Framework
This area will provide some insights on what kind of gear you would focus on for an ultralight or at least lightweight bug out bag. (5-10kg / 10-20lbs total weight)
As a framework we plan for a 3 day bug out or in worst case up to one week evasion. This should be enough to reach your (known) save location, that you should prepare with supplies.
This website is not focussing on longer scenarios, like INCH-Bags (“I never come home bag”).
If the situation is differend for you, you might need to change or rethink some gear.
In general
As our in goal is high mobility, the gear setup should be lightweight and easy to handle.
You also should try to look as normal as possible to not draw too much attention. Try to fit the look of an average trusty guy which is neither a threat nor a victim. This is what we understand as a “greyman”.
Your gear should provide the essentials which get you moving through a potentially chaotic crowded city and natural environments with all their threats.
You should be equipped in a way that makes you independend from functioning infrastructure, suppliers or public services.
The backpack
Your pack should be lightweight but still sturdy, this will be one of the items that receive the most abrasion during the trip.
A volume of 30-40 liters is a good size to pack some gear but does not make you look like you have a ton of valuable stuff with you.
The bag should offer just the features you really need and which are the most convenient – less is more (for example sidepockets for waterbottles, mesh backpocket for wet gear).
Molle features are nice to have but add some weight and look tactical, both you might want to avoid.
The colour and style should fit the urban environment, for example a small grey dayhiking backpack. For camouflage in natural environments you can add a raincover in your preferred colour. (e.g. olive green/brown).
Keep in mind that additional compartments and features add quite some weight. Less compartments are ok if you keep your things organized.
A good working backpack for these purposes should weight around 1kg / 2lbs.
Clothing
(Picture: Helikontex Tramontane windjacket in colour Pencott – not used as main apparel but as a camo option in case you want to blend in)
Basics
Your clothing should be like your backpack, fairly lightweight but sturdy, with a hand full of features/pockets.
The style should again fit the greyman-style – avarage looking, maybe a bit like a handyman.
The colours should fit urban and natural environments, like grey, brown, olive green and mixed patterns. Avoid beeing unicoloured, that might make people think that you are part of an organization.
Underwear
In terms of materials, merinowool/polyester-mix is perfect for shirts and underwear. It has excellent moisturecontrol, regulates the bodytemperature and does not smell bad even after days of use.
Other outerclothing should be made of synthetic fiber. You should avoid cotton since it dries quite slowly. In a very cold environment this could cause hypothermia if your clothes are full of sweat.
Pants
Pants are usually best with a mix of synthetic and just a bit of cotton. (Like 30%)
A few pockets add convenience and keep important items in reach.
Insulation
Downjackets are also subsceptible to moisture, however we made good expieriences with downclothing since they are super lightweight and add a lot of insulation. Hydrophobic down is a good solution to deal with this problem.
However you should use downjackets as a layer for rest/breaks and not for moving, to avoid moisture due to sweat.
Additional light wool or fleece layers can be used to adapt your system to the temperature of your region.
Raingear
Raingear should be of good quality but still lightweight – goretex paclite is a good choice here for a rain jacket and pants.
You could also use a poncho which is very versatile and saves weight if you want to use it as a tarpshelter. Honestly I am not a fan of ponchos since they offer no real leg protection and draw unwanted attention in an urban environment. They also limit your movement and are quite prone to wind.
Softshell
To add a robust outershell you might want to use a light softshell or windjacket with around 300-400g. This creates a good last layer for windprotection and abrasion.
Gloves
Light robust gloves become handy if you need to pass harsh environments or broken windows.
Fleecegloves are a lightweight yet stutdy solition of you need to add a layer of insulation (but please dont use them on broken windows)
Accessories
Fleece beanies or synthetic Buffs are great addons for insulation. Buffs are very multifunctional – you will find a purpose.
Shelter
Your shelter should be a small lightweight tent or tarp/bivy combo.
Tents
Halfmid tents (half pyramid) tents are a great solution because they offer full rain and windprotection and are usually easier and faster to set up since they only need one tentpole in the center and a few tentstakes.
You should look for a system with outertent and inner meshtent since you can seperate the wet outertent when packing it – to dry it if you need to. (e.g. placing it in an outerpocket of your backpack or hang it on the backpack inside a small meshbag)
Material
Silnylon or Silpoly are great lightweight but weatherresistant materials for tents and tarps. They pack really small and are quite robust.
Cuben fiber is way lighter and more weatherresistant but rather noisy and shiny. Even the camouflage versions are seen well in a natural environment because of the reflection of the surface, so we would propose to avoid it.
Tentstakes
Titanium tentstakes make a good addition to your tent or tarp, they are super lightweight and very sturdy.
Tarp and bivy
A tarp and bivy system offers advantages and disadvantages.
If it is not raining you might only set up your bivy bag which is very fast and low profile.
However if you need to setup a tarp you might need two trees or tentpoles whick make the setup a bit slower. If the tarp is big enough you could also use only one tree and stake the other end to the ground. That might come with a weight penalty of a big tarp and makes you rely on trees or similar.
Of course everything has pro’s and con’s, in the end you need to find out what is the best solution for your system.
As most important also on the rest of your gear: try it and improve it, if you need to.
Sleepsystem
Down or synthetic?
In terms of sleepingbags the savest option are synthetic sleeping bags. Unfortunately they are quite bulky and heavy. Apex as insulation would be a light synthetic option but is still heavier than down.
Down sleeping bags are a good alternative.
Hydrophobic down
Of course down is more at risk on moisture. Hydrophobic down sleeping bags are a good choice here. They are not as resistant as synthetic sleeping bags but deal with moisture quite well. In addition they are increadibly lightweight. Because we focus on a timeframe of just 3 days, we think it is worth the choice.
Sleepingmat
The sleepingpad or mattress is most often a very bulky part of the system and usually tell everybody that what you are carring is camping gear (when strapped to the outside of the pack).
To avoid this you can use an inflatable sleeping pad with insulation. They pack very small and can be super lightweight. (Around 250-450g / 8-16oz)
However there is the risk of puncture that makes the pad useless. Nevertheless there is some ways to deal with it.
Having repairpatches is a must. To prevent damage you can use a robust groundsheet made from nylon or tyvek.
A sturdy groundsheet can weigh below 100g / 3oz
Additional multiuse foam pad
You could use a thin foam-mat as additional protection, for more insulation or backup.
Since they are bulky you should go with e.g. a thin foldable one with just torsosize. The torsosize is just enough to overcome the night if your i flatable pad breaks.
You can use your backpack and additional gear underneath your legs and some gear as a pillow for your head.
A small foldable foampad can be placed inside the backpack and double as sitpad if you need one. (trust me you need one, they have a thousend uses)
This pad might add below 100g/ 3,5oz to your pack.