It's an interesting list - about as bushcraft as an i-pod of course, but interesting nonetheless. 
Oh, there's sometyhing to add, an i-pod.
Oh, there's sometyhing to add, an i-pod.
Survival Kit for any situation
- Thread starter fraz79
- Start date
That is a mean Bug Out Bag, How long is that for, 72 hours or greater...
I tried a google on the subject and came up with loads of stuff...
LS
I tried a google on the subject and came up with loads of stuff...
LS
Well, I did put in a disclaimer at the start!
Thanks. I suppose food wise it's technically 72 hours (but with the means for more). Generally though, I hope it would last me for a longer period than that with hunting & foraging to provide more food.
With the term "Bug Out Bag" would you be a visitor of the 'equipped.com' forums by any chance?
Bug out bag? I like to think of it as being prepared for anything myself. I keep a kit for each member of my family. I live in hurricane country. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have taught alot of people that being prepared can mean the difference between life and death. A few years ago we had to evacuate for hurricane Lily. When hurricane Lily hit, I was in North Louisiana fishing using the telescoping fishing rod that I keep in my kit while the storm was pounding my house. You never know what or when something can happen. To me, it pays to be prepared.
You never know what or when something can happen. To me, it pays to be prepared.I am just impressed that you can fit all that in a 44L bag! I obviously have to learn the art of packing.
fraz79 said:Hi everyone. Thought I'd share with you the contents of my 'Ultimate Survival Kit'. (Not so much 'bushcraft', more for survival IF...)
Please understand that it's not what I normally take out with me (that's another list!
It all fits into a 44L rucksack with careful packing (separated into various bags inside), and weighs about 15kg (but that's ok). Please make suggestions/comments if you like. (I'm aware I will be probably be criticised for 'having too much', but this is my kit to survive in the wild indefinately in relative comfort should the need arise.)
SURVIVAL KIT CONTENTS (in no particular order)
(There's also a laminated version of this list in the pack.)
Carry
44L rucksack (+ rain cover)
Water
1L Plastic bottle, x2 (US army)
4L Water carrier (platypus)
Water puri-tabs, x100+ (Cl)
Water purifying-straw (50L)
Millbank filter bag
Fire
Ferro-rod + striker, large
Ferro-rod + striker, small (spare)
Cotton-wool/Vaseline, lots
Kindling (small pouch)
Butane lighter
Matches, various
Tealight candle, x2
Magic candle, x2
Shelter
Basha + lines
Basha pole (extendable)
Aluminium pegs, x6
Goretex bivvy bag
Sleeping bag (2 season)
Sleeping bag liner (silk)
Thermarest (inc. repair kit)
Hammock
Signal & Rescue
Starflash signal mirror
Whistle
Maps, local & national (+ map case)
Compass (silva, mirrored)
Mobile phone
Phone charger (wind-up)
Waterproof paper pad + pencil
AM/FM radio (+ spare battery)
Cash, £160 (various denominations)
Tools
Fixed blade knife (frost mora)
Folding knife (opinel #9)
Machete
Folding saw (laplander)
Wood saw blade
Pliers multi-tool (gerber clutch)
Torch + spare battery (palight)
Paracord, 30m
Kite-line, 25m
Duck tape, 10m
Carabena
Clothes
Waterproof poncho
Over-trousers
Down jacket (sleeveless)
Thermals (top + bottom)
Cotton shirt
Polypropylene trousers
Underwear
Shemagh
Wide-brimmed sun hat
Wooly hat
Magic gloves
Leather gloves
Wooly socks
Waterproof socks
Rations
Rice meal, x3
Salami, 250g
Nuts & raisins, 500g
Stock cubes, x8
Teabags + whitener, x4
Other possibles
SAS survival manual, small (Colins Gem: L.Wiseman)
Foraging food manual, small (Collins Gem: R.Mabey)
Leather belt
Sharpening stone (fine)
Beta-light (attached to rucksack)
LED button torch, x2
Brass wire, 2m
Clear plastic bag, large
Rubber tubing, 1m (0.7cm guage)
HD Al foil, x2 large sheets
Ziplock bags, x5 (large)
Sew kit: needles (various), polycotton thread (20m), safety pins (various), buttons (various)
Hunting
Gill net, 6ftx4ft
Snares, x5
Catapult
Fish kit: 20lb line (150m), hooks (various), flies (various), weights (several), swivels (several)
First Aid Kit
Foil survival blanket
Rubber gloves
Soap
Scissors
Scalpel
Tweezers
Moleskin
Cotton wool
Bandages, various
Bandage ties
Dressings, various
Antiseptic wipes, x6
Antiseptic cream
Plasters, various
Elastic support bandage
Potassium permanganate
Antihistamine tablets, x1 week
Diarrhea treatment, x3+
Dioralite electrolyte sachets, x4
Paracetamol, 500mg x16
Ibuprofen, 200mg x16
Fresnel magnifying lens
Health
Pack towel
Liquid all-purpose soap, 250ml
Toothbrush + toothpowder
Toilet roll
Deodorant (unscented)
Chapstick
Multi-vitamins, x20
Sunglasses
Suncream, SPF 50
Mozzie repellant
Mozzie head-net
Insect bite-cream
Nail clippers
Cooking
Hexi stove + fuel
Spare hexi fuel
Steel pan (hanging handle & lid)
Steel mug (on army bottle)
Titanium spork
GI can opener
So there you have it...I think I've covered most essential items! On showing friends my contents list their response is often "...do you know something that I don't!"
Kin ell, you forgot the...
I too have a "bug out bag" in the shape of my van....I must spend a fortune in fuel humping it around all the time. I am well known for carrying "too much" kit when doing anything, tho critisism faded when I almost ripped the bow off my canoe, on a rock, out at sea but had all the kit to repair it there and then and make it safely back to our launch site - without leaks! The weight of my kit in the back of the canoe held the worst of the damage out of the water, which helped!
At home I keep 2 belt kits handy and I am confident that in 5mins I could get all necessary kit into my big bag - tho getting the missus packed could be a different thing altogether!
At home I keep 2 belt kits handy and I am confident that in 5mins I could get all necessary kit into my big bag - tho getting the missus packed could be a different thing altogether!
fraz79 said:Hey everyone.
Yeah, true. (Can't quite tell if you're being sarcastic or not though!
no sarcasm intended, as we dont live in a major avalanch/ huricane or earthquake zone i thourgtt floods are the most obviouse and as i am a River Rescue technician and i live on a river it the first thing that popped into my head. as i said no sarcasm. respect......
What about train derailment with a toxic spill where you would have to evacuate? Or wildfire? Or tornado? Or severe winter storm? No sarcasm either, just seems to me it pays to be ready for any number of disasters/scenarios. Or if you prefer just having fun in your local wilderness. Cheers.
Cheers.
madrussian said:What about train derailment with a toxic spill where you would have to evacuate? Or wildfire? Or tornado? Or severe winter storm? No sarcasm either, just seems to me it pays to be ready for any number of disasters/scenarios. Or if you prefer just having fun in your local wilderness.
Toxic spill? Possible, but very rare. There was a big refinery fire down in london last year where they evacuated people from the surrounding area due to an explosion risk. In reality, there is more chance of winning the lotto than having that happen to you, so you are probably better off spending the money on lotto tickets.
Wildfire? Britain is a very, very wet country. We do have some expanse of virtually uninhabited moorland which can catch fire in very hot summers, but it would be exceptionally rare for a wildfire to threaten homes or lives.
Tornado? We do get em, little cute ones. One made national news last year in Birmingham because a garden shed got damaged and some tiles fell off a roof or something. Threat to life and limb? Virtually nil.
In reality, the biggest risk to being suddenly uprooted from your home in the UK is from flooding. It happens on a scarily regular (almost annual) basis in some parts of the country.
The risks are quite predictable though. Britain has very varied terrain for a small country, with the south and south west being quite flat and relatively low-lying in parts. Generally the further north you go, the higher you go until you reach the highlands of Scotland. The flood risk depends where you live. I live in a town that is about 650ft above sea level. The flood risk is pretty much non existant here.
A few years back I posted an article over on the Outdoor Magazine site called "All Kitted Out", which you may find interesting. I have had loads of very positive feedback on it over the years, folks have found it very usefull and it made many looks at their "bug-out" kits differently.
N
N
Martyn said:
Hello Martyn,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4518500.stm
I heard the plant blow in London (UK), as did some in the Netherlands I believe. I was lying in bed at the time, probably drawing up a mental list of items to be included in a future 72 hour survival kit
Never say never as they say!
Best regards,
Paul.
TheGreenMan said:Hello Martyn,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4518500.stm
I heard the plant blow in London (UK), as did some in the Netherlands I believe. I was lying in bed at the time, probably drawing up a mental list of items to be included in a future 72 hour survival kit
Never say never as they say!
Best regards,
Paul.
The last big firework factory blze happened in Devon ( the village I was living in!), suddendly you could not get in or out of the village, very frightening, my family were in the village, I was'nt, and the Police did'nt want to let me back in!!!
Good local knowledge and a few bits of kit from my belt & car got me home. Its a bit like home insurance (Martyn!) you carry it everyday (a bit like your shiny new survival kit), but mine is used!
N
Neil1 said:
That's a scarry situation for sure. I agree some provision for the worst does make sense, but I think you have to temper how much effort, money and time you put into it, against the risk - it's easy to get carried away with it. The risk is very low in reality. Very few people are uprooted from their homes - I dont personally know anyone it's ever happened to.
If the "occasion" is as severe as you need to extract yourself consider that many others will aslo be of the same opinion even if they are not as prepared as you. Layer your ability to be mobile, carried in a vehicle, such as having a folding hand cart of some sort of design to carry the load as far as you can mange with, to ease the load on your shoulders. A pack to contain it all when the cart itself become a strain for whatever reason, by a hand cart, I mean small narrow version as opposed to a peddlars cart, more in the dimensions of a wheel barrow. Two wheel to give your arms a rest from the balancing of the load.
Tengu said:
Hello Tengu,
Thanks for taking the time to look-up that URL, very kind of you. I read this article quite a while ago. The reminder of its location and the opportunity to re-read it has been most welcome.
Best regards,
Paul.
Neil1 said:
The noise of the of the Buncefield plant explosion was pretty alarming, even at the distance I was from it, I dread to think what the reactions of those close to it might have been.
I have to say, Neil, that the article you authored (Found at the location that Tengu posted), is one of the most sensible and comprehensive Ive ever read on the subject. I think you got the balance just right. Very nice work.
Incidentally, for those interested in such matters, Old Jimbo has some useful ideas about survival kits on his Web site (Some of the very best ideas Ive seen around).
I think that many people shy away from considering the type of scenarios that you outline for fear of being categorised as the type of survivalist that appeared to be prevalent in Cold War America (Think personal nuclear fall-out shelter, with stock-piled automatic firearms). Although, knowing what we now do, about the details of the Cuban Missile Crisis for instance, those survivalists dont look quite so wacko, and Ill leave aside any argument and consideration as to whether one would want to be a survivor of a nuclear war.
What follows is not addressed to you specifically, Neil, but to the forum in general:
Much of the equipment and gear that I have acquired since I developed an interest in what we have come to know as bushcraft (A somewhat nebulous term that can mean almost anything outdoorsy) serves several purposes, which appeals to me both from a philosophical and utilitarian viewpoint, not to mention an economic one.
Being an urban dweller (Oh, how I envy those of you who can hop over the fence at the bottom of the garden and be away into the woods/forest/hills! trying to escape London always seems like planning an expedition, especially as I dont own a car), I find that much of the gear is very useful when the essential services such as the electricity or water supply fail.
This has happened surprisingly frequently in my part of London. I have spent several uncomfortable times, in a very cold wintertime apartment with no means of preparing hot drinks or hot food, and nothing better to provide light than a small box of candles, and, without clothing of the type that will keep one warm when physically inactive in cold conditions.
I realised after giving consideration to the types of suitable clothing I could expect to use in bushcraft, that my normal summer and winter clothing were virtually identical such is the somewhat cosseted life of the modern urban dweller, that one can quite easily be shielded from the elements in such a way that at times, the weather can almost become nonexistent).
As well as my bushcraft clothing being suitable for its originally intended purpose, it also serves for use in times when deprived of the basic utilities that we all take for granted in the developed world (Perhaps luxury utilities, in a global context), and, I find that much of the clothing is put to use as everyday wear (As Ive mentioned, I dont own a vehicle of any sort, and so the clothing I wear when out-and-about has become an important consideration).
Another thing I have been doing for a while, is taking a few carefully chosen items with me when travelling on the London Underground. Since there are now those among us who seem to have lost touch with their humanity, and are apparently planning to bring death and destruction, once more, to our streets (As we know, some already have), I now never travel on the Underground without a torch, chosen for the longevity of the battery life when used continuously (With spare batteries, and of a type easily obtained from almost any shop), a whistle, a first aid kit, a street legal knife, and an adequate supply of drinking water, should I have to spend an unexpected, extended stay underground (Trapped in a tunnel or station). Im even giving serious consideration to buying a well made smoke hood to include in this very basic type of survival kit.
Dont misunderstand me, I dont spend an unhealthy amount of time being preoccupied with this type of potential situation, and I dont feel I have fallen into the trap of adopting the besieged mentality of the survivalist.
In any event I think a 72 hour survival kit is just a sensible thing to have prepared and available, whether the chimney has fallen through the roof, having been dislodged during storm force winds, or ones home has sustained substantial damage because of a mini-tornado (The kind we occasionally get in the UK), or the hurricanes we dont get, but did, on one very famous occasion, or at other times when one might have to evacuate the home at short notice. And if Im ever so unlucky to be in the apartment during a fire, and the more usual exit is not available, the plan is to throw the 72 hour kit out the third floor window, rapidly followed by myself abseiling (Rappelling, for any readers on the other side of the Atlantic) down the rope I keep ready for that purpose. The prospect of having to leap from a third floor window in such circumstances is not an appealing one.
About a year ago a large copper beech tree which used to stand a few metres from my home was felled during high winds in the early hours of the morning, having had its root system badly weakened by fungus. It was a good bit taller than the three story high apartment building I live in. Had the fungus attacked the opposite side of the trees trunk, it would have fallen toward the building, and as my home is on the top floor of the building, I would have been sharing my bed with that copper beech! And the unlikely but possible local emergency and the improbable national emergency is still, in my opinion, worth taking a little time to prepare for.
However I dont walk the streets with a tobacco tin in my pocket, containing fishing line and rabbit snares and so forth. This is just out of place in the environment I spend most of my time in. If civilisation comes to an abrupt end while Im out at the supermarket, thats just too bad.
And to our American friends, Id just like to add that at the time of that very bad hurricane season a while ago, some of the most moving messages I have ever read on forums were from those caught up in that impending situation, frantically swapping information about the contents of their 72 hour kits, and seeking reassurance that they had the packed the right items and correct gear. Just recollecting those posts has brought tears to my eyes.
By the way, if anyones made it this far, thanks, and well done. This one was a bit of a long haul even by my standards. I do tend toward the verbose at times
Best regards,
Paul.
