I am happy to report that I was able to fit in making another episode of Bugging Out on a Budget this past week before I lost my voice completely. Let me explain… unfortunately what was a relatively minor cold earlier in the week has now blossomed into full-blown bronchitis and I can’t sleep due to the coughing. 😦 So I have opted to put my bleary-eyed time to good use by getting this posted, before I attempt to catch some winks again. Please enjoy the next round of demonstrations and discussions for my most recently purchased products, and absolutely leave me more feedback! I am still just getting this thing off the ground and doing the best with what I have, and your advice and input can go a long way in helping me provide even more quality content. For example, I did obtain and utilize a tripod for recording this time, so my poor wife didn’t have to try to remain motionless for another 15 minute video (bless her heart for being willing to do the first one!).

In this video, I have also addressed some questions and suggestions I’ve received from viewers, and will continue to do so as appropriate. One viewer from the Bugout community on reddit mentioned that the bag I chose to purchase, shown in my previous video, has some issues with comfort and usability. I won’t be able to fully comment on these concerns until I’ve had a chance to take the bag on a decent excursion, but for now I can at least demonstrate what the bag looks like full, and how it fits on my body.

Here is the bag fully stocked with all the essentials I’ve shown in my videos. It handled everything with some room to spare, and it was easy to organize things by frequency and urgency of use. I helped maintain a solid flat surface on the side that rests on my back by first inserting my folded shelter tarp into the bag pressed against the very back, and then packing in other items around it to keep it in place. Since this bag doesn’t have a frame, arranging your contents like this can help provide some added comfort.

Overall I am happy with the feel of this pack, but as I said I will need to put it through some rigorous endurance testing to be able to fully judge its efficacy. The weight feels pretty evenly distributed, with no noticeable pressure points or areas of discomfort. The adjustable shoulder, chest, and waist straps provide a high degree of customization to the fit of this pack. I am a sturdy 6’0″ and just shy of 200 pound man, though, so I can only assess its comfort and portability according to my standards. 😉 I thoroughly hope that it turns out to be a great bag, since that wonderful $30 price point is just so darn hard to turn down.

Thanks again for reading and watching, and I hope you’ll keep coming by to see what I’m SMASHING next! 🙂