bug out bag

[SHOOTALL]

Last night on TV there was a show about being prepared , it was not the one that has been on for a couple years . name slips me. There were a couple guys who helped folks prepare. Several had BOB's and some of the things they carried were  very strange. One was a knee brace converted to wear on the arm with a blade attached . One was a toy handgun. It was crazy what people thought was nessary.
 In a BOB weight is the limiting factor anyone who has carried a pack knows this. Of course the BOB may be for use with a vehicle so it can be larger but the ones in the show were back packs and to be carried. I had/have a pack that predates the new craze . It was my camping/fishing/hunting/work pack with things I might need. It got loaded and reloaded as the season changed. It had a change of clothes, 2 pair of socks . In winter a pair of bibs that fit over other clothes. A few things like compass, knife, leatherman tool, small first aid kit, shoelaces, para cord, matches and lighter , fire starting paste or equal, a few rounds of pistol ammo and rifle ammo in hunting season, maybe 5 buckshot shells, Food and water was always in the truck and could be added as was a light weight tarp. Later I added a mess kit , canteen and poncho with liner. I always had a pair of gloves , soap , rags, boonie hat and a few other things and it was getting heavy. Some of these guys expect people to carry 100+s and a weapon . Whats tooooo much ?

[Empty Quiver]

I tend towards a get home bag not a bug out bag. It has to fit a large-ish ruck and weight stays under 25 lbs.


Worst case I walk 38 miles home in the winter ( not likely to happen ). My plan is a one night bivouac. I have a 10' x 10' piece of Tyvec, clothing befitting the season, a couple cans of food, fire starting supplies and some other doo dads. I always have stuff with me in my "purse" I drive a truck and therefor am always in need of the toiletries, meds, leatherman, flashlite, maps, all the crap I find I can't get by without.


Now if the truck breaks or other scenario while out on the road well that's another kettle of fish all together. Eating will not be a problem for the first few months anyway, grocery delivery.    Bringing my larder with however... I do figure trading would be a good place to start my journey home. Of course anyone armed with better than a box cutter will have the drop on me.

[SHOOTALL]

good point about name mine fits that bill better, Mine has come in handy when pants split more than once    Hope if you need it , its not on the return trip empty 

[Empty Quiver]

Most generally we return enough damaged product, but it does cross my mind occasionally. One thing I have stopped doing is trying to make a trip on the dregs of fuel. I want a serious 1/4 tank left when I arrive, that'll idle me a couple days and still drive a good hundred miles or better.

[mechanic]

I've got the same outfit I carry pack camping.  Three days of food plus shelter, fire and water purification.  First aid, etc.
 
The only difference would be the addition of weapons and ammo if needed.
 
My pack weighs in at 27 lbs. right now.  With weapons and ammon it hits over 40, a significant difference if walking a long ways.
 
Ben

[Ranger99]

quality good size rope
medium size rope
string
thread and needles


plus the usual things.


there are a lot of modern folks that
seem to be afraid of cordage.
look around when you drive and see who
all has things properly tied down
to your own satisfaction. i'm starting
to semi-believe folks are afraid of cordage.
maybe it's these "survival" shows where
so-and-so goes out and builds a condo
with vines or something? if i can help
it, i've made the one and only rope i
intend to make years ago in boy scouts.
ropes and cutlery are the best things of
value we have in the modern world and
the least appreciated (in my opinion)

[mechanic]

You forgot one Ranger.....TP.
 
Ben

[Ranger99]

that comes under the
"plus the usual things"


always have wipers of some
kind or another at all times
and small bottles of hand sanitizer
and individually packaged wipes.
and person or in vehicle and both.


first spur-of-the-moment feral hog
i got drove that lesson home.
(plus intestinal emergencies )

[mechanic]

Some things do double duty...just takes some thought.  Example, dental floss is good thread for sewing...clothes or skin.  Small tube or two of super glue will close small cuts, and fix a loose shoe sole.  Safety pins can make emergency fish hooks.  Dental floss, (the green waxed kind), will drag in a fish. I've also used floss for a snare.  Catches birds handily, (birds are the most abundant source of food and easiest to catch.)  7 strand paracord can be separated, and individual strands used for a host of things. 
 
Careful planning will prevent overlap and excess weight, leaving room for more important stuff...
 
Ben

[SHOOTALL]

As for fuel I keep a 1/2 a tank full min. most all the time. I keep my get home bag in the truck which weighs to much. In addition there is always bottle water and food. The pack has 4 MRE type packages but often the truck has other food . There is a good size first aid kit in the truck. Even a surgical medical kit ( no I don't plan operating but the tools look like in an emg they would be helpful getting splinters out and other first aid ). I kave a good axe ( Estwing) , machette , all kinds of rope , straps , cord, chain etc. Most of the time there is a nitrogen tank with reg. to pump up tires and a plug kit. Batt pack (2) with air compressor . Flash lights with batt. Come along and high lift jack and a couple bottle jacks up to 9 ton. lighters , small hand torch , blanket , and everything a plumber or hvac tech. might have on a truck as far as hand tools.
 BUT IN A CRISIS if forced to leave the security and comfort of the truck I could only carry a fraction of what is there. And each item would need to be nessary and useful for several task if possible.
 I carry a bar of Ivory soap , can wash - cloths, mess kit and self , its a better choice over hand sant IMHO it last longer and weights less. Of course lighter and matches . A magifying glass is good to start fires on bright days and see how to fix a gun , remove a splinter and other useful task. A good knife , TP ( take more than you think you need  ). FOOD & WATER / water filter ( I have an emg. straw. ). The list of things always gets long and heavy   

[mannyrock]

 
  Ivory soap is really soft, gets used up quickly and is not anti-bacterial.  You may wish to consider switching to a bar of harder antibacterial, such as Safeguard.   
 
Mannyrock

[SHOOTALL]

Ivory if exposed to air like most soaps gets harder ( some folks will open soap and expose to air for several days before using), most packaging it to keep it soft so as you note it gets used up quickly. As for anti -bacterial most in the know realize that is advertising and soaps such as Ivory work just fine and have done so since the 1860's . Others believe the use of any anti baterial cleaners on the skin will cause the skin to stop producing it's own defenses much like using some drugs to often will render then ineffective.

[mcwoodduck]

I keep a few items in the car in case, not really a bug out bag but a comfort bag to walk home with.  I am ready for another Northridge earth quake  that will sever freeways and surface streets.
I keep an older pair of my hiking boot and a good pair of socks in the trunk along with a couple bottles of water and a filter stick to get more water, I can be more than 100 miles from home.
I keep a stack of silver (real Silver) coins in the car. 
I have a J frame revolver and 30 rounds of ammo
Flash lights and spare batteries,
Folding knife
A wool blanket
And a Zippo lighter and spare fluid. 
To add to what is normally on me of a pocket knife, sunglasses, some $ and jacket. 

[Ranger99]

i do have soap too.
there are some places around here
where there is no wash water available
other than the potable drinking
water you bring with you.
i am loathe to use that unless
necessary for other than drinking,
hence the hand sanitizer and wipes.

[SHOOTALL]

i saw some things called a bath or shower in a bag . I think it was some large wipes for the whole body . They sound good. or a box of baby wipes

[briarpatch]

One thing that seems to be forgotten a lot is "being in shape"   Throw a 25 lb bag on the back of an overweight, out of shape dude and he aint going far/fast.
Woodduck brought up a good point, office clothes/shoes and some work clothes aint made for travel so it would behoove anyone to have shoes and clothes for a long walk. 

[mcwoodduck]

i saw some things called a bath or shower in a bag . I think it was some large wipes for the whole body . They sound good. or a box of baby wipes

I had a pack of the large body wipes for a week long hunting trip where we were dry camping.  They worked well.  But bugging out leads to speed and I can not see draggin the water for a shower when other items could or would be better for the weight in a back pack or in a car / truck.

[mcwoodduck]

One thing that seems to be forgotten a lot is "being in shape"   Throw a 25 lb bag on the back of an overweight, out of shape dude and he aint going far/fast.
Woodduck brought up a good point, office clothes/shoes and some work clothes aint made for travel so it would behoove anyone to have shoes and clothes for a long walk.

I once walked about 8 miles in a pair of wingtips ,car broke and almost thinking I walked home in a pair of wingtips and khakis in Southern CA in late August.  I had dropped off  the one car and was going ot walk home and use the truck.  My feet hurt for a few days, I sweated through the shoes and ruined the heels.  From that day on I always kept my last pair of hiking / sneaker boots in the back of the car along with a thick pair of socks.  The standard black gold toe work socks tore up my feet with the hard shoes.  I started ot carry the wool blanket when I would go to Reno from the Fan Francisco area through Donner pass and was stuck on the free way for a few hours and the car cooled down and I was running low on fuel. 

[SHOOTALL]

i saw some things called a bath or shower in a bag . I think it was some large wipes for the whole body . They sound good. or a box of baby wipes

I had a pack of the large body wipes for a week long hunting trip where we were dry camping.  They worked well.  But bugging out leads to speed and I can not see draggin the water for a shower when other items could or would be better for the weight in a back pack or in a car / truck.

well I get wipes in a small bag for work/fishing /hunting maybe 4-6 wipes might be nice to have if you had to work on self or other person and got blood etc. on yourself. And with out getting gross after working around the clock for 4-5 days and no way to take a shower parts of the body seem to crust over if you catch my drift and a way to clean up might be welcome. My truck always hane a supply of hand cleaner wipes and zip lock bags so it would not be a lot of trouble to put a few in a ziplock and go.

[Couger]

Last night on TV there was a show about being prepared , it was not the one that has been on for a couple years . name slips me. There were a couple guys who helped folks prepare. Several had BOB's and some of the things they carried were  very strange. One was a knee brace converted to wear on the arm with a blade attached . One was a toy handgun. It was crazy what people thought was nessary.
 In a BOB weight is the limiting factor anyone who has carried a pack knows this. Of course the BOB may be for use with a vehicle so it can be larger but the ones in the show were back packs and to be carried. I had/have a pack that predates the new craze . It was my camping/fishing/hunting/work pack with things I might need. It got loaded and reloaded as the season changed. It had a change of clothes, 2 pair of socks . In winter a pair of bibs that fit over other clothes. A few things like compass, knife, leatherman tool, small first aid kit, shoelaces, para cord, matches and lighter , fire starting paste or equal, a few rounds of pistol ammo and rifle ammo in hunting season, maybe 5 buckshot shells, Food and water was always in the truck and could be added as was a light weight tarp. Later I added a mess kit , canteen and poncho with liner. I always had a pair of gloves , soap , rags, boonie hat and a few other things and it was getting heavy. Some of these guys expect people to carry 100+s and a weapon . Whats tooooo much ?

I didn't see the afforementioned teleBision show!  But it looks like it might have been a good example of how networks/producers like portraying preppers as foolish!
 
(that's "great entertainment!"  dontcha know?!) 
 
However many good ideas are shared among the posters here.
 
And when I look for "ideas,"
I often seek threads/boards where minimalist survival-ideas are shared and discussed.

[mcwoodduck]

i saw some things called a bath or shower in a bag . I think it was some large wipes for the whole body . They sound good. or a box of baby wipes

I had a pack of the large body wipes for a week long hunting trip where we were dry camping.  They worked well.  But bugging out leads to speed and I can not see draggin the water for a shower when other items could or would be better for the weight in a back pack or in a car / truck.

well I get wipes in a small bag for work/fishing /hunting maybe 4-6 wipes might be nice to have if you had to work on self or other person and got blood etc. on yourself. And with out getting gross after working around the clock for 4-5 days and no way to take a shower parts of the body seem to crust over if you catch my drift and a way to clean up might be welcome. My truck always hane a supply of hand cleaner wipes and zip lock bags so it would not be a lot of trouble to put a few in a ziplock and go.

The big body wipes were at Bass Pro and figured they would be good for camping.  At the same time I went ot Target and in their sample travel bin they have hand and buttocks wipes for under $1.50 each so before we co hunting I grab a bunch of each.  And hand a pack out to each of my hunting buddies and keep a pack of each in my hunting pack or in the cargo pockets of my BDU style pants.  One of my buddies looked at the pack when we were in Montana and gave me greif about bringing them.  As we sat down for dinner he was missing a sleeve off of his shirt.  I find the wipes helpfull especally if camping and hiking.  I also keep some in the car, not all porta pots have paper on construction sites. 

[Ranger99]

i don't know about other places, but
sometimes around here if you have to
use the little blue fiberglass house,
the t.p. can look kinda unworthy 
i feel better with my own kleenex,
or t.p. or wipes.


mr m.c. ,
if you look at the dollar store, and
megalo mart, they have store branded
unscented wipes in the teeny people
section for way less. i buy those and
break 'em down to smaller packs in
freezer bags (thicker plastic)
i'm never without at least one bandana
for nose wiping, face wiping, rear
wiping only if out of other choices
(you have to keep track of what
gets wiped of course)

[Empty Quiver]

i don't know about other places, but
sometimes around here if you have to
use the little blue fiberglass house,
the t.p. can look kinda unworthy 
i feel better with my own kleenex,
or t.p. or wipes.


mr m.c. ,
if you look at the dollar store, and
megalo mart, they have store branded
unscented wipes in the teeny people
section for way less. i buy those and
break 'em down to smaller packs in
freezer bags (thicker plastic)
i'm never without at least one bandana
for nose wiping, face wiping, rear
wiping only if out of other choices
(you have to keep track of what
gets wiped of course)

I am a big fan of the unscented baby wipes. i get the refills and break them down to about an inch in or so in a quart freezer bag. Something I started doing is dumping about a quarter cup of Isopropyl alcohol into each bag. It is a better cleaner as well as a disinfectant and best of all an anti-freeze. Now a man might have to suppress a squeal, if he is a bit raw but there is a cost to everything.

[FPH]

 Now a man might have to suppress a squeal, if he is a bit raw but there is a cost to everything.................TMI

[mcwoodduck]

mr m.c. ,
if you look at the dollar store, and
megalo mart, they have store branded
unscented wipes in the teeny people
section for way less.

I know I can do it for far less.  but at $24 for 10 of the butt and 10 of the hand wipes while hunting for a week it seems like the cheapest part of the hunt and the extras get used for work and kept in the shooting bags.  One for the sporting clay bag, one for the metal case range bag with one in the glove box of the car, one in the hunting day pack or duck hunting coat, and the spares in the garage with the hunting gear to replace any that are used.
I also find the hand wipes helpful with gutting a deer. pig or other critter.  to clean my tools, my hands and any zip lock bags I use as trash bags and do not want to have blood all over the place.  They also work as great glass cleaners, but I carry a handfull of glass cleaners with me in the hunting bag to clean binoculars, scopes or sun glasses   Hunting in a desert with  high winds will get you to carry some. 

[Ranger99]

need a travel-size gold bond
powder mr. e.q.  ?

[mcwoodduck]

need a travel-size gold bond
powder mr. e.q.  ?

No I have a few, but thanks.    Keeps my feet from getting swampy and my toes rotting. 

[Ranger99]

i think empty quiver be needin'
some for his . . .uh. . um. . .areas 

[Empty Quiver]

i think empty quiver be needin'
some for his . . .uh. . um. . .areas 

Laugh it up, but a man does occasionally forget his powder.   The arctic does have a few surprises for you southerners, and frozen ass wipes is just the beginning.


I digress, lanolin might be a better substitute for those of you who are unwilling to walk on the wild side.

[mcwoodduck]

i think empty quiver be needin'
some for his . . .uh. . um. . .areas 

Laugh it up, but a man does occasionally forget his powder.   The arctic does have a few surprises for you southerners, and frozen ass wipes is just the beginning.


I digress, lanolin might be a better substitute for those of you who are unwilling to walk on the wild side.

That's why you keep the pack in your shirt pocket so they are nice and warm.