Bag Drop: Red Oxx Search and Rescue Duffel Bag

For my early hurricane deployments as an City Search and Rescue (US&R) Constructions Specialist, I used to only sling a number of baggage over my shoulders — put on one backpack usually, the opposite reversed over my chest, and possibly a 3rd slung on one shoulder. This will get previous quick if you happen to’re having to switch between totally different automobiles or stroll on foot any distance in any respect. I’m not precisely often known as a minimalist packer. As an engineer, I really like redundancy and absolutely subscribe to the “two is one, one is none” mantra of getting backups for backups. However the finish results of carrying a number of overstuffed baggage ended up trying ridiculous and made it robust to maneuver with function and effectivity. So I ended up simply buying one giant bag, the Sherpa Jr. by Pink Oxx Manufacturing, which might function a “mothership” to my smaller baggage and hold my cumbersome gear multi function place.

No extra clipping boots or helmets to the surface of a smaller pack as a result of they received’t match inside — the Sherpa Jr. is sort of a black gap that sucks up all types of cumbersome gear. It streamlines my motion as a result of I solely have one bag to hold. It’s one huge, impossible-to-miss or misplace bag. The scale on this mom are 27 by 15 by 15 inches. That’s over 6,000 cubic inches, and it’s not even the most important bag Pink Oxx presents. On this case although, I really feel like this measurement is in regards to the most sensible for something I do. If I had a much bigger bag, I’d be tempted to stuff that one too, but it surely’d find yourself being too heavy to elevate or carry with out throwing out my again.

I used to have a gear room stuffed with black packs to the purpose the place it was arduous to inform them aside. These days, once I purchase a pack I search for every other shade than black. One of many issues I really like about Pink Oxx Manufacturing is how I can order any of their baggage in considered one of 13 colours, together with an obnoxious (in a great way) vibrant blaze orange or a beautiful vibrant blue (they name the colour Mariner). On this case, I purchased the Sherpa Jr. in a limited-edition lime inexperienced shade, in order that I might discover my gear simply even when it was thrown into the again of a tractor trailer with comparable baggage strewn throughout it.

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I personal seven different baggage from Pink Oxx. Nothing they make is cheap (the Sherpa Jr. is $335), however the construct high quality is simply ranges above what I’m used to seeing from comparable objects manufactured in abroad factories in Vietnam or Bangladesh. Pink Oxx’s manufacturing facility is in Billings, Montana, and is owned by veterans with a background in parachute rigging, in order that they know greater than somewhat bit about constructing gear you may depend upon.

Pink Oxx Sherpa Jr. Expedition Collection

MSRP
$335

URL
www.redoxx.com

Child Packs

I’ve lined the contents of my smaller 5.11 RUSH72 in Issue 52 of RECOIL OFFGRID and 5.11 RUSH12 pack in Issue 48. I’m in a position to have these packs absolutely loaded after which simply drop them into the Sherpa Jr., though typically I’ll depart these packs empty and simply load the objects individually till I’ve a greater thought of what the mission profile will appear like.

Cumbersome Protecting Gear

New for this hurricane season, I’ve been in a position to transition to the lighter and way more snug SAR Tactical Helmet made by Crew Wendy. It’s superb how a lot much less cranky I’m once I don’t have any stress factors boring into my head. I additionally deliver a ridiculously heavy pair of Honeywell Technical Rescue Boots, which offer me the quiet consolation of understanding that, even when I’m going down in a helicopter crash and my physique is transformed to charcoal briquet standing, my ft will nonetheless be pink, tender, and intact contained in the boot’s protecting shell. It’s the little issues that rely.

“New” Drone Expertise

Most individuals are stunned once I inform them that by way of superior know-how to find and rescue victims, what we used on the Surfside (Champlain Tower) condominium collapse in Miami in 2021 was largely the identical know-how that my predecessors used following the Sept. 11 assaults on the World Commerce Heart and the Pentagon in 2001. My main surveying tools to observe the soundness of the constructing was a decades-old, manually managed Whole Station, which didn’t even know how you can speak to a pc. In distinction, the Israeli Protection Forces (IDF) engineers, despatched to the collapse due to the big proportion of Jewish residents contained in the constructing and group, had extra superior know-how and strategies than anybody else.

I take advantage of a drone on a weekly foundation for my “day job” as a structural engineer, and was able to deliver it all the way down to Surfside, however was advised that that they had loads of drones there, I’d find a way see no matter I wanted with a radio name. So naturally, I by no means had entry to a drone whereas I used to be there. Like my associates within the army can in all probability relate to, shut air help by no means appears to be there once you want it most. So now I deliver my DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Drone with its onboard thermal digital camera for each deployment, and I stuff the large heavy field into my Pink Oxx Sherpa Jr. bag and simply take care of the additional weight, as a result of I’m by no means going to have that exact drawback once more.

Making Room For Psychological Well being

I’ve all the time discovered it useful to tuck in some fully pointless private objects, however my psychologist buddy Dr. Meg Fitzpatrick, PsyD NCSP, helped me verbalize it and put a reputation to it for the primary time. She first steered a Psychological Well being Go Bag to tuck into my different package. That is largely simply stuff that’s going to make me really feel higher and — critically — do my greatest to really unplug through the few off-hours that we get. Mine consists of scrumptious meals that received’t spoil and refuels my physique, typically a field of Honey Stinger Nut + Seed Bars.

I’ll additionally add packets of prompt micro-ground espresso, so I can really feel human once more with a caffeine enhance even when I’ve nothing greater than a lukewarm bottle of water to combine it with. Apart from that, I throw in my new Sitka Ambient Hoody that weighs virtually nothing however continues to be toasty heat. In contrast to the remainder of my issued gear, that are largely cotton blends, it dries shortly when moist.

I high these off with little pattern sizes of one thing that smells actually good. The catch is that it must be a brand new scent and likewise a scent that I’m snug abandoning and by no means smelling once more after the deployment, to keep away from pointless triggering. After all, there are some triggers you’ll by no means get away from, but it surely’s good to have the ability to at the very least decrease them going ahead.

I hope this Pink Oxx duffel provides you some good packing concepts to your personal adventures. Discovering good gear is like discovering good associates, particularly as you become old. It’s few and much between, however when you get it you’ve acquired it for all times.

Concerning the Writer

Andrew Schrader is a licensed skilled engineer, industrial pilot and City Search and Rescue (US&R) specialist. He has been deployed by the State of Florida for 4 separate hurricane occasions, in addition to the Surfside (Champlain Towers) condominium in 2021. He’s the lead Constructions Specialist for the State of Florida’s US&R Activity Drive. Discover him on Instagram at @reconresponse.

Written by Andrew Schrader