Page 1 of 2

Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:10 pm
by ovenpaa
An Americanism maybe, but given the natural disasters in the far East and civil unrest in the Middle East have you got a bug out bag sorted our and ready to go, and if so what is in it?

If not what would you throw in a bag if you have 30 minutes to get out (Making it harder, you must have the gear in the house)

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:20 pm
by Christel
Just because it reminded me, they are now claiming it was the supermoon that caused the earthquake.

What on earth is a supermoon?

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:24 pm
by Dangermouse
I remember talking the talk one night shift and we came up with a list between us. Unfortunately, come the cold light of day, I have never actually put in place any of the ideas we put forward.

As I was previously in the fire/safety business my main thoughts were about making sure that we could get out of the house quickly but also with what we needed to start making claims if we had to and getting on with our lives,
So, Change of warm clothes,
Insurance details
Bank details,
Passports,
Birth Certs,
Torch,
Phone contact list,

Not much to start the list off,

DM

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:48 pm
by ovenpaa
Dangermouse wrote:I remember talking the talk one night shift and we came up with a list between us. Unfortunately, come the cold light of day, I have never actually put in place any of the ideas we put forward.

As I was previously in the fire/safety business my main thoughts were about making sure that we could get out of the house quickly but also with what we needed to start making claims if we had to and getting on with our lives,
So, Change of warm clothes,
Insurance details
Bank details,
Passports,
Birth Certs,
Torch,
Phone contact list,

Not much to start the list off,

DM
A totally different and probably more logical list that mine. I was thinking more of:

Waterproofs
Boots and socks
Warm hat
Gloves
layers of clothing
Two torches
MSR petrol cooker and fuel cans (Run on just about anything that burns)
Light weight down sleeping bag (A goretex cover would be nice but I don’t have one)
Tarp
Petzl head torch
MRE's - whatever is in the house
Puritabs plus bottled water
Whistle that works when wet
Mirror
Assortment of meds and first aid kit
Small axe
Knife
Waterproof matches
Zippo and fuel and flints
Fire lighter
Paracord
10m of climbing rope plus a few karabiners

Passport
Money in cash form (For what it would be worth)
Driving licence
FAC
Portable radio
Mobile until it packed up

P14 plus 100 rounds of .303
Rangefinder/Binos
christel wrote:Just because it reminded me, they are now claiming it was the supermoon that caused the earthquake.

What on earth is a supermoon?
Hoi get your own thread, anyone would think it was your forum!!

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:51 pm
by ovenpaa
Add some DEET to the list - lots of it :evil:
Plus my Garmin GPS12 and a compass with local maps and maps of where I would go.

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:52 pm
by Christel
Duh,

Just because you do not know what a supermoon is.

:P

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:11 pm
by Dangermouse
Clearly your own bug out bag will contain items that you feel are essential, but if you are not carefully you end up needing a bug out 7.5 toner sitting on your drive!
We felt that if the bag was so large that day in day out, year in year out, it got in the way, you would not do it, so it was better to have a small bag which would have it's place but did not take up much room.

Perhaps you need different bags for different situations. I could easily have "the end of the world" bag in the attic without it getting in the way, but that would need an extra 5 Min's or so..

DM

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:28 pm
by Mike357
ovenpaa wrote:
Dangermouse wrote:I remember talking the talk one night shift and we came up with a list between us. Unfortunately, come the cold light of day, I have never actually put in place any of the ideas we put forward.

As I was previously in the fire/safety business my main thoughts were about making sure that we could get out of the house quickly but also with what we needed to start making claims if we had to and getting on with our lives,
So, Change of warm clothes,
Insurance details
Bank details,
Passports,
Birth Certs,
Torch,
Phone contact list,

Not much to start the list off,

DM
A totally different and probably more logical list that mine. I was thinking more of:

Waterproofs
Boots and socks
Warm hat
Gloves
layers of clothing
Two torches
MSR petrol cooker and fuel cans (Run on just about anything that burns)
Light weight down sleeping bag (A goretex cover would be nice but I don’t have one)
Tarp
Petzl head torch
MRE's - whatever is in the house
Puritabs plus bottled water
Whistle that works when wet
Mirror
Assortment of meds and first aid kit
Small axe
Knife
Waterproof matches
Zippo and fuel and flints
Fire lighter
Paracord
10m of climbing rope plus a few karabiners

Passport
Money in cash form (For what it would be worth)
Driving licence
FAC
Portable radio
Mobile until it packed up

P14 plus 100 rounds of .303
Rangefinder/Binos
christel wrote:Just because it reminded me, they are now claiming it was the supermoon that caused the earthquake.

What on earth is a supermoon?
Hoi get your own thread, anyone would think it was your forum!!

I defy you to find a bag big enough for all that. Bug out trailer more like :-)

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:30 pm
by ovenpaa
Good point.

It is down to environment and needs and I learnt from touring Europe on a 'bike that the best thing you can do is look at what you are taking, and then halve it. Christel and I got very good at travelling light on 1000km+ days.

I remember talking to a mate years ago who lived in Bedford and had kids the same age as mine, he had told his kids to always have taxi/phone money and never talk to strangers.

Mine living on the edge of the Peak National Park were taught to avoid hollows on the moors as they were frost pockets, which way was North by looking at the trees (In cities you can use Satellite dishes!) and how to spot and avoid old mine shafts.

Re: Bug out bag

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:47 am
by Chuck
Mrs T's homeland is earthquake prone.

We got two 5.11 bags with loadsa space and pockets.

One has our papers, cash, flashlights, phone, knives, axe, simple fishing kit (we are at the sea) basic "camping gear", collapsable water containers, foil emergency blankets and emergency sleep bags, orange vests, (these orange things for traffic use), paracord etc, ready meals, first aid kit, phrase book, blue flashing strobe light and glow sticks.. We carry this in the truck on long journeys as you can travel through some VERY remote areas... if you break down you could be waiting a while. There's no AA service in the middle of nowhere - or even in the middle of somewhere..

The other has clothes inc lightweight waterproofs and other personal effects in case of rabbits or fowl.