Preparedness, BOB's, and Serious Discussion

Someone in one of these BOB threads mentioned going to the extra expense of getting quality items for the BOB, since if you end up needing it your life may be counting on what you have. I fully applaud that mentality...if you can afford it.

However, I have to say that having something is better than having nothing. Personally, I plan on trying to get *something* for all the items I want to have in my BOB, and then replacing the cheap stuff with quality as I can afford it. Not having been raised in a family that did any outdoorsy stuff, I don't have basically anything that would help me live off the land.

For instance, I saw a link to a revolver knife / saw thing that was something like $100, and that would be really nice to have. Lacking that however, I think I'd rather have a crappy walmart pocket knife and camp saw for $15 total than wait until I can afford the quality.

Same reason I'm looking at possibly getting a Hi-Point handgun - I'm not going to pretend it's wonderful, but it's better than nothing, which is what I have now.
 
could anyone make an approx list of what should be in a BOB, im looking for exacts, i just have been reading and it sounds like a terrific idea, just suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks again.

Tim
 
I havent dug in my truck in a while (got to repeack and review soon), but here is what I usually keep under the stashed in my truck.

1. 44 mag pistol, 50 rounds
2. lee Enfield Jungle carbine, 200 rounds 303 FMJ (dedicated truck gun)
3. 500 rounds of 5.56
4. 250 rounds of 9mm
5. 250 rounds of 45 acp
6. Water filter and Iodine tabs, collapsible water jug
7. Svea stove with 2 bottles fuel, mess kit, fry pan, pot
8. One week worth of foodstuffs for 2 folk, mostly freeze dried
9. Rope, para cord, tie downs, tow strap, chains
10. Tarps
11. Alice pack
12. Perpetual flashlight (one you shake)
13. White gas lantern
14. Extra parkas, pants, underwear, clothees, towels, toilet paper, baby wipes, Tampons and sanitary napkins (guys, you thinking about your wives)
15. Candles, matches, lighters, firestarters
16. Screwdrivers, wrenches, clamps, hose, siphon, some nails and screws
17. Axes, fishing poles, waders
18. First aid kit, including suture stuff, cold medicineetc. I always keep some serious painkillers in the house (morphine or demerol) that I can toss in a get out bag. I get a script every year for 30 or so, that I keep around for hunting or TEOTWAWKI, toss away the old ones, lots of folks do that, sucks to be hunting 300 miles form anywhere and bust a leg if ya dotn have the pills :D
19. Booze
20. Blankets, packs etc
21. Jerry can of gas. Also spare truck alyws has a filled back tank with 20 gallons

Here the deal is that there is one way in and one way out of the city, so if a massive quake strikes chances are I am stuck in the city. I live in a minimal fault zone, so its not likely open up here but a good shake is gonna knock stuff down. Figure if I have to evac we can and can survive in the truck for a week or so till the army gets in, if we can stay put have enough supplies between the house and the truck to make do. When the big one comes though, even though I love my swedes and toys, gonna grab either the AR or the M1A, strap on the HP, give wifey the SIG and hunker down

WildpreparedAlaska
 
don't forget-

Your personal first aid aid kit must include any special medications.

Extra glasses w/head strap
 
There have been a couple of mentions of a hand operated gas pump / siphon. Does anybody know an online source or KMart/Walmart/Home Depot?
Thanks
 
Here the deal is that there is one way in and one way out of the city, so if a massive quake strikes chances are I am stuck in the city.
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If, not when? :confused:

I have added the ultimate tool to my survival capability, vision - I got rid of my glasses and contact lenses by having lasik surgery.

For those who wear glasses with a strong prescription, there is a constant nagging background fear of being in a survival situation and losing or breaking that most fragile and necessary of lifelines.

No more worries for me now on that account. I highly recommend those who wear strong prescription lenses to consider it.
 
This may sound looney to some, but my prefered SHTF vehicle would be a full-blown semi with a sleeper and dromedary box. There's more than enough room for the wife and I, the dromedary box is basicly a shed behind the cab used for storage on moving company trucks so there would be tons of room for necessary gear, it's big enough to handle obstacles that would cripple most full-size SUVs, and with 300 gallons of fuel on board it has nearly a 2000 mile range. The fact that it's diesel makes it feasible for me to carry the equipment I need to produce my own fuel from waste vegetable oil if needed. Why a rig and not a diesel RV? RVs are built too light and flimsy. Rigs are much sturdier, more powerful, and have better ground clearance. It would probably be wise to consider some sort of "up-armoring" procedure since it is a big target. Of course, this is no help to somebody without a CDL.
 
You pump it!

There have been a couple of mentions of a hand operated gas pump / siphon. Does anybody know an online source or KMart/Walmart/Home Depot?
Thanks
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K-mart/Wal-mart will have the small bulb type that you use to syphon cars, they are about $15 last time I looked.

www.northerntool.com
Check here for a larger capacity pump with a longer hose for underground/semi-truck bulk tanks.
 
I just bought some of those Faraday flashlights at the flea market.

Cheapies for $3 a pieace.

LED light is not as bright as a traditional light but it lights up a darkened room well enough.

Got home at 9am and turned 2 of the lights on.
At 10pm they were still burning and not that much dimmer than the one I shook up and left off.

I dropped one on the floor and temporarily broke it so these particular lights are not sturdy enough for real use but the concept is amazing.

I'm gonna look for some good quality lights for my kits now
 
One thing I'm thinking about getting is a flare pistol... they're about $40 and if I'm stranded somewhere they're probably a better way of attracting the attention of rescue helicopter than shooting at it. I imagine one might even fit in a holster in my 5.11 vest.
 
I just put a ghllie in my BOB. had the ghillie for years, hardly used it.
I think a nice ghillie is a good idea for a bob. For survival mode, when you dont want to be seen.

Orange hunting clothing is also in my BOB, for survival mode when I do want to be seen.
 
One also has to consider the risks of lasik surgery on the eye. My wife works with a woman who daughter went in to have her left eye fixed and ended up losing it when the surgery messed up. Its a chance you have to take though it has gotten better over the years.
 
Maps in BOB?

Something I have not seen suggested yet is to carry maps in your BOB. You may know where you plan to go, but alternative routes may be necessary due to blockages, etc. A good set of topo maps should be included, also, for any situations that might require you to walk or scout around.

If the bo vehicle MUST be abandoned, it has been my experience that relatively healthy children over three years of age can travel 10 miles per day walking.
 
Something I have not seen suggested yet is to carry maps in your BOB. You may know where you plan to go, but alternative routes may be necessary due to blockages, etc. A good set of topo maps should be included, also, for any situations that might require you to walk or scout around.
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Very good idea. Would also be good to have a compass as well. And knowing how to use it would be a good idea as well.

I like the idea of having an extra pistol set aside in the B-O-B, but the only extra pistol I have is a single action .357 revolver. On the plus side it is reliable and accurate, but quick shooting wouldn't happen.

I could put a .22lr in there, but I use that often for target shooting.

I.G.B.
 
Preparedness,BOBs, and serious discussion

I carry im my truck at all times, what I call my "Bug out Boxes" contents consist of a huge First Aid Kit, a 4 Person Tent, Blankets, Sleeping Bags, Propane Stove and 2 Propane lanterns, Firearms and Ammo ( 1 Long Gun and 2 Handguns) with about 250 Rds of ammo for each, 2 Cases of MREs plus other Foods, misc tools, axe, shovel plus several " survival kits" I have a Ford Ranger with Camper shell.
 
Bravo 25

I got a good deal on a Alice Back Pack with Frame Ebay@ $32 dollars.
Excellent idea with the siphon pump Bravo. I will just cut about 5' of hose though and not worry about the pump. What kind of food is good to pack? I am thinking 3 days tops. Those lipton rice packs seem like a good idea. Also cans of tuna?? think of carbs, protein, and fat. I am thinking Rice=carbs, Tuna=protein, Fat=peanut butter. Also honey for sugar energy. All of these items keep a long time.
But I am thinking about 3 days of survival on hand in the pack. It is easy to go overboard. For home cache I have heard of this:
50lbs of rice per person, 10 lbs of beans per person, and 25 lbs of honey per person. 6mnths of canned fruits and veges. Spices: salt, pepper, cooking oil.
Also the most important survival tool--- Your Brain---If SHTF big time then a library of books would be good. I have some Foxfire books. Does anyone know of any good survival books?
 
Also cans of tuna?? think of carbs, protein, and fat. I am thinking Rice=carbs, Tuna=protein, Fat=peanut butter. Also honey for sugar energy. All of these items keep a long time.
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That is why the MRE is the better choice then packing all of that. The MRE was formulated to take all this into account, hence why the main course and the crackers, peanut butter, cookies/fruit is very high in all of these things.

Next time in an Army surplus, pick one up and read what it has, especially the calaries. This is not diet food but energy food.

Don't buy from them (Army surplus), they go for around $5 plus per. Go through Cheaperthandirt or some other site like that.

And, from eating so many of them while in the military, they don't taste that bad to me, some are actually great :eek: .

Wayne
 
Does anyone have experience with one of the inexpensive GPS units? I have never used one, but if the sattelites stay lit up it might be a good addition to the bob. Cabellas has a couple that are in the $70 range.

Opinions?

Also, honey may be a good thing to carry - did you know that not only will it never go bad, but that it makes a good anti-septic wound dressing? That would make it a triple threat - never goes bad, has first aid uses, and is high in calories and instant energy......heavy though.....
 
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