survival bag

[YugoRPK]

Last year I got stranded in the middle of a river on a sand bar in my boat with my two sons. The cops showed up 12 hours later but we were frozen and hungry by the time they showed up. It was a fluke warm February day and while it was 65 degrees or so when we left it got damned cold once the sun went down and we had no food , blankets, warm clothing etc. It sucked and I want to put a bag together with a few things that will keep us going for a night or two if needed that I can carry around when needed. Ive picked up a few items and Ive got a good backpack to put it all in. I hesitate to call it a bug out bag as its more like a on the water or in the car survival bag but I suppose a lot of the same rules apply.

Heres what I have so far.

A dozen snickers bars
6 Mountain house freeze dried meals. My company is one of their suppliers and I get cases of the stuff. Better than MRE's
4 space blankets
a small pan for boiling water
a butane camp stove
2 cans of butane
a pair of socks
pants
a shirt
a blanket
some fishing gear
a few water bottles
100 foot of rope and some caribiners and webbing
a .22 pistol
a knife
a good flashlight and spare batteries
A charged GPS and a old charged cell phone for 911 use
waterproof matches and a lighter


What would you put in your bag that I don't have in there already.

[snapshot]

Just a few simple items...

1. (3) Bic Lighters (can never have enough)
2. US Navy Storm All Weather Whistle
3. 2x3 Signal Mirror
4. Suunto A-10 Compass
5. US Navy MK79 Pen Flare Kit (don't forget to secure it w/550)
6. Mustang Survival 35 Manual Inflatable PFD (bright red) - eBay
7. ALOKSAK bag for the old cell phone.
8. Hot Hands (lots)

#6 beats walking around in a cumbersome PFD. Not as buoyant, but you can always have it on and be more mobile. It also leaves room for more gear. I wear mine with a non-flotation fly vest because I barely know its there. Also easier to CCW in the backcountry, access wise and reflective.

* lots of snare wire, 550, & duct tape.

[SER]

First aid, sun screen, good quality fixed blade knife. Other than that it goes by your planed activity and environment.

[GoJohnnyGo]

Sunscreen is good advice. If you get stuck somewhere without easy shade it will make it much more bearable. Also, I have to wonder how well the snickers are going to hold up if they go through the melt and reconsolidate cycle a few times before you end up eating them.

[bakerjw]

Powerbars are much better than Snickers.

[snapshot]

Powerbars are much better than Snickers.

I was going to say Cliff Bars because they don't melt into the wrapper like Powerbars or candy, but didn't want to be a snob.

[Libertarian_Geek]

One thing that's often overlooked. In potentially cool or cold weather (especially if it's wet), cotton is not your friend. Your spare layers should be synthetic fleece and poly-pro (with backup clothes) and an outer layer to shed water.

[jreinke]

Superglue gel to seal minor cuts to prevent infection. The s--t works!

[snapshot]

Superglue gel to seal minor cuts to prevent infection. The s--t works!

I'm going to have to show this to my wife. She thinks I'm crazy,but I swear by it.

[doubloon]

Superglue gel to seal minor cuts to prevent infection. The s--t works!

I'm going to have to show this to my wife. She thinks I'm crazy,but I swear by it.

I've used it a few times myself. Some say you have to get the super sanitary medical blend but the stuff at the grocery hasn't hurt me yet.

[snapshot]

Superglue gel to seal minor cuts to prevent infection. The s--t works!

I'm going to have to show this to my wife. She thinks I'm crazy,but I swear by it.

I've used it a few times myself. Some say you have to get the super sanitary medical blend but the stuff at the grocery hasn't hurt me yet.

Eh, it's good for the immune system.

[SER]

I have to wonder how well the snickers are going to hold up if they go through the melt and reconsolidate cycle a few times before you end up eating them.

This brought back memories.

[YugoRPK]

I have to wonder how well the snickers are going to hold up if they go through the melt and reconsolidate cycle a few times before you end up eating them.

This brought back memories.

I have a pretty good idea they'd get recycled once a year at least if not more often. I have a hard time choking down cliff bars.

[Baffled]

IIRC, super glue was invented as a medical/surgical material from the beginning, and made its way into everyday life after the scientists found out how well it worked.

ANY bag should consider the standard needs for survival first, then comfort.

1) hydration - bottles of water can go bad, so don't be refilling old coke bottles out of the tap. Purification systems are great.
2) protection from the elements - works both ways, hot and cold, although cold is generally more lethal
3) Fire
4) signalling

Then transition to the comfort items. Food is good, but you can go days and days without it unless doing some extreme exertion.

[YugoRPK]

Water I'm not terribly concerned about. After all this is something that is going to be carried while boating or up in the mountains where there is always some form of water around. Protection from the cold and supplies to hunker down for a few days and wait for rescue or hike out is my goal. Water can easily be sterilized. Ive got 20 ways to start a fire. Heat isnt much of an issue. It gets hot here but in the summer people are out and about. You can go days without seeing anyone even on popular rivers in the winter especially a few miles up river where sane people don't go when its cold.

[dtom29]

Seems you're around water a lot. I would reconsider the backpack or at least put your items in a sea bag(by that I mean one of the sealable water proof bags) most come with backpack straps or use one as a liner for your backpack.

[YugoRPK]

Seems you're around water a lot. I would reconsider the backpack or at least put your items in a sea bag(by that I mean one of the sealable water proof bags) most come with backpack straps or use one as a liner for your backpack.

I's a good somewhat waterproof bag I picked up a few years ago when a local sporting goods store went bankrupt and I got it their clearance sale for about 1/6 of its normal retail. Great backpack with lots of storage room and pockets. I will be keeping it sealed up drum tight in one of those heavy duty construction bags when I carry it in the boat up under the bow with a rope tied to the bag and a bouy just in case. I know I'm planning for my last disaster but I go up in the woods a lot in the winter and the woods here are rugged, high altitude places where even seasoned backwoods guys sometimes get lost and die in snow drifts.

[nkbigdog]

Your gonna love this one I keep 6 tampons in my bag, Why you ask? Tampons come in a water proof package. Take one open it it is compacted fiber, Spread it into a cup shaped and light. Will supprise you as to how well it ignites and burns to start a fire..Oh and make sure they are new and not used!!!

[doubloon]

Never thought about it as a fire starting material. There's always someone at the range willing to tell you a tampon is a good field dressing for a wound but I'm sceptical and it's not something I want to test.

[Ramius]

Powerbars now come in gel packets so you don't have to worry as much about it melting.

TASTE them first, some of the flavers blow. Chocolate still tastes like dog food to me.

[YugoRPK]

Never thought about it as a fire starting material. There's always someone at the range willing to tell you a tampon is a good field dressing for a wound but I'm sceptical and it's not something I want to test.

Best fire starting material hands down are Fritos. 35% oil and they wick up like candles. Dump a half a handful under some wet twigs and one match will get it up and going quick. Taste better than tampons too.

[ROFuher]

Never thought about it as a fire starting material. There's always someone at the range willing to tell you a tampon is a good field dressing for a wound but I'm sceptical and it's not something I want to test.

Tampons and pads are designed to absorb blood. They are much cheaper than sterile drawings, and available at any service station, convenience store or grocery. Throw a selection from under the wife's vanity into a Ziploc with a small roll of duct tape, and you can handle most leakage issues in the short term.

Keep in mind we are talking first aid. The goal is to stop blood loss and get to medical assistance. Let the hospital handle infection and fancy needlework.

[Libertarian_Geek]

FYI.. don't use alkaline batteries for your electronic items. Cold weather kills them fast. (Found out while whitewater kayaking in the winter. Camera batteries went dead after my first roll.) Lithium is the way to go.

[Baffled]

Speaking of batteries, it would not be hard at all to buy or make a small 12V solar panel and have a portable battery trickle charger setup. You'd need some sort of module that adjusts the voltage for a given set of batteries.

This would be important for something like a Motorola radio set so as to keep in touch with family/allies.

If one had a sort of "base camp", a 12V battery from a car or ATV could be left on continuous trickle and then itself used to charge other batteries.