Many of us because of age or other problems are limited in the size bug out bag that we can carry. One problem that I have encountered is having adequate shelter, while keeping the weight down. I recently found a solution that seems to work for me and gives me a fairly lightweight inexpensive sleep system.
Let’s begin by explaining what I would use a bug out bag for. Primarily it would be to get me to a secondary location that is within a couple of days travel time. At times, it may serve as a get home bag. The bag would be designed to keep me adequately supplied for about 3-5 days. I always like a margin of safety.
The super light sleeping bags are expensive and take up a lot of room. Most of them will not keep you dry if rained upon. Because of where I would be traveling, I need something that will keep me reasonably warm and dry.
I recently found what I believe is an inexpensive sleep system that works for me. I was at Freeze Dry Guys and found a number of brand new US Military Gore-Tex bivy sacks and poncho liners. I grabbed one of each for good price. I rolled the poncho liner up in the bivy sack and it makes a small reasonably light package.
Now I know that someone is saying this is not as good as some other options. Here is my reasoning.
- One the bivy sacks will keep you dry. I have woke up in the military sleep system and found myself lying in an inch of water after being rained on and was still dry.
- The poncho liners supply a lot of warm for their weight.
- If you need additional insulation, you can stuff dried grass, old newspapers or any other insulating materials both in the bag with you and under the bag.
- As a back up I always have a good GI poncho in case I need to build a shelter.
Just so you don’t think this is entirely my idea, Freeze Dry Guy who is an old Special Forces soldier carries the same setup. I will be trying this out in the near future, but I think this will meet the needs I have for an inexpensive sleep system.
Just a word on his sale, he has sold probably 70 to 75 percent of what he had in the warehouse, but there are some very good deals still left and he wants to get the warehouse closed. If you get a chance, go by or call. 1-530- 798-4414. Last time I looked there was still some bivy sacks and poncho liners in stock.
Howard
I have used the Gore Tex bivvy Bag, poncho liner and GI poncho as my bugout sleep system for some time now. After having had the opportunity to try it outdoors in freezing rain, I have since added a military Space Blanket with fabric backing and hood, as well as a small compression sack containing a loose fitting microfleece jogging suit, watch cap socks and glove liners, as an extra warming layer, and to sleep in, getting out of my wet clothes, which are then placed under the Space Blanket, but outside the bivvy sack. Sitting with your back to a tree or rock face, holding a lit candle in a can between your feet, under the Space Blanket makes a BIG difference in cold-wet environments. My childhood scoutmaster, a WW2 vet, instructed us how he had his troopers sit in their slit-trenches on a wooden ammo box, candle in a ration can, wrapped in a GI wool blanket, and poncho covering all and hiding the candle from view by the enemy. It was not comfort, but survival at Bastogne in December, 1944.