BOB*
Bug out bag, for those not in the know.
Seems that talk of survival kits and emergency supplies are all the rage these days. Insty, Les and Kim chime in. I’m surprised Glenn doesn’t mention firearms and that Kim only takes a 22 rifle and handgun. A firearm is important, I think. If the SHTF, then you’ll need to protect all the stuff you worked hard to prepare. After all, you don’t want some schmuck like me using his AR-15 to take your crap.
Update: This topic seems to come up on the blogs every once in a while. Must be something in the water.
July 28th, 2006 at 9:09 am
AR-15? I suppose. ‘Course, I’ve got my trusty Winchester 1300 loaded with 00 buck to keep me company. The hardest choice for me would be which handgun to bring. Can’t go wrong with either of the 1911s, but then again the .40 S&W SW99 is lighter, has a larger capacity, and a polymer frame to absorb more abuse. Or I could go retro and take the Security Six .357 Magnum, which carries fewer rounds but has the “Dirty Harry” cachet of the long-barreled Magnum revolver (plus it shares ammo with the S&W 360, which will be in the ankle holster regardless of which other handgun I choose…)
Decisions, decisions. I’d probably take the SW99, simply because I’ve got a good belt holster and mag carrier for it.
July 28th, 2006 at 9:41 am
Yup. An AR-15 would totally negate my trained attack poodle. π
& I gotta point this out:
“…Kim only takes a 22 rifle…”
As opposed to an AR in…wait for it….22? π
July 28th, 2006 at 10:28 am
I’m in the process of making first aid kits for my family and friends. I’m the least fun guy at Christmas ever.
Some friends and I were debating what kind of flashlights to put in the disaster pack. Seems like people are really moving towards LED lights. In my opinion, they just don’t throw enough light, even if they are easier on battery drain. Thoughts?
I have barrels of water and lots of food. I’m told that tap water goes bad (it’s got bacteria in it and if you leave it long enough, that bacteria grows) and should be drained and refilled every six months to a year.
July 28th, 2006 at 10:34 am
BH, streamlight makes a combo LED/Tactical light. Two operating modes: 1 for LED for 20 hours of run time and 2 for bright ass, blind someone that runs for 1.75 hours.
I have a G2 nitrolon from Surefire and plenty of batteries.
July 28th, 2006 at 10:51 am
BH, buy a StreamLight TwinTask and you get BOBW. Press the power button once to get a high output Xenon bulb that’ll blow away any Maglight, and press it again to switch to the long-life LED bulbs. I’ve got the 2L in my pocket right now, and we keep AA and C models in our vehicles. The AA may be my all-around favorite.
Cost is about $30. If you’re in Knoxville Coal Creek Armory sells them.
July 28th, 2006 at 10:53 am
Depends on your situation and the LED light’s quality. Some of them can pop out around up to 120 lumens, others run at one or two. The high efficiency carries from the smallest bulbs to all but the most powerful ones.
The big thing is that LED lights last tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of hours, and can survive things that conventional and fluorescent bulbs can’t. Plastic and metal rather than evacuated glass.
July 28th, 2006 at 10:59 am
Psyche!
July 28th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Actually, I was thinking of writing about this. I wonder now what is the collective concius of the country nowadays. Has the opinion of the average person out there changes from “he’s a paranoid wackjob” to “Katrina changed everything”?
My opinion hasn’t changed, because I remember Andrew, but Andrew was a blip on the nations AADD. Katrina was a Major Media Event!
So when people see my stuff, should I say “It’s my Katrina kit”, or should I stick with the old standby “backpacking and car camping gear”?
July 28th, 2006 at 5:37 pm
BH:
Why not include an activated charcoal filter and some water pills? Neither one takes up a whole lot of space, and both would allow you not only to ensure the safety of the water you have, but to purify water you collect thereafter.
Most outdoor stores carry water bottles that have filters built-in. Not perfect, but a good start.
July 28th, 2006 at 6:00 pm
I think a .22LR is plenty of gun for such a case.
Scares off goblins about as well (or shoots them dead, if necessary, with reasonable speed) as a Real Gun, but lighter and you can carry more ammunition with less space and weight.
A 10/22 with a 50 round magazine is small and light and is sufficient bang to hold off a small gang. Maybe even a medium-sized one. Plus $15 will get you 10 reloads for that magazine, and those 500 rounds weigh (I think – haven’t done the weighing) less than four loaded mags of .308.
And you can get .22LR even more places, even easier, than any other caliber, I think.
Sure, it’s not going to be any good at 200 yards, and it won’t likely kill a drug-crazed goblin with one shot, but the advantages are huge.
July 28th, 2006 at 10:28 pm
I’m going with everything battery free as possible. Wind up radio, one of those shake up lights, etc.
July 28th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Oh, and iron sights. =)
July 29th, 2006 at 5:13 am
BH If you’re debating on an LED light or a conventional one, just pack both! A small LED light, like a photon or similar brand, are tiny and lightweight so you could pack a whole bunch.
As for water storage, you can purchase chemical stabilizers that extend shelf life up to 5+ years. I have also read that liquid chlorine bleach will do the same thing (16 drops per gallon or 1 teaspoon for 5 gallons). I would still change out the water every two to four years just to be sure.