The why's and wherefores of what I have in that GHB/EDC bag.

Prepping is all about what if's.
This bag is for the What if I need to get home, but can't quickly.  It's assumed that you can't drive, though this would be just as valuable if you could, you'd just need to be further away to make it make sense or even necessary.  From a survival perspective, an urban setting or even a suburban setting differs greatly from a wilderness setting.

For my money, in general, I know where I am and where I am headed.  There is no need for a map, though in the worst worst case scenario home would not be a viable destination either.  It'll usually be home from work, or home from somewhere else in the area.  Call it 30 miles tops.  Yes, I did include a compass, but like I mentioned, it can't be easily replaced and could be a valuable tool.  Maybe I'll look into a small map of the area.

If I am headed home in the wilderness, I'll have to make my shelter.  In an urban setting, I'll have to find it.  In a bag this small, there isn't much room for a Tarp of any size, though I'll be looking into ultralight backpacker type silicone treated nylon tarps pretty soon.  Maybe it'll take the place on my Nylon Bag.  Some folks will point out that in a truly End of the world event, you may have to break into or otherwise obtain entrance into places for shelter.  To me this is a sketchy subject.  I am a dyed in the wool rule follower.  First, how can you know that things are really that bad?  6 weeks or a year after an event you may come to realize that our civilization has ended, but that's a horse of another color; we're talking about getting home after something.  This may seem a bit of a digression, but I think it bears pointing out.  For getting home purposes, sleeping in some short of found shelter is going to make much more sense than breaking into somewhere.

I carry a notepad and pen.  Normally I also have half a pencil in there also, not sure where it went, I'll have to replace it.  Making a list of potential supplies found along the way, leaving a note for someone, fire tinder.  One of those write in the rain pads would be even better, but alas I am underfunded and this should work out ok if I am careful.  Working within the limits of yourself and your gear is almost as important as knowing what those limits are.

I approached this pack with the goal to hit 2 of the three Biggie components of survival.  I'm a thick man, so Food isn't at the top of my list in a 2-3 day scenario, but I still packed a protein bar because I had one laying around, it lasts forever and I had room.  The big Two I wanted to address were Water and Shelter. 

Shelter of specifically, Fire, is important for both the psychological and physiological reasons.  It keeps us warm and makes us feel safe.  So long as we are not being hunted, it's a great thing to have.  I have the fire steel from Firesteel.com .  Cheap, easy to use and built like a tank.  I also have a Bic.  Even if the fuel runs out, the sparker won't.  To cheat with the fire, I have alcohol wipes, paper from the notepad, shavings from the pencil, and a small bottle of Vaseline soaked cotton balls.  I will be doing a 'how to' later today and should have it posted by the end of the week.  They are awesome.  Fluff them out and it'll catch the smallest spark, a whole one will burn for almost 2-3 minutes.  More details to come.  I also have cordage for any one of a million uses.  Maybe two million.  This pack is too small for much more.  I have a cheapie poncho, a nicer thicker one would be better, but this one should do in a pinch.  I have used them before and I have to say they are suprising more duable than I thought it would be while still keeping me dry.  I'd like to pack spare socks, a wool hat maybe even some gloves, but again, size limited.

Water.  Cool clean water.  Without it you are screwed.  Iodine at ten drops per gallon will work well.  The Potable Aqua tabs have directions on them.  Ah, but fire, that and a steel cup you can boil water all day.  There have been a few different things I have read regarding Water treatment and heat.  Most said that bringing water to a boil for several minutes will kill anything in there that will harm you.  However, I have seen referenced several times that bringing water to a boil (and one even said just 170F) will in effect Pasteurize it.  It only makes sense, as that's how pasteurizing works normally.  My suggestion, look it up.  As always, please base what you do on what you know to be true, not on what I say.


Honestly, everything else there is a "handy to have".  Ok, maybe the knife needs to be there, but I imagine you could make do till you found something that'd work.  See, I packed my pack with the things that I think could come in handy.  Very few of the things have only one use.  Many have four or more.  Sure I bet I have a couple that make me a liar (knife sharpener, bottle opener ring), but over all it's pretty concise.  As for the bottle opener ring, it's in the neat things I have found section, under the heading Unnecessary. 

Well, there you have it.  I think that's a new record.  3 posts in a weekend.  Pretty cool.  I have another project brewing and another that I'm getting ready to do.  I'll keep the pics coming, and you just keep reading. 

No one but you can make you ready.
Identify what you want to be ready for and don't get bogged down in the planning.  Take small steps.  Do little things, identify the big things and work toward them.  Look around and find like minded people and talk to them.  Maybe even organize a party or get together where you can all talk about the things you are thinking about.  And remember like Jack Spirko says  "Everything you do to “prepare” for emergencies, disasters or economic turmoil should be blended into your life in a way that improves your life even if nothing disastrous ever occurs."  That's a little bit of genius right there.  That's the difference between the folks that HOPE the zombie apocalypse happens and those that want to make sure that when the Great Ice Storm of 2011 hits their family will be warm.  If you spend all your monies on bullets and food you will miss the things you can do to make you be able to deal with other disasters like unemployment or reduced income. 

Please take a second to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading, and remember:
Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
 

jim

EDC BOB GHB WTF?

To most it would seem that preparedness types seem to collect acronyms in amount more numerous than supplies. I am sorry that it's been a while since my last post, but this one will be a good one I hope. This post will be on my EDC (Every Day Carry) gear, or my GHB (Get Home Bag).  My BOB (Bug Out Bag) will be another post entirely. There is much talk online about what you should carry every day, and what you should put in your GHB. I think that there is a TON of overlap here, though there should also be a fair amount of redundancy.

EDC is the your VISA stuff, Never leave home with out them. Some folks go so far as to list things like car keys and wallet. I say that's kind of silly. Conceptually, your EDC stuff should fit in your pockets or on your belt and be on you at all times anyways, not stuff to be inventoried. It should be stuff you could see your self using more often than not, things that are not easily substituted, or be so important that you want it always available.  I imagine that this could also be thought of as a mind set as well, more than a list of things to have.  However you want to look at it, just carry stuff with you...

Most folks feel that a knife of some sort, a flashlight, and a lighter are an absolute bare minimum. If you think about them, they fit the aforementioned criteria. They are not easily replaced by other things, they can be used every day, and they are so important to never leave home without them. The main thing you need to think about when thinking about EDC gear is the fact that it is with you every day. In a pocket, on your belt, or in your purse, these things can be heavy or bulky. Like all equiptment: Cheap, Light, Durable, pick any two. The main thing that's hard to get small is the light. The photon lights are great, but in my opinion they are too small, not very durable and have an uncommon battery that has a dismal burn time.

For me, my EDC gear only partially meets these criteria. I carry an ultra simple Leatherman that I have had forever. It's a belt clip model that I am sure they don't make anymore. It has 1/5^th the blades anything made today does, but I have literally done everything from install shelves to assemble new Washer and Dryer pedestals with it. What it lacks in number of tools it makes up for in attendance. It's light and is always there, literally being the tool that you have is better than the one you left at home. I have since looked into getting replicas for the Bug out bags I am building for my family. The Leatherman Kick and an added pocket clip is basically the same thing. It's cheap, around $25 for the whole package. I'll likely do a review when I pull the trigger.

I also carry a largeish folding knife of good quality. I am studying a knife fighting focused martial art known as Pekiti Tersia Kali. Sure, I know that I am no master with a knife, but I'd rather suck with the one I am learning to use that lament that I didn't have one.

I occasionally carry a lighter with me; almost always on road trips. A quick aside here. Your EDC gear can and should change from day to day and or based on your expectations of the day. If you are going to go to work like every other day, just do the same thing you did yesterday, but if after work you are driving an hour to go buy something from Craigslist, then maybe adjust things.

I usually only carry a flashlight in my pockets if I am going to the movies (hey, don't make fun, those places get dark), or again on road trips.  

Now, one reason I don't carry more in my pockets is that I also tend to EDC a Maxpedition versipack, the smaller kind from when they were still uncool. It has the pistol pocket but no internal hook and loop a.k.a. velcro (that appeared in later models). Up until this spring I carried one of the newer huge maxpeditions that hold a nalgene bottle in a pocket on the side, have a larger pistol pocket that has hook and loop that I installed a holster onto. I am fairly convinced that it is why I have some back pain. It was like a ladies purse: It was huge, so I filled it. Then I added more. So I took things down a notch. I don't like how much I had to down size, as I had some pretty cool things figured out, but we all make sacrifices. Here are some pictures. I'll explain everything and my thinking behind what's in it.

 The basic pack, closed.  On the left there is an extra magazine for my EDC pistol, a KelTec P11.

View from the top down, flap open.  First is a surefire G2 Nitrolon.  I am a bit of a flashlight geek, so I am constantly looking forr the next best thing.  This is cheap, runs cr 123 batteries (not my favorite, though I do like the 10 year shelf life).  You can also see a cheap nylon bag that folds into it's self.  I'm not necessarally "green" but conserving bags does make sense, that and it'd be handy as durable extra storage space if need be.

This is the stuff from the external pockets.  Spare magazine, change (lots of quarters), notebook (there are writing utensils somewhere, mini first aid in ziplock, beer bottle opening ring... you just never know.

Main compartment: Stainless steel cup that fits a nalgene full of goodies to be described later, 50 ft para cord, protein bar, flash drive, figure 8 carabiener (potentially pretty cool), metal Brunton lensatic compass, spare glasses, pager (I take too much call apparently), 4oz betadine plus the bag and flashlight.

In the cup: 2 ziplocks, compass guide, alcohol pads, superglue unopened, countycomm.com folding hacksaw, knife sharpener, bic, multi tool thing, exacto blades, tea candle, 4x CR2 batteries covered ends in tape so they wouldn't short and get hot, gerber led hat light that takes (you guessed it) CR2 batteries, unopened potable aqua (Upon further review this is redundant...).  With the cup, the aqua and the iodine, I have 3 ways to purify water.  I bought the cup JUST to boil water in, because when I need to purify water everything else will have expired or broken.  But maybe that's just my prepper's paranoia.

Front Pocket: ABD pad, eraser, highlighter, sharpie, Countycomm.com screwdriver pen thing, pry bar from same place, sharpie, Coldsteel sanmai tanto lock back (as close as you can get to a fixed blade and still have a hinge), pen, firesteel.com firesteel, 1L platypus bladder, cheapie emergency poncho.

First aid kit: Yet another ziplock, another ABD, non latex gloves, 2" bandaids, 1" bandaids, moleskin, heavy nonabsorbable suture with and without needle for gear repair and so much more, 3" kerlix sponge, q-tips, transpore tape, 3x4 telfa, 4x4 sponge. Too basic.  This is somewhere I am constantly working to improve, though it does cover lots...

This is what I have on me, in pockets.  This is always in flux.  Sucky HTC hero, the wonder leatherman, Zero Tolerance ZT300, watch, Keltec P-11 (can't argue with 12 rnds of 9mm in yer pocket).  I have to mention the Maxpedition Wallet.  I wouldn't have thought I'd be a grown ass man and still have a velcro wallet, but this thing is great.  Find one, look it over, buy one.  You'll see.

But yeah, how much does all that crap weigh... Well since you asked...

5.6 pounds.  I was expecting kilos.  That is with the pistol in it, one mag in, spare in the pouch.  Keltec says that the P-11 weighs 20oz loaded so that would make this a hair under 4 1/2 pounds without it... ish...

This is a pretty long post, so I'll wrap it up.  If you would like, I can go into specifics on anything in my bag.  Heck, I may do that just because later. We'll see. 

Thanks for reading, and remember:
Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

jim

It's been too long.

So, I'm back.  Sorry for the long time between posts, but I have been busy, 'kinda.  I have a few prep projects on multiple burners, and sadly am fairly crappy at focusing to get one done, though I imagine, some day I'll finish 4 in an afternoon. 

So, until thin, I'll drop a quick note here telling of what I have going on.
First:  I have purchased a "Hellcat" back pack from a gentleman online.  It was fairly cheap, but unfortunately for me, I am having trouble adjusting it to fit.  That's supposed to be a strong point for the pack, that and it's cavernous interior.  I intended to go with some friends on an overnight backpacking adventure (sounds cooler than "test run') but with this adjustment thing, it's looking like it'll have to wait, as will the review and pics.

Second:  I am working on a pic heavy post showing what I carry everyday.  I have a small Maxpedition pack that is filled / stuffed / crammed with goodies, some I even have a use for.  That just needs to get put together.

Third:  I am working on building several backpacking stoves, ranging from alcohol fueled  "Penny Alcohol Stoves" to larger DIY style "Bushbuddys".  Incidentally, you can look up all my quoted gear names in google and see what I'll be talking about.

Fourth:  A quickie Fire starting primer.  I'll go over a few things you should have and know, and a few things that will make your life a bit easier when playing with Prometheus' favorite party favor.

Fifth:  Something I have been thinking about hosting is a "Cheapie Survival / get home" kit challenge. Details to follow.


So there you have it.  I promise I'll start working on stuff soon, and we'll get this blog going again.


Thanks for reading.


jim