One big one or three small ones?

L

LUW

Joined
Nov 24, 2009
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I'm building/redoing my PSK, so I wanted to run something by you guys that already went through this. BTW, is it possible to be ever "be done" with your PSK/BOB/grab bag? I mean, make it so that you'll never have the need to redo it over and over again? I doubt it :rolleyes:.

But I digress, so let me get back on track. Let's hypothetically say that I have a bag with an internal storage capacity of 90 ci. Like everyone else, I want to be neat and tidy, so I won't just dump my small gear in there without organizing things into smaller pack(s) - my bag ain't a woman's purse, for crying out loud :p!

With 90 ci of space, what would be better to get, one big 90 ci container or 3 small 30 ci containers? And why? The pack rat in me says it's better to get 3 small ones because of the ease of classification of the gear. But what would be more practical?
 
I agree with you. I would like the gear broken down into the most manageable and well-organized containers. When it is cold, dark, rainy, windy and you're tired, you don't want to be searching through a bigger jumble of stuff than necessary.

DancesWithKnives
 
That's what my gut tells me, but I wanted to hear from others if it's truly a sound idea.
 
Why force a pre-determined organization on it?

Why not just look over the gear, group those things together which would be used together, and be done with it. Signalling, Fire, Water, Food Etc...

Then if that is too diffuse, place multiple categories together... Food with Water, Signalling with Travel &Nav, Fire with Light

Then use it. And, Experience being a Grand Teacher, you will either like the organization, or you won't... If you don't, modify your plan to suit the lessons learned.

Marion
 
I have a couple side pockets on my daypack and each contains specific categories of gear. Some is sub-grouped with the use of small size ziploc freezer bags. Within the main compartment, related items are also kept together so they are easy to locate. So, for example, when I want to navigate I know exactly where my GPS, compass, map, and Rite-in-the-Rain notebook/pencil are collectively located.

As Marion suggests, you may end up wanting to use more than three sub-containers.

DancesWithKnives
 
I can understand the idea, its a good idea, I just can't get that organized. I use some small ziplock type bags to keep my first aid stuff together, though I have back up ferro rods, strikers and lighters I also have all this stuff on a keychain along with a micro light and whistle. I clip it to the PSK when I'm out or usually it's just clipped onto my belt. I have one small round tin that protects my char-cloth and keeps my PJ&Cotton, dry starter and flint and steel together. This is just my daily carry bag other kits are more designed for when I'm out of cell phone range and may actually run into an emergency overnight. One last kit for when I'm out on foot or canoe, the only containers are those that keep stuff water tight, not really for organization.

I'm constantly moving stuff around, from one bag to another, changing out things I want to try, constantly pulling the bags apart doing a kind of inventory to replace stuff I used like band aids and glass cleaners. The little organized tins or containers could be handy but more often than not I just need one or two things not the whole group.

I took this picture the other day for another thread, this is my daily carry. When I'm using it outside of work, because I'm not allowed to carry at work, I replace the ipod and cords with my Kel-Tec .380 and extra ammo.

2278283570033885154S600x600Q85.jpg
 
agreed- gather your gear, see what makes the best sense on groupings- it may be no container or ten containers :)

as far as re-doing it, not likely- often a product comes out that aces out what your carrying, sometimes you realize things your carrying don't need to be carried, sometimes you realize your short an item(s)

one suggestion I'd make it is to consider if a item needs to be in a waterproof containers (some fire making stuff, some FAK stuff, etc)- if that's the case look into alokosaks- they come in various sizes, don't take up much room and are waterproof
 
I tend to combine the two.

Small stuff, get a sub-load like an Organizer by Kifaru, Maxped or other. These usually hold keys, lighters, flashlights, multitool, etc, easily.
Next sub load is the FAK.

The the "survival kit" -- with whatever your situation demands. For the woods, it'd be (for me) a matchsafe, baseplate compass, AMK heat sheet, LMF firesteel and striker, rescue mirror, rescue whistle, fresnel lens, tube pf PJ cotton balls -- all in an Aloksak.

Other, larger stuff, like a microfiber towel, paracord in a big hank, tarp, etc would just be stuffed in the bag.
 
When I said "three 30 ci smaller containers" I was just citing a number, it could be any number of containers, but more then just one big one. Let me give you a more practical example.

Let's say I have the option of a having a 90 ci waterproof container custom made for my pack, or I can have three 30 ci smaller ones. Let's suppose that this pack doesn't have side pouches or they're already full with other gear. And let's say I want to carry a fire starting kit, FAK, miscellaneous tools, some power bars, compass, etc. I also wear glasses, so I should carry a spare just in case. What would be more practical, just stuff everything into the big container or should I group things according to genre or probability of need? In the city I won't likely use the fire kit, and since I do wear glasses the spare is backup only, so I would put them together in one small container. The power bars I would group with the FAK, and so forth for all the other stuff.

Am I right to think in "layering" or prioritizing my gear in this manner? Since I do know women (I'm even married to one) I noticed that they never find what they want in the first try when they open that black hole that's a feminine purse, so at least to me my logic seems sound if I don't want to be loosing gear inside my own bag.
 
LUW said:
When I said "three 30 ci smaller containers" I was just citing a number, it could be any number of containers, but more then just one big one. Let me give you a more practical example.

Let's say I have the option of a having a 90 ci waterproof container custom made for my pack, or I can have three 30 ci smaller ones. Let's suppose that this pack doesn't have side pouches or they're already full with other gear. And let's say I want to carry a fire starting kit, FAK, miscellaneous tools, some power bars, compass, etc. I also wear glasses, so I should carry a spare just in case. What would be more practical, just stuff everything into the big container or should I group things according to genre or probability of need? In the city I won't likely use the fire kit, and since I do wear glasses the spare is backup only, so I would put them together in one small container. The power bars I would group with the FAK, and so forth for all the other stuff.

Am I right to think in "layering" or prioritizing my gear in this manner? Since I do know women (I'm even married to one) I noticed that they never find what they want in the first try when they open that black hole that's a feminine purse, so at least to me my logic seems sound if I don't want to be loosing gear inside my own bag.
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That makes sense. I do that. Organization is Key.

Marion
 
Not sure how things will work out for you...but I'm using more than three small containers to break everything up more and there are items that will still just be loose in there.
 
Like I said, three is just a hypothetical number, in my case I think I would even use more containers (bags and/or rigid boxes). I hope you don't think I'm a neat freak, I'm far from that (VERY far from that, according to my wife), but a EDC bag/grab bag/BOB isn't exactly huge, so the more organized I keep things the easier it will be to use them. Besides, organizing it this way I'll be able to use the small bags/containers as modules that can be added or subtracted from the bag according to where I'm going or what I'm doing.
 
one can never be done with their BOB's PSKS GHB's etc etc it always a work in progress. head on over to EDC forums for some real organization insanity!:D

I change mine daily, sometimes my EDC hourly depending on what i;m doing. Its great fun to play with new gear every hour.
 
Bushman5 said:
one can never be done with their BOB's PSKS GHB's etc etc it always a work in progress. head on over to EDC forums for some real organization insanity!:D

I change mine daily, sometimes my EDC hourly depending on what i;m doing. Its great fun to play with new gear every hour.
Click to expand...
isn't that the truth:foot: gives one gray hair
 
Caspita!
I've been going over this bag for almost two weeks now, and every single time I change something - add, subtract, recombine, change place, etc. It feels like I'll never get it right :rolleyes:.
 
I tend to prefer more ways of organization, as when I am out, I like to have my gear at the ready and not have to search for it before I find what I need.
 
To me it would depend on how many different small items you carry. I don't have very many small items that I don't carry in my pocket so they all get put in one zip loc and the bigger stuff is loose. I would say my zip loc holds less than a dozen things and being clear, it's easy to find what I'm looking for.

But like has been said, you'll end up changing it from time to time anyway so just take your best guess at how YOU think YOU would like it.;)
 
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