Things To Look For In A Survival Bag

Your survival bag is the part of survival gear you carry while hiking, camping, or waiting for an emergency to be over. It means that the quality of this bag must be as good as any other item in your gear.

Remember, picking any regular backpack is going to be a mistake. You will have to consider a few things while choosing a survival bag.

Finding the right size

First and foremost, you will have to look at the carrying capacity of the bag you want to have. If the survival bag is too small, you won’t be able to fit everything you need. A too big survival bag will be hard to travel with for longer distances.

Generally, survival bags belong to three different groups in terms of size: small, medium, and large. A medium-sized bag is usually the most suitable option because it offers enough room to fit in various items while retaining the easy-to-carry characteristic.

Small bags are more suitable when you have to carry non-critical gear. Large bags, on the other hand, are more appropriate for camping trips. During such trips, you have to store gear for the entire camping team.

Keeping things organized

It’s hard to retrieve a particular item from a bag that has one large compartment. Such a bag undoubtedly provides an equal space like that in an organized backpack, but you will have to cruise through many items to get what you want.

A bag with compartments allows you to reach a particular item without any trouble or hassle. One thing that is usually overlooked is that each compartment should be closable. The seal of every compartment should prevent the entrance of dust, moisture, and other contaminants.

Plenty of support

After packing everything, your survival bag will become quite heavy. Even 30-40 pounds of weight will be too much to carry when you have to cover a long distance. That is why a survival bag must provide fundamental support. The first thing you have to look for is the strapping mechanism.

A usual bag will have two straps, one for each shoulder. However, a bag with extra support will have some additional straps. A survival bag with chest and waist straps will be easier to carry since its weight will be distributed nicely to every strap. That way, your shoulders will not have to overwork.

You can also look for bags with internal or external frames. Such frames spread the load nicely through the bag to avoid pressure accumulation at a certain point.

Durability

A survival bag usually finds its application in tough conditions. Whether you are in a survival condition or at a hiking site, your bag has to endure a lot. You will be in a lot of trouble during such circumstances if the straps of your survival bag tear out. That is why you have to choose a bag that can endure a lot of abuse. Features you have to consider while buying a survival bag are heavy stitching, thick straps, durable material, and water-resistance.