Building a camping/bugout/SHTF setup?

[lchavez]

I've got a couple of bags (one for each of us) that double as camping and SHTF packs. I just grab and go when I hit the road for business, or go camping.
- water: stainless canteen with cup and water filter.
- shelter: tarp, insulated blanket, foam pad
- cooking: grill (purcell trench) spork, old military mess kit
- meds: first aid kit, prescription meds
- tools: knife, folding saw, 550 chord, fire starter, headlamp, can opener
Misc: gloves, bandana, ammo.

These are just basics, but I use all heavily when I'm out and about.

Don't get me wrong, I also enjoy all the comfort stuff for planned trips

Comfort stuff: luggable Lou (wife's favorite item), oztent, partner steel stove with grill, pots, pans, coffee pot, cutting board, ARB fridge, sleeping bags, insulated air pads, chairs, hammocks, big buddy heater

I am usually out and about two to three weekends in a month so all gear gets used hard. We also sleep very comfortable in my Xterra for impromptu over nighters.

 

[Grasslakeron]

What is your budget? This is important. There are several ways to go with equipment.

I go budget. The simple reason is more in several locations to easily get to. It also Flys under the radar on the home budget.

What gun do you carry?

What vehicle do you drive?

All of these things need to be asked......

 

[grogie]

My setup is not for bugout, as I am not about to leave my house unless it's on fire. What I am setup for is other then just having to pack clothes and a cooler (oh and the beer), I'm always ready to hit the road and be able to comfortably camp about wherever. I also want to make sure that I'll make it back due to breakdowns, getting stuck, or running into Bigfoot (lol) or other two legged creatures.

So...

• A well built Jeep with improved traction over being stock, plus with different recovery methods, tools, etc.
• An off-road box trailer that I can drag about anywhere I feel safe enough to drag a trailer to. Inside the box trailer is additional power, more tools, comfort and cleaning stuff, cooking setup, water, emergency dried foods, etc. (Trailer build is here.)
• An RTT is mounted on top of the trailer. It's quick to put up/take down and is much better then sleeping on the ground. Plus inside the RTT are where I keep sleeping bags and blankets.

As said, it's all pretty much ready to go anytime. Once I return from one trip, I clean and restock the trailer. The wife and I have lived out of it for up to two weeks so far (as that's pushing our vacation time from work!), or as little as a three-day weekend.

 

[Accrete]

Greetings and Happy Holidays and New Year : )

My take on your OP is from ~34 years of happy marriage to a wonderful MacGirlver.

When she and I started our camping adventures we had a 1975 FJ40 and Toyota 4x4 mini pu both set up for camping for two.
Then the first little one came along and we added a bigger tent.
The second one came and we added a Volvo XC wagon and an even bigger tent.
Now with the nest empty we have a van conversion that doubles as her daily driver that is also our SHTF and Adventure Rig all in one pretty package.

The reason I shared that is time has an impact on a family's need(s). So what you have now (a comfortable 4x4 doubling as a DD) may not be what you want or need if a second little one joins the family. Even though you don't have a garage for storing a small trailer with the comforts of home your wife is hoping for, maybe there is a place it can be stored safely for a small fee? I know in our area (and we live in a small ~5K population town on the Oregon Coast) there are ~4 places that peeps can store a trailer for less than ~$40 a month behind a locked gate accessible 24/7 by renters.

Thom

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Thanks for everyone's input so far. Opinions are what generally make forums so useful. I'd like to clarify that I'm not banking on, nor looking forward to a SHTF scenario. Oftentimes it's fantasized and glorified in wholly unrealistic ways. Given that we live in the heart of a major city, getting out could truly not be an option if an event warranted it. Truth be told, other than a natural disaster, the thing I fear the most is some sort of financial crisis that sends people into a survival craze. I don't want to be stick around to find out what that would look like. Hopefully it'd mean being able to get out of the city, and live off the land as best as possible until another solution presents itself. In the meantime, I'd like to build a camping kit that can essentially work as "practice" while still providing some sort of comfort for the wifey.

You kind of nailed it on the head with your financial crisis comment, when the crap does hit the fan it will mostly be due to our failing government structure and moral decay leading up to it. And while there will never be a "zombie" apocalypse as some might portray, you will have to protect yourself and your family from those who are not prepared to survive, this includes whatever food and resources you have in reserve to live on.

 

[tgreening]

Good lord I hate that term...SHTF. Somebody please describe to me, specifically, what constitutes a SHTF scenario where we better be armed to the teeth to survive (whether it's guns or gear), and a LOGICAL, defensible description of what is going to lead us to that point.

Please, really. Because lord help me I love guns, gadgets, and gear, and wouldn't mind another logical argument to present to the wife for expending cash on such.

You want to know the two things that really made me stRt to think, instead of just listen to promoters of SHTF and Prepping and all that? When after listening to scores of so called experts going on and on about the 10 ways to start a fire, 20 ways to hunt, fish, trap or otherwise procure food, and 15 ways to kill their fellow man during SHTF and all contained within their 72 hour get home/bug out/never-coming-home-again-bag, not one of them ever mentioned carrying one or more sets of good clean socks. As any grunt what happens to constitently sweaty, wet feet.

The second was when listening to another so-called expert going on about the gear he carried and why it was absolutely necessary and then justified something using the words "because there are potential things that might possibly happen".

Really. In the immortal words of a great genius..."Pshawww! And monkies might fly outta my butt."

 

[Accrete]

Good lord I hate that term...SHTF....not one of them ever mentioned carrying one or more sets of good clean socks. As any grunt what happens to constitently sweaty, wet feet.

: )
On the _term_? Yea me too... I occasionally through it out there in humor.
And as a wise man once said; "I don't fear death, neither do I cling to life" (OK I saw it in a movie) < < That is close to my take on life.

For clean socks (once all seven pair of mine in our adventure rig are dirty > > I pull out the "Scrubba Wash Bag" and get'em clean again.

Cheers,
Thom

 

[rayra]

OP you have to approach your design as a dual-purpose. When an item has multiple solutions, pick the one that's good for a longer duration 'campout'. As in solar and battery(ies) instead of a small generator. Solar shower bags, vs a powered option. Although the multi-plate heat exchangers are a great solution combined with a storage tank.

A vehicle storage platform / drawers that let you keep your "camping" gear close to hand. The packed pop-up or teardrop trailer ready to go is a great solution.

I've also been working up some shelter solutions that stay with the vehicles, as well as a variety of radio equipment and bugout bags with 1st aid, etc etc.

I was 1/2mi from the 'ground zero' casualties of the Northridge quake. Lost my home to it. I was caught flat-footed with nothing. And being MLK day / holiday, I hadn't done my usual Sunday fuel-up for my commute. So I was caught without fuel, either. That sort of even is what I call 'SHTF'. That and a variety of other things. We've had close calls with brushfires a couple times as well. I keep food, water, fuel, we both now drive big 4x4 SUVs. I'm in the middle now of re-organizing our suburban 2-car garage for several purposes, but one of those is a rack shelf full of stuff ready to go, that can be slung into the vehicles in a few minutes. I've got an open top 55gal barrel in the pool equipment corner of the yard that's got demolition hand tools, sets of clothes, boots work gloves, water, some calories. If we have to run out of the house to save our lives again, we'll have the stuff ready to work our way back in to get better gear.

use that sort of mindset in your gear selections. It can all be 'camping' equipment, serve a camping purpose, but also serve a more serious crisis. And ignore all the chaff and nonsense you might get about it. You are taking full responsibility for yourself and family. You are doing the proper thing.

 

[grogie]

...not one of them ever mentioned carrying one or more sets of good clean socks. As any grunt what happens to constitently sweaty, wet feet.

LOL... Yes, certainly bring an extra pair of socks! Our poor boys at Valley Forge would have loved an extra pair themselves. (And boots for that matter.)

 

[tgreening]

Rayra: That's a personal, and very reasonable definition of SHTF. Something very sensible to be prepared for. My issue is with those defining SHTF as some world as we know it ending event, and then having no logical or reasonable example of such event. Anyway, probably a discussion for another thread at least. Back to the OP.....

 

[WeLikeCamping]

I've never been a grunt, but I know the value of clean and dry socks. As much as a good pair of waterproof boots. I think the most likely SHTF scenario is Russia or China gets pissed and presses the "Launch All" button. In that case all of your preparation will be for naught. For other "scenarios" - don't buy a house in a flood, earthquake or tornado zone, near petro/chemical plants or storage depots, near or downwind of nuclear reactors. Finally, your life will end when it ends and worrying about it ending sooner is just making other people rich.

Having said all that, I keep my gear ready to roll because at 4:00pm on Friday, I don't want to be spending valuable sunlight packing for the weekend. Typically, I toss a couple bins of gear in the truck, Hitch up the ORV, pack the cooler, find an extra pair of socks and I'm outta here.

addendum - if some natural disaster occurs that displaces me from my home - while I love the outdoors and camping, I'll be moving in to the nearest Holiday Inn instead.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Lots of interesting perspectives being presented, it will be fun to see if Darwin was correct or not when something does happen.

 

[Happy Joe]

Not to be distracted; but it is my understanding that SHTF can relate to any disaster. EOTWAWKI (End Of The World As We Know It) is typically reserved for doomsday/biblical disasters.
Since the Boy Scout days I have believed in being prepared, at least for local/less than EOTOWAWKI disasters... been through, long power failures, some pretty increadable snow & ice, flood, and tornadoes, had wild fire come close.
Being able to load all the essentials, including documents, the family photo album etc (I use an encrypted thumbnail drive with copies of insurance policies, deeds, birth certificates, bank account numbers, some pics etc.) quickly for an evacuation is important (the time interval seems to run from zero to about 20 minutes). I don't count on more than 10 or 12 minutes notice (seems typical for local wild fires).
Some disasters like earthquake will give no warning, some will be better to ride out at home and they vary depending on location.
When (not if) forced to leave home, having a place to go to is also very important (unless you want to end up in the superdome/FEMA camp with some of the scum of the earth) and is as simple as prearranging a reciprocal, evacuation/camping space/backyard, with a relative or friend a moderate/safe distance (a half tank of fuel or less) away.
Don't figure on sponging off anyone; you will, probably, be shown the door.
I count on all the hotels/motels being full, and all of the other folks in the area heading for my favorite local camping/vacation spots; if not its all good; if they are full we are good for near at least several weeks with the extended camping supplies.
Enjoy!

 

[ofrod36]

I've been trying this set up but it keeps me opposing as I do it.

 

[TwinStick]

Bottom line is this: If you are somewhat prepared for things, an emergency will become a mere inconvenience. You can take this philosophy to what ever degree you are comfortable with & can financially afford. Things people have told me that i find useful: Prepare for the worst but hope & pray for the best.

Our truck, camper & camping supplies are the same as a SHTF scenario. Just add the tactical stuff to it.

We actually downsized our camper. We went from a 30' Toyhauler that weighed 10,500 lbs, to an 18' that weighs 3500 lbs loaded. We LOVE it. I do NOT want to be towing or driving a monster when i retire. I used to drive semi-trucks, so backing & maneuvering a trailer is not an issue for me. Actually, the longer the trailer, the easier it is to back up.