Does anyone stock their 72 hour/ BOB/ SAR kit with caffeine drinks/ pills like 5 hour energy? I thought about including 2 or 3 5 hour energy because a total of 3 ounces or so sounds like a small price to pay for my caffeine addiction

It's not in my kit per se but I do keep 2 or 3 Five Hour Awesomes in the center console of my car, along with one in my laptop bag. I rarely use it but it works wonders when I do.

Only coffee, which is a basic survival necessity. It has caffeine, the real vitamin C.

Both coffee (Via) and tea sprinkled just about everywhere

I need to try Starbucks' Via. I prefer my caffeine in the form of coffee or tea, rather than taking it straight up as a concentrate.

5 Hour E works, just not sure what that concentration of chemicals will do to your brain over time. I have a few available if I need to go another 300 miles or so, but as a routine I don't touch the stuff.

Black tea is light, but a bottle of 200mg caffeine tablets is lighter

One thing I like about coffee or tea is that one is ingesting water, almost always a good thing and also it usually requires one to pause,and thus one has the opportunity to contemplate and think, often a good strategy.

This is not mine. It was said on this forum If you have everything to make a cup of tea you can survive. I think it was said by a British survival expert. First you need to make a fire to heat the water. To me that means an axe or saw, knife and a fire making kit or a stove. Then you need a pot to boil water in. Personally I would like to enjoy my tea while sitting under something like a tarp. A nice hot drink under my tarp while in hte woods. What can be better than that.....

BOATMAN
John

I gave up coffee some time ago but still enjoy a tea brew every time I am out. One of the most memorable trips was about 40 miles in the middle of almost nowhere, sitting and enjoying the morning view (no tarp needed) while waiting for the tea water to heat up.

I don't stock them in my kits, even though I am a frequent user I am pretty sure either they would be long expired or "borrowed" when the situation arose to use them.

That said I would question if a survival situation/bug out would be a good time to use them. In my experience they can add to irritation and impatience. Though 5 hour energy is pretty mellow to me there are many who get rather jittery. To me caffeine is a known quantity and easy to use to maximum effect.

Last point for consideration, the burst of energy (even if the duration is several hours) comes at a price. When the effects wear off you crash, regardless of your current situation. This peculiarity could lead to some interesting situations.

just my .02

Nice photo. That is one of the joys of being out there, relaxing and soaking up the scenery.

I think the crash effect tends to be most true with things containing sugar, followed by caffeine. What I've found through many long nights in datacenters and on the highway is that Five Hour Energy doesn't have me crashing (in any sense). No affiliation, YMMV.

A beautiful and memorable photo.

The local Ralph's had Starbucks VIA® so I picked up a package (8 packets per) of their Colombian brew. I tried one this morning and it's not bad, probably the best instant coffee I've tried, better than some name-brand coffee that needs to be brewed. The 7 remaining packets will be added to my truck kit.

Things like 5 Hour Energy usually contain artificial sweeteners. These do not sit well with me.Artificial sweeteners give me headaches, upset stomach and other complications "down the road". Energy drinks and caffine can be a diuretic and could promote dehydration. Then again if you are a habitual caffine user not having it can lead to further stress.It comes down to personal choice....

BOATMAN
John

If you need energy, eat good food. If you need caffeine, there are many ways of getting that. But to me the hot cup of coffee provides psychological comfort as much as it provides physical energy. Caffeine does not provide actual energy, like calories, and may degrade mental performance in the long run if you do not get calories and water.

I have never been a fan of energy drinks any way, so I admit my prejudice against them. You just can't beat a hot cup of coffee (or tea or hot chocolate) on a cold morning to get your day started. I use the hot chocolate on my scouts as they roll out of their sleeping bags on a cold winter morning. When it is cold, you can't get them to move. After the hot chocolate, you can't get them to stop!

That's why I chase a pot of coffee with a can of Mountain Dew, and finish the watch with water, each watch. Then I try to sleep....

I never thought about using 5-hour energy drink for the BOB. I do use it though. Mostly for when I am driving long distances/periods; there is only so much music, gas stops, snack food one can use to keep one awake and alert. The 5-hour stuff doesn't crash me like straight caffeine does and is more subtle.

I supposed the inclusion would be based on what are your goals that you have in mind for your BOB. For example one of mine would be to bug out in case of a train derailment nearby. What do I need to carry so that I can get to a safe location until the clean-up or the OK signal from the authorities? I can't think of a reason that I would need 5-hour energy drinks in that scenario.

A square of dark chocolate works and is storable. Red apples also will help you stay awake, but thy are perishable. On long trips, I usually wash both down with a hot cup of coffee.

I'm a little worried about the long term effects of chemical energy drinks on the Gen X and Millennials of which my kids are members. May be the transfats of their generation.

Zip Fizz, instant coffee (organo gold in this case) and instant tea(lipton with lemon).

The organo gold has some herbal additives I find, um, enhance the effects of caffiene over time.