Food and Water (Z Kit)

This next bit is tricky because it exists at the crux of several viewpoints.

Survival enthusiasts believe that a proper bug-out bag must contain a 72-hour supply of food and water. They are quite adamant on this point, as 72 hours is typically how long it will take for emergency workers to reach you in case of a catastrophe, and I must say I can't fault them for their reasoning.

However...

72 hours of water for one person is three gallons (11 liters for our metric friends). I'm simply not capable of carrying that kind of weight around, and the entire point of this Z Kit was that I could carry it with me pretty much anywhere. I'm building this for portability, convenience, and universal use, and that means I can't make this a true bug-out bag.

Still, compromises can be made. Realizing that I can't carry that much water, I've done the next bext thing: I bought the biggest CamelBak I could find (3 liters) and stowed it in my pack. It doesn't take up much space when it's empty, and I figure in an emergency I'll have the opportunity to fill up somewhere. I also have water purification tablets and a filter, just to be safe. If you go this route, make sure you get the kind that kills/filter Cryptosporidium and Giardia Lamblia.


For food, I have one MRE (shelf life: 5 years), supplemented with granola bars, trail mix, etc. I figure this is about a day's worth of nutrition. I'd love to get some First Strike Rations but I have no idea how to go abut ordering those on the civilian market -- they're probably still too new for any surplus items to have been resold to local Army-Navy stores. (If anyone knows how I can legally get some of these, hook me up.)

(On the subject of asking my readers for information, does anyone know anything about LifeCaps? The idea itself is promising but I won't risk my money on something like that until a source I trust vouches for them.)


Now these next bits aren't essential, but they sure go a long way to making your life easier:

• A pocket stove and a sierra cup will allow you to boil water for soup, tea, and coffee.
  
• A mess kit allows you to eat with a semblance of normalcy. I like Light My Fire because it's lightweight, compact, and hangs from a carabiner with its harness. The only drawback is that, being plastic, you can't cook with it. Metal mess kits let you do this, but they're heavier and often transfer heat the wrong way (hot handles, cold meals).
  
• Likewise, a good hobo tool.
• I mentioned flint and steel earlier, but now we're getting a bit more sophisticated. Waterproof matches are all but a necessity...
  
• ... and now that you've struck that match, the first thing you should light is a candle, so that you can light other things with it. I like the Nuwick 44 hour survival candle, because you can fit that sucker right into your pocket stove and cook with it.
  

OK, now you can eat, but what about cleaning up afterwards? Health and sanitation is next!

Gloves Revisted (Z Kit)

I'm surprised that, of all things, yesterday's comment about gloves has gotten feedback. Apparently I need to re-think my decision . Can anyone suggest to me a good, durable, and affordable ($35 or less) pair of all-weather, all-environment, rough-use gloves?

What to wear (Z Kit)

Doggie shenanigans at Chateau Palette have quieted somewhat, so once again I return to discussing the Z Kit. Today's topic: Appropriate Armageddon Attire, or What to Wear to the Zombie Apocalypse.

Some of you may wonder why I'm discussing clothing before food or medical supplies, and the reason is simple: it takes you three weeks to starve to death, and if you're smart you won't need a medical kit for quite a while, but if you're improperly dressed for the terrain, the weather, or the catastrophe, you could die in a matter of minutes. Think of it as a shelter that you wear.

Take a look at what the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook has to say about clothing:

Explorer's Outfit: This is a full set of clothes for someone who never knows what to expect. It includes sturdy boots, leather breeches or a skirt, a belt, a shirt (perhaps with a vest or jacket), gloves, and a cloak... The clothes have plenty of pockets (especially the cloak). The outfit also includes any extra items you might need, such as a scarf or a wide-brimmed hat.

That's a sensible list, so let's apply it to our modern Z Kit.

• Boots: Some folks would suggest a hiking boot, like a Wolverine or Timberland. There may be something to that, but for my money, nothing beats military-surplus combat boots. They are tough as hell, waterproof, warm, give great ankle support, and while I wouldn't want to test it I suspect they may resist snake bites. I've had mine since 1991 and they're still going strong. About the only thing I can't do in them is swim.
  
• Pants: Leather is durable, but it can get hot. You want something lightweight but tough, so you've got basically two choices: buy some overpriced "trail pants" or get a decent set of BDUs/ACUs. They aren't at all fashionable (unless you're into military chic) but they get the job done and (assuming you don't get a cheap knockoff) they're worth every penny you pay for them (usually around $15)
• Belt: I'm not really a big believer in belts, but if you are, might I suggest the Paracord Survival Belt? That way you can carry over a hundred feet of rope (double the Standard Dungeon Delver amount) whilst simultaneously keeping your pants up.
  
• Gloves: A good pair of gardening or woodworking gloves will keep your hands warm while protecting them. I also have a kevlar oven mitt, because you never know when you may need to pick up something very hot. In fact, I should probably get another just to have a matching set.
  
• Vest/Jacket: The safari/ tactical/ hunting vest has tons and tons of pockets and you can get one practically anywhere. I recommend one made with ripstop fabric and ventilation mesh.
  
• Cloak: The modern version of this is a poncho. It keeps you dry and warm-ish. You can get one at any department store, and there are cheap pocket (disposable) versions that cost less than a dollar.
  
• Scarf: Oh, a scarf has a dozen uses aside from keeping your neck and face warm. It can be used as a sling, a rope, a bandage, a bandana... it's like a towel from the Hitchiker's books. I went a bit higher-tech and got a black sniper veil, because it makes a wonderful accessory when I go to goth clubs.
  
• Hat: The ever-popular boonie hat has a wide brim, a chin strap, and if you got the good kind, is waterproof. (If not, waterproof it tout suite.)

Sensible and logical conversions, but this list is missing a few things. You also need:

• At least three days worth of socks and underwear, kept in a waterproof bag. Because sweetheart, you don't know misery until you've been in the driving rain for 8 hours and you have no dry clothes to change into as you struggle to keep warm.
  
• A mylar survival blanket. Get this at the same time you're getting the disposable poncho and put them in the same pocket. You can also get this in the sleeping bag and tent versions as well. You may rightly call me paranoid, but I have all three.
  
• A magnesium fire starter, because if Survivor has taught us anything it is "Fire is Life."

All right! You are now properly attired to dance the Apocalypso.

WNW: Craigslist

Thanks to CAB to pointing this out to me:

Dog Days

I would like to apologize for my lack of posting. I have not been eaten by a zombie.

Instead, we are dealing with the introduction of a second dog into our household --yes, mom saved another from the pound. His name is Henry, and he is an older (between 7 and 10 years old) German Shepherd.

We didn't name him Henry, he came that way. Now we have 2 boy dogs, both named after candy bars, whose names begin with H. This is why I say my life is governed by patterns.

Naturally, there is some degree of Doggie Drama as both dogs adapt to the presence of the other, and new routines and behaviors are learned. Henry is a sweet and quiet dog, and likes to curl up next to me as I work at the computer, but there are some... issues... with how he relates to puppy Heath. This means keeping an eye out for potential trouble and stopping it before it occurs, and since Heath has the energy of a toddler, it's pretty exhausting.

More Z Kit posts later this week.

Why no gun? (Z Kit)

So, Demonic Bunny and a couple other readers have mentioned guns of some sort, and no doubt many of you are wondering what kind of heat I recommend packing in case of apocalypse.

I'm going to say "None," but hear me out on this.

Guns are useful. Guns are neat. I like guns. I own guns. But I don't think they have a place in a kit like this, for a variety of reasons:

1. They are expensive, and everything in this series of posts is obtainable by the average citizen. The priciest part of this kit was the bag itself, with the kukri a close second. This is why you also won't see neat-but-costly things like GPS transcievers or satellite phones. If you can afford these things, more power to you. I won't tell you that you're wrong for having them.
   
2. Guns require ammunition. Ammunition runs out. A gun without ammunition is pretty worthless.
   
3. Ammunition, and most guns, are heavy. A rifle or shotgun is heavy and awkward, and yes, I've humped an 80 lb. rucksack with an M-16 for miles as part of my ROTC experience, so I know of which I speak.
   
4. Guns often draw the wrong sort of attention. I once got fired from a job for mentioning the fact that I'd rather be home cleaning my guns. In an emergency, people will be hysterical and the police overworked. I'm not giving anyone a reason to detain, arrest, or shoot me.
   
5. Perhaps most importantly, if I want to have this bag with me on a regular basis when I leave the house (and an emergency kit left at home is rather useless when you're not at home), I can't have a gun in it. I'm a bit vague on Florida's concealed carry laws here and I don't want to experience them firsthand. There are also the considerations that A) a Concealed Carry pistol belongs in a holster, not an oversized purse, and B) if said pack ever got stolen, there's all kinds of legal trouble involved if my now-stolen gun is used to commit a crime.
   

All that said, if I were to suggest a pistol, I am rather fond of the Smith & Wesson .40 M&P: Single stack, which is good for my tiny hands; 15 rounds; beefy caliber which nearly guarantees a knockdown.

WNW: Finneas T. Godshammer is my hero.