My Get Home Bag ( GHB ):
Mine is designed to make sure I can quietly get home from anywhere within 2-3 days walking distance, E&E (Google: “Escape and Evade”). This bag is equally suited to help if I need to sit on the side of the road waiting for a repair truck in the middle of 115-degree summer or a -10 degree cold winter. Once yours is assembled, you will be surprised how light this is.
We often think of disasters only striking when we are at home or work, where we may have resources. Unfortunately, we may be in-between places when disaster strikes. I suggest keeping this bag in your trunk.
* Start with a good knife! I Blacksmith my own knives. Use this guide for choosing a solid, reliable knife if you are going to buy one. ->
http://artofmanliness.com/2011/11/29/how...val-knife/
* A pocket knife. I forge my own blades so I have one specifically fit to my needs. If you need to buy one, I suggest one like my Sanrenmu 710. Google “Sanrenmu Reviews”, Sanrenmu comparison, or “Sanrenmu quality”. You can find them on ebay. Look through them and find a model that works for you.
http://www.sanrenmu.com/sanrenmu-710-folding-knife.html
* A map, a simple city map from a gas station. A quality metal compass, even good ones are less than $10. Please don’t think the plastic compass on the end of your survival knife or on the dashboard of you car will help.
* Rolling gym bag. Don’t get a military backpack that you A) won’t be able to carry on your back for very long. B) Draws attention to the fact that you might have something so valuable you’d carry it instead of leave it. We can pull a lot more than we can carry. Don’t be a target!
* Two (2) Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets. You can get packs of 10 for $5 on Amazon.
* 2 large, folded garbage bags.
* A roll of $1 and $5 bills. Whatever you can afford to keep in that bag.
* Reliable flashlight, plus 1 set extra batteries. Don’t store batteries in the flashlight or they will be drained by the time you need them. I prefer MagLights. Research your own favorite. Just remember not to turn on a light unless you absolutely have to. Lights draw attention. Don’t be a target. You may also want to replace the bright white bulb with a dark red or blue bulb that makes it contrast less with your environment.
http://sibitotique.blogspot.com/2010/03/...vival.html
* Mechanical, winding watch with glow in the dark face that I can cover. Preferably with date on it. Keep it in your pocket so the light does not attract attention.
* 100 feet of 550 Paracord. No bright colors please. The most common is Olive Drab green. You can usually get it for less than ten cents a foot.
* Waterproof matches and a bag of dryer lint. Yes dryer lint! It’s amazing kindling. It starts fire fast! Save up a zip lock bag full.
* Put your favorite well worn, but with no holes/tears pair of sneakers in the bag and buy yourself a new pair. You don’t want to break in new shoes on a walk.
* Treat yourself to a new pair of glasses, put the old ones in a hard case with a small bottle of cleaning solution and a cleaning cloth. Remember, we only use clean water for drinking. Tape the case shut. Toss it in the bag. You may break the pair you are wearing in an emergency. If you cant’ see you can’t get home safely.
* A seasonal jacket or coat. A light one for the summer and a thick one for the winter. Switch them out as the seasons change. Don’t buy a nice new one. Go to the Goodwill and get a used one for $5 that is intact and has a hood. Wash it and throw it in your GHB. A hat that is correct for the season. A thick woven hat to cover ears in winter and a floppy light hat with a wide brim to cover your head and neck from the sun in summer. This isn’t a fashion show.
* Emergency Food Bars, I stock the Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Bar. They taste like coconuts mixed with breadcrumbs. Not unpleasant. Look them up on ebay for a good deal.
All of the following can be found at the 99-cent only store or Dollar Tree:
* 2 pair of thick tube-socks, 2 long sleeve undershirts, 2 pair underwear, 2 small hand towels, 1-2 thick towels.
* Notebook, sticky pad and Pen/Pencil, excellent for writing down important information or for leaving a note.
* A large Bandana, Shemagh, or Keffiyeh. Avoid local, or well known gang colors. Just get plain Black.
* Sunglasses.
* Small, palm sized plastic mirror. Keep it in a sock or something that will prevent you from accidentally reflecting light.
* Toothbrush/toothpaste kit.
* 2-3 of the largest squares or rolls of gauze you can find. A box of the largest Band-Aids you can find, Remember that you can always cut them down to size if you need to.
* Two, one gallon bottles of water that are only for drinking!
* Resalable pack of baby wipes in a soft pack. To clean your body of dirt that can cause an infection. A shower/bath wont be handy. Baby wipes will get the job done. You just have to use a dozen or so to cover your whole body.
* Resalable pack of disinfectant wipes in a soft pack.
* Bottle of hand sanitizer.
* Duct tape, you can use it to repair things as well as tape on bandages, in place of stitches or even stop bleeding. Google “duct tape uses”.
* A pack of Aspirin, a pack of Laxatives, & a pack of anti diarrhea medicine. Packs take up less room than bottles. You only want enough to last 2-3 days to reduce selling and any joint inflammation.
* A book to read for fun, something that will occupy your mind while you rest or wait for rescue. At least one book on survival that is specific to survival in your region. Examples ->
http://io9.com/5888333/survival-books-to...apocalypse
* Vice grips, Flathead screwdriver, & a Phillips head screwdriver.
* Three (3) days worth of any prescription medicine that you cant go without.
* A weapon that you are learning, or have already learned how to use. This is a very personal decision. Do you want silent weapons to dispatch people without drawing attention? Do you want something loud enough to deter other threats but may let people to know where you are? Both?
I posted the need for a weapon last because when SHTF my goal is “Escape and Evade". Violence is my last resort. My goal is just to make it home to my castle. I want to avoid confrontation at all cost. If you have any doubt AT ALL of your ability to hurt someone, please don’t pack a weapon. It does not make you anything other than realistic about your goals and capabilities. That allows you to focus on the things you can do well, like staying alive to get home!
This list suits my environment, my weather, and my personal preferences. Add what you need for yours. Feel free to make suggestions for mine.
References:
http://sibitotique.blogspot.com/2009/11/...klist.html ,
http://sibitotique.blogspot.com/2010/12/...e-bag.html ,
http://sibitotique.blogspot.com/2011/04/...r-you.html