When going on a trip outdoors, you need to be prepared for the worst. That said, you need all your equipment like canteens, flashlights, matches, food, and all other necessities that one could possibly bring to survive the great outdoors. Since you need so many things, you also need a bag to put all these things in. The bag itself has to be light enough not to be an added burden, but durable enough that it won’t tear because of all the gear that you’re packing.
While bags come in all shapes and forms, you can’t just use any ordinary messenger bag when you’re going hiking. Messenger bags and other bags like duffel bags tend to skew your center of gravity to one side. On a flat terrain, this won’t really matter much, but on uneven ground or when you’re on the edge of a cliff, you need your balance to keep you from falling.
What It Is
Basically, a survival bag is a bag filled with essentials for you to be able to make it when you’re out in the wild. This is where things like matches, extra clothes, food, sometimes even your survival knife is stored.
How It Can Help
In the wild, all you have to rely on are your skills and what you brought with you. A well-packed and well-organized bag is a major time saver from activities like setting up camp to the mundane task of retrieving your water bottle for a sip.
What Makes A Good Bag
Weight
As stated above, the bag shouldn’t offset your center of balance that much, since balance is essential in keeping a stable footing on uneven terrain. Thus, the bag itself should not weigh so much. Keep in mind that you’ll probably be bringing along canned goods and filled water canteens, which add to the weight of your bag. The heavier your bag is, the more your center of balance is shifted, and the more strain it puts on your back and your energy. Choose a bag that is light enough that it won’t add any more unnecessary strain on you.
Durability
In the wild, you’ll need a bag that won’t tear easily. Bags can tear when they snag on rocks or branches, but bags can also tear if they exceed the maximum weight capacity that they could carry. When choosing a bag, take note of the maximum weight that the manufacturers state the bag could handle. If you know that you’ll probably be packing more than the bag could handle, choose a different bag. It’s always better to choose a bag that can handle more weight than you intend to put in it.
Compartments and Mount Points
Most survival bags come with several compartments and mount points. Segregating your things could come in handy, especially if you need an item quickly, so that you don’t have to rummage through your whole bag just to get something. Mount points are great for those extra things like tents or sleeping bags, things that are generally not put into the bag itself.
