Help me complete my Bug-Out Bag!

[Guest canynracer]

I would add a lever action .357...and more ammo for the revolvers/lever action.

[Oh Shoot]

... And not mentioned above but they have a compact firebowl accessory for true leave no trace use.

Yeah, if using charcoal, or just maybe moving hot coals from another fire, the firebowl is pretty nifty:

[Oh Shoot]

Thanks for the link. I can also recommend campmor as a good place to shop...

I've bought from them also. Not always the cheapest place for all items, but they have things just can't seem to find anywhere else.

- OS

[Guest eyebedam]

Did you have condoms on the list? If you end up living I'm the wild for a good while you don't wanna get your lady pregnant.

[TNTitan]

Did you have condoms on the list? If you end up living I'm the wild for a good while you don't wanna get your lady pregnant.

hmm. well - if its TEOTWAWKI then perhaps I should create my own army?

[Moped]

It's all fun and games until the baby arrives. Then you'd better have a good grasp on first aid and be settled down somewhere!

Lawsy, Miss Scarlet! I don't know nothin' bout birthing no babies!!!

That's a good point Eyebedam! God that Avatar of yours is killing my brain! That thing is just so wrong on so many levels!!!

[Paletiger13]

Don't forget to get some good drinking whiskey. You may have to get drunk or get someone drunk to kill pain and perform stitches or makeshift surgery

[Guest fdx28]

My .02 on saws or machetes - The Gerber Gator combo axe is a pretty nice addition to any bug out pack.

GerberGear > Product Details > Gator Axe II

[Guest Mugster]

I'd forget all that stuff and pack my diploma's, ID, resume, medical records, insurance records, and as much cash as I can muster. With that I can get a job (hopefully) in any city if murfreesboro gets blown off the map.

In a zombie-like swine-flu induced outbreak type of situation...I'm heading for the mall. I might be able to hold em off from there. Plus, thats where the shoe stores are. Thus...thats where the surviving women will be.

Edited September 18, 2009 by Mugster

[Paletiger13]

^^^ what he said. And alchohol lol and condoms and more condoms hehehe

[nightrunner]

for a true BOB, depends on if you are just getting away until its safe to come back or get to the bug-out location. or if its more of an INCH(im never coming home) bag. INCH bag needs tools to build a cabin or similar, food and water for 1-2weeks +++, and most importantly, a PLAN of what you are going to do or where you are going to go.

[GoVols]

Wow maybe I need to create a bug out bag. I have places where these things are but never put them together as if I needed to leave asap. Hmmm. Kinda cool. How many of you have these packs?

[Paletiger13]

Still workin on mine

[Guest emaho44]

Water is #1 in survival situations. Check out the "Survival Straw" at an outfit called

www.campingsurvival.com It weighs next to nothing and, if the claims are to be believed, outperforms boiling, tablets of filtering. Interesting concept. I got one for each of my kids because they don't geem to get the idea that ****'s gonna hit the fan, sooner than they think.

[Guest redbarron06]

Straws are fine but it takes a lot of sucking to get enough water to cook beans. I have an inline filter for camelbak bladders. Also have iodine tabs and forward osmosis bags. You can also build filters out of charcoal sand and some cylinder to hold it like a sock.

[TNTitan]

Ok well.. I sure am glad I started this thread. I had no idea I would get such a great response. Ive certainly learned alot, and received some VERY generous PM offers. Thanks so much, guys.

I think I have finalized my BOB list (for now) and I wanted to post it here for others to read. This is a compilation of some of the collected wisdom in this thread. I think SUNTZU said it best, "Survival starts in your noggin, not in your gear." As such, I have gone over emergency plans with my family, backed up documents, agreed upon rally points, and soon will begin field training (camping) with the wife.

This thread was not designed to address complete disaster preparedness, but rather the contents of a good survival bag. The focus of my bag has changed to some degree since I started. Actually I now have two bags. One is a smaller 72 hour bag and the other is my primary Big BOB which should last at least 6 weeks - I thinks its going to be just under 40lbs and I can carry that no problem. The Big BOB is a backpack.. if I grab that, I'm grabbing my tent and -40F sleeping bag and Im out the door. Wife has her smaller bag to carry. Everything that can be vacuum sealed, clothes, first aid, etc will be, Redbarron06 made a great point about the benefits of vacuum sealing.

Here is whats in the Big BOB (or soon will be):

• Water (7 700ml bottles)
  
• Shelter (Roll Tent & two 8X10 tarps)
  
• First Aid
  
  • Tourniquets, gauze dressings, non stick pads
    
  • Antiseptic, Neosporin, Alcohol, wetwipes
    
  • Bandages, moleskin & Band-Aids
    
  • Personal Medications, sunscreen, bugspray
    
  • Pepto Tabs, Motrin, Visine, Lipbalm, Anti-itch
    
  • Needle, Thread
    

  [*]Food

  • Slim Tuna & Salmon pouches
    
  • Cliff energy Bars
    

  [*]Defense

  • Two .45 ACP Pistols, mags & ammo
    
  • Marlin 30-30, scope and ammo
    

  [*]Change of clothes (1 per person, changed seasonally)

  [*]Several pairs of heavy duty socks

  [*]Small LED headband flashlights (1 per person)

  [*]Impermeable Rain Poncho (1 per person)

  [*]Mylar Blanket (1 per person)

  [*]Toilet paper, soap, girl hygiene and necessary toiletries

  [*]2 Swiss army knifes (goes in our pockets immediately)

  [*]Large survival knife and small sharpening stone

  [*]FOX Whistle & Signal mirror (1 per person)

  [*]Water filtration (Charcoal Thermos & water tablets)

  [*]Small Camp Stove / Portable grill

  [*]Trioxane Trioxane Trioxane!

  [*]Bic lighters & small Flint

  [*]Paracord

  [*]Portable Hand Generated AM/FM Radio

  [*]Duct tape (credit card roll) & Electrical tape

  [*]Work Gloves (1 pair per person)

  [*]Wool cap (1 per person)

  [*]Superglue

  [*]Aluminum Foil (4 ft folded per person)

  [*]Zip Lock baggies & Plastic Trashbags

  [*]Compass (1 per person, and know how to use)

  [*]Bible & Prayer Book

  [*]Laminated Topo Map of Middle TN

  [*]Cash in small bills and some pocket change

  [*]Copies of Important documents & emergency plan

  [*]Spare Keys (car, house)

  [*]Small game snares

  [*]Small Survival manual and photo book of edible plants in TN

  [*]Playing Cards

  [*]Condoms

  [*]Small bottle of Scotch

  [*]Salt & Cavenders

  [*]Instant Coffee Strips

I'm probably not done tweaking, but that is a much more complete list then when I started.

Edited October 3, 2009 by TNTitan

[Guest SUNTZU]

I forget who said it but Immodium AD is a must have to avoid monkey butt. You can always carry monkey butt powder, but I'd add Immodium AD (loperamide is the generic). Walgreen's has the little chapstick sized tubes for ALEVE and other pills. I use one of these to carry loperamide.

Get a SOG multitool or Leatherman to carry on your belt. Handy little bastard. Great list!

Take a notebook (I use Rite in the Rain) and pencil camping and start figuring what you need/don't need or can make do with other stuff to lighten your load or that you really oughtta/shoulda/wished you had.

Big Bob = INCH (I'm Never Coming Home)

[TNTitan]

yea.. i like the pepto pills over immodium... but the anti crotch rot powder is a nice idea.

[dariks]

• Water (7 700ml bottles)
  
• Small Survival manual and photo book of edible plants in TN

Wouldn't it be easier (less weight and room taken up) to carry 1 bottle of water and then a portable ceramic water filter to get more water on the move?

I would be interested in a small photo book of edible plants for TN. If you find a source let me know.

[TNTitan]

Wouldn't it be easier (less weight and room taken up) to carry 1 bottle of water and then a portable ceramic water filter to get more water on the move?

I would be interested in a small photo book of edible plants for TN. If you find a source let me know.

I was with you at first..... Read through the whole thread. Carrying some water is recommended several times. I guess its supposed to cover you until you can get more on the move. I'm only carrying 1.3 gallons which according to survival experts isnt even enough for 2 people for 1 day.

Regarding the book, I bought Edible Wild Plants & Useful Herbs by Jim Meuninck on Ebay for $5. Its small, with nice big photos and fits in my bag nicely.

[Guest redbarron06]

Why would you carry 7 bottles of water rather than something like a hydration bladder with a capacity of 100oz (3000ML). Each of you can carry one bladder and now you are just about 50 oz short of your 2 gal? Besides that bottles require 2 hands to open and drink where a bladder system does not even slow you down? This is why the military has pretty much gotten away from canteens.

[TNTitan]

Why would you carry 7 bottles of water rather than something like a hydration bladder with a capacity of 100oz (3000ML). Each of you can carry one bladder and now you are just about 50 oz short of your 2 gal? Besides that bottles require 2 hands to open and drink where a bladder system does not even slow you down? This is why the military has pretty much gotten away from canteens.

bladder or camelbak may be a good option im sure. I got bottles in there now because they are easy to get and store for 2 years. I thought you had to keep bladders stored dry?

Edited September 25, 2009 by TNTitan

[Guest redbarron06]

bladder or camelbak may be a good option im sure. I got bottles in there now because they are easy to get and store for 2 years. I thought you had to keep bladders stored dry?

yes you store them dry but it takes no time at all to fill them up. You can also get inline filters for them so if later down the road you have to take water from a natural course it will be filtered.

[TNTitan]

yes you store them dry but it takes no time at all to fill them up. You can also get inline filters for them so if later down the road you have to take water from a natural course it will be filtered.

id feel really dumb if i had to "bug out" and there was no water to fill my bladder! maybe bottles and a bladder are a good combo. damn... now i gotta pee.

[Guest redbarron06]

id feel really dumb if i had to "bug out" and there was no water to fill my bladder! maybe bottles and a bladder are a good combo. damn... now i gotta pee.

There is always water to fill the bladder. Just becuse it stops coming out of the sink dont mean it aint there. Most hot water heaters have drains at the bottom of them. This water gets swapped all the time. You could still have a couple of gallon jugs in the garage. if you wanted to go that route.