Bug out bags

[Mikey P]

Actually, just thought, has anyone read the Cody Lundin book, 'When Hell Breaks Loose' (http://www.codylundin.com/abo_store.html)?

Whilst I don't like the title, and I don't agree with all of his philosophy, this is a very interesting read for those who want to be prepared for most eventualities. It looks at various levels, so you can go from sensible to paranoid, depending on how worried you are.

It's a serious book on a serious subject and is full of (mostly) very interesting and common sense advice.

 

[Wolfie]

This book is fantastic if you want to prepare for any emergency that may occur.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss...=The+complete+disaster+home+preparation+guide

Provides no nonense advice and would be useful for anyone thinking of putting a BOB together or making other emergency preparations.

 

[featherstick]

We have BOBs - one each, and one for the kid. They contain a change of clothes, 3 days' food, FAK, KFS, sanitary products for SWMBO and various other bits a pieces. My reasoning is that there is an unstable WW2 ammunition vessel off the coast, a nuclear power station down the road, and various industries around the place. They don't yet contain copies of vital documents, but that's cause I haven't got my **** in gear to copy them yet.

SWMBO resisted the idea for a long time, until I pointed out the local threats, and also compared it to carrying spare fuses and bulbs in the car. Now she's kind-of on board.

 

[British Red]

Well now - I've been reading this with interest.

I find the concept of "need" as applied to this thread really very funny (given its on a Bushcraft forum).

I mean...come on...how many people need a bushcraft knife. Need being defined by "my life may depend on it". Anyone? Nope, thought not. Not at least nless they choose to pt themselves in the situation of needing it!

So a BoB is another thing people enjoy playing around with. A "Get out of Dodge" fantasy if you will - no better, or worse, than a "Davy Crockett / Mors Kochanski / Ray Mears "fantasy.

I enjoy both forms of escapism. The odd thing is, I have used my BoB many times in very serious situations. It has been invaluable. I have been "first on scene" in a couple of very nasty RTAs and a well equipped first aid kit has been invaluable (couped with a couple of high vis jackets and a well charged cell phone).

A tree across the road here. A couple of "strobe" lights, two warning triangles etc really paid off.

I also carry two sets of clothes a "mess about" set (cheap waterproofs, second best walking boots etc.). Which have helped with several impromptu trips. Also a "spare work" set (clean shirt, socks and keks, wash kit, etc.) which has helped with sudden need to be out over night on work calls.

I haven't yet needed to spend a night in the car - but have used the brew kit many times.

If I really came down to it - a BoB type arrangement (clothes and kit) has helped more in my real life then my Bushcraft stuff has ever done

Red

 

[slasha9]

looking around I can see that there are two camps forming, curiously a mirror of my own household.....


in the pink corner, SWMBO got a new car a few years back and I immediately went into 'survival' mode and got her a little backpack and filled it with enough gear, kit , water and food to last for 24 hours. None of it ever got used, however in the snowy weather earlier this year she made sure that she had within easy reach 2 fleece blankets, one PVC backed picnic blanket,spare socks, kendall mint cake, crisps and snacks and 2 flasks of hot fresh coffee each time she made any journey in the car. Also close to hand was her mobile fone with a full charge on every morning.

That works because her main concern was a) getting help in the event of a breakdown or being snowed in and stranded (mobile fone) and b) fending off the cold untill help arrived or until she made ger own way out (fleece and coffee etc)

Just to prove that I was taking a different tack I am in the middle of assembling a set of gear based around a Maxpedition backpack that has other stuff attached to the outsides using molle ( or PALS) webbing, the other pouches on the outside will all go together on a belt to form an alternative to a daysack. Looking at what most folk would put into their BOB I think that would fit what I would carry in the pouches whereas most of the stuff thats inside the pack is my comfort stuff for camping, this seems to be where most of us are coming from, we all on this forum like to get out into the woods, hills etc. and we all take the gear that we want to make our time there more enjoyable, but a BOB calls us to question what we might really need if we had to strip away the luxuries that we weigh ourselves down with.

In my area of the UK (West Midlands) we are unlikely ever to need to survive for any length of time 'away from civilisation' so our BOB will reflect that and be different to someone who lives and works in Alaska or Dubai or wherever. Going back to the example of the wife, I prepared a BOB that ticked all of my mental boxes as a someone who likes to spend time outdoors, her BOB catered for her (more realistic) chances of dealing with harsh weather. It's all flexible

Thanks

 

[Minotaur]

I think the original idea off a BOB actual comes from flight attendants, or pilots, and then was quickly adopted by Military Special Forces, and any group that had to travel on limited notice. I would lay money that even the people who say they do not have one do. For the simple reason, it is simple a bag with what you need in it, for at least a day, up to 3 days. A BOB in the true sense of the word is what you would need to do your job for a day, so if you use a tool box it is a BOB. Carry a briefcase, same thing.

The main reason I started to have one, and think about one, was not Zombie attack, but simply being set up to go away for the weekend as quickly as possible.

The thing that keeps making me laugh is the people talking against them saying that will never happen. Go to Hereford, they are building a new ASDA, and the last time I saw the site it was three foot underwater. They have shown all of the houses that people are now back in after the flooding, did anyone see brick walls, or any other attempt to reduce the problem next time? Look at the big fuel depot fire, a few years ago, they almost did not put that out, and that could not happen.

 

[charadeur]

"Paranoid American." LOL It might be hard to understand from your part of the world but the kid with the guns was probably under armed. I'm from Michigan the home of the failed US auto industry. There are parts of Flint and Detroit that are more like Thunderdome than you might think. If getting to the deep woods to safety means going thorough those inner city neighborhoods a fully automatic assault rifle might not be enough.

My BOB has a 22 caliber single shot pistol. It has very few moving parts, a long barrel to make it very accurate, and I can carry enough ammo for long term survival if necessary. Fighting off the zombies is only to get you to relative safety. Once there the 22 is the logical survival tool.

I don't get the three day thing. I really don't need a bag for that. The magnesium fire starter and pocket knife I carry all the time will get me through three days. The BOB is for longer term survival.

 

[Walks with dogs]

Actually, just thought, has anyone read the Cody Lundin book, 'When Hell Breaks Loose' (http://www.codylundin.com/abo_store.html)?

Whilst I don't like the title, and I don't agree with all of his philosophy, this is a very interesting read for those who want to be prepared for most eventualities. It looks at various levels, so you can go from sensible to paranoid, depending on how worried you are.

It's a serious book on a serious subject and is full of (mostly) very interesting and common sense advice.

Yep,

I've read that, and "How to keep your bottom alive." Absolutely not bushcraft but excellent books in my view.

I love these threads, the link to "Listening to Katrina " has been my main read the last couple of days . I'm rethinking a lot and starting to save my essential data to an encrypted data stick. (If you haven't read the blog, do yourself a favour and have a look today).

 

[Minotaur]

"Paranoid American." LOL It might be hard to understand from your part of the world but the kid with the guns was probably under armed. I'm from Michigan the home of the failed US auto industry. There are parts of Flint and Detroit that are more like Thunderdome than you might think. If getting to the deep woods to safety means going thorough those inner city neighborhoods a fully automatic assault rifle might not be enough.

We have those places too! Banning guns is really effective for leaving them in the hands of criminals.

My BOB has a 22 caliber single shot pistol. It has very few moving parts, a long barrel to make it very accurate, and I can carry enough ammo for long term survival if necessary. Fighting off the zombies is only to get you to relative safety. Once there the 22 is the logical survival tool.

I really fancy one of those fold down survival 22 caliber rifles, but think they are illegal in the UK. To short.

I don't get the three day thing. I really don't need a bag for that. The magnesium fire starter and pocket knife I carry all the time will get me through three days. The BOB is for longer term survival.

The way I am setting it up, is my actual BOB is for three days, but can add extra stuff to make it for longer.

 

[charadeur]

We have those places too! Banning guns is really effective for leaving them in the hands of criminals.



I really fancy one of those fold down survival 22 caliber rifles, but think they are illegal in the UK. To short.



The way I am setting it up, is my actual BOB is for three days, but can add extra stuff to make it for longer.

Besides the land one thing we really have going in the US is gun rights. I have a CCW and can carry legally pretty much everywhere but a bar or a school. I am a big fan of keeping it simple when it comes to survival. Those take down 22s are great with a simple mechanism. However if it is the AR7 you are looking at get a couple of extra firing pins as they break easy on that model.

 

[Indoorsout]

An online friend of my ex was helping take supplies to the folks burned out in the Aussie bush fires. She saw lots of women in tears simply at getting a supply of sanitary towels. Never underestimate the mundane, everyday things you use when you're preparing your bag. Who would've thought that in an area devastated by fire it would be sanitary towels that were most missed?

 

[BigShot]

Indoorsout
I've been thinking a lot about the basic essentials for the kind of bug-out-bag as described by the Listening To Katrina blog and several people on here and thought some sanitary products would be very worth including in any kit.

I mean, I'm not going to have a great deal of use for them (though I hear sanitary towels are great for stopping backpack straps turning your shoulders raw) but even I'd probably carry a few just in case someone I knew/met needed them and didn't have them.

Building a BOB type thing that didn't just work for you but allowes you to offer limited help to others is a pretty nice way of looking at it I think.

I'm going to start on the documents front this week. If there was a house fire here tonight we'd lose pretty much everything like that. Time to put that right I think.

 

[Minotaur]

An online friend of my ex was helping take supplies to the folks burned out in the Aussie bush fires. She saw lots of women in tears simply at getting a supply of sanitary towels. Never underestimate the mundane, everyday things you use when you're preparing your bag. Who would've thought that in an area devastated by fire it would be sanitary towels that were most missed?

They are a useful thing to carry, and tampons. They are good for first aid, and other things because they are designed to absorb liquids. A pad, and duck tape can do the wound dressing job.

 

[British Red]

First thing that springs to mind with that kit is a good map of the area in a waterproof bag. Some form of water carrier (bottle etc.) would be sensible for storing boiled water for later consumption - a zip lock bag if all else fails. I would take a wide mouth Nalgene. Then store map, paper, lighter etc. inside it. This water proofs the contents and minimises space used.

Just a thought. Red

 

[Thijzzz]

Man you're fast!
FYI: Red replied to a post that I have deleted and restarted here: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=563294

A water proof map will be supplied by the canoe center.
AI see Nalgene also have stainless bottles, maybe suitable for cooking and storing water?

 

[Minotaur]

Besides the land one thing we really have going in the US is gun rights. I have a CCW and can carry legally pretty much everywhere but a bar or a school. I am a big fan of keeping it simple when it comes to survival. Those take down 22s are great with a simple mechanism. However if it is the AR7 you are looking at get a couple of extra firing pins as they break easy on that model.

Heard that about them.

They are a useful thing to carry, and tampons. They are good for first aid, and other things because they are designed to absorb liquids. A pad, and duck tape can do the wound dressing job.

A very good item to carry for lots of reasons.

 

[phaserrifle]

I have something simmilar to a BOB at the moment, I call it the BOJ, for Bug Out Jacket.
basicaly I filled the pockets of my army surplus jacket with the basics for a one night camp out, as in the next few weeks I may get a call from my explorer leader, who will then pick us up and dump us at fernycrofts, to survive the night with whatever we are stood up in.
it should be fun, but the jacket is set up with that scenario in mind, and so if (ok, when) I set up a proper bob, I will have to fiddle with the contents somewhat.


the tom leher song is very funny, I'll have to introduce that one to my fellow explorers. but not the scouts, it'll just give them ideas.