How to pack a rucksack

[mudgunner49]

Cappuccino machine and Sony Playstation 2.  What were you thinking?  I'm gonna miss the Cougars!

...espresso machine is in the 2nd kit bag, and I have xBox 360!!!  (Ha!!)


be safe,

blake

 

[Fusaki]

Hey, contrary to what other infantry types might tell you, we have ways to live comfortably in the field too! The LAV can carry all sorts of cool stuff like george foreman grills, laptop computers, stereos (for running through the intercomm), pin-up girls, coolers, TV and DVD player, ect...

But RecceDG, for guys who arn't mounted in some sort of veh your kit list is more then a little heavy. Boot polish? C'mon man you could fit another pack of smokes in that space!! And the arctic hood? I thought taking my parka liner was packing heavy...

You touch on something I think is important, though. Some guys like to wrap all their kit in individual zip-lock bags, which keeps everything nice and dry. I used to have a zip-lock bag for each set of T-shirt and gitch because I figured I'd be changing them at the same time and another bag for socks, which was packed near the top for easy access on short notice.

But now I prefer to go with those big bright orange garbage bags. I think they're designed for hazerdous waste or something, but the fact that they're thick and durable makes them great for lining a ruck and valise. As long as you're carefull to be discreet, the bright orange colour makes life easier to dig into your ruck in the dark. I also found it to be more convenient then lots of little bags, and easier to squeeze the air out of for tighter packing. It's cut the PITA factor down considerably.

How are the CSM's on these alternative packing lists? Still trying to charge people for not bringing kit that soldiers dont use but are on the 'official' items list?

Generally - in my unit, anyways - we can pack what we want, but any guy who goes down due to the elements gets charged. So if you can't be smart, you'd better be tough.

As for the whole "you may or may not hump your kit" thing, my suggestion is to pack your ruck light and your follow-up kitbag heavy. That way, if you REALLY need something out of the ordinary you might get access to it.

 

[1feral1]

FWIW, here's my usual loadout:

But first, a few assumptions:

So then:

Valise: 2x sleeping bag, ranger blanket, bag liner, artic hood, bivvy bag, bugbar, groundsheet,  camp pillow. I always bring the second bag, just in case one gets wet, or in case someone in the crew/troop gets his wet and only brought one - it can also serve to put extra padding around roots or rocks. The artic hood is near proof against getting cold while sleeping and I never leave without it. The bugbar... you only need to spend one night in a mosquito-infested swamp to remember to carry this, and in the tropics, malaria is not your friend.

Main Compartment, bottom to top: 1xset extra combats, 1Xset thermal underwear, 1xfleece top, 1xscarf,  7xt-shirts (less on a weekend) knee pads, elbow pads.

Left side pouch: GPS charger (wall and lighter socket) 16xAA batteries, 2xbootlaces, sewing kit, combat gloves, liquid boot polish, random small extra bits.
Centre left pouch: Toiletries, Gold Bond Powder, baby wipes.
Centre right pouch: 1xRation - never ever ever ever get caught without a ration packed; sometimes food won't make it to you.
Right side pouch (canteen carrier)  - spare canteen (usually the thermos) full of water.
Top "butt pack" pouch: 7xpairs of socks, 7xginch (less on weekends)
Strapped on with valise: air mattress.

Butt pack (the spare small pack butt pack) 1xset raingear, 2xfield dressing, combat gloves, flashlight - I wear this as a buttpack if I am going to be away from the vehicle for any signifigant amount of time, and it can be worn with the tac vest and the ruck and they don't interfere with each other.

Kit bag: spare set of boots, 1xset combats, combat jacket, extra ziploc bags, extra garbage bags, big scrub brush, laundry bag - the idea here is to keep this mostly empty at the start  of the ex, then as stuff gets dirty, it comes out of the ruck and goes into the kit bag. Every day sees a clean t-shirt, socks, and ginch.

DG

Shyte! Don't forget to book a forklift to load you into the back of a truck!

Thats a way, way too much stuff!

Me, its KISS, ruck - laundry bag, shaving kit, small towel, 1x DPCU uniform, 2x u/w, 2x t's, 4 x socks, nomex gloves, hexi stove  w/fuel and24hr rats, 2L h20, bivvy bag w/sleeping back, poncho liner and sleeping mat. Can't forget the good ole CF cbt scarf, all seasons this is with me.

This is packed all the time and ready to go. we are often in the fierld for weeks at a time.

Follow up bag - ech size,  2 uniforms, heaps of u/w, socks and t's. Para smock, and fleece jacket. ray-bans, and a few other acc's including some things to snack on.

What about webbing? Mine is the South African M83 in AUSCAM

toggle rope w/beener, 3L camelbak, 4 30rd mags (and up to 10), mag lite, 2 fd dressings, rain gear, spare socks, carbine cleaning kit, compass, rats, and a few lollies

Cheers,


Wes

 

[DG-41]

But RecceDG, for guys who arn't mounted in some sort of veh your kit list is more then a little heavy. Boot polish? C'mon man you could fit another pack of smokes in that space!! And the arctic hood?

The liquid boot polish that comes with a little sponge on the end is a good way to blacken boots in a hurry and weighs next to nothing. One must keep up appearences.

But yeah, if I'm going to have to hump stuff, there will be a massive transfer of stuff out of the ruck and into the kit bag - and that includes the polish.

But not the arctic hood. That thing is pure gold, especially if you are on the tall side (like I am) and your head & neck poke out of the bag more often than not. Given how much heat escapes through your head, the hood can really keep you warm - warmer than more weight in body layers even.

Oh, and I forgot the towel.

DG

 

[NL_engineer]

How are the CSM's on these alternative packing lists? Still trying to charge people for not bringing kit that soldiers dont use but are on the 'official' items list?

The only kit list I got from my unit went into the a round filing cabinet, before I left. 

Oh, and I forgot the towel.

How about the portable shower ???

 

[kyleg]

Don't bash the towel, with a little warm water that thing nearly sucks the cam paint off your skin. Much better than wet wipes IMO. It's also good for drying off wet feet before changing socks and putting on goretex socks after that unforeseen rainfall/walk in a swamp.

Cheers,
Pinky

 

[davidk]

Don't bash the towel

*Nods in agreement*

To quote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...

A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have... any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the Galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and still know where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

Towels are incredibly versatile pieces of kit. They can be used to dry off, de-cam, use as a scarf in a pinch, an emergency bandage, the list goes on forever.

Of course, with our Coy kitlist, we'll never be short of them ;D

 

[Kal]

I always just packed Gummy Bears, Teddy Grahams and Orange Soda...

 

[SuperFry]

Hi,
I am getting frustrated with my heavy rucksack on exercises compared to everyone else's lighter ones.  I'm not complaining about carrying a rucksack here, don't get me wrong.  It just that I've had comments about the weight and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
In my valise, I have 1 sleeping bag with liner (I think it's the inner part), ground sheet, basin, and bungees...seems to be standard.
In the main part I usually bring a couple pairs of socks, a fleece, a long john set and an extra uniform in case of extreme wetness to the other and my ablutions kit.
Am I packing totally wrong?  I took things out of the pain part and it looks like all the weight is coming from the valise.  Is there a specific way to pack the sleeping bag?  Should I be using the other sleeping bag instead?  Any thoughts at all would be much appreciated....including a kit list for a weekend bring whatever you need/want  exercise.  
Thanks

 

[davidk]

You're carrying pretty much what I carry and I generally don't have problems with it...

Except the wash basin. I haven't used that since course, a canteen cup does the job.

 

[medaid]

Dude... - don't know why yours would be that much heavier... I mean I carry the same things as you do sans basin and I'm right as rain... But then iKm a REMF ;D

 

[DirtyDog]

With a rather basic load as that, I can't see it being that heavy.

Although I would ditch the wash basin and replace it with a collaspable one.

Also, make sure everything is packed as tight, compressed, and secure as possible.

 

[Loachman]

Most of us use the kind with wheels and extendable handles most of the time.

 

[TN2IC]

Most of us use the kind with wheels and extendable handles most of the time.

Got to love the Air Force!  ;D

 

[Loachman]

I'm an Army pilot, but believe in practicality.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Hi,
I am getting frustrated with my heavy rucksack on exercises compared to everyone else's lighter ones.  I'm not complaining about carrying a rucksack here, don't get me wrong.  It just that I've had comments about the weight and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
In my valise, I have 1 sleeping bag with liner (I think it's the inner part), ground sheet, basin, and bungees...seems to be standard.
In the main part I usually bring a couple pairs of socks, a fleece, a long john set and an extra uniform in case of extreme wetness to the other and my ablutions kit.
Am I packing totally wrong?  I took things out of the pain part and it looks like all the weight is coming from the valise.  Is there a specific way to pack the sleeping bag?  Should I be using the other sleeping bag instead?  Any thoughts at all would be much appreciated....including a kit list for a weekend bring whatever you need/want  exercise.  
Thanks

Question: How much water are you carrying? Might be an issue. Try a mess tin instead of the huge honkin' basin thingee. Also, try para cord instead of the bungees. Some guys carry those huge solid rubber things best employed on tire chains.

FWIW, I used to have my guys carry lots of spare clothing etc to get used to the weight they'd be carrying on operations, where dry extra clothes would be replaced with ammo, claymores, grenades, batteries, rations etc. If you're not packing at least 60lbs now, it will be hard to get used to about 90 lbs later.

 

[geo]

If you are carrying the basic stuff only and everyone else's is lighter, then there is a good chance that the problem could be with them.... they might not be carrying what they should.

 

[BDTyre]

In my valise I pack my sleeping bag with liner, bivy bag, ranger blanket, ground sheet, extra pants, socks, t-shirt and underwear.

In my main bag goes both parts of my stealth suit, goretex pants, fleece jacket, shave/wash kit, at least two extra sets of socks, t-shirt and underwear, survival knife, about ten glow sticks, two field dressings, ~100 ft of paracord, an OHP kit, a half litre of water and a 1 qt canteen in one of the side pouches of the ruck.  I also sometimes have a scarf or toque in the ruck.

 

[chriscalow]

valise: sleeping bag outer, liner, bivy bag,foam sleeping pad, ranger blanket, poncho, fleece, collapsible wash basin, 1xcbt pants, one set socks underwear t-shirt

main bag: wind pants, stealth suit jacket, sewing kit, roll of gun tape, thermals, boot insoles, canteen cup, spare lighter, spare batteries(aa, aaa), toque, spare gloves, another set of socks underwear t-shirt, foot powder, shave kit, wet wipes,spare insoles, 15 pound plate.

attached to ruck: e-tool, 2x 2 quart canteen, sash cord, carabiners, E&E kit,

 

[geo]

Uhhh... 15 Lb plate?

WTF?