Well it's been a while since I posted a 'here's my kit' post and since I just thought of this last night I figured I'd post it this morning and see what popular opinion is before I go out and buy some of these items.

I was packing my BOB and got to thinking that the worst 2 items for me to pack is food and water. I never seem to have enough and they never pack well. Water is heavy and food is awkward and also heavy unless it's freeze dried. I wanted to do away with both as much as possible. This got me to thinking about consumables in an emergency pack and wondered if I could do away with them as much as possible...replacing them with sustainable resources. For the most part I'm trying to keep things simple and light with the goal of being able to sustain for an unknown period of time as best as possible without taking the kitchen sink.

I was up until 3am planning this out. I don't have internet at home right now so it was a real mental exercise...no Google searches to find answers for me.

Here's what I've come up with so far. If there's something in the list which is consumable and not easily replaced in the bush that means I haven't found a suitable (and sustainable) replacement (gear or know how):

• Bag: To Be Determined...One of my many bags will do
• Knife: Any good knife...I should have an Aito Puukko on order soon.
• Axe: My Snow & Nealley Penobscot Axe
• Saw: Bahco Laplander
• Multitool: Charge TTI. I'm taking the Leatherman plunge...it has everything I need and very little of what I don't.
• Gear Repair Kit: Put together. Mostly sewing, sharpening, and metal preserving goodies plus some good duct tape.
• Fishing Pole: 5 section rod with bait cast reel in case.
• Rifle: Henry Repeating Arms US Survival Rifle (or any compact takedown model)
• Tacklebox: All the essential fishing goodies, extra line, snare wire, ammo, and any needed maintenance tools for the rifle.
• Sleep Pad: MEC Kelvin short pad
• Sleep Kit: Season appropriate sleeping bag in REI minimalist bivy.
• Rain Gear: Integral Designs Tarp Poncho
• Shelter: Above poncho with guy lines and UL aluminum pegs
• Food and water: Crusader canteen kit with extras for preserving, preparing, and seasoning food.(Might add a bottle of everclear and an alcohol stove but this isn't sustainable either). Plus some emergency Katadyne purification tablets as a backup.
• Cordage: 100' of 330lb test utility cord (I'm out of paracord ATM)
• First Aid Kit: AMK UL 0.9 plus some extras of just the basics (bandages, gauge, etc) to cover longer term needs
• Communications: Blackberry Pearl
• Light: Duracell hand crank radio/flashlight (also charges the Blackberry). Plus Everlite EL8 solar headlamp
• Fire: Light My Fire Army size firesteel
• Navigation: Suunto Compass, map, with GPS in phone as backup
• Toiletries: TP + a few things for sanitary precaution. Plus sunscreen and bug repellant.
• Clothing Kit: Dry bag with some extra socks and either 1 change of clothes or some extra warm clothes depending on season. Also extras not always worn like gloves, toque, etc.

Any thoughts for improvements? I have all of these things except the Leatherman, the solar headlamp, the first aid kit, and the rifle.

So by "sustainable," you mean you'd rely on foraging/hunting/fishing for food? Is that practical in your particular area in the best of times, let alone when "everyone" else gets the same idea and you're all using up the same food sources?

I don't see any food or water on your list except the one canteen. The plan is to bug out basically with no food or water at all then, right?

This is the Long Term forum, so could you paint a picture of the situation you're envisioning? Do you need to live off the land only long enough to reach a bug out location, or are you talking about living out in the bush for however long the situation calls for?

"...I'm taking the Leatherman plunge..."

Good for you!


"...Rain Gear: Integral Designs Tarp Poncho
Shelter: Above poncho with guy lines and UL aluminum pegs..."

I worry about the concept of using your rain gear as your shelter. If it is already raining and you are wearing your poncho, how do you rig it as a shelter without getting soaked? If you have it rigged as a shelter before the rain starts, how do you get it down and on you without getting soaked???

Hacksaw, I kind of think the way you are with my BOB, because I really do not see any other way. If I had a BOB with enough water and food for a week, living minimally, there would be nothing in my BOB but food and water.

I've got a bug-in supply of food that would last about a month and water for a number of days. Wish I had more of each, especially the water, but there is only so much one can do with an apartment. With a few minutes to preapre, I can quickly increase the water stored.

However, I do have a few days supply of food and some water in my BOB. I think the burden of carrying some of it is worth more than the risk of being without it.

And as far as OBG's comments on rain gear, I'd add a tarp. Both DW's and my BOB have a tarp and a drop cloth. If I remember correctly from this winter, your sleeping set up is pretty good, but wet would compromise almost any set up.

Thanks for the questions Arney. You're right. This bag would have no food and just the water in the canteen. Personally I feel that food and water are easy to come by. I live in the city but I'm 15 minutes walk from the North Saskatchewan River where fish, birds, and bunnies are plentiful...it's also a much faster and safer way to get out if on foot.

I have considered adding some 'starter' food like snacks and maybe one meal as well as a flat pack Source water storage bladder or hydration bladder as a backup to store water should it be scarce...they're light and i have some handy.



This is what I normally do when I'm going light anyhow. Personally I think it's no harder to rig without getting wet than your average tent...possibly better because you can hide under it in several ways while you set up. If it's pouring I typically rig it in such a way that I string it over a single line then peg the corners. That way I can rig it while I'm still wearing it and just pull my head out at the last minute to pound in the pegs.

I've even thought about trying to just set up the bivy while wearing the poncho, and then getting into the bivy without ever leaving the poncho...just laying it around the head of the bivy on the ground. I've never done it though...too much potential for it to funnel water right into my bag.

Definately an acquired taste but I like having rain protection and shelter in less space than my lightest 'packable' jacket.

I forgot to mention, the EL8 will also charge the phone (I'm 99% sure it has either a USB port or a USB adaptor)

Dont worry Hacksaw, If the SHTF you can bug out as far as my place which is north of the city. I have fresh water and game aplenty behind my place, There are lots of apple trees and veggies in the fall as well so the S better hit the fan then. Just make sure you have a big bottle of 21 year Glenfiddich Scotch in that BOB so we dont run out of whats at my bar. Then we will have something to drink while we have fun hunting.

In a long term situation I would go with a Rhino GPS with incorporated 2-way radio instead of a blackberry.(or take both) The Rhino has scan mode which will pick up all radio traffic like police radio/CB radio and other 2-way rads etc and will be of more use if the service towers are out. it is a GPS besides, and if they are still up and running it wont hurt to have one with the Alberta mapsource data loaded. A portable crank charger for the AA batteries will make you a little more self sustainable over the long run IMHO. I would add a quality compass like a SUUNTO to that just in case.

Actually...I'm not sure why I didn't think of this earlier but Integral Designs make silnylon tarps which are bigger than the tarp poncho and almost as small and light. Sleeping under a 5'x8' tarp is tricky anyhow.

I guess when I think 'tarp' my brain goes back to the heavy, big, and did I mention heavy? old school tarps I grew up with camping and still use for car camping. Adding a silnylon tarp wouldn't be hard at all. I'd then have more room to camp out under and have the poncho to use as rain gear or as a windbreak if I needed it secondary to the tarp.

I've looked at the Rhino's for years but I've never liked the price for what you get.

Solar charging is something I have the gear to do now...but I was worried that by including it, it would open the flood gates to gadgets I didn't need.

Hacksaw:

For your cooking need you might try this.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=288270

Now that is pretty nice...