For Immediate Just What You Can Carry Evac/Bug Out is Portable Electric Generator a Waste?

I Spent this weekend tweaking my Just what I Can Carry Evac/Bug Out Bags as opposed to stuff I can store in a vehicle and I left out my portable electric generator as I;d have to leave out other items to be able to include that in the backpack & carrying case I can manage. Is this a mistake and should I take that with me as a carry out item and take out other items instead like extra emergency food, a portable digital TV that operates on batteries, a bar of soap, etc.

 

It is NOT a generator, it's a battery. If the weight doesn't deter you AND there's a way to recharge it, make yourself happy.

 

All In One Yeti 150 Portable Power Station | Goal Zero

I have an older version of this.

 

The generator is not really a generator. It's a battery in a fancy box. It may be great for car camping, but it's far down on the list of things that should be on your back.

A bar of soap is a life-saving resource. Do not discard it lightly. Many people have died because they couldn't wash a minor wound.

When the chips are down, one meal, or one bottle of water, may be far more important than the ability to recharge a cell phone.

But everyone is different, so if you genuinely need a power source, take it.

I, personally, would pack a small solar panel to recharge my cell phone (if I ever get one) and a small flashlight. I wouldn't want both functions fused together. I'd want to be able to use either (or both) separately.

 

ED GEIN,Invent the back-pack solar panel that straps to your backpack and chargers while you hike.....
I only require 10% of the royalty payment from this invention/ideal....You can PM me for the mailing address to send my checks too.

 

Exactly!
Batteries are heavy. Energy dense ones are heavier.
Instead I have a few rollup solar panels. Enough to recharge standard lead acid vehicle batteries or directly run any number of smaller electronics. If you absolutely must have 120vac: get an inverter large enough to handle it.
And to Gator's point below - i have draped it off my pack using the side compression straps and some 550 line to keep it stable.
Example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BMNGVV3/?tag=survivalmonke-20

 

YES, take out the d### tv and carry more gear. You will get killed by the noise pollution or the given off light from one of those things, and you will not have it working long enough to be worth the weight. Get you a weapon and ditch the bs. Put you some antichaffing products in there, or a spare tarp.

 

As others have said, that is not a generator just a BIG HEAVY battery. Go with the solar chargers but along with that carry a 4-6 18650 cell power bank for rainy days when you just have to have movie night on the tablet while pinned down in a culvert trying to get out of SoCal!. You seem to have thought out your BOB pretty well over the last year with our help so don't leave out real needs to carry something that gives so little advantage/weight ratio. If you are determined to carry that thing then you should contact Gunkid for tips on building a "tactical" wheelbarrow as you will need it before the first mile or two is done.

 

I think it is a good idea to have a jumper pack in a vehicle at all times whether for your self or others that happen to have a dead battery for starting their car. Jumper packs now come with an air compressor and radio and USB ports and all.
It is a good idea too that you let the car restore the charge after starting ,it's only right.
A battery that is not capable of these things is not very helpful for the vehicle, but it beats running down the car battery for running toys. Again though it should be capable of being charged off the car.
It would be prudent to have the means to carry heavier things like a folding cart and not knowing how far one is when disaster strikes it could be along way home and in my opinion I need all the advantage I can get, and if push comes to shove you can trade off the weight for food or other things and move lighter as you go. I personally rather have electric light over candle light if it is possible, especially trekking over the unknown .

 

What can you watch on a TV you can't watch on a cellphone?

Granted, broadcast TV is a different signal than phone internet, but you can get pretty cheap lightweight radios that listen to TV freqs.

Get the solar panels.

 

Solar panels need a battery .

 

I'm spoiled. All my lights and comms recharge off the panels. I forget about needing an external battery bank

 

there is that BioLite stove that you can use for cooking but will also generate power to recharge USB devices.
our vendor @JC Refuge (SafeCastle.com) shows the currently unavailable so check it at amazon.

https://www.safecastle.com/products/biolite-campstove-2-wood-burning-usb-charging-camp-stove

 

Pack all your gear up that you think you need in a SHTF scenario and load up one weekend and take a 15-20 hump, bed down for a day or 2,, see how many people you can avoid during your hump, and in your campsite. Then hump it back home,, then throw out what was excess,, and add what was needed. Everything you hear on hear is ideas ,, some good, some not so good,, find what works for you. Read and watch Bishops post and videos and take his advice,,,, “ If you don’t practice your skills, you won’t have them when you need them “.

 

If you expect to be bugging out on foot, and carrying batteries and electronic gear, invest in a pull cart, like a gamecart. Or a bicycle with panniers.

 

@ED GEiN don't depend on anything you aren't willing to carry, and stick to the fundamentals. Be prepared to bug out on your feet, your bicycles, and a vehicle. Gadgets just get in the way. You aren't going to carry or pack one of those and your car battery is a hundred times better.

Rethink your strategy and only get the pieces that fit. Consider the following:

Get yourself an Osprey Aether in green and the female equivalent for your wife preferably in the same blends in everywhere but doesn't attract attention color. Why that one? Among other things the top lid converts into a smaller backpack and it's a great one. Put your essentials (google the 10 essentials) there and use it if you need to ride a bike. In the main pack put sleeping gear,extra clothes, additional food and water that augment what you put in the lid.

Your bug out vehicle that's been suggested in other threads should have a bike carrier to hold a bike each for you and your wife. Make sure the bikes keep a low profile as in not upright on top of the vehicle. it should already be packed or ready to pack with the food, equipment and extra gas for you to get out of dodge. Assuming a 4 door, your pack is the last thing that goes in the driver's side and the same for your wife on the passenger side. This allows for quick and easy access if you need to quickly leave the vehicle on foot.

If you get to a spot where your vehicle can't continue then you have the option of taking that top pack off that Osprey and a bike or taking the full pack and hoofing it. As others mentioned mentioned you can get a couple (one for each of you) of the fold out solar chargers so you can charge your flashlight, comms, or smart phone during the day.

Flaky gadgets weigh you down and in the long run won't help. Gadgets also have a tendency to fail when you need the the most. Stick the the fundamentals and you have a chance.

 

Wow! Their are some really good replies in this thread.
SB21 is 100% correct. You won't know if your BOB is right until you try out. (Great post, SB21.)
Seawolf1090 also hits an important point: it's a lot easier when your burden is on wheels. I recommend the prudent investment of about $3.00 in a high strength, lightweight, very durable load carrier designed for off-road use in rough terrain.
It's a golfer's bag dolly. (I prefer the Bag Boy Elite 2-wheeler circa 1960.)
Check your local thrift store.
Go for something like this, and modify it as needed to hold your gear:

 

Depending on the emergency and how much that battery weighs will determine whether you leave it or not. It is a good thing to have if you are bugging in or if you have a blackout for a few days. We have gadgets that we carry with us. To charge our phones on the go, we can use our solar flashlight.


We also have a small solar panel that can charge a cell phone or Kindle. It takes time but does the job and is small & light.



We also have a small solar lantern that also will charge you a phone Kindle or smaller electronic devices. Plus we have our small survival frog battery pack that will jump a car charge cell phones and the battery pack can be charged up by using the flashlight or solar panels.

 

Thank You I will look up the Osprey Aether . Right now I have just a superlight 33 Large back pack as shown below.