BOB's for a family

[aguy]

Just thinking about sorting out our BOB's.
What would be best for a family. Would it be a bob each with identical items in or plan what we would need for a wilderness camping trip and split the load between us?.
I bow down to your superior knowledge and views.

[NorthernRaider]

Individual packs sir, tailored to everyones individual needs and physiques . If you all have identical items you leave yourself short IE say 5 family members with 5 camp cookers , makes sense for youngest to carry the cooker and the rest of the family gas canisters, five hatchets or one person with hatchet, one with pry bar, one with wood saw, one with splitting wedge.

[CharlesHarris]

NR has it pegged. Each person carries their necessary clothing, personal hygiene, meds, etc.

Everyone should have their own flashlight, it would be good if everyone used the same type of batteries. Childrens small personal light and whistle should be worn around the neck to prevent loss.

Each family member has a "job" which is appropriate for their age, skills and abilities and carries the kit associated with their assigned task.

Each person's kit supplements and builds upon those of others, so the family can function more effectively together.

A free e-book which might help you is http://www.amazon.com/Survivalist-Family...ess+family

[NorthernRaider]

Charles is right standardisation on auxilary gear is good like standard batteries among flashlights and radios, individual choice of EDC knife but perhaps all use the same type of camp knife. even the family dog can have its own BOB if you have a dog and dont forget a BOB does not have to be a Rucksack, I met an elderly couple a while back who were ardent life long hikers but Osteoporosis blighted the lady so she put her gear into a monowheel trailer that she pulled via a shoulder harness.

[CharlesHarris]

Yes, at age 67, I long ago faced the reality that I am not the lean, mean, fighting machine I once was, back when I completed US Marine Corps boot camp in 1969. Life isn't fair. But then there were times I never thought I would like this long. Growing up near Washington, DC during the Cuban Missile crisis and filling sandbags with my older brother to stack around the foundation of our surburban Virginia house, while Mum stocked and prepared the cellar, and Dad was away at Fort Belvoir in the Army doing things which couldn't be talked about... My introduction to prepping. Yes, I've been at this a while.

My planning standard for a BOB is a gear dispersed in ruck and coat or cargo pockets, which combined does not exceed 10 kilograms weight, using high quality, lightweight gear with the objective of maintaining stealthy movement not to exceed about 10 kilometers per day, along one of several pre-scouted routes, if necessary using caches hidden along the way, over a period of from a week to not more than ten days to reach my alternate location overland, if I had to abandon my vehicle.

It can be done and after 9/11 I did it, but the older you get you must be realistic. Building a supporting community is vital for long term welfare.

[Midnitemo]

If you don't standardise then you need to clearly mark who's bag is who's and know what is in each bag as there may be times when not all bodies are available to pick up there Bob's,this may leave you short of something crucial come the day you bug out, i agree with charles , my bobs are standardised so its not essential they all get picked up, mine are a little more than 10 kg though

[Midnitemo]

I do allow the addition of personal extra's as long as it doesn't compromise the bob's portability, if you want it and you're prepared to hump it that's up to you.,but the core items are cast in stone.

[Skean Dhude]

Every family member has their own BoB. They all contain certain critical items, matches, flashlight, most contain other items such as camping stove. I've also colour coded them for BoB when we may not be back, these are heavier and contain several items like an axe etc. Each persons bag has their own clothes in. I have five identical versions of my BoB. One at home, one in the Van, one in the car, one at my daughters and one spare for when the land is sorted.

[aguy]

So I will making my BOB'S with a core of items for each bag, then splitting what's left between them so that each person is not dependent on the others if we cant meet up or split up for some reason.

[Skean Dhude]

Seems the best way but make sure that there is cover across the BoBs. No point in ending up with someone having a radio, someone else the antenna and a third person with the power supply unless you know that the first three people will be taking those BoBs. That's why I label mine as well as having individual BoBs. I can always swap or leave out the clothes which need to be picked up.

So BoB 1 is first one to be picked up and then grab your clothes and choices bag and put it in. AChoices are their specific items that they want, can be something they want to keep or some foodstuffs like chewing gum. Limited weight and volume.
BoB 2 is next to go and who gets that picks up their clothes plus their own choices bag.
Kids have their own bags because the weights and contents differ but they don't have anything that is critical in theirs.