Gaye Levy
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Let’s face it. No matter how much we hope we will never have to evacuate the comfort of our homes, there is always a possibility that circumstances will require that we gather our emergency supplies and leave on a moment’s notice. When that happens, you want to be ready to grab your spouse, your kids, the family pet and a well stocked bug-out-bag with enough gear to get you by for at least 72 hours.
Where do you start? If you are like me, you started with a very basic kit using items you already owned. From there, you advanced to a more robust pack filled with the esoteric items of survival: an emergency radio, a tactical knife, some rudimentary shelter, a first aid kit, and fire-making supplies.
As easy as it may be to be smug in the knowledge that you now have a Bug Out Bag, over time you are going to want to refresh and renew, or even start over.
Today I am thrilled to present the Tactical Traveler Bug Out Bag from Ready to Go Survival.
The Tactical Traveler – First Observations
This pack is fabulous! Okay, I am done with my review. Just kidding, of course.
My first observation when I took Tactical Traveler out of its box was that everything arrived, all at once, pre-packed in a military-grade Rothco Medium Transport Bag. Now why is this important? Because when I order a “package” of something, I want it to arrive together not piecemeal over a matter of weeks. Plus, having everything packed inside the bag allowed me to see how to take advantage of all of the nooks and crannies of the pack and to maximize its space.
The stated weight of the Tactical Traveler is 20 pounds but just to be sure, I weighed it myself and yes, it was almost exactly 20 pounds. Weight is important because if the pack is too heavy, at best you won’t get far and at worst you will hurt yourself while carrying it. I took a 3 mile hike with the fully loaded pack and had no problems whatsoever. Granted, 20 pounds is not a lot of weight but at 105 pounds, I am on the small side and was concerned about carrying even 20 pounds without straining or tiring.
I need not have worried. The design of the pack is such that you can adjust the straps so it fits perfectly. The other thing is that the pack itself is narrow, meaning you can pass though narrow openings without bumping into the sides. The loaded pack was such a non-issue, carry-wise, that I ended up staying outdoors with the pack on, getting water out of a local pond (actually, quarry nine) and even playing ball with Tucker the dog on the green in front of my home.
The Gear
One of the problems I have with purchased kits is that often times the gear consists of cheap, no-name items being sold at a premium price Not so with the items in the Tactical Traveler.
Here is a complete list of what is included:
1 Mil-spec Rothco Medium Transport Bag
1 205 Piece First Aid Kit
20 Potassium Iodide Tablets 65 Mg
10 Ammonia Inhalants
1 Smith & Wesson Tactical Ops Knife w/ belt cutter & glass breaker
3 Wise Company Meals
9 Emergency Food Bars (3690 calories)-
20 Packets of Emergency Water
1 LifeStraw Water Filter
1 Tactical Flashlight 220 Lumen w/ strobe S.O.S.
1 Compass
1 Windstorm Emergency Whistle
1 SOL Emergency Blanket
1 Aurora Fire Starter
2 Disposable Lighters
1 Pack of Storm Proof Matches 25 pc
1 Pack of Quick Fire Tinder 10 pc
1 Roll Duct Tape 10 yards
1 Pack of Water Purification Tablets
5 6″ Glow Sticks
4 Sets of Ear Plugs
1 50′ 550 Paracord (my review kit included 100’)
10 Large Zip Ties
1 Steel Folding Trowel
1 Tube Tent
1 Mil-spec Poncho
1 Signal Mirror
1 SOL Sleeping Bivvy
6 AA & AAA Batteries
1 Pair Work Gloves
4 N95 Mask
6 Heat Packs
2 5′ Utility Straps
1 Fishing Kit
1 Uvex Goggles
1 Etón Crank Emergency Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power & Cell Phone Charger (add-on item)
1 Gerber Multiplier 400 Multi-Tool (add-on item)
I wish that Ready To Go Survival had been around with the Tactical Traveler when I was first putting my bug out bag together. It would have been a lot easier in the long run to start with all of the gear I needed, nicely organized.
What’s Missing?
No pre-packaged emergency kit will be 100% complete. With the Tactical Traveler I will want to add few personal items such as a flash drive with copies of important documents, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, pet food, No-Rinse bath wipes and prescription meds. And of course, my personal weapon. Extra clothing will need to go in a secondary pack.
It is worth mentioning that Ready to Go Survival will customize a pack for you. So, for instance, if you want 2 rain ponchos instead of 1, no problem. Just let them know.
The Final Word
The Tactical Traveler (or any of the other packs at Ready To Go Survival) would make the perfect holiday gift to yourself or to someone you love.
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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385 Responses to “Review: The Tactical Traveler Bug Out Bag”
A spare gun, more ammo, spare flashlight, a book and a flask!
Looking through the contents very quickly and I saw there was no toilet paper. It seem to me this would be needed several times within 72-hours. Also to go with the TP some per-moistened hand-wipes. After that I would add a few NSAIDs and anti-histamines.
I would add a tarp to use as a lean-to or rain cover
I would add either a solar charger or a solar battery charger, a fixed-blade knife, knife sharpener, rubber gloves, a firebox (nice because they’re small, light, and they fold flat), a drybag, another 50′ of paracord, a hatchet, maybe a lightload camping towel, some ziplock bags, meds, and a watertight sleeve with family pictures and important documents. I’d probably toss my ENO hammock in there, too, or maybe a small tarp in case the tube tent failed. Might also be a good idea to replace the standard batteries with rechargeable batteries. That seems like a lot, but most of those things are pretty small and light. If necessary, I could add some extra space with a MOLLE pouch.
Thomas has a good point about entertainment. If I had the room, a waterproof pad and paper and maybe a couple of books would be nice luxuries.
All of that said, this is a really nice bag. It’s nice to finally see something prepackaged that comes with recognizable supplies and known, reliable brands. I’ve always assembled my own kits because I had never been able to find a bag with worthwhile contents. Nice job, Ready to Go, and thanks so much for Backdoor Survival for the helpful review.
TP, no-rinse bath wipes, reading glasses, contact lens supplies, personal weapon and pepper (bear) spray, stuyf sack with thermal socks, long johns, gloves and my personal info/contacts list in a zip lock bag. Oh and toothbrush, paste and deoderant, all travel size.
I would add additional containers. A metal cup, Nalgene bottle and some type of cook stove.
Prescription & OTC meds, mess kit, and 2-4 small cotton cloths & socks. Also some plastic bags.
If I won this bug out bag I would add just a couple of personal touches. I would add a small copy of the scriptures, a fold able pole for fishing, a chain for cutting small branches and a flash drive holding important documents and pictures. A couple of laminated pictures of family would be good as well. Honestly if I won, I would give this as a gift to my husband that has been starting to save for a bug-out first for himself, then her wants to get one put together for me, and then one for each of our children. Happy Holidays, and thanks for doing this give-away!!!!
I would add wipes, TP, writing material, & my Kindle.
Wow, this bag has (just about) it all!! I would add my weapon, homemade herbal salve, a bandana, baby wipes, a hat, and extra socks to start with.