Basic essential tools for your BOB

Wow, that looks identical to my old fishing and camping list from the late 1970's
in Alaska.

I'll see if I can improve it.
Shovel
Duck Tape
Tampon (for leak control)
Fillet Knife
Cord and hooks
Parachute

[edit on 11/03/2008 by Skydancer]

Parachute ?, why not a lifeboat as well while we are at it ?

My advice would be to ditch the cookware. It is cumbersome, weighty and takes up valuable space. Get a large metal coffee tin to use. This will suffice as a decent size pot to cook in, boil water in, transport fire in, trap food in and store other BOB gear in. Dont' worry about a plate either, get a 10" plastic frizbee. You can eat off of it and still play with it later. Yes, you will need something as a diversion if you find yourself in a disaster situation and playing frizbee is as good as any.

Also, pre-make your tinder/fire starter. Melt some parafin wax, dip newspaper into the wax and then roll three STRIKE ANYWHERE matches up in the newspaper. Tie up with a string and dip once more. Whether you use a flint and steel or strike the matches, the waxed newspaper will burn hot and long enough to dry wet twigs. Make up as many as you wish, but I usually only keep 5 on hand. I try to rotate these out once a year, just to keep the matches vital.

Iodine tabs are your best route. Filtration straws and pumps are fine for your everyday camper, but they are usually limited in their total production life. Boiling water and then pouring that water through a sock filled with charcoal (from your cook fire) will remove pathogens and almost all other toxins. This isn't something you can do on the fly (hence the iodine tabs) but it beats the hell out of nothing and you won't have to worry about finding replacement cartridiges for your filters. If you have a long term base camp then you can use the boil/condense method for purifying water.

I have a solar/dynamo powered weather radio/flashlight that is well worth the money. Forget batteries.

Ditch the folding saw and find a "string saw" or something similar. Pack an axe/hatchet instead. You can chop and split. The string saw will work just fine in the bush.

Yes, you will need a plant guide and a decent survival manual. Make sure their pages are coated so they won't rot if they get wet.

Maps with routes marked are a must, something may happen to you and one of your loved ones might have to take point.

Forget the two way radios. They can be monitored and again rely on batteries. Learn to use signal mirrors and other distance/trail communication.

Your BOB ought not weigh more than ten pounds and be larger than a school backpack. Ideally, 1000 cubic centimeters of storage area (the size of a large fanny pack or day pack) ought to get you by. I suggest getting the fanny pack (rides in the small of your back at waist level) so you can still wear a mil style 3 day pack on your shoulders. A small BOB rides well in a vehicle or on your person or in a closet.

Remember that a BOB is NOT a long term survival tool. It is built for the MOMENT. You should have a car box or large pack for your clothes and weapons/shelter, but you should NEVER try and pack for more than 3 days because people usually just can't haul that much gear and still move with any degree of speed or stealth. Cache your biger, longer term gear ar rally points or safe zones where you plan on setting up a base for more than one night.

A BOB is there so you won't be caught completely un-prepared, but is not meant to provide you with long term use. Keep It Simple Stupid or K.I.S.S. for short. Simple saves lives.

Water is most important, then shelter from elements (especially cold).
Food is not so important once you stop moving, but very important while you are moving.

I have fasted (water only) for 7 days straight. Just for the heck of it. Weakness is the real problem which would make hiking 10mi/day very difficult.
I hike almost every weekend and food for energy in moving is important, but water is absolutely essential, esp. when your not eating.


[edit on 14-1-2009 by 2 cents]

Great list, it prompted me to review my own list.

I am sure this has been covered in other postings but emergency plans should also include fishing gear and a firearm when possible.

Fishing gear can be a simple handline, some hooks (large and small), some lead sinkers (large and small) and some simple artificial lures. Cost would be minimal.

Concerning firearms, this topic is best served as a separate thread, but for non-firearm owners a 22 caliber rim-fire rifle would be a good start because it is legal in most areas, is a good learning platform, and ammunition is readily available / inexpensive. Many 22 caliber rifles are also lightweight.

If I may add that depending upon your geography, you might need additional site-specific items. For example, I live about 50 miles from a nuclear reactor. While the gov't provided free potassium iodide tablets to those within a 25 mile range, the rest of us went on our own and bought the same "anti-nuke" tablets. In the event of any type of radioactive material in the air, potassium iodide, when consumed, will protect your thyroid. This also applies to your pets. Here is the info from the FDA website: www.fda.gov... If you ever buy the tablets, I highly recommend only buying the gov't-approved ones listed in that PDF file - I personally got mine from Anbex.

Also, my area contains a "valley" that has had some devastating floods over the past 35 years. Therefore, our bags also contain tons of ziploc bags. All our papers and money in our "bug out bag" are sealed in ziploc.

I'd also recommend packing some of those "hot hands" heat packs. You can keep warmer with less clothing that way.

Everywhere I've read has suggested that your emergency kit supplies should be able to last you 3 days. A good bug-out bag should also be able to serve as a stay-in-place emergency kit. Not every disaster will require - or even allow - you to leave home.

Oh, and as for the debate over the "most important thing." The most important thing you can have when putting together a bug out bag is a place to go that's safe, stocked, and accessible. It doesn't matter whether you shoved the tent in your bag first, or the water filter - if you don't have a destination, you're just going to die in the wilderness either way.

Man,
For a second there a thought *popped* in my mind....I saw BOB and thought to myself...."self" I wouldn't think he would be talking about the "BOBs" I'm thinking about...????? i.e (BOB)= (Battery Operated Boyfriend)..... I had this image that flashed that they have new basic essential tools other than... well...a battery and will chic to use it????

Ok, so I understand what the list is for, but what does BOB stand for?

Please forgive my ignorance.

BOB = Bug Out Bag

IT's always good to have a look through others' lists as it usually reminds me how much more I could do with in mine.

The note-book is a great one. You can use it for keeping a diary of activities, plans, and observations. No point in saying "that worked really well, or I'll remember where that stream with the blackberries was next time". Write it down then you're covered.

One personal addition to my BOB (yes NR, I know) is Lofty Wiseman's book. Being a wet behind the ears noob I figure I'll need all the help I can get. No substitute for experience but I don't have any of that, so, the book it is.

Reading this made me wonder if there is a crank or solar charger that could be used for AA or other batteries, and I found this video on how to build your own crank charger

www.metacafe.com...


This seems like the best option for a cooking stove/heat source to me since it can burn just about anything for fuel


Not only does it burn butane, but every liquid fuel too - white gas, kerosene, diesel #1, auto fuel, jet fuel and others. With a simple turn of the burner cup, you can adjust for any fuel you want to use without replacing jets or fiddling with loose parts

www.brunton.com...

reply to post by Northern Raider

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wow, might need a bot (bug out truck) to carry all that!!

reply to post by Northern Raider

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you're joking right? i'm from the UK myself, we have some terrible water ways and awful bugs in our rivers - certainly in an emergency it would be really important to be able to quickly clean water to a high standard, boiling won't get rid of some of the more nasty bugs nor will it remove heavy metals, chemical particulates or radioactive fall out - if you have wounded to treat, sick, old or young people then you really want to assure you water is clean to the highest standards.

You might know the name of the sock type thing you fill with water and hang up to filter out the lumps? british army design, i think they're called a 'someones name' bag or something. Anyway they are great for getting rid of the bulk of dirt in the water, esp fast running river water which can carry a lot of larger particles. this will extend the life of main device, a small hand pump filter with a long life filter seems to make the most sence, a good one will be able to remove all the bad things from the water in no time at all and take up very little space (mobile phone size)

edit to add: are they milton bags?

[edit on 14-1-2009 by NatureBoy]

reply to post by NatureBoy

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I think you are reffering to Millbanks.

NR is right to a point in that the UK is blessed or cursed with lots of lovely water in the form of rain. So in that point of view, water doesnt really become so much of a problem for we Brits.

I would however be suspect of running water that happens to flow around our countryside without first filtering and purifying it. I am fortunate enough to own a ''Lifesaver bottle'' so have that aspect well taken care of.

Something to consider, which I keep in my pack is a small to medium size fresnel lens. It weighs nothing and works like a champ to start a fire. I got mine off ebay for $5, its about 8x10" and is unnoticeable. Not only that, it will never wear out as long as you don't break it!

But first and foremost some way to purify water should be considered.

as someone said already, these lists are highly variable depending on your location and experience. for eg. a sharpie would freeze in winter where i am... a pencil or grease pencil would be better, but i could make my own out of charcoal from the fire..

good reference though to read other's thinking... obviously NR is quite capable with his setup. i have a question about something not listed, but quite specific... what would you wear/carry for footwear?

Good list.

I've recently added lithium batteries to my BoB. They're lighter than alkaline batteries and have about a 15 year shelf life.

And using high drain things like two way radios, they'd be worth it, although they are a bit pricey. They last several times longer than standard batteries, so you'd need fewer of them, though.

I have a wind up radio that lasts about 20 minutes after a minute of winding, but it's handy to have a constant supply of power. Still, can't go wrong with wind up stuff!

It’s a learning experience, to spend some time studying the hardcore homeless. There are lots of them around here. Don’t let their looks deceive you. They are some of the sharpest people. Many of them are masters, when it comes to reckoning their way from one day to the next, with little more than the clothes on their back.

In this area, one needs to cultivate urban survival skills. In a “trance state” on an “urban walk about,” the synchronicities you can experiece are literally magic. The universe provides, but in ways most are not accustomed to recognizing. Pay close attention to each step. If you silence the “monkey mind” and focus with intention on the moment, you will start to identify an abundance of gifts, contributions, rewards, donations, offerings, and souvenirs.

I don’t plan on leaving, no matter how bad it gets. This place is my home. But for those who decide to go, you may want to wear as much warm clothing as you can handle. It can always be shed.

I’d pack lots of dried fruit. It’s nutrient dense and light weight. Water although ABSOLUTELY necessary, will be your heaviest item. I wouldn’t leave home without dental floss, toothbrushes, hydrogen peroxide, a bottle of shampoo, paper towels, wash clothes, and small towels. I’d also like a couple of Zippo lighters, extra flints, cotton swabs, wicks, and a small bottle of Naptha fuel.

Don’t talk too much around strangers. At first, it’s always better to do most of the listening, until you figure out who you’re dealing with. Most people are good, but rotten apples exist. There are basically two types, those who serve others and those who serve themselves. Be careful of the latter. On a walk about, it would be wise to drop service to self folks, like a bad habit.

You’ll find it more helpful than you can imagine to continuously request guidance from the universe. If you’re disciplined in this, before long you’ll begin to see results. The universe will only intervene in your life, if asked to. So remember to be persistent in your asking. Request that which you feel is necessary, as you wander.

P.S. No fear, it’s all fun!



[edit on 14-1-2009 by seasoul]

Wow... well, I have to disagree with you something fierce. Blissware, as the Rainbow Tribe refers to it, is essential. Especially if you plug into a rainbow kitchen someplace, which you are more than likely to do if the SHTF.

Sersiously, utensils are Priority especially when finding yourself amongst a ton of other homeless folks looking for food.


EDIT: Actually... that's probably a great exercise. Take your BOB to a Rainbow Gathering some summer and see how ya fare.


[edit on 14-1-2009 by HunkaHunka]