A Starter Checklist for Your Survival Kit

With the way the world is today, you can never be too prepared for an emergency. Better safe than sorry. Check your survival bag. Does it have everything you may need for a down grid emergency? Listed below are a few essentials to support yourself and others comfortable in such cases.

• Set the mood with a High-impact flashlight and 2-pack of 36-hour survival candles.
• Food is extremely important in survival situations, so a Single-burner propane stove is great to have on hand.
• Keep in touch with the outside world with an Emergency AM/FM radio.
• Water your soul or you will die without a 5-gallon collapsible water carrier.
• Be prepared with a 4-Person aluminum cook set and a 2-pack of can openers.
• 2 boxes of waterproof matches for them pesky wet fires.
• A dozen waterpaks-125 ml. each.
• Pro II first-aid kit for any injuries one may come across.
• 2 sleeping bags for cozy keeping
• 4 vinyl safety vests to stay afloat and stylish with three of your closest survival buds.
• 12-function stainless steel knife set to get the job done right!
• Nylon rope - 4mm x 66' - 180 lb. Tested, You can never have too much rope, my friend.
• Keep it covered with a 10' x 12' ripstop tarp.
• 6-in-1 multi-purpose survival tool sure does the trick well.
• A glamorous Redwood rectangular 2 lb. Sleeping bag measures 30" x 75" for them cozy cuddling nights.
• Fire starter stick so you don't have to go complete caveman with rocks.
• Two wool blankets that measure 60" x 80."
• Two head lights
• Instafire 3-pack pouch

With these items, you'll be right as rain in any survival situation!

 

Nice list. Personally, I would recommend swapping out the stainless steel knife for one that has a high carbon steel blade. Stainless won't rust, and as such, is better in adverse elements. However, they won't hold an edge, or be as durable as a high carbon steel blade. But this is simply my not-so-humble opinion.

 

Packs, wile stainless knives originally suffed from either softer or harder/wear resistant problems. So they either didn't hold an edge or were a bear to sharpen. Not so to day. Quality knife makers to day use many different alloys, many of the best for knife making require specialized heat treating that just wasn't avalable to the average knife maker. Don't believe me, talk to a few of the knife makes I know. The thing going for a carbon steel knife is if it has a sufficiently hard spine you can strike sparks of it.

 

A fair point, Charles. Been several years since I bought anything stainless, so I hadn't considered that aspect. As you mentioned, carbon blades have their uses as well. Instead of sticking with one or two blades, be versatile! Pack a few.

 

Have the advantage of being a smith, have a couple of custom knife makers I call friends. They are trying to lure me over to the dark side.

 

Very nice! Have wanted to get into knifecrafting myself for quite some time, but never have the money to get started. If you ever do go over to the dark side, I would love to see your work!

 

Iforgeiron.com. For smithing, fabrication and knife making. A forge, a file and some sandpaper...

 

Will definitely check it out! Been wondering if I can just make my own forge, since I am guessing it is more affordable (to some degree, at least) to do it that way. And smithing is definitely a very valuable skill to have when SHTF.

 

A hole in the ground with added air...
Easer on your knees if you bring your hole to waist high or dig a pit for your legs...
Read all the stickies, make Steve happy

 

Last I looked MRE's were high carb low fat. I remember they issued is a different ration for mountain warfare school. Fat has a higher caloric value per unit. I would trade 1/2 my MRE's for pumican, dry peperonie (the Germans have a good dry fatty sausage too) or the like,
Never heard of anyone suffering from rabbit starvation with MRE's

 

One MRE back in the mid 80's was 2200 calories, we were isues 2 a day when we did not have access to a chow hall or feild kitchen. They met minimum standards for vitimums and minerals in each pack. By adding fat calories from nuts and tallow yyou can extend them and lighten your load some what or extend your range using them as a ration core.

 

Heavy, but at least they had a cooking utensil.
The same fool that convinced the US Goverment that we should eat high carb low fat diets (instead of balanced ones) designed the C-ration and its cousins. Not that hart attack rates among men took a sharp rise after WWII...
Not hard to throw a can of beans, can of fruit cocktail tin of "biscuits" (hard cookies) and a roll of lifesavers in a box if you really miss them. Or is it the cigarettes and matches you mis? Lol

 

LOL All of the above! C-Rats would be a great way to go. Problem with canned goods, is the weight, depending on how long you are packing for, and for how many people. For me, having the wife and kids, canned goods just aren't a realistic option. Dried meats, fruits, and the like are a much better way to go for us. But again, it depends on one's own situation. Also, bugging out, versus bunkering down. If we are staying put, then stock the cans to the ceiling, I say. Beans, canned potatoes, fruit, veggies, you name it. But that is if we are staying put. For bugging out, weight, as well as duration are key factors, for us at least.

 

Pumican, is encredibley nutrient/calorie dense. When humping in cold weather it is hard to pack 6600 calories a day in carbs.
Recomend jerky and tallow from grass fed beef. Game meats work well, but are usualy fat shy,
Dry, fermented sausages (peperonie and the like) are a good choice if your looking for 4400 calories for warme weather humps.

 

Boots? As a horseman Other than my time wearing a pickle suit I wear riding heals, pullon's despite popular mith I walk a lot in them, but I wear packers when I indeed pack as they are laceups and better to walk in.
Wool socks, or wool and sinthedic blend, wool has antibacterial properties so as to control foot odor.
Cold weather, I find a pair of wool packboot liners and insoles inside rubber over boots work better than pack boots for wet snow and leather or canvas mukluks for dry.
Tho I have worn Mexican and Vietnamese style tire sandles many a mile as a kid (use econo spares for soles) and have a couple pair of tire soled moccasins in my kit

 

Thanks for the calorie info, Charles. It is always good to have that in perspective, and again, it depends on the climate you are in, certainly. Game meats can work great, and there are ways of supplementing the fat content, depending on where you are located. I am building a lined pack now that will contain pumican, dried/sealed fruits, and a few other meat staples. Liking the tallow idea, by the way.

 

Grew up wearing sh*tkickers myself, Charles. Been a few years since I owned a decent pair, though. Wool socks are the way to go, especially in a damp climate. Just pack a spare pair in a ziplock bag. Never tried the tire sandals. Might give that a go. Need to replace my every day hiking shoes, but I agree, you definitely want (if possible) footgear for wet and dry scenarios.

 

Cold climate natives refer to a condition of "rabbit starvation". Simply not enugh fat to keep you warm so your body burns up your reserves.
Dried fruits is high in sugar, not an issue when we are hurting for calories tho. Normally I think equal calorie intake from carbohydrates, proteins and fats is a good idea, but plus or minus 15-20% probably won't hurt you in the long run. Dried fruit, nuts, vegetables, meat and oil or fat gives balance and pack ability.
Remember that simple carbohydrates are seasonal, as in fall fruit and grains. When out I supine levels go up we store fat.

 

This is great information, I hope I can get my survival kit up to this level asap! I'm new to this but this list is great place for me to start. Just experienced my first earthquake last night and really need to get myself ready for the big one!