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Bug-Out Bag | |
October 12th, 2018 | |
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I promised that I would revisit my current bug-out bag and here | |
I am to follow through. Much of this was first outlined on my web | |
blog and the gear remains much the same. I've augmented some | |
things, added some new stuff, cut back on others. Let's dive in! | |
________ ___ | |
/_ __/ / ___ / _ )___ ____ _ | |
/ / / _ \/ -_) / _ / _ `/ _ `/ | |
/_/ /_//_/\__/ /____/\_,_/\_, / | |
/___/ | |
Somewhere along the way I scored a free ign.com branded gym bag. | |
It's made of a heavy duty material and almost feels like a bag for | |
a bowling ball. It holds everyhing on the list below (just | |
barely). There may be a time to come where I'll need to upgrade. | |
I'm considering moving to a pelican case for added protection, but | |
it will also add to the weight. | |
__ ___ ____ _ __ | |
/ |/ /__ ___/ / /__ (_) /_ | |
/ /|_/ / -_) _ / '_// / __/ | |
/_/ /_/\__/\_,_/_/\_\/_/\__/ | |
Why have one when you can have two (or 11)? I have the most | |
redundency in my medical kit selection. | |
- Swiss Safe Premium First Aid 200 Piece | |
This thing has a lot of the basics: cotton swabs, bandages, | |
alcohol wipes, antiseptic wipes, sting relief pads, PVC gloves, | |
tape, moleskin, scissors, CPR facemask, a trauma pad, emergency | |
whistle, compass, sewing kit, and so on. This is a base-line for | |
first aid. It also has a little first aid guide in there, though | |
I have a better one. | |
- Emergency First Aid - A Pocket Naturalist Guide | |
This is a folded, waterproof pamphlet outlining the basics on | |
a number of first aid scenarios. Primary responses to water | |
hazards, vehicle accidents, lightning, leaking gas or smoke, | |
rescue breathing, CPR, choking, shock, eye injury, burns, | |
poisoning... you get the idea. It packs a lot of info into | |
a very small space. While I am comfortable in pretty much | |
everything on the list, my wife isn't and neither is my son. If | |
something were to happen and I were not around or incapacitated, | |
I can trust that they have access to the basic info. | |
- ZET Rapid Spinning Tourniquet | |
I squeeze this little guy inside the Swiss Safe kit to save on | |
space. Hoping I won't need it. | |
- MTM Survivor Dry Box with O-Ring Seal | |
My secondary and more serious medical kit all sits within the | |
nearly indestructable and completely waterproof MTM case. Pretty | |
hardcore? Not yet! Inside the MTM are three Otterbox 1000 Series | |
Waterproof Cases, also waterproof and nearly indestructable on | |
their own. It is inside these three cases that I keep the | |
contents of... | |
- Medique 40061 First Aid Kit, 61-Piece | |
Another fantastic assortment of medical thingies! Much like the | |
first list, it sports an impressive array. But it's not enough | |
on its own. Also in the MTM Dry Box with it is... | |
- Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Packwith QuikClot | |
For everything up to and including gaping chest wounds from | |
gunshots. Nice right? | |
- Quake Kare Emergency Thermal Blankets (4 Pack) | |
A lot of serious medical injury is compounded by exposure. These | |
can help in a pinch. | |
- Potable aqua iodine for water treatment | |
I used to consider this part of the water kit, but I've | |
supplimented that elsewhere. This is more of the "oh shit" water | |
treatment, which in my head belongs in the medkit for reasons. | |
Were you paying attention? All that fits into two containers! | |
_ __ __ | |
| | /| / /__ _/ /____ ____ | |
| |/ |/ / _ `/ __/ -_) __/ | |
|__/|__/\_,_/\__/\__/_/ | |
- waterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage | |
I love this thing. It's basically a giant, heavy-duty plastic | |
bag with some access ports and pump areas that is designed to | |
sit in your bathtub. You fill it up when the power goes out | |
before water pressure drops. It can hold over a hundred gallons, | |
which is like 375 liters or so. That's a nice backup! | |
- Lifestraw (3 pack) | |
These things are engineering miracles. The company has some | |
seriously good cred with their work in Africa too. If you're not | |
familiar with it, it's a tube about the size of a relay baton. | |
You stick one end in water--pretty much any water--and just | |
drink out of the other end. It filters amazingly well and lasts | |
over 5 years in regular use. The shelf-life is pretty much | |
forever before first use, so they're great for a bag of this | |
sort. | |
See, I told you I had something better than iodine. | |
______ __ | |
/_ __/__ ___ / /__ | |
/ / / _ \/ _ \/ (_-< | |
/_/ \___/\___/_/___/ | |
- Hand Axe / Hatchet | |
If your kit needs to help you out past a day or two, being able | |
to work with the natural resources around you is imperitive. | |
Chop up some downed branches for a fire. Clear a space for your | |
family. Make some posts for hanging a trash bag (instant trash | |
bin). Be creative and live in outdoor luxury with this. | |
- Chainmate CM-24SSP 24-Inch Survival Pocket Chain Saw With Pouch | |
If you find yourself working with tough wood that needs | |
clearing, having the right tools makes all the difference. Your | |
hatchet can do a lot, but sometimes its nice to have a saw too. | |
This thing is tiny and super light. Add it to the bag and then | |
hope you don’t need it. | |
- ADC Medicut Shears, 7-1⁄4” | |
Most scissors are weak and useless when it comes to anything | |
other than wrapping paper. These things have some real power, | |
and they’ll get the job done again and again. You can even | |
sharpen them! I'd put this on the medical list, but their | |
utility goes way beyond that. Besides, I have a dedicated | |
medical set inside the waterproof box that I didn't even mention | |
because they're so small and insignificant. There's tongue | |
depressors in there too. You don't need to know everything! | |
- Entrenching Tool | |
My advice for survival scenarios: Learn how to make a latrine. | |
Seriously. It’ll take you five minutes to watch a video on | |
youtube and it will make your outdoor living much, much easier. | |
- Folding Camp Saw | |
Another backup for your chainsaw. Or maybe the chainsaw is the | |
backup. If you’re going to stay outdoors for any length of time, | |
bring a saw. | |
- Mora Sweden Classic #1 Red Wood Handle Carbon Steel Knife | |
Very few knives are better than this one. At 15$, you can afford | |
to get extras too. Treat them well: sharpened, oiled, not | |
chipped. They’ll last a lifetime. | |
______ __ _ _ __ | |
/ __/ /__ ____/ /_____(_)___(_) /___ __ | |
/ _// / -_) __/ __/ __/ / __/ / __/ // / | |
/___/_/\__/\__/\__/_/ /_/\__/_/\__/\_, / | |
/___/ | |
I'm all about roughing it, but even so it's good to have a few | |
items that use POWER. Sometimes you need to see at night, or know | |
what's going on with the weather. | |
- Etón FR160R Microlink Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with | |
Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (Red) | |
This thing is a beast. I charged it with the hand crank for just | |
over ten seconds and then sat listening to the radio all day | |
long. If you plan on staying in touch with the outside world (or | |
at least informed), having a backup radio with NOAA stations is | |
important. Besides, this little guy will charge your cellphone | |
too! | |
- Petzl E97 Tikka Plus 2 Headlamp | |
In the redundency department, along with your knives, add light | |
to the list. A headlamp will keep your hands free to do work. | |
They last a really long time with LEDs. | |
- Gerber Infinity Ultra Task Light | |
Bring a flashlight, but not one with huge, honkin’ D batteries. | |
They’re harder to find replacements than AA, and much heavier. | |
___ _ | |
/ _ |___________ ___ ___ ___ ____(_)__ ___ | |
/ __ / __/ __/ -_|_-<(_-</ _ \/ __/ / -_|_-< | |
/_/ |_\__/\__/\__/___/___/\___/_/ /_/\__/___/ | |
- Rothco 550lb. Type III Nylon Paracord | |
I’m an Eagle Scout, and thus I never feel lost if I have a good | |
length of rope. Paracord is extremely strong for its size, but | |
it packs down light and tight. Use it for everything and | |
everything from a clothesline to animal traps in the worst of | |
situations. | |
- Other Paracord | |
I got a handful of free paracord bracelets at some festival and | |
tossed them in the bag. A little extra rope never hurts. | |
- Size #36 Dyed Black & Tarred Twine, 1lb | |
This is work-horse line. The other stuff is special and high | |
quality. When you just need to tie something up, this is what | |
you use. It lasts well with a tensile strength of 320lbs. | |
- 3M Scotch Heavy Duty All-Weather Duct Tape | |
Don’t settle for the cheap duct tape. Get the good outdoor | |
all-weather stuff. One roll should be more than enough to patch | |
things up, bandage you up, make a stretcher, or any number of | |
other tasks. | |
- Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener | |
A dull knife is almost as bad as no knife. If you’re going to be | |
using them… really using them, keep them sharp. This will also | |
help you in cases of accidental cuts. A clean cut heals much | |
faster and with less chance of infection. | |
- Youngstown Glove General Utility Lined with KEVLAR Glove | |
The most common place to injure yourself working in survival | |
situations is on your hands. Protect them with more than a pair | |
of designer cotton gloves. These guys have Kevlar on the insides | |
and outsides of your hands. Fantastic, and worth the price. Test | |
them out with some yard work and you’ll see what I mean. | |
____ __ | |
/ __/__ ___ ___/ / | |
/ _// _ \/ _ \/ _ / | |
/_/ \___/\___/\_,_/ | |
I used to keep MREs and other rations in my bag, but that became | |
a hassle to keep in good condition. Instead, I have some gear that | |
will help me find food when I need it. | |
- Improvised Trapping - Pathfinder Outdoor Survival Guide | |
Another waterproof pamphlet that outlines how to build snares | |
and deadfall traps, how to gut & clean small game and fish, and | |
other necessary info for basic food prep. It even shows how to | |
dry meat for long-term storage. I love these guides. There's one | |
on Mushrooms that I'm eyeing up. | |
- Spectra® Braided Cord 1050lb test - Heavy Duty Speargun Line | |
This cord is great for any number of uses, but it is in the kit | |
especially for hanging a bear-bag. I use the PCT method myself, | |
so I have the tools to fit it. In a pinch, though, you can get | |
away with just a bag and line. Wildlife have incredible senses | |
of smells. Remember, if you are outside, you don’t have walls | |
keeping your food and gear safe. Be wary and hang your food. | |
This line is also great for setting snares and traps. It's | |
extremely thin & strong, a great combo. | |
- Stuff Sacks (Bear Bag, etc) | |
To go along with the line above, these stuff sacks from zpacks | |
are wonderful. They weigh almost nothing and are very sturdy. | |
- Solo Stove | |
This little wood burner is a beast. Go check out a youtube video | |
or something. They're amazing and cheap for what they offer. | |
I hate holding on to gas. It's dangerous and hard to get more. | |
Wood is plentiful. | |
- Some other generic metal frame stove thing | |
I'm not sure where I got it, but it's two half-round pieces of | |
metal that intersect and form a platform to hold a pot. You | |
build a fire in it or drop some embers in there and you're set. | |
I don't use it that way most of the time. Instead, I use it as | |
a wind-screen for the solo stove. It's wide enough to encircle | |
the whole thing. Neat, right? | |
__ ___ | |
/ |/ /__ ____ ___ | |
/ /|_/ / _ `/ _ \(_-< | |
/_/ /_/\_,_/ .__/___/ | |
/_/ | |
I touched on this in an earlier phlog [0], but maps are an often | |
overlooked part of a survival bag. I use the 7.5 minute maps from | |
USGS as well as a fantastic survey series of my county. I keep | |
these all in a transparent waterproof map case. I guess I'll have | |
to look around for new ones of Iceland pretty soon, though. | |
_ __ __ _ ___ | |
/ |/ /__ / /_ (_)__ / _ )___ ____ _ | |
/ / _ \/ __/ / / _ \ / _ / _ `/ _ `/ | |
/_/|_/\___/\__/ /_/_//_/ /____/\_,_/\_, / | |
/___/ | |
All of the things mentioned live in that ign.com gym bag, as | |
I mentioned, but that doesn't represent all of my bug-out stuff. | |
In an immediate emergency that is indeed what I grab and take out | |
the door. | |
In fact, a few months ago our Carbon Monoxide alarm sounded at two | |
in the morning. We jumped out of bed, grabbed the kid, grabbed the | |
bag and went out to the car. I called emergency services from | |
there and they came and cleared the house. (Note: carbon monoxide | |
detectors accumulate CO over time, weakening their ability to | |
identify a "spike" in the gas. It's important to replace them | |
every few years.) | |
In addition to the bag I grabbed, I also have a toolbag in the | |
back of my car that's always present. It has some extra helpful | |
tools, camping gear, etc. I keep it all in a well-waxed canvas | |
bag. There's more rope, another wood-fire stove, blades, saws, | |
car-tools, and so on. If it weren't late and if I were wearing | |
pants I'd go grab the bag and do an inventory here. I also keep | |
two fleece blankets and a fantastic quality 100% wool blanket from | |
Hudson Bay Company in the back of the car. Exposure kills. | |
Upstairs in my house is my backpacking/camping gear: | |
- Jacks-R-Better Sierra Sniveler | |
I have horrible restless leg syndrome, and most sleeping bags | |
feel like a coffin to me. A nice power-down quilt gives me the | |
warmth I need at night without the restrictive footbox. Pick | |
whatever works for you. The single most dangerous thing when you | |
are forced to sleep outside is exposure. You will die from | |
exposure in a single night. Make sure you have good shelter | |
before you even worry about water or food. | |
- Z Lite Mattress | |
Sleeping on the ground can be rough. Go easy on your back with | |
a little layer. More importantly, get some insulation between | |
your body and the ground. The earth will suck the heat right out | |
of you. | |
- Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo Cook Set | |
Have something to heat up water. In survival situations, many | |
times “cooking” literally means, “add hot water”. Heat to | |
purify. Heat to rehydrate. Heat! | |
- Snow Peak Ti-Double H600 Stacking Mug | |
This mug stacks nicely with the cookset above, so I have a pot | |
for heating the water, and a cup for eating. It keeps my cooking | |
pot clean. | |
- Bibler Tempest Tent (4-season) | |
There’s a lot of ways to make a shelter outdoors. This is | |
a pretty hardcore 4-season lightweight tent. It’s not the | |
cheapest solution, nor the best in all situations. I use it for | |
a variety of camping conditions outside of my emergency kit. If | |
you aren’t much of an outdoorsman, there’s probably a better | |
shelter for you. Ask around at Gander Mtn or REI, or bug your | |
local scouts when they try to sell you popcorn. | |
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa Ultralight Backpack | |
I adore this bag. It's so light weight it feels like nothing at | |
all. The padding and supports are great and it has a huge number | |
of ways to distribute weight. Just brilliant. | |
There's other stuff in there too. I line the inside of my bag with | |
plastic to isolate dry stuff from wet. There's some other | |
fancy-schmancy gear I could go into, but it's all meant for | |
camping, not survival. Still, I wanted to mention that I have it | |
around. If the emergency provides a bit more planning all of that | |
gets bundled up too. If we will take the car, then the cast iron | |
stuff is coming with me, especially the dutch oven. If we're | |
running from zombies, I'll probably leave the weight behind. | |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | |
That was a lot to cover, and I feel like I must be forgeting about | |
something important. Clothes? Solar panels? Probably some of that | |
stuff. Regardless, it's a nice reference to have out there in | |
gopherspace. | |
What do you have in your bag? |