Survival gear/kits

I wanted to start a consolidated thread geared towards survival topics and the ensuing rabbit hole of subtopics. I looked and found an old one where someone was asking about these items in reference to an earthquake scenario in CA. There was another one that a staff member started, but it was a little different than what I wanted to do. So if there is a thread already started on this, my bad. If I’m doing something wrong or have placed this in the wrong spot, let me know how to fix it.


I'm by no means a subject matter expert (SME) in regards to survival or have all the answers on the topic. I’ve never had to use these things in a life or death scenario, but have used almost all the stuff I plan on talking about before. I’ve had survival training in the past and that’s the extent of my expertise. I figured this thread could be used as a place to share ideas on the general topic.


A couple philosophies I have before digging in: I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it; two is one and one is none. I will say that I tend to have more than I what I need because of these philosophies, but I've also figured those out the hard way. To each their own.


For now, I'm going to list out what I have in a get home bag/kit and what's worked for me in the past. By that I mean that the items in the kit work, not that I’ve had to use it to get home before, thankfully. This also isn’t all inclusive either. The get home bag/kit is a little different than the bug-out/go bag/kit, as you'd be using the get home version to do just that. There are a myriad of different scenarios that you might use this for: natural disasters, civil unrest, vehicle breaks down in the wilderness, etc. The stuff I’m going to list out is in the event you need to leave your vehicle quickly and is what I’m considering the minimal gear. If you can stay in/near your vehicle or use that to get home, that’s the best course of action.


So, here’s what I’ve got in the kit: Vanquest bag, water purification tablets, water bladder, lighters (zippo and bic), knife, pen and paper, multi tool, Altoids tin w/lighter and cotton balls coated in Vaseline (lights quick), paracord, wrist compass and the shoulder strap for the Vanquest bag. Principals of survival are food, water and shelter. Obviously the point is to get home as fast as you can, but as fast as you can may be days or weeks. If weeks is the likely timeframe, having more supplies would be beneficial. These are the things I know I can grab from my truck quick and get moving. They’re always in my truck and if something would happen to the whole kit, I’m not out an entire paycheck. I also need to add a space blanket, tourniquet and other medical supplies to the bag. That will basically fill the space, but will keep everything in a compact bag that’s light and easy to maneuver with. I have a separate IFAK (individual first aid kit) for the truck itself. The picture with the iPhone is just for a size reference and that's an iPhone XR.


I will say that the items change as my needs/knowledge changes. The zippo I’ll take out and replace with these fire plugs I found from Bigfoot Bushcraft (pink things). The plugs are coated in a wax (at least I think it's wax) that allows them to get wet and still light. Bigfoot Bushcraft sells a good Ferro Rod and Steel striker that work great as well. The fire plugs light quick and burn for roughly 5 minutes. I haven’t used them camping or hiking yet, but have just tested them in the backyard to see how well they worked.


One thing not pictured: gun with spare mag. A note on guns: if you’re going to carry one and haven’t had training, get trained. Do some research, find a reputable instructor and go to a class. It will only benefit you in the long run. I saw a post a while back about a member who had purchased his first gun and it was a Glock .22. That’s a great way to start learning. A 22 is super cheap to shoot and you can still learn all the necessary basics of firearm manipulation. Lots of people start with 22’s as their first gun. As you become more comfortable, bump up in caliber. After all the events of the past couple years, I think individual gun ownership is super important. Just my $.02.


I think that’s it for now. I’m putting together some other stuff and will post that in the near future. Hope this is beneficial for some.

 

Should probably add cash in there somewhere.... it may be obvious to most, but some may overlook the need... went through that 7.2 down in El Centro about 13 years back and it changed the way I got ready... Base housing did its job but the first things that go are always power, natural gas and water...

 

Yea good call. I didn’t think to mention it because I always have cash on me. That’s a good size quake, glad you got through it. Various experiences definitely shape the way we think about things.