We all have a bag or some of us even have several bags that we have coined to be our bug out bags. The question is, what do we keep in our bags? For example and to give advise, I am blogging about the contents of one of my bags, to get you guys an idea what I carry and the reason behind it.
In my bag, there are 5 pairs of socks. We all have experienced wet feet at some point I'm sure. Wet feet are not good in a survival situation, as it can lead to fungal infections such as athletes foot, and general discomfort. Dry socks are important. Now along with socks, there is a need for clean underwear as well. These two go hand in hand, for almost the same reasons, fungal infections are not fun. Athletes foot and jock itch are no fun when you are in a survival situation so the need to have dry and clean socks and underwear are very important. T shirts are also in my bag, and again, I have 5. Wet clothing can lead to hypothermia, so being able to put on dry shirts and pants are important, as well as it can help with adding layers in cooler or cold weather. So following the previous reason, I also carry a spare pair of pants and outer shirt. To assist in cold weather, there is a pair of thermal underwear, two watch caps and a pair of gloves. That covers the basic of clothing that I carry in the bag, so now lets move on to health and hygiene products. I have a rather large zip lock bag that contains first aid items. For first aid I pack 3 ace bandages, a handful of band aids, a few gauze pads, 2 rolls of gauze, a small amount of tape, and a few over the counter pain medications. This is about all that one person will be able to do first aid wise by their self. For hygiene I carry a pack of unscented baby wipes to keep parts of the body clean and they can also serve as toilet paper where needed. I have a bottle of foot powder to try and keep the feet clean, dry and happy. Nail clippers are very important and serve many purposes other than the obvious. To conserve water, I carry tooth paste and a tooth brush, but would only use them as needed, not on a regular basis. In an abundance of water, I would use them on a more regular basis. Now for survival products, there is a whole gambit of items we could carry, and it is a personal choice as to what we all carry. What works for me, might not work for you and the other way around. I carry 3 means of fire starting. I carry two bic lighters, 2 boxes of waterproof matches, and one magnesium fire starter. Along with them, I have a small container of tinder that is easy to start. In a survival situation fire is one of the most important factors. Not only does it provide heat, a source of cooking and purifying water, but it can be a signal. With out fire, there is no heat when it is cold, so to me, I want to have at least two back ups to making fire. I carry two means of purifying water as well. I have two bottles of water purification tablets in the bag, and a home made set up for distilling water. For food I carry some trail mix, and a few granola bars for protein and calories. For lights I pack a few flashlights with spare batteries, a few tea sized candles, and light sticks. I prefer the light sticks, because of their ease to use, lack of batteries, and no chance of fire if used in a tent. For those near water, they know about bugs such as gnats and mosquitoes, which are two reasons that I carry a mosquito net. Bug bites are not fun, they itch and can become infected. I carry a small fishing kit, which contains a backpacking style pole, sinkers, hooks, leaders, and a few types of artificial bait. The ability to find your own food is very important when you have no store that you can buy food from. I also carry a sleeping back and 2 person tent attached to the bag. One never knows where they may end up having to stop to sleep, and having a tent and sleeping bag can be very important. A smaller tent is easier to put up in tight spaces, and easier to heat. I am sure that a lot of you carry more than what I have, or less than what I carry. I would enjoy hearing your feed back as to what you have in your pack. Feel free to comment on this blog. Until next time, stay safe....
Country Boy
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