imported post
Here's my gear:
I could probably easily fit everything in a bag half the size, but I already had this backpack lying around, so I used it. My wife's pack is MUCH smaller, and is virtually identical, except that I carry a few of the heavy items that we only need one of. I'll get a smaller ALICE pack eventually, but this works fine for now. This is my bug-out bag, not a bag that I keep in the car. It's meant for SHTF scenarios where I need to leave immediately and may be gone for three or more days, which means it's got a lot of stuff and it's fairly heavy. I'm looking for alternatives to shrink it down and lighten it, but I'm trying to do it cheaply. Along with these bags we would take our sleeping bags (which attach to our bags with bungees), our pistols and shotgun (the pistols are usually already on us anyway), and, if time allows, our other camping gear. We keep the tent, camp stove, etc in an easy to get location right next to the car. I still need to get a sling for the shotgun, and a folding stock is a possibility too.
Here's the contents:
Sleeping pad
Mess kit (with a potholder to keep it quiet and prevent burned hands)
BDUs
2 cotton t-shirts
flannel shirt (long sleeve)
long socks
(2) pair heavy winter socks
(4) boxer briefs
bandana
binoculars
cheap watch with stopwatch function
canteen
leather belt
(6) ziploc bags
(2) ziploc freezer bags
(1) garbage bag
camp shovel
50' paracord
large plastic sheet
Washington state map (I need to add Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Arizona)
camp stove (i'm probably going to replace this)
Buck knife (I'd like to trade this for a multitool eventually)
sharpening stone
slingshot
rubber innertube
walkie talkie
AA mag lite
camp axe
(6) pair latex gloves
compass
10' duct tape
spf 30 sunscreen
bug repellant
20' 65lb metal line
(2) chemical glow sticks
(2) toothbrushes
small tube of toothpaste
pen with built-in red light
#2 pencil
thermal blanket
small soap bar
(5) gauze bandages (I need to add a few butterflies and band-aids as well)
knife, fork, spoon
can/bottle opener
hand sanitizer
vaseline
cotton balls
waterproof matches
(2) butane lighters
(4) 3-prong #6 fish hooks
solar/hand crank AM/FM radio and light w/two spare bulbs
two instant meal packs (these will be replaced with better options this week, I think)
I still need to add a small notepad and emergency phone list, replace the pencil with a sharpie, put my emergency cash with my bag (right now it's stored in a safe), and add a small piece of aluminum foil and a boonie hat to keep my head dry and free from sunburn. Otherwise, I think I've got most of my bases covered.
In addition to these bags, we each keep a mini-kit with us. Mine is kept in the car, the wife's is kept in her purse. These mini-kits are made out of Altoids tins and have very basics in them. Band-aid, butterfly bandage, fishing line, paracord, razor blade, needle, waterproof matches, duct tape, can opener, small hack saw, wire saw, a few ranger bands, and some cotton balls.
