TOTM Topic of the Month March 2019- The Get Home Bag

Discussion in 'Survival Topic of the Month' started by Motomom34, Mar 1, 2019.


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  1. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    The Venerable, Ubiquitous Get Home Bag (GHB)

    Ah the Get Home Bag (GHB). A version of the Bug Out Bag (BOB), but not...quite, the same.

    So, much to my potential eternal embarrassment, I am on reddit and hey, wouldn’t you know it they have a prepper “sub-reddit”. If you don’t know what that means, don’t stress, it’s really not important but it is salient to this thread. I’ve found that the GHB/BOB/INCH discussion is much like the AR-15/AK-47 discussion...and I use the term “discussion” loosely. We’ve also had many threads on this, and other bags, and like the r/prepper subreddit, I’ve noticed that they all seem to head in a specific direction and then peter out...for a very specific reason which I’ll get to below. I’m not trying to create a “thread that will never die” but I would like to have this discussion, and put some guide rails up around it...ground rules if you will.

    Nothing is carved in stone and every post doesn’t need to just be a list, it’s all about discussion, but I would ask the following (sorry, I’m a lists guy):
    • Please, PLEASE don’t say “it depends...what works for me may not work for you” and then back out of the thread. That’s a cop out and really unhelpful. It doesn’t move the conversation along and doesn’t advance anyone’s knowledge. While it may be accurate and technically true, it’s a waste of even the minuscule bandwidth necessary to download the text. Instead, please…
    • Outline what you use. :) Everyone’s bag is different, we get that. Heck, even my bag from month to month and stage of life differs...assuming I take any time to update it. But, and this is the point I’m trying to make, ALL insight into what goes into everyone’s bag(s) is helpful, useful information. No, I’m not diabetic, but I still get glucose crashes and something you (a diabetic) put in your bag might be something to keep in mind for me. I’m not on any prescription meds at this time, but family members are and while I would obviously remember to put some in their bag, in the heat of the moment I may not put any backups for them in my bag if I’m just thinking about my bag at the time...etc.
    • Give an idea of what the item(s) cost. I’m going to try to actually build (and re-build) my bag a couple of times and be very thoughtful about what I put in, where I got it, what it cost at the time and what it would cost for a replacement.
    • If you know of a link to an item, and it’s a competitive price on Amazon or one of the other affiliate vendors for the Monkey, take a few extra minutes to add a link to it so others can actually go out and buy what you are recommending if it suits their needs.
    • Post pictures of items if you can, even if they aren’t yours. Most things in the bags came from somewhere and the Internet is nothing if not replete with images. You don’t need an imagur account and they don’t have to be of your equipment if you are technically limited (or challenged).
    • I’m not asking or suggesting that you break OpSec. If you do upload a picture, I’d suggest (but don’t require) that you disable location tracking on the device taking the picture.
    • I’m not imposing a price limit. If you can afford it and it’s the tool you use, go for it. If you want to do a “least expensive” or a “dollar store” GHB, that’s fine too!
    • You don’t have to buy it all or have it all already. Most of us will have at least one thing already that doesn’t need to be bought (socks!).
    That being said, I do ask that there be a couple of actual rules (and will work with the mods to enforce if things go pear shaped):
    • First and foremost, even before the right/wrong discussion, this is a GHB...a Get Home Bag. This is NOT an INCH, you ARE coming Home (the H in GHB). This is not a hunting bag, although you may use it for that. This is not a BOB, you are getting home, not heading for the hinterlands. If your GHB has elements of the others, great, but not in its entirety and lock, stock and barrel.
    • This IS:
      • I’m at work/the mall/on a hike at the local nature preserve/on a business trip (local) and I have to get home without my car.
      • Something that you could stash in your car and grab if needed...or
      • Something that you carry into work every day
      This IS NOT:
      • Your Bug Out Bag (I know, I just said that)
      • I’m at home and have to leave (although they may be the same bag)
      • My fellow monkeys, it’s been nice knowing you, see you on the flip side
      • 7 year survival in a Bag
    • You are not “right”
    • They are not “wrong”
    • This is a combination of personal bag choices and discussion about what might be helpful to change. Posts like “you need more ways to start a fire” or “you don’t have enough ammunition” or “you’ll never be able to carry that” aren’t as helpful as “Have you considered adding a second (or third) fire starting tool”, “An additional 50 rounds would only weigh X and might be a not overly burdensome insurance policy” and “How much does that weigh? I’ve found that I can hump x lbs around the block but after a couple of miles, the bag broke me”.
    • If you are going to correct someone, it really, really, REALLY needs to be on a fact and not an opinion (with the exception of firearm/ammo choice...please, just don’t). For example, discussing calories provided by a specific food and time to sterilize water would be corrections. Most everything else will fall into personal preference rather than hard, documented fact and while discussion is encouraged, pissing contests are not.
    **************
    Welcome to TOTM March 2019. The post above was written by @DarkLight prior to him taking leave. I am posting it as it was given to me. Being Survival Monkeys we all should have a bag that always goes with us everywhere, everyday. What is in yours? Have you looked in it lately? Have you dumped it out and spotted an item that is not longer needed? What about your family? Do they each have a bag? Have you done inventory of their GHB lately?

    Yesterday @DKR posted a thread on a hiking bag. It was so well thought out that I know I will be dumping our GH's out on the floor this weekend and repacking. There will be some items that I need to purchase. Lets discuss the GHB, must haves, what you have and why you have that item. Everyone here should have something to add to this TOTM. By sharing info, we are teaching each other. I personally am hoping to learn someways to lighten my bag.
     
    arleigh, Zimmy, Ganado and 5 others like this.
  2. apache235

    apache235 Monkey+++

    While I think every situation is different in that one may have 5 miles to walk home someone else may be 40-50 miles from home on a regular basis. That said I have the following in my SUV as a general kit for a bad day situation (stuck out of town in a blizzard to whatever)
    1. 3L bladder
    Vapur 1L bladder
    *Wiggy's 16 oz stainless bottle & cup
    2. Sawyer mini
    Water purification tabs
    2 Bic lighter
    Ferro rod & cotton balls
    Esbit stove & fuel tabs (9)
    *Grilliput
    Coughlin’s Fire Paste
    3. Chris Reeve Mountaineer II
    Emerson folding knife
    knife sharpener - work sharp field sharpener
    Mountain House eggs
    Datrix ration 1
    Grape drink & coffee (mre)
    Instant coffee
    Mountain House meals dinner
    long spork
    Baby wipes
    Space blanket
    Mylar bivi
    Shemagh
    200' paracord
    1 pr socks
    4. LED flashlight (2)
    *solar charger - goal zero 30
    Signal mirror
    Compass
    Sun screen
    Deodorant
    insect repellant (2)
    Mosquito hood
    Chap stick
    5. 1st aid kit Doom & Bloom
    6” Israeli bandage
    Celox powder
    SWAT tourniquet
    Cayenne pepper
    raw honey
    roller gauze
    ACE bandage
    stainless scissors
    Nitrile gloves (4)
    Steri strips
    super glue
    moleskin 4 ½ x 3 ½
    gauze pads 3x4
    burn gel packets
    Bacitracin w/zinc packets
    sterile gauze 4x4 (10)
    ABD 5x8 dressing pads
    ex lg band aids (2)
    1x3 band aids (5)
    triangular bandage
    1” medical tape 10 yds
    iodine wipes (10)
    Alcohol wipes (10)
    flashlight LED W/batts
    12 hr glow stick
    ibuprofen tabs (10)
    Benzoin compound & moleskin
    Weight 14.2 lbs w/o water

    *could be left out to save weight

    Need:
    tooth brush & paste

    I also have more stuff in the car such as a real sleeping bag (Wiggy's) and weapon(s), boots, walking shoes (depends on weather), water, more food (Mountain House), maps, hatchet, e-tool etc. Since I am retired I don't have a job to go to I have no set plan as it will depend on where I happen to be. Walking home is certainly not my plan, but if push comes to shove I can do a couple of days with what I have and not kill myself with a 50 lb bag. Winter is always a challenge.
     
    arleigh, Zimmy, UncleMorgan and 2 others like this.
  3. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    @Motomom34 - thanks for the HT on the book bag post (blush) - living in AK means always having something in the rig while traveling - even in 'good weather'.

    Since everyone's situation is different, I'll posit mine.

    I work just a little over 3 miles from home. So, maybe a bit over an hour for a leisurely stroll in the summer or a two hour walk thru a frozen hell in the winter.

    I always dress for the weather - always. I keep a few things in Das Auto, mostly to pump up my EDC bag.

    In the EDC bag I carry:

    A small AM/FM/WX band radio -
    specifically a SONY SRF-37W. Digital tuning. Runs from a single "AAA" battery. Earbud only output. Will run 50+ hrs on a Duracell and almost 40 hrs on a ENELOOP. More on this in a bit.
    [​IMG]

    A 2 "AA" cell Maglight with the NiteEzes LED conversion module.
    I also have a small (coin cell sized) LED light attached to the outside strap hook of the bag.

    In my pocket is always a Swiss Army kinfe - Officer model. It has two blades and a can opener.
    In the bag is a Gerber lock-blade with a 3.5 in blade and a pocket clip for the coat pocket /bag strap once on foot.
    Another knife - a Camluus lock blade, also 3.5 inch. This sits inside a zipper section, also w/a pocket clip.

    25 feet of orange paracord. - this for making a carry loop for boxes etc.

    a BIC lighter wrapped with some duct tape.

    a 35mm film canister with:
    a $10 and a $20 bill folded to sit around the outside of the coins; 18 x one dollar coins and 4 quarters. Total $49 in a plastic film can. I could carry more, but this is plenty for a few gallons of gas and a pizza, if needed.

    a single Chemlight mini - in blue (this stays in the OEM foil packet. until needed)

    A 700 mL (3 cup) vacuum flask.
    I like a glass of hot green tea in the morning, this is filled with boiling water at home and once my tea is made, re-filled at work.
    I also keep a 700 mL SS water bottle in the desk at work.
    I drink *a lot* of water during the work day..This is a no-name Chinese brand, it could have been made in the same plant as the KleenKanteen as the screw in stopper interchanges with my other KleenK bottle perfectly.
    I've modified this bottle with a pair of semi-rigid foam covers normally made for soda cans. This makes it easier to hold and provide some insulation. Both would go home with me, filled before leaving the office building.

    2 x aluminized mylar blanket - still in the OEM wrapper. The DW insisted.

    a tiny boo-boo FAK in a ziploc baggie. In Das Auto is a larger FAK that I can grab if forced to go afoot.

    I carry a cell phone, who doesn't these days? - and so I have a small 'kit' with a small battery (1000mAh) and charger cord in case the internal battery goes de morte.
    (In Das Auto is a charger cord using the e cig lighter power port).

    In a zippered bag in the EDC bag, I carry 2 AAA and 2 AA cells, an old gift card wrapped with duct tape. & also has a spare set of earbuds for the SONY and a couple of packets of ASA. Oh, and a metal ballpoint pen.

    This all in a 'messenger bag made to carry a small laptop. The bag is made of 1000D nylon, with a shoulder strap long enough that it fits easily over the shoulder - even with a heavy winter coat.

    In Das Auto are 6x 'granola bars' sitting in the glove box. The Chow, a steel tipped 'trekking' pole and the FAK would go home with me.

    ***
    May years ago, I worked on the far side of town - a good 10 miles. While working there, in the summer, I carried a folding bicycle in the back of Das Auto. With that, could be home in about an hour.
    ***

    how about you?
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2019
  4. Lancer

    Lancer TANSTAFL! Site Supporter+++

    OK I'll bite..

    Edit: Just verified - This kit weighs in @ 13.8 Lb w/o water and weapons.


    Based upon my daily 35 mile each way commute. I made an assumption that if I'm hiking home I want to stay off the roads as much as possible, and that the security situation is in the toilet. I've mapped out, (and actually hiked some of), the power and pipeline right of ways that would be of use. They tend to avoid developed ares due to lease costs.
    Best case I'm home in under a couple of days. Under less than optimal conditions it may take a week...

    I have a static car kit that includes a woolen watch cap, gloves, flash light, head lamp, fixed blade knife, good, well broken in, hiking boots, wool blend hunting socks, MOLLE trauma level aid kit, and a couple liters of water.
    From my camping kit I subtracted the sleeping bag, ground pad, tent, stoves, propane canisters, cooking gear, and subbed my 5.11 15L rucksack for the full size pack. I’ve also made heavy use of a Food Saver to vacuum pack as much stuff as I can.

    Categories in no particular order:

    Fire stuff: a bit on the overkill side, but it weighs virtually nothing:
    Fine steel wool and a 9v battery.
    Storm matches, mini bic, and commercial tinder
    Magnesium/Ferro bar
    Another bic for my pocket
    Credit card Fresnel lens
    Food and refreshment cache:
    Five MREs – packaging removed, sealed in vacuum bags. A bit on the heavy side, BUT: They heat themselves without fire and are calorie heavy.
    Four dehydrated chicken soup packets.
    1 dozen packets of good dehydrated coffee.
    Two plastic sporks. No biggee if lost or broken: a spoon or chopsticks can be whittled from wood.
    I’m thinking I should add a few packets of Gatorade powder too.
    Protection:
    My daily summer concealed carry: Kimber Micro in 9mm. This weapon lives with me no matter what else I may have with me. Small enough to fit in my front jeans pocket in a soft pocket holster.
    Health & Comfort
    Two pair clean wool/Dacron socks
    Some moleskin
    Ace bandage stuff
    A pair of earplugs
    2 N95 particulate mask
    Two cotton bandannas
    Mylar survival blanket
    Wool sweater, vacuum packing shrinks it to ~ 25% origin
    Sanitizing wipes
    TP
    Lotrimin: if you use your feet a lot and stay in your boots for days on end, you want this stuff. Just believe me.
    Tooth paste and mini brush
    Three specific meds:
    Ibuprofen- 30
    Benadryl – 20
    Immodium – 6
    Water
    1 liter stainless bottle. I can boil water in it if need be.
    Camel-back 2 L. water bladder with a bite valve.
    Chlorine Dioxide water purification tablets: 50 doses at 1 liter each.
    Sawyer Mini water filter
    Micro filter with syringe to push water through the filter.

    Knives & Tools
    I carry a folder at all times.
    Browning survival knife with self-sharpening sheath and a ferriconium stick on the sheath.
    Fifty feet 550 para-cord – no explanation required.
    A few 10 hour glow sticks.
    A mini pry bar. Lowes calls it a trim bar; at seven inches long it’s quite capable of opening ordinary windows or doors.
    Folding camp saw. Works far better than the wire or chain “survival” saws. Weighs in at 4 ounces so I don’t mind.
    Sharpie – leave messages, or mark an area for surgery...
    Mini razor
    Pencil with 25 feet of duct tape
    Fishing kit – Plastic container with: 50 ft. 50 lb. line, 6 small hooks, 3 swivels
    Can use the line for snares or perimeter alarm as well.
    Twist ties – light repairs, etc.
    Tie wraps – repairs
    Orange surveyors tape – mark trails, etc.
    Mini tool
    Four feet plastic tubing – use w hydration kit, siphon fuel, etc.
    P-38 can opener
    Bunch of safety pins

    Electrical stuff

    Baofeng BF-F8HP w large battery. Programmed with the local HAM, EMS, sheriff, state police frequencies for use as a scanner, I also programmed in the FRS, CB, GMRS channels for two-way comms.
    Headlamp
    Extra batteries.
    Micro LED light
    Solar battery with adapter cable. 5000 mAh output. Will recharge the radio or my cell.

    Tools to get from here to there, and to see where you’re going and who’s around.
    Mini binoculars 7X
    Tradition lensatic compass
    Wrist compass
    Maps - a set of satellite maps with topo overlay for the entire area I tend to travel through.
    I’ve also pre-planned a few off-road routes to get from work to home or other “safe houses”.

    Shelter and such like
    Two 35 Gal contractor bags. Cover your pack, flotation, rain poncho, ground cover, etc, etc.
    .MIL Rain poncho with liner
    Single person bivi sack.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2019
  5. Salted Weapon

    Salted Weapon Monkey+++

    I have with me more of a WTF just happened bag, it has needed tools and items to help me get from a to b.
    Has basically what most have mentioned. Including ammo and two way radios.
     
    UncleMorgan likes this.
  6. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I just grabbed my GHB. It is real heavy. The issue is I still think like a Mom of younger children. Mom's always have extra and end up weighed down like a pack mule. It is a mindset/habit I need to break. My boys have their own bags and I have weighed those down with extra stuff for passengers who may be with them.

    It will be embarrassing but I will be dumping my bag out and sharing a photo or two. I know I do not have a radio or an communication in there because I took both radio am/fm & ham out of my bag because I threw them in a day bag and never transferred back. My in the car always solar/radio stopped working so currently I am without a portable radio in my car or GHB. I am looking forward to repacking and getting my bag right like it was when I first started prepping.
     
    3M-TA3, oldawg, Ganado and 1 other person like this.
  7. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    Here is my GHB! This now has a cap on it, fully insulated and sleeps two plus the doggies! can haul 16,000 pounds with out any issue, and is loaded with the essentials! In fact, too much to list here!
    [​IMG]
     
    3M-TA3, Alf60, Ganado and 3 others like this.
  8. UncleMorgan

    UncleMorgan I like peeling bananas and (occasionally) people.

    For me, a GHB will probably only need to get me about ten miles on foot. That's my most common operating radius from home. Any more than that, and I'd need to steal a car or buy a ride.

    I'm in Florida, so I don't need much in the way of sleeping gear/shelter. I have a small wool blanket and a plastic painter's drop cloth good for a one-night disposable tent. It's already marked for a 1-pole pyramid tent with floor. That makes it easy to fold into shape and peg down as I set it up.

    Clothing: A cheap plastic raincoat, good shoes & socks. A water-repellent winter coat. A floppy jungle hat & crocheted watch cap. Plus a pair of long pants stored loose. I usually wear shorts, but if I have to hike, the shorts get swapped out for long pants.

    A small pistol, a sturdy knife, and a honkin' strong slingshot with some lead fishing sinkers for shot. (I often find myself relying upon the kindness of strangers. But that doesn't mean I trust them.)

    A sturdy oak walking cane with an easily removable rubber tip and a screw-in hex socket furniture nut in the end. An 8" length of threaded rod ground to a point on one end. Together they make a spike stick of adjustable length for walking on slippery or uneven ground, fording streams, spearing fish and/or snakes, frogs (and the occasional iguana), picking up roadside litter, etc.

    2 flat 1 pt ex-vodka water bottles. 1 small flashlight. 1 Bic lighter. A two-cup collapsible cook pot (Like from my survival kit book). Two packs of powdered soup mix. A couple of energy bars. Some thin cordage & duct tape. Small odds & ends.

    I have one of my Curiously Small Survival Kits, as a worst-case scenario option. I probably wouldn't need to open it.

    Almost all of that packs in the pockets of the jacket, except the shoes, cane, and blanket. The shoes holster in the sleeves, the jacket wraps around the blanket.

    One bungee straps the cane to the jacket bundle. It's also my constant-tension tent rope.

    I wear sandals I can walk in, but the shoes have closed toes so I can walk through brambles, etc., without bleeding to death. Socks substitute for the high tops of boots (sort of) and keep the ticks out.

    For me, ten miles is a five-hour hike in easy terrain. Best to travel light.
     
    arleigh, Lancer and Ganado like this.
  9. BlueDuck

    BlueDuck Monkey+++

    The bag I keep in my pickup is designed to cover about any situation I can get into, and it weighs about 35 to 40 pounds. With that I keep a smaller empty back pack. The plan is take only what is necessary and makes sense for the situation I am in, so I can keep what I have to carry to a minimum.
     
    Seawolf1090 likes this.
  10. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    This is not pretty. Life happened and the last 18 months scatter brain is evident. My bag and a box of stuff is always in my car which is always with me. But lets just get into the ugly proof.
    The bag.. 4A9B7E40-E6AA-4730-AD85-7CCA0A5F6678. the contents plus my weather bag that I can hook on or supplement GHB bag with........ 18D25630-FC25-4AD0-8C50-4A0054CF386B.

    Duplicates and hidden treasures, lets go through this mess.
    9B8B7AA3-E4F8-4C89-A45B-09F10BEE05FB. 1CB5689C-941D-4C0C-973A-640669B25CF8. C19963D2-3007-413F-8352-D22C4FDDE376. 1BF3D88E-D620-4820-88FD-C3E677D47CFD. 3DED28FA-51E5-443D-8DCA-AA1D1F729FE3. 964E19FA-E36D-4974-A8B3-1D87D4389866.
    S may hit the fan but I will be whistling. And I know I have more then 6.


    My cold weather bag is still on Fall, now changed to winter. Wool socks and long johns added.
    AEF61D4D-9D00-4A0A-A73E-82AA33F79D94. 2FCC7992-540D-4ED7-BCD0-076C47941D8D. C872A49B-444F-4E0E-A247-2A5BD178A6C2.

    The sharp pointy things. The Mora can fit in the Mossy Oak sheath. Like that better because the Mora holders are hard plastic. I had two Leathermans but the kid walked by and I now have one. Plus he laughed at my secret weapon.
    712ECDB8-32C6-48C6-96D8-6AC112DFE599. B633C59E-75AF-45DC-8EB9-BAAB6C3B5D27.

    Water tabs- noticed a date on them
    734D224F-F0B2-4BAE-85D0-4E78A67B9590.

    My small stove went camping.... guess it is with the camping stuff

    I organized my CERT bag, adding some whistles and the mylar blankets, face masks, extra gloves. My CERT team provides backpacks but I can add to it.
    2184AC8F-D06B-499F-8FD7-B5BA52EDC9DC.

    Currently all is packed back up because company is coming and getting this right will take more time.
    CD8F311D-8493-4D28-AA6A-FBA0F9288332. 746D33EA-30D3-4421-BB3A-27612D9BF976.

    54775B61-E731-4011-BDCE-E59BA38B6FF0.
     
  11. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    All righty then, I have a recommendation here of an item NO ONE has in there kits, but I have found to be super useful and a must have in my kits, Something I learned as a kid in the PNW on May 18th 1980 @ 8:13 A.M local time, and later in the Air Force,
    Pantyhose! Yup, women's fashion accessory!
    1) I use a soldering iron to cut the legs off and wear the undy part under regular undies of your choice, really helps prevent chafing for long romantic SHTF walks in the wilds! Trust me here, it really helps! Wear a full pair as a base layer under your winter gear, not only keeps you warmer, but also prevents the dreaded chafing, and lets your feet breath better under your winter layered socks!
    2) The legs can be used for hundreds of things, from filtering, to making a field modified Optic kill flash, to fishing ( makes really awesome egg skeens out of egg roe) lures, to cooking, and I keep several pairs in the truck and my Bags, any one around the PNW when Mt Saint Helens blew her top knows exactly why, Yup, Pre-Filter for your engine!
    Always cut Nylons with a soldering iron and when possible, make cutting templates out of can bottoms or other shapes you may need, the hot cutting prevents them from fraying and coming apart!
    Colors don't matter, Except for fishing, where White and Red is best!
    Experiment with different weights to find what works best for your needs! I find the denser ones work best for heavy needs, while the lighter work better for things that need to move more! The spandex blends are stronger, but not always desirable for certain needs, and spandex can chafe while regular Nylon blends will not! This also prevents you from needing creams or baby powder, which will really pay dividends later on with skin health!
     
    oldman11 and Bandit99 like this.
  12. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    I carry my bag in the truck so if I had to use my bag then I would also be taking things from the truck. This was a worthy exercise as I found some things not working (Maglite acting funny), found things I wanted to change, and some shortfalls such as some sort of food that will last a year in heat and cold…probably some sort of protein/power bar, and thanks to @Lancer I need some 'safety pins' and 'Gatorade powder packets' which wife are picking up today but I need to research these bars as most will melt... Also, notice I don't have a sleeping bag...the cold here can kill...but to carry one that is effective against this cold would probably double the weight of the ruck.

    EDIT: This also is making be revalidate the stuff in the ruck. This bag should just be the necessities to get me home, say 2 days.

    Weighing everything below comes to ~12Kgs or ~26 lbs. that's with a full canteen also but still need a couple protein bars of some sort. I want to keep it below 30 lbs. Finally, I would be wearing boots as I always do in summer or winter and hopefully my Glock. I say hopefully on the Glock because lately I have left the house a few times without it. The problem is the extremely low crime rate here and the minor amount of whackos...but, I am flogging myself to ensure I wear it consistently.

    Here are things in the truck I would also take:
    Reading Glasses
    Maglite (1 ea. D batteries type)
    Hatchet (manuf. Fisher, think it is 14-inch)
    B2 Companion survival Knife
    FAK – a plastic, waterproof ammo box, fully stocked

    Here’s what is in the ruck:

    5.11 Rush25 pack (33 liters/2000 cubic inch)
    Canteen + carry strap – military style, 2 liters
    Life Straw
    3/8-inch rope - ~25 feet
    550 cord - 100 feet
    Impact gloves
    Pair of socks
    Bandana
    2 ea. heavy duty garbage bags 45 gallons
    Small hand towel
    Small flashlight
    Small notebook + pen + Sharpie
    Compass
    Firestarter (mag bar + striker)
    Waterproof orange container of magnesium shavings
    Waterproof orange container of stick matches
    4 ea. Bic Lighters
    Small metal box of fire starter (dryer lint mixed with Vaseline)
    Small roll of duct tape (1-inch, gorilla tape)
    Emergency blanket
    Gerber Knife – Gator, rubber handle, folding
    Leatherman
    Swiss Knife – full version
    2 ea. Locking Carabiners
    4 ea. Chemical lights – Green
    2 ea. Chemical lights – Red
    Bug Spray – small can
    5 ea. P-51 can openers
    Small Binoculars
    2 ea. ‘D’ Batteries
    4 ea. ‘AA’ Batteries
    4 ea. ‘AAA’ Batteries
    6’ x 8’ Heavy Tarp
    Jungle Blanket
    Rain Poncho

    GHB.
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2019
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  13. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    @Ura-Ki "...Pantyhose! Yup, women's fashion accessory!"

    Since we are coming out of the closet... As a kid, I wore them logging in Alaska. An older logger told me about them. I wore them for warmth but also to keep the damn bugs from eating me alive, especially those damn no-see'ems. They work well as an extra protection layer and won't totally keep you from getting bit but when you are out in the heavy woods for 12-16 hours...every little bit helps.

    EDIT: They also help against stuff like poison ivy or other types of plants. In fact, the logger that told me about them was allergic to Hemlock and few other plants and pantyhose helped him a lot.
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2019
    arleigh, oldman11 and Ura-Ki like this.
  14. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    I have two rechargeable mag lights mounted in the pickup, both are converted to L.E.D. and the chargers are plugged into my inverter, really helps having them handy! I also have 5 fire extinguishers installed in the truck! I built three lockable storage boxes under the seat, nice and secure for Hand guns and ammo as well as other important items and a big wad of cash and other trade goods! I also made a locking storage box that fits behind the seat for storing up to 6 long guns and mags, but normally only have three in there! These boxes are heavy steel and would be very had to break into!
     
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  15. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    @Motomom34 This really was a good exercise.

    I normally do shopping and errands approximately 30-40 miles away... I realize now my GHB will NOT get me home during winter months here. The winters here can be vicious at times and, given Mr. Murphy's love of me, will be vicious exactly when I am in a crisis having to hump home. For example, the last two weeks we have had almost daily snow storms with temperatures below zero at night and averaging around 25F, at best, during the day with strong winds so not sure what Wind Chill is but is much more than 25F during the day and horrid at night.

    So, given an honest assessment and given our current weather, I do not think I could make that journey with the current GHB. If I did make it I would be pretty screwed up from exposure. I must have two different bags: one (1) for Spring, Summer and Fall and a special one (1) for Winter. The one I currently have is pretty useless this time of year as greatest adversary would be cold/hypothermia.

    At a minimum, I must add at least a small tent, sleeping bag, and extra dry clothes and ensure I always wear my snow boots or have them in the truck...yeah, reality bites!
     
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  16. Lancer

    Lancer TANSTAFL! Site Supporter+++


    Might want to look into USCG approved emergency rations. typically 5+ year life under lifeboat storage conditions, ie; similar to what a car trunk will see. not recommending, but 1sr search hit was
    SOS Emergency Food Bar 3600 Calorie. The blandest thing you will ever chew on, but huge cal counts and won't make you thirsty.
     
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  17. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    You can’t carry everything you would like or even everything you will need. You don’t know where, why or when you will need it or for how long. Mine is much heavier than at 68 I can carry, alone. But, what if I am not alone? Then the load can be shared. I can always discard but I may not able to acquire. I have two bags. One for me which is a three day bag. Another with mostly food which is light and can be added to if I split my load. With it, three people, three days. They say the first few miles of the Appalachian trail is littered with expensive high tech camping gear.
     
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  18. Lancer

    Lancer TANSTAFL! Site Supporter+++


    Agreed. When i lived in the mountains upstate NY I had pretty much the same kit I would take snow shoe camping. I actually kept a pair of trappers in the trunk. the load out though ran about 40 lb for a 3 day trek. X-country skis, the surplus .mil ones from WW II, were more efficient than shoes, until you hit anything not clean snow....
     
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  19. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    You know I did think of skis but not XC. I am a good Downhill skier - well - actually I was excellent, heavy on the 'was' now. And, I was a good Mountaineer Skier using mountaineering skies which really are downhill skies with skins and a binding that allows you to lift your foot to slide the ski but XC...I tried it once and got the hell beat right out of me. I bought a pair and X-country to work and by the time I got there I was a wreck, totally black and blue, completely blown, clothes soaking wet and torn. I was a mess. The Boss (a Lt. Colonel) and others had a good laugh and sent me home. I left those skis in his office and told him, "I never want to see these skis again. Those damn things tried to kill me!" That was the first and last time I ever X-country skied.
     
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  20. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    I guess it depends on how you are built, the damn things give me blisters on my feet in heels and sag and droop off my butt and thighs after a day of wearing them... if I cut them off at the knee they would ride up my thighs. (I have muscles in my legs from using them)

    spanks are better for keeping chafing down

    @Motomom34 I've been trying to figure out how to answer this topic because most of my stuff is integrated with my auto. If the auto becomes non usable I would dump my purse/messenger bag and load it from my car.

    In my car I carry an ice chest that has water in bottles, it has blankets and I have a box in the trunk with jumper cables quart of oil, 1st aid kit, and a variety of sizes of bungie cords (I use the cords for a variety of things from hair ties to securing things in my car), other car things.

    I have a small pack with broken in hiking boots with wool socks and extra pants and shirt with light weight jacket and rain ponch... layers..... fire making stuff and extra knives and other stuff. I don't carry food it goes bad quickly in the heat. unless I'm on a long trip, then food goes in another cooler

    this is my purse/messenger bag, it has two main compartments and 6 other compartments. it can hold alot of crap. I can repack quickly as needed. I do carry lots of extra knives.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2019
    oldawg, Bandit99, Motomom34 and 2 others like this.
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