[JR36]

Disclaimer: Post could get long-winded.

Due to being sick and stuck in my apt I just swapped my bug out bag from summer to winter setting and did some inventory. In the process I thought about bouncing my gear and plan off other like minded individuals to get some feedback from another point of view.

My situation: I am a 25 year old former USMC 0311. I live in western NC, home is 1.5 hrs(drive)/75 miles east of where I currently live. Drive a Jeep with 4wd and always keep at least a half a tank of gas. Ex girlfriend lives in the same town as I currently do and home is the same for both of us. Home is rolling hills/forests with plenty of game/water/pasture, low population density, buckle of the bible belt where everyone knows each other and average distance between houses is roughly 500m.

My plan: Grab the girl, my bag, and head for home. Between here and home there are several bridges which could become my main obstacle depending on the disposition of local riff-raff. Ditching the Jeep (as heart breaking as it'd be) is certainly a possibility. I'd hope to make it at least half way in the Jeep due to several reasons: that would put main population centers behind me, from there is a straight shot east to home, and half way is a deep gorge with the longest bridge I'd have to contend with and its at the bottom of a 6% grade.

Assuming other people are bugging out and I'm not just crazy, I figure most people would be heading West and not East. West being into the mountains of western NC and away from Charlotte. So now I'm on foot. I'd plan on sticking within eye/ear shot of the road simply for ease of direction but could ditch the road if I had to. I might swing south at one point to avoid going straight through my last population center(two city area of around 12k pop.) before the happy hunting grounds of home.

The gear: Current bag is my bug out/camping bag but as of two days ago all of the listed items are in/on the bag. Bag goes with me in the Jeep if I go more than 30m from my apt. I really need to weigh this thing and start cutting it down I think.

-Bandaids x14
-Neosporin
-Floss
-razors x2
-bar soap
-liquid soap
-toothbrush
-toothpaste (travel size)
-pain killers
-baby wipes
-chapstick
-toe nail clippers
-medical tape
-second skin patches x2
-tp
-condom
-electrical tape
-whistle x2
-WP matches x50
-firesteel
-magnesium block
-bic lighter x2
-sharpie
-chem light x2
-bug spray
-change $2
-Batteries x4 AA, x2 AAA, x4 cr123
-sheets of paper x4
-hand sanitizer
-NC road map
-small notebook
-map pen
-sewing kit
-Nat Geo Nat. Park maps x4 (Doubt these will last much longer in the bag)
-knife sharpener x2
-Flashlight x2 (rotary) (Fenix P3D runs on CR123's)
-Headlamp (Princeton Tec Aurora runs on AAA's)
-Cotton sleeping bag liner
-sleeping bag (Kelty Tundra 15-Degree)
-sleeping pad
-gloves x2 (cold weather)(work)
-bandana x2
-grunt roll (boxers, tee shirt and pair of cold weather socks, all synthetic)
-socks (cotton)
-base layers (patagonia capilene 3 top/bottoms)
-rain coat
-sunscreen
-ENO single hammock
-Fixed blade knife (Buck Omni)
-cheapass compass
-pure aqua tablets
-duct tape

Loose items around apt to be tossed into bag:
-KaBar
-personal daily notebook
-big ol survival book
-USMC guidebook for Marines (to train conscripts to beat back the Reds)
-spare set of woodland cammies
-NC state map (85 pages of 1:150,000 maps) (Might just tear out the pages I'd actually need)
-toboggan
-scarf

I've a list of items to grab from around my apt stuck in my daily notebook. The list includes those loose items listed above. Ill not post the portion that contains my PC tower, guitar, and other luxury items for fear of mockery Not every situation is the Defcon 1 Zombie Invasion and if I can take my ol guitar ima gonna. I've a few items already in the Jeep like a gallon of water, spare food and some spare clothing.

Currently planning on getting a new headlamp that uses 123 batteries to cut down on needing two types of batteries. I need to toss a tarp in the kit, restock my 550 cord and get a decent lensatic compass.

As for the gigantic oversight that I'm sure everyone has noticed. I'm planning on building an AR to join me in this hypothetical journey. Was torn for a bit on shotgun or handgun over AR but I figure I'm just trying to get to home base in this plan, where we have plenty of shotguns/handguns.

Thoughts? Opinions? Feedback? Anything I've overlooked? What do I need to ditch? I could certainly could drop a lot the weight of current set up if I had two bags dedicated for both the camping role and bob role but currently funds don't allow me to double up on almost everything. I'm also fairly sure I'm blurring the line between a 72hr bag and survival bag.

Edit: Everything that cant get wet is in zipplock bags. Essentials (first aid, water tabs, etc) are in 3 layers of bags.

Thanks for reading my novel.

[CA357]

There seems to be a bit more than you may need or want to carry there.

I know that one is none and two is one, but since this will be more of a Get Home Bag, you may be able to eliminate some redundancy.

Two razors? Take one

Liquid and Bar soap? Pick one

Cut back on your batteries

Two knife sharpeners?

Two whistles?

Three base layers? Can you get by with two?

Do you need the cotton sleeping bag liner?

What does your GF have in her BOB? Does she have one?

[IGETEVEN]

Ya might want to add these....


Good nylon rope.




Set of various carabiners.

[JR36]

Good points CA. Reckon I'll set aside my current double ups for the start of a different bag. I should have been more clear on the base layers, there is only one set in the bag, they are lvl 3's which is the warmest of the Patagonia line. Seems I forgot to remove the cotton sleeping bag line when I changed over to winter setting. The gal ain't got a bag and isn't swayed my arguments on the subject, so I guess I'm packing for two. Thanks CA.

Thanks for the rope suggestion IGETEVEN. Not sure how I overlooked that detail. I've got some cheapo carabiners attached to the daisy chain on the bag which hold my knife and Fenix light. Should snag some legit ones considering their uses and weight.

[fireguy]

I would suggest some food, water, and a water purifier.

Something as simple as prepacked tuna, jerky, or energy bars could keep you going. A couple of bottles of water would be my minimum and a steri-pen or filter straw could make found water good enough to use.

[JR36]

Seems I forgot another detail. I have 1 bottle of water, a nalgene and pure aqua tablets for water. For food I have a diminishing supply of MRE main meals and peanutbutter crackers that needs restocking. Thanks for pointing out my oversight and reminding me to resupply.

[CA357]

JR, you're probably way ahead of 90% of the population.

[dunerunner]

Originally Posted by CA357

Two razors? Take one

Do you need the cotton sleeping bag liner?

I'm thinking I'll find an old double edged razor at a garage sale and buy blades!

A good bag liner can lower the "Thermal Protection" 10 degrees. If your bag is rated to 15 degrees, with the lliner it becomes a 5 degree bag. They are light weight and when rolled into the bag and stored in a stuff sack, they take up no room.

Egyptian Cotton - 7 degrees
Silk - 9.5 degrees

[CA357]

Originally Posted by dunerunner

I'm thinking I'll find an old double edged razor at a garage sale and buy blades!

A good bag liner can lower the "Thermal Protection" 10 degrees. If your bag is rated to 15 degrees, with the lliner it becomes a 5 degree bag. They are light weight and when rolled into the bag and stored in a stuff sack, they take up no room.

Egyptian Cotton - 7 degrees
Silk - 9.5 degrees

I stand corrected.

[JR36]

Ooo thanks for the heads up dune, I never thought to just keep the liner in the sleeping bag. That should free up some space inside the pack itself. I need to find a suitable size WP bag instead of the stuff sack if I can considering the bag is outside my pack. Or just a large enough poncho to cover the whole pack hmmm.

Thanks CA, that's reassuring.