Emergency Preparedness Series: 72 Hour Kit / Survival Pack

With everything that has happened in the past few years including blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and earthquakes, my husband and I have prepared to make sure that we have emergency survival packs. Growing up, my family always had 72 hour kits that we would update every year or so that contained one change of clothes, snacks, a flashlight, an emergency blanket, a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, a roll or toilet paper, a few hard candies, a mini stuffed animal, several  band-aids, and a couple bottles of water in a JanSport backpack.

Living in Phoenix, Arizona, water is life. We would be in a state of disaster within days of losing our water supply. This being the case, we decided to upgrade our "72 Hour Kits" to "Emergency Survival Packs" or "BOB" (Bug Out Bag). If there is a serious disaster, we're not sure we'll be coming back and we want to be sure that we have what we need  to survive for longer than 72 hours on our own. So today I will be showing my bag! Next I'll show my husband's! Also, keep in mind that we're never really done with putting together our packs. It's something that we add to and take from almost every month.

If you're interested, I did my best to include links to the specific products I bought, but if I missed anything, let me know!

I purchased this internal frame hiking backpack from Sportsman's warehouse for about $70. It has and adjustable back so it can be fitted to fit various statures which you can see below! When carrying so much gear, it was important to me that I have a backpack that had the lumbar support, hip straps and chest straps to help stabilize the pack and keep better posture. I also wanted one that had a hole for a water bladder, which this one does right behind the adjustable velcro back straps.

My husband and I both have the Suisse Sport sleeping bag from Big 5 that was on sale for $29.  It's rated 0 degree Fahrenheit mummy bag and comes with it's own compression sack. My husband is 6'2" and it even works for him. At 5'5" it's plenty big for me as well.

Here you can see the velcro adjustable straps! On the shoulder straps I have a carabiner with my Ranger Wenger pocket knife that I got in Geneva. In the side pocket I have bug spray, and on the hip strap I have knife on the left. My husband got this for me at Big 5 on sale for like $7. I like that it has a full tang (the blade doesn't stop at the handle), but the handle is a little bulky, it's not as sharp as I'd like, and my husband ran it through the dishwasher for whatever reason (it was sitting on the kitchen counter) and the screws got rusty. So that is one of the things I'll be replacing!

I have 3 water bottles in my pack as well as a Camelback 3L water bladder. I figure that I can fill it up with whatever water I have on hand from the sink, water pitcher in the fridge, or water bottles that I have in my house before I need to run and drink that water before I start using the bottled water.

As far as food goes, I have enough for 72 hours and so does my husband. Mountain house meals are great, because as long as you can heat water, you dump it right into the bag, let it sit, and then you can eat right out of the bag! As long as we're together this means that we'll have enough for approximately 3-4 days. I have a simple large cup and fork/spoon combo that can be found at both Big 5 and Sportsman's. As a biomedical scientist, I also wanted to include multivitamins, purchased from Costco, for prolonged survival situations. However, that big bottle wasn't working, so I poured what I could into an empty Vitamin C bottle I had on hand. Depending on the severity of the situation, we can always cut them in half to make them last. I also included a few packets of salt for two reasons: iodine deficiency and it can also be used to lure deer in cases of severe need.

 I also have a simple first aid kit that I put together that includes acetaminophen (I chose this since it's also safe for children), 5 hour energy, lotion, superglue (can be used to seal wounds), band-aids, gauze, gloves, Ricola cough drops, tissues, alcohol swabs and Coban (stretchy, sticky tape to hold on gauze). I originally had a whole bottle of isopropyl alcohol, but alcohol swabs are so much lighter, easier to share and keep sterile, and only like $4 at Costco for 4 big boxes (no longer sold online). I'll be adding a pair of tweezers soon!

 In a small drawstring sack that came with a pillowcase, I have a bandana, poncho, 3 emergency candles, a compass, fish hooks stored in a small altoid container, a radio with extra batteries, matches, and a mini sewing kit that also holds the fishline. I still need to get a small waterproof case for the matches or waterproof them by dipping them in wax. Yikes! I just realized my flashlight is in the car! Oops!

 I had an extra glasses case laying around that was perfect for holding a small mirror, water purification tablets, a ferro rod fire starter, and a Duracell mini screwdriver that has a reversible head for philips or flathead! I much prefer the ferro rod over a magnesium starter my husband got. You actually have to use a knife to scrape off some magnesium in order to light anything and in our comparison, mine worked better.

I also have a knife sharpener and finger saw in my pack. According the package, it can cut through anything from wood to metal... I used it to cut off the base of our Christmas tree last year (apartment living) and it worked ok, but really hurts the fingers. And I have binoculars that I picked up from Big 5.

I have a spare pair of glasses, a one-time use heating pad, wool socks, a belt, gloves, and a knit hat.

Since you never know when you'll need to run, I have decided to include two pairs of thick jeans, a long-sleeve top, short sleeve top, a cami, socks, undies (not pictured), and two bras. Consider the climate you live in when you decide what to pack. I chose pieces that can be layered for maintaining comfort throughout the day and wanted to make sure that I had an extra set of clothes so I could change each day. I keep them in a mesh bag (pictured above) so that in the event there is water, I can put my clothes in the bag, cinch it up, and run it in the water.

I got this packable coat from JCPenney this last year during the after-Christmas sales that is rated to 2 degrees Fahrenheit and has a hood that can be unfolded as well. I chose to get black as it will absorb more heat in direct sunlight. 

Hygeine! This is so important for avoiding infections and other issues. I keep all of this in a big ziploc bag. Wet wipes, emery board, nail clippers, small washcloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, chapstick, razor, female products, hand sanitizer, facewash, shampoo and conditioner, comb, hair ties, and a bar of soap wrapped in a double layer of panty hose. This keeps it from being so slippery you'll drop it in a stream for example, and also allows you to tie it on to a water spout or tree branch. 

Voila! Can you believe that all that fits in this thing?! I would weigh it, but the scale's batteries died but my guess is that it's around 30 pounds. Not pictured is a copy of my passport, driiver's license, marriage certificate, family genealogy sheet, several photographs and a miniature religious book. If I have time before we would need to leave, I'd grab our actual passports, my beloved camera, and my external hard drive. I plan on getting a 32GB USB flash drive to store photos, music, and copies of important documents as well.

 Putting this pack together is really an ongoing process... As time goes on, I usually end up taking certain luxuries out to make room for necessities and to make the pack lighter! Take into consideration what terrain you might be crossing, what natural resources you'll have and under what weather related conditions you might be travelling. And, I strongly recommend that you try to wear it around for a test run and see how it goes! Chances are, you'll be ok parting with an item or two. Let me know what you have in your pack!

Below is a complete list of what is in my pack! I've marked "luxuries" with an asterisk.

 Internal frame backpack
Staying warm
Sleeping bag
Coat
2* changes of clothes
Warm hat
One time use heating pad*
Gloves*
Socks
Staying clean
Shampoo/Conditioner
Face wash*
Wet wipes
Toothpaste/Toothbrush/Floww
Nail clippers/emery board
Feminine items
Comb
Hair ties
Razor*
Soap
Hand sanitizer
Chapstick
Staying well
Gauze
Bandages
Coban
Gloves
Lotion
Superglue
Tweezers
Bandana
Alcohol Swabs
Cough drops
Multivitamins
Five hour energy
Staying nourished
Water
Camelpak water bladder
Freeze dried meals
Granola bars
Cup
Spork
Staying alive/Miscellaneous
Knives
Knife sharpener*
Radio
Batteries
Screwdriver
Fish hooks/line
Glasses
Carabiner
Binoculars
Wire saw
Fire starter
Water purification tablets
Mirror
Insect Repellent
Poncho
Compass
Matches
Flashlight! (Mine is in the car right now-oops!)
Extra batteries
Candles*
Sewing kit
Miniature Book
Copies of identification
Several photographs
To be added
TP
Water filter- I'm looking at some made by MSR and Katadyn
Paracord- I have some that I'll be putting in the mesh pocket on the front of the pack.
USB- holding copies of important documents, photos, and music.
Spare phone charger and GoalZero mini solar panel
Hatchet- for cutting wood if we make it out of the desert :P

Small notebook and pen/sharpie