- Joined
- Jan 28, 2007
- Messages
- 1,236
Living as I do in a state of borderline paranoia, I try to keep my truck box stocked with the necessities of survival - just in case of, say, a major earthquake, which is probably the largest realistic threat out here on the BC coast.
I also keep what I guess you could call urban self-rescue gear for the truck. For example, I have a pretty extensive tool kit in the truck, plenty of rope, a couple of tarps and a blue closed-cell foam mat in case I need to get underneath the thing and fix something.
I have a layered approach to my truck gear. The first layer is what I call the ditch gear - the stuff that comes with me if I have to ditch the truck. Right now this is all in a backpack, but I have been thinking about dumping the backpack for something like Robert H's Maxpedition Jumbo bag - looks cool and you can get at the gear without taking off the bag.
Anyway here is the ditch gear list:
1. Flashlight (Surefire 6p) and spare batteries
2. Knife - there is always a mora in the bag and I have a Scrapyard Guard in my pocket at work, or, on weekends, a Gene Ingram lacer
3. Food - this is generally an assortment of about 6-8 power bars or Eat-More bars. It's only meant to get me home.
4. Multi-tool - a leatherman super tool 200.
5. A couple of disposable lighters
6. Spare keys for truck, truck box, house, gun safes
7. Simple first aid kit - guaze, abdominal pads, 1" tape, gloves, ace wraps
8. DMT folding stone
9. Writing tools: A jiffy marker, 2 pens, 2 pencils
10. Rite in the Rain waterproof notepad
11. 1 liter (32 oz) water bottle
12. Leather work gloves
13. Up until recently this has been a rain poncho...think I will swap it out for a light jacket.
14. I have two bandannas in there...I don't really know why.
15. A little compass which is accurate, but not especially precise. Enough to do very basic navigation but this is the city, after all.
16. A red flashing LED to put on the outside of the bag if walking at the side of the road in the dark.
I was thinking I should probably include some tinder...maybe firestraws would be a good way to go. I hadn't originally bothered with much in the way of firestarting because this is aimed at getting me home in the event of a surprise disaster...that's a pretty urban environment and I'm not sure how much firelighting I would be looking to do. Still, a couple of fire straws would be hardly any space or weight.
Well, I think that's everything I have in there...would anyone like to offer some suggestions?
I would have about 20 km (14 or so miles) to cover to get home from work, it's a pretty flat, straight walk and I would expect to cover it in four or five hours.
Unfortunately packing a handgun is pretty well out of the question here...that's not EXACTLY true but I would have to have the zipper on the bag locked shut and a trigger lock on the gun, so getting to it would be pretty slow and awkward, and using it...well, I guess it's better to be judged by twelve, etc. But I would expect a minimum 20 second draw time so only VERY SLOW, DELIBERATE and OBVIOUS threats could be neutralized!
Your thoughts?
I also keep what I guess you could call urban self-rescue gear for the truck. For example, I have a pretty extensive tool kit in the truck, plenty of rope, a couple of tarps and a blue closed-cell foam mat in case I need to get underneath the thing and fix something.
I have a layered approach to my truck gear. The first layer is what I call the ditch gear - the stuff that comes with me if I have to ditch the truck. Right now this is all in a backpack, but I have been thinking about dumping the backpack for something like Robert H's Maxpedition Jumbo bag - looks cool and you can get at the gear without taking off the bag.
Anyway here is the ditch gear list:
1. Flashlight (Surefire 6p) and spare batteries
2. Knife - there is always a mora in the bag and I have a Scrapyard Guard in my pocket at work, or, on weekends, a Gene Ingram lacer
3. Food - this is generally an assortment of about 6-8 power bars or Eat-More bars. It's only meant to get me home.
4. Multi-tool - a leatherman super tool 200.
5. A couple of disposable lighters
6. Spare keys for truck, truck box, house, gun safes
7. Simple first aid kit - guaze, abdominal pads, 1" tape, gloves, ace wraps
8. DMT folding stone
9. Writing tools: A jiffy marker, 2 pens, 2 pencils
10. Rite in the Rain waterproof notepad
11. 1 liter (32 oz) water bottle
12. Leather work gloves
13. Up until recently this has been a rain poncho...think I will swap it out for a light jacket.
14. I have two bandannas in there...I don't really know why.
15. A little compass which is accurate, but not especially precise. Enough to do very basic navigation but this is the city, after all.
16. A red flashing LED to put on the outside of the bag if walking at the side of the road in the dark.
I was thinking I should probably include some tinder...maybe firestraws would be a good way to go. I hadn't originally bothered with much in the way of firestarting because this is aimed at getting me home in the event of a surprise disaster...that's a pretty urban environment and I'm not sure how much firelighting I would be looking to do. Still, a couple of fire straws would be hardly any space or weight.
Well, I think that's everything I have in there...would anyone like to offer some suggestions?
I would have about 20 km (14 or so miles) to cover to get home from work, it's a pretty flat, straight walk and I would expect to cover it in four or five hours.
Unfortunately packing a handgun is pretty well out of the question here...that's not EXACTLY true but I would have to have the zipper on the bag locked shut and a trigger lock on the gun, so getting to it would be pretty slow and awkward, and using it...well, I guess it's better to be judged by twelve, etc. But I would expect a minimum 20 second draw time so only VERY SLOW, DELIBERATE and OBVIOUS threats could be neutralized!
Your thoughts?
