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How many feel a GO BAG, is to go and not return?

5K views 39 replies 24 participants last post by  Idaholady 
#1 ·
I started out indulging in gear and gadgetry to bring comfort to nowhere. As time has gone by, (keeping in mind, I am short about $300 in necessary gear) my gear got heavier and heavier. Not to mention my spine is jacked from both ends and closing. I've more in the last year studied in thought the "mindset of craft vs gear. Sure lightens the load. Having no kids, if I experience a SHTF scenario, my I plan to prep my "Go Bag" to just GO... All over I'm heading more and more of privatizing public and national land. The jig it's up folks. All this talk about Bug Out Bags has perhaps raised alerts to the idea that you can't control a people you can't find and dominate. I generally don't live in a conspiratory mindset, and I don't believe hell will freeze over in our lifetime. I haven't decided if I'll take a stand against a governmental takeover or just head for the hills and see where the bones lie in the end. Maybe I'll just end up in my own country paradise. Who knows...
 
#13 ·
Fires, floods, huricanes, storms, chemical spills, even crime, even war, I'd say there a good chance youll come back. Its safe to say that in most realistic bug out situations which happen everyday people can one day come back home. A tsunami levels your entire city? Ok, maybe not in that case. Or maybe you dont have a home left and "home" just means going back to your town and rebuilding.
I BOA (bugged out abroad) and you know, I still think theres a chance Ill one day go back to my country, even if it may take several years until the situation there improves to the standards I want for myself and my family.
FerFAL
 
#3 ·
I have different levels of "go" bags. There is the "Day hike gone horribly wrong" bag, which is designed for 1-3days. Then, there is the "Evac bag" designed for up to a week of being displaced (we had a brush fire here 4 1/2 years ago which required a LOT of folk in the area to have to evacuate for several days until the fire was brought under control.) Finally, I have an "INCH" (I'm never coming home) bag which is designed for long-term getting the heck out of Dodge and heading for the hills.
 
#4 ·
It sort of depends how much time you have to prepare to go.

If I have time I'm taking the INCH cart load of stuff, if I look out the window and see a wall of flames I'm grabbing the BOB and beating feet.

Generally I'm a bug in guy but I still have a bag and plans.

I have wild fire evacuated twice in like 20+ years here. Had about 2 hours warning with perhaps 2 or 3 days that a fire was on the move. Wind does strange things to sparks and people stampeding do stupid stuff while getting away.
 
#6 ·
The whole concept of a BOB is, as has been pointed out, to get out of harm's way for a few days, but that's typically with the intent to come home after the threat has passed. What you're referring to is often called an INCH ("I'm Not Coming Home") bag around here, and assumes that you won't have a home to return to once you leave, which means no resupply or reequipping. That might be tools for some folks, more weapons and ammo for others, and perhaps supplies for maintaining a shelter, garden, etc.

Of course, that almost certainly means more bulk and weight. Personally, if I'm in an "INCH" situation, I'm really, really hoping to have access to a vehicle, but not assuming that I will.
 
#23 ·
I guess I've so focused on web searching the Bob idea, that I haven't noticed the "INCH" terminology. Fits though. I've come to a realization that with a bad back, I have too go light and make up for it in mental preparedness. With that you need only knowledge if your region, no?
 
#7 ·
I agree with the above. A "go bag" is for temporary situations. A BOB means the SHTF has begun and I didn't have time to get my INCH stuff.
 
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#11 ·
In the UK the Go bag is for a short term stay, so a 72 hour kit only. For me I have different levels of kit, one a go/bob bag for a hotel stay, as in a short evacuation that's where I may well end up, or a school hall. The second kit is a GOOD bag, so has the complete camping, survival stuff in it.

A lot depends on the percentage you put on certain disasters actually happening. Here it's more likely to be flooding or fire.
 
#12 ·
Walking into the wilderness and starting over is a fantastic idea that a huge percentage of people will die miserably in the first stages of attempting. Can it be done? Of course. But the chances for most people are about as good as my chances of changing my occupation to pro football quarterback. Well, maybe a little better than that, but not by much.

I've lived rural with some part of the rocky mountains as my playground nearly my whole life. Most of the people I associate with are avid outdoorsmen. The problem is that they all turn into victims the moment their gear is taken away. I'm not speaking hypothetical, I've tested it time and again. In my spare time (which isn't much these days) I teach wilderness survival and bushcraft. If you want a fighting chance if you want to ever consider heading into the wilderness long term or permanently, here's your process to follow. Practice regularly. Take only what you would in your inch bag, BUT have someone else remove 3-5 key items. Go out, identify what's missing, and figure out how to do it with what you have. Do it again with a few more things gone, and again and again, each time learning how to improve your situation with less. The goal is to reach the point when you have no pack, bag, pouch, nothing. By that time you'll know very well what is most important, and you'll likely have a bag that doesn't even resemble much of what you have currently. Knowledge and skills are your best weapons. The rest are just gadgets.
 
#25 ·
Where do you hold your coarse at, what region? I'm in Az and not battle tested, but do feel that with patience and knowledge, it may be necessary. I am definitely interested in a.coarse or two. No kids or wife to worry about. About to retire and setting up a go wagon. How much it's your coarse, I've inquired to others, so I may have an idea.
 
#14 ·
My go bag is set up for 3 days and has 3 days of clothes,meds,some snacks.
I used it a lot when getting lucky at the club. I always had clean clothes for work in the morning.
Oar the time we spun a wheel hub at Harsens/Grand Island. We were stuck for 3 days on Labor Day weekend since all the wheel places were closed.
I had clean clothes

Or the times we took off for "Up North" for the weekend after Friday lunch hour. A.K.A. a "Nooner"
I've been using a GO bag since 1977, I got the idea from a "Tunnel Rat"
 
#17 · (Edited)
Wildfires May Burn Our Town Down ...

Wildfire may burn down our town or at least our part of it. If we have to boggie out, there may be nothing to return to. Three kinda close calls now in 14 years. One was a medium 30 minute evac recommendation.

After much planning, everything we need to survive and then relocate with family or close friends is in the redundant 7-10 day BOB(v)s. The rest may be toast. We are reviewing all our 2016 insurance coverages.

Perhaps this is the the price we pay for living in one of the best locations in the Northern Hemisphere for prepping. There will always be something. About 43N, 123W. The other biggie is the low earthquake potential.
 
#20 ·
It would depend on what caused the bug out in the first place. A few years back I had to bug out due to disastrous flooding. I was back home 3 days later. My bag is to get me where I'm going. Nothing more. How long I'm gone depends on what caused me to go in the first place.

It's wiser to prepare for "whatever might happen" than to try to second guess it. Preparing for some pet scenario is a sure way to be blindsided by the things you didn't expect. Like I was when we had the flood. And with all the thousands of predictions that have vomited forth from our midst over the decades, no one has gotten it right yet. Who are we to think we will?
 
#21 ·
Yeah, MikeK pretty much hit on what I was going to say.

Whether you go and stay gone is more about the type of event than the type of bag you build.

There are loads of every day type emergencies that might require a temporary bug out (flooding, potential threats life wildfire, other assorted "evacuate the area" scenarios) without even entertaining the thought of taking to the wilds and never returning.

I for one am not going to take to the woods because flooding is endangering my town.


There are, on the other hand, lots of TEOTWAWKI events that, sure, I am leaving and probably never coming back.
 
#22 ·
богдан;8157161 said:
If your worried about some kind of government tyrant type deal.

Work on getting a second citizenship not a bag that will only delay a hell fire comming your way
Haven't considered a secondary citizenship. I live in a two region area. Desert and wooded mountains reaching 10,000ft. The media will lead you to think it may go down.
 
#24 ·
If I were worried about a soviet or nazis type totalitarian govt comming to power and my name on the short list.

A 2nd citizenship will keep you from being turned away when the border gets closed to refugees.

Look at the ship full of jews fleeing the nazis. Got turned around because we'll we had enough refugees. Many died in the arms of the gestapo.
if they had a passport they woukd have been home free.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Recap on original post.

You all have great points, ideas, and new(to me) synonyms for go out return or settle in scenarios. But recent global news, (rather real or media induced) shows Russia, Korea, China, and Iraq racing towards nuclear capabilities. Small towns probably have less worries, I am from a fairly big city, Phx/Az. As a border state, drugs, and sun scrambled brains, I may stay in state elsewhere or go into hiding. I am of no threat, I've just had enough of the desert, even in the city. I just want to become a naturalist, or off the grid. In thought, it'll probably make me want back in. Whatever, I just want out and have the means with some experience with a little extra information. Now for the knowledge. Someone once told me the difference between information and knowledge is experience. Bring it, life is a risk, death is certain. If I survive, I can pass on the experience to the next generation. May we hold on to our past. Our forefathers did the hard work so that we can have quality gear and lore. Nature is less forgiving.
 
#38 ·
You all have great points, ideas, and new(to me) synonyms for go out return or settle in scenarios. But recent global news, (rather real or media induced) shows Russia, Korea, China, and Iraq racing towards nuclear capabilities. Small towns probably have less worries, I am from a fairly big city, Phx/Az. As a border state, drugs, and sun scrambled brains, I may stay in state elsewhere or go into hiding. I am of no threat, I've just had enough of the desert, even in the city. I just want to become a naturalist, or off the grid. In thought, it'll probably make me want back in. Whatever, I just want out and have the means with some experience with a little extra information. Now for the knowledge. Someone once told me the difference between information and knowledge is experience. Bring it, life is a risk, death is certain. If I survive, I can pass on the experience to the next generation. May we hold on to our past. Our forefathers did the hard work so that we can have quality gear and lore. Nature is less forgiving.
If I were you, I'd want the heck out of the Phoenix area too! I actually live in the far SE corner of the state. About 20 degrees COOLER than your area, which is a REAL blessing in the summer, and more of high plains than true desert. Yeah, we do have cacti, and mesquite, but also lots of grasses, and decent area for gardening and grazing livestock. Also, a much larger percentage of folks here who are "preppers", even if they don't recognize themselves as such...to them, it's just everyday living.
 
#28 ·
I have Go/Bob bags for me-wife-baby. 72 hours, hopefully not needed. I also have a bag in my truck in case I have to walk home for whatever reason.

My wife has the super magic ultimate go item/s. She calls them credit cards. We will use those.

The main uses for the Go bags would be stuck in traffic like a dumbass, get to the hotel too late to get food, still inside a no electricity/comms zone (Actual money),ect.....

INCH? I'm not walking away from an INCH situation if I can help it. If I have to, the BOB will suffice. INCH, I'm loading the ole F250 down to the axels enough to make Fred Sanford proud.
 
#34 ·
I think that this discussion is a classic example of why most people have a variety of types of bags.

Sure, I could take to the hills with nothing but the contents of my BOB, but I would much rather have the contents of my INCH if I was not coming back. There is the simple distinction between being prepared to survive and being prepared to thrive.

There is gear in my INCH setup I do not carry in my BOB...in some cases literally stuff I do without for my BOB, in others it is a matter of the same gear but in greater quantities.

I mean, look at the actual reason there ARE so many different types of bags. A basic survival kit is not a BOB, a GHB is not meant to do the same job as a BOB, a 72 hr Kit is not meant to be a BOB, etc etc....

Heck, personally I went so far as to actually make up an Urban BOB that assumes all the roles a BOB has but with the assumption I am in an urban/suburban setting not a rural or wild one. I take it on trips and such as one part BOB one part GHB.


Simply put, I don't think one bag can mean all things to a person, let alone to a group of people. That is exactly WHY there are different types of kits; it all comes down to what you need it to do for our personal plan.
 
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