Do you have everything you need?
If you had to put back a handful of items from your bug out bag to make room other essentials, which would you choose to carry no matter what, and which would you put back as extra weight?
When compact and lightweight travel matters the most, you might consider a more serious class of multi-tools. With the prepper market exploding, and millions of people wondering what will happen if the economy crashes, or another Great Depression falls upon the troubled land of America, some serious thought has gone into what to carry, and what to pass over.
When the time comes to count on yourself, and little else, you want some well-thought out items that can cover all your needs – both those you considered in advance, as well as all the situations you didn’t see coming.
So, what should you carry? That’s up to you.
But these items speak for themselves. In this YouTube, the people at Zip HD purport to test each clever utility tool, addressing the gimmicks inherent in many similar items. If this video is persuasive at all, these are the next generation, evolved from a mere novelty categorization. Most of these items are made of rugged and reliable materials, an a variety of functions could be used over-and-over – improving upon past devices that would become too flimsy or tangled to put back into their proper place, or to count upon when they are needed most.
More and more, the multi-tool 13-in-1-style functions could actually be useful if needed in a true survival situation, and these preppers detail to pros-and-cons of items you might consider for your bug out bag.
You can find the products via the Zip HD page.
No two preppers will agree on the merits and drawbacks of everything you may need, or simply find useful. Simply acquiring everything, and as many items as possible, may not be beneficial either, and could quickly drain your wallet. Find items that can actually serve your needs, and that would match the surrounding environment you will be dealing with.
Of course, tools alone can’t guarantee how you’ll make it out of a dire situation.
Survival is about a mindset, a well-thought out and instinctively grounded individual who calculates ahead, minimizes risk, meshes with the environment and uses resources wisely.
You’ll need to improvise, make do and get by. It’s worth putting some thought into, because you never know what’s ahead.
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Hey mac
Where can I find the ms-5? I did a web search and nada
here’s a scouts list I just made of things to have when I go out of town for
more
than a day… randy
water
food
plates/ eating utensils…(mess kit)
backpack
boots
bivy cover/sleep syst………….. sleeping bag good for 0*
fire starter
knives
T/P
compass
clothes
thermals
toothbrush/soap
matches
mattress pad/cot/bed
cooking oil
chair
granola bars
poncho/raincoat/goretex(best)
coats/cold weather bag w/hats scarfs gloves longjohns
tent
gloves
hats
flashlights
wipies
aluminum foil
550 cord
dutch oven
aluminum foil
mixing bowls
ziplok bags
camera
firewood
firstaid book
mutitool
e-tool(shovel)
extra glasses
tarps
hatchet
jumper cables and brillo pad(fire starter)
sawyer mini filter
batteries
magnifying glass
painkillers/antibiotics
maps
clorox
tool bag
sandpaper
file
hammer
vicegrips
digging bar
tow strap and chain
IFAK
bikes
figger out your own protection from the “elements”….and some ammo to keep it fed.
i did go to the youtube link and looked at it, and with the links that follow, there’s a rabbit-hole to go down that will take a couple hours to get back off your computer. boy is there a BUNCH of innovations out there….me?….i’m stickin’ to the basics.
What tent did you buy for BO survival, butt crack?
i bought a 4-man tent at cabelas for 27 bucks a while back with a splintered pole, in the bargain cave. the guy even threw in 2 extra poles with it. those poles are easy to fix, but americans don’t seem to want to FIX anything anymore, they just chuck it and buy a new one. i don’t know the brand, it’s buried in the trailer. if you buy a tent, make sure it keeps out the rain, as some have rain-flys that barely cover the “bug-netting”.
Hate to see if you leave for a week! Geez
sorry guys. i put up my trippin list AND my camping list together. when we camp we bring all that in my tundra and 7×12 enclosed trailer…my tippin list is mixed in there.
i have a XXXL field jacket, with huge pockets(4), and i could survive a while with only that….in the pockets:electrical tape and napkins for first aid(and other uses), gerber multi-tool, benchmade folder, 100′ 550 cord, gloves, fleece cap, scarf, tactical flashlight, firestarter kit.
You forgot the Chinook Baja 4X4 to carry all that stuff!
You gonna carry a 10 Lb dutch oven in your BOB? lol Cut that list down to 1/3rd. First aid book? lol Try reading it and storing the info in your brain.
Then when your vehicle breaks down and you have to set out on foot, you abandon all of that list of preps in your vehicle to be stolen by the time you get back. Stripped bare.
Ever go out into the boonies with your BOB for a week, and field test your gear, and try to see what is really needed. People tend to pack as much crap (gadgets) in the bag as it will hold and you fight just to get the bag on your back 70 lbs. People are delusional. Then add your Battle rifle, and 2 Lbs for every loaded 30 round magazine. Do the math.
Every time you leave your house your chances for survival get cut in half. Most people could not survive 3 days as a refugee. Suicides will be in massive proportions, as they just lay down in the ditch and die or go check into a FEMA Camp which is also a death sentence or make you their worker bee slave for meals, like prison.
If I knew I was only going to live for three days I would just bring strippers with me. Oh, yeah, ones and fifties too.
I wanted to add, some suitcases have large wheels, and are easy to pull over nearly any terain.
I was once on a business trip, and my cheap suitcase had a busted wheel thanks to Continental airlines baggage handlers. After the meeting, we moved quickly to meet our flight. I dragged that suitcase through the streets of San Francisco. After two miles the suitecas wheel assembly was a minor stub.
As someone with an engineering background, I really respect the invention of the wheel.
I have an evacualtion bag, it is a really sturdy suitcase with big freaking wheels.
I could pull this puppy for days, even further if my car worked…….. That was a lame attempt at irony….,,,
If you set up a bug out bag, it should have wheels, even if you have a backpack with the most critical items. I can carry a heavy bag a couple miles, but add wheels and I can go dozens of miles.
one of my get home bags is a deployer bag with decent wheels on it. i figger i could drag it a mile or so, but that’s about it. you must be willing to leave a lot behind to get to a safer place. i bicycle 10 to 30 miles a day, but my foot problem won’t allow ME to walk more than a mile or two, carrying much weight. i am much more apt to pick a few things and put them in the assault pack and leave the rest behind….depending on the situation i’m faced with. but a MUCH more useful tool when hiking for MILES would be a jogging stroller. i use one around the yard to haul heavy stuff, so i know it would be relatively easy to haul 100 pounds. one of these days if my foot gets better i will do a hike with it with the scouts to prove my point. oh, and BTW….i aint plannin’ on buggin’ OUT, but i DO have plans for just about anything…..boy scouts was an incredibly good teacher.
If you have a BOL you can always pre-position a lot of that stuff. Bury it or whatever.
Gonna be tough if you’re on the move. What food you started out with will be gone in short order and you’ll have to forage to find enough to keep your calorie intake at its best level. Ain’t gonna be pretty. Sanitation is gonna be a top priority or you’ll be looking for a bush to squat behind.
Don’t forget to leave room to take along some baking soda (has dozen of uses)
Does the Rambo Rod have a women’s version. Soft silicone tip, makeup mirror, eyeliner brush, safety pins, needle and thread, cotton bullet holder, and a compass that points to the nearest Walmart? Yeah, I know. Hey, you wanna go play Naked and Afraid?
The more you put in your head the less you need in your pack.
Sound advice.
Pistol, Ammo, Extra Magazines, Compass, Paper Map, headlamp, Long knife, Poncho, a few lighters, water filter and canteen, toilet paper. And to assume I am already properly dressed. All of this is basic, but specialty items may change depending on the mission or task, which is not defined in this article.
What the hell do you need an axe for? There is enough dead wood and branches laying on the ground in my area. and I would probably choose some hand snipper/ sheers before an axe to shorten the brush for a small fire.
All I ever use an axe for is to split wood, Where out in the boonies are you going to find a pile of cut wood that needs to be split? LOL
I know one clown on here who would be carrying a hammer and nails as essentials. Maybe he’s looking for a carpenter job or something?
Chuckles, an axe never runs out of ammo.
Just Google modern tomahawk. It was a number one carry item in the Middle East by US soldiers.
i would pick a good bow saw before an axe. i DO have a double-bit hatchet that works well for fire-making duty. that old cross-cut saw on “alone” was an awesome choice for that trip.
I guess you can now say there is a NEW Mother of invention in town. (SHTF).
Sgt.
Love how all these videos assume that it’ll be just you alone with mother nature when she’s cooperative for a video shoot. Go on a week long camping trip that rains every day, (especially with a boy scout troop and their disagreeable parents). Cold, raw food. Mmmm.
Keep tools simple and dedicated.
Keep the gun and knives oiled/dry and hidden.
Survival is a numbers game. The hills will be crawling with people and make shift refugee camps, all just ogling your wares and waiting for you take a brief nap or go off for a wizz alone.
Keep moving. Good boots. Rain gear and plastic bags and knowing what to forage will be crucial. Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight. Get a decent machete and keep a bottle (or mint tin in a baggie) of oil or cooking grease to avoid rust. The sight alone will keep a few thinking twice.
A morakniv heavy duty companion can be had for $20 and is made for batoning. I wear one as neck knife, with the sheath hanging off poly cord, under a shirt or coat.
Mind your manners, but do mind. Eventually the weak ones will surrender to FEMA, get sick or die off.
Make friends with what’s left and rebuild. Carry on.
drudge report front page; Russia been off our coast seeding nukes???
A neat gadget I can pick up off the body of some prepper who forgot that water, fire, and shelter were more important!
Obviously not for bugging out but non-the-less important is a seven gallon bucket, not five gallon or even six gallon, but seven gallon. Buy a toilet seat that attaches and the disposable bags that are used to line it.
Why seven gallons ?? Because it will be at a height considerably more easily accessible for adults. Children might need a small old fashioned potty.
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For bugging out in your car, purchase a plastic urinal from the drug store or medical supply. Fill with lemon drops for a funny but useful gift.
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B from Ca. Just use a 5 Gal Bucket with e Port-a-loo toilet lid, and save up all your plastic grocery bags you get from the store. Line your 5 gal bucket with 5 bags inside the others around the bucket rim then put the toilet seat lid on. Plastic grocery bags fit perfect on the 5 gal bucket. So when you go potty, you tie the top bag, as some bags have holes in them and leak into the next bag below, and tie the next bag below to catch the rest to get it all, until the bottom bag is clean from waste as you lift it out, outside.
You can dip into the plastic grocery bag recycle box by the entrance of the grocery stores for all the free used bags you want. Start stocking up on them heavy now. You will go through a lot of them. Buying disposable bags is a waste of money. Free works for me. Every time I go buy groceries, I dip in to the box and grab 2 fist fulls of bags for free. Most used plastic grocery bags are in perfect condition ready for repurposing.
Then buy a 40 Gal plastic trash bin with a tight lid, Also line that with a heavy duty black construction bag liners, as that will be your dump bin for your daily messes. Then every month or 2, dig a hole and bury the waste in the big plastic bags in the big black bag. Buy rubber gloves to keep your hands clean from the body waste when burying it. Bury it a foot below the topsoil and you are done. This is not for long term, but you are all going to need to deal with grid down and getting rid of body waste immediately. Its easier to dig one big hole every few months than every day. Time is not your friend at a BOL. Everything takes more time to accomplish tasks.
And I highly suggest get a port-a-potty for each person in your family, and make each person responsible for its own sanitary. I suggest getting 2 toilet lids per person also, they will break or wear out. I am solo, and speaking from experience. Keep these scattered around on your property with a ziplock full of toilet paper rolls in each toilet and extra grocery plastic bags. So when you lift the lid you take out the toilet paper in the ziplock and sit and there you go, ready to go. Hope this makes sense. Ya’ll better have a plan to deal with this. This is what works for me.
I seem to have gathered up WAY too much “stuff”. I doubt I ever need it. Over the years, among other things, I’ve picked up a two man saw, a scythe, brace and bits, spoke shave, wedges and axes, and pitchforks.
Bout the only one of them I figgered I’d use fer sure was the pitchfork.
No uprisin’ in sight, though. I got them tines filed down to nubbins sittin on the porch waitin for it to happen…
Gonna have a big yard sale this spring.
I know the feeling brother !! I’ve waited and waited AND nothing! Everyday it’s coming it’s coming and years go by!!
I garage-saled a lot of my non-essentials. Gear junkie no more.
How many of you preppers on here have preps still in their original store packaging and has never been field tested? This includes camp stoves, water filters, sleeping bags, tents, etc? I think many people buy this stuff then store it as some insurance policy.
Knowledge of gear with real hands on experience putting it to the real test, you will soon find out its just cool looking stuff, but pretty worthless in real life bug out and weighs your bag down. Like that hatchet in the video, like as if that 1/3 lb hatchet will pound a wedge in a 100 Ft fir tree to make it fall. GMAFB, I dropped a 40 ft oak tree trunk on my property and I used 5 Lb malls to drive various wedges in it to drop it. Its Fraud, and the guy demoing it looks like he’s carrying an extra 100 Lbs around his gut alone. Those are armchair preppers inventing a gimmick solution looking for a problem.
I’m going through all my prepping gear again, I bought mostly 7 years ago when I started prepping, and taking a pile to the flea market and get rid of it. I’ve got a $600 All weather camo sleeping hammock, I’ve never used once in 4 years. I would not camp any where near a tree where a dead fall could whack me in the night. Trust me, stop wasting your money on fantasy. Spend your money on real food like canned food from the grocery store that you will actually eat within 2 years before the expiration dates.
I’ve been living off the grid at my country BOL now for 2 years. Spend your money on land and move to a safe area and beef up your property perimeters from intruders. That’s my best advice, and you won’t have to worry about buggin out with a bunch of gadgets that will mostly fail. You are already there at your BOL, and creating a sustainable off the grid homestead and lifestyle and buying real tools like chainsaws, and metal files and vises, and grinders, and tools to fix all your stuff.
Correct. Downsize to essentials only. If you can’t run with it, you may lose more than just the stuff.
Think about the Cowboys and Indians. Pack for mobility. A good heavy knife. A warm coat. Fire kit. Protein and a plan to forage.
However, many of you won’t have a horse or a chuck wagon to carry extras. You’re gonna have to dig up and boil roots, drink pine needle tea and get used to the smell of burning rodent hair. A small pack, deep pockets and canteen.
In a pinch, if you’re heading for a BOL, you could fashion a Travois to drag stuff. The good thing about a travois? You and drop the load and run in an emergency, (or grab and go if you need to leave quickly). You can also use it mark the trail for back tracking, (or use bark footing for smoother drag). You can also drop/hide the bulk of your stuff if you wish to climb a hill or tree to scout ahead.
seems to ME with that travois, you’re marking a trail for EVERYone to follow….you wouldn’t be leaving that trail if you didn’t have somethin’ worth taking….stick with a jogging stroller.
Your best survival tool is your brain! But your mind can be your biggest obstacle to survival.
Agree, Rick. Fear is a killer. I think it’s important that we deal with the situation head on. Yeah, it sucks, (remember the positive thinking exercises the Seals train for). They want you fearful. Too bad. Not today.
There will be plenty of mass hysteria and easy targets drawing attention so you can quietly slip away.
In a breakdown where you have to “bug out”, very few people are going to be facing a wilderness survival situation.
More likely it would be an evacuation situation, watch evacuation films from WWII and such and ask yourself what you would be needing to survive those, it will be the more likely “bug out” situation you will face. Antibiotics, insecticides and repellents, and first aid supplies are far more likely to be needed than, say, an axe.
I’ve watched them before. People pulling wagons and wheel barrels full of stuff. Only to be found littered along the way as they wasted precious calories for needless heirlooms. A sad reality of not willing to deal with the shock.
Say goodbye to your stuff. Do your best to survive in the here and now, (there will be plenty of stuff to claim from those whom didn’t figure that out later on). Greed always has an unwelcomed fate.
I used to put my survival skills to experience and the best are not the little do-dads in a pocket utility device. I find better use with the big toys for big boys.
It is only a luxury item for small work, and when I got a utility tool for fishing, it did not improve it as I never needed one for 60 years.
When threatened with robbery, I pull out my gun. Can you see me saying, “Wait, I have to take out my pocket utility device and pull out my little knife?”
The basics for tools or “devices” in survival must get water, build shelters, get food, making fire, and offer a good defense.
Got a multi tool to do all those?
I’ve learned a lot over the years. Field experience using your equipment is priceless. I have bought too many useless items only to get rid of them later. Minimize your gear. Rely on your skills not your equipment. This has worked for me.
Keep prepping and smiling.