This bag is more for if I end up camping when I wasn't planning on it (say I break the Jeep bad enough I can't fix it on the spot), or if I get lost, or if the crap hits the fan and I need to actually bug out, it's a dual-purpose bag.

I'm preparing for cold and wet even though it doesn't get near as cold here as it does up North. I figure the 4 contractor bags can make a decent tent, I'm pretty resourceful (used to be a Boy Scout back in the day too). I'm picking up a Thermo-Lite II Bivvy tonight to throw in there and possibly a fleece sleeping bag too.

The first aid kit is a Sawyer #1164. It has some basic first aid instructions inside it and I want to keep the survival manual too. http://www.baproducts.com/1164.htm

The Leatherman is a cheap Winchester one from Walmart. It's decent for what it is, but I plan on upgrading it to a Gerber Suspension or something similar very soon.

I just put the bag together over the last couple weeks and haven't had a chance to try out the water rations yet. I may end up carrying another bottle instead of them or I may just carry 12 of them in addition to the 4 20-ounce bottled waters I carry on the side pockets. Once I drink a water packet I'd throw the empty back in the pack, I always clean up while in the woods. I think I'm going to carry less water and just source my own (boiling or purifying of course).

I think I could do with just 9 of the lifeboat food rations and the 3 MRE entrees also instead of carrying 18 rations, those things are heavy.

The gloves are just work gloves, they'll provide a little warmth but be more for protecting my hands. The candles were dirt cheap and last 9 hours, so I just threw them in. I think the Sharpie is kind of pointless, also, but I had one laying around and it weighs next to nothing.

Good call on the larger compass and maps, I need to add those.

Don't know what I was thinking when I threw the 13-gallon kitchen garbage bags in there, I really don't have a use for them.

The wire saw may do okay, it may not, but I have a Buck camp axe in there anyway. I might need to cut stuff to build a shelter that would take forever with the saw.

I forgot about bug spray, need to put some in there. Good call on the whistle being on my person. Thanks for the welcome guys. I just got started on the BOB/SHTF bag quest about a month ago and started actually purchasing supplies to go in it a couple of weeks ago.

Nighthiker - I was a DPSN on the USS Wasp, LHD-1.