My BOB

[inccwchris]

I have a condor messenger bag that I carry my bug out supplies in and I feel decently prepared should I need to bug out. Can anyone think of anything else I may want to add?

I have 350 ft of Paracord.
flint and steel fire starter
10 chemlights
one water purification straw
two packs of water purification tablets.
work gloves
K-bar folding knife
two MRE entrees and two tortilla packs
Two family size Star kist tuna packs
three single size star kist tuna packs
three helpings of spam
six bottles of water
one Streamlight flashlight and extra batteries
one detailed topo/road map of Indiana
two plastic bags
basic EMS kit
large pack of TUMS
CIA blackbook of booby traps. (for snares and the like)
four sections of trip wire.
knife, fork, and spoon.

 

[hischj]

Sounds pretty good, but you may want to add socks and other clothing items. You never know what the weather will be like and can never have to many socks.

 

[Car Ramrod]

Where are you bugging out to? How far are you planning to go? How long are you planning on it to take to get there? Are you planning to go on foot or by vehicle?

 

[Dragon]

Where are you bugging out to? How far are you planning to go? How long are you planning on it to take to get there? Are you planning to go on foot or by vehicle?

These questions will determine a lot for kit goals. Answer them and we may better provide some feedback for your BOB.

 

[diablo750]

Id add

Heres a list of a few things that come to mind.
1. Multitool (i like the leatherman surge)
2. Rain gear (atleast a poncho)
3. Shelter plan (I would take a tarp or tube tent)
4. Radio (shortwave or regular, mine is a crank so no batteries needed)
5. List of phone numbers, addresses, pictures of people your car about
6. deck of cards (maxpedition makes a waterproof set, ive used it and like it)

 

[inccwchris]

Its a generic bug out kit. It makes no sense to me to prepare for one specific incident or plan, so this bag is being designed as kind of a general purpose BOB or survival bag. Good thinking on the poncho and extra socks. I think I may need a bigger bag if this kit keeps growing at this rate. Any suggestions?

 

[Exodus]

Is it just you?

 

[cosermann]

I'd add another method of starting fire. It's important enough to have redundancy, like maybe a Bic lighter or 2.

I'd also add a compass and/or GPS.

 

[6mm Shoot]

Your kit sounds good to me. You are the only one that knows what you are planing for.

You have no preps for sleeping or shelter. So it would be my guess that you plan to sleep in your car or truck. Also I noticed you have no way to cook any thing. That isn't a bad thing, I just don't like cold food. Also it gives you a second way to purify water if you have a way to boil it.

There is no given time that you are bugging out for. My plan is to stay home and my bag is set up to get me home. There is no place that I go in our area that I can't get home in 3 days walking. That is the worse case for me and the wife. So that is what I plan for.

In the car and truck I have a bag that has a water purifier, ax, tarp, small first aid kit and shovel. Then I have a bag that goes with us where ever we go.In it I have 4 space blankets, hunting knife, GPS, 2 MRE with heaters, waterless soap, a quart of water, camera, bug off, fire starters, 2 Bic lighters, storm matches in plastic case, clean dry socks, long johns, and some home made energy bars.

There are some other things in there but you get the drift. You put in your bag what you need for you to use if some thing comes up. The bag that comes in and out of the house gets modified for the season that we are in. I hope this helps.

 

[LtScott14]

Boonie hat and watch cap keep you warm and dry. Add a Stainless cup/canteen style for food prep. Hot choc mix, cup a soup, add a spagettios or ramen noodles. All great, hot. when you are cold and hungry. A Spork is a great tool, eliminates extra weight. Go titanium, won't melt like a plastic.
A small esbit stove allows a quick way to heat and eat. (Folding one with heat tabs)

You may need to adjust as you go. I always review my car bag, home bag, and every day carry bag. Have a wife, and a son so things add and you need easy carrying. (I recently received 2 empty, used, duffles from my nephew who is leaving the armed forces. Great gift, and not filling them up yet.) Keep the emptys handy for a bug out. Good luck and keep prepping!

 

[Dragon]

I have a condor messenger bag that I carry my bug out supplies in and I feel decently prepared should I need to bug out. Can anyone think of anything else I may want to add?

I have 350 ft of Paracord.
flint and steel fire starter
10 chemlights
one water purification straw
two packs of water purification tablets.
work gloves
K-bar folding knife
two MRE entrees and two tortilla packs
Two family size Star kist tuna packs
three single size star kist tuna packs
three helpings of spam
six bottles of water
one Streamlight flashlight and extra batteries
one detailed topo/road map of Indiana
two plastic bags
basic EMS kit
large pack of TUMS
CIA blackbook of booby traps. (for snares and the like)
four sections of trip wire.
knife, fork, and spoon.

I'd start by using the rule of threes and your basics for survival before worrying about anything else.

Fire starters are light. You need two more reliable ones you can use.
Water - You need something to boil for a third source. Boiling in a water bottle can be tricky without practice.
Shelter - Trash bags can work, but how comfortable are you making shelter out of them? Do you know how to tie down a trash bag without tearing it?

Where's the duct tape? You don't need an entire roll, maybe get the small roll of Gorilla Tape, or peel some duct tape off of the roll and put it around an old ID card or something.
350ft of para cord is bulky if you ask me. The only thing I could ever need that much for is if I had to use it to climb onto or off of something which I'll definitely not be trying to do. Too much risk of injury.
Do you need ALL of the Tums?
Do you need 10 chemlights? Maybe sacrifice half of them for the space/weight needed for a hat light or headlamp?

Last but definitely not least. How far can you carry that messenger bag comfortably with its current contents, or future for that matter? Single strap systems are far inferior to backpack styles because of the stress it puts on one shoulder/trap muscle while being carried. Also if you have to run with that thing, you might end up hating it.

People down play comfort when dealing with their GHB or BOB but that's at the top of my list. It doesn't matter if you can go 25 miles in a day without your BOB. It doesn't matter how well you think you might do with it. Getting into the situation and then failing is what matters and some simple prepping can remedy that.

 

[hunternjh]

Be sure to include a few items you'd be willing to part with for trade/barter.

 

[Sainte]

Peanut butter, good energy source and doesn't go bad.
A small sword or machete maybe.

 

[inccwchris]

I have since added the bic lighters for additional lighting/fire making. I am proficient at fire starting without tools so that is how I plan to make fire if my tools do not work. I plan to create shelter out of natural materials, ie: tree boughs, rocks, caves, mud, dirt, tree trunks etc etc. I have also added cough drops. I am going to reduce the Tums by half but I have stomach issues. Duct tape would be great, I never thought of it. Canteen and canteen cup could be clipped to the outside of the bag. I am going to upsize my bag and add some redundancy to it.

 

[TheRude1]

I have 3 of them setup for the same reason.
Looks good

 

[inccwchris]

I just added a compass and a folding saw today.

 

[LtScott14]

Great progress, and keep reviewing. Add whistle/mirror, lighten up some of the tuna stuff, multi tool is handy, agree about too much paracord. Small tarp or Rain poncho can be used(and your trash bags also). Headlamp is very handy to keep hands free, spare batteries in freezer storage bag, playing cards w/poison & edible plants and or snakes/insects.
SAS survival guide(pocket size) "Burn Cell Phone"(cheap, buy anywhere, with minutes).

Watch You Tube:"Altoids Kits". Made a few for my hunting buddies, and all carry them in a pocket w/ mini mag lites and multitools. You can custom make those for your needs. Some basic cash (20.00 in singles, couple dollars in quarters. )may be handy. Small handy bar (like a mini crow bar), hand hatchet(garage sales, paid $1.50 for mine)-cleaned up and painted OD green, drilled hole for wrist thong-para cord, small file to sharpen knives and axe. You have water tabs, soon a stainless cup to boil water, how about a "straw filter" have one myself, never needed it, but no campfire required to use. Keep smiling.
Note: just bought a used military Alice pack w/ frame for $45.00 off ebay. tons of room with extra pockets. Cheaper than sport or new! Used means a few little rips, or discoloration, but 1/2 the price of sports stores. Might find a new one later.

 

[inccwchris]

I do have two straw filters, I never thought about a knife sharpening tool, will add one of those. I also will be buying a metal canteen and canteen cup, I will put some of the water from my water bottles into the canteen to make room for it in my bag then I have two containers for cooking/boiling water.

 

[Caldad]

Suggestion: use the spam as bait, to catch something edible.

 

[inccwchris]

would probably work pretty well. Turn a small calorie boost into a good meal.