BoB for family members
Posted by DifferenceSuper3017@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 9 comments
Hello everyone,
quick question regards packing the BoB for my wife and parents. Probably for a baby soon.
Do you pack exact the same equipment in it like for a young fit military aged men?
Or would you pack more stuff in the mens bag and just some personal things like a sleepingbag/sleeping matress in the womans, because she cant carry as much as a men.
And what would you put in a BoB for a baby/toodler/Child?
New-Temperature-4067@reddit
Me and the wife are in the process of decreasing weight of our bob.
How we did it: We write down every thing incl caloried and weight if each individual item
We are realistic. Its 48/72h kit. 2 pairs of socks is enough. You dont need 12 lighters, a magnesium stick and a box of matches 1 bic and a spare if you want, is enough.
We switched from MRE's (heavy) to dry rations. (Initially we had cans, these are very heavy for the kcal they provide, dont put them in)
And so on. This shaved a few kgs of my bag. I found out i had 4! Knifes in it including a machete. Useless.
HolyShytSnacks@reddit
I'm currently working on my family's bags (me, wife, teen daughter). My focus so far has been on redundancy with certain items in case we get separated (there's a good chance that it would just be me and my daughter while my wife's at work, I work from home and am the stay-at-home parent), but I'm also trying to keep their bags lighter than mine by carrying certain other items. Of course, every bag does contain items more specific to their person as well (like meds, for example).
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
Well, first you have to consider your plan...and the realities around it. Are you bugging in, bugging out, or something in the middle (i.e. you're going to your parents or them coming to you)? Bugging out should be the last resort if possible.
Since you mentioned your parents, I assume your plan involves them. How close are they to you? Are they nextdoor, in the next town or in the next state? What are you (or they) going to do if you can't meet up? Will there be others in your group? How are you going to communicate? These are all big variables.
Next, where are you bugging out to? What routes are you taking? What's your transportation plan? Do you have a secondary location, route or transportation plan?
Now, you have to consider redundancy vs diversity.
There are some things that each person needs to have, if for no other reason than should they get separated from the group, or should you lose a member of the group and their gear. This would include the most basic tools, food, water, fire building and basic personal shelter (think rain poncho). Simply put, things that the individual would have a hard time surviving without.
Then there are the things that will be good for the group...like tarps for more of a group shelter.
Adding an infant/toddler into the equation really changes things up. First, it probably makes it more important that you and your wife plan to bug in for as long as possible, even if that means that your parents bug out to your house. You're losing one adult's carrying capacity. It's also a lot easier to maintain stock/production abilities for things like baby food, diapering supplies, cleaning and hygiene.
In terms of WHAT you'll need for the baby... I'd keep a stock of (and know how to use) cloth diapers, deep-pantry formula and baby food and have a rechargeable blender/food processor. I'd also be looking into manual means of making baby food (like a potato masher).
OcelotSuccessful2071@reddit
Also some kind of baby carrier in case someone needs to carry the baby by back/front
AlternativeAthlete99@reddit
For the baby, if also keep in mind you’d need baby over the counter meds for your med kit. If your baby was going to get sick or have a fever or injury; you’d need baby medicines to properly dose some of the over the counter meds, so i’d make sure your med kit has those items in them as well since you can’t just give a baby a tylenol pill the same way you could an older child
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
Agreed. Like I said, with a baby...or really any child that wasn't of age /maturity to walk and follow directions, bugging out would be a last resort.
IWuzRunnin@reddit
For me, everyone's bag should be different, but with some core essentials that are the same. My wife is more likely to have a malfunction with a folding knife, so small fixed blade, or something along thise lines. Basically things the person would be more likely to use and use successfully, rather than necessarily what the ultimate best items in general would be.
silasmoeckel@reddit
10% of body weight 20% tops
You pack what they need and know how to use within those limits.
For my family that puts my wife with the main med kit (as she was the squad medic).
Fun_Worker_6883@reddit
I try to pack lighter for them. That usually means more money lol. But the basics are still gonna be needed. So the kit has more focus on needs and basics than "that'd be nice"
End of the day, have them walk with it for a little bit a d if it's not cumbersome it'll be good