I have become much less interested in this subject in recent years. "There's like 295M people in this country who have a vested interest in things not going Thunderdome, I think a lot of survivalist types forget that." -Marty Roesch
List of dates predicted for apocalyptic events (this is not new, they have always been wrong)
A little preperation for emergencies is good for everybody. Natural disasters, even if they're not commin in your area, economic turmoil, unforseen events. A healthy person can survive three days without water, three weeks without food. Shelter urgency varies a lot on weather. Three days. Just grab an extra gallon of water every time you're at the grocery store, okay? Maybe an occassional can of food. It's a small gamble, when it's food and water you'll consume anyway, when it could save your life. You probably already have some warm blankets.
How sure are you that we won't be seeing a global economic collapse far beyond the Great Depression? How much is industrialized civilization, transportation, electricity, food production and distribution, tied to cheap oil production? When will that end (peak oil)?
This page is about the next step: Mobility. Some people think it's important in an emergency.
Civilization fails. You're going to be on foot, carrying all of your posessions on your back, forever. What's worth carrying? What can't easily be scavanged, made, or caught? Our population is so far beyond what can be sustained by hunting and gathering, if things collapse quickly, all animals and consumable plants will go very quickly. I tend to think along the lines of The Book of Eli, and The Road.
A bunch of garbage is made to imitate military gear. The real stuff has a NSN - NATO Stock Number. Also anything made by BCB International, a major British military supplier.
Get your teeth taken care of now. A tooth ache will sap your will to survive.
"Guns, ammo, and flashlights kick ass but water is so much more important and so often overlooked." - jeffrey, Zombie Squad
"If you don't have water then you shouldn't be eating." (Digesting food uses up water, and you'll die from lack of water first.) - 111t, Zombie Squad
"There's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing" - Woods Walker, Zombie Squad
Mags' bug out gear, "Best post I have seen anywhere on teh internets in forever", Zombie Squad
BOB: Bug Out Bag.
INCH bag: I'm Never Coming Home.
ECWCS: Extended Cold Weather Clothing System.
EDC: Every Day Carry.
Battonning: Hammering a knife through a log with another log. Doesn't need to be a long knife, but it helps.
Possibles bag: "[Nessmuk] basically said you should be able to make anything you need with the things in your Possibles Bag." Woodcraft and Camping by Nessmuk, 1963, read it. Kifaru on the possibles pouch.
Chat channels:
#ZombieSquad on irc.freenode.net - preperation oriented
#PeakOil on irc.efnet.net - news / issues oriented
EDC:
- A few water purification tablets: Water.
- Knife useful for battonning and with ferrocerium rod: Shelter, fire, food.
- Ferrocerium rod: Fire.
- Super glue for closing wounds.
- Something to carry water. Collapsed bag, or water bottle.
- Fishing line, hook, and snare wire?
Car:
- Water: Disposable bottles seem to handle freezing. Electric heating to keep it thawed would be fun.
- Food.
- Can of gas.
I suppose my goal from here on is a light weight, maybe thirty pounds, INCH bag. If I need to be moving on foot, even if I'm never coming home, I don't want to be hauling an eighty pound bag.
"You only truly own what you can carry at a dead run." - Unknown, attributed to the German Landschneckts from the 14th & 15th centuries.
This is a list of some gear that might be nice to have, which deteriorates pretty bad toward the end:
| Water |  |
Water purifier tablets / drops
(AquaMira) |
 |
Water bladder (goes in backpack with tube and bite valve).
MSR Hydromedary 3 Liter MSR Dromedary 10 Liter for base camp A NATO 2 liter canteen (with the possibility of gas mask attachment) or Nalgene bottle (apparently indestructable) are also good options. |
|
 | Water filter.
(MSR HyperFlow) Bandanna for pre-pre-filtration? (Includes a pre-filter.) | |
| Shelter |  |
knife - Ka-Bars are bad for battonning (hammering a knife through a log with another log) due to the partial double edge, and bad for use with ferrocerium rod due to coating. |
 
|
Ferrocerium rod AKA firesteel fire starter. Strike with the back of a knife to shower sparks. A large one will probably start more fires than any lighter (without refuling), while being smaller than a standard BIC. I hate when they put handles on these, makes them bulkier and covers otherwise usable material. "[3/8" x 4"] is our personal favorite size." I like it too. The same stuff is used in welding torch strikers, and in place of flint in modern lighters. Mispronounced and misspelled "ferrosium". |
|
 |
poncho - military with grommets, also good tarp
54.5"x60", NSN 8405-01-100-0976 (woodland camo) ACU is NSN 8405-01-547-2555 Probably made by Orc Industries? |
|
 |
NATO Modular Sleep System, NSN 8465-01-395-1154
History. Component weights. |
|
 |
550 (pound break strength) paracord, 50' | |
| Therm-a-rest sleeping pad, NeoAir All Season, XTherm? They made a military version which apparently fits in the MSS bivy sack. TrailPro? Exped also makes nice sleeping pads. | ||
| Emergency blanket (aluminized polyethylene) | ||
| Cotton balls soaked in vaseline for tinder | ||
 |
Lighter.
The Windmill Classic Stormproof Lighter broke in my pocket. It had a tendency to pop open on its own, which leaves the hinge vulnerable, and it snapped. Disposable BICs just work, so they're my choice for now. Zippos are right out due to how quickly the fuel dries out, but this peanut lighter looks like a nice option. Nope, that peanut lighter was always terrible at lighting itself. |
|
| Food You can go three weeks without it. |
 |
Pemmican. Native American / trapper survival food. Ground jerky plus rendered fat. Stores for a couple years at room temperature. Sounds like the ultimate food to me. Still haven't made any. |
 |
snare wire - just regular 24 gauge soft brass wire from a hardware store, 50' | |
 |
fishing gear | |
 |
MREs are heavy (include water) and expensive. You can go three weeks without food. | |
| Defense |  |
Rifle. |
 |
Close quarters (1-4x) scope if you can't hit anything with irons (Leupold CQ/T? Horus Talon $889? Nightforce 1-4 NXS $1300? EOTech requires batteries.) larue spr mount? | |
 |
6 loaded mags | |
 |
gas mask - M40 | |
| Medical |  |
Dermabond (2-octyl cyanoacrylate) or Super Glue (ethyl cyanoacrylate). Useful for closing wounds. Just the two most popular brands, there are several others. The Dermabond type irritates skin a little less. From what I've read I wouldn't hesitate to use Super Glue, but you wouldn't want to make a habbit of it. |
| Boots. A lot of people seem to like light weight boots. I think I care a lot more about durability, since my whole goal is preparing for the possibility of never being able to buy another pair. So I like full grain leather, 10" tall, gore-tex water proof all the way up (fully gusseted tongue). I'm wearing Matterhorn model 1997. Danner Fort Lewis is looking nice, need to verify the tongue. | ||
| first aid kit | ||
| Repair kit: 2 sail needles, kevlar thread (and a suture needle?), safety pins | ||
| small gps | ||
| flashlight | ||
| compass
GI Lensatic (3H?) BCB button compass |
||
| nail clippers | ||
| socks | ||
| Gore-Tex over-socks - haven't tried them, but seems like a better option than water proof boots because you can remove it to let the boots dry. Another option is sealskinz. | ||
| underwear | ||
 |
m1967 entrenching tool? $20 | |
 |
Large collapsable water container for bulk purifying | |
 |
gloves | |
 |
wire saw, NSN 5110-99-565-2549 | |
| tweezers | ||
 |
balaclava | |
 |
thermal underwear shirt | |
 |
thermal underwear pants | |
| toilet paper | ||
| toothbrush | ||
| toothpaste | ||
| multitool | ||
 |
Load bearing vest. | |
 |
pack / canteen pouch | |
| trash bags | ||
| towel | ||
| 100mph or duct tape | ||
 |
gun cleaning kit | |
| old style flint & steel | ||
| Needle? | ||
| pot to boil water - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billycan | ||
| axe? Wetterlings? | ||
| Random notes: | ||
| How far up / out to hang food from bears? 10' off the ground, 4' from the trunk. | ||
| fm 21-76 - Army Survival manual www.ar15.com/content/manuals/FM21-76_SurvivalManual.pdf | ||
| http://www.wilderness-survival.net | ||
| parachutes are good for teepees | ||
| diy food http://theepicenter.com/tow08237.html | ||
| http://www.bestglide.com/wilderness_survivor_survival_kit.html | ||
| http://zombiehunters.org/forum/ | ||
| http://www.jackmountainbushcraft.com/ | ||
| franconia notch | ||
| http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/recreation/camping/ | ||
| http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_forest/nh/map_whit.htm | ||
| http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/recreation/hunting/ | ||
| In Wilderness max group size is 10 | ||
| Camp 200' from trails & water | ||
| Cholera is the main reason for water filtration? Giardiasis, Cryptosporidiosis and dysentery, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterborne_diseases | ||
| stockpile razors | ||
| Underwear: ExOfficio Give-N-Go boxer briefs, possibly Tilley boxer briefs | ||
| Hat: Tilley widely recommended for travel, indestructable | ||
| Patagonia Rain Shadow (Microburst?) Jacket | ||
| Patagonia Microburst Pants | ||
| Patagonia DAS Parka (compressess really small) | ||
| Patagonia Micro Puff Pants (compresses really small) | ||
| Neck gator? Bush scarf? | ||
| "WindPro or Windstopper Fleece is the shit! Hats, gloves, jackets, pants" | ||
| P38 can opener | ||
| Pot / cup to cook in, MSR Stowaway Pot? | ||
| Mosquito net for sleeping | ||
| Petzl Tactikka XP Headlamp | ||
| sharpener | ||
| Trekking poles? | ||
| MSR Packtowel Personal Bath - high-vis orange? | ||
| Toilet paper (2x Charmin To Go?) | ||
| Aloksak - popular waterproof bags | ||
| Needles - sewing and sutures | ||
| Bug spray - Ben's 100% Deet | ||
| Pain killers | ||
| Boonie hat | ||
| PS50 watch cap | ||
| 6X, Wigwam, CoolMax, Hiking Socks | ||
| 6X, Wigwam 40 Below socks | ||
| Heavy duto aluminum foil - cooking, windscreen | ||
| Leki Trekking Poles, Super Makalu, Core-Tec, PA, AntiShock | ||
| Binoculars / monocular | ||
| Dr. Bronner's 8oz peppermint | ||
| Lip balm | ||
| Pepper spray | ||
| Solar battery charger for flashlights | ||
| Small pack: Kifaru E&E | ||
| Two person bivy sack. Requires separate rain shelter, WTF? | ||
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultralight_backpacking | ||
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_essentials | ||
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterborne_diseases | ||
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potability_of_backcountry_water | ||
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_individual_equipment | ||
| Extended Cold Weather Clothing System | ||
| http://gearjunkie.com/gear-review-adventure-medical-kits-bivy-sacks | ||
| Sham-wow high-vis orange camp towel | ||
| 4 season shells: "For warm weather, my old Patagonia Jackalopes are better than anything I've seen so far (I say old, because the material this past 2 seasons was lined, heavier and warmer than the material in my light and breathable Jackalope pants). Unfortunately I use those pants for easy to pack, carry and wash travel pants on business and casual trips because they look so respectable and I'm reluctant to use them on the trail. I think the current Patagonia version still doesn't use the material in my pants, though I'll check them out." | ||
| For summer + winter use in NH, patagonia.com recommended Rock Guide Pants: http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-rock-guide-pants?p=56635-0-961 | ||
| kept me warm all day without a base layer, down to about 10 deg. F. with a good 50 mph wind." | ||
| pants I've found for long distance cold weather backpacking. I used it for 10+ day backpacking trips in Alaska, for two seasons. Walked through a lot of typical Alaskan bushes and the pants still looked quite new. I also walked them through many a glacial stream and they're very water repellent - water just beads off the surface." | ||
| 100% polyester jersey t-shirt: http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-polarized-tee?p=52111-0-950 | ||
| http://www.ultralightbackpacker.com/ | ||
| Rail Riders ultra-light boxer briefs may have some potential: | ||
| http://www.railriders.com/men-ultra-light-boxer-briefs-p-990.html?cPath=104_110 | ||
| Patagonia lightweight boxer briefs could also be nice. | ||
| I'd kind of like a hard shell jacket, this might be nice: http://www.wildthingsgear.com/blog/?p=1841#more-1841 | ||
| http://www.countycomm.com/splitpea.html | ||
| DIY leather care? Based on Montana Pitch Blend, pine pitch, beeswax, and mink oil? | ||
| Can make candles out of pine pitch: http://factoidz.com/the-natural-pine-pitch-scented-candle/ | ||
| "Ditch the toothpaste. Make some toothpowder. Baking soda, salt, and some ground clove." - http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=83015#p1838272 | ||
| "3 parts baking soda (the cleanser and sweetener) with part salt (the abrasive).... If you'd like, add a few drops of peppermint or wintergreen oil..." - http://mizar5.com/toothpst.htm | ||
| silcock? | ||
| Hatchet? | ||
| "The most compact calories are going to be in either Datrex, Mainstay or SOS bars.... Datrex tastes like coconut with a hint of lemon. Mainstay is like lemon cookies, and SOS are like apple and cinnamon cookies. A 3,600 pack of any of these three brands is only $6." | ||
| Bolle T-800 Tactical Goggles | ||
| Lock pick. | ||
| Pemmican recipe recommended by ElricFate: | ||
| http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/rohdenburg81a.html | ||
| "Deet eats gear" | ||
| "You need some kerlix if you make a proper FAK | ||
| Just a roll will do ya :D" | ||
| - ElricFate | ||
| http://www.wanderingearl.com/how-does-a-permanent-nomad-pack/ - More for vacation packing than survival, but relevant basic concept. | ||
| For a backpack, the Kelty Redwing 50 (50 liter) is looking good. | ||
| Consider the possibility of not being able to get to my bag in my car due to garage collapse or something. | ||
| http://hikethewhites.com/winter.html | ||
| http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?6035-What-s-the-lightest-and-most-calorie-dense-food | ||
| Couscous and olive oil | ||
| "...hypothermia, when your body runs out of fuel to burn." | ||
| "Another approach to portable UV water purification is solar disinfection which is called SODIS. Clear water is sterilized by putting it in a clear polyethylene (PET) bottle and leaving it in direct sunlight for 6 hours." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potability_of_backcountry_water | ||
| "Idealy I would like to Have a Yaseus VX-8R It has more functions than I would know how to handle." (radio) | ||
| "But I gave up on that radio due to too many problems with them (reviews at eham.com)" | ||
| Winter sleeping pad discussion: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=16626 | ||
| Tiny wood stove: http://www.vargooutdoors.com/Titanium-Hexagon-Backpacking-Wood-Stove | ||
| New England earthquakes: https://www2.bc.edu/~kafka/Why_Quakes/why_quakes.html | ||
| "...there is about a 2% chance that in any given 50 year period of time, earthquake vibrations that are potentially damaging will strike." | ||
| http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/or_endeavor_mitt_spotlite_review.html | ||
| SuperUltraLight http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/display_forum.html?forum=68 | ||
| http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=50611&startat=20 | ||
| FAK http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=23901 | ||
| http://www.sweatersintl.com/store/norsocks.html | ||
| Army Field Guide on Survival: http://www.ar15.com/content/manuals/FM21-76_SurvivalManual.pdf | ||
| (Good stuff.) | ||
| House: Fire extinguishers. Amerex 10 lb ABC (B456C (aluminum, $121) or B441C (brass, $130)). 2.5lb for car (). | ||
| Dutch oven, Lodge 6 quart 12" camp dutch oven? | ||
| "How the ram pump works" - water pump powered by water flowing downhill into it | ||
| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWqDurunnK8 | ||
| "Where do I start?" http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=79725 | ||
| Raptor's Katrina report: http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16627 | ||
| http://www.historicaltrekking.com/ | ||
| Safepacker holster may be a good option with backpack: | ||
| http://www.thewilderness.com/storepinnacle/index.php?p=catalog&parent=171&pg=1 | ||
| Nice custom chest holster: http://static.zoovy.com/img/gunnersalley/W200-H200-Bffffff/V/chest_holster | ||
| Pre-made soda can alcohol stove: http://www.pastprimitive.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=66 | ||
| Woodsman knife description: | ||
| http://www.aolisi.net/HertersKnives.htm | ||
| Historical weather | ||
| Lifeboat ration comparison thread: http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=54601 | ||
| Lensatic compass: http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/astro/lensatic.htm | ||
| Cammenga Lensatic Compass Model 3H, NSN 6605-01-196-6971 | ||
| "CAMMENGA is the exclusive manufacturer of the official U.S. Military Lensatic Compass" | ||
| "CAMMENGA has been the government's exclusive manufacturer since September, 1992" | ||
| Lightweight Backpacking 101 | ||
| http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00034.html | ||
| Classic hardtack recipes: http://kenanderson.net/hardtack/recipes.html | ||
| http://zombiehunters.org/wiki/index.php/Community_Emergency_Response_Team | ||
| http://www.pelham.cert.nh.gov/cert/ | ||
| http://www.nhoutdoorcouncil.org/search_rescue.php | ||
| Volunteer EMT-basic? | ||
| http://www.americantowns.com/nh/pelham/volunteers/disaster-relief | ||
| http://volunteer.truist.com/volunteer-nh/org/opp/10251582672.html | ||
| Red Cross volunteering: http://www.nhredcross.org/general_calltoaction.asp?CTA=5&SN=12246&OP=12311&IDCapitulo=9635HCHPI3 | ||
| http://stores.thepathfinderschoolllc.com/-strse-Self-Reliance-Kit/Categories.bok size 13 sail needle, nickle plated | ||
| Books on how to rebuild could be nice. | ||
| Get to know neighbors. | ||
| Boy Scout Handbook? | ||
| Solar still for collecting water: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still | ||
| I wish the Beretta 92 was available in single-action. CZ75B may be a good option. | ||
| "The Hi-Power is one of the most widely used military pistols of all time,[3] having been used by the armed forces of over 50 countries." | ||
| http://blackwoodspress.com/blog/2157/backpacking-clothing-system/ | ||
| Summer sausage? - http://blackwoodspress.com/blog/9134/recipe-mac-n-cheese/ | ||
 | Shemagh, traditional versatile desert headwear, a ~44" cotton square. I admit my interest started with trying to figure out the significance of the cloth Eli traded for water in The Book of Eli, but they're apparently common NATO issue in the desert. | |
| Buff, in Merino wool. Another piece of versatile headwear. Video. | ||
| QuikClot Combat Gauze | ||
Best Guns
Sun Sep 25 11:53:13 EDT 2011