Can't afford a get home kit?

[caneman]

Any container around the house. Shaving kit bag, bank bag, cloth grass seed bag, Lay’s potato Stax container or any other container.

Reflective blanket $2 at Wal-Mart

Bic lighter $1.29

Compass (Button $.95 to $1.95) others $3.95 to $20 depending on style (Also a led light to read it in the dark - $2 - $12)

Waterproof Stick Matches (Make them yourself dipped in wax) carried in a prescription bottle – Tinder (Cotton balls smeared w/ Vaseline)

Knife $6 to how high (Wal-Mart camping area)

Bottle of Water 20 oz or larger

50 Foot Clothsline $4 (You can use a 5 foot piece to tie or tape to a container for slinging over a shoulder)

First aid – 3 wet wipes, Neosporin (or similar), 4 bandaids, 2 foot of duct tape wrapped on the lighter or a pencil

2 Granola bars

All of that will fit in the Lay’s container (Similar to Pringles but waterproof plastic) (Seal the top on w/ duct tape) and you will have more “Get me home gear” than 95% of the cars on the road. I would hope 95% of the truck drivers on the road had at least this much with their truck. Granted this is a cheap and minimal type of kit, but I see no reason nearly everyone can’t have some kind of kit in their car. Things like a good wool blanket and a small tarp and a tin can to cook some soup in would be nice but they would be extras.

Spread out over three weeks it comes to about $7-8 a week which can be made to fit most peoples budget. Upgrade and add to as you can but start now.

 

[Andre46996]

Good post!!

I normally work between 70 to 150 miles from home depending on where I need to go my get home bag is rather extensive, including 2 changes of clothing stored in vac bags, 5 pairs of socks, extra pair of boots, Cold weather gear, MRE and replacement bars for 7 days.

If I had to guess I have about 600 wrapped up in my GHB not counting the carbine.

You have to look at you situation and be prepared. I figure I could average 20 miles a day on foot so I am setup for 7 days.

 

[mskendall]

Nice little list! Wally World has had a $1 folding knife in the camping section if they want to save a few more bucks. I bought about 8 of em.

 

[infidel]

I think the OP is onto something here. It offers food for thought to those that ignore having a bag or other options due to cost. I also think these are a good idea.

 

[Steve]

Great post by the OP!

Most of the stuff you'll need in a GBH bag is laying around your house, you just have to put it together. I finished my wife's bag a week before the snows hit Cen IN and she was impressed that we had 90% of the stuff needed here already. Some energy bars, a space blanket, and a firestarter kit were the only things we had to buy.

Look around. You'll most likely find rope, candles, empty coffee can, 1/2 roll TP, canned soups with pull off lids, knife, lighters, matches, flashlight, extra reading glasses, water bottles, eating utensils, ibprofen and 1st aid gear, lint from the dryer as tinder, a multitool, instant coffee or tea bags, spare batteries for the flashlight, a towel, work gloves,.........the list goes on to meet your personal needs. We have army canteens with the cup( get a stainless one not aluminumn) inside the pouch to use for heating foods or drinks.

A couple of shirts, a jacket, jeans, socks, BVDs, and you're ready. An extra pair of shoes woul be a good idea, too. Dry feet are happy feet.

Any bag will do, but you can get a sturdy backpack at WallyWorld for $20.00 or shop around thrift stores and pay only $5 - $10 for a decent one.

Now's the time to get your GHB setup and in your vehicle. Better to have and not need then to need and not have.

 

[Zoub]

Any container around the house. Shaving kit bag, bank bag, cloth grass seed bag, Lay’s potato Stax container or any other container.

To go a step further, if you factor in the cost of the snack, you may be halfway to a good nalgene bottle instead, which is water tight and can be used to purify, carry and drink water. Of course very tough as well.

Add to it a stainless cup that fits under it and an insulated cover/belt carrier shazam! Very civie looking belt kit.

link to cheap widemouth nalgene bottle Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz. BPA Free Bottle, 80880 | Water Bottles | Water Containers | GEAR | items from Campmor.

Here is the cup made by GSI. GSI Outdoors : Ultralight Backpacking > Cookware > Glacier Stainless Bottle Cup/Pot&

Add an esbit stove, not sure if it fits in the bottle. Never tried it that way. Esbit at REI.com

 

[SavageEagle]

The ONLY thing I'm missing in my GHB for my truck is water. However, right now, I'm not worried about water. There's enough snow in my truck and along the highways that you can easily boil quickly and pour into your cup/bottle. However, I almost always have something to drink anyway in my truck and it's usually in a bottle.

 

[Archbishop]

Let me just add this discussion, most space age blankets are not meant to be used below around 50 degrees. It's better than nothing, but it's not the answer to spending a night out in weather like tonight. There's no substitute for making sure you dress properly to be out in the elements in the first place. If you think you're just running around the corner resist the temptation to leave in just a light jacket with no gloves or hat. Space age blankets are great I have one, but in addition put a wool blanket in the trunk to. (Those space blankets will add extra warmth to a sleeping bag or blanket.) A trip to the Good Will store can fix you up.
Hey everybody be safe in these weather conditions.

 

[caneman]

Thanks for all your input. Like most of you I have considerably more in my bag. All I was trying to do was get those who have nothing to start with the barest essentials. One person wrote me and said it was such a simple idea they were going to prepare small kits for their kids and close friends. A couple of others (I also sent the list to my H.S. classmates) said they were fixing kits for themselves. I hope nobody ever needs them, but I know from the responses at least 8 people will have kits of a minimum size who previously would have had nothing.By getting a start they hopefully will think about adding to them over a period of time. The hardest step is the first one.

 

[ol' trucker]

Very thoughtful starter kit.

 

[thecanuck]

Great list for a quick kit for sure... I have added many a disaster kit item from wally world

 

[grunt soldier]

good list. lol no bs i was at walmart last night and as usual i went to check on ammo and the camping supplies. found the 88 cent poncho's (cheap but would work well) also they had a cheap whistle with compass,magna-fine glass, thermometer. the whistle is super loud and everything else functioned well for like 3 bucks. and some 8-12 hour candle 2 packs with metal bottoms which surprisingly in a small shelter provide a good amount of heat and take up no real room and could be used for countless other options.

hit up the dollar stores and other place and you can build tones of kits for next to nothing. or you can put a decent amount of money in one lol so as to not hijack this thread i will post pics of mine in another thread

 

[masterblaster-c]

how do you keep a bottle of water in your car and keep it from freezing and breaking the bottle? How often should your replace the granola bars/water? Great ideas, I've got a few items scatered around my car think I have been inspired to make a kit of my own!!!

 

[infidel]

how do you keep a bottle of water in your car and keep it from freezing and breaking the bottle? How often should your replace the granola bars/water? Great ideas, I've got a few items scatered around my car think I have been inspired to make a kit of my own!!!

Use liquor or salt to keep the water from freezing. Replace the granola bars when they expire, or if they get mushed up in the summer and you don't like them that way. Replace the water about every 6 months to be safe, storing in a vehicle isn't ideal storage environment, but it would be fine for that long.

Congratulations on making a kit! Be careful, it can become addictive!

 

[Archbishop]

how do you keep a bottle of water in your car and keep it from freezing and breaking the bottle? How often should your replace the granola bars/water? Great ideas, I've got a few items scatered around my car think I have been inspired to make a kit of my own!!!

You don't keep it from freezing,camping supply store sells bottles that won't break when frozen. Tap water has enough chlorine to keep it good for some time in a sealed container kept out of direct sunlight. If you're still worried about it pack some iodine tablets in your BOB. But in general I try change out my water at least once a month. It will keep much longer, but I like to rotate stock on all consumable products I keep whether they need it or not.
The granola bar question is harder to answer as it depends on brand, but what ever you end up with should have an expiration date on the packaging. Good luck.

 

[Archbishop]

Use liquor or salt to keep the water from freezing. Replace the granola bars when they expire, or if they get mushed up in the summer and you don't like them that way. Replace the water about every 6 months to be safe, storing in a vehicle isn't ideal storage environment, but it would be fine for that long.

Congratulations on making a kit! Be careful, it can become addictive!

To each there own I suppose, but I don't drink and if I did I don't think you should be drinking in a survival situation. But whatever works for you.

 

[infidel]

To each there own I suppose, but I don't drink and if I did I don't think you should be drinking in a survival situation. But whatever works for you.

I don't either - I was just answering the question of how to keep it from freezing.

 

[SavageEagle]

Water bottles breaking are the least of your worries. Ever had a bottle of water in your car that sat over night in the summer, you go into town the next afternoon and get thirsty, pick up that bottle and drink it? Did it taste... different? That's because the sun light/heat forced chemicals in the plastic bottle into the water. Those chemicals are BAD for you. You'll feel like you have a stomach bug and most likely end up on the pot for a while with bad pains.

If you plan to store water in your vehicle, use one of those cheap canteens at walmart. Metal might give the water a funny after taste, but it's not harmful like the plastic.

Now, this might not be true with the real HARD plastic containers, but I've not seen any evidence that it wouldn't apply. If anyone has any more info, that would be much appreciated.

 

[Zoub]

how do you keep a bottle of water in your car and keep it from freezing and breaking the bottle? How often should your replace the granola bars/water? Great ideas, I've got a few items scatered around my car think I have been inspired to make a kit of my own!!!

I use Nalgene bottles daily at work so there are always extra ones in my truck besides the ones that stay in it. None have ever broken from freezing, not in a vehicle, freezer or boat.

Same goes for Platypus bladders. Also Camelbacks and Blackhawks.

To thaw a bottle, just toss on dash while running defroster on High.

I keep a second pack in my truck that is dedicated to just water and carbs. It can be handed to another person for their use and water moved from it to my pack as well.

Great thread because you can go from a cheap survival kit to a cheap duffel bag full of things to allow you to over night in or near your vehicle or halfway home if on foot. A $4 case of bottled water goes a long way. Lots of things you can do for $5 to $10 per week.

On Nalgene bottles, fill, freeze, drop in coolers for use as ice, drink when thawed. Block ice lasts longer than loose ice. Cost is just water once you own the bottles. Even a bottle of water not frozen helps moderate temps as water is the best thermal mass there is. Now even your ice acts as a backup when on the road.

FYI when on foot I much prefer Platy bladders for many reasons but at least one Nalgene bottle can be handy to have.

 

[Zoub]

If you plan to store water in your vehicle, use one of those cheap canteens at walmart. Metal might give the water a funny after taste, but it's not harmful like the plastic.

Nalgene is food grade plastic. Part of survival is psychology. Individual drink powders can add a lot to your water for some variety in taste, even carbs. Metal picks up food and drink tastes and is hard to remove it, like lemonade, but can be set on a flame.

In the end, if using metal I prefer stainless over aluminum.