Backpackers always catch all the flack , but be advised those guys hike for days and carry what the need to "LIVE" and understand what is needed for breakfast lunch and dinner and they are practicing sleeping on the ground , may it be an overnighter or a national trail thru hike , 2000 plus miles on your feet . I think this is a valuable skill and should not be overlooked in your training . All u need to do is figuring out how to adjust your loadout with ammo and a musket . Most have all this gear and have no idea what to grab in an emergency and hit the woods/trail/road Here is a good exercise! Load up all your gear , backpack and hit the road and stealth camp around your house for 2 to 3 days , u will get the idea real quick

I never smoked in the army as a 68w. But whenever the boys were hurting for nic i usually had a can of dip or pack of cheap cigs id pass out to my cav scouts. Their faces would go from just defeated and tired to a little bit of joy and relaxation. Damn i miss those boys.

I'd add a spoon. Can't leave home without a proper racing spoon!

Sustain the fight. Sustain the fighter. Sustain the mission.

Thanks for the good show and tell. Old Marine RVN vet here and the cop/SWAT guy. I still keep a mount out kit in an old para bag. Key set for 7 mags. I have my old Ka-bar knife on a pistol belt (in a old USN hard sheath) as I used a knife for misc things a lot in the day. I also like to keep my front pretty clear because I recall complaining how think those GI buttons were on our jungle utility shirts when there was incoming mail. I have a Camelback but I also carry an old stainless GI canteen with cup and cover made so I can boil in it. For multiple day trips, I gravitated to the Sawyer mini filter as a requirement. Too many people become casualties otherwise. To carry extra ammo, I took the three-cell bandolier and sewed a D ring on one side and an adjustable length of 550 cord on the other so I can throw it over my head and clip it as a quick grab and go (I also keep one in my truck). You can carry up six mags or five and a weapon kit). Do you carry a compact weapons cleaning kit in the pack. With ARs, it is more than a Marine thing. By the way, I believe in a (compact) pistol and two extra mags as EDC for all the normal reasons. I don't ruck much these days. If you are looking for extra calories, try a squeeze bottle of honey. Light and efficient. You reach a point that the mind and the body conflict, but old habits...well you know. Thanks and keep your powder dry. A knowledgeable, trained and prepared population is a strong society.

I was kind of a "You get what you pay for" kind of guy and it still has it's merits, BUT.... PSA has been very good to the 2A community and helpful by getting involved on the legal front. If I ever have the scratch, I'm definitely getting some PSA's

Im an old dude with old school gear. I run 6 mags in my LBV88 and 4 on the alice belt all while keeping my front slick. Keeping my front slick isnt so much about going prone but more about how my rifle sits when im patrolling. I like it up against my body more for comfort. That's just how i roll. Everybody has thier own preferences and thats cool. You do you and I'll do me. Aint no military standards out here in our world. Best we can do is share knowlege, learn from each other and try different sh!t. Nuff said.

my camel back busted a month into Ramadi. i always stick with canteens too

Pro tip a friend who is a German army doctor gave me; ground coffee is great for packing wounds. It has anti-septic properties, is bio-degradable, and absorbs liquid very well.

DO NOT USE IMPROVISED TQ

You can remove sharpie permanent marker marks by running a dry erase marker over it. It dissolves the permanent marks.

Nomex flight gloves, definitely a pro move

3,500 calories a day is no joke. I ate continuously in the field and I always lost weight. It was even worse in the winter with very cold weather. You can afford to pack light in the late spring through early fall, but Winter is not the time to skimp on clothes, food, or shelter.

Alcohol for an American with a Dad born and raised in Scotland means an old Scotch Whisky flask that may have survived the Somme in WW1 with a good Scotch. I'm greatly impressed with the amount of stuff you can put in your pack and plate carrier plus weapon and ammo and still keep it under 70 pounds. I was Marine Infantry 1975 - '77 and much of equipment I humped around Okinawa was the same as they used in WW2. This is very instructive for us old guys. I will not be going on long patrol anymore but it great to see the available equipment. Thanks for the video.

An idea: One reason I almost always carry a UK military 'basha' with my gear is not only is it a tarp shelter and a casualty litter, but you can also wrap it around you similar to the poncho liner, and fold it up to stow gear. Multi-function is gold.

I’d say foot powder…but not necessarily a must have. My squad leader always said “you’re infantry. We mainly walk everywhere. If you’re feet are combat ineffective so are you.” Anyway, good video man

"It sucks to suck." Trouble is, people usually don't realize that until its too late. Good content, thanks.

Being 74 years old being around fishing, hunting and trapping along with camping and backpacking my whole life. When I was raised we had chickens and I remember collecting eggs from them. There were cottontail rabbits everywhere and I would use wire to catch them to eat.There was a ton of ground squirrels and these would make holes that cattle or horses would get their hoofs caught in and break the hoofs off. Personally I hadn’t eaten a chicken til I was 13 years old because rabbits were everywhere. They use to grow orange trees in the San Fernando Valley and when you wanted orange juice you just picked them and made juice. Always had a garden and grow corn 🌽, tomatoes 🍅, peppers 🫑 and onions along with radishes and potatoes 🥔, French onion soup has always been a favorite of mine. I taught all my kids these things and my daughter thank me many times for the skills I taught them.

50 lbs and under is impressive. I am leaning back towards LBE chest rig rather than a plate carrier. If everything goes to hell, you only have the plates that you have. If you get shot, you may survive, but it might rearrange your organs. If you make it back to "camp" in one piece and recover, will you have an expensive stock of rifle plates to replace the one or two that were destroyed? I guess my point is that videos like this are valuable. As an Eagle Scout and a person who loves to get lost in the woods/mountains and make do with what I have, I love videos like this because it shows that you don't need $10k worth of kit in order to make it. All of this said, you do need to train. If you have never had to dig out your campsite from snow or dirt or start a fire the hard way, or leave no or almost no footprint then all of your tools/guns are kind of useless.

Something like this is always a tough call. Kudos for attempting it. I'm from an older generation (black boots/green fatigues) and cannot relate to the type of gear and amount of gear the sandbox troops carried. My experience is "never enough ammo" and that's with good fire discipline and always too much gear. It just depends on what is going to happen.

I’d rather hear from a battle tested veteran than someone that has not seen combat and just read field manuals… for people who can’t comprehend what I was saying I was complimenting Randal by being a battle tested vet and not a bureaucrat with a pencil preaching field manuals without have physically put them to the test in combat. As far as people thinking I’m keyboard warrior, I drive trucks and when I’m on down time I ruck in truck stop parking lots. And when I’m home I take training courses

At 68, I don't plan on running very far with a plate carrier on. My group will be here on the farm when SHTF.

AMEN!!! I own 2 DDs, Windham, PSA, and BCM. Tighter tolerances and better finishes aren't worth the way heavier price tag! I will grab my PSA just as fast as I'd grab my DDs to defend my home, family, and self! Now, if I'm going out the door for war/combat, yes, I'll grab my DD or BCM over my PSA, but for the average American gun owner PSA is just fine! That's facts!!! Most of my rifles are on my channel and I'm not talking out the side of my neck! Rifles with decent BCG and Barrel will run thousands upon thousands of rounds no matter the name on the side! I might make a video with my DD and PSA side by side.

Marine vet (5812), thru-hiked almost 10,000 miles of trails. Been trying to incorporate my thru-hike knowledge with light loads mixed with military/bushcraft knowledge on equipment that can take abuse. Been playing around with a load bearing belt kit and found that the helikon-tex bergen pack sits well right over my IFAK when wearing the war belt. The pack is only intended for supplying myself with the 5C’s and weapon field maintenance. Got it to where I can incorporate the belt kit with either plate carrier or chest rig or just stand alone, and can wear the pack comfortably with either the chest rig or belt kit.

My first issued weapon was a 1911 with 11 mags (USN Hospital Corpsman with the Marines) in the early '70s. To this day, a 1911 is like my American Express, I never leave home without it. I grew quite fond of my M1967 LCE and still use a modified version for certain field uses, along with an empty molle plate carrier or molle vest for carrying additional equipment. A good quality combat knife/bayonet is a good idea and I always carry a Tomahawk, multifunctional and lighter than a hatchet. JM2CW

Being Western American resident, i see lots of vast openness, and a rangefinder is a must. Plus, the sand and dust this time of year (windy as hell) is brutal, so lens cleaning and weapons cleaning kit is crucial. I also desert hunt a lot. I use my range finder not only for measuring distance but for observation at distance. I regularly spot animals 400m out bare eye and past 1000m with the 4x range finder at times.

First line is what's on your belt, pockets and in your hands. Second line is your LBE/Plate Carrier. Line three is your ruck. I created a line four which is a duffle bag of bug out essentials that can be thrown in a vehicle. Your LBE is not line one. I was LRSD for six years and this is what was taught at the Long range surveillance leaders course located at the 4th RTB.

Im a big fan of the USGI 3 cell bandoleers and 2 quart canteens, easy way to plus up any kit. The USMC bandoleer with PALs webbing on the back is especially nice to add some water and medical to the back of for an easy grab and go satchel. The 4 cell PMK pouches that hold 40 round AK mags are also really nice carried on a strap, pretty low key.

....."it's gonna get worse before it gets worse!" ~ Risky Chrisky FALLOUT

This is one of most helpful videos I've seen on KZfaq. People need to check in with each other and learn what makes sense. Good job.

These are my favorite videos on you tube. You can learn a lot from this guy. 12 mags on you, 1 in the weapon, 4-6 mags in my ruck.

There were many great little details in this video that helped me.

It would be great if you, Brent, Stoker, and whomever else you can muster got together and all compared a 3 day load out (or whatever timeframe you agree upon). It would be interesting to see who chooses what & why.

The number of questions you've answered for me in this video is insane. Thank you. New subscriber here.

Thank you for not being a commercial, being blunt and straightforward! Refreshing!!

The body armor part at the end is true especially in Afghanistan all the gear and body armor was straight breaking dudes off.

Your setup is very similar to mine for the most part. Something I have never understood is the guys who have 3 magazines only, they act like they can get a resupply, there will NOT be a resupply unless you have cached items. What I have differently than you is the food, I keep a weeks worth of freeze dried or dehydrated food. I don't do MRE's as they are heavy and too bulky. And no you don't have to cook freeze dried food, it can be cold soaked. I also keep 3 bandanas, one for my head cause sweat in the eyes sucks and other two for predetermined signals. They see a certain color bandana and that means rally point has changed. Never have been fond of the iodine tablets, I prefer to have a little squirt bottle of bleach or tabs. A ounce of bleach in a hot sauce bottle goes a long way. As for water storage I use smart water bottles as the threads work great with a Sawyer filter. Happy what you said about the dump pouch, I couldn't agree more, and I mark my mags to show they are mine. Oh, not sure if you do this or not, but the extra ammo in my pack is divided up into 5 vacuum sealed bags with 56 rounds each.....that whole no resupply thing. I don't do water bladders as I've had them pop. But I do keep a pistol on me, 10mm for big furry four legged creatures, two extra mags.

I’m one of those that talks about the stuff hanging off the chest rig but I am talking specifically about the micro chest rig. First ya gotta add one or more magazine pouches to get to six minimum then add a GP pouch, etc, etc and then got 6 to 10 inches hanging off the chest rig. Get a TAP or FLC and you don’t have to worry about it. Excellent stuff, thanks!

Great video - Practical info from a grunt who's been there is much appreciated

Gave it a like when he cracked the coors

One of the ways I've prepared, is I requested free maps of half of the united states. If you goto the states website sometime they have maps of the state for free. Some also have activities and state park resources.

From one retired SFC to another- You covered all the basics and then some. Nice pack and gear-

I appreciate your take on this. It's important for people such as yourself to help spread knowledge and experience

10th mtn OEF9-10 saw gunner carrying and extra 400 rnds, heading out on a 3 day patrol I weighed 3-350lbs walking out the gate. Loved my pig then but 15 years later I’m glad I’m just a civilian riflemen too. To be 18 again huh?! Love the content and awareness your bringing.

Being a marine (0321) veteran I take for granted the information I know and the gear I have staged for when shit gets weird... I seem to forget most of this isnt common sense when it comes to knowledge of the civilian population..

I like it, I think for the situation you’re talking about you’ve explained it very well and I wouldn’t change to much.

Awesome content brother ive learned a crapload of stuff from your channel. Keep em coming. God bless yall.

I just smile when guys start name dropping all the expensive triggers, sights and whatnot that they spent more on than my entire rifle cost, ESPECIALLY when their rifles can't hit the targets any better than mine can! All my specialty parts that I hunted down are labeled "On Sale" or "Clearance Item" and "BLEM" so it took me a while to build them.

I don't have a military background, but I'm a bow hunter and Carpenter. I've got a plate carrier all set up, with level IV plates. That I work out in after a 8 hour day of building house but I also live on flat ground and very near a city center. I find your tips and information very valuable, but I'll keep my plates in for now. I can dead out for a half mile and go to a good trot for another 2 miles before I need to catch wind. When I don't have my gear on I put 90lbs of rocks in a resale shop backpack... I'll go and take the dog for a 4 mile walk like that. It hurts. Just a regular school backpack, lots of stretching afterwards.

The DZ Crossfire Rig integrates perfectly with the Crossfire CF2. Carry all your sustainment on the hips… In the UK I loved JayJays webbing…best belt kit ever.

I do a gun belt and suspenders rig for a riffle loadout. No pistol. With a small pack. It works. Can’t fit everything on a chest rig that I can fit on a belt, or as comfortably..I don’t use a buttpack just some extra SAW pouches. A Goretex top can fit in a SAW pouch, or a poncho, or thin fleece shirt, or other items or mission essentials. I turned a GP MOLLE canteen pouch into a more robust IFAK. And Wiggys bags and other items are well worth the price. Working on night vision.

Former Army. I have a plate carrier, I can ditch the plates depending on the activity. My setup pretty much the same, except I use a Nalgene bottle with metal cup. I like the wider opening compared to the GI canteen. Nods, not as high speed...PVS 7 ultra. Thermal viewer is on the to get list.

Always thought a helmet was a good move if you have one available, whether it's armored or just a bump helmet. At the minimum (bump) it can keep you safer from debris falling on your head and at the maximum (ACH or better) can save your noodle from fragmentation, pistol rounds, or ricochets.

PSA all day, everyday! I'm with you 100%. If you do want to go upgrade, they have the CHF FN barrel options.

I spent a few years in the Marines and 3 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I can't seem to convince people how important it is to learn these skills, especially in this day and age

Love it, straight to the point without the commercial. Keep it up

I have 1 thing that I have never heard any talk about and that dumping cell phones that even turned off still send a location ping, cell phones will get you killed.

Great video. I would add a small weapon cleaning kit. An Optics cleaning kit.

I was an 11b10 in the guard, 11b10 is an infantry soldier, for those who may not know. We had former rangers and SF soldiers in my unit and one of the main things these guys taught us was to always be adaptable. To not be static in operations and training. More sweat in training, less blood in combat. God bless each and everyone of you.

Yo man, I have been watching a lot of your videos in the last few weeks and you’re putting out that “boring” and simple but hard to follow through on info that no one else is. Keep it up.

This guys gonna be on the struggle bus if he can’t get any more beer. 8 years sober. Best thing I ever did. Should be yours too. 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

bro......i was literally just writing down a list for this.

Another great insight for guys trying get out there with gear.

You’ll notice that people who have been there and done that are no nonsense and keep it simple. Thanks Randall for keeping it real and keeping it simple because it’s exactly what I needed

Amen. Any beer is a good beer.

3 and 4 mag guys ain't never been in a firefight. I'd go through 7 mags in no time in a serious fight.

You talk just like the ranger in my family and he saw action. Thanks for being on point and real world. Geist Wulf

I really mean this my friend I love watching your videos they are so informative and great I learn so much from listening to you and I know you know what your talking about because you been through it. God bless you brother your really that good.

My buddy was a SAW Gunner in the Marines and he has a few PSA rifles if he says they're amazing for the price and a good gun which I had the pleasure of shooting most of them for my birthday he let me shoot ammo can for EACH for two of them, so 2 ammo cans for two different guns I believe him, almost glowing hot hahaha was awesome. He was in operation Kandahar so he seen some shit, ill take a trusted friend and combat soldier's advice any day. Do with it, what you will.

I appreciate the input, I’ve gotten my normal backpacking load out down to about 20-35 pound depending on season so carrying a bunch of ammo is an option for me and I’m glad to hear someone explain why I’m not stupid for wanting to is refreshing

Fantastic video. And amen hearing about PSA, they make excellent equipment.

Thank you for providing this valuable info for free to the folks who’ve never experienced combat but still want to be prepared.

Love this minute men series. On each one I've unliked it just so I could like it again! Thanks Randell!

Loving these vids. Keep up the awesome work grunt. 🤜🏼🤛🏼

I was able to get connectors that make it possible to use my military headset with one of the cheaper handheld radios. Great video. Thanks so much.

I love the parallels to backpacking. There are also parallels to being a small landlord that does most of their own maintenance and Improvement. I had several tool boxes. A general tool box with most of the common tools. A glazing toolbox for window repair, an electrical tool box and parts bucket. And a plumbing box with a parts bucket. I could be ready for whatever in just a few minutes. I also competed in endurance motorcycle road racing. The tool kit was set up for the bike but the load of spare tires and other equipment depending on the length of the race from 2 to 24 hours. I see this approach as similar in match the loadout to the mission. I love how he says he wears a pistol around the grounds when it would be a hassle to have a rifle slung. My saying is I never carry A gun outside the house. Because in the house I have several close at hand. Finally when it comes to training at 66 on trying to regain as much of the strength endurance and Agility I can after having a broken back and a heart attack in the last 15 years. And I'm starting to compete again. I previously ran through 6 to 10,000 rounds of .22 a year. That was just competition and just .22. I've shot against former members of the army Marksmanship unit, and National and Collegiate champions. And I've held my own. I'm finally a piece of dad advice. Take care of your body because you may live longer than you expect!

Outstanding video Randall practical advice especially about solid practical and durable gear. Everything doesn’t need to be Gucci just good value for money.

I have plenty of mags for backup in case some get busted, but I started using bandoliers as my resupply. 6 mags in my TAPS, one in the gun, and bandoliers in the ruck. With the speed loaders the bandoliers work great and take up less room and are quieter than mags. Just an option, works for me.

Always great to hear from those who know.

Very good. I love your channel. One of the very best and I’ve seen hundreds .

Set up my DD Hammocks tarp 3.5x3.5 this weekend. Got down to 32. Used an old Remington sleeping bag I've had for years. It's extra long and wide, i like to spread out. Also used my grampas old wool blanket that my grandma made him in the 50s. Just me and my German Shepard. Got some good pistol training in as well. Hard to believe it's February.

Great video Randall. Practical and effective.

This is a really good video. Thanks Grunt

The knife hand and a shot were perfect.

Totally agree with what you said about mags. The TAPs isn't the nicest or most comfortable chest rig but it does a decent job. Sometimes the mag retention isn't great but the vests can be had for fairly cheap

Survival kit,fishing line hooks lures. Snare wire. Sling shot. I like the SOG kukri it has a saw and can chop. Spetznaz shovel good folding saw for cover digging fighting positions

I like to see your perspective on the load out. To break up my patern and for obvious reasons, I use a heavy-duty camo bug suit. I agree with pretty much everything else. Peanut butter, tortillas, dried meats, and cheese. Hydration salts are almost always a needed. Ramen cooked or dry for a little variety. Thanks for the thought provoking content.

Great content boss, thanks for not pushing crap we can't afford.

Great info. Always willing to learn from the newer guys. I predate you a little. I had Alice gear and preferred the old H harness to the Y harness, it seemed to me it distributed the load better. Then the USGI lbv enhanced vest came in. I made both work with the Alice large ruck. As a former member I still use the same gear but have added the Marine ILBE ruck. I say use what works for you but the chest rig you use is better for being in vehicles. I have my eye on a chest rig to experiment with. Keep up the great work. Tried and true methods is what I look for and if I you have a better way I modify my kit so it'll work for me! "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for." Socrates

A great vid. I like the mention that more affordable stuff will do- you can take the enemies good stuff or gucci from those that do not need it any more.. if you believe in anything, believe in ammo. The more the better because it goes fast- very fast. For most civilian needs you are NOT going to be miles from the issue, you will probably walk, drive your car/truck there of hitch a ride. This means you can carry significant load out of ammo, water, food and comfort items (headnet- the places I have been if you want to eat or sleep you NEED a headnet. Bugs WILL drive you nuts, make you itchy and possibly sick). If not solo-more is always better/usually) then you can give some stuff to others to carry if you trust them-never your water or ammo. Have a good/better med kit. A life depends on it. I dont have expensive nightvision but for a semi set placement it can see really well quite a ways away for observation. I like the focus of this vid is basically what is a good idea to have first-then add on your teddy bear to sleep better. Just my old guy opinion. Great job!!!

I like to watch these types of videos to balance what I do and see if I catch new ideas, and go figure ours is pretty similar but I’m also just retired from the Army, I have pretty much the same stuff in a way just setup a little different.

Thank you. My get home bags goes with my minute kit. Works really good for me. Even if I don't have the goodies, the get home kit is always with me. The pack is small but has everything I need for a couple 2 or 3 days sustainment and a more substantial medical kit. I'm a chest rigger too lol.

I have a TAPS and have a 40 and a 30 on the end pouches to carry 10 plus 1 in the magwell and a drum in the dump pouch =410 ❤ Admin pouch center triple postol (3x27)on left and turny and radio on right. Love the TAPS, you even have the pouches on the inside to store the stuff you need. BTW You need a decent sized lens cloth in a plastic bag to stay clean nothing sucks more when you are in wet or humid conditions and a smudged up lens. Slickster if I need plates and can throw the taps over it, battle belt with triple pistol, dump, small med kit and extra pouch for nv.

Excelent stuff. I also carry a colapsable coffee cup and a reusable "spork". Since we're no longer in the teams a little morale boosting comfort goes a long way. Dry socks and a dry place to rest/sleep will definitely keep me in the field longer. I'm 78 and I don't slow down for anyone.

I'd definetly recommend carrying a waterfilter. Your canteen might run out in a couple of hours, water filter or purifier will last you a lot longer if you can find a river or even a puddle

Love the way you think. To the point. My wife and I are in our 70s and I think we can learn a thing or two from You.

Retired Military Vet and I couldnt agree more with you on a minute man load out!

God bless PSA. Great products, great service, great mission.

I served in the early 80’s with the LBE and Alice pack. I liked that setup. We only carried 7 mags unless we had some in the rucksack. Seems like it would be cooler to wear than a chest rig. But I’ve never worn one. I enjoy your no BS candid approach. Good stuff.

Great take. As far as having uniform kit, I might suggest having IFAK in common, both what it is and where it's kept.