Another BOB spread open

Posted by: Alex

Another BOB spread open - 02/23/13 09:30 PM

Just restocked my generic BOB (this one will be carried by DW). I have another one with more sophisticated stuff smile
(Particular items descriptions under the number are separated by semicolon for clarity below).

1. Auxiliary medikit and meds; money hidden in a capsule.

2. 16 oz plastic bottle; with ethyl alcohol; nested in a tin can (for water boiling); all in a freezer bag; goes into the side pocket of the backpack.

3. Working gloves (warm enough to wear in cold weather).

4. Simple backpack with many compartments.

5. Quick food; tea; in 2 freezer bags.

6. Large, cheap, scary looking hunter's knife; in an oiled inside sheath.

7. Space blanket; and plastic rain poncho.

8. Toilet paper; in freezer bag.

9. Magnesium block; with flint rod; hack saw striker; in plastic bag;

10. Plastic pouch for (9); with ordinary matches book; split ring for joining (9); PJ soaked cotton balls; and a 10" piece of orange duct tape;

11. Cheap steel credit card sized multitool with knife blade; aluminum foil piece (2'x 2').

12.Sunscreen / bug repellent spray pen.

13. Large FedEx envelope with about 5 pounds of most important papers, including passports, SSNs, e.t.c; in a binder with plastic pockets; and in freezer bags.

14. Watertight container for 9,10,11; with lanyard; wrapped with paracord.

15. Plywood disk (fire starting tinder, coaster, etc); Kevlar thread on plastic spool; assorted safety pins; Bic lighter below.

16. Ductape (white for easier writing on it).



17. Swimming glasses (eyes protection);

18. Water in plastic bottle;

19. Pair of huge heavy duty trash bags wrapped with 1 ft bungee cord.

20. Whistle; magnifier; thermometer; nail clippers; tiny flashlight; small folding knife; spork; cookies; sewing needles (hiding under the carpet).

21. 35' of paracord.

22. Garmin GPS; in a holster with lanyard.

23. Steripen; with 4 eneloops inside; in a freezer bag.

24. Thick sole rubber flappers (attached to the bottom of the backpack).

25. Many small size chemical light sticks.

26. Multitool in a sheath.

27. Pencil wrapped with several feet of nichrome wire (enough to go red hot from 12V); another pencil; perm. marker; heavy duty steel ink pen.

28. Another magnesium/flint rod in a capsule; with striker.

29. Stainless steel "everlasting" soap.

30. Scalpel blade; with safety cap; and assortment of blades.

31. AMT shears.

32. Car charger adapter providing USB 5v and 12V out; light fixture socket to AC plug converter.

33. Cranking flashlight with 12V car adapter socket (can be used with 32); phone charging cord inside.

34. AA batteries charger / AA to 5V USB power source; spare 4 alkaline and 4 lithium AAs.

Just added 4 N-95 dust masks, fleece balaclava, 20 ft coil of steel wire, and a medium size folding knife.
Posted by: spuds

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/23/13 11:25 PM

Thats a fine bag Alex.
Posted by: TeacherRO

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 12:00 AM

nice. I like to add fleece blanket and jacket. and have additional water available
Posted by: Quietly_Learning

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 12:39 AM

Originally Posted By: Alex
Just restocked my generic BOB (this one will be carried by DW). I have another one with more sophisticated stuff smile
(Particular items descriptions under the number are separated by semicolon for clarity below).

1. Auxiliary medikit and meds; money hidden in a capsule.

15. Plywood disk (fire starting tinder, coaster, etc); Kevlar thread on plastic spool; assorted safety pins; Bic lighter below.

27. Pencil wrapped with several feet of nichrome wire (enough to go red hot from 12V); another pencil; perm. marker; heavy duty steel ink pen.



Great kit! A few questions /comments.

1. How big is the capsule / how many bills can you fit inside?

15. Plywood is made by gluing together pieces of wood and the glue is toxic when burned. It would be much safer to get a coaster sized piece of unfinished wood. A craft store for a disc or cut off a thin slice of scrap wood.

27. Never heard of nichrome before but after Googling it I'm interested. I'll see if I can find some locally. Have you tried getting it red hot with a 9v battery?
Posted by: Frisket

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 01:54 AM

"26. Multitool in a sheath"

That Looks like a schrade Multitool...The same exact one I once owned. If I were you Id replace that as soon as possible with a leatherman. I snapped off almost everything on that multitool doing basic chores. Its also gotta be the worst design ever for using the knife portion of the tool and honestly prolly the most dangerous.

http://www.schrade-knives.com/PIX/ST1Na.jpg

Look at where the blade is and look how the tool folds. There is no possible way to get a safe push cut with it without torquing your wrist in all the wrong ways.

Since all my failures in the world of multitools I gave leatherman a chance way too late in the game and my only regret is not going with them from the start. My leatherman kick has had the crap beat out of it and it looks brand new.
Posted by: Alex

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 08:29 AM

Originally Posted By: Frisket
"26. Multitool in a sheath"
That Looks like a schrade Multitool...

Exactly. But not precisely what you have described. I love this tool, as it was my first multi-tool, which I bought in 1999. A century ago! It's authentic US made. I have tried to get a new one recently, but it was a cheap imitation, which broke the next day. This one is rock solid and saw a lot of abuse, doesn't look like new though. I agree about the awkward knife location - takes time to get used too. I'm carrying "Wave" on my waist as EDC for like 5 years, by the way.
Posted by: Alex

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 08:46 AM

Originally Posted By: Quietly_Learning

1. How big is the capsule / how many bills can you fit inside?

15. Plywood is made by gluing together pieces of wood and the glue is toxic when burned. It would be much safer to get a coaster sized piece of unfinished wood. A craft store for a disc or cut off a thin slice of scrap wood.

27. Never heard of nichrome before but after Googling it I'm interested. I'll see if I can find some locally. Have you tried getting it red hot with a 9v battery?

The capsule is a bill tall and 3/4" in diameter screw top brass shell. I have 3 hundred in it.

The plywood piece is easier to chip by bare hands. And that's not so much of fumes expected from such a small piece anyway. Coaster fire starting is probably a last resort for a no medium tinder at all scenario.

Nichrome wire can be easily "procured" from a dead hair drier, electric stove plate, old type AC heater. e.t.c. (mine is of an industrial spool though, very thin) Technically it is just a hard to melt wire with high linear resistance, so yes, just use a piece of 9/12th of the length and it will heat red hot from a 9V battery.
Posted by: Alex

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 09:08 AM

Originally Posted By: TeacherRO
nice. I like to add fleece blanket and jacket. and have additional water available

I'm afraid that (32 oz) is the maximum possible with this small backpack, that's why several ways of purification, including a quick one, as our first (gathering) bug out location is on a small creek, and the way to the second one is along that creek too. Each of us will have some in the backpack (just calculated - it will be a bit over a gallon total).

For the blanket, we are used to have more clothing on than necessary. Also my DW knows how to use the space blanket properly (add insulation, prevent condensation - very cozy).
Posted by: Eugene

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 06:28 PM

You really need more water. I am amazed at how much you can go through on even a short walk/ride. Looks like a store bought disposable bottle from the picture, replace those with a larger bottle and you should be able to carry more.
Posted by: hikermor

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 07:11 PM

As an old desert rat, i tend to agree, but it all depend upon location, location, location. Albany, CA, is located in a fairly humid environment (the OP mentions nearby local creeks) so he can probably get by with less than would be necessary even in SoCal,much less the interior deserts. On a typical day in the Sonoran desert, one gallon would not be sufficient for one person, much less a family sized group.

What is vital in one situation is just unnecessary baggage in another.
Posted by: Alex

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 08:41 PM

That's right, the water for the bug out trip is not usually a problem around here. In a worst case (the creek is dead after a quake) we can reconsider the bug out location to another one on the shore and make a simple distiller. That plastic 58oz bottle was decided as a most lightweight container fitting that backpack's pocket and as a good resource for various improvisations (it has texture reinforced thick flat sides). I have steel bottles in other 2 bags.
Posted by: dougwalkabout

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/24/13 10:57 PM

Originally Posted By: Alex
Originally Posted By: Frisket
"26. Multitool in a sheath"
That Looks like a schrade Multitool...

Exactly. But not precisely what you have described. I love this tool, as it was my first multi-tool, which I bought in 1999. A century ago! It's authentic US made. I have tried to get a new one recently, but it was a cheap imitation, which broke the next day. This one is rock solid and saw a lot of abuse, doesn't look like new though. I agree about the awkward knife location - takes time to get used too.


Agreed. I had an original Schrade Tough Tool and it was a solid tool (though as noted, a bit big and awkward). The knockoffs you see now are junk. A sad fate for a proud brand.

As an aside: I also still have several of the ViseGrip / Shcrade combination tools. These were a genuine 5" ViseGrip with a Schrade locking blade, hex bit driver, and a scraper blade in the handle. Very stout, compact tool for real work. Great for the glovebox.
Posted by: Alex

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/25/13 01:19 AM

I've heard patent wars killed all of them?
Posted by: Quietly_Learning

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/25/13 08:11 AM

Thanks for the response. I'll give the nichrome wire a try.
Posted by: MoBOB

Re: Another BOB spread open - 02/25/13 09:16 PM

Swimming goggles - great idea!
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Another BOB spread open - 03/08/13 07:27 PM

Wow! Nice!
Posted by: bacpacjac

Re: Another BOB spread open - 03/09/13 01:51 AM

Great looking kit, Alex. The only thing I don't see is clothes. I need a change in my AO but it might not be an issue for you in yours. Does it rain or get cold at night there?
Posted by: Fyrediver

Re: Another BOB spread open - 03/19/13 02:37 AM

I like that your bag is small and appears to be well equipped to meet most needs. I often see bags that appear to be really heavy and I wonder how far and how fast someone can travel with them.

I carry more water and I'm in the PNW but my idea is to get home without having to purify (20 miles) unless the trip turns into more than one day. I'm ready to purify but that'll take time that I want to use covering ground.