[Foxtrotx1]

Condoms, 6 pack of mikes hard (fruity flavor), water based kiwi strawberry lube, bottles of water, Advil, Cliff bars.

I keep that in the car for the weekends here at ASU.

[quake]

I'm a fan of lists, so my first suggestion would be to make a list of what your family may need during that 72 hours. Specific items for specific people - feminine products, baby formula, diapers, medications, whatever. See what you use in a normal week, and then see how you can distill that list down to something manageable.

Originally Posted by Bilbo Bagins

...1) Some are crazy short on food.

...2) Some people are retarded tactical gearheads.
...60 pounds of useless and redundant gear, along with my 1911 and 6 mags and my AK with 14 mags. Yea sure tubby, let's see you walk a mile with that let alone 50.

Those bear repeating and considering. Recently there was a video posted here of a 72-hour bag that included a 5.7x28 rifle with 1500 rounds of ammunition, recommended an unused (untested) knife since a used (tested) one would be dull (tells me that he can't sharpen a knife), and had what looked like a $8 auto-parts-store LED flashlight; all from a guy who was a good 100 pounds overweight and was noticeably breathing heavier just 6 or 7 minutes into the video demonstrating his "bugout" gear. Dude's gonna fail miserably & painfully if he ever has to actually use what he's planning on using. Not hating on the guy; it's just so sad and common.

Originally Posted by Bilbo Bagins

...What you need to do is check out what "REAL" hikers do. People how have traveled long distance with just what is on their back. Do research on ultralight hiking, people who have done long distance trips or expeditions, even modern day hobos, and get an idea of what they carry with them.

While I'll never truly join the 'ultralight packing' crowd, this also is a very good suggestion imo. Appalacihan trail hikers, rocky mountain hikers, etc, have a lot of hours invested in their activities, and there are a lot of forums & blogs that have massive amounts of info (some good some maybe not) out there.

Learning from others - even others' mistakes - is a very good idea imo; and there are a lot of gear reviews that are worth much more than the time it takes to look them up.

On top of all that, USE and TEST things; and "things" encompasses not just gear, but plans, techniques, and assumptions as well.

[Glocksanity]

Originally Posted by bam1131

Could someone enlighten me on a situation that requires a 20 min or less evac?

I live in Los Angeles, so that would be earthquakes. In 94, a buddy of mine left his apartment after the quake never to return as the building was condemned. What he didn't take he lost...forever.

So, here, it is wise to have a bag that has essentials should you not be able to return to your home.

[Bolster]

Originally Posted by Glocksanity

I live in Los Angeles, so that would be earthquakes. In 94, a buddy of mine left his apartment after the quake never to return as the building was condemned. What he didn't take he lost...forever.

So we're getting 20 minute warnings of earthquakes now? Cool!

[Motown Fire]

Originally Posted by Bolster

So we're getting 20 minute warnings of earthquakes now? Cool!

It's about time

[TangoFoxtrot]

Originally Posted by GRT45

Sootch made a video on his Gun & Gear Reviewer channel that's filled with useful ideas and some recommendations for suppliers of the gear.

Bug Out Bag Survival Bag

That looks like my Maxpedition Malaga Gearslinger bag. Great product. I use mine as a GHB.

[RatDrall]

OP: Figure what you'd need to spend a few days in a hotel, on a friend's couch, in your car, in the woods, or in an alley. Then make sure it doesn't get too heavy (no more than 25 lbs) and you know how to use everything in the bag.

First aid
Water
Shelter
Warmth
Food

A lot of people pack a huge ruck full of stuff that they don't need, don't know how to use, and can't physically carry to the end of their driveway and back without getting winded. Have to remember that the 72 hr bag is not about being comfortable, it's about not dying for a few days.

Knowing my limits, my bag weighs less than 25 lbs loaded, with water. I keep non-essentials, like spare clothing etc. in a duffel bag next to my 72 hour bag. If I'm in a car, or just running out the door due to a fire or gas leak or whatever, I'll drag the duffel along. If I have to continue on foot, the duffel gets left behind. Layers FTW.

Originally Posted by Bilbo Bagins

2) Some people are retarded tactical gearheads. I need a Maxpedition backpack with zero lumbar support, and I need to carry 60 pounds of useless and redundant gear, along with my 1911 and 6 mags and my AK with 14 mags. Yea sure tubby, let's see you walk a mile with that let alone 50. Seriously, to a hiker or even those in the military, these Geardo BOBs have the mentality of an Airsofters in the firearm world.

Originally Posted by Bilbo Bagins

1) Some are crazy short on food. A pound of food per person per day should be the rule of thumb. If you really think you are going to walk 50 miles on 6 granola bars for a family of Four you are sadly mistaken. You will turn into a zombie looter on day two.

...

What you need to do is check out what "REAL" hikers do. People how have traveled long distance with just what is on their back. Do research on ultralight hiking, people who have done long distance trips or expeditions, even modern day hobos, and get an idea of what they carry with them.

I disagree about the food. I've gone almost a week eating next to nothing before, doing quite a bit of physical activity, but took in enough calories to not feel weak. This is where the dense calorie/ration bars come in handy. You won't feel full, but you also won't feel weak because those ration bars are full of fat and sugar and vitamins.

The hobos you mentioned don't have 1 lb of food per day on their back. They make do with very little, or find food as they go.

What people pack too little of is water, because most have no clue how to make what water they find drinkable.

[Dexters]

Originally Posted by RatDrall

The hobos you mentioned don't have 1 lb of food per day on their back. They make do with very little, or find food as they go.

It probably isn't a SHTF situation if people can find food as they go along. Sound like the internet went out.

Originally Posted by RatDrall

What people pack too little of is water, because most have no clue how to make what water they find drinkable.

True

[quake]

Originally Posted by RatDrall

...I disagree about the food. I've gone almost a week eating next to nothing before, doing quite a bit of physical activity, but took in enough calories to not feel weak. This is where the dense calorie/ration bars come in handy. You won't feel full, but you also won't feel weak because those ration bars are full of fat and sugar and vitamins.

The hobos you mentioned don't have 1 lb of food per day on their back. They make do with very little, or find food as they go.

What people pack too little of is water, because most have no clue how to make what water they find drinkable.

Valid points as well. A lot of folks swing both ways on too much food or even none at all; both are mistakes imo. I only carry four actual "meals" in my ghb pack; four of the supposed two-serving mountain house packages. Do have some other small stuff like jerky sticks & coffee, but not a ton of food.

I don't want to "have to" find food as I go, but it's usually do-able, and wouldn't be a concern for half a week or so anyway.

On water, another good point. More important than food; but in our area is almost never difficult to find, and once found is easy enough to make potable. I carry a voyageur purifier and potable aqua tabs both, and if all else fails there's the boiling approach. (I also carry the secondary potable aqua tabs to reduce the iodine taste; not really necessary, but just a comfort thing for me personally.) In addition to the bottled water I keep for daily use in the back seat, my ghb pack has three (empty) stainless water bottles, and those combined with the purifier, tablets & boiling more than serve my needs.

That said, one of the water bottles isn't actually empty - that's where the jerky sticks are kept; but they can easily be removed & transferred to pockets to free up the bottle for water use. The bottle just makes a handy, airtight place to keep them.

If a person's area is dry or saltwater only, etc, they should have a much different water approach than our area requires.

[FireForged]

I live in the rural Southland and normally keep a emergency bag in the truck box. This bag also doubles as a camp bag.

Here are just some basic contents. I am a very minimal kind of person in that I dont have many redundant items.

Fireforge bullet points:

e- energy (food water)
82oz water (water bladder and canteen)
1 datrex food brick (16 bars)
3 cans tuna (pull top)
1 very small jar peanutbutter

e- Environment
french shelter half (basically a large triangle tarp with lanyard rings. Bic lighters in a hard case, cotton balls, fire steel, gortex rain poncho, boots, dickies brand coveralls, flexlite mesh cap

e- Enemy
defenseive tool of choice

i- Injury
personal med kit

u- utility
75ft 550 para cord
10 ft duct tape
6 towelettes
2 cr123 batteries
Fenix LED flashlight
folding knife
fixed blade knife
steel cup & stove (fits on bottom of canteen)
boyscout spork
water filter
TP


Weight under 25 pounds

Currrent Bag
LApolicegear $79 generic pack
(2) Maxpedition EDC pocket organizers

retired bag was a alice pack and ziplock baggies... Worked just fine but got tired of the straps cutting into my shoulders on long hikes.

[Glocksanity]

Originally Posted by Bolster

So we're getting 20 minute warnings of earthquakes now? Cool!

Nope. But when the earthquake hits, you duck and cover and when the shaking stops, you might need to get out and you may never be let back in. That is when you need a bag you can grab and go and say goodbye.

[redbrd]

First off I don't keep a bug out bag... currently. I don't have a specific senario to pack for.
When I did I subscribed to a pretty spartan list as weight matters. Pair of socks, extra t-shirt, water (camel back resevior), multitool, GPS/map/compass, credit card, cash, powerbars, and basic first aid. Those are the basics. Circumstances dictate the rest.

[Just1More]

I love the people who are unable to imagine a situation where they might need to leave their house quickly.

[DustyJacket]

Don't forget your towel, you hoopy frood:

“A towel, [The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy] says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-boggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.”
― Douglas Adams

Yes, I am thinking of a bag to grab in case of fire or tornado, yet secure enough so someone is not likely to get it and all the documents in it like birth certificates, copied of drivers licenses, etc.