The 'Bug Out Bag' and the 'INCH' Bag

[sandbender]

An 'INCH' Bag (I'm Not Coming Home) is a new one for me, it is mentioned in this article where a chap discusses his bags and what he puts in them.

Article.

I don't have a bug out bag as such, I'm not sure how useful it would be. I usually have some handy stuff in my pack when I'm out and about, mostly relating to child maintenance and entertainment. However it does strike me that many of these bug out systems miss an important point in that they all look like cool bags full of stuff that might be incredibly useful in times of hazard and emergency. In other words they look like something that other people might want to take away from you, or confiscate (if they are the authorities).

If you are going to have one of these things it would be far more sensible (and easier to carry) to stick it into an old battered Berghaus Munro or similar, ideally with a nice yellow rain cover and mabe a key chain teddy bear hanging from it.

Enjoy the linked article.

 

[British Red]

I always thought a postman's uniform ad one of those wheeled trolleys had huge potential

 

[Oakleaf]

There were some interesting other pages listed on that one. thanks for the link.

 

[presterjohn]

I always thought a postman's uniform ad one of those wheeled trolleys had huge potential

What a fantastic idea!!

 

[presterjohn]

I have always thought the bug out bag idea a bit of an odd one. Fair enough if you live in certain parts of rural or mountainous parts of America or even certain parts of Europe that are not high density living areas but in the UK what are you supposed to do with them? If even a few thousand of us vanished into our local woodland areas the areas would be a shanty town within weeks as we just don't have the land for it.

My personal view is that "prepping" for an event that might need a BOB might have some minimal merit because I guess anything can happen in life but I would not think of it as anything other than disaster insurance. To that extent I would not think it foolish to keep a few kilos of cheap rice in long term storage and a couple of Jerry cans of Paraffin for heating and cooking. Other than that though the average family is best staying indoors and coping as best they can until whatever disaster has ended.

 

[British Red]

A late night conversation gave rise to that one - along the lines of "how would you walk out of a city if it all went the shape of the pear".

Being dressed as a tramp with a supermarket trolley full of bin bags was another thought. Camouflage has many forms.

 

[sandbender]

"...Being dressed as a tramp with a supermarket trolley full of bin bags was another thought..."

I'm still wearing my winter beard and like to wear my clothes to death so all I'd need is the shopping trolley.

 

[Parbajtor]

Lots of good urban survivalist tips come from stories about the homeless. "Stone Pillow" starring Lucille Ball has some blinders. "The Fisher King" and "Down & out in Paris & London" also have some good tips.

 

[British Red]

I'm still wearing my winter beard and like to wear my clothes to death so all I'd need is the shopping trolley.

All I am missing is the duck on my head

 

[whats wrong with you all]

All I am missing is the duck on my head

What duck?

 

[sandbender]

What duck?

It relates to a recurring character in Terry Pratchett's Disc World books. I begger/tramp who always has a duck on his head, no explanation as to why has been provided in the books I have read so far.

 

[resnikov]

It relates to a recurring character in Terry Pratchett's Disc World books. I begger/tramp who always has a duck on his head, no explanation as to why has been provided in the books I have read so far.

I think the user knows this, as in the books when asked about the duck he always says "What duck?"

Buggrit Millenium hand and shrimp

 

[British Red]

Ahh but that's "Foul old Ron" rather than "The Duck man"

 

[MonsterBeetle]

Looks like he'd be inching along with that bag tbh.

Being prepared is far from silly although people do get obsessed with these types of bags and what to put in them. It always seems to me the first thing a lot of preppers do (and many never really do anything other than spending considerable cash on kit such as this) is put a BOB/INCH/GHB etc etc together and stick it in the wardrobe rarely to be seen again. A lot of people seem to miss the point about prepping and concerntrate on shiney kit rather than trying to be as self reliant and self sufficient as possible.

 

[TarHeelBrit]

We do have BOB's and a VSiP (Vehicle Shelter in Place) kit. The BOB is mainly for our neighbour 18 miles up the road the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant. If that thing decided to leak and we've got little warning to leave, at least we're ready to go.

 

[John Fenna]

I always thought a postman's uniform ad one of those wheeled trolleys had huge potential

When I was harvesting some stone from a disused roadside quarry and "finding" some useful Hazel poles at the same time ... not quite legally perhaps .. council land if anything... waste ground anyway... I found that a high-vis vest white van and a hard hat helped me blend in to the landscape
No one stopped me or even stopped to question me... camouflage comes in all sorts of patterns

 

[Hedgecrafter]

I don't have an inch bag. But I have a OBTCBD pack.
That stands for 'oh bugger the cars broken down'.

A 60L back pack with shelter, food, cooking, clothing for the family, hi-viz, tools, spare car bulbs and fuses, spade, maps, compass, water filter and tabs, pens, books spare glasses, sewing kit, kitchen sinks, knife, rope, sleeping bag, lock ties, old walking boots, etc...

It could be a bug out bag. But it's designed to be more for getting home, or if I have to walk a few miles to get phone service then stay by the car for hours.

Inspired by my 7hour wait 3 miles from the dartford crossing when it snowed so much they had to shut everything.

 

[rickyamos]

I don't have an inch bag. But I have a OBTCBD pack.
That stands for 'oh bugger the cars broken down'.

A 60L back pack with shelter, food, cooking, clothing for the family, hi-viz, tools, spare car bulbs and fuses, spade, maps, compass, water filter and tabs, pens, books spare glasses, sewing kit, kitchen sinks, knife, rope, sleeping bag, lock ties, old walking boots, etc...

It could be a bug out bag. But it's designed to be more for getting home, or if I have to walk a few miles to get phone service then stay by the car for hours.

Inspired by my 7hour wait 3 miles from the dartford crossing when it snowed so much they had to shut everything.

I think that's a top idea. my works van the other week had a duff battery and two hours later I was very cold waiting for the repair man. would have given my left arm for a nice warm blanket.

 

[Parbajtor]

When I was harvesting some stone from a disused roadside quarry and "finding" some useful Hazel poles at the same time ... not quite legally perhaps .. council land if anything... waste ground anyway... I found that a high-vis vest white van and a hard hat helped me blend in to the landscape
No one stopped me or even stopped to question me... camouflage comes in all sorts of patterns

Hi vis vest, hard hat and clipboard will get you in almost anywhere

I don't have an inch bag. But I have a OBTCBD pack.
That stands for 'oh bugger the cars broken down'.

A 60L back pack with shelter, food, cooking, clothing for the family, hi-viz, tools, spare car bulbs and fuses, spade, maps, compass, water filter and tabs, pens, books spare glasses, sewing kit, kitchen sinks, knife, rope, sleeping bag, lock ties, old walking boots, etc...

It could be a bug out bag. But it's designed to be more for getting home, or if I have to walk a few miles to get phone service then stay by the car for hours.

Inspired by my 7hour wait 3 miles from the dartford crossing when it snowed so much they had to shut everything.

I never really took much interest in BOBs etc. until the big snows. Now I have OBTCBD and OBTBBD (motorcycle) kits

 

[wingstoo]

When winter comes I usually pack an INCH bag into my works van along with a couple of jerry cans of diesel, just in case the roads are blocked through weather problems or muppets driving badly and creating chaos. A change of clothes, something warm to sleep in if not able to get to an Hotel or Motel type accommodation, a couple of litres of water, a gas stove and gas canisters, something to cook in and eat out of and a ration pack with extra drinks is all that is needed.

Bug out bags are nothing more than an over-night bag in reality, most likely reason for using one is a local problem such as fire, flood or spillage from an RTC.

Most of the other things are fantasy island stuff.