wulfin wrote:Easy put together BOB list

1) Flint / Magnesium bar, and steel striker
2) Good fold up knife (Buck, Gerber, or Case) 3.5 “ blade
3) Paracord, at least 100’
4) Water Bottle with water purification tablets
5) Rain Poncho dark color
6) Small well equipped first aid kit
7) Duct tape or Gorilla tape
8) Multi tool (Gerber, Leatherman)
9) Compass , Good lensatic with mirror
10) Hand crank LED flashlight (no batteries)
11) Hand axe (suggest Gerber)
12) 3 days food (food bars or mayday type food blocks)
13) Sewing kit
14) Thermal Foil type blanket (Space Blanket)
15) 3 Canned water 24 oz.
16) 1 emergency candle
17) Small butane lighter or box of water proof matches.
18) P-38 type metal can opener
19) 3 light sticks
20) Deck of cards
21) Pencil and small writing note book
22) Map of state you are in and where your bugging out to
23) Ranger Handbook SH 21-76
24) Small package of body wipes
25) Toothbrush and tooth paste or powder
26) Camp towel
27) Liquid soap that can be used for both bathing, cleaning dishes, and laundry
28) Other hygiene products you may need.
29) Extra medications
30) 1 change of clothing with 2 extra pair of sox
31) Collapsible water bag and water purification tables
32) Collapsible cup

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Alot of these items can be had from your local dollar store (toothbrush, toothpaste, liquid soaps, etc.) I like it.

I saw these cards at a local stop-n-rob store the other day.


http://www.amazon.com/Sea-to-Sky-A124-Wilderness/dp/B001EVKQKS

You can find playing cards cheaper but I was thinking that in a high stress bugout the reminders of different survival topics might be good to have around. The cards serve dual purpose as entertainment and reference material.

So where were we...oh yes....pictures and how I can carry all that expensive crap.....assuming I actually have anything on that list...

First, my BOB list has the following columns
Category
Sub-Category
In My Bag?
Where Is It?
Item(s)
Alternative Item
M=Must Have O=Optional
Qty
Must Have Weight (oz)
Optional Weight (oz)

Depending on how I am outfitting my bag or what I am trying out, the weight fluctuates. For example, I am currently running 6 MRE's. No need for stove/fuel.

Let's get something out of the way quickly as that seems to be the focus of some folks here. All of my stuff is expensive. I like quality and quality costs. I've spent more on BOB crap than some people have spent on their entire prep....big deal. It doesn't mean I am better prepared. It means I have more stuff. Not everyone has that luxury. I've been blessed and I acknowledge that every day. Now the upside is that all the 'extra' crap can always be traded/bartered if need be.

As I said before, I buy and try. I build different bags just to tinker. I enjoy just tinkering with something, seeing how rugged/flexible it is, whether or not it performs and in some cases I see something and I just have to have it. Also, I err on the side of mil-spec and because of that I wiggle my way into/build relationships that will get me things that wouldn't otherwise be available to civilians of which I am now one.

How I pack is generally modular so some of these pictures will highlight that....Frankly I've never understood people who just toss things in a bag. You have to be able to find your stuff in the dark and modular/compartmentalized thinking is the way to go (IMHO).

So here are some pictures of my crap....

Water



I can't stress enough the importance of taking purification seriously. There are some great brands out there. In my opinion, Steripen, MSR and Katadyn are the best. I have elected to go with the Steripen products. My primary BOB has the Protector. My landbased EDC has the defender. I say 'landbased' as I have a EDC bag for when I fly.

You can't go wrong with a pen that uses UV Light and destroys in excess of 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.99% of viruses and 99.9% of protozoa. It purifies a liter in 90 seconds without any pumping, timekeeping, chemical taste or smell etc etc. Oh and the lamp has a life of 8,000 treatments.

http://www.steripen.com/military2

Yes I have a 3L bladder mounted on the back of my pack but I am not into humping a bunch of water. I know how to find water, and I have the means to purify it.

Food Module



So I am packing 6 MRE's Total weight is 8lbs after stripping away all that packing material. I have courses separated in ziploc bags and then it is all put inside a Sea to Summit Dry Bag(Red).

First Aid Module


Another area I didn't skimp on is First Aid. If you buy something from your local Wal-Mart, you are throwing money away. Build a kit based on legitimate lists.



This is a Blackhawk Emergency Medic Roll. I like it because once opened I can see everything inside very quickly.



It rolls up nicely as well.

Shelter/Sleep Module



While this is enough for me, I am not sure my wife would agree. She has an aversion to under the stars sleeping so I would have to throw a tent in there. No biggie. For me, It's a auto-inflating thermarest pad/cover with inflatable pillow(not in picture but included below as it is attached to the pack), a couple camo tarps, a Recon 4 sleep system, a 10' x 18' multicam radar diffusing camo netting from camosystems[url](http://camosystems.com)[/url]. Just a quick digression, here is a pic of netting I set up at a kids camp where I was teaching chess.



The Hennessey hammock is my off the ground option. Note the NiteIze 'Knot Bone' & 'Rope Tightener'. These are great fast attach systems.

Clothing Module

This is another area in which contents fluctuate depending on season. Suffice it to say I have everything I need to survive the harshest conditions. I'd have to hire a sherpa for some of that stuff though. Layering is critical here. I stay away from jeans and all cotton products. I like for items that are breathable, waterproof/resistant, water-wicking, light, fire/flame resistant, dry quickly etc.

I'll start with the boots. Choosing the right footwear makes all the difference in the world. I bought these a while back and they are my go-to boot now. These are Under Armour SpeedFreek Boots. They are the best boot I have ever purchased. They are 100% Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable. I wear these every weekend when I am out and about. I love em. The only downside is they are only made for men so I am still trying to find something similar for my wife. I have some good leads there....



I have several different options here but this is what I have in my bag at the moment. I am using both Under Armour Cold Gear and Massif Nomex undergarments. http://www.massif.com/military.html. Again, all of my clothing is in Dry Bags(Green)



My default trousers/blouses have been EOTAC Operator grade stuff but I have just placed my first order for Vertx Tactical Pants. They are appealing as they have lots of pockets(can't have too many of those) and they have a concealed pocket. We'll see. Anways, I like these as they are durable, earth tone pants that are very comfortable. Riggers belt fits nicely in the loops. All in another Green Dry Bag



I always have multiple headgear options in my bag depending on conditions. In this Module I have a Blackhawk Nomex balaclava, 'doo-***' baseball cap and boonie hat. I've included an overside poncho which is large enough to cover both me and my pack as well as Under Armour cold weather gloves.



Tools Module

Here I include the following: SOG Hawk(can't seem to get away from hawks), Pepper Spray(kinda like a tool?!), Leatherman Charge Ti Multitool, CRKT Desert Cruiser Knife, Saw, folding shovel with serrated edge, sharpener, and a MercWorx Equatorian Chili. http://www.mercworx.com/products/Equatorian-Chili.html Like Dundee said, "That's not a knife....this is a knife!"



Light/Fire Module

Here I have my light and fire stuff. Personally I think Petzl makes some of the best headlamps out there. The Petzl in the picture is a Tactikka XP. I have a Surefire Porcupine there and yes that is a 'beveled edge'. Anyone who holds it comments on that first. It's downright nasty. My friends in the defense community call it a 'compliance tool'. I happen to believe that Surefire, Streamlight and Fenix are the leaders in flashlight technology. I also include here a little Brinkmann light. It's a throw away but it has turned out to be the little flashlight that could. Just as the headlamp comes with red, blue and green filters, this flashlight also has a green filter option which is nice when light discipline is a concern...and of course when working on someone who's bleeding a red filter won't cut it.

For fire, I have lots of options here including a nice little torch which has a compass on top(from bass pro shops), NATO Matches and a Coleman torch. I pick and shoose between sweedish steel and my trusty little Nano Striker. http://www.uniquetitanium.com/Exotac-Nano-Striker_p_34.html. Both throw sparks well so its a toss up though the nano striker shaves off a little weight. I keep the striker and some tinder in a tube vault. These little vaults hold a lot of my goodies. They are super strong yet very light. I am a fanatic about organization and these really help. I label the lids which is another visual queue as to the contents. Fi = Fire, Fo = Food, Wa = Water, Re = Repair etc. It's my own anal retentive system.



This is my Crocodille Dundee version of a flashlight. Dang thing has a shoulder strap. I am sure when on it can be seen from space. Light just goes on forever....Costco <$50.



Repair Module

So this is my fix it kit. Nothing special here...some mini biners, assorted zip ties, some little locking hoops, kevlar thread, wire, a tube vault with sewing kit/safety pins inside, and duct tape wrapped around the tube vault.



I also include my Otis cleaning kit(again a top pick) and a weapons parts kit for all those little parts that could fail in the field.



Navigation and Communications Module

So this is an ever changing module. I play with different radios and here I have a Midland base Camp Radio as well as 2 midland handhelds with PTT accessories. I keep 1 of my Rino's in this bag as well as my EDC kit. It's loaded with TOPO 411. The Suunto GPS watch is a backup. Personally, this watch has never made me happy. The X10 is better than the X9 but the battery life still sucks. I include a whistle and tin foil for signaling, a laminated map which I can write on and then erase. I also include A Silva Ranger compass. Frankly if you don't understand basic land nav with map and compass, you should at least get the basics under your belt. I threw my phone in here with the Tactical NAV application displayed with red filter on. I see this phone replacing lots of other gadgets. I've downloaded 50+ apps dealing with everything from GPS to survival, first aid, ballistics calcs, police scanners, etc. Great stuff.



Survival Module

This is a 'Pro-Survival Kit' from Amron Internationalhttp://www.amronintl.com/pro-survival-master-pro-survival-kit-with-pouch.html. It contains the following:

Lightweight Combat Casualty Blanket (Olive/Silver)
One pack of Wind and Waterproof Survival Matches
Stainless Steel Commando Wire Saw
Fire-Flash Flint/Steel Fire Starting System
Twelve "Tinder-Quick" Tabs from Four Seasons Survival
Leatherman® Squirt® P4 Mini Multi-tool
Dozier Designed KA-BAR® Folding Lock-Blade Knife
Rescue Flash Signal Mirror
Fox 40 Rescue Howler Whistle
Suunto Baseplate Compass
Photon II Lithium Powered MICROLIGHT (white light)
Lansky® Ceramic Knife Sharpener
Two 17oz. Water Bags with Closure Caps
Fresnel Magnifying Lens
1 pair of Roll-Up Sunglasses
1 bottle of Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets
Pencil and Four sheets of Waterproof Paper (4.25 in. x 5.5 in.)
Flosscard® (36 ft. of Floss for sewing, fishing, snares, lashing, oral care)
20 ft. of "Parachute Cord"
Mini-Carabiner
20' of Stainless Steel Snare Wire
Heavy-Duty Canvas Sewing Needle
6 in. Saw Blade
Two Scalpel Blades
Four Safety Pins
18 in. x 18 in. Heavy-duty Aluminum Foil.
Fishing Kit
Four #2 Fish Hooks
Four #4 Fish Hooks
Four #6 Fish Hooks
One 4/0 Hook (for use as a Gaff)
One 1/2 in. Tack (to attach Gaff Hook)
One Panfish Jig; One Stainless Steel Leader
Four Splitshot
Two Swivels
Sixty feet of 15 pound test line (Two 30 ft. lengths)
Leader Knots and Hitches Instruction Sheet on Waterproof Paper
One Quart Ziplock Bag
2 ft. of Electrical Tape
Four 3 in. Zipties
One foot of Surgical Tubing
Medical Kit
Four 1 in. x 3 in. Bandaids
Two Butterfly Closures
One Large Bandaid
Two Iodine Prep Pads
One Alcohol Prep Pad
Two Extra Strength Acetaminophen Packets
One Electrolyte Tablet Packet
Two First Aid Cream with Aloe Packets
Two Triple Antibiotic Ointment Packets.
Two Bouillon Packets
Two pieces of Hard Candy
Survival Instruction Sheet on Waterproof Paper



Food Prep Module

As I mentioned previously, I am running with MRE's so I ain't cooking. There are a couple items here that I did include in my pack. First, the Sea to Summit 5 Liter Kitchen sink. Light as a feather and great for hauling water, washing body, shaving whatever. Also, I have included the TAD gear folding Titanium spork which is super strong/light, has a bottle and can opener. http://coolmaterial.com/gear/tad-gear-folding-titanium-spork-2-0/



Storage Module

My pack as you can see is an Arc'Teryx LEAF(Law Enforcement/Armed Forces) Tango Expedition. I love it because it gives me everything I want in a pack. The frame is internal and offers great support as does the waist belt. Because MOLLE covers the bag, there's really no place I can't add on a pouch.
Everything has a place and everything is in its place:
Bottom - Thermarest
Bottom Center - My repair kit sits on the back at the base
Center - hydration carrier
Lower left - hygiene module (Sorry folks I didn't include pictures but hey at least the TP is easy access as is the Gold Bonds foot powder and bug juice. I also keep headgear with netting in here.
Lower right - Radio/charging stuff
Main Compartment - accessible from the sides(which is awesome as I don't have to undo anything) and top has shelter, clothing, Food, First Aid)
'Crusader area' - Yeah I can keep my shotgun here which is relatively discreet
Top Compartment - is a 'cutaway'. In a pinch I can shed the larger pack and go with just this. I didn't take any pictures but this has the following:
DryBox with some goodies
SnackPack(Energy Bars, Hard Candy etc)
Survival Kit
GPS/Radios
Steiner Predator Binoculars
Bible
Pocket SAS
Poncho
ChemLights
256-Bit Encrypted Flash Drive with everything on it



When discretion is important, I just through my Arc-Teryx Backpack cover on this and it looks like a trash bag.



Anyways, hopefully this show and tell establishes veracity where there was doubt. I can't just publish my 'tabs' as I would need to clean them up and sanitize where appropriate.

As for tactical gear....It is just like my BOB...and that's a post for another day....when I am not so tired....

Peace and Semper Fi!

Thanks unpacking and laying everything or most everything out like that, taking pic's and repacking takes allot of time, if there was any doubt I'd say you cleared that up, thanks again and great post, looks real good.

chess one other thing get some of that stuff DIRTY man.

Lighthorse wrote:chess one other thing get some of that stuff DIRTY man.

Fearless....I hear you on the dirty part.....The good news is that the multicam stuff I have cleans up nicely....the bad news is I live in an urban setting so I can't just hit my backyard running and gunning. Being relatively newly married (2 years) and a well-paying but high-octane job leaves me little time to hit the trails....no excuse I know....



Cutaway Module

This is my Top Bag which detaches from the rest of the Tango.....



There are some things that are displayed here that are captured in other 'modules' but as I store them here I just thought it appropriate to show again. New entries are my Bible and SAS survival guide as well as the Steiner Binoculars(can't go wrong with Steiner) and Dry Box at the bottom. In a pinch I could again shed this top bag and with a little paracord could hang this around my neck....nice little compass on that box too.

"Last Ditch Module"

If I am at the point where this is all I have...well it is as they say in the Corps....FUBAR. This has my drybag, titanium spoon, extra flashlight, NATO matches, paracord bracelets, sharpie, mechanical pencil, multicolor pen, ponch, small multitool, screwdriver 'pen', combat earplugs, torch, Swedish steel, whistle, survival blanket, compass, advil and more kevlar thread. Again the contents here fluctuate and there's a decent chance that I'd have that aforementioned survival kit on my person as part of my first line gear.



Anyways, gotta go. I'm introducing a retired Air Force vet to guns and ammo.

Peace and Semper Fi!

Chess. Dude you have one of the best BOBs I've ever seen!!! If I had one that good it would be as clean and pristine!

Feerless,

Yeah it's nice stuff and it doesn't get nearly used enough. I've got several worn out a pairs of utilities(or other tactical clothing) and my wife has already put that stuff in a suitcase destined to end up with her family in Thailand. They love camouflage stuff over there.... Wear that stuff to the mall here and people look at you sideways. Wear it in Thailand and its fashionable....go figure.

I do wear stuff out....I've got old sleeping bags, pads, tents, knives, multitools, flashlights, etc but they all have gone into my 'barter' bin as they are too heavy, somewhat damaged, are 'poor performers' or I just wasn't that impressed.

I have a friend who trains gov agency/SF types and he is as into gear as I am....we are gear junkies and there's no 12-step program for us. We talk about FLIR because it is cool but hey I'd take that Russian Gen1 stuff any day of the week. I'll see him next Sunday and he'll dig into my EDC like a damn kid looking for candy.

When we teach though we always emphasize that training trumps gear. That's why next week I'll be practicing suturing, IV administration, bone-setting, treatment for knife and gun shot wounds. My mini triage center doesn't do me any good if I can't determine if someone needs an IV with dextrose solution vs sodium chloride vs lactating ringers.

Anyways, I promised Calico I'd put a few pics together of my EDC bag so I better get going.

Peace and Semper Fi!

so chess, can i have a few of those gold sh!t bricks?

bbekalb wrote:so chess, can i have a few of those gold sh!t bricks?

Id take a brick too but would prefer it to pre-sanitized.

Im still curious about the weight.

Thanks for the show and tell, I figured posting the tabs would have been easier since they were already done, but the listings were cool. The individual pack pics were neat, I was hoping to see how you manage to get it all in the pack though. how do you prioritize the order of what goes in first vs. what is easily available on top. You carry alot more than most people I know so Im curious

Back to some of my earlier questions though. (and more) The Pics answered some but created others

1. Why 4 radios? And 2 gps?
2. The Sunto is more than I would pay either way but what model? What do you not like?
3. The location of the shotty is obvious, but no tube? Would that not fit in same location?The tube might help with keeping it discreet. (Actually leads to another question.... Why that shotgun? Is your intention self defense only or maybe limited hunting if lucky? I understand the short barrel is dictated by it being a BOB gun but why not have a folding stock at least? Or maybe something like a Keltec su16 since they fold down to a packable size)
4. Do you carry/use the survival staff as a walking stick or break it apart and pack it? Missed it in the pics
5. Does the pack safe actually cover that whole package or do you have to break it down a bit? Also missed in pics

I agree with the others.... get it dirty and maybe even get rid of the all the manufacturers packaging.