AWOL bag

Okay, after finding this site and listening to "tales from the afternow" (www.theafternow.com: download it, listen to it, love it), I have decided to put together an AWOL bag - or, as I like to call it, an "oh $hit" bag.

I am starting from scratch. I need everything, bag included. It will need to include;

72-96 hours worth of rations (MREs)

a 1-man bivy-bag, preferrably for good to rather cold and wet weather, as I live in Michigan

a decent water bag and purification system.

A couple of good books (and I don't mean the Bible or Network Admin for Dummies, I mean Good Living in Grubby Times, that kinda thing)

a whole slew of other stuff I don't realize I need until you guys tell me.

For obvious reasons, I have the flashlight thing taken care of

BTW, I'm not a rich man, so I'm looking for good products at a reasonable price, not top-of-the-line-for-a-fortune stuff here.

So, suggestions?

--Scrimmy

One of your books should be the Boy Scout Guidebook (or whatever it's called).

Also a good knife (Puma) with a 6-8 inch high carbon steel blade with a bone (non-slip)handle. And of course, a good sharpening stone.

Fishing line and fish hooks.

one real Swiss army knife.

Compass, some maps, a .22 LR.firearm and ammo.
First aid kit. Sewing supplies...........?

Have you ever heard of frugal squirrles? Go there. http://www.frugalsquirrels.com I am in the forums, but mainly I lurk there. VERY good information. What you are wanting is called a BOB (bug out bag) or 72 hour kit. The reasoning is so you can hike to your bug-out place or get home to your bug-in place. Or, as I am wanting to use it for, to randomly decide to camp somewhere for the weekend and be able to do that.

Search the frugalsquirrel forum for BOB or other stuff. Better than that, just read the different forums! There is a LOT of information out there. You are going to want to keep it fairly light (most people try to keep under 60 pounds, I am a 135 pound guy, that would weigh me down a LOT, I would aim for 20 pounds or so).

A list of stuff I would include:

6 MRE's, 6 packs of Ramen (taste isn't a real big deal for short term stuff), some fruits and sugars, etc.

WATER (or a means of obtaining this)! MRE's need a lot of water so they don't dehydrate you!!! Being able to carry a gallon would be great, being able to purify some would be awesome. You'll probably want a purifyer (if you want to go camping, you can use it for that), or if you don't want to spend that much, purifying tabs and a can to boil the water in. Bleach also works.

A tarp (6X8 or larger), orange, or white, or brown, depending on what you want. Orange if you want to be found, white to blend in with snow, brown to blend in better with ground. The tarp serves many purposes. I am taking a tarp this weekend to use as a tent (I'll let you know how it goes), you can use it over the ground so you don't get damp if the ground is damp, you can fill it full of leaves and pine needles for insulation, you can make a roof for a snow shelter, etc. If it doesn't have grommets, no big deal. What you do for attatchment points without grommets is take a small rock (inch around or so) and put it on the inside. Then tie a rope around the rock on the outside, viola, instant tie point!

Rope! A very versatile item. I'd say like 20 feet MINIMUM of some 1/4 inch cord or so. MANY people like to have 20-50 feet of parachute cord because you can take out the 7 inner strands and use them for snares or other things.

Knife. A decent one, doesn't really matter what brand. Serrations would be nice for cutting rope, make sure you have at least an inch and a half or so of blade. Keep a small sharpener.

Fire! MULTIPLE ways to make it! A couple lighers, some matches (dipped in parafin for water-proofing), fresnel lense (sunny days only), flint and steel, etc. Also have candles! B-Day candles are great for getting a fire going. Larger, longer burning candles can keeep a snow shelter at around 32 or so even if it is REAL cold outside. Also, you can drape the tarp (or a rain jacket) over you and your knees. Then, dig a small pit (9 inches across, 4 inches or so deep) and build a small fire in it, or a larger fire and scrape the coals in that spot, or put the candle in it, put your tarp or mini-tent over it, and you will stay pretty warm. You do NOT want large flames! They will burn you as you are sitting over the hole. If the coals are too hot, you can put a little dirt or something over part of it so less can combust at a time.

Clothes Some to keep warm, extra socks and underwear in case the ones you (I hope) have on get wet. Wet underwear and socks=bad. Thin and lighter is better than bulky. Layering will keep you warmer for the weight than a large coat. Longjohns would be nice.

Can opener if you have canned food.

Some other stuff that I might add if I can think of it.

So yeah, here is a SLIM basis, I'd suggest checking out that site I showed you. They are a lot more helpful than me (as they actually can DO all this stuff, being a poor college student keeps me from buying much at all).

Also, ROTATE your food! Don't want it to go bad.
If you are planning on possibly staying longer, include snare wire for small animals (learn how to use it and practice). With the shorter time you can pack canned goods, but they weigh a lot. It isn't a big deal for 3 days worth of food.

Make sure whatever you put together gets tried out. A lot of people will put a small journal and pen in their pack so they can go camping with it and write down what worked and what didn't. They then augment the pack from that.

Oh yeah, forgot lights! You don't want a lot of weight, so, buy a 4 pack of lithium AA's (for longevity in storage and cold weather performance, a very LARGE factor). I'd use the opalec/mag and have 4 AA lithiums, gives you 16 hours of light, should be MORE than enough for 3 days. For longer distances, maybe a Tec40 with lithiums and standard bulb, maybe a .75 amp one the Mag 4D cell uses for brighter, but less runtime.

Spud

search for "equipped to survive" - great site, mostly tilted toward light aircraft survival stuff, but apropriate for lots of things.

Along with the outerwear suitable for walking around in the current climate: cash, toilet paper, dry synthetic socks, hankerchief, phone cards, cell phone and charger, pocket knife, laminated index card with phone numbers on it, extra ID. When it's crunch time, identification, communication, and money often become more important than fire starting and fish catching.

It all depends on your situation. Me, I'd be heading to our farm by car. If it happened so my car stopped working or couldn't go anywhere that way, I'd be on foot through the country, where all the stuff I listed would come in handy. If you are thinking more city type traveling, you probably aren't going to need the tarp and such, and instead, would want what AT just said.

If you are going to be in the woods or country, a cellphone, cash, ID, phone card, etc won't do much good. All but the phone take up virtually no space though, so it wouldn't hurt to have them at all. TP is always good I just "borrowed" a roll from the dorm bathroom and pulled out the cardboard tube so it will pack smaller for my camping trip this weekend (the reason I bought the $4 6X8 tarp).

Spud

BTW, equipped to survive is at www.equipped.org

Thanx for the info so far, but keep it coming!

I can't go to frugal squirrels at work, because the category, "weapons," is filtered, but I'll try and remember to check that out tonight.

One of the main things I've heard you should do if you prepare yourself for extended "bad times" is SHUT UP! Don't tell your non-prepared neighbors that you've got a year's supply of food and water stockpiled. Don't tell anybody. If the neighbors know, they'll be the first ones asking for handouts. This will throw your extended plans all to heck. While most "survival" publications believe the end of the world is coming, I just plan for an earthquake or other natural disaster that will prevent me from getting to town to buy food and supplies. I work with a guy whose brother-in-law kept after him to "prepare" for Y2K. My friend said Why? If the world goes to pot, I'll just bring my gun and take YOUR stuff! I thought that was pretty funny. Then I got to thinking.....
Kirk

My suggestions... Although not a true "bugout bag", I have experience with hiking/camping and am well read on the subject. These kits assume you are on foot.

Level 1 kit is focused on emergency survival
Level 2 kit is focused on having a relatively short amount of preparation time before you go.
Level 3 kit is focused on having time to plan out the excursion.

Barebones (Level 1) kit "Grab and go": Compass, whistle, mylar emergency blanket, emergency poncho, candle, large needle and a good length of heavy nylon thread, matches and striker in waterproof container, Magnesium fire starter and a broken off 3" piece of a hacksaw blade, parachute cord, potable water tablets, knife with 3"-6" blade, toilet paper, moleskin, 10x10 heavy plastic sheet or tarp or an emergency tube tent, small roll of duct tape (crush it flat), Nalgene water container (which can serve as a watertight container to store almost all of the above items in... line it with a plastic bag, first) and a small backpack or fanny pack to keep it all in. If you're a hiker or camper, this kit should be kept with you at all times in a fanny pack whenever you're away from camp, just in case you can't find your way back. This kit should keep you alive in 98% of the wilderness situations you encounter.

Level 2 Kit: Assumes you have time to dress appropriately: Add a pair of wool slacks (get at second hand store - keeps you warm when wet, unlike jeans, doesn't matter if they're "dressy"), cotton socks, wool socks, cotton underwear, cotton t-shirt, flanel shirt, wool long sleeve shirt, wool watchcap. Adjust clothing as requried for the weather in your area of the country, but keep the wool in case you get wet. Keep hiking boots nearby. Add a couple of MRE's and some water (but not too much, you already have potable water tables to make water drinkable on the go).

Level 3 Kit: Add all of the above plus the standard camping fare: Tent, ground pad, sleeping bag, full size backpack, multitool, cooking gear, dehydrated meals, bug spray, water filter, etc.

Go out and read "Tom Brown's field guide to (Wilderness) (Urban) (Winter) survival". Excellent references. I think the other good book from him was "Tom Brown's field guide to staying alive in the woods" or something like that. I read all four books multiple times and found the information to be very useful. Also, get regular and contour maps of the area you live in and learn the land and countours, water sources, etc. so in an emergency you have an idea of what is around you and the best routes to travel.

Of course, if you have a vehicle available you can carry a much larger bugout kit designed for more than just basic survival...

Post #999 - one more to hit 1K... Wow!

All kinds of great ideas...I especially like the keeping quiet one.

Two tips to pass along:

1. Have some kind of kit with you at work, and in your car. Chances are pretty good that if some disaster happens you may be at work, and may not able to get home easily.

2. For home, especially if you live in a climate that's cold, have enough "stuff" around to be able to survive comfortably without power or heat for 2 weeks. This is really handy, it's a nice feeling to not have to scramble or relocate if there is a big storm.

Dont' forget the cookset!!! I got a single person stainless steel one from REI outlet: 2 pots w/lids and mini frying pan, plus stuff sack.

Sleeping bag: get a good one. Don't waste money on a cheapie, as they fall apart. I used to live out of tent and backpack. I also sleep in a sleeping bag (on top of bed), and my current one is made by Kelty. I got this one via eBay.

Tent: same thing, get a decent one and stay away from pup tents/bivy shelters (no room). A decent dome tent is good. There are tents for camping and ones for backpacking. If you drive, then this is less of a problem for evac purposes. My current tent is more of a camping tent (package is too big for backpack mounting).

If you are in nasty weather conditions, you sure don't want to exit the tent to empty your bladder. So one of those large coffee whitener plastic jars is good for this.

Food: Even if you don't like Ramen (Saimin), you can use the seasoning packets in other things, like instant rice (boil water, add packet contents and stir in, then add rice, cover and wait).

Another thing, is that you need to plan for worst case, not just a few days. Under normal circumstances, worst case is natural disaster. Exact types depend on where you are. Even here in Ohio, I have to think about Seismic events, though on the New Madrid Rift Zone. An 8.0+ Richter there, would cause significant problems up here in Mansfield. Then there is Tornado, Blizzard, Major winter Storm (18+ inches snow), and worst of all: Ice Storm. So, I figure on a max of a couple of months without power and plan accordingly.

Of course we can't ignore the flashlight here on CPF. Go for runtime over brightness, though keep something bright for minimal usage.

If you are in a situation where you don't want to be found, you can uses dark color cord and tree limbs to construct a shelter around and over your tent. Also good for more robust storm protection.

A final consideration for some, is Medication(s). I take 5 prescription medications daily (2 heart, 1 cholesterol, and 2 diabetes), plus testing supplies. Then I take 2 homeopathic meds on a daily basis.

Kirk mentioned Y2K. I made some prudent preparations (nutrition bars and caffeine tabs), just in case. Living at the YMCA required this sort of solution. Didn't need it, but I was prepared and did not go overboard.

After all, the best thing to do, is THINK first, taking all factors into consideration. Then formulate your plans and make the preparations.

You've gotten some great help here. I also recommend "equipped to survive" as an excellent source. I made a couple of mini survival kits a few months back and the links were very good. A bug-out-bag (bob) is a much more inclusive kit than the mini survival tins, for getting through longer periods of time, but the best kit or bag is the one you have with you. I suggest always having a good knife and light as EDC. Yes I know that's already there.

Good shoes, good shoes, good shoes. (broken in)

Some other forums like bladeforums have survival forums as a subject and BOBs are frequently discussed. The other sites listed above are certainly good sources.

Good luck and hope we don't need it.

Gary

Originally posted by Albany Tom:
...snip...
1. Have some kind of kit with you at work, and in your car. Chances are pretty good that if some disaster happens you may be at work, and may not able to get home easily.
...snip...

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">All three time the kit would have (or did - I got smart) come in handy, I was at work. I'm reading this at lunch, and the kit is about 2 feet from me. Plus I always wear either hiking boots (Russell) or patrol shoes

Cripes, C.G. - where in the heck do you work?

--Scrimmy

Midtown Manhattan at one of the TV Networks - I've needed the bag to get home during 2 blizzards, and one Hurricane. I would have needed it 9/11 as they we not running the trains for a while, but I had to work, so...

I'm bumping this thread to see if anyone else has some suggestions. Also, did anyone follow the link in the first post? I know the downloads are big, but I swear it's worth it.

--Scrimmy