*Get Over The BOB Tarps Already*
By: Chief
26 December 2016

The Bug Out Bag (BOB) is the grass roots of survivalism. It is survival 101. If you can't pass the basic elements and concept of the BOB you have to go back to something as basic as buying a good knife or maybe footwear. That being said. Experienced survivalist have dropped the ball on basic survivalism and let the dust colect on the BOB and advanced to surviving more comfortablly through the apocolypse making sure they have power for their DVD players and beer coolers. every survival site I've looked at over the years still has a list of items to include in the Bug Out Bag.

The one item that never changes is -2 ground tarps, for shelter.This will keep the rain off but not the wind and the bugs.

Back in the late 80s, 2 friends and myself went on a fishing trip on the coast. We live in the Pacific "NORTH" north west. You've all watched deadliest catch. We live slightly south of that. Being young and dumb our supplies were simple. Boat,beer, motor,beer gas,beer fishing gear,beer, 3 man dome tent, beer, canned food,beer, small burner stove,beer, and a powersaw, and a little beer. You get my point. We boated to open ocean and found a small bay to set up. That night the rain and wind came in HARD. Our boat was swamped, our tent and gear SOAKED. And hypothermia setting in on 3 hung over stupid young males. We came up with a plan (we were close do dying, I'm man enough now to say we were almost in tears) Dump everything out of the tent ,take it to high ground, strip to the skivies, and hot the tent with the small propane stove. It worked. We got heat enough into our bodies to get out with the powersaw to cut wood discs from a beached log (center of log was the only dry wood anywere.) and get a huge fire roaring we started with most of what was left of the boat gas. All this saved our lives from the self inflicted disaster.

The point i'm getting at here is that the Dome Tent

Makes way more sense in the BOB that "2 ground tarps" It is just as compact and if you are throwing poles in your pack anyway to support tarps it makes sense. The Alpha Tent still holds value depending on the circumstances (can be used as rain gear as well) but if you have children and or live in a cold, wet, bug infested climate. Get a sealed quality dome tent.

Include a portable cook stove. I've FNVed this! Ya it will almost fumigate you so watch for signs of dizziness if you have to heat the tent in an emergency but it will save your life.

A little added secret for cold wet weather. Include a pile of Nitrile gloves in your pack. Ever try doing ANYTHING with cold , wet hands? They create a dry vapor barrier on your hands and you can still do fine work with them on. They will fit under wet wool gloves as well for added heat.

The BOB is the grass roots of survivalism. Let's beat the dust off those packs and see this system evolve a little more.

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