Greetings to all,

As always, and like most of you, I am always adapting to changes in life and work.

Almost every month, I am driving a rental car 800-1000 miles to work and back. That means that I am driving for up to 18 hours, in winter, with very little "Emergency Equipment". I don't consider this to be wise.

I always have my EDC with me and I started collecting various little things along each journey. Things such as restaurant napkins, a plastic spork, condiments, a couple of bottled waters, etc. All of which is INSUFFICIENT for any survival situation during the winter.

A PSK (Personal Survival Kit) was too little equipment and a BoB was too much to carry around. A fellow ETS'er, (SBRAIDER) mentioned that he calls his PSK (Personal SUPPORT Kit). The Personal Support Kit, to my understanding is somewhere between a normal PSK and a BoB.

So far, and I'm quoting from memory, I've included the following in my Personal SUPPORT Kit:

Food: Beef Jerky and DATREX rations, (I am going to include a Claxton's Fruitcake shortly), restaurant condiments,

Water: an empty 1 liter water jug, water purification tablets, (I still pick up some bottled water as I drive along)

Shelter: 55gal trash bag, (I'm getting a fleece blanket), (I'm adding spare dry socks), Space blanket, Touque, insulated hunter's gloves

Warmth: Magnesium Firestarter, 2 Bic lighters, strike anywhere matches, 2 chemical hand-warmers, 4 Trioxane, dryer lint

Other: Signal Mirror, Whistle, compass, road maps, basic FAK, travel pack of Wet Ones, cord/shoestrings, 2 pocket knives, bug wipes, toilet paper, 50ft of paracord, Coughlin's "Survival Kit-in-a-Can"

Signals: Photon light, red laser

Help me understand why you don't just take a BOB?

Thanks.

Because a BoB is too big and too heavy, along with everything else that I have to carry onto the boat in some very rough terrain, at times.

There are things in my BoB that I don't want to be regularly carrying between my home and the boat, across many different state lines.

The fruit cake sounds interesting.. I checked the web site and it says 4 month life expectancy. I wonder if there is anything like that with a longer life.

A slimmed-down politically correct BOB?

Fleece blanket and spare socks are a must. Carry a spare hat (toque), spare gloves (old mittens work just fine), a spare synthetic t-shirt (in case you get damp/clammy). You could carry a sleeping bag but even myself, I don't go that far (I live in the province of Quebec in eastern Canada and our winters can be harsh).

You should also equip yourself with a powerful flashlight with spare batteries (something better than the Photon). A typical LED headlamp along with a 3-Watt Luxeon LED flashlight would be nice.

Small candle and holder of some sort (for warmth).

Basically, staying warm and being able to see in the dark would be my two priorities. Hope that helped!

I stopped carrying a fleece blanket - I find them too small (if they are over my feet, they don't cover my shoulders etc

I got a queen sized heavy duty wool blanket - last week, we had a slight cold snap, and of course, my kids had forgotten to take warm jackets to school - while waiting for the truck to warm, they were sure glad that my blanket could cover both of them

What you're describing is essentially a small GHB (Get Home Bag).

Jim

Seriously missing in your kit: Communications. Quite frankly, I'd skip most of the food and go with a GPS, a Cell phone and/or CB radio. If you really wanted to do it right, and are concerned about being on the side of the road unseen by other drivers, a SPOT messenger device would be a good thing.

Try living in PA, but doing most of your shopping in NJ. I sometimes have to leave a bag at the firehouse (Which is right at the bridge to NJ) when going to pick up cat food at the store on the other side of the bridge.

And let's not even think about the time I responded to a fire call and remembered only as we rolled up to the call - in NJ - that I was "packed up" with more than an air-pack. Fire? Whatever. NJ Troopers. Uh-oh.