bug out bag. are you serious about it?

[BePrepared]

Sounds good. I've mostly gone to those mountain house meals supplemented with a pile of those new hormel entrees in a box eatables or whatever they are called. One per day per person on those with the mountain house meals and energy bars and hard candy. Nothing beats a hot meal I've discovered. The peanut butter is also a good idea, especially with some crackers. You just have to rotate stuff.

In terms of the water I elected for a hiking filter, boiling all that water sounds like a lot of work.

In red: I definitely agree. Since we eat about a jar of peanut butter a month, they get rotated through about once every 3 years, which is within their shelf life.

In Blue: i do have some water treatment tabs, but they tasted gawd awful, so they're a last ditch option only. Boiling in a metal canteen then storing in the same canteen isn't that much work. It also gives you a nice warm thing to tuck into a sleeping bag with you in the winter.

 

[roughneckrob]

I live in the same conditions. but I have mild anxiety issues so I take every shred of media doomsaying hype, whether its war or environmental disaster, and stress about it as if its absolute fact for days. nothing serious, I'm not suicidal, but I'll worry about it in the back of my mind for days just feeling helpless (I get it from my mom). its really annoying.

I'm the exact same. It must be the Canadian water? Heres a true story, I was working at the Lafarge cement plant here in Edmonton when I hear on the news that planes hit the world trade towers. I watched the news in the lunch room for about 15 Min, then without looking around the room I announced to everyone there " I quit, this is it". I went directly home, grabbed my camping gear, rifle and a few belongings and went to the Nordegg mountains for a week. Nothing happened but I thought this was going nuclear for sure. The last time the states got bombed it did, right? Since than I have taken a wide range of wilderness survival, Navigation courses and Urban survival courses. I Spend many hours a week at the range with both AR, shotgun and pistol.I have been training for the last 4 years at a local CQC training centre and I have huge stock piles of none of your business and I am ready. If your not than thats your problem but I have prepared to bug in and out when necessary.

 

[ThirdTooth]

I'm the exact same. It must be the Canadian water? Heres a true story, I was working at the Lafarge cement plant here in Edmonton when I hear on the news that planes hit the world trade towers. I watched the news in the lunch room for about 15 Min, then without looking around the room I announced to everyone there " I quit, this is it". I went directly home, grabbed my camping gear, rifle and a few belongings and went to the Nordegg mountains for a week. Nothing happened but I thought this was going nuclear for sure. The last time the states got bombed it did, right? Since than I have taken a wide range of wilderness survival, Navigation courses and Urban survival courses. I Spend many hours a week at the range with both AR, shotgun and pistol.I have been training for the last 4 years at a local CQC training centre and I have huge stock piles of none of your business and I am ready. If your not than thats your problem but I have prepared to bug in and out when necessary.

oh, not the EXACT same. when I say I have mild anxiety issues I mean I'll let it gnaw on my subconcious and put me in a slightly off mood. I've never bugged out to the woods or had a breakdown or anything. I'm not judging you though, I just don't think my anxiety over these things is nearly that dramatic.

 

[stabman]

If the world goes to hell, I'll have enough time at home to figure out what to stick in the bag...if I leave home.
If I have to leave the apartment really fast, it'll be because it's on fire, and a bug-out bag wouldn't hold enough of my stuff to make me less pissed off.

 

[BePrepared]

and I have huge stock piles of none of your business

I feel ya bro... guns? what's a gun? I'm sorry Mr.Government man, I have some scissors, and i think there's a kitchen knife around here somewhere, but i don't know anything about these "guns" you're referring to

 

[Gaspumps]

For those in a certain area of the country, one word says it all- tornado. My BOB consists of first aid materials, good knife, fire starting kit, energy bars, water bottle, etc. Nothing that will keep me alive for a year 1000 miles from nowhere but enough to keep me and my family a little happier than if we didn't have it.

 

[roughneckrob]

I know, I'm paranoid as all hell. Always have been and I know when it started. when I was a little kid my father made me watch this movie called " The Day After" a movie about WWIII. He said to me "this is gonna happen one day". For years and even today I have nightmares of that missile flying over my house and watching St. John's (I grew up in Newfoundland) go up in a mushroom cloud....Thanks Dad. I have calmed down a lot but I can't help but see things in this society and nature that make me very nervous. Besides, its as much fun as a grown man can have, its functional fun.

 

[roughneckrob]

I feel ya bro... guns? what's a gun? I'm sorry Mr.Government man, I have some scissors, and i think there's a kitchen knife around here somewhere, but i don't know anything about these "guns" you're referring to

Hehe...Yeah officer, I took my guns on a canoe trip last week and flipped the canoe. They are all at the bottom of the river somewhere, have a good day officer.

 

[sogflash]

is bug out bags and "prepping" an American phenomenon? I'd like to know if people in Europe or other parts of the world prepare this much for whatever they think might happen.

I can understand having some stuff in you car in case it brakes down or something far away from others during the winter.

 

[beau5278]

I live in an area that's relatively safe,as a kid growing up we got snowed in for a few days every winter and everyone always had enough supplies on hand just in case,I guess it just stuck with me.Around 1980,they built a nuke plant that's only about 3 or 4 miles from here as the crow flies,so since then we've been conditioned that the day may come when we would NEED to bug out.I've got a few different bags and actually if I considered my camping gear,it wouldn't take me more than about a half an hour to be out of here and able to set up camp anywhere that my tent will fit.I had to laugh last night,one of the radio stations in western Ny was talking about the storms coming through today,I guess the Governor up there made a statement last night about having emergency supplies ready in case the power went out or whatever.To me it seems pretty sad when people aren't ready for something like a heavy rain storm!

 

[BePrepared]

is bug out bags and "prepping" an American phenomenon? I'd like to know if people in Europe or other parts of the world prepare this much for whatever they think might happen.

I can understand having some stuff in you car in case it brakes down or something far away from others during the winter.

Without saying anything overtly offensive, i'll say that i doubt it. For the large part, most of Europe appears to have a very different take on protection than your average (not cityfolk) American. They seem to be under the impression that it's the governments job to protect you, and anyone who doesn't have complete faith in their government protecting them from anything at all is just antisocial and crazy

I am sure that most of the folks from Europe who come to this type of forum don't fall into that category, but europeans that i've run into on other forums would fall squarely into the definition of "sheeple"

I don't understand that mentality, but it's the same one that leads people to ask "why do you need a gun? that's what the police are for"... it seems as crazy to me as someone asking "why do you need bandaids and neosporin for? That's what doctors are for"

On the subject of boating accidents, i used to have dozens of guns, but one day i was out on the lake with my guns, and i got attacked by a crazed elk.. he flipped my boat and every single gun i had went into the drink. All i have left is the old rusty .22 that i got at a garage sale, but if the government comes to take all the guns, i'll gladly surrender it to them

here's a diagram i drew of the incident

 

[12345678910]

Hell, even the Canadian Government and the Mormons recommend a BOB

They just call it a 72 hour emergency preparedness kit.

http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx


http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/kts/index-eng.aspx



In an emergency, you will need some basic supplies. You may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.

You may have some of the items already, such as food, water and a battery operated or wind-up flashlight. The key is to make sure they are organized and easy to find. Would you be able to find your flashlight in the dark? Make sure your kit is easy to carry and everyone in the household knows where it is. Keep it in a backpack, duffle bag or suitcase with wheels, in an easy-to-reach, accessible place, such as your front-hall closet. If you have many people in your household, your emergency kit could get heavy.

It's a good idea to separate some of these supplies in backpacks. That way, your kit will be more portable and each person can personalize his or her own grab-and-go emergency kit.

 

[roughneckrob]

Hell, even the Canadian Government and the Mormons recommend a BOB

They just call it a 72 hour emergency preparedness kit.

http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx


http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/kts/index-eng.aspx



In an emergency, you will need some basic supplies. You may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.

You may have some of the items already, such as food, water and a battery operated or wind-up flashlight. The key is to make sure they are organized and easy to find. Would you be able to find your flashlight in the dark? Make sure your kit is easy to carry and everyone in the household knows where it is. Keep it in a backpack, duffle bag or suitcase with wheels, in an easy-to-reach, accessible place, such as your front-hall closet. If you have many people in your household, your emergency kit could get heavy.

It's a good idea to separate some of these supplies in backpacks. That way, your kit will be more portable and each person can personalize his or her own grab-and-go emergency kit.

Yup, even the government says you should have one and they don't even care about you.

I am actually surprised that so much real time information is given to us from our government. Relevant information for people in both Canada and the States. They actually consulted a true survival expert on this matter and yes they say you will need a knife

 

[tjswarbrick]

I was in the South Bay during the 1989 world series earthquake. Took me 2 hours to get 8 miles home. It could have been worse - I could have been on a bridge, or in the hills.
They say a bigger one is coming.
Even my daughters preschool recommended a 72 hour kit.
Plus, some emergency preparedness keeps little disasters from turning into big ones.
I didn't think much about it until we had kids. Now, even if I don't drive, I take one or two EDC
bags with a few basics in it. You never know when you'll need fire, tweezers, scissors, or a band-aid.

My guns, supplies, and loved ones are at home - so I call the bag in my trunk my Get Home Bag; the backpack in my wife's car is her Emergency Bag. Each contains knives and lights; multi-tools and other tools; FAK, water tabs and storage, batteries, bandanas, duct tape, lighters, paracord, trash bags, sharpening kit, and various other items to get us home, keep us secure, and be put to myriad other uses. They're also great for camping or going on a trip.

 

[roughneckrob]

I was in the South Bay during the 1989 world series earthquake. Took me 2 hours to get 8 miles home. It could have been worse - I could have been on a bridge, or in the hills.
They say a bigger one is coming.
Even my daughters preschool recommended a 72 hour kit.
Plus, some emergency preparedness keeps little disasters from turning into big ones.
I didn't think much about it until we had kids. Now, even if I don't drive, I take one or two EDC
bags with a few basics in it. You never know when you'll need fire, tweezers, scissors, or a band-aid.

My guns, supplies, and loved ones are at home - so I call the bag in my trunk my Get Home Bag; the backpack in my wife's car is her Emergency Bag. Each contains knives and lights; multi-tools and other tools; FAK, water tabs and storage, batteries, bandanas, duct tape, lighters, paracord, trash bags, sharpening kit, and various other items to get us home, keep us secure, and be put to myriad other uses. They're also great for camping or going on a trip.

That would have been terrifying. This is why we prepare and run scenarios and buy gear. Would the military be able to defend the country if they didn't run drills? what makes us any different? its fear inoculation and you need the proper tools to ensure you and your families safety. I look at it as if it is a military operation, I have the material objects I need and I have the training needed for me and my family to be safe. I just wish I could bring others in my neighbourhood around. People are sheep by nature, you need to train to become a sheepdog.

 

[roughneckrob]

Without saying anything overtly offensive, i'll say that i doubt it. For the large part, most of Europe appears to have a very different take on protection than your average (not cityfolk) American. They seem to be under the impression that it's the governments job to protect you, and anyone who doesn't have complete faith in their government protecting them from anything at all is just antisocial and crazy

I am sure that most of the folks from Europe who come to this type of forum don't fall into that category, but europeans that i've run into on other forums would fall squarely into the definition of "sheeple"

I don't understand that mentality, but it's the same one that leads people to ask "why do you need a gun? that's what the police are for"... it seems as crazy to me as someone asking "why do you need bandaids and neosporin for? That's what doctors are for"

On the subject of boating accidents, i used to have dozens of guns, but one day i was out on the lake with my guns, and i got attacked by a crazed elk.. he flipped my boat and every single gun i had went into the drink. All i have left is the old rusty .22 that i got at a garage sale, but if the government comes to take all the guns, i'll gladly surrender it to them

here's a diagram i drew of the incident

lol. Thats close only I don't have a bald spot, i'm just plain bald and I have a Smith & Wesson M&P 15.

 

[Havokk]

I have had to bug out of my flat in the last year or two. Small matter of an earthquake. One of those ocassions was just to the driveway, mind you, but I did have to get out of the building. In those cases the BOB was good because I could make a cup of tea in the front yard. It also caused me to add something to the bag I hadn't thought of - spare warm clothing and footwear. If it had been in the middle of the night then I would have been standing in the driveway in my PJs.

A BOB is in the same category as a fire extinguisher or smoke alarm or insurance policy. You put one in place in the hope that you never ever have to use it but in the knowledge that if you do have to use it them the cost and effort will be well worth it.

 

[Two Dog Man]

I keep one at the ready. I own 62 acres of woods and every winter (when the temps are not overly dangerous) I take it (and only it ... with the exception a few bullion cubes, a couple knives, a small tomahawk, a .22 rifle and a change of socks) and I go winter survival camping in the woods for a few nights. My wife thinks I'm nuts and worries every year that I'm going to perish in the frigid winter climes. But, even though there have been challenging moments, I never have. In fact, it's always been quite affirming, cleansing ... and fun.

It's a short walk to a stream where trout abound (out of season, of course, so that's a last resort) and the woods are full of squirrels, rabbits and crows. I learn every year just what's important and what's not. Methods for making fire, a proper flashlight, emergency blankets, minimal fishing supplies, water purification, paracord, snare wire ... these are things that belong in a survival kit for me. And, to be truthful, it's not just fun, but comforting knowing that I can take a backpack containing certain stuff, and feel confident that I can make it through.

In my BOB, I always include two 6x8 tarps, which are heavier in weight than one would expect, but always provide overhead shelter and a ground barrier. Once you have shelter, it's on to fire. Once you have fuel for fire, it's on to food (assuming you brought your first ration of water).

Ugh ... I'm just bloviating now, sorry. The answer to your post is ... yes. I am serious about it.

 

[roughneckrob]

I keep one at the ready. I own 62 acres of woods and every winter (when the temps are not overly dangerous) I take it (and only it ... with the exception a few bullion cubes, a couple knives, a small tomahawk, a .22 rifle and a change of socks) and I go winter survival camping in the woods for a few nights. My wife thinks I'm nuts and worries every year that I'm going to perish in the frigid winter climes. But, even though there have been challenging moments, I never have. In fact, it's always been quite affirming, cleansing ... and fun.

It's a short walk to a stream where trout abound (out of season, of course, so that's a last resort) and the woods are full of squirrels, rabbits and crows. I learn every year just what's important and what's not. Methods for making fire, a proper flashlight, emergency blankets, minimal fishing supplies, water purification, paracord, snare wire ... these are things that belong in a survival kit for me. And, to be truthful, it's not just fun, but comforting knowing that I can take a backpack containing certain stuff, and feel confident that I can make it through.

In my BOB, I always include two 6x8 tarps, which are heavier in weight than one would expect, but always provide overhead shelter and a ground barrier. Once you have shelter, it's on to fire. Once you have fuel for fire, it's on to food (assuming you brought your first ration of water).

Ugh ... I'm just bloviating now, sorry. The answer to your post is ... yes. I am serious about it.

To have a piece of land this size would be ideal. I can understand your wife, mine is the same way but they just have to understand that a man has to get away every now and then just to be alone with himself. Have you thought of starting a survival garden?

 

[BePrepared]

When life gets loud, sometimes a man must go in search of silence.