Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life - Neil Strauss (2009)
THE BUG-OUT BAG
One of my favorite bug-out bags I saw while writing this book belonged Jason Hadley, from the Survivalist Boards. Below are the contents of his bag, divided according to the items in each of the bag’s zipper pockets, detachable pockets, straps, and belts. In addition to his supplies, which contain a mix of necessities and relative luxuries, I added and modified a few items. Make sure you keep a record of expiration dates for food, medicine, and other supplies so you can rotate in replacements when needed.
THE BAG
I use a customizable army A.L.I.C.E. Pack, as does Hadley. However, one Emergency reader suggests, "If you really want to go incognito, get a hiking BOB in a non-military color; sew on a Greenpeace, PETA, or Canadian flag patch or two; and you are now transformed from a wolf to a sheep."
Food Bag
Mess Kit
3 self-packed bricks of food, each with two MREs, and assorted jerky and candy bars
Foil-packed tuna and spam
Protein and energy bars
Ziploc bag with various drink mixes and flavoring: juice, punch, Vitamin C, and coffee—plus onion soup mixes to spice up gamey wild-caught animals
Leftover space is filed with assortment of cold brew ice tea bags, sugar packets, Splenda, fast food condiments (ketchup, mustard, honey, taco sauce, salt, pepper, hot sauce), bouillon cubes (chicken and vegetable), and about five feet of aluminum foil folded into a square
Hygiene bag
Feminine bag with lipstick, nail care kit, lotion, pumice stone (survival essentials for Jason’s girlfriend)
60 multi-vitamins
100 tablets of Vitamin C
Insect repellant
Sunblock
Campsuds
Gold Bond Body Powder
Anti-bacterial wipes
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Bar of soap
Hand sanitizer
Q-tips
Deodorant
Disposable razors
Compressed beach towel
Compressed hand towel
Camping utensil set
3 pairs of socks
3 pairs of underwear
1 pair of wool socks
1 set of thermal long underwear
Tool bag
Folding saw
Multi-head screwdriver
Pliers
Electrical tape
Nails
Needle-nosed pliers
Crescent wrench
Multi-tool
US Army Manual FM 21-75: Combat Skills of the Soldier
Combination field shovel and pick
Combination hammer, hatchet, and pry bar
Utility pouch
Sewing kit
Vegetable seeds
Emergency whistle
Waterproof matches
Fire paste
50-foot paracord
Cable ties
AA and AAA batteries
Magnesium block firestarter
Snare wire (also for use as trip wire)
Leftover space filled with jute twine
Top storage pocket
Two-man tent strapped to top
Emergency bivvy bag
U.S. Army Manual FM-21-76: Survival
Books: A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants, A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants, Ditch Medicine, and pages from The Encyclopedia of Country Living
Signal mirror
Signal flares
Compass
Whet stone
Maps
Barter pocket (for purchasing and trading items)
Coffee
80 Tampons (OB for increased carry)
Lighters
Rolling tobacco
Toilet paper
2 bottles water purification tablets
Anti-diarrhea tablets
Gold and silver coins
$200 in small bills
Miscellaneous pocket I
Trash bags
Candles
Deck of cards
Ziploc bags
Space blanket
Hat
Bandana
Flashlight and radio (solar- and crank-powered)
Small LED flashlight
Miscellaneous pocket II
2 rain ponchos
Toilet paper
250 ml Clorox bleach (purifies 40-60 gallons)
Coffee filters (for water filtration)
6 Power Bars
Notepad
Pens
Intruder detection kit
Copies of passport, drivers license, and other personal documents
Shoulder Strap Pouches
Gun cleaning kit
Survival knife
Binoculars
12 gauge shotgun shell holder and extra rounds
Ham radio
Emergency first-response belt
Dust masks
Eye goggles
Marking chalk
Gas shut-off tool
Head lamp
2 canteens, each with water purification tablet bottle
First aid kit (Band-Aids, gauze pads, antiseptic, field surgical kit, latex gloves, tweezers, waterproof tape, sting and bite kit, dental tools, analgesics, antihistamines, peroxide, syringes, antibiotics, trauma pads, medical scissors, tourniquet, Quikclot, etc.)
Army Field Manual FM 4-52: First Aid
Work gloves
Leftover space filled with protein bars
THE MINI-BOB
One day, while I was writing this book, Kevin Reeve of onPoint Tactical came over to inspect my survival supplies. After a trip to Costco, we had filled my garage with a stockpile that could last a year.
That was when he showed me something incredible, which put the mini-grocery-store-and-pharmacy we’d created to shame: A nearly lifetime supply of basic survival tools crammed economically into a pouch the size of a fanny pack. In case you can’t get back to your home, travel with this.
This is my version of his bag:
And here’s an interior view:
The contents are:
1. Silva compass
2. Aviation Survival Spark-Lite firestarter
3. Light My Fire Swedish firesteel
4. Waterproof matches
5. Cotton balls rubbed in Vaseline, kept in a film canister (to use as tinder)
6. Pure Easy Camper’s Micro-Ceramic Water Filter
7. Polar Pure water disinfectant
8. Rehydration salts
9. Condom (for carrying water, really)
10. Best Glide Basic Survival Fishing Kit
11. Vargo Titanium Triad miniature stove
12. Cable snare
13. Dental floss
14. Small suturing scissors
15. Sewing needles
16. Compact emergency space blanket
17. Sunblock
18. Insect repellant
19. Iodine, alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment, and Band-Aids
20. NoDoz and Immodium caplets
21. Leatherman Flashlight, Serac S2
22. Leatherman Multi-Tool, Juice Xe6
23. Smith’s “Pocket Pal” Knife Sharpener
24. 6” file
25. Tweezers
26. Lock pick set
27. Safety pins
28. StarFlash Ultra signal mirror
29. Emergency whistle
30. Paracord
31. Rubber tubing with a brass spout (to use as a siphon)
32. Zippo lighter
33. Cable Saw
34. ESEE-3 knife (clipped on belt)