Hazard 4-Bug Out Bag

Halveye

Halveye

Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
245
About 6 months ago, I was considering the possibility of a disastrous event occurring, and decided I should round up what gear I have and place it in one bag. Wasn't something I ever considered before, but I figured that if a teotwawki event were to occur, I would like to "Bug Out" as quickly as possible, with my wife and be able to survive the elements for a short period until finding a more stable dwelling/site. So, I first decided that I needed a sturdy weapon/all around useful blade that would handle anything I could throw at it. I already had a Glock model 21C, but guns run out of bullets....blades never run out, always ready to go. I searched for about a year before, and found the Swamp Rat Rodent Waki, but missed the boat on pre-order, and didn't want second hand. So, I searched for the next 6 months or so until I ran across some board posts about a new and upcoming Swamp Rat Rodent Rucki. After looking at the specs, I found it to be a better fit in terms of length and weight, so I pre-ordered it. This was the basis for the rest of the Bug Out Bag. I based all size and compatibility issues of the bags I was looking at, on the size of the blade. I needed a bag that was large enough for the blade, as well as all other gear. After a long bit of time, I found the Hazard 4 Evac Plan B. It was as if this bag was made specifically for the Swamp Rat Rodent Rucki. I kid you not, I bought the bag before receiving the blade, hoping it would be a good fit, and to my amazement, it was perfect. The bag has a zippered opening at the top that allows for the blade (gun barrel if you choose) to come through. Other attributes of the bag that are perfect as a BOB include a camel back reservoir, compression straps, MOLLE webbing, a sturdy shoulder strap (this was another key feature that was a large factor in choosing this bag), padded back, multiple compartments, and a divider in the main compartment that can be moved as needed. I bought a nylon/velcro backed pistol mount that attached to the inner compartment, making the Glock easily accessible. Not to forget, this bag swings to chest very easily for easy access to the main compartment. My wife liked my bag so much that she actually bought one in black which will serve to carry further supplies/provisions that were not placed in my BOB. Over the period of the last 4 months or so, I have accumulated the following gear (not quite complete-My wife's BOB will handle the rest of our gear, as well as taking some of the things I doubled up on from my BOB).

The link to the actual Dissection of my Bug Out Bag (as a slide show) is located here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76424949@N05/sets/72157629279584113/

FIRE
-Bic Lighters (2)
-Waterproof Matches (multiple packs)
-Magnesium Striker (3-one small, one medium, one larger Bear Grylls with attached survival whistle)
-Fire Starter Sticks (Coleman-2 packs)

WATER
-CameBack Reservoir
-Water Purification tabs
-Water Purification Straw (2)
-Electrolyte packs (Gatorade)-Hydration is vital, but water isn't enough
-Coffee (Folgers instant-Caffeine could be vital during dismal times)
-Collapsible watertight packs of varying size (can be used to scoop water out of a stream for purification)-would like a larger actual collapsible reservoir-Army grade

LIGHT
-Flashlight (1)
-Light Sticks (4)
-12 hour candles (2)
-Head lamp (6 LED)

HYGIENE
-Pack towels (disposable) (3)
-Bandanas (2)-Multiple uses for cleaning, covering ones head, tourniquets, etc.
-Soap/shampoo mini (1 shampoo, 1 bar LAVA)

NAVIGATION
-Compass

TETHERING
Zip ties (multiple-black)
Duct Tape (small roll, compressed)
Survival Strap (to wear)

DEFENSE
Glock 21C-2 loaded clips ("magazines" per word usage suggestion of those more savy than I)
Swamp Rat Rodent Rucki with Kydex Sheath (azwelke) and sling for carry on back

TOOLS
-Buck Multipurpose Tool
-Folding Shovel
-Axe
-camping utensils (1 pack)
-Spork/knife (2)

DOCUMENTATION/Funds
-Aluminum Wallet with following
-Money/Cards
-Miniaturized (on Photo paper and cut out to card size) Birth Certificate, Soc Sec Card, License-ID,
-1 gig SD card with aforementioned

HOUSING
-8X10 Tarp
-Para-cord
-Tent Stakes

WARMTH
-Space Blankets (2)
-Hand-Warmers (6)
-2 Full Rain Suits (camouflage)

FIRST-AID
-Bandages
-Gauze
-Alcohol Swabs
-Thermometer
-Super Glue (quick closure of small wounds)
-Quick Clot
-Insta-cool pack
-Neosporin spray (would prefer triple antibiotic)
-Tape
-latex gloves
-Aspirin
-Meclezine
-Imodium
-Tylenol
-Ibuprofen
-Diphenhydramine
-Ranitidine
-Naproxen
-Insect Repellent (DEET)
-Listerine (small bottle)
-Sensodyne
-small tooth cleaners
-Carmex
-Ambesol
-2 pairs of contacts
-Visine- contact solution

SIGNALING
-Signaling mirror

STILL LOOKING TO GET-(Will partition between my wife's bag and mine, as well as attach to MOLLE webbing)
BCB British Crusader cooking system
Maps of US, Possibly waterproof
Pack Rifle (small-looking at Rossi Model RH92-57121 | .45 COLT)-would be a great option since would fire similar ammunition, and be good for hunting, although would need extendable stock attachment
MRE's
Toilet paper or wet wipes (the disposable pack towels will work for now)
Miniature Emergency Radio (preferably solar or hand crank)
Rope Saw
Surgical Kit (military grade)

The link to the actual Dissection of my Bug Out Bag is located here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76424949@N05/sets/72157629279584113/
 
Last edited:
To anyone that wasn't able to see the photostream before on Facebook, I switched the link to my flickr account which allows for slide show action which shows the bag going from empty to fully packed. Enjoy.
 
hmm, interesting set-up.

Two things:
* * 1. If your picking up a "surgical kit" I would get some training to back it up. I'm a pre-hospital critical care technician and I don't carry a surgery kit, a suture kit sure, but get some training before using something like that.

* * 2. Why not add some some signaling devices? signal mirror, whistle, flares. You may need, even with a BOB to signal help.


Looking good other wise.:thumbup:
 
Fonly, good suggestions. It would be pointless to have a surgery kit without training. Luckily, I have trained in surgery during my medical schooling, so I have a good working knowledge of suturing techniques, although primary care is my field of expertise. With regards to signaling, I have an emergency whistle on one of my fire starters, but I do need a good signaling mirror and possibly some flares for sure. Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it, and welcome any further advice from any survivalists out there.
 
Halveye said:
Fonly, good suggestions. It would be pointless to have a surgery kit without training. Luckily, I have trained in surgery during my medical schooling, so I have a good working knowledge of suturing techniques, although primary care is my field of expertise. With regards to signaling, I have an emergency whistle on one of my fire starters, but I do need a good signaling mirror and possibly some flares for sure. Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it, and welcome any further advice from any survivalists out there.
Click to expand...


Very good, I hear that a lot, people looking for oxygen tanks, opa's, npa's and not even really sure what they are.

myocardial....what? :D it can be comical.


Anywho', you have a solid kit built, all you can do is get out and train with it. Find its weaknesses/strengths and work on them, pack it around for a few km's and see if it truly is going to work for you.
 
Id suggest tho if you can make it dont bring it.tent pegs are fast n easy. Id also ditch the stuff that cant be resused chem sticks are ok at best, swao with more batteries or a knife sharpener. Some things you can make do without like shampoo if you got that much water go without. Hand warmers are nice but if you are at the point when you really need them well you are likly to far gone. I see axe and pocket chainsaw and the waki. The waki is good stuff i'm sure it can process wood fine. This its a bugout bag not a move out bag.even among two too carry all that stuff is allot of weight Anne if you her to move fast..my 2 cents
 
Thanks for the input Sig_Op, less is better for sure, but I'm taking my wife's needs/desires into account on some things, i.e. shampoo, soap, tissues, etc. I know that this is supposed to be a 2-3 day bag at best, but I figure that in a situation where "it" has hit the fan, I should anticipate maybe utilizing the bag for extended periods because things may be worse than I could ever imagine and it would take longer to get to a safe point. I do agree that a pocket chainsaw may be overkill with an axe and Rucki on hand, but I do see the axe as crucial since the blunt end can be used for hammering things. I definitely agree that some extra batteries and a knife sharpener would be good. I have tried to use as few electronic devices as possible, so as to necessitate fewer batteries. Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. Every bit helps to maximize the utility of the bag.
 
Hi

Good setup ......

I see contact lense fluid ...... spare set of contacts is mentioned but I prefer glasses for long term ...can also be used to start a fire ...2 uses :D.

Also look at needs and wants carefully ...make sure the needs go in first ....wants is a luxury. Hand warmers are one use throw away....how about gloves? Dump items that are not reusable. Chem light sticks were mentioned already!

I would add a spork, plate and cup for each. Cup I would go for a S/S GSI .....S/S Clean Kanteen ..fit together ..... can used to boil water and cook in.

Also look at multi-use items ....... Colemans firstarter ...no good. Wife will likely take petroleum jelly and cotton balls .... My wife always does :-) and that makea one hell of a fire starter even when wet.

I would suggest to look at using one type of battery for all appliances. I personally prefer AA and use Eneloop rechargable with a small solar charger. I would add a cheap disposable cell phone ...... make sure solar charger will work on cell as well. Copy your contacts onto this phone.

Sharpening stone ....DC4 and train how to use it.

I would use Datrex rations for the initial 72 hours pack .... you may not have the luxury of making a fire to cook.

I cycle and we use a small sachet of pure glucose/fructose (Called Vooma in SA) Very small but kick your sugar levels like a mule ...... handy when you may have to move for extended period of time without rest or proper meals.

I am sure some more great minds will add many valuable tips but I have another 2 questions ......

72 hours and then what? You are planning for the journey ...... what happens at the destination. What skills are you developing ...... short term and long term .....

Secondly, be honest about you and your parners physical condition ....... fitness conditioning is key to keep going, reducinng injuries and recover from hardship faster. Friend has a 72 hrs BOB, weight is only 34 lbs ... he has decent outdoor skills but ...he is 5' 3" and wieghs in at 240 lbs with a 38 inch chest and 48 inch waist. Took me 4 years working on him to get him to start working on the one item he has been neglecting .....himself!! Took some harsh reality to get that in ..... took him and his BOB for a overnighter and told him we will check all our sutff for a BOB trip ... we were dropped off on Friday 3pm and would only be picked up at 7am ........ he thought Saturday, it was Monday and it was 35km away (20 miles) over broken terrian. He kept on telling me how he could keep going and live out of the bag for 72 hours ....... so now talk was over, we do it!

Well, he didn't die and half his stuff didn't work as well as he planned ...... he damaged his knee in the hike out and had to get medical treatment after we got back .... I had no sympathy ...... you walk out or I call my wife and she comes and fetch you and no, we are not staying put. THis was in Dec 2011 .... he has joined the gym and has lost 12 lbs by last Friday. Reality can be such a party pooper!

Best of luck with your preperation.

Cheers from Africa

Aubrey
 
I'd caution against getting so enmeshed in the minutia of the quest for the perfect BOB. Why are you bugging out? Do you have a destination? Is your gear tailored to your AO and season of the year? Will you be alone? With family? Do you anticipate the end of the world? Do you feel you would have to literally survive for the rest of your life on what you carry on your back?
Looks to me like the above list is way too complicated. I cover food, water, shelter/comfort and security, and for only around 72 hours. I think you have way too much redundancy, which only eats space, but adds un needed weight.
 
Well unless you're carrying all your stuff on your back everyday it doesn't matter too much in my opinion if it's a little redundant or you're carrying extra stuff. If you decide it's weighing you down when (if) the time comes then ditch it.
 
glasses for long term ...can also be used to start a fire
Click to expand...
Have you tried that? My understanding is no one has an eyeglass prescription strong enough to start a fire with. Apparently Lord of the Flies was fiction....
 
To Mannlicher, Aubrey and JTC, I would like to thank you for your input. I tend to think in terms of the rule of 3's when adding things to the bag. If one method doesn't work I will have a backup. This does lead to redundancy, but then again, your always prepared. The weight issue is definitely a solid point. It is not something I have totally ruled out, but I have taken measures unknowingly to remedy this. I have been a power-lifter for 15 years concentrating on explosive movements, but in the last year of medical rotations, time has been sparse, so I have started to super-set my movements which requires cycling through 3-4 movements with very little rest in between (seconds), so my endurance is pretty good. I have also been performing weighted jumping techniques that I call "Carter" jumps (reference to Edgar Rice Burroughs novel) which should allow for my agility, stability, and overall ability to carry heavy loads efficiently to be maximized (I generally utilize 2-50lb dumbbells at the peak of my sets). I grew up out in the sticks, so all of my childhood was spent in the wilderness (hunting, fishing, trapping), so I know how to anticipate rough terrain, which would serve me well in tough times. Where things would get a bit harry would be with my wife. Unfortunately, she doesn't enjoy exercise and lifting such as I do, so her endurance is not up to par currently. She is beginning some yoga/dance pilates type movements as of recently, but it would be a bit until she is in top notch condition to hike for extended periods of time. The more important point which was brought up by you guys, was the end point (do I have a destination, and possibly points of rest/recharge along the way). Currently I am living on the outskirts of a small mid-western city which allows for ease of escape. The idea currently is to meet up with another couple that is "well prepared", friends of ours (the husband is in the police force, heavily armed and solid individual) and then travel about a 30 mile distance (maybe a bit less) to my fathers family farm which is isolated, deep in the country. If we still have use of vehicles, this is only a 45 minute drive, but without vehicles, it would be quite a hike, therefore conditioning now definitely becomes crucial.

Mannlicher, I do like the idea of having a pair of glasses, should outlast contacts and serve as a good magnifier/firestarter. I have considered the petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls and may utilize those (have also heard people using petroleum jelly soaked tampons). In terms of hand-warmers, they are again a luxury which my wife would like/and truthfully almost require. She has a condition that predisposes her to vasoconstriction of the vasculature in even the nicest of weather which causes her hands/feet to become cold, mottled and painful. Handwarmers (even stuck in the shoes) would be crucial for her, if not only for required heating of the extremities, but for her own morale. I know comfort isn't important in a situation such as this, but it does help to keep your spirits up. I guess, the next step is for my wife and I to actually go out into the wilderness for a couple of days, a walkabout if you will, and test our skills. I am sure they need much honing, but will be a good way to spend my days off in the summer.

One question-In terms of weight verses utility, does anyone have good suggestions on cookers (I was thinking BCB crusader, but I have also looked at JetBoil). Looking for best fit in terms of size/weight and utility.

Again thanks to all for your help, multiple minds are better than one when anticipating what needs one will have in survival situations. I appreciate the diverse new angles everyone is presenting me with. As I have always said, if you stop thinking your dead in the water. Thanks to all and I continue to welcome advice from all walks of life.
 
Last edited:
An alchol burning stove. It would be easier to find alcohol than the fuel for Jet boil. The BCB crusader is heavy, but you may want to have a canteen/canteen cup with you anyway for your water. It would be useful to boil water and cook on a campfire long after your stoves fuel source ran out. There are lots of accessories for the American or Nato setup, but I like the American canteen/cup/cover setup without additional accessories. If you added the stove, metal cover, plastic cover, etc, you'll have a heavy canteen that feels like your curling a weight every time you drink.
 
DrivebyTrucker, thanks for the input on the stove. I do like the US as well as the British set up. I've noticed that the US version is cheaper which is always good, but I have also read some reviews that the British is a bit more solid. I like the set up of the BCB crusader, but the US version looks practical as well. I feel as though a small canteen cooker could be vital to a survival situation for cooking, boiling to purify, etc.
 
I was curious to any arms enthusiast out there, whether or not one would recommend, a pack rifle? I was looking at the Rossi mentioned above, but I have also looked at a Henry and some others. My reasoning for a rifle would be for hunting purposes if the 3 day bag needed to become a week or more bag. This would be something that would need to be placed in my wife's bag which just came in today.
 
Bug out bags... For pansies. Stand your ground, protect and defend the safety, comfort and investment of your home.

Must be thousands of bug out bags stuffed full of so called survival gear stashed and forgotten, never to be used. Just an excuse to spend money to keep up with other members of your survival forum.

Running off to the wilderness to eat pine cones and sleep under the stars is false security. Man up.
 
Glock 21C-2 loaded clips
Click to expand...

You should return those clips to the store that sold them to you, and purchase magazines for your Glock.

Cougar Allen said:
Have you tried that? My understanding is no one has an eyeglass prescription strong enough to start a fire with. Apparently Lord of the Flies was fiction....
Click to expand...

Things didn't go well for Piggy.
 
edit to add: goal zero makes a solar charger that's perfect for recharging aa/aaa and there's also a usb port there. they also make an led lamp (from what i can tell it's around 40 lumens) that plugs directly to the battery pack. it's a better option i think to carrying more batteries.


DrivebyTrucker said:
An alchol burning stove. It would be easier to find alcohol than the fuel for Jet boil. The BCB crusader is heavy, but you may want to have a canteen/canteen cup with you anyway for your water. It would be useful to boil water and cook on a campfire long after your stoves fuel source ran out. There are lots of accessories for the American or Nato setup, but I like the American canteen/cup/cover setup without additional accessories. If you added the stove, metal cover, plastic cover, etc, you'll have a heavy canteen that feels like your curling a weight every time you drink.
Click to expand...

emberlit is also a nice option to have along with the alcohol burning stove. the msr whisperlite international is a nice stove from what i've read - can take diesel, ethanol, etc.


RatDrall said:
You should return those clips to the store that sold them to you, and purchase magazines for your Glock.



Things didn't go well for Piggy.
Click to expand...

hah. that's one of my few pet peeves...also, when people confuse "bullets" with "cartridge". i'm hoping at least they've paid enough attention/had a good mentor/instructor to have trigger discipline.

magazine_vs_clip.jpg



"lord of the flies" rules!
 
Last edited:
Funny, yeah Magazines not clips...figured it was implied. I'll have to check out some of those different stoves. I kind of feel as though a BOB is not for running, so much as being prepared with all of your "gear" in one place. Do I think that I will ever have to flee...not so much, but now I know exactly where every piece of survival gear is, and can utilize things on an as needed basis. Pansy...no, Prepared...yes. I also have been doing a bit of traveling as of lately, so I have been taking my BOB with me. Weighed in at around 20lbs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top