1 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

Observations on Bugging Out By Foot, by J. Smith

Tuesday, Dec 25, 2012
I simulated bug-outs on foot in a variety of environments in order to test gear, test
myself, and to learn from that single best teacher: experience.
I walked with various loads, pack congurations, and equipment through stretches of
Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. I
walked on every type of road imaginable, from the shoulder of bustling interstates to
rural roads with a stripe of grass growing in the middle. I walked on railroad tracks,
by rivers, in desert, mountains, forests, prairies, and more. In more than a month, I
walked around 200 miles while testing various locations and dierent bits of gear. As
a result, I have some observations regarding gear, travel, shelter, sleep, water, food,
miscellany, and fasting to share with you all.
I sincerely hope that it helps you.
Gear
For my primary backpack, I used a military surplus CFP-90, manufactured by SDS. I
got it used from Ebay for $83. It is an internal frame pack. It has a woodland
camouage pattern. Everything about it screams ruggedness. I used and abused it,
and the only apparent damage is a few frayed threads around the top opening.
The CFP-90 is very sturdy, and has a place for up to two ries or shotguns along the
side of the exterior. There is a main pouch that you load from the top, with an interior
pocket for storing a Camel-bak watering systemor anything else.
There is a bottom sleeping bag compartment that is designed to carry the GI sleep
system; I use it for this, and also for a hatchet, survival knife, folding saw, e-tool, and
llet knife. The sleeping bag compartment is intuitive, simple, and greatly aids in
organization.
Then, there are three side pockets, two smaller ones on one side, one bigger one on
the other side. A map compartment on top holds my maps and other small things. It
accepts ALICE-compatible equipment and has PALS webbing. You can adjust the
height of the shoulder straps by sliding a plastic connector up and down the height of
the bag.
I have left it outside during rainstorms 6-7 times in direct rainfall, and, with one
exceptiona heavy storm where I did not seal the bag adequatelyeach time the
items inside my bag did not get wet. The outer shell sheds water enough for my
practical purposes. Overall, this pack is very solid, relatively inexpensive, and quite
good. I am very pleased with my CFP-90, and I recommend it.
Along with my main pack, I tried out these pieces of gear essential: shoulder pack,
fanny pack, vest, and tool belt. These helped me organize the gear I needed often,
while making it easily accessible. Also, it helped with distributing the weight more
comfortably, counterbalancing the main backpack. This was extremely helpful and is
recommended. Otherwise, you will be wasting lots of time taking o your rucksack,
going through it for specic items, and putting it back on. Save yourself this
12-12-25 06:57 PM

2 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

unnecessary ordeal.
For now, I use a small backpack as a shoulder pack. It is not the most comfortable
thing, but it does work. Ive also tried a tool belt, fanny pack, and smaller shoulder
pack. The tool belt wasnt a good idea because the pouches were open on the top.
Things fell out. A fanny pack and smaller shoulder bag worked well, but I gave these
to a friend. Just make sure it zips or buttons closed at the top, and you will be ne.
I also pack an empty, attened, Jansport backpack in my main pack. After setting up
camp, I left my CFP-90, packed the Jansport with fewer, lighter items of gear, and
went o to gather resources or explore the area. I also use it as an improvised
shoulder pack and attach it to the exterior of my main pack.
Finally, if my main pack broke, I could salvage most of my gear, place it in the
Jansport, my other shoulder pack, and clothing pockets, and continue on.
One thing I learned very early is: do not over pack your bag! This will hurt you. Plan
ahead and prioritize. Ditch everything else or store it at your destination.
I liked to put more of the weight towards the bottom. This seemed to give me better
balance. I then tied some paracord to the top of my main pack and made a loop so
that, while walking, I could pull the bag closer to my back, easing strain on my
shoulders and neck. It wasnt necessary, and wasnt convenient, but it did work. Play
around with your pack, try out dierent congurations, and settle on the best one.
From my experience, a slightly smaller pack than the CFP-90 has some notable
benets and drawbacks. First, the bag itself weighs less. Second, it is more dicult to
over pack. Youll be able to cover more ground quicker with a lightened load.
However, when you set up camp, you wont have as much gear. I enjoyed my
experiences with a smaller pack and lighter load, but mainly just because it was more
comfortable and easy. Overall, I still prefer my CFP-90 rucksack; I just pack it
carefully.
For a tent, I use a USGI Gore-Tex bivy bag. I bought it used from eBay for $35. It is
made of tent materials and is slightly bigger than a sleeping bag. I chose it based on
its small size, light weight, and the ease of set-up. No tent poles or stakes required.
The tight interior space is slightly suocating at rst, but I got used to it. There is
actually enough room inside to store a small backpack, a few items, and still sleep
comfortably. It is waterproof, windproof, adds another layer of insulation underneath
and around me, and is highly portable.
It is incredibly durable. A solid and rigid spring was sticking out of a couch over
which my bivy bag was draped. The spring hooked the bag; I yanked to get the bag
o, then, puzzled by the resistance, yanked very hard. During this time, I heard a tear,
and stopped. A very tiny tear in the innermost layer was the result. Barely a scratch. I
xed it immediately with duct tape, and it works ne. Given the amount of abuse I
gave the bag, I was very impressed with how little damage occurred. My brother, who
saw my foolish antics, was also impressed by its durability.
A regular tarp, on the other hand, had many small tears from twigs and branches
after only using it for one night. It was bulky and took much longer to fold and unfold
it. Also, it is less camouaged than a primitive lean-to, which I prefer to build if I need
to have a bigger shelter. In my experience, just say no to tarps.
12-12-25 06:57 PM

3 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

All in all, I recommend this bag highly. The only downside is that you have to be
careful when you are inside of it; if you seal it too tightly, it becomes a little dicult to
get fresh air. This is easy to x; just open the ap to get better airow. However, this
can become a bigger problem when it is cold; you then have to make the tough choice
between letting cold air in or having less fresh air. However, even when fully sealed,
the air restriction was never life threatening, just a minor nuisance.
For a sleeping bag, I have a used USGI intermediate cold weather mummy bag, which
supposedly works down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. At 20 degrees outside, with one
layer of long underwear on, 85% wool socks, and a wool winter hat, it was moderately
comfortable, but my feet were a little cold, and I would imagine that would get
unbearable at -10 degrees, the minimum range it is rated for. However, for only $32
dollars, it was a great deal and works welljust probably only down to 0 degrees
Fahrenheit, not -10.
For packing, I put my sleeping bag into my bivy bag. Then, I fold it over in half, and
roll it up, and put it into the lower compartment of my CFP-90. There is even enough
room left for placing my tools in the lower compartment. I nd this works very well. If
I want a better shelter, I can make one. Otherwise, this is a very compact, light,
inexpensive, and ecient way to set up a shelter.
Boots and Socks
For boots, I use a pair of leather hiking boots from Cabela's for $80. So far they have
worked well. The waterproof liner works. They are relatively comfortable. When
buying boots, check for waterproof webbing around the tongue of the boot.
Otherwise, water can seep in around the laces. This was what happened with my
extra pair of leather work boots from Farm and Fleet; while the exterior was
waterproof, there was no webbing. They got drenched a few times, making walking
miserable and producing many blisters.
If you do drench your boots, do not put them too close to a re to dry them. The heat
can melt the outside of the boot and the rubber and glue inside of the boot sole.
Have waterproof boots! However, even if you do have waterproof boots, dont get
cocky. Water can still go over the top of them. Be careful around water. You do not
want soaked boots!
I found that waterproong my boots preemptively with neatsfoot oil was benecial.
Clean your boots and rub it evenly into the outer leather layer until it has soaked in.
Note how long the neatsfoot oil is supposed to last on the directions.
You can use regular animal fat to waterproof your boots, although it is not nearly as
ecient as using neatsfoot oil. Also, it does stink a little. I rubbed some groundhog fat
on my boots and evidently the oils in it do repel water, although not perfectly or for
more than a week.
High-wool content socks are wonderful. I have used some from Cabela's, some by the
Fox River brand, and some from military surplus. The military surplus ones were too
thin and the heel tore after light use. Both non-military brands have worked very well,
but I spent quite a bit more on them. Make sure that there is padding on the bottom
of the socks to absorb impact and that there is a high percentage of wool, preferably
merino.
12-12-25 06:57 PM

4 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

Liners made specically for wearing under a regular sock can cut down on chang
and blisters. Cabelas makes specialty liners for this purpose. It cuts down on chang
by absorbing much of the impact, which would otherwise reach your skin unimpeded.
I found that these Cabelas liners, while very thin, greatly cut down on blisters and
made a big dierence when compared to walking without them. They were especially
helpful when traveling long distances with added weight.
The thickness of socks can make all the dierence. Pay attention to how much room is
in your boot. If the boot is very big, you can put two pairs of thick socks, keeping your
feet warm in the winter. Otherwise, having too many socks will restrict blood ow to
your feet and cause chang and blister problems.
Have two pairs of boots, or an extra pair of shoes plus boots, so that you can change
into dry ones if one pair gets wet, while tying the others to the outside of your pack,
and letting them dry while moving. Boots are superior to shoes in many ways. Only
have shoes if you already have boots.
Finally, dont forget to break your boots in ahead of time.
Clothing
For clothing, I have two pairs of clothes: one for being in society, with regular, solid,
earthy tones that also double as camouage; and one military surplus uniform for
the rural, wild areas. I like the military surplus items a lot. They really are made for a
similar situation to bugging out, and I recommend them.
A hat with a wide brim is helpful. It blocks the sun from your eyes, cools you o, and
prevents sunburn. I used a boonie-hat and a cowboy hat. I preferred the boonie-hat
because it can be folded up easily and stued into a pocket.
For gloves, I have a pair of Rothco military replica gloves. They help with tending
res, gathering resources, cooking, give mechanical advantage, and they protect my
hands from sunburn, blisters, heat, re, cold, punctures, scratches, and cuts. Gloves
are essential. Any good leather pair will do.
Extra socks and underwear are the most useful clothing additions. They absorb the
most seat and are also more compact. I had 4 pairs of underwear and 6 pairs of socks.
These will require more washing or airing out, which can easily be accomplished by
washing them in water with or without a bit of soap, wringing them out, and air
drying them on the outside of your pack or coat.
Stay dry. Get an oversized poncho that ts over you and any vulnerable packs. I have
tried this, and it works despite being cumbersome, but since my CFP-90 seems
waterproof, I use smaller rain pants and a coat.
I use a Columbia shell for outerwear during cold weather. It is waterproof, windproof,
and durable. Ive had it for 6 years. Underneath that, I put however many layers are
necessary. I have a thin eece coat, long sleeved shirt, undershirt, and Underarmor
shirt. I adjust as needed.
I personally nd that my legs stay very warm, especially when I am moving. At 20
degrees Fahrenheit, I just wore some eece long underwear underneath jeans.
Get wool for cold weather, never cotton. Woolespecially thick woolwicks away the
12-12-25 06:57 PM

5 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

moisture from your skin, whereas cotton gets sopping wet, which cools you o
quickly. Cotton, on the other hand, is good for hot weather, since it stays wet with
sweat or water, aiding evaporation, and cooling you.
For tools, I used an E-tool, or entrenching tool, purchased from a military supply store
for $30, lightly used. It has served all my shoveling needs. It also can clear the ground
of brush and rocks fairly well. It is a small shovel made of three connected pieces that
fold along two hinges. It isnt as easy as using a full size shovel, but it can dig. It is a
bit heavy, though; this is one of the things I am almost tempted not to bring along
with, in order to lighten the load.
For my main knife, I use a Ka-Bar with a tanto point. The blade is 5 and 1/4 inches
long; the full length, handle included, is 9 and 3/8 inches. It has a serrated spot near
the handle. The knife has held up, albeit with supercial scratches. I did melt some of
the protective coating by placing it in a re. It works as a makeshift machete, can
clear protruding branches o a tree quite well, and seems fairly easy to sharpen. I
like the handle grip, although it is symmetrical; this makes it dicult to discern by
touch alone whether the blade is facing out or in. The sheath works well. Honestly, I
do not like the tanto tip. I think that was a mistake. Other than that, it works well, and
for $42 from Amazon, I am perfectly satised.
With the Ka-Bar, I nd that a small loop of paracord tightened around my thigh and
running through two loops at the bottom of my Ka-Bar's sheath is helpful. This keeps
the sheathed knife near my leg and in a constant position. This makes a quick draw
easier and keeps the sheath from getting caught in branches, cords, and other things.
It makes it easier to put my knife back into the sheath, too.
I used a folding saw for cutting down medium sized branches and thin trees. The
BAHCO 396-LAP, or the Laplander 8 folding saw has been excellent, quickly cutting
through many dierent types of branches, logs, and trees, is highly portable. I highly
recommend it, and everyone who used it thought highly of it. This is really the piece
of equipment I was most impressed with. The only downside is that I do not know how
to sharpen it, but so far, after plenty of use and abuse, it seems to cut almost as good
as new.
For a hatchet, I use a Fiskars X-7 hatchet. When I rst got it, I was very impressed,
but a few minor chips in the blade have slightly dulled my enthusiasm. It still works
very well, however, and I denitely abused it to see what it could take. However,
please note that I would seriously consider not bringing this and the e-tool along; they
are somewhat heavy with limited, non-essential utility. The BAHCO folding saw cuts
through branches and logs faster. The hatchet is better at splitting wood and cutting
down trees too big for the folding saw. When you consider how much smaller and
lighter the folding saw is, the hatchet appears somewhat superuous.
I recommend a Leatherman, Swiss Army knife, or similar multi-tool. I have a
Leatherman Wingman, which is great, except for the scissors, which are pretty
dicult to use, and the clip, which caused the knife to fall to the ground once. Id
prefer a sheath. However, Ive put the Wingman on my belt and pulled it o about a
thousand times with only one drop. The wire cutters work. The pliers are tough.
There are screwdrivers for all basic projects. The knife is great for eating with and
12-12-25 06:57 PM

6 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

doing precision tasks like cleaning small game. I highly recommend a multi-tool like
this.
Then, The Traveler, made by Chicago Cutlery, is my medium sized knife. It lls a
nice gap between my KA-BARs large size and my Leathermans small size. It, like all
Chicago Cutlery knives, is very high quality, quite sharp, easy to cut, and comes with
a good sheath.
You will want sheaths, clips, or someway to keep your tools attached and in easy
reach. Sheaths are more secure than clips. Consider that when buying tools.
For rst aid and medicine, I would say painkillers and multivitamins are the two most
important things. A rub-on pain reliever like Ben Gay, as well as pills like aspirin and
ibuprofen, allows a two-way assault on pain.
Everything else I have I consider optional but helpful. I now touch on these medicines
here.
Diphenhydramine is a very helpful drug, as it doubles as a sleep aid and an allergy
medication. Be sure to buy it for allergy medication and use it as a sleep aid, as it
costs more when being sold as a sleep aid. I carry a few dozen, and use as needed.
Caeine pills are a compact, lightweight, eective, inexpensive alternative to coee
or tea. They also eliminate the preparation and equipment requirements. They can be
crushed and swallowed to speed up assimilationand the stimulant eects. [Editor's
note: This is not a safe practice with many other medications!] Be careful not to
overdose.
Anti-itch and anti-fungal cream is helpful. I never got athletes foot, but the conditions
are ripe for it, especially if it is warm and your feet get wet. Thus I have some cream
for athletes foot and jock itch.
Sunscreen helps prevent sunburn and aloe-vera helps for if you get sunburned. You
will want to have your intestinal ailments covered with laxative, stool softener,
anti-constipation, and anti-diarrheal medicine.
Foot powder for keeping feet fresh and moleskin for blisters is also very useful. Some
wet-wipes can be useful for keeping clean and for making you feel clean. Use them
sparingly, rst targeting the groin, armpits, hands, face, and feet. Other than that, all
the regular little rst aid things come in handy: Band-Aids, gauze, alcohol wipes, and
so on.
I didnt have any antibiotics or antiviral medicines. I havent researched these, so I
cant recommend any.
Last time I checked, Wal-Mart is selling medicines useful for bugging out for very low
prices. If you buy these, many medicines have individually packaged capsules; open
the packages and either remove the capsules or, if you want to retain the seal, cut
around the capsules without puncturing the seal, then round the corners to prevent
the sharp edges from puncturing things.
For keeping tools and knives sharp, I have two small sharpeners.

12-12-25 06:57 PM

7 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

One is from DMT products, and is their red portable sharpening stone. It is quite good
at sharpening knifes, but its small size makes it unwieldy to use on anything other
than my Leathermans blade. However, if you are careful, you can use it to put a ne
cutting edge on larger blades. To do this, you have to push the sharpening stone
towards the blade, which is very risky. It was probably only luck that stopped me from
cutting a nger while using this thing. I would not recommend it simply because of
the small size and the associated complications.
I got a Bear Gryllis knife sharpening system made by Gerber. It has two integrated
sharpening slots: one for coarse sharpening and the other for ne sharpening. You put
the knife or blade into the slot, and pull it through at the correct angle. These two
slots are very easy to use. Then, there are two small sharpening rods for sharpening
serrated blades. This is less easy and straightforward to use, because the sharpening
rods must match the size of the serration. Overall, I like this system more, but I nd I
cant get as ne an edge on the blade as with the DMT sharpener.
If it is cold, carry lighters by your body so they continue to work. Pens freeze, pencils
don't, but pencils can puncture clothing and skin. Get a pencil case, or mechanical
pencil, which is lighter, rellable, and saves space. Or just carry pens by your body.
Have a notepad, a journal, or both.
A small bit of liquid or solid soap can go a long way if used very sparingly. Hand
sanitizer is also good, can be used to purify water, and is great for lighting res. Dish
soap can be used for anything that requires soap, not just dishes.
Try to have all your bottles be rellable and reusable after they are emptied. Big
bottles, especially when barely lled, are very annoying. They waste space. Wal-Mart
has rellable travel bottles, which have served me well.
Headlamps are optimal because they leave both hands free to do chores. The strap
can be hung over a protruding pole, easily making a makeshift lantern. Having your
hands free is incredibly important, and I would recommend you get a headlamp
before you get a ashlight. I use both, but I got a headlamp rst. I prefer LEDs
because they last a lot longer than regular bulbs. However, LEDs do seem to mess
with my depth perception at night. Bring a lot of backup batteries. If the nights are
long, it can be a big, boring waste to sit still for hours before going to sleep. Although,
on the bright side, this is a good time to pray and plan ahead.
When it comes to eyesight, if you have contact lenses, get glasses. Glasses do not
require saline solution or generally clean ngertips to put in. You will have trouble
with both these factors while bugging out. If you have glasses, get a second pair.
Apply as many special treatments, such as scratch resistance and glare resistance, to
the glasses that you are willing to able. They will go through a beating. Once while
hiking, I fell and broke the lens of one pair of glasses. Good thing that I had a second
pair.
Polarized sunglasses help with shing. They allow me to see through the reective
surface far better. They also shield my eyes from too much sunlight.
A small container of fog preventative is helpful in cold weather; it prevents my warm,
moist breath from fogging up my glasses. I use Liberty Sports anti fog lens cleaner. It
12-12-25 06:57 PM

8 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

works well except that it slightly increases glare when there is no fog. Also, it comes
o when you clean them.
Get a small cord to attach to your glasses and loop behind your neck so that your
glasses dont fall on the ground and get broken like mine did. Stores sell straps
specically for this, but you can save money and improvise.
Also, I have a pair of cheap safety goggles that t over my glasses for going through
dense terrain so branches dont poke me in the eye or steal my glasses. They can also
be used to keep my glasses on my face.
For cooking, I used an imitation Army mess kit and a camping silverware set. It
worked adequately. I would have liked a bigger pot for cooking, but it takes up too
much space.
For repairs, duct tape xes almost everything. I shove some paracord into the donut
hole to save space and organize these items. Paracord is very useful and highly
recommended, but I have also found a good supplement to it: shing line.
In general, shing line is immensely useful. You can twine and twist two to three
strings together to make an improvised but eective bowstring. I did this, although I
did not hunt with it. If the line is strong enough, you can make clotheslines or even
hang a tarp from it. It can be used for many things that paracord can be used for such
as lashing together a temporary shelter. You can use it for clothing repairs, but takes
up far less space and is cheaper foot for foot than paracord. The downside is that the
narrow strands can be somewhat dicult to tie and take time to braid together.
However, once done braiding, if tied correctly, it can be used many, many times. Of
course, it also works for shing!
A small sewing kit and tackle box takes up very little space. Just be sure that it is a
solid container. A few needles, some thread, a small bobber, a few hooks, and a sinker
can be put into a very small space.
Instead of using oss, I bring along three reusable toothpicks. These are small plastic
strips that work almost as well as oss. I got them for free from my dentist. I think
that they are called Oral-pix or Ora-pix, but I threw away the box and just use the
toothpicks. It takes very little soap to clean such a small item. I havent had any
problems with these and Ive used them for years. These take up less space than oss,
and, so far, not a single one has broken.
Certain reworks can provide an eective distraction or intimidating tool in any
armed conict. Loud, short single explosion reworks are more eective. I saw both
M-80s and recrackers used for distractions, and the recrackers were far less
convincing or distracting, whereas the M-80, making one loud noise, was far more
intimidating and realistic.
Another innovative defensive idea that was demonstrated to me was the many
benets of a fake gun. If you would like to save money and weight while looking
armed, buy a replica plastic gun or airsoft gun. Spray paint the orange tip black, and
if the gun is not black, paint that as well. Get a holster or sling, depending on what
type of gun youd like to impersonate. You now look intimidating without having to
carry around a heavy gun, spare clips, and heavy, potentially noisy, clinking
ammunition. When I rst saw a holstered and painted airsoft pistol on the hip and in
the hand of my friend Ramsey ve feet from me, I thought it was real.
12-12-25 06:57 PM

9 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

This is a versatile trick. It helps you be stealthier, lightens the load, and is cheap. You
do not have to care for fake guns, saving space that would be lled by real gun care
products. Combining reworks and fake guns, my friend detonated a single loud
rework and held the fake gun; if I did not know what was happening, especially from
a distance, I would have thought it was real. An attacker may suspect something, but
it would be dicult for them to call your blu. Just be sure to carefully paint the fake
gunsany orange left may give away the ruse. [Editor's Note: a ruse like this might
work ONCE, but I wouldn't risk my life on depending on it.]
You can pack some toilet paper, but unless you pack rolls of itwasting space in the
processyou will run out. Survival isnt pretty. Use whatever you can. Small bits of
cloth found on the side of the road can be washed in running water, dried, and used a
few times, then discarded or burnt. Or you can just use them without washing them.
Be creative. If youre going to try to carry some toilet paper, take out the cardboard
tube or atten it to save space.
Fishing maps, available from many Wal-marts or the internet, are helpful both for
path-nding and for information that helps you acquire food. However, they are more
geared for shing, not travel. Thus, I prefer Delormes series of state maps, which
have incredibly detailed maps. Delormes maps are a little big, but the detail makes
them worth it.
I also print out maps and store them somewhere waterproof. Then, I have backup
maps stored somewhere waterproof, just in case. I do not want to get lost.
For containers, plastic grocery bags can be compacted by twisting them while forcing
air out. They take up very little space this way.
When unfolded, these can be double or triple bagged by placing one bag inside of
another in order to carry weight more reliably. Most are lacking in durability, but they
can be easily restocked. I carried twenty pounds of items in two triple-bagged plastic
bags, one in each hand, ten pounds in each, while hiking twenty miles over ve days.
The handles stretched a little, but held up. Not a single bag broke.
If you have extra plastic bags, you can also create basic compartments within the
triple bag shell. Just take a bag, place the items you want into it, and put it inside the
triple bag shell. Repeat with other items. You can always double or triple bag these
compartments. These are also the most water resistant areas, especially if you tie
them shut and place them above the bottom of the bag. It was very easy to nd
replacement bags, as they are a common piece of litter.
These are very handy, multipurpose, water resistant, and windproof items. I highly
recommend having a dozen or so in your bug out bag. Always look for more bags. I
have some reusable cloth tote bags, but I have left them behind, favoring the plastic
bags. The cloth bags take up too much space for their function. Should your main
pack fail, the plastic bags can be pressed into service carrying your gear. While not
optimal, it does work so long as you dont overload them.
Larger plastic trash bags are also very useful. They can be folded into small spaces,
but are tough. These are great for gathering resources, and, when stued, can
insulate a shelter or to cover your sleeping bag.
If possible and practical, keep all electronics and batteries near to your body in a
12-12-25 06:57 PM

10 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

waterproof container like a Ziploc bag. Incidentally, Ziploc bags are also highly
helpful for organizing any items and are recommended. Cold drains batteries at a
hastened pace. Keep batteries out of electronics when not in use to extend their
battery life. Or, if you can, put a small plastic disk cut from a bottle into the electronic
device to prevent the battery from forming a circuit with the device. Youll know the
circuit is disrupted when the device doesnt work.
At camp, I like to have an area where tools go when not in use so I can nd them and
dont lose them. Also, I make it a habit to obsessively double and triple check my
camp for stray items before leaving. At this time, I check my inventory to make sure
that everything is there. I highly recommend packing and repacking you rucksack and
bags, doing your best to memorize where each piece of gear is. This saves time in the
long run and prevents lost items.
For re, four Bic lighters, four match boxes, and a Swedish re steel were sucient
for my travels. It is tedious and dicult to get a re started from just a spark, but it is
possible. Practice beforehand. Mainly, I just use a lighter or match to get a re going.
If you need a re-starter, cattail down is amazing. Tear it up and u it up into a big,
air lled mass and, so long as it is dry, it burns like something soaked in gasoline.
For bathing, a small washcloth bath with a bit of soap was sucient. When it was cool
outside, or exertion was minimal, I would go about a week between any bathing. This
didnt bother me very much, nor were there any problems as a result of this. When it
is warmer, I sweat more, and thus bathing became a higher priority. Still, I only had to
keep my hands, face, feet, groin, and armpits fairly clean occasionally. It was easy to
do. Not a big deal.
Walking
While walking, do not overexert yourself. I temporarily crippled myself once by
walking 33 miles over 18 hours with about 50 pounds on my back. This was done
almost entirely on a solid road. Afterwards, my knees hurt and were so sti that I was
almost entirely lame, only capable of a very slow and painful limp for nearly a day. My
feet were in agony at this time. The blisters were uncomfortable and an infection risk.
It took me almost a week to fully recover, but I was able to move fairly well after
about two days. Learn from my mistake; dont overexert yourself.
When I took breaks while walking, it was very tempting to extend the breaks,
eventually becoming hour-long siestas. This can severely cut into your overall
eciency, making the overall bug out take much longer. Try your very best to stay on
target and not waste time. A ve to ten minute break is optimal to rest, stretch,
massage sore muscles, adjust equipment, and change socks if necessary. Be vigilant
and disciplined to minimize the time spent on breaks. Of course, dont overexert
yourself, either. The only way to nd your personal balance is to practice.
If it is too cold at night to sleep eectively, travel at night in order for the exercise to
keep you warm. This has the added benet of making you more dicult to see, so
long as you keep your lights o or directed carefully to make a minimal prism. Of
course, a lack of light also makes it more dangerous that you will trip and fall.
Railroad tracks make a good, elevated vantage point, although they are somewhat
12-12-25 06:57 PM

11 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

tricky to walk on. Also, you will often have a silhouette to any nearby observers. Keep
that in mind. Consider getting o the railroad tracks when there are benecial, at,
dry elds or an equivalent ideal footing, and getting back on the railroad tracks when
going through a swamp or something dicult to traverse.
Otherwise, roads for cars can be a very good, at way to cover a lot of distance
quickly. If there is a at strip of grass by the side of the road, use it. The additional
cushioning eect of grass will save your ankles, knees, and hips from the jarring
eects of constantly stepping on concrete or asphalt.
Gravel roads can be slightly tougher to walk on, depending on the size and stability of
the gravel, but dirt roads generally work quite nicely. Again, I usually will look for at
stretches of short grass or solid earth to walk on. I found that this cuts down on the
relentless strain of repetitive impact. The country roads are probably what you will
want to look for with bugging out: less population density and generally useable
roads.
It is very time consuming going over rugged terrain or through woods, and you
increase your risk of injury. One loose rock can cause a tumble, which can be
disastrous with a pack on. You have to spend time nding a trail through dense
woods. All steep hills, especially ones with loose rocks, should be avoided if possible
and, if they must be navigated, done so with a walking stick or two and caution.
You will slow down going over hills and mountains. It uses tremendously more energy.
Avoid it whenever possible. Instead, stick as much as possible to roads, railroad
tracks, elds, and other easy surfaces.
Stay alert while walking and look for useful items. I found an unlit police are along a
busy interstate in Texas. Cotton cloths, rags, small bits of clothing, Ziploc bags,
plastic bags, and plastic bottles are useful and common. I also found some plastic
sunglasses, a hat, and unopened and perfectly edible bags of dry crackers.
Finally, while traveling and camping, stay away from sand if you can. It clogs
everything and gets everywhere.
Shelter
When it comes to shelter, rst, plan your location wisely. Is it visible from a road?
From a trail? From above? Are there useful trees nearby? Is food nearby? Where is
water? Is there a at place to sleep? Are there materials for insulation? How do I get
out of here? Think these things through before you start building. It saves time and
resources.
Use whatever is available: a building, a wall, a cave, etc. If you are walking along
roads or railroads, there will probably be usable buildings. Look for roofs. If you are
going through the woods, make a basic shelter. I mainly just used my bivy bag sleep
system, sometimes combining it with a lean-to or A-frame. I did sleep on concrete a
few times, too. It is uncomfortable, but at least it is at.
I experienced temperatures from 95 degrees to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and I found
the cold was much tougher to deal with. A few nights were more or less sleepless. I
didnt use my sleeping bag or bivy bag. I tested the lower bounds of comfort,
shivered, built a re, fell asleep, and woke up as the re dwindled. I added wood and
repeated the process. The cold woke me up and motivated me to do work in order to
heat up. I never cut so much rewood so quickly.

12-12-25 06:57 PM

12 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

If the night will get cold, do not sleep in a mountain valley. I camped by a river in a
valley. Big mistake. All the cold air sunk to the bottom at night, and I got cold. Camp
on the side of the mountain instead. The top of hills and mountains get more wind and
you leave a more obvious silhouette. The only problem with sides of mountains is it
can be dicult to nd a at place to sleep, but if you have an e-tool, you can make
some minor adjustments to otherwise uneven ground, making a at sleeping area.
If you can, build a noise-making barrier surrounding your camp made of brittle twigs
and branches piled one to two feet high. This causes people, but mainly animals, to
make noise walking over or through it, hopefully waking you up. It isnt perfect, but
the animal, which was, judging by the sound it made, about the size of a fox or small
cat, didnt seem to gure it out. I never had to face any human intruders, though.
It can be good to camp for an extended period of time in a shelter that oers
conveniences like fresh, running water and plentiful food. This saves a lot of time and
gives you the advantage of experience and routine: knowing the fastest routes to the
survival necessities, not having to pack and unpack your sleeping gear, and many
other small benets. This can give you more time for rest and leisure or allow you to
get more done. Whenever I stayed at a camp longer than a night, I began getting into
a rhythm, partially learned the lay of the land, and generally felt better. Besides, it is
important not to overtax yourself. Give your body time to recuperate after it is being
put through what will be one of the most physically, mentally, emotionally, and
spiritually taxing times of your life. Of course, balance this with the need to actually
make it to your destination!
Sleep
I simulated lack of sleep while hiking 22 miles over four days with 50 pounds of gear
on my back. I gave myself around 8 hours of poor sleep over four days. It is certainly
possible to bug out with little sleep, but towards the end of this, I was getting
uncomfortable, miserable and inecient. I wish I had slept instead. Learn from my
mistake; get some sleep.
To improve sleep and relaxation, earplugs help. However, these can make it harder to
hear important events around you. Improvise a facemask. Make a thick mattress of
soft things for cushioning and insulation from the earth. A small, insulated lean-to or
A-frame shelter can be cozy and, since it traps your body heat, warm.
In addition, try the drugs diphenhydramine or melatonin, available over the counter.
If I was having diculty, these greatly helped me get to sleep. However, they
sometimes left me feeling groggy the next day.
Water
For water, I used plastic bottles and a 2 liter Last-Drop system, which is an o-brand
Camel-bak. It provides a collapsible canteen and the ability to drink without having to
stop. I used one from Wal-Mart with a Last Drop system daily, and it worked perfectly,
other than some slight leaking from the mouthpiece. Then, I used a GI steel cup for
boiling teas or for cooking food.
I personally drank from two moving rivers in rural Missouri about 40 times without
purifying the water at all. I just dipped in a cup and drank. I suered no noticeable ill
eects. In fact, it tasted quite good. However, listen to the experts and purify it
through boiling, chemicals, or both.
12-12-25 06:57 PM

13 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

I recommend a small travel bottle lled with bleach with the dosing information
written on the bottle and memorized: 8-16 drops per gallon, more if the quality
appears poorer. Add the appropriate drops of bleach, wait the recommended amount
of time, and, if you want, you can boil it too. I never had any problems with only
bleached water, but bear in mind that I never had any problems with water straight
from the river, either. If you want to be incredibly redundant and safe, have some
water purication tablets, too.
If you can, plan your route next to bodies of water. Always ll your water carriers
when leaving a watering spot, because you may not know the next time you will nd
water or how pure it will be.
To spice up your water, pine and spruce needles can be boiled in water, the resulting
brew drank, and the needles eaten. While you can only put a few needles in to have a
mildly avored tea, I like to just cram as many as I can into my steel canteen cup, boil
for about fteen minutes, cool, and drink. This pine and spruce tea feels very
wholesome to drink.
Food
Food was repeatedly the weakest link in my simulated bugouts. This may have been
because I planned my routes near rivers, creeks, lakes, and ponds, giving me plenty
of water. Also, I did not trap or sh because I did not have a license for this. Nor did I
glean from farm elds. Still, food will be the weakest link because an immense
amount of energy is required to lug 10-50 pounds around.
Raisins and peanuts are good for an inexpensive high calorie food that can be stored
at room temperature and doesnt require cooking. Dont reinvent the wheel; use trail
mix. Rice is good for when you have time to cook. A bag of rice can also double as a
pillow.
You can glean food from farm elds. The combine loses some, and sometimes farmers
leave a patch unharvested. While the quality, nutrition, taste, and edibility do
deteriorate, in a survival situation, I saw enough to keep me alive. I found a
smorgasbord of unprocessed soy beans, some on the ground, and others still on the
plant, in many already harvested farmers elds in early November in Northern
Missouri.
Foraging is fairly easy; the inner barks of pines and many other trees can be eaten
raw or dried, pounded into our, eaten, or mixed with water and eaten; while it does
not taste good, it does work to keep energy up. You can also just eat pine needles.
Most nuts will keep for a while on the ground, but you will want a nutcracker to
process them eciently. Paw-paws, persimmons, apples, wild onions, wild garlic,
cattail, sumac, wild grapes, and, depending on the season, many more edible plants
are there, but rst you need to know where to look, what to look for, what to harvest,
and what not to harvest. For instance, hemlock looks almost exactly like carrot, but,
in sucient amounts, it will paralyze and kill you. Preparatory study and practice is
necessary, quite fun, healthy, and delicious.
Miscellaneous
12-12-25 06:57 PM

14 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

Consider carrying a few extra pounds of fat on you. This can be metabolized by your
body into extra fuel during tough times. Before a big bug-out simulation, I would
over-eat slightly, putting on a little bit of weight. As I walked, it would reliably
dwindle away.
Think of this added weight as your own pack of meals ready to digest: MRDs. These
are highly ecient, portable meals: no cooking, heating, silver-ware, mess-kits,
clean-up, or even eating required!
If you do this, plan ahead with your clothing. You may want some suspenders or a
good belt so that your pants still work after you lose weight. A regular leather belt
worked ne for me, although the most my weight ranged was from 175 pounds down
to 155 pounds. You can make your belt tighter by carefully poking the tip of a knife
through it, creating another hole. I did this two years ago with a regular leather belt
from Kohls, and I haven't had any problems.
Finally, when it comes to packing on a few extra MRDs, everything in moderation! Too
many MRDs stashed around your midri and thighs have their own set of problems
for survival.
Fasting
One major problem I ran into was that the necessities of survival were constantly on
my mind, threatening to eclipse the greater necessity of religious renewal before God.
In order to combat this, I took a fasting vacation.
A fasting vacation of a few days gave my body time to relax and my spirit time to
intensely focus itself on God. I recommend Paul C. Braggs The Miracle of Fasting
for an overview of the dynamics of fasting. Basically, I have found that it allows
heightened focus, concentration, and a sense of deep optimism. According to Dr.
Bragg, it also puries the body through the elimination of stored toxins. In a nutshell,
fasting has lots of good benets.
What I did for this vacation was nd a relatively safe place and set up camp. Then, I
did pretty much nothing.
While fasting and praying, I had much less physical energy. After four days of a
water-only fast, I hiked 4 miles the fourth day while carrying around ten pounds. I
was thoroughly drained afterwards for about six hours. Otherwise, that would have
been a very easy hike. Plan accordingly and dont fast before a twenty mile hike.
Also, remember that the subjective mental, emotional, and spiritual clarity I have
reliably experienced while fasting may not occur for you. Try it out so that you know
the eects for yourself.
In addition, some periods of moderate mental discomfort may also occur, but I have
generally found that drinking more water and urinating tends to eliminate this. It is
worst when I rst wake up. This is, according to Dr. Bragg, due to toxins
accumulating during the night; these are easily elimination in the morning.
In a fast, it is up to you how much time to dedicate to the Almighty. Perhaps you have
more pressing survival needs than I did, or your needs for spiritual renewal are more
great; adapt this for your situation.

12-12-25 06:57 PM

15 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

During the fast is a wonderful time to read and reread useful survival information,
plan routes, sharpen tools, become more familiar with your packing schemes, as well
as all other low-intensity but useful activities like leisurely foraging for food. It is a
good time to read the Bible and other religious literature, as well.
For me, two to four days of a water-only fast are eective for stepping back, relaxing,
praying, and realigning my priorities from mere survival to serving God.
Bear in mind that it can take a day to even a week for your digestive system to fully
restart. This is a dicult thing, and does take a while; try not to gorge yourself
immediately coming o of a fast. I have gorged myself many times, and my digestive
system does resume, but it takes much longer and is uncomfortable while it starts up.
Slowly eating small amounts of food, and increasing meal sizes over time, works much
better.
Coming o a fast, I nd that fruits and vegetables are a lot kinder to my system, while
meats, cheese, and dairy products, for whatever reason, tend to cause discomfort. A
laxative and stool softener is also helpful.
If possible, eat less before beginning a fast, too. This allows your digestive organs to
slowly wind down, rather than just cutting o all food instantly. I nd that slowing
down instantly is much less traumatic than starting up instantly.
I would recommend doing a fast at a safe place when you have 1-2 weeks to pre-fast,
fast, and restart your digestive system. It is certainly possible to begin hiking
immediately upon breaking your fast, but you will probably have some intestinal
issues for a while. Finally, if a forced fast is thrust upon you by the hand of scarcity, be
aware of these dynamics to optimize your health.
At the very least, understand the many proven and potential positive health eects of
fasting, so that when you nd yourself in a food-scarce scenario, you can remind
yourself that, in at least some ways, your body, mind, and soul is improving. This will
be good for keeping you and others optimistic.
Well, that should do it. Obviously I cant cover everything in full detail. I left out many
minor details, items, and tips to save space.
Really, experience is the best teacher, and it is extremely recommended that you do a
simulated bug out with all of your gear, trying out each and every piece of equipment
in as many dierent environments and situations as possible, especially the ones you
would go through during a bug-out. Have fun. Be rough on your equipment. This
shows you what works, what doesnt, what you like, and what you dont. From there
you can perfect your gear. If you simulate a bug out, youll be more prepared if the
real thing hits. And carrying 10-50 pounds of gear on long walks is a highly eective
way to get into shape, which is essential for optimum living.
Given the immense practicality of most of the gear, and the many destabilizing forces
at work in todays world, having a bug-out bag and practicing for a bug-out makes
rational sense. If you enjoy backpacking, camping, and the great outdoors, a bug-out
bag serves two purposes. Hopefully, you dont have to walk in a real bug-out, but if
you do, I hope and pray that these observations can be of help to you. Your situation
and needs may dier from mine, but that is just another reason why you should
12-12-25 06:57 PM

16 of 16

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/12/observations_on_...

personally test out you and your familys bug out gear!
May God be with you!
Copyright 2005-2012 James Wesley, Rawles - SurvivalBlog.com All Rights
Reserved

12-12-25 06:57 PM