Basic essential tools for your BOB

We appear to get sked on an almost daily basis " What do I need in my BOB? " so here is a very basic list that people can use as a base to develop their own list from.

Basic essential tools for BOB’s

This list does not include weaponry, clothing, food, footwear, tentage, etc
It is ONLY the basic ESSENTIAL tools required to start building a Bug Out Bag with.
1. Fixed Blade Knife
2. Folding Blade Knife
3. Knife Sharpener and silicone oil
4. Folding Woodsaw
5. Secatuers or Pruning Shears
6. Compass in mils and degrees
7. Maps with bug out routes marked out
8. Binoculars (possibly a camera as well)
9. AM/FM/ Radio (spare batteries if required)
10. LED Flashlights (spare batteries if required)
11. Analogue Watch (solar or self winder)
12. Eye protection ( Shades, Prescription glasses etc)
13. Multi Tool
14. K.F.S or Spork
15. Tin opener / Bottle opener
16. Water Bottle and Mug
17. Water Filter and Water Purification tablets
18. First Aid Kit plus Prescription Medicines
19. Survival Guide, Notebook and Pen and Sharpie type marker
20. Mini Cooker and Spare Fuel
21. Cook pots, Mess Tins and washing up kit
22. Climbing Rope, Paracord, Cable Ties and Duct Tape
23. Storm Proof Lighter , Spare Fuel, Matches, Flint & Steel
24. Chemical Light Sticks/Candles( in a mini lantern to keep them safely in)
25. Personal hygiene kit ( soap, deodorant, toothbrush, razor, towel etc
26. 2 way radios plus spare batteries / Solar power recharger
27. Sleeping Bag and Liner / campamat/ groundsheet.
28. Disposable Dust masks/ Bandana
29. Rubbish Bags and Cleaning Cloths
30. Babywipes ( better than toilet paper and more useful)

Other items to be considered are firearms (law permitting) batons, sprays, work gloves, goggles, Personal clothing including waterproofs and changes of Socks/ Underwear, Hats, loves, Feminine Hygiene Materials, Tents, Food Rations, Radiation and Nox detectors, boots/ shoes, Extra rope/food/fuel/water/medical kit/tarpaulins/tools/ammo etc to be shared among group or family.

Don’t forget to take your essential family documents such as deeds, passports, bonds, CCWs, insurance docs etc.

Where possible please try to get radios, flashlights etc that use a standard size commonly available battery like AA or CR123A.
Please feel free to adapt , add to or amend this brief list to meet your own needs.

Respects NR



[edit on 14-1-2009 by Northern Raider]

Originally posted by Northern Raider

7. Maps with bug out routes marked out

I wouldn't want my route marked down on any map, why would you want to have evidence of it? if your going to go, you'll know where to, why tell any attacker who goes thought your stuff where your going or where your stashes are?

[edit on 14-1-2009 by Pockets]

nice list... some of it seems a little redundant though, or maybe just cumbersome at first thought. The more I reread it though, I get a sense that you're literally trying to be prepared for anything. Fair nuff

Kudos to you!

Originally posted by Pockets

Originally posted by Northern Raider

7. Maps with bug out routes marked out

I wouldn't want my route marked down on any map, why would you want to have evidence of it? if your going to go, you'll know where to, why tell any attacker who goes thought your stuff where your going or where your stashes are?

[edit on 14-1-2009 by Pockets]

You need to record your routes, preferably at least four BO routes on maps, you can disguise them by adding false routes, dead ends and encrypted information but you need detailed maps, especially if for example you beome incapaciiated and another member of your family or group has to take the lead.

Originally posted by midnightbrigade
nice list... some of it seems a little redundant though, or maybe just cumbersome at first thought. The more I reread it though, I get a sense that you're literally trying to be prepared for anything. Fair nuff

Kudos to you!

Its just a basic list of general items, people can study the list and customise items to lighten the load or meet their own requirements, IE using a spork instead of a KFS, IE using the mess tins to eat out of as well as to cook in, Using wind up / solar power radios so you dont need as many betteries. Its just a foundation list for novices to chew over.

[edit on 14-1-2009 by Northern Raider]

Might I suggest investing in a couple of decent electronic items that are wind up , such as your torch and or radio, batteries will run out and but with windup the torch never will, either that or a solar charger type device.
You get fairly small solar panels these days to charge up a variety of things.

Originally posted by DataWraith
Might I suggest investing in a couple of decent electronic items that are wind up , such as your torch and or radio, batteries will run out and but with windup the torch never will, either that or a solar charger type device.
You get fairly small solar panels these days to charge up a variety of things.

Yup very fair comment, as I pointed out the list is only the BASIC STARTING point, in my own BOB the radios are crank, solar and battery powered, I use only LED or Pre focused LED flashlights as the batteries last much longer than filament bulbs and you dont need to carry spare bulbs.

I looked into making a BOB here for the UK, I even checked online to see what kind of 'pre-made' BOB's were available, there's quite a few the most expensive costing £800 ( about $1200).

There are lots of survival shops out there that supply various kits of one form or another, Trouble with mak9ing a BOB is that you won't know how long you'll be out there for.

I'm still going to make one though even if I have to get the bits one at a time . Better to have something rather than nothing.

First stops : First aid kit, and a heater of sorts, knives ( at least 2 , one small mutlipurpose , 1 big **ckoff one for show ), radio, torch.

Trouble with mak9ing a BOB is that you won't know how long you'll be out there for.

That's part of your planning process. The ideal situation would probably be something where that BOB gives you a couple days to reach your BOL.

In my case, I don't have a BOB, I have a get home bag. Basically the same thing. In my worse case estimate, I can get home or to an alternate location from work in 3 days.

Another big bit of planning you need to do is sit down and figure out what the most likely situation would be if you have to use your BOB. And when you come up with your situations, rank them in order of most possible events.

NR has made a good point especially for those that are new tp preparedness. On the other had the more that you have in your head the less you need in your kit. There are of course exceptions to every rule. I make a point of keeping my skills alive by going out into the wild and perfecting them. I carry one knife, one fire piston and tender, a military poncho, dental floss, a first aid kit and a GI cup and canteen. I have however learned basket making, shelter building, primitive cooking and hunting skills, as well as flintknapping and primitive orientation. With good skills that are well practiced your BOB can be reduced. However it takes years to be competent enough in them to go out and live for any length of time. Primitive living is as much an art form as a lifestyle and may not be for everyone.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

good list,

swap the battery powered led torch for a squeeze dynamo led torch though.

don't forget a guide to plants which you can eat.

make sure everything is waterproof and strong, long life and light.

water filtering through one of those special socks to remove particles then a good unit to purify it is best but carry some iodine for emergency use, disinfecting things and taking when the nukes blow so your thyroid doesn't soke up all the radiation is always useful.

the most vital things are, in this order - water, food, warmth / dryness, protection and comfort.

Maps are useful but remember the situation will change rapidly if SHTF, you can't plan where you're going or what route you're going to take -your prime spot could be the front lines, a gapeing creator ot where the aliens land - prepare to survive in any situation / environment -you never know what you'll need until it happens so leave some space for last minuet additions, who knows it might be vital that you have a bag full of trance phase inducers on you at all times -if you've rammed your bag to maximum capacity you'll have to dump stuff to make room.

reply to post by DataWraith


yeah wind up is a must, solar not so much -it let's you down when you need it most (when the suns blocked out by dense black clouds of sulfur for instance) and most of the mono-crystalline PV cells such as the ones on the 'free loader' portable charger only work in strong sunlight and only produce a few good Watts.

A good crank handle however or a squeeze mechanism running a dynamo can be used any time of the day or night and can provide a good amount of charge in a short period of time.

reply to post by NatureBoy


Where did you get this list?
"the most vital things are, in this order - water, food, warmth / dryness, protection and comfort. "
From my experience it might get you killed. Hypothermia will kill you much faster than no food or water.
Try the rule of threes, it is not entirely accurate but a better guage of survivability.
3 minutes without air
3hours without shelter
3 days without water
3weeks without food
and you might even say 3 months without human interaction.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

Good list, but here is an important reminder...

think about total weight of your backpack.

You will need your BOB to be as lightweight as possible. I cannot stress this enough. When you get all your "essentials" into your bag, carry it on an all day hike, say, at least ten miles. Then you'll start researching how to carry lighter weight essentials.

One of the most common mistakes first timers make in mountaineering is loading a pack that's ultimately too heavy. I'm not saying you're going to be walking up mountains, but you've got to give weight a very, very serious consideration if you think you may have to "hoof it" and in a worse case scenario, you probably will be on foot out there. Too much weight when the **** hits the fan will mean that you will be throwing things away as you hike in order to lighten your load to a manageable carry weight. Better to lighten it in advance than find yourself out there unable to move because you've packed a ton of stuff.

reply to post by reluctantpawn


well, going without water for a single day will cause problems, three days will kill you. Bad water will kill you quickest.

Hunger (a day or two) will send many people into an irrational state, 3-4days will turn most people a little crazy and five days is your limit if you're also trying to stay alive / keep moving.

Shelter is easy to improvise, in most climates a human can survive about a week of hard rough sleeping before getting 'rundown' and developing a flu like state. In most of the world a human can sleep well with little or no kit (i speak from a lot of experience on this) however as you rightly state sever cold / rain or heat can cause a very quick death - i suppose if you live in somewhere that gets very cold you consider that aspect when making your bag. I've had a few wet weeks, weeks where everything got wet every night even my sleeping bag (hehe thanks Holland) without it causing any real problems, the human is tough little animal.

in a sitx shelter will likely be easier to make / improvise than food or water and my list is meant only as a list of whats most important in a BoB.

oh and yeah people go stir crazy without other humans around, it's kinda cute in a way, we all need each other - that's why if i ever need to bug out i'll wait until it's so bad that my friends know it's time to go as well Might get me in trouble, waiting too long might be my biggest mistake but i'ld rather no life at all than one in which i had abandoned my friends.

basically, no water is CERTAIN to kill you, no food will MOST LIKELY kill you while not having shelter MIGH kill you. besides, the odds of finding a house to shelter in at night are high, that the house will have a few tins of food is much lower while the chance of getting clean drinking water are very very low (unless you're prepared for it with filters and catchment traps)

Originally posted by switching yard
Good list, but here is an important reminder...

think about total weight of your backpack.

You will need your BOB to be as lightweight as possible. I cannot stress this enough. When you get all your "essentials" into your bag, carry it on an all day hike, say, at least ten miles. Then you'll start researching how to carry lighter weight essentials.

One of the most common mistakes first timers make in mountaineering is loading a pack that's ultimately too heavy. I'm not saying you're going to be walking up mountains, but you've got to give weight a very, very serious consideration if you think you may have to "hoof it" and in a worse case scenario, you probably will be on foot out there. Too much weight when the **** hits the fan will mean that you will be throwing things away as you hike in order to lighten your load to a manageable carry weight. Better to lighten it in advance than find yourself out there unable to move because you've packed a ton of stuff.

Again I restate the point its a basic start list to work from, You are assuming the BOB will be carried by one person on foot out of the area, assuming things gets people dead in the real world. Some of the contents could be shared out among a family or group, they may be bugging out by road using a vehicle such as a car or bicycle. Sadly all to often people only think that survivalism applies to single fit young men, when in most cases its entire families trying to survive.

reply to post by NatureBoy


I cannot argue with your logic. For me most of my experience comes from primitive living and learning to do with little or nothing. I have not taken into account any variables that might occur from an urban type bug-out. I am much more comfortable in the hills and mountains doing with what nature provides, and thus my views are slanted in that direction.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

"Again I restate the point its a basic start list to work from, You are assuming the BOB will be carried by one person on foot out of the area, assuming things gets people dead in the real world. Some of the contents could be shared out among a family or group, they may be bugging out by road using a vehicle such as a car or bicycle. Sadly all to often people only think that survivalism applies to single fit young men, when in most cases its entire families trying to survive."

Fair enough, but I thought we were talking about a bug out bag, as in: one, not a troop of them. Go ahead and pack your ton of stuff. I will be lightweight and go farther, faster than you. If you don't consider total weight however, I'll bet you will regret it, plain and simple.

Repeating what others have said... a water filter is your number one essential.

This is a very good list for beginners or those who recently have started to feel that they need to start preparing for the worst. Kudos to you NR for keeping it simple, its very easy to start putting items onto a list like this that are dependant on personal choice, area, event planned for, etc...

To those new to the concept of a BOB, do NOT think having the items mentioned on this list will save your life in an emergency. These are merely tools for survival. If you do not know how to use them or do not keep calm and think your way through a problem, all of the gear in the world wont save you.

Originally posted by switching yard
"Again I restate the point its a basic start list to work from, You are assuming the BOB will be carried by one person on foot out of the area, assuming things gets people dead in the real world. Some of the contents could be shared out among a family or group, they may be bugging out by road using a vehicle such as a car or bicycle. Sadly all to often people only think that survivalism applies to single fit young men, when in most cases its entire families trying to survive."

Fair enough, but I thought we were talking about a bug out bag, as in: one, not a troop of them. Go ahead and pack your ton of stuff. I will be lightweight and go farther, faster than you. If you don't consider total weight however, I'll bet you will regret it, plain and simple.

Repeating what others have said... a water filter is your number one essential.

I've got 52 years under my belt and 22 of them as an Infantry sergeant and Fieldcraft survivor, and no one in the world moves faster than a British light infantryman .
( cept perhaps another light infantryman if we are under fire and legging it out of the way)


I have carried my share of heavy kit, and once again you are assuming that everyone is simply going to be hiking and that they are all fit young men, so once again assuming things can get you dead before your time. Plus a water filter may be essential if you live in parts of the US, but its not realy neccessary in most of the UK, we dont have the diseases, we have far more naturally filtered water, its always bloody raining and there is always lots of timber or coal to burn to boil your water. BTW your number one essentialthing is a positive mental attitude, water filters are luxuries, I made my last one out of a pice of coffee filter, some river sand and the charcoal out of the camp fire Thanks for contributing anyway because its debates like this that improve our knowledge.

[edit on 14-1-2009 by Northern Raider]