What backpack would you guys recommend for a good Get Home Bag?

[Poncho65]

I would like to heard what you guys here at MTO think is a good get home bag to carry in a vehicle and also any advice on what you would put in it as well I have a backpack I take to work daily and I it fine but just wondering what would be some good ones to carry enough gear to get home with plus what all I carry daily to work with me

Also it needs to be compact enough that I can carry it to different vehicles as I ride/drive in my dad's truck back and forth to work

[AimlessWanderer]

I would suggest that these are the questions that you need to ask yourself.

Where are you trying to get home from?
Why might you need the bag, instead of getting home the usual way?
What other means of transport may be available between you and home?
Are there specific hazards you need to be prepared for along the route?
Do you know the way?
Do you know a different way, if the first way is closed?
How long will it take?
What could the weather be like? (Note: NOT what is it likely to be)
Just you, or someone else too?
If you can't get home directly, where else can you go?
Repeat previous questions for new destination.
Now, what do you need in the bag to meet what you've identified?
How big does the bag need to be to fit it all in?
Does the colour/style matter?
What have you forgot to take into account?
Do you really need all that stuff, or is there another solution that's lighter to carry, but works just as well?

I'm a big believer that problems are best solved, not by having the right answers, but having the right questions. If you get the right questions, the answers tend to take care of themselves

[Poncho65]

Thanks Al I work quite a ways from home daily (around 100 miles, 161 km one way) and a lot of this is hypothetical as I hope to always be able to make it home with relative ease in a vehicle but if TEOTWAWKI were to happen while I was at work then I might have to trek this distance on foot and what types of gear might get me home like that

It is more for fun to see what each of you have and carry but I also hope to learn from the advise I need a bag that can double as an EDC bag that isn't overly heavy as well as something that might be able to carry some supplies to get me home if that need arises

[ezdog]

Well I am sure glad that AI listed the questions first so I didn't have to but I also have to wonder about Get Home advise from someone calling himself Aimless Wanderer?

Anyway,that advice should not be taken lightly at all,we each have our own needs and wants about almost everything and what is a minimum comfort set of needs for one person might well be over the top for another and not nearly enough for someone else.
So no one can really give you an idea of what might work for you .
I also have different bags for Get Home & BOB & End of Times as it were.

Having said this I think it is pretty easy to make some categories and decide what it will take for you to feel covered for a 100 mile trek home maybe on foot.

I have Food,Water,Fire,Shelter,Protection,First Aid and comfort items in each of my bags no matter how small or large and I just scale things to my own preference and this evolves all the time too.

I carry more food than I might need as I am a fat pig and get hungry a lot and it is easy to carry and not need to hunt down food in an event for a while.
I like MRE individual meal items as they keep for a long time and are ready to go as is at all times.

Water is really the toughest as it is the heaviest and needs to be replenished the most. We can go a few days without food but not nearly as long without Water of we have to.
Water Purification and storage is really pretty simple and can be compact but it is a whole lot easier to carry some if I can.
My bags all have Water Bladders and I plan on filling them before starting out on any journey.

I have a Tarp,Bivy Sleeping Bag Bag and some change of clothes for obvious reasons and can make a Fire pretty easily if I need to but I hope to not need to just to get home too.
Also Stealth might be called for and I want to be able to sleep without a fire as needed.

We all probably carry Lights & Knives and Tools so there is that already in my pockets and I do have further Self-Defense items in each bag as well.
I also carry a Small Axe.

Toilet Paper! Seems obvious but not too many seem to feel the same as I do,this is comfort.

I prefer a 20-30 liter bag for this and I love Camelbak as they are all already designed to carry Water first and are lighter weight than most bags while still being really tough and comfortable to carry but the bag choice is unlimited for sure and really just depends on your own load and carrying preference in the end.

I like the 5.11 Rush 24 too and have 2 of them but the harness sucks big time on me and the bag is heavy for no good reason.
I can carry more TP and Food for the difference in weight!

So what all do you already carry to work and what will you need to add to that for living for a few days on the road,100 miles is a pretty long trek to get home I think.

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks Al I work quite a ways from home daily (around 100 miles, 161 km one way) and a lot of this is hypothetical as I hope to always be able to make it home with relative ease in a vehicle but if TEOTWAWKI were to happen while I was at work then I might have to trek this distance on foot and what types of gear might get me home like that

It is more for fun to see what each of you have and carry but I also hope to learn from the advise I need a bag that can double as an EDC bag that isn't overly heavy as well as something that might be able to carry some supplies to get me home if that need arises

When I was working, I was usually less than an hour's walk from home, but there were days when I could be 5 or more hour's drive away on a clear and free flowing motorway. Phone ("I've broken down, come get me"), cash ("I'm hungry, there's a shop", or "taxi, get me out of here"), and credit card ("I've no reservation, but have you got a room for the night?"), would be top priorities. I didn't have to cross desolate expanses of nothing, ravaged by wild beasts, wildfires, earthquakes, molten lava, tornadoes, tsunami and avalanche. Flood was potential, as was snow and ice. Hazard awareness was less about not getting between wildfire and cliff, or mother and calf, and more about not getting between a fat bloke and the door to KFC.

Car entering water unplanned was a risk at times. Res-Q-Me on the car keys was a sensible precaution. Change of clothes after climbing out of the car was not, as they'd be in the car getting wet too. If I'd had the foresight to put dry clothes on shore before driving into the canal, I wouldn't have got back in the car. However, having good walking boots, rain coat and overtrousers in the car made sense, in case I suddenly found myself in suit, tie and dress shoes with a good walk through foul weather to my immediate circumstance solution. If travelling further than my usual one hour walk from salvation, I'd have enough food and drink to get me to the nearest, shop, pub, hotel etc.

Shelter? That's the rain gear and the car itself. If I'm snowed in on a motorway, I'm not going to start trying to knock tent pegs through the tarmac. Nor will I be trying to hunt sparrows, hedgehogs or chavs for sustenance. If I did find myself in the middle of nowhere, it would usually be moorland - no trees, but flammable ground. Fire don't always help! A stove might though, and a Jetboil was a good addition for longer journeys.

Signalling, beyond phoning for help, or asking someone you meet for assistance, relies upon the recipient understanding the message. Annoying someone by blowing a whistle or shining light in their eyes, might just get me punched. Navigation would be by road, unless the journey way planned to be offroad, and I'd always have maps in the car. Intentionally being off road on foot would again involve maps, but a compass too. On the water, you didn't really have many choices between upstream, downstream, or ram the bank. Ram the bank was sometimes safer than shaving the waterway with other boaters.

So for me, my "get home kit" would fit in pockets, or a small daysack. Food and drink for a few hours, walking gear, digital comms, map, and spendables.whatever the usual daily tool carry was would get me by, or there was the additional Swiss knife and pliers tool that lived in the glovebox. I also kept a hiking pole and a booboo kit in the car. I'm no surgeon, and anything beyond cleaning a minor wound and putting a plaster on, would either involve me making it worse, or passing out at the sight of my own blood. Hiking poles are useful though, either as a walking stick in case of injury or rough terrain, or general purpose pokey stick (water/mud depth, ground stability).

I'm probably not being much use here, am I? 

[Poncho65]

Thanks for the reply, ez I had thought of several of those and a few I had not We have reinforced plastic most all the time at work and if it came down to it I would cut a good sized piece and roll it up for a make shift tarp/tent We use braided mason line and I always have that with me, so I would definitely take that and I keep first aid kit and as you said, knife, MT, light etc. I drink mostly water and while we usually have water in bottles at work it is something I need to improve on I use to bring a Brita water filter bottle to work and I may start doing that again as it saves on waste and also a great thing to have on hand for emergency situations I will give more thought to the questions that Al brought up as well and see where I need to improve with my get home gear

[Poncho65]

Plenty of great thoughts, Al Most people are much closer to work than I am and for sure some of these ideas can work in my situation as well As I said, I am using this more as a learning experience of what some of you guys are planned for just as much as what I need

[AimlessWanderer]

Well I am sure glad that AI listed the questions first so I didn't have to but I also have to wonder about Get Home advise from someone calling himself Aimless Wanderer?

Actually, focussing on the journey, and immediate area, instead of the intended destination, and being prepared to be totally flexible in your next goal and how you achieve it, can be extremely useful

[Poncho65]

On the area of First Aid, I had to be trained in first aid and CPR for work So I have a bit of experience with that and even keep a FAK and CPR face mask nearby if the need ever arises (hoping it never does) Last year one of the other foreman in our company had to resuscitate a bricklayer on our job (I was on vacation that week ) and he made a full recovery and came to work after missing only one day, which was the following day I always keep the FAK supplies in my backpack that I have now along with several things One also being the toilet paper that ez mentioned I have a Mylar blanket and an emergency poncho in there as well because they take up no room and can be indispensable when needed

[MadPlumbarian]

I would think it depends on how much you want to carry, cause the first thing is going to be the size and how much room you need, I have three diff bags, ones a huge bag, which I haven’t had to use yet, then the two others are one that I have. My edc is a small single shoulder strap bag, the other is one that I actually made, it’s not a full size backpack, almost but a little smaller, but the unique thing about it is that it’s not deep, it’s only about 3-4” deep, still plenty of room for the little things to carry but, if needed the bag expands and doubles the depth if needed to carry a lot! I kinda want to make something between the two.. but here’s some pics..
JR

[Poncho65]

Thanks for the pics, MadP

[MadPlumbarian]

No prob, there’s a bag I’m kinda interested in but I don’t think they make anymore, anyway, I’m sure you know what molle is right? Think of this, rather then carrying a bag full of stuff bouncing around, why not a bunch of individual small bags attached to a panel, everything sorted out, all medical stuff in a bag with a cross on the front, and other things in other small bags attached to a flat bag with a bunch of molle straps? Then of course one large pouch for those just in case things, and straps on the other side and a handle on top.. heck, throw a expandable zipper all the way around Incase you gotta carry something a little bigger? Like this..
JR

[MadPlumbarian]

To give you an idea about the front molle,
JR

[Etherealicer]

Well, first thing you need to consider is what you are packing, before deciding on a pack.

More things to consider:
Weight, especially when walking 160km then every kilo counts (so, stay away from Molle)
Visibility, I always chuckle at those "prepared to survive" guys that are covered in camo or all black... chances of getting run over is probably the biggest risk we face.

160km is a challenging distance and no amount of gear can help you if you cannot walk that. What you really need is depending on your personal level of fitness but unless you are an Ultra-marathon runner, there is no way round stopping in-between, which of course also means the climate plays a role (do you rather worry about heat-stroke or freezing to death?).
Personally, I would not build a Get Home Bag, as 160 km is just beyond a reasonable distance to walk, again depending on your level of fitness that is 3-4 days. Seems the far more practicable solution would be to have a bicycle stowed away. If that is not an possible then you should consider your Overnight option. Shelter building is time and energy consuming and not within the strategy of getting home as fast as possible, so what is the minimum instant shelter you will need? Smallest option I can think of would be a 1 person Bivy and a 1 person silk sleeping bag liner. The combination should keep you dry and fairly warm. If you need want to expand, there are Ponchos that can be transformed into small tent with a pair of trekking poles (might be a good idea anyway, for such a long distance). I'm a big fan of Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Nano products.


The killer of course is water. Can you replenish along the way or do you need to carry all the water for the trip? How long is it going to take you? Worst case would be somewhere around 6 liter you would be needing.

That said... I would stay away from tactical/molle stuff and go for a trekking or cycling backpack. Here is what you need to look out for:
- First and foremost it needs to fit your back
- Good air flow between back and pack
- Chest- and waist-strap are required for such a long trip.

I think Camelback as suggested by  ezdog is a good idea, however most (all) cycling/trekking packs can be fitted with a drinking system. So, I would go for a Mammut Nirvana 30l or something similar.

[Aloha]

I'd echo many of what Etherealicer mentions. 

Lay out all the items you THINK you'll need along with all the items you WANT and the item you KNOW are must haves. 

You'll be able to cull pretty quickly once you take a look at everything.  A 100 mile walk home at the very average 3-4 mile per hour walk rate non stop is 25-33 hours.  Terrain, weather, fitness, zombies hoards, wild beasts, etc etc will also effect time  . 

The best pack is one that is comfortable and IMO discreet.  In the event that all heck broke loose you do not want to look like a guy who has some expensive gear or other valuable items.  I'm a huge fan of those little dolly/hand trucks so I can tow my items.  I have a travel dolly/hand truck for that exact purpose with my evacuation gear.  Depending on your route of course.  If you will be traveling thru brush/sand the tires may be a problem.     

[MadPlumbarian]

I know there pricy but maxpedition mailed me and their doing a bogo free sale today.
JR

[Smashie]

I’d get a folding bike and put that in the boot (trunk) or in the office. That would speed up getting home no end. 

[Poncho65]

Thanks for more suggestions, guys something as big as a bike for me is a no go as we have a truck loaded down with tools there is plenty of freshwater all the way home and that would be a big plus it is straight interstate, so it would be fairly easy to trek under semi ideal conditions but it is mostly uphill with over 1200 or 1300 feet rise in elevation 

[Aloha]

Pack a lifestraw or similar and your water is taken care.  I'd take a bottle of some kind anyway, metal of course.  Folding bike is a great idea but how to carry is always the downside.  There are however some really small ones that could fit very tight spaces. 

Sounds like a super pair of comfy shoes should make your list.  With that 100miles up hill you'll need them. 

[microbe]

100 miles is nearly 4 marathons. Unless you are trained to do such distances, you feet will get blistered, probably destroyed if you do not have the right type of footwear and training, and most likely your knees or ankles will get strained and you will not even make it on foot. If it would be me, walking back that distance would not be an option, and looking for alternative transport will be my first choice.
It will be highly unlikely that the world comes to an end in a split second, leaving just you alive. If you are still living, many others also will be. That means taxi, bus, or Uber may still be available, or even using the good ol' thumb and hitchhike. Having a phone or a map with public transport locations and time tables, hotels, etc will be a good plan.
As for the bag, a 20L or max 30L bag would should be all you need. Water, some high protein snack bars, a small dopp kit, a small FAK, a multitool/knife/gun, spare undies and socks, clothes depending on the season, cash and creditcards, and maybe some barter like cigarettes. Forget about camping stuff and go hotel or motel of it takes you longer then one day.

[MadPlumbarian]

What microbe said makes sense, it depends on how much you can walk? My last job all I did was walk, those metal stairs, and stand around, I wore one of those hip things and it said I did 6miles in one day, Grant it that’s in 8hrs, and on concrete, if on the side of the road in a straight line might be a little diff, maybe 1mi in 30-45min, that’s what we do now on the sidewalk, but she’s also doing so with a walker,, running forget it, I’d make it 50ft and fall over huffing and puffing for air! So like he said a nice very comfortable pair of shoes and something to drink would be most important! And clothing weather pending!
JR

[microbe]

What microbe said makes sense, it depends on how much you can walk? My last job all I did was walk, those metal stairs, and stand around, I wore one of those hip things and it said I did 6miles in one day, Grant it that’s in 8hrs, and on concrete, if on the side of the road in a straight line might be a little diff, maybe 1mi in 30-45min, that’s what we do now on the sidewalk, but she’s also doing so with a walker,, running forget it, I’d make it 50ft and fall over huffing and puffing for air! So like he said a nice very comfortable pair of shoes and something to drink would be most important! And clothing weather pending!
JR

My BIL wanted to participate in the famous 100km (62mi) "Death march" in Bornem, Belgium. His first training attempt was to walk 20km (12mi). The next day his knee was all swollen, and after a doctors appointment he heard his knee ligaments where strained. He needed 2 weeks to recover. LOL. He let go of the idea to complete the death march. It's not for everyone.

[MadPlumbarian]

Oh no, it’s not! I can walk, but other stuff I’m sooo out of shape! Just the other day I was laying on my back with my butt up to the wall, then moving my legs side to side like a wiper, trying to straighten my back out, and I’m feeling the muscle sourness, I was sitting down lifting my leg to put my socks on and was like err the stomachs soar..
  All I’ve ever done was walk or ride a bike when younger, heck I could leg pressed 415lbs way back, so the legs have always been good, it’s the other body parts that suck!
JR

[Etherealicer]

My BIL wanted to participate in the famous 100km (62mi) "Death march" in Bornem, Belgium. His first training attempt was to walk 20km (12mi). The next day his knee was all swollen, and after a doctors appointment he heard his knee ligaments where strained. He needed 2 weeks to recover. LOL. He let go of the idea to complete the death march. It's not for everyone.

I hope he did not quite training... anyone without some serious medical problem (and since he thought he can do 100km I assume he had none) should be able to walk 20km with no ill effects (other than feeling tired).

[...]so the legs have always been good, it’s the other body parts that suck!
JR

Good point here. An important question is also how much you can carry. No point in a 30 liter backpack filled with gear if your back hurts after a short hike (though a good backpack can distribute the weight better).

[lister]

Not that I have much to add but something like this might work for the bike part of the plan:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-bike

You could almost put in to the backpack.

 

[Poncho65]

Pack a lifestraw or similar and your water is taken care.  I'd take a bottle of some kind anyway, metal of course.  Folding bike is a great idea but how to carry is always the downside.  There are however some really small ones that could fit very tight spaces. 

Sounds like a super pair of comfy shoes should make your list.  With that 100miles up hill you'll need them.

I have looked hard at the lifestraws over the years and have just never pulled the trigger on one

Lot of great suggestions and lots of things to think about guys

[Aloha]

There are other good filters so definitely pack one.  I know there are some nice water sources in parts of the country but I personally wouldn't drink without treatment. 

If you do decide to pack comfortable shoes ( which I highly suggest ) break them in a bit before you pack them away.  Good socks will also go a long way towards comfort on a 100 mile walk. 

[ezdog]

I still don't think we have seen what you will EDC in the pack in addition to the Get Home stuff,have we?

[Syncop8r]

Assuming you would be walking (worst case) then suitable footwear and protection from the elements (rain jacket, warm hat and sun hat).
To keep you going, water bottle and treatment and non-cooked food unless you have room for the extra gear that requires (when I pack extra emergency food for hiking I try to go for non-cooked in case I have issues with my cooker).
Warm clothes and a tarp for when you rest. I'm sure you could improvise a shelter.

The less you have to carry, the easier it will be to walk. You can walk for a long time with little nourishment.

My BIL wanted to participate in the famous 100km (62mi) "Death march" in Bornem, Belgium. His first training attempt was to walk 20km (12mi). The next day his knee was all swollen, and after a doctors appointment he heard his knee ligaments where strained. He needed 2 weeks to recover.

Making sure you can happily walk more than a few miles before anything happens would be a good idea too!

[microbe]

I walked 4 mile today. My hip hurts.