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Backpack Survival

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Backpack Survival

Unread postby Polemic » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 02:10:13

Just something to contemplate:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')ne of the most dangerous ideas--as far as I'm concerned--is that of "backpack survival."

A "back-pack survivalist" is a survivalist that plans on leaving his home ahead of a disaster and taking to the woods with only what he can carry out with him. He plans to survive through a strategy that is a sort of cross between the Boy-Scout-in-the-woods and Robinson Crusoe. The backpack survivalist plans on outrunning danger with a four-wheel drive or a motorcycle and hopes to travel light with a survival kit of everything he might need to cope with the unexpected. He hasn't cached anything in the area he's headed for because, chances are, he doesn't know where he's headed. Somehow, he hopes to overcome all odds with a minimum of supplies and a maximum of smarts. Certainly it is a noble cause; but it seems like one destined to failure. And that's not survival.


http://www.survivalbill.ca/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=31
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby gn0s1s » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 11:35:49

I would have to agree with the article....

Most of us have gotten used to calling it a "BOB" or "bug out bag", an EEK, or other such monikers but it's really a 72-hour kit. In other words, it should help you stay alive and healthy for 3 days while you get somewhere else.

The last part of the previous sentence is ket: "while you get somewhere else".

Something I have discussed elsewhere is the lack of maps, a plan, and a destination in most "grab-n-go kits". I truly honestly believe that most catastrophic events will force you to run, be it a natural disaster or man-made. But, where will you run to? Don't just pack your kit with survival goodies and leave out maps and pre-planned routes of escape with a final destination.

Stockpiling and building a nice doomstead is part of your preparations.
So is the 72-hour bug-out kit. Both should co-exist.
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby dunewalker » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 11:56:14

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Polemic', '
')A "back-pack survivalist" is a survivalist that plans on leaving his home ahead of a disaster and taking to the woods with only what he can carry out with him. He plans to survive through a strategy that is a sort of cross between the Boy-Scout-in-the-woods and Robinson Crusoe. The backpack survivalist plans on outrunning danger... and hopes to travel light with a survival kit of everything he might need to cope with the unexpected. He hasn't cached anything in the area he's headed for because, chances are, he doesn't know where he's headed. Somehow, he hopes to overcome all odds with a minimum of supplies and a maximum of smarts. Certainly it is a noble cause...


I think the concept of backpack survivalism is sound. The flaw is in the populace--only 1% or so actually have the skills, endurance, fitness and savvy to pull it off. But it probably will be one of the most successful methods employed in the near-future. Hence the imminent die-off. There are several good novels that address this concept. One of my favorite is "Into The Forest" by Jean Hegland. It's sort of a slow-motion evolution to backpack survival. Another is "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler.
"Wilderness is another civilization apart from our own." - H.D. Thoreau
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby Ludi » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 13:44:14

I often link to essays by Jason Godesky, at http://anthropik.com/ because he is a clear writer who articulates some of the problems with our civilization and contrasts them with non-civilized cultures, from an anthropological perspective. Though I do not endorse his plan personally, he seems to think people's best option for survival is to go to the woods to become hunter-gatherers. Like Dunewalker, I think only a tiny percentage of the population might be able to survive that way. But those interested in it might want to check out Anthropik.
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby Polemic » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 14:51:13

Here's another germane post from the same forum:

Lessons on Disaster Survival Learned from Katrina

Excerpt


$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '0')4. If you look like you know what you're doing, you may be a target of those less prepared. There have been many, many reports of individuals who were more or less prepared for a disaster being preyed upon by those who were not prepared. Incidents range from theft of supplies, through attempts to bug out with these persons (uninvited), to actual violence. It's genuinely frightening to hear about these incidents, particularly the attitude of those trying to prey on the prepared they seemed to feel that because you'd taken steps to protect yourself and your loved ones, you had somehow done so at their expense, and they were therefore "entitled" to take from you what they needed. There's no logical explanation for this attitude, unless it's bred by the utter dependence of many such people on the State for welfare, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, etc. Since they've always been dependent on others, and regarded this as an "entitlement", in a disaster situation, they seem to automatically assume that they're "entitled" to what you've got! In one case, the family's pet dog was held hostage, with a knife at its throat, until the family handed over money and supplies. In two cases, families were threatened with the rape of their women unless they co-operated with the aggressors. In four cases that I know of, children were held hostage to ensure co-operation. There have also been reports of crimes during the bug-out process. Families sleeping in their cars at highway rest areas were a favorite target, including siphoning of gas from their tanks, assaults, etc. The lessons to be learned from this are obvious. One family can't secure itself against these threats without great difficulty. It's best to be "teamed up" with neighbors to secure your neighborhood as a whole, rather than be the one house with facilities in an area filled with those less prepared. If you're in the latter situation, staying put may not be a safe option, and a bug-out plan may be vital. When bugging out, you're still not safe from harm, and must maintain constant vigilance.

05. Those who thought themselves safe from the disaster were often not safe from refugees. There have been many reports of smaller towns, farms, etc. on the fringe of the disaster area being overrun with those seeking assistance. In many cases, assistance was demanded rather than requested, and theft, looting and vandalism have been reported. So, even if you think you're safe from the disaster, you may not be safe from its aftermath.

06. Self-reliance seems to draw suspicion upon you from the authorities. I've mentioned this in a previous e-mail, but I've had many more reports of it from those who survived or bugged out, and it bears re-emphasizing. For reasons unknown and unfathomable, rescue authorities seem to regard with suspicion those who've made provision for their safety and have survived (or bugged out) in good shape. It seems to be a combination of "How could you cope when so many others haven't?", "You must have taken advantage of others to be so well off", and "We've come all this way to help, so how dare you not need our assistance?" I have no idea why this should be the case... but there have been enough reports of it that it seems to be a widespread problem. Any ideas from readers?
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby cannedsalmon » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 15:12:01

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gn0s1s', 'I') would have to agree with the article....

Most of us have gotten used to calling it a "BOB" or "bug out bag", an EEK, or other such monikers but it's really a 72-hour kit. In other words, it should help you stay alive and healthy for 3 days while you get somewhere else.

The last part of the previous sentence is ket: "while you get somewhere else".

Something I have discussed elsewhere is the lack of maps, a plan, and a destination in most "grab-n-go kits". I truly honestly believe that most catastrophic events will force you to run, be it a natural disaster or man-made. But, where will you run to? Don't just pack your kit with survival goodies and leave out maps and pre-planned routes of escape with a final destination.

Stockpiling and building a nice doomstead is part of your preparations.
So is the 72-hour bug-out kit. Both should co-exist.



Do not rely on GPS, the satellites will not be functional.
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby vilemerchant » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 16:00:46

Going to spin out of control and crash to earth are they? LOL
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby cannedsalmon » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 22:19:56

Except for you. Gps will work only for you, so be sure you get rid of all those bulky maps and get a nice garmin so you won't get lost on the bugout, ok?

Rotsa ruk.
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby seldom_seen » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 23:44:07

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he backpack survivalist plans on outrunning danger with a four-wheel drive or a motorcycle and hopes to travel light with a survival kit of everything he might need to cope with the unexpected.

Bugging out in your vehicle on the public road system isn't backpacking. People that plan to "bug out" on the road system are subject to road blocks, obstacles, damaged roads. It they plan on bugging out while everyone else is bugging out. Then they're doubly toast.

Image

If I was in a situation where I had to leave home, and everyone else is leaving too. I would not leave by car. I would leave by foot (or by boat). I don't plan on ending up in some stadium somewhere. My philosophy is find out the direction everyone else is traveling and go in the opposite direction.

Backpack survivalism has a lot to do with location too. If you plan to evacuate Los Angeles and walk east in to the dry, dusty fire strewn hillsides. You're toast. If you're heading in to the River of No Return Wilderness of Idaho during spring. You could probably situate yourself in a remote valley and get by until the fall rolls around.

We need wilderness because we are wild animals. Every man needs a place where he can go to go crazy in peace. Every Boy Scout deserves a forest to get lost, miserable, and starving in. Even the maddest murderer of the sweetest wife should get a chance for a run to the sanctuary of the hills. If only for the sport of it. For the terror, freedom, and delirium. Because we need brutality and raw adventure, because men and women first learned to love in, under, and all around trees, because we need for every pair of feet and legs about ten leagues of naked nature, crags to leap from, mountains to measure by, deserts to finally die in when the heart fails. ~ed abbey
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby Novus » Sun 13 Jul 2008, 23:57:05

I don't think the PO SHTF die-off will look anything like Katrina. There is no real need for people be going anywhere as all areas will be impacted. People are being foreclosed on and kicked out of their homes in slow motion to the tune of about 100,000 per month. This will accelerate as the financial crisis deepens and PO closes the noose. Many will loose their jobs and never find employment again. They will move in with family and burden them or else head for the tent cities. Some will turn to crime both killing victims and killing themselves. Others will lay down and die of despair while others will flock to the FEMA camps. Slowly people will just wink out and disappear and the die-off will begin in earnest.
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby manu » Mon 14 Jul 2008, 00:28:31

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he backpack survivalist plans on outrunning danger with a four-wheel drive or a motorcycle and hopes to travel light with a survival kit of everything he might need to cope with the unexpected.

Bugging out in your vehicle on the public road system isn't backpacking. People that plan to "bug out" on the road system are subject to road blocks, obstacles, damaged roads. It they plan on bugging out while everyone else is bugging out. Then they're doubly toast.

Image

If I was in a situation where I had to leave home, and everyone else is leaving too. I would not leave by car. I would leave by foot (or by boat). I don't plan on ending up in some stadium somewhere. My philosophy is find out the direction everyone else is traveling and go in the opposite direction.

Backpack survivalism has a lot to do with location too. If you plan to evacuate Los Angeles and walk east in to the dry, dusty fire strewn hillsides. You're toast. If you're heading in to the River of No Return Wilderness of Idaho during spring. You could probably situate yourself in a remote valley and get by until the fall rolls around.

We need wilderness because we are wild animals. Every man needs a place where he can go to go crazy in peace. Every Boy Scout deserves a forest to get lost, miserable, and starving in. Even the maddest murderer of the sweetest wife should get a chance for a run to the sanctuary of the hills. If only for the sport of it. For the terror, freedom, and delirium. Because we need brutality and raw adventure, because men and women first learned to love in, under, and all around trees, because we need for every pair of feet and legs about ten leagues of naked nature, crags to leap from, mountains to measure by, deserts to finally die in when the heart fails. ~ed abbey


I was talking with a friend of mine from Oregon and he said that he let this guy camp on the back end of his property for awhile. The guy has been camping out in the moutains now for five years. He has five horses, two died, and packs all his stuff around with them. Now that is a backpack survivalist!
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Re: Backpack Survival

Unread postby manu » Mon 14 Jul 2008, 00:32:45

Nice picture by the way. Also I wonder about all the unused sailboats in the harbors sometimes. If you can sail that could be your ticket out of let's say, Newport Beach.
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