A High-Mobility 72 Hour Kit

03/24/2010 | noumenon

[Noumenon]

Most of this gear is off-the-shelf and relatively cheap. Check out Cabela’s, CheaperThanDirt.com or SportsMansGuide.com for the best deals.

Assumptions:

1. Civil unrest ensues.

2. Communications go down.

3. You may have to fight your way out of wherever you are. or on the way to your destination.

4 You may have to abandon your vehicle

5. You may have to walk to a prearranged safe place or rendezvous/rally point.

6. You will move quickly and not ‘camp out’. Rest, yes. Camp, no.

7. The weather may suck - majorly. Hot, cold, wet, snowy.

Strategy assumes that you may lose your backpack and/or your sling bag. Or that you may not have time to suit up, and that you can only grab your sling bag/backpack and weapons. Try to wear a pair of decent hiking shoes or durable shoes in case you can’t put your boots on in time.

First layer – Combat Uniform

I prefer the old 80’s era Swiss Alpenflage. Cheap and readily available (or used to be), works great for the inland Pacific NW environment. Rig for your area and circumstances.Strongly recommend good boots and a PASGT helmet with appropriate cover. Plenty of PASGT gear on eBay if you don’t have any. This is what works for my area. Think it through and pack what will work for your circumstances. The important thing is to have comfortable, durable clothing that you can wear for days.

Your pockets/belt will hold the following essential items:

1. Strike-anywhere matches in a waterproof case.

2. BlastMatch with tinder of some sort.

3. Maps or even Jeppesen charts are very useful. You should also do a custom Google map of your E&E routes. You DO have more than one route, eh?

4. Compass In a worst case scenario, you may not be able to rely upon a GPS device. Learn how to follow a compass bearing. You can guide yourself through thickly forested areas, featureless winter landscapes, foggy sagebrush areas, etc.

5. LED Flashlight and extra batteries. Use what works best for you. Carry at least two.

6. Energy bar(s). Something’s better than nothing.

7. Extra Clothing Layer. Poncho and/or parka. This could also be a mylar emergency blanket. Area / climate / season specific. A poncho will fold up into one of your pockets.

8. Sunglasses.

9. First Aid Kit. Carry basic first aid supplies such as sterile gauze and pads, Band-Aids, moleskin, etc

10. Knife / multi-tool Preferably one of each. An extra knife on a lanyard around your neck is good insurance.

11. Water and the means to carry it. Adopt/adapt for your circumstances.

12. Water purification tablets don’t take much room, either.
13. Wire saw. Notch a stick at each and lodge the saw's end rings in the notches and you've got a serviceable bow saw.

Extras if you’ve got the pockets or the inclination:

1. Small radio w/extra batteries. 22+ mile range/NOAA combo preferable. If you’ve made arrangements with others to meet up, that type of radio can be invaluable. But be secure about using one, though. Keep your plans confined within a small trusted circle.

2. 25-50 ft of parachute cord. Whatever fits. Very useful.

I’ve left off fishing kit and items like that because you’re probably not going to have the time for fishing and in any case, you have room for that sort of thing in either your sling bag or your small backpack. I’ve also not included magazines and ammo, because you’re probably going to be carrying that elsewhere.

Practice and test. Finally, when you’ve got that all together, field test it. See how fast you can get it all on, boots and helmet included. Do it again and again. Then do it at least once a week. Try walk, trot, run and see what rattles. Quiet the rattles. Then roll down an embankment, throw yourself down flat, crawl through brush, tumble if you’re capable and see what you’ve got left. Walk, trot, run. Still quiet? Good.

Second layer – Sling Bag

The sling bags offered by places like Cheaper Than Dirt and Sportsmans Guide are great. They’re easily snatched up and the contents will afford you an extra day or two of operations in the field. Plenty of webbing attachments for your customization pleasure. The premise is that even if you don’t have time to suit up, you can still grab your rifle and the sling bag and make a decent go of it. I wear mine on the left, since I’m a right-hander. The one I use also has a waist strap to keep it from flapping in the breeze. To a certain extent, I replicate the essentials listed above in the bag and the list below reflects that. But it differs in some details and sports a few additions. Ammo, for instance. I hang a 3 magpouch on it for my AR carbine, and there’s more ammo and an extra rifle/pistol in the bag. There’s an extra 15 round 10mm mag in there as well. Again, you’re not looking to camp out – you want to keep moving towards your destination. Rest, but don’t set up housekeeping.

1. Strike-anywhere matches in a waterproof case
2.Fire Starter. BlastMatch with tinder of some sort.
3.Maps. >Same as above.
4. Compass. Yep, another one.
5.LED Flashlight and extra batteries. If you’re smart, your radio, flashlight and any other device you might carry will all use the same batteries. Preferably AA.
6. MRE of your choice. A good meal (although some may dispute even the possibility) can make a big difference to your outlook. Even the (ugh) omelet ones.
7.Energy bar(s). Better to have 'em and not need 'em>
8.Extra Clothing Layer. Same as above.
9. Sunglasses AND regular glasses. For those of us who need glasses, the investment in an extra pair could be a life-saver. The sling bag described here accommodates glasses in hard cases nicely.
10.Binoculars. Compact, decent quality and keep them easy to get to.
11. First Aid Kit. Carry additional first aid as mentioned above.
12. Knife / multi-tool. /b> Preferably one of each. Again.
13.Empty Water container. You can fill it later. It’ll add to the one on your backpack.
14. Water purification tablets.
15.Rifle / pistol mag(s). Full, and one of each. They’ll be inside the pack along with as much extra ammo on strippers as you deem fit. Don’t overload it though.

16.Rifle ammo on strippers. 5.56 mm doesn’t take up that much room and you can probably carry an extra 2 or 3 magazines worth. Remember to include a couple of extra stripper guides. Wear one around your neck; keep the other in a zipper compartment in the bag.
17.Rifle mag pouch. Hang this in an easy-to-get-to place on the outside of the sling bag. Most will hold three AR-style mags.

Again, practice and test. Still have everything? Good.

Third layer– Small Backpack

Cheaper Than Dirt and Sportsmans Guide offer some nice compact backpacks. I like the Level III ‘assault’ pack. It’s big enough to hold more of what you need for an extra two or three days in the field, expands your available food and ammo stocks, provides for a change of socks, underwear and t-shirt, insect repellent, a small folding shovel and a hydration pack. Depending upon what you feel like stuffing in there, you can add a small waterproof bag with a towel and some baby wipes

Again, practice and test. Same as above. Still have everything? Excellent.

Weapons

When things get dicey, don’t assume that you’re going to just drive or stroll home. Rifle, pistol and a good fighting knife (that is, a knife that you actually know how to fight with) are essentials. The last thing you want to do is to get into a firefight. But you do want to have a chance to prevail if it drops in the pot. Again, carry what you know how to use. This will be no time for on-the-job training. If you don’t have the skills, take a martial arts class of some sort (NOT tai chi or freakin' yoga) and get thee to an Appleseed event to learn how to shoot like a rifleman. www.appleseedinfo.org.

Everyone’s got an opinion – so I’ll just tell you what I picked and why.

1.Rifle. CAR15 or equivalent. Light, accurate within reason and you can carry lots of ammo. I carry 7 loaded mags – one in the rifle, three in a quick-access pouch on the sling bag and two more in the backpack.
2.Pistol. Glock mod 20 with 1 mag in the pistol, two in the carry rig, one in the sling bag and two more in the backpack. This is a hard-hitting pistol, a real fight-stopper. No aspersions on .45s - I just like having 15+1 rounds of near-41 magnum persuasion on tap. Besides, if you’re down to your pistol, then you’ve got other things to worry about besides calibers.
3. Tomahawk. One MOLLE’d to my backpack. I like tomahawks.

4. Fighting knife. One MOLLE’d to my sling bag.

5. Miscellaneous small knives. Everywhere.

Car Kit

I carry pioneer tool items that could prove useful in some circumstances. This is in addition to the usual road kit with flares, gloves, rope, a regular tool kit, etc. Let your experience and imagination be your guide here.

1. Shovel.

2.Pickaxe

3.Axe.

4.17 pound tamper bar. With a tamper on one end and a wedge on the other.
5. 24” bolt cutters.
6.Extra food and water.
7. Sleeping bag.

Again, your circumstances and training will produce endless variations of this list.

[VOA]

bump

[JDoutrider]

You up by the ahem... “falling Kettle”?

[Doomonyou]

Thanks for the G.O.O.D. Post!

[Noumenon]

Um - not sure what you’re referring to. Kettle Falls is a ways away, though. We’re up near Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho. From where we are, you can go north and east and get into some pretty rugged country up in the Yaak River valley.

Thing to remember is - if they want to mess with you, they will. Just like they did with Randy Weaver and his family, not too far from where we are. Pick the hill you’re willing to die on. Then make them pay.

[Noumenon]

Good list. Sounds like you’ve got it covered. My small backpack also has a couple of heavy contractor’s bags. Trash bags on steriods. Two of ‘em and some para cord can make a hasty and serviceable shelter.

[JDoutrider]

Understood... From what you were describing I thought Kettle Falls was your Galt's Gulch destination. I have a few friends up in those hills, good friends! Good area to wait out the storm as well.

I left Wa. State exactly one year ago, to the day. Making my stand in the deep North Woodlands and have been setting up a totally self sustainable redoubt.

[familyop]

"Combat Uniform...PASGT helmet...Binoculars...Rifle / pistol mag(s)...Rifle ammo on strippers...Rifle mag pouch...Weapons...Rifle. CAR15 or equivalent....Pistol...Tomahawk...Fighting knife...Miscellaneous small knives. Everywhere...Shovel...Pickaxe...Axe...17 pound tamper bar...24” bolt cutters..."

LOL! Heed the warning in oldenuff2no's comment #17. He knows what he's talking about.

Don't try to cross any property line toward any pretty, little, grandma-house-lookin' place in the country after a terrible disaster in your city. That would most likely be a fatal move.

Your own home can be secured as well. The ways to build security and self-sufficiency are virtually infinite. Think, study, design and build. If you're in an apartment and getting tired of big city noise, consider looking for a cheap lot away from the cities. With enough study and work, you could build a self-sufficient, peaceful home on that. Just make sure that you can drill a water well on it first.

familyop, combat engineer (combat type), National Guard, 7 years

[familyop]

"How did it work out for the well-prepared country folks in the Ukraine in the 1930s?"

"It might devolve to anarchy, but it also might lead to martial law. Then, the govt. will lead military units out to the countryside to TAKE your food by force."

"Think you can resist a company of soldiers sent to remove your “illegal hoard” of food?"

"Ask the Ukrainians how it worked out when the city folks were hungry and the govt decided to take the food from the farmers."

You're being a bad sailor, Travis. You know better than that. ;-) LOL!

Tell you what. I'll go one better. When you hear bagpipes,...







...run for your lives, folks! Game over! There's no way out! We're all going to die!

[This comment was for the sole purpose of sick humor. It does not reflect my perception of any current political situation.]

[dcwusmc]

Bump...

[Sir_Ed]

I used to live near the base of the long bridge at Pend Oreille, across the highway from Mirror Lake state park, up a ways from Cocolalla.

I worked at Ski Schweitzer in the winter and did construction in the summers.

Man, I loved North Idaho!

Ed

[Nailbiter]

ping

[DuncanWaring]

My understanding of the situation was that the Ukrainians weren’t particularly well-armed, either.

[djf]

Right off the bat, for 90% of the population, it’s kind of a waste of time.

Compass?
Who the heck in suburban Denver or whatever needs a compass?

Most of the population won’t benefit from these items, because what they need is stockpiles of food, fuel, and medical supplies.

I guess what I’m saying is this is sort of a Rambo type of solution. And the folks in the cities are at the most peril. The folks in the country will hunker down and shoot anything that moves.

But thanks for reminding me.
I need to get a compass!

;-)

[Abundy]

What these guys don't tell you is that you folks in the cities are between a rock and a hard spot. When it hits the fan you will not have water out of your tap, your toilet won't flush, your refrigerator will quit working, and there will be a 48 hour supply of food in the stores. That is the rock. The hard place is that you have no place to go. When you leave the cities you will not be wanted. Most of the land will be private and guarded by the armed inhabitants. They have their own food, water, big dogs, established fields of fire, known neighbors, and will not be sharing. They will be dug in and have a lot more ammo on hand than you can carry. Those who try and force their way in will be breaking the law and will quickly find out what all those backhoes are really for. If you live in the cities you need to make your stash and stay home. You really have no place to go that won't shoot back or shoot first if necessary. I realize that the city folks are in a bad spot but it is a spot they chose. Country folks have made the choice to live remotely with well stocked pantries, a private water source, large ammo stashes and have the attitude that we will take care of our own. I always know when someone is headed to my house from listening to my dogs. I am always armed and completely accept that I am responsible for the security of my family. If there is a threat to my family it will be neutralized instantly. Don't BS yourself into thinking you are big and bad. My teenage son can hit a deer or pig at 300 yards and he still isn't as good as his mother, sister or me. So before you start listening to these guys who think they know it all you better stop and figure out just what you are getting yourself into. Retired AB Ranger.

Now this is worth a BTTT.

I kept trying to explain that to my circle of friends before I left on this contract. They don't have to worry about home-grown problems...when you live 2 hrs from DC and Pittsburgh you are going to have to worry about what is vomiting forth from these cities...

[familyop]

To be fair, buddy (sincerely), I'll answer the following more seriously but without compromising anything.

"How did it work out for the well-prepared country folks in the Ukraine in the 1930s?"

It was horrible. They didn't know what to do and were bereft of technological experiences to motivate them during the early 1930s. They were defenseless.

"It might devolve to anarchy, but it also might lead to martial law. Then, the govt. will lead military units out to the countryside to TAKE your food by force."

"Think you can resist a company of soldiers sent to remove your 'illegal hoard' of food?"

I doubt that we'll see a Stalin-esque scenario any time in the near future, but here goes. Yes. Many residents here and there around the country could do that and more. Thanks to our Bush presidents for that. And a whole company for taking a little garden and one or two head of livestock would be quite an expense. If things were that much out of hand nationwide, by that time, there wouldn't be much air support for such missions, not to mention morale and strength problems for assault elements.

And most rural residences aren't farms. During poor times, many of them would maintain small subsistence gardens. ...not worth so much expense. They could take big corporate-government feedlots and large fields, though. Ask us if we'd care much about that.

"Ask the Ukrainians how it worked out when the city folks were hungry and the govt decided to take the food from the farmers."

How would it work out for such assault groups to try to choose between extremely rough terrain and...extremely rough terrain as one of many kinds of obstacle during road trips for hundreds of miles? ...without air support? ...or negative air support? Our more combat-oriented Air Force folks are rather loyal to Americans and traditional these days, as are others who secure their stuff.

IMO, a Stalin-esque takeover wouldn't have a chance without taking the path of incrementalism for several decades. Even then, it could be bled dry and cut up from the inside as in the past.

We're Americans. Most of us are pretty spoiled, but with the economic likelihoods in front of us, we can learn morality and ingenuity again.

[djf]

The word I hear is that UNLESS you are more than an average cars one-tank-of-gas distance away from major cities, you are basically toast.

Personally, I think that the roads leaving the cities would be a total cluster-f for like 15 miles leading out of the cities, after that, the roads would be open but nothing would be moving.

But think about it. How much of America is more than one tank of gas from a major city?

Not very much at all! All of Alaska, but not much more.

[Future Snake Eater]

I also know that very few active duty personnel will actually pull a trigger on their own people.

That's true, but now they don't have to. We have so much non-lethal stuff at our disposal now (built up and tested all throughout Iraq and Afghanistan), that they'll be able to immobilize you and take what they like while detaining you. They get your stuff, they get the (mostly) clear conscience, and you get the work camp.

Plus, you should be nicer to Travis McGee. He's definitely one of the good guys.

[Abundy]

freepmail

[djf]

??????
nuthin yet...

[Abundy]

er...I think you and Travis share the same background.

His post was more likely a shot of reality to the discussion...

He’s the last person I expect to be taking the wrong “side”