Grab bag?

Apologies if this has already been done.

Over the last few years and so as not to worry the kids, we've quietly put away what we call our 'grab bag'. Its an 'in case of' thing. Its only small - the size of a large backpack so it can be carried for long distances - and its aimed at immediate survival in the event of an emergency where we cant reenter or home or some other disaster occurs and we have to get out of town fast with or without the car. We keep it stored in the shed most of the year and move it to the car during cyclone season. We've tried to think of everything and I was just wondering..if its only me, or do others do the same? If so, whats in yours?

Ours is a shortlist of ;

Med kit, toilet paper and 'nappy sacks' for disposal, a microtent, micro towels, soap, fishing line and plastic lures, personal bathroom items, suture kit, herbal supplies, tent pegs, tarpaulin, wet proof bag with copies of our essential documents, binoculors, wind up solar powered radio, solar torches, solar shower, batteries, coffee!, raincoats, emergency blankets(foil), water treater tablets, coffee filters( for water), barley sugars, fold up water carriers, a small collapsable kitchen kit and 'billy', thermos, waterproof matches and spare lighters, thumb saw and small hand saw, maps to our wider region and a safe spot ( one we share with another family), rolled tobacco and papers, scissors, belt knife and stone, small spade and fork, miniture spider,snake and herb identification books, about 10 meters of plastic twine and some rolled rope, jerky, saches of gastrolite and about a months daily supply of broad spectrum vitamins.

If anyone can add to the list - has to be small and light weight common sense items only- or can think of anything we've outright forgotten, I'd love to hear from you.


cheers

Rosha.

reply to post by Rosha


Duct tape...The good kind.

It can be one of the most important things that you carry as it's uses are endless.

Originally posted by tribewilder
reply to post by Rosha

 

Duct tape...The good kind.

It can be one of the most important things that you carry as it's uses are endless.

Rosha slaps forehead! Of coourse!


thank you

Mp3 player could greatly keep you *in tune*..

A small harmonica also makes for great entertainment and learning to play is fun...

You can get them at the cracker barrel.

A Colt Government Model in .45 ACP. 5 extra magazines, a holster.

Originally posted by MMPI2
A Colt Government Model in .45 ACP. 5 extra magazines, a holster.

Wrong mindset sorry!

thanks tho.

Currently I have been riding around Australia on a motorbike for about a year. Has been a great holiday and I can see the potential for social collapse with all the BS flooding the airwaves these days. My list can be found at www.kwakakev.com...

On this motorbike I can carry enough food and water for about a week and travel about 800km. Gives me a change to get out but need to select a destination very carefully as there is lots of dry and remote land here in OZ.

Originally posted by kwakakev
Currently I have been riding around Australia on a motorbike for about a year. Has been a great holiday and I can see the potential for social collapse with all the BS flooding the airwaves these days. My list can be found at www.kwakakev.com...

On this motorbike I can carry enough food and water for about a week and travel about 800km. Gives me a change to get out but need to select a destination very carefully as there is lots of dry and remote land here in OZ.

Wow...what you have done with that energy system is just amazing! thanks Kev!
I went 'round about 1986-88...very different now..lots more sealed roads...still looks beautiful though..miss the wilderness...even the dust.
I think I could live at Barnett river gorge for the rest of my life quite happily if someone supplied me with regular smokes, coffee and paint!

great website..ty for sharing it..will go check out your list

Rosha

Originally posted by thecinic
Mp3 player could greatly keep you *in tune*..

A small harmonica also makes for great entertainment and learning to play is fun...

You can get them at the cracker barrel.

I forgot entertainment!
hmm...wonder if my teens wouldnt mind lugging my guitar up the hill *s.

A good multi-purpose tool such as a leatherman has items like a screwdriver,pliers etc that you dont have and will reduce some of your clutter.

dental floss
medium fishing hooks
pliers
you can straighten out the hooks and tie them to sticks with the dental floss and then you have a spear or gig and you can fish with them

I would definitely add firestarting equipment like flints, would be a nice accompanyment to that tobbacco! Also i would add hammock and tarp to the grabbag, i would prefer to sleep off the ground and the space saved from the tent i would have a good quality sleeping bag.

In terms of pure survival then i count warmth and water as no1 priority, food can be hunted or foraged, but i really would add a weapon to the list despite it not being what you are looking for.

Originally posted by Rosha

Originally posted by MMPI2
A Colt Government Model in .45 ACP. 5 extra magazines, a holster.

Wrong mindset sorry!

thanks tho.

Not a government model? How about something like a smaller J-frame revolver? .38 special? A few speedloaders, a holster.

I have a good quality yamaha half scale guitar with (09) light guage steel strings.
awsome little guitar and I love to play it
weighs all most nothing in a softshell case
but beyond value for moral
sometimes I capo the forth fret and it just sound so....
sound awsom witha slide too
I like it because if there is any beers in the vicinity
it just draws them out of the wood work


back to the OP
some odds n ends:
paper and pen,
two multi tools
snare wire ( all my old B and hi E and G strings)
a roll of bare copper wire
garbage bags
crazy glue
mirror magnifying glass

Here are a few of the things I would suggest adding, might find that you can replace some current items with these

550 paracord - tough and extremely versatile, just as good lots of rope you can buy at most stores
water bottles w/ built in filters - combines your water storage and purification into a single item, saves space
laxitive & pepto bismol - most foraging diets do nasty things to your bowels, these are a must in that case
dryer lint - amazing fire starting material, also can be coated with vasoline to help with wet-weather fire starting
sleeping bags - duh, buy one appropriate for the worst possible conditions you could face in your area of operation

flint & magnesium firestarter - will last longer than matches or a lighter
60$ in approrpiate currency - example(20$x 1, 10$x 2, 5$x2, 1$x10)

There have been some threads like this, but they get to long to be practically read, so every so often a new one is created. Good thread so far, and always consider carfully when you plan to use it. Rememberm options are important in any shtf situation.

large rat traps and a jar of peanut butter and a roll of wire. you bait the traps and wire them to trees and catch squirrels

Originally posted by aliengenes
large rat traps and a jar of peanut butter and a roll of wire. you bait the traps and wire them to trees and catch squirrels
www.mojoimage.com...

edit on 15-12-2010 by aliengenes because: (no reason given)

Originally posted by PRSuk
I would definitely add firestarting equipment like flints, would be a nice accompanyment to that tobbacco! Also i would add hammock and tarp to the grabbag, i would prefer to sleep off the ground and the space saved from the tent i would have a good quality sleeping bag.

In terms of pure survival then i count warmth and water as no1 priority, food can be hunted or foraged, but i really would add a weapon to the list despite it not being what you are looking for.

Flints a great idea..have to source it tho and oddly I found a little hammock a few days ago and grabbed it
My belt/boot blade (buck) is the only weapon i've ever needed apart from my mouth and mind ty tho...I just dont do guns...period...Ive never seen a situation ever made better by having one - and I've been in a few.
I do have a crossbow we use for boar hunting that's nice and has a comforting thud to it when applied to a thick scull, but its too bulky for long distance walks.


Rosha

Originally posted by aliengenes
large rat traps and a jar of peanut butter and a roll of wire. you bait the traps and wire them to trees and catch squirrels

lol...never thought of that one!