Like most people I have a BoB. A Bug Out Bag. Actually, I have several, and they serve different purposes.
One get’s left in the car. It’s just a small school sized backpack with extra socks, gloves, poncho, small tools, TP. If I am stranded in my car somewhere if gives me some gear.
But in the house I have layers of BoBs. Depending on the situation, I can grab the quick one and have something. Or I can grab it and the next size up and add capability, or I can grab both bags and the big camping backpack. Or, if I have more time, I can grab all three and 3 rubbermaid bins to throw in the car. With that I can go and not stop for anything but gas and be able to exist when I got where ever I was going for a little while.
Now If I get separated from everything else and can only salvage one of the 4 sets of items… say just the backpack, or just the small Maxpedition bag… They all DO have some overlap. There is a multitool in each bag, for instance. There is a flashlight in each, too. Sure, duplication adds weight, but I can shed weight if I have to. I can’t conjure a compass out of thin air. Best to have that covered with spares.
So what gear is so needed you must duplicate it and spread it around the BoBs? The stuff you’d figure. Knife/multitool, flashlight, means of making fire, poncho, first aid, water, something to eat, parachute cord, something to keep you warm as simple as a hat if the bag is small but a coat and socks etc. otherwise, bug repellent, toiletries, pencil and paper, compass.
One get’s left in the car. It’s just a small school sized backpack with extra socks, gloves, poncho, small tools, TP. If I am stranded in my car somewhere if gives me some gear.
But in the house I have layers of BoBs. Depending on the situation, I can grab the quick one and have something. Or I can grab it and the next size up and add capability, or I can grab both bags and the big camping backpack. Or, if I have more time, I can grab all three and 3 rubbermaid bins to throw in the car. With that I can go and not stop for anything but gas and be able to exist when I got where ever I was going for a little while.
Now If I get separated from everything else and can only salvage one of the 4 sets of items… say just the backpack, or just the small Maxpedition bag… They all DO have some overlap. There is a multitool in each bag, for instance. There is a flashlight in each, too. Sure, duplication adds weight, but I can shed weight if I have to. I can’t conjure a compass out of thin air. Best to have that covered with spares.
So what gear is so needed you must duplicate it and spread it around the BoBs? The stuff you’d figure. Knife/multitool, flashlight, means of making fire, poncho, first aid, water, something to eat, parachute cord, something to keep you warm as simple as a hat if the bag is small but a coat and socks etc. otherwise, bug repellent, toiletries, pencil and paper, compass.
6 comments:
The best BOB of all is already living in the place you would run to, if you had to run.
Add a jar of peanut butter to your indoor Get Out Of Dodge (GOOD) bag. It has 6000 to 10000 calories depending on the size of the jar. 100 cals per tablespoon.
Every six months, rotate that jar out to your BOB in the car. Rotate the one out of the car to the kitchen or a foodbank. Rotate in the middle of the summer so it will only suffer a few months of heat. Peanut butter does ok with that.
I use to buy power bars or lifeboat rations. So expensive.
You started me thinking about this topic, so I posted on it myself.
It occurred to me... by the time I do my normal days pocket loadout, I am practically a walking BOB. Flash light, weapon (s), knife, cash, ID (s), cell phone, keys.... etc.
My layers fall into categories:
1) Pockets
2) Fanny pack
3) BOB pack
4) A gear vest
5) GOOD pack
Firearms vary with each level. Anything from a single Kel-Tec .380 to a full 3 gun system.
Cartech, already living at the place you want to bug out to if fine unless you need to bug out from that place becease a train carrying Benzene piled up and derailed 5 miles upwind. Or the forest fire is coming. Or the Chinese are invading that half of teh country. Or what have you. Still need a BOB for that.
Concur on having a BOB for cases such as mentioned above (wildfire being the most benign).
Basics such as water, fire, first aid, shelter/warmth are constant.
Ours have minimal food (lifeboat rations primarily) but I second the idea of peanut butter as near ideal. Ours comes in the form of MRE packets, which can be squeezed into your mouth on the run/walk (or even in the water) if need be. MRE cheese is another good food item for this type of situation.
In a previous life we thought in terms of "lines" of equipment; layers outwards from pockets to pouches to packs, increasing levels of weight and sophistication that can be shed if need be.
Among the good things I have found are filter bottles from the same people who make water purifiers. Among the things from my past that continue to be favorites are GI canteen cups with heat-tab stoves. Among the things that I didn't have to carry previously is a kit of surgical tools (scalpel, hemostats, sutures). Our bags are nearly indentical and thus redundant.
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