*Bug Out Carrier*
By: Hawkeye
6 May 2004

I thought that I needed something to help me carry heavy loads through the bush. It could be to carry a prize deer after a great hunt, maybe it could be to carry much bug out material to remote areas or even to carry out a wounded human from hard to reach remote areas. Instead of pack sacking everything on my back, with this carrier I can carry much heavier loads as well as carry it much more easily. I thought of building a stretcher then my thoughts progressed to adding a wheel to save a lot of energy while carrying the load and to finally, include a tarp fashioned in a hammock style to carry the load more safely.

I built the unit with ½” galvanized steel pipe (regular type). I took two pieces 10 feet long and bent them in a vise so that they would form a “V” shape (bottom of the “V” is where the wheel fits) and then I bent the two top extremities to bring them horizontal -(for handles where my hands fit). I then welded in between the two handle ends small angle irons (bed frame angle irons - very sturdy and light - I had these already). These pieces of angle iron form a rectangular shape - the top part of the carrier. All the parts are welded together. I then purchased a wheelbarrow wheel from a supply shop ($25.00 Canadian). This included the axle and the axle fasteners for each side of the axle. I welded a small angle iron on the bottom of the “V” shaped ½” tubing and fastened the wheelbarrow wheel to these small angle irons using regular ¼” bolts. I also welded a brace on each side from the wheel to the top angle iron as well as a crosser above the wheel - to solidify everything.

Voila! The frame is all built. All that was left to do was to install a tarp (hammock) to carry the load in. I used a small pieces of wood ½” by 1½” by 6 feet long for each side and another one the width of the carrier for the ends. I rolled a few inches of tarp around it and screwed the whole all around the top into the pieces of angle iron that were already welded together at the top of the carrier. This is solid and the tarp can’t rip away.

The carrier is all finished. The carrier can be used by only one man as the top picture shows (just like a wheelbarrow) but is much more effective with two men (lower picture) who carry it like a stretcher. The wheel usually carries the whole load but when a dead tree or any other object is encountered in the way, the two men simply lift the whole carrier over the object. If only one man uses it he can load the carrier by letting one set of handle down on the ground as the above picture shows.

The carrier is very light (I estimate maybe 30 pounds) but we have hauled so far a 260 pound man in it. No problem! We could also build this carrier twice as long to carry a canoe or boat and we could carry all the gear simultaneously. It should be easy to navigate through the bush with the unit. It is the same width as the width of a man. I also should not get tired near as much as if I had to carry everything on my back in my BOB. It might not be quite as fast moving through the bush as just having one man with a BOB but we carry a lot more load than can be carried in a BOB.

Here’s the builder trying it out. Beware, this can lead to a little snooze!!!!
Hawkeye



www.alpharubicon.com
All materials at this site not otherwise credited are Copyright © 1996 - 2004 Trip Williams. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for personal use only. Use of any material contained herein is subject to stated terms or written permission.