Bug Out Bags

[AAChang]

What did all of you put in your BOB or SHTF bags? So far i have first aid supplies, food (MREs), water (Camelbak and iodine drops), clothes, blanket, hygiene supplies, Flashlight, AM/FM battery powered radio, spare batteries, leatherman/gerber tool, not to mention the required gun, ammo, and a good knife. What am I missing still, bearing in mind i am not a pack mule.

 

[Joe Demko]

Immodium AD or Pepto Bismol. Between stress, possibly bad water, and unfamiliar food (do you normally live on the kind of stuff in your bag?), intestinal upset is virtually certain. It makes it kind of difficult to do anything else when you are constantly stopping to defecate. If you think I am being flippant, just remember more soldiers have been sh1t to death than shot to death.

 

[son of a gun]

copies of insurance policies, cash

 

[durango]

Iodine pills are good to have, but I also keep a portable filter for emergencies (the kind sold for hikers/campers). I take it hiking and it works great even for murky water, which can be disinfected by iodine but still isn't very palatable. Also, a butane lighter and maybe a portable gas stove would be a good idea.

 

[BerettaNut92]

Hard drive backups (mainly financial stuff and irreplaceable photos).

Not sure if that's an inventory of your carry stuff or just your pack but I'd put your 1st-line gear like your gun, light, multitool, etc. on your belt to save room in the pack.

I keep 3 liters of water in the bag (Aqualiterz in cardboard packaging good for 5 yrs) for the first few hours if, say I couldn't get to a water source, I'll have at least a half days worth on me. Spare tire well in the Honda Crisis Response Vehicle (tire is mounted on outside of rear door) has at least 3 gallons at all times.

Phone calling card (who knows they might work) and hard copies of friends and family's numbers for making contact.

 

[Travis McGee]

Great topic! Gotta think, dig out old lists, and get back.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

TFL "Go" Bag

http://home.earthlink.net/~grimitch/TFLGoBag.htm

 

[45R]

Your going to need 550 Parachute cord, neon tape markers and other light sources (glow sticks) 9 volt battery, steel wool, GPS tracker a mirror, Entrenching tool, any medication, spare glasses and thats all I can think of right now.

Add Twine.

 

[Poohgyrr]

I keep two, a portable one in the vehicle, and a more substantial collection at home. I'd have to get the list.

 

[WvaBill]

Zippo lighter and fluid... butane can bleed off. Compass. Maps. Fire Starters made from cardboard and parrafin(my personal load ) 2 meter handheld with alkaline and NiMH batteries.

 

[Moparmike]

Ahh, the obligitory every 3month BOB post...

Here is my partial list. I really need to finish it and then start building one.

Some sort of bag, easily carried.
MRE's, 2days worth.
MRE heaters.
Matches.
K-bar.
Ammo, and gun. (got to get one that is good for this sort of thing.)
550 cord, 100ft.
Casualty Blanket. Find wool if not. (I used to remember why I had this in here.)
First Aid Kit. Add other stuff to it, increase its amount of stuff that compresses into a tight space. Look into .mil FAK.
Good thick (3mil or more) trashbags.
General toiletries (tp, toothbrush and paste, bar of soap)
Folding Shovel
Tarp.

MORE STUFF!

CAR BIN (.50cal AMMO CAN):

First Aid, already covered.
MRE, See if it will fit.
MRE Heater.
2 bottles of water.
Light sticks.
K-bar.
Matches (covered.)
Space blanket.

I need to compile a price list too.

 

[Daedalus]

I want to put together a car box, but right now all I have is a bag I use for hunting trips and camping that I keep packed with:

Tent
Matches
Water purification
Compass
Maps
FM 21-76 US ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL
An extremely well stocked First Aid Kit
Frying pan, pot, plate and cup that fit in each other.
3 Cans of pottted meat
2 Cans of spam
2 Cans of Bush's Baked Beans
1 Full bottle of multivitamins
Camoflage compact with mirror
Full camelbak type water reservoir
Paracord
Sterno cans
Sleeping bag
Hunting knifes and other game dressing essentials
100 22LR
7.62x39 20 SP / 20 HP
12 gauge 5 slugs, 5 buckshot, 10 birdshot

Things I want to add to this

AM/FM/Weather/Shortwave Radio
GPS
2 way radio
Folding Shovel
Hatchet
Maglite
Spare Batteries

 

[Sactown]

don't forget the duct tape.

 

[RKCheung]

With all that stuff, why don't you actually *get* a pack mule/donkey to haul it all for you?

Ya know, I hear Saddam is looking for a new job (inside joke).

 

[BerettaNut92]

What's the steel wool for?

 

[Voodoo]

I've given the BOB concept "a lot" of thought... spent many an hour pouring over survivalist bulletin boards, reading articles from renowned survivalist experts, putting together and modifying countless checklists, studying escape routes from the city, etc. and I've come to one conclusion....I ain't buggin' out!!! If SHTF, I'm batting down the hatches, opening up my battlepacks of .308 surplus Port ammo, and watching the end of the civilization from the comfort of my own fortress. I have enough "stuff" in my home to hold me and my family over for several months (I did a good job of stocking up for Y2K).

But this doesn't mean I don't have a BOB or two (or three). In fact, every member of my family has their own "personal" BOB. For example, my wife's personal BOB includes certain "feminine" items, while mine includes commo items (Yaesu HT, trunking scanner, multiband radio). Even my dog has a BOB!!! Living on the Left Coast, the possibility of an earthquake (or more recently wildfires) forcing me from my home is a definite possibilty. That being said, if it ever gets to that point, we all thow our BOBs, along with our camping gear, into the SUV, and go!

Here are a few but often overlooked items I would recommend you throw into your BOB:

Compass
Local area maps
Duct tape
Commo gear (HT, trunking scanner, SW radio, etc.)
Water filter (I recommend the MSR MiniWorks and Andromedary bags)
Can opener
Eating utensils
Large leaf bags
Spare glasses or contacts (if you wear them)
A good pair of work gloves
"LED" flashlights (longer runtimes compared to incandescent lights)
TP!

As always, YMMV. My best advice is to visualize a "worst case" scenario, considering every possible need that you may need during your "bug out", and plan accordingly.

Good luck!

 

[Triad]

Skunk, if I'm not mistaken, steel wool is very good tinder for starting fires.

 

[swingset]

swingset's bug out bag:

1 copy Hustler
3 tubes of KY (see above)
1 bottle Cherry Boones farm (might meet a lady)
1 12 pack Rolling rock (in case I don't meet lady)
2 extra sets of underwear (what if I get in an accident?)


What else is there?

 

[fivepaknh]

Just my carry gun and plenty of ammo. As for all the other stuff, I'll just take it from an unarmed anti.

 

[abdrdude]

The steel wool is placed on the bare terminals of a 9 volt battery. The resultant sparks are a great fire starter. This gets going rather quickly, so much caution is to be used.

 

[WT]

Bug Out Bag? Can you carry all that stuff on your back and walk 20 miles with it?

Go for a test some weekend. Walk 10 miles each day. See if it works. Make sure you have at least 1 foul weather day included.

 

[BerettaNut92]

I follow 10-ring's rule of bag enlightenment. I'm going to carry the same amount of necessities with any given bag but if I get an overly large bag I'm just going to fill it up with junk, so tend to travel light.

Many thanks to Jeff White for enlightening me on the subjects of 1st, 2nd and 3rd line gear.

 

[Country Boy]

http://members.1stconnect.com/anozira/SiteTops/kits/BOB.htm
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2815
Maybe that will help.

 

[RustyHammer]

Coffee and toilet paper ... with that, you could rule the world! (trade)

My supply friends in the Navy used sware by it.

ha.ha...

 

[jercamp45]

Bag Weight!

Indeed!!
So, you have more than one to meet the requirements of the situation.
1) is the house gear. Sometimes it is better to stayput and wait it out....
2) the on person gear...handgun, ammo, blade, multitool, cash, ID, maps.
3) the car bag...the stuff in the car that is not a portable but nice to have
4) the personal ruck and or tac-vest...one per menber of the family. Keep these light with the required gear only. And not everything has to be redundant. Each person shoulds have IDs, copies of important papers, some cash(for emergency) addresses/phone of contacts, socks, undies, basic survival gear(flashlight, batteries, bulb, swiss army knife or multi-tool, bic lighter, some first aid gear), some water, a MRE and a person defensive weapon of some nature(OC or even a reliable .22 beats nothing and 500 rds of 22 is small and light...good for the younger members).
Somewhere in the foot (or bike) mobile group needs to be a sewing kit, para cord, ever handy duct tape, a 12 inch machete and e-tool.
A Water filter is great...even the straws.....but should have iodine too.
Do not forget spare glasses, personal medication, and feminine products!
Personal communications gear(small and light) with spare batteries might be a good idea for families with kids or small groups.
A poncho and poncho liner is a most handy bug out accessory with many uses.
Gotta a dog? get the saddlebag packs so it can help out too! At least with its own food. Don't wannt make it the ammo bearer, it is your own defensive system, so keep its load light.
Like defense....bugging out should be a layered event....stay put, then the car(or motor cycles or even mountain bikes are great for urban E&E), then foot, if the car breaks down. You have to take in account the physical shape of each individual of the family for the 'last ditch' foot load.
Weapons are personal thing's...but a handgun each and a rifle or two is very nice thing. Ammo compatability also is good.
I have several 1911's....one is for me, one frame is on a Mechtech CCU as my psuedo rifle(it is how you use it, will get something else as funds allow), and then I have a couple extra 1911's to any other's with me that I trust...and some 185 Silvertips(lightest kicking .45 round that I have found), for the semi trained. Would take 100 extra rounds and all my mags preloaded. My airweight snubby for the pocket.
Hope we never need it...but one never knows. A black out, a brush fire, terrorist event, viral infection, riot....can all cause a shift from the day to day stuff to a challenging time where the prepared are rewarded for their caution. And we have experience each of these things in the world in the last three years!
Jercamp45