Just for arguments sake, the scenario has you limited to bugging out with only ten items or less, and there's a possibility along the way that you'll need to drop some of those ten. In order of importance, list your ten items. Your means of carry, either a backpack or lumbar pack or whatever, does not count in the ten. The batteries in your flashlight, or ammunition in your gun don't count, but spares do. The clothes on your back don't, but you should assume it's a normal day's wear. Normal items like wallet, glasses and watch don't count. Assume your cell phone won't work.

Comments on each item are welcome, but not necessary. I will try to compile an overall list of importance, based on each person's ranking, and maybe post in on a web page.

Here's mine.

1. Handgun
2. 32oz water in Nalgene bottle
3. MRE
4. Matches in waterproof container
5. Multitool - full size
6. Poncho
7. Roll of medical tape
8. Spool of para cord
9. Flashlight (LED)
10. Work gloves

My medicines
leather gloves
handkerchief
water
dustmask
glowstick
pair of FRS radios
flashlight
Biehl or comparable tool

My situation is the San Francisco Bay Area, so my bag wil be suited to my needs here. Other's needs will vary, and anyone hoping to use these lists to make their own may be misled. For example, a handgun is just dead weight to me.

I have touched on this issue myself in other posts, dealing with survival tins. When I go day hiking and or backpacking, I am in effect carrying my survival gear on my back. Therefore, I base my survival philosophy on the TEN ESSENTIALS. 1) Map and Compass 2) Water –along with a way to store and purify it- and Food 3) First Aid Kit 4) Flashlight –with extra batteries- 5) Extra Clothing –adequate to deal with rain and or cold- 6) Knife 7) Matches and Fire Starter 8) Shelter –tarp/poncho, bivy bag, etc.-. Surprisingly this all fits into the average daypack, with a quart of water I am way under 10 pounds on my back. However, if I’m doing any hiking in the desert and carrying a days supply of water I will usually carry one and half gallons of water total, at 8 pounds per gallon. 9) Fire Arm –with extra ammo- 10) The Will to Survive!

Spare contact lenses
Poncho
Becker BK10
Bic lighter
1 Qt Nalgene bottle
Leatherman Juice KF4
Campmor metal cup (the one that nests w/ the Nalgene.)
Surefire G2Z
100' 550# Paracord
MP1 tablets

For the first six items the order is definate, the rest less so.

Regards, Vince

Edit: if you don't want me to count my spare contacts, (and assuming I can't take my dog ), then I would put a large can of Sterno at #10.

Out of curiosity, why spare contact lenses at the top of the list (especially versus spare glasses)? Do you consider contact lens solution to be part of the "spare contact lenses"?

When I used to wear contacts and I wanted a back-up, I chose glasses, since contact lenses required so much care (clean hands for handling, solution, easy to loose if dropped, etc.) Has contact lens technology changed that much in the last few years that such care isn't necessary?

-Kuovonne

I don't use glasses in the field primarily because of the hassle when they get wet. As far as contact care goes, I wear gas permeables (hard lenses) so the care might be considerably less than what you are used to. In a bugout situation I would not worry about cleaning or soaking them. I've slept overnight with them stuffed between my upper lip and gum like a plug of chewing tobacco, and as long as I didn't accidently chew them up they worked just fine <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Regards, Vince

Hmmm.

Okay. I always have my survival tin. I carry it the way normal people carry a wallet, so I'm gonna include it without making it one of the ten items. I also carry a mini-LED in my right-hand pocket.

With that in mind, here's my list:

1. Handgun
2. 32oz water in Nalgene bottle
3. MRE
4. Veritas collapsible buck saw
5. Multitool - full size
6. Rain suit
7. Big knife. (mine's a K Bar, 7")
8. Spool of para cord
9. Tommy stove
10. Work gloves

I'm already limited. I'm not leaving without my dog, my cat, or my box turtle, or their food, so that's four "items" right there. What's a pet lover to do?

-- Craig

OK. the new guy will take a shot. let me know how i do?
First I own a horse farm so i always have on me a Leatherman charge, pocket knife (assisted opening) mini bic ,LED flashlight. work gloves, and work boots. wallet. never leave the house without them. now if my wallet dosen't count , i assume whats in my wallet dosen't count either
just looked and i have asprin and excedrin ,bandaids, tweezers(hay splinters hurt) couple hundred dollars, duct tape (quick repairs ect) flat spool wire, and some fishing line. never know when you'll need to tie something up or down. thats my EDC. So if i had to bug out and could only pick up ten things I'd have to say i'd take the following

1. roll of extra lg trash bags heavy duty. (raingear,sleeping bag ,tent, storage, etc)
2.full roll of duct tape (what more can you say ,its duct tape!)
3. small bottle of bleach. (water purification ) i have 8 in my family. to much water needs to be carried. )
4.heavy duty zip bags 1 gal. size(hold the water ect.)
5. bathroom bag (hope this counts as one)
toothbrush, travle toothepaste
razor, q tips ,cottonballs, mouthwash ,nail clipper
travle soap and shampoo, dental floss, small knife
6. first aid kit. (pretty good one, hope this counts as one also)
scissors, tape , gauze, heat pack cold pack ace badage
bedadine, hydrogenperoxide, bandaid all sizes.tums imodium. asprine ,excedrine, tweezers, hand wash, hand soap, saftey pins, needles. lots more!! all in a small plastic box 14x12'x6"
7. &
8.What ever food i can pick up. (having a hard time with this one
9. dynamo radio with led light ,cell charger, ect. ( its a gadget had to have it) don't own a cell ,rest of the family do. all of them!!
10. 5 gallon plastic bucket /with lid to carry it all in

Hope i wasn't cheating with the first aid kit and bathroom bag
the hard part would be leaving the farm. set up to stay not to
bug out. not sure i could leave 50 horses anddogs and cats alone while i leave. But if it came to them or my family the choice would be easy.

Real excited about this post please forgive spelling

I am assuming you are talking about a 72 hour survival kit. Your goal is to stay alive and attract attention to get rescued.

I would use my CamelBack as my backpack. It has a 100oz water bladder. Taking into account the rule of 3s and the fact I live in Arizona here is my pick of 10 items. I have ¾ of a gallon of water. The first 3 items and my CamelBack would probably keep me alive for 3 days in most of Arizona. I would have water, shelter, and fire. The rest of the items would make life easier.

1. HD Space Blanket with hood (poncho, wedge shelter, immediate heat reflector)
2. Leatherman Charge Ti (knife)
3. Ferro rod (Metal Match from County Comm)
4. 12 Coghlan’s Emergency Tinder (in mini zip-loc bag) (got to have fire when wet)
5. 36”x36” sheet of HD aluminum foil (boil water, cooking, fire reflector)
6. 2”x3” glass signal mirror
7. Petzl Tikka XP LED Headlamp (or Tikka Plus or Zipka Plus) with case (high, low, and blink)
8. First-Aid Kit
9. 1 gallon Zip-Loc bag (container to collect water etc.)
10. 50’ of ¼” braided nylon cord (don’t like parachute cord)

There is a task that will get you to thinking about what is important! I kept changing the list. I kept asking myself; would I give up all the items below this item to keep it? You have got to be able to stay warm and have water. Then being able to get more water and purify it is next. You can signal with a fire if you have to. It may take longer than 3 days to be rescued. A metal cup, pot, or coffee can would be better than the aluminum foil. A compass would be nice but I can find north if I have the sun, North Star, or a crescent moon to look at.