Help me complete my Bug-Out Bag!

[Guest SUNTZU]

I've tried the sterno before. It took forever to get water to boil. Trioxane (can you tell I really like this stuff) boils water with a quickness. Its also heavy, and can leak in your pack.

Get a trashbag for collecting rainwater, more surface area catches more rain. The thermos is bulky and heavy.

Something else I have in my pack is a folding pruning saw. Its lighter than a hatchet, takes up little space, and makes quick work of fallen limbs for navigating through brush to your campsite.

On the compasses, the pin on compasses are just for a quick check of direction while traveling. Get a decent compass for use with your map, preferably one each, and PRACTICE.

Tape the seams of your raingear. They'll last longer.

[creeky]

Survival starts in your noggin, not in your gear.

SUNTZU has it covered really well. But this stood out to me as the most important. (I do backpack a little when I can. I don't have BOB though.)

What you have inside your head is most important. I would suggest try backpacking some. Because that is basically what you would be doing. Great way to test both gear and yourself.

Every time I backpack I find better ways to pack, and improvise gear better.

I also know my personal limits. 35lbs on my back with my internal frame pack is all I really need. I can average about 2.5 miles up hill an hour. I see guys posting on Zombie Squad's Forum on BOB's It always tickles me to see guys loaded down with 50 lbs of gear and they look like they would have a rough time carrying bags from the grocery store to their car! LOL!!

I can live for three days and three nights in the smokies with my gear I use for backpacking. I always thought of a BOB as a 72 hour kit of sorts. something to get you from "A" to "B"... know where "b" would be... I have NO idea! LOL!

(*Remember, I don't even have a BOB. )

[Guest 70below]

I've tried the sterno before. It took forever to get water to boil. Trioxane (can you tell I really like this stuff) boils water with a quickness. Its also heavy, and can leak in your pack.

I'm a big fan of trioxane too, its great stuff, it makes starting a fire almost too easy. I break it into small chunks for quick firestarter, particularly when the wood is a bit damp. It does a a good job of heating water or toasting a PB&J sandwich.....mmmmm

[TNTitan]

what about a light machete or small axe? worthwhile addition?

[Guest SUNTZU]

I personally prefer the folding saw. I use a heavy fixed blade knife for any heavy cutting that the saw can't handle.

Creeky is right as to knowing where the hell your going to go...otherwise, your just a well packed refugee.

Back to trioxane...again...I've started fires in the rain using wet wood. I basically dug into the wood to expose the relatively dry inner wood with my knife and saw and put those face down hanging over the trioxane. And then I wasn't so miserably cold.

[56FordGuy]

what about a light machete or small axe? worthwhile addition?

Maybe? I may have missed it, but what exactly are we preparing for? Natural disasters? Zombies? Evacuation to civilization elsewhere, or the end of civilization?

If you're planning to bug out to a zombie free camp in the woods, a hatchet or machete might be worthwhile, but you might be able to just keep one at your planned destination. If you're just trying to get out of town or out of state to an unaffected town or area, maybe not. Are we walking, or is there a vehicle, even if only for a limited distance? It's hard to prepare for every possible eventuality, and end up with a BOB smaller than a semi truck. I'd try to narrow down what the realistic possibilities and options are, then build my BOB from there.

[Guest SUNTZU]

My BOB is geared toward a standard OH ****, Run like a mother****er event, such as fire, flood, tornado, snow, ice, and yetis. Yetis, man, they freak me out.

A BOB isn't supposed to cover every contingency. You aren't going to be living out of it for months. Its something to get you through the bad time and so you're not one of the Weather Channels sodden few staring into the distance saying, "I don't know what we're going to do." while in your pajamas and holding a busted picture of grandma and grandpa while the newscaster is jamming a microphone in your face for ratings. Don't be that guy.

[TNTitan]

Yetis are my primary concern.

[Mark@Sea]

SunTzu hit the nail on the head with the personal documents. Thumbdrive is a great idea. Gonna use that myself.

Prioritize requirements, pack to suit.

First Aid, shelter, water, food, defense.

You can go a while with a cut, burn, scrape or bite, but if it gets infected, you're in trouble.

You can go a while in rain/high winds - unless the temperature drops, then you have hours. (Tarp and sleeping bag, at least). You don't have to take a tent, if you know how to put together a good shelter.

You can go a couple days or more without water, but it is your next immediate need. You can't carry enough with you, so get a water filter, and a couple canteens each.

4 MRE's will keep you both going a couple days. Have a way to heat water (I don't care for sterno stoves either, but I collect hiking stoves, it isn't really an issue). You can't burn a wood fire in your shelter for warmth or cooking, but you can with a small hiking stove (mine use gasoline, same as my small lanterns).

• Small first aid kit (antiseptic, bandages, needle, thread, aspirin, etc.) (Include neosporin, iodine, something for anaphylactic shock if you are alergic to bees, etc. Forget 'snake bite' kits).
  
• Glock 21, Taurus PT145, Ruger SP-101 (100 rds .45, 50 rds .38) ( 1 pistol each, common ammo, and a breakdown .22 rifle. )
  
• 8 cans of chef boyardee, 8 cans of tunafish (cans heavy, MRE's light - and more calories)
  
• Water tablets (enough for 50 liters) (Get a filter, as discussed)
  
• 1 portable camp stove with two 8-hour sterno cans (see discussion above)
  
• 2 8 hour emergency candles & 2 lighters (keep the lighters, get a gas lantern, or a wind-up led lantern - candles don't light for doodly. Each carry an LED flashlight)
  
• 1 Magnesium Flint & striker (nah, bic lighters will do you fine - triox tabs for firestarting)
  
• 50 Feet of Nylon Rope (swap it for paracord unless you plan to do some climbing)
  

And for sanitys' sake, take a deck of cards.

I'd personally carry a cold steel kukri - it is lighter, and can stand in for a hand axe. Definitely carry a sharpening device. Carry a folding shovel, for when doody calls.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Hehe...he said doody.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Yetis are my primary concern.

You're MILES ahead of all the other guys, then. OH SHOOT doesn't even believe in yetis...that's okay, though, because the yetis believe in him.

[56FordGuy]

My BOB is geared toward a standard OH ****, Run like a mother****er event, such as fire, flood, tornado, snow, ice, and yetis. Yetis, man, they freak me out.

After much consideration, I'm 'bugging in' in most of those situations. The only one that would necessitate leaving right now would be a wildfire, and I don't know that there's ever been one even close to where I am. Even then, I'm not planning to go right now with 80 pounds of dried rice, I'm thinking important paperwork (vehicle titles, insurance info, bank statements, etc...) and enough cash and fuel to get me to an unaffected area. Couple of hundred miles should do it, with a destination already arranged.

As for the yeti, I think my zombie plans are close enough to work.

One thing I will note, though, is any of those events will be highly unordinary, and naturally highly stressful. Have something 'normal' on hand. It may sound dumb, but it's a great idea to have some 'indulgence' that seems normal. Chocolate bars and chewing gum are always good. It sounds dumb, but something common and even a bit trivial can make all the difference to keep someone (even yourself) from panicking and making a bad situation worse.

Edited September 13, 2009 by 56FordGuy

[Guest SUNTZU]

As far as shelter goes, I use an Equinox ripstop silicone impregnated nylon tarp. I bought a Big Agnes sleeping bag and use an inflatable Thermarest pad that fits into the bottom of the sleeping bag in its own sleeve...no rolling off onto the frozen ground = good. I used this setup last December in the Smokies when there was freezing rain then snow. I was toasty.

One other thing I would suggest bringing with you. Nescafe instant coffee strips. Great for wintertime. I mix mine with hot chocolate and forget about the yetis for awhile.

Zombies aren't any fun. GAME OVER, man, Game over! Especially those Olympic sprinting zombies. Screw that.

[Guest H0TSH0T]

what about a light machete or small axe? worthwhile addition?

a machete is not necessary if you have a good thick blade survival knife but would be a better option over an axe.

the axe is to heavy and not as versatile and you will use more energy than you think. even the light weight Gerber camp axe, plus you will have to keep it very sharp.

i would stick to fallen branches or trees for wood , not go cut a fresh one unless i really needed it for a shelter, but i would recommend a pocket chain saw. here is a link.Supreme Products Pocket Chainsaw - Military Version [pocketchainsaw] - $18.99 : Going Gear, Gearing you up for the outdoors

and not worry about any folding saw or wire saw, as you can see in the video it is compact, and works really well, and light weight.

Edited September 13, 2009 by H0TSH0T

[Guest SUNTZU]

I've tried the pocket chainsaw. The pruning saw was lighter and easier to use, IMO.

[56FordGuy]

For a portable saw, I like the SawVivor. Ran into some folks backpacking that had one, I was very impressed.

Trailblazer Sawvivor Saw, 47440 | Camp Tools | Knives & Tools | GEAR | items from Campmor.

[Moped]

The Government is another thing we should all consider. In case of a SHTF situation. You all know the Government is is going to clamp down with Marshall law like we saw in New Orleans. We all need to consider what we will do if that happens. We may not be as free to move around as we'd like to think.

If your heading to a particular place, think about all the obstacles that are between you and where you are going. If there are check points, a vehicle might not be the best thing to get around in. Assume that the roads are blocked with national guard troops. Now how are you going to get there? Are there large creeks and rivers between you and where you are going? How do you get around them if it's the winter time?

BTW, another good item that should go in a bug out kit is a small mirror with a hook or wire on it. Also a map book of the state of Tennessee. A book is smaller and stays together better than just a roll of maps. You might want one for each pack if you are in a group.

[Guest redbarron06]

You got a good start but need more FA items. For one a quality touriquet. one on each pack on the outside where you can get to it quickly. Some material to build splints if needed. You can always cut sticks but using vines for straps is not as easy as holly wood makes it look like. Add some Immodium AD. Serious changes of diet can do funny things to your innerds. Last thing you need is a bad case and a hard time getting water.

Ditch the tuna and caned anything. Stay away from MRE's as they increase the need for water. Look into USCG approved marine emergency rations. Lots of calories in small pacakges and designed not to increase the amount of water that you need to intake in order to digest because they are desigend to be in life rafts. The are much smaller and lighter. Check out Datrex Blue Ration 3600 kcal / USCG-SOLAS 3600 calories each and wrapped individually in 200 cal bars. I think they run about 4 each and you can order an entire case of 20. They are good for 5 years from date of manufature. MREs are only good for 3.

Also think bad weather. We get some bad rains here in TN. Take the clothes and vac pack them with something like a foodsaver. It keep everything dry also removes a bunch of space and remimber when cloth gets wet it gets heavy. ounces = pounds and pounds equal = pain if you are humping it. You can take a full set of clothes for one day and vac it into the space of about a shave kit. Also remimber things like soap, toothbrush, and toothpaste. being stuck in the boonies for a few days and a bath in the creek and cleaning the fangs can go along way for morale.

If you are looking at eating wild life look into getting a few feet of snare wire. much easier to set out 10 or 15 traps and let them do the hunting for you. In addition you are going to be able to prepair a tree rat or a rabbit easier and faster than a leg of bambi.

Add a boy scout manual. Knowing the scout promise wont help you much you can use that page to help start fires but the knots, shelters, and game trapping can go along way.

Cant have too much 550 cord or duct tape.

Take all of the books and vac pack them seperatly. Keep them dry.

TP. Dont want to be wiping any privates with poison ivy now do we. Small shovel like a army "e" tool. Many different uses.

As far as water make sure you have a few ways to carry and gather water. filters and tabs are both good. You said you had enough tabs for 50 liters, well do you have a contaner that is measured in liters? The camel back bladders come in 1,2, and 3 liters sizes. You can also get filters (inline and pump through style) for the baldders. Make sure to get a pack for each of you that is bladder compatable. If I had to bug out the first thing I would do is fill my bladders on each pack as water is going to be needed within a few minutes of walking at a brisk pace especially with a load or across anything other than good terrain. The bladders make if very easy to drink on the move without having to dig anything out or messing with 2 handed containers.

Rifle wise something as simple as a lever action Marlin or Winchester chambered in in common caliber should do you.

Trioxine is the bomb, starts quick, burns hot. But you have to wash your hands after handleing it.

Devide everything between the packs equally as you can. If you only have the chance to grab one you will have at least half of what you need. Dont want to have teh tuna in one pack and the can opener in the other, know what I am saying.

Break you plan into time lines and plan for each.

What do I need for the first 72 hours? Most of this should be carried.

What do I need for more than 72 hours? Now I need to be thinking about tools to make a longer term situation. If you are going to try to be self suffiecient for 6 weeks then you may even want to fit a couple of books in there for the down time. If you are religious may want to thrown a bible in there (vac packed or at least in a zip lock). Make some space for the things that are going to keep you in a possitive mental attitude. Any survival situation will ultimatly come down to maintaining the "Will to Survive"

Dont forget any medications that you may be on for serious conditions. I would hit the road in a heart beat without my cholestrol meds but I would not think of leaving the house without an eppi pen if my wife or child were allergic to stings. On that subject review the ingrediants of anyting you take for food allergies. Dont want a bunch of MRE penut butter if you are allergic to peanuts.

[Guest MCRAIG]

I assume by "stove" he means "pot holder stove" that fuel goes down inside. Could use tinywood fire in it. Like:

Even better, I have a Grilliput Grill, a nice approx 8x10 free standing grill that all goes in a 12" long 3/4" diameter metal tube. Weighs little over a pound, but with wood fire/coals under it, you can cook with pan/skillet, or just grill that ole possum you shot.

- OS

Where can I get one of the wire stoves and how much do they cost, that little feller is just ingenious...like toilet paper for a toilet.

[Guest Muttling]

Salt, garlic powder, and Tobasco.

Even MRE's can be made to taste good with one or all of those.

[BBill_TN]

Where can I get one of the wire stoves and how much do they cost, that little feller is just ingenious...like toilet paper for a toilet.

It is called the Grilliput. You can google it and find it in many places under that name. REI used to have them but are sold out at the moment. I have had one of these on my list for canoeing/kayaking for a couple of years...when I checked on them then, they were only sold through one website (guess it was the inventor); now apparently they are everywhere. Used to be available in two sizes on that old site...but now I only see one size.

Darn nifty invention.

[Guest tnvolfan]

For those of you interested in the Grilliput, Campmor currently has this item on sale for $19.97 "while they last." You can order off the net at this URL:

Camping Gear - Discount Clothing, Outdoor Gear & Camping Equipment - Top Brands including North Face & Columbia Sportswear

Best Regards to all,

TNVolFan

[BBill_TN]

For those of you interested in the Grilliput, Campmor currently has this item on sale for $19.97 "while they last." You can order off the net at this URL:

Camping Gear - Discount Clothing, Outdoor Gear & Camping Equipment - Top Brands including North Face & Columbia Sportswear

Best Regards to all,

TNVolFan

Thanks for the link. I can also recommend campmor as a good place to shop. Have ordered several hundred dollars of camping stuff in the past and had good customer service and turnaround time. They even offered to match a price on a sleeping bag that was out of stock at another online retailer.

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

[MacGyver]

Hotshot's mention of the mini chainsaw is a great one. It will rip through a 4 inch log in seconds. In addition to that, though you need a larger fixed blade knife. I always remember what one of my first survival instructors told me - You can always do a small knife job with a big knife, but you can never do a big knife job with a small knife.

Your brand and preference may vary. I personally perfer the R5-5 from Jeff Randall at RAT Cutlery.

[nightrunner]

I always remember what one of my first survival instructors told me - You can always do a small knife job with a big knife, but you can never do a big knife job with a small knife.

ABSOLUTELY!