Cheaper Bug-Out Kit

[SAR_Squid79]

I had been planning on buying one of the Bill Burke Edition "Bug Out Bagz", but I just found this:

Trekker II 2-Person Emergency Kit - $99​

Contents:
2 -- 3600-Calorie Food Bar
12 - Candy Piece
12 - Aqua Blox
4 -- Katadyn Micropur Tablet
6 -- Hand and Body Warmer
2 -- Emergency Poncho
2 -- Emergency Sleeping Bag
1 -- Tube Tent
1 -- Box of Strike-Anywhere Matches
1 -- Trioxane Fuel Bar
1 -- Whistle with Lanyard
1 -- Lightstick
1 -- LED Headlamp with Batteries
1 -- AM/FM Radio with Batteries
1 -- 5-in-1 Surival Whistle
1 -- 100-Hour Emergency Candle
2 -- N95 Respirator Mask
2 -- Sunscreen Towelette
2 -- Roll of Toilet Paper
1 -- Disaster/Hygiene Kit
1 -- Preparedness Checklist
1 -- Medium Daypack
1 -- Large Daypack
1 -- Multifunction Tool
1 -- Emergency Tape

This Trekker Kit is pretty comparible to the Bill Burke Edition Bug Out Bagz, but it's made for 2 people at less than 1/3 of the price. They also offer the Trekker IV FAMILY SIZED Kit that has even more stuff. You could buy BOTH the Trekker II and the Trekker IV, and you'd still have spent less than the "Bug Out Bagz" brand and have way more survival gear.

I'm thinking of buying the Trekker II, and then swapping out some of the stuff, and tailoring it to fit my needs a little better. What do you guys think?

 

[SAR_Squid79]

Further looking into the site, I found this one:

ReadyWise II - 2 person / 3 day kit - $199

I actually think that this one is more comparible the the Bill Burke Bug Out Bagz, and it's still cheaper.

Compare:

Bill Burke Bug Out Bagz:

Deluxe Back Pack by Stahlsac (19.5" x 11.5" x 6.5")
Personal First Aid Kit
Personal Amenity Kit
Plastic Bag Kit
Pelican™ MityLite® 2AA Light (Yellow)
Heatsheet® Blanket 56" x 84"
Yellow Lightweight Side Snap Rain Poncho (10 mil PVC)
Heavy Duty Work Gloves with 2-1/2" Cuff (pair)
Particulate N95 Respirator (2 each)
Sqwincher® "Lite" Qwik Stik (Orange Flavor) Electrolyte Drink Mix (4 each)
Diamond 32-ct. Strike Anywhere Penny Matches
Rapid Cold™ (5-1/2" x 10")
Rapid Heat™ (5-1/2" x 10")
MicroNet™ Microfiber Towel Sky Blue (10″ x 20″)
MAX® Ear Plugs (NRR 33) (pair each)
Cactus Juice™ Sun & Skin Outdoor Protectant (2.5 oz.)
Ztek Indoor/Outdoor Mirror Safety Glasses
Pocket Survival Pak™ *
Netline™ Flexible Clothesline & Utility Cord (Black)
Swiss Army Rescue Tool by Victorinox
Laerdal® CPR Barrier Pocket Mask™ w/Gloves and Wipe in Hard Case (Yellow)
Dental Medic™
Buck Tilton's Backcountry First Aid and Extended Care (5th Edition)
Esbit® Pocket Stove with 6 Large Solid Fuel Cubes
Backpackers Trowel (Orange)
MSR CloudLiner™ 3-Liter Hydration Bag
Bamboo Compressed Towelette (10 pack)


ReadyWise II Kit:

 

[CoastalDefender]

IMO, those BOBs are trash.

Build your own. It may cost more, it may take a while longer, but you will know what's in there, it will be to your specs and needs, and it will be YOURS. Not what some other ninny out there wanting to make a buck thinks the "most people" should have.


I've been building BOBs for people for a long time, and the money you save on those kits will be that much better spent on quality kit for yourself.

 

[CoastalDefender]

Oh, and don't trust anyone who puts a "Z" at the end of something in an attempt to pluralize it.

 

[gary in ohio]

I have yet to see a BOB, emergency kit sold commercially worth the asking price. Usually the backpack is cheap and whats included is a mismash of things that look good and are usually cheap. Start with the first aid kits normally included. In an emergency situation what you need are bandages, no bandaids.
If you emergency can be solved it with a band aid then it wasnt an emergency.

Start with a good comfortable backpack and fill it with what you need, What you know how to use and will work for you.

 

[FLYFISHEXPERT]

Start with a good comfortable backpack and fill it with what you need, What you know how to use and will work for you.

I totally agree. I used the Bill Burke and Doug Ritter Kits as examples to follow. The best advice is to gear the bag to the type of environment you spend the most time in, and the type of situation you could find yourself in. I spend equal time in the desert and in the mountains and the purpose of my bag is to help me get out of a situation my wife and I may find our selves in while traveling, i.e. a broken down or stuck vehicle. I always throw my bag in the back of what ever vehicle we are taking.

My bag is also evolving, and I try to pull everything out every now and then to make sure everything still functions properly. I recently found that my 9-hr candles had melted into a 27-hr super candle. As a result, I have been in search of a better solution.

 

[SAR_Squid79]

I agree 100% with your comments.

Absolutely the 1st thing I would replace would be the Pack(s). And I stated - it is my intention to tailor WHICHEVER kit I put together to make it MINE.

Some of the other things that may or may not be quality like the flashlights, the emergency sleeping bags, 1st aid kit, and things like that - you'd have to look at, evaluate, and decide if they warrant replacing.

My main point here - with these kits I've listed - is that for a fair price you're getting a good jump on the basic neccessities of a BOB. Things like the food, and water, hand warmers, matches, bandages, and trowel - you can keep. Then you can add better stuff as you see fit, but in the mean time you'll have something that can get you by.

Any kit that I buy is just going to be a foundation. It make me cringe to think of paying nearly $400 for a kit that I'd pretty much have to rebuild. I was happy to find a kit that I could cannibalize, and build up for my needs/desires for $99!

 

[SAR_Squid79]

I totally agree. I used the Bill Burke and Doug Ritter Kits as examples to follow. The best advice is to gear the bag to the type of environment you spend the most time in, and the type of situation you could find yourself in. I spend equal time in the desert and in the mountains and the purpose of my bag is to help me get out of a situation my wife and I may find our selves in while traveling, i.e. a broken down or stuck vehicle. I always throw my bag in the back of what ever vehicle we are taking.

My bag is also evolving, and I try to pull everything out every now and then to make sure everything still functions properly.

Thanks for posting that list! Fantastic! I'm stealing this from you. That list just became my Christmas wish list!

:26_7_2:

 

[FLYFISHEXPERT]

Good point on these being a good starting point. The problem I see with them will be the quality. The following items will probably need to be replaced:5-in-1 Survival Whistle, AM/FM Radio with Batteries, Windup Flashlight, and Multifunction Tool. I have been given kits with these types of items, and they have all been junk. The wind up flashlights don't put out much light and the 'multifunction tools' often break. A lot of times they put this stuff in the kits that couldn't make it if you used them at home.

Ditch the above crap and find your self a good fixed blade knife, I am lusting after a Fallkniven S1 myself; a good wistle; signal mirror; a real Swiss Army Knife; compass; and a decent LED headlamp. Energizer makes a great little LED headlamp that you can pick up from Wal-Mart for $15. I have this one in my bag, and it put out twice as much light as my old Petzel.

 

[Quietrover]

A high quality sharp knife should be #1 on the list, (I am a huge fan of Benchmade) and a means of keeping it sharp. I have zip top freezer bags of various sizes tucked away in all bags and kits. I also went out and bought a first aid kit from REI that covered all of the semi-major owies plus it had instruction cards just in case someone has to work on me, and the SAS survival guide.

A couple of books I would also recommend to help figure out what you need are "Everyones knife bible" and "Great living in grubby times".

 

[tdesanto]

Okay, first of all, I want to say that it is probably the best idea for you to build your own kit. That way you know your kit inside and out. You pick the tools and contents that best suits your requirements.

But, before we start bashing a product for being too expensive, has anyone done a side by side comparison of all of these options that people have suggested? They all seem to have different items listed.

Sure the Bug Out Bagz on EE isn't cheap, but just the Stahlsac, Victorinox Swiss Army Rescue Tool, the Superwinch HD work gloves, and the Pelican Products MityLite add up $200+. So, that's leaves $165 or less for the rest, which includes a first aid kit (not sure what's all in there), CPR Barrier Pocket Mask (that's probably $20-30 alone), pocket stove and fuel, and a lot more.

I can tell you that added up, my bag would cost a lot more than $365, but that's because I picked out each item and paid for them separately and upgraded certain items too.

So, I'm not saying don't build your own, and I'm not saying that you can't find other bags for less that you might choose to raid for many of its contents; what I'm saying is, you may not be comparing apples to apples and you may not be considering the cost of all of the items listed in the BoB at EE when you're knocking on the price.

I'm not affiliated with EE in any way. I've just been a happy customer for a long time.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

For me the BOB problem isn't the "value". It's almost more about giving people a false sense of security. I see them as being largely useless. Well, some of the items could be handy in a pinch, but I would never rely on them, and that's what it seems like these kits are marketted for.

I would never venture out further than about 10-20km from "civilization" unless I had PROPER camping gear. 10-20km is going to be about a 1/2 day hike. If it's close to nightfall, stay with the truck. Don't set out with plans to set up camp with your garbage bag tent and tin foil sleeping bag. Ever try to start a fire under less than ideal conditions with matches? Ever try walking in the bush in the dark with a tiny flashlight? You'll just get completely disoriented, and greatly increase your risk of serious injury, and then all you'll have with you is band aids.

Stay with the truck until morning, then walk out.

If I'm going 20km out from civilization, I'm taking my entire proper hiking equipment with me. Full size day pack, real tent, sleeping bag, real flashlight, real first aid kit (with splints, triangle bandages, gauze, tape, etc.)

I have permanently stored in my truck:
-3D Maglight
-2AA Maglight
-LED Headlamp
-Large Swiss Army Knife
-Large first aid kit
-Full roll of duct tape
-Camp tools (small shovel, hatchet, folding saw)
-Compass
-GPS
-Lighter (and matches just for fun)
-Tinfoil blanket (just for fun)
-Proper hiking boots
-Sewing Kit
-Iodine Pills
-Whistle
-Signal mirror
-etc, that's off the top of my head.

Most of it is older equipment from my backpacking days. My point is, if you could potentially be walking out further than 1 day, take your multi-day hiking gear with you. We're in trucks, we have lots of room. All my stuff is permanently squirelled away in various places in my truck.

The *only* use I see of these lightweight packs would be for if you are close to civilization, but your 1/2 day hike out becomes a multi-day fiasco because of some other reason, like somebody getting injured. Then yes, I have the tube tent and silver blankets. But still, I can cover 10km in only 2 hours if I'm unecumbered. Better if a healthy person runs for help, than trying to get a severly injured person through the night in a tube tent.

 

[tdesanto]

I have never been the proponent of the theory that equipment alone can replace knowledge and experience.

I think experience and equipment work together.

I would agree that cheap or flimsy gear isn't worth it's own weight or price (regardless of how much or little it costs).

I would also agree that a good tent or bivy with a real sleeping bag can go a long way to increasing survival chances. A good pack and the ability to carry lot's of water is critical too.

 

[FLYFISHEXPERT]

R_Lefebvre, I see our point, having a bag full of gear doesn't do you any good if you don't know how to use it. Case in point, the show 'The Alaska Experiment' on the Discovery Channel. The show was about sticking city people, who hadn't had any outdoor survival training, in the wilderness of Alaska. Pack full of gear and they blubbered along, nearly killing themselves.

The comment about getting me out of a situation I may find myself in was more about surviving than walking out. In 99.99999% of cases, staying with the vehicle is the best plan, and I typically have a large assortment of survival gear and water stored in the back. I also always tell at least one person where I am going to ensure that if I don't check in, they know where to find me. I am not advocating anybody go Bear Grylls when their truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere. -Rant: That guy pisses me off! - End Rant I am saying a survival kit will keep you alive.

I designed my BOB to be something easily accessible and portable that I can grab and throw into any vehicle I am traveling in. Does it have limitations, sure it does. I guess you could say it is a place to start. If I am traveling longer distances, I am typically camping anyway and have all of that gear. Additional gear also depends on the time of year and the weather. Looking at my list, I can see that it is primarily equipped for summer travel, and I can make alterations when traveling the rest of the year.

It looks although much of the stuff you have permanently stored in your truck is what I have in my BOB. I guess is comes down to where you store it. My bag allows me to easily transport it to any vehicle I am traveling in.

:beer: Regardless, of where you store your equipment, you should have the equipment. :beer:

 

[overlander]

I was under the impression, based on the overland article, that the purpose of the bugout bag is for the totally unexpected; not for primary camping.

It's so you can grab the minimum essentials to survive for a short duration in most environments until help arrives, or until you reach help.

examples are if your vehicle catches fire, ends up in a lake, or some other reason you have to abandon your vehicle for yet to be revealed reasons. having equipment squirreled away is good for primary travel reasons, but if you find your vehicle 10 feet underwater from having slid down a snow covered embankement and having crashed through ice, and now you have to dive in ice covered water to retrieve what you need to survive the night, I would much rather only have to open the back door and grab a single bag, then risk exposure with multiple dives underwater to retrieve the basics.

I myself would much prefer to start with a good basic kit that has consulted subject matter experts across several fields that have conducted due diligence of how to deal with most likely emergency conditions, and customize from there, then start with nothing and my single handed knowledge. I was just thinking about how Jonathan had mentioned during his trip to the UK on the rover driving course that despite his wealth of experience, it had been almost exclusively in desert conditions, and how little experience in mud he really had. how many of us are true experts across all environmental conditions, particularly when it comes to survival?