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Kits

EDC
Every Day Carry, or EDC for short, is the root of the survivalist kits. Things the survivalist would carry on their person at all times are:
Good quality shoes
6 pocket good quality pants
Pocket Knife, folding and of decent quality
Multi-tool, Leatherman or Gerber
Cell phone
Flash Light
Handkerchief
Carabineer
Altoid PSK

Altoid PSK
The Altoids PSK, or Personal Survival Kit, is popular amongst many survivalists as an absolute last ditch effort kit. The need for a small kit that you would carry with you at all times is something to consider. The theory behind this is a particular scenario that just about anyone could find themselves in. You are in a public building, a church, school, library or whatever, and an earth quake happens. The earthquake shakes the building apart and you barely escape with just a few scratches. You make it outside to try and get to your car only to realize that your car has been buried by a building that has collapsed into the street where you parked. You have nothing but the clothes on your back and the things in your pockets.

This is a very real scenario for those of us in California. It actually happened to a survivalist friend of mine that was living in San Francisco at the time of the 1989 earthquakes. After hearing the story I did some research and this is what my kit currently consists of:

12”x12” ‘Heavy duty’ aluminum foil.
3-Razor blades.
2-Band aids.
4-Alcohol prep pads. (Can also be used as tinder).
Small button compass.
30’ Fishing line. (I prefer Spyder line; can be used as a thread as well.)
6- hooks, 6- sinkers, a couple of different lures.
8’ wire for snares.
Pencil and paper. For sketch maps, notes, etc..
2-Safety pins and 1-yarn needle for sewing.
5’ duct tape wrapped around pencil.
2 pieces Firesticks for kindling. (Substitute Mayan Dust or any other tinder).
12 Waterproof matches w/ striker.
1 spare saw blade from Gerber multi-tool for general cutting.

Get home bag
The get home bag is for those that live in their retreat. This kit is to get you home from places you might travel during the day, so it’s not necessary for it to be as comprehensive as a BOB. The biggest thing is that you take it with you no matter where you go, and always have it right by your side.

The best way to put together a kit is to find a bag you won’t mind carrying with you wherever you go, then start adding things as you go. What I’ve included in my list below is the things that I have added over the years, and while it works for me, I would recommend you add or subtract things as you see fit. Remember that different situations require different things, and the list is going to be somewhat static. The most important thing here is to make it comfortable, and never let the thing get out of your immediate area, ever!
Good sturdy day pack sized backpack
Handheld radio capable of receiving weather channels and local fire/ems/police frequencies
GPS
Compass
Binocs
First Aid Kit
Band-aids
Emergency breathing mask
Tweezers
IB
Bug spray
Gauze
Note pad with all important contact information (in case you lose your cell phone!)
Pencil
Cell Phone
Poncho
Mylar blanket
Hand warmers
Mini Mag-Lite
Extra batteries
Extra Zenon light bulbs
Knives
fixed blade knife
Small folding pocket knife
“Commando” Saw
Dryer lint in film canister
Lighter
Magnesium fire starter
Energy bars
Water Purification Tablets
Clear plastic garbage bag
Mirror
Whistle
Ziploc Bag
Camera
Mini Ranger survival manual
32oz nalgene water bottle
titanium coffee cup
25 feet para cord
Bandana

Bug Out Bag
The Bug Out Bag, or BOB, is a semi-extensive kit for the city dweller, or survivalist who is going to need to get out of their house or retreat in a hurry for whatever reason. Putting together a large backpack full of gear that will provide, food, shelter, water and some comfort is the desire.

Having it ready to go at a moment’s notice and at all times is important. This gives you a better chance of survival than the average person. The BOB is really an extension of the Personal Survival Kit, because it is more detailed. It’s best to have on BOB for each person in the family, and have them all in a convenient place that is easy to get to no matter what.

Possible scenarios where you might need a BOB would be; you live in a flood plain and a nearby levee breaks. You get warning over the radio, but only a matter of a minute or two before things start to get worse; you live in the woods and your neighbor’s house catches fire in the middle of the night. Before anyone even realizes what has happened the house in flames and the trees surrounding it catch on as well. Within a matter of minutes the wind has blown the fire directly to your house. You wake up and look out the window at a fiery disaster; you live on the coast and as you are eating dinner you feel an earthquake. The quake doesn’t feel all too big, but you turn on the local news to see what they have to say. A moment later you hear a warning “Tsunami warning in effect for your area, evacuate to higher ground immediately!”

All of these scenarios are highly probable here in California. There are several others as well, but I think that the point is clear. Be ready to move at a moment’s notice, and have your gear ready as well.

The contents of my Bug Out Bag:
All of the contents of my Get Home Bag
Tent in earth tone colors
Sleeping bag in earth tone colors
BOB first aid kit (see first aid section)
Water purifier (MSR or Katadyn)
Backpacking multi-fuel stove with full fuel canister
Mess Kit
72 hours worth of freeze dried food
.22 caliber rifle or pistol
500 rounds of .22LR
Rifle kit (see guns and ammo section)
Extra Clothes
Extra pair of Boots and socks
Jacket
Night Watchmen’s Cap
Important Documents like birth certificate and insurance papers
Fire starting kit
Baby wipes

The Cache
We can’t carry everything we might need in a bug out scenario, it’s a simple fact. This leads us to the cache. There are generally two types of cache, a buried cache and a hidden cache. For example, a buried cache could be a five gallon bucket, or several for that matter, buried a foot or more below ground and then concealed with foliage. A hidden cache could be anything from a bug out bag stashed in a friend’s garage on the other side of town, to a trailer full of supplies in a self storage unit in another town.

The buried cache is going to be a resupply, so that if you get into trouble along your bug out route you will have some supplies. Generally, the best method here is to fill a bucket with cheaper supplies that would come in handy, but it wouldn’t be an all out kit.

Some things you might put in a buried cache:
Fire steel
Change of clothing
Another pair of boots
Blanket
Rain poncho
Space blanket
Knife
Small tarp
Some para cord
Toilet paper
Rain jacket
Water purification tabs
Water filter straw
Benadryl
Bouillon cubes
2 liter bottles of water
Energy bars
Pull top cans of soup

The hidden cache is for the person who needs to bug out from the city, probably needing to get quite a distance. This cache is probably going to be a trailer that is ready to go, along with several cans of fuel that have been topped off and fuel stabilizer added. If a trailer is too big of an expense, then tubs or totes would make getting the gear from the storage space an easy ordeal.

Kit for the Traveler, with tips
I travel for a living, and have for several years now. I’ve been asked many times what do I do for a kit, when I have to go through airport security? In reality, with the exception of the knives and commando saw, my get home bag is perfectly acceptable to take on the plane as an un-checked bag. I just put them in my checked bag before I go to the airport and all is well.

The main problem for me is that I am often traveling to different countries, and this adds to the situation quite a bit. My biggest fear at this point is being in another country when something bad happens, then when I try to get home I find that the borders have been sealed up and I can’t get to my family. The one point a friend of mine made when we were talking about this, is that there are millions of people who sneak into the country every day. It may not be so hard for me if I set my mind to it.

The other dilemma that I face is the possibility of there being a disaster in the country I am visiting. This could be quite a problem. Being stuck in a foreign place with only a few items and in some cases not even being able to communicate effectively are going to be a big problem.

Luckily, when I travel I have a good core group with me that is trust worthy, and we have solid contacts. Even then, there may be little you can do but hunker down and hope it passes. This is going to be where the mind-set kicks in, and your instincts are what keep you alive. Training is key.

I do recommend always having some cash on your person, but well hidden of course. Both local currency and US dollars is best, because there are times when buying your way out is the only way and credit cards are not accepted. It’s also best to be a member of every VIP Airline club you can get into, because the respect that you get from this might be the difference between a seat out of town or not.

Traveling for a living is not a problem for the survivalist. It’s just a thing that must be prepared for like anything else. Learn to adapt to the challenges that are presented and you can have a lucrative career that has many benefits including more time off, the ability to live where ever you choose and more.