What is in YOUR survival/SHTF pack?

[Red Leader]

Okay, so I'm interested to see what everyone else has in their SHTF/Survival bag. This may vary slightly from a true SHTF bag, in that I'm not loading it up with shotguns, bags of rice, etc. My conditions are a little more sparse, since I always have the bag with me, and it is designed to be pretty milimalist, in that it will help keep you alive, making the most out of every square inch. I have another, heavier 'bug-out' style bag that stays at the house. Here are the conditions I use:

Must be wearable (as in a backpack, rucksack, etc)
Must be portable (I take it with me everyday)
Must be applicable in nearly all weather conditions
Must consider many types of survival situations
Must be very selective in items included, so that nothing is wasted


Here is what I have, all in an older REI Alpine backpack (roughly 2200-2400 cu. in):

Emergency Radio/light (solar/hand crank)
Survival guide book (compact version of the SAS survival manual)
Roll of duct tape
Topo map of local area
GPS
Compass
Sunglasses
Energy bars, chocolate bars, beef jerky
First aid kit (consisting of gloves, anti-germ hand towel, eye drops, neosporin, bandaids of different sizes, gauze, scalpel, floss, temperature strips, alcohol prep pads, aspirin and ibuprofin
Water purification tablets
Emergency blanket
Hooded poncho
bandanna
2x 32 oz water bottles w/ water
about 25 ft of 3/8 inch nylon cord
toilet paper
waterproof socks
Clothes (wool socks, merino wool sweater, nylon pants, fleece cap, wool glove liners and wool gloves, top/bottom base layer
lighter
matches
small tea candles
firestarter (cotton balls + vaseline)
flint and steel
headlamp
chapstick
Emergen-C vitamin
Fox 40 whistle
Bible

Some things I always carry with me:

Folding knive (Spyderco D'Allara, brilliant knife)
Multi-tool
Surefire flashlight
Phone
Pictures of loved ones
Good boots

Some things I'm wanting to get for it:

Ultralight down sleeping bag (20-30 degree)
Ultralight bivy sack
signal device
flare
water purifier for water bottles
wire for traps
trowel
bug net for head (mosquitoes love me)
Sunscreen
Stove of some sort
Sog revolver (knife/saw combo - awesome!)
Edible plants of the front range - book
superglue
multi-vitamins
benadryl
athletic gauze
spare rechargeable batteries (+ solar charger?)
micro light (for keychain)
micro knife (for keychain)
small container of olive/coconut oil (super-high caloric content)

I'd love to see other people's lists of what they have in either a SHTF bag or a daily survival/emergency bag to get some ideas or to share some.

Lets see em!

[KingArthur]

In regard to the bible on your list. They actually make waterproof bibles now, so you can have your bible out in the elements without worrying about a regular one being destroyed by damp, etc.

[gsx1138]

Cotton Balls + Vaseline?

[Stango]

Originally Posted by gsx1138

Cotton Balls + Vaseline?

makes a great fire starter.... try it ( the fire starter I mean not that other thing !)

[spoolup]

Originally Posted by Stango

makes a great fire starter.... try it ( the fire starter I mean not that other thing !)

It is... also word of the wise... When the vasoline is packed into the cotton balls and they sit in a hot car, it makes them VERY hard to light, what you need to do is grab on and tear it open a bit... the vasoline left over on your hands can light on fire too so wipe it on your lips or a wound.. then take the flint and steel to it, first strike should get it going and it keeps going for a few minutes... its like a small, lightweight, dirt cheap candle.

As for the OP. I usually carry a man purse with a few things in it in addition to what is on me. I keep a small pack in my car, also got the woman one for hers condor II, which is a GHB. I do a moderate amount of hiking and can chose between, in order of size, a Camelback vantige (45L due to being a large) this is my GHB, a Kifaru pointman 3000, Kifaru EMR, up to 7500 and soon to be a Kifaru MMR, up to 5200. I also have a variaty of pockets to add on to the kifaru as needed. I will admit, I wish I knew of Kifaru back in my Marine days. I would carry a pointman instead of a alice ANY day of the week.. hell I would carry 2 peoples packs inside my EMR just to be able to carry the EMR... really makes heavy loads feel great. I converted a few coworkers to the Kifaru bringing them in... I have a pack list of what I keep in the EMR, which is just my basic camping supplies, minus the food and the sleeping bag on line somewhere with a few photos, ill see if I can find them later. I also found out that I can keep the 2 long pockets filled inside the sleeping bag compartment and hte bag keeps its shape pretty well and prevents the interior items from slipping down to the bag compartment... if I need to leave quickly I can pack up some food in a bag, grab a handgun, then head downstairs to dock the longs and stuff a bag in the compartment and be on my way in a few minutes... yes I have practiced... just not under stress yet.... never hope to either. Between the bag in the car and or what I am carrying I will make due.

Idea is to practice using it before you need it.. week long camping trips, and with the GHBs, get home with them, you will change what you have to carry quickly. Being that I live close (5 miles) to work I decided to bug home to the brother in laws place on a weekend, its only 25ish miles and I camped out off in a field, the first time I used a tent snowing... great, the 2nd a bivy summertime and HOT. I learned approx when I need to change gear in the bag and managed to draw the attention of the highway patrol. Not a fun experiance more after informing him I have a CWP and was carrying in the safepacker attached the waist belt, some LEOs just get to nervious about someone else carrying besides them, but I must admit it was great to know he was doing his job and even noticed me out and about that late at night...

[Mtn Biker]

A couple of things I always have in my pack in addition to what you have listed;
sewing kit
aluminum or steel cup (set it in the coals to heat food and water)
amodium AD (for intestinal distress!)
Mole Skin
Big bottle of Advil
Bunch of tea bags
bottle of survival tabs (Emergency nutrition) Easy to carry

Survival Food Tabs

I think some of the stuff you have doubled up on. I like the headlight idea and would rather carry extra batteries for it and my GPS instead of extra flashlights and knives. Space and weight is a premuim if you plan on carrying your pack. I would drop the stove too as you have good fire starting tools. If you are going to light a fire to stay warm, might as well use it to cook too.

Now it different if you are putting something together to store in the back of your truck. You have room for that stove and an axe, can of gasoline, MRE's, solar charger, etc.

Another must have depending on your local laws and CCW permits is a small hand gun. I have a small 38 spl stubby and a box of ammo in my bag. You can subsitute your favorite instead but I have a used police surplus that is no beauty queen and lives in my bag.

Just thinkin out loud....

VL

[Will-XD45]

This is on me:



This is in the trunk:

[cooks128]

nice Ifrogz case on your Iphone...I have the same one..same color.

[geospyder]

Originally Posted by Stango

makes a great fire starter.... try it ( the fire starter I mean not that other thing !)

Another fire starter that I keep in my bag is 0000 steelwool. Run a little of that between the ends of a AA battery and you have a fire starter.

[cooks128]

frito corn chips also make good firestarters...learned that on Survivor Man...