EDC

Everyday Carry or EDC

   This is items you carry everyday on your person. I do not carry a firearm because I don't think that is necessary for my line of work, however their are people out there who need to carry a weapon to feel safe and protected. I think if you have proper training that is your right to do so.
   I do carry a multi tool that I use everyday. I also carry a marker, pen, and my wallet. I have a few para cord bracelets that I carry on my person.
   In my wallet I carry my I.D, bank card, various store cards(which can be used as window scrapers if needed) and a 2 foot piece of aluminium foil which is folded into the size of a credit card. I will post what its uses are at a later time.

Things to prepare

It's been awhile so here goes another post.

With the year coming to a close I wanted to give a little info and ideas for things to do this next year. If you have any ideas or things that would be useful please feel free to leave comments.
   I haven't talked much about E.D.C.(every day carry). Some people carry lots of thing some don't. I think it all depends on your work and what your doing that day. I carry a multi tool everyday. I use it a few times a day with my work. In my wallet I carry a piece of aluminum foil that is folded to the size of a credit card. It has quite a few uses. In my truck I carry my B.O.B., a heavy coat, floor jack and other tools.
   In my wife's car we have her B.O.B, flashlights and other various things. We had an experience with a flat tire and it was raining that day. The ground was wet and I grabbed her tarp out of her bob, and used that on the ground. I also had her work gloves from her bob also. That was so great to have those items ready to use.
   Everyone thinks that your B.O.B. is for leaving your house in a hurry. I think it should reflect what you would need in an emergency. Not all disasters are going to require you to leave or get out quick.
   You should have a bag with supplies in it to have by your desk or locker at work or school. Not everyone will be by their vehicles when something happens. Anyway here are just my thoughts.

First Aid Kit

Here is a Feild/Trauma Kit I just bought from Cal Ranch on clearance. It was only $14.98.
This has belt loops on the back and side loops. Multiple options to attach to you B.O.B.

Product Information

Designed for hunters and sportsman to handle anything from fish hook removal to gunshot wounds. Includes orange, waterproof zippered pouch that organizes supplies by injury. Enough supplies for a 1-2 day trip with 2 people.

41-Piece Kit Contains:

Medications for pain, inflammation, bites and stings

Open wound care

Burn and blister treatments

Medical instructions

Technical Information

Notes: Weight 14 oz, 7" x 4.5" x 3.5"

Contents:
Medical Information / Instrument / Medication
1..... Comp. Guide to Wilderness & Travel Medicine
2..... Ibuprofen (200 mg), Pkg./2
2..... Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg)
1..... Aspirin (325 mg), Pkg./2
1..... After Bite? Sting and Itch Relief Wipe
1..... Splinter Picker/Tick Remover Forceps
3..... Safety Pins
Bleeding
2..... Trauma Pad, 5" x 9"
1..... Dressing, Petrolatum, Non-Adherent, 3" x 3"
2..... Gloves, Nitrile (Pair), One Hand Wipe
Wound Care / Burn / Blister
2..... Bandage, Butterfly Closure
6..... After Cuts & Scrapes? Wipe
2..... Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 1/32 oz
1..... Dressing, Non-Adherent, Sterile, 3" x 4"
2..... Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 4" x 4", Pkg./2
2..... Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 2" x 2", Pkg./2
1..... Bandage, Elastic, Co-hesive, Self Adhering, 2"
1..... Tape, 1/2" x 10 Yards
4..... Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1" x 3"
3..... Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle
1..... Moleskin, 3" x 4"

I hope this helps with you with finding a First aid kit.

Henry Survival Rifle

I found a really awesome rifle the other day. I want to get it but just have to wait for the right time too.
Here is a picture of it.

It all fits in the stock. You can drop it in water and it won't get wet. Go here to see a video. http://henryrepeating.com/rifle-survival-ar7.cfm?CFID=10113096&CFTOKEN=21784744  
The price is not too bad. anywhere from $200-$275.

Quick check your bag contents

I have been such a slacker this last week. I have not been posting on here like I wanted too. Sorry for that.
Here is a few quick thing to check and make sure you put them in your B.O.B.

• Make a copy of important documents. You never know when you might have to use them.
• Any medications you might need. just rotate them with you daily meds that way you will always have some when you might have to bug out.
• Games, paper, coloring books, pens, markers, pencils, crayons, your favorite book, A favorite stuffed animal for the little ones, anything that can help keep you occupied for a little while. Especially if you have little ones. Try to make it fun for them.
• Spices. You will want to have a plastic sip bag with salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard just to name a few. Put you favorite seasoning in it. I will help to season up some of the freeze dried food you might have.

If you can think of anything I might have not listed please make a comment so we can put it in our bags.

Dinner with Mountain House

Sorry for the lack of posts the last few days.
 Here is a Mountain House Dinner I had last night.

 

This is what was left. The package says there is 3 servings. Thats about right. It was good. P probably would add some veggies to it if I take it camping. Very filling. Check out Mountain House for other great products.

SurvivalBlog.com

I found an awesome site that has alot of great info. Here is one of their posts. go to www.SurvivalBlog.com for more great info.

Mass Inflation Ahead -- Save Your Nickels!

By James Wesley, Rawles -- Editor of www.SurvivalBlog.com

Updated, June 15, 2012

I've often mused about how fun it would be to have a time machine and travel back to the early 1960s, and go on a pre-inflation shopping spree. In that era, most used cars were less than $800, and a new-in-the box Colt .45 Automatic sold for $60. In particular, it would be great to go back and get a huge pile of rolls of then-circulating US silver dimes, quarters, and half dollars at face value. (With silver presently around $30 per ounce, the US 90% silver (1964 and earlier) coinage is selling wholesale at 22 times face value--that is $22,000 for a $1,000 face value bag.)
The disappearance of 90% silver coins from circulation in the US in the mid-1960s beautifully illustrated Gresham's Law: "Bad Money Drives Out Good." People quickly realized that the debased copper sandwich coins were bogus, so anyone with half a brain saved every pre-'65 (90% silver) coin that they could find. (This resulted in a coin shortage from 1965 to 1967, while the mint frantically played catch up, producing millions of cupronickel "clad" coins. This production was so hurried that they even skipped putting mint marks on coins from 1965 to 1967.)
Alas, there are no time machines. But what if I were to tell you that there is a similar, albeit smaller-scale opportunity? Consider the lowly US five cent piece--the "nickel."
Unlike US dimes and quarters, which stopped being made of 90% silver after 1964, the composition of a nickel has essentially been unchanged since the end of World War II. It is still a 5 gram coin that is an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel. (An aside: Some 1942 to 1945 five cent coins were made with 35% silver, because nickel was badly-needed for wartime industrial use. Those "War Nickels" have long since been culled from circulation, by collectors.)
According to www.Coinflation.com, the 1946-2011 Nickel (with a 5 cent face value) had a base metal value of $0.0733 in February, 2011. That was 146.7% of its face value. Because of the global recession and the fact that both nickel and copper are primarily industrial metals, the melt value of a nickel declined to just $0.0498 in June, 2012. But I predict that as inflation resumes--most likely beginning in 2013--the base metal value of nickels will rise substantially, regardless of the weakness in the industrial economy.
The Root of the Problem
It is inevitable that any country that issues a continually-inflated fiat paper currency will run into the problem of their coinage eventually having its base metal value exceed its face value. When this happens, it is one of those embarrassing "emperor's new clothes" moments. Unless a government takes the drastic step of lopping off a zero or two from their currency, this coinage problem is inevitable. In essence, we were robbed by our own government when silver coins were replaced with copper sandwich coins in the 1960s. I predict that essentially the same thing will soon to happen with nickels.
Helicopter Ben Bernanke will inflate his way out of the current liquidity crisis. through artificial lowering of interest rates, massive injections of liquidity, and monetization of the Federal debt. That can only spell one thing: inflation, and plenty of it. Mass inflation will mean much higher commodities prices (at least from the perspective of the US currency.)
Starting in 2009, I began warning my readers that a nickel debasement was coming. But since then, I've pleasantly surprised to see that the government moved at a snail's pace, in implementing the change. In February, 2010 it was announced that the Obama administration had endorsed a change in the metal composition of pennies and nickels. And then, in November 2010, President Obama signed "The Coin Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act of 2010". Then, in late 2011 came news of the introduction of H.R. 3694 (the Saving Taxpayer Expenditures by Employing Less Imported Nickel ACT -- aka the "STEEL Nickel Act". It now appears likely that the STEEL Nickel Act the will be signed into law in 2012 and the U.S. mint will begin producing debased steel nickels in 2013.
In January, 2012 this was reported: Mint begins trial strikes in composition tests. The good news is that the trials strikes are part of a two year study. (The contract runs through June 30, 2013.) So we may have some extra time to stockpile nickels before the debasement. Once this change is implemented, you will then have to manually sort the "old" from the "new" debased nickels! But for now, there is still an open window of opportunity, during which time SurvivalBlog readers can salt away countless rolls, bags, and boxes of nickels. I am grateful for the delay in the nickel debasement, but this window of opportunity is likely to close in 2013. Act accordingly.
Within just a few years, the base metal value of a nickel is likely to exceed two times ("2X") its face value. (10 cents each.) The nickel will then begin to disappear from circulation. (Gresham's Law is unavoidable.) Unlike the mid-1960s experience, the missing nickels will not cause a crisis, since pennies will suffice for making small change, and most vending machines now use dimes as their smallest purchase increment. Meanwhile, most bridge tolls and toll roads have inflated so that tolls are in 10 or 25 cent increments. The demise of the nickel will hardly cause a ripple in the news.
Unless the Treasury decides to drop the issuance of nickels entirely, the US Mint will within the next three years be forced to introduce a "new" nickel with a debased composition. It will possibly be stainless steel, zinc (flashed with silver) or possibly even aluminum.
Why Not Pennies?
You may ask, why not accumulate 95% copper (pre-1982 mint date) pennies? They already seen a spike in their base metal value to 2.2 cents each. But unfortunately, pennies have two problems: confusion and bulk. They are confusing, because 95% copper pennies are now circulating side-by-side with 97.5% zinc pennies. They are also about four times as bulky (per dollar of face value) as nickels.
With nickels you won't have to spend time sorting out pre-1982 varieties. At present, visually date sorting pennies simply isn't worth your time. Although Ryedale Coin makes an automated density-measuring penny sorting machine, it is still very time consuming, and unless you have a lot of pennies to sort, it would take a long time for the machine to pay for itself. As background: The pre-1982 pennies recently had a base metal value of about $0.0295 each.) Starting in mid-1982, the mint switched to 97.5% zinc pennies that are just flashed with copper. Those presently have a base metal value of only about $0.0067 each.
Pennies are absurdly bulky and heavy to store. Nickels are also quite bulky, but are at least more manageable than pennies for a small investor's storage. (Storing pennies would take a tremendous amount of space and constitute a huge weight per dollar invested.)
The biggest advantage of nickels over pennies is that there is no date/composition confusion. At least for now, a nickel is a nickel. Even the newly-minted "large portrait" nickels have the same 75/25 cupronickel composition. But that is likely to change within just a couple of years. The US Mint cannot go on minting nickels at a loss much longer. My advice: start filling military surplus ammo cans with $2 (40 coin) rolls of nickels.
The standard U.S. military surplus .30 caliber size can is the perfect size for rolls of nickels. They will hold $188 of rolled nickels per can. Any larger containers would be difficult to move easily. (Avoid back strain!) Cardboard boxes are fragile, and lack a carry handle. But ammo cans are very sturdy, have an integral handle, and they are relatively cheap and plentiful. They are available at military surplus stores and gun shows. The current difference between a nickel's base metal value and its face value is fairly small, but trust me, it will grow! Someday, when nickels are worth 4X to 8X their face value, your children will thank you for it. Consider it an investment in your children's future.
In December of 2006, the US congress passed a law making it illegal to bulk export or melt down pennies and nickels. But once the old composition pennies and nickels have been driven out of circulation, that is likely to change. In fact, a bill now before congress would remove pre-1982 pennies from the melting ban. In any case, once the base metal value exceeds face value by about 3X, an investor's market will develop, regardless of whether or not melting is re-legalized. Count on it.
What if Uncle Sam Decides to Drop a Zero?
As previously noted in SurvivalBlog, inflation of the US dollar has been chronic, cumulative, and insidious. So much so that turns of phrase from old movies like "penny candy" and "its your nickel" (to describe the cost of a call on a pay phone) now seem quaint and outdated. When inflation goes on long enough, the number of digits required to express a price grows too large. (As has been seen with the Italian lira, the Zimbabwean dollar, and countless other currencies. One whitewash solution to chronic inflation that several other nations have chosen is dropping one, two, or even three zeros from their currency, in an overnight revaluation, with a mandatory paper currency exchange. The history of the past century has shown that when doing so, most governments re-issue only new paper currency, but leave the old coinage in circulation, at the same face value. This is because the sheer logistics of a coinage swap would be daunting. Typically, this leaves the holders of coinage as the unexpected beneficiaries of a 10X, 100X.or even 1,000X gain of the purchasing power of their coins. Governments just assume that most citizens just have a couple of pocketfuls of coins at any given time. So if a currency swap were to happen while you are sitting on a big pile of nickels, then you would make a handsome profit. To "cash in", you could merely spend your saved nickels in the new currency regime. How To Build Your Pile of Nickels
How can you amass a big pile-o-nickels? Obviously just saving the few that you normally receive as pocket change is insufficient. Here are some possibilities:
1.) If you live in a state with nickel slot machine gambling (such as Nevada or New Jersey), or near an Indian tribal casino with nickel slots, go to a casino frequently and buy $50 in nickels at a time. Do your best to look like a gambler when doing so, by carrying a plastic change bucket with a few nickels in the bottom.
2.) Obtain nickels in rolls from your friendly local bank teller. Most "retail" banks are already accustomed to handing over rolls of coins to private depositors because of collector demand for statehood commemorative quarters and the new presidential dollar coins. Ask for $20 or $30 of nickels in rolls each time that you visit to do your normal banking deposits or withdrawals. It is best to ask for new "wrapped" (fresh Federal Reserve Bank issue) rolls. This way, you might have the chance of getting rolls with valuable minting errors--such as "double die" strikes. These are usually noticed and publicized a few months after the fact, and can be quite valuable. You will also be assured that you are getting full 40 coin rolls. (Getting shorted with 38 or 39 coin rolls is possible with hand-rolled coins.) If the tellers ask why you want so many, you can honestly tell them: "I'm working on a collection for my children." (You need not tell them how large a collection it is!)
3.) If you live in or near an urban area and you operate a business, you can effectively "buy" rolled coinage at face value from your commercial bank. (They generally will not do any business with anyone unless they have an account.) It might be worth your while to on paper start a side business with "Vending Service" in its name, and have business cards and stationary printed up in that name. Have that "DBA" business entity name added to your commercial bank account. At a high-volume commercial bank you could conceivably buy hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of nickels on the pretense of stocking change for a vending business. Depending on your relationship with the bank, they may waive any fees if you ask for a few rolls of coins. Be advised, however, that if you ask for any significant quantity at one time, they will probably charge you a premium. (Down in the small print of your account contract, there is probably wording something like this: "Coin Issued - Per Roll: .03 Currency Issued - Per $ 100: .08" Before you cry "foul", be aware that the Federal Reserve actually charges your bank a small premium when they obtain wrapped rolls of coins. (Most folks have held to the convenient fiction that a paper dollar was the same as a dollar in change. Obviously, it isn't.) In effect, your commercial banker will just be passing along this cost to you. Unless they charge you a heavy fee, then don't worry about it. Ten years from now, when a $2 roll of nickel is worth $16, you'll be laughing about how you obtained $4,000 face value in nickels at just a small fraction over their face value.
4.) If you know someone that has a machine vending business, offer to buy all of their excess nickels once every month or two, by offering a small premium.
5.) If you operate a "mom and pop" retail business with a walk-in clientele, put up a small sign next to your cash register that reads: "WANTED: Rolls of nickels for my collection. I pay $2.25 per 40 coin ($2) roll, regardless of year!" Once the nickel shortage develops (as it inevitably will), you should raise you premium gradually, to keep a steady stream of coin rolls coming in.
An Aside: Nickel Logistics
Nickels are heavy! Storing and transporting them can be a challenge.
In October, 2011, it was reported that Texas hedge fund manager Kyle Bass had invested $1 million to buy 20 million nickels. It was not reported where and how he had them stored. That is a lot of weight!
Some SurvivalBlog readers and I have done some tests:
$300 face value (150 rolls @$2 face value per roll) fits easily fit in a standard U.S. Postal Service Medium Flat Rate Box (This is the USPS "FRB1", with dimensions 11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Full of Nickels, it weighs about 68 pounds. They can be mailed from coast to coast for less than $25. Doing so will take a bit of reinforcement. Given enough wraps of strapping tape, a corrugated box will securely transport $300 worth of Nickels. At ULINE you can get a corrugated to fit inside the corrugated Medium Flat Rate Box, to reinforce it. It is item #S-4517. It measures 10"x8"x5". These boxes presently cost 54 cents each in lots of 25.
The standard US .30 caliber ammo can works perfectly for storing rolls of Nickels at home. Each can will hold $188 of nickels in rolls. You can stack the nickel rolls vertically (on end, standing up) four to a row across the width of the ammo can.  (Think of it like stacking one shotgun shell on top of another.) Each of the two layers takes 11 rows of 4, plus one odd row of 3.  That makes 47 rolls per layer equaling 94 rolls total.  This makes for $188 of coins per can.  I've read that others have fit as much as $192 in rolled nickels (96 rolls) in a .30 caliber can, by carefully positioning horizontal rows, but this takes a bit more time for precise positioning.
The larger .50 caliber cans also work for storing nickels, but when full of coins they are too heavy to carry easily.
If you buy more than a few hundred dollars worth of nickels, do not over-stress your house. Do not store them upstairs or in an attic. Storing the boxes or ammo cans on a concrete slab floor is ideal.
Conclusion

I've already had some ridicule, with e-mails accusing me of "hoarding." So be it. Let me preemptively state that I realize that money tied up in coins will not benefit from the interest that a bank deposit would earn. But foregoing interest is not a major concern. Why? Because I think that it is a fairly safe bet that commodity price inflation will outstrip the prevailing interest rates for at least the next five years. In five years, the circulating nickel as we now know it, will be history, and it will be treated with nearly the same reverence that we now give to pre-'65 silver coinage.
We saw what happened when clad copper dimes, quarters and half dollars were introduced in 1965. We should learn from history. Something comparable will very likely soon to happen with nickels. You, as a SurvivalBlog.com reader, are now armed with that knowledge. You can and should benefit from it, before Uncle Sugar performs his next sleight of hand trick and starts passing off silver-plated steel tokens as "nickels".
Addendum: Canadian Nickels
The situation with Canadian nickels is much more complicated than with U.S. nickels. You'll have a lot of sorting to do, since the composition of those five cent pieces varied widely! Here is a summary:
1922 - 1942 Canadian Nickels were 99.9% nickel.

1942 - 1943 Canadian Nickels were made of "Tombac" brass (88% copper, 12% zinc) and have a melt value of less than a penny.

1944 - 1945 Canadian Nickels were made of chrome-plated steel and have a melt value of less than a penny.
1946 - 1950 12-sided Canadian Nickels were 99.9% nickel and according to Coinflation.com are as of this writing worth $0.076 each
1951 - 1954 Canadian Nickels were made of chrome-plated steel and have a melt value of less than a penny.
1955 - 1962 12-sided Canadian Nickels were 99.9% nickel and according to Coinflation.com are as of this writing worth $0.076 each
1963 - 1981 Canadian Nickels were 99.9% nickel and as of this writing are worth $0.076 each

1982 - 2001 Canadian Nickels were 75% copper, 25% nickel and as of this writing are worth $0.045 each
2000 - present Canadian Nickels are 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, and 2% nickel (the outer plating) and have a melt value of less than a penny.

- James Wesley, Rawles -- Editor of www.SurvivalBlog.com
Permission to forward, repost, or reprint this article is granted, but only in its entirely with attribution and links intact.

Copyright 2009-2012. All Rights Reserved by James Wesley, Rawles - www.SurvivalBlog.com^™ Permission to reprint, repost or forward this article in full is granted, but only if it is not edited or excerpted.
About the Author:
James Wesley, Rawles is a former U.S. Army Intelligence officer and a noted author and lecturer on survival and preparedness topics. He is the author of "Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse" and is the editor of SurvivalBlog.com--the very popular daily web journal for prepared individuals living in uncertain times.

Lunch with Mountain House

I made the Lasagna with meat sauce for lunch. When I opened the package it smelled like pasta sauce.

After I opened it and took out the oxygen absorber I added 2 cups of water and stirred it.

I waited for 9 minutes and then enjoyed it.

I have to say it was really good. All I needed was some garlic bread to go with it. I highly recomend this for your B.O.B. or just to take camping with you. Click this to purchase from Mountain House.

Breakfast with .Mountain House

I tried the Mountain House scrambled eggs and bacon. They were tasty.

You have to be sure to remove the oxygen absorber pouch. Then just add 1 cup water, seal the bag then wait 5 mins or so.

Enjoy. Just add salt and pepper to taste if you like. I would definitely take this with me when I go camping and it is also going in my B.O.B. Just click here to go to the Mountain House website to order these scrambled eggs today.

Quick update

The winner of the contest was lazyberta2000. Congratulations your multi tool is on its way. The other winner is Dawn-Marie Kelley. She will be getting a surprise gift. Again Congratulations to you.

Bug out Bag Contents: Influencing Factors

Bug Out Bag Contents?

I am sure you have heard it said that survival kits should be tailored to your personal but this needs to be stressed again when determining a Bug out Bag List.

Also, let me clarify that today we are talking about a Bug out Bag that is planned and packed in order for you to make it a set distance to a pre-determined location. Whether this is a Get Home Bag or the Bug out Bag that is going to be with you the full 140 miles to your retreat, the thought process behind selecting your Bug out Bag Contents, and amounts of those contents, remains the same.

Before you begin selecting your Bug out Bag contents I would suggest you make a Bug out Bag Checklist. This checklist is different than a Bug out Bag checklist of items. It will contain a list of factors that will help you determine how much of and what you need to pack.

Factors Influencing Bug out Bag Contents:

1.       Time of year and Weather

2.       Total Travel Distance

3.       Terrain

4.       Speed of Travel/Estimate of Travel Length

5.       Party Member Considerations (Special Needs)

6.       Cache System/Trip Segments

Description and Why Bug Out Bag Contents Factors:

1.       You will find that depending on your location and the local weather, some items will be necessary in one location all year long but might just be extra weight in another location. For example, it would be a good idea to have a snow rated jacket in your bag up in Alaska year round but if you are in southern California you may not need one any time of the year depending on your destination.

2.       Travel distance will affect many things such as the amount of water or purification attempts you need to be capable of which in turn will help determine if you need to set cache location along your route.

3.       Terrain is another factor that helps determine the need for caching, water carried and speed of travel. You may need some cached supplies, extra water on your person and special equipment/clothing considerations.

4.       The distance you must travel is only part of the equation. Do you know how long it will take your party to travel that distance? I hope so or you may find yourself without enough water or food. It is very important that you know your trekking abilities with the weight you must carry.

5.       Knowing your own limits is extremely important but if you are traveling with others knowing the abilities of everyone else is a life saver as well. Say you can haul yourself 20 miles a day for extended days in a row but have a young child or elderly adult that will be coming with you. Pushing them beyond their daily abilities will slow you down in the long run so it will be much safer to pre-plan and slow the party pace down to accommodate everyone safely. If you know there is a child that will not be able to walk over 5 miles a day then you may want to bring some sort of wagon or lower your pack weight so you can carry the child (if their weight allows it safely and efficiently) for a few miles a day.

6.       If the distance is too great or the terrain does not permit water procurement then take matters into your own hands and cache supplies ahead of time. This can help unreachable distances become reachable and turn water starved un-navigable deserts into something attainable.

7.       As I am sure it has become apparent, these factors are interdependent and will greatly influence supplies and gear needed. It will also help to manage expectations and keep goals realistic.

8.       Bug out Bag Tip: Pre-packaged kits or Bug out Bags can save time and give great bases to start with but you need to take responsibility and open them up and check all the items. Use these as a foundation to build.

Free ebook

Here is a great site that offers a huge amount of ebooks for free. Check it out just click the ebooks that is blue and underlined.

Mountain House Ice Cream Sandwich

 

 OK can I just say YUM!!!!!!!. This did not last in my house. My wife and I both sampled it. This is definitely going in my B.O.B. The ice cream sandwich was really just what you would expect. This is a great snack to have on hand for any emergency. You can buy these directly from Mountain House for $2.29 each. It is worth the price.

Bug Out Bag Styles

There are alot of different types of bug out bags. You first have to look at your situation. Do you hvae the means to carry a 30 plus pound bag? Do you have to carry extra supplies for your pets or smaller children? What makes the most sense for you may not for the next person. I have just a normal backpackers pack with an internal frame. multiple outside pockets for easy access to the little things like flashlights and paracord.
Here are a few really good bags, some are a little pricey:

The VULTURE-II 3-Day Assault Pack is your answer with 2810 cubic inches (46 liters of carry capacity in three compartments equipped with YKK 10 zippers and paracord knot pulls.
I found this one on http://www.amazon.com/. $139.95

Car Bug Out Bag (B.O.B.)
G.I. style Heavy-Duty "Tool Grade" BagsThese car B.O.B. bags are the same as the regular bags, except they have a larger brass zipper
in place of the regular zipper. If your really tough on zippers, then this might be a better choice.

Heavy Duty cotton canvas
Large brass zipper
2 outside snap button pockets
11' x 7' x 6"
These are good bags for your car price range from $9.95 - $12.95. Go to: http://www.calquakeinlandempire.com/storetitles/kits/carbobbag.html.

Constructed of rugged, tactical polyester. Accepts modular or A.L.I.C.E. attachments. Hydration bladder compatible. Key features include: self repairing zippers, p/u coated lining and pockets, 1 large main zippered compartment with pouch and mesh pocket, 3 additional pockets, adjustable padded shoulder straps, padded back with breathable mesh backing, and carry handle.

Made From 600D Polyester Material - P.P. Webbing Rugged Synthetic Material Similar To Rigid Government Specifications. Accepts Modular or Alice Pack Components & MOLLE Compatible. Heavy Duty Zippers with Pull Tabs. Polyurethane Coated Lining & Pockets. Water Resistant Material. Padded Back With Breathable Mesh Backing. Adjustable Padded Shoulder Straps. Adjustable & Removable Waist Belt. Top Carry Handle. Hydration Bladder Compatible. Size : 18"H x 10"W x 10"D. I found this one at:
http://www.amazon.com/Level-III-Molle-Assault-Backpack--BLACK/dp/B000Q5UGQW/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1343770025&sr=1-3&keywords=bug+out+bag . Not too bad a price either. $41.99


I hope this helps with your decision making. Just go to Amazon and type in Bug out bag. Don't forget to follw this blog for more great info, product reviews and tests.

Enter to win

Follow this blog for a chance to win a Kobalt Multi Tool. I will post the winner on Friday August 3rd, 2012. Just remember you have to follow this blog or already be following it for a chance to win. Just leave a comment saying you want entered.

P38 can opener

Now here is something you must have in your B.O.B. I would even think about putting it in your mess kit. Maybe even on a keyring that has other little items on it. You can pick these up for under $1.00 at any army surplus store. You can also go here: http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?ProductID=16759 Pick one up today you will be glad you did.

First Aid Kit

So I was spending some time looking for a first aid kit that would be most beneficial for me. I found a website that has quite a bit of gear http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?ProductID=43552 this will take you to the medic bag I am going to get. It comes packed with the following supplies: Contains over 135 items, including: 1 EFA - First Aid Instructions 1 Pill Bottle 16 Bandage Strips 1''x3'' 10 Pain Relievers 2 Bandage Gauzes, 2''x4.5yds. 2 Triple Antibiotic Packages 1 Elastic Bandage, 6'' 2 First Aid Cream Packages 1 Triangular Bandage 40''x40''x56'' 1 Burn Aid Package 1 Field Dressing 2 Tape, Rolls, Adhesive 4 Sterile Sponges, 4''x4'' 1 SAM / Universal Splint 4 Abdominal Pads, 5''x9'' 1 Tourniquet 1 Eye Pad 1 EMT Shears, 7.25'' 16 Alcohol Wipes 1 Pair of Tweezers 15 Iodine Wipes 1 Stainless Steel Hemostat, 5'' 15 Antiseptic BZK Wipes 1 Suture Set 15 Clean Wipes 1 Irrigation Syringe 1 Lip Treatment 2 Tongue Depressors 1 Sterile Flushing Solution 1 Airway 1 Hand Soap 2 Instand Ice Packs 6 Safety Pins 2 Pairs Latex Examination Gloves. This is from their website. If you have something that you like please post it in the comments section.

New stuff today

I went to Smithfield Implement today, they are a True Value store. I bought a bunch of little items for my B.O.B.

This was only $26.00. I bought a hose to fill up my water jugs. It has to be an apex hose because there is no lead in it i guess. I can't wait to get these put in my bag and then try it out camping in a few weeks.

3 different ways for fire starter

You should have 3 different ways to start a fire. You never now when your matches are going to get wet. Here is a few ideas for your B.O.B. Steel wool and a 9v battery. All you have to do is touch the steel wool to the battery terminals and there you go instant fire. I have a magnesium fire starter kit all you have to do is shave a little off and create a spark with your knife and striker there you go fire. Then there is the standby a click lighter and some cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly or wax.
I have a friend who took the wax from old candles and melted it down and put sawdust in it and then poured it into muffin cups and that works really good in rain or wet conditions. If you have any ideas please share them. I would like to have a few more for my B.O.B. You can never have enough survival skills and tips.

Mountain House

I just recieved an email from Mountain House that I will be getting a package. I am so excited to try some more of their great food items. I will post my reviews on here when I get the package. http://www.mountainhouse.com/

Emergency Blanket

Here is another must have in your B.O.B. Usually you can pick these up for under $1.00. I have a link you can get them for $0.90

The emergency blanket is lightweight and compact. Small enough to store most anywhere in case of an emergency. This blanket helps conserve body heat, provides protection from wind and rain and its reflective coating makes it a capable signaling device when in distress.

Size: 84" x 52"

http://www.recreationoutlet.com/p-337-emergency-mylar-blanket.aspx


These guys have a lot of great products for really good prices.

SE Emergency Sleeping Bag

Here is another great product for your B.O.B.

Product Description

This Emergency Survival Sleeping Bag will give you a powerful pocketful of warmth. The unique reflective material maintains up to 90% of your radiant body heat to help preserve crucial warmth. The sleeping bag tapes at the sides and is large enough to cover you from head to toe, yet small enough to fit in a pocket. Measures 36 x 84 inches.
These bags are waterproof and windproof. Not only can they be used as a sleeping bags, it can also be used as an emergency ground cover or reflectors. These bags fold to approximately 3 X 5 inches for storage.

* Bag Size: 84" x 36".
* Lightweight and compact.
* Fold to approximately 3 X 5 inches for storage.
* 90% of your body heat is reflected.
* Re-usable.
* Windproof and waterproof in windy, snowy or rainy conditions.
* Seams in the Emergency Sleeping Bag are polyester tape sealed as well.
This is a great product. I carry these in my B.O.B. and my cars.here is a link where you can find these:
http://www.discountknivesandswords.com/SingleResults.asp?ID=961&Cat=SurvivalGear

Kobalt Multi Tool

This is the Multi Tool I have for my Bug Out Bag or "B.O.B." as we like to call it. This is a great functioning tool and can be carried on your belt.It is $15.47 at the Lowe's in Logan Utah. Here is the specs on it directly from their website. http://www.lowes.com/ 

Description
15-In-1 Multi Tool

• Stainless steel frame and accessories
• Comfortable and durable TPR grip
• Innerspring construction for more convenient uses
• Bonus pouch for easy storing

Specs

Multi-Tool Type	Long nose pliers, standard pliers, wire cutter, wire stripper, knife, saw, slotted screwdriver, small slotted screwdriver, can opener, fine blade, serrated blade, file, Phillips screwdriver, large slotted screwdriver, bottle opener
Material	Stainless steel with TPR grip

I hope this helps with your decision making.

Mountain House Freeze Dried Ice Cream

I now what your thinking freeze dried ice cream 'YUK". That's what went through my mind. I have to say it was really good. Tasted like ice cream only warm. Here is the nutrition info directly from Mountain House's website: http://www.mountainhouse.com/

Neapolitan Ice Cream INGREDIENTS: Milk fat and Nonfat Milk, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Whey, Cocoa (processed with alkali), Mono and Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Cellulose Gum and Carrageenan, Artificial Flavor, Annatto Color, Red Beet concentrate, and Tumeric Color. CONTAINS: Milk.
NUTRITION: Allergen Info...click here
Product code:	53523
Pkg. Net Wt.(oz):	0.75
Servings per Pkg:	1
Serving Size:	1 package
Total Calories:	120
From Fat:	50
Total Fat:	6 grams
Saturated Fat:	4 grams
Trans fat Acid:	0 grams
Cholesterol:	25 milligrams
Sodium:	50 milligrams
Carbos:	15 grams
Dietary Fiber:	0 grams
Sugars:	12 grams
Protein:	2 grams

I would highly recommend this for your bug out bag so you can have some comfort food when things are not going so good.

I hope to try some more of their great looking items here in the near future.

Bug out bag needs

I have had many people ask me if they really need one. I would have to say yes. Not only could it save your life it can give you peace of mind knowing that you and your family will have food, shelter, clothing and other necessities.
There are over 22,000 video posts on YouTube concerning Bug Out Bags. There are many different views on what goes in a Bug Out Bag but you have to build it to your needs.
I will put a list on here of the basic things you should have in your bag at all times. This is from http://www.ready.gov/ website.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

• Additional Emergency Supplies

Once you have gathered the supplies for a basic emergency kit, you may want to consider adding the following items:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) (PDF - 977Kb) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from this web site. (See Publications)
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

• First Aid Kit

In any emergency a family member or you yourself may suffer an injury. If you have these basic first aid supplies you are better prepared to help your loved ones when they are hurt.

Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. You may consider taking a first aid class, but simply having the following things can help you stop bleeding, prevent infection and assist in decontamination.

• Two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves if you are allergic to Latex
• Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
• Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Burn ointment
• Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
• Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminate
• Thermometer
• Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
• Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies

Non-prescription drugs:

• Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Antacid
• Laxative

Other first aid supplies:

• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

• Supplies for unique Needs

Remember the unique needs of your family members, including growing children, when making your emergency supply kit and family emergency plan.

For Baby:

• Formula
• Diapers
• Bottles
• Powdered milk
• Medications
• Moist towelettes
• Diaper rash ointment

For more information about the care and feeding of infants and young children during an emergency, visit the California Dept. of Public Health website.

For Adults:

• Denture needs
• Contact lenses and supplies
• Extra eye glasses

Ask your doctor about storing prescription medications such as heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin and other prescription drugs.

If you live in a cold climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that you will not have heat. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies. Be sure to include one complete change of clothing and shoes per person, including:

• Jacket or coat
• Long pants
• Long sleeve shirt

I hope this will help. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Any Ideas

I am starting this blog because I love to read reviews on products that real people have done. Real world testing not in a factory or office building.
If you have any ideas or would like to tell me about a product you have used and liked or not please feel free to comment.