Survival Backpack, What To Put In It?

I think it is safe to say that we can all feel something coming or something that's going to happen that will cause a massive change?

I have noticed how I have seemed to have become a lot more aware of my current soundings and keeping a close eye on here/local/national news.

I have now come to the point where I have started to think of things to have near me if such a time of emergency should arise.

I am thinking of an emergency backpack, a small one nothing large like a hiking one. What you you guys suggest I put in this backpack? I am thinking not just for myself but for all other users.

So far I have a multi torch with whistle and compass, a 30mv green laser pen, a bump key, flint lighter, first aid kit and my mobile (which may not be of good use at the time)

So any ideas guy?

I would suggest rigging for heavey weather and travelling light

bare minimum:
heavey Knife
firestarter
mess kit
soap bar ( toilet kit...toothbrush razors etc)
change of socks and underwear

I would also have a heavey CAMO poncho and a blanket
down sleeping bag in the northcountry

reply to post by Bishbop09


Hi, i would def get a small multi function knife swiss army type and you may want some food energy bars and then theres water could be a long list this !!

You got to ask yourself how long do you think your gonna need it for 3 days a week.

water purification tablets, some fishing line along with hooks, dried meals, compass and map of region, a machette and a few smaller knives, waterproof gear and the most important things spare underwear and toilet paper

but really it depends on the terrain you'll be traversing as to what you'll need since you wont need as much water storage if you're following a stream than heading across a desert

I notice that you included a bump key. You may want to evaluate the area to determine the most common lock types. A kwikset bump key will not work in a schlage lock for example. The good thing is that if you can get the blanks, bump keys are easy to make and even easier to use. By the way, kwikset and schlage are the two most common manufacturers of household locks in the US; covering over 80% of households IIRC.

I would say a couple packs of disposable razors. Even after TSHFT you'll wanna remain clean-shaven....for as long as you can.

First Aid Kit
Para Chord
Meds

Originally posted by will615
I would say a couple packs of disposable razors, whether you use them now or not, because eventually your electric one won't work. Even after TSHFT you'll wanna remaing clean-shaven....for as long as you can.

Why? Facial hair will help you keep warm, it will break up the outlines of your face allowing easier concealment, and if you carry the razor you need shaving creme and extra water to shave with. That is unnecessary weight and space that could be used for something more important imo.

I put up my kit suggestions here.

I will repost it down below. But, my list is a little large, and may not fit into your backpack.
-------------------------------------
Survival Basics Inventory – quantity could be substituted as 1-2 per person as necessary)
Fold-up Water Bottles
2 tarps
2 Mess Kit
2 travel pack First Aid
Metal items\3 metal cups
2 insect nets
Insect repellant
Weapons (darts, knives, Stars, Spear, Poison, Blow-dart gun, etc)
Copper wire - trap making
Fire starters (lighters, cotton wax, flint)
Fabric scraps
1 Spice Kit
Bandana
Sunscreen
2 rain ponchos
Garbage bags
Gardening stuff (Spade, gloves, seed kit)
Batteries
Fuses - Fire works type not electronics
Hooks - for fishing
Sewing Kit
Snake Bite Kit
Compass
Playing cards
Wind-up flashlight\ 3 mini flashlights
Rope
Water purification items-purification tablets, filters

[Makeshift purification-barrel with layers of sand and charcoal (about 2-4 layers of each) some sort of screen at the bottom with holes and a catch basin at the bottom for water reclamation for potable use.]

Medicinal
Bandages, First Aid kits, Ointments, antibiotics, pain relievers, snake bite kit, tourniquets, medical tape, cotton swabs, alcohol, Scissors, sewing kit, thread,

Food Prep items
Throwing knives, spears, mess kit, fishing hooks, fishing line, Blowdart gun, seed kit, copper goblet, fold-up water bottles, Lighters, cotton wax, matches, work gloves, spice kit, water purification items,

Weapons\tools
Throwing knives, Spears, metal items, Throwing stars, poisons, blowdart gun, rope, hammer, vise grips, nails, spade, hooks,

Miscellaneous
Tarps, blankets, flashlights, candles, playing cards, fuses, potting soil, sleeping bags, books, copper wire, satchels, backpacks, rain gear,

Hygiene kit
Soaps, Brushes\combs, nail file, wet wipes, travel tooth brush, nail clippers, tweezers, towels\rags,


For each backpack:
Mess kit
Flashlight
Matchbook
Rope
First Aid kit
Notebook and pencils
3-4MREs
Weapon\tool kit
Water bottle
Playing cards
Bar of soap
Blanket\sleeping bag
Fishing line
Survival Kit-in-a-can
Leather working gloves

Medical kit should contain:
Couple dozen different sizes of bandages + Ace, Medical tape, Scissors, Ointment and creams,
Alcohol (Everclear) and cotton swabs, Q-tips, Tweezers, Nail clippers, Pain relievers (Tylenol, Aleve),
Pick (Scalpel, needle), snake bite kit, feminine pads (Females), Tourniquet, Insect repellant, Sunscreen , bar of soap (or know how to make it)

Weapon\tool kit should contain:
Vise grip, hammer, 2-3 spear-heads, 2-3 different knives, spade, some rope, multi-purpose tool, flares, glow sticks, sharpening tool, sewing needle and thread, slingshot and ammo\blow-dart gun and ammo, sturdy working gloves, poisons, netting, matches, cotton wax, fuses

Other backpack space should hold:
Mess kit, blanket (flannel or wool), notebooks and pencils (sharpener and erasers), MREs, water bottle, playing cards, flashlight, Survival Kit-in-a-can, Assorted Hard Candy (cinnamon, butterscotch, etc)
-------------------------------------

Now, I know that this kit is not exhaustive, and should be around 30-50 lbs if you pack it right, but I feel that this list could be a base line.

reply to post by Bishbop09


This may sound a bit weird but the lint collected from the clothes dryer filter. My husband always asks me to save it. He has a couple of baggies stuffed full of it in his BOB. It's to help start a fire. He has some flint and magnesium starter kits as well but he reckons that the lint would be good in a pinch.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


It's not unnecessary for me bro. I'll go as long as I possibly can without having to look all 'grizzly' like.

reply to post by Bishbop09


A water filter,an emergency mylar space blanket,a fire kit,some old shoe laces and a multi tool.
Nice and small.

The fire kit can have a lighter as well as a magnesium stick in case the lighter fails.

Also,maybe some trail mix or some sort of emergency food to eat in a pinch.

google bug out bag you will have fun with the learning process

Some kind of firearm. like this one...

www.equipped.com...

There are five elements to consider for any pack in order to survive. In no particular order:

Fire
Food
Water
Shelter
First Aid

Anything you carry is a tool to complete one (or as many as possible) things on that list. The most common and expected is a good fixed blade knife as it can be used in part for all five of those goals. But your best and lightest tool is your own mind and experiences. Because a million dollars worth of gear in a pre-built bunker isn't going to save you if you have no idea of how to use these things.

Like all things in life, money helps. But the reality is that you can survive and then later thrive without a having so much as a single stitch of clothing on you when you begin. After all, we were all born naked and made it this far, right?

But to make life easier consider the following. And I can go into greater detail on each item if need be, such as the hows and whys:

A good fixed blade knife.(smaller utility/neck knives recommended as well)
A couple of Bic lighters. (fire steel or the humble magnesium block make good backups)
100-150 feet of good cordage (paracord recommended).
A good blanket (wool highly recommended).
A small metal pot (cooking, drinking water after boiling, place to boil water in)
Easy portable shelter. (This can be a tarp, a good military poncho even a 3 mil contractors garbage bag)
P-38 can opener. (Yes, I am serious. I carry one in my wallet and would never be without one. Beats risking snapping the tip off of your only knife)
A home made first aid kit. (what you put in is up to you, I suggest using a waterproof bag here but if you are packing it full of band-aids--think a little harder)
Tool Kit (These are what you consider essential tools to make your life easier. 4 in 1 file is very handy so are Leatherman's, small crowbar, hacksaw blades, etc. Again this up to the individual)
Appropriate clothing for the expected weather conditions. (extra socks, good boots)
Hygiene/toiletry kit. (crud kills)
Bandanas (if you have nowhere to put them tie them to your legs and look like an 80's rockstar. Cotton and as many as you can because you can use them for anything your mind can come up with, like tying them to your legs and walking through weeds in the morning to gather dew and wringing them out for water gathering).
And my personal favorite, a survival journal (buy one of those small diaries and fill the pages with notes on techniques, easily identifiable wild edibles, shelter plans, etc. Trust me, the more you write the more you will remember, but it is great having that quick reference for things you have not done in a long time like a special knot or how a trigger works on a particular trap)

But what if money is a factor in that you don't have enough of it to get all of the above things? In your kitchen there are some knives right now, grab a small pot or a couple of cans of vegetables (you can reuse the cans later). You have a blanket and pillowcase (makes for a workable pack if that is all you have, so does the blanket) your bedroom. Got a sheet on that bed? You have cordage and bandanas once you turn them into it with the knife from the kitchen. A pair of flip flops or dress shoes is better than being barefoot (heels, not so much, sorry ladies). That is a good start. Saving a few bucks here and there for better items is the best plan. Putting back $20 a week is $1040 in a year.

And one of my favorite questions is the one that asks "I am a smoker, how will have enough tobacco for the apocalypse?" Short answer is that you won't. Longer answer is that you won't need as much as you think as you can give up smoking (or severely cut back) when having to walk everywhere. Your body will do that naturally without much in the way of cravings except when sitting around doing nothing, which is a rare occurrence when working to survive. Longest answer is that you had best get some seeds and learn about growing tobacco or find people that do and barter for what you need but keep in mind that tobacco will be a currency as well. And you might be carving a pipe since cigarettes will be a luxury no matter how you look at it.

reply to post by olaru12


given he's in good old blighty the chance of anything more powerful than an air rifle is pretty low but since it is a SHTF scenario i'd say there maybe chance of picking up a 12 guage shotgun once you hit the countryside and most farmers have a few+good supply of ammo

From all my long distance hiking and bike touring I've whittled down a ton of gear in several bags to a few things in one bag.

Decent knife, lighter(s), magnesium starter (or blast match), hammock with rainfly/poncho, socks, backpackers towel (a couple is good), some paracord, iodine, water tabs, biodegradable soap, some sort of emergency food stuff like oatmeal and lentils to keep you going when you cant find anything else.

That's really it. I've gone 500 miles through multiple states with that stuff.

Two things I would absolutely hate to lose out of that is the lighters and the hammock. You can always use a rock or a hunk of junk metal as a knife. But keeping warm and sleeping off the ground are glorious. Thirsty, hungry, downpour in the middle of the night, creepy growling in the darkness, all seem totally fine in a hammock with a fire going.

This is the quintessential YMMV type topic though. You wont know what you need until you go out and try. A lot.

Thank you all for your tips and suggestions!

I have been in to town today, so far I have got myself:

Small black backpack
Bump Key (Yale, as most the houses in the UK are Yale locks)
2x First Aid kit, one for in my everyday bag and one for my Pack at home
A Multi Tool with all your normal tools but this one has two knives, an axe and hammer
Bungee cord (1.5M)
More anti septic wipes
A cloths repair kit
Camping cup, container and cutlery
Emergency blankets
Pack of batteries and lighters
Chewing Gum (Not sure why I just spotted it and picked it up)
Small Torch with whistle and compass
30mv Green laser pen
iPhone (This might not help but you ever know)

Some of the items you have listed I am going to order now online

I was really thinking the other day and talking to some friends about what they would do and I laughed at how unprepared they are. Then I looked at myself and I was just as bad, I have educated my friends and family who are now thinking about what they would do. I just want to make sure I have something rather then nothing.

As long as I have some bits to keep me going for a few days and even the bits to help me gain more supplies if I need to last longer. If its a big natural

Thank you again for all your comments, please keep them coming!

reply to post by Bishbop09

I just want to make sure I have something rather then nothing.

I have posted this a few times but I will post it again.

Its always better to be the guy who falls asleep with a smoke detector than be the guy who takes 3 valiums and falls asleep with no smoke detector.


I sent you a u2u as well in case you haven't checked them.

reply to post by DrumsRfun


Thank you very much, I have been in town most of the day so just seen but again thank you it all helps!