A Guide to Operating from a Three Day Pack
 

[This article is in a final draft stage with small ongoing modifications. Special thanks to my fellow 3Day Packers for their invaluable contributions... Ray, Mike, Matty, Rich]


OPERATING FROM A THREE DAY PACK

This article is written for those people who are about to embark on a military simulation that lasts 24-72 hours, where there may be no fixed base of operations, and desire to remain self sufficient without resupply. It won’t apply to every simulation you participate in, nor will it apply to everyone that wishes to participate. However, it will provide a solid foundation for you if you’re looking to load and operate from a Three Day Pack. If you already operate out of a Three Day Pack, then this article should provide you some insight into how others are selecting equipment and organizing their gear. If you are new to the concept, then welcome to the club. There’s a lot to think about.

ONE PACK PHILOSOPHY
The concepts behind this guide are based upon a philosophy that you will have your pack with you almost all the time, with the exception of stashing it at a rally point prior to an assault. The decision to operate with your ruck requires serious consideration regarding pack weight, size, and contents. Choosing items that serve multiple purposes, sharing specific equipment among your squad, and selecting lightweight versions of equipment can decrease fatigue and increase agility.

CONTENTS
1) The Pack

2) Food & Water

3) Shelter

4) Sleeping Equipment

5) Clothing

The Pack
 

THE PACK
Your pack is one of the most important items you will select. It is not an easy decision, and the market is filled with great options. Don’t be surprised if your first pack doesn’t quite fit your needs and you identify key features you’re looking for or could do without. Chances are, this won’t be your last pack purchase.

Things You Should Consider

• Volume
  • Typically, a suitable 3 Day Pack has a volume between 30 and 45 litres. Less than that and you may not be able to fit all your equipment. If it’s greater, you may fill it with items that aren’t necessary.
• Empty Weight
  • The weight of the empty ruck must be factored into your total load weight.
• Load Transfer / Suspension System
  • Does the pack have a hip belt? Do you need one? Do you need an internal or external frame to help with structure and weight transfer?
• External Features
  • Does the pack have PALS webbing on the outside to attach additional pouches if needed? Does the pack have straps that allow you to attach sleeping pads and sleep rolls so they can be stored externally?
• Internal Features
  • How much organization do you need in your pack? Are there pockets for hydration or electronics?
• Design of Openings
  • How the pack opens can be important to consider. Does the pack have a clam shell opening or does it just zip at the top? Is it a roll top? Three Zip? Does it have additional access points on the sides or bottom? These can be important when needing to access items located at different points in the main compartment.

Options
Below is a list of the packs used by contributors for this article. The recommendations section contains why they chose the pack they use.

• HG3D (High Ground Gear)
• 3DAP (Mystery Ranch)

Recommendations

• HG3D Pack by High Ground Gear (Sean)

• 3DAP by Mystery Ranch (Ray)
  • http://imgur.com/sDxInjp
  • http://imgur.com/P3UFCYS

Food & Water
 

FOOD & WATER

How much you need to eat is a personal decision. Weather conditions, physical exertion, and your experience will dictate how much food is necessary for you. You may find that over 48 hours, you only need two large meals plus snacks. Alternatively, you may need a large dose of calories every 6-8 hours to sustain yourself. While bringing less food has obvious benefits, do not short yourself on the energy you’ll need to operate for the duration of the simulation. Some types of events pose some unique challenges when it comes to food choices. In some situations, you may only stop for a few minutes. Perhaps you’ll need to eat on the move. In the cases that you do end up at rest, how long will that be maintained? Can you be sure you have the 20 minutes it takes to boil water and rehydrate a meal? Can you spare 2 cups of water from your drinking supply?


Things You Should Consider

• Weight/Volume
  • The more space and weight that your food occupies, the less room you have to haul other gear. The weight requirements of hydrated food can add up quickly, and should be factored into your pack weight. However, food is consumable. As you eat, you’ll gain that extra room in your ruck. Don’t forget that you’ll need to pack out all your trash. Keep this in mind if you’re considering canned food.
• Personal Needs
  • Your experience will always dictate how much and what type of food you personally need to keep up your energy. Consider previous events you’ve attended and how you coped with the activity requirements and the food you ate. If in doubt, packing extra snacks and ready-to-eat (RTE) items is a small space investment but can pay off if you run low on meals.
• Preparation Time
  • This is critical. Know that occasions to stop for 30 minutes and boil water to cook food might not happen regularly enough to sustain you. Also consider the possibility of being bumped during this stop. Will you be able to pack up your food and gear quickly and fight your way out or are you going to have to ditch it in place? What resources are you going to lose if you do so?
• Preparation Needs
  • Do you need a stove? A pot? Do you need extra water? Have you factored these requirements into your load? A meal that requires extra equipment to prepare is less desirable than one you can simply consume. Do not underestimate how quickly these pieces of gear eat into your weight and space limits.
• Water
  • Water is critical, but there’s not much that can be done about carrying it. You either do, or you don’t. Your personal requirements will dictate how much you will need, but it could be in excess of 3L a day. You will also need to consider water you may use to cook food, or perform personal hygiene.

Options

• Snacks / Ready to Eat (RTE) / Prepared Food
  • These items may consist of energy gels and chews, energy bars, or simple trail mixes. They are very light and take up a small to moderate amount of space, but they require no preparation work or equipment and can be easily eaten on the move in short amounts of time. Additionally, some prepared items like sandwiches may work depending on conditions.
• MREs/IMPs
  • A single MRE or IMP box contains a meal consisting of multiple food items, accessories like salt and jam, and electrolyte drink mixes and/or coffee. MRE boxes are rather large and heavy, but can be broken down into their components so only necessary items can be packed. In the end, they’ll take up a moderate amount of space. Items are hydrated and ready to eat, however heating them is always an option. Boiling the package in water or using an MRE heater are both valid options but take additional time and resources. Typically the actual food items would be consumed at a halt and not on the move.
• Dehydrated Food
  • Backpackers Pantry, Mountain House, and other backpacking meals are one to two servings of food in a very lightweight package that takes up a moderate amount of space. These meals are dehydrated and require you to add boiling water and let the meal sit for up to 15 minutes before consuming.
• Carrying vs. Filtering Water
  • Water is heavy. If you’re looking to carry it, bladders and bottles/canteens are your only real option. Bladders have the benefit of being low weight and can change size based on the amount you have left. You also have the option of filtering water. If there are water sources nearby, a good quality filtration system and a few minutes at boiling will remove all of the pathogens. However, filtration and boiling will not remove chemical contamination.

Recommendation

• Snacks with MRE/RTE (Sean)

• Prepared / Fresh Food (Mike)

Shelter
 

SHELTER

Cooking, changing layers, drying out, and warming up are all made easier with some form of shelter. Even simple protection from wind, rain, or snow can help sustain operations. Unfortunately, some compromises must be made in this area. Tents can be heavy and bulky, while tarps won’t offer 100% protection from the elements and pests. Your choice of shelter equipment will be heavily influenced by your personal preferences and by the predicted weather. Remember that you will be forced to carry your choice with you the entire event. If you have never slept in a bivy or under a tarp, this may be something you want to experiment with before committing to a choice. That said, you may surprise yourself at what passes for ‘comfort’ after walking for 10 hours.

Things to Consider

• Weight / Volume
  • When considering your shelter options, the weight and the volume of the equipment should be top of mind. What percentage of your full load is occupied by items that will only be used for a small portion of the event? Tents will always provide the best protection from precipitation, wind, and bugs. However if that tent takes up a third of your pack and adds three kilograms, is it worth it?
• Protection from Wind/Precipitation
  • Some shelter choices will isolate you from the weather better than others. Consider what you need based on the forecast and historical data. Do you just need a place to stay dry and keep the wind off of you, or do you need a protected space that is wind, water, and bug proof? Can you get by with less?
• Usable Area
  • When you set up your shelter, can you cook under in it? Add clothing layers? Can you reorganize your gear? Keep your pack with you? Are these things you are concerned about? Small bivys or one person tents may not allow you the flexibility to don/doff layers, or you may have to leave them to use a stove.
• Setup / Takedown Time
  • If your location comes under fire and you have to retreat, how quickly will you be able to breakdown your gear? Are you going to be messing with poles for 3 minutes while your team tries to fend off an enemy assault, or are you going to abandon your only shelter in hopes of coming back to it later? Short setup and takedown times are ideal because you can react quickly to changing conditions and threats.
• Visible Signature
  • It should be obvious that a red four person tent from MEC may be conspicuous in the woods, but even a poorly set up tarp can wave and flap in the trees like a flag. When selecting items to use as shelter, consider how well they can be hidden in the woods or in a field. Are they easy to spot from a distance, even with some camouflage?
• Sleeping Equipment Choices
  • Your shelter and sleeping system work together, and so you may find yourself restricted by one or the other. A regular down bag can not be exposed to the rain, and going without any shelter may not be an option if you plan on only using insulating layers as a sleep system.

Options

• Tent
  • Civilian tents are always an option, but a number of manufacturers make military tents for 1 or more individuals. Check out the lines by Nemo Shield, Snugpak, and Litefighter
• Bivy
  • Military surplus items such as the Military Sleep System (MSS) Goretex Bivy, the USMC 3-Season Bivy or the Canadian Army bivy are fairly inexpensive. Nemo Shield and Snugpak also offer bivy options.
• Tarp / Basha
  • Tarps can come in numerous sizes, weights, and colours. This may be one of your least expensive options. However, they lack the protection of a bivy or tent.
• Poncho
  • Ponchos have been used by the military for decades and serve multiple purposes. Aside from durable protection from rain, they can also be used as shelter, litter, or as a bivy bag. Like the tarp, a poncho will be offer less wind and precipitation protection than a fully enclosed bivy or tent.
• None
  • No shelter is actually a viable option. Your combination of clothing can protect you if you’ve chosen the right kind of equipment. While it may not be the most comfortable night you spend outside, it will allow you the ability to move quickly and reduce the weight you carry.

Recommendations

• Basha and Bivy (Sean)

• Poncho and Bivy (Ray)
  • http://imgur.com/6TdFbpK
  • http://imgur.com/pUc4Cav

Sleeping Equipment
 

SLEEPING EQUIPMENT

You will likely be afforded two types of sleep at military simulation: planned, and unplanned. Planned sleep will occur when your unit is rotated out of action for rest. Unplanned sleep is the result of your unit identifying a time when a reduced level of alertness is acceptable or required. These times may include situations where you are placed in a LP/OP overnight, or holding a defensive line in force with good fields of visibility. Your sleeping gear needs to allow you to sleep with a degree of comfort and get real rest. However, it is important to remember that you may need to go from sleep to fighting in seconds. In some cases, you must pack and be mobile in less than a minute. Your choice of sleeping gear will greatly impact your ability meet both the rest and action requirements placed upon you at 24-72 hour simulation.

Things to Consider

• Weight and Volume
  • Sleeping gear, like shelter, can consume the majority of your pack space and weight if allowed to do so. Most inexpensive zero degree bags will be up to 20L in volume and can exceed 3kg in weight. Many people won’t compromise on sleeping equipment comfort, but combine that with a desire to save money by buying an inexpensive system and the weight and volume requirements skyrocket.
• Temperature Range
  • Whatever the weather report says, assume it will be 10°C colder. Sleeping gear has to keep you relatively warm. Compromises can be made here if you’re willing to deal with some discomfort over night.
• Water Resistance
  • How well does your sleep system deal with water. Even drybags can leak, and a sleep system set up on the ground may receive splashes from rain or become dew-covered overnight. A down sleep system will not retain warmth if wet, and must be protected.
• Setup/Takedown Time
  • Can you easily set up and take down your sleep system? If suddenly called to action, how quickly can you get out of it and into the fight? How quickly can you pack it and bug out if required?
• Shetler Choices
  • In some cases you may be able to compliment your sleep system with shelter. A bivy or tent may reduce the need to use waterproof sleep gear. The protection of shelter may also help reduce the necessary temperature rating as you’re protected from the wind. Conversely, no shelter means you need to choose some extremely good sleeping kit.
• Clothing Choices
  • You spend all day wandering around in insulating layers. If you’re taking them off only to replace them with the warmth of a sleep system, you may be wasting the space in your bag. Remember that any insulating layers you pack can be used to supplement your sleep system. In some cases, you may be able to replace the need for a sleep system all together with your clothing choices.
• Sleeping Pad
  • To prevent heat loss through conduction, you need to place an insulating layer between you and the ground. Sleeping pad can be inflatable, closed cell foam, or a combination of the two. It’s important to consider the ‘R’ value of the pad, which will inform you how well the pad insulates. Some are larger and heavier than others, and tradeoffs are made between size, comfort, and price.

Options

• Sleeping Bag
  • It is impossible to list all possible sleeping bags options. A good primer on what to look for in a sleeping bag is available at Outdoorgearlab.com. Ultimately you’ll have to choose between down and synthetic insulation options. While regular down packs down very small and is very lightweight, it is susceptible to moisture. Synthetic is warm when wet but can’t hope to beat the compressibility of down. Colour choice may be important if you don’t plan on using a bivy bag or tent. Snugpak is one of the retailers offering a good selection of military sleep systems. Sleeping bags can be extremely bulky and heavy, or small and lightweight, but the cost and temperature rating will vary just as drastically. Being inside a sleeping bag may limit your mobility.
• Poncho Liner
  • The poncho liner, ranger blanket, or woobie, has always been a staple of military rucksacks. It is a simple blanket made of nylon or polyester with an insulated fill. While it is not ideal for very cold weather, it will work well in warm and cool conditions if combined with layers. They come in a variety of colours, and a number of companies make commercial versions with more insulation. They pack down reasonably small but may not be as small as the most lightweight and expensive sleeping bags. Being synthetic, they are more likely to hold heat when wet. Finally, because it is a simple blanket, it does not limit your mobility like a traditional sleeping bag.
• Layers
  • An alternative to a dedicated sleep system is simply packing additional layers of clothing. The ECWCS and PCU systems will enable static operations down to -40 degrees. The benefits of sleeping in layers is that your reaction time and capabilities are not hindered. While multiple layers can begin to dominate the volume of your pack, they are not single purpose items. Clothing layers can be added or removed at any time to increase comfort based on the mission.
• Sleeping Pad
  • To prevent heat loss through conduction, you must separate your sleep system from the ground. Again, there are too many to list, but OutdoorGearLab has a solid primer on sleeping pads. Military options exist from companies like Klymit and Thermarest.

Recommendations

• Layers with Woobie, Klymit Inertia X-Frame Recon, Z Lite Pad (Sean)

• Layers with Light Sleeping Bag, Neo Air Pad (Ray)

Clothing
 

CLOTHING

Your choice of clothing is weather and mission dependent. For our specific packing list, we’re looking at Spring and Fall weather, where temperatures can be challenging to predict and pack for. Before going any further, you should familiarize yourself with the ECWCS or PCU clothing systems used by the military, as some of the language will be used during this section. The other major influence in your choice will be your own personal experience.

The ECWCS/PCU clothing systems are extensive and adaptable. The 7 piece system will always be used differently based on how much heat you’re generating, how much moisture you’re producing, and your own tolerance to weather. To add complication to this, what you wear may differ drastically from what your teammates are wearing. While this is primarily a personal decision and requires you to customize your list to your own performance and comfort needs, you’ll be looking to combine three categories of clothing: Base layers, insulating layers, and shells.

Things to Consider

• Weather
  • Weather is your primary concern when packing clothing. The predicted temperature and precipitation will all factor into your choices. However, do not trust your comfort or your life to a METREP. If it says it will rain, assume monsoon. If it says it will be 10 degrees, assume it will be zero. If it says bright and sunny, assume some wind and rain. You need to prepare for a more severe situation than whatever is expected. Failure to do so could be dangerous. However, you have to balance that with the need to save space and weight in your pack.
• Worn vs. Packed
  • Not all your clothing must be packed in your rucksack. L1, L2, and L3 items may be worn based on weather conditions. Consider what you’ll be wearing when the operation starts, and ensure you don’t bury it at the bottom of your pack. Also note that while you may start off wearing shells, you’ll need to have room in your pack for when they come off. The strategy of where to pack each item will also depend on what you expect to need first or in a hurry. Shells and insulation may be best kept towards the top (or on the outside) of the pack for quick access. Keep this in mind when organizing your load.
• Volume
  • Whatever choices you make regarding clothing, you should take the opportunity to try packing it as small as it can go, while still remaining accessible. Insulating layers can often be compressed into waterproof stuff sacks and benefit from a significant size reduction. While some soft and hard shells may also pack down this way, it’s likely you’ll want them closer at hand for when the weather changes. Note that some situations may have you quickly shoving your insulating or hard layers into the pack without time to compress them into stuff sacks, so ensure you’ve left some room in your pack to accommodate uncompressed items.
• Extremities
  • Do not neglect your hands, feet, head, and face. These areas are more prone to cooling because of their distance from your core, and the tendency of the body to reduce circulation to those areas to retain body heat. A variety of items exist for these areas, but remember the concept of layering. A simple shooting glove may work well to shrug off some wind or cool temperatures, but you’ll need something to keep them dry and warm in a cold rain.
• Personal Experience
  • There is no substitute for this. Your choice of layers will depend on your knowledge about your body and how it performs when active and when static in various conditions. The best way to test this is to start going on long hikes or runs with frequent stops. These should be attempted in both temperate and severe weather. Attempt to get your body hot, and find the right combination of layers to keep you from sweating. Then when you stop, monitor your temperature as you cool down. Determine what layers work best to retain heat when stopped. Try to layer up and down to keep your body ‘comfortably cool’ the whole time.

Options

• Base Layers
  • Base layers are tighter fitting clothing items that may also provide insulation. Their main function is to absorb water from your skin, and wick it away to evaporate. They may be made of artificial fibers like polypropylene, or natural fibers like wool. Polypro items wick and dry quickly, but have a tendency to hold body odours after only a short time. Wool is naturally odour resistant but dries a bit slower. Under no circumstances should you wear a cotton base layer. Cotton dries very slowly and hold moisture. In cold conditions, cotton kills people. Seriously. Don’t be stupid.
• Mid Layers
  • Mid layer options may also be natural fibers, but the majority of modern insulation items are synthetic. Lofted fleece is one option, and many varieties exist - some more breathable than others. Some lofted fabric options such as the Arc’teryx ATOM series and Patagonia 3A jacket pair the insulation with a shell that makes it more wind and rain resistant than a fleece on it’s own.
• Shells
  • Three main categories of shells exist. Hard shells, soft shells, and wind shells.
    • Hard shells are designed to be impervious to precipitation and wind while also remaining breathable to allow your sweat to evaporate. Goretex hard shells are the most common but can be quite expensive.
    • Soft shells are usually a wind and precipitation ‘resistant’ layer. This means they’re good for intermediate conditions. They will usually hold up well against wind, and happily shrug off some rain. However, they’re not designed to fight off downpours. They’re more breathable than hard shells which makes them a great choice for high activity levels in cold and light rain. Many styles exist, including some that are insulated.
    • Wind shells function almost exclusively as a wind-blocking layer. Many styles offer little to no precipitation resistance, but they do a remarkable job of keeping warm air trapped inside while a wind tries to strip it away. Wind shells can make a significant difference in core temperatures, and many styles have the added benefit of being extremely packable.
• Head and Hand wear
  • Gloves or mitts may be required depending on the weather. While a good pair of working gloves such as the PIG Alphas or Mechanix Fast Fit will keep your hands protected from scrapes, you may need insulation if the temperature drops. You can treat your hands like the rest of your body by layering insulation and shells over your work gloves. Outdoor Research and Arc’teryx both offer insulating and shell gloves.
    Headwear should also not be neglected. In many cases a simple watch cap made of wool or synthetic will be enough. Balaclavas do an excellent job protecting your face from the wind and cold, but may not be necessary except in colder conditions.
• Socks
  • Socks are necessary additions to your pack. Like baselayers, both synthetic and natural fiber options exist (still stay away from cotton!) and come with the same advantages and disadvantages. Also available are waterproof sock options which can keep your feet dry if you expect to be travelling through very wet terrain, but they also keep more moisture inside near your feet. You’ll need to evaluate your foot condition regularly.

Recommendations

• Sean's Layers

This is a "should read" for all players wanting to start into the 24-48 hour game or outdoor adventure scene. Well written, easy to understand and with insight from members of the community that have experienced the pros and cons of running a 3 day pack. well done.

If you plan on doing a follow up, maybe provide an overview of what kind of equipment should be packed by an entire squad sized element, to show the dispersion of equipment among members.

This is a good write up; thanks for the work put into it guys.

I'm curious though, you mentioned a base chance of being engaged while prepping food or shelter. Does that happen in any kind of frequency during 24-72hr games?

From a tactical side I'd like to know - in another thread - how to set up camp defense if you're limited to a recon team or squad sized group and you have to crash in the field. What kind of window do you give you team, how you rotate them out, etc.

Most I've ever done is the 30 min tac-nap during zombie games.

Excellent read. This HAS to be stickied. I recently picked up a bigger USMC ILBE and I'm excited to start using it with some of the strategies in this post! I wish this post was around for some of the colder and wetter games I've been to in the past.
http://www.armygear.net/armygear/ima...MC_ILBE_lg.jpg

This ^^^^^

I'm ordering one of the ILBE's with the assault pack this weekend, and I was very happy to read such an in depth guide on stocking a large pack, and how to run with one (I'm usually a very "carry just the essentials leave the rest at the spawn" kind of guy, so this is a big change for me, and I didn't really know where to start.)

It will depend entirely how realistic the event is. This article is most useful if you are required to be in the field for the entire event, in a hostile environment, where the enemy could be anywhere. In this case, you MUST carry all your sustainment gear with you, and have to consider the possibility of attack. It is useful for other types of events as well, but you'll have to ask yourself why you're carrying everything if you have an out-of-play area for breaks and food.

We ran an OP of 4 men at Deadfall near Picton, Ontario (which is a persistent hostile environment for 24-30 hours) and found the deepest, darkest patch of bush we could. We crawled in and did 60-120 minute watches at 50% (two slept, two watched). It's doable, but if you don't have at least a full squad or two on watch, concealment and watch is the best option.

w1lp33, Desmodus
I'm excited to hear both of you are moving towards carrying your sustainment gear. Remember a couple of things: First, if there is a place for you to safely ditch your your gear, you should use it. This article really assumes you're away from resupply for 24+ hours, and will be spending the night in a hostile environment. Second, really evaluate why you need a big pack. You may start to question the gear you have inside it.

Use it, train with it, and assess how much you really need. This article is just personal experience, and is there to give you things to consider. Ultimately, it's what YOU discover through your personal experiences that will be the best guide of all.

I'll be honest, my original intent was the hope that I'd eventually do a MilSim West event, where it's basically required to have a large ruck and all your sustainment gear. But I know there are other events (like Deadfall) where it would be prudent as well. So it's not something I would run all the time, but I'd like to be prepared and able to fight out of a 3 day pack if the need arises.

Well then, Will. You're just as messed up as we are. :)

Haha, well there was never any doubt about that, was there? :-)

Also I have a question. The hip strap on these sorts of packs (The ILBE specifically...), do they or can they sit above another belt system? I currently run a few mag pouches, dump pouch, and holster on a belt. Would I have to rearrange my gear to run that stuff off a chest rig, or could my belt system play nice with the pack? (If it matters, it's a Ronin Tactics Warrior's Belt).

(Currently I run a Haley D3CR, but if I can't share my load with my belt because I'm running a pack, I'll want to get a larger chest rig to accomodate the stuff that normally I'd wear on my belt...)

A few additional points to add:

1) Know the game type, style and venue before you even consider packing your bag. Do your homework, ask around if necessary. There is nothing worse that carrying 40lbs. of kit unnecessarily, or 20lbs. of useless items.

2) Plan your pack for the gear you use in-game. Things like night vision, helmet, radio gear, consumables (gas, BBs, batteries, etc.). They may need to be carried in your pack when not in active use, or when you are needing to ditch them for a variety of reasons.

3) Sleep systems are customized for each person. How you sleep (back, side or stomach) will determine what type of pad to buy. And your first time out with it should NOT be game day. A poorly chosen system will leave you with a poor sleep (tired and cranky) at best or virtually crippled (back pain) at worst. It can cut your game short. You may have to try a couple until you find the one that works for you. Never buy the lightest or smallest or best-rated because of those attributes, buy the one that is most comfortable and not going to gank up your back, light and small is a bonus.

4) Money. Lightweight, high-tech gear is expensive. Prices are seemingly unlimited. I could write a book on high-end gear, since 10% of my gear is more than 90% of ASC spends on all their airsoft stuff, I am no stranger to retarded buying. That being said, there are some fabulous deals out there on kit with military-type uses that can be found on the commercial/civillian market. Look for those. But, if/when the time comes, and you need to buy that $200 sleeping pad or $300 sleeping bag or $300 tent, you might just have to suck it up and do it. I absolutely can not overstate the enthusiasm or morale killing effect of having to spend a cold and wet night on the ground, or be hungry, thirsty or delerious on the field, or become a casuality from the elements. These situations can force other players to have to look after your sorry ass because you thought a ponch liner, some granola bars and a 500ml of water would get you through the day. That is unfair to others.

5) Plan, test, revise. The week before the game is NOT the time to start buying, or testing, your setup. A 40lb. pack sounds OK, until you actually have to carry it. Ounces equal pounds, and pounds equals pain. Keep it light, as light as possible. Buy good, buy once. You have only two choices, your gear will take it out of your body or your wallet. Wallets recover much, much faster than your body.

6) Know your limits. Not everyone is made to make a long-duration game, and there is absolutely no shame in trying and having the conditions beat you.

7) There are good suggestions listed here. For me, I don't follow 95% of them though, for various reasons. I have built up my own repertoire that I like, at great cost and effort that is not for everyone. Some of my friends have helped me greatly in this regard, being guinea pigs for gear and steering into great gear or away from costly mistakes. I have tried many sleeping pads, many bags, several tents, pillows, etc.. Don't be discouraged, some camping stores like MEC have good return policies.

8) Toilet paper and a shovel. No further explanation needed.

9) When possible, try to have items with multiple functions or uses. For example, if you carry a shovel with hammer option, like the Gerber available for about $28 at WSS, etc., go that route. Or the Gerber Downrange Tomahawk ($375USD list, but much cheaper if you shop around), that has axe, hammer and breaching pry bar and demo hook, all in one low-profile tool. Axe is dull from factory, but sharp is not always needed.

10) Knife. You always need a knife. Where I live, man is nowhere near the top of the food chain, and there are many predators out there that have man on the menu. Perhaps in PEI large bears or cats are not a problem. Often, game rules prohibit knives with blades longer than 4", but like hell I am going out there with just a multi-tool. Know your area. When not airsofting, my go-to gun is a .45-70. For good reason. I heard last Zulu 1 game had a bit of a bear problem.

11) Further to the predator angle, police your food waste, or plan it to have little to no waste, and plan to carry it with you. Keeps the game area clean, and reduces your scent signature to minimize contact with Smokey. Cans of food is kinda retarded.

A Guide to Operating from a Three Day Pack
 

Mcguyver, I need your help. You say you don't follow 95% of the suggestions here.

Outside of the recommendations (as they're all personal experiences shared by contributors), am I missing something major?

Are you using a sleep, shelter, clothing, or food category I don't have listed?

Am I missing major things in respect to the considerations one should have when assessing these categories?

Ok, here goes:

For pack, I have several, and have owned many others at one time or another. I agree with the 30-40l capacity for three days, but anything larger than that is a waste. And worse, you will pack it with every manner of junk that you don't really need, with weight penalties that can be deal breakers. Never buy a pack simply because it is cheap, mil surplus or cool. I owned the ILBE shown above, it is retarded big and heavy and wholly unnecessary for sub-72hr. games.

Sleep. I am a sleep pussy. There, I said it. Now that it is out of the way, I can't stress how important a good sleep is, and how terrible a bad sleep is. On more than one occasion I looked at the sky and read the weather reports, and decided against all info to attach the fly to the tent, and have it pour buckets all night when it was supposed to be calm and clear. That being said, a basha, tarp or hammock are not for me. Tent all the way. That being said, I may try my Snugpak Jungle Bag this summer with the mosquito net and see how it goes. Best bag I have tried for under $90. Insulated pads are a must for me, during awake time, I often have a hard time regulating body temps, but have a high tolerance to cold as I simply ignore it. But during sleep, that conscious effort is lost. I won't ever sleep directly on the ground again, it just plain sucks, and I am an asshole at the best of times, nobody likes me when I am tired and cranky. ;)

To further on the tent idea, I have never attended an overnight event when an area was not available to offer security for an encampment. I have however attended events where security was possible, but not implemented, and it allowed 2 guys with NV to wipe out an entire team (38 before we got shot) with rubber knives, as we caught them all sleeping in nice bags and tents.

Food. I have all the whizzy toys, like Jetboil, dry food, etc.. For games though, it is MRE, and if possible, USGI MREs. The reason being is the MRE already contains water, and keeps your water for drinking, reduces prep time, and hot food is by far preferable to cold food. The USGI versions always have protein and sugary snacks to supplement the courses, and are pocketable for eating on the go. Slow-digesting foods sustain you over time, with the extra snacks supplementing that as needed. I take great pains to ensure that they are always with me, as much as possible.

Clothing. I wear what I fight in, and rarely more. I do have the Snugpak Patrol Poncho for rain, or the Crye windliner for cold mornings (very dangerous piece of kit, use with caution). No coats, softshells. But that works for me, I work outdoors all year, and am insulated.

Cheap backpacks:

MEC's current Brio series is in an acceptably OD colour, has side access, removable top compartment, bottom access, fairly collapsible, and very slick. Also low profile because it is... civilian.
Highly recommended if those criteria appeal. Sub $200.

I suppose this is more of a weapon issue, but seeing as how this also about 24-72 hour gaming, it sort of applies here.

How to see, live and fight in the dark. Without the specifics of lights, lasers, NV, etc., these are absolutely essential items, with relative scale of usefulness that depends on your gear. If you carry all that, you must also carry the support systems, which take weight and volume your pack must accomodate. Things like your nice PVS-14 is risky to simply toss in your pants cargo pocket during the day, but a nice Tactical Tailor hardcase and tossed in the pack is preferrable.

Then, you need a weapon light, you should not be shooting your gun if you can't see down the barrel, a core tenet of airsoft that needs to apply in daylight and darkness equally. No weapon light = blindfiring. Now, you need batteries for that light. As well, everyone should have dead lights and handheld lights, all taking batteries.

Radios, extra batteries as well.

Charging systems. One might look at simple storgae devices to recharge as needed, or solar chargers to attch to your pack during the day. It has long been a problem for warfighters to carry portable power-using devices and keep them going without resupply and carrying heavy batteries. I have a problem with this, as LED lights with visible and IR capabilities are expensive, and incandescant is so much cheaper, but with increased battery consumption. It is an angle I am still working on, but IR is a must when you use NV.

Boots. Long duration games mean lots of walking. Far more important than any other item you will wear.

Socks. Never had more than one pair. Never needed it. Crossed rivers and puddles more times than I can count.

Water. I have in the past always carried my water on me, usually just a bladder. Last year, I got into filtration. MSR ceramic-element filter, with Aquatabs for pathogen. Green Nalgene bottle for unfiltered, clear bottle for filtered. Haven't needed yet to actually use it in-game, as I have only once ran out of bladder water, and that was many years ago. But it sucks when your slurpy buddy blasts through his 2l bladder just so he can piss clear, and weasle off your supply.

Back to tenting. I bought a large tent (Snugpak Bunker) that will sleep 3 Brits or 2 North Americans, and had planned to use it this year. However, I have come to the conclusion that sharing equipment is a bad idea. I lean more towards individual self-sustainment. If your buddy has the tent a mile from you, you are not tenting, and if you are carrying the food, he is not eating. So, I tailored my gear for individual use, and have encouraged my team mates to do the same, although nobody has put much effort into yet that I have seen (2 PTWs but no sleeping bag :rolleyes: ).

Mcguyver: thanks for the info about the ilbe. I was interested in it because it came with the assault pack as well, but I'll now be looking for something a little smaller/lighter. How do you guys feel about the old Alice packs? I'd love to splurge on $400 3 day packs, but I have a wife to deal with, so for now I need something a little more affordable, so I'm shooting for the least shitty for $100-200... And hopefully in the future I can upgrade it to something higher end.

Pat, I have an old CF pack you can use until you get whatever...

you have to buy wings at Scroggies though!

That's a definite possibility Hollywood ;-)

I am one of those "slurpee" guys. I sweat A LOT and go through water very quickly (Short Round can vouch for this hahaha). I was having trouble carrying a sufficient amount of water for the whole weekend (for both drinking and cooking), as well as the equipment I needed to stay warm / dry with my 45L.

In addition, my 45L has a arch-shaped internal frame for "air-flow" which really fucks with your ability to pack your stuff. I don't really like it as a pack for games where inclement weather is expected (since you have to pack goretex clothing/bivy and other sustainment gear that takes up lots of room). That's why I personally opted to go for something bigger this time around.

The next thing I'm looking at investing in is a good sleeping mat/pad. The one I use currently is just simple foam.

My packs range from about 20L to about 45L, with my most common packs ( Maxpedition Condor 28L and $225 and 5.11 Ignitor 32L and $229) doing the bulk of the work. The Eberlestock Halftrack is heavy (7lbs. empty), but built like a tank, good capacity and list is $329.

I have a secret to dealing with your wife. Hide your toy money, keep it in cash. If she says "I bet that cost $100", you can reply "Don't worry, honey, I promise that did not cost $100". And you will be able to do it with a straight face.

My Condor is about 12 years old, been through jungles, deserts, bush, South Pacific to Mexico to Florida to Manitoba. Still going strong, one zipper is bit messed up, but not bad enough for me to send it back for warranty.

A large ALICE or Brit bergen will swallow everything you could ever need for a milsim.

Large packs like the ILBE, Bergen and ALICE are great of you have a basecamp and only have to move your shit for a few hundred meters and have a place to stash them. You wont be able to move far or fast or fight with one on.

Sleep comfort is important and depending on the season the priorities are different. In the fall/spring you need to stay dry and warm. In the summer its easy to stay warm but might be hard to stay dry without overheating and bugs can really bring down your morale.

During no nods we got rained on most of the evening/night and after being wet and tired, not being able to escape the bugs was really getting to me.

Sleeping pads are extremely important not only for comfort but most important for insulation, I see a lot cut here and suffer for it.

Good stuff in this thread from OP and McGuyver.

I personally just pack my jump ruck the way i would for the Army, with the addition of food.

I was all excited, because I suddenly remembered my mother in law had given me a nice hiking backpack years ago, with compression straps, padded hip strap, lid, the whole shebang.... So I pulled it out, and it's like 100 litres. Might be a little bit of overkill there ;-)

A Guide to Operating from a Three Day Pack
 

The most valuable thing you can do; the most important lesson that I CAN NOT understate is... You must understand your needs.

If your criteria is "a three day pack", you need to do more. Ray pointed out that his choice of the MR 3DAP comes at "the end of a long line of packs". My choice of the HG3D comes after a similar search with 4 or 5 rejects.

Why? Because each pack taught us more about what we were really looking for.

This article isn't about what pack to buy, or how to live in the field. It's designed to get you to really think about your choices, and to consider things that I and others had to learn through hundreds of dollars, and dozens of events. Buy once, buy right is an adage that only works if you really know what's RIGHT for YOU.

It's not telling you to sleep under a tarp. It's telling you that if you NEED a fast, effective way to protect yourself from weather, AND YOU NEED a low visibility solution, AND YOU NEED a way to respond quickly to a threat, AND YOU NEED a low weight/low volume shelter.. That a tarp may be a better choice than a tent.

That's a list of NEEDS, not a packing list. It's a list that guides you to a choice, not a list of choices.

If you don't need those things, then there are better solutions that meet the needs you do have.

Before you even consider buying a 3 day pack, or any gear in the article or comments... Seriously sit down and put some thought into it. Not into "is this a good pack", but into things like...
- "how do I want to perform?"
- "What will make me the most effective?"
- "What am I going to encounter?
- "What environment am I in?"
- "What are the expectations of me?"
... then find something that can check all the boxes on your list.

I can not emphasize that enough. Unless you just want to spend a ton of money and learn it all yourself. That works too.


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I feel like I can't shut up in this thread, but I was reading this:

"When setting it up as a tarp I use Nite Ize Camjams and S-Biners with some light Aluminum stakes preset with paracord to keep my setup and takedown time to an absolute minimum. This setup means no knot tying or untying and the same paracord gets used every time so there is no waste."

And I find this setup appealing, but I'm wondering if I could get some more info about how you actually set up the shelter with the poncho? How is the paracord attached to the stakes? What function does the S-Biner serve?

(I'm somewhat outdoorsy/camping challenged, so I'd appreciate any help I could be given on fashioning temporary shelter... (I picked up one of these ponchos today, because out of all the options and suggestions in that section, this is the one that appealed to me the most.)

Will, I've let ray know, so he'll be by to explain a bit. But definitely go to your closest forest and practice setting it up. Makes life a lot easier on game day.


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Yeah, that's the plan. I'd hate to show up on game day and be like "just give me two more hours guys, I've almost got it!"

Hey Will, just set up my poncho in the back and snapped a few pics but my imgur app isn't working.

Basically S Biners are my choice because they allow me to quickly configure the shelter to adapt to the terrain, weather and situation. Cam Jams allow me to cinch the shelter tight so rain runs off and doesn't pool. This setup lasted all of OP Black Oak with zero water allowed under the poncho.

Thanks for the info six by ten. This is a lot of stuff I haven't given too much thought to, as most of the events I've gone to have had 'safe areas' or fixed camps that could be attacked but not captured, so I haven't needed much in the way of shelter/sustainment. So this is the year where I want to start branching out into the kinds of events where carrying your life on a pack is recommended or required, and the info from the various participants in this thread has been invaluable.

Like Bravo said this thread has done a great job of listing the right questions to ask in order to put you on the path to finding a solution to your pack "problem".

I've used small assault packs, to bergens, to drag bags, and more, eventually landing on an Eberlestock Skycrane II.

It serves my needs well:

-large capacity if needed but not a default configuration in order to prevent "big bag not full, must pack more" syndrome
-assault pack + rucksack package

Packed with the basics, with lots of room left for BBs, batteries, loaders, etc.. Sprite bottle used to show scale. Total weight 27lbs with pistol. Add 2lbs for every litre of water carried, so 6lbs for the Camelbak and 2lbs for the Nalgene bottle in the open-top pouch.

Everything shown fit it the pack, lots of room left.

From the Top

Pack - 5.11 Ignitor $229
Sleeping bag - Snugpak Jungle Bag $85
Sleeping pad - Thermarest XTherm Neoair $220
Pillow - Sea-To-Summit Aeros Large $59
Tent - Catoma (MMI) Raider $249
NV Case - Tactical Tailor PVS-14 Case $49
Eyepro - Oakley M-Frame 3.0 full set $249
Axe - Gerber Downrange Tomahawk $375
Flashlight - Streamlight Polytac $69
Folder - CRKT M16-14 $100
Fixed - Hardcore Hardware LFK $149
Water Filter - MSR Miniworks $89
Nalgene bottle $15
Sea-To-Summit dry bag with toilet paper $15
MREs x 2
Sea-To-Summit large towel $30
Bushnell storage battery with photocell charge (velcros to the pack to charge on the go) $90

On the bag:

HSGI 1P1R Tacos x 2
HSGI 1P pouch (light)
Maxpedition 1P pouch (folder)
Blackhawk Serpa for 1911
Adventure Light IR beacon
Camelbak 3L bladder (internal)

First of all, thanks to everyone who's contributed information, and especially grateful to six by ten and mcguyver for pictures.

Here's where I'm at so far, given budget and factoring in gear I already have. This will likely change and be added to or upgraded as needs and future budget dictates, but I wanted to post up what I have to work with so far, to get some feedback if what I have is at least meeting a minimum of sustainment.

So without further ado:

Pack - Rush 24 (Already owned, 37 liters. Have added 4 side compression straps and two BFG medium utility pouches to the sides) Also considering the option of adding a hip belt to it, but not sure if that's going to be necessary, I won't really know for sure till I can get everything loaded up and test it out.

Food and water - JetBoil and Mountain House meal(s) for when I know I'll have time to make a hot meal or coffee, along with an MRE(s) for faster eatin'. As for water I have both a 3L and 2L bladder, the 2L will likely be attached to my chest rig, and I may (unless the weight seems to heavy) carry the 3L in my pack. I worry about not having enough water, because I drink a shit ton of it. (I'm currently researching water filtration systems as a way to supplement)

Shelter - USGI poncho, with paracord/CamJam/s-biners to string it up as shelter (BIG thanks to six by ten for the pictures and explanation on his setup)

Sleep - USGI goretex bivy, poncho liner (woobie). I have a sleeping bag as well, but I don't think it's really suited for this sort of use, and budget doesn't allow much else at the moment, but I think between the bivy, poncho liner, and whatever clothes I'm wearing, that ought to be more than enough for warmth for spring, if not the most comfortable sleep in the world. I'm still considering a sleeping mat and possibly a surplus USGI sleeping bag (The green one out of the MSS system)

Clothing - This I already have, bdu's, various thicknesses of long john shirts and pants, 5.11 fleece hoodie, Condor soft shell coat... Various thicknesses of gloves. I also have compression socks, gore-tex socks, and merrino wool socks.

I have a good sized dry-bag for in my pack if needed, and am looking at getting a compression dry bag for the bivy, which will likely hang along the bottom of the pack.

So that's where I'm at for now, I think that should be enough to keep me going, at least for the events I'm signed up for so far, and the pack is small enough that I can fight and move with it on if the need arises. And as we come into fall/winter, I should be able to shore up any of the areas where my current setup may lack.

I realize that what you do or don't need is subjective, and will vary based on the individual, but I just figure a committee could help point out any obvious shortcomings or missing elements. So thank you for reading this wall of text, and I look forward to hearing what all of you think.

Oh, and if you made it this far, I have one more question. Do any of you carry a second primary with you? If you're out in the bush for 24-72 hours without a main area, what do you do if your gun goes down? Just use your secondary for the rest of the event? Or carry a small backup primary with you?

(Also, since I'm obviously always going to be eyeballing future gear purchases, I wonder what you guys think about the Eberlestock X4 as a pack? I like the way it's angled at the bottom to force the weight higher up on your back, and seems fairly slim and comfortable to wear.)

Will, it sounds like a great starting point. :)

Now you'll just have to start hiking with it, setting up camp, using it overnight (although maybe wait until we're back around the 0 degree mark). It's amazing how quickly you'll be able to add to your list of needs once you put it into practice.

The only thing I might suggest is to add some quick eating snacks. Even an MRE needs to be worked through a bit. With some BLOXS or clif bars, you should be able to slam those down even if you were under fire.

You may want to run your bag loaded and in ops a bit as well before you decide to pick up another. You may find things you need in a pack that we can't outline here, even if we own the pack you're peeking at.

I love this stuff, man. It's a long journey to a place where you feel almost done. But you know how this works... There's always something out there to buy. ;)


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yes there is!!

i'll carry a second rifle in my pack to be left at the cp. if my gun goes down while im out in the field i have a pistol and common sense. if my task requires i bring a different primary (ie. a sniper rifle along w my primary rifle) then i'll attach the rifle scabbard to my assault pack.

eberlestock makes great packs. other companies like mystery ranch or kifaru do as well but i've only owned eberlestock so i can't attest to the other's strengths or weaknesses

See that's normally what I would do with a second primary, but I'm thinking specifically of events where you may not have a dedicated cp that won't move. If I felt I needed to keep a second rifle with me, I'd be eyeing the X3 from Eberlestock, with the built in scabbard for a rifle, and keep my honey badger in there as it's small and light.

Thanks for the feedback on the Eberlestock, it's something I'm going to keep my eye on. The only issue I have with my current Rush pack is that it has the space, but it's fairly squat and fat, so all the weight feels like it's hanging a foot behind my back, which I can see being uncomfortable after a while, so I'm considering other packs that are a little taller and narrower front to back, to keep the weight closer to my body.

Just to drop a note: The Pantac Forward deployment pack (a.k.a Diamondback Tactical SOF Assault pack) was on sale for ~50% off at WGC nearly 2 months ago. I got it, with shipping for about U$120 from WGCshop while it was on sale.

http://www.wgcshop.com/products?sear...&view_choice=a

If it comes up again, grab it. The main compartment alone is about 35L in capacity. Everything adds up to roughly 55-60L in capacity.

35L packs tend to suck when you have to pack in fleece, raingear and spare clothing for wet-whether events on top of food, NODS, spare stuff, batteries etc. (I have a Camelbak Tri-zip)

Pantac FDP is back on sale again, CB for ~U$100 + S*H

http://www.wgcshop.com/content_page....%20Sale&p_id=5

Seriously, if you want the most economical pack ever and you need the option to pack a kitchen sink if you ever need it, get it. The main compartment alone is 35L which is what some would consider a "72hr pack" capacity.

I don't want to steer this thread too off-topic, but I'm interested in what people's opinions are on using civilian packs in airsoft, and in the role outlined by this thread?

I've found a lot of the advice in this thread helpful, but most of the "military" packs I've been drawn towards have been way beyond my budget. I've generally been hunting for a pack in the 50-60L range, which I realize is a bit larger than some of the recommendations here; however I also intend to use it for backpacking/camping and maybe some travel within the next year.

I really like the idea of front-loading bags like the Kifaru Xing and Tactical Tailor Extended Range Pack. Both of these bags run north of $500 US. I also considered the Eberlestock Destroyer which is pretty much the type of pack I was looking for. At 60L it is styled more like a contemporary civilian pack (positive for me), but it is unnecessarily heavy from what I've read, and still beyond my budget at $400 US.

I recently bumped into Tasmanian Tiger Packs, which seem to be a bit more affordable; particularity the Ranger 60L (which is a lot like the Destroyer) and Raider 45L, but most reviews are in German. If I was to go with the raider, I'd probably supplement it with more pouches or my MSM adapt pack to bring up the capacity, at least for camping and travel.

The decision of what pack to buy has been made harder by the fact that most of the packs I'm interested in are not available locally for me to try on. I've resorted to trying on civilian packs at MEC/Sail to give myself an idea of capacity and what feels right, which is partly how I landed on 50-60L as an ideal capacity for myself. Obviously civilian packs don't use cordura, so there's a weight and durability difference there, but trying on packs from Osprey and Deuter at less than half the price and weight of some of the milspec ones I've been interested in has made me think twice. Obviously civy packs don't come in multicam, but there's always black and half-decent subdued, earth-tone colours.

Thoughts?

I don't personally see much of an issue with using civilian packs. It's only been in the last few years that the tactical industry has closed in on the same technology and designs used by the civilian side.

If you are really worried about it, you can always find / get made a cover made in your favorite camo. I did this with my packs before I splurged for an Ark'teryx Khard and the advantage of having one made with water repellent / proof material is very nice. Milsim West down in the States recommends to do this if you don't want to shell out for a "military" coloured one.