Okay, you have your basics covered: if push come to shove, yours will be one of the longest, most successful urban survival stories ever told.

But what about style? What about those things that make life worthwhile? What about those things, quirky though they may be, that bring a smile to your face?

Cone on, spill, what is in your stash that you know would make the others jealous if only the dumb #@! had thought to search them out and put them is their kit?

I keep a flask of 130 proof bourbon in my bug-out bag. I figure, if things get sh*tty, I might want a good stiff drink at the end of the day.

It's also somewhat practical though...as liquor with that high of proof can be used for fire starting and as an antiseptic. It makes for a wonderful ingredient in sauces as well.

my son and i both have a star wars lightsaber lipbalm on our lanyards. they are little working, one LED, flashlights, with a clear tube of lip balm screwed on. no simple squeeze lights, they've got an on/off switch, battery, and even come with a little carabiner.

Are you asking about one's will to survive? After all, if we were to give two people the same equipment, one with a strong will to survive, the other without, only one will come out alive. If that is what you are asking, my sisters are the ones who will keep me fighting.

Jeanette Isabelle

Hmm, checking my list: candlelight, corkscrew, crackling fire, acoustic guitar, smoked oysters, fondue a la pantry, soft jazz via solar panels ... yes, <ahem>, I believe something memorable could be arranged.

I've got my wine, my corkscrew, and my unbreakable clear plastic stemware. If I can't find my corkscrew, I'm prepared for sabrage. :-> (Well, it's a machete, but same thing only different.)

That I'll still be grinning and thinking "wow, I'm glad I'm a country boy"?

dweste ... excellent point and thanks for the reminder. Sometimes we get so focused on the essentials - that we forget that survival is mostly about "mental attitude". Having something in our kit that cheers us up can do a world of good.

The "cheering up" factor is even more important if you've got team members, or your own family, in a survival situation. Your comment jogged my brain, and I realized that I need to put a few goodies for my kids into our family survival gear. It really helps kids attitude if they can hold a small toy, or eat a familiar snack, under difficult circumstances.

If I'm working with a team in rough country, I try to always have a few chocolate chip cookies (or chocolate chip granola bars) stashed in my pack somewhere. A cup of hot tea and a chocolate chip cookie can cheer up the whole world!

cheers,
other Pete

Always have some coffee, creamer, and delicious LU brand tea biscuits in stock. Pretty close to bliss if you ask me. Oh, and spanish olives.

an approaching CAT 3 hurricane causes both anxiety and anticipation... hurry up and get it over!!!...so after transferring the non frozen perishables to the iced down 5day ice chest, I try not to open up the refrigerator any more than necessary... a local Italian sub shop remains open as long as safety allows, to cater to the emergency workers and old timers that know about it... a couple of Italian subs, one for the light and wind show (I set the folding chair and watch the best show in town) and one for the following day is kind of a ritual...