Bug out experiment

[goodlife30]

Not when it really counts you can't.

Well you should practice then. If you are relying on an item exclusive for something say- fire then that's not a good plan. Every culture for thousands of years did not need matches and fire starter kits-what's different now?

 

[goodlife30]

I would also add that 35 pounds is really just some water - 8 lbs a gallon. Some extra clothes and some food. If you think 35 pounds is nothing then hike 12 miles or even better try running as if the doomsdays zombies are chasing you. Add in all the non-essential gear like fire starting. Then weapons and all the other crap. Then it's close to 80 pounds. Probably most people don't go to the gym. So fail.

As for fire. If you are bugging out do you really want to light a fire and let people know you are there? Also food can be eaten cold. As I said before-get your buddies and family and fortify your house. If not grab a bike and water and a weapon and ride to a fortified house. All the edt mobiles and moonbat cars will be clogging the highways.

 

[SeanT]

Plenty of places around to go for a 2-day hike so that part seems easy enough. Rather than finding a place you can carry your rifle though, it might just make sense to weigh it and add the weight to your pack. Sure, you won't get the "shouldered rifle" feel, but you'll get a sense of that weight in conjunction with everything else.

Me? I'm bugging in so my problem is if something happens while I'm at work (70 miles away) where I can't drive such as f'ed traffic or EMP sort of thing. In that case, I'm probably going to be looking to buy/barter a bicycle ASAP just to get home faster.

 

[Hellbound]

I'd take a Bic lighter over a "Katana". Katana? Really? This is all just silly talk now.

 

[Coyote33]

... Me? I'm bugging in so my problem is if something happens while I'm at work (70 miles away) where I can't drive such as f'ed traffic or EMP sort of thing. In that case, I'm probably going to be looking to buy/barter a bicycle ASAP just to get home faster.

So you going to sleep in at the office a few days?

 

[spcantwell]

im sure its been said, but ill add to it. You will get much more bang for your buck by doing it where you actulay plan on walking, not traveling someplace else. as far as carrying, even when SHTF many people subscribe to the reasoning that its best to not openly carry. same as not haveing all cammo gear as it makes you look prepared and a target for people who dont have anything. a hello kitty backpack makes you look like you have nothing worth attacking you for

 

[Coyote33]

A generic Wilson gym bag would probably work well. Sturdy, functional, and unassuming.

 

[Artifact]

Not when it really counts you can't.

I bet he can start a fire in 2 sec rubbing sticks.

Good luck doing that under stress, wasting time and energy, while getting aggravated and impacting your state of mind.

 

[MisterHappy]

This is a great discussion, as it makes one think about one's priorities.

If you want a katana, go for it - if you want to use some sticks to start a fire, cool.

The important thing is to try out you plan, or its components, when failure is an option that's not a catastrophe.

 

[Andy in NH]

Well you should practice then. If you are relying on an item exclusive for something say- fire then that's not a good plan. Every culture for thousands of years did not need matches and fire starter kits-what's different now?

I have practiced it - and every time I do, I am reminded why I carry a primary, secondary, and tertiary methods (lighter, matches, ferro rod and tinder) for starting a fire. The friction-fire skill set is a cute one to master, but you need both hands, the right materials and the right conditions for it to be successful.

The difference now is that (some) humans have accepted the technological advances which makes the critical skill of fire building more efficient and reliable.

As for fire. If you are bugging out do you really want to light a fire and let people know you are there?

I do agree with you on this point.

Although time of year and climatic conditions might make fire building necessary.

 

[enbloc]

.

 

[Artifact]

Before heading out anywhere with all my .... gear and explore the urban jungle _____(SHTF of choice) I would familiarize (actually learning) myself with the region in question. Learn all you need to know about the Flora/Fauna, terrain futures, LandNav, demographics, just to name a few. You can plan all you want and have the best gear etc but it all comes down to actual knowledge and being able to be a master at improvising and using the "above" to your advantage based on your region.

Then, you can graduate to selecting your gear (useful gear) and head on to your designated area/s. As we all know, learned and seen, things don't always go according to plan and the major make or break factor will be adaptation.

 

[SHOCKNAWE]

Im bugging in and defending my house for as long as possible, I think the best plan is to figure out where the hell your going to. Im fairly confident that 99% people would not be able to survive in the woods in the Northeast during Winter, pretty much no chance at all. If you think you need to plan a 3 day walking trip to get somewhere then load your bag with food, water, firekit, knife and carry a couple 2 x 4's nailed together to resemble the weight of a rifle, also tie a 1 person tent and sleeping bag to your pack, dress right for the weather thats probably all you would need to survive 3 days in the bush, anything much longer could probably be stretched into another couple days but it would be absolutely miserable.

I think a better plan for a SHTF scene would be to network a plan with some neighbors or friends to combine resources and plan on whos house you would meet up and what prep you guys want for a home base defense for a bit. Again Im defending my home for as long as possible, if it gets bad enough where you live then chances are its not going to be a good outcome no matter which decision ismade.

 

[Coyote33]

I bet he can start a fire in 2 sec rubbing sticks.

Good luck doing that under stress, wasting time and energy, while getting aggravated and impacting your state of mind.

I have practiced it - and every time I do, I am reminded why I carry a primary, secondary, and tertiary methods (lighter, matches, ferro rod and tinder) for starting a fire. The friction-fire skill set is a cute one to master, but you need both hands, the right materials and the right conditions for it to be successful.

The difference now is that (some) humans have accepted the technological advances which makes the critical skill of fire building more efficient and reliable.

I do agree with you on this point.

Although time of year and climatic conditions might make fire building necessary.

Note to self: Consider bringing 2 Bic lighters, just in case.

 

[OIFer]

I've been hiking the white mountains in NH for 25 years, and have done numerous 10 - 30 mile multi day hikes. I keep simple backpack setups for summer or winter hikes.

My pack and gear is as light and minimalistic as possible, if I don't use something I leave it home. I spend the night on the mountain on occasion, and I carry what I need to survive overnight every time I go deep in the woods. if you've never spent the night out there, I suggest you do, just to take the mystery out of it.

I carry a hennessey hammock, a small but quality $$ sleeping bag, space blanket, small first-aid kit, fleece top and bottoms, rain top and bottoms, socks, jetboil stove, water filter, a small amount of water, food, maps, navigation tools, and of course - a handgun. pack it all in a heavy duty trash bag inside a lightweight pack and your good to go. it all probably weighs in at 25 - 35 pounds depending on the season.

I've walked through swamps, woods, and mountains all over new England with a small pack and a long gun (hunting) and i cant emphasise enough how carrying extra weight ruins an outing. (we wont get into getting lost out there just yet...)

 

[Cero]

I've been hiking the white mountains in NH for 25 years, and have done numerous 10 - 30 mile multi day hikes. I keep simple backpack setups for summer or winter hikes.

My pack and gear is as light and minimalistic as possible, if I don't use something I leave it home. I spend the night on the mountain on occasion, and I carry what I need to survive overnight every time I go deep in the woods. if you've never spent the night out there, I suggest you do, just to take the mystery out of it.

I carry a hennessey hammock, a small but quality $$ sleeping bag, space blanket, small first-aid kit, fleece top and bottoms, rain top and bottoms, socks, jetboil stove, water filter, a small amount of water, food, maps, navigation tools, and of course - a handgun. pack it all in a heavy duty trash bag inside a lightweight pack and your good to go. it all probably weighs in at 25 - 35 pounds depending on the season.

I've walked through swamps, woods, and mountains all over new England with a small pack and a long gun (hunting) and i cant emphasise enough how carrying extra weight ruins an outing. (we wont get into getting lost out there just yet...)

What trails do you recommend? How are you liking the Hennessy? which model do you have. I was deciding between that and the ENO.

 

[OIFer]

I love the hennessy, its an "expedition a-sym zip "

its lightweight, like 2.5 pounds, and you can set it up in any terrain. its comfortable as heck (the ground is invariably rocky and often wet) and they sell a winter sleeping pad made of space blanket material too.
the white mountains are loaded w trails, many leading to the summits of the mountains. while you're exploring 'bugout' ideas you could climb one the 4000 foot mountains and after enjoying the scenery at the summit, decend a ways and go off trail a couple hundred feet and spend the night. don't go too far so u lose the trail, but far enough that you've got some privacy.

grab a map of the "white mountain 4000 footers" from ems etc , and you will see all the trails I'm talking about.

 

[Cero]

I bought the explorer. i did a lot of research on hammocks and chose that one. Hammock sleep systems seem the best option for sleep systems. Light, easy to set up/take down, terrain doesn't matter really great idea. I'll take a look at the trails.

 

[fubar]

PT first , Then gear. " ... Gonna walk 10/twenty/35 miles ... " those of you who actually can do this might agree that most people can not. It's way more fun to shop for cool gear than it is to walk for 6 hours on a Saturday morning with just a snack bar or two and a Nalgene bottle. Never mind all the gear people collect for " buggin out."

After that - mission decides gear.

Is your mission to get somewhere as fast as possible ? , is it to carry a rucksack full of rice to a friends cabin , or is it to patrol search and destroy a convoy of Russian trucks & spray paint ' Wolverines ' on the burning hulks ?

The vague " all my gear is coming with me " is for your truck , not your rucksack or gym bag.

 

[Andy in NH]

Note to self: Consider bringing 2 Bic lighters, just in case.

The "alternate primary" method to be sure!

The truth be told - I generally use a ferro rod most often with some sort of commercial or self-made tinder to get things going.

 

[Prepper]

Note to self: Consider bringing 2 Bic lighters, just in case.

I think lighters are underrated. The two things to keep in mind about them are:

1. They stop working when they are old. This is typically discovered when one is left in a BOB or other pack of camping gear for a while. So, test them.

2. They don't work when it is cold. Put lighter down front of pants for a while to heat it up.

I like to keep a firesteel rod and cotton balls in a zip lock bag with me. It is really easy to ignite them this way, just in case I can't find any good tinder in the wild.

 

[ToddDubya]

I think lighters are underrated. The two things to keep in mind about them are:

1. They stop working when they are old. This is typically discovered when one is left in a BOB or other pack of camping gear for a while. So, test them.

2. They don't work when it is cold. Put lighter down front of pants for a while to heat it up.

I like to keep a firesteel rod and cotton balls in a zip lock bag with me. It is really easy to ignite them this way, just in case I can't find any good tinder in the wild.

Wipe some petroleum jelly on your balls for improved performance.




The cotton balls, that is. They burn longer, giving your fire more time to get going. Just remember to fluff your balls for easier lighting.

I keep an Altoids tin in my pack. It has a lighter or two, a small baggie of dryer lint/petroleum jelly, a firesteel and some matches in a baggie.

Another great firestarter trick (I use them at home all the time) is to fill egg carton cups with dryer lint, then pour melted wax (from your old candle stumps) over the lint. When you want to start a fire just break one cup off and light it. They'll burn for about 5-10 minutes depending on how much wax you use.

 

[Cowgirlup]

If nothing else but to get used to the weight of carrying a pack, this might be a valid exercise. I still don't see the point of bugging out to the woods at all...ever, but not everyone has a secondary bug out shelter I guess.

Back to to the main point though, most people have no idea what it's like to carry a heavily weighted pack for more than a few miles...and from my experience, it's NOT something you can just pick up and do without training.

I'm an experienced backpacker/Marine...and have carried packs with FAR too much garbage in them for training for longer distances than I would have ever wanted. It takes a lot more than you think. Add a flak with sappie plates/Kevlar/and a rifle...you've got a god damn heavy load on your feet.

just for shits...try carrying your rifle around with you tomorrow...just your rifle slung in any confortable configuration you can think of. If you HAVE to put it down, make sure it is within 1 arms distance. Tell me how you feel about your rifle after you have done this. All those mall ninja accessories don't look so cool anymore, eh?

Great post! And just because you used to hike a lot years ago doesn't mean you can carry the same load now. Unless you've managed to stay in peak condition you might not make it. Bodies change and not for the best as you get older. I can't carry the load I used to. I may be trading out my tacticool pack for something more load bearing and better configured to my size. Also rethinking the weight of every item.

Good idea OP to hike around and try out your gear. Not only that but you'll know if your footwear is up to the job.

 

[Prepper]

Another great firestarter trick (I use them at home all the time) is to fill egg carton cups with dryer lint, then pour melted wax (from your old candle stumps) over the lint. When you want to start a fire just break one cup off and light it. They'll burn for about 5-10 minutes depending on how much wax you use.

That's a clever idea and sounds much cheaper than those firestarter things you can get for a wood stove (I forget what they are called... they are the size of a board eraser and burn for about 30 minutes).

 

[goodlife30]

I have practiced it - and every time I do, I am reminded why I carry a primary, secondary, and tertiary methods (lighter, matches, ferro rod and tinder) for starting a fire. The friction-fire skill set is a cute one to master, but you need both hands, the right materials and the right conditions for it to be successful.

The difference now is that (some) humans have accepted the technological advances which makes the critical skill of fire building more efficient and reliable.



I do agree with you on this point.

Although time of year and climatic conditions might make fire building necessary.

Practice making fire. It's not as hard as you think. Also if you but out in the winter bring a dog or spoon with a bud in a sleeping bag. Eskimos used to sleep in a pile of dogs and still do. Fire is a death sentence while trying to bail out. Most winter training is no fire , body heat, hydration and clean socks. Dress in layers and keep moving. Don't sit alone by a fire in woods. Dead man

 

[Andy in NH]

Practice making fire. It's not as hard as you think. Also if you but out in the winter bring a dog or spoon with a bud in a sleeping bag. Eskimos used to sleep in a pile of dogs and still do. Fire is a death sentence while trying to bail out. Most winter training is no fire , body heat, hydration and clean socks. Dress in layers and keep moving. Don't sit alone by a fire in woods. Dead man

I'll be camping again this winter on several occasions.

I look forward to inviting you along so that you can show me how these techniques work.

 

[Coyote33]

Practice making fire. It's not as hard as you think. Also if you but out in the winter bring a dog or spoon with a bud in a sleeping bag. Eskimos used to sleep in a pile of dogs and still do. Fire is a death sentence while trying to bail out. Most winter training is no fire , body heat, hydration and clean socks. Dress in layers and keep moving. Don't sit alone by a fire in woods. Dead man

I'll be camping again this winter on several occasions.

I look forward to inviting you along so that you can show me how these techniques work.

Some interesting back-and-forth here.

 

[Bonesinium]

After reading this thread I've decided to get rid off all my fire starting items that are among the lightest of all items and replaced them with a pile of loud barking dogs that will not only be super stealthy but also keep me warmer than any fire. With any luck, they will also cook my food for me, without fire of course.

 

[spcantwell]

When my biolite stove shows up I'll have to post a pic of me grilling a burger while it charges my kindle...

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