The number (1) is for , hopefully, analyzing more BOBs dispalyed on the net. That will be a practical way of learning and refining our knowledge of preparedness.

First, I do appreciate the people who take the time and efffort to display their bags and kits. They have chosen the prepping route which , alone , earns them lots of my respect.

On the anlysis part. I have been watching U-tube videos regarding prepping and kits. Many of them have great ideas, some have the usual, and some of them provide food of thought. Some were big and some were small, and each served a certain scenario. This bag here made me wonder since it didn't fit any possible / probable scenario that I can think of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCkjt99Hrbw

A small, light GHB/BOB , IMO , is better than larger bags/kits for short-term, intense disasters like 911 where priority is for moving LIGHT and FAST. The goal there is not to establish camp and live off the land for a month or more, but to reach a safer land as soon as possible.

However, in this case, a small bag like this was not filled with items necessary for a few hours, like water and power bars, but was filled with books ( weighing 9 pounds !!! almost half of total weight ) that illustrate edible natural foods in the area !! These books are better suited - IMHO - in a larger bag , or even an additional box in a truck , for use in a bug out camp or retreat.

Same thing said about the seeds he was carrying. I think that the space of this smallish bag shouldn't be wasted on seeds unless they were themselves edible.

What do you all think ???

This is a perfect example of many a Youtube BOB video.

1) Where do these guys expect to sleep. Park bench's will be of limited supply and getting involved in a tactical CQB shoot out for the park bench is pretty risky. Even then without a sleeping bag and mat it will make for a very uncomfortable nights sleep.

2) There was no water. This will lead to dehydration/death in a short period i.e one of the most important fundamental aspects of survival and will dramatically increase the Survival Stresses

3) There was no ability to boil water for sterilisation and to make a cup of tea. How does one expect to survive without making a cup of tea?

4) There was no food in this BOB. The books were pretty pointless for about 10 months out of the year. If one needs a book to recognise the difference between a squirrel and rabbit, then the chances of the reader being able to hunt them down will be quite small.

5) It obviously doesn't rain, snow or get cold in Northern California throughout the year, hence no shelter. The usual mylar blanket or disposable thin plastic poncho just doesn't cut it.

5) These videos always seem to begin with the Guns'n'knives on show quickly followed up by the tacticool camo packs. A camo pack cover stored inside a civilian pack is the way to go for both wilderness and urban camoflauge. FEMA camp for these guys when they get picked up at a local checkpoint.

6) No means of Navigation, walking around in circles around the captured park bench hunting squirrels with the few seeds brought along used for bait isn't going to cut it in a survival situation.

7) I haven't yet seen any Potassium cyanide pills for when it all gets a little too difficult and desperate in a BOB Youtube video. Dying from hyperthermia, hypothermia, dehydration etc is not easy.

Everyone has a slightly different purpose in mind for their kits, but this guy said that his kit is intended to keep him going for 4 days as he travels to his "wilderness retreat" (which is not described so I don't know if that means a pre-stocked cabin or just camping out in the bush). With that in mind, I do think his kit is kind of a mish-mash of items, plus he doesn't show stuff that he refers to, like food, so we have no idea what he's packing for food--frozen TV dinners? I presume he's also taking water, but he doesn't really say.

The books and seeds are not really consistent with a go-bag concept plus those books must be heavy. If he's serious about foraging, he really needs to learn about that stuff and have it in his head before he needs it. I have no idea if he's an outdoorsman, but I know that I would most likely starve or poison myself if I was suddenly thrust into the woods with just a book on edible plants without any practice first.

Besides some antibiotics (and he doesn't say what kind they are or what he's carrying them for) and KI pills, he has no first aid items. He carries a bunch of knives and mentions weapons like a Glock 23 and the possibility of hunting game with an air gun, but no first aid kit?

I assume he's driving, but he has nothing for shelter, like a space blanket, bivvy, fleece jacket, whatever.
Edit: Oh, sorry, he is bringing along a pair of Isotoner gloves. Doubt they would last for any hard work, though.

I don't know, is a snake bite kit much use for a kit intended for a SHTF situation out in the bush?

He does have some useful stuff, but those are just the basics that all kits should have, like a headlamp, so I'm skipping commenting on those.

you might look at YouTube videos by:

Beast12101

Mad World Survival (Beast 12101's updated)

USNERDOC

I like their presentation and mind set...they have a spectrum of equipment

Dedicated first aid kis are pretty much discredited these days. Standard protocol is to keep the victim quiet and transport. Very much like the traditional Native American protocol which was to lie down and rest for three or four days, keeping as still as possible.

Bingo, I was thinking exactly the same thing when I was first thinking about this post. It's not semantics, it really is important to get the purpose of a kit straight to make sure it meets the person's intended needs. It's impossible to create a kit for all needs so a person needs to spend some brain power thinking about what they want/need.

For example, I would not have important documents like a passport or birth certificate in the trunk of my car or under my desk in a Get Home Bag, but they would belong in a Bug Out Bag where there's a chance I may never have access to anything from home again.

Of course, there could also be some overlap between a GHB or BOB and someone's EDC kit, too, but an EDC's purpose is quite specific as well. It has to be, to keep the kit small enough to carry daily.

Edit:
I was just re-reading this and I don't intend to sound like some purist about what a GHB/BOB/EDC is or isn't. Whatever works for each person is what matters, regardless of what you call it. Call it "My Bag of Tricks" if that's what makes you happy.

And the key to making a kit that makes you happy is for each person to know what they want/need, which is why I tried to start out with what that guy said he intended for his kit. Problem is, the kit didn't really seem to jive all that well with his stated purpose. Or else he didn't explain his purpose fully to account for things like seeds or things he didn't show, like food or transportation.

Based on everything I have read, I believe a snake bite kit is just a waist of space.

Jeanette Isabelle

When people talk about bug-out bags, there are really three main types of commonly discussed bags.

There is the GHB or Get-Home-Bag.

There is the BOB or Bug-Out-Bag.

Finally, there is the INCH bag or I'm-Not-Coming-Home bag


The GHB is typically the smallest of the three. This bag has some items to help you get back home, usually in the case of localized or personal emergencies. For some this is the bag they keep under their desk at work. For others this is part of their EDC. It all depends on your situation.

The BOB comes next. This is considered a ~72 hour bag. The purpose being, to either get you to your closest bug-out location (a friends home, a shelter, a second home, whatever), or to help you wait it out until help arrives. This is for more regional disasters. With the BOB, more than likely you'll be returning to your home, but you also need to be prepared with the appropriate paperwork and what-not, just in case your home is ruined when you do return.

The INCH is for the largest of disasters or extreme long-term disasters. Depending on your situation, this might just be a backpack or it might be an entire vehicle full of stuff. This is where you really start getting into the whole 'survivalist' mentality.

For some people, the BOB also becomes their INCH. This can be ok depending on your situation, but it tends to be a compromise. This is because the BOB is supposed to allow you to travel light and fast (i.e. Grab it and Go!), whereas an INCH setup is typically much more of a burden. Again, it's highly dependent on the person doing the prep.

LOL! Thanks Liath. I needed that laugh today. Wise as always though.

Disclaimer: I haven't watched the video yet. I'm just thinking about your observations.

A bunch of books and seedd seem like a waste of space and sweat for a short-term kit. A book to read is a good idea but 9 pounds of books? And about wild edibles? As someone else pointed out more eloquently than I could, it's not very bright to think you can depend on a book, especially in the short term. I'm a wild edibles ignoramus but I do know about twin plants in nature - an edible one looks just like a poisonous one. Imma not eatin nuttin that hasn't been shown to me by an expert!

And seeds? Really? For a short term kit? Seriously? I know actual food is heavier but it's, well, real food.

No shelter either? Or water? Or FAK? I'm not an expert but I'm not sure this guy is either.