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.