Salt N’ Prepper’s Jessica Hooley was featured on the Ready Nutrition Blog. Read the excerpt and finish reading the article at the link provided below.
In my quest for ultimate preparation, I found that the average 72 hour kit sold at your local sports outlet isn’t a practical approach to bugging out. Most ready-made kits are all but useless containing minimal calories and a destitute number of tools for survival. That’s why I decided to create my own ultimate bug out bag.
Before I get going crazy on all the wonderful prepper items you need to add to your kits, a couple disclaimers:
First – This kit is not for wussies. If you’re going to survive a coronal mass ejection, nuclear warfare, EMP attack, natural disasters or anything else you happen to be preparing for, you need to be in good shape. Health and fitness are essential to survival and this kit is made for people who take that seriously. It has some weight to it, but not more than an in shape person should be able to handle.
Second – This is a “96 hour” kit for two people. There are several tools you will only need one of between the two people. It’s an easy way to distribute weight and add more essentials. I put the “96 hour” in quotations because essentially you can make this kit last as long as you need so long and you can supply yourself with adequate food.
Third disclaimer – I’ve linked several of these items to places where they are available for purchase. I receive no monetary gain for you purchasing them at these particular sites so feel free to shop around wherever you like. All of them will be available locally as well as online. When shopping for your items ALWAYS keep weight in mind.
Now to the good stuff:
2 – Backpacks (Highest quality available I’ve found at my local army navy store)
1 – First Aid Kit
1 – Body Powder
2 – Flashlights w/Extra Batteries
6 – Glowsticks (3 per person)
1 – Wind and Waterproof Matches Pack
1 – Magnesium Block
2 – Sandwich Bags Full of FiredUp! (Or any other fire starter/kindling kit of your choice)
1 – Map of Local Area
2 – Compasses with Measure (Learn to orienteer if you haven’t yet)
1 – Leatherman Pocket Knife
1 – Hand Saw
1 – Hatchet
1 – Compact Fishing Kit
2 – Cooking Sets (Or 1 large)
1 – Hunting Knife
Continue Reading this Guest Post Live on the Ready Nutrition Blog
I don’t know why EXPERTS that tell people what to put in a B. O. B. don’t have Bic lighters included. They are small and will light hundreds of fires with a lot less trouble then magnesium. Think of it as flint, steel, and fuel all in one. Put a four or five inch candle in with it. Light the candle first to save lighter fuel.
Experts will tell you that there are a seemingly infinite amount of fire starting options. Which is why it is wise to just pick a couple that you’re most comfortable with and add them to your BOB. If Bic lighters are what you like, then they should definitely be part of your kit. No BOB list is going to be perfectly tailored to everyone which is why building your own is always better then buying one prepackaged for the masses.
I agree w. Jessica- Get good@ lighting a fire with what are using as a primary.
Try and make it something reliant to the elements and either reusable ‘for some time’ or low degradation of your fire starter material. If a flint and steel will last you a long time– think how long just a few boxes of W-P matches will last.. (way way less)
My next thought is to Grant- If you had a 10pack of lighters in your car great- 2-3 asst sizes lighters in your pack sure (as extra to your primary). These lighters can go a long way gifted- or traded- & sometimes peace of mind in giving someone a lighter, because u see their camp is without… *Is better then you having a dozen fire sources & walking past that camp and having them follow you and kill you in the middle of the night– see so 1 silly extra lighter in my bag’s hip pocket or one in my pants pocket (just toss it to the person(s) in need) knowing I’ll have a backup in my pack.
I also wouldn’t go walking right up to groups, camps, crowds, stopped traffic, U name it– & This Marine is just gonna do his best to tack around whatever danger area. I’m so lucky this past month I just purchased my ‘country land’ and I am looking to own it outright and live on it by Spring next year.
2 things on the list– 1st.Aid-kit— get a light weight W-P zipping bag and now u can store medications- bandages- tape ect w/o wet woes~ and standard kits don’t have many bandages– go out and buy the bandages you would want to use for a variety of large abrasions, creams in tubes (chk expiration dates)—–fem products reusable will become gold- as well can openers (have 2 one on your keys and one on your knife and one in your pack ect.. JIC)…
Oh I just remembered one last thing– ‘rollup dump pouches’ added to any rucksack– U can be foraging and looking around– but if you found something Ru gonna take off your pack and fix everything inside it too pack away those 3 cans of beans you found? No– you’d simply drop your pack to the floor and roll out the dump pouch– or have your friend/partner unroll it and then you keep moving. Also greater chance of taking Items You Need when you come across them– then Ditching Items You know are essential but you might not have used, like rain gear or tarp ect– Never wanna ditch things you know are useful-and can’t be replaced-
SRY, for my poor grammar ~~ also this is a 2nd.ary thought to my last post.. Fire starting may or may not be the best-option. It requires fuel and leaves a bigger trace. A fire can be smelt- seen and heard. You and your gear might as well leave breadcrumbs of your route away from each campsite. Small stoves are not much better- the fuel being the issue. Eating that which doesn’t not require cooking or heating up- will IMO be longer-term on your own basically all anyone needs. Jerky- nuts- dehydrated fruits- list goes on with things you won’t need to heat-up. And you should also consider the caloric intake your putting on the body- Now and late-then. If you could train your stomach and mind to work on less now- your gonna be in heaven later when everyone else is griping about 800calories or less a day for nutrition.