I have been pretty interested in the 'bug out bag'/'shtf'/'im never coming home' bag type ideas for a while now. I have slowly been adding pieces to a pile of supplies for an INCH bag for a while and figured I would share here of all places. So the idea is a very realistic turn of events forces me out of my house and out to fend for myself with whatever I can hold on my person. The idea is that there will never be anything to come back to, meaning that what I have is it, other than possibly scavenging along the way. Such ideas could be natural disaster destroying the southeast, any sort of large scale attack probably including nuclear warfare, or even ZOMBIES. Just kidding, but seriously, its always on my mind 
I suppose the first idea is to know where you are going, what you need to get there, how long you can get there on foot while carrying a heavy sack, and a Plan B in case your spot is a no-go for whatever reason. That I have worked out for the most part. After a solid bit of reading, I am under the assumption that a cave would be my first go to for living the rest of my life. From the web...The majority of caves are limestone caves that form when rainwater seeps down through the soil, picking up extra carbon dioxide. The result is a weak acid called carbonic acid. The water collects in underground aquifers where it slowly eats away the limestone. Some limestone caves are also formed by large amounts of running rainwater which carves away at the rock in a process called corrosion, or erosion by abrasion. This means that in most cases there is going to be water, considering water is generally what makes most caves in the first place. Running water, shelter over my head, and being hidden is a start.
I am also a huge believer in being physically fit for the situation at hand. I am a bit younger and have that advantage to start with. I also stay very active and hit the gym at least 3-4 times a week. So that you get the right idea, I do not have big muscles and sweet wife beaters to show off and do more strutting than working out while I am there. I see the value mostly in running a lot while also a lot of body weight exercises. Most of the time I start by running 1-3 miles as fast as I can. Then I tend to stick to dips, push ups, pull ups, chin ups, handstand push ups and others. I am not a fan of lifting a whole ton of weight, as I would rather stay lightweight and quick!
Moving from that and into a few categories I have decided to group my supplies into, let's go over them. Navigation, Food, Water, Shelter, Fire, First Aid/Medical, Hygiene, Tools, Clothes, Accessories, and of course Weapons/Ammo. Please keep in mind that these are NOT listed in any particular order of importance or anything...
Lets start at the top..
Navigation: Compass (duh), Map of Georgia and surrounding states, North Georgia Hiking/Caving Map, Compact Binoculars (Need opinions on brand/style here. I have yet to make a purchase), Signal Mirror, Possibly a flare pistol (haven't decided yet...)
Food: A couple freeze dried meals, Fork/Spoon/Can Opener combo tool, Several Power Bars, A bottle of survival tabs (or maybe a food ration brick instead??), Seeds relevant to the North Georgia area for growing vegetables and more, Small Pot for cooking/boiling water, Beef Jerky, Peanut/Almond butter
Water: Start by saying the average amount of water to sustain life is 1 gallon a day per person for drinking/hygiene, food prep etc. With that said, the list is: 3-5 Gallon Heavy duty water jug (empty of course...), Hydration sack (mostly for getting to my destination), Life Straw (Good for 1000 Liters = roughly 265 Gallons), Potable Aqua tabs 100 tabs good for 50 liters = 26.4 gallons (Anyone have any input on these??), Self-Filtering water bottle (Same brand as Life Straw, this is good for 6000 Liters = 1590 Gallons), one extra filter for the bottle = another 1590 gallons, Water PH test kit, 32oz water bottle, 1 liter water bottle. The hydration sack, the 32oz bottle and the 1 liter are pre-filled for traveling to my destination without weighing me down too much. Approximately 16oz of water weighs one pound while one liter weighs 1 kilogram or 2.2lbs. So were talking about 5.4lbs in water out the door.
Shelter: Hammock, Fly rain tarp, Zero degree water resistant sleeping bag, military sleeping pad, heavy duty tarp (maybe about 10'x10' or so, Emergency Blankets, MAYBE a small tent (not sure here. I have a very small one-ish person tent that is very compact and lightweight, but do not currently keep it attahced to the bag... Ideas??), Extra fleece blanket.
Fire: This sparks my interest actually (see what I did there lol I just picked up a pretty cool tool from TruPrep this week called the NanoStriker XL that is super small/lightweight/waterproof and also good for 3000 strikes!! Weather proof matches, waterproof canister for said matches, Tinder (dont have much here, still looking for good ideas), Magnifying glass.
First Aid/Medical: I need some help here actually. I have a few small things but dont have nearly enough. I have been looking around in hopes of finding a good prepacked kit that includes quick clot, scissors, wraps, bandages, all the normal stuff! Ideas?? Currently I have Benedryl, Anti-Diarrhea, Antibiotics, Super Glue (cuts and such), Gauze, Multi-Vitamins, Anti-Venom snake/spider bite kit, Neosporin. Need help in this category.
Hygiene: Floss, Toothbrush, Toothpaste (I know this wont last long...), SunScreen (May sound funny but you backpackers know whats up!), Q-Tips, a few cotton balls, Finger Nail Clippers, and finally some Blistex (Good for 101 uses!)
Tools: Leatherman Multi-Tool, Hatchet (I like Bear Grylls honestly, what do you guys think?), Wire Snips (getting past fences etc), Pocket knife, Survival Knife (Something large, full tang, single sided blade, and heavy duty!), Paracord (I have two pieces of 100' each for 1001 uses!), Bankline (Like paracord but thinner, good for 150lbs or so and wayyy lighter/smaller) Fishing line, Fishing hooks, Duct Tape (I unwrapped two pieces of about 20' each and the wrapped them on themselves making them light and very small), Hand Warmers (dont have any, may skip this one), Full face respirator (for the nuclear situation...), Pencil/Pen/Paper, Several Caribiners!, about 20 zip straps/ties, Sewing kit with buttons/thread/needles, Crank Radio (no batteries necessary), Citizen EcoDrive (No batteries and always accurate time), and a dozen ribbed nails (I see value here for some reason), and finally a tow strap (poor choice of color I know. I will be updating with a camouflage one soon.)
Clothes: UnderArmour style pants and long sleeve shirt, Some good heavy duty cargo pants (5.11 tactical, Dickies, etc), 2 Long sleeve Shirts, Winter Coat, Best Boots you can buy (Opinions??), 3 pairs of summer socks (more sweat=more sock changing), 2 pairs of winter socks, 5 pairs of underwear, Work Gloves, Heavy Duty Winter Gloves (Ideas?? I dont have any yet), Winter Hat! gotta keep them ears warm.
Weapons: I am sure this will be controversial for you guys... I have considered the following: Ruger 10/22, AR-15, AR-10, Survival Folding Bow, Henry Survival .22, and a shotgun with various shells. However, I decided to go with the AR-15 for several reasons. I shoot it the best, ammunition is relatively lightweight, and I currently own one lol. Mine weighs just under 6lbs unloaded with no accessories. I have a lightweight scope on it and will be carrying one 30 round mag in it, 2 loaded 30 round mags on my pack, and an additional 80 rounds inside the pack. Standard FMJ .223 is 133.33 rounds per 1 pound of weight, putting me under 2 lbs in rifle ammo. I also have a Glock 19 I have every intention of leaving with if need be. It will be loaded with 15+1, and I currently have 3 extra mags loaded with 15 rounds each and an additional 200 rounds in the pack. 200 rounds of FMJ 9mm weighs about 5.38lbs while the G19 weighs in at 1.31lbs, meaning I will have around 8 lbs of weight for only self defense. Thoughts and opinions here??
Currently this is all housed inside a 5.11 tactical 72-hour pack. I like this bag a lot mostly due to solid and functional hip pads, an aluminum bendable spine, and the ability to attach other smaller packs to it. I am not sure about total weight yet as I have not weighed it, but I am sure some of you will find it too heavy already. It is also not full yet as I am missing a few items. However, I have backpacked with a pack that weighed just over 100lbs before for a few days and about 30 miles worth of walking. It is not the most enjoyable thing, but more than doable.
I suppose the first idea is to know where you are going, what you need to get there, how long you can get there on foot while carrying a heavy sack, and a Plan B in case your spot is a no-go for whatever reason. That I have worked out for the most part. After a solid bit of reading, I am under the assumption that a cave would be my first go to for living the rest of my life. From the web...The majority of caves are limestone caves that form when rainwater seeps down through the soil, picking up extra carbon dioxide. The result is a weak acid called carbonic acid. The water collects in underground aquifers where it slowly eats away the limestone. Some limestone caves are also formed by large amounts of running rainwater which carves away at the rock in a process called corrosion, or erosion by abrasion. This means that in most cases there is going to be water, considering water is generally what makes most caves in the first place. Running water, shelter over my head, and being hidden is a start.
I am also a huge believer in being physically fit for the situation at hand. I am a bit younger and have that advantage to start with. I also stay very active and hit the gym at least 3-4 times a week. So that you get the right idea, I do not have big muscles and sweet wife beaters to show off and do more strutting than working out while I am there. I see the value mostly in running a lot while also a lot of body weight exercises. Most of the time I start by running 1-3 miles as fast as I can. Then I tend to stick to dips, push ups, pull ups, chin ups, handstand push ups and others. I am not a fan of lifting a whole ton of weight, as I would rather stay lightweight and quick!
Moving from that and into a few categories I have decided to group my supplies into, let's go over them. Navigation, Food, Water, Shelter, Fire, First Aid/Medical, Hygiene, Tools, Clothes, Accessories, and of course Weapons/Ammo. Please keep in mind that these are NOT listed in any particular order of importance or anything...
Lets start at the top..
Navigation: Compass (duh), Map of Georgia and surrounding states, North Georgia Hiking/Caving Map, Compact Binoculars (Need opinions on brand/style here. I have yet to make a purchase), Signal Mirror, Possibly a flare pistol (haven't decided yet...)
Food: A couple freeze dried meals, Fork/Spoon/Can Opener combo tool, Several Power Bars, A bottle of survival tabs (or maybe a food ration brick instead??), Seeds relevant to the North Georgia area for growing vegetables and more, Small Pot for cooking/boiling water, Beef Jerky, Peanut/Almond butter
Water: Start by saying the average amount of water to sustain life is 1 gallon a day per person for drinking/hygiene, food prep etc. With that said, the list is: 3-5 Gallon Heavy duty water jug (empty of course...), Hydration sack (mostly for getting to my destination), Life Straw (Good for 1000 Liters = roughly 265 Gallons), Potable Aqua tabs 100 tabs good for 50 liters = 26.4 gallons (Anyone have any input on these??), Self-Filtering water bottle (Same brand as Life Straw, this is good for 6000 Liters = 1590 Gallons), one extra filter for the bottle = another 1590 gallons, Water PH test kit, 32oz water bottle, 1 liter water bottle. The hydration sack, the 32oz bottle and the 1 liter are pre-filled for traveling to my destination without weighing me down too much. Approximately 16oz of water weighs one pound while one liter weighs 1 kilogram or 2.2lbs. So were talking about 5.4lbs in water out the door.
Shelter: Hammock, Fly rain tarp, Zero degree water resistant sleeping bag, military sleeping pad, heavy duty tarp (maybe about 10'x10' or so, Emergency Blankets, MAYBE a small tent (not sure here. I have a very small one-ish person tent that is very compact and lightweight, but do not currently keep it attahced to the bag... Ideas??), Extra fleece blanket.
Fire: This sparks my interest actually (see what I did there lol
I just picked up a pretty cool tool from TruPrep this week called the NanoStriker XL that is super small/lightweight/waterproof and also good for 3000 strikes!! Weather proof matches, waterproof canister for said matches, Tinder (dont have much here, still looking for good ideas), Magnifying glass.First Aid/Medical: I need some help here actually. I have a few small things but dont have nearly enough. I have been looking around in hopes of finding a good prepacked kit that includes quick clot, scissors, wraps, bandages, all the normal stuff! Ideas?? Currently I have Benedryl, Anti-Diarrhea, Antibiotics, Super Glue (cuts and such), Gauze, Multi-Vitamins, Anti-Venom snake/spider bite kit, Neosporin. Need help in this category.
Hygiene: Floss, Toothbrush, Toothpaste (I know this wont last long...), SunScreen (May sound funny but you backpackers know whats up!), Q-Tips, a few cotton balls, Finger Nail Clippers, and finally some Blistex (Good for 101 uses!)
Tools: Leatherman Multi-Tool, Hatchet (I like Bear Grylls honestly, what do you guys think?), Wire Snips (getting past fences etc), Pocket knife, Survival Knife (Something large, full tang, single sided blade, and heavy duty!), Paracord (I have two pieces of 100' each for 1001 uses!), Bankline (Like paracord but thinner, good for 150lbs or so and wayyy lighter/smaller) Fishing line, Fishing hooks, Duct Tape (I unwrapped two pieces of about 20' each and the wrapped them on themselves making them light and very small), Hand Warmers (dont have any, may skip this one), Full face respirator (for the nuclear situation...), Pencil/Pen/Paper, Several Caribiners!, about 20 zip straps/ties, Sewing kit with buttons/thread/needles, Crank Radio (no batteries necessary), Citizen EcoDrive (No batteries and always accurate time), and a dozen ribbed nails (I see value here for some reason), and finally a tow strap (poor choice of color I know. I will be updating with a camouflage one soon.)
Clothes: UnderArmour style pants and long sleeve shirt, Some good heavy duty cargo pants (5.11 tactical, Dickies, etc), 2 Long sleeve Shirts, Winter Coat, Best Boots you can buy (Opinions??), 3 pairs of summer socks (more sweat=more sock changing), 2 pairs of winter socks, 5 pairs of underwear, Work Gloves, Heavy Duty Winter Gloves (Ideas?? I dont have any yet), Winter Hat! gotta keep them ears warm.
Weapons: I am sure this will be controversial for you guys... I have considered the following: Ruger 10/22, AR-15, AR-10, Survival Folding Bow, Henry Survival .22, and a shotgun with various shells. However, I decided to go with the AR-15 for several reasons. I shoot it the best, ammunition is relatively lightweight, and I currently own one lol. Mine weighs just under 6lbs unloaded with no accessories. I have a lightweight scope on it and will be carrying one 30 round mag in it, 2 loaded 30 round mags on my pack, and an additional 80 rounds inside the pack. Standard FMJ .223 is 133.33 rounds per 1 pound of weight, putting me under 2 lbs in rifle ammo. I also have a Glock 19 I have every intention of leaving with if need be. It will be loaded with 15+1, and I currently have 3 extra mags loaded with 15 rounds each and an additional 200 rounds in the pack. 200 rounds of FMJ 9mm weighs about 5.38lbs while the G19 weighs in at 1.31lbs, meaning I will have around 8 lbs of weight for only self defense. Thoughts and opinions here??
Currently this is all housed inside a 5.11 tactical 72-hour pack. I like this bag a lot mostly due to solid and functional hip pads, an aluminum bendable spine, and the ability to attach other smaller packs to it. I am not sure about total weight yet as I have not weighed it, but I am sure some of you will find it too heavy already. It is also not full yet as I am missing a few items. However, I have backpacked with a pack that weighed just over 100lbs before for a few days and about 30 miles worth of walking. It is not the most enjoyable thing, but more than doable.
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