# Newcomer with a few questions..



## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

Hello all,

This will do for my introduction post I suppose. I have been doing a lot of research on edc, bags, and prepping the past few weeks and decided it was time to join a community so I am able to ask questions and learn some new things. Possibly contribute as well.

I will jump right in with my questions.

I was watching YouTube videos on bug out bags when I came across a video with a military officer talking about why people should drop the bug out bag and go for a far more incognito ''S.N.A.P'' bag. I will link the video below. Anyways, after all the research I have done and getting ready to make my own bag this video made me stop and think. Is this the right think to do? Should I maybe pack a insanely small bag with only absolute essentials if that? I would just like to hear others opinions on this topic and the video itself considering it was what caused me to think this way.

The only other question I have is quite simple. I know of Get Home Bags and Bug Out Bags. What are some other staples I should consider having around to be completely prepared?

Thanks in advance for any responses.


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

The video cut out on me after about one minute. Each of the various acronyms, Bug Out Bag (BOB) Get Home Bag (GHB) I'm Never Coming Home (INCH) Every Day Carry (EDC) implies a different situation and having a corresponding bag ready to go. What you need corresponds to your particular situation and you should tailor whatever emergency bags you set up for yourself and your family accordingly.

For instance, I have concluded that members of my family (4 adult drivers) are more likely to experience a problem away from home than at home and I have put together GHBs for every car with the thought that one of us could be caught in a blizzard (BTW: it is snowing as I type this.) or other weather event and require several days of supply to get home. In the event something happens at home, the GHBs are already in the car, so any BOB is a supplement to the bag that is already in the car. If something happens at home where we need the bags at home, we can just haul them in from the cars.

But that's my family. You may not be so car centric in your lifestyle, and have different needs, e.g. small children to worry about. You should really use the videos and the Bug Out Bag section of this forum as sources of ideas. Then think through what sort of emergency bags you need for your family and lifestyle. Also, don't get the idea that this is a one time exercise. You may get the bags all done and then run across a good idea that you weren't aware of previously. Change the bag contents. It's your bag! You can put whatever you want in it!

Now the bit of video that I saw the guy was talking about the weight of the bag. How far are you going to carry this thing? My concern was a blizzard. I don't want to abandon my car. I want to camp out in the car until the blizzard passes. I'm not walking anywhere if I can avoid it. I can pack a bit heavy. If someone else figures on walking 30 miles in an emergency, they have a different situation. Again, what is your most likely scenario? Go from there. Try to cover either evacuating your home, being trapped in your home, or getting home and emergencies serious enough that you won't get outside assistance for 3 days.


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## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

Diver,

Thanks for the post. I found it very insightful and helpful. 

The video brought up some things that made me think. I was thinking about the possibility of having to travel with the bag of course for possibly extended periods of time. Also, carrying a large bag with lots of supplies can make you a target which was what I mostly took from the video. Someone might want to hurt you or possibly even kill you in a disaster scenario for your bag. 

I can't say that this is something that I feel that I may encounter but it is a scenario that I would consider when building a bag. I wanted to hear how others felt about how necessary it is and to what degree it should be practiced.

Thanks again for your post. Very helpful for a beginner such as myself.


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## warrior4 (Oct 16, 2013)

It is a good video actually. When I started prepping I didn't think to myself "I think an asteroid is going to hit so I need a years worth of food and a bunker right now." I looked around and said more than likely the most common situation I'd find myself in is multiple days without power due to weather, so that's what I started prepping for. Right now I've hit my first goals and am starting to work on bigger preps. I like the idea of what this video says, have some extra supplies with you in case something goes wrong and not necessarily a SHTF event. 

If you're walking down an urban street with a huge internal frame backpack stuffed full of gear then yes you'll probably raise some eyebrows and potentially make yourself more of a target. However many people carry around regular sized backpacks, large hand bags, satchels, computer bags. Things like that are not out of place and usually raise no alarms thus being able to more easily blend into the crowd so you're not singled out.

As a new prepper you're going to find a lot of ideas and opinions on what you should have, how you should carry it, how much you should have, etc. Frankly it'll really come down to what are your needs and how do you think you can best accomplish those needs? Then make sure you're comfortable and familiar with what you have so you know how to use it when the situation comes.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Welcome to the forums.

What you call the bag is irrelevant, what is in the bag is important. Why are you preparing? Is there a specific scenario that you determine will most likely happen to you and what can you do to be ready? That's how we look at it.

Search some of the threads here on the Prepper Forum and you'll find some excellent ideas. Good luck


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

We consider what we need for the situation at hand and adjust accordingly. Much of our mobile preps are divided into small bags. These provide organization, the ability to pick what you need, and better water resistance if we stick it into the main bag and the main bag gets wet. Or the smaller bags can be put in the bicycle panniers if we're moving that way.

For example: Regular commuting, to work or the BOL or shop: we've got a bag in each car that just lives there. First aid, small tool selection, enough supplies to get home on, emergency poncho for rain, small water filter, space blanket for heat. Going to be using power tools at the BOL? Toss in the bigger trauma bag. Going on a trip? Make sure the backpack's got mosquito repellent and sunscreen in the summer and extra warm unders in the winter; the rest of the stuff lives in the bag full time and that bag stays in our main car much of the time. A separate smaller pack holds food, so we can toss it in the car for trips and not have it exposed to the heat and cold by staying in the car.

We find the less we have to consider before every little trip, the more often we actually have the stuff with us when we need it. Most of our preps aren't about the low-probability events; we think a lot about more mundane issues such as having a vehicle stop going when we're in a remote location or having an unexpected need to fix something (including a human).


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## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

I appreciate everyone's posts. Glad to have received so many helpful responses.

Maybe I am thinking about this too much. I imagine (correct me if I am wrong) that the best I should do. Is to assess the possible situations that can happen at where I am or where I am going and pack a bag accordingly. I also imagine that the weight and discreteness of the bag should also be based on my situation. Maybe someone can post some example situations where I would need a more discrete bag and one where it would not matter.

I suppose that in my mind I am trying to think of a perfect balance of weight and discreteness in a bag with the things I need in it. Also, trying to be prepared for every possible scenario. I guess this may be just a bit much right now.

Again, thanks for the posts. I am happy to be part of such a great community.


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

VirileAgitur said:


> Diver,
> 
> Thanks for the post. I found it very insightful and helpful.
> 
> ...


Personally, I think the whole idea of having to fend off an attack is not much of a concern during the first three days unless you live in downtown Detroit. I do agree with the idea that you don't want to be conspicuous. I'm sure you'll find plenty of people here who will disagree with me and explain why you need 30 lbs of ammo, but the vast majority of times when your BOB/GHB/whatever will be used will be short term emergencies ranging from car accidents to hurricanes. There is really no point in being prepared for some extreme event but not being able to take care of the short term stuff that happens to everyone.

Once you have your bag(s) in place, then you can worry about extending the time you can go without help and the variety of scenarios you can get through comfortably.

As for the video, if it made you think then it served its purpose. It can make you think and you may still decide you have different needs.


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## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

Thanks Diver again.

I was also sitting and thinking about something else. It is becoming harder for me to see the big difference in these bags. I understand that some are for a longer period of time. But that just seems to be a food supply issue. One might need more food than the other, or one might not need none at all. They all seem to need water, emergency shelter, food. What are the big differences in the bags? What makes one possibly 10 pounds and the other 40? What are things that may need to be in one bag and not the other? I have read some of your posts about some of the different things you can carry. But I am not seeing the big difference and the need to have many different bags.

I am not trying to state any facts here. I am just briefly saying how I am seeing and just looking for some insight. Excuse my ignorance, I am only wanting to learn.

Thanks.


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

VirileAgitur said:


> Thanks Diver again.
> 
> I was also sitting and thinking about something else. It is becoming harder for me to see the big difference in these bags. I understand that some are for a longer period of time. But that just seems to be a food supply issue. One might need more food than the other, or one might not need none at all. They all seem to need water, emergency shelter, food. What are the big differences in the bags? What makes one possibly 10 pounds and the other 40? What are things that may need to be in one bag and not the other? I have read some of your posts about some of the different things you can carry. But I am not seeing the big difference and the need to have many different bags.
> 
> ...


The different names are just shorthand for what you are observing. Your needs are going to depend on your situation. The guy who works 5 miles from home doesn't need the same GHB as the guy who works 50 miles from home. Nobody has umpteen bags. One per family member typically. Two not uncommon. Once you have the bag together it doesn't matter what you call it. I usually use the term BOB to refer to any of them even though my bags are more GHB in terms of how I expect them to get used.

What drives the weight is what you decide you need, not what you call the bag. My bags have cold weather clothing in them. That stuff is heavy. Somebody in Florida isn't going to need that.


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

You just can't have both 'light' and 'prepared for everything'. So I think you're right on with the 'consider the situations likely and pack accordingly' approach. My car bag doesn't have shelter, beyond a poncho and space blanket, for example. On its trips, I can either sleep in the car (blanket always in the trunk) or walk home. The big backpack we keep in our main travel car has a couple of sleeping bags, space blankets for waterproof ground cover, tarp, and paracord so we could rig a shelter if need be. My car bag doesn't have a change of clothes; the main bag has one. Neither has spare boots, but I keep my spare pair of snow boots in my car in the winter.


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

I don't have an EDC bag. I have pockets though. I carry a gun, one extra mag, a zippo, and a small leatherman. I asked myself, "Self, what items have you wished you had over the last 10 years?" Pliers, screwdriver, lighter, and a small knife was all I could come up with, so that's all I carry.

My "BOB" is basically my camping stuff. So I packed everything I thought I might need, then went camping for 3 days.

When I got home, I sorted everything into one of 4 piles...

1... Stuff I actually used a lot

2... Stuff I used rarely and could have lived without.

3... Stuff I carried for no apparent reason.

4... Stuff I carried, but didn't use because it was for emergencies and I didn't have an emergency. This was the spare food and first aid stuff mostly, plus some stuff to make snares and a small emergency fishing kit, some back up clothing, and a few other odds and ends. No, I didn't use these items, but still want to have them just in case.

After sorting, I re-packed piles 1 and 4 and left the rest out. My BOB got much easier to carry.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I have GHB's in each vehicle as well as BOB's. I have found that I am continuously revising and or upgrading them all. Considering weight and actual need. I still have all but in much different configurations then when I started. This is something you will do also over time. You will adjust to your needs, location and contingencies. The main thing is you started. You have a plane and are going forward with it. You are now way ahead of most people. Welcome aboard and stay involved here. You will find a lot of useful info here and a lot of ideas.


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## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

I can't think of any other questions I have for the time being. Glad that the community is tolerant of beginners and their questions. Lots of places have no tolerance for any ignorance at all. 

Thanks,
VA


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## BagLady (Feb 3, 2014)

Hi VA. Welcome aboard. You posed a good point that I had not thought of before. That being, the BOB being obvious enough to draw attention.
I just thought of something a woman or a man could use. A baby carrier. The kind you strap onto your chest or back. It would be easy enough to sew any openings shut, and still make it look like your carrying a baby.
Have you started any food and water preps to store at home yet?


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## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

BagLady said:


> Hi VA. Welcome aboard. You posed a good point that I had not thought of before. That being, the BOB being obvious enough to draw attention.
> I just thought of something a woman or a man could use. A baby carrier. The kind you strap onto your chest or back. It would be easy enough to sew any openings shut, and still make it look like your carrying a baby.
> Have you started any food and water preps to store at home yet?


Hey there!

I can't say I have yet. I am compiling my research and will begin to do so soon. I have been saving gatorade bottles. We have free water where I am so filling those up will be a free way to stockpile water.


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## BagLady (Feb 3, 2014)

VirileAgitur said:


> Hey there!
> 
> I can't say I have yet. I am compiling my research and will begin to do so soon. I have been saving gatorade bottles. We have free water where I am so filling those up will be a free way to stockpile water.


2-litre soda bottles are good to use too. One thing I recommend, is the "Life Straw". It's only $20, and is for sterilizing water when your on the go. Lightweight. Easy to carry.


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## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

BagLady said:


> 2-litre soda bottles are good to use too. One thing I recommend, is the "Life Straw". It's only $20, and is for sterilizing water when your on the go. Lightweight. Easy to carry.


Good idea! I looked into the ''Life Straw'' filter. Looks nice, I am not familiar with filters or even how they work. Does the straw work well? I guess what I worry about is how filtered the water becomes. I see expensive filters and wonder what is the point is they all filter 99% of contaminants. Maybe you can clarify.


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## BagLady (Feb 3, 2014)

VirileAgitur said:


> Good idea! I looked into the ''Life Straw'' filter. Looks nice, I am not familiar with filters or even how they work. Does the straw work well? I guess what I worry about is how filtered the water becomes. I see expensive filters and wonder what is the point is they all filter 99% of contaminants. Maybe you can clarify.


It makes river, pond, stream water safe to drink. You want to be as safe as possible if your in a travel situation. And, You know, even most peoples tap water has something in it that shows up under the microscope.
What State are you in?


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## VirileAgitur (Feb 26, 2015)

BagLady said:


> It makes river, pond, stream water safe to drink. You want to be as safe as possible if your in a travel situation. And, You know, even most peoples tap water has something in it that shows up under the microscope.
> What State are you in?


I am in Georgia.


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

Filters differ in a few ways: How much water they can filter before being degraded. How long it takes to filter water, and how easy it is. What stuff they remove: pretty much everything removes cells (bacteria and protists) but some also remove organic molecules. Whether they can tolerate some 'junk' in the water (particles big enough to see). Whether you can backflush them to clean them out easily if they get clogged. How durable they are.

I like the lifestraw as a carry filter (dip up some pond water, run it through a clean t-shirt to get out the muck, put it in a water bottle, suck it through the straw and you're good), but I wouldn't want to have to use it for a lot of water for home use.


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## James L (Feb 7, 2015)

VirileAgitur said:


> Hey there!
> 
> I can't say I have yet. I am compiling my research and will begin to do so soon. I have been saving gatorade bottles. We have free water where I am so filling those up will be a free way to stockpile water.


I would only use containers that held water to store water long term. The plastic can absorb proteins found in milk, juice, and soda regardless of how well you wash and clean them out. Hence I would NOT use milk containers....soda containers....etc.

Don't use milk jugs to store emergency water | TBO.com and The Tampa Tribune


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## CourtSwagger (Jan 3, 2013)

Virile- at the end of the day, there are a million different bags/projects. Don't get overwhelmed. Decide what the first thing you want to preps for, and do it. Don't get distracted by seeing other things you want to prepare for. Once you "finish" with your project, put it on. Walk around with it. Test it out. Chances are you will immediately come up with several ways to tweak it. I find that each of my preps are constantly evolving. I am always tweaking things. Once you feel pretty good about your first project, the second project will probably spring form that. For example, in building BOB I realized that it was pretty big for EDC so my next project was building an EDC bag. That led to more tweaks of BOB and then building similar items tailored to my wife. That led to the next project. There is no finish line and Don't think I'll ever be 100% finished with any of it.


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## warrior4 (Oct 16, 2013)

I started my water preps using 2L soda bottles, however after looking around I came to the decision that it'll be easier to buy some 2gallon water containers from the grocery store. They're made to store water, have a hand pour spout, and a "best used by" date to make it easier to know when to rotate them. I would occasionally buy one when I had some extra money at the grocery store till I had the amount of water I needed for my goal. I then got rid of the 2L bottles I was using. I also stopped using 2L bottles so I can turn them in for the deposit we get back from them in Michigan to help offset my food costs. So that's also something to consider as well.


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