SELCO: The Myth of the Perfect EDC and Bug Out Bag

by | Jun 19, 2018 | Headline News | 53 comments

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    This report was originally published by Selco at The Organic Prepper

    In the survival-prepper world, it is very important what you carry with you and just as much so, how you carry it. But it is a giant myth that there is just one right way to do this. Despite what many people want to say, there is no perfect and universal everyday carry, perfect and universal bug out bag, car kit, or other gear.

    There might be some items or universal rules that every kit should have, but everything else is based on the specific situation.

    It is often misunderstood, You can see that actually when someone post his EDC for example on a social media post that you are gonna have probably many comments with specific suggestions what is right or wrong in that kit. But the problem is that lot of those suggestions (or objections) are based on the specific needs or scenarios of the commenter. The suggestions may not work for the person who has that EDC.

    As a general rule, we can say that you may take advice about some item in your kit, but you should always keep in mind that you are building kit based on YOUR settings and needs.

    Take, bug out bags, for example.

    No matter how much we write (or read) about bug out bags there are gonna be more endless discussion about it, reasons are simply because BOBs are about having cool things (that are cool to discuss) and also because by having a good BOB we are trying to cover many problems that are gonna emerge when SHTF.

    Over the time we set up our own BOB with tools and equipment that we hope are gonna work for us.

    In a real-life situation, there are chances that we’ll be forced to lose our BOB. Maybe we’ll be forced to swim across a river and that bag gonna be heavy for us, or we’ll be forced to run from someone, or we’ll be forced to give it to someone in exchange for safe passage, or whatever.

    Being without our cool things when SHTF does not sound good. But there are ways to have the most important things when you need them.

    Here are some general suggestions about how to carry your items. 

    Layers and Levels of Importance

    The way of organizing the stuff that you carry may be through layers and levels of importance.

    It works very simply, and it may be some general rule, but still keep in mind that it depends on your personal settings.

    For example, for you, it may make sense to keep your allergy medications all the time at the reach of your hand because you have a history of strong allergic reactions. But, for example, for me, it is not important because I do not have that history.

    Try to have your gear organized by layers and levels of importance.

    Another thing is how you carry all your stuff.

    Some things need to be available in a split second, your field dressing for example, or your allergy medication, extra ammo or food. You could find your self in a situation where you will not have time to dig through all stuff to reach something. Your life might depend on that time.

    Layers

    It is good suggestion to have three (or at least two) levels of equipment on you.

    In reality, it looks like this:

    • Layer One: This is the equipment that will stay with you even in very extreme situations. It is equipment that is directly “on your body”. It may be placed for example on paracord around your neck, or on your wrist.
    • Layer Two: This is the equipment that is on your belt, inside your pockets, small waist bag or similar.
    • Layer Three: This is the equipment that you carry actually inside your bug out bag.

    The point of these layers (you can actually have more or less of these layers, it is based on your settings) is to cover as many unplanned situations as possible that may happen to you. And that may include losing your pack for whatever reason.

    You may lose your BOB because you’ll be forced to run really fast, or because you’ll be awakened by shots in the middle of night at your temporary camping site on the way to your BOL, and you are in panic, but you’ll still have small waist bag on you, paracord on your wrist, stuff in your pockets and similar.

    You may lose the camping stove or the MREs in the BOB because you lost the bag, but you’ll still have power bars in pockets, lighter around your neck, etc. The examples are many.

    Try to think in terms of “the pillars of survival”: fire, shelter, water, food, signaling/communication, medical/hygiene, defense and organize equipment in each layer for each pillar.

    Levels of Importance

    Another point of organizing how to carry your equipment should be based on what is most important to have “immediately”.

    A very common mistake is to have all the equipment needed to overcome hard situation but organized in completely the wrong way.

    The reason for that is many preppers forget that when SHTF and you find yourself moving somewhere with your stuff, very often it could be the difference between life and death how fast and efficiently you can use that equipment.

    It is nothing spectacular. For example, if the S did hit the fan and you are out moving through a dangerous and violent situation, would you want your weapon in the reach of your hand on your belt or at the bottom of your bag?

    It is similar with other equipment.

    You have to understand what you need to have available immediately and what is not as urgent from all of your other equipment too.

    Another good example is the first aid kit.

    It is very common for preppers (and I also see this often with students at live courses) to have first aid kits that are either tucked away in the BOB or completely full of nonsense. Or both.

    Do you really want to find yourself in a situation when you are seriously bleeding and then you need to dig through your BOB to find your first aid kit, and then to dig through antibiotics, anti-diarrhea pills, plasters, and useless small scissors to find field dressings or a tourniquet?

    Sometimes seconds can make a difference.

    There are items that are important and there are items that are REALLY important.

    Things that are REALLY and immediately important need to be right on you and available in seconds.

    So, taking in consideration layers and levels of importance, for example (and this is an example only) your first aid kit might look like this:

    • First layer: a bandana on your head, neck or wrist ( tourniquet, splinting, bandage)
    • Second layer: sterile dressings, field dressings, povidone pads, alcohol pads, water tabs, allergy drugs, trauma shears… in your pockets or belt pouch, belt bag
    • Third layer: antibiotics, anti-diarrhea tabs, existing illnesses medicines, prolonged care meds…

    Now as I said this is only an example of specific items because it is absolutely about your personal settings and conditions.

    For example, if you are diabetic it makes sense to have medication closer to you. Or if you have enough space in the first or second layer you can move items from third layer there.

    Again it is about understanding what is important and what is really important and trying not to lose all your equipment when the situation gets really hard.

    You can use this analogy with every pillar of survival

    So, for example, when it comes to shelter, your first layer might be a survival blanket or trash bag in your pocket and your second (or third) might be a tent in your bag.

    Sometimes you could be forced to hide somewhere and crawl inside that trash bag quickly, eat a power bar from your pocket, and be very quiet.

    Other times, you could lose everything expect lighter on your neck, paracord around your wrist, and the knife on your belt. But still, those items can get you through a lot of situations until you reach a safe place.

    Remember: Necessity, Comfort, Mobility

    To refine this even more, you need to factor in these words: necessity, comfort and mobility.

    It is a formula that may work well for you or get you killed.

    There is no perfect and universal BOB.

    Even the bag alone can be wrong – it may look too much like a bug out bag and attract unnecessary attention. If you look like a walking store of tactical equipment, that is another problem. So, again, using common sense in how you look by having all those supplies in a bag and on you is really important.

    Comfort is a good thing. I like to feel comfort, too. But in the formula of carrying equipment, it may blur your decision of how much you carry with you. I like better the word “necessity” – to have things that are necessary for me to live.

    Mobility is very important and whenever you deciding what and how to carry, think in terms of how far and how fast you can get with stuff that you carry.

    There is no perfect everyday carry and bug out bag for everyone.

    All this and I didn’t tell you how to make the perfect every day carry kit and bug out bag. This is up to you. And again it should be based on your settings, your condition, region, distance.

    ***

    About the Author

    Selco survived the Balkan war of the 90s in a city under siege, without electricity, running water, or food distribution. In his online works, he gives an inside view of the reality of survival under the harshest conditions. He reviews what works and what doesn’t, tells you the hard lessons he learned, and shares how he prepares today. He never stopped learning about survival and preparedness since the war. Regardless what happens, chances are you will never experience extreme situations like Selco did. But you have the chance to learn from him and how he faced death for months. Real survival is not romantic or idealistic. It is brutal, hard and unfair. Let Selco take you into that world. Read more of Selco’s articles here: https://shtfschool.com/blog/ And take advantage of a deep and profound insight into his knowledge and advice by signing up for the outstanding and unrivaled online course. More details here: https://shtfschool.com/survival-boot-camp/

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    Please feel free to share any information from this article in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to The Organic Prepper and the following bio.

    Daisy Luther is the author of The Pantry Primer: A Prepper’s Guide To Whole Food on a Half Price Budget.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at [email protected]</e

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      53 Comments

      1. I have a full bug out bag. When I get into a situation I will evaluate what is needed at that time. That means something will be subtracted from the bag and maybe something added. since I will have it on my back it needs to be light enough to travel a good distance. Gun on the hip,knife in the pocket and first aid on top of bag. Water and high protein bars also. Live off the land after that. Money!

        • HOW COMES THEY DONT CARE ABOUT KEEPING WHITE FAMILIES TOGETHER IN DIVORCE COURTS?

          • Because they are WHITE.

            The goal is the extermination of the White Race.

            • Centurion: You are 100% Correct on that note buddy.

          • HOW COMES YOU CANT STAY ON TOPIC EISENREUTZ?? ADD- ATTENTION DEFICIT DISEASE?

            WHITE PEOPLE CAN GET DIVORCE IF THEY WANT TO, WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING NOW? FORCED LIFETIME MARRIAGES BECAUSE YOU ARE WHITE? WTF?

            THE ENTIRE US GOVERNMENT IS SET UP TO REWARD FAILURE. THE MORE WELFARE KIDDOS YOU GOT AND IF YOU CAN BE A SINGLE PARENT YOU GET PAID MORE IN MONTHLY WELFARE BENEFITS.

            ID SAY YOU GET MAX 2 CHILDREN BENEFITS FOR WELFARE, THEN YOU GET NO REWARD FOR ANY MORE KIDS. ALSO YOU CANNOT GET ANY WELFARE AS A SINGLE PARENT UNLESS YOU PROVE WHO THE FATHER IS THROUGH DNA TESTING, SO THE FATHER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR HIS OWN CHILDREN AND NOT US THE TAX PAYERS. TIME TO MAKE THE IRRESPONSIBLE USLESS EATERS BE ACCOUNTABLE. NO MORE REWARD FOR FAILURE BENEFITS.

            BUT THIS IS ALL BY DESIGN FOLKS, TO LOAD AMERICA DOWN IN A BIG WELFARE STATE, SO THE CONTROLLERS CAN MAKE US THEIR SLAVES. THEY COULD CREATE A WONDERFUL ECONOMY THAAT NEMEFITS ALL, IF THEY WANTED TO, BUT THEN IT WOULD INSTALL SELF EMPOWERMENT BY THE MIDDLE CLASS WITH MORE INCOME, AND THEY DON’T WANT THAT. THEY WANT YOU BROKE ASS POOR, BANKRUPT AND STRAPPED DOWN WITH DEBT CHAINS OF SLAVERY. OBAMMA-CARE PRICES WERE DESIGNED TO TAX AND DESTROY AMERICAS MIDDLE CLASS.

            I CAN ALSO TALK IN LARGE LETTERS TOO EISENKRAUGT.. HAHA.

            • BlowHard: You are a genuine Buffoon!! Do the world a monster favor and jump into a “tree-chipper” machine.

              • are you honestly saying TSB’s is wrong..? (hint- he’s not)

                ps- lots of us are tired of Acid Etch… er I mean Eisenkraut or whatever he’s going by these days. The constant shouting in caps, the inability to comment on topic, or hold a meaningful conversation, etc. We’ve just learned to ignore him

          • Eisen: Because “they” do NOT care about us Whites at all period. In fact, they want to destroy us White folks just because we are mostly successful and have a higher IQ generally and act like normal, worth-wild humans generally speaking and a host of other reasons. Us White folks are under constant attack 24/7/365, think about it boys…they are destroying our culture, our history, our religions, our statues, our damn history, our holidays, and all of us whites have got to be huge fans of the biggest ass-rape of them all: Affirmative Action, it is so beyond flipping ridiculous!!!! All under the perverse guise of “Multiculturalism” and other fancy devious names.

        • MOSQUITO POPULATIONS ARE SPIKING WILDLY IN THE ARCTIC, SUCH AS GREENLAND AND ALASKA, DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING

          “If Arctic temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius the probability of juvenile mosquitoes surviving to adulthood could increase 53 percent. Unlike tropical mosquitoes, Arctic species don’t carry human diseases.”

        • Your BOB or get home bag needs to include items that will help you accomplish the task that set you back. Like your vehicle got 4 flat tires and you need to set out on foot, so a set of hiking boots and extra sox. Walkie talkies to keep in touch if your party splits up to seek help. My gun, extra magazines, 2 bottles of water plus a life straw to filter more water. 1 MRE, power bars, My knife, multiple lighters, rain poncho, boonie hat, binoculars to see far a head of your travel path to identify threats a head of time. Dont load your vehicle down with too many valuables. They may be stolen before you make it back to retrieve your vehicle.

          Then we have the INCH Bag. Im never coming home again bag. How mych can you carry. I also like a dump pouch on my belt so I can accumulate fire tinder when on the move. When I need to start a fire I have the basic materials in my pouch ready to go.

          Having no plan is a plan for disaster.

          Imagine ladies, you are in high heels a dress then your vehicle breaks down. Got your hiking sneakers and sox and a pair of sweat pants and T-shirt so you can ditch the dress as you hike 10 miles with your 9mm and spare mags. 2 x Flashlights and a road flare. Whistle, signal mirror, and a set of paper county maps with all the back road travel route details like water sources. Think “What if?” Write a note to leave on your vehicle windshield your cell numbercand what direction you are heading. Or not if you dont wamt to be found then give mis-information to lose threats chasing you. The cunning have a better chance of survival. Keep a bicycle in your vehicle. I can ride a steady 12 to 16 mph if needed to on my Mt Bike.

          Are you in shape? Could you run a 100 yard dash like your life depended on it?

          • TharSheBlows:
            Good points on the importance of practical shoes and clothing.
            Furthermore, be sure that you choose very sturdy well made items of clothing and shoes. You may have to wear them for a long time. A cheap zipper that breaks becomes a real problem. Buy made in USA. The USA products cost more but will hold up better.
            Also, an excellent knife and titanium or stainless steal water bottle/thermos/water-pouch made in the USA.
            If you are holding up in a hotel, not roughing it, but not home either; your needs may include getting a job or applying for insurance reimbursement. You need an up-to-date resume, references, proof of residence (utility bill mailed to your address).

            Don’t forget to pack an address/phone book. If your cell phone does not work or something happens to it, you need a hard copy contact list and directions to important locations, maps.

            Also, buy a map of your town. Then on a single piece of paper draw a simple diagram of the
            main streets. Usually there are four or five main streets that run parallel to each other. If you are walking, or not, it is easy to become confused.

            _

            • Great points. One time I got caught in an ice storm coming home from work when I was doing the 50 mile commute. I didn’t fret as I had my day-pack with me. I located a hotel and was fine. With restaurants of any sort closing, I had no worries since I always had something tucked in my bag so I surely didn’t starve, and they served breakfast in the morning.

              No, it wasn’t a big SHTF situation but the point is I didn’t suffer in the least because I always had things (even a toothbrush) with me. My usual work dress was slacks and sneakers so no pain with clothing either. I even had some handwork with me so I could make use of the “extra” time I had while waiting for roads to clear the next morning.

              • Excellent. People tend to forget “shtf” isnt necessarily a comet hitting the earth or something dramatic and world-ending. Its the everyday crises you’re prepared for as well. Good show.

      2. ITS IMPORTANT TO BREATHE OUT WHEN YOU GET PUNCHED IN THE GUTS SO YOU DONT GET A HERNIA. MUHAMMAD ALI SUCCUMBED TO THIS KIND OF INJURY.

        TAKING THE MUD PEOPLE’S CHILDREN IS AN EXCELLENT DETERRENT TO WHITE GENOCIDE. KEEP IT UP.

        IN SWEDEN THE MOOSE LIMB KIDS THREATEN TO RAPE AND MURDER THEIR TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY ARE WHITE

        IN GREENLAND (WHICH IS 80% INUIT) THE INDIANS IN THE LEGISLATURE OPENLY PROPOSE TAKING THE RIGHTS OF WHITE PEOPLE AWAY

        STILL NO HELP FOR THE BOERS

        IN CHINA THEY PUT THE MOOSE LIMBS IN REEDUCATION CAMPS

        • In South Africa the wonderful brown people cut the eyelids off their victims , so they have to watch their family members being tortured. White people are 8% of the world population , we are the minority? Name one country ruled by the brown plage ,that isn’t a police state ,or a third world shit hole. We have been culling these rats forever. And we better not stop?

        • Eisen: The black savage apes are the utter RUINATION of decent, normal, civil society!!

      3. Bags within bags within bags.

        Look in a woman’s purse. Some women carry just a small purse with their money, credit cards, car keys, and a lipstick. Others carry a huge bag with much more. But within the large bag is there just an accumulation of mail, and old receipts, etc. or is it carefully managed with many smaller bags. Most women’s purses are a little of both.

        More and more men can be seen with a bag which used to be something only women did. Of course the bags are more masculine looking, but in general, the purpose remains the same: having whatever you need, whenever you need it.

        _

      4. I live in the suburbs, luckily about 95% White.

        My family and I intend to stay put. We have sufficient arms to provide, at least, one rifle and one pistol per person, and enough ammo to make sure we never run out of ammo.

        We also have a few “sniper” rifles and have practiced extensively at the various gun ranges within driving distance.

        We have food and water sources for 6 months.
        We have all the necessary provisions.

        We are going to stay put and make sure NOBODY comes down our street.

        Bug out? To WHERE? When the SHTF you won’t be able to set foot on a road or drive anywhere without gangs stopping you, killing you, raping your wife and daughters, beating them, raping them again, beating them, raping them and perhaps, if they are lucky, killing the women in your family.

        My entire family and I have decided. None of us will be taken alive and we will kill everything we can.

        That is the future. Prepare. And know this, Your Skin Is Your Uniform.

        • Centurion: Amen, bravo!! And that is what I am talking about friend. Be safe, stay focused and keep on prepping & training.

        • CENTURION = someone who “gets it”!

          Bravo and hats off to you!

          • CENTURION = someone who is going to be burned out of his suburban home.

            I’m not saying that to be a d!ck, I live in the suburbs as well and have extensively considered home defense. Your “sniper rifle” will be nearly useless given the volume of cover in a suburban environment as the bad guys move from house to house looting and pillaging, and its pretty simple matter to get close enough to set any small pocket of resistance on fire before returning to sift through the ashes.

            “Bug out? To WHERE? ” what a stupid question. you have plenty of time to figure that out NOW. It took me decades, lots of overtime, and hard work but me personally, I have a safe, secure location with about two miles of wide open pasture to see people coming and pick them off if need be, multiple easy rural routes to get there, caches on the way, and a plan. I’ll stay put at home and gage the severity of the incident, but if its bad, my family isn’t staying in an urban tinderbox.

        • CENTURION, depends entirely on where you live. I can be in wilderness in just a few minutes and nobody could ever find me, so your thesis isn’t even close for me and many others. And yes I live here for a reason.

          More Selco junk that is quite worthless. This guy actually has some excellent info in his many videos for those of you who have never been in any real conflict or actual survival mode.

          https://youtu.be/6xl-ZYfSGow

        • yup……i’m stayin’ put too……….BUT…what if, let’s say a nuke goes off upwind……an earthquake levels so cal, wiping out our ability to get water……or a volcano erupts IN your town? there ARE many reasons to leave an area. BETTER have a backup plan….and a tourniquet set up that you can put on with ONE HAND. and maybe the boy scout ten essentials, that i learned about over 40 years ago. that boy scout manual may just save your life, so bring that along too.

          • THE SCOUT OUTDOOR ESSENTIALS
            They’re called “essentials” for a reason. Every packing list starts with these 10 items.
            1. A pocketknife or multitool can be handy in a wide variety of situations. It’s useful for tasks as large as building an emergency shelter or lighting a campfire with poor fuel, or as small as repairing a damaged backpack. Keep you knife sharp and clean, and don’t forget to first earn your Whittling Chip (for older Cub Scouts) or Totin’ Chip (for Boy Scouts).
            2. A first-aid kit can be a lifesaver. Literally. A few items will allow you to treat scratches, blisters and other minor injuries. They should also allow you to provide initial care while waiting for help for more serious injuries.
            3. Bring extra clothing to match the weather. Multiple layers are better than a single massive jacket, because layered clothing is adaptable to a wide range of temperatures.
            4. Rain gear is very important. Rain can come in a hurry, and getting your clothes drenched is more than just uncomfortable, it can lead to hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition.
            5. A flashlight, headlamp or a rugged penlight is important for finding your way in the dark. Bring extra batteries, too.
            6. Trail food is good for maintaining your energy. Bring more than you think you’ll need in case you get stuck (or lost) in the woods.
            7. Water can prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Use a lightweight, unbreakable container with a secure lid.
            8. Matches and/or a fire starter may be used to light fires for heat, or for signaling for help. Store matches or lighters in resealable plastic bags.
            9. Sun protection might include sunblock, sunglasses, lip balm and a wide-brimmed hat.
            10. A map and compass are probably the most important tools you can carry in case you get lost

            • here is my reply on selco’s bugout bag article from over 5 years ago.

              i TOO have more than one bag…the one in my car(or i move it to whatever vehicle i’m in) has everything but the kitchen sink in it. it is a deployer bag military issue with wheels on one end that i could actually drag around for a SHORT distance. it holds a bunch of stuff and VERY heavy-duty. i figure when the time comes to abandon it, AND my vehicle i can move the things i need for whatever situation i find myself in at the time to my assault bag, also military issue…. there are myriad situations that would require different items in your bag. also, my VEHICLE is my BIG bugout bag. many things in there that could be very handy to have, but you wouldn’t want to carry them very far. jumper cables, tow strap and small piece of chain to allow you to attach to ANY vehicle(you are stuck or someone you want to help is stuck), E-tool(folding shovel), 2 cases of water. sleeping bag, hatchet, tarps to make tent, BIG bag full of cold-weather clothes for the whole family(they will probly be with me!), hiking boots for ALL six family members, BIG first-aid kit(antibiotics too), walking stick(6 foot,mainly for protection), OTHER personal protection devices, small bag of tools, binoculars, a pair of 4 foot long 4×6’s for crossing obstacles when driving off-road(one 8 inch deep ditch can really slow you down or even STOP your journey), heavy-duty wirecutters, bowsaw to cut trees blocking road….,long pants(i normally wear shorts here in the mojave desert), money(it might still work for a while), a deck of playing cards might come in handy, benadryl for allergic reactions., antibiotics…these last few things are going to be important if you get stuck a couple hundred miles from home….in short, bugging out will be different for different situations. the spectrum goes from still being in your vehicle and traveling HUNDREDS of miles to get to safe distance from nuke or volcano to running for your life through the woods 200 yards from your house after it is over-run by looters. i prefer to have all the bases covered and just abandon what i don’t need/can’t carry when the situation arises. i won’t apologise for the long post, because every time i read one of selco’s lessons when i get to the end, i wish there was more GREAT info.
              as i have suggested for MANY years now…..it’s a list to pick from. not everything can be used by YOU, so you mite not want some of this stuff.

      5. For years I carried a “survival” back pack bag as I transited daily to a summit of a 14,000 ft mountain and things could and did go wrong. I follow the survival rules of three. You can easily fit that into a Walmart backpack and can go three days or so to get to a safe area.

        What I want to know is how Marines or Army operate out in the field for days. They don’t carry a ton of crap when they are in a fire fight and have to move fast.
        I know they have a good back back, but where do they leave it? who watches over it and who brings it to them when it is chow time?
        Just curious.

        • Do not follow any military persons advice. They need 10 support help personnel for every fighting soldies. Likecthat dope JJ who says you need a hammer amd nails in your BOB but forgets badic water filtration system. Military are dopes. And why they lost every war since WW2. Teanahers with rag heads beat the US badly in the samdbox. You want good advice talk to a hiker or adventurist. I kayak, bike, scuba dive, spearfish, snow ski, hike camp out. All different elements and gear related specifics. Know your gear and field test all your gear to work the kinks out ahead of time in practice, for the real deal.

          • TharSheBlows, agree on the skills and fitness/health/mindset. No doubt the military is not what many think. More like a giant circle jerk than anything.The few that actually have their shit together are just that , few. But that is true in everything, isn’t it ?

        • rellik, they all simply try to carry what they need on any given circumstance based on prior experience. There is no magic and sometimes plans do not go as perceived.

          The three most important things are water (or a way to provide it), food and ammo. Not necessarily in any order. After that coms and more ammo. In todays military they do NOT plan for more than a short haul because everything is done via aircraft or some kind of non manned entity more or less. So the missions have changed largely with various forms of tech to see and locate the enemy. And that is not always a good thing as tech fails often. There is no magic, only common sense and prior experience and physical and mental ability.

          Todays military is not what you may think it is, not even close !

      6. Rellik,
        Good question!
        I know Military says soldiers carry these back packs weighing
        about a hundred + pounds.
        They must leave them in a foxhole before they advance,
        then take them to the secured area. Just my guess. Also,
        if they are in combat for any length of time…..their
        enemy can smell them long before they see them, Imho.

        • Kay123,. the vast majority do not and could not carry a pack weighing 100 pounds ! Not even close. Most could not hump 30 pounds all day

        • you carry the bulk of your crap to the fob or a base camp and only take what you need when leaving for work, usually the usual gear on your body, ifak, carrier, utility knife, zip ties, mags, nav, and in the bag at least your woobie, food and water and sometimes spares. 20-30 pounds max not counting armor and weapon.

      7. ( Kay 123)
        To answer your question from a previous post. I consider you a friend ?

      8. Best advice for the bug out bag start with the basics few days of food first aid good knife fire starting kit bit of fish line hooks start there build off that.
        Mine is set to go I can go 3-4 days before I’d have to hunt. I carry a 22/410 mod 24 savage I inherited from the old man with the different ammo I can carry birdshot slugs .22 short long lr barely any moving parts comes apart in 3 sections about a foot or so long. And instead of trying to build traps and snares I carry 3 spring traps with about a 3″ jaw
        Easier to set when your cold tired and hungry.
        Relik seriously dude have you ever considered coming to the mainland? Not trying to pull a hcks here but man don’t you feel a bit penned in ?

        • Spring traps are heavy, I would rather choose a good set assortment of snaring wire traps. A whole lot lighter. They make them big enough to snare a deer of you wanted to. I would set up a deer snare in combination of sapling tree spring to keep the tension on the snare, as the critter will be fighting to get lose before you drive the final pointed wood spear into the lungs to dispatch the critter. That could feed a whole family for a few days, with just a few ounces of snaring cable wire. Get a good set of small game snares for your bob and practice. Also include some colored tie tape to mark and reflect where you put the snare, or loose the snare and starve. Got extra wire to securely tie the snare to the tree? Or your game will run off with the snare.. Pack a Henry AR-7 .22 Survival Rifle and ammo. Must have. A good quality Air Rifle is also good for stealth hunting small game. .177 or .22 Air rifles today can shoot 1200 FPS, and take down a wild pig if necessary.

      9. Hello everyone in prepper land!! I cross the usa/Canada border almost daily. I live in a border town and have to be very careful with my selections. I can not carry a firearm in my BOB if I am going across. My thoughts are very common sense with regards to the basics. fire, water , food etc. My belief is anything you pack is better than not having anything. I have had only one time I needed to actually use my bag and was very happy I had it with me. My BOB is always changing and evolving. It never will be perfect but certainly has come a long ways since my first attempt at building one. Have a great day and keep your powder dry. God bless

        Mike

      10. Homeless people with all their possessions in their shopping cart will fight you if you try to take anything from that cart. Hopefully, if you have had to leave your home and bug-out, you have a bug-out location to go to. If you don’t, you aren’t much better off than that homeless person. You need to make rational decisions which may involve dropping that BOB and running. Since that is what you have to survive with, that isn’t so easy to do. It would take a really bad situation for me to consider abandoning my home. If I did, it would take another really bad situation to get me to abandon my bug-out bag. I’d rather die fighting than starve or freeze to death.

      11. Thar She Blows: Thank you for the wonderful accolades towards the men and women in uniform. You know, the ones who stand between you and the worst people on earth, but who haven’t won a war since WW2. Granada. I was not in SF, but I trained with them and the Rangers, many times, and am a former shameful Infantryman. When you hike into a hot zone with the enemy everywhere, you carry large rucks with lots of extra ammo etc., especially food and water. The patrol leader designates a rally point at some distance from the objective(if it is that kind of a mission) and the rucks are left, and hidden well camouflaged. Everyone knows where their first re-supply is located then. Then, usually just weapons, ammo, and water are carried to the attack position (again, if it’s that type of mission, it could just be a recon.) Then, at the patrol leaders direction, the patrol returns to the pre-positioned rucks BY A DIFFERENT ROUTE THAN THAT USED WHEN YOU LEFT IT, and you maybe gobble some eats, clean/check weapons, drink water (small sips, all day) and make ready for extraction, or the next mission. My advice to all of you with poor opinions of the military is this: Consider that the soldiers do not pick the missions or the strategy, but they are still tasked to carry out whatever missions are directed by the brass and the civilians, and they are expected to carry these missions out professionally every time. Think of a civilian application. Your boss tells you a certain number of metal sheets must be drilled thus and so, with all of them done by 5pm. While you are doing this, you are not allowed a bathroom break, no lunch, and the boss comes and changes the order fifteen times before closing. Some one appears every now and then and shoots at you with a gun, and at your co-workers too. Maybe you are allowed to shoot back, maybe not. At the end of the day, sheets all drilled to specifications, you show your boss your work. He tells you that you are the worst employee he has ever had, and that you are a worthless POS, and now he has a full night mission for you, same thing, and if you don’t do it, he’ll have you jailed or shot. Welcome to my world. I don’t want to be worshipped as some hero for my service. I would really love to be just treated with respect. I respect all of you here, I just don’t always understand you.

        • or, as i like to say, “God bless our troops”…”and GOD DAMN the sons o biches that sent ’em there!”. great summation of your job, sean. thank you for your service, both there, AND here.

        • I have worked with military and ex-military and heard many a war story. What you say is not fabricated. When it came to idiotic, the civilians filled that bill most of the time.

        • Sean says, “Thank you for the wonderful accolades towards the men and women in uniform. You know, the ones who stand between you and the worst people on earth, but who haven’t won a war since WW2.”

          You know Sean the men and women in uniform that created ISIS, trained them and often resupplies this terrorist faction with ammo, guns, humvees, tanks and helicopters logistics, drones and political cover to plant false flags, gas attacks, etc.

          Yeah Sean those wonderful aholes in uniform between us and ISIS. Respect is earned not demanded. And any dope that supports this treason is an Ahole.

      12. Well said Sean…….well said.

        Tharsheblows is a certifiable moron.

      13. Selco’s stuff is all for the semi-rural setting. ZERO worth for the USA large city setting. In Houston TX where I live you have to drive (walk!) AT LEAST 25 miles through neighborhood after neighborhood to get to anywhere even partially rural. When we had the last major evacuation, all roads out were jammed with idiots, blocked by out-of-gas cars. When these hordes get hungry your bug bag is fair game! Don’t think you’ll shoot your way out. They have guns too, and there will be a LOT of them.

        • Thats because advice to the urban prepper is simple: if you honestly think shtf is coming, move out of the big cities.

          easy peasy.

          by the way, theres vastly greater tracts of suburban and rural area in the us than big cities.

          By the way, most of selco’s stuff is for urban settings given that he spent his time in the 90’s blockaded in Sarajevo.

          Like any advice, apply as relevant.

      14. Sean,

        The anti military comments are a reflection of frustration that we no longer win wars – perhaps by design. They are aimed at Washington – both at the Capital and the Pentagon.
        They are most certainly NOT aimed at the individual grunt.
        Perhaps that distinction is not made clear enough some times. Mostly we feel that it is understood. Perhaps we shouldn’t assume that.

      15. Who is this guy? Really?

      16. Para cord around your neck, huh? Great advice.

      17. If our military was so great protecting our country then why do we have less and less freedoms year after year? Decade after decade, and more countries hating us across the globe??.

        Answer: The US Military keeps picking the wrong side in history, in the wars and conflicts, supporting tyrants dictators and terrorists like ISIS..

        Congrats you just earned another ribbon for nation destroying. You’re so brave and honorable. F@ckoff!

      18. Oops!just a new idea. Previously, i barely travel with BOB, i preferred small and very handy bags. I kept loosing my items.

        I’ll give this a try, including the pattern of arrangement suggested here. This will help me to quickly get hold of any item i need during my short trip.

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