Survival kits and BOBs

Ban

Ban

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The other thread got me thinking about my own personal survival kit because some of my medicine and water purification tablets are probably due to expire. While I am at it I want to bring it up to date with possible new items or versions that may be more effective.

The other essential one for me is the BOB.

What do you guys carry in your Survival Kits and BOBs?
 
I'm big on medical supplies. Surprised on how much they are used when you have them, especially by people who make fun of you for having medical supplies with you.
 
Medical supplies are part of my survival kit. But I just have the basic stuff that you would find in a small first aid kit along with some antibiotic ointment. I did buy some sealed sterile sutures once many years back. Not even sure if that stuff expires or not. I have also been meaning to get some of that blood clotting stuff for larger and deeper cuts. Need to do a little more research to see if that stuff is any good.
 
I have a few different ones. I consider what I carry on me or in my pockets on a weekday or "not outside" day to be a barebones kit.

Next step up is the kit I carry in my EDC backpack. The stuff in there is geared more towards earthquake tools in an urban environment (e.g. heavy duty work gloves, disposable face mask and buff - I'd get an N95 if I could figure out how to store it without smashing it, first aid stuff that would actually help with a serious injury, flashlight and headlamp with extra batteries, whistle, multitool, cordage, cheap disposable poncho, rain-jacket and beanie, tarp/space blanket, metal canteen and cup, water purification, fire-making supplies, map of the city...) I've been wanting to add a compact crow-bar of some type (some leverage is better than no leverage), but I don't really want to lug the weight around.... Would be nice to add a handgun at some point, if possible.

In my GF's jeep I have a plastic storage bin with a emergency/survival supplies. I would probably consider it a BOB. I have an empty backpack in it, if I want to make an actual bug-out-BAG on the spot from items in the bin. I also have a grab-and-go barebones pouch style kit on a braided paracord strap at the very top of the bin. I've been meaning to make a solid and already packed backpack BOB for the car (to replace the bin and bandolier kit), just haven't gotten around to it yet, for reasons I'll get to below.

At home, my hiking pack/kit serves as the de facto BOB for now. I want to make a dedicated, do-not-touch-until-needed, BOB that includes more urban-oriented tools, just can't afford it yet. The problem for me with making mulitple kits is being able to stock each kit with quality and trustworthy gear. If I'm grabbing a bag to depend on indefinitely, I want to know that I stocked it with the best, most dependable gear, and not find myself wishing "damn, I wish I had time to grab X item from my hiking kit." So I'm slowly but surely working my way up to it.

I'll try to list my kit contents later.
 
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Ban said:
Medical supplies are part of my survival kit. But I just have the basic stuff that you would find in a small first aid kit along with some antibiotic ointment. I did buy some sealed sterile sutures once many years back. Not even sure if that stuff expires or not. I have also been meaning to get some of that blood clotting stuff for larger and deeper cuts. Need to do a little more research to see if that stuff is any good.
Click to expand...

Celox is good stuff, at least from the research I did a while ago. I carry one of these in every kit: http://www.swattourniquet.com/ Ready to go, can be used with one hand, tourniquet that can also be used as a pressure dressing or even elastic bandage. Can't claim first-hand use, but I think it's a great piece of kit. I also carry a CPR barrier in every kit. ETA: This all reminds me, I've been meaning to add some kind of occlusive dressing...

While I carry the normal bandaids and boo-boo stuff in FAKs, I really try to gear them more towards trauma and the ABCs...at least within the scope of my limited training. I'd love to take one of those Wilderness EMT classes sometime.
 
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Thanks for the link on the Swat Tourniquet. Look like a very useful piece of FA gear. Will have to pick up a few along with some celox. I will try to list out some of my gear in the BOB and SK when I get a chance.
 
I just have a get home bag in my truck but no real first aid supplies which I should remedy.
Extra clothes, pair of shoes, hat, water, food, flashlight, knife and jacket.
 
This is a great thread for FAK stuff. My own FAKs are pretty much Kage's "Ultralight Trauma Kit" with some of the penetrating wound stuff :thumbup:
 
Took my basic survival kit out of the car today. Everything was packed into a medium sized fanny pack.

List of items starting from the left
1) small swiss army type knife
2) compass
3) whistle
4) photon light
5) ferro rod
6) heavy duty gargbage bag
7) emergency storm shelter
8) power bar
9) signaling mirror
10) extra compass
11) paracord
12) extra ferro rod
13) extra photon like light
14) diamond sharpener
15) wire saw
16) carabiner
17) titanium mug
18) fishing kit
19) duct tape
20) space blanket
21) candle
22) water purification tabs
23) storm matches, tinder, cottonballs with Petroleum Jelly
24) various bandages
25) plastic shovel
26) antibiotic ointment
27) vacuum sealed advil and other medicine
28) extra contact lense that I no longer need
29) gauze
30) superglue
31) puncture sealing tape
32) freeze dried ice cream ;)


Some things I noticed after long term storage.
1)The latex gloves deteriorated very badly. Was thrown away and not in the picture
2) Ferro rod gives off a powdery substances similar to mildew/fungus. Some sort of rusting action I am assuming.
3) Superglue is dried solid

I have a separate FAK with more of the same basic items. I think that I need some more heavy duty stuff that the basic kit won't be able to fix.


5732799956_527b60ca55_b.jpg
 
PSK001.jpg


This is my basic survival kit. Clockwise it consists of:

Portable stove and fuel tabs
Maratac AAA (I like this little light a LOT. It has 3 levels, and is light as a feather. I like to hang it around my neck so I always know where it is. If I am camping though, I will always take 2-3 flashlights).
Pocket prybar
Ti spork
Bandanna
Nylon stuff sack (which holds everything)
Swamp Rat Warden
NATO matches
Waterproof match holder with regular matches and flint
Hohner blues harp (keep the spirits up)
Sparklite survival flint and fuel
Insect bite ointment
Wire saw with paracord handles added
Atwood double header
Space blanket
Water purification tabs (due to expire in Dec 2012)
Disprin
Band-aids
Suncream
Fox 40 and carabiner (rated to 400kgs)
Some strong nylon cord
Extra fuel tabs (can also be used to start fires obviously)

Added to this is a bigger knife (usually a Busse BATAC or Swamp Rat HRLM, depending on the circumstances), hat and beanie and some extra energy bars/nuts/dried fruit etc.

Also forgot to add my Silva stormproof lighter which will go with me but was left out of the shot. There would also be a nalgene or camelbak water bottle in the mix too.

And that's me! :)
 
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I carry a small blow out kit at work on my belt.
EMT Shears
CAT tourniquet
Quick clot
Compression Bandage
Trama dressing
Packing gauze
Nasopharyngea
Nitrial Gloves
Chest seal
Chem light
Tape
CPR face shield

Keep meaning to make myself a BOB for something like an active shooter.
 
i have a super basic kit thats in need of a serious overhaul. .ill post pics when i have my new one.
 
Still have to list my stuff out, but it'll have to wait until a free weekend. Heading up to Humboldt this weekend for some camping :)
 
I use a small multi-purpose accessory pouch which sits easy on my belt. I got it form here

https://www.armynavydeals.com/asp/p...temName=Multi-Purpose Accessory Pouch- Coyote

Accessory Pouch- Coyote
FX56688.jpg


It's 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 (but expands out to 4 if you loosen the pull straps)

I keep it on a pistol belt with my GI canteen with cover and canteen cup in my car, or on my waist when outdoors.

In it I have

For Medical
a sandwich sized ziplock with
6 x band aids
2 x benadryl tablets
4 x amodium tablets
2 x extra strength tylenol
1 small tube neosporin
1 x packet of deet free insect repellent
4 x water purification tablets (the rest of the bottle is in the canteen cover pocket)

For Fire
A lighter
light my fire scout firesteel
4" piece of hacksaw blade I use as a striker
4 firestraws (kept in bag with medical supplies)

For Shelter/Cover
1 x emergency blanket
1 x emergency poncho
1 x roll electrical tape (to help build a temp shelter)

For Water
The before mentioned water purification tablets
1 x empty gallon ziplock freezer bag (in case I somehow don't have the canteen I can put water in this to hold and use the tablets)

For Food
2 x bulon cubes
1 x packet instant soup
1 x packet vanilla tea
1 x ziplock with fishing kit (10' line, 3 hooks, 2 small weights)
2 fruit rollups

Tools
1 x mini rayovac flashlight (keychain size about 3")
1 x SRM 710 folding knife
1 x GI can opener
1 x Meyerco necklance (soon to be replaced with BK remora)

Attached to one of the zippers is a small zipper pull compass.
 
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hughewil,

I the link for the accessory pouch didn't work for me. The immodium pills are a good idea. I may have to add that to my kit.
 
Ban said:
hughewil,

I the link for the accessory pouch didn't work for me. The immodium pills are a good idea. I may have to add that to my kit.
Click to expand...

I fixed the link and included the image (I like that place becuase of free shipping).

Yeah out in the bush is about the last place you want the squirts so amodium is a must. So is a benadryl, if the skeeters and yellow flies get you to bad the bendryl will help relieve the itching sum and help you get some sleep.
 
great kit hughewil and thanks for sharing the link, going to build something similar.
 
The light my fire firesteel from goingear.com comes with a scraper. I use the hacksaws blade because I find it throws bigger sparks easier, and in a pinch could saw a litle with it. I do keep the scraper that came with the firesteel though becuase it is also a whistle.

I am also going to add several feet of wire to use for snares.
 
Thanks for the link to the pouch. Great price and looks good. Will have to pick one up soon.
 
Looks like a much more affordable Maxped M1 pouch :thumbup:

Regarding Loperamide: Most of the physicians I've talked to and literature I've browsed through seem to indicate that the most important thing to do for mild diarrhea is to make sure you keep hydrated and replace lost electrolytes. Dehydration is the biggest threat with diarrhea. Loperamide is good to alleviate symptoms, but if you're still squirting after 24 hours, have squirted more than 3-5 times in a day, or are experiencing severe cramping, a fever, or blood in your loose stool, then you really need an antibiotic. I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't take loperamide if you're dysenteric (the primary sign, IIRC is blood or mucus in your loose stool) because you might possibly be hampering the body's clearance of toxins (only produced by certain pathogens).

I carry loperamide in my boo-boo kit mainly to curb the inconvenience of a squirt or two while out in the woods. But more importantly, I make sure I have enough stuff on my person to keep me hydrated while my body deals with the nasties. This includes Micropur MP1 tabs for at least 3 days worth of water, a canteen (metal or plastic), a metal cup, and fire-starting supplies. Since I don't carry any antibiotics, I just have to make sure I take adequate precautions. Or hope that I can make it back home or get found if I ever did pick up anything really nasty....
 
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