For those that don't understand, a bug-out kit is all the stuff you need to get out of where you're at and survive to get where you need to be, or just to simply survive in place if the situation dictates in the event of a catastrophe. We've seen the increase in urbanization in the world lead to scores of people dying unnecessarily because they weren't prepared for the aftermath of a disaster in an urban area (new orleans, haiti, indonesia, pakistan).

I gave serious thought to what problems existed in current emergency kits. Point 1 was too heavy a reliance on food and water being carried and point 2 was all the stuff in the kits was CRAP. Point 3 had to do with exactly how much of each thing was chosen and point 4, the most irritating was that there were person capacity ratings specified.

Here are some arguments from my side:
1. Don't pack food. You can go a month without food and the world is full of stuff to eat. Food is heavy, heavy is bad, bad is death.
2. Quality components is VITAL. If you can't use your gear because it's broken after 1 use, what useful good was it ever actually worth to you. You pack the weight and then lose the item.
3. Don't put 50 bandaids in the kit. That's stupid. 5 is sufficient. Carry that logic to all items. Think about it... if you have 50 cuts that need minor bandaging, you're in a serious hurt locker.
4. Survival is just that. It's not comfortable, well fed, warm or happy. It IS for as many people as you feel like sharing with. Any kit should work as well for 10 people as it does for 1. A kit that doesn't do that is poorly constructed.

So here's what I have in mine:
Ontario Knives QN-SP1 Marine spec knife
Katadyn Combi water filter (you can stick the hose in an open sewer and filter 1.3L of pure clean water every minute
Suunto MC-2G Global Compass
Adventure Medical Kits (AMK) Suture Syringe Kit (minor surgical capable first aid kit)
SpaceBag (light space blanket set up like a sleeping bag)
Space Blanket (heavy space blanket)
LED AA MagLite w/ red & clear lenses
Leatherman Surge multi-tool
Triox pellets & Blast Match (the ultimate fire starting setup, will burn even when soaked wet)
50' 5/16" rope (2400lbs load) & 2 heavy duty Carabiners
100g iodized salt
UrSack Minor + aluminum liner, bag made of Spectra with aluminum liner. Keeps critters out and holds all the other goodies.
Camelback Unbottle 70 (70oz)
Add a firearm of choice and a box of ammo and this is the ultimate not getting fucked by Ma' Nature kit.

Discuss.

 

Seems pretty good to me, but I would also carry an LED headlamp to use when you need your hands free, and a degree of tactical spot lights that serve as high illumination, long range, where a maglite fails deeply. Also, if the kit were to be inside of something like a 3-day carry backpack, I would definitely rig one of these to the side of it. Even if you already are carrying a firearm, one stowed away in a weather-proof container wouldn't hurt, and they're not too big or heavy. You should be able to put other survival gear in the tube and have it serve as the emergency, emergency survival kit to be kept if for some reason you have to abandon your main kit. Could also be something kept in your vehicle, boat, etc.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/41020

 

R3d, are you seriously this worried about something bad happening? If so, Id like to know more about where the worry comes from. Im not doubting you, just curious.

 

if the scene in Haiti shows us...it is only a matter of hours before civilized people can turn into animals. the American media is not talking about it, but roving groups of young men armed with machete's have been looting, robbing and intimidating people.

so, living in a modern city...how long will it be until it happens here. a good sized disaster could leave you, hungry, thirsty and in the dark...

one thing i learned from a cagey vet. boulion cubes, chicken or beef. Add a cube to a little hot water, and bingo..not as good as soup but mighty tasty and really hits the spot when you are cold,wet and exhausted.

 

Add a roll of duct tape

 

No beer?

 

yeah. New Orleans showed us that as well.

Its good to be prepared, and I certainly am not prepared other than a firearm.

 

I have a friend that may be able to offer a retail version of this setup. Anyone have serious interest?

zigg: I've been in a minor disaster. I know how bad it can suck. Besides, life is full of choices. I choose to be prepared for those catastrophes that are probable in my area and lifetime. Civil unrest is low on the totem pole but huge frikkin earthquakes are pretty common here along with a few nearby volcanoes and like 6 oil refineries nearby, and nuclear weapons lab and it's little brother are kinda close. Come to think of it... I gotta quit thinkin' about it. I live in risk hell.

pcola: My area is not prone to extremes of temperature or weather and is fairly open country with limited woodlands marshes. That being the case I don't need some things that you'd consider important. There is a flashlight in the kit that lasts for literally days and has multiple power modes and multiple lenses. If you have to hold it with your teeth.. bummer. My personal kit is sort of a base kit and lacks many things you might consider handy but that are commonly available and cheap like duct tape and mossberg 500s. The kit does not answer every conceivable issue. It does come with every single thing you NEED in a literally bullet resistant bag that you can strap to your back. As for a weapon, last item in the list... pick what you like. I can't supply a firearm with a bug-out kit. That's your responsibility and selection should be done very carefully. I'd recommend a 4" 357 mag and a box of shells. You use the pistol to get whatever else you need. Don't for a second think that you won't turn into one of the animals the moment real need strikes and go doin' so anyway. Might as well not pack anything you can't pick up along the way right.

When you put together a kit, how much are you willing to carry? A small duffel bag is about the limit for most people.

 

I'll be packin a 45 as my weapon,, big bullets and i got 100 of em. Or saw off my 20 gauge double barrel break down and put in there. Times are indeed getting rough and its just the start of things,, but living in california is great but its the scariest place to live i think. the san andreas fault n all that,, and of course the super volcano and yellowstone, which could wipe out the entire U.S. scaryyyy.. cool kit idea, i need to put one of these together then ill list all my stuff.

 

Consider that semi-autos require a certain level of precision equipment to do much repair to. Revolvers are chosen for emergency guns for that reason, and the immensely more power ammo that they will tolerate right next to a plinking round without a malfunction.

But, like I said earlier, gun choice is very personal. Think LIGHT before might. You can always "get" a bigger gun, just use your little one and shoot the owner of the bigger one in the back of the head. Why carry a big gun further than you need to though?

 

all i really need is my ak-47. We live in a country that if anything happened everyone including the gov't helps. Just like new orleans, all i would need is my ak47 for the day or two till the national guard comes, and im able to find a way to leave to another state/country.

Remember Haiti is an extremely poor little island, low education, etc. A lot of people didn't even know what earthquakes where. They dont have money, a lot of them dont know how to even communicate, no cellphones, nothing. They cant "survive" because they have no money to rebuild, they cant really 'leave' either.

 

so your point is????

 

Uhm....those people have been surviving without money for a long time. Im sure they'll figure something out.

 

Glad to know im not the only one who has an end-of-days emergency supply.

the only concern i have for your kit is it is entirely based off of being mobile. Something may happen where packing up and trekking out is not a smart option and you may be stuck for several weeks. I think you need 2 kits, one for mobile, one for holing up.

Im putting stuff together on a piece by piece basis. My reccommendation at the minimum for you on a sit-tight supply is 100 cans of tuna, 100 gallons of water, 40lbs of beans, and a couple gallons of vegetable oil. it wont be fun, but you can surive pretty well on water, tuna, beans, and oil, and you should be able to pull a 90 day hideout with those supplies.

remember, if something really bad happens, solar flare, pandemic, etc, that has the potential to destroy the electrical grid... well... all you really have to do is outlast the bulk of everyone. In those cases bunker up, and try to outlast everyone else. If you hole up 3-5 months then out will probably have made it through the biggest part of the starvation period. Setting out mobile at that point will be much easier without having supersized mobs of people trying to take what you have

Happy hunting!

 

another thing you would need to consider is, how well is your health and/or endurance. You might be able to survive a worst case scenario, but if your immune system is not optimal, you would be in trouble. If you suddenly eat something your body isn't used to handling, then a simple case of diarreah could spell trouble.

This is very interesting though, because we do live in a highly civilized nation, and it would take a very major incident to reak havoc all at once. Luckily we have plenty of wilderness to escape to. And Mother Nature can be your friend and your foe. As long as you can build a fire, and catch a fish or 2 you'd be in like Rambo..