I learned some very useful new skills and would highly recommend this training if you have the time and funds.
Among the skillset talks was one about "bolt bags". A bolt bag would most likely be kept with you at all times and would serve you well in a situation where you have to move quickly on foot for a short period of time. Bolt bags typically carry less gear and are lighter weight than your larger bug out bag.
Let's preface this by answering a couple of questions. First, what kind of scenario would require the use of a 24hr bolt bag? Second, what gear items are necessary?
The answer to number one may be different for you than for me. I live in a city with approximately 100,000 people. It's lower income and has a fairly high crime rate for Iowa.
A scenario that I would label as "probable" would be the civil unrest situation. Power goes down for a few days in the middle of winter and I can see looting and rioting happening rather quickly in this town. Let's say I'm shopping at Walmart when crap hits the fan. Angry, hungry people desend on the store looking to steal whatever they can. I move quickly to the parking lot, but find it packed with people and cars unable to exit the area. I grab my bolt bag from my truck and move out on foot towards home. Depending on the situation, this could take a few hours or maybe even an overnight.
Now that we've set the stage, what kinds of gear items would I need in a situation of this kind?
The first picture here is of my Condor discreet sling pack. I like that it doesn't scream "hey I'm tactical and probably have a gun!" It's slightly smaller than a typical book bag. Just to give you an idea of the size, my 15" MacBook Pro will not fit but my full size IPad fits with room to spare. It's grey in color instead of the standard tactical black or military flat dark earth, and has a plethora of pockets including one extremely well hidden "secret pocket."
Now that we've set the stage, what kinds of gear items would I need in a situation of this kind?
The first picture here is of my Condor discreet sling pack. I like that it doesn't scream "hey I'm tactical and probably have a gun!" It's slightly smaller than a typical book bag. Just to give you an idea of the size, my 15" MacBook Pro will not fit but my full size IPad fits with room to spare. It's grey in color instead of the standard tactical black or military flat dark earth, and has a plethora of pockets including one extremely well hidden "secret pocket."
The only things I carry in the main compartment are my IPad, headphones, and charger so I've chosen to only show the outer pocket which carries the bulk of my gear. Here you will find quickclot, tourniquet, knife, snacks, radio, fire starting materials, chem light, bump key hammer, and the tan pouch of goodies I'll get into next.
Inside the tan pouch I carry playing cards (for a morale boost), cash, backup power source for cell phone and/or radio, write in the rain pad and pencil, tactical pen, headlamp, a handheld led flashlight, small gauge cordage, ear plugs, and a 32gig memory card. Missing from this pouch are backup batteries for the lights. (Shame on me) *update - I've added the batteries.
This pack has a compartment that sits up against my body while carrying it that I keep my glock and a spare mag in. Also in this pocket is my escape and evasion pouch which is shown below. The contents of the E&E pouch is as follows: ITS tactical urban survival kit, set of bump keys, jiggler keys, lock pick set, cliff bar, cash, and my multi-tool.
These constitute the items I think qualify as "necessary" for a 24hr emergency situation where I have to move a short distance, i.e. across town with the main goal being to get home to my family where I have ample gear and food to last for many more days should the situation turn really ugly.
You may have noticed that I don't have a water source. I'm really trying to keep the weight of this pack down so my thought would be to steal water out of any house or business spigot along the way. In the city, where most water is drinkable, I doubt I will have trouble staying hydrated. That being said, it certainly wouldn't hurt to carry a life straw or similar device that enables me to drink out of a stream or pond. Also absent from my pack, and something I intend to remidy in a hurry is toilet paper. Can't believe I forgot that! #shame *update - TP added.
Why all the burglary tools? Well first, they are not used for this purpose. Second, in a survival situation where I may need to weather a storm overnight in the winter, I'm completely ok with breaking into someone's garage or car in order to stay warmer and have a better chance to survive. The pack is just too small to carry any kind of shelter in my opinion.
What are your thoughts? Approve or disapprove of any of my choices? What do you think are necessary items for 24 hour emergencies? Comment below.
Great post. I really like the idea of carrying less. So many people get "boyscout" disease. They have to be prepared for every situation. This just isn't realistic. Especially when you are trying to move fast and light.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I agree. It's all too easy throw that extra gear item in because you technically have the room, but you'll pay the price down the road.
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