From: Paul Macgregor
Basic Bug - Out Kit
______ Carrier Bag - knapsack style large enough for the
supplies or be able to carry as a
suitcase/gym bag
Shelter Water
______ Poncho ______ Water Purifier
______ Poncho Liner ______ Purify Tablets/Clorox
______ Space Blanket HD ______ 2QT Canteen
______ Space Blanket CHP ______ 5QT Canteen
______ Plastic Bags Leaf HD ______ Water Packets
______ Plas Tube Tent OD ______ Drink & Soup Mixes
Clothing Heat/Cooking/Light
______ 4pr Socks ______ "Lifeboat" Matches
______ Gloves ______ Butane Lighter
______ Hat ______ Candle Lantern
______ Sweater ______ Extra Candles
______ Windbreaker ______ Canteen Cup GI style
______ Scarves (1 or 2) ______ Canteen Cup Stove
______ Ltwt Towel ______ Stove Fuel Bars
______ Underwear (1 set) ______ Eating/Cooking Utensils
______ Underwear Therm/Silk ______
______ Boots 1pr ______
______ Bootlaces 1pr ______
______ Shoelaces 1pr ______
______ Coveralls ltwt
(jumpsuit style)
______
Utility Communications
______ "Swiss Army" knife ______ AM-FM-SW Radio
______ Sheath Knife ______ Batteries spare
______ Knife Sharp Kit ______ Flashlight
______ "Leatherman" style ______ Bulbs & Batteries extra
Multi-tool ______ Pad of Paper
______ Parachute Cord ______ Pen & Pencil
______ Nylon Rope ______ Caylume Light Sticks
______ Mending Tape ______ Light Stick Case
______ German E-Shovel ______ Mirror
______ Gill Net ______ Whistle
______ Hammock ______ Flares (aerial)
______ Sewing Kit (below) ______ Cash (roll slvr quarters)
______ ______ Trade Goods
Directions Hygiene
______ Maps ______ Ditty Bag (below)
______ Compass ______ Soap
______ Map Aides ______ Toilet Paper
______ First Aid Manual ______ Collapsible Wash Basin
______ Surv Skill Manual ______ Smll Collapsible Bucket
______ Bible ______
______ ______
Food
______ 3 to 7 MRE Meals
______ Small can cashews or other nuts
______ Other personal preference food items
INTERNAL KITS
Sewing Kit First Aid Kit
______ Needles variety ______ Triangular Bandage
______ Thread ______ Band-Aids Asstd
______ Extra Buttons ______ Towelettes (pre-moist)
______ Smll Scissors ______ Gauze Pads
______ Sewing Awl ______ Sting-Ez (meat tenderizer)
______ Nylon Thread ______ Tweezers
______ Safety Pins ______ Magnifying Glass
______ Ripstop Tape ______ Safety Pins
______ ______ Aspirin (Tylenol/Advil)
______ ______ Waterproof Matches
______ ______ Pepto-Bismol (diarrhea)
______ Soap
______ Insect repellant
______ Toilet Paper
______ Prescription Medicines
______ "Second Skin"
Ditty Bag ______ Calcium Tabs (sm btl)
______ Carrier/bag ______ Vit B Complex Tabs
______ Toothbrush ______ Iodine/Kelp Tabs
______ Toothpaste ______ Potassium Tabs
______ Dental Floss ______ Thermometer (std/case)
______ Razor & Blades ______ Ace Bandages
______ H2O2 ______ Hot/Cold Packs
______ Soap (multi-use) ______ Tape (medical)
{anti-bacterial} ______ Scalpel & Blades
______ Sm Towel ______ Suture Kit (military)
______ Washcloth ______ Moleskin
______ Toilet Paper ______
______ Sunglasses ______
______ Spare Prescription Glasses
______ Bandana (1 or 2)
This list is by no means "complete" or "gospel". In
each person's mind there are certain items that they would
"need" to have to "get by". Add or Subtract as your heart
desires. This kit is intended to supply the very basic of
needs for one person while traveling to a retreat location
for about 4 to 7 days. This kit does not include means of
defense purely because that is a personal choice/preference
item. What may be good for one, may not be a wise choice for
another. Use the grey matter the good Lord put between your
ears to correct the list to suit your needs.
Suggested trade goods might include candles, whetstones,
mini bottles of alcoholic beverages, toilet paper, or bar
soap. May the road rise to meet you.
Let's start at the top with the carrier bag. I use an oversized
gym bag. It is small enough that if I could get all the metal
through the metal detectors at work, I would be able to stuff it
under a plane seat as carry-on luggage. It has pockets all over
the outside so I can "divide" the various groupings into a smaller
search area. This is so that when an item is needed I can go to an
area of the bag quickly and find it.
One of the most important items during an emergency situation is
water. Pat and I both have Katadyn water filters. They are a bit
expensive, but from my experiences they are very good at what they
do. IMHO they are the best filter. If you use the military style
purification tablets, these tablets have a tendency to leave a bad
taste to the water. I suggest having some pre-sweetened Kool-Aid
or some instant soup or drink mixes to cover this awful taste.
Again, this is my opinion, others may or may not have this problem.
Be sure to have some means of carrying a quantity of water once it
has been located and made consumable.
I haven't been able to decide whether shelter or food is next most
important. I really don't believe a debate on this subject is
worth the time and space right now. So o o o o o .. .. .. ....
as cooking/food is alphabetically ahead of shelter, I'll start
there. Some of the good camping goods stores or by mail-order have
available what are called "lifeboat" matches. These matches burn
long, and hot. I also suggest a "Bic" style butane lighter. These
can be used to start wet tinder or wet fuel bars. Candles are
always a good item to include, because of their many uses. Pat and
I have gone with stainless steel cooking pans because we do not
like the idea of the aluminum that leaches off the cheap items.
The GI style canteen cup and canteen cup stove will nest with a GI
one-quart canteen providing water storage, cooking utensils, and
stove in a small compact unit.
As for shelter, at the local surplus store, we were able to locate
some of the military heavy-duty space blankets. I think they were
called casualty blankets or something along that line. They are
reinforced and will hold up against just about everything except
maybe a hurricane or tornado :-) I carry a couple of the thin
cheap ones to use as weather covers for items/goods (my bug-out
kit). As of yet, I haven't been able to locate one of the heavy
duty plastic tube style tents in an olive drab (green). I think
most folks want to be found so they use a bright orange tent. If
you're trying to evade and escape, you won't want the bright
colors. I carry a poncho and liner. It can be used for several
styles of shelters (use your imagination) or as a sleeping bag.
The poncho liner makes a good blanket in a pinch.
Clothing might also be an important item to consider. When I was
living in Scotland, I was able to weather most day-to-day weather
by using a light sweater (wool) and a windbreaker. This
combination was light weight and comfortable. Most folks will be
at work or "in town" wearing dress or work shoes (tenny-runners),
when they find themselves in need of leaving the area quickly. A
spare pair of boots (pre-broken in) in the bug-out kit will be a
God send if rough terrain must be covered to get that person to the
meet point. Yes, they can be bulky. A pair of the canvas Vietnam
style boots in black will not be obvious and will provide ample
protection to get you to a rendezvous. If a portion of your travel
must be through a town, one of the lightweight coveralls that the
wiser (elderly) folks wear would help cover the fact that you were
"traveling". Dirt seems to jump on you when you are using evasion
techniques. One of the coveralls could be kept in the bag dry and
clean for those periods when you would like to remain inconspicuous
while taking time to make purchases or such in a small town.
Be sure to include some type of utility kit. No matter how well
you plan, something will almost always need to be mended or
repaired. The reason that I mention the German military
entrenching shovel is that not only is it small, but it is solidly
built. One edge can be sharpened and used as an axe. The blade is
square and holds up to some serious abuse. The US model (tri-fold,
or the older folding model) either will not hold up to the abuse,
or are too large for a small kit. I couldn't stand the new tri-
fold model and opted for one of the older folding jobs. It was a
real pain to carry around. Granted you won't be digging out a
basement for an underground house with one of these, but they can
be used for quicky latrines, fire pits, holes for burying trash, or
to build a cache for your kit while you go into town for needed
items (food, news, maps, local information, etc...).
Don't forget any prescription medicines that you take on a daily
basis. Try to build up a stockpile of your everyday prescription
items by getting refills a little early (before the old bottle is
completely empty). A good supply can be obtained in this manner.
Or if the doctor will order a several month supply, and the
pharmacist will go ahead and fill it, then be sure to keep it dry
and cool. My doctor regularly gives me a three month prescription
for medicine, and the pharmacist fills the order in the first
sitting. Then, the medicines are stored in a dark, dry, cool
location.
Most of the other items are self explanatory. Just remember to use
your common sense. Some items are on the list as options, so you
don't need duplicates. And be sure to provide spare batteries and
bulbs for flashlights and radios. And most importantly, make sure
to have a minimum of a three day supply of food. For the bug-out
kit I prefer the MREs. They are tasty if warmed up, but can be
eaten cold. And, they are packaged to withstand a direct hit by a
nuclear bomb :-). Really, the packaging is good. It will stand up
to being bumped around in a bug-out kit without splitting open and
spreading food all over the inside of your kit.