It really isn't a BOB. It's more like the intermediate step between your ruck (which you might have to leave behind for some reason) and your pocket kit (which you should have on you at all times, and if captured, do your damnest to keep it from being found). Remember, Wiseman wrote from the perspective of military survival, evasion, resistance and escape. SERE in Bohicastan is a lot different than what most of us will encounter (unless you live west of the San Andreas and it's having a bad day).

What he showed was based on what you'd have on your combat harness along with your ammunition, knife, compass, canteen and first aid kit. Is you are going by SAS SOP, that webbing, your boots and your weapon are your pillow at night, and never more than ten feet from you during the day. Everything else is not part of you escape and evade load. The belt kit was designed to keep you alive until you see friendlies, and then get their attention.

I'm not knocking his book, I'm just saying keep in mind his perspective on things is a lot different from most of us will ever experince. It isn't a BOB, it is a SERE pouch. But not everything in it translate well to a non-military audience.

Unless it's been added in the latest edition, Wiseman never talks about bugging out, nor does he do so in the Urban Survival Guide (not very good, if you dont' have it, don't bother- most of it is stuff that I would think anyone who doesn't have a date with Darwin would know other than the first aid and "what to do in case of becoming a hostage"). Do the Brits not bug out?

Brits don't have anyplace to bug out to. The UK isn't very big.

Brit's don't bug out. We just attack in another direction.......:)
Seriously, though a lot of the bug out kits I have seen on the forum and on other sites seem to be heavily influenced by SERE. They also try to pack too much into too small a space. I prefer to go for the simple. light and reliable approach. After all, I might be attacking in another direction at high speed.

Ironraven,

FWIW: In the 17th edition of the SAS survival handbook (I've got the Dutch
translation) he does mansion urban survival and bugging out.

You Brits need to remember many Americans have this perculier notion we are a combination of John Wayne and Rambo. We can go off into the "wilderness" and live off the land should some thing go wrong.
Please don't attempt to dissuade us by pointing out there ain't much wilderness around where we generally live and, if "it" hits the fan, a lot more people will be heading for the woods at the same time.
Please, don't try to rain on our parade. Lack of training, experiance or location will have little effect on the romance of survival.

"There is nothing so frightening as ignorance in action."

I want to come and watch. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> The "John Wayne/Rambo" image is the bit that "concern's" us Brit's. The I-am-invunerable-because-my-heart-is-pure mindset is not exactly the best one to take into a "it" situation. Wonderful way to get yourself into a world of hurt. Knowing that you are mortal and will get Darwined if you ain't very careful vastly improves your chances of survival.

Leigh,

Not everybody has the John Wayne/Rambo mindset. I think what he is trying to imply partially, maybe, is there is a lot more places and room to hide over here, and there is. We should still be prepared though, you are right. You Brits have to worry more about an urban environment alot more from what I gather. There are resources here untrained people wouldn't think of using that are just a hop, skip, and a jump away across the back yard.

Let's see, an example of observations in the last 24 hours truthfully, where I reside:

*I can take a shortcut and urinate out the backdoor instead during commercial breaks on tv and never be seen.
*The environment goes undisturbed
* Barred owls hoot over my roof
*Whitetail deer are in the FRONT yard.
*My lawn mower (and dog) uncover litters of rabbits in the yard.
*Raccoons and 'possums try to steal dog and cat food.
*Green tree frogs are stuck to the kitchen window dining on the moths that the flourescent light over the sink attracts.
*Red-shouldered hawks attack the chickens.
*Beavers dam the creeks below the house.
*You can hear coyotes howling at night.

So I think you have to worry more about whats in your BOB than I do. It's a good thing to know, urban e&e, and I learn, but me worry about it?

I know the forum members don't. Its the City Slickers that worry me. Present most of them with a pile of wood and a match and watch them spend the next half hour trying to find the On switch.... Yes I'm being nasty, but to make a point. Which is that 99% of the people displaced by "it" don't know about the resources around them. Or have the "When in doubt, Improvise." mentality of the forum members. Question is: Do we help them, or leave them to their fate?

What do they have to bring to the table??? <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

I've got possums, pheasants and cute bunnies (not to mention not so cute wild dog packs) in the middle of Detroit. Nature is quick to reclaim abandoned factory sites and burned out residential blocks. My Dog killed two possums last winter.