Quick-Access Shemagh

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I'm stalling because I'm still not quite happy with something inside my GHB. Part of the reason I do these multi-part "This is what's in my bag" articles is that they're a bit like Rubber Duck Debugging; the act of spelling it all out causes me to see omissions and forces me to confront poor decisions. I had one of those, and while I'm experimenting with solutions to find one I like, you're going to get quickie filler articles like this. That said, I'm rather proud of the solution I detail here. 

It's no secret that I love shemaghs; they're an inexpensive and versatile piece of kit. However, the biggest problem with them is that they're rather bulky when configured as a head scarf, and if they're folded down flat then they aren't in a proper condition to be wrapped around your head. What's a prepper to do?

I don't know about you, but this prepper (me) figured out a way to mount it to the MOLLE straps on my chest rig so that I could access it quickly. 

First, I bought a set of Velcro tie-down straps from Amazon. I bought more than I needed because I didn't know what size I would end up needing and because I figured I could find a use for the others. I then installed two of the smallest ones like so:

Then I began folding the shemagh. As we all know, to make a shemagh into a scarf it must first be folded into a triangle. 

Then I rolled it up into a burrito. 

I folded it in half once...

... then twice. 

Finally, I put it on the chest rig and tied it in place. 

Now it's ready to go with just two tab pulls and it saves me important real estate in the chest rig pocket!

The Bug-Out Chest Rig

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Earlier this year I mentioned that one of my resolutions was to reduce the weight of my Get Home Bag. While I am still in the process of doing that, one of the things which I have done (and is sort of a cheat, but as Lokidude says, "If you aren't cheating you aren't trying hard enough") is to move some of that gear off my back and onto my chest with a chest rig.

While this does not reduce the actual amount of carried weight, it does serve to reduce the amount that my aching back has to carry while simultaneously placing gear in a position where I can access it quickly. I consider this a double win.

http://www.creekstewart.com/creek-store/nycto-tactical-chest-rig

The one that I have is the NYCTO Tactical Chest Rig (which I acquired for a price much, much less than the $129 it's being sold for), but any sort of chest carrier will do so long as it has plenty of pockets and can be worn in conjunction with a backpack. For example, a cheaper but less customizable option is the Ribz Frontpack, which has a few large pockets instead of several smaller ones and has no MOLLE webbing.

This is my Nycto with most of the pockets open (the main pocket is exploded below). From left to right:

Grenade Pocket 1: Medical

• Tactical Medical Solutions SOFTT-W Tourniquet
• H&H Mini Compression Bandage
• 3x8" Woundclot Hemostatic Gauze

Magazine Pocket 1: Vision

• AAA battery headlamp (similar to this but not actually that brand)
• UVPaqLite Mule Light 2
• Celestron UpClose G2 10x25 Monocular
• Not seen: spare AAA batteries

Main Pocket:  See Below

• Knife: Hawke Knives Peregrine
• Inside Knife pocket:
• Speedy Sharp
• Lansky Quadsharp
• Clipped onto D-ring: Coghlan's Compass with LED Light

Magazine Pocket 2: PPE

• Chemical splash/impact protective goggles
• N95 Respirator
• Tube Scarf/Neck Gaiter
• Nitrile Gloves

Grenade Pocket 2: Hand Protection

• Fingerless tactical gloves with reinforced knuckles

Main Pocket, again
Some of the contents were spread out so they could be seen. All of this easily fits into the pocket and does not prevent me from lying prone if necessary.

From Back to Front and Left to Right:

• State and County roadmaps in Ziploc bag
• Neosporin+pain relief ointment, SPF 100 sunblock, EMT Gel, Cortisone-10 anti-itch ointment, Repel 100 Insect Repellent   
• Strongsuit Shooting Gloves (the tactical gloves fit over these)
• In another plastic baggie, a squeeze bottle filled with Dawn soap to remove urushiol oils from poison plant species.
• Mosquito Head Net
• Natrapel Picaridin Wipes
• SOL Survival Poncho
• Allergan Refresh Plus Lubricant Eye Drops
• Rothco Shemagh

Most of this should be self-evident, but here's some explanations:

• I'm allergic to a lot of stuff and I burn easily. 
• My medication is with my first aid stuff because that only needs to be taken once daily. 
• My first aid stuff is in my GHB, because it is bulky and if I need to do first aid I will likely need to take off my pack first. It probably wouldn't hurt to add some band-aids to my front pocket, though, and I'll do that as soon as I hit Publish. 
• The critical trauma stuff is right there so I can get to it immediately before I or someone else dies. 
• The Dawn is there so I don't confuse it with regular soap and use it for washing. 
• The shooting gloves are in the chest pocket because there's no room for them in the grenade pocket. 
• I don't have a hat with this gear because I always have either a baseball cap or a boonie hat with me when I leave the house. 
• I still have room to conceal a full-size pistol within the main pocket, if necessary.  

The Nycto C-Rig and all its components weigh 5 pounds. On the one hand, that's not a lot of weight removed from the GHB bag itself; on the other hand, that's 5 fewer pounds I have to haul on my back and they're all items I will want to access quickly without stopping to rummage around in my backpack. 

I encourage all of you to add a chest rig to your GHB or BOB. You won't regret it.