Bug-out Bag on a Budget

Or BoBoB, if you will.

Times are rough economically and your survival may be hindering on the fact that you believe you are unable to afford quality items to prolong your life. Well my friend, you are wrong!

It is my hope that by creating this thread, we as ATS'ers can create a survival bargain bin of sorts. If survivalists can name a few items from the most important survival categories (In my opinion, water/food, shelter-including clothes, protection, and then miscellaneous) that are high quality and monetarily low in quantity, a lot of fears about creating a BoB will be eliminated.

Personally, my favorite category of those I listed is protection, and it is the area in which I have the most experience. So, here are a few knives, multi-tools, and a gun that I feel give you the most "bang" for the buck!

Knives- Spyderco, dude. The Spyderco Tenacious, Persistence, and Ambitious are all about 30$ a piece. That's a fantastic price for great knives from an internationally respected knife producer. These are all folders. For a good fixed blade knife, I suggest Ka Bar. Shop around and you can get 7" of mean blade for ~50$.
Multi-tools- You can't go wrong with any Victorinox tool that you pick up, and most of them are all under 50$. My favorite is the Huntsman, and it also runs about 30$.
Gun- I would suggest a Ruger 10/22. If you look around, you can pick up a 10/22 for ~150$. 22 ammo is fairly cheap these days, so you won't find a much better deal.

Now that I'm done rambling, what great deals have you come across to through in the survival bargain bin?

rice
rice-a-roni
boullion cubes

get a quart of clorox (or other) bleach for water purification?

reply to post by wisefoolishness


saw someone in a similar thread recently mention that Wal-Mart started carrying freeze-dried food products. these can be found near soups. i checked it out, they were right. WM also has a nice selection of dried bagged fruit slices for cheap, and a few varieties of trail mix. these would be nice to have in your economy BOB.

reply to post by wisefoolishness


your thread is right on

I personally picked up a gerber knife for $17 at walmart. The Gerber Profile Full Tang, Fine Edge 4" Titanium Nitride Coated Surgical Stainless Steel Blade. The Textured Rubberized Handle, and a nylon belt sheath. I love the rubber handle it has better grip and a sharper point than a ka-bar.
last year at a pawn shop I got a brand new blackie collins dive knife with dive sheath for $10 that cost $100 new. score!!

a model 19 S&W .357 revolver (there are tons of these) used can be picked up for $200 in good condition. this would probably be the best handgun if you had to choose only one!!


problem: I have searched and failed to find a unit cheap and on par with a Katadyn ($200, is a little unaffordable to many). i mean there has to be something

Here's some essential items that don't cost a fortune.
The numbers after the item are for how many you will want to have.

Plastic canteen (2) $1.95 www.imsplus.com...
Canteen cup (stainless steel) (2) $7.95 www.imsplus.com...
Edible Wild Plants book (peterson's field guide)-available used at Amazon.com for $6
Emergency space blanket (2) $2
Trioxane fuel tabs
Gerber sportsman's saw $8.97 www.knivesplus.com...
Mora knife and sheath $11.97 www.sportsmansguide.com...
Magnesiun fire starter $9.97 www.cheaperthandirt.com...
Maglite flashlights with spare batteries $8.55 www.cheaperthandirt.com...
Nylon rain poncho NO PVC or rubberized $24.95 www.cabelas.com...

All this for less than $100
Add water purification tabs, food, clothing and a first aid kit plus a firearm if you have one.

reply to post by wisefoolishness


All you need to survive is a; will to live b; the ability to not panic ...you don't need some fancy bag, how do we think our ancestors survived?

reply to post by rebeldog


The PUR hiker waterfilter is about $70 and quite good.
Will do 200 gallons before changing the filter out (another $40)

a machete and about 50+ lighters from a flea market shouldnt cost much, plus a few pairs of long johns and a nylon cheap waterproof jacket (the kind that folds up real small), and you could survive most things other than extreme temperature changes or people with guns.

reply to post by abloke


You can't eat, drink, or build a shelter out of any of those things.

reply to post by wisefoolishness


yes you can. there is so many examples of folks surviving the impossible with squat but they all had one thing...a will to live. Maybe i think a little differently than most on this having spent alot of time in the ADF but my kids can make a shelter from nothing, my mrs can hunt for food with a hand made bow. We all know how to collect local bush tucker. If you think you need to make a "purchase" or that that product is goin to give you a better chance of survival you are a worse consumer than you may realise. You have to look between the trees my friend.

reply to post by abloke


I'm not saying the will to live is not important. However, the people that are here obviously have it since they care enough to research survival. And if that's the case, why wouldn't you want to spend a few bucks to better your chances and make things a bit more comfortable when it's not going so well?

reply to post by wisefoolishness


I understand alot of folks mistakenly think humans are weak. in that case heres my advice, get a book on bush foods for your local area, here in AU the Aboriginal heritage centres usually stock them, also research what the local folk originally used for cord,rope etc and how they collected water. and get yourself a good multi-tool. probably the best thing you can all do to increase your chances of survival if the SHTF is to test yourself in your local enviroment...in short go bush and see how you go. you may be suprised by how little you will actually need and how much you can source from your enviroment.

reply to post by abloke


I understand and respect your ideology, and I even agree with some of it. I just feel that having a few items to make things a little less rough will increase your chance of surviving.

reply to post by wisefoolishness


hey it's not gonna hurt just so long as you understand it's superflous and as long as you are stocking it with items that will actually help you which depends of what sort of calamity has befallen you in the first place if it's a permanent bug out then you only need you....if it's a temp bug out then you might want a sat map and compass, pace counter to arrive at muster point etc. Its still a good convo to have.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


thanks for the lead on the water filter

I personally would like a crate of those water type mre heaters. that stuff has many uses.
a gatorade bottle, crushed up mre heater or three, a couple ounces of water, then toss into the tent of that sgt who has been a jerk to everyone, and run!!!

reply to post by wisefoolishness


Boots!!!! i have used wolverine durashocks, bates lites jungles, and timberlands, all under $100.

1.) which boots are more durable over long term in a survival situation, military type vs. workboot type?
and
2.) top 3 boots under $150 for said question above, 3 boots to avoid (thru personal experience only)

PILE ON THE FFEDBACK EVERYONE, i think this one could be absolutely critical and overlooked

I will carry one pair and wear another pair. one full leather and one jungle type..

Your priorities are:

Shelter (appropriate clothes and sleeping arrangements/shade)
Fire (reliable starting)
Water (purification)
Food (acquisition)
Knife (fixed blade)
First Aid (it seems like an extra, but you will be glad if you need it)

Extras but very nice to have:

Cordage
Extra Knives
Weapons
Hand Tools
Means to Sharpen Knives
Means of signaling

Shelter: Clothes, you have them already. Hats, gloves, footwear, coats, poncho etc. Shelter can be built ranging from a tarp to 3 mil construction garbage bags. Here is where having cordage with you truly pays off and is worth its weight in gold. Completely naked, exposed to the elements you can die in as little as 3 hours or less depending on the conditions. But damage can be done long before then.

Fire: From the obligatory Bic lighter to a bow drill to a firesteel striker. What you have is what you have. But more importantly, fire building is a skill as well. Know how to start and maintain one.

Water: You can go 3 days without water if you were fully hydrated to begin with and not exerting yourself. Boiling is the cheapest and easiest means of having clean water.

Knife: This is your best all around tool and quality doesn't always mean lots of money. In a pinch, any knife is better than no knife and worse comes to worst, a chipped flake of stone is better than nothing.

Food: You can go up to 3 weeks without it, but the more you work the sooner you will need it. Think of it like wood for a fire, you have to keep feeding it to keep it going. A small fishing kit and snares makes for a good treat. But as mentioned above, knowing what you can eat goes a long way.

First Aid: Even if your kit is just a needle, an alcohol pad and some duct tape. Cuts and scratches that become infected make a bad situation a very bad situation quickly. An injury in a survival situation means you now have another element to battle in many cases....time.

Cordage: Yes you can make it in the wild. Yes you can make do without carrying it by making your own. But the time spent doing so could be spent on more important things. A 50 foot length of 550 paracord can be ordered online for around $3-$6 plus shipping. Having 250-500 feet of it in various lengths for your needs is not uncommon nor extravagant. Make 10 feet of cordage out of cattails or grass and you will understand the value.

Hand Tools: This can be anything that you value and feel that will serve you well. A 4 in 1 file, a hand crank auger type drill with a few bits, a small pry bar. I especially prefer the folding hand saw, faster than a hatchet and you spend less energy using it.

Extra Knives: A back up to your main duty knife as well as smaller knives for finer work. The often mentioned multi-tool fits here and as a hand tool.

Means to sharpen knives: A pocket honing stone, even a file if comes down to it. A sharp knife means less work and in reality less chance of an accident when handled properly.

Signaling Device: Unless of course you don't want to be found. But if you are hurt and need help, or just lost and need found. It is great when that person does find you. And whistles, mirrors, a flashlight, even heavy smoke from a fire gets attention.

Weapon: A tool for hunting or a means of self-defense, because there are two types of animals in nature...the ones you eat and the ones that eat you. A Spear, a sling, a bow, a gun, even a frog gig made from 3 long deck screws held to a stick by hose clamps or duct tape counts here.

But the most important thing you will ever take with you is yourself. Your knowledge, experience and ability to remain calm and focused is what will get you through....or won't. The best gear and the best of people are often beaten by the odds, even when they are in your favor. That is the reality of survival. It is up to you to give it the best run for the money.

good thread, i recently started my BoB and I am definitely on a budget....of $0. So I have a question. What items would you find around the house already that are good for a BoB?

i included a knife, toilet paper, ibuprofen, emergen-c packets, change of clothes, several bottles of water, a few cans of food..can't remember what else.

no, it's not perfect, but it's a budget of what i have already on hand and nothing else. any other ideas?

reply to post by totalmetal


Duct tape, rope (shoe strings, too), work gloves, gardening tools (trowel), a few eating utensils, a flashlight, lighter. There are a million different things you can pick up around the house to throw in your kit. You just have to have a look around your place to see what you have. If there's something you're not sure about, just think about how you might use it, or how it might come in handy in bad situations.

Also, to throw out a few more items..

The Gerber Exchange-A-Blade is an excellent survival saw. For ~20$ you get two interchangeable saw blades and a great sheath. Awesome value from Gerber.

For an excellent survival and EDC flashlight, check out the Streamlight Stylus Pro. They also cost ~20$ and are waterproof, and come with a 'sheath'.

The Streamlight Nano is also an excellent value. The Nano is a key-chain light and is about 3/4 the size of your little finger. Pick one up from Amazon for a little over 5$.

I have both lights and need to pick up another of each because the value is so great!