I have two things that I keep in my bug-out rucksack at all times - a small stack of those miniature puzzle books that you get at the supermarket checkout, rubber banded together and with a lottery pencil stuck inside. I've got crossword puzzles, word finds, cryptograms, general trivia, all kinds of stuff.

The second thing that I've got is a Game Boy Advance Micro I purchased at a garage sale. It's tiny (about as big as a credit card, maybe 3/4 thick as a pack of cigarettes), and it's got one of my favorite games (River City Ransom) in there. I figure that if a crisis lasted longer than a single set of batteries, it's a really big deal.

EDIT: Though it seems nice, I wouldn't have liquor in my BOB, as I abstain from alcohol...

I have 2 books in my big bag, one's practical, an old Scout Field Book. It's a good read, plus lots of great info that would be handy out there. I feel like I've read it cover to cover multiple times, and yet I always learn something. The second one, well, it's a very small Bible. I figure if TSHTF, there's going to be some comfort there. (Or at least some dry fire starting material?)

I will say waiting around (you do a lot of that in the miltary) by yourself is bad, but it's worse with others. You don't only have to deal with your own boredom, but everybody else around you too. A deck of cards has always made the time pass by a lot better...even better than a good book and I love to read.

When I graduated from the academy, I put in my "riot" helmet bag a deck of cards, a book, a pack of cigarettes, a book of MRE matches, and a jock with cup. Twenty or so years later I had quit smoking, but the cigs still remained. Everything else had been used to good effect over the years. So I took the cigs out, tossed them onto the briefing room table, and a friend took and smoked them. I can only imagine what 20 year old smokes must taste like...

Hacksaw (and anyone else who smokes cigars): be sure to leave the info that you have cigars with you on the front seat of your car at the trailhead, or in the info you leave for a friend regarding when to call out the search parties. All they will have to do is surround the possible area, and whichever group is downwind can just track you upwind.

Big Grey Man: If it's 18 years old it should be able to walk on its own. Or at least, follow you.

A really good book that you can reread, and the deck of cards. Make sure there's 52 there, as fewer is a real pain.

Sue

Good idea Susan. Follow your nose! I carry the mini version of the SAS Survival Guide more as a reference than as reading material...but if needed I'm sure it would kill time just fine. A deck of cards is definitely going to find it's home in my pack soon. The anti-boredom cures that can come from that are too numerous to mention.

Here's a picture of me 'surviving' in the grand canyon with a good cigar:

Hey,

I was surfing the survival equipment sites a couple days ago and found playing cards that have survival/first aid instruction printed on them, I think it is a good idea for a BOB.

Have a look at this link about 2/3's of the way down the page, http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/Misc.ItemsProducts.htm

I keep another very small game in my traveling kit, it is called "Tequila Pigs", they are 4 small plastic pigs that you roll like dice; it is really a drinking game. My traveling partners and I use them to determine who gets the hotel shower first or who has to sleep on the pull-out couch.

I have kept my kids entertained with a common toy made with a large button and a 2 foot piece of string. You make a loop with the string passing through 2 of the button holes (then tie the ends of the string together). Hold the 2 loops of the string in your index fingers with the button in the middle, twist the string by spinning the button then pull with your fingers repeatly and the button will spin very quickly over and over again. It takes a bit of a knack to do it correctly and the button makes a loud "buzzing" sound, which is why we called them "Buzzers" as kids. They were fun to play with for a while until we found that you could wind-up your sisters hair in them, then they were even fabulous!

I always have some type of book in my bag, right now I am 1/2 way through Cody Lundin's 98.6 (very good read).

Mike

I'm rather fond of sleep, myself. Or I study the map.

And once I've done those things, there is a small fishing kit, a gutted version of the SAS guide I found in Wallyworld (I don't need the jungle stuff, I don't need the lost at sea), and a second hand novel, usually classic science fiction.

In my EDC, three dice. If I'm stuck with my gamer buddies, we're good for a few hours.

*laughs* I'm a GURPS man, I only need 3D6 and a 3x5 of tables.

Some simple math problems and game trivia cards could come in handy. Also, a rope knot diagram (like from motherearthnews.com) might be interesting. Amazing how long a small piece of rope can keep me occupied.