Survival

My first post will be something pretty basic but every important. Its called the Bug out bag. Its pretty common and every house should have one. Now assuming you don't have a vast collection of big facy surivial gear I've slapped togeather a quick Bag of every day house hold items. Every bag should have 3 days worth of food and water, a change of cloths and a first aid kit. Once you've got those, you can start adding other useful items.





Spare cloths- I have 2 Tshirts and a pair of camo pants from the army surplus store, very durable. A package of underwear, extra socks (MUST HAVE) and a pair of wintergloves with another pair of fingerless leather gloves. Remember, You may need to bug out in the summer or winter time so be prepared for all seasons.

Food- I have a can of chicken, a can of spegettios, a can of pees 2 cans of green beans and a can of corn. I also have a box of rice and a box of pasta. I want food that will last a long time as you probably will put your bag somewhere and forget about it. You should have at least 3 days worth of food. I have 2 cans a day and rice and pasta to help make it last.

Water- I forgot the water, I'm a bad surivialist XD you should of course have 3 days worth of water. We're made of it, we need it, DON'T FORGET IT! Just because to can collect it on the way doesnt mean you should'nt start out with it. canteens, bottles, any way you can carry it.

First aid- My first aid kit is kinda hidden there behind the rice and pasta but its an auto first aid kit ment for cars. It comes with a few extras ment for accidents. When you get your first aid kit its a good idea to add onto it. Just becasue it comes with supplys doesnt mean you cant add some other things. Just keep in mind your own personal problems. Store an inhaler, Add painpills, alergice to bees? Get some of those anti-murder bee needles.

The extras- one of the best tools man ever invented was the knife. Get one and keep it sharp. You can see I have a mess kit there. Just because its the end of the world doesn't mean I've. Forgotten my table manners. I also have some bullets. In the event that I need to bug out, I'm bringing fire arms. I have my shells and bullets in plastic bags to keep out moisture. Another good idea is to get some of those little bags of chemicals they keep in shoe boxes at walmart and throw those in as well. They eat mositure from the air and that's. Always a good thing. Ideally the best thing to do is vacume seal your ammo if you have a food saver as well as your small arms if possible. Just make sure your fire arm is cleanned and oilled properly first.

Entertainment- you gotta have something to do on your down time and don,t get my wrong, probably won't have much. Between looking for food/water/firewood/travel/whatever you'll be pretty busy. I have 3 books. The first book is a boyscout hand book. Very useful. The second is the zombie surival giude, honestly are you suprised? The last is starship troopers. My faverite movie so I know ill love it. I havnt read the book before so it will be worth
carrying around. Books are the best for entertaining yourself. They can also be used for making fire or toilte paper. I wouldn't recomend bringing a gameboy or something to that effect, the batterys will die then your screwed.

The bag- can't have a bug out bag without the bag. That bag along with everything else was just something I found laying around the house. Ideally you want something big, durable, and confertable.

Once you have your bag I recomend for got a 6 mile hike with it. (Your a superhero you can do it.) 6 miles is nothing compared to the potential dozens of miles you'll be walking in a serious senario. Also, use your bag. Go camping with some friends, test it out. Always look for ways to improve your bag. And make sure you food is up to date! You don't wanna run out of the house just to see bugs in your rice or rats got into your food. Look over your bag once every 3_6 months.

Now that we have established the bug out bag were going to go over my mock bag to see what I did wrong andwhat I could do to improve.

The book of Starship Troopers has basically no relationship to the movie, but it's a classic. It's actually required reading at West Point, I've heard.

Like I said before I put togeather this bag using only things I felt the average household would have. It took maybe an hour to put togeather. If you decide you want to put togeather your own BOB you should get the best possible gear you can. Hit walmarts camping isle hard or hit up a military supply store. Another good source I love is cheaper then dirt catalog.

Let's look at what I did wrong.--- there's no water IMPORTANT! I could get a canteen and tie it to the bag but I would prefeer a couple bottles of water inside the bag. The bag itself is just a normal school bookbag. Its a good bag but kinda small. Once filled with my gearr its pretty packs, no room of other items I may scaving on the way. Also, food. Canned food is good but it really adds to the weight. You want your bag as light as possible,witch filled with gear, it won't be light as a feather to begin with. Mines got a bit of heft to it. Another thing I would preffer is a whole package of socks not just 2 extra pairs.

Other usful items include- rope, alchohal, fire starters, water purifying devices, a machette, air fiteration like a gasmask or resporator.

Does anyone have anything to add? Imput is always a good thing.

Whenever I think about survival away from civilized society, I worry about water. You need it pretty much daily, and you can only carry so much. Finding a renewable source would seem to be the biggest priority.

Indeed it is. Carrying a water filer, water purifying tablets is very important. Even just boiling water will do in most cases but its finding the water that's. Hard. Remeber rain is your friend. Put out something to collect water while its raining then collect water from puddles after. always collect as much as you can, if you have empty containers, you have room to collect.

I read in a survival book that you can filter water in a large container by filling it with alternating layers of sand and coal from a campfire. You would have an open top and then a drain hole in the bottom.

I've seen that acouple times as well but I've never tried it. I wonder how that taste...

Another big thing is to drink your own pee. Sorry but I'm not about to do that. XD there's ways to pull the water out so I never understood why people drank straight piss.

some fishing line and some hooks are cheap and easy to carry . and the line can have multiple uses

A big struggle for me would be the idea of killing wild animals for food.

CkIndeed, and grab a sturdy stick, you got a fishing pole!

Idea Man wrote:

A big struggle for me would be the idea of killing wild animals for food.

I know what you mean. I've never done this but I should really learn how to cook wild game in the forest. I just love squrrels so much! :/

As I like to tell people: I am a scavenger, not a predator. I am fine with eating animals that are already dead. Especially ones that were raised on a farm by humans specifically to be eaten. But the idea of going out into nature and choosing to take the life of a wild creature - it just makes me sad.

my son and i are goung to eat period . and squrirel doesnt taste good but no matter how cute they are im gonne eat . and wild fish is pretty good had trout friday night

What are you talking about squerile is delicious!

I was thinking that I might not feel as bad if I killed predatory animals. At least then I would be saving the lives of their prey.

How about a radio? You'll want to keep up on the latest news, so you know when it's safe to return to civilization. Also, I expect you may benefit from having a flashlight, in case you have to quit camp at night for some reason, get unwanted visitors, or just want to see where you're peeing. Strike anywhere matches or a barbecue lighter. OC spray, so you don't have to shoot non-violent invaders or marauding raccoons. A police duty belt or tac vest, or both, to keep supplies on, without adding to your back pack, will distribute extra weight more effectively, so you can carry more.

they sell this bag that carries like, 10 gallons of water. it's designed to catch rain water primarily. my brother and I took one on a hiking trip once and filled it with water from a stream. it hangs from a tree and the spout is at the bottom. gravity fed. dump whatever you don't use, and pack it up. its pretty neat.

All every good items that will be added to the list when I get to a computer, thanks gauge!

every bug out bag should have one. doubles as a cooking device and fire starter.

http://www.wickedlasers.com/lasers/The_Torch-74-41.html

Holy shit UA! I want one.

Wow, a real hand-held laser.

More like a lightsaber. Hhahaha. Hese thinga had a lot of problems when they were initially developed. They kept exploding or melting.

Flashlight handgrenade!

Out of curosity how many people have bug out bags?

I have a BRAND of backpack called bug out bag. Company is local too. I read a review of it about a guy who iived in the alaskan wilderness for a week with just what he packed in the bag. But I don't have anything set up. I really should.

And regarding water, you can always build a condensation trap to replenish your water supply. Just be sure to do it BEFORE you run dry.