Bug Out Bag (BOB)

Here are some items that can be carried in your survival kit/BOB (Bug Out Bag) that have multiple uses. This is not a complete list of course, but it’s a great start, I would love to see threaded comments so this document can be modified and added to….

(below this list are great ideas for multiple uses for each item)

Trash bags

Duct tape

Bandannas

35mm film cans

Walking staff

Ziploc freezer bags

550 cord

Snare wire

Aluminum foil

Surgical tubing

Dental floss

Sewing needles

Safety pins

Flexible cable ties

Sewing thread

5 gallon buckets

Paper Clips

Condoms

Candles

Watch

Cotton gauze

Gloves

Knife

Brass wire (copper wire, stainless steel)

Tarp or plastic sheeting

Survival blanket

Baking Soda

Boot laces

Signal mirror

Socks

P38

MRE package

Iodine

 

Trash Bags:

– Use them as “water-proof” boots/gaiters

– Shelter; as a tarp or, using 2 of them & duct tape make a “tube-tent”

– Bandages

– Water Container

– Fresh water still

– Lashing material

– Sleeping bag

– Stuff it with leaves and use it as a blanket or mattress

– Gear bag; good for “wet or soiled” clothing

– Orange bag good for a signaling panel

– Transpiration still

– Kite

– Floating device

– Sail Sled

– Expedient weapon

– Used as a poncho

– Carry fresh water

– Snare

– Limb lines for set hooks.

– Sewing thread for shoes, coats, or tents; or stitches for you in case you get a deep cut. (You cut 1″ wide strips of trash bag. Stretch it and then spin it…repeat until it is a thin string.)

– Rain cover for bag pack

– Rain cover for fire wood

– Moisture barrier for bedroll

– Bear bag for food

– Temporary patch w/duct tape for large holes or rips

– Winter coat (stuff with natural materials)

– Temporary dry bag for canoe (not totally dry)

– Can be melted and used as a temporary adhesive

– Camp shower

– Temporary cover to keep injury dry. (It can even be used to cover sucking chest wounds)

Bandanas:

– Water Filter

– Signal device

– Bandage

– Collect water from a shallow or hard to reach water source

– Pot holder

– Fishing bait

– Hat

– Anti redneck protection

– Face mask… to protect from smoke, cold weather

– Tourniquet

– Carry bag (hobo bag)

– Compress (as opposed to bandage, listed above)

– River washrag for bathing or dishes

– Earmuff/ear covers

– Make shift sling

– Rip into strips to tie items together

-Patch

35mm film “cans”:

– Holding fuel tabs

– Bobbin for fishing

– Misc. item for survival kit

– Medicine keeper

– Keeping ID/Medical Info Dry. Just roll it up, insert, label outside

– Owl caller

– Store film (duh)

– Store matches

Walking Staff:

– Fishing pole

– Hobo pack carrier

– Use to wrap 550 cords around

– Measuring stick to test the depth of water or snow

– Long handle to help someone up a bank

– Self defense

– Shelter pole

– Splint

– Crude compass

– Sun dial

– Wading pole

 

Duct tape:

– Rifle sling

– Rope

– repair anything (that isn’t liquid)

– Sunglasses

– Snow shoes

– Prevent blisters

– Prevent the ends of rope from fraying

– Bandage

– Remove small splinters or needles

– Tourniquet

– Cordage

– Tape

Duct tape has so many uses, way too many to list here. Do a search online “duct tape“.

 

 Zip-Lock bags:

– Water carrier

– Water proofer – maps, etc.

– Hat for rain – 1 gal size. For some of you 5 gal size.

– Wound cover – Tape in place

– First aid kit carrier

– Expedient shoes – tape in place

– Insulation – partially inflate with air

– Float – life preserver sort of

– Freezer bag cooking

– Solar distillery

– Container

– Vapor barrier in boots

– Pillow (with duct tape seal)

It is recommended that you use the freezer type zip-lock bags. They are stronger than the normal zip-lock bags.

 

550 cord:

– General cordage (duh)

– Fishing line

– Boot laces

– Thread

– Bracelets (braiding)

– Bear bag rope

– Shelter tie down

– Clothesline

– Fire bow cord

– Snare

– Trip wire

– Expedient belt

– Loops for equipment

– Tourniquet

– Rifle sling

 

Snare wire:

– Snare

– Needle (The end of a small piece can be ground on a stone until it’s like a needle and on the other end you need to make a loop, put some thread through and then push the loop closed very flat.)

– Boot laces

– Cordage

– Tourniquet

– Fishing line

– Securing gear

 

Aluminum foil:

– Boil water

– Signal

– Make char cloth

– Cook in

– Leave your track in the truck

– Use as scrubber for cookware

– Make a funnel to fill your water bottle

– Tighten lose battery springs in electronics

– Make a bowl

– Make a cup

– Fire deflector

– Making fishing lures

– Wind screen for a stove

– Serve as a lid

– Keep tinder dry by wrapping the tinder in layers of it

– Pinhole glasses. Just fashion the foil into a glasses shape and poke pinholes in the “lenses”.

 

P38 or P51:

– Can Opener

– Seam Ripper

– Screwdriver

– Clean Fingernails

– Cut Fishing Line

– Open Paint Cans

– Window Scraper

– Scrape around Floor Corners

– Digging

– Clean Out Groove on Tupperware lids

– Reach in and Clean Out Small Cracks

– Scrape around Edge of Boots

– Bottle Opener

– Gut Fish (in the field)

– Scale Fish (in the field)

– Test for ‘Doneness’ When Baking on a Camp Fire

– Prying Items

– Strip Wire

– Scrape Pans in the Field

– Lift Key on Flip Top Cans

– Chisel

– Barter

– Marking Tool

– Deflating Tires

– Clean Sole of Boot/Shoe

– Pick Teeth

– Measurement

– Striking Flint

– Stirring Coffee

– Puncturing Plastic Coating

– Knocking on Doors

– Morse Code

– Box Cutter

– Opening Letters

– Write Emergency Messages

– Scratch an Itch

– Save as a Souvenir

– Rip Off Rank for On-the-Spot Promotions

– Bee sting removal tool (scrape off w/ blade)

– Sharpen stick or pencil

Note: A P38 is a better striker for flint than a P51 is. A P51 is a larger version of the P38 and will help opening cans easier.

 

Surgical Tubing:

– Bands for projectile weapons

– Tourniquet

– Drinking/suctioning/siphoning tubing

– Elastic tie downs for tensioning

– Trap manufacture

– Tracheotomy

 

Dental Floss:

– As thread for sewing

– Stitching a wound

– Fishing line

– Clean teeth

– Emergency shoelaces, use several laid together

– Lashing

– Tent/tarp tie down

– Make a net

– Clothes line

– Make cord for bow n drill

– Shelter construction

– Snares

– Fire starter

– Snowshoe bindings

– Temporarily replace a lost screw in eyeglasses

– Expedient snow glasses (with foil or cardboard)

 

Sewing needles:

– Sewing

– Surgical tool (splinters, subungual hematoma)

– Compass needle (if magnetized)

– Awl

– Suture needle

– Repair needle

– Fishing hook

– Toothpick

– Improvised compass on a leaf/pool of water/magnetized with silk cloth

 

Safety pins:

– Repair of clothing

– Making a sling out a t-shirt. Take the bottom of the t-shirt, when worn and bring it up over the injured upper limb (crossed in front of the chest), and safety pin it to the chest of the t-shirt. Instant arm sling!

– Fish hook

– Pinning the tongue to the cheeks to keep an airway open. This is a “last chance” fix for   maintaining an airway with an unconscious patient.

– Foreign body removal from the skin, like tweezers

– Improvised compass on a leaf/pool of water/magnetized with silk clothe

– Sutures to hold large laceration closed

– Can be heated with flame to puncture a fingernail and evacuate a “sububngal hematoma”.

– Blister popper

– Equipment repair

– Mend a shoe lace

– Repair eyeglass hinge (depending on diameter)

– Awl (same as needle)

– Field expedient diaper (for babies)

– To close your pant legs to keep out snow. (assuming you don’t have Velcro)

– Hook a dog tag back to the dog’s collar.

– Rheostat on crystal radio

– To re-join split ends of rope

 

Flexible cable ties:

– Gear repair

– Attach items to pack or belt

– Loop handle for items such as flashlight

– Expedient shoe lace (smaller size, pull through top eyelets)

– Expedient pant or shirt button (same as shoelace)

– Trouser blouse (especially in thick country)

– Lashing for shelter building

– Handcuffs

 

Sewing thread:

– Thread (too easy)

– Sutures

– Dental floss (hygiene in the bush!)

– Lashing (loop X?)

– Tie off a water bag

– Expedient small game snare (dependent of type of thread)

– Replacement for lost eyeglass screw

– Fishing line

– Trip line

– Using with a stick for splint

 

 5 gallon buckets:

– Use as step stool

– Seat

– Table (if seated on floor)

– Haul water

– Store goods (5g buckets are mouse proof)

– Haul weeds to refuse pile

– Haul tools to work site

– Store electric cord, rope, etc.

– Toilet

– 72 hour kit

 

Candles:

– Light

– Heat

– Cooking or warming food/water

– Wax for lubrication (rub the candle on the item)

– Water proofing a seam that leaks

– An improvised adhesive

– Waxing skis

 

 Un-lubricated condoms:

– Water carrying container

– Pillow (blow up, tie shut)

– Cover your rifle barrel end

– Small solar distillery

– Flotation device

– Sling shot

– Latex glove

– Tourniquet

 

Watch:

– Time of day

– Compass

– Time paces

– Time pulse

– Signal mirror

– With water a magnifying glass (remove crystal from watch)

– Distance calculator

 

Paper clips:

– Spear point

– Fish hook

– Blister popper

– Compass (with magnet)

– Needle

– Clip items to pack

– Hold bandages together

 

Cotton gauze:

– First aid applications

– Fire tinder

– Soaked in Vaseline – longer burning

– Coated with wax – longer burning

– Heat/sunburn prevention (field expedient turbine)

– Trail markers

– Torch

– Personal hygiene

– Keep bugs off food

– Sling (any type – double or tripled for strength)

– Cordage

– Expedient boot lace

– Strainer for water to keep out floaters

– Folded over and use it for a hot pad

– Ointment application

 

Gloves:

Leather gloves

– Keep hands warm

– Protect from blisters/cuts

– Pot holders

– Picking up hot coals

Rubber gloves

– Bandage

– Tourniquet

– Waterproofing wounds

– Keep hands dry/clean

– Water carrier

– Solar still

– Entertain kids (balloons, rooster imitation)

– You can snap off the end of the middle finger and use the glove as a one way valve for mouth to mouth.

– You can pull the finger off a glove and pop off the end of the finger. Slide it over your finger and roll it down. It makes a mild tourniquet for bloodless surgery if you have to remove a bad splinter or the like.

 Any Glove

– Marking the trail – pointing the way

 

Brass wire (copper wire, stainless steel)

– Snare

– Lashing

– Weight for a spear or arrow

– Fire starter (two small strips inserted into the bulb socket of a mini mag. light. Not LED version)

– Fishing

– Pot handle

– Trip wire

– Wrapping food for placement in coals (easier to retrieve)

– Hanging stuff (lanterns, food over fire)

 

Tarps or plastic sheeting:

– Signaling – Drape that bad boy over the top of a tree and tie it down. Search flight will see, as well as anyone on a higher elevation. Especially blaze orange or red.

– Shelter

– Emergency blanket

– Solar still

– Vegetation bag water still

– Water transpiration still

– Emergency litter for injured

– Weather proofing your pack

– Making your shelter water resistant

– According to the DHS: Nuclear/biological/chemical proof a room

– Weapon (suffocation)

– Body bag

– The plastic can be used to treat a sucking chest wound

– Improvised medical drag for injured

– Melt plastic for expedient adhesive

– Use untreated tarp to filter muddy/dirty water (still must be boiled)

 

Survival blanket:

– Blanket

– Shelter

– Insulation inside a jacket

– Fire reflector

– Expedient water bag

– Marker or signal for rescuers

– Waterproof bandage

 

Socks:

– Warm feet

– Warm hands

– Pot holder

– Field expedient weapon (fill with rocks and swing like a flail)

– Bag to carry stuff (berries, etc)

– Ear muffs

– Bag warmer (warm rocks inside)

– Water Filter

 

Baking soda:

– To put out grease fires and other small fires.

– Clean

– Baking

– Deodorizer

– Medical

Lots of uses! Do an internet search “baking soda” uses.