Good piece. Realistic.
Having been an infantry Marine, I know of what he speaks. Carrying everything you need (and you can’t) on your back is a pain most of us cannot handle. Most people won’t even carry their own golfs clubs while they are allegedly exercising yet they think they will carry all they need in a pack.
Another thing about being in the field is we were resupplied often; I do not see that happening in this instance. If you are not being resupplied you spend a significant amount of time feeding, housing, and clothing yourself or stealing all you need.
Most people who talk of living after an apocalyptic event haven’t really thought things through.
Definitely.
And if your pack (or whatever you are lugging) does not fit well or starts to rub your skin or compress your spine, the situation while being forced to travel on foot can almost be hellish.
In many human disasters, you see the roads strewn with luggage, clothes, etc.
People will be very surprised at how little they can carry, for such a little distance. And how fast they get wiped out tired.
Infantry Marine here as well. My current bug out weighs in at about 32 lbs (and you would never know it looking at it, couple pounds less after I ditch the laptop). I lug it around five days a week religiously and clock a couple miles a day humping with it. It is never in my vehicle except when I am driving from point A to B (the occasional C). TOO many people think they will sling something on and book. Those people will be in pain several hours later and killing their ibuprofen or aspirin supply post haste because their back is not conditioned. Again, my kit is to get me to my bug in, lots more but certainly not less.
Exactly! Even Marines have a logistics train behind them. They may be days or weeks out, but they return to base to recoup and restock.
Unless your name is Elijah, your oil will run out at some point. In a total SHTF scenario, the only long-term solution is kick-starting your local means of production.