How To: Bug-Out Bag

A bug-out bag is a portable kit that contains the items one would require to survive for seventy-two hours when evacuating from a disaster. The point of the bug-out bag is that it is used to evacuate and not used as a long term survival tool. The bug-out bag also has been called the 72 hour pack, GOOD (Get Out Of Dodge), or the PERK (Personal Emergency Reloaction Kit). It is used to carry everything you would need to survive for 48-72 hours but with basic survival skills you could use it as a supplement and survive for much longer if you had to.

When designing your own bug-out bag you should consider your local environment, your skills, who you'll support, and other various details unique to only your situation. You want to customize this bug-out bag for you since your the one who will have to use it. It is also important to put you bag to the test by testing it on the trail or druing a mock evaluation. This helps your identify weaknesses in your bug-out bag.

Alot of people design thier bug-out bags using large duffel bags that can be transportsedwhile they excape in thier vehicle. I personally don't like this idea since there is always a chance that your car won't be available and your limited by fuel range. I personally like the option of using a typical backpacking backpack or similiar military pack from a gun store. It allows me the comfort of knowing that I can carry my pack as far as my legs will take me.

What you will bring in your bug-out bag is different what I'd bring in mine but the following is my recommended list for what I'd bring in the Washington State Area or United States Pacific Northwest.

Fire Making:

For this catagory you want to bring everything that would be needed to hep support fire making.

• Magnesium Bar
• Waterproof Matches (Plastic container recommnded)
• Lighter in a plastic bag (Keeps it dry since they don't work wet)
• Emergency Tinder
• Pocket Finger Saw
• Candle x 3 (Used to dry out sticks and for light)

Water:

In this catagory you want everything you would need to boil water, carry water, and sterilize it. It is recommended that you bring 1 gallon of watrer per person per day.

• Steripen UV water filter + extra batteries (A good investment to quickly clean clear water)
• Katadyn Purification Tablets (60 tablets)
• Bottles of water (Keep and a dark and cool placing while in storage)
• 1.4L or greater lightweight pot for boiling
• Backpacking Stove with enough fuel for 72 hours of cooking and boiling water
• Stove Repair Kit

Shelter:

This area requires that you bring everything you'd need to establish a shelter and everything needed for sleeping.

• Backpacking Tent

• Tarp for emergency shelter and to protect your tent
• Tent Repiar Kits
• Sleeping bags equal to the areas weather
• Compact sleeping pads
• 40-50 of 550lb paracord
• Duct Tape Roll

Navigation:

You need to ensure you can navigate you desired excape route so great detail must be put into planning your route and ensuring you have a back up routes as well. Also, it is importtant to practice your routes so you don't get lost. It may seem easy to follow on your map but the execusion might not go off as planned and you don't want that to happen during an emergency.

• Maps of your local city area
• Topographic maps if you heading to the wilderness
• Compass
• GPS (may not work during an emergency but always good to have.)

Clothes:

A base set of clothes is a great start here that way if you can add to it during an emergency. Carry everything you'd need to stay dry and warm.

• Wool socks (will still be warm even when wet)
• Beanie or Hat
• Gloves
• Pants and shirts (not cotton since it takes all long time for it to dry)

Protection:

Personal protection is always a personnal choice when choosing what to bring but I recommend some basics since during a emergency situation normal people could act quite crazy to be frank. People riot after teams win championships so it's not impossilbe to think that this will happen in an emergency.

• 

  Pepper Spray (Used to fend off less agressive individuals)
• Fixed blade Survival Knife
• Multi-tool
• Gun (Carry extra ammo and a cleaning kit)
• First Aid Kit with medication
• Whistle to signal rescuers

Miscelaneous Items

The catagory covers anything that should be brought that doesn't fit into one of the main catagories.

• SD Card with pictures of important documents (Social Security Cards, Birth Cetificates, Etc)
• Toilet Paper
• Cash (power may not be avaialable so bank cards will be useless)
• Crank Operated Radio / Battery Operated
• Flashlight or lanterns with extra batteries
• Standard ID's (Drivers Liscence, Military ID, or the equivalent)

It's important to remember to bring everything you would need for your child or pet as well. Remember when building your bug-out bag that you can't take everything but you need to bring only what you'd need to survive for 72 hours using no outside support. What would you bring in your bag that might not be listed above?

Learn. Explore Survive.

Gear Review 2: Storm Proof Matches

REI Stormproof Matches, Coleman Waterproof Camp Matches, UCO Stormproof Match Kit (Left to Right)

I chose stormproof matches for my next review since they are an excellent addition to anyone's pack. I reviewed three popular brands at home, Coleman Waterproof Matches, REI Stormproof Matches, and UCO Stormproof Matches. All three matches advertise that they will light even after being submerged in water. The following are my thoughts on each match set:

My Burn Demo Video, showing the burn pattern of all three matches.

Coleman Waterproof Matches:

Strikers: The strikers on the side of the box are the only ones that come with the Coleman. Once your box becomes wet the strikers become utterly useless. Even when they're not wet the strikers feel very cheap.

Matches: The matches themselves are just as cheap and made of extremely flimsy wood. Also, the matches are stored loose inside the box just like a normal box of matches. This offers no protection from submersion or heavy rain.

Burn Test: During the burn test I was less than impressed by the burn time. During serveral burn tests the aveage burn time was 18.4 seconds even when I let the flame burn the etire match. Also, the flame produced was very small compared to the other two matches.

Submersion Test: In my submersion test I placed the matches in water for 15 minutes to see if they would light after heavy saturation. The coleman failed miserbly with this test. The tip turned to muddy match dust then just streaked acorss the striker when attempting to light it. 4 out of 4 matches failed to light and 2 of them borke in half from the cheap wood obsorbing water.

Overall: Honestly,  I wouldn't trust Coleman waterproof matches any more than I would trust normal matches in a wet enviroment. I wouldn't recommend these matches to anyone who is serious about a reliable fire producing backup.

REI Stormproof Matches:

Strikers: The match box comes with two strikers on the side just like a normal match box. It also came with 4 spare strikers in waterproof sealed plastic bags. The side strikers are thicker and of better quality than the coleman but would most likely fail if wet. If it wasnt for the extra strikers, the REI would leave you in the same situation as the Coleman.

Matches: The matches are signifcantly better qaulity than the Coleman. These matches are thick and made of qaulity materials and the burning portion allows for longer burn times and bigger flames. The matches themselves are stored in a non-sealed plastic bag inside the box to help safeguard them from moisture.

Burn Test: The burn test was successful with the REI matches, offering larger flames and a longer burn time than the Coleman. The average burn time for the REI match was 25.1 seconds.

Submersion Test: I submerged the REI match for 15 minutes and it lit easily and quickly with little problems. I submerged another match for 30 minutes and it acted just as the Coleman did at 15 minutes, turning into mushy dust when I attempted to strike it.

Overall: The REI stormproof match is a good match compared to the other matches. My only issue is that its not completely stormproof since the matches aren't in a sealed bag. These matches will survive a downpour but not a fall into the river.

UCO Stormproof Matches:

Strikers: The strikers are almost identical to the REI matches as they come in a fully sealed plastic bag. The only diference is the UCO strikers can be installed on the case and removed so they can be stored safely inside the case when not in use.

Matches: Again, the matches are identical to the REI stormproof matches. The matches are made of sturdy wood with a long burning tip. The only difference is that they are stored inside a 100% waterproof case that keeps them dry no matter how much water they're introduced to.

Burn Test: In the burn test the UCO was the best performer out of the three. It had a significantly larger flame than any other match. It had a slightly shorter burn time than the REI match at 24.9 seconds.

Submersion Test: The UCO acted exactly like the REI match test. It lit easily at 15 minutes but failed at 30 minutes. In the end the UCO matches are stored inside the waterproof case and would only be exposed to water for short durations.

Overall: The UCO stormproof match is a bright burning, exceptional match. It has a large, long burning flame that helps ensure your fire is started easily.

The Final Descision:

The best match out of the three is the UCO Stormproof Match. All three matches are under $6 and at that price the UCO matches is the best choice. For $6 dollars you get a waterproof case that keeps all your components dry. The removable striker pads are a plus as well so you can save them from the rain. Also the matches are sturdy and reliable even when wet. I would recommend this match set to everyone, this is a great choice for any survialist.

Learn. Explore. Survive.

Used these products before, feel free to leave your thoughts.

Becoming A Backpacker

A Tail of One Mans Journey into the Wilderness

I'll start out by telling a little background of myself so you can understand where I came from and where I'm heading. I'm 24 years old and I live in Washington State due to being stationed here with the U.S. Navy. I'm in good relative physical condition weighing 130 lbs and standing 5' 6” tall. The military keeps me in good shape so I have had little trouble adapting to the type of challenges backpacking presents. I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana as a child. I lived on the west side of Indianapolis with my two parents Stuart and Laura Shedd. When I was child I went camping so I know how to pitch a tent easily and know how to build a fire and cook. I didn't do a lot of “wilderness” camping, we stuck to campsites mostly. I have little knowledge when it comes to starting a fire naturally and living off the land per say. Also, I've done a lot of fishing in pay lakes but never really gutted or cooked a fish naturally either. My experience level is relatively low to moderate. I'd like to think that I'm an adapter and that I have a high learning curve when it comes to what I put my mind to. I first thought about becoming a backpacker when I moved to Washington State. I arrived here and it was unlike anything I'd ever seen. The landscape with endless mountain ranges was beautiful for somebody who was used to flat lands and corn fields. When I first arrived here I had little time to explore the wilderness and I didn't have the money to buy all the proper gear that I thought I would need. I got sent on two deployments with the warship USS RODNEY M. DAVIS before I ever saw an inch of wilderness up close. After completing those deployments it was November 2010 when I finally got home to my family. I have a beautiful wife named Ashley who loves me and supports me and a daughter ,who is nearly two, named Elizabeth. When I got home from my second deployment I still didn't know when I would explore the wildernesses of Washington. It wasn't until my tax return of 2010 that I decided I wanted to invest it in the gear I'd need. My wife and I decided that each of us would get $500 out of the tax return to spend on ourselves. I spent a good two months decided what I wanted to get with the money and finally settled on backpacking gear. Never in my life had I ever stepped into a wilderness outfitters store to buy so much. I decided to check out multiple different stores within my area including REI, Big 5, and Sports Authority to name a few of the bigger ones. I decided to go with and become a member of REI. I chose them because I liked their return policy which was nice since I was novice gear selector. I was quite selective when I first started, doing my research on items here and there to make sure what I was getting was worth it and had good reviews. I only had $500 dollars, which you would think is good starting price but I had to sacrifice in certain areas. I decided not to sacrifice on my tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. I figured these three areas were vital to comfort and survival. I use the Marmot Limelight 2P 3 Season Tent, Marmot Trestles 15 15F Sleeping bag, and my backpack is the REI Flash 65. I got extremely lucky when I picked up my tent since I picked it up during an REI Garage Sale. I got it for only $99 since it had been returned. The only reason the consumer before me had returned it was because it only had one entrance. I set it up in store to ensure that that was the only reason, it was perfect with half of it still factory wrapped. I slowly picked up the rest of my gear over time while I planned my first trip. I probably spent more than fire hundred in the end but saved a lot of money not buying any backpacking clothes or pots. If you are considering entering backpacking the only advice I can give is research, research, research. Make sure you look into everything before you buy so you have an idea what your getting. I'll be adding some trip reports and gear reports in the coming days. I'll backlog some of my trips from when I started to get you all up to speed. I hope you enjoy what you read and my experiences help you discover your passion for the wilderness.