B.O.B. Begginner

[Adair]

Hey guys, I'm sorta new to this whole thing and I was wondering what I need to put in my bug out bag and what I should keep out of it.

[Sarge47]

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?19711-A-new-book&highlight=Creek+Stewart

:cool2:

[Stiffy]

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?19711-A-new-book&highlight=Creek+Stewart

:cool2:

I got that book several months ago. It probably saved me a few dollars just by steering me away from mistakes I might have made while assembling my bags.

You can also google "bug out bag list," "emergency list," or "evacuation bag list," or some such combination, and get some pretty good suggestions.

[Rick]

First, you need to decide why you are bugging out and where you are bugging out to. That will determine in large part what you need to have in your bag.

[Geek]

Ultimately, your bag, and those of your family, are individualized items depending on your personal needs, climate, where you may be going, how long you need to live off the contents of the bag and so on.

However, there are plenty of threads on the forum that open with "This is what I have. What do you think." Followed by a chain of "you need X and you don't need Y" responses. Read a bunch of those and modify to fit your own needs. If you then want some further advice, you're in the right place.

[kyratshooter]

Keep in mind that all the smart refugees from Sandy are parked at motels in PA right now.

How big is your car?

[Rick]

'Zactly....

[Wildthang]

For us, I have a bug out bag with all of the normal survival gear so if we get caught out in the middle of nowhere, we can get by. For the girls, their bags contain clothes, toiletry's, make up and thing they need to be confortable. I also have a large camo duffle bag with heavy coats, socks, rain gear, long underware, sleeping bags, tarps, and warm clothes in general. I think everybody looks at a BOB differently. The girls BOBs are so funny but it is what is important to them! If they ever get stranded in the wilderness at least they would be lookin good!

[hunter63]

DW just has a purse.....and I'll almost bet, if I said, "Honey can you hand me the S&W 9mm, she would pull it out of her bag".

That is actually pretty funny, as I did have occasion to make a trip to town yesterday.
So it goes like this.......And mind you I do try my trips to cover all my bases in one trip.
Friday I headed to the hardware for gringing wheels, working on the back blade hitch, but ask her if she needed anything......
As the store is a combo grocery/hardware/feed....even called a "One Stop"...off we went.

Turns out I had picked up the wrong wheels, arbor too small,,,,so had to go back..."Dang"

So yesterday I told her I need to run back, so she says, "Wait up I'll come with you"......Ah dern, I could have been back in 1/2 hour.

1/2 hour later, after changing clothes, make up, hair......Off we go....and she needed a few things.
3 hours later....and a "as long as we are here I'll buy lunch"....we got back......
Oh well I didn't feel like working on the tractor anyway........Got to love her......LOL
But she was looking good.

[jfeatherjohn]

Keep in mind that all the smart refugees from Sandy are parked at motels in PA right now.

How big is your car?

ROFL...I wonder if any of them are getting AAA discounts.

[Rick]

I don't know about that but they'd be giving me my AARP discount are there'd be some arm wrestlin' at the desk.

[Geek]

Speaking of cars, each member of our family has a bag in the car, so those would be more appropriately called "Get Home Bags", but the stuff in them looks like what you'll find on most Bug Out Bag lists. In addition there is a large duffel for each of us ready to go in case we need to "bug out". These are intended to be rapidly tossed into a car, not carried in a backpack. They don't duplicate the stuff in the GHB, but add to it.

Works for me.

[kyratshooter]

I have finally given up with the bags in the vehicle. There is a backpack in there but it is inside the big Stellite container with all the other essential travel gear. I would have to pick and choose when deciding what should go into the bag if I was forced to abandon the vehilce. The big container is waterproof and dust proof and keeps everything together. I cold probably set up a camp for four, eat for a week and fight half a war with what is in that plastic box.

You guys ain't seen nothing till you have seen Crash's rig! There are several other good ones here too. Not the fantacy BOV images either, but real life working daily driver vehicles that would not get a second glance at an intrsection but have all the essentials for rebuilding civilization stuffed in there somewhere.

Thing about Crash's truck is that he knows exactly where everything is! When I get past shoebox size I need a list and map.

[Geek]

If I had to abandon the vehicle, the GHBs are backpacks and would be basically what we'd take without much decision making. The duffels elevate us from the level of backpacking to what I'd call family camping. More of a Cub Scout than Boy Scout level of camping.

How you handle this sort of thing is very much an individual choice.

[Adair]

Keep in mind that all the smart refugees from Sandy are parked at motels in PA right now.

How big is your car?

I drive an '02 Pontiac Sunfire

[intothenew]

It's prevalent throughout this forum to give only general advise on matters such as these. That's with very good reason, stressed by needing to know your own personal needs.

From my personal standpoint, I've been bugging out as often as I can since the age of roughly ten. On foot, on a bicycle, on a motorcycle, on a horse, in a canoe, with a loaded truck and trailer, etc has been some of the many methods. One bag did/does not take care of my needs.

I'm a modular sorta guy. First aid kit......personal survival kit.........day pack........weekend camping bag........on and on. Each builds on the one before it, and I have a simple integration sequence. In a self critique, it does take me all of 5 minutes to assemble the weekend camping bag/72 hour bag/BOB. It takes a few minutes more if the trout are biting, just a few more to gather a bow and quiver. Changes of season, or task, do require some of the contents to change. That is particularly true for clothing.

The bottom line, for me, is to live it/breath it.

I'll show you part of mine, if you'll show me part of yours, deal?

Click here. (http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?20323-Skills-Preparedness-Challenge-Voting/page2) The goodies start at post #33.

[Wildthang]

If I had to abandon the vehicle, the GHBs are backpacks and would be basically what we'd take without much decision making. The duffels elevate us from the level of backpacking to what I'd call family camping. More of a Cub Scout than Boy Scout level of camping.

How you handle this sort of thing is very much an individual choice.

Man that is for sure. I was watching the girls pack their BOBs and they actually packed hong underwear. I laughed till I cried at the things they put in their backpacks. Knowing that i have the essentials in mine, I tried not to say a word because they would not have understood.

[ElevenBravo]

Let me start with suggesting "critical paper", a roll of T.P. in a zip lock bag. Everything after that are luxury items. :-)

[jfeatherjohn]

I thought I was the only one here that wasn't sure what should be in a BOB.

Everything starts wih the truck. I have a GHB that has a bit of everything, and which I might have lighten a bit if I was forced to hike. Then there is the waterproof duffel, which contains more first aid supplies, better food, extra engineer's and gorilla tape, the lil shovel, he lil ax, etc, etc. Then, there is the kayak bag, which has "soft stuff", like more extra clothing/ warmies, my backpacking pillow, my camping pad.
If I have to leave my truck, what goes with me depends on the circumstances.one thing is for sure; if it isn't in my truck, I can't decide to take it.
That is modularity.
Oh, I have TP in the GHB, the duffel and the kayak bag because, believe it not,it is a "multi-use" item.

[finallyME]

Let me start with suggesting "critical paper", a roll of T.P. in a zip lock bag. Everything after that are luxury items. :-)

Two words......Baby wipes.

[Florida-Mike]

Two words......Baby wipes.

very true,,,these are way better the just regular TP. and you can only bug in for so long before you run out of food,then you leave to search for it.id think thats what everyone would do if shtf. lucky me i know a creek thats full of gators and snakes and big wild birds so if shtf i will go there.i also go camping there just for fun but its a bit scary knowing gators are close by.but i stay in the woods away from the creek were they live