Better load bearing Aid Bag

I'm currently deployed in Afghanistan and looking for a better way to carry both my medical equipment and my mission gear. Things like extra water, ammo, mre's, poncho.

My unit issued the simple configuration of this BDS aid bag:

http://www.bdstacticalgear.com/prod_...e/CTAB_New.jpg
http://www.bdstacticalgear.com/pd-co...-medic-bag.cfm

In order to carry mission equipment, I added this pack to the face of the aid bag:

http://www.tacticaltailor.com/images...G_1080_350.jpg
http://www.tacticaltailor.com/remova...ratorpack.aspx

it works for a short movement, but not enough storage space to carry the needed quantities of water and mre's for a long movement. and it sure as hell won't hold any configuration of a sleeping system.

i have the armor back Camelbak in between the aid bag and the operator pack. works well for water on the go and very easy to move onto other molle surfaces.

http://www.camelbak.com/Military-Tac...300.ashx?h=518
http://www.camelbak.com/Military-Tac.../Armorbak.aspx

The biggest issue is the hands-going-numb effect of a very lack luster shoulder strap system. a temporary solution we came up with is strapping the BDS aid bag to the frame of the Large Molle Rucksack. This, however, involves removing the ruck sack itself from the frame.

I looked at some Mystery Ranch and Kifaru options. I want something that is designed to hold BOTH medical equipment and mission equipment.

MR has a cargo carrying system I think I can work with:

http://www.mysteryranch.com/core/med...8a17e9c59c6fee
http://www.mysteryranch.com/s.nl/c.9...=7&category=50

I can use the BDS aid bag I have and cram it down the middle. With a large stuff sack pouch from MR in the bottom for my sleep system, it leaves my aid bag accessible. Add to this the NICE Daypack Lid, I think there is a reasonably successful aid bag set up.

http://www.mysteryranch.com/core/med...e7fa264f23efde

Now this all sounds good on paper, but I won't know the quirks to this set up until I have been dragging it across the desert here. Does anyone have any words of wisdom on how to manage my load across varied terrain?

One thing you can do is have each member of your platoon carry a small/medium sized bag of LR instead of you carrying all the fluids. With a little re-configuring, this can be made to fit in the IFAK. Our SOP was to remove the tourniquet from the IFAK to make this work. Each soldier carried two tourniquets, one in the right ankle pocket and one attached somewhere to the outside of their kit (no SOP as long as it was visible). This allowed the medic to add the LR and a package of the new "Combat Gauze" to everybody's IFAK...with the added advantage of lightening his load and allowing him to carry his own sustainment items.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by a0cake

One thing you can do is have each member of your platoon carry a small/medium sized bag of LR instead of you carrying all the fluids. With a little re-configuring, this can be made to fit in the IFAK. Our SOP was to remove the tourniquet from the IFAK to make this work. Each soldier carried two tourniquets, one in the right ankle pocket and one attached somewhere to the outside of their kit (no SOP as long as it was visible). This allowed the medic to add the LR and a package of the new "Combat Gauze" to everybody's IFAK...with the added advantage of lightening his load and allowing him to carry his own sustainment items.

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sounds good. we do this on and off depending on the mission, but i will look into modifying the ifak. i'm assuming it was a 500mL bag of fluid.

Forgot to mention that my unit did some testing for Mystery Ranch. I've carried a number of their packs in training and when it counts. They are quality. However, my opinion, and the general consensus among all involved in testing, was that the BVS did not work as advertised with our plate carriers. Non-BVS frames were almost universally preferred. While Mystery Ranch provides a great product, Granite Tactical and Kifaru packs and rucks were what made the final cut for most individuals.

I did the same; have each platoon member carry their own bag of LR. As for numb arms, are you using a belt? If you re-pack things, and re-distribute weight and mass, can you shift the load to your hips instead of shoulders?