Each member of my family has his/her own BOB. We have a chronic problem with maintaining adequate clothing for the children (Boys 10 & 13). It has several causes:

1. The children hit growth spurts & outgrow the BOB clothing.

2. My wife frequently raids the BOB clothing whenever the kids run out of clean/dry/whatever clothing. Naturally, she/they never replace it.

3. The kids are also prone to raid their gear without replacing it.

The absence of useful clothing and gear goes undiscovered until my next BOB test drill; or our next camp out where it is expected to be used & tested.

4. Then there is the issue of my wife's BOB. I'm pretty sure her gear is OK, since she doesn't raid it between camping trips, and it's checked (hopefully) at each camp out. OTOH, as to her clothing and things, there are some issues where man (me anyway) is afraid to tread.

Does anyone have any ideas for maintaining family members' BOBs in properly stocked condition?

TIA.

John

make it harder to get to the stuff, put the food in a pack and ducttape it shut, maybe even close the intire pack with a packsafe closed with a cable binder or something.

You could try buying the kids' clothes a couple of sizes too large. They probably won't want to wear anything that outsized on a day to day basis but in an emergency sleeves and cuffs can be rolled and waists cinched up.

Ed

RE: clothes

I bought my wife slightly oversized Army surplus wool shirt and wool field pants and some Tanker's cover-alls. She will never wear these unless it is a true emergency. I also bought her a Keeper (google it) which she may not even be willing to use in an emergency. - She doesn't raid that stuff. As to the other gear, She doesn't use it without me so I simply take care of repacking after we go camping.

I bought the kids stuff 2 sizes to large for the older one and again I went 100% counter to their fashion senses. The wouldn't wear the clothes unless it were that or freeze. I'm sure that they will grow into those sizes and out of those sizes but they will not wear those clothes unless all their other clothes are burned, the stores are burned or empty, they can't find a needle to sew something more fashionable from birch-bark. And even then they would probably raid my supplies of oversized bandannas and make some mini-skirts and halter tops first. Again, so-far they don't use the camping gear type stuff without me so I simply take care of repacking after we go camping.

RE: food
Emergency rations are not tasty. We use some during the emergency drills just to re-enforce the taste for it but mostly it ages out and I replace it.

You might try buying the BOB clothing from Goodwill type stores in sizes too large. Unfashionable clothing may discourage pillfering.

Some have said they buy sweat pants and shirts because they can be worn oversized and the drawstings allow for smaller sizes. They are unisex so can be handed down to younger kids without worry of gender sterotypical clothing issues.

It would work for me since I hate sweat shirts/pants and never wear them anytime ever.

Sounds like a training issue for your wife. Stop raiding the BOB's. You might try using a cable tie to secure the zipper of the bag. At least you would know it had been raided when you picked it up because the cable tie would have to have been cut.

Well curiosity got the best of me, so I searched for the "Keeper". All's I can say is it's very intresting! <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Know for sure I don't want to wear one! -Thanks God I'm not constructed like that! Thank God my wife is! <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Wow! Those are some great ideas. I've really been behind on the learning curve.

I think I like best the ideas of getting military surplus clothes for my wife. That way, she will never wear it short of an emergency, but it will be available if needed. We can get oversized clothing for the kids with the same results. When they eventually grow into it, they can actually use it, and we will just replace it more oversized clothing. That way none of the kids' clothing will ever be wasted.

I may also try using cable ties on the bags, but I don't hold out a lot of hope--my wife can be quite bold and shameless in some areas. What methods have you guys successfully used to train your wives?

Brad, I can see the usefulness of the Keeper, but I wonder if women will actually use them. Have you asked your wife about it?

As to food, we tend to keep large quantities of foods which can be stored for long periods without refrigeration that we use anyway. Those foods are rotated through our regular diet. My wife has been somewhat cooperative on that issue. We also have good cooperation on keeping fresh emergency supplies of water and fuel. My boys have taken on a special vigilance in maintaining our ammunition supplies while they work even harder trying to deplete them. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for all the help.

John

She said "no way in h**l" so I said well if we need to we could wrap some moss in a bandanna and just boil it sterile every other day.... She said that it was a tough choice!

Brad,

You are truly blest to have such a sweet, easy-going, acceptant wife. I fear my own wife might actually reject the device, and vigorously so. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

John