Get home bag for work.

[2ManyGuns]

I travel to a limited area for work, it encompasses the Galveston area, Beaumont, Livingston, and Cypress to the West of San Antonio or Austin and surrounding areas, most days this is about 130 miles from home. This is a little over 2 hours drive time, but walking it would be much longer, I'd estimate under ideal conditions, 10 days. This is a guess based on my limited knowledge of the terrain and my ability to cover it. Most likely it would be longer.

I have been rebuilding my bag. I am shelter-heavy. I have a good tarp with tie-outs and stakes, a fairly heavy-duty survival blanket/tarp to use as ground cover or as a blanket, a heavy poncho with a woobie, and a sleeping pad, two large contractor bags. Other items are 72 hours of dried food, plus 10 packets of instant coffee, a fire kit, and a boo-boo kit, I do have 4 rolls of gauze, ace bandages for sprains or binding the gauze on a larger wound on an arm or leg. (I need to add some items to this for larger wounds and some Tylenol or Aleve for minor pain). Multiple knives, a quality folding saw, extra long wool socks, and beanie if it is cold here, assorted cordage (small spool of braided Kevlar, a roll of tarred bank line, 100 feet of 550), and a small fishing kit. I have a 64 oz. container for water (stainless steel), a way to heat/cook, this is a second stainless steel 1 qt. canteen, with "cup". I need to add purification tabs and filtration for water. I also have a flashlight with 2 sets of extra batteries a headlight and lined pigskin gloves. I always take a filled 2 qt. plastic canteen, for staying hydrated throughout the day. I do have a couple of maps I don't expect road signs to magically disappear, but need a compass and skills to use.

I will have my p365XL as I do every day with 2 extra magazines, a folding knife, and whatever tools I carry on the work truck. I'm thinking of something to cut wire (dykes) and assorted pliers. I keep a lightweight jacket in my work truck, hoodie-type


I did put in a hundred rounds of 22Lr because I might add my Buckmark, a holster to strap to the pack's shoulder harness, and extra magazines. I may need to acquire some small game animals along the way. I think I may need to add some seasoning to the pack, salt, and pepper.

One major concern is crossing the metro areas, I am used to using major freeways and highways and am not at all knowledgeable of what lies below or to the sides of the major arteries.


If anyone has any thoughts or critiques, please do.

 

[MountainGirl]

My thoughts are many and given from both experience and love and not criticism whatsoever.

Much depends on why you found yourself on foot...but regardless of what happened, or whatever scenario you're considering, and assuming your goal is to get home as relatively quickly as possible, you're carrying way too much stuff...for two reasons: visibility and weight.

The bag/pack that your list would require will be a very desirable target (to steal) while walking along highways or back roads - and especially while getting through metro areas. Anyone who did not ready themselves for what ever happened is a direct threat to you.

The weight alone of what you listed will slow you down considerably and require more calories to haul along.. and may be too cumbersome if you have to cross-country. Have you made a 'dry run' yet? Load up everything you listed, kit up as you're planning, and go for at least a mile walk.

Only you can know what may be critical for you to carry. You're not going camping. Depending on the situation you might not even be able to hunt or start a fire. Being "comfortable" is a luxury - getting home fast is the goal.

One other thing. Make sure the shoes/boots/whatever that you can walk very far in are either on your feet every time you leave the house - or there's a pair of them in your truck, to put on before you head out.

 

[2ManyGuns]

My thoughts are many and given from both experience and love and not criticism whatsoever.

Much depends on why you found yourself on foot...but regardless of what happened, or whatever scenario you're considering, and assuming your goal is to get home as relatively quickly as possible, you're carrying way too much stuff...for two reasons: visibility and weight.

The bag/pack that your list would require will be a very desirable target (to steal) while walking along highways and especially while getting through metro areas. Anyone who did not ready themselves for what ever happened is a direct threat to you.

The weight alone of what you listed will slow you down considerably and require more calories to haul along.. and may be too cumbersome if you have to cross-country. Have you made a 'dry run' yet? Load up everything you listed, kit up as you're planning, and go for at least a mile walk.

Only you can know what may be critical for you to carry. You're not going camping. Depending on the situation you might not even be able to hunt or start a fire. Being "comfortable" is a luxury - getting home fast is the goal.

ALSO. Make sure the shoes/boots/whatever that you can walk very far in are either on your feet every time you leave the house - or there's a pair of them in your truck, to put on before you head out.

You make very good points. I may be overcomplicating/overthinking the issue. My nickname when I was younger was "Overkill", cause I always came prepared for nearly every situation.

My daily foot gear has become Twisted X products. Very comfortable, good for walking. I'm on my feet all day long, climbing stairs and working on concrete floors. While it is somewhat heavy, I carry similar when going hunting. I do not use an ATV or motorized vehicle once I reach my hunting area. I'm starting heavy and have redundancy built in IF I need to discard gear.

I'm no longer a runner but a plodder. As to calories, I have a built-in backup supply, which I'm trying to remedy. I need to get back to workouts, while I can still carry heavy items up to 150 lbs. fairly easily, I'm no longer as strong as I once was. I'm not on or needing any meds as of yet.

The gear is based on having, IMO, a well-rounded pack, San Antonio/Austin area is dryer (need to be able to carry more water) than Beaumont/Galveston (more shelter, rains from off-shore). The need for hydration in my personal case will exceed what a normal person may need, I perspire heavily, and that is my normal. As I'm typing this I have the AC set at 76 and am perspiring, my body has always been "hot", not sexy hot, but temperature. I'm normally still wearing shorts and a T-shirt into the upper 30's low 40's.

 

[glenbo]

How many miles from one side of Houston to the other? East to west, north to south? How many days and nights do you think it will take you to go that far in that urban environment with, probably, hostiles everywhere?

 

[Havok1]

Not exactly sure what scenario you’re planning for, but if you’re planning to travel that far on foot with that much stuff, why not bring a bicycle? You can get one that folds up.

 

[2ManyGuns]

@glenbo, see beginning of post.

 

[wakosama]

when i worked in downtown Houston, 'my' company locked down the building and parking garage every power outage, refusing to let us out so we could go home. recorded being stuck there for 5 hours once. So I bought a junky old folding bicycle, a couple milk crates and lots of trash bags in my trunk along with some raggedy old clothes. Practiced disguising myself as a homeless bum with a bit of dirt on my face and on the bike with the milk crates and trash bags stuffed with newspapers and various junk and pedaling around the area just for the fun of it to see what it was like. never hassled by the local 'problem' people and was basically unrecognized even by my 'fellow' works when I pedaled right past 'my' building deliberately. Never had to pedal all the way home, which was close to 30 miles, but I drove several different routes to and from. got fired for being homophobic several years ago, but the theory and practice remains valid.

 

[2ManyGuns]

Not exactly sure what scenario you’re planning for, but if you’re planning to travel that far on foot with that much stuff, why not bring a bicycle? You can get one that folds up.

Work truck, not personal.

 

[2ManyGuns]

when i worked in downtown Houston, 'my' company locked down the building and parking garage every power outage, refusing to let us out so we could go home. recorded being stuck there for 5 hours once. So I bought a junky old folding bicycle, a couple milk crates and lots of trash bags in my trunk along with some raggedy old clothes. Practiced disguising myself as a homeless bum with a bit of dirt on my face and on the bike with the milk crates and trash bags stuffed with newspapers and various junk and pedaling around the area just for the fun of it to see what it was like. never hassled by the local 'problem' people and was basically unrecognized even by my 'fellow' works when I pedaled right past 'my' building deliberately. Never had to pedal all the way home, which was close to 30 miles, but I drove several different routes to and from. got fired for being homophobic several years ago, but the theory and practice remains valid.

I'm not in an office but in the field. The office is 20 miles from home. About halfway between San Antonio and Houston near I-10.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Work truck, not personal.

If you can carry all that personal gear in your work truck, why not a folding bike as well?

 

[2ManyGuns]

My daily load out for installs changes from day to day. If installing wind-rated door jambs in the Bay area, I may have 8 loaded up and no room for something like that. Some days I may have 10 front doors to install. This makes a bike impractical. I would not be adverse to one, just not practical. I carry a metric shit-ton of assorted tools, from tools to replacing the glass in doors, to routers, circular saws, saws-all, grinder, levels, prying tools, and other things I may need.

Each day is different.

 

[MountainGirl]

You make very good points. I may be overcomplicating/overthinking the issue. My nickname when I was younger was "Overkill", cause I always came prepared for nearly every situation.

My daily foot gear has become Twisted X products. Very comfortable, good for walking. I'm on my feet all day long, climbing stairs and working on concrete floors. While it is somewhat heavy, I carry similar when going hunting. I do not use an ATV or motorized vehicle once I reach my hunting area. I'm starting heavy and have redundancy built in IF I need to discard gear.

I'm no longer a runner but a plodder. As to calories, I have a built-in backup supply, which I'm trying to remedy. I need to get back to workouts, while I can still carry heavy items up to 150 lbs. fairly easily, I'm no longer as strong as I once was. I'm not on or needing any meds as of yet.

The gear is based on having, IMO, a well-rounded pack, San Antonio/Austin area is dryer (need to be able to carry more water) than Beaumont/Galveston (more shelter, rains from off-shore). The need for hydration in my personal case will exceed what a normal person may need, I perspire heavily, and that is my normal. As I'm typing this I have the AC set at 76 and am perspiring, my body has always been "hot", not sexy hot, but temperature. I'm normally still wearing shorts and a T-shirt into the upper 30's low 40's.

This, and your other posts, changes things a little bit. With your permission - I'll make some suggestions more personalized to your situation - OK?

 

[2ManyGuns]

This, and your other posts, changes things a little bit. With your permission - I'll make some suggestions more personalized to your situation - OK?

I'm open to ideas and thoughts. I tried to make the original post as comprehensive as possible, but I missed some areas I should have covered.

 

[Sasquatch]

I can see plenty of scenarios where a bike makes sense, but also plenty where it doesn't. Wouldn't hurt to throw one in the truck just for giglges, as even short term use of it before ditching it would cut a couple days off your hike home. But if you don't have room for the bike, its not a problem.

I would worry less about shelter and more about food and clean water. Being "fluffy" gives you fat to burn, sure, but when your body winds up in initial ketosis from a lack of incoming food supplies and you're exerting yourself 2-4X as hard as you normally would, you're going to feel like shit pretty quick. Meal replacement bars are the easiest, but staving off mental fatigue by giving yourself a little "treat" daily is good - especially if you're anticipating a week and a half of hoof-time to get home.

Unless we're in the middle of the coldest, nastiest part of winter - if you do have to sleep outside the primary concerns I see are 1.) keeping rain off you at night 2.) keeping bugs at bay and 3.) keeping a low visual profile. Might replace your tent system with a bivy bag and just keep those contractor bags handy. Might add a mosquito net as well, since they're light and take up little space.

You have a head lamp and good gloves, which is great. Do you have a red filter for the head lamp to reduce visual signature and stave off night blindness? Doing most of your moving at night, when its cooler (even if its mid summer, it'll still be a few degrees cooler at night) and your chances of being seen by unwanted individuals is reduced. I'm also sure you've got extra sets of eye pro laying around, I'd throw one or two pairs in for good measure.

As far as tools to carry - an EDC lockpicking tool like the ones made by Covert Instruments (their Covert Companion is pocket size and has the picks needed to access most commercial or residential locks), a strong set of dykes, perhaps a small pry bar and the folding saw you already have. Not many scenarios are going to call for wrenches or pliers that can't be covered by a good multitool. You could throw in a medium size adjustable wrench if you really think you'll have to be undoing some nuts but I don't see many situations that would really be called for. I'm thinking cutting wire fences is the most common need for a tool outside of repairing your own gear. Next up would be the folding saw for either cutting up small fire wood (I'd personally try to avoid fires if you're trying to get home and maintain a low profile) or for getting thru particularly nasty brush. That's where the eyepro is gonna shine.

A pair of bite resistant gaitors would be good if you're moving at night and have to cross thru any sort of brush or grass - don't want to take a snake bite to the leg, and gaitors take up very little room. Bug spray or lotion to keep mosquitos and biting bugs at bay would be good to keep handy too just for personal comfort.

As much as I love fishing, I think I'd also forego the fishing kit unless you really want to stop and spend that amount of time / effort into something that is not a sure thing for getting fish. A small cast net would be more likely to succeed in getting dinner. But then we're back to using fire to cook things, and depending on the sitution unfolding, you might not want that attention. Extra meal replacement bars is what I'd personally put in, in place of the fishing kit.

I'd also be inclined to carry an IFAK besides just pain relievers and booboo bandages, but then again depending on the situation, you may just want to use that 9mm on yourself if you get hurt real real bad and don't have a way out. You've got part of it already with the gauze, and acknowledge the need to treat larger / more severe injuries.

Spare dry socks (at least 2 extra pairs) + underwear (breathable dry fit type) + foot powder and blister treatment in your boo boo kit. Change the socks regularly, wring the used ones out and put them in a place to dry. If you're hoofing it long distance, your feet will get sweaty and blistered. Putting on "fresh" dry socks is a big morale booster, and will keep you in the game longer. I only wear wool blend socks on the daily - black at work, gray ones when I'm not working. My feet still get a bit sweaty, but when I wore cotton / nylon socks they got BAD. I've been wearing wool socks exclusively for about 5 years now and my feet are way better for it.

As to the undies, there's a good reason the military PT shorts are the compression style spandex stuff - helps prevent chaffing. A couple pairs of those (again to switch out when they're gross) will keep you comfortable, and moving longer, and keep rashes at bay that can slow you down or lead to infection. Keep your junk and creases dry.

A camel back type pack that you can fill from jugs of water kept in your work truck would be good. Gives you hands-free access to water as you move, and easy to carry. You've got the water bottles handy for filtering water and replenishing as needed.

You might also want to have a "battle belt" handy - stuff it behind the seat in the truck to keep it out of sight - but you can move your gun / mags / multitool / water bottle and other small items onto the belt. You don't need a $300 setup - if this is an emergency use item you're only likely to use on the trek home you could probably go with the $50 chinesium for now. I got one to try the concept out before I sprung for my 5.11 duty belt. The chinesium certainly isn't as high quality, but I wore it for a couple months at work and its alright. It has some loose threads, but it did what I wanted and proved the molle belt concept to me. If you've got more cash to throw at nicer stuff, a 5.11 Maverick belt is what I run now at work. I carry a Glock 34 + light and optic, spare mags, OC, handcuff case, IFAK, TQ, and flashlight and it handles all that very well.

Going to the battle belt would necessitate getting an OWB holster and mag pouches for your 365, but it will be a lot more comfortable if you're hoofing it, than carrying that stuff IWB, or even on your pants belt. Added bonus, you can take it off for a minute while you rest and relieve the weight off your hips. If for some reason you have to ditch your pack - you can still have some of your kit on your body, including water, meal replacement bars, small tools, and your IFAK.

A small solar charger for your phone might not be bad, and if you can download maps to your phone, so much better. You can have paper maps as a spare, but if you can keep them on your phone you have redundancy, and if GPS / cell towers still work, you're going to be faster using the phone to help navigate than digging out paper. And the phone's GPS and compass are good to have.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

I'm exhausted just reading about every aspect of this monumental survival effort...

What to do?

Keep a cyanide pill or two with you so in a shtf scenario you just chomp down on some and all your troubles and cares will go away...

 

[2ManyGuns]

I can see plenty of scenarios where a bike makes sense, but also plenty where it doesn't. Wouldn't hurt to throw one in the truck just for giglges, as even short term use of it before ditching it would cut a couple days off your hike home. But if you don't have room for the bike, its not a problem.

I would worry less about shelter and more about food and clean water. Being "fluffy" gives you fat to burn, sure, but when your body winds up in initial ketosis from a lack of incoming food supplies and you're exerting yourself 2-4X as hard as you normally would, you're going to feel like shit pretty quick. Meal replacement bars are the easiest, but staving off mental fatigue by giving yourself a little "treat" daily is good - especially if you're anticipating a week and a half of hoof-time to get home.

Unless we're in the middle of the coldest, nastiest part of winter - if you do have to sleep outside the primary concerns I see are 1.) keeping rain off you at night 2.) keeping bugs at bay and 3.) keeping a low visual profile. Might replace your tent system with a bivy bag and just keep those contractor bags handy. Might add a mosquito net as well, since they're light and take up little space.

You have a head lamp and good gloves, which is great. Do you have a red filter for the head lamp to reduce visual signature and stave off night blindness? Doing most of your moving at night, when its cooler (even if its mid summer, it'll still be a few degrees cooler at night) and your chances of being seen by unwanted individuals is reduced. I'm also sure you've got extra sets of eye pro laying around, I'd throw one or two pairs in for good measure.

As far as tools to carry - an EDC lockpicking tool like the ones made by Covert Instruments (their Covert Companion is pocket size and has the picks needed to access most commercial or residential locks), a strong set of dykes, perhaps a small pry bar and the folding saw you already have. Not many scenarios are going to call for wrenches or pliers that can't be covered by a good multitool. You could throw in a medium size adjustable wrench if you really think you'll have to be undoing some nuts but I don't see many situations that would really be called for. I'm thinking cutting wire fences is the most common need for a tool outside of repairing your own gear. Next up would be the folding saw for either cutting up small fire wood (I'd personally try to avoid fires if you're trying to get home and maintain a low profile) or for getting thru particularly nasty brush. That's where the eyepro is gonna shine.

A pair of bite resistant gaitors would be good if you're moving at night and have to cross thru any sort of brush or grass - don't want to take a snake bite to the leg, and gaitors take up very little room. Bug spray or lotion to keep mosquitos and biting bugs at bay would be good to keep handy too just for personal comfort.

As much as I love fishing, I think I'd also forego the fishing kit unless you really want to stop and spend that amount of time / effort into something that is not a sure thing for getting fish. A small cast net would be more likely to succeed in getting dinner. But then we're back to using fire to cook things, and depending on the sitution unfolding, you might not want that attention. Extra meal replacement bars is what I'd personally put in, in place of the fishing kit.

I'd also be inclined to carry an IFAK besides just pain relievers and booboo bandages, but then again depending on the situation, you may just want to use that 9mm on yourself if you get hurt real real bad and don't have a way out. You've got part of it already with the gauze, and acknowledge the need to treat larger / more severe injuries.

Spare dry socks (at least 2 extra pairs) + underwear (breathable dry fit type) + foot powder and blister treatment in your boo boo kit. Change the socks regularly, wring the used ones out and put them in a place to dry. If you're hoofing it long distance, your feet will get sweaty and blistered. Putting on "fresh" dry socks is a big morale booster, and will keep you in the game longer. I only wear wool blend socks on the daily - black at work, gray ones when I'm not working. My feet still get a bit sweaty, but when I wore cotton / nylon socks they got BAD. I've been wearing wool socks exclusively for about 5 years now and my feet are way better for it.

As to the undies, there's a good reason the military PT shorts are the compression style spandex stuff - helps prevent chaffing. A couple pairs of those (again to switch out when they're gross) will keep you comfortable, and moving longer, and keep rashes at bay that can slow you down or lead to infection. Keep your junk and creases dry.

A camel back type pack that you can fill from jugs of water kept in your work truck would be good. Gives you hands-free access to water as you move, and easy to carry. You've got the water bottles handy for filtering water and replenishing as needed.

You might also want to have a "battle belt" handy - stuff it behind the seat in the truck to keep it out of sight - but you can move your gun / mags / multitool / water bottle and other small items onto the belt. You don't need a $300 setup - if this is an emergency use item you're only likely to use on the trek home you could probably go with the $50 chinesium for now. I got one to try the concept out before I sprung for my 5.11 duty belt. The chinesium certainly isn't as high quality, but I wore it for a couple months at work and its alright. It has some loose threads, but it did what I wanted and proved the molle belt concept to me. If you've got more cash to throw at nicer stuff, a 5.11 Maverick belt is what I run now at work. I carry a Glock 34 + light and optic, spare mags, OC, handcuff case, IFAK, TQ, and flashlight and it handles all that very well.

Going to the battle belt would necessitate getting an OWB holster and mag pouches for your 365, but it will be a lot more comfortable if you're hoofing it, than carrying that stuff IWB, or even on your pants belt. Added bonus, you can take it off for a minute while you rest and relieve the weight off your hips. If for some reason you have to ditch your pack - you can still have some of your kit on your body, including water, meal replacement bars, small tools, and your IFAK.

A small solar charger for your phone might not be bad, and if you can download maps to your phone, so much better. You can have paper maps as a spare, but if you can keep them on your phone you have redundancy, and if GPS / cell towers still work, you're going to be faster using the phone to help navigate than digging out paper. And the phone's GPS and compass are good to have.

I use an OWB for the 365 already.

The duty belt is a good idea.

Gaiters, need to add.

My fishing kit consists of 2 small bobbers, 4 weights, 4 swivels, spool of mono, very little space. If taking break and near a body of water, throwing a line out wouldn't really waste time.

I keep bug spray in the truck as a normal part of the work kit. A mosquito net is something I did not think of.

If I need to keep a lower visual profile, or bad weather, .mil poncho and woobie.

The headlamp has a red light function.

Eyepro, I carry good sunglasses and extra safety glasses, also keep earplugs, I also have a pair of cheaters in the kit.

Part of my work tool kits is a pair of channel lock brand dykes and assorted pliers

In my bag, I have a basic Leatherman tool

Folding saw I have one of the Silky GomBoy

Meal Bars, I tried keeping the Marine bars that are stored on ships/boats supposed to be packaged well. They all lost the vacuum on the packaging. I already have the dried food as part of my preps, no extra cost involved.

Socks, I have a pair of wool blend, in a baggie in my kit. Underclothes, already wear synthetic spandex type to prevent chaffing in the hot summer weather. Need to add a couple extra pairs though.

In the boo-boo kit, those items you mentioned are things I want to add

I also have a hundred or so of the compressed towels in my bag. Just add water, personal hygiene, a roll of TP, and wet wipes.
I was thinking of adding a dropper bottle filled with 90% isopropyl alcohol to infuse the compressed towels for cleaning Boo-boo's

Edit to Add, I keep N95 masks to keep from inhaling particulates when working on wooded doors.

 

[2ManyGuns]

I'm exhausted just reading about every aspect of this monumental survival effort...

What to do?

Keep a cyanide pill or two with you so in a shtf scenario you just chomp down on some and all your troubles and cares will go away...

By all means, do so if you are inclined. I have elderly parents who still need care, and would need extra care. Maybe you are selfish, or totally alone in the world.

This is no different from keeping contractor first-aid kit, or spare tools and consumables in my work truck. Being prepared for things that could happen is wise. Being out in the middle of nowhere and getting stuck has happened and can happen. I'm one of those silly people who always makes sure there is at least half a tank of fuel in my vehicles, who knows when you might have to get to a doctor or some other emergency situation will arise.

 

[Grumps21]

I’d ditch all of the weather related crap and camping stuff aside from maybe a rain poncho and a medium weight jacket. With all that saved space, you might have room for a folding bicycle. There are plenty of bridges, cattle sheds, and other structures for temporary shelter. Plus if the situation is bad enough where I am on foot, I’d be like a cockroach hiding in the corners out of sight. No way would I pitching a tarp tent, lighting fires and sipping coffee. Keep it light. A life straw weighs nothing and takes little space so include one of those and a tumbler to reduce the water requirement to a single bottle or two. Some trail mix, dried fruit, MRE or something similar. Small triage kit, a reference book of edible plants and berries, bandana, compass and map. A handheld scanner or emergency radio. A flashlight, pocket knife and a few high capacity mags. If you want a bit of luxury, add half a roll of toilet paper. You can scavenge anything else you need along the way.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

2M,

Just a bit of silly humor on my part...btw, I am an elderly parent...

 

[leVieux]

I travel to a limited area for work, it encompasses the Galveston area, Beaumont, Livingston, and Cypress to the West of San Antonio or Austin and surrounding areas, most days this is about 130 miles from home. This is a little over 2 hours drive time, but walking it would be much longer, I'd estimate under ideal conditions, 10 days. This is a guess based on my limited knowledge of the terrain and my ability to cover it. Most likely it would be longer.

I have been rebuilding my bag. I am shelter-heavy. I have a good tarp with tie-outs and stakes, a fairly heavy-duty survival blanket/tarp to use as ground cover or as a blanket, a heavy poncho with a woobie, and a sleeping pad, two large contractor bags. Other items are 72 hours of dried food, plus 10 packets of instant coffee, a fire kit, and a boo-boo kit, I do have 4 rolls of gauze, ace bandages for sprains or binding the gauze on a larger wound on an arm or leg. (I need to add some items to this for larger wounds and some Tylenol or Aleve for minor pain). Multiple knives, a quality folding saw, extra long wool socks, and beanie if it is cold here, assorted cordage (small spool of braided Kevlar, a roll of tarred bank line, 100 feet of 550), and a small fishing kit. I have a 64 oz. container for water (stainless steel), a way to heat/cook, this is a second stainless steel 1 qt. canteen, with "cup". I need to add purification tabs and filtration for water. I also have a flashlight with 2 sets of extra batteries a headlight and lined pigskin gloves. I always take a filled 2 qt. plastic canteen, for staying hydrated throughout the day. I do have a couple of maps I don't expect road signs to magically disappear, but need a compass and skills to use.

I will have my p365XL as I do every day with 2 extra magazines, a folding knife, and whatever tools I carry on the work truck. I'm thinking of something to cut wire (dykes) and assorted pliers. I keep a lightweight jacket in my work truck, hoodie-type


I did put in a hundred rounds of 22Lr because I might add my Buckmark, a holster to strap to the pack's shoulder harness, and extra magazines. I may need to acquire some small game animals along the way. I think I may need to add some seasoning to the pack, salt, and pepper.

One major concern is crossing the metro areas, I am used to using major freeways and highways and am not at all knowledgeable of what lies below or to the sides of the major arteries.


If anyone has any thoughts or critiques, please do.

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If you are planning to hike, mosquitos are a gigantic consideration at some times of year.

The region you delineate is a very “friendly’’ part of the World, some will offer help.

When traveling over wilderness areas by private plane, or even in my truck, I always take a roll of heavy duty trash bags, a big stapler, duct tape, knife, hand axe, large bundle ties, & extra ammo.

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