Basic bug out kit

[featherstick]

So what sort of context would you imagine needing to bug out with a machete, basha, water purification tabs, firestarting kit etc. in the UK?

Honestly, I see people detail these expedition-level kitbags and say they take them with them even when they are walking the dog, and I can't imagine what circumstances you'd possibly need them in. Perhaps as a GHB in the Highlands or the Moors, but not in the day-to-day. I sometimes feel that the prepping community is slightly affected by a bit of romanticising about situations and scenarios that are unlikely, to the detriment of people's preps for more likely events. In my own case I had the BOB with knives, paracord, boots, rations, sleeping bag etc. but when you think about it we've had 192,600 housefires in the UK from April 2012-March 2013, and 0 zombie apocalypses. My paracord would have been of little use in dealing with the insurance company.

[Hamradioop]

So what sort of context would you imagine needing to bug out with a machete, basha, water purification tabs, firestarting kit etc. in the UK?

Honestly, I see people detail these expedition-level kitbags and say they take them with them even when they are walking the dog, and I can't imagine what circumstances you'd possibly need them in. Perhaps as a GHB in the Highlands or the Moors, but not in the day-to-day. I sometimes feel that the prepping community is slightly affected by a bit of romanticising about situations and scenarios that are unlikely, to the detriment of people's preps for more likely events. In my own case I had the BOB with knives, paracord, boots, rations, sleeping bag etc. but when you think about it we've had 192,600 housefires in the UK from April 2012-March 2013, and 0 zombie apocalypses. My paracord would have been of little use in dealing with the insurance company.

Para-cord could be used to hold you Tarp in place on the roof after the fire service has damped it all down. Sorry being flippant, for most people their prep for a house fire is insurance and a smoke alarm. Having attended a fire years ago where the male occupant was in the street naked I now keep a change of clothes in My emergency bag along with everything else in there.

[Smudge]

So what sort of context would you imagine needing to bug out with a machete, basha, water purification tabs, firestarting kit etc. in the UK?

Honestly, I see people detail these expedition-level kitbags and say they take them with them even when they are walking the dog, and I can't imagine what circumstances you'd possibly need them in. Perhaps as a GHB in the Highlands or the Moors, but not in the day-to-day. I sometimes feel that the prepping community is slightly affected by a bit of romanticising about situations and scenarios that are unlikely, to the detriment of people's preps for more likely events. In my own case I had the BOB with knives, paracord, boots, rations, sleeping bag etc. but when you think about it we've had 192,600 housefires in the UK from April 2012-March 2013, and 0 zombie apocalypses. My paracord would have been of little use in dealing with the insurance company.

You hold on to that

[PaganPrepper]

Okay so you are allowed 5 items in the most basic of bug out bags. This bag is one which must see you through for most bug out scenarios and is not specific. Bear in mind you will already be carrying your everyday items on your person. What are yours and why?

1) DPM Basha/Tarp - Provides overhead shelter/cover for adverse weather
2) Machete which has fire steel/cotton wool balls in the handle - to chop wood, start fire and build further shelter
3) 30m of pararcord - has many many uses too many to mention
4) £100 cash - can be used to acquire food and possibley shelter
5) Dynamo flash light - no batteries required so sustainable light when required

1) IPK - provide shelter, has 6 sharp aliminum rods + cord as well for traps of improvised weapons / spear to save my knife
2) knive - prepping food, making traps and what not
3) fire kit (oil soaked cotton wool balls and water proof matches) - need heat!
4) dry kit (does this count as one of 2 items - pants + thermal top)
5) hand cranked torch

[dangerman]

Sorry to resurrect this, but I've been away for a while and this thread got me thinking.

Do I need all the stuff that's in my BOB/GHB or whatever it is? Probably not, no. I need to rethink a few things. Might put in some nice clothes rather than tatty ones because, as you say, I may need to still get to work if I had to leave home. Think I'll stick my compact sleeping bag in it too.

But really, my bag is a 25ltr backpack and it has all manner of stuff I will probably never need. It's still small and easy to carry. I'm not a very ingenuitive person and my mentality is that if I would rather have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it.

In fact, just the other day my motorcycle broke down about an hour from home. It's one of the only times I didn't have my EDC with me and my phone was near dead. A nice land lady gave me the use of her phone to call the RAC but I have no money to buy a pint while I waited, no charger for my phone so that I could call my wife and I had no tools to tighten up the battery terminals that caused the bike to stall. Frustrated.

But it could have been worse - I could have broken down at night, in winter and on an A road a long long way away. I learn from this.