Preparing my emergency survival kit.

[Ijustforgotit]

Right now I am working on a survival kit... I would love suggestions of products you have used or would recommend. So far i have:

70lb plus military duffel bag back pack(with rain cover) to carry all my stuff

two 0 degree F Lightweight sleeping bags

flint stick

100ft of corded rope

Ubtaining a 4 seasons tent... looking at the: High Peak South Col 3-man 4-season Tent because its light weight and economical for what you get.

a good CRKT Folded knife called "Triumph"

first aid kit(basic)

I also need to get the right kind of food for emergencies to pack... any suggestions?

i need suggestions on a good but economical way to filter water???

anyone else have any suggestions as to what i should include in this pack.... other t

[Bini]

I'd throw in some toothbrushes. It won't save your life, unless you're MacGyver that is but you'll probably be grateful at some point to be able to scrub the grime off your teeth - with or without toothpaste..

[Ijustforgotit]

I'd throw in some toothbrushes. It won't save your life, unless you're MacGyver that is but you'll probably be grateful at some point to be able to scrub the grime off your teeth - with or without toothpaste..

ahhh wise advice... Ill be sure to do that!!

[Dravin]

i need suggestions on a good but economical way to filter water???

Some cheese cloth, something to boil water in, and some iodine tablets should cover most situations.

anyone else have any suggestions as to what i should include in this pack.... other t

A hatchet wouldn't be a bad addition and you might want to include some tinder, though in an pinch you can probably find some cotton in the first aid kit (but that means you can't use it for it's purpose). We can probably be more helpful if we knew what you wanted this thing for. Is it something you're planning on keeping in the back of your truck when you go off 4x4ing? Or is it suppose to be a post apocalyptic get established in the hills set-up?

[Misshalfway]

I packed a toilet seat. I don't care where I have to go, but this bottom is going to be comfortable doing it.

[Ijustforgotit]

Some cheese cloth, something to boil water in, and some iodine tablets should cover most situations.

A hatchet wouldn't be a bad addition and you might want to include some tinder, though in an pinch you can probably find some cotton in the first aid kit (but that means you can't use it for it's purpose). We can probably be more helpful if we knew what you wanted this thing for. Is it something you're planning on keeping in the back of your truck when you go off 4x4ing? Or is it suppose to be a post apocalyptic get established in the hills set-up?

lol lets say worst case scenario and go with Post apocalyptic get established in the hills type set up

[Guest]

For water filtration, I got each of us a Sport Berkey in our backpack.

We also have dehydrated food stuff from some brand with "Mountain" in the name. I have to tell you, I tried one of them and they taste disgusting.

[Traveler]

We should not market on this site (I believe that is a forum rule) but I have access to water purification for emergency for one to 30,000 individuals. If you would like to e-mail, send a message, notification or something - I can help you find multiple options tailored to your needs, circumstance and budget.

The Traveler

[pam]

We should not market on this site (I believe that is a forum rule) but I have access to water purification for emergency for one to 30,000 individuals. If you would like to e-mail, send a message, notification or something - I can help you find multiple options tailored to your needs, circumstance and budget.

The Traveler

When we are talking about preparedness and someone can point out a place to get a particular item, I don't have a problem with it.

It's when people who own a business use this site to promote and market their product for their own personal gain that i have a problem.

[BenRaines]

Make sure you try what you are going to pack to eat first. You will get very discouraged very fast if you are eating food you can't stomach to put in your mouth.

Ben Raines

[Ijustforgotit]

Make sure you try what you are going to pack to eat first. You will get very discouraged very fast if you are eating food you can't stomach to put in your mouth.

Ben Raines

Any recommendations

.

[aizaC]

We're all at risk for some type of future disaster and could benefit from an Emergency Survival Kit but we should evaluate what most likely will affect us and our loved ones. We can then create our personal plan to survive and prepare accordingly with Emergency Survival Kits and emergency survival supplies best suited for oursituation. Stay informed about disasters both before they occur and during the events.

Edited August 29, 2012 by aizaC

[MarginOfError]

lol lets say worst case scenario and go with Post apocalyptic get established in the hills type set up

In that case, your best bet is to go get set up in the hills now before the apocalypse. There is too much you would need to carry to start a new life from scratch to reasonably expect you could fit it into a backpack.

In any case, the essentials you need for survival are food, water, heat, and shelter. I recommend purification tablets because they are light and minimal effort. You could also probably carry enough to amount to more water purification than with a hand pump. The hand pump water will taste better. Remember that if you're on the move, you'll probably be drinking close to twice as much water as normal.

For food, your best bet is probably Backpacker's Pantry. But more than a week's worth of food is going to be really, really heavy. That's true of any kind of food though, unless you plan to live on 1-2 CLIF bars a day.

Shelter can be improvised from natural materials or from synthetics like tarps or space blankets. If you plan to be mobile, a tent is a good option. A four season tent is going to be heavier. A three season tent is probably sufficient for your needs given the sleeping bag you have.

The clothing should be light weight, easily layered, and NOT COTTON.

Don't carry rope. Carry cord. It only needs to be 1/8" and you want at least 100 feet, but no more than 200.

First aid kits are nice, but they are worthless if you don't know how to use them. If you aren't trained in first aid beyond a basic Red Cross first aid course, don't go all out on it. Just some bandages, anti-histamine, and some pain killers. A pressure bandage and soap will also be important. If you aren't trained and you come across something more serious than what you can handle with that, the person probably won't survive the apocalypse anyway.

Lastly, think about how far you are planning on traveling. If you are going a significant distance, your pack shouldn't exceed any more than 25 - 30% of your body weight. If your pack is too heavy and you aren't properly conditioned, you'll find yourself having serious knee and hip problems after a few days. If you truly want to be set up for post apocalyptic survival with a backpack, you need to pack light and take some intensive wilderness survival courses.

[EarlJibbs]

This can be good for simply backpacking as well, but you can make a great tasting omlet that weighs little.

Place in a zip lock bag powdered egg and milk. Put in to your taste bacon bits, dried onions, seasoning. When you go to cook it, add some water, leave it in the bag and boil it.

I dont have all the light weight stuff as suggested. I have more of a bag with all my camping essentials. I figure if I have to really go that far, it will be by vehicle, not back packing, but if you have to do that, good luck anyway.

Either way. When I go camping, it's easy to get ready. I just throw my army duffle bag in the car and mount my roof bag. It has all the tents, bags, cooking etc...

[NeuroTypical]

lol lets say worst case scenario and go with Post apocalyptic get established in the hills type set up

Yeah, what MOE said is your answer. To survive in the dangerous and deadly post apocalyptic wasteland you want to prepare for, you don't need a kit or a bag of dehyrated eggs or a first aid kit . You need a radical lifestyle change and a new skillset.

Have you considered starting smaller? Like, preparing for likely disasters? Where do you live? Tornado country? Earthquakes? Hurricanes? Blizzards? Volcanoes? Civil unrest? NBC Terrorism?

One good path would be to start with prepping for short-term stuff, and then building from there. You'll learn a lot just by getting ready for getting snowed in your house for 3 days, or figuring out which friend will take you in for a month if something horrible happens to your city.

Any good plan starts with a good idea of what you're actually planning for.

[EarlJibbs]

Yeah, what MOE said is your answer. To survive in the dangerous and deadly post apocalyptic wasteland you want to prepare for, you don't need a kit or a bag of dehyrated eggs or a first aid kit . You need a radical lifestyle change and a new skillset.

Have you considered starting smaller? Like, preparing for likely disasters? Where do you live? Tornado country? Earthquakes? Hurricanes? Blizzards? Volcanoes? Civil unrest? NBC Terrorism?

One good path would be to start with prepping for short-term stuff, and then building from there. You'll learn a lot just by getting ready for getting snowed in your house for 3 days, or figuring out which friend will take you in for a month if something horrible happens to your city.

Any good plan starts with a good idea of what you're actually planning for.

Hey now, I liked my bag of dehydrated eggs . You both are right however. This is why I am not planning this detailed. I have plenty to do as far as regular food storage and planning for a 1-3 day emergency, let alone an apocalypse situation.

[Backroads]

hard candies. We also have MREs because my husband is in the army. Not the best, but they're filling.

[NeuroTypical]

Oh don't get me wrong, I love dehydrated eggs. They're part of our food storage. Refried beans, dehydrated eggs and cheese, and some few remaining jars of cannery salsa, and tortillas made from stored flour, and you got yourself a good food storage meal.

[Dravin]

hard candies. We also have MREs because my husband is in the army. Not the best, but they're filling.

I like the spaghetti ones, particularly if you get the cheese packet instead of the peanut butter packet because you can add some of it to the spaghetti.

[MarginOfError]

In all this talk about whether the food is good or not, I do want to point out something about these dehydrated meals. When I go backpacking and I've been hiking for 8 miles, I find some of these meals to be really, really good. But if I try to make them at home and eat them, they are foul.

When you're in a wilderness environment and you're expending more calories than you do on a typical day, you tend to have lower standards of quality.

Another important thing to remember with the dehydrated foods is not to be in a hurry. If you try to eat it before it is fully reconstituted, you'll hate it. If you wait just a little bit longer than the packaging states, it makes a world of difference.

[MarginOfError]

I like the spaghetti ones, particularly if you get the cheese packet instead of the peanut butter packet because you can add some of it to the spaghetti.

Somehow I read that as you putting peanut butter on your spaghetti. Yikes!

[bcguy]

survival means different things to different people and different situations. It is a function of how much of the natural supply chain is effected. It also depends on how geographically large it will affect you.

I consider Vancouver BC rated as excellent when it comes to preparing for the big one. In every large building, there is a emergency earthquake Cabinet filled with supplies such as fresh drinking water and so on.

If you really want to go all out for survival, take a survival training course. You would be surprised how possible it is to live in the woods, for a period of time.

First most critical supply is water. Filters, iodine, are important. If its winter, a second pair of wool cloths that you can wear in the winter. Hand powered crank radio is good to have and make sure it is at least water proof. Hand crank flashlight or one that has the option to hand crank.

Power bars for food. Two good sets of shoes or boots both water proof if possible. Phone numbers of out of area relatives.

Do you live in a house or apt. what part of the country do you reside in?

[bcguy]

I agree with the survival courses. Its also a good idea to practice the very real event.

Ever thought what may happen if your area lost a weeks worth of electricity? no power for fuel stations to pump fuel..unless they have a generator.

I think a good survival course is something to learn from. I watch Les stroud when he is dropped off in the middle of a desert with next to nothing for a week, and is expected to survive. Guy is amazing and I am always learning from him.

In that case, your best bet is to go get set up in the hills now before the apocalypse. There is too much you would need to carry to start a new life from scratch to reasonably expect you could fit it into a backpack.

In any case, the essentials you need for survival are food, water, heat, and shelter. I recommend purification tablets because they are light and minimal effort. You could also probably carry enough to amount to more water purification than with a hand pump. The hand pump water will taste better. Remember that if you're on the move, you'll probably be drinking close to twice as much water as normal.

For food, your best bet is probably Backpacker's Pantry. But more than a week's worth of food is going to be really, really heavy. That's true of any kind of food though, unless you plan to live on 1-2 CLIF bars a day.

Shelter can be improvised from natural materials or from synthetics like tarps or space blankets. If you plan to be mobile, a tent is a good option. A four season tent is going to be heavier. A three season tent is probably sufficient for your needs given the sleeping bag you have.

The clothing should be light weight, easily layered, and NOT COTTON.

Don't carry rope. Carry cord. It only needs to be 1/8" and you want at least 100 feet, but no more than 200.

First aid kits are nice, but they are worthless if you don't know how to use them. If you aren't trained in first aid beyond a basic Red Cross first aid course, don't go all out on it. Just some bandages, anti-histamine, and some pain killers. A pressure bandage and soap will also be important. If you aren't trained and you come across something more serious than what you can handle with that, the person probably won't survive the apocalypse anyway.

Lastly, think about how far you are planning on traveling. If you are going a significant distance, your pack shouldn't exceed any more than 25 - 30% of your body weight. If your pack is too heavy and you aren't properly conditioned, you'll find yourself having serious knee and hip problems after a few days. If you truly want to be set up for post apocalyptic survival with a backpack, you need to pack light and take some intensive wilderness survival courses.