Urban Survival Gear and Equipment - Reader's Bug Out Bag Comment

UrbanSurvivalSkills.com received the following comment on your post "Survival Bug Out Bag - Fire Starting Kit,…..”Anonymous said,….A knife would not be bad either with a good old fashion magnifying glass for every bug out bag.”

UrbanMan replies. Thanks for the comment. Good point on the magnifying glass, especially for people who are dependent upon reading glasses to read fine or close up print. I am that way,..20-20 and 20-15 eyesight even at my age, but need reading glasses to read the finest print on maps and documents. The magnifying glass will also let you start a fire and is easy enough to learn so everyone can do it.

It would be a good idea for people needing reading glasses to buy a small compact pair or two of cheap reading glasses,..they can be purchased from Wal-Mart, WalGreens, etc., in hard vase, and place in Survival Bug Out Bags. I also keep a credit card sized magnifying glass in my Survival Kit.

As far having a knife is concerned. My practice is to wear one on my belt and one my Load Bearing Vest, as well as have some type of multi-tool in my Bug Out Bags. In case you are separated from your Bug Out Bag, you will still have some Survival tools on your person. The items I carry on my person (in my pockets) are again a good fixed knife, fire starting kit (another in my Bug Out Bag) and at least two silver rounds.

The new SOG Tool, called the Power Lock, you can read about it here, is the latest and best tool in the multi-tool, multi-plier category, however I only have one of those. I have about ten or eleven other multi-tools (Gerber Multi-Tool, Leatherman Wave, etc.) spread through Bug Out Bags, other gear bags and the occasional book shelf or kitchen counter, much to my wife’s chagrin.

Urban Survival Gear - My Basic Kit: Load Bearing Vests and Firerarms

When asked about my personal kit, I very seldom get into detail, because it'll take awhile to explain what I have and why. I have two basic Load Bearing Vest packages including rucks with water bladders.

My first kit shown is actually my alternate kit and what I call my lightweight load bearing vest.  It is designed around a Blackhawk Chest and back plate carrier, in sand or tan color. I have four pistol magazines pouches on the chest and two first aid packet pouches; two dump pouches (one on each side) round out this vest. The rifle picture is a Rock River M-4 clone, with a Surefire light on a Surefire M73 rail, a Luepold CQT scope and GG&G back up iron sights.  I am using a Spec Opns Mamba sling - just haven't replaced them with the two new V-Tac slings I have on my desk. 

My heavier kit is comprised of a London Bridge Tradining Company load bearing vest. It will carry six 30 round P-Magazines. I have three pistol magazine pouches on the chest (for Glock magazines); one utility pouch on one side (holding mini-binos, small survival tin and several nutrition bars) and a full up First Aid Kit on the other. On the outside of the first aid kit, I carry an additional first aid pouch for a battle dressing, several band-aids and alcohol preps to use on other people.  I have a radio pouch and when not in use it can hold two more 30 round magazines.  I also have a smaller pouch for a Surefire A2 Aviator light.

The weapon shown below is my primary gun and is another Rock River M-4 clone with a very old Bushnell red dot scope that preceeded the EO Tech.  I have been using it for many years and am comfortable with it.  This gun has a pistol grip, another Surefire light and a UTG folding Bi-Pod. This gun also has a Spec Opns Mamba Sling, which is a great sling the way I modify it, but will soon be replaced with Kyle Lamb's V-TAC sling once I get un-lazy.

Both Load Bearing Rigs have Camel-Bak bladders on the back.  I have several other lighter rigs such as Blackhawk Chest Carriers (like the old Chicom AK magazine bandolier type) one set up for an M-14, one for an M-1 carbine and one set up for a 12 gauge pump riot gun.

Survival Bug Out Bag - Fire Starting Kit

UrbanSurvivalSkills.com received the following comment last week, from the post on Wilderness Survival Skills List,...."Anonymous said...What do you suggest I carry in my Bug Out bags to start fires? Just some butane lighters? Maybe a steel and magnesium stick?"

UrbanMan replies: You probably can’t have enough Survival Fire Starting Equipment in your Bug Out Bag. In my dedicated Fire Starting Kit I carry the following items: Butane Lighter, Magnesium and steel striker, Strike Anyway Storm Matches, compressed cotton tinder, and compressed roll of newspaper coated in wax. Everything but the lighter and newspaper fire starter fit into a water proof container.

Each of my Survival Bug Out Bags are set up to stand alone in case any survivor was separated they would not have to rely on another Survival Group member for anything.

I also carry a small pouch with a zip lock bag of compressed lint gathered from the clothes dryer, a box of stick matches and a butane lighter. This kit stays in my pocket, so if I am separated from my Bug Out Bag I can have the tools to start a fire.

Being able to start a fire is a primary skill. You should be able to build a fire using wet wood if that was all that was available. Keeping in mind that wet wood will smoke much more than dry wood and perhaps give away your position, but it may be necessary risk that if you are freezing or are soaking wet in very cold weather.

The Newspaper fire starter is just a tightly rolled strip of newsprint, tie up with string or with a rubber band, then dropped into a double boiler of welted liquid wax. These Survival Fire Starters are water proof. I also carry at least six more in a small plastic bag inside the Bug Out Bag. I have seen people make these by rolling up saw dust or almost pulverized tinder in side the newspaper rolls.

Dryer lint makes excellent tinder. I’ll place the lint on a dry leaf, place smaller grass or dry stems on top, then build either a teepee or a lattice work of small to bigger twigs. I can’t remember it ever failing me.

I suggest having several boxes of wooden matches and butane lighters. Usually at the checkout counter of Wal-Mart, Target and other stores you’ll see deals like six four regular sized butane lighters, get three smaller one’s free – I’ll always buy a pack. My wife thinks I have enough, but boxes of matches and butane lighters will be good barter items if you have enough of them.

Why the magnesium fire starter? Old school I guess. A friend of mine makes a kit where the magnesium rod is glued into a groove in a small section of Mule Deer or White Tail antler. Then he attaches a small section of hack saw blade on a string to the antler. The teeth side of the hack saw blade is used to shave off magnesium onto your tinder, then you use the smooth side of the hack saw blade to strike and direct sparks onto the tinder.

Hope this answers the question on Fire Starting.

Urban Survival Firearms – Spare Guns for Barter

UrbanSurvivalSkills.com received the following comment from Chuco Passtime regarding my article on Urban Survival Firearms Battery,…… ”I would not call the specialty type guns "junk" guns to barter; rather, label them as antiques or collectibles. You would have a better chance to barter or sell at a higher price. You will be surprised how much a word can co$t you!”

UrbanMan replies: Chuco thanks for the prompt to clarify what I meant. You are right,..words do have meaning. Maybe I should have said “spare firearms”. I never call my collection of older firearms as junk – don’t know why I wrote it. These older guns consist of such gems as .30-40 Krags, .45-70 lever and single shots, Marlin .22 magazine fed bolt actions, .22 LR revolvers, 12 gauge double barrels, .45 LC single action revolver, etc.

These guns are not my primary defensive weapons that would be relied upon during the collapse, but are instead available for barter after a collapse when there will be many people looking to possess firearms for defense, hunting or whatever. My primary Urban Survival defensive armory is centered around my M-4 carbines, Glock handguns, and, Remington and Mossberg 12 gauge shotguns.

I know there are more than a couple opinions out there about trading or bartering firearms since they may end up being used against you. I know if I was on the move with my family and weaponless, one of my first priorities, if not my absolute first, would be to procure a firearm. Even a .22 LR bolt action single shot rifle would be a step up. Besides, if I was going to barter away firearms, I would ensure that the person intending upon receiving the gun would be someone that I would not anticipate coming back to use it against me. And I would control the amount of ammunition with the barter of that gun.

You would think that about all Americans own guns,..but that just ain’t just true. There are tens of millions of gun owners,..alot of these guns are older firearms that you would not consider first line defensive firearms suitable for protecting your family against gangs or mobs. And I would think that the majority of these gun owners may, maybe, one box of cartridges for these guns. That’s why I suggest holding onto your collection of ammunition in odd calibers. Just the other day I found three boxes of 5.7x28mm ammunition. I traded two boxes for three M-14 magazines and am keeping the other box just for barter or in case I end up with a 5.7 handgun or P90 carbine.