List of Companies That Makes Survival Related Equipment

Navigating the market with companies that provides Survival related Equipment can be a tricky business. In this article I will list some of the companies that make Survival Related Equipment.

Clothing
5.11
66 North
Aclima
Arcteryx
Arcteryx LEAF
Bergans
Buff
Canada Goose
Chevalier
Fivefingers
Fjällräven
Haglöfs
Hatch
Hestra
Houdini
Icebreaker
Jack Wolfskin
Klättermusen
Lowe Alpin
Lundhags
Mammut
Marmot
Meindl
Merrell
Montane
Mountain Hardware
Mountain Works
Norrona
Patagonia
Peak Performance
SmartWool
Snugpak
Stetson
The North Face
Under Armour
Woolpower

Fire Starters
Firesteel.com
Light My Fire
Solo
Ultimate Survival Technologies
Wenger
Zippo

Survival Knives
Al Mar Knives
Benchmade
Brusletto
Buck Knives
Camillius
Chris Reeve
Cold Steel
Columbia River Knives (CKRT)
Dianova
Eickhorn
EKA
Emerson Knives
ESEE
Fällkniven
Fox Knives
Gerber
Helle
Ka-Bar
Leatherman
Mora
Ontario Knife Company (OKC)
Opinel
Randall Made Knives
SOG
Spyderco
TOPS Knives
Victorinox
Wenger
Zero Tolerance Knives

Axes and Saws
American Tomahawk Company
EKA
Fiskars
Gerber
Gränsfors Bruk
Sven-Saw
Trail Blazer
Wetterlings

Stoves and Cooking
Coleman
Evernew
Esbit
GSI Outdoors
Jetboil
Light My Fire
Lifeventure
MSR
Optimus
Primus
SOTO
Stanley
Trangia
Vargo

Food
Mountain House
REAL
Shelf Reliance
TreknEat

Water Containers and Water Purification
Aquamira
Big Berkey Water Filters
CamelBak
Contigo
Isosteel
Klean Kanteen
Katadyn
KlearWater
Nalgene
Nathan
MSR
SIGG
Source
WaterBob

Light
4Sevens
Dietz
Fenix
Inova
LED Lenser
Maglite
NiteCore
Olight
Petzl
Photon Light
Silva
Streamlight
Surefire
Sunwayman
UCO
ZebraLight

Backpacks and Bags
Arcteryx
Berghaus
Black Diamond
Blackhawk!
Boblbee
Exped
HPRC
Kifaru
Klättermusen
Maxpedition
Mission Workshop
Norrona
Osprey
OtterBox
Sea To Summit
Snigel Design
Snugpak
Tasmanian Tiger
Timbuk2

First Aid and Medical Equipment
Adventure Medical Kits
Combat Application Tourniquet
BCB
Lifesystems
ZMedica

Tent and Shelters
Bergans
Carinthia
Easton Mountain Products
Exped
Fjällräven
Haglöfs
Helsport
Hennessy Hammock
Hilleberg
Marmot
Ortovox
Snugpak
Surviva
Therm-a-Rest
Terra Nova
Vaude
Western Mountaineering

Navigation
Brunton
Cammenga
Garmin
Magellan
Recta
Silva
Suunto

Survival Kits
Adventure Medical Kits
BCB
ESEE
Gerber
Pro Survival Kit Company
Ultimate Survival Technologies

Keeping Your Vehicle Ready for Emergencies

Keeping your Vehicle Ready for Emergencies is an important part of being ready for Crisis and Survival situations. Having a flat tire in a remote location can be devastating if you do don’t have cell phone cover can be a dangerous event if no one knows where you are. The same event doesn’t have to cause much trouble if you have told someone where you are going and if you have prepared your vehicle with some basic equipment. This article will discuss some of the aspects of traveling safely and what type of equipment you can store in your vehicle for emergencies.

In addition to equipment you can store in your Vehicle there are also features that you can add to your vehicle like extra rearview mirror for your passage so that they can help you to keep an eye out for potential dangers, extra lights to increase the distance you can see during night time conditions, a winch and just to name few examples.

Equipment for Vehicles
Knives
There are a number of knives that are especially designed to be used as Rescue Tools. Some examples are:
• The Fixed Blade Police Rescue Knife (PRK) from Fällkniven with a serrated blade with a tanto style blade.
• The Rescue Tool from Victorinox that has features like a seat belt cuter, disc saw that can be used to cut through laminated glass; a glass breaker and fluorescent yellow handles.
• Benchmade has a number of different products like the Hook / Safety Cuter, Benchmade 915 Triage and Benchmade Houdini that are especially designed to be used to cut seat belts and break windows.
• The Fixed Blade Eickhorn Aviator 1 and the Eickhorn PRT-2 Folding Knife can be other interesting alternatives.
• The Gerber Hinderer Rescue Folding Knife, CRKT Neckolas and Spyderco Rescue are three other models.

Lights
For vehicles the size and weight of flashlight is normally not a big issue. The Fenix TK-70, The Fenix TK-60, The Fenix TK-41, The Olight SR92 Intimdator and the Maglite D-Cell flashlights can be interesting alternatives. Headlamps can be useful especially for repairs and if you have to perform other tasks when both hands are required like giving someone First Aid. Chemical Lightsticks can also be useful for similar tasks and signaling.

Survival Kits
I suggest that you at least include a basic survival kit in your vehicle. Equipment that can be important to include:
• Equipment to Start a Fire
• Signaling; Whistle, Signal Mirror or SPOT
• Fishing Kit
• Wire Saw
• Button Compass, Compass or GPS
• Sewing Kit
• Safety Pins
• Pen and Paper
• Painkillers and Anti Diarrheal Tablets
• Emergency Blanket, Surviva Jak, Emergency Poncho, Bivanorak or Fjellduk
• Water Purification Tablets or a Water Purification Filter
• Compact Flashlight, Headlamp, Chemical Light Sticks, Emergency Strobe or Flares

Since space and weight normally is not a big problem for survival kits in Vehicles hard cases like the ones from Pelican can be a good choice since they protect the gear and make it easy to organize. An ordinary Pocket Survival Kit can also be used and stored in the glove compartment. Larger Survival Kits like the Deluxe Survival Kit and Soldiers Tactical Advantage Kit (STAK) from UST or the Comprehensive Survival Kit from ESEE can also be interesting alternatives. A Get Home Bag (GHB) or Bug Out Bag (BOB) can be interesting alternatives if you are looking for a more compact survival kit.

Visibility
If you have to leave your vehicle in order to help someone how have just had a traffic accident or to change a flat tire a Signal Vest makes you much easier to spot for others how might pass you and decrease that chance that you get hit by another car or truck, especially in low light or low visibility conditions. There are also lights that are designed to be used during emergencies to warn others, the TigerFlare CR123 is one example.

Equipment to Help You Stay Warm
In cold climates the ability to stay warm is vital if you would become stranded because of hard weather or if your vehicle would break down. Equipment like a Wool or Fleece Blanket, an emergency blankets, sleeping bag, some extra clothing or Hand Warmers can be useful. If you have to travel in hard conditions some extra precautions should be made like including a vacuum bottle with something warm to drink, some food or snacks and extra clothing should be included, but most importantly tell someone where you are going, what route you are planning to take and when you expect to arrive. The Surviva Jak is a Jacket made from the same material used in Emergency Blankets and can easily be stored in small compartments. Extra Footwear and a Poncho or Rain Clothing can be also be a useful addition no matter if you live in cold climate or not.

In warm climates sun screen, a sun hat and most of all water can be just as important as the ability to stay warm in a cold climate.

Storing Water and Food In a Vehicle
A car is works a green house and the temperatures inside can become very high during the summer, an old car can even be used as a solar dehydrator for fruit and vegetables. High temperatures can prove fatal for infants or pets if they are left in a car during warm conditions. This makes storing water and food in car a problematic task since the shelf life of products are shortened if they are stored in warm temperatures; if you store either they should be rotated on a regular basis.

Choose products that cannot melt, chocolate is a typical example of products sensitive to heat. If possible choose products that do not contain water; dehydrated products, frieze dried rations, crackers; pasta etc can be good alternatives but must still be rotated on a regular basis. The same problem applies to water even if bleach or water purification tablets is added to increase the shelf life. There are some warnings regarding using plastic containers for storing water in warm conditions since the warmth can cause chemicals from the plastic to dissolve into the water. If you use plastic containers rotate the water on a regular basis to avoid this potential problem. For this reason water containers made from metal like the water bottles from SIGG or Klean Kanteen can be a good alternative to bottles made from plastic.

Equipment - Checklist
[ ] Roadmaps / City Map
[ ] Compass / GPS
[ ] Pen and Paper
[ ] Windshield Scraper and Towel
[ ] Towing Cable
[ ] Jumper Cables
[ ] Driver License, Insurance Information, Vehicle Registration and Repair Handbook
[ ] Flashlight, Headlamp or Chemical Lightsticks
[ ] Communications – CB Radio
[ ] Walkie-Talkies

Safety and First Aid
[ ] Fire Extinguisher
[ ] First Aid Kit and Cervical Color

Tools
[ ] Axe, Shovel, Machete, Parang, Kukri, Folding Saw or Chain Saw
[ ] Shovel
[ ] Leather Working Gloves and Latex Surgical Gloves
[ ] Screwdriver
[ ] Adjustable Wrench or

Repairs
[ ] Spare Tier
[ ] Fix-A-Flat Spray
[ ] Tire Iron
[ ] Jack
[ ] Duct Tape

Fuel
[ ] Extra Fuel
[ ] Windshield Washer Fluid
[ ] Coolant

Vehicle Safety
Speeding is a risky activity for several reasons; the force of an impact depends on the speed that a vehicle is travelling, the distance that your vehicle travels before you can react if a threat increases and the distance that your need to travel in order to come to halt if you need to break also increases. There is also another aspect of speeding; the fuel consumption of your vehicle also increases if you push it harder. Modern cars is equipped with several safety features like airbags and deformation zones designed to absorb energy in case of an accident; but even a modern car cant withstand any impact.

Around 30.000-40.000 die in traffic accidents every year in the US alone and many more are injured and disabled. The number of deaths and wounded from traffic accidents is generally higher in middle income countries where people can afford to drive, but where safety measures are less and the vehicles often has lower safety rating. The culture surrounding driving also varies from country to country; in some countries it’s more socially accepted to drink and drive. Keep this in mind if you are travelling to other countries.

Things you can do in order to avoid traffic accidents
• Keep within the speed limits and adjust your speed according to the sight
• Don’t stress or get angry while driving. You may save a few minutes from driving faster; but it’s not worth getting dying or getting disabled.
• Never use alcohol or drugs while driving; also make sure that you are well rested and alert before getting into a car a day after a party even if the alcohol has left your system.
• Keep your attention on the road; avoid talking in your cell phone if possible and if you have to use a headset. Taking your attention of the road to write text message, change CD:s in your stereo or similar activities can end with disaster.
• Never drive while exhausted or if you risk falling asleep.
• When you purchase a car check the safety rating of the vehicle.
• Make sure to keep up on main tense
• Make sure that your windshield is clean and your rearview mirrors adjusted before you leave
• Make sure that all equipment in your vehicle is properly secured; lose objects can wound or kill you if you are in accident; even objects with a low weight can be devastating.

If You are involved in an Accident
If you need to get out of your vehicle check around before you leave it so you do not step out of your vehicle and get hit by a car. Having a vest made from fluorescent materials in your vehicle increases you visibility drastically if you have to change a tire or respond to an emergency; especially in low light and low visibility situations. There are also light that are especially designed to be used during traffic accidents that can be a useful complement.

If an accident blocks your way don’t get stressed or angry; I have talked to first responders that have gotten their hydraulic tubes to their tools broken by vehicles that have driven over them by stressed drivers that did not wait for them to finish getting wounded people out of broken vehicles.

Find a Solution that Works for You
What type of equipment that you should choose for you Vehicle depends on multiple factor like your setting, climate, vehicle and storage space, budget and it may also have to be adjusted depending on what season it is. One Size does not fit all, you must find a solution that cover your needs and make sense for your situation. A setup that makes perfect sense for a remote wilderness setting during winter condition is not a perfect setup for a person that lives in a city located in the desert.

Also see:
Travelling With Vehicles During Crisis or Survival Situations

Building a Bug Out Bag on a Budget

Putting together a fully equipped Bug Out Bag (BOB) with high quality items can be a project that may cost you thousands of dollars if you want top of the line high quality items. Just buying high quality clothing with base layers, mid layers, shell jacket, pants, cap, gloves, scarf, socks and hiking boots may set you back a significant amount of money. The reason for putting together a relatively cheap Bug Out Bag may be many: You might normally not engage in outdoor activities and have little use of the items in your everyday life or you may want to build an additional bag for another family member or friend. The most important aspect of Bug Out Bag is that the concept as whole provides you with the necessary components that allows you to make it through an evacuation scenario.

Clothing
What clothing you need is very dependent on your climate. There is no clothing that is ideal for all situations so you simply have to find clothing that works where you live. Military surplus can be an interesting alternative since the clothing is often designed to have a long life span. Base layers that dry quickly made from synthetic materials or merino wool are the best but if you can afford pack some extra t-shirts so that you can change the layer closest to your body if you get wet from rain or sweat. A shell jacket provides good protection from wind and rain, Gore-Tex is excellent but there are similar cheaper systems that work well for a much lower price. If you don’t have shell clothing make sure to pack a poncho so that you get some protection in case of rain and bad weather.

The Bag
The most central part of your Bug Out Bag is the Bag itself. It must be big enough to hold your items, it must be durable enough to withstand a few days hike without breaking apart and it should have a carrying system that is comfortable so that you can carry the bag on your back for a few days. I write should because if you are planning to use vehicles during an evacuation a trunk or travel bag could do just as fine as a backpack or even be a more suitable alternative.

A new high quality backpack from companies like Norrona, Berghaus, Klättermusen or high quality military style backpack with Molle Attachments and some additional pockets may set you back hundreds of dollars. An old high quality hiking bag or military surplus bag may offer the same function as new bag for only a fraction of the price. Another method could be to search E-bay and the second hand market for products. It’s important that you can keep the gear inside the bag dry, having waterproof compression bags is an excellent alternative but they are rather expensive. Normal heavy duty trash bags provide some protection for equipment and come at a very low cost.

Survival Knife
A knife is one of the most important survival tools you can have during a survival situation. It’s important that the knife you choose can perform the tasks that you require it to. A high quality survival knife can be a very expensive investment costing hundreds of dollars. Some of the best cheap knives available come from the Swedish company Mora. Mora makes knives with high quality but still with a reasonable price, you can find a good knife from this company for 10-30 dollar depending on what model you choose. If you want a larger knife you can find Machetes with a reasonable cost.

Shelter
What kind of shelter you need depends on your local terrain, your climate and the time of the year. For cold weather conditions it can be very hard to make it without a sleeping bag and sleeping mattress but in warmer climates you can make it with less shelter. No matter the situation you should have some kind of shelter that can shield you from wind and rain. A second hand tent might be bought cheap. A Light Weight Tarp does not cost many dollars but even a Shower Curtain may used. If you use a tarp you need some kind of rope or Paracord that can allow you to secure it properly.

Light
High quality Flashlights from companies like Fenix or 4Sevens can provide great light in a compact format but for most situations a cheaper flashlight will do just as well. The Old AA or AAA flashlights from Maglite, a cheap LED light or a Shake Light is sufficient for most situations. Simple key chain lights can sometimes be given away for free by companies and other organizations.

Water
High quality water bottles from companies like Nalgene, Klean Kanteen, Camelback and SIGG are both light weight and strong but comes at a hefty price. There are cheaper copies of these bottles that perform just as well, another alternative can be military surplus water bottles. If you want a really cheap alternative soda bottles will perform well in most situations, just get the most solid type of bottle you can find. A water purification filter is useful but often quite expensive. Coffee filters is cheap and can be used to filter water, bleach can be used to sterilize water if you do not have the time or means of boiling the water.

Fire
Ordinary Matches is one of the easiest methods to build a fire. Make sure that they stay dry by storing them in a plastic bag. Simple BIC lighters are also a cheap and reliable method to start a fire, buying a few boxes of matches and lighter is a relatively cheap investment. Cotton balls soaked in Vaseline are a cheap way to improvise tinder.

Cooking and Food
An alcohol stove is quite cheap and effective solution since it provide both cooking vessels and stove in the same kit. An Esbit Stove is low price, low weight and can be used together with a simple cooking vessel. The Esbit tablets are also excellent tinder and fire starters. Freeze dried food is low weight, takes up little space and is very practical if you can find water in your local terrain. The main drawback is the high cost of these rations. Rice, Pasta, Lentils and Oatmeal stored in a Waterproof Container works well for food during a hike even if the solution is not as practical as freeze dried food in portion sized bags. Tea Bags, Sugar, Salt, Canned Food, Peanut Butter, Raisins are other types of food that can be used for an evacuation food kit.

Hygiene
Make sure to include some Soap and Toilet Paper in your pack. Toilet Paper can also be used as tinder to start a fire. Washing Up Liquid can be used as soap, to wash clothing and to clean your cooking vessels.

Other Equipment
A Map and Compass are vital tools that allow you to navigate and find your way in your local terrain. A top graphical map is the best but a road map, city map that you can find for free or a printed map from the internet is better than nothing at all. A compass is a very important tool and I do not recommend that you get a low quality model that does perform or risk breaking. Decent quality compasses from Silva can be found for around 10-20 dollars. First Aid Kits is important to have if you would hurt yourself or have to provide care for someone else, complete kits can often be found cheap at supermarkets or as military surplus. A simple pen and some paper in a waterproof bag can be used to make notes and leave messages.

Testing the Equipment
The only of telling for sure if you’re Bug Out Bag will work or not is to test it. Your items do not have to perform perfectly as long as they provide what you need. Buying second hand equipment like backpacks and clothing presents risks since the bag may break in a critical situation. By testing the equipment before a real crisis situation you will get a better understanding of what the equipment may do for you and most importantly learn how to use it. Backpacks or clothing may need repairs or be maintained, by carting a small sewing kit, a tube of superglue duct tape and paracord you can repair equipment and clothing if this would become necessary.

Checklist
[ ] Backpack or Bag
[ ] Heavy duty plastic bags to keep clothing and equipment dry


Extra Clothing
[ ] Extra base layer or T-shirt
[ ] Warm long sleeve shirt
[ ] Socks
[ ] Cap or Hat
[ ] Poncho

Shelter
[ ] Tent or Tarp
[ ] If the climate makes is necessary a sleeping bag or blanket and sleeping mattress

Survival Knife
[ ] Fixed Blade Knife
[ ] Back-up Knife
[ ] Sharpener

Pocket Survival Kit
[ ] Matches

[ ] Fire Steel
[ ] Snare wire
[ ] Wire saw
[ ] Sewing kit
[ ] Button compass
[ ] Safety pins
[ ] Whistle
[ ] Candle
[ ] Compact LED lamp
[ ] Compact knife or razor blade
[ ] Fishing kit
[ ] Pencil
[ ] Water Purification Tablets
[ ] Painkillers
[ ] Anti Diarrhea Tablets
[ ] Antihistamines
[ ] Antibiotics
[ ] Condom or Alok Sak

Light
[ ] Flashlight or Headlight
[ ] Spare batteries

Equipment to build a Fire
[ ] Matches in plastic bag
[ ] BIC lighter
[ ] Tinder

Water
[ ] Water Bottles and Water Containers
[ ] Coffee Filters
[ ] Bleach in a small bottle

Equipment for Cooking
[ ] Stove
[ ] Cooking Vessels
[ ] Fuel
[ ] Cup
[ ] Plastic Plate
[ ] P-38 Can Opener
[ ] Fork and Spoon

Food
[ ] Rice, pasta, noodles, lentils, canned food or peanut butter
[ ] Teabags and Sugar
[ ] Salt and Pepper

Hygiene
[ ] Soap
[ ] Toilet paper in waterproof bag
[ ] Washing up liquid and Mop
[ ] Toothbrush, Tooth paste and Dental Floss

Repair kit
[ ] Sewing kit
[ ] Super glue
[ ] Duct Tape
[ ] Paracord

[ ] Passport or ID and Immunization Record Card

[ ] Map and Compass
[ ] Pen and Paper
[ ] First Aid Kit

Summary
People have survived in the wilderness for thousands of years without the comforts that modern clothing and high tech fabrics provide. The market for outdoors equipment is very big and you can find very useful high quality items, but these often come at a high cost. Keeping the cost down for Bug Out Bag does not have to be very complicated but might require some research in order to find the items required. By choosing cheaper products and solution you can quite easily build multi kits for the price you would otherwise have to pay for a single Bug Out Bag. This can also be a good alternative if you want to have an extra kit in your Vehicle, at a secondary location or if you want to build a kit for another family member. This post can also be used as inspiration if you want to put together a kit for hiking, hunting or camping activities.

Also see:
Bug Out Bag and Checklist
Light Weight Bug Out Bags
Bugging Out As a Group

Every Day Carry (EDC)

The equipment that you carry with you on an everyday basis may be the only thing that you will have available if a survival or crisis situation hits. This equipment is often referred to as Every Day Carry or EDC. This article will give some examples to equipment that you can carry with you to give you some resources to handle a survival situation or everyday problems.

A Survival Knife is one of the most versatile tools that you can carry with you. Knives come in many shapes and forms. Fixed Blade Knives are great for hiking, hunting and other wilderness activities but are not an item that can be carried in your pocket. For every day carry more compact alternatives such as a Folding Knife, Swiss Army Knife or Multi-Tool is a more practical solution. A Compact Folding Knife like the Fällkniven U-4, Spyderco Ladybug, Victorinox Classic SD or Wenger Executive 81 can easily be carried along with you keys. Leatherman and Gerber also have a number of compact Multi-Tools designed to be carried on Key rings.

Flashlights can be used for many things during your everyday life. During a survival situation a flashlight may provide light, be a tool for searching after people or lost equipment and signaling for help. I recommend that you get a compact LED Flashlight that uses either an AA or AAA battery since these are widely available and has a low price. Modern high quality flashlight are often digitally regulated and can give a very low or high output of light making it possible to have the advantage of very strong light for signaling with possibility of very long battery life if this would be necessary. There are many companies but the flashlight from Fenix and 4Sevens are among the very best. Some interesting models are the
• Fenix LD-10
• Fenix L0D / Fenix LD01 / Fenix E01
• Fenix LD05 Pen Light / Fenix LD03 Pen Light
• 4Sevens Quark MiNi AA
• 4Sevens Preon 2 Pen lamp
• 4Sevens Preon 1 / 4Sevens Preon ReVO

The anglelights / headlamps from ZebraLight or the Streamlight Sidewinder Compact can also be an interesting alternative. There also a number of compact key ring lights like the Photon Micro-Light II, the Photon ReX Rechargeable, Streamlight Nano Light, Streamlight Key-Mate, and the rechargeable Skylight LED lamp with solar panels from Exped.

A compact First Aid Kit containing some basic medication can help you if you would get a headache, diarrhea or smaller cuts. Plasters, sutures, sutures, disinfection wet-wipes, hand disinfection, pain-killers and anti-diarrheal tablets can help you cope with many problems. A compact tweezers can be used to remove splinters and other small discomforts. If you have any medical condition that requires medication like asthma or allergies make sure to include these in your Every Day Carry.

A Water Bottle is an excellent item to carry with you on an everyday basis. It allows you to always have water available. A normal soda bottle or mineral water bottle works very well but there are also high quality water bottles from Nalgene, Camelbak, Klean Kanteen, SIGG and other companies available.

Even if you are not a smoker some item that allows you to start a fire can be useful. A Lighter, a box of matches or a Fire Steel is the most common tools used. A normal BIC lighter is one of the cheapest and most effective methods of starting a fire but if you want a more good looking alternative you can check out the lighters from Zippo, Silva and Wenger.

The Cell Phone is a very useful item today. It allows you the contact friends gather information and call for help during an emergency. Many modern cell phones also have GPS, a flashlight, FM/AM radio, camera and many other features. A water proof container is a very useful thing to have when hiking or traveling through bad weather since it protects your phone from dirty and water. If you put In Case of Emergency (ICE) numbers in your phone it’s easy for other to contact your friends and family if you would ever be in an accident. If the battery capacity for your phone is low a spare battery or charger may be a wise addition to carry with you.

A wrist watch allows you to always keep track of time and can also be used for navigation if you learn this skill. Many watches also have other useful functions like electronic compass, altimeter, barometer, countdown timer, thermometer, sunrise-sunset alarm and other features. Suunto and Casio make some watches that have many of these features. There are also compact button compasses that are designed to be carried on a watch strap like the Silva Carabineer 40 and Suunto Clipper.

Pen and Paper are useful items that allow you to leave a message to other during an emergency and write down useful information. A normal notebook will do just fine for most occasions but if you often have to make notes outdoors or in bad weather I recommend that you get one of the notebooks from Rite-In-The-Rain. There are also very useful notebook covers from Snigel Design, Maxpedition and Blackhawk. A normal pen will make do for almost every situation but there are a long number of companies that makes high quality pens like the Fisher Space Pen. Some companies also makes what is referred to as “tactical pens”, these pens are often very expensive, made from very sturdy materials and may include features like a glasbreaker. Benchmade, CRKT and Surefire are some of the companies that make this type of pens.

550 Paracord is another very useful item that can be used for repair, to secure equipment and much more. Paracord is often made into bracelets so that it can be carried with you at all times.

Your wallet normally contains critical items like ID, Passport, Vaccination Card, Credit Cards, Cash and Coins for making calls. There are also credit card tool kits like the Victorinox SwissCard Lite and kits from Tool Logic that can be easily carried with you at all times. There are also other specialized credit card kits like sewing kits available. A fake wallet with an old ID and a little cash can be a useful item to have if crime rate and the risk of robbery are high in your area.

There is compact Nylon Pockets designed to either be carried in the pockets of cargo pants or packs called EDC Organizers from Maxpedition, Blackhawk and other companies. These pockets can make it easy to store all the items in one location, keep them organized and move them from one set of clothing to another. If you have much of your gear in a bag larger pocket or containers can also be an interesting alternative. There are many alternatives that can hold your gear, if you want a container that keeps your items even more safe an alternative can be the compact containers from Pelican. The Pro Survival Kit Company have a belt called the “Multi Purpose Belt” with small pockets that can hold some basic items concealed and make it easy to always have some gear with you.

A Pocket Survival Kit is a simple concept that makes it easy to carry the most important items with you at all times. The Get Home Bag and Light Weight Bug Out Bag is also concepts that can make it easy to always have the most important gear with you. There is no clear line between Pocket Survival Kits, Get Home Bags, Light Weight Bug Out Bags and a comprehensive Every Day Carry.

Clothing
Your clothing is also a very important part of your Every Day Carry. Your clothing provides you with your shield against elements like heat, cold, rain and wind. Your clothing must be appropriate for the climate where you live. A Shell Jacket provides excellent protection from wind and rain. Merino wool is an excellent fabric for base layers, t-shirts, socks and underwear that is both durable, still provides heat if it gets wet, is resistant to odors and can still be washed in a normal washing machine. Your foot wear is also critical, can you run or walk long distances in the shoes you are wearing and can they cope with the terrain around you? There are compact whistles that can be attached to zippers like the AeroWave, these whistles makes it easy to always have a whistle available for signaling, these are both compact and can be found for a price around 1 dollar.

How Much Items Should You Be Carrying?
How much items one should be carrying is a very hard question to answer. It’s fully possible to fit almost every conceivable item for survival into a pair of cargo pants. The important question is how much you feel comfortable with carrying. You must find a balance between the space and weight of the items in relation to you personal needs. It’s better to have a few important items that is always with you than to have a high number of items that you never carry with you. Some items you may never actually need and other items you may end up using almost every day. If you have a very comprehensive Every Day Carry and don’t want to carry your items inside a Get Home Bag or Light Weight Bug Out Bag there are Jackets and other form of clothing from the company SCOTTeVEST that have high number of pockets designed to carry an high amount of equipment.

Your personal situation may mean that you can’t carry all the items with you at all times, your work situation or other factors may prevent this. So for this reason it can be important to have a flexible system and EDC organizers can make this easier for you when they let you separate different gear but still make it easy to include them into your pack or clothing.

When you change your clothing ALWAYS put your Every Day Carry items at the same place or location, this makes it easy to always find your items and see if you have them with you or not. Your EDC items are not of much use if you never can find them. It’s also good if you always keep your items in the same pockets of your clothing or at the same place in your pack so that you can easily find them and notice if they are missing.

Summary
Your Every Day Carry is the set of items that you carry with you at all times to help you with your very day problems and provide tools to handle a crisis or survival situation. There is no set of gear that is perfect for every situation and every setting so you must find a set of gear that works for you and your specific situation. Since these are items that you carry with you at all times I suggest that you go for compact, light weight and high quality items.

It is possible to carry a very comprehensive set of equipment that can allow you to perform a high number of tasks or a smaller number of items. What you should be carrying and how much items you should carry is decision that you have to make based on your personal setting. Even if you can carry all items you would like to on your person it is still possible to have a few extra items in your jacket or bag, a small kit where you work, some basic tools or even a fully equipped Bug Out Bag in your vehicle. Find an overall solution that fits your specific needs.

Your equipment is only a small part of being prepared for disasters and survival situations. The most important part of being prepared is your own skills, knowledge, training, physical fitness, health and will to survive. The tools that you carry with you can be very useful but even if you have high quality equipment it can always be lost or break.

Also see:
Pocket Survival Kits
Get Home Bag (GHB)
Light Weight Bug Out Bags
Bug Out Bag and Checklist

Responding to an Emerging Crisis

A crisis or survival situation may manifest either without any previous warning or after a series of warnings. If a warning is given before a crisis the warnings are often mixed with conflicting information making it very hard to estimate how serious a threat really is.

After a disaster the information that goes out to the public can contain contradicting information about how serious the incident or situation really is. This is often even more serious if the threat or situation is something that is unfamiliar. Unknown threats present large problems for first responders but also for politicians and other leaders of a community that lack the experience, routines and possibly equipment to handle the situation. Researching different kinds of potential threats can make it easier for you to understand what is going on during a crisis situation and what you can expect. It’s important that you continually try to keep yourself updated and review the situation as its changing.

Responding to an emerging crisis situation
• Try to stay updated by following the news in the media and through the radio. Write down information as it comes in, make a timeline.
• Make a check with family and friends and get an update of their situation.
• If the situation might call for an evacuation check Bug Out Bags and Vehicles. Check potential escape routes; is there any information that suggests that these routes may be blocked or inaccessible?
• Is there any other specific tools or equipment that the situation may call for in addition to the supplies that you’re Bug Out Bag contains?
• Make an inventory/check of the status for water, food, light, storage of gasoline and medical supplies. What specific needs may this threat call for? Is there anything you can do to improve these needs or minimize the consequences?
• Fill up water bottles, water containers and additional water storage if possible.
• Make some additional research about the threat, previous events and lessons learned.
• What is the weather forecast for the coming days?

A crisis or survival situation will be both stressful and frustrating. Sometimes help from outside sources may come very fast from first responders but in other situation the scale of a disaster may overwhelm a society and you may have to make do with what you have. If external help is not available you will have to manage the situation yourself. Information that goes out during a crisis is affected by the ongoing situation. Even if government agencies are planning to send help to a region damaged infrastructure or lack of resource may delay or prevent the help from arriving. Traveling with airline, bus or train may also be problematic and delays should be expected.

The importance of being Prepared
If you can can’t keep warm or get access to water a bad situation may get lethal in case of a long lasting emergency or natural disaster quite fast. If you do not have access to food, light, medical supplies and a way of receiving information like a battery powered radio your situation will be much more uncomfortable and the sense of insecurity larger than it would otherwise be. The equipment and preparations that you have made before a crisis can mean the difference between life and death. It can also prove to be the difference between having to endure a crisis under extreme hardship or with ease.

Checklist
[ ] Sleeping bags, blankets, clothing and some kind of heater?
[ ] Equipment to start a fire?
[ ] Water and equipment to collect and purify water?
[ ] Food that does not have to be stored in a refrigerator?
[ ] Some kind of stove that can be used to prepare food in case of black out?
[ ] Sources of light? Spare batteries and extra fuel?
[ ] First aid kit and basic medical supplies?
[ ] Some kind of radio that can be used in case of a black out?
[ ] An emergency toilet?

Keeping a log
It’s important that you keep a log of the information that you are receiving. When did you receive the information and from what source? Can any other source confirm this information? If you make contact with friends or family members make sure to write down the time when you made contact with them, what their situation was, what their plans are and how you can make contact with them again.

If you are in a larger group or with your family I suggest that you have a briefing every night and morning about what has taken place during the day, what new information that has become available and what the plans are for the next day.

No matter the situation it is very important that you
• Try to stay positive, alert and calm
• Don’t second guess yourself or think about what you could have done differently to avoid or divert the situation, keep the focus on the situation at hand.
• Keep planning and taking steps to reduce the consequences of the disaster. The situation will most likely continue to change and it’s important that you stay updated.
• Keep a regular update on water and supplies – what should your priority be right now?
• Make sure that everyone has a task to do and get organized. Just sitting around and waiting will not improve a bad situation. Make sure that water gets collected and purified, that food get prepared on regular times if possible, take care of hygiene and try to keep the location you’re in as clean and organized as possible.
• How one should handle a situation if there is children present can be difficult. But I would recommend that you explain the situation as best you can and explain what you are doing to make it better. If you don’t know answers don’t be afraid to say so.
• Look after your friends and family.

Get Home Bag

The Bug Out Bag (BOB) is an tool intended to be used in situations that requires evacuation from an area. The BOB can be designed in many sizes and forms but are normally quite heavy and stored in the home. The Get Home Bag (GHB) as a tool intended to provide equipment to allow an individual to reach the home during a crisis or survival situation, for example if the person is at work when a disaster strikes. The Bag should not only serve as a tool for coping with disaster but also function as your every day resource for dealing with problems. What content your Get Home Bag should have depends on where you live, how long you may have to travel to get back home and your specific situation.

Being Prepared
The GHB is only a small part of being ready for a disaster. For anyone how is serious about getting ready for a crisis I would recommend that you start out with your health and physical fitness. Go to a doctor and make a checkup. Also visit a dentist and fix any problems you may have with your teeth, in a survival situation a bad tooth can cause infection and a serious health hazard and great discomfort. Your Physical Fitness is very important if you have to make a long walk or march by foot. Start exercising three times a week with an activity that you find interesting and stimulating. The items in your bag is only tools, they are only valuable if you know how to use them. A Fire Steel is of little use if you can’t start a fire with it. Training this kind of skills is critical if you want to be able to use them in a real life situation. The same goes for all Skills, no matter if it is Self Defense, Starting a Fire, First Aid or Navigation.

Clothing
Your clothing provides your shield against the elements. Your clothing must be appropriate for your particular climate. Shell jackets provide excellent protection from wind and rain; also get a pair of gloves and hat or watch cap. Merino wool is an excellent material for t-shirts and a sock that does not cool the body when it wets like cotton do. Your shoes are perhaps the most import part in any situation when you have to walk a longer distance. Make sure that they are comfortable and if possible also waterproof. A watch is also something that you should try to carry at all times. Your cell phone can be vital tool for communication in many emergencies, make sure that you have In Case of Emergency (ICE) numbers programmed if something would happen to you. A water proof container for the phone can help keeping it safe from the elements. Some phone may also have useful application like a flashlight, compass, FM/AM radio and GPS. If you have a phone that has a short battery life a spare battery can be essential.

The Bag
What kind of bag you should get depends on your Every Day Activites. Ideally you should be able to carry both the items that you need for your everyday activities like a computer, notes, books, lunch box and other essentials in addition to the items you carry for crisis preparedness. Another option is to have a separate bag for emergencies in your vehicle or at your office.

The size of the bag depends on how much space you need and what kind of bag that you prefer. Back packs are generally the most comfortable solution especially if you have a heavy pack. Shoulder bags can be a good alternative but are not as comfortable to carry if they are heavy since al the weight of the bag will be on one shoulder. There are also bags that are a mix between backpacks and shoulders bags called gear slingers. Maxpedition make some interesting bags in this category like the Monsoon, Sitka and Kodiak. There are a number of different companies that makes excellent bags like Kifaru, Snugpack, 5.11, Fjällräven, Osprey, JanSport, Lundhags, Klättermusen, Haglöfs, Exped, The North Face, Norröna, Bergans, GoLite and Arcteryx. Find a bag that fits your needs and that is comfortable to carry.

Suggested items for the Get Home Bag - Checklist
Shelter
[ ] A Get Home Bag should have some kind of shelter than can help shield you from the elements, this can for example be a Light Weight Poncho, Bivanorak, Fjellduk, Exped Bivi-Poncho, Emergency Blanket or Light Weight Tarp.

Water
[ ] Water is something that can be critical in a survival situation and your bag should have at least one small water bottle, the bottles from Nalgene, Camelback, Klean Kanteen and SIGG has a high quality, but a normal soda bottle can be used as well. This can also help you save money instead of buying soft drinks while on the move. If you have to purify unsafe water after a disaster it can be good to include some water purification tablets or a compact water filter.

Fire
[ ] Some kind of item that can help you start a Fire like a Fire Steel, Lighter, Matches in a Waterproof container and tinder.

Survival Knife
[ ] A Survival Knife is a useful tool but you must check what the specific legal aspect of this is for your country – what kind of knives are legal and where is it allowed to carry them? There are also credit card sized tool kits from Victorinox and Tool Logic that you can carry in your wallet at all times.

Light
[ ] A Compact Flashlight or Headlamp can provide light in dark conditions and be used for signaling. Choose a compact light that doesn’t take up to much space in your bag. Compact flashlights thats using a single AA or AAA battery can be found from Fenix and 4Sevens, the anglelights from ZebraLight can also be an interesting alternative.

[ ] Roadmap / Citymap and Compass or GPS

[ ] Notebook and Pen, excellent for writing down important information or for leaving a note. I personally like the notebooks from Rite in the Rain.

[ ] A Pocket Survival Kit

[ ] Paracord or Duct Tape

[ ] Signal Mirror, SPOT, Chemical Light Sticks, Emergency Strobe or Whistle

[ ] Compact AM/FM/Shortwave radio with Dynamo or A Compact Radio Scanner.

[ ] Paper Tissues can be used as Tinder or as Emergency Toilet Paper.

[ ] A compact First Aid Kit with some basic band aids and disinfection wipes can be a good thing for treating small cuts and treating wounds. The first aid kit is important but the most important part is that you take a course so that you know CPR and the basic skills. Also include some painkillers and anti-diarrheal tablets. If it is flu-season a small tube with alcohol based disinfection may also be a useful addition.

Advantages
• Lighter and more compact than a Bug Out Bag
• The bag be used as an Every Day Carry Bag
• Provides an resource to deal with problems in your everyday life

Disadvantages
• Not as comprehensive as a Bug Out Bag (BOB)

You’re Get Home Bag and Your Every Day Carry
Most people carry at least some items on their person that can be useful during an emergency or survival situation. These items are often refered to as a persons Every Day Carry (EDC). Many Survivalist and Preppers may carry items like Pocket Knives, Flashlights, Lighters or even a Pocket Survival Kit. Your GHB should be built with this factor in consideration. If you carry lighter on your person it can be a good idea to consider another tool to create a fire like a Fire Steel or Matches for your GHB. If you have a Flashlight that use a particular type of batteries as EDC and want a Headlamp for your GHB it can be a good idea to choose a model that use the same type of batteries as the Flashlight or if you carry a Swiss Army Knife for EDC it can be a good idea to consider a Fixed Blade Knife or Multi-Tool for your GHB.

Summary
A Get Home Bag is a concept that lands somewhere between your Every Day Carry and a Light Weight Bug Out Bag. There is no clear line between the different concepts, the important thing is that you create a concept that fits your personal needs and provides the tools that you need. Disasters can strike without any warning and even if your Get Home Bag is not designed to provide the function for an evacuation you may have to make do with this bag or your Every Day Carry in a worst case scenario. Equipment is an import part of preparedness, but items can be lost or incomplete. The main focus of your efforts should always be too improve your health and physical fitness, learn relevant skills and your improving your knowledge since these are the things that is always with you, no matter the situation.

Other Articles
Get Home Bags - Examples of Setups
Light Weight Bug Out Bags
Light Weight Bug Out Bags - Examples of Setups
Building The Right Bug Out Bag For You

Bugging Out Using Bikes

Walking by foot is a rather slow way too evacuate during an emergency. Bikes are one of the most energy efficient ways to travel by muscle power. An individual can normally travel many times the distance one could by foot per day using a bike. Another major advantage is that equipment can be loaded either directly to the bike using special bags or be drawn behind the bike on a trailer, this mean that much more equipment can be brought than would be possible if an individual would have to carry the same amount of equipment. There are many different models of bikes specialized for different tasks like being used in the city or off-road, find a bike that suits your specific needs. There are also bikes thats especially designed to carry heavy loads like the Transport from Trek. If you are on a budget it can be worth checking out the second hand market.

A bike is faster than walking but is normally not as fast as motor vehicle. But it can be an interesting alternative for someone with a low budget or can be brought along on a motor vehicle by using a bike rack.

Bike Trailers
Bike trailers is an excellent way to bring equipment along since it let you remove the weight from your back make the ride more comfortable and better balanced. There are a number of different companies that makes trailers for bike; two of the companies are Croozer and BOB. There are also special trailers for transporting children and pets. There are also custom trailers that’s up to eight feet long and take up to 300 pounds of load from Bikes at Work, like the Model 96A.

Bags for Bikes
There are a number of companies that makes bags that are specially designed for being used on a bike. The bags can be mounted at the front wheel, at the back wheel, under the saddle or other positions. Vaude, Arkel, Lone Peak and Ortlieb are some example of companies that has a number of different models. You can also improvise and use other bags or containers; the important part is that you distribute the weight equally around the bike so that it’s as balanced as possible. BOBLBEE makes backpacks that are especially designed for using while using bikes, motor cycles and other sports.


Bike Light
A bike light is important for many reasons, it makes it easier for other too se you when you travel by night and it also allows you to see the ground ahead of you. There are many companies that makes special bike lights, but many of the lights are mostly designed to give enough light so that others can see you, don’t to give you are clear view of what’s in front of you. If you want a more powerful light you can get a high power flashlight from Fenix, Surefire, 4Sevens or other companies and use a special adapter to attach it to the handles of your bike. A headlight can also be a good addition since the light will follow your head when you look around. Having a small red light in pointed to the rear of the bike allows other to know that the see the back of work bike in darkness.

Special Equipment for Repairs and Maintenance
For longer bike tours it’s good if you have some basic tools that allow you to fix some basic problems. A flat tire is one of the typical problems you might encounter and can be quite easily fixed with a puncture repair kit and an air pump. Spare inner tubes and tires to bikes is also relatively cheap to store. For most bikes Allen Keys is needed for repairs, fixed keys with t-handles are normally the easiest to work with, but there are also more compact tools with Allen keys especially designed for bike repairs that can be useful when traveling. If you have a car a bike rack is a useful addition in order to make it easier to transport your bike.

Equipment in addition to your Bug Out Bag
[ ] Puncture Repair Kit
[ ] Pump
[ ] Spare Valve
[ ] Adjustable Wrench or Barbell Spanner
[ ] Screwdriver and Allen Keys
[ ] Helmet
[ ] Multi-Tool
[ ] Lock

Wenger has a special Swiss Army Knife, the Wenger Biker 37 that’s especially designed to be used as a tool for repairing bikes. A multi-tool can also be a useful tool for fixing common problems.

A roadmap/city map and compass can be for finding your way, there also GPS units that especially designed for using while biking like the Garmin 705 HR.

Safety
One of the easiest ways of preventing serious injury when biking is wearing a helmet. There are many different models on the market; personally I like the ones from ProTec and BELL. Other ways of minimizing the risk of injury is to keep up the maintenance; check the breaks, tires and other details regularly. Stay alert and avoid using listening to music and talking on your cell phone while travelling in traffic, this can both be a distraction and make it hard for you to hear other sounds and warnings.

Locks
One of the major problems with having a bike, especially in cities is the risk of getting the bike stolen. A good lock can minimize the risk of getting the bike stolen, but there are no lock that can’t be broken with the right tools and time. The location where you store your bike is also important, try not to store the bike in a secluded location. Solid steel U-locks are normally safer than the thinner models of locks that use wired or chains.

Every Day Life
Biking is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to get around using muscle power, it is also an excellent way to get physical exercise. With a bike trailer and good stamina it’s fully possible to travel to work and do most activities like errands to the supermarket without a car. In some cases it can even save time compared to driving a car or taking the bus. Biking also has a large economical advantage compared to driving car since it does to consume any fuel, accept the calories you burn riding the bike. The cost for buying a bike, maintenance and new tiers are also very low compared to owning a car. For many people transportation is one of the highest economical costs in their lives today and in scenarios like Peak Oil or an Oil Embargo prices for transportation can rise dramatically. Making a life style change going from car dependency towards using a bike does not only have economical advantages but also advantages for your health and fitness.

Advantages
• Much faster than traveling by foot
• More equipment can be brought compared to travel by foot.
• It can be possible to navigate through traffic jams because of the bikes smaller size compared to cars and other vehicles.
• A much cheaper solution than a car.
• Great form of exercise.
• Requires no fuel.

Disadvantages
• Extreme terrain is very hard to travel through using a heavily loaded bike; roads are the best mean off travel.
• It’s hard to bike through snow during winter conditions.
• It can be dangerous to travel at highways due to other forms of traffic.
• Normally much slower than a motor vehicle.

• The storage capacity even with a bike trailer and bags are often significantly lower than that of a car or truck.

Summary
A bike gives the possibility to travel much longer distances in a shorter duration of time compared to what’s possible by foot, this can be extremely important in scenarios when evacuation is necessary. If you use your bike on an everyday basis and increase your stamina even longer distances can be traveled. With bike bags and a backpack you can bring more equipment than you can carry by foot. With special bike trailers in combination with bike bags it’s possible to bring several hundred of pounds of equipment in extreme cases.
This opens for options that would not normally be possible compared to evacuation by foot; especially if it’s a larger group equipped with bikes and trailers. Some examples of equipment that could be brought:
• Dutch Owens and other more stationary solution for cooking
• Large tents with wood stoves, Large Tarps, Heavy Duty Wool Blankets
• Food and Fuel for extended periods of time
• Heavy Tools like Shovels, Axes and Aaws, Fishing Gear, Rope etc

It’s fully possible to get a bike rack and bring a bike with you on your normal vehicle during an evacuation scenario and have the best of two worlds, one solution does not have to exclude the other.

Introduction to Evacuation and Bug Out Tactics

The Bug Out Bag (BOB) is a vital tool for many survivalists. The BOB is a tool intended to make it help an individual survive the evacuation and transport to a safer area or location. Examples of scenarios that can require evacuation are hurricanes, earthquakes, dam breaks or the meltdown of a nuclear power plant.

What a BOB should contain is a debated subject among survivalists and at forums like the Survivalist Boards. What you need is specific for your location and your context. Do you live urban or wilderness setting? What kind of climate do you live in? Is there access to clean water from rivers and lakes? Can you carry a heavy bag over long distances? These are some examples of questions that will affect what kind of equipment you will need. There is no concept or list of equipment that’s perfect for all settings.

Three Different Perspectives
1.) The First Guide for Bug Out Bags is designed for people how live in remote locations where no or little help can expected and the individual must be self reliant. This is also what I would suggest that you pack if you go on a long hiking trip.

2.) The Second Guide focuses on how you can build a low weight Bug Out Bag that can be more appropriate for people how live in warm climate or urban setting. This is also a bag that can be carried as an Every Day Carry bag.

3.) The Third Guide focuses on evacuation from a group perspective. If a group of individuals evacuate or go for a long hiking trip what equipment should they bring and what equipment can they share. This post also focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of group travel.

The first approach is a maximum approach where the individual will have a high number of items that can help to deal with an emergency, the second approach is a minimum approach intended to keep the number of items and weight as low as possible. This is only suggestions, for your specific situation it may be a good idea to either follow some of these guidelines or try to combine the minimum and maximum approach. The most important aspect is that you try your bag out in your location so that you know what works and what don’t. This is also critical so that you learn how to use your equipment; a fire steel is of little use if you don’t know how to use it, the same goes for a GPS, compass, tent or multi-fuel stove. With knowledge and skills you can learn how to make do with less equipment and survive even if you don’t have a fully equipped emergency kit.

1.) You and Your Bug Out Bag

The Bug Out Bag is only a tool kit that will help you to deal with emergency and survival situations; no matter what equipment you carry its you and the people around you that will utilize this tool in such a way that it allows you to survive. In other words: Don’t forget to keep the focus on your own Knowledge; your Physical Fitness and Health and your Skills and Experience. The most important factor for survival is You, not your toolkit.

2.) Some of the Factors you have to take into Consideration when building your BOB

What type of terrain, climate and setting you live will be very important for what kind of shelter, clothing and equipment that you will need. Can you find natural cover or do you have to bring your own? What kind of shelter, clothing and footwear is most appropriate for you? Can water be found easily or will you have to bring all the water that you need with you? What kind of equipment will you need to make water safe to drink?

3.) Season
Most settings have some seasonal variation when it comes to temperature, rainfall and wind. If your seasonal variations are large you might have to adjust your Bug Out Bag from season to season in order to make sure that it will perform as desired during an evacuation scenario.

4.) The Process of Building a Bug Out Bag
I would recommend that you do not view your Bug Out Bag as a fixed concept but rather as a dynamic changing concept. I also recommend that you use as much of the same gear as possible when you go on hiking, hunting, fishing or camping trips since this gives you the opportunity to test the equipment and learn how to use it. It’s also important that you adjust your bag as your situation and personal settings change.

Example of how you can view the process of Building a Bug Out Bag:

Chapter 3: Bug Out Bags and Evacuation

1.) Bug Out Guide and Checklist
2.) Light Weight Bug Out Bags
3.) Bugging Out as a Group
4.) Bugging Out Using Bikes
5.) Building a Bug Out Bag on a Budget
6.) Bug Out Bag - Example of a Setup
7.) Light Weight Bug Out Bag - Examples of Setups

Bugging Out as A Group

The Bug Out Bag (BOB) is a tool focused on providing an individual with the tools and equipment to Survive a shorter trip to a safe location in case of a sudden threat or disaster. The BOB can also be referred to as a Get Out Of Dodge (GOOD) bag, 72 Hour Kit, Grab Bag or I’m Never Coming Home (INCH) bag. In my view it’s far more likely that an individual would evacuate, or be bugging out together with family members and friends than doing so alone. This is the subject that this post will address: Tactics for bugging out as a larger or smaller group.


The size of groups can vary but ideally groups should have four to six members. The reason why this is an ideal number is that such a group can share the basic equipment needed: Shelter in form of for example a tent and stove for preparing food just name a few items. If a party consists of more than 6 people I would suggest that the group is split into smaller sub-groups that share tent and stoves. Carrying a fully equipped BOB is hard for a single individual; a single individual can’t carry all forms of specialized equipment. A larger group allows for more specialized tools and equipment too be brought than what a single individual can carry.

Individual Kits and the Group Kit
If an individual has to carry all the equipment need on he’s or her own the weight of the pack will be heavier compared to if a person could share the weight of items among a Group. The suggested step of individuals can also be reduced: It’s not necessary that every member carry multiple tools for starting a fire and several knives if every member has one. If an alone individual would carry a single knife or fire starter the consequences would be worse if this equipment would be lost compared to if this happened to a single individual. Multi functions shelters like the Fjellduk and Bivanorak functions both as a poncho and bivi-bag and can provide shelter for an individual if they would get separated from a Group.

During a real life emergency there is no telling what might happen, group members could be separated or unable to meet up so it is still important the individual packs can sustain the individuals. One of the most common forms of Groups is Families. If you are packing for a Family make sure that every member can carry their own bag. For children and young people how can walk by themselves prioritize that they carry their own clothing, water, sleeping bag and sleeping pads.

Individual Bug Out Bag
Clothing
[ ] Long sleeve base layer shirt (I recommend Merino Wool)
[ ] Short sleeve base layer shirt
[ ] Change of underwear
[ ] Hat or Watch cap
[ ] Gloves
[ ] Buff or Shemag
[ ] Shell Jacket (Waterproof and wind proof)
[ ] Warm Long Sleeve Shirt
[ ] Heavy Duty Pants
[ ] Poncho, Rain Clothing, Fjellduk or Bivanorak
[ ] Hiking Boots
[ ] 2 pair of Extra socks
[ ] Watch

Backpack
Choose a backpack with a steel or aluminum frame. If you’re going to carry a heavy load over some distance you’re going to need a good backpack. If the frame is internal or external is a question of what you prefer, both have advantages and disadvantages. Backpacks with external frames are generally stronger and can be used to carry other things than your bag like a wounded person or a heavy tank of water. Pack your items in waterproof bags; use different colors so that you know what’s inside the different bags. I also recommend that you get a waterproof bag or container for your cell phone. I suggest that you put certain equipment like your first aid kit in locations that are easily accessible if you would need them. Always put the same items in the same location in your bag so you don’t have to spend much time looking for your items, this also makes easier to see if something would be missing from your pack. Always carry at least one knife and your Pocket Survival Kit on your person in case you would lose your backpack.

Shelter
[ ] Sleeping Bag (Sleeping bag liners helps to extend the lifetime of your sleeping bag)
[ ] Sleeping Pad, Hammock or Hennessy Hammock.

Light
[ ] Flashlight or/and Headlamp (LED)
[ ] Extra Batteries (Lithium)

Fire
[ ] Matches in waterproof container
[ ] Lighter
[ ] Fire Steel
[ ] Tinder

Survival Knives
[ ] Fixed Blade Knife
[ ] Back Up Knife: Folding Knife, Multi Tool or Swiss Army Knife for example
[ ] Sharpener

Pocket Survival Kit
[ ] Matches
[ ] Fire Steel
[ ] Snare Wire
[ ] Wire Saw
[ ] Sewing Kit
[ ] Button Compass
[ ] Safety Pins
[ ] Whistle
[ ] Candle
[ ] Small LED lamp
[ ] Small Knife or Razor blade
[ ] Fishing kit
[ ] Pencil
[ ] Water Purification Tablets
[ ] Painkillers
[ ] Anti Diarrhea Tablets
[ ] Antihistamines
[ ] Antibiotics
[ ] Condom or Alok Sak

Water
[ ] One or Two Water bottles (Nalgene, Klean Kanteen, Camelback or SIGG)
[ ] Water Bladder for your backpack; Camelback, Nalgene or similar system.
[ ] Water Purification Tablets

Food
[ ] Freeze Dried Rations or Meals Ready to Eat (MRE:s). Pack minimum 6 meals for 72 hours
[ ] Powerbars, Flapjack, Beef jerkey, Trailmix or other snacks
[ ] Tea, Coffee, Sugar and Powdered milk
[ ] Salt and Pepper
[ ] Spork (Or Knife, Fork and Spoon)
[ ] Plate and Cup

[ ] Compass
[ ] Cash or Gold/Silver
[ ] Notebook
[ ] Pen

Hygiene
[ ] Roll of toilet paper (in waterproof bag)
[ ] Soap
[ ] Toothbrush, Toothpaste and Dental Floss
[ ] Razor
[ ] Hand Disinfection
[ ] Insect Repellant
[ ] Sun Block or Skin Care Lotion

[ ] 550 Paracord
[ ] Small First Aid Kit and Blister Kit
[ ] Sunglasses
[ ] Special personal needs (extra prescription glasses, medication etc)

Equipment shared by the Group
Every individual should have a personal Bug Out Bag but some of the equipment should be divided among the members most importantly:
[ ] Tent
[ ] Tent Repair Kit and Multi Tool
[ ] Stove and spare parts. Example of Stove could be a Trangia Stove, Kelly Kettle, Esbit, Multi Fuel Stoves or Jetboil.
[ ] Cooking Vessels
[ ] P-38 Can Opener
[ ] Steel wool, Mop and Washing Up Liquid
[ ] Fuel for the stove
[ ] Water Purification Filter
[ ] Map, Waterproof container for map, GPS, Extra Batteries, Compass
[ ] Large First Aid Kit with basic medication.

Examples of other items that can be divided among members of the group are:
[ ] Compact Radio with spare batteries
[ ] Axe, Machete, Parang or Folding Saw
[ ] Binoculars
[ ] Signal Flares, Emergency Strobe, Signal Mirror, Chemical Lightsticks or Spot (Satellite GPS Messenger)

At what point should one Bug Out?
The hardest questions for a Bug Out scenario is when one should be bugging out. What kind of circumstances should trigger such a response? Here Risk Assessments can help to identify potential threats but in a real crisis situation one will always have to make decisions based upon incomplete and often contradicting information. This will also have to be done under time pressure. It’s hard to manage and understand a crisis even for government agencies with enormous resources and a large staff. Knowledge and research about potential threats can help one understand how previous events have unfolded and what consequences they have had. Researching different risks in form of Man-Made and Natural Disasters that is likely to manifest in your local area can help you make better decisions based on limited information.

It’s also important that groups create routines for establishing contact if electronic communications goes down or are interrupted. Meeting points and alternative meeting points and possible routes should also be addressed. If one group decides to evacuate, where does this group leave messages to other concerning the route taken and the people how have evacuated.

The March
A briefing before the March is important so that all members know what intended route that the party intends to travel. Where should the members rally if the group members get separated? If the group is large walkie-talkies can be a useful tool for communicating between the different members of a large group especially if it’s stretched out during a March or travelling in different vehicles.

If the party travels by foot the party should stop after 15-30 min and regulate clothing so that people don’t sweat or are getting cold. If the members sweat too much dehydration may soon become a serious problem. When the group stops take time to adjust the packs so that they are comfortable to carry. Make a habit of often checking that your vital equipment like your knife rests in its sheath. When a group makes a stop also make sure that all the members are present. Never let any individual stray away alone without the group stopping, if something must be done members should always try to stay together with another individual. The pace of the party must be governed by the weakest members in the party, if members get to tired the risk of accidents and injury increases so make sure to make a short stop once per hour or after passing through rough terrain. Checking up on the members and taking care of each other is also critical. Everything from blisters, back problems, dehydration and other problems are much easier to deal with in an early stage. It’s also important for how the social dimension of the group is working.

The party members should regularly be checking the terrain behind them; especially those how walk in the rear of the party. This is very important because it can be very hard to find the way back since the terrain looks very different going back the other way. In high risk areas it can also important to see if anyone is following the party.

The rest of the members should also keep an eye open and be aware of the surrounding environment; it can be a good idea that different members keep attention to designated directions. By being alert the party can spot dangers, find water, shelter, eatable plants and sometimes other equipment that can be useful.

Setting Up and Breaking Camp
When a Group makes camp for the night it’s important that every member of the party helps out with the different tasks that must be done. Some of the tasks that should be done are
• Raising the tent or arranging shelter.
• Collecting fire wood and get a fire going in a secure location. Whenever there is fire wood available this should be used to save fuel for the stoves.
• Prepare an evening meal.
• Collecting and purifying water.

From the time that a party wakes up in the morning until the party has eaten breakfast, cleaned up and attended hygiene, packed tents and are ready to leave normally takes 1-2 hours.

Advantages
• A Group are likely to have more areas of expertise than a single individual.
• In case that an individual get injured the others can give care or in a worst case scenario carry this individual on a stretcher.
• More specialized equipment can be brought helping the group to cope with more situations.
• The carrying load for each individual will be lower if a Group shares tents and stoves.

Disadvantages
• Moving with a large group often takes longer time.
• The Group can have members with a poor physical fitness, children and elderly or even injured people that slow the phase of the Group.
• Some members are likely to have low quality equipment/clothing or be lacking some equipment.

Another important aspect is getting to know the other members of your group. Engaging in activities like hiking is an excellent way both to test equipment, routes, clothing, increase fitness, getting experience and getting to know the other members of a possible group. What are the strength and weaknesses of the members? What skills do they possess and what skills do they lack? What skills can the different members help each other obtain? Working out differences within the group before a real crisis is also important; a real crisis will be extremely hard both physically and emotionally for a group evacuating an area. Latent conflict within the group may then become a big problem. Learning how to deal with conflict within a group is something that should be dealt with before an emergency. It’s hard to know how people will react under extreme pressure, but hiking, camping and hunting trips before a real emergency will provide some opportunities to deal with these issues before.

Bug Out Vehicles (BOV)
Vehicles can make it possible to travel over distances that would take weeks to travel in a matter of hours if the conditions are excellent. A vehicle intended to be used when bugging out is often referred to as a Bug Out Vehicle or BOV. Vehicles also allow heavier equipment to be brought along. However, during an large scale evacuation from a city or urban area roads can turn into to traffic jams that can stretch for miles where the traffic bacilli comes to stand still. This problem may be reduced in some cases by taking roads that normally aren’t trafficked but is still not a guarantee. In addition to cars and trucks other alternatives can be used depending on terrain like boats, mountain bikes, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles or even air planes depending on your situation and budget.

Stashing
One tactic that is often discusses is the option to stash heavy equipment along possible Bug Out routes or at alternative locations like the homes of family members or friends. Some equipment can be outstanding for wilderness life and survival, however these items are often too heavy or bulky too be carried over long distances witch make caching them a possible alternative solution. There are of course risks involved in stashing equipment, it can be stolen or destroyed by weather just to name a few. If you have to evacuate by another route than the intended one you will be unable to take advantage of the equipment. If you are planning on using this tactic you must consider the pros and cons of different locations and methods.

Example of items that can be considered
[ ] Dutch Ovens
[ ] Murrikka
[ ] Larger Tents with Woodstoves
[ ] Large Tarps
[ ] Heavy Duty Wool Blankets
[ ] Large Water Containers
[ ] Tools like Axes, Shovels, Hammers, Rope, Pick axe etc
[ ] Fire wood and fuel for vehicles and stoves

Equipment vs Skill and Experience
Equipment can help individuals cope with different kinds of crisis and survival situations by providing tools that makes it easier to find solutions for different kinds of problems. Clothing and shelter provides protection from the elements; compass, map and GPS can makes navigation in un-known territories much easier; a headlamp, chemical lightstick or flashlight can provide light during nights, knives and tools like axes makes it possible to handle a number of different tasks that almost impossible to do my hand; fire steel, matches and lighter makes it much easier to start a fire and so on. However, no matter how much gear you carry your physical and mental endurance, skills, knowing your local area, the will to survive, knowledge and most of all the persons next you will most likely be the crucial factors that determine if you survive or not.

So is this the Ultimate Guide?
In this post you have gotten some suggestions for you can put together a setup for a Group during an evacuation or for a regular hike or camping trip. This Guide is intended to provide some basic ideas and Suggestion for possible setups. However – This is not a Guide that is perfect for every climate and setting.

Every situation, climate and setting is unique and requires specific skills and equipment to be dealt with. There is no One Size fits all when it comes to Bug Out Bags. There is a huge difference if you are putting together a kit for a desert climate, jungle, winter, arctic, wilderness or urban setting. In most regions there are people how spend time outside as wilderness guides, military, hunter, hikers and many more. Find a local expert and take advice from the people how know your local situation best – the people how live and spend time there.

Also see
Bug Out Bag and Checklist
Bug Out Bag - Example of Setups
Light Weight Bug Out Bag
Get Home Bag (GHB)