72 hour gear.....which camp do you belong to?

Started by NM SAR, August 01, 2013, 10:08:14 PM

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NM SAR

There's two very different schools of thought regarding the 72 hour "pack." The first school of thought is that it is indeed a pack, and should be carried in a frame pack that you can add your 24 hour gear to and carry the whole shebang into the wilderness.

The other school of thought, which I belong to, is that the 72 hour pack is better described as "base gear," and is almost always left at base or in the GT's vehicle. Such a pack could be easily contained in a duffel or hard- sided container.

What do you think? Is a large frame pack necessary for the 72 hour kit?

lordmonar

I'm a base gear sort of guy.
I sure as hell am not going to be humping a pack for three day into the bush!
PATRICK M. HARRIS, SMSgt, CAP

Garibaldi

It's been well discussed here. Some prefer a large ALICE pack, some prefer stuffing all their 72 hour stuff in a duffel bag. It stays at base, so why do you need to tote it? is the prevailing opinion. We typically don't stay out in the woods for that long, but we train as if we had to. So, whatever you're comfortable toting and leaving is up to you.
Still a major after all these years.
ES dude, leadership ossifer, publik affaires
Opinionated and wrong 99% of the time about all things

Walkman

I have a frame pack for my 72-hour gear (CFP-90). I also use it for camping, etc. Even when I know it's just going to be in a base camp situation, I load it up like I'm going to hump it for a while, just to practice.

Eclipse


"That Others May Zoom"

PHall


AngelWings

Quote from: PHall on August 02, 2013, 02:21:42 AM
My 72 hour gear is  www.hotels.com    >:D
This I like!

To the OP, I belong to the base gear train of thought. I don't truly understand the benefit to bring the 72, and some of the 24, into the search. I believe keeping the amount of crap on your person is much more important. In a practical sense, there's no benefit to bringing all of that junk. Physically, it is more of a load wearing down on your body. Mentally, it is more stuff you have to keep an eye on and periodically think about.

Bring the minimum required gear with you and leave the extras back at mission base.

vento


Hawk200

I also consider 72 hour as base gear, I carry it in a ruck just to be able to move it easier. I shouldn't need a buddy to be able to move it to where it's going to sit until I need to use it.

nomad129

It's always best to leave behind any extra gear that you won't be needed for a mission at base, but I agree that it's best to pack it in a ruck / pack so that you can carry it if necessary. An example would be if where you are setting up your base camp is inaccessible by vehicle (yes, these places do still exist). I also advocate rucking your equipment into base during training. Nothing teaches you the the concept of minimizing your gear more than having to carry it a few klicks. While I love my solar powered espresso maker / entertainment system, I'm not going to carry it any further than the back of my truck to my 12 person tent / palace!
"We don't rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training."

Luis R. Ramos

My idea of a 72-hour pack... is my car.

Having said that, I always carry a 24-hour and a 72-hour packs there. I used suspenders, butt pack, ammo pouch, and canteens as my 24-hour and a medium ALICE as my 72-hour but found the but pack is too small, so now I use a duffel bag as the 72-hour and the medium ALICE as the 24-hour.

Most of the missions I have gone are in the city so I never really needed to carry either, except for a SAREX. Both are packed anyway for THAT mission I need to carry. And it will be, the 72-hour stays at base, and the 24-hour for the sortie.

Flyer
Squadron Safety Officer
Squadron Communication Officer
Squadron Emergency Services Officer

♠SARKID♠

The longest I've ever carried my 72 hour gear is from the vehicle to the armory floor we would be sleeping on for the night.  Nowadays, I don't even carry it; it rolls.

I've never even heard of a single instance in WIWG where a GT has had to overnight in the woods. Probably the effect of having a state where you can't walk more than five miles in any direction without hitting a road.

Storm Chaser

While I agree that in a real, extended mission requiring a 72-hour pack we would most likely leave the pack at mission base (or other suitable place), the training I've received in a couple of school always have taught the concept of a pack that can be carried into the field if there's a need to bivouac. A "backpack (preferably with frame)" is what's stated in the Task Guide.

I understand this is primarily for training, but it occurs to me that we should be training as we "fight". Personally, I would use a tent if I have to bivouac; not a shelter built with a tarp. And if I can stay at mission base or other appropriate facility (again, I'm talking real mission here), I would choose that over bivouacking.

Don't get me wrong, bivouacking can be fun, but is not what I would choose in a real situation if I have a choice.

HGjunkie

••• retired
2d Lt USAF

sarmed1

The backpack theory was instilled in me as a cadet and I think its never a bad "skill set" to have available.  In all of my CAP time I dont think I ever went on a mission that I "needed" to be able to ruck around with it.  However I have been on a number of missions that the parking location and the where to bed down location are not in the same (or close) position to each other; having the ability to haul my gear easily backpack style made things a little better.  (though a GI style duffle bag will suffice for these situations...especially if you are equipping on a budget)

What I have come to feel was the most useful was the duffle/flightkit bag/rolling box packed with all of the 72 hour gear (or more) that I might think I might need or find useful along with a alice type pack.....all like packed together then just throw the stuff into the ruck as needed (or dump the stuff

What it comes down to is the mission types that you think you are really going to encounter and what you are comfortable moving around with.

mk
Capt.  Mark "K12" Kleibscheidel

unmlobo

I have a sandpiper of california bug out bag or a large camelback for my 24hr gear with a SOC E&E bag for my 72 hr gear.  Granted I use it a lot for ruck marches (Bataan and etc.) and as my travel bag for TDY and etc.  My camelback was what I carried throughout Tech School for 8 months.  I recommend a bag that you can use for camping, backpacking and etc.  Try to get dual use out of stuff you buy for this as most times they are expensive.  Hope that helps some.
Major, CAP
HI WG

Mela_007

I am just beginning my training in ground teams, but in thinking about preparing my 24 and 72-hr packs I am planning to use what I have as much as possible (for now).  A standard day backpack for my 24-hr pack.  For my 72-hr pack I am going to drag out my brother's Boy Scout frame pack from years ago.  As I gather the gear I will be able to decide how practical this frame pack will be, but I plan to make mine more mobile for now. 
"Worry is the Darkroom in which negatives develop."  -Unknown

Spaceman3750

Quote from: Mela_007 on August 12, 2013, 04:09:09 PM
I am just beginning my training in ground teams, but in thinking about preparing my 24 and 72-hr packs I am planning to use what I have as much as possible (for now).  A standard day backpack for my 24-hr pack.  For my 72-hr pack I am going to drag out my brother's Boy Scout frame pack from years ago.  As I gather the gear I will be able to decide how practical this frame pack will be, but I plan to make mine more mobile for now.

Probably not a bad idea. You will run into those that will tell you to pointlessly hump the thing for a few miles. Once you are a senior and are more established in the CAP community, you have a little more leeway in your gear.