PREP Get Home Bag
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mourningdove
Pura Vida in my garden
What is in a “get home bag”?
Cacheman
Ultra MAGA!
Most people think of it as things you should carry to get home in 24 hours.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
DH and myself have one each in both vehicles. They are dual purpose. A "get home bag" and a "bug out bag". We live far out in the sticks, so to get home from town, we might have to spend a few days doing so on foot. Plus, it cuts down on having more than one bag each for differing purposes.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
It varies on your personal needs.
In our case, the wife works 10 miles away. So she has a pair of tennis shoes, (wears boots at work) with various other items needed to complete a 10 miles walk,
A partial list:
Tennis shoes
Water, 3 bottles
Empty water bottle with caribiner
Molle skin for blisters
knife
Towels
Cooling Towel
Wet wipes, (think tp)
Bug spray
Light
Gun and spare magazine
Chapstick
and a couple of other things that I can not remember right now....
Total weight is about 10 lbs.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Yeah, some of the get home bags if have seen on youtube are enough to keep you in the wild for a week or three. Not sure why when they say they live less than 30 miles from home.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I think the different may be in size. You don't need as much "stuff" to get home in 24-48 hours, as you would a BOB for a longer duration. Like less maps, more cash. Instead of MRE's maybe more energy bars. Leave off the camp axe, and stuff a heavy knife in the bag.
I would still keep a military shovel, and camp axe in the car/truck, in case I got stuck, but if I abandoned the vehicle I wouldn't carry it with me, to get home. I would take the keys though.
A couple of good pairs of wool socks, in the bag, and a change of shoes in the vehicle, made for walking, and get out of those flip flops.
A smaller first aid kit. Mostly for cuts, and blisters, sore muscles. Charge the phone before you leave the vehicle, and then don't use it. Except for a specific time to call home. Like on the hour, then turn off. In a BOB throw the phone away.
I would think water and ammo would be about the same.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Being close to home and work at all times, we can break ours apart. The bug out bag is a last resort bag that we use only when all other options have failed. We grab the (1 bag for right now, still working on #2) bag and 2 totes of food and we are good for 2 weeks no matter where we go. I do understand if you work more than a few miles from home, you will need much more. It took me a while to understand that each needed to be tailored to you own needs.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Pretty much. We use a school backpack for the get home bag, but a full backpack for the bob.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
One of the things that I think is a necessity would be a military poncho, for wet weather, all year long, you might get home wet, but die from pneumonia without it. Also put in the vehicle a poncho liner for winter.
If you're use to going back and forth to work in a car, you don't really dress for the weather. Even in summer a light colored long sleeve, cotton, shirt (button up would be great) will keep from getting sun burned, poncho for rain, instead of an umbrella, and the liner for warmth in winter.
Getting out of the car and walking in the weather can take one down really quick. Especially if you live, work, drive in a protected environment. Remember exposure can kill in hours, no water in days, no food in weeks.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Sounds good to me. I just mentioned the exposure part, because you didn't. I'm thinking you probably got it covered.
Mine is very similar to my bug out bag.You might not have a home to go get back to.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Yep a poncho was also added. Like I said, a couple of other things..... lol
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Right. This is one of the reasons ours serves as both. If we have to bug out from home, we would go as far as we could by jeep, then would ditch it, and move forward on foot with our bags.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
One of us is generally home. So our safety points in the event of an issue is my parents house, (halfway point) and our home. From there we can figure what to do. Even if the home is gone, we have the ability to salvage and get to somewhere else.
In our case we have 2 safety points as work is on one side of I95 and home is the other, (wife only), and we have had the Police shut down the over pass more than once in the last few years. So the 2nd point is a back up.
Keep in mind such bags need to be a little bigger if you live in an area thats prone to freezing weather to allow for a change out of needed heaver cold weather clothing items.
Many travel to work and other places druing winter dressed on the light side and not enough to surive being outside for 24+ hours, around here I see people get out of a car in 20F temps dressed to light to surive more than a hour.
Many travel to work and other places druing winter dressed on the light side and not enough to surive being outside for 24+ hours, around here I see people get out of a car in 20F temps dressed to light to surive more than a hour.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Agreed. That is how we did our bag. Based upon the weather we can expect and weather that we can not expect. Around here it is rain and flooding with extreme heat. Nothing like seeing steam rising off the road when it has just rained. For us, poncho, good shoes, bug spray and water are the primary things needed. The other items are more of a comfort issue.
jward
passin' thru
Me. Well sorta. Socks. Moleskin. Water and lil filter. Nuts. Some other cutting and self defense type things.
No map though. Fire. Tin of meds. Hard candies. Maybe rope or grappling stuff, I don't recall. Thumb drive.
Heck, who knows.
jward
passin' thru
No hand held radio, which seems a dumb oversite. As does bug spray and sun screen.
Hmm. Bad job, jewel! No hat either. Maybe, upon reflection, I don't have a get home
Bag, or need a keeper.
Need a flashlight, too.
Masks might come in handy, too. My motto is, if I ve lived through something once, it could happen again. Been in a chlorine cloud once, don't want that again, w\0 protection!<or with!>
Hmm. Bad job, jewel! No hat either. Maybe, upon reflection, I don't have a get home
Bag, or need a keeper.
Need a flashlight, too.
Masks might come in handy, too. My motto is, if I ve lived through something once, it could happen again. Been in a chlorine cloud once, don't want that again, w\0 protection!<or with!>
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
The wife has a hat in the car and a cooling towel. That works for her. I really don't want her to have an umbrella, ( there is one in the car for normal use ), as it ties up one hand. She is walking by 4 different neighborhoods and needs to stay aware. That is about 50% of her walk. The balance is open fields or forest so they are equally dangerous.
closet squirrel
Veteran Member
i keep a more like bug out bag in the car because sometimes I am much farther than a few hours walk from home. I also keep an empty school type backpack in the trunk incase I didn't need all of the stuff and could get away with less.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
That makes sense to me. It seems that not too many of us actually have get home bags.
It would indicate a too strong of reliance of our cars to get us back 100% of the time. To me 100% reliability just does not exist.
Bumpkin
Old enough to know better
If you are in a position to need your get home bag, then easy passage back home is probably not very likely.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Good point
Buick Electra
TB2K Girls with Guns
btt
ainitfunny
Saved, to glorify God.
Not just for rain, You need a poncho that is NOT TRANSPARENT, so you can squat to “relieve yourself” with at least SOME PRIVACY in areas where people MAY see you, (such as along a freeway in stalled evacuation traffic) but you have no other choice. (They may suspect, but can’t actually see you flash a**) A poncho will also conceal the firearm you have in a holster at your waist!
LADIES, do not plan to carry your PURSE. PACK A PAIR OF CARGO PANTS (with BELT) with enough pockets to transfer your wallet, checkbook, credit cards, GUN, and other IMPORTANT STUFF DIRECTLY TO YOUR POCKETS under that poncho. It is quick and easy to SNATCH a purse, or pack that you set down for a moment, but a whole different level of crime to actually violently rob your person, a level that most people won’t sink to in an emergency, but may be tempted to snatch a purse or backpack as a “it’s a survival thing, her (or him) or me” mindset “justification.”
An unseen, under your poncho, waist pouch on your belt with a VERY FEW MOST important items you will still have left if your “pack” is snatched ( fixed blade knife, bic lighter and a fire steel , cotton balls, 50’ paracord, a painters plastic drop cloth, a couple of energy food bars, garbage bag and three gallon size ziplock bags and maybe a pair underpants, a kotex napkin, and some TP.)
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Crap..... I failed to get her a decent holster and belt to go into the pack.
Thanks for pointing that out!
On any given day, I might be 150-200mi from home.
I try to keep enough basics for the beginning of a long, long walk.
I also keep an overnight bag with spare clothes and such, it is rotated frequently.
I try to keep enough basics for the beginning of a long, long walk.
I also keep an overnight bag with spare clothes and such, it is rotated frequently.
Bps1691
Veteran Member
Get home bags contents should vary based upon the individual's needs, the distance to be traveled, the time of the year and the route(s) to be used.
My wife's and mine's are for traveling about 15-20 miles and are good for 2 days. Each kit is customized for the person. Lite weight and look like a normal back pack, but are of good quality. We also have a standardized first aid kit in a fanny pack. They are stored in our cars.
There is also an insulated soft cooler in the car with bottles of Gatorade, Ensure, flavored water that we cycle each month in the summer and once during the winter.
An additional car bag contains a set of appropriate pants, shirt and underwear for the user of the car plus- winter coat with hood or light water/wind proof removable liner jacket; wool stocking hat & gloves with liners or boony style hat. The contents get switched out in the fall and spring
All clothing items are stored in vacuumed sealed bags to save space.
All of my children are grown, married and moved to their own homes but each of their cars has a similar get home bag tailored to them and their spouse.
Just like we did when they were at home, each of their children have a small get home kit in their school bags that are appropriate for their child and the school they attend.
As far as our BOB's, ours have gone through multiple revisions over the years to meet the changes we all go through. At our age now we've reached the point that our physical condition requires that the weight of the BOB means we have to really pare down the contents to must haves. We strive for no more than 23 pounds each bag because that is all we can handle for a day hike now.
My wife's and mine's are for traveling about 15-20 miles and are good for 2 days. Each kit is customized for the person. Lite weight and look like a normal back pack, but are of good quality. We also have a standardized first aid kit in a fanny pack. They are stored in our cars.
There is also an insulated soft cooler in the car with bottles of Gatorade, Ensure, flavored water that we cycle each month in the summer and once during the winter.
An additional car bag contains a set of appropriate pants, shirt and underwear for the user of the car plus- winter coat with hood or light water/wind proof removable liner jacket; wool stocking hat & gloves with liners or boony style hat. The contents get switched out in the fall and spring
All clothing items are stored in vacuumed sealed bags to save space.
All of my children are grown, married and moved to their own homes but each of their cars has a similar get home bag tailored to them and their spouse.
Just like we did when they were at home, each of their children have a small get home kit in their school bags that are appropriate for their child and the school they attend.
As far as our BOB's, ours have gone through multiple revisions over the years to meet the changes we all go through. At our age now we've reached the point that our physical condition requires that the weight of the BOB means we have to really pare down the contents to must haves. We strive for no more than 23 pounds each bag because that is all we can handle for a day hike now.
Attachments
I would expect to have some problems trying to get back home like someone having the cops going after you because they are concerned/upset about someone walking past their home with a backpack, the cops alone like nothing more than harass someone like that even though your not even remotely doing anything illegal. No telling what you may encounter on the walk home.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
On any given day, I might be 150-200mi from home.
I try to keep enough basics for the beginning of a long, long walk.
I also keep an overnight bag with spare clothes and such, it is rotated frequently.
That makes sense. You would almost need a bug out bag just to get home.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
The wife has to go by the "Public Safety Plaza". It is where the state and local police are located. We have no other options without adding 10 - 15 miles and a lot more risk.
I normally keep NV tucked away, too.
'Druther move at night.
A DeLorme atlas is critical for this kind of mission. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/575993
They are very detailed and have decent topo representation.
On any given day, I might be 150-200mi from home.
I try to keep enough basics for the beginning of a long, long walk.
I also keep an overnight bag with spare clothes and such, it is rotated frequently.
Ok; You could lighten that up some I see a pile of knifes I would keep the multi-tool and what looks like an Old Timer knife to hang on your belt.
Fire making tools good, boo-boo repair kit good, some food and water, Ammo for two and four Leggett critters. Not sure what else you have there.
Another consideration, the clothes you have for getting home.
More accurately, the style and appearance.
They need to be appropriate for your probable transit area, with an emphasis on being unremarkable.
I try to keep well worn clothes in earth tones. Generally, Carhart type pants and Columbia type fishing shirts in muted greens & browns.
If you carry a long gun, can you conceal it? Do you want to?
A backpack tends to attract the eye.
If you are walking, things have already gone really bad....no car, no cell phone, no rescue.
Being invisible is the first part of defense.
Plan accordingly.
More accurately, the style and appearance.
They need to be appropriate for your probable transit area, with an emphasis on being unremarkable.
I try to keep well worn clothes in earth tones. Generally, Carhart type pants and Columbia type fishing shirts in muted greens & browns.
If you carry a long gun, can you conceal it? Do you want to?
A backpack tends to attract the eye.
If you are walking, things have already gone really bad....no car, no cell phone, no rescue.
Being invisible is the first part of defense.
Plan accordingly.
It's easier to get rid of stuff than find it.
If I had to jump out and run, that bag covers the basics...other than clothes.
I also have some omissions, water, dog food, plate carrier and a few other things.
