Continuing with my Bug out Bag series;

Shallow cuts and scratches are the most common injuries faced when hiking, getting a small scratch at home or on a day hike is no biggie but when you are escaping a hostile environment I would imagine that hygiene is not high on your list of things to worry about, thus the risk of infection can become a big problem.

To combat this you want to clean your wound with a strong disinfectant- the choices on the market are huge but I just use 90% proof alcohol which not only will kill all water and airborne bacteria but can be handy as an emergency firestarter.

With regards to bandages I have both band aid type waterproof bandage in a roll and butterfly clips.

Those two types of bandages + disinfectant, paracord and superglue will allow you to deal with 70% of common injuries as long as you think outside of the box which brings me to the last dual use first aid item which is the sewing kit which you can use to mend clothing but more importantly to also close a wound.

Should you have a wound that is deep enough that you require sutures then simply boil your needle to kill any bacteria, clean the wound with the alcohol and stitch it up , liberally apply more disinfectant then cover the sutures with a band aid and add duct tape over that.

Strong, safe and it does not require much gear to have with you (and risk losing).

Done.

The big problem people will have is that I have not included one of those mini first aid kits in my BoB template, the reason why is quite simple- I often hike with far less than I have listed and I cannot see a situation where I will need all the crap companies add to justify the price.

The other reason and in my opinion the more important one is that I dont want to rely on specialized equipment- if you need a specific tool to do a specific job and that tool gets misplaced or broken…what do you do? I dont want random chance to negatively screw up my plans. By taking control of my gear I lessen the chance of my survival being dependent on my equipment.

This philosophy is the one that really seems to annoy people and I am ok with that, you want a fully loaded med kit in your BoB as opposed to in your BOL(Bug out location) or BOV (bug out vehicle) which is where it really should be? Go for it.

Next up with be mess tins/cans and high energy bars.

First aid guide for you to glance over, bare in mind that it is from the Marine corps and thus the emphasis is on battlefield first aid.

MCRP 3-02G First Aid.pdf

Compass

Very few tools in the history of man have been depended upon as much as the compass, the compass does one function and does it extremely well- it points north through aligning its pointer (a needle of sorts) with the earth magnetic fields.

While other methods and tools do exist to help you navigate none have endured the test of time quite like the compass.

In a survival situation you will want to be able to quickly and reliably find your position and the direction you decide to head towards and a compass will help you achieve that.

Modern compasses come in all shapes and sizes with different methods of finding north, while an electric compass or a gyrocompass may seems easier to use the problem lies with what those tools depend on- Electricity.

In a survival situation you should expect your equipment to have problems or break and as such depending on tools that have a simple base design and very few needs/moving parts can only insure that your tools will work when you most need them to.

You should pick a magnetized needle/dial compass which is suspended inside a liquid, most of the time the liquid in question is kerosene, alcohol or some sort of oil. The compass you choose should be set in a sturdy case and you should know its reliability prior to putting it in your bug out bag.

They come in all price ranges and specifications, pick one according to your budget- I have had nothing but good experiences with the silva line of compasses.

Water purification tablets

I stated before that water was one of the most important resources in a survival situation however the quality of the water you will find is often questionable at best. While the general rule of thumb is “if the water source is running then its safe” you can never be too sure. Having a way to quickly make water safe and potable cannot be emphasized enough.

If you have time then you can simply boil water to kill any harmful bacteria, however if you are in a situation were it is not wise or impossible to boil water then water purification tablets are the best alternative.

To purify water you can use bleach with the following guidelines; 14 drops per gallon, the health aspects of using chlorine bleach to purify water have been debated many times and the general consensus is that its safe as long as you take proper precautions (right amount).

Commercial survival kits often come with soluble water purification tablets that you just drop in your water bottle and wait for it to dissolve. I find the tablets extremely useful for short term survival or to put in a bug out bag simply because they do not require a fragile container to be stored.

Again with water purification tablets choice is not lacking just make sure that the ones you pick are iodine based due to its effectiveness against water based pathogens and Giardia.

Thick garbage bags

Thick garbage bags are incredibly useful in a survival situation, they can shield you from the elements, keep you warm by filling them with leaves and using it as a make shift insulation blanket/mattress but more importantly they are cheap, available and extremely versatile.

Much like para cord the use you will get out of garbage bags will much depend on your imagination, break down the core functions and materials of a garbage bag and think about how you can use it. You can use one as a bivvy, to carry water, as a blanket, as tarp/waterproof material for a roof when you build a shelter by splitting the bag accross the seam and turning it into a large water tight sheet. Hamocks and emergency stretchers are easily created with them too.

The fact that they are lightweight, easily modified and expendable means you really shouldn’t neglect to pack one in your bug out bag, try to pick one that is designed for heavy duty use like gardening.

[I am having some problems with some of the functions of wordpress due to me meddling with widgets and code, the site works fine however some of the features including comments are temperamental, will try and get it sorted out soon.]

Whistle

Being able to contact for help is paramount in a survival situation, a whistle could save you faster than an extra knife- of course planning with the frame of mind that you are alone and you will need to get out of this situation by yourself is good simply because you will not be reliant on anyone/anything else.

However; put the odds on your side and pack a whistle in your Bug out Bag, it doesn’t weigh much and it very well could save your life.

To get attention blow loudly ( ) and once you have their attention send a distress signal (Three blasts).

The general rule of thumb for survival whistles is simply how sturdy and loud it is, I have the basic NATO one which works great however choice is not lacking, some whistles come with other features such as built in compass or light. Go with your budget and what suits your needs.

Lifesystems mountain survival and jetscream whistles are pretty popular and can be found on amazon & ebay-look around.

Snare wire

Hunting is not something which you can do just because you have a bow, fashioning a bow is one thing-being proficient with it is another thing all together.

In a survival situation you will get most sustenance from scavenging and traps. The easiest of all traps are ones constructed using snare wire, I will eventually write a post on snares and traps however this is about what to include in your BoB and why you should.

24 gauge snare wire will fit most of your needs and can be easily bought in most outdoor stores and the internet, 50 feet of snare wire is recommended as a minimum and 100 feet is ideal. In a survival situation you will want to set as many snares as possible to maximize your chances of catching something.

Fishing kit

Fishing kits are amazingly enough used to fish, fish and marine wildlife can be found in most parts of the world and fishing requires less training than hunting to sufficiently rely on for sustenance.

Fishing kits can be bought pre-prepackaged or assembled yourself, regardless of the direction you take it should contain the following items;

• Fishing line; between 3-10lb of breaking strain.
• Hooks between size 12 and 18.
• Small and medium float.
• Mixture of split shot

Dont bother with bait, just use what is around the lake/river/pond. Insects are never hard to find if you know where to look for them.

Look around on the internet for those items and/or your local fishing store.

Fire steel

The ability to create fire is so important that I cannot emphasize it enough, fire creates heat, light, signaling, safety and can be used to purify water (by boiling it) and it can also provide a much needed moral boost in a stressful situation, being able to create fire will place you in control of your environment (or at least make you think you are) and as such provide a jolt of moral and confidence with regards to the days to come.

Mental survival is just as important as the physical aspects, without the will to survive the chances of survival lessen.

The bic you have in your bag (see my previous post) works great to start a fire, it is easier than using fire steel and its unlikely that it wont work. However this blog is not about what may or may not happen- its about survival taken to the basics.

Fire steel is also known as “artificial flint” and can be used to create fire under most conditions with practice, they are made by various companies but the most famous is the swedish “Light my fire” fire steel, its absolutely brilliant and can be bought in various sizes (and colors) for a reasonable price (10$). Look on ebay for them!

Light my fire

Ebay

Having fire steel on hand means you will always have a source of fire, I take this survival doctrine so seriously that I superglued a fire steel to the back of my favorite’s knife (a mora 740) sheath.

I use the spine of the knife to strike the fire steel, so far it has yet to fail me.

Signaling mirrors

Using a mirror to signal for help has been used for many years as a way to reflect the suns ray to gain the attention of planes, helicopters and search parties. They are light, don’t have moving parts and take up virtually no space.

Should you ever be stranded somewhere it is likely that people will be looking for you and in such a case building a fire and using a signaling mirror may save your life.

Doug Ritter has written a brilliant guide on how to use them and as such I won’t even try to compete with his well written instructions-

Find Doug here.

Find the article regarding signaling here.

And while you are at it; check out the rest of his website- its full of great information from a known survival expert.

Duct tape

Strong, resilient, versatile and cheap- all the ingredients for a useful survival resource.

Like para cord duct tape can be used for uses other than originally intended and like para cord all it requires is some creativity.

• The sole of your boots are falling off?- fix them.
• Your clothing has a tear?- close it.
• It’s an emergency, no medical facility around and you have a major wound, close it until you can find assistance.
• ruck sack falling apart? fix it.
• no cord and you need to tie 2sticks together to create a frame for your shelter?
• etc.

Duct tape is beyond useful, it can be used to attract attention by burning it (thick smoke) and do a quick fix on just about anything- no reason to leave it out of your BoB.

No much can be written about duct tape because you know what it is, how you will use it will be based on your creativity and situation at the time.

Can be bought anywhere.

Super glue

Super glue, krazy glue and other names for this adhesive is super useful, most will think of using it for fixing things but in my experience it doesn’t work on stuff that will be flexed (shoes) or strained in anyway. The true power in super glue is that it bonds skin together extremely well.

The most common injury when out in the field are small cuts and scratches, super glue is great for closing them up; all you need to do is clean the wound (with sterile water/disinfectant or if you have to saliva) then apply some super glue.

You will feel a slight burning sensation but your cut or wound will be closed in a waterproof bond of hardened plastic.

Unlike bandages a small tube of super glue will be able to heal more cuts in size/weight ratio, it will not fall off and will not let any harmful bacterias enter the cut.

So with that said, is it dangerous?

Googling provides a mixed opinion regarding using super glue from a medical perspective however I have been using it to close small cuts for about 3years and have yet to have any problems. Its up to you.

Paracord

Possibly the most useful stuff you can come across, amazingly strong nylon based material that will support roughly 550lb (250kg) of strain, hence the term 550 paracord.

The beauty of paracord besides its strength is how versatile it truly is- Paracord is threaded cord (generally 32 strands) which means that if you need some thinner cord to say…sew up your leg after being bitten by a zombie or make a fishing line then you can just split some thinner strands of cord with relative ease.

Para cord is used to build shelters (A frame for example- look at the downloads section for a manual), quick fix equipment by tying it up before it falls apart (think ruck sack) and thousands of other uses. Its used commonly as a handle wrap for edged instruments but that is only one example of the many tasks it can accomplish if you use your grey matter and some creativity.

The fact of the matter is; Paracord is strong, light, cheap(’ish) and will last forever so you have no reason to not have it in your BoB, one day you will be thankful to have remembered to pack it in.

You can buy it over eBay (look for 550 cord) and most army surplus/ tool stores.

Also Check out these examples for inspiration:

http://www.m4040.com/Knifemaking/cordwrap.htm

http://www.slatts.fsworld.co.uk/slatts-knot.htm

http://www.freewebs.com/nrgmechanics/550paracordsling.htm

http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/771863/post/974596/hl/tutorial/#974596

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=6

http://stormdraneslanyard.blogspot.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkRlGEaTjAk

http://www.survivaliq.com/survival/food-procurement_s2.htm

http://www.survivaliq.com/survival/food-procurement_s4.htm

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bjMmla9DSzo&feature=related

Lighting

Being able to see in dodgy lighting conditions could be the difference between life and death (ForcedeFrappe.com- selling fear to the masses since 2002 ), having a torch with you is important.

So lets talk options; high end torch manufactures use 123A lithium batteries, they are small, powerfull and have a long shelf life.

All this sounds awesome however they are expensive and in a prolonged crisis will be hard to find so I suggest having 1 top end torch for tactical reasons (emergency/ first 3 days of crisis where compromise is not an option) and another torch using a more common power source (AA cell batteries). A wind up torch could be useful for a seriously longterm crisis, something to think about.

The strength of the beam (how bright it is) is calculated in lumens and the higher you go the brighter it will be-however the quicker the battery will run out too so as with everything you need to pick the right balance. I would suggest a torch with variable levels of light output like the Fenix T1 or TK10 . Fenix lights are reliable, sturdy and powerful and you really can’t go wrong with them.

Other brands include Surefire , NiteCore Tactical, ZebraLight, Olights and Muyshondt Flashlights.

Prices vary and so do the features so look around at what is available to you and decide what you are prepared to spend relative to the features offered. In my experience Fenix offer great torches at a reasonable price but what you go with is up to you.

Communication devices

In a crisis you will want to be updated on the situation as it happens so bringing a portable radio is a great idea- Cell phones will be unlikely to work based on passed events (Katrina for example) so having alternate modes of keeping in touch with the rest of the world is a great idea. Local and national radio stations will broadcast all relevant information from the most affected areas (don’t go there!) to current safe zones which can make such a tool indispensable in your survival arsenal.

Knowledge truly is power.

I have a cell phone with 5 spare batteries + a car charger and a wind up radio. I really can’t advise you on what to get since my knowledge of comms is negligible at best. I know enough to survive but beyond that I wont be holding communication classes anytime soon!

Look for power source, how rugged it is (waterproof radio could be a good idea- look at the ones designed for use in showers) and the general cost.

http://www.buyasurvivalkit.com/category/8502366041/1/Radios-Weather-Alerts.htm

Looks like an interesting website- specially the Black & Decker “Storm station” Flashlight, radio and power inverter! Looks ideal however I do not own one but if I get it I will write up a review.

Right, so you have your bag now so lets start filling it!

Water.

Not only is water delicious you also need it to survive, while you may be under the (misguided) impression that you can be happy with 1ltr of water a day you would be sadly mistaken, while you may be “ok” with 1ltr a day after having done no excersise in reality (bugging out) you would be out for the count after your adrenalin runs out. You will be trying to remember if you have everything and running as fast as you can to get out of dodge, this means that you will use insane amounts of energy and as such will need to consume far more water than normal to remain fit and alert.

So lets talk options; in my previous post I discussed having a hydration bladder which is essentially a water bottle built into your bag, Very useful invention. But you want to bring along the more tradionational type of water containers simply because they tend to be far more rugged and as such will not tear. They are easier to fill up and you can give them to a friend should he not have thought about potential end of the world scenerios like you (How silly, everyone knows zombies are just waiting to take over the world).

Water bottles come in various shapes and sizes and more importantly price ranges so I will just focus on the more popular models:

• Nalgene bottles; cheap, sexy and expendable. plus they come in various sizes and flavors (read: colors).
• Military water bottles; cheap, tough and kinda sexy- you can buy them everywhere and they will treat you well, an added benefit is that they can come with a pouch with molle straps so attaching it on the outside of your rucksack is a cinch.
• Thermos; not as funky as the choices above me but when your stuck in the wild with angry squirrels wanting to devour you…you will be glad to have something comforting like hot irish coffee (or whatever tickles your fancy).

You may also want to have a big evian (or coke) bottle full of delicious water in your rucksack in case you don’t find any water along your route (always prepare for the worst so when the worst happens you can punch it in the face).

I personally have two Thermos aluminum bottles and one military bottle, however not everyone can pull off such a daring look, at then end of the day choose what is right for you.

Bic lighters

Bic lighters amongst offering fire making abilities happens to be the universal symbol for awesome, intelligent and sexy individual.

Everyone knows what they look like so I will spare you 500+ words on the magical properties of the blaze orange version (although red/pink/blaze orange is a good color simply because if you drop your Bic it will be easy to find. Something to think about).

And finally, the Multi-tool.

Swiss army knives are made by two companies, Victorinox and Wenger. Which you will choose is up to you- both are unrivaled for the price (Save perhaps Opinel & Mora) and will serve you faithfully for various task such as preparing food, opening beer bottles and sharpening a stick to fend of would be invaders. I personally carry a Wenger Ranger purely because I am a rebel and dig rooting for the underdog.

I don’t personally own a Leathermans however I will just say this-

Leatherman tools are supposedly fucking ace and are off the hook reliable with a long history of producing quality products.

A popular choice is the Leatherman wave.

Thats all for today but this week (I promise) I will work towards getting at least halfway through the list.

Gear, gadgets & sharp things are great but you need somewhere to put them all in and so the first step to building a bug out bag (BoB) is getting a bag!

Bags/Berghens/Rucksacks/A.L.I.C.E Packs/Field packs ect. come in different shapes and sizes, it will come down to you to pick one that will suit your needs, environment and budget.

I will list some bags that are popular as well as known brand at the bottom of this post but first I will just list options that you might want to take into consideration when choosing your bug out bag.

1. Capacity is measured in liters, 35 is really the minimum you want to go with 50+ being ideal.
2. Your bag having a physical frame will make it more comfortable to carry at the expense of cost (they are more expensive).
3. Hydration bladder (a built in water bottle basically, with a tube sticking out so you can drink as you march! )Very useful.
4. How many compartments? Having a separate section for food/Medical supplies/Comms device is useful when you need certain items quickly.
5. M.O.L.L.E straps allow you to add more pouches to your bag as well as tools such as torches and knives.
6. Military surplus bag or civilian hiking bags? your appearance and how people will view you can be an important choice when picking your bag, military surplus bags tend to be seen as more “aggressive” while civilian bags won’t depending on your location this can be a pro or a con.
7. What sort of terrain will you be facing? pick your bag based on your environment (Waterproofing, toughness ect.)

Now that you have a better idea of what you need I would advice you to go to a store a try on a multitude of bags, the fit, finish, features and design. After you have tried and know what you want then hit the web to find the best price.

Pick your bag based on what you need from it. There is no right or wrong.

Popular bags:

French army bergen/A.L.I.C.E Pack (Military surplus bags, buy them on ebay)
Berghaus

Karrimor

Highlander Rucksacks

Lowe Alpine

Kifaru

North Face

(I know short post people but work is keeping me busy this week- next post will be better I promise!)