My Survival Kit List and Examples

[Cluster Bomb]

Matthew's Survival Kit

here are things for the large survival bag I am making. In the event of some sort of disaster it should be easily accessible. Be able to carry in a large backpack or hiking pack. I am also making an individuals survival kit, which is a large fanny pack with water bottle pouch (such as Allen Nomad or Allen Nomad 3). It will consist of a more personal targeted survival kit. (listed below)

(Example of Survival Kit)

• Machete
• Folding Shovel
• Hand Axe
• Sharpening Stone
• Knife
• Rope
• Carabiners
• Sandwich Ziploc Packs
• Binoculars
• Duct tape
• clean cloth
• Toothbrush
• tooth paste
• soap
• Health Kit
• Alcohol or other disinfectant.
• Splint kit
• Toilet paper
• Medication
• Flashlights
• Lantern
• Candles
• Steal & Flint
• Water proof matches
• Fire starter pack
• Pack of Lint
• Compas and Map
• Poncho
• Tent
• Space/heat blanket
• Wire Rack Grill
• Mess Kit
• Frying Pan
• Camp Coffey Cups
• Utensils
• Fishing kit
• Water Jugs
• Water cleaning tablets (Iodine-based)
• Sunglasses
• Whistle
• Leatherman Tool
• Crank Radio
• Filter/Dust masks
• Disposable Razors
• Eye Protection

Food Examples:
Food in packs should have a long expiration date, be ready to eat, and sustain an individual.

• Freeze dried meals
• Salt & pepper
• Survival Food bars
• Protein Bars
• Soup Packets
• Canned foods (ex Sardines)

Other Items:
These items are things to consider for somone who is going for a long trip, taking a pet, or plan on hunting for game while out and about.

Clothing
Shoes or boots, long jean pants, socks, dedicates, etc

Firearm & ammo
A game rifle or shotgun, a pistol for protection, ammo, holster for pistol, sling and scope for rifle. Don't carry an arsenal with you as you may be without something you need to survive, like food or water. Having a rifle/shotgun and a pistol will help protect you and your group from bandits, thieves, or worse. Do not stock pile ammo, but carry enough to last you longer than you expect, as situations arise you could need it.



Feminine Pads
Feminine pads have more than just one use, but also good to have if there is a women in the group.

Dog/Cat food
Taking the dog or cat with you? bringing extra food can weigh you down however the companion needs saving as well. You can also feed them scraps from the hunt. just keep them on some sort of leash so they dont get away from you

Money/Gold/Silver
Sometimes in a world gone to hell, gold and silver works best as payment. But be sure to protect it with a firearm if they know you have it. This can be useful however not really necessary to stock pile.

Some notes to consider:
The smaller individual survival fanny pack will contain similar items (that should not be stolen from large backpack) in it as well, with room for such things as ammo, flashlight, and other things. The smaller pack will be similar to a large fanny pack with a water bottle pouch. Individuals back should not have individual survival pack, The individuals back should have large pack above, or a secondary pack to carry items found on trips or carry extra food such as game (if there is more than one person). All main pack(s) should contain a good amount of survival gear but not be to heavy along with the individuals pack. Combined the person should be able to maintain a steady fast paced journey without much fuss.

The Individuals Pack:
This should be more geared toward light weight survival kit. containing needed things but not in excess. Should contain a few food items, like survival bars or protein bars. water, small med kit, flashlight, compass, map, leatherman tool, P cord, and ammo. This pack is intended to sustain a person for maybe 3 days if they end up away from base camp or the group. It should be a large or XL fanny pack that doesn't get in the way of the main backpack, firearm, or anything like that. (such as Allen Nomad or Allen Nomad 3)

(example of fanny pack)



Please feel free to make my list your own, add to or subtract from. Comments are welcome as well. I have not completed my survival kit as of yet, it is maybe 15%-25%. Anyone Suggest/Recommend a large non framed backpack or hiking pack? One that isnt to bulky but can hold a lot and be comfortable and under $100

thanks.

 

[Navy Diver]

I would include a small portable water filter, such as a Katadyn, in addition to the purification tablets.

Ebags.com has their SOC Gear backpacks on sale. The Elite 3 Day and the Bugout Bag are both excellent choices for under $100. (I have both and they are excellent bags with a lifetime warranty)

 

[leadcounsel]

Tagged for later...

 

[Shadow 7D]

Money/Gold/Silver
No, you need rings and a way to check spot price, I read a VERY good blog about the Argentinian colpase in early 2000's
a coin is going for SPOT price, IE you loose money on it
a 14K ring is a hundred or a few hundred bucks, can be bought at near spot price (check pawn shops and department store clearance sections, you can actually find better prices at the department store, sometimes for LESS than spot price)

Think how hard would it be to convert a teal or gold coin, you have to find someone (and have somewhere to put it) who either has a few thousand worth for trade or free cash.

 

[fallout mike]

Hope its nothing too serious bc most of it looks like walmart special stuff. If you ever need to use it you will wish you had spent money on quality things. I will say though that something is better than nothing. Go out one weekend with nothing but your bag and see if it is adequate.

 

[ilbob]

I have come to the conclusion that bugging out is not a camping expedition, and a lot of the stuff people have put in their BOBs is pretty much not worth carting around.

For instance, I would never carry around a cheap folding shovel. Even a good one is not worth the weight. If you are in the military you may need to to be digging foxholes. I am not going to be digging any foxholes. You ever use one? Even assuming what is probably a very low end imitation of a military folding shovel did not break when you went to use it, you pretty much have to be on your knees to use it. What kind of digging are you going to be doing? I keep a regular square blade shovel in the car. It has a long enough handle to be useful and the square shaped blade can be used to chip away ice and move snow a whole lot more efficiently than any folding shovel toy.

I am not really opposed to machetes, but again, what are you going to use it for? A good fixed blade knife can be had for $25 and will do what needs doing. I don't see myself needing to chop a path thru the jungle.

Ever use those kind of emergency ponchos? I have. They work pretty good. Once.

Steel and flint? Really? If you cannot start a fire with matches or a butane lighter what makes you think flint and steel will do you any good. In any case, what kind of fire do you think you will need when you get to the hotel or shelter where you are bugging out to.

Carabiners and rope? You planning to climb a mountain as you run away from the uncoming hurricane?

Instead of just buying things, I suggest you do some thinking first. Think about what it is that you are running away from, and where you are running away to. Running away is essentially what a BOB is about.

This being a gun forum, most of us are in favor of guns, but keep in mind that virtually no shelter will let you bring in any firearms or other weapons (like machetes). And guns and ammo are very heavy. What the heck do you think you need a hunting rifle for? Bugging out is not a hunting expedition.

What are you planning to do with your dog when you bug out?

BTW, I think some of the camping gear you bought is quite suitable for a BOB. I just think the selection is not well thought out for the purpose. It seems more oriented toward having a lot of different and cheap items.

 

[MtnCreek]

Steel and flint? Really? If you cannot start a fire with matches or a butane lighter what makes you think flint and steel will do you any good.

It continues to work after the matches and butane are gone.

 

[hso]

What is the purpose for this?
72 hr get home bag?
Retreat to the woods and set up a bunker?

You have waaayyyyyyy too much for a 72 hr self rescue kit and wayyyy too little if you think you're going to flee to the mountains for some apocalyptic fantasy.

You've neglected basics like practical water treatment. A small personal filter like the Frontier allows you to drink from an uncertain source instead of waiting for chemical treatment to work. You haven't made provisions for carrying water in any meaningful quantity. You need roughly half a gallon a day minimum/twice that if very active.

You've duplicated far too much unless you're planning on humping all that for 2 other people that are too frail to carry their own gear (therefore won't be able to follow along with you as you mule their gear). It this is just for you, you have no reason to have more than one match safe or one poncho (get a good sil cloth poncho instead of junk plastic). You don't need multiple types of "space" blankets. A good poncho and a good space blanket and some paracord are all you need to make a hasty shelter that is FAR superior to the cheap plastic tube "tents". The conical cups are a waste of space and 3 are even more of a waste. A cup that fits on the bottom of a Nalg bottle is far more useful, but more useful still is a steel Nalg bottle and a cup that fits it. If you're planning this for 3 people, break it down so they can each carry their share of gear. You wouldn't want them to be without if you were separated, would you?

Spend the money on a good multi-plier instead of the junk one in the picture. This is too important a piece of gear to cheap out on. Also, if you have a multi-plier/multi-tool you don't need a "Swiss Army" knife (and certainly not a junk one). A good folder would be nice, but that should already be in your pocket. You don't have a reasonable quality 4-5" fixed blade knife which is the core tool for making so many other pieces of gear.

You do not need flint/steel unless you're planning on retreating to the mountains to live out the rest of your days starving. You do need a full size butane disposable and a mini butane disposable and some tender and accelerant. Stick 3 wetfire blocks and a purse sized tube of petroleum jelly or Carmax in there and you can build a fire on top of a pond in a pouring rain. Remember that your lighter and matches are to get something burning to start a fire with instead of wasting precious fuel trying to start your fire with them alone.

I don't see a decent LED flashlight. This is another critical piece of equipment that you can not cheap out on. Luckily, there are plenty of good inexpensive LED lights out there as well as outstanding more expensive ones. Remember that something you can wear on your head is preferable to one you just fumble with while you're dealing with some emergency.

I don't see any mention of having any skill at using any of the stuff in the picture or any plan to take any course to learn how to use it. You have to think about dealing with the things that will keep you from rescuing yourself first. Bleeding, suffocation, exposure, dehydration. Starvation will knock you down long after any of the others have had their way with you. Can you stop a major arterial bleed? Can you minimize the threat of smoke/dust to get you clear? Can you keep yourself from becoming hypothermic or hyperthermic? If you can't deal with those then it doesn't matter how much other junk you take with you. The most important thing to have is skills and the experience to put them to use in the chaotic environment implied by a BOB.

I carry a steel Nalg bottle, 20 ft. of 550 cord, a Frontier filter, 1 gal freezer ziplock, a few hard candies, SOL 2-person blanket, mini Bic, purse sized petroleum jelly tube, SAK, mini headlamp, button compass, rescue whistle, and a Wetfire cube. The Nalg bottle holds all the rest. No one gives the Nalg bottle a second thought and it goes with me everywhere. I also carry a good SOL lighter, a bandanna, a Fenix PD10, button compass, and good folder in my pockets all the time. I have a small diamond hone in my wallet with a tegaderm dressing and a steri strip sheet. I work in an office setting where BDUs aren't acceptable and no one that isn't of a like mind to discuss this topic with even knows what I have on me walking down the hallway.

 

[Kleanbore]

These kinds of threads have in the past tended to get out of hand. As a gentle reminder, see this from the rules:

.... nor will we engage in discussions relating to the preparation for possible societal breakdown, foreign invasion, and so forth.

Since defensive tactics and strategies applicable the event of realistic emergencies such as storms and floods are inextricably related to other aspects of survival in such circumstances, what to have on hand or to take with you are acceptable subjects of discussion. For example, limited, constructive discussions of the appropriate contents of “bug out bags” are acceptable, as long as they do not turn into “show and tell” exhibitions.

However, broader discussion of “survival” issues, such as the laying in of long term food supplies, water purification, alternative energy, etc. fall outside of the scope of our mission here at THR.org.

That is not to say that preparedness for various kinds of extreme contingencies is not imprudent. There are other place on the Internet for discussions of those subjects.

So, given a discussion of what kinds of things should a family take with them in the case of a realistic emergency, consider that some of the things that might prove useful in a forested country populated with game might constitute little more than ballast in other regions.

I think that ibob nailed it with this:

....bugging out is not a camping expedition...

....and this:

Think about what it is that you are running away from, and where you are running away to. Running away is essentially what a BOB is about.

hso articulated that equally well and has provided some very thoughtful comments on the suggested kit.

 

[dayhiker]

It continues to work after the matches and butane are gone.

Though a ferro rod is a little easier to use, and no need to carry char cloth.


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I do agree you need a plan. Just tossing items in a bag isn't being prepared. Where are you bugging out too, a disaster shelter? Or are you heading for the hills?

We aren't talking TEOFTWAWKI here.

After Irene hit we were without power,stores,gas stations, for a period of time. A week before power in my section was restored.I still had water and sewer.

We bugged in. All the neighbors had massive cookouts to empty their freezers. Orders were taken among us, "who wants chicken? who wants steak? " was shouted out across are back yards. The elderly in our neighborhood were looked after, they went without nothing.

As power was being slowly restored word was passed as to where you could get ice, gas, fresh food (and cold beer ).

No looting, no hoarding. We took care of each other.


So OP, just where do you plan on bugging out to?

 

[dayhiker]

This is my 72hr pack.Currently set up for colder weather. It is my get home bag and my day hiking kit.

Plus always in my pockets are a SAK, Maglite XL50,and a bandana.

With this stuff I have fire,food,water,first aid,and shelter.

With a full water bottle it weighs in at 10lbs. I carry less weight in summer. (No hatchet, no Esbit stove)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All carried in a MaxPed Jumbo

Guyot with nesting cup.

Wetterlings hatchet

Fist aid with added meds (benadryl, immodiun, tylenol etc...)

Petrolium Jelly cotton balls in a match case

Compass with whistle

DC4 stone

Tissues (multiple uses)

Grommeted Poncho (a Kelty)

Food , (x4) instant soup,(x4)oatmeal, coffee (x7), (x2)PB crackers

Cordage

Esbit stove/fuel

4 "Knife/firesteel (Fallkniven F1)

Bug dope

Spork

AMK Heatsheat two person blanket.

 

[hso]

See the steel Nalg bottle with the cup in the above picture? That's the ideal item to carry.

I don't see the need for a hatchet since we're not talking about camping. If you can't break it off with your hands you should be able to baton it with the fixed blade. Anything too big to baton can be burned whole after you've started a good small fire.

550 cord is superior to just about any other cordage out there.

BTW, if you're dependent upon medication, blood pressure, you better keep a 4 day supply on you at all times. While you'll probably be fine a couple of days without, you probably won't be if you get past the 3rd day without them.

 

[dayhiker]

I don't see the need for a hatchet since we're not talking about camping.

Nope, don't need it. Just really like it.

550 cord is superior to just about any other cordage out there.

Unless your hands are frozen and your knot tying skills are'n the best. I find it to be a little "slick" , the only way I can think to describe it.

I can mangle the stuff I carry into a suitable "knot" with frozen fingers.

 

[Oceanbob]

A exhaustive thread on this subject can be found over at Cal Guns.

California being in an Earthquake Zone requires us to be prepared for loss of infastructure, electricity, food supply lines, fire and police services, safe water..etc...in that regard a lot of us carry a 'Get home bag' in our cars.

Who wants to be trapped 80 miles from home when a 8.9 quake drops several hundred overpasses and the resulting loss of electricity, out of control fires..etc.?

Most of us plan to BUG IN at home. But getting home is the issue..

Here is that thread:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=147834

Be well my friends.

Bob

 

[Kleanbore]

One more time, let's stay away from the "show and tell" exchanges on this subject. Pictures and detailed lists of what one carries and how are pushing the envelope in terms of scope for ST&T.

 

[kb58]

Agreed on having a "get home" bag in the car, which is good to have for about a million reasons. No one's pointed out that since you're walking - maybe a lot (I work 25 mi from home) - you need good walking shoes on the list. Shoes aren't macho, they don't go bang, boom, burn, and aren't really high-tech, but after about two miles in dress shoes it'll become clear what's important.

 

[dprice3844444]

Feminine Pads
Feminine pads have more than just one use, but also good to have if there is a women in the group.

don't forget tampons,good for plugging up bullet holes

For instance, I would never carry around a cheap folding shovel. Even a good one is not worth the weight. If you are in the military you may need to to be digging foxholes. I am not going to be digging any foxholes

glock makes a small multi purpose shovel/saw.if you have to do a #2,dig a hole,do your business,cover it over.no spore to leave visibly behind.helps dig a small firebreak around campfires etc.saw cuts firewood,cuts animal carcases when field dresing etc

No one's pointed out that since you're walking - maybe a lot (I work 25 mi from home) - you need good walking shoes on the list. Shoes aren't macho, they don't go bang, boom, burn, and aren't really high-tech, but after about two miles in dress shoes it'll become clear what's important.

check out goodfeet.com,foot orthotics for any long trekking.good feet alignment gives you less pian,etc,up the legs and lower back.good socks,too

 

[hso]

Improvised medical supplies should never be the first thing you intentionally put into your gear.
It is senseless to tell people to start out with compromises instead of buying the best wound management supplies you can when you're talking about something that can kill you in 30 seconds.

The critical thing is to go out and practice with your gear. Just like with firearms you intend to save your life with, it is essential that you learn to use your self rescue gear and essential that you practice with it. The skills needed are volatile and without being refreshed will not be accessible while you're trying to survive the disruption in your normal day to day life. If you actually go out and try to spend 3 days with your gear in the type of setting you might encounter, you'll find out what does and doesn't work. You'll find out you "need" a lot less than you thought, shed the "boat anchors" you've weighed yourself down with and exchange the cheap crappy gear for better investments in your safety. If you don't go out and test your gear and skills you'll be in deep trouble when trouble comes.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Where do you plan on bugging out to? If some disaster hits your area are you really planning on going out into the woods to rough it? Would it make more sense to just try to get to another populated area that's unaffected, and maybe just get a hotel room? Plan your gear from there.

My Bug Out Bag is centered around getting to another populated area. Cash, spare IDs, cash, concealable weapons and inconspicuous clothing, cash, some food and water, cash, extra batteries for my cell phone, cash, small first aid kit, and more cash.

There's going to be thousands of people and emergency works swarming the area. Getting out and getting to some place civilized but safe is the key. Keeping a low profile, being able to defend myself, but move quickly and safely through populated areas and people. Heading out into the woods to try to live off the land seems ridiculous.

 

[Kleanbore]

It is pointless to discuss the contents of a tool kit without first deciding upon its intended usage. Put another way, one cannot design anything without first establishing the requirements.

It is likely that lighting for vision and signaling, food, water, coverings, communication equipment, medication, a navigational aid or two, a utility tool, and perhaps some provision for heating would find their way onto any list, but the amounts and character of even those very basic items would depend upon the requirements.

Asking the questions of where one intends to go, with whom, how far, how, through what area, and in what kind of conditions is step one.

Discussing whether one needs to stow folding shovels, grills, hatchets, machetes, carabiners, rope, or fishing gear is an exercise in futility unless the purpose of the kit and its intended usage has been defined.

 

[Fred Fuller]

This one seems to be exceeding the scope of ST&T, as far as survivalism is concerned. There are any number of sites available which focus on this sort of thing, and it's a better idea to depend on those for information on this and similar topics.

For anyone unfamiliar with these sites, here are a couple of places to get started:

http://www.survivalring.org/

http://www.survivaltop50.com/

http://offgridsurvival.com/survivalwebsites/

http://www.topsurvivalsites.com/