Publisher’s Note: My son, Keegan, is a bright and precocious youngster. He is the youngest in our brood at 14 and has some interesting pastimes when he isn’t homeschooling. Among these hobbies is preparedness. We often refer to him as Bert, the survivalist character in the Tremors films with a bunker and a basement full of stuff that Keegan would inventory on a regular basis for free just to be around such riches.
Keegan is not only an extremely competent shooter but he loves to spend part of an evening going through his kit, improving things here, removing things there or reevaluating for new scenarios he has dreamed up. He is a connoisseur of the latest military gear and can identify country of origin and era for a wide variety of combat vests, rigs and backpacks he may see in a movie we are watching or correct folks at gun show who have incorrectly identified some of their wares for sale. His geardo instincts run deep just like his Dad.
He penned this essay on why and how to stock the most banal and basic of preparedness kits, the three day BOB. This bag is absolutely critical to have for family members tailored to where you live. Ours tends to be tailored to the high desert environment we happen to live in. I hope this starts a lively discussion on the ZG Forum in the Survival Sub-Forum.
I also wanted to thank my readers and supporters for the outpouring of help since I severely injured my back in January. I will get aboard the writing train again soon enough.-BB
What will you do if the zombies attack? A Bug Out Bag (BOB) is a bag that can keep you alive for three days. The minimalist BOB must include food, water, a fire starting kit, and a knife. The standard BOB is a bit more sophisticated, with an added trauma kit, water purification tablets, and a fixed blade. To make life easier, the ultimate BOB has an added surgical kit, multi-tool, and more. The purpose of a BOB is to survive a massive disaster. There is a reason that BOBs have been around so long. If you don’t have a BOB, do you really want to be the whiny neighbor that asks for food or medical supplies?
Let’s start out with a minimalist BOB. A minimalist bag is a compact bag that you can live off of for 72 hours. The light weight of this bag allows you to throw it in with the rest of any gear you might need. Designed to be light, the minimalist bag is made for small people, home, office or car.
Here is a list of things that you need:
Emergency food rations
6 water bottles about 40 oz. a day (most people will need more, but this will keep you alive)
Space blanket
Matches (water proof, wind proof)
Medium First Aid Kit https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Medium-First-Aid-Kit/dp/B001O39WSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1329327458&sr=1-1
(This is my preference. Do your own research and you will find what works for your skill set and your particular need.)
Now with the standard BOB, you can grab and go and be ready for almost anything. This is a bigger pack that can give you the upper hand in a disaster with the added benefit of a trauma kit, more water, a fixed blade, 550 cord, plus other conveniences. People in Japan during the Tsunami could have certainly used this bag. Having a trauma kit could save your life and others. Make sure you pack a little extra medical equipment in case others are in need. With a standard BOB you can aid in an emergency. Many people die in tornadoes in Kansas where there are an average of 55 a year.
Here is a list of what you need in addition to the minimalist bag:
One Gallon of water
550 Cord
Change of clothes, optional
Water purification tablets
Extra socks
Again, these are my preferences. Price was a factor in the ones that I have chosen. Choose according to your needs and budget.
Now let me tell you about the ultimate BOB. This bag gives you the extra goodies to make life more comfortable in an extreme situation. This bag is the best for the zombie apocalypse. The added benefit of a surgical kit is that when a disaster happens, what if you can’t make it to a hospital? Field surgery is better than death. This bag weighs approximately 25-30 pounds depending. This one will get quite heavy if carried for long periods of time and you should practice hiking with it before you really need it.
In addition to the two aforementioned bag inventories you will need:
2 space blankets
A heavy duty poncho https://www.amazon.com/Swiss-Camo-Weather-Poncho-Used/dp/B004DJ04PU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329328993&sr=8-2
Flashlight
6 extra batteries (you should standardize such as AA or CR123)
Fishing kit, with line, bait, hooks
Ammo
SAS Survival Handbook https://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Guide-Collins-Gem/dp/0061992860/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1329328942&sr=1-3-catcorr
These bags are in no way comprehensive for every disaster. Many changes can be made depending on your own preferences. BOBs have been around for a long time. The minimalist bag is light and inexpensive. The standard is a medium bag, not too heavy and has a trauma kit. The ultimate bag has everything you need to survive and more. Being prepared is extremely important to increase your chances of survival. After all, zombies can catch you off guard and you need to be prepared!
great topic at a great time. i’ve been redoing my go bag/bob/kit set up. if i can get everything together this weekend i’ll try to post some ideas and pics i’ve been using in the survival forum.
Good stuff. I suppose my old air force duffel bag could suffice but it’s a pain to drag around when full.