Storing Supplies for a BOB

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Photon Guy

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I used to have a Bug Out Bag that I kept packed with various tools and supplies but I recently unpacked it and laid out all the contents. I did this to clean my BOB on the inside but also so that I could see everything I had. Now, I thinking that instead of putting everything back in the BOB it might be a better idea to store all my Bug Out gear on shelves so that I will always see what I have. I've seen many videos where people have BOBs packed full of supplies but the thing is that way you can lose track of everything you have so you might think you don't have something that you do or worse you might think you have something that you don't and you will end up not having it when you need it. If all your stuff is always stored in a BOB you will not see everything you have. Also, no matter how well your BOB is organized stuff is going to get jumbled around so even if you look in your BOB you won't see everything unless you take it all out. By keeping your stuff on shelves where you can see it all you will know what you have and you will know what you're lacking so you can make sure you will have stuff when you need it. So Im thinking now of keeping most or all of my Bug Out gear on shelves and if I ever am in a situation where I need to Bug Out, or even if Im going somewhere long term and I want to take supplies with me I can then pack my BOB and I will know what Im packing and what I've got. It seems to make more sense than always keeping most of everything in the BOB at all times.
 
I keep only universally useful gear in my BOB / GHB, IE Knife, Lighter, Multi tool, Compass, FAK, Shades etc

Then leave enough space to go load specific depending on
DESTINATION
TOPOGRAPHY
TIME OF YEAR
POLITICAL CLIMATE
CURRENT THREAT ASSESMENTS

However if I have a regular commute going on at that time I always try to place a cache of kit and supplies either at the work location or along my ESTIMATED safe route home or both. This allows me to have a comprehensive bug out / ghb plan but still travel light.
IE Cache Hopping Home
 
I periodically refresh the supplies that don't last forever (food, water), so that's when I re-evaluate what's in my BOB. I always have the essentials, so anything else is really just gravy....

Having it all on shelves defeats the purpose. The whole point is a quick grab bag (or better yet, one that is always with you), so if something happens unexpectedly, you'll have your gear. This is especially important for me, because the majority of the day, I'm about 50 miles away from home, so chances are, if something goes down, I've got a trek ahead of me to get home.
 
I keep only universally useful gear in my BOB / GHB, IE Knife, Lighter, Multi tool, Compass, FAK, Shades etc

Then leave enough space to go load specific depending on
DESTINATION
TOPOGRAPHY
TIME OF YEAR
POLITICAL CLIMATE
CURRENT THREAT ASSESMENTS

However if I have a regular commute going on at that time I always try to place a cache of kit and supplies either at the work location or along my ESTIMATED safe route home or both. This allows me to have a comprehensive bug out / ghb plan but still travel light.
IE Cache Hopping Home

That does sound like a good idea although there are some items which you could call universally useful which I don't store in my BOB when Im not using it. For instance guns, I usually travel with guns but I don't keep guns in my BOB when Im not using it. I keep the guns in my armory which is much more secure. Also, as you said destination is a determining factor for what you bring in your BOB. I don't bring guns if Im going to a place such as D.C. or Canada, places which aren't that gun friendly.

If you regularly commute you mention storing a cache of supplies at your job location or at a location on your way back home or both. Some people have mentioned having multiple BOBs. You could have a smaller BOB that you keep packed at all times which you can grab and go if a sudden emergency strikes and/or you could keep the smaller BOB packed in your car particularly if you commute long distances on a regular basis while the larger BOB you could keep unpacked or packed only with certain essentials (although some essentials I don't keep regularly packed in my BOB such as guns) and that way if you have the time you can pack the larger BOB with what you need if you're going to be using it.
 
Having it all on shelves defeats the purpose. The whole point is a quick grab bag (or better yet, one that is always with you), so if something happens unexpectedly, you'll have your gear. This is especially important for me, because the majority of the day, I'm about 50 miles away from home, so chances are, if something goes down, I've got a trek ahead of me to get home.

As I said in the previous post you could have a smaller BOB which you always keep packed and that you can grab and go if sudden disaster strikes and the larger BOB you can keep most of the stuff unpacked so you can see what you've got and that way if you have the time you can pack the larger BOB before you set out.
 
Now you're talking more about an EDC (or Every Day Carry) kit. A good idea, of course.
Another reason not to have your supplies out though...kind of screams "prepper".
When we have guests over, there's nothing public that really screams "prepper" to our guests, for example.
 
Now you're talking more about an EDC (or Every Day Carry) kit. A good idea, of course.
Another reason not to have your supplies out though...kind of screams "prepper".
When we have guests over, there's nothing public that really screams "prepper" to our guests, for example.

I keep much of my supplies in a closet which I ordinarily don't open to guests or visitors. The closet has some back shelves and good floor space for all sorts of supplies. The only thing that can be casually observed in my house which might hint that Im a prepper is the kitchen shelves that are stacked with canned food or the basement room where I have jugs of drinkable water although visitors usually don't go into the basement. Its the closet where I keep the stuff that would outright indicate Im a prepper such as my camping gear, 2 way radios, various other preps, and my ammo which is on the back shelf in cans and also in bins on the closet floor. I've got loads of ammo in the closet which if anybody saw they would assume Im either a hardcore prepper or a shooting enthusiast considering how much I've got. The guns I don't keep in the closet but in the armory which is a separate outside location.
 
No worries, didn't mean to come off as criticism. Tone just doesn't travel over the web. No offense intended.
 
My GHB is always ready to " go" but my BOB load varies depending on time or year, political and social climate and current threat risk, Often over the years my BOB has been fully loaded by th front door or even in the car, other times its part loaded and in the den, I don't think preppers can have a hard and fast rule about anything we have to be flexible and adaptable 24/7 as well as always alert. But I don't think I have gone outdoors in the last 14 years without a pocket knife, flashlight, lighter, compass and multi tool in my pockets or on my belt.
 
I used to have a Bug Out Bag that I kept packed with various tools and supplies but I recently unpacked it and laid out all the contents. I did this to clean my BOB on the inside but also so that I could see everything I had. Now, I thinking that instead of putting everything back in the BOB it might be a better idea to store all my Bug Out gear on shelves so that I will always see what I have. I've seen many videos where people have BOBs packed full of supplies but the thing is that way you can lose track of everything you have so you might think you don't have something that you do or worse you might think you have something that you don't and you will end up not having it when you need it. If all your stuff is always stored in a BOB you will not see everything you have. Also, no matter how well your BOB is organized stuff is going to get jumbled around so even if you look in your BOB you won't see everything unless you take it all out. By keeping your stuff on shelves where you can see it all you will know what you have and you will know what you're lacking so you can make sure you will have stuff when you need it. So Im thinking now of keeping most or all of my Bug Out gear on shelves and if I ever am in a situation where I need to Bug Out, or even if Im going somewhere long term and I want to take supplies with me I can then pack my BOB and I will know what Im packing and what I've got. It seems to make more sense than always keeping most of everything in the BOB at all times.
Suggestion: Take a picture of the contents of the BOB laid out, print it and pin it to the front of the bag?
 
There you go, tonight son asks me to pick him up from Durham at short notice, without thinking hops into car races to Durham picks him up and set off home, PLINK the headlights go out on the car, bugger says I and pull over, reaches for jacket with Flashlight and Multi Tool in it................. Jacket over seat in my office !!!!!!!!!!!. Calls AA to change a fuse I cannot see. NR the epitome of not practicing what I preach!!!
 
Suggestion: Take a picture of the contents of the BOB laid out, print it and pin it to the front of the bag?
That could work, although the contents of the BOB do change, sometimes quite often in some situations. And depending on where you're going or what you're doing, you might take more or less. It looks like I will be doing what some of the people here have mentioned, keeping some of the stuff, most of the stuff that I will always take with me in the BOB and the rest of the stuff on shelves or on the closet wall or floor which will consist mostly of stuff I might or might not take with me depending on the situation.
 
I used to have a Bug Out Bag that I kept packed with various tools and supplies but I recently unpacked it and laid out all the contents. I did this to clean my BOB on the inside but also so that I could see everything I had. Now, I thinking that instead of putting everything back in the BOB it might be a better idea to store all my Bug Out gear on shelves so that I will always see what I have. I've seen many videos where people have BOBs packed full of supplies but the thing is that way you can lose track of everything you have so you might think you don't have something that you do or worse you might think you have something that you don't and you will end up not having it when you need it. If all your stuff is always stored in a BOB you will not see everything you have. Also, no matter how well your BOB is organized stuff is going to get jumbled around so even if you look in your BOB you won't see everything unless you take it all out. By keeping your stuff on shelves where you can see it all you will know what you have and you will know what you're lacking so you can make sure you will have stuff when you need it. So Im thinking now of keeping most or all of my Bug Out gear on shelves and if I ever am in a situation where I need to Bug Out, or even if Im going somewhere long term and I want to take supplies with me I can then pack my BOB and I will know what Im packing and what I've got. It seems to make more sense than always keeping most of everything in the BOB at all times.
BOB is just what it says ! if it isnt packed and you gotta run quick like someone is pounding your door in you wont have time to pack! I keep my survival bag packed at all times and the way that i know i have everything i need is this! >>> get lost in the woods a few times and actually survive /camp /w/e use your items then make a list while there and fresh in your mind on improvements or additions you need to make. the best way is actual use! as for survival storage i have redundancy items and preps on shelves with additional survival gear in case i have a group joining me like family,friends,etc. Or if i know its going to be a long away time!
 
pocket knife, flashlight, lighter, compass and multi tool..the only thing in that lil list that i dont have on me,from the time i get up in the morning,till i go to bed for the night.is the compass.i also have 2 type of bottle openers.1 or 2 p38's.and the p38 with a spoon and bottle opener.
 
There you go, tonight son asks me to pick him up from Durham at short notice, without thinking hops into car races to Durham picks him up and set off home, PLINK the headlights go out on the car, bugger says I and pull over, reaches for jacket with Flashlight and Multi Tool in it................. Jacket over seat in my office !!!!!!!!!!!. Calls AA to change a fuse I cannot see. NR the epitome of not practicing what I preach!!!
The vehicle we use is prepped on its own, torches, medical kits, water purification, magnezium flints, multitool axes, knives, the list is to long, the front seat covers have extra bags at the back and they are filled to the brim, then under the seats i looked for the exact size plastic containers that would fit, stuck a bit of velcro to the bottoms and filled those as well. The back seat has a bit of space underneath it, still planning something for that as well, maybe some extra sleeping bags laid flat.
 
That could work, although the contents of the BOB do change, sometimes quite often in some situations. And depending on where you're going or what you're doing, you might take more or less. It looks like I will be doing what some of the people here have mentioned, keeping some of the stuff, most of the stuff that I will always take with me in the BOB and the rest of the stuff on shelves or on the closet wall or floor which will consist mostly of stuff I might or might not take with me depending on the situation.

here's something else you might try.use word pad to type out what you have for each B.O.B..pack those items only.then print out said items in the one.then put them into a plastic sleeve.and if there's 2 pages of said list.then have the front of them facing away from the other section of the list..this way,you can just look at the list and know.might even try naming each list./B.O.B as well.that you can use to know whats in it..
 
I agree, he point of a bob is if you need to leave in a hurry, leave it packed. Dump and reorganize it as often as you like, but have it at the ready. I'm not a paranoid person, but the world is on shaky ground these days, always be ready for the unexpected.
 
I still keep mine PARTIALLY loaded to suit as time, climate, crisis geography dictate but what I have done is put the ruck in a large plastic crate along with rhe assorted extra gear I want to select, so in an instantaneous crisis meaning leave that second I can grab the plastic crate lock stock and barrel and go, but for most other scenarios I think I should (everything crossed) enough time to go mission specific kit choice.

Even so other items such as archery gear is still separated from the rest but I have now set up a TD recurve bow kit to live near my BOB.
 
Well not long ago I emptied my BOB and sorted out my supplies and refilled it. As people have pointed out, the purpose of a BOB is to be able to grab it and go without having to pack since packing takes precious time and as I found out when I was refilling my BOB, it will take more time than what you would usually think. So, as it is I am keeping my BOB mostly filled although there are some stuff I don't ordinarily store in my BOB unless Im heading out. Sidearms and ammo I keep separately from my BOB and I usually don't keep them in my BOB even when Im traveling and using it. My sheath knife and my kukri for now are stored in the BOB although I might end up removing them and storing them in my closet next to where I keep my BOB. I've got some small first aid kits in my BOB but my main first aid supply is in a separate hard cased container which I can grab with my BOB if disaster strikes. I've also got a portable tent which I keep in my closet. Its small enough to pack up and carry but too big to fit in the BOB and same thing with the sleeping bag I've got in my closet. Everything else, a change of clothes, cooking gear, fire starting equipment, multi-tools, folding knives, extra food, water purification, navigation tools, ect. I keep in the BOB. While it makes sense to keep the BOB loaded with essentials its also a good idea to unpack it and sort through your supplies every so often.
 

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