Whether you like him or hate him James Yeager does put together some pretty decent video reviews and instruction. There is some “language” so don’t watch or de-tune your ears. I’ll do a short review here.
What I found pretty cool about the series in all is the first video , one of the middle videos and in particular the last video.
James lays out all his equipment that he is taking on his bug-out experiment trip. And he makes it pretty clear that this experiment is a get from point A to point B nothing else. He is not setting up any illusions that his group is bugging out to survive in the woods. A totally impossible, unrealistic and delusional idea. The experimental hike is set on a 10 mile loop that I am guessing is located in a national forest of some sort. The terrain looks pretty undulating overall and pretty tough.
What I found VERY interesting is all the things we pack in our bags that we think we need, James also found out that a lot of stuff he hauled with him wasn’t not only not needed but wouldn’t be used or never used. One particular example, flints and matches versus a lighter!
Another take-away, a sleep system and a plain old GI poncho or tarp. Water, he mentions at the end that he never really drank enough water. And lastly? Are you in shape? I think James found out he really wasn’t in as great of shape as maybe he thought? I dunno but he talked about it a number of times through out the video’s.
In all? some kernels of lessons learned that can be taken away for yourself.
I sat down on the front room floor last night and dumped everything I had out of my BOB, reorganized, and repacked into a smaller back pack. I didn’t loose any equipment in my repack and am pretty pleased that what I did have was not “extra”. It still weighs 30 + lbs. without a sleep system or water. But my thought is a good portion of the clothes I have in the bag will be used immediately as I change into a more comfortable kit to walk in. If I were to bail and walk home from work? 64 miles one way. 4 days walk minimum. But that would be in total grid down situation. Otherwise I call for backup.
Hope you can filter and learn something.
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