I’m not too much into this type of thing, but I’m a boy scout and like to be prepared (always).
I came across a link the other day to what looks to me like a decent starter Bug Out Bag. The pre-made ones save the steps of gathering all the essentials, but none of them are ever perfect.
What do you guys think? Over-priced? Missing crucial gear? Too heavy?
This is the first of its type that I’ve been tempted to buy, mostly because of the water purification , fire steel, paracord, axe and sharpening tools.
Meh. A generic multi-tool probably won’t do as well as one you’ve picked out that you like especially. That’s a folding knife, which is great for everyday carry but you want something a lot tougher for a BOB. That backpack’s a little small; it probably won’t have room for very much else. A knife sharpener isn’t worth in that situation; too heavy. That bag has TWO! Keep a good edge on your tools at home, and trust them in the wild. I’m sure the flashlight’s pretty crappy, but honestly you don’t need much in that situation, and the law of diminished returns sets in really fast on flashlights. (I carry an expensive one, but it’s a work tool and I use it every day at work.)
Honestly, the only things that I would pick out as good choices are the axe and the paracord bracelet.
Concur - and furthermore, although the axe is cool, is it really very useful to have an inbuilt gas wrench? I don’t think it would be hard to imagine better functions that could be built in as shaped holes.
Man, I love survivalist stuff…you can fantasize about the ultimate end-of-the-world scenerio, and always find somebody else who’s even crazier…
But seriously…the first question is to ask yourself what you’re going to be bugging out from…Then decide whether you are going to need a flashlight ,or an assault rifle
The comments sectionfrom the link above has some good advice: use more than one bag.
By the way, years ago,I read a piece of good, practical advice in a National Geographic magazine article about earthquakes in California…
If you’re living in the zone when it gets hit by the “Big One”, and the roads become impassable…it’s a good idea to have a sturdy bicycle ready for each member of the family.
Crap. There are three things in that pack that are OK. The rest are cheap knock-offs of good things or total crap to begin with. Get a LifeStraw, flashlight and firestarter separately and add decent tools that you choose.
Virtually nobody who sells these things is out to save you. They are out to make a fast buck, that’s all.
Correct me if I’m a bad prepper, but isn’t most of the **fun **found in researching cool and nifty items that work best for you specifically and trying to build a pack that is the best (for your own personal interpretation of best) suited for your particular needs.
I do second the advice chappachula linked - you want more than one bag.
These contents will keep me from dying.
These contents will keep me from wishing I were dead after a month of living through x.
Also, if you live somewhere with extreme weather, make sure that your gear is specialized to withstand the rigors of your location. I don’t so much need snow-shoes, but I do need containers of medicine and water that can handle being exposed to 100+ degrees for three months out of the year.
