Scramble bag contents.....any additional suggestions?

[NM_Shooter]

OK, I admit that I came from the paranoid department, subsection OCD. 

I am putting together a scramble bag for my college daughter to take away with her to her school apartment.  I have most of it assembled, and it fits into a 35L backpack, but the backpack I have for her is actually 50L, so we have a bunch of room to spare.   I have not weighed this yet, but it is well on the reasonable side.

She is outdoor capable and has some basic skills and knowledge (calm, warmth, shelter, water, food).  She knows how to pick a safe spot to camp, how to make spring and stationary snares, and can fish.  She also has been studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  She has good grappling skills and even better is a good runner. 

I debated about finding a small .22 pistol too, like a mosquito, but I thought that might be more trouble than it would be worth, especially if she needed to take refuge at a formal shelter.  Dunno... I am on the fence still.  Might not be bad to keep it hidden in her car.  She has been shooting competitively since she was 12 with long arms and is a good and safe pistol shooter.  (She especially likes my S&W 629, but that might be just a tad too much  ).

So this is what I have on the list.  Geared for a three day walk.  Would be a good kit if a longer stay out is needed too. Chime in if you think this list could benefit from additions :

Fire starter : matches, lighter, flint, cotton balls w/ alcohol
Poncho
First aid kit
Water bottles
LED flashlight
Leather gloves
Leatherman
Knife
Snare wire
Compass
Whistle with matches in body
Cheap small binoculars
Space blanket
Sunscreen
Bug repellant
Hand sanitizer, soap, washcloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, hair tie
Toilet paper
Iodine water tablets
Electrical tape
Fishing gear
Wrist rocket / ball bearings
Maps
Folding stove / dry fuel pellets
Mini-mess kit
Mace / Pepper spray
Windup radio / earbuds / phone charger
Kitchen multi-tool
Salt / sugar / pepper
Hot chocolate, tea bags, ramen, energy bars, energy gel
Small saw
Dust masks
Potassium Iodide
In vacuum bags : fleece jacket, shirt, socks, undies
Soda straw type water purifier
Spare shoelaces
Small signal mirror
Zip ties
Oven bags (these are great for boiling water)
50' para cord
Women's hygiene products
Cheap sunglasses
Fleece hat
2oz bottle dish soap and plastic scrubber
Vacuum packed fleece sleeping bag
Cheap tube tent shelter
Plastic heavy duty trash bags
Small notepad and pencil
Copy of passport, contact info for me / other important contacts
Sharpie
Survey Tape
Notebook
Nitrile gloves
$400 in 20s.

[muldoon]

I have done 3 day camping trips before and your list sounds a little over the top to me. 

I think you should use this kit and actually go on a 3 day trip with nothing else.  I think you'll find you will not touch 90% of the things in there, but the things you need are not enough. 

Like water. 
Like easy carbs for energy. granola, breakfast bars, trail snacks
Like fire starter loggettes (think fireplace style).  yes, matches are great, but a firestarter is better. 
Like first aid thing like hydo-perox, bandaids, neosporin, benedryl(bees/ants/etc), tylenol/advil pain meds (multi day hikes have aches and pains). 

Another easy thing to add is "free condiments", like the little packages of ketchup, mustard, relish, hot sauce, honey or whatever you find at restraraunts and convenience stores for free.  A few of those can juice up and undesirable meal you may have to throw together. 

If I was planning for myself, I would opt for a skinny but deep hammock with rainfly over a tent any day. 

Also, I would not do a one day hike, much less a 3 day hike without a snake stick of some sort. 

[mgramann]

I'd prefer road flares to fire starting logs.  They are instant, super intense heat, and water doesn't really affect them.  Also, I'm not sure what kind of mess kit you have, but make sure it is the kind that includes pot/pans.  Overall I like the list, though it might be a little more than I would personally carry, but the load can always be lightened as needed.

Pistols are great in that they are compact, but in a survival situation a .22 collapsable rifle may be better.  Much easier to hit a target, and the. 22 allows a person to carry plenty of ammunition.  Also, a scope could take the place of binoculars in the kit-2 for one.  It wouldn't hurt to have a pistol and a rifle though!  Compatible ammo should one fail.  Walther makes a good compact .22, a little larger a ruger "round barrel" style would also be good.  One advantage with a semi auto pistol would be that it could deliver quick shots in an emergency, leaving some flexibilty with the long gun.  An O/U shotgun/rimfire rifle combo is extremely versatile, and breaks down easily.  .22 for small game, shotgun for moving game, slugs in the shotgun barrel for big game.

Sorry to focus so much on the firearm aspect.  They are such great tools in a bad situation.

[muldoon]

Also, a scope could take the place of binoculars in the kit-2 for one.

I disagree, binoculars are for watching, scope is for aiming.  I believe you should not point your firearm at a target unless you intend to shoot said target and that substituting the scope for binoculars goes against that.  With that approach you would be aiming a firearm everywhere you were curious about. 

I have never carried a rifle on a "hike".   Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-firearm at all, but the stated goals of this list was a 3 day walk.  I am thinking of this along the lines of "get the boat to shore" situation where after a day or two you are back to safety and normalcy. 

[mgramann]

I should have specified muldoon.  I would NEVER point a gun at a person unless they were going to harm me.  I was thinking a quick disconnect and should have said that.

[flyingvan]

A can of that hornet spray that shoots 20 feet.  Works on all sorts of pests, and it's great stopping power if you have to spray someone in the eyes...You don't need a permit to carry it either

[NM_Shooter]

Thank you for the input... I should clarify some things.

Yes, her first aid kit will be comprehensive and have meds and emergency items that most kits don't. 

She'll have two quart bottles for water, as well as a purification straw and tables, and a means for boiling water.  Luckily Colorado has lots of water lying around on the ground.  She will also have a case of water bottles in her trunk. 

We have a good selection of the carb-squeeze jell stuff for energy already packed, and salt/pepper/sugar/cajun seasoning/hot chocolate ramen noodles. 

This stuff is not for your basic camping, it is more for urban survival and hitting the road if necessary.  I'm going to advise her to never let her car gas tank fall below 3/4 of a tank.  She'll have enough food in her apartment for a couple of weeks, and this bag is a bug out bag only.

I like the idea of wasp spray.  It's good for dogs too.  I wonder what the smallest bottle is that I can get?  The hammock is a good idea too, if I can find one at a decent price.  Getting off the ground can be a luxury. 

Lots of firestarting stuff, including cotton balls soaked in denatured alcohol, and solid fuel tabs.  She has already made several fires just from flint and steel, so magnesium alone is a luxury. 

Thanks for the help.  Keep it coming.

[Squirl]

Chance favors the prepared mind.

I am a strong believer in emergency preparedness.  I tend to focus my thoughts more towards natural disaster (CO wild fire) rather than the complete breakdown of society.

Along those lines, I would carry a roll of quarters and maybe a few small bills like ones.  Vending machines, parking meters, and automated transactions may be necessary or helpful during forced travel.

I would caution a firearm.  If she is at college, it is highly likely that any emergency preparation or shelter will be at or on college grounds.  Most colleges specifically bar firearms, and it would be a shame to turn a temporary emergency into a lifelong legal problem. 

I personally prefer a led headlamp to a flashlight.  It allows me to keep both hands free and I am less likely to set it down and lose it.

Candybar – lots of energy, filling, and more psychologically comforting than many of the alternatives

[NM_Shooter]

Change is an excellent suggestion.  Pay phone land lines come to mind too... maybe a phone card as well?

I worry about just that thing with a handgun.  She is below the age to get a CCW permit.

[UK4X4]

 Quality map of the area and marked points where dad will go and find her in case of emergency !

Dead letter drop at those FUP's where if things change and she needs to move again - she can leave a note explaining where she's going next !

or if not at location 1 move to location 2-3-4 etc etc

Don't rely on the phones being in operation

[peternap]

I would recommend a Black Diamond Headlamp
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-Spot-Headlamp-Matte/dp/B005FND0NG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344278349&sr=8-2&keywords=black+diamond+headlamp

I carry three lights. A heavier headlamp, a Black Diamond and a handheld. If I could only carry one and weight was an issue, it would be the BD.

The firearm question is a coin flip but a good compromise would be a Taser. Again, I carry both and am a lot more likely to Tase someone than shoot them. If the Taser is too much, pencil flares.


You should also add spare batteries to the list and spare socks especially if there's a chance of much walking.

[mgramann]

Here is a great canteen/mess system.  They have changed the stove since I purchased mine, but I am really pleased.

http://www.bestglide.com/us_integral_survival_unit.html

[firefox]

An old Marine friend of mine takes these long hikes in the wilderness. Last one
was along the mountains in northern California to the Oregon border. He just started another starting at the Oregon border heading north. He has this device
that reports his location and sends his friends a daily report of where he will spend the night along with a map, etc. Here is the url to the company and I will include one of the urls of my buddies location for tonight so you can see the results.

http://www.findmespot.com/en/

Message from my buddy:
========================================

Message:Greetings from the PCT in Oregon.  This location is where I'll be spending the night.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/8_Gs3/42.05346N/122.50771W

========================================

I would also invest in getting a mil surplus "poncho liner"  They range from $20 to $40 depending on condition. They are like a space blanket but in my opinion
much nicer. They are light weight camo pattern with strings at the edges for securing to your mil style poncho. essentially the size and shape of a single bed sheet, maybe a little shorter. I can almost promise you, you will love them.

Keep a roll of duct tape in the car.

I second the headlamp thing, they are really usefull. Especially when you
have your arms full and are finding your way back to your car when it is pitch black and raining.

That is all I can think of for now.

Good Luck!
Bruce

[NM_Shooter]

Thanks... I have a SPOT; I think they are great.  I used it when I was up working on my cabin solo.  Also take it when I am hunting or fishing solo as well. 

As light as headlamps are, I'll toss one in the kit. 

[MikeC]

Scramble - where to? Trigger event - what would that be?

Where is the bag to be kept - car, apartment or?

[considerations]

Sturdy shoes....who can know what she might be wearing at the moment of crisis.  It will add nothing to the load if she ditches what she has on, and if she's wearing something appropriate, she can choose to upgrade or keep a spare pair.  I don't know where she will be, but floods and hurricanes can put dry footwear at a premium.

[hpinson]

Good walking shoes... yeah!

Two things I like to take backpacking are a MSR 4 or 6 liter Dromidary water bag and a Katydyn Hiker Pro water filter, as opposed to the drinking straw type. That way you can collect enough water for a camp.  Or if you want to keep it light, some Halazone tablets, which work well enough, though don't offer the protection of the filter for really contaminated water. 

Rather than the tube tent which is hot and uncomfortable, a small one or two-man backpacking tarp, which is just as light, and can be a fun project to make using Ray Jardines plans: http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Tarp-Kit/index.htm

Some sort of lightweight but warm blanket-- a better quality 3M Space Blanket, an old wool blanket, a pyle blanket, a down quilt.

Have you read Jardine's books on ultralight hiking? They are full of many other excellent ideas that could be applied.

http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Trail-Life/index.htm

[rick91351]

I do so agree with hpinson about the Dromedary water bag.  I also agree with him of a water filter such as he is talking about.  The tabs work good I think.  However I and none that I use to back pack with were able to obtain Beaver Fever or Giardiasis.     Which is a very moving experience and never caused from Beaver but bad hygiene of other humans.  But I never took any chances with water period. 

I am going to get his book because light weight hiking with my knees and hips sound very encouraging and I might be able to propagate those last couple treks that I always wanted to do.  Problem is there are always that one you always wanted to do and never did it.... 

Thanks for the tip.....