Bugging Out - Help with Ideas

Hey gang, crazy times we are in, so I’m looking at setting up my 18 as a bug-out “if need be”. We have food supplies in a tote, “living supplies” in a tote, and enough fuel to get us by for a while (which would be loaded into the bed). To clarify, totes would go in the cab and fuel in the bed. My truck isn’t a daily driver, so certain things can be kept in the truck since it’s garaged.

Of course a first option is to just stay home, which we are good to go. The leaving home scenario is where I could use some advice from you overlanders and outdoorsmen.

The remaining questions I have are the following (feel free to share pictures of your setup);

- Sleeping; is it best to just pack a tent and sleep on the ground (done this before but need to replace the tent), plan on sleeping in the truck, or buy some bull bars and make a platform over my bed cover to accommodate an overland style/platform tent (most expensive option)?

- Comms; I wanted to put a CB (hidden) in my truck, reviewed certain Midland models, but wanted feedback on what you guys bought and have used. I’d also buy a few handheld Midlands (or something similar) to be used if someone ventures away from the base.

- Supplies; we have food, water, fire, firearms. Other than comms and shelter, what else have you all found to be handy? We would also load in my Stihl Farmboss chainsaw, small Honda generator, and a sawzall with a selection of Diablo blades.

Thanks for any advice, looking forward to the responses.

 

IMO firearms is best to have in addition to the bigger caliber I always have on hand small caliber. 22lr. Pistol and rifle. As if you are forced on foot one can pack many rounds with not a lot of weight. Plus small caliber does have the penetration at close range and rifle for longer range. I have always said in the zombie Apocalypse this would be best. Plus the laws maybe different but if you dig down and read as I have most states 31 rounds are the most you can have loaded on a fire arm, 1 chambered and a mag with 30. Exception for 22 unlimited. So a 100 round mag with 22’s in it is a lot lighter. Live long shoot straight my friend.

 

Lots of good stuff on the Expedition Portal forums.

 

For comms, I’ve also been looking into a dedicated truck unit but only have handhelds for now. A couple baofengs.

For supplies; I’ll throw out what I carry that I didn’t see mentioned:

• Water filters for purifying
• Solar generator to be able to silently charge electronics and have a non-fuel based power supply
• Bolt cutters
• Air compressor
• Flat tire repair kit
• Basic hand tools / hacksaw / dmm
• Silky saw
• Hatchet / hammer
• First aid kit
• Hi-lift with enough chain and straps for recovery or winching
• Emergency flares
• Sillcock key
• Ratchet straps
• 550 cord
• Atlas / topo maps

 

Thank you!

 

***Mod edit. You have the freebie today.

 

I would prep for two stages: one is fleeing and limited infrastructure. Have a ham radio, fuel, weapons, etc. And that is to know what's happening and to get you away from the citidiots and whatever shit is going down.

The second stage would be assuming you run out of food and fuel (and by extension electricity) which wouldn't take very long. Then you need gear to extract resources from nature for the rest of your life. Flint, fire starters, water purifier, compass, pan to boil water, knife, paracord, mirror, shit like that to start.

First stage of supplies gets you threw the breakdown if society, second stage is survival in the wilderness. Covers the short game and long game.

 

You mentioned some stuff I was going to throw out there. One thing I’ll add is a way to start fire. You can buy really good fire starting materials from places like Bigfoot Bushcraft, or make your own. I have several kits in each vehicle that are: lighter and cotton balls coated in Vaseline inside an old Altoid tin. Those will fit just about anywhere. Also, 1 is none and 2 is one. Some of those things aren’t really possible to have backups for, but water purification and fire starting materials are easy.

EDIT: One crucial thing I forgot: booze, for dual purpose use. 1) if that situation happens, you’ll probably need a drink at some point 2) Good for bartering if need be. Bartering still has its place I think.

 

I believe you have my address so I'm thanking you in advance for coming down here and picking me up. I'm pretty good at carrying stuff and can make a hell of a smore.

 

Bugging out...

This is one area where I look at it in the reverse order, first. I keep a "get home" bag in the truck.

 

Have a stack of small denomination bills. $100 in 1's $100 in 5's $200 in 10's and $500 in 20's. When things go weird and you're in a pinch, you don't want to stuck with just big bills and pay $100 for a loaf of bread because you only had $100 bill. Just a quick exaggerated example, but you get the point. I like this thread! Some great ideas!

 

There is the Christmas spirit.

 

I would think one would need several different bug out kits to be prepared for a wide variety of circumstances. I’m just going to stay home where I can fit more stuff, help my neighbors, and wait for government to rescue me. Wait, I am the government. Or am I?

Also, I can run my generator for a long time on one tundra size tank of gas but I can’t drive it far.

Edit: can’t drive the Tundra far.

 

Best to have two bases fully equipped. For example, f5 twister or explosion completely destroys base A. You relocate to base B and immediately restore or replace base A. Keep an old EZ to work on and mostly dependable, fairly popular (ez parts access) vehicle at base B. Whatever you do, have certified copies of all important documents in two locations. Two big things I didn't see in your stuff are paper maps and garden seeds.

 

Beer. Lots of beer.

 

Get one of these

 

Cash
Guns
Ammo
Plenty of filled gas cans

 

Have that…

 

We had to go 5 days without services in an ice storm in 96. Brought camping gear inside and went with it. Always kept bulk propane tanks filled and my Camp is set up to run off that. Heat, light, cooking. Had that happened in the Summer, would have lost food, so a generator and 40 ish gallons of Star Tron treated gas have been added. Gas is rotated every 2 years. For water, consider a large gravity flow filter. Fill at nite and let it work.

If you are looking at the long haul, a couple additional ideas, keep chickens and make sure any seeds are the heirloom variety so you can harvest seeds for the next year. I also keep a supply of curing salt for meat preservation. Canning supplies and a book or three on the “old ways” will come in handy too.

 

This is hilarious. You crack one at me, I reply with factual information, and then I get a “freebie”.

 

Last I saw fewer than 10 states had magazine capacity limits. Where are you finding the magazine limit info? As a practical matter, more cartridges = more weight to carry, so moderate capacity is probably just fine. I keep 15 ish rounds in a 20 round mag in my home AR and am pretty sure I’m good. But if one is more comfortable with a 60 round drum, go for it.

 

Those big drum magazines are stupid and just create more likelihood of malfunctions. You are fire better off having multiple 20 to 30 round magazines than one big one.

 

Got it, one sided trash talking, although factual from my side. What was the violation?

 

If you seriously want a good bug out rig, I’d find a 1960s-1970s pickup, EMP blasts will disable all modern vehicles.

 

I choose not to subscribe to Netflix, thanks.