What's in your bug out bag?

[gadgetgeek]

Good move there Stainless, I was more thinking that your priorities in your locale would put water much higher than food, moving at night, just another card in the deck, but I like how you think.

Echoil, I get what you are saying, but I'm still trying to grasp what your planning involves besides, getting out of the city. What factors might play into that? Storms, industial accidents, can you get far enough away in a direction no one else will be going, no loved ones/ friends to go with you? That's what I'm trying to get at. If that's something you don't want to discuss, that's your option, I'll drop it. When the power goes out, do you just head for the hills? Whats your bug-out threshold? To be honest history doesn't support the food riot theory, save for food being available, but not distributed, or profiteering. But that all depends on your city I guess. Like I said, I can't plan for, and honestly don't expect the full breakdown of society, so it doesn't factor for me. Perhaps naive, but the good news is I guess someone will get some nice gear, I only hope they are a good shot.

 

[EChoil]

Good move there Stainless, I was more thinking that your priorities in your locale would put water much higher than food, moving at night, just another card in the deck, but I like how you think.

Echoil, I get what you are saying, but I'm still trying to grasp what your planning involves besides, getting out of the city. What factors might play into that? Storms, industial accidents, can you get far enough away in a direction no one else will be going, no loved ones/ friends to go with you? That's what I'm trying to get at. If that's something you don't want to discuss, that's your option, I'll drop it. When the power goes out, do you just head for the hills? Whats your bug-out threshold? To be honest history doesn't support the food riot theory, save for food being available, but not distributed, or profiteering. But that all depends on your city I guess. Like I said, I can't plan for, and honestly don't expect the full breakdown of society, so it doesn't factor for me. Perhaps naive, but the good news is I guess someone will get some nice gear, I only hope they are a good shot.

C'mon....this is all hypothetical anyway....

I don't necessarily want to go in a direction no one else is going. Who said that?

As to what history supports, that's out the window when something is in the context of first-time occurrence, Black Swan, which is the scenario some have laid here. Nothing like that will have happened before in a society which sits so high atop the benefits of things so delicately networked. We in the U.S. have a lot farther to fall than most places.

I'd do what anyone else would, bring those dear to me and try to join up with as many others as I could to survive whatever it is you're talking about.

Sometimes it's fun to speculate I guess.

 

[sideways]

COPIES, not originals. Exposes the originals to theft when the bag is sitting in the home awaiting use, which may never come. But a very good addition to the list. SMALL amount of emerg. cash for same reason.



Good ol' white rice for simple diarrhea. But meds for anything clinical, dysentary, etc. Anything short of virus should be able to be handled by something OTC and compact for packing.

A small AM radio should be added--9v. battery already mentioned, though an extra could be carried in the radio. AM radio will become the internet during an shtf situation. FM could be worthless.

ACCESS. It might be copies in a family members fire safe or it might be a thumb drive in a bank safety deposit box. It might on your laptop that you grabbed on the way out when the alarm goes off in the middle of the night. However you do it... When the flood, hurricane, tornado, or house fire comes you'll be needing proof of insurance and identity.

 

[gadgetgeek]

Nothing wrong with speculating, just trying to lay out some ideas for the OP to think about. Personally I don't see the need to plan for improbable scenarios, but rather probable ones. I guess we were just having two different discussions. To each their own. I'd like to know how these thoughts have changed things for the OP But he seems to have gone lurky again I hope he didn't feel this thread disparaged him.

I also just noticed WK that you said you were in Canada and thus had more limited access to firearms. That's not quite right, in fact compared to some places you have more access. If you felt that a firearm was a necessary part of your planning, its well worth looking into. Now I think there are some dangers in focusing on the potential for violence in a situation, I think it can lead to a certain level of paranoia. However, if you are taking a realistic view of your situation, and a gun will help, its easier to get a firearm in Canada than a lot of people think. The training is simple, as is the application.

 

[Knivestown]

My bug out bag is built on a combination of urban survival and wilderness survival. Let's face it, if the home you have is not in the danger zone most of us would first shelter in place where we have good protection from the elements and maybe neighbors we can band together with to form a survival committee team. If I have a perfectly good home that is no in the path of civil insurrection or in the blast zone or some other SHTF scenario, I am building fire in my fireplace, blockading doors and windows and defending the place with plenty of guns and ammo stored up. If that cannot be the case, then I am leaving, but I think I would first try getting out/away in an RV or something before just running into the woods to camp in the elements. This is why I complete my bag with a combination of items for urban survival and wilderness survival. Things like a small pry bar and lock pick tools can "open doors of opportunity" in an urban environment. Some pre-paid Visas or just cash can come in handy. Gold if you are really hard core. Loose clothing to conceal everything you are carrying concealed like a gun, knife and maybe a radio. A leatherman Surge. A shortwave radio can provide new from elsewhere to learn if things are the same all over. Crank style generators to charge things as well as folding solar panels such as the Dragon or Goal Zero, I have both and they work well. A tablet and a spare Anker 25600mah battery pack, all which can be charged with the solar panels or the rechargeable anker, also charged by solar panels. A small tool kit to include at least pliers, bit driver, folding tree saw, hatch or axe (admittedly a little big).For transportation, a Ram 3500 turbo diesel which can pull the 37 foot fifth wheel so we can bug out the back roads and miss the roadblocks where they "check your papers". A zoomable monocular for urban survival. Other tools for tapping into electric grid by stealth. As for firepower I will have my Springfield XD in 9 on me at all times along with a cold steel aluminum bodied 6" Ti-Lite. My M85NP short barreled rifle will be in the RV or car not far away.

As for wilderness survival I keep a fishing line, lots of fire starter ways, including a flat fresnel lens which weighs nothing and works well. A large supply of ammo and a well packed medical kit. A tarp for making a quick shelter, a sheath knife with sharpener, a pair of binoculars for wilderness survival. Lots of clean undergarments and chemical warmers, I purchased a sun oven and solar panels on the RV to boondock for periods while hiding. Various tools such as a axe, folding saw, oil lamps and rechargeable lamps (like the Goal Zero lantern 250 models), I have 2 of them no they are great. A folding shovel. Gorilla tape and some folded aluminim foil of course. Water purification. An ethnobotanical medical library showing what lasts are good for health and where they can be found and how to prepare them. Perhaps a small marijuana garden as well. A cast iron stove isn't a bad idea, but the weight is prohibitive. I suggest building a kiln or rocket furnace once you find your destination. I keep a 17 cal savage and a 22 cal Beeman Crow Magnum III pellet rifle (sadly, no longer available) for dispatching small game good for the pot, and a Rock River Operator Elite .223/.556 for larger things, not to mention a short barreled pump 12 gauge with birds head grip and tactical light for "other jobs". A Bible, writing pads/booklets,a video camera with rechargeable batteries and lots of SD cards. I also strongly recommend a satellite link so you can know what is happening, how bad it is getting and where to avoid, a scanner will also be useful as would a motorcycle if you can. A cabable computer, such as a Microsoft Surface with keyboard would be a good choice for text, e-mail, Skype and organizing and budgeting as well as also developing organization, times, train schedules schedules, etc,,, It may be possible to work from home/on the road scenario to maintain an income even when boon docking. If you have the means, a satellite phone would not be a bad idea. If there are just 2 of you I recommend you each have a communication radio capable of at least 35 miles. A flare gun. Maybe some whiskey for trading, salt for preserving meat, dried foods as well.I believe mixing the urban and wilderness survival approaches will give you the best chances. But that is just one man's opinion, what do I know. it is only my $0.03.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

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