Lesser Known BOB inclusion items...What are yours?

Sure, there are always the regular items like food, water, first aid, etc. But, what are some of the off-the-wall things, or just normal, but easy to not think of items you thought of when assembling your BOB?

For me, I can think of a few, but I'd love to hear what others think.

Mine:

A WINDING WATCH - Since we're often separated during the day, we came up with a protocol where we'll try and contact each other at set times in the case of some kind of disaster. That way, we minimize the battery time using a hand-held walkie, as we make our way back home (once we're in range of course). Plus, you don't want to need it and then find the battery is dead.

MULTIVITAMINS - Since food may be haphazard, or at least not the most nutritious in such an event, these can help fill in the gaps some.

DRYER LINT - Excellent kindling, in a small Ziploc bag

PACK OF CIGARETTES - I don't smoke, but I figure that they make pretty good currency, as they are small, easily divisible, will be in demand, and I won't miss them.

What kinds of odd things have you thought of?

reply to post by Gazrok


I have 20 each of 3 different types of antibiotics. I figure this enough to take 3 a day for almost a week if you get some type of infection.

Random packets of condiments from fast food restaurants: salt, honey, and parmesan cheese (like what comes with pizza.) I figure if I had to eat something I would not normally eat, it'd be nice to have some flavorings.

Edited: Now that I think on it, the dryer lint is an excellent idea. I'm going to bag the next few handfuls I get and add them. Nice work man.

I too am packing a box of top tobacco and papers, tobacco can ease youngsters bug bites.

The most unusual thing I guess would be my pocket bible, not because I want to read it. Because it may be valuable to others as a group, or as a fire starter, or rolling papers.

My latest addition was the complementary travel soap from my last hotel stay.

-Fishing line-far too many uses to list.
-chapstick-firestarter, as well as its obvious uses
-Glow sticks-great emergency lighting, small, easy to carry


I know i will think of more as the day goes on

Lesser known items eh? Well besides, food, knives/weapon, first aid and water filtration system, for me it would be items such as a small backpackers guitar, a magnifying glass, compass, fishing line and hooks, a backpack solar charger for small electronics such as gps or radio, and....a hackysac for entertainment perhaps, to keep up morale maybe, or just fight boredom.

spec

reply to post by Gazrok


A great attitude is most essential,so try to keep it mind before you pack.
That is the most essential item in my BOB.

Back on topic.
A deck of cards or some dice.
Light and easy to carry and keeps the mind away from misery...if even for a few moments.

reply to post by captaintyinknots


All of those are already in my BOB.

Condoms. Non-lubricated.

Carry water, water proofing, and heck, never know when you need to get laid.

reply to post by Skewed


If you are carrying your BOB then I am going to assume you already have a container.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Interesting idea and additions!
I've never heard of a backpack guitar. I'll definitely be googling it!
I have always kept wind up watchs. I love them, both for nostalgic and non-battery reasons. One thing I add that I haven't seen mentioned is inflatable beach balls. They take up very little space and are great for bored or stressed children playtime. They also can do dual usage as water holders or flotation devices in a pinch.
I also have cards, dice, pencils, paper and crayons. All of those have entertainment uses but also can aid in fire starting. The paper can be a really worst case TP.
I can't wait to hear more ideas!
~ann

One thing that I recently purchased was a 4-in-1 flashlight...windup. It has a built in radio, phone charger, strobe, and of course the light... Been messing with it to make sure it all works properly, and probably will pick up a couple more.

Dryer sheets are an insect/rodent repellent, so have some of those, fishing line, wire screen (about a 3 foot square, folds up nicely) and some bungee cords.

Oh, forgot to add cheesecloth! Many uses for that from food making, water filtering, to first aid.

I have two items in there that I don't often see on the prepared lists. First is Wet Ones...or just baby wipes. I'm not going dirty because using a baby-wipe isn't "manly" and nothing feels better after some time camping or spent out in nature than a fresh clean face and clean hands to eat with. Sure nothing worth wasting precious drinking water for, though. Wet ones also come in an antiseptic or aloe version and I pack both for the different things they offer in a pinch.



The other thing I can't talk about enough with people is information. All the information you can print and pack! Not flashy plastic reference cards at $5 a piece that are a pain to constantly work around in a bag and serve as more of a place mat than a reference to anything. No.... No one is better than our own selves for knowing what we need to carry in that way. Some suggestions of what to find, print and pack:

1: Making Soap from BASE raw materials. W/o soap, no one is clean. Without hygiene, no one lives long.

2. Filtering water with NO man made devices to help. Same as above... No clean water is worse than NO water. I'd rather dehydrate than die losing everything to being sick from bad water.

3. What plants are safe to eat..but more important..which are NOT. You'll mistakenly eat 100 non-toxic plants and learn. You'll eat the wrong one only once...and die ignorant. I can't stress THIS and which side is the focus enough.

4. Maps for...everything. A fun and enlightening exercise is to shut down your TV, Computer and phone. Without any of those available.....Where are the medical facilities OTHER than major Hospitals? Where are the gun stores, police facilities, national guard armories and civil defense shelters from the bad old days when they were actually maintained and stocked? Most places still have them...they're just not signed and being used for basement storage. All EASY EASY things to find now...with the net. Impossible and priceless information AFTER it's all gone.

5. Misc to round things out. Information is free, ink is cheap and paper is light if pretty graphics aren't included to overstuff printouts. Things like making matches (that material does more than peacefully make fire to cook with), basic car mechanics for likely causes a vehicle would be disabled..yet fixable. Even something as mundane and seemingly simple as the growing seasons and basic planting data is worth throwing in.


How to carry it is easy and waterproof without spending a dime. We all have them and a little creativity goes a long way. Standard printer paper rolls up neatly and fits into......cardboard paper towel tubes. A roll of saran wrap and packing tape to wrap over the outside and the tube is a waterproof container in need of whatever end cap a person prefers. I use a near perm. cap on a couple because those are info sheets on things like weapons that I won't likely need out and don't want any chance of opening by mistake and being ruined. The rolls are also perfect for labels running down the length to show what data is on the printouts rolled up inside.


Anyway.. sorry to be so long, but occasionally a topic hits on this board that I want to take a moment to really try and contribute to. After all, perhaps I run into someone from here in some distant circumstance on the other side of TSHTF...and that person knowing a few tricks helps us both as much as them alone. Ya never know.

A 2 weeks supply for 5 ppl of potasium iodide. Fallout and what not.

Originally posted by Skewed
Condoms. Non-lubricated.

Carry water, water proofing, and heck, never know when you need to get laid.

Panic sex

I keep a small box of nuts bolts and washers for anything, guitar string for a snare or to take some one out quietly in their sleep and a small thing of baby powder for crotch rot or for my feet to name a few.

reply to post by Gazrok


Handcuffs - to deal with unexpected visitors whose intentions are unclear.

reply to post by ga-`tv-gi


You just inspired me to post one more time based on the feet part.

For the feet...go to a herbal type hippy store and buy some neem oil.
Athletes foot is gone and its a bug repellant as well.

I have some in my pack right now and have used it and it works REALLY well for the feet.

reply to post by AnonymousCitizen

A REAL quick note.... Handcuffs are something I also have..and bury very very deep. I had them when I was doing security stuff with my Occupy group last year and those people knew me well enough by the time I first pulled those out. Despite KNOWING I was no cop and no agent....a few still couldn't hide the reaction as if I'd pulled out a big glowing chunk of Plutonium and suggested we all play show and tell with it.

The thought has occurred to me that in interacting with other groups in a chaotic world...accidentally being taken for an agent or authority of any kind could lead to fatal misunderstandings.. Oh well.. I just wanted to toss that in. Things we honest folks never consider in some ways, others can't see any other way. To some, cuffs may as well be a badge.

Dice, multiple decks of cards, travel battleship, uno, and a travel cribage board. Pocket Constitution and Decloration of Independance, Pocket Bible, extra prepaid cell phone loaded with my current contact list already on it. Just some of the more odder or less practical items i have packed into my BOB that doesnt weigh to much, no more then a pound or 2 actually.

I pack cable ties (5mm wide by 12 inches) in my BOB. And you can use them for handcufffs without the weight problem or the fatal misunderstanding.

As a Landrover owner, we are advised to always carry duct tape, wire coathangers and cable ties.
Three years ago on holiday in Wales, a pipe in the engine got a hole in it. It was sucking in air and collapsing.
So we duct taped it up and used the wire hanger coiled around inside, to stop it collapsing in on itself. That got us around, till we could order a new pipe.

Drybags that can be compressed and spare shoelaces are other items I have packed too.

Another tip is making your own sleeping bag. It's more like a duvet that you wrap yourself up in. It's called a Rayway design. You need wadding 2-3inches deep loft, 7foot by 5feet covered by thin polyester material. It is ultra light and cheap to make.

Since we are talking BOBs, I have to think light and quick and short term. Plenty of good suggestions already mentioned and I'm sure that most will have a basic first aid kit however, one should actually think long and hard about what's in the kit and the circumstances that may present themselves to warrant its use.

Thing above and beyond band aids and neosporin. Think trauma related injuries, severe bleeding, burns, severe abrasions (road rash), broken bones and even blisters if you're hoofing it.

Therefore add the following items to your BOB's first aid kit

Quick Clot
Hemostatic Gauze pads
Celox Granules
Trauma Pads
Tourniquet
Tegaderm Dressing
Burn Gel/blister gel and dressings
Burn Dressings
Staple kit
Spyroflex
SAM Splint
Moleskin
Duct Tape

You get the idea. How would you treat wounds if outside help is not available and you are on the move?

One of my favorite kits is a Marine Kit due to its purpose as an Offshore/isolated kit. In a situation like that you are always the first responder
www.adventuremedicalkits.com...#