If you have one of their bags and are happy with it, there’s no harm in sticking with it. That said, some of the design features are a little outdated and there are better alternatives in that price range.

Hope we can do a deeper review on the SOCs someday.

 

Thank you for the follow-up.

Sounds reasonable. I just know they are one of the major bag sales for US military in the exchanges, so figured a lot of people would be familiar with them from their time in the military.

Thanks again for your site. I’m learning a lot.

 

Dennis – I’ve been issued probably half a dozen SOC bags in various sizes over the past 10 years- everything from a small ~25-30 liter bag up to around 60-70 liter bag. I would not recommend them for bugout purposes. I’ve had at least 3 bags rip, either along/near zipper seams or where shoulder straps meet the bag. I’ve also had multiple zippers break/snap (because they are absurdly poor quality zippers).  Additionally, the bags that do come with belts use very cheap belts that will offer zero support. I will also caveat all of this to say that I’m not a ground pounder who is abusing this stuff in the field. It carries my equipment to and from the aircraft and on a daily basis to the office. The bags offer a lot of storage/organizational options and would likely be well suited for a light afternoon hike/picnic or even as a ‘get-home-bag’, but I wouldn’t want to rely on them in more of a ‘bug-out’ or survival situation.

 

Good list! Two things I would recommend. I would add Granite Gear to the mid-tier for packs. They make high quality, durable gear that also doesn’t scream TACTICAL if that is important to you. I would also move London Bridge Trading to the premium tier; they make equal (if not better gear) than Tactical Tailor.

 

Have you guys seen the Xbob ( stands for extreme bug out bag). I think it’s one of the most complete bug out bags I have seen. It’s a whole Molle set up. Not just the main bag. It has the main bag, a camel bag with filter and 7 matching Molle pouches. It’s a mid blue color the Molle Webbing is black which I think sorta messes up the image of ordinary recreational bag they were aiming for. I wish the Molle straps were the same color as the bag. And now that I think about it a bright neon inside might have been better than the same blue color as the outside https://moderncombatandsurvival.com/bug-out-bag/

The video video I saw was a lot less marketing flashy.

 

Not familiar, but will take a look in the future. FYI the link you included did not go to an Xbob.

 

I dig the suggestion for the neon interior, seems such an underrated feature!

 

Hi John, thank you for all your thoughtful work-I’m totally new and need to learn a lot (and quickly :/). I’m a curvy woman 5’5” and 160lb. I’m definitely looking for BOB/SHTF tactile bag. Do you have a short list of bags to start looking at? Thank you

 

Welcome, glad it’s helpful! Check out the women’s section in the guide above: https://theprepared.com/bug-out-bags/reviews/best-bug-out-bag-backpack/#ladies

Depending on your fitness level and what kind of BOB you want to build, you’d probably be around the 40-45 liter mark from the popular “technical” brands like Osprey and Kelty, who are known for making male and female versions of their bags.

If you specifically want a “tactical” bag, unfortunately that’s much harder to find because women tend not to be their main customers (military, law enforcement, security, etc.) You’d probably need to spend more in that category to get into the better products that have lots of body-fit customizations, like Mystery Ranch.

 

Great to know, thank you!

 

I notice that you did not include FIRST TACTICAL in any of your lists or reviews. Any particular reason for that ??

 

Hi. I have a question about a bag called Trekking/Travel backpack Kaikkialla Saana 65. Anyone  know anything  about it?  The internet has pictures and websites in another language. I was wondering  cause I’m looking to buy a used bag, but would like more informed. Thanks

 

Has anyone tried the Thule Women’s Guidepost Backpacking Pack, 65L? I’m looking to buy my first bug-out bag and can’t decide what to buy. I looked at the women’s bags suggested in the article but this one has some really good reviews. Thanks!

 

Looks good! But unfortunately I haven’t tried it :/

Are you able to try it on in person before purchasing, or does it at least have a good return policy? It would make me nervous to buy without having it tried it on before.

65 L would be a bit too big for me, but I woudn’t feel obliged to fill it to the rim 😉 But the super adjustable shoulder straps and waist belt seem well thought through and well built, and the side zipper makes such a big difference – my BOB has the same and I placed some key items on the zipper side and I rarely had to open the main bag compartment when I used it. And really dig the detachable day pack – I wish my BOB had one.

But if you buy it, it would be actually great to know what you think of it!

 

I got the Kelty Redwing 50, last year’s model. But if I have to bug out far or for a long time I think I’d want to use my bike (push bike) if possible, so I got a front (handlebar) bag and seat bag to take some of the load off my back. These can carry 10 litres each. I put my INCH stuff in my seat bag and my tent, stove and food in the front bag. Packed bags roughly: Kelty 6.4kg, INCH 1.9kg, Handlebar bag 2.9kg. Plus water, bike tools and one trekking pole which acts as tent pole. Obviously if I was bugging out for a couple of days I’d leave the INCH bag at home. All bags and bike are black/grey for inconspicuousness, especially at night.

 

Edit. I ditched the bikepacking bags in favour of racks and panniers. I have a Topeak rack front and rear, Ortlieb City panniers at the rear and Vortex panniers at the front. Still got the Kelty, which I would take as well. Might just about squeeze everything into the Kelty if I have to ditch the bike. I wrote a post about how to fit more in a given sack below.

 

So i wanted to make a mention of something you said in the article.

“Laptop sleeves are generally a waste of space because you won’t have a laptop or anything of similar size/shape that justifies its own compartment.”

They do have one niche purpose 15″ laptop sleeves can fit a 10×12 armour plate if someone wants to have one on their back.
The point still stands as its unlikely anyone would want the added weight of a steel plate but maybe a UHWMPE or Composite plate might not be a bad option.

 

I haven’t tried it, but that’s a good point!

 

I have my maps in mine, even though the sack has a front pocket. Also got a couple of those soft water bottles in it.

 

What a fine selection of backpacks. My BOB is on the smaller side, so I looked at your list of smaller bags and selected a few to scrutinize personally. Here is my report:

Mystery Ranch Scree 32

• 32 liters, 2.8 lbs
• At 25x14x11.5, satisfies airline 22x14x9 carry on limit
• Awesome hip belt and suspension
• External daisy chain instead of MOLLE, no tie points on the bottom
• Okay interior pockets
• Excellent water bottle pockets
• No laptop pocket

My assessment: Excellent hiking and travel pack

Mystery Ranch Two Day Assault

• 30 liters, 3.0 lbs
• Published measurements say it does not, but my measurements say it satisfies the airline 22x14x9 carry on limit
• Poor hip belt
• Lots of external MOLLE, tie points on the bottom
• Great interior pockets
• Laptop pocket

My assessment: I liked this the best except that the lack of a proper hip belt knocked it out of the running for me. Too bad.

Blackhawk Three Day Assault

• At $100, half the price of the others!
• 37 liters, heavy
• Way too wide for airline 22x14x9 carry on limit
• Okay hip belt
• No external MOLLE, No water bottle pockets, tie points on the bottom, includes sleeping bag straps
• Just three big pockets, no interior organization features
• No laptop pocket

My assessment: The best value. Tie points on the bottom add capacity. Very plain and gray, it looks like an overgrown school backpack.

Eberlestock Switchblade F5

• 25 liters, 3.6 lbs
• Satisfies airline 22x14x9 carry on limit
• Good suspension but no hip belt. They offer a hip belt for 40″ to 56″ waist which is too big for me, plus I don’t see where a hip belt can be attached. I asked them about it but they did not reply. Points off for customer service.
• External MOLLE, no tie points on the bottom
• Great interior pockets

My assessment: This pack is very firearms oriented. It is rather tactical looking but they have a grey version without MOLLE. The interior organization is excellent. I liked this pack but I really want a hip belt.

Mystery Ranch Urban Assault 24

• 24 liters, 2.7 lbs
• satisfies airline 22x14x9 carry on limit
• No hip belt
• No external MOLLE, no tie points on the bottom
• Inserting a water bottle into the exterior pockets consumes space inside the pack
• Great interior pockets
• Laptop pocket

My assessment: Great layout, very grey. I originally got this for the Gray Bearded Green Beret’s Ultralight Bug Out Bag. This is a really tight fit; maybe I’ll try again some time.

Conclusion

Originally I was thinking that I would get one high quality multipurpose backpack for travel, hiking and a BOB. That turned out to be too much of a stretch.

My bug out bag loadout does not utilize interior pockets like pen pockets. Instead I have individual pouches for fire, or signaling and navigation. That way, I can easily transfer them to another pack for say, a day hike. In storage I put heavy water bottles inside the pack because over time they stretch elastic water bottle pockets out of shape.

In the end, for my BOB, I decided on the Blackhawk because it is the most practical to keep at the ready. At $100, I do not risk overspending. I almost went for the Mystery Ranch Scree 32 for its comfortable fit and hip belt. I may yet get that for hiking or travel. It is a really fine backpack.

During this evaluation my urban EDC backpack happened to fail, so I needed yet another backpack. For EDC I do not require a hip belt, and I want lots of organization features. For urban EDC I chose the Mystery Ranch Urban Assault for its excellent interior layout, available but out-of-the-way water bottle pockets, smaller size and subdued external appearance. My second choice on this list for EDC would be the larger Mystery Ranch Two Day Assault, with its similar interior design and more dramatic, tactical look.

 

Been using the Osprey Far Point Trek 55 which has more than enough room for 3 season and carries great. Haven’t pushed it to the test durability wise, but so far so good. I’m finding it a bit of a snug fit with extra winter layers/ sleep system for up in New England. I have a version of the MSS which is mostly what is taking up the space, but I want to have the option of going out at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. 

 

Thank you for this timeless resource. A Bug Out Backpack has been on my list of investments to make, and with the seasonal (“Black Friday”) offers, I invested in a new Osprey Farpoint Trek at a discounted price!

 

Thank you for the kind words. We are always so grateful when our articles help people out. You have selected a great bag! I’d love to see a forum post in the future of what you put in it when you get it all filled up in the future. Our kit builder allows you to see everything in your pack in a very organized fashion, what takes up the most weight, and might help you to see any room for improvement. 

 

In your “bug out bag list”  you mention that your small children will be carrying mostly comfort items for them and lighter items as a redundancy for the adults bags.  With that in mind, would a quality school type backpack work?  Or do you still lean towards the higher end bags mentioned in this article?

 

Hi Sleepwalker,

When my kids were littler I had used their old school backpacks from the previous year as a BOB for them. Just a few basics like a water bottle, granola bar, bandaids, blanket, change of clothes, emergency contact card, etc… Each year as they got a new backpack, I would update their BOB bag with their previous year one if it was a ‘better bag’. I judged a better bag by being larger, in better condition, more subtle (no cartoon characters), or had various pockets that could be used instead of just one large pouch area.

I think a quality school bag would be just great for this situation for young children. Once your children are old enough and skilled enough to carry more valuable gear like water filters, fire starting equipment, and other things that will really save their life then investing in a better bag would be a smart idea. But for the small child with a few comfort items like a blanket, book, and stuffed animal, even if it is a crappy junk bag if it breaks toss it and move on. You won’t be losing valuable lifesaving equipment.

That’s my two cents.

 

A quality school-style backpack would be fine for smaller kids, maybe under 10-12 or so (depending on their body, maturity, etc.) They shouldn’t be carrying enough weight to necessitate a hip belt.

 

Hello! Has anyone purchased the 5.11 Rush72 2.0 Backpack in the “Double Tap” color scheme? I’m leaning towards that as my BOB but cant tell if the color draws attention more than others. 

Also I’d be open for recommendations on whether the 2.0 is better/worse than the original version. 

Thanks!

 

Hi!  I have that exact bag and have been using it as my daily carry for about two and a half months. I carried it as my main dump bag while we were filming the medical course, and then followed on with a couple of “in person” classes where it carried all of my tech gear and training aids.

I think all of the RUSH bags look like they look–you’ll never “grayman” with them because of all of the PALS webbing.  

The color itself is fairly subdued and I found the gray to be lighter than their product shots.  I think the double tap stands out less than the coyote or ranger green.

As far as a pack, I like it more than the previous version.  The concealed compartment is great–held what it needed to and if you didn’t know it was there could easily miss it.  It organizes well.  The laptop compartment is well padded and despite slamming my pack around, I never damaged anything inside.  The sunglasses pouch at the top is larger than the previous version and can now hold full sized phones.  I also found the shove it compartment to be more useful–swallowed up my jackets and other little bits I needed to stash quickly.

Some of the complaints by others is that they removed some of the organization pockets, but IMO those were too constraining.  I like having bags in my bags so I can grab and go (e.g. I carry all of my cords and wall warts in, ironically, the 5.11 med bag).  I don’t need tons of little pencil/pen slots–this isn’t a student book bag.  I like that they removed some of the forced constraint, but also recognize that some people like that, so your mileage may vary.  

Overall, I’ve found it to be a solid upgrade.  In general, I like the AMP series better for blending in, but this new RUSH is just a workhorse and is my go to for rugged use.  Both gear lines have their place.

 

Thank you for the reply, I really appreciate it! I did end up purchasing the Rush72 2.0 55L, but in all black. I like the double tap more, but after seeing the all black in person I’m happy with it.

I’m still filling out my bag but I think it has the organizational layout I’ll need.

I bought the Kelty Redwing 50 (Women’s) for my wife. It looked to be a thin material on the web, but was impressed with how durable it is in person. The internal frame is a little interesting, but may just need to be something that needs to get used to.

 

I just bought the 5.11 RUSH 24 2.0 in double-tap color scheme and added the MOAB 10 also in double-tap with the connecter straps.  I like the color scheme very much.

I got fixed on it after I bought their laptop messenger bag in double-tap.  It’s a great laptop bag IMO.  Very well made and durable.  The jury is out on the above bags.  They look great but I haven’t taken to the field yet to see how they perform.  Everything looks great thus far.

 

In this post I shared my experiences thus far with my 5.11 RUSH72. tl;dr, it was *not* comfortable during a 9 mile hike, I think mostly because it’s a “one size fits most” pack and the waist belt can’t get tight enough around my waist to take the load off my shoulders/upper back.

My GB isn’t yet complete (right now some TP stuff + “pre-made kit” stuff from my pre-TP days), and looking at the 45-55L premium options is still overwhelming because there’s variables I don’t yet know the answer to: Do I want to have my FAK strapped to the exterior of my pack? How important is out-of-the-box internal organization? Where can I even try on most of these packs, especially when some promising options are online-only with no returns?

My current plan (please validate!) is to just stick with the RUSH72 for now, continue to fill out the pack with GB supplies, and then once I’ve got all the supplies go on a spree of ordering packs online, loading them up, going on long hikes, and returning the packs that don’t sit on my body well.

 

Hi all. Learned a way to fit more gear in a given sack the other day, explained belo.

I got the Kelty Redwing after reading about it on here. It’s the model from about 2019. It’s an ideal bug-out bag. I do have a larger sack that’s not much heavier if I ever need it (eg solo INCH), which is a Decathlon 90 lite sack that’s 200g heavier.

Anyway, I was watching a video of an alpine climber’s gear list, and he made a great point. If you have all your stuff in separate drybags (as I have), it’s very organised, but it takes up more room. He advised doing what I always used to do when back packing in my youth. Just have one big pack liner (a strong bin bag or ultralight dry bag). It means you can fit more in a given sack, or use a smaller sack. I got the Osprey 70-100 litre sack liner for £21 which was a bargain. It’s taller than I need, but I’ll just fold the top over rather than try to roll it up loads of times. Also that way I’m not concerned about trapping air in.

I don’t keep all my stuff packed like this for two reasons. One is that things like my little half length sleeping bag and insulated jacket shouldn’t be stored compressed. Second is that my bugout plan has several options. Eg my preferred INCH plan is to go on a bicycle. If I did that, but then had to ditch the bike, this is where I’d be trying to cram everything from my panniers into the Kelty. So I keep my INCH stuff packed in one pannier, and things like sleeping bag are in the Kelty but not squashed down.

 

My review on a Tasmanian Tiger 45+ Modular Pack that I bought via this article and have been using this winter on hunts. Very happy with it and think it makes a great bug out pack.

In general this bag permits customization beyond anything I’ve ever used. This bag was so adaptable I was able to achieve each mission I attempted with complete separatization of items in the bag. This also ended up being my biggest complaint… there was so much room that I found myself wanting to fill the space with those “just in case” items, but adding weight just because you can is a bad idea.

The bag was light, straps and buckles strong, the piping and trim were nicely sewn and the overall bag construction was great. Pride in build is obvious. As the pictures show, I carried everything I needed/wanted and still had plenty of space to add items. I was able to remove heavy winter gear and put them in the bag to keep them dry, warm and generally out of my way while going through trees, still with room to spare. The overall rigidity of the bag without a heavy/bulky internal frame was a real pleasure to carry.

All straps were padded and adjustable, plenty of front and side pockets. The main internal compartment was large, easily accessible with its full front zippers allowing fast access to the larger items I was carrying. The zippers were strong with big pulls, allowed me to access with heavy winter gloves. Has a sufficient grab/pull handle.

The laser cut slits in the sides allowed for more than enough accessories to be attached. The ventilating mesh looked good and made identifying items in each compartment simple. The hip pads were large and well padded, took all the stress off my hips and back. I adjusted the back spline and straps a couple times to find a very comfortable fit… there are enough customization options that it should meet almost anyone’s body build. Shoulder straps were comfortable. The bag configuration I used did not have an external pouch for water but could have if I wanted it.

Fellow hikers compared their bags to this one and they were honestly impressed about the quality and flexibility.

 

Great review and thank you so much for taking the time to do so.

The thing that I liked about that pack from your pictures is how tight it is against your body. Too often I’ve had bags that stick way too far out and get caught on every little branch. 

Happy hunting!

 

good looking bag, especially the laser cut slits. it does look slightly larger than i would like, but that size allows for quickly stuffing in a jacket and not having to cram it in there too tightly i bet.

 

Thanks for a great review. Looked at this thread a few days ago before buying a decent backpack and this one sold me on Tasmanian Tiger. Got 30litre one for starters to test it myself ofc, but looking like it’s going to exceed my expectations. Lads at outdoor sports store https://gritroutdoors.com/ told me that they don’t have 45 atm, but planning to get more, so I might use 30 litre one as a bug-out backpack and get 45 for my camping trips.

Huge thanks for first hand review!

 

Why no ALICE?

OK, so it wins no points for comfort, and unless it’s next to a MOLLE and patch covered tacticool pack, it’s not looking entirely “civilian” but I’m still surprised the venerable large and medium ALICE packs didn’t make the cut.

Unlike other possibly better milsurp packs, ALICE gear is always available, and usually at the sub $200 mark.

Are there more comfortable packs out there? Sure, but you can also buy shoulder pads for $20 or less that make an ALICE more than tolerable. But, if I needed a bag that I knew could: 

1. carry a 5 gallon water bag or as many cinderblocks as i can carry up hill many times without falling apart 

2. be stripped to the frame to haul out a deer over several miles

3. carry as much weight as I can without failing over 1000s of miles 

4. last 30+ years (I have one that I bought lightly used in 1985 that’s needed two small repairs in 1000s of miles, had one strap replaced —because of baggage handling —and handled expedition use on three continents)

5. Has a decent layout for a top loader with five decent pockets for immediate needs 

6. Costs less than $200

its a class of one. Yeah, it’s not new, or sexy, but it works. 

 

Great suggestion Clark! We did touch briefly in the article about a modified ALICE pack called the Tactical Tailor MALICE (100L).

And also reviewed an ILBE pack here. It isn’t exactly an ALICE pack but is somewhat similar.

Thank you for sharing your insight and thoughts of an ALICE pack.

 

I just bought a 5.11 RUSH 24 2.0 pack.  It looks nice, but I would hate to waste it by having it sit idle on a shelf waiting for an emergency situation.  So I got my old military issue rucksack with frame out of storage. That thing is a tank and carries a ton.  It has a very large interior and 3 smaller side pouches.  I’m wondering how it will work as a bug out bag. That old rucksack served me well on long marches and weeks in the field when I was in the Army in the 90s.

I’m putting together my bug out bag components now based on the lists at this site.  It’s expensive, but I’m getting there.  I hate Amazon, but it’s amazing how I can get what I need very quickly.  It will be interesting to see how it gets stored in my old military rucksack.

 

that is the balance isn’t it? having the nice bag just sit there for years, but if you ever needed to use it, you’d be glad you had it.

what is the rough size of the military ruck? the 5.11 pack you have is 37l and looks to be a nice compact size. hope you share your finished bag once you get it assembled

 

I’d throw Akek in the top tier if for large packs if you’re able to review. It seems to be a very well thought out carbon frame system. Comes with accessories you’d normally have to add and has a quality build from what I read. The 5400 was priced just over $500 but looked very comparable to some name brands that are double that.

Would have gotten it myself but ultimately settled on a MysteryRanch Marshall for my pack. This was only because I saved 42% using ExpertVoices to get a discount. Otherwise, Akek looks like a serious competitor with lifetime warranty. Even has a QD release for side mounted rifles or bows.