I bet you didnt think about THAT!!

Don't forget your paddle.
You don't want to be up s#!ts creek without it.

Seriously, Most people will look to set up camp near rivers or waterways, and fashioning yourself a raft or small canoe would be a good way to travel long distances or reach good fishing holes. You'll need a decent paddle. Field shovels are pretty dependable, just be sure to tether it to your arm since shovels don't float.

Originally posted by SevenBeans

Good thread.

Mine is related to yours.

I wear contacts, I'm blind w/o them... doesn't matter how great my B.O.B and skills etc. etc. are, if I can only see a foot in front of me I'm in deep doo-doo.

Contacts and glasses aren't very durable.

My suggestion (rather than stockpiling spare contacts and glasses) is to get laser surgery... eyes that work.

Yes! I cannot see either without my contacts or glasses. I have four pair of classes put away that I got from one of those cheap internet eye glasses sites. I thought about Laser but it doesn't work for some people, and you end up still needing glasses and not being able to see well at night.

My one this is a bandana. It cane be used for so many things. A sweat rag, hat for a bald man, bra for the skinny ladies, lol, a face cover for dust or whatever, bandage for wounds....the list is endless, and you can buy a pack of 6 or so for 2 bucks. We have a bunch, and use them all the time now as it is. I think it's a must have.

reply to post by Talltexxxan

Yep, I've had safety glasses (tinted) leather gloves and solid waterproof gortex lined boots in my kit since day one.
I didn't think I would be sleeping on the job...

reply to post by eccentriclady


I'm an old man now, but I had the good fortune to have been raised by a grand father who knew how to survive in the forest. We would go fishing and hunting in all sorts of weather, "to toughen the kid up" he said. I will admit that old man saved my butt more times than I can count.

I would advise everyone to get a copy of the " Foxfire" books. They are available on line now.

Firefox Books: 1-3 -1972 Series of Books on Mountain living How-to's on PDF
www.megaupload.com...

Firefox Books:4 & 5 as well
www.megaupload.com...

I bought up a collection as they came out over the years. They have more information about living than you will ever need; at least I hope so.

There are a few things which they don't cover, however.

Like boiling water in a straw basket -- Making flower from, the right type, acorns -- Stopping the pain of a toothache, even for a teething baby. These are things that can best be learned from the old people who hand them down.

I'd make some gun(s) into wrist gauntlets, bullet proof armor? Pfff too weak, a whole suit of carbon fibre armor (light but strong) a helmet with a solar powered radio. That would be the stuff I'd wear, no holes in my eyes...or chest. Also a little experiment that shoots electricity and stops muscle movement, but that's illegal and don't want to talk about it, for obvious reasons.

but many situation need different gear. Like zombies, pretty much the armor I have would do, more weapons needed.

Invasion of another country? I'd have to find other people, cause I'm not a one-man army. I'm cool and all but a bullet through the teeth will shut anyone up any day.

I like the survival idea cause working for a living sucks ass, especially in a government that rips you off hardcore. Live off the land, solar and wind energy, make your own big@$$ telescope. Use hydrogen fuel for a mimi rocket to out a mini sat in low earth orbit for experiments.

A government that cannot govern itself says alot about the people in that country. What a big fat joke


Alien invasion...well no hope there were screwed.

I like this thread.....it will so to speak nail the door shut tight....

The comment on stuff that will be interesting for trade is one to take very seriously. You can prepare what you want but there will come a time that you need something from somebody else. If you take that in mind you can keep track on where the christian community will set-up tent.....they will give you whatever you need for free....just joking.

Medicine will indeed be a good idea to have for trade. Stuff like Ibuprofene...a painkiller/ anti-infection, water-purifiers....hell...condoms...(for keeping stuff dry ofcourse. These items are small, light and therefore can be bought in big quantity.

If the world will be in shatters big time there will come a point where your knowledge will be valuable. Being in possesion of a book which contain the various weeds, plants and trees that can be used for medicine will be a life-saver.

Also somthing not for just physical survival is psychological survival.

A good sized novel. Not an informational book but a fiction book.
If all the books you have with you are about survival or informational, all thats gonna do is keep your mind on the hell that has broken loose around you. There are gonna be times in a SHTF situation where your gonna want "hold up" in your spot for awhile and if you dont have somthing to engage your imagination, you will go bat (snip) crazy.

Keeping your sanity is VERY important.

Originally posted by Afterthought
reply to post by Talltexxxan

 

The only plant I can think of that would work as a disinfectant is a shrub called Witch Hazel. I'm sure most people are familiar with it. It grows in the northeast US, but I'm not sure what other plants might do the same thing that grow elsewhere.

Clove oil.. from cloves i think also works to prevent toothache, tea tree oil is a disinfectant, vinegar and lemon juice too.

How about an oven mitt or some type of welding gloves to handle cookware, burns on the hands can affect a lot of what you do out there. I'd go with goggles instead of safety glasses, they pull tighter to the face, less apt to fall off with the strap holding them to your head.

reply to post by Talltexxxan


Everybody should have a survival bag. Go to an army navy store and cvs and spend about 500$.... should get you most of what you need. Now anything in particular. well i've stocked up on 5 hour energy's, they'll be like crack when shtf! oh yeah, and meal replacement cookie dough bars too!

reply to post by Talltexxxan

A means of starting a fire,a top quality collapsible entrenching tool,an alpha industries parka, or similar,guitar strings for snares,(and close quarters weapons),the best quality blade that you can get your hands on(Personal choice is an old soviet army issue combat knife) and most importantly,indestructible footwear will be top of my list.

Oh I have thought about it. Blood pressure or heart medication.

Duct tape and Panty Hose.

Anti-Fungal Cream, a really good magnifying glass, canning lids, there's so many items we take for granted because they are so readily available.
It seems alot of folks want to talk about what to include in a Bug Out Bag, but nobody seems to want to consider long term survival items, eventually you would want to make soaps, can and store food, some kind of shelter, etc.

I usually wear a hat with a bill on it, and although it's tilted, i can still see in front of me, tilted to push small branches to the side/down/etc. As for large branches and what not, those are seen coming, so no need to resort to a hat to deflect said branches; however, when it comes to running, or night time, I stick my hand out in front of me as a guide (learned to do that since I was a kid, running through, and away from persons, through the woods and was a clotheslined by a tree branch/limb)

If you have bad eyesight and want to cure yourself permanently and naturally and free use an eye chart!

www.wellnesshour.net...

The only thing is that this picture is wrong, if you decide to print this out , use it upside down from how the site has it.

Originally posted by dreamingawake
Goggles: can never have enough, or not have at least a few pairs.

For us women; chocolate or cocoa mix the like, still trying to find a way to preserve better from melting and more!

edit on 26-7-2011 by dreamingawake because: (no reason given)

Justa FYI, I was at the local health food store and saw powdered chocolate and powdered peanut butter! Never saw that before other than freezedried.. this was actually in a glass jar. Much to heavy for a BoB, but a neat idea. just get some mylars and o2 absorbers and repackage. I bought some out of curiosity and it tastes AMAZING.

You can freeze dry at home too... bucket and dry ice. Just google it for instructions and amounts/techniques. Ive been experimenting with different things out of my garden and some venison.. pretty cool results.

anyway, here is the link if youre interested.
store.bellplantation.com...

Oh yeah, I use a canadian pharmacy called "inhouse pharmacy" for a few things. You can get prescription antibiotics and etc there as well without a prescription. No narcotics obviously and look up the laws concerning what you can and cant import here.. and the amounts. I have a nice stock of antibiotics... orals and topicals... and etc. FYI.. dont just take stuff.. go to a Dr and know what you need first. Then pay MUCH less at inhouse!

Originally posted by Advantage

Originally posted by dreamingawake
Goggles: can never have enough, or not have at least a few pairs.

For us women; chocolate or cocoa mix the like, still trying to find a way to preserve better from melting and more!

edit on 26-7-2011 by dreamingawake because: (no reason given)

Justa FYI, I was at the local health food store and saw powdered chocolate and powdered peanut butter! Never saw that before other than freezedried.. this was actually in a glass jar. Much to heavy for a BoB, but a neat idea. just get some mylars and o2 absorbers and repackage. I bought some out of curiosity and it tastes AMAZING.

You can freeze dry at home too... bucket and dry ice. Just google it for instructions and amounts/techniques. Ive been experimenting with different things out of my garden and some venison.. pretty cool results.

anyway, here is the link if youre interested.
store.bellplantation.com...

Thanks, Ive wondered how to freeze dry my own food. I guess I never bothered to google it.

*Star* for you expanding my knowledge.