What would you put in your Bug out Bag?

[rationtin440]

Cool pics ak, and that puppy-dog looks adorable! I'm curious is that UK or Dutch DPM I see as part of your shelter? I have never been able to tell the difference between Dutch and British DPM pattern, which is kinda weird because I love that type of pattern and in fact I've been trying to locate a source in the U.S. for purchasing not only Dutch or British DPM uniforms but also British web gear. It seems like either pattern would fit very well here in western Massachusetts.

[ak70g2]

Is a Dutch DPM poncho I've got from our friend Cracker. I've used the aussie hoochie as shelter for my GF and her mother, while the poncho was my shelter for the night. It was smaller, but enough for one person. I've used the trekking poles to raise the "spine" cord over ground. Regarding buying UK gear, since our UK members are very quiet, I reccomend Ebay.co.uk, you can find "good as new" stuff at very good prices.

PS. The "puppy" is a damn large Caucasian Shepherd dog, 5 years old and 70 kg/150+lbs weight.

[Yowie]

Did you know that you have a large bear sleeping in your campsite?
He is a huge dog, I used to look after a Ridgeback cross that looks like a pup compared to him.

[rabidwolf]

Bug spray? I try to keep a general purpose loadout. Unless I am going camping or some other planned trip. Then I will make adjustments. Weathering permitting, I will take some pictures of what I have packed. Until then, here is a picture of the bag.

[Wolfsbane]

" ... a discussion on BOB’s or Bug out Bags. ...

I live near Seattle, Washington and I’m in an urban rural setting. I have two major interstate federal highways near my house; I have a large army ALICE rucksack that is modified to handle a bigger load (4000 cubic inches or about 40 liters). I have enough field stripped MRE’s to last 72 hours, and I’ve included simple first aid supplies, cold weather clothing, modular sleeping bag, simple items and sundries for comfort and a rifle with limited amount of ammo. I do have a few Bug out locations marked out but my problem is that if something bad happened (i.e. earthquake, volcano eruption, or mass pandemic) both major highways would become choked with traffic and impassable. Not to mention county and state roads would become pretty bad with people trying to get away from the disaster. So the idea of maybe staying put and “bugging in” becomes a reality.
...
So with that what would you propose?

[honestly I haven't waded through ll 17 preceeding pages of posts]

From the opening post and gear list I saw no mention of a WATER FILTER (or two, with chemical tabs as #3) - lots of water around western WA, the Olympics and Cascades but also a need for purification, but the weather often makes fire-starting and water-boiling problematic so a filter is the way to go.

Also I'd say WORK GLOVES, and some precautions for bio-hazard (flu outbreak/anthrax attack) - a dozen pair of exam gloves (weights virtually nothing) and several N-95 masks plus water/spit tight eye-protection (swim goggles?) (provides support in event of volcanic ash too)

It would be easy to get stuck on the road away from home because of Ring of Fire type activity leading to a tsunami nailing a section of the Sound - and look what happened when that I-5 Skagit river bridge just up and collapsed a couple of years ago, and the horrible mudslide near Oso last year, think of a dozen of those things happening simultaneously ... and then there's the dozing-but-still-active volcanoes in the Cascades ...


I grew up in Southern CA and lived through several home-wrecking quakes, spent some time in OK and got to know tornadoes up (too) close, and then my job took me to Puyallup WA, in Pierce county south of Seattle, east of Tacoma, back close to Fort Lewis ... moving to Puyallup the situation with Mt. Rainier was on my mind - the potential for quakes, volcanic eruption likely leading to an immense mud-flow ("lahar") ... we settled on a house on South Hill, essentially a plateau above the possible lahar path, a good 300 feet above the river valley floor. The natural disaster I actually got was the Hanukkah Eve windstorm, a 100-year pacific front/wind event that knocked out power across the whole of the western side of the state - while temps were down near freezing - our neighborhood was dark for 3 days, but our gas fireplace kept us warmer than most and we ended up inviting folks in for a spell, but a friend with a ranch property 20 miles out in the country had no power, and no well-water for over 2 weeks !

[Wolfsbane]

Recently added a piece of play ground chalk to my kit.

Useful for writing on anything, great for temp trail marking, crush a little for "talc" to dry out feet or improve grip

Same here !

[Wolfsbane]

In that last photo that German E-tool looks like a direct copy of the US E-tool they had back in the 1960's, though minus the pick.

I've also read on the AR15.com forum that having a hatchet or small axe is a good idea but of all the posters on there it seems to be mixed on whether to carry one or not. Seems there are two kinds of people: those who pack light and can travel rather quickly and those who would rather pack a little more and have that needed tool just in case. Although what to pack in your BOB is always up to your own personal liking. I'd prefer to pack a little more and have a needed tool to make my BOL or overnight spot a little easier. That's where a hatchet could come into play.

Almost everybody seems to be worried about too much weight. The question I think is: what is too much weight? I have my BOB right now just under 22lbs with bare essentials and I might change that up once I get the chance or go for a hike. For everyone else what do think is too much weight?

For the specifics of western WA I'd say an e-tool (concerns of moving wet earth) and a folding saw or saw-chain (gawd there are a lot of trees) are pretty crucial ... but some other gear can act like an e-tool ... and how about a SOG tomahawk, tool and weapon together !

[rabidwolf]

Doing some catching up on here. Here is a pic of the contents of my bag. Some of it has changed since I took this picture. I'm about to go for a couple of day hikes. I'll post pics of what I carried when I get back.