Survival Kit Bug Out Bag V3

2019-01-18

: Cqc Survivalkitbugoutbag V3 SurvivalKitBugOutBag_V3 extreme-bob products

Open the PDF directly: View PDF .
Page Count: 153 [warning: Documents this large are best viewed by clicking the View PDF Link!]

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

ABOUT THIS INFORMATION

This book is for information purposes only. Do not use any equipment or attempt

any of the techniques shown unless under the guidance of a fully qualified

professional. Always consult your physician before engaging in any physical

activity. The author assumes no responsibility for any injury that may occur as a

result of using any gear or techniques. All of this equipment and techniques may

ONLY be used in justifiable circumstances where care is taken not to infringe

local laws regarding legal restraint and use of force.

You Do Not Have Permission

To Sell Or Distribute This Program

This publication is the sole property of CQC International, Inc., Modern

Combat & Survival Magazine and The International Society Of Close

Quarter Combatants and is only available through a website associated with our

organizations.

If you see anyone giving away this program as a free or paid download from any

other website, please do the honorable thing and let us know at

www.CloseCombatSupport.com and if we find that some scumbag is

fraudulently stealing our program and profiting from it or giving it away illegally,

we will reward you handsomely for your higher moral standard.

Thanks for having our back!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com

Table Of Contents

A Bug-Out “Reality Check” .................................................................................... 1

5 “No B.S.” Warning Signs Of An Impending Collapse ........................................ 4

Collapse Warning Sign #1: .................................................................................... 6

Collapse Warning Sign #2: .................................................................................... 8

Collapse Warning Sign #4: .................................................................................. 13

Collapse Warning Sign #5: .................................................................................. 15

A “No-BS” Look At What You Can Expect In A Collapse ................................... 17

Why The Government And Local Agencies CAN’T Help You! ........................... 20

The #1 Thing You Must Realize In A Collapse! ................................................... 22

Shhhhhhhhh! ....................................................................................................... 24

Preparing Your Home For Disaster ..................................................................... 26

When (And How) To Evacuate In A Collapse ..................................................... 28

Respect Your “Evac Triggers” ............................................................................. 29

Get AHEAD Of The Mob ..................................................................................... 30

Know Where You’re Going .................................................................................. 31

Be Prepared To Go On Foot ............................................................................... 32

The 7 Layers Of Survival Gear ............................................................................ 33

Layer 1: Everyday Carry (EDC) ........................................................................... 34

Layer 2: External Carry Bag ................................................................................ 36

Layer 3: Bug-Out Bag .......................................................................................... 39

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com

Layer 4: Bug Out Vehicle .................................................................................... 42

Layer 5: Home Or Survival Retreat ..................................................................... 44

Layer 6: The Community ..................................................................................... 46

Layer 7: Personal Protection Gear ...................................................................... 48

The #1 Core “Pillar” In ANY Emergency Survival Plan… .................................... 50

Bug-Out Bag Features To Demand ..................................................................... 57

13 Pillars Of Your Bug-Out Gear Build-Out ......................................................... 66

Bug-Out Food ...................................................................................................... 68

Bug-Out Water..................................................................................................... 80

Bug-Out Protection Items .................................................................................... 85

Bug-Out Clothing ................................................................................................. 89

Bug-Out Lighting ................................................................................................. 99

Bug-Out Communication ................................................................................... 100

Bug-Out Fire ...................................................................................................... 103

Bug-Out Medical Supplies ................................................................................. 104

Bug-Out Utility Gear .......................................................................................... 111

Bug-Out Self-Protection .................................................................................... 124

Bug-Out Evasion Support .................................................................................. 132

Bug-Out Personal Items .................................................................................... 143

Budgeting For Bug-Out Gear ............................................................................ 147

Test Your Bug-Out Gear ................................................................................... 149

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 1

A Bug-Out “Reality Check”

As a survivalist, as a prepper, as a prepared citizen, your bottom line, the

foundation of everything you believe, is that bad things can happen.

That’s why we prepare, right?

Of course the best place to be in a disaster is usually in your home, where you

have the comfort of a roof over your head and the ability to stockpile supplies to

weather the danger.

However, there are times when other factors may force you and your family to

evacuate your home and travel to another location that’s safer.

This we call, “bugging out.”

For most of us, however, bugging out means things are going south really badly.

The situation where you are is getting worse and you need to think about going

somewhere else to escape civil disorder, a riot, some natural disaster, or

whatever else might be threatening you.

But let’s be realistic here…

Short of a meteor hitting the Earth or zombies eating your face off, most disasters

will last from roughly 3 days to maybe a week.

That means your bug-out bag must sustain you as you get from an emergency

area to a non-emergency area for that time period.

But the key to bugging out, and doing so successfully, is to have a pre-planned

bug out location in mind and a way to get there.

Preferably, you’ll be able to drive to your safe refuge.

But that may not always be possible… or even desirable.

• The roads could be blocked.

• You could run out of fuel.

• You could experience a breakdown.

• You might need to stay off the roads to avoid checkpoints and roadblocks.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 2

Any number of problems can arise in a disaster and put you and your family out

on your own with nothing but the shoes on your feet… and your bug-out bag!

This book is all about bug-out bags.

It’s about what you need to carry in them.

It’s also about how you need to approach the process of building a bug-out bag.

This topic is important to me because I worry about my family.

I’ve seen first-hand when things get really, really bad, such as when historic,

record-breaking flooding destroyed houses and took lives in my small town in

Texas.

When I first started getting into prepping and survival years ago, I didn’t have my

own company.

Now I do.

I felt so strongly about the topic of bugging out, in fact, that I designed my own

“extreme bug-out bag,” which I call my X-BOB, based on the guidelines that I’m

going to share with you in this book.

Have you ever stopped to consider the possibility that you might have to bug

out?

If you did, would you have the supplies you need?

And if you had those supplies, would you have the means to carry them?

For too many people, the answer is, “no.”

That bothers me.

It bothers me a lot.

And that’s why I set out to explain what I see as important in a bug-out bag — not

just in terms of the bag, but also how you should approach the topic of bugging

out.

The first thing you’ve got to know is WHEN to bug out.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 3

And to do that, you’re going to have to start looking for serious signs of

impending collapse.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 4

5 “No B.S.” Warning Signs

Of An Impending Collapse

A disaster, a breakdown in civil order, a collapse of infrastructure, even a foreign

invasion, can take many forms.

It can come on suddenly, almost without warning.

It can also develop slowly over time.

More often that not, with the exception of some natural disasters, there are

developing signs of a problem for quite some time before an actual “collapse-like

event” occurs.

If you are a prepared, aware citizen, if you do not live your life with your head in

the sand and your fingers in your ears, you can perceive the trouble coming.

In my time as a self-defense instructor, we’ve referred to something called the

“reactionary gap.”

This is the amount of time between when you realize somebody is attacking you

and when you manage to do something about it, like getting up your hands,

deploying a handgun, etc.

Well, just as in protecting yourself from an attacker in your home or on the street,

there’s a “reactionary gap” with many disasters, too.

For every catastrophic event that happens seemingly without warning, there are

plenty of other events that give you notice that they’re on their way.

If you learn to recognize the warning signs of these disasters or chaotic events,

you can better prepare to meet the challenges you are likely to face.

Just what do we mean by “better prepared?”

If you know what supplies you need to have on hand, both to cope with and to

survive during a major disaster, crisis, or attack, then the chances are much

better that you WILL endure and survive that occurrence.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 5

That’s the name of the game when it comes to survival, after all: getting through

a time of danger, getting past an area of danger, and to somewhere (or some

time) that isn’t as dangerous to you and your loved ones who are counting on

you for their protection.

While you won’t always have early warning of a disaster (we still don’t really

know how to predict or warn against, for example, tornados beyond a relatively

short warning period), preparing for those disasters ahead of time means you’ll

have much better odds of coping with them once you’re aware that they’re

happening.

And those disasters or events that you CAN look out for ahead of time are things

you SHOULD be watching for.

That means learning to recognize the warning signs of the major disasters and

“collapse” events you COULD face – not in fantasy – but in REAL LIFE!

These five “warning signs” are...

1. Natural Disaster

2. Economic meltdown

3. Pandemic disease outbreak

4. Power grid failure

5. Nuclear Contamination

Let’s examine each one of these and give you a real world perspective on what

to watch for – and what to do about it…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 6

Collapse Warning Sign #1:

Natural Disaster

This is the most obvious, so let’s get it out of the way first…

Natural disasters have the potential to be the threat least likely to give you

advanced warning as we’ve seen from such devastating events such as

tornados, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

This isn’t news to you if you live in a tornado-prone area as you know that we still

don’t really have the technology to give citizens more than the most basic of brief

warnings before a tornado strikes.

Now, normally you wouldn’t think of a natural disaster as a cause of any real

“collapse” that would affect any place outside of the affected area, right?

Well, that all depends on the area that’s affected.

For example, a fellow “prepper friend” of mine, Marjory Wildcraft, did her

research and discovered that 30% of all U.S. oil refining is done in a small area in

the Houston, TX area.

A Category 5 hurricane that hits this area could shut down fuel production and

destroy refinery support systems that service the entire country for a long, long

time.

The result will be much higher fuel prices and an increase in cost of all goods

(more on this in the “economic meltdown” section)

This is just one example of how a natural disaster that hits critical infrastructure

points within the country could affect the rest of the nation in a very big –

potentially catastrophic – way.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 7

What To Watch For…

Some natural disasters will give you a few days warning while others maybe no

warning at all.

But the key is to look BEYOND your own city limits and take notice of where

large-scale events take place that could affect you in the coming days and

weeks.

If you live in Wisconsin and see the effects of a hurricane wiping out sections of

the Houston, TX area, your neighbors won’t think twice about it…

… but it should be YOUR warning sign that darker days may be ahead!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 8

Collapse Warning Sign #2:

Economic Meltdown & Food Shortages

Economic collapse is an insidious problem to consider.

Almost overnight, the money you have saved, the money you earn, can

disappear or simply become increasingly worthless.

With the U.S. borrowing money to simply pay our bills, it’s evident that our entire

financial system is built upon a giant Ponzi scheme that is already showing signs

of coming collapse.

When that happens, most American families will be devastated as studies show

that…

• 76% of all Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck and can’t withstand

another economic firestorm like the 2008 collapse.

• 27% of American families do not have a single penny of savings to

weather hard times.

• The average family’s debt-to-income ration is now 154% (it was only 58%

in 1989)

The bottom line is this…

When the economy plummets again, most Americans will be wiped out.

We’ve seen it happen in other countries and it’s a very real danger even here in

the U.S.

There are stories of countries where runaway inflation reduces citizens to taking

wheelbarrows full of cash to the grocery store just to buy a loaf of bread.

In Greece, even middle-class families were dumping their children off at

orphanages so they wouldn’t starve to death.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 9

If prices for consumer goods rise sharply, your ability to buy everything from food

for your children to gas for your car (to get to work or anywhere else) can cause

a cascade effect, crippling the economy at every step along the chain.

When people can’t even go to work to earn wages that are no longer sufficient to

buy the bare essentials – like food.

Even today, 1 in 6 Americans are unable to adequately feed their family. What

will this number be like when food prices soar and government cheese runs out?

When food prices spike, people can’t afford to eat, and when people can’t eat,

they freak out and riot.

This is an entirely predictable pattern that has played out again and again in

history.

Increased strain on food banks and food kitchens, record numbers of Americans

on food stamps, and increasing consumer prices for food all point to future civil

unrest.

And what happens when those millions of people who get their groceries using

“food stamp” cards issued by the government go to swipe those cards... and the

system doesn’t work because the government is bankrupt or some other problem

has crippled the network?

When people are hungry and watching their families starve before them, the

conditions that are ripe for civil unrest and rioting.

What To Watch For…

You don’t have to be a Wall Street whiz to keep an eye out for failing economic

conditions.

There are telltale signs that our economy is about to go bust… IF you know

where to look, such as places like…

Gas Prices. A sharp increase in gas prices, or a very precipitous drop in those

prices, could signal a coming collapse of our financial system.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 10

In the first case, if gas prices rise sharply, they cause that downward spiral effect

in the economy, first slowing it down and then bringing it to a stop.

You must understand that if the price of oil goes up sharply, everything on the

planet costs more.

Every product you buy in a store was transported on a truck at some point, and

before it was on a truck, it was on a train and probably on a ship.

Higher fuel prices means higher prices for everything, everywhere, at every stop

along the transportation chain that gets goods and services from their source to

the consumer.

If gas prices drop a LOT very suddenly, while this may seem like a good thing at

first, what it means is that suddenly there is much less ability to pay what were

the current fuel prices. Falling gas prices also signifies a problem with the

economy, therefore.

U.S. Treasuries. If interest rates on US treasuries begin to skyrocket it’s a

surefire signal that our debt-soaked government is going to be unable to keep up

with the national debt.

In other words, US debt isn’t the commodity it once was and the government isn’t

able to borrow money like has been.

Ultimately that means it has to find that money somewhere else... in the form of

higher taxes, raiding social security funds, and even confiscating portions of

people’s savings accounts (yes, it can happen).

You can monitor treasure interest rates right from the treasury’s own website at

www.Treasury.gov.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 11

Collapse Warning Sign #3:

Pandemic Disease Outbreak

Remember the panic over the “bird flu”?

What about the “swine flu”?

These were pandemics felt largely OUTSIDE the United States.

There was a time though, that pandemics did occur on our soil, and when they

did, they shut down large portions of the United States and took a terrible toll in

lives.

In New York City in 1916, the paralytic disease polio killed 6,000 people.

Because the disease frequently affected children, it terrified parents across the

nation.

Public swimming pools were shut down…

… movie-goers were told not to sit too closely…

… and insurance companies sold “polio insurance” for babies.

Polio was largely brought under control through immunization, but the polio

outbreak pales in comparison to the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918-1919.

Influenza came to the United States from Europe.

Five to ten percent of sufferers would develop pneumonia, and many of them

died.

Across the world, influenza killed 20 million people.

At home, it took 675,000 from a population of 105 million in the United States.

There were quarantines. There were panics. People wore masks in public.

And it could happen again.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 12

What To Watch For…

Keep your eyes on the news, especially in Southeast Asia.

All influenza viruses originate there and are spread by birds and animals like pigs

before they reach humans.

The typical global pattern is that it spreads from Asia to Europe and the U.S. so if

you see news reels of people in China and other Southeast Asian cultures

wearing facemasks to ward off an outbreak, don’t think this is isolated to a

foreign country – it’s actually headed your way.

The bigger the news story over there – the harder you can expect it to hit on your

home turf and potentially strain medical response beyond its seams.

Also, keep an eye out for reports of a “new” disease with an unknown cause.

Things like that sometimes become pandemics, especially if they spread rapidly

– before researchers can identify the origin and work up a vaccine or treatment.

Still other signs of a pandemic outbreak include government announcements of

controls or rationing on the sales of antibiotics.

Finally, read between the lines of government statements on the nature of the

outbreak.

If the government starts telling you to behave in a certain way to reduce your

risks, you know that those in charge take the threat of the illness seriously

enough to tell you to remain calm and try not to catch it.

It’s a sad, cynical statement about the world we live in, but the surest sign that a

pandemic is a potential danger to you is when your government tells you not to

worry about it.

That is because the government’s primary concern is maintaining order, not

keeping you, specifically, safe.

They would much rather you be calm and not cause a panic than raise the alarm. !

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 13

Collapse Warning Sign #4:

Power Grid Failure

In mid-August in 2003, the power went out across the Northeast United States

and parts of Canada.

Millions of people were affected, many of them in the dense urban areas of New

York City, Toronto, Newark, Detroit, Cleveland, and Ottawa.

It was only two years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the

first thing people did was try to make sure their loved ones were safe.

What they found out, when they all tried to use their wireless phones at once,

was that none of them worked.

Immediately, what seemed like a local blackout was quickly and terrifying a much

more extensive problem, and people wondered if terrorists were to blame.

The problem was first blamed on an infrastructure problem in Canada, until the

real culprit was discovered…

… a tree branch that fell on a power line in Ohio!

Yes, a tree branch was all it took for to topple a large section of the U.S. and

Canadian power supply and send 50 million people into the dark age.

A minor problem became a cascade failure in already antiquated, often feeble

electrical grid.

Even our own government admits that our power grid is held together with

chewing gum and duct tape... but nobody is doing anything about it!

But don’t take my word for it.

Listen for yourself as former CIA Director, Jim Woolsey reveals what the “dark

secret” most citizens don’t know…

To make matters worse, power demands are rising, as our reliance on

smartphones, portable tablet computers, and other electrical gadgets is taxing

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 14

both our broadband wireless networks and the electrical grid needed to charge

the devices.

What To Watch For...

Warning signs of a power grid failure include news reports about the fragility of

our grid and about nearby outages.

If something is so bad that people are reporting on it, you should listen.

The best warning sign of a power grid failure, however, is the phenomenon of the

rolling blackout.

If, especially during the summer months, your local government announces

rolling blackouts to deal with high power demand, it means your grid can’t take

the strain and there’s a good chance it could fail entirely.

Don’t forget the threat of EMP (electromagnetic pulse), either…

A warning of severe solar flare activity from the sun could trigger an

electromagnetic event, sending a power-surge to Earth – potentially knocking out

power on a wide-scale to an already stretched power grid.

Often, though, you won’t know about an EMP problem until it has already

happened and things stop working.

One way to verify this is to see if your wireless phone is suddenly dead.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 15

Collapse Warning Sign #5:

Nuclear Contamination

If you ever question the potential fallout from an unexpected nuclear disaster,

you need look no further than the recent meltdown of the reactors at Fukushima

in Japan.

Japan as a nation state has now been destroyed.

The country and its water systems are contaminated and there are entire parts of

the country that are now completely uninhabitable… and spreading out!

In fact, high levels of radiation have been recorded in the metro Tokyo area, with

a population higher than the entire country of Canada.

There are indications that the entire food production chain in Japan is

contaminated, including the tea trade and fishing it depends on so heavily.

Japan’s industrial and manufacturing industry is in shambles and they are no

longer a leading industrial power, watching exports plummet as no one wants

contaminated merchandise.

And what caused this nuclear meltdown?

Ultimately it wasn’t the natural disaster that triggered the disaster – it was the

loss of electrical power, plain and simple.

When all electrical power was shut off (yes, due to the earthquake triggered

tsunami), the backup generators were destroyed and with no electricity at all, the

fuel rods had no means of remaining cool and they entered a meltdown scenario

that toppled an entire country overnight.

Think that couldn’t happen in the U.S. or any other country?

Think again…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 16

What To Watch For...

With a simple disruption in the electrical supply, any one of our nuclear reactors

could be forced into a Fukushima-like meltdown…or worse!

What could cause such a chain-reaction of catastrophic proportions?

Try these on for size…

As recent as 2011, the U.S. Government was making preparations for aiding 7

million Americans along the New Madrid fault line which is susceptible to an

earthquake the magnitude of a 9 on the Richter Scale.

This would affect nuclear plants in northern Arkansas, eastern Missouri, and

others in the area.

And of course there’s the famous San Andreas fault in California that every

seems to realize will someday split wide open… yet we have our fingers crossed

that reactors at Diablo Canyon and San Onofre will be able to handle the tear.

And what if there were a direct attack

“9-11 style” on a nuclear reactor?

Or someone is able to pull off the same hacking trick we nailed the Iranians with

by implanting a virus in their own nuclear development facility – only they’re able

to “tell” our cooling systems to take a vacation and let the reactors overheat and

wipe out our entire country.

While this may sound like the stuff of spy novels, it’s really not as difficult as you

may think.

Remember the Northeast Blackout of 2003?

That was from a tree branch!

See my point?

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 17

A “No-BS” Look At What You

Can Expect In A Collapse

Now I want you to really stop and think about each of the potential collapse

scenarios we’ve just described.

For each of them, ask yourself these questions:

1. What would the results of this disaster be? What would the effects look

like?

2. What infrastructure on which I rely right now would be affected

negatively by this scenario?

3. What supplies would I need to have on hand to cope with the loss of

that infrastructure, and for how long could I reasonably survive on the

stores of those supplies I now have?

When the disaster occurs, you will very nearly be overwhelmed by the sudden

realization that something this bad is occurring.

Disbelief is a common reaction.

Your neighbors, those people who aren’t prepared at all, those people who have

not invested any thought in how they would cope with the loss of major

infrastructure, will be shocked and terrified.

They’ll make bad decisions.

They may even turn to violence.

There will be those who don’t do anything, those who are paralyzed with fear.

And there will be those who think, “Do something, ANYTHING,” no matter how ill-

thought out that plan may be.

When you first perceive that a disaster or collapse is occurring, it’s up to you take

a leadership role.

Stay calm.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 18

Keep your wits about you.

Perform a rational evaluation of the risks and dangers... and what you have to

work with in coping with the problem.

You need to adapt to the situation and overcome the adversity you face.

But there’s a hidden threat that’s difficult for most people to contemplate no

matter HOW prepared they are…

For your safety and the safety of those who look to you for protection, I’m afraid I

must bring it up.

You see, while we’d like to think that natural disasters and times of crisis bring

neighbors together and fill us all with a patriotic spirit, the fact is…

There are always wolves among the sheep!

We’ve seen it in every major crisis…

During the “impact” phase, when a disaster first becomes evident, it can

materialize as fist-fights at the grocery store, gas stations, and aid distribution

points as shelves are stripped bare and tempers flare at the prospect of not being

able to feed and protect loved ones…

In the “aftermath” phase, gangs and looters and have been known to go door to

door, breaking windows and taking whatever they can get their hands on.

What this means is that people you would normally consider just other victims of

a disaster, just fellow citizens trying to get by as you are trying to get by, may well

become potential hostiles.

You’ll need to avoid them and avoid getting robbed, beaten, or otherwise

victimized by them, as you try to deal with the disaster or collapse unfolding

around you.

You’ve got a major problem when it comes to doing that, though, and that is that

you’ve been conditioned to think that your government will help.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 19

You think local law enforcement, the national guard, FEMA, and other

emergency services will step in and do something to bring order from the chaos...

right?

Well just ask the people who listened to the government and went to the

Superdome after Hurricane Katrina hit the New Orleans area and surrounding

portions of the United States.

By most accounts, the refugee area designated in the Superdome was a

nightmare.

Many of the government personnel who dropped food and water off at the

Superdome took a, “let’s feed the animals” approach to the people who

depended on them.

That’s not to say our emergency personnel didn’t do their jobs.

But their attitude was definitely not one of caring for the people in their charge as

individuals.

There’s no way our government can do that.

They have to keep order and they have to see to the people as a general

category, as a population, as a whole.

This is the fundamental flaw in relying on the government and even your local

service agencies in times of crisis.

Do you think the National Guard will rescue you?

Do you think a FEMA shelter is where you want your family to ride out a disaster

or a riot?

Think again...

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 20

Why The Government And

Local Agencies CAN’T Help You!

How would you feel about being responsible for everyone, everywhere?

Well, that’s what it’s like for local law enforcement and government personnel in

a crisis.

Imagine that everything is falling apart around you.

The “rule of law” is quickly collapsing.

Looting, violence, and fear of the social chaos event is running rampant among

the populace.

Our law enforcement and emergency services personnel are frequently

understaffed and under-resourced on a GOOD day.

Now they’re trying to cope with a major disaster affecting everyone within their

entire area.

Not just a few extra “nuisance calls” of hooligans throwing rocks at cars… I’m

talking about being forced to keep law and order over EVERYONE!

Think about the enormity of that for a moment.

There’s no way to prioritize your services, to assign your finite resources, if

absolutely everyone in the area is being affected by the same disaster.

Worse, there’s a very good chance that most of your local law enforcement and

first-response personnel have families of their own.

When the “balloon goes up,” as the saying goes, can we really expect these

personnel to abandon their own families in favor of trying, in vain, to protect

everyone else... even though it is physically impossible for them to do so?

Any human being would naturally try to protect his or her own loved ones in a

crisis.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 21

We have to expect that in a very dire emergency, our responders will be

absolutely overwhelmed and undermanned.

Refugee camps and other FEMA-type installations will, just like the Superdome,

quickly become the types of places you DON’T want your family.

Resources will be scarce…

...supervision and law enforcement will be few and far between…

...and food and water will more valuable than gold.

Chaos and predatory human behavior will reign... and government

bureaucracies, which are notoriously inefficient, will not be able to bring the

situation under control in anything resembling a short amount of time!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 22

The #1 Thing You Must Realize In A Collapse!

In a natural disaster or other crisis, most people crumble to pieces.

They’re going to be in shock… afraid… desperate…and helpless.

The guidance they seek will come from their local authorities and from

government aid agencies like FEMA.

But remember, these agencies don’t have your individual survival or prosperity in

mind.

Their goal is to create order, to keep people under control, and reduce the chaos

of the event that has triggered the problems they now face.

If that means herding people into “protective” camps where they will live as

helpless victims, essentially prisoners of the disaster and their government, then

that is what they will do.

That’s not what YOU, a prepared citizen who values freedom and individual

liberty, wants for your family, right?

You refuse to live at the mercy of faceless bureaucrats who know you as a

“number”.

You’d never subject your loved ones to a solution that’s worse than the problem,

would you?

That means that the #1 thing you must realize in a crisis is that...

...YOU are the only person you and your family can truly depend on!

Every other person you encounter can fail you, disappoint you, or even betray

you.

That best friend you’ve had for years may decide the lives of his family trump the

lives of your family in a crisis.

Your government and Officer Friendly certainly can’t be counted on to put your

needs first.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 23

If you want to put your family and your loved ones’ welfare FIRST, then, you

have to understand that you can only count on YOU.

This builds the foundation and sets the tone for your journey toward self-reliance.

It puts you and your family on the path of being one of the small groups who will

endure no matter how long a disaster lasts, and no matter what toll a social

chaos event takes on our nation.

This is a harsh reality.

It isn’t a pleasant thing to contemplate.

But it’s the truth.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 24

Shhhhhhhhh!

Can you keep a secret?

I hope so… because taking the steps we’re about to talk about WILL make you

prepared. But it will also make you a TARGET!

Now it’s not just the criminals and opportunistic looters you need to be concerned

with…

Imagine a highway packed with stalled cars who have run out of gas and here

you come put-putting down the road with your vehicle and a full tank of gas.

The fathers and mothers who are looking at their own desperate plight to safety

will inherently look to ANYONE who can help them.

They’ll begin by “asking” for you to take them with you or leave them some

food… then they’ll beg… and if you don’t comply, they might then DEMAND!

This may start out with just one or two desperate people hounding you… but can

quickly grow into a mob who feel that it’s YOUR responsibility to share your stuff

and help them out.

Things can get ugly quick and you need to be prepared to deal with the violence

that may ensue.

Your best bet is to stay low – now and also during a crisis. There are ways to do

this that we talk about in our “Survival Kit Bug –Out” program.

Ways you can dress… ways you can store gear… ways you can become virtually

“invisible”.

The main thing is to not brag about your level of preparedness.

It’s very natural to want to talk about what we do to prepare for crises.

Some of us genuinely want to help our fellow citizens.

We hope that by becoming “evangelists for survival,” we can encourage others to

prepare the way we do.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 25

Unfortunately, by trying to bring others into the fold, we often make ourselves

vulnerable to those who, in a crisis, have not prepared ahead of time... but who

do remember that YOU have.

Never forget the danger this type of “loose lips” syndrome puts you in!

Don’t tell your neighbors or friends about your stockpiles.

I had a buddy who was caught in Hurricane Sandy that didn’t heed this

precaution and found his buddies all pulling up in his driveway with no fear at all

because they knew that HE had prepared and had extra food.

They chowed down to a big feast and in a short time, a large chunk of his food

supplies were wiped out – all because he couldn’t keep a secret.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 26

Preparing Your Home For Disaster

Preparing your home for a disaster or social chaos event, especially if you have

been following the warning signs of the approaching event, isn’t that hard.

Identify the things you are likely to use, especially items that will be scarce or

impossible to get.

(Don’t worry; we’ll help you identify just these things a little later on in this report.

For now, though, focus on the concept and try to wrap your head around it.)

For example, let’s say you’ve been experiencing rolling blackouts.

You know a failure of your power grid could be coming.

You would stockpile extra batteries, fuel for your generator, and candles

accordingly, because these are the things that will be in high demand during a

crisis.

One of the items that was almost impossible to find in stores during Hurricane

Sandy was D-sized and AA-sized batteries.

You would be wise to store these prior to a crisis.

There are other things you can stockpile and store, just generally, that will always

be in need during an emergency.

You’ll want to have long-term storage food on hand, for example.

A few cases of ramen noodles added to your weekly shopping will help you store

this kind of thing, long-term.

If you integrate into your survival preparations simply extra portions of the things

you already buy, from toilet paper to canned goods, you can use a rolling-

inventory strategy to use things less often than you replace them.

This means you can build up a stockpile of all the things you regularly use, and

when you can’t get to the store for a few days during an emergency, you will

have an ample supply of what you need.

It isn’t really hard.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 27

It’s common sense.

But planning on doing this will help you sleep better at night RIGHT NOW, won’t

it?

Well, why WOULDN’T you do that?

There’s something you haven’t considered, possibly, that you really do need to

think about.

You should be building a bug-out bag or “go-bag.”

This is because the bigger danger of a disaster, the worse alternative to having a

few days where you can’t get to the store (or there is nothing in the store to buy),

is the possibility that it isn’t safe where your home is.

What if you have to evacuate?

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 28

When (And How) To Evacuate In A Collapse

Look, evacuating during a disaster (or “bugging out” as we like to call it) isn’t

easy – especially if you’re not prepared with the right gear and exit strategy.

You can’t just throw a few items in a bug-out bag and expect that you’re all set to

flee your home.

You have to know just what to put in that bag and how to pack it.

We offer an entire bug-out bag program that can teach you how to build the best,

most useful bug-out bag imaginable...

...and a good part of this is knowing what NOT to carry.

Generally, though, understand that bugging out requires you not just to build that

go-bag right, but to follow good, well-thought-out survival guidelines for leaving a

place of danger to get to a place of greater safety.

You have to have a plan!

That plan starts with some really basic tenets of bugging out:

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 29

Respect Your “Evac Triggers”

Typically, our weather people tell you that a storm is coming.

Our government may even tell you that you should get out, and this evacuation

may be voluntary or it may be mandatory.

But over and over again, there are people who refuse to believe the warnings.

Sometimes this is because our meteorologists love to “cry wolf” and describe

every storm or snowfall as the disaster of the century.

But sometimes this is just simple human stubbornness.

People expect that they’ll be fine because they’ve always been fine… and it’s

people who think this way who end up on their rooftop hoping for rescue after a

flood, or who get trapped in their houses during a four-foot blizzard.

The best warning signs of a natural disaster are the predictions of our weather

forecasters.

What we need to do, when they forecast a disaster, is actually listen to them and

believe them.

Acknowledge, then, that in most cases, you simply won’t know far ahead of a

natural disaster before it occurs.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 30

Get AHEAD Of The Mob

To further add urgency to your decision about when to evacuate, you have to not

only look at your plight…

…but the actions of others who will be caught up in the same crisis you are.

Think about it this way…

If you've ever been in a traffic jam on your way to work — threatening you to be

late and face an angry boss — how much easier would it have been to get to

work if you left an EXTRA 20 MINUTES EARLIER?

Makes sense, right?

A critical factor is for you to NOT wait to the last minute to decide to evacuate.

Your primary evacuation goal is to GET AHEAD OF THE MOB!

Here’s how I look at it…

If you “wrongly” decide to leave but you get ahead of the desperate pack of

automobiles on the highway, what’s the worst that can happen?

Maybe you have an overnight stay at a hotel in a “safe zone” far away or you

have to put up with Great-Aunt Lizzie’s complaints about her gout.

But if you wait too long to make a decision and the right decision would have

been to leave, it’s too late!

The highways will be jammed with all the other procrastinators.

As gas stations run out of fuel, these same highways will be transformed into

giant parking lots of stalled vehicles and angry, fearful citizens with no way to

escape the danger headed their way.

When in doubt… evacuate – and take decisive action with the utmost speed and

urgency!!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 31

Know Where You’re Going

You can’t just rush out of the house and head “out of town” like you’re going on

vacation.

There are any number of choke points that can stop you in your tracks.

Plan now for WHERE you can go and have it pre-plotted on a map.

Do you have a good friend or relative in the next state who’s agreed to take you

in during an emergency?

Maybe it’s even just a remote campground that has facilities you can use (like

showers, drinkable water, and latrines)?

One caution for you though…

When determining your secondary safety retreat, you must take into account the

potential for limited resources to get you there.

For example, a wide-scale blackout could render gas stations useless.

For this reason, it’s best to plan your retreat for somewhere that’s about ½ a gas

tank away from your home.

For the average vehicle, that’s only about 200 miles radius on a good day.

Of course that also means you must get in the habit of never letting your gas tank

get below ½ tank in order to always be “prepared”, right? (wink – wink)

And you need to consider your options for even getting there…

Primary routes are likely to be jammed if you don’t make it out in time – or even if

you do, but wind up stuck three towns over with those who are just now getting

on the road in that area.

Don’t follow the herd.

Map out the “back roads” as an alternative route.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 32

Be Prepared To Go On Foot

This is where a lot of people screw up…

They don’t take into account that their primary vehicle may in fact be of as much

use as a 2-ton paperweight in a disaster.

You can run out of gas…

…get caught in a traffic jam of fleeing citizens (even if you get out quickly,

you could still run through other towns that are in the midst of

evacuating)…

…or your vehicle could simply break down on the way to safety.

Should that happen, you need to be prepared to leave your vehicle behind and

go the rest of the way, perhaps on foot.

This is why your regular travel luggage is NOT the best option for your survival

“go-bag”.

There are better options we discuss in our SKBOB program for the whole family.

But here’s the key factor you must understand now…

When a hurricane has you in its sights or a wildfire is raging your way, that’s NOT

the time to start packing your tighty-whities, food supplies, and your evacuation

survival gear.

Every second counts and the longer you wait to get started, the greater your

chances of being stuck on the highway.

That’s why it’s so critical for you to assemble your survival kit “bug-out bag” NOW

and have it ready so that when you make that fateful, life-saving decision to

leave, all you have to do is GRAB & GO!

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let’s now, as I promised you, get into the specific LAYERS of survival you need

to cover with your preparations.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 33

The 7 Layers Of Survival Gear

Preppers and survivalists love to make lists of gear.

We love to pack bug-out bags for every emergency.

We love to have a lot of stuff on hand, period.

But does your gear follow any sort of plan?

Do you understand the 7 layers of survival gear preparation, and does your gear

coordinate to make you the best equipped survivor you can be?

This isn’t merely a theoretical question.

The threat of civil unrest, natural disaster, and lately, pending economic collapse,

has a lot of people worried.

They’re worried about what they’ll do if the services and infrastructure they take

for granted suddenly isn’t there.

All it takes is a few days with the lights off or with the grocery stores closed to

bring out the worst in your neighbors, and that’s when the layered approach

becomes extremely important.

The 7 layers include...

• Your everyday carry (EDC)

• Your SCRAM bag (a small emergency external bag for emergencies)

• Your bug-out bag (or BOB)

• Your bug out vehicle (BOV)

• Your home or survival retreat

• The larger survival community

• Your personal protection gear (which permeates all the 7 layers of

survival gear)

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 34

Layer 1: Everyday Carry (EDC)

The first of these, and the one that you will always have with you because it is on

your person, is your everyday carry gear.

Your EDC, which is the beginning of the 7 layers of survival, is incredibly

important.

A lot of people don’t think about their EDC when gear.

They’re more involved with the stuff they keep at home in their bug-out bag.

But you can have all the MREs and ammo you want at your survival retreat and

never actually get to it.

You can have a bug out vehicle stuffed with gear and never reach it through the

crowd or the emergency at hand.

When considering the layered approach, and your everyday carry, don’t just

carry a lot of junk for the sake of carrying it.

Make sure the things you carry will actually be useful.

The first of these is a knife.

Knives have multiple uses, from utility to use as weapons.

A flashlight is another one; not only can you use it as a striking tool, but once you

have a utility light with you all the time you will wonder how you ever got by

without it.

The Key to EDC Utility

These are just examples.

Your everyday carry should include anything that is small enough to be carried

comfortably while being something you’re likely to need frequently.

When planning the layered approach, ask yourself what the smallest item that

will accomplish the task might be.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 35

Make sure that gear is easy to hide, too, so that you don’t make yourself a target

because you are obviously equipped.

Your clothing must be chosen carefully in order to facilitate the best distribution of

the EDC layer, because the more pouches and pockets you’ve got, the better

able you are to hide and carry everything you have that is useful.

By following these simple guidelines and keeping in mind always how the 7

layers of survival gear are supposed to work together, you can be as equipped

as possible for any emergency you face.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 36

Layer 2: External Carry Bag

In an emergency, the time to find the gear you will need, to assemble that gear,

and to make sure you have it with you is well before the emergency.

It doesn’t matter if the emergency is a natural disaster or an act of civil unrest.

You must plan ahead to make sure your survival gear coordinates to make you

the best prepared survivor and citizen you can be.

One of the most critical elements that few people consider as part of your

everyday carry (EDC) platform is what we call your SCRAM bag (in our world,

that stands for “Social Chaos Response And Mobility” bag…

The SCRAM Bag (“Murse”)

Your SCRAM bag (some refer to this as a guy’s “murse” or “man-purse”) is one

step up from the everyday carry things you keep on your person.

I felt so strongly about having one of these ready to go at all times that I built it

into my X-BOB program.

In other words, I made it a requirement that our X-BOB bug-out bag design

incorporate full integration of an external SCRAM bag for transitional mobility in a

crisis.

A SCRAM bag is a social chaos bag, a small, external bag full of emergency

things that are intended to help you extract yourself from a situation of extreme

danger or uncertainty so you can proceed with your survival plans (such as

getting to your bug-out bag or vehicle).

In keeping with the layered approach as a priority plan, the external carry bag is

NOT a giant backpack, but rather, smaller than a bug-out bag but containing the

things you need for immediate emergencies beyond what you have on your

body.

In other words, your SCRAM bag is designed to simply GET YOU to your next

level of survival gear – while escaping and evading whatever danger is in

between you and the rest of your gear (or your loved ones).

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 37

The Bag Itself

When planning your 7 layers of survival gear and your external carry bag,

consider the bag itself.

You need it to be nondescript so you don’t draw attention to yourself as a

prepared person.

Military style bags are ok as long as they’re not all cammo’d up and stand out.

If other people get that YOU get the 7 layers of survival gear, they’ll home in on

you as someone who has things they want to take.

Black or brown color bags won’t stand out as much as woodland, desert, or

urban cammo.

Dark blue is best though, and I

had such a hard time finding

blue bug-out bags to buy that I

just started manufacturing

my own X-BOB packages in

that color.

Make sure, too, that your

external carry bag isn’t too

heavy.

Especially if it’s just a single-

sling satchel, a heavy bag like

that will really start to weigh on

one shoulder and give you

physical problems.

Packing their carry bags too

heavily is a huge mistake that

many preppers make.

They want to have so much gear with them that they forget they’ve got to be able

to travel, move, and often, move quickly while carrying these things.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 38

When planning your external carry bag, think one level up from everyday carry.

Think of the things that are too bulky to carry on your person, but which would be

nice to have. One good example would be swim goggles, which are great for

protecting your eyes from debris and noxious fumes (like tear gas).

Include other short-term survival gear too, like meal replacement bars and

trauma gear like QuickClot bandages.

The 7 layers of survival gear help to divide things up.

The layers help create divisions among your cached, stockpiled, and carried gear

so that there’s less chance you are lugging around more than you need to be for

specific situations, while assuring that you WILL have what you need when you

do need it.

Prepare accordingly while you have time.

We’re going to get into much, much more detail on bug-out bags later on, but

let’s finish going over the other layers of survival gear before we do that.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 39

Layer 3: Bug-Out Bag

We’re going to talk a LOT more about bug-out bags (I want to talk about the

other layers of survival before we get into detail about bug-out bags), but there’s

two items I want to touch on right away.

I can tell you from experience (military… combat… real-world disasters…) that

there are two big problems most people totally ignore when evaluating their bug-

out bags…

How Heavy Is It?

One my biggest pet peeves with all the “internet experts” who have never had to

actually USE their BOB in the real world is that they don’t consider the comfort of

their gear and its impact on their ability to get themselves and their family to

safety.

You’re going to be covering a lot of ground with this bag.

It isn’t enough to heft your bug-out bag once and think, “Nah, it’s not to heavy.”

The 7 layers of survival gear divide your external carry bag and your bug-out bag

for a reason.

The BOB is the thing you’ll be carrying while traveling from Point A to Point B,

where Point B is your place of greater safety.

You could be on foot with this bug-out bag for a LONG time.

If it’s too heavy, it’s going to slow you down, or you’ll have to ditch it altogether.

If your cheap waistband that felt fine in your living room starts to dig into your

hips after a mile on your back, then it’s best to find that out now.

If ANY element of your bag’s wearability is off, you’re going to be miserable and it

could threaten your ability to get to safety.

Have you ever truly “tested” the bag you’re using?

If not, start by wearing it around your home for just 5-10 minutes.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 40

Then take your bug-out bag out and hike with it.

Take it for two to five miles, one day, and then for five to ten miles another.

Get an idea of just what it feels like to carry that bag over long distances.

You need to know that you can carry it for however long it takes to get you to

safety.

I go on hikes with the X-BOB product I designed all the time.

I need to know just how well it’s going to hold up over distances, and I need to

know how it’s going to affect my body to carry it.

I’m going to dig into this critical factor a LOT More going forward – because it’s

that critical.

But here’s one more area that I see hardly anyone pay attention to and I can tell

you from experience that it’s a major factor when it comes to remaining “covert”

while bugging out…

Noise Discipline

Does your bug-out bag make a lot of noise?

What movements are you making that are generating noise as you walk?

You don’t want to attract more attention than necessary.

While you are hiking, focus on noise and see what you can do to reduce the

sound generated by your bug-out bag.

For example, my tried-and-true, trusty old Army rucksack I used to wear in the

military would always “squeak” every time I stepped with my left foot.

I tried and tried to figure out what was rubbing on the metal frame that was

making that noise, and never did find the damn cause.

I hear this a lot especially when I’m on scouting trips with my son or near others

who are camping…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 41

Canteens that bang... strapped on gear that clangs… friction between a pack and

a hat… arms rubbing back and forth against a pack that is positioned

incorrectly… waist belt gear that jostles against a rifle… and metal utensils that

clash against one another inside of pack pockets.

While bugging out, you are not a super stealthy ninja.

But you do want to get where you are going without being noticed.

Any sort of noise you make may not even be noticed by you because you’re just

“used to it”.

But for others around you, it’s a small and subtle disruption of the “baseline” –

that neutral environment their brain is used to (the sights, sounds, and “feel” of

the area they’ve become accustomed to) – and that small disruption will attract

their attention without them even knowing it.

Their brain will look in that direction because we’re naturally inclined (for

instinctual “survival” purposes) to figure out what’s “different”.

So a “squeak” of your bug-out bag suddenly has heads involuntarily turning your

way for a closer inspection.

And a “closer inspection” is something you’re definitely trying to avoid.

Let’s move on…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 42

Layer 4: Bug Out Vehicle

Your bug out vehicle is really just a large, mobile storage locker.

Some of that has to do with the vehicle, and some of that has to do with the

equipment you need for survival.

For example, you should keep your bug-out bag right in your car.

Keeping your bug-out bag in your response room or basement or in the garage,

ready to go, may not be terribly useful to you, because in a real emergency, you

may never actually GET home.

There could be some event or disaster where the equipment you have at home

isn’t an option for you.

By keeping your bug-out bag in your car, by dividing up your gear in the 7 layers

we’ve described and being mindful of where those layers are, even if you never

make it home, you will have that extra layer of survival gear (beyond your

everyday carry and an external emergency bag) that will help you get to a safe

location.

Everyday Useful Items

Items in your car should facilitate the 7 layers of survival gear by being useful for

everyday tasks in general.

A good example is bungee cords.

These can be used for lashing down equipment for day to day use, but also for

setting up survival shelters and securing other gear.

A fire extinguisher is another good example.

During times of social chaos, when your 7 layers of survival gear become really

important, you could need a fire extinguisher to put out a sudden fire or deal with

an accident.

You can also use it as a distracting tool when dealing with hostile people.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 43

Still other good examples for bug out vehicles are a can of fix-a-flat for quick tire

repairs, and consumables like oil (so you don’t blow your engine on the run).

Other survival gear you should keep in your vehicle are long-term survival items,

in case you have to live out of your car for some time.

Other useful tools include a siphon (to help you get gas from other vehicles) and

just basic living supplies, like stores of food and pots of sterno.

The 7 layers of survival gear help you deal, conceptually, with the different facets

and ranges of survival.

The bug out vehicle is one of these 7 layers and must be considered in the

context of the others.

Treat your bug out vehicle like a rolling survival locker... and prepare while you

have the time to do so.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 44

Layer 5: Home Or Survival Retreat

Lately, there has been a lot of momentum built up concerning the home or

survival retreat layer.

Average people are taking up preparing their home for a disaster, probably due

to the increase in natural disasters we’ve seen.

These bring with them loss of power, disruptions in food supply, disruptions in the

drinkable water supply, and other things society takes for granted.

Of the 7 layers of survival gear, the home or survival retreat is one of the critical

ones, because it is here you will survive for the long term.

Long-Term Stockpiles

The main thing to think about, where the 7 layers of survival gear and long-term

survival gear are concerned, you need to focus on essentials.

Food is one of these.

Even FEMA has started to realize the error of its ways and is now recommending

you stockpile based on two weeks of food and supplies, rather than just three

days.

Water, Water, Water

Stock up on dry goods for longer term subsistence.

There is a lot of information on these out there.

But in addition to food, you need to stockpile water.

You need water to live.

Without water, the other 7 layers of survival gear are quickly going to seem

unimportant.

Besides a survival straw for short term needs, you want to be able to purify water

on a larger scale.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 45

There are plenty of systems available for this.

Power and Light

Another thing to consider is power for your home.

You need to be able to light it so you can see.

People think if they have flashlights and candles, they are all set.

But what happens when the candles die and the batteries run out?

Consider stockpiling solar walkway LED lights.

These give off quite a bit of light at night and charge during the day from the light

of the sun.

Consider also having some dark tarps on hand.

You can get these from landscaping places.

They’re very handy for blocking out light so your house doesn’t stand out at night

as being prepared and equipped while the other houses in the neighborhood are

dark from a power outage.

Besides stockpiling food, water, a means to light your home or survival retreat,

and the other essentials of long-term life, consider the 7 layers of survival gear

and how to hide your preparedness from others.

You never want your home or retreat to stand out.

You don’t want to attract looters or others who want to raid your supply.

Part of understanding the 7 layers, and of being prepared in general, is not to let

people know you are... and never to lead them to your door, where all your gear

is cached in bulk.!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 46

Layer 6: The Community

Many preppers don’t consider community even as they cover all the other layers.

The survival community, of the 7 layers of survival gear, is important because it

helps to have access to various skill sets from like-minded community members.

This helps the group as a whole.

When it comes to 7 layers of survival gear and how to conceptually divide up

those supplies and equipment, keeping the community in mind can be very

helpful for your overall plans.

The Survival Network

In a best case scenario, for example, your community will have a doctor.

But that may not be an option.

A lot of people don’t know doctors, and perhaps there isn’t a survival-minded

doctor in your area.

But someone in the community might have a friend or spouse who is a nurse.

That person will have access to certain specialty medical equipment.

In a survival emergency, consider the 7 layers of survival and look at the next

level up and down.

As a community, think in terms of community medical items, like an AED for

resuscitation.

These are items you wouldn’t find in regular homes but that might be useful to

the community as a whole.

Complimentary Skills

Consider also how your skills complement those of others in the community.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 47

You may not have any carpentry skills, for example, but someone else in your

community might.

Your community can come together and use each other’s skills to produce the

most prepared and best defended group of survivors.

In this way, understanding the community element of the 7 layers of survival gear

helps you think not just of yourself and by yourself, but of your greater group of

neighbors who all want to help each other get by.

Community Equipment

Other equipment you might consider as a community is supplies like plywood

and gear like a nail gun.

Every person in the community doesn’t need to have and store these things, if

one or two community members have them and can loan or distribute them to the

others.

This can help you fortify your homes in case of a storm or to prevent looting.

Another great person to have access to at the community level of the 7 layers of

survival is a mechanic.

Mechanic skills are rare compared to the population overall.

Having someone who can repair vehicles is exceptionally helpful, and your

community mechanic can trade his skills for other help and supplies from the

survival community as a whole.

Plan your survival, not just as a single man or family, but as a community as a

whole.

The better integrated your plans are with those of your neighbors, the better able

you all are to use the 7 layers of survival.

No man is an island. A survival group has a better chance for the long term.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 48

Layer 7: Personal Protection Gear

Your personal protection gear is the last item that is perhaps most important

because it affects all the other layers.

The best way to look at personal defense weapons is to think of the 7 layers of

survival gear themselves. How do personal defense weapons affect each layer

within the six other layers?

Start At The Center

Start at the center, which is your everyday carry.

You may have an AR-15 at home, but you may never make it home in a disaster.

What do you have on your person that you can use as a weapon?

A tiny pocket knife isn’t necessarily a great weapon.

So what you can you carry or improvise?

Look at the 7 layers and ask yourself, “How do I protect myself in order to reach

the NEXT layer?”

Let’s say a riot breaks out.

You might be able to fight your way to your car, your bug out vehicle.

In there you might have stored safely a legal rifle, or a larger-capacity handgun.

Your Vehicle

Once you are in your car you may be able to get home.

There you can have the weapons necessary to protect against a home invasion.

It might be a home defense shotgun, it might be that AR-15, or it might be

something else.

At the next of the 7 layers, you’re now dealing with your community.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 49

What do you have that is longer range?

A shotgun doesn’t have the accuracy a rifle might have.

And you might need one of those “reach out and touch someone” weapons,

something that hits heavier than an AR-15 and has greater effective range, if you

are defending your community at large.

Community Considerations

Something to consider at the community level is ammunition.

Does everyone in your community have different ammunition that can’t help the

other members feed their weapons?

Or have you been smart enough to standardize on only a few calibers, so that

neighbors can resupply each other without huge discrepancies in the ammo they

need and carry?

Standardizing on NATO weaponry and calibers is one way to make sure you can

possibly scrounge more supplies in the field, too, depending on the emergency.

Consider also keeping spare parts and repair resources and tools on hand.

A weapon that breaks can’t be sent back to the factory for repair.

Firearms contain several parts that will wear out with heavy use over the life of

the firearm.

You need to make sure you have these spares on hand so your weapons don’t

become useless when you most need them.

When stockpiling and choosing personal protection weapons, always consider

the 7 layers of survival.

Consider how the weapons you have and carry will help you get to the NEXT

level of survival.

Make sure your preparations work together to make you the most prepared

person you can be.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 50

The #1 Core “Pillar” In ANY

Emergency Survival Plan…

As a survivalist, as a prepper, as a prepared citizen, your bottom line, the

foundation of everything you believe, is that bad things can happen.

That’s why we prepare, right?

Of course the best place to be in a disaster is usually in your home, where you

have the comfort of a roof over your head and the ability to stockpile supplies to

weather the danger.

However, there are times when other factors may force you and your family to

evacuate your home and travel to another location that’s safer.

This we call, “bugging out.”

For most of us, however, bugging out means things are going south really badly.

The situation where you are is getting worse and you need to think about going

somewhere else to escape civil disorder, a riot, some natural disaster, or

whatever else might be threatening you.

But let’s be realistic here…

Short of a meteor hitting the Earth or zombies eating your face off, most disasters

will last from roughly 3 days to maybe a week.

That means your bug out bag must sustain you as you get from an emergency

area to a non-emergency area for that time period.

But the key to bugging out, and doing so successfully, is to have a pre-planned

bug out location in mind and a way to get there.

Preferably, you’ll be able to drive to your safe refuge.

But that may not always be possible… or even desirable.

The roads could be blocked.

You could run out of fuel.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 51

You could experience a breakdown.

You might need to stay off the roads to avoid checkpoints and roadblocks.

Any number of problems can arise in a disaster and put you and your family out

on your own with nothing but the shoes on your feet… and your bug-out bag!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 52

What Most People Don’t “Get”

About Bug-Out Bags…

The bug-out bag is the heart of all preparedness systems.

It is the least you’ll have to cope with a problem.

It is the gear you’ve assembled ahead of time, the stuff you’ll have with you.

People love to talk about them.

Bug-out bags are sexy!

Us preppers LOOOOOOVE gizmos, gadgets, and cool military junk that makes

us feel like Rambo.

And it shows!

Just go and Google “bug-out bag contents” and sift through the bazillions of

“lists” scattering the interwebs of what to pack away for the zombie apocalypse.

Lists… and lists… and lists… and uuuughh!

I swear, the only thing I’ve not seen so far is a La-Z-Boy recliner on someone’s

bug-out bag list!

Unfortunately, 99.9997% of what I see out there is enough to really frustrate you

if you’re ever forced to evacuate your home due to an emergency or disaster.

Even worse, much of this advice and what you’re told to pack could get you killed

in a real crisis!

That may sound like an overstatement. It’s not.

You’ll find several reasons why as you make your way though this guide.

But here’s the main thing most people don’t “get” about bug-out bags…

Bugging out is meant to be a “trip”!

Your goal isn’t to wander the wastelands like you’re carrying the Book Of Eli.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 53

Your goal is to get somewhere – somewhere safe – and get there as fast as

possible!

Most bug-out bag lists are so damn long that after one mile of burning shoulders

and aching back from actually lugging everything but the kitchen sink, you’ll find

yourself re-examining your contents on the side of the road, assessing (maybe

for the first time) just what is critical to your trip, and what’s just useless junk.

In the U.S. Army Light Infantry, we had a saying…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 54

”

Travel Light…Freeze At Night

“

In my unit at the 10th Mountain Division, we knew that when we were out on a

mission, we weren’t going to be propped up in some heated tent at night,

reclining in our foldable camp chair roasting marshmallows over a fire.

Our goal was to travel a long distance by foot… evade the enemy… remain

undetected… and be fit enough to go into battle once we arrived at our target.

That’s your goal too.

Bugging out is a “military mission” – with many of the same goals as you would

find in a battlefield environment.

If you’re forced to evacuate your home - even during a short-term breakdown of

society caused by natural or man-made disaster - you’ll be faced with many

threats to your and your family.

The more exposed you are, the greater the danger of being targeted by

anarchists, looters, desperate beggars, and even military and law enforcement

who may hassle you (especially if they see a weapon).

So here we are…

Your bug-out bag, or BOB, by any other name, is simply a bag that will become

your home for a while.

• It will have your survival needs.

• It will carry your ammunition if you have a weapon with you.

• It will be a house that you carry on your back,… and that’s where

most go wrong because they try to bring their entire house.

To bug-out, to a go to a safer location, you need to have with you whatever is

necessary to sustain you and those with you.

I designed my Extreme Bug-Out Bag, or X-BOB, to handle all of the mission-

critical gear I need to get from Point A to Point B as fast as possible.

In this book, though, I’ve also outlined only the essentials so you don’t get too

bogged down.

You must travel “ultra-light” in order to get to your refuge as quickly as possible,

and to avoid straining your body or incurring fatigue that will make you useless

once you get where you’re going.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 55

Now a word of warning here…

Much of what you discover may seem basic and common sense.

That’s natural – we gotta cover the “basics”, right?

But I promise that you’ll also discover some of the most unique survival secrets

you’ve most likely never heard of – gear you’ve never heard of and “tactics” you

haven’t considered – that will make you more prepared than ever.

And here’s what I want you to do…

Rather than just looking at our gear advice, pay close attention to what you

DON’T see on our list!

If you don’t see it… it’s most likely because you don’t NEED it!

Your first gut reaction may be to add an item to the list… and then another item…

and then another… and so on.

Pretty soon, you’re right where most “armchair preppers” are with their bug-out

bag – hauling around an instant permanent home on your back.

Resist the urge to add!

Sure, you’ll probably come across a few things that make sense. And when they

do, add them!

Just always ask yourself this one single question before packing it away…”Do I

really NEED this item to SURVIVE?”

In fact, right now I want you to pull out your bug-out bag (if you have one) and

empty every last item out onto the floor.

It’s best to start from scratch and look at your bug-out gear with a new set of

eyes.

Question EVERYTHING!

If you find yourself staring at that French coffee press in your hand trying to think

if you really need it or if you have room, you probably already know the answer.

When in doubt – leave it out.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 56

Before we start talking about the really cool, really exotic gear items out there, we

need to start with what’s critically important, which is...

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 57

Bug-Out Bag Features To Demand

We mentioned bags already, but I want to cover them now in more detail.

There are any number of bags on the market, some of which have incredibly cool

features and details.

There are many on the market and some are better than others, from framed

backpacks to much more simple bags.

Now your first instinct is most likely to out and get a military-style backpack.

Don’t!

There are a few problems with this that I’ll share with you in just a bit.

First, let’s look at some of the features you DO want to keep an eye out for…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 58

Bug-Out Bag Quality

I’m going to make this simple…

While I’m as cheap as they come with shopping around (for anything), when it

comes to your bug-out bag, do NOT buy a cheap one!

Cheap bags will wear out, rip, or otherwise fail too easily. Your life may depend

on carrying your gear in your bag.

Your life is worth the premium costs commanded by some of the better bag

manufacturers.

The X-BOB that my company offers is not a cheap bag, but it’s not so expensive

that it will bankrupt you, and the quality it offers is ABSOLUTELY worth the price.

It’s the bag I carry myself, and the one I entrust my family’s well-being to.

Bug-Out Secret # 1

It always amazes me how guys (or gals) who follow the survival lifestyle and

have a reluctant spouse ONLY prepare their own bug-out bag because their wife

or husband isn’t interested.

I don’t care if he or she DOES think you’re crazy… when TSHTF, they’ll quickly

become a “born again prepper”.

That’s not the time to go shopping down at the local Walmart!

Secretly make a reluctant spouse their own bug-out bag and keep it hidden

or just tell them it’s your “back-up” (trust me, they’ll just roll their eyes and dismiss

it as another one of your hair-brained paranoid schemes.) ☺

Then when a crisis happens and they have a change of heart, you can whip it out

and show them (and your mother-in-law) how smart they were to marry you as

they’re now ready to “throw and go” when it’s time to evacuate!

Bug-Out Bag Frame

The frame on a backpack helps you carry more weight.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 59

These can either be external (like on the old Army rucksacks) or internal (like the

new “assault packs” or expedition gear.

The choice comes down to comfort.

External frames provide some ventilation along your back to help keep you

cooler and are made of lightweight aluminum or carbon fiber to keep the weight

down.

They also provide a lot of rigidity, which offers slightly more stability, but not

always.

The more modern packs now have an internal frame system that’s made of a

strong synthetic material to provide pack stability.

From my experience though, each person’s body is shaped differently and ANY

frame has a tendency to cause fatigue because it doesn’t conform to your

personal body shape.

I prefer a frameless pack that specifically conforms to my back without fail.

Bug-Out Secret # 2

If you have children, there’s no need to put them through your own survival

bootcamp and expect them to be fit-to-fight for a “Red Dawn” moment.

But when a storm or other crisis jeopardizes your safety and you’re forced to

evacuate, you also don’t want them to become whiney baggage that slows you

down and become a burden as you escape the area, right?

Here’s how YOU can prep your kids for bugging out - without them knowing it…

First, for your children’s school commute, scrap those cheap bags you got down

at Walmart (they just rip and tear halfway through the school year anyway!)

Instead, buy your kids a good “bug-out bag” for school of the type you’ll find

described in this guide (only slightly smaller).

This will get them used to walking with some weight in their bag but using it the

right way (with the waist and sternum straps) so they’re not whining a half mile

down the road during a real bug-out.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 60

Capacity

Bigger isn’t always better (yes, I said it).

The bigger your bug-out bag, the more likely you are to fill it up with “stuff”

because you have the room.

On the flip side, you don’t want to be stuck trying to cram a bunch of crap into too

small of a bag that will wear away at the seams bulge into your back.

What I recommend is that you get a pack that has about 3,000 cubic inches (or

50L) of space available for you to pack gear in.

A smaller pack (about 2,000 cubic inches or 30L) is advisable for a woman and

especially for children, depending upon their size, but most military style “assault

packs” are scalable all the way down to day-pack size.

Load-Bearing

How your BOB is carried BY your body will greatly determine your speed,

distance, and level of fatigue as you and those who are with you make your way

to your bug-out destination.

You’re probably looking for giant padded shoulder straps to comfortably carry all

of your gear, right?

Actually, the straps have much less to do with bearing the weight of your survival

gear than you might think.

Your best ally when bugging out is really in your waist strap!

I’ve personally carried a 55lb rucksack for 100 miles straight and the only thing

that made this possible was a well-designed waist strap and buckle.

You see, your entire body is built around your hips and spine.

Your hips are what serve as the stable platform and main pivot point for your

upper body.

When you carry weight using mainly your shoulders, you’ll quickly feel that

burning sensation as your smaller muscle groups of your neck and shoulders

struggle to bear the load.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 61

But with a waist strap cinched up tight, it actually tightens your diaphragm,

providing a stable internal “base” for you remain more mobile and relaxed in your

upper body.

Also, It directly shifts the load to rest on your hips, using your legs for primary

load bearing.

In fact, adjusted

right, you actually

will feel very little

weight at all on

your shoulders

and find that the

shoulder straps

are really just

there for stability

to keep the pack

from wobbling

around.

You’ll be more

stable as you walk

(climb, traverse

logs, rocky terrain,

streams etc.), less

hunched over

(relieving strain to

your shoulders,

neck, and back),

and more mobile

should you have

to run to safety.

Therefore, don’t even think about buying a bug-out bag that doesn’t have a waist

strap.

And not some rinky-dinky thin little strap like you find on some book bag.!

You need to find a “military style” waist strap that’s at least 1.75” (preferably

up to 2.25”) with a “military style” buckle for quick-release.

Add to that a 1” sternum strap to draw the front of your shoulder straps closer

together across your chest and you’ll have much more mobility of your arms for

grabbing, balancing, and even fighting if needed.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 62

Bug-Out Secret # 3

Ok, so we told you to look for a “military” style bug-out bag that’s loaded with

features, right?

This is why most people gravitate toward a military LOOK to their bag as well –

opting for olive drab, coyote brown, or a camouflage pattern.

This is the wrong approach!

In fact what if I told you that every single one of these colors is like a giant neon

sign that screams "ATTACK ME!" to everyone around you.

You see, 99% of the people you'll come into contact with while evacuating a

danger zone are going to be desperate.

They'll be hungry... thirsty... tired... panicked... and looking for anything they can

get their hands on to ease their suffering or take out their frustration and anger.

And then there's you - all decked out like a soldier with your camo backpack.

Your military-like stature shows

that you were smart and

prepared... and that you have

really cool "survival stuff" that

THEY would love to get their

hands on!

The bottom line is, the more

"prepared" you look, the more

you’re likely to attract attention

from displaced opportunists who’ll

beg, borrow, or STEAL your stuff.

That’s why the #1 best color for

your bug-out bag is actually

somewhere between a “royal

blue and a "navy blue".

This color blue has been

scientifically shown to blend in with

darkness even better than black.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 63

Pockets & Pouches

A lot of your survival gear is going to be small.

I mean, your whole goal is to “travel light”, right?

Well, you don’t want a pack that resembles your kitchen “junk drawer” with

everything in a tangled mess at the bottom of your pack.

That’s where packets and pouches come in!

The more internal and external pouches and compartments you have on your

bag, the better you’ll be able to organize your gear for easy access without

having to empty out your pack every time you need to get something.

This is why I construct my own “X-BOB” with the ability to expand my current

evacuation system with add-ons.

Here’s how…

MOLLE Straps & Attachments

Most military style backpacks have MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying

Equipment system) straps around the outside to clip on additional gear.

This is an important feature because lots of gear comes MOLLE compatible

these days, including knife & machete scabbards, canteen holders, as well as

additional storage compartments.

The gear attached, however, is also right out there, in the open.

Be conscious about what you’re strapping on so you don’t draw unwanted

attention.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 64

Bug-Out Secret # 4

Man’s best friend could be your best helping hand in a bug-out situation.

That’s because, among other things, your dog might just be able to serve you as

a pack animal.

There are available on the

market, at specialty shops

and even pet supply

stores, packs and

saddlebags that can turn

a medium-to-large sized

dog into a beast of burden.

This not to say you should

treat your dog cruelly.

Try getting your dog used

to the weight of the pack,

starting light and adding to

it, backing off if he seems

to be too much for him.

Take him for frequent

walks with the pack so that

he gets used to the idea

and considers it normal.

The items your dog carries should be “backup items”, things you could do without

if, heaven forbid, your dog were frightened and ran off or otherwise got lost.

You don’t want your most critical pieces of gear to go missing because you and

your pet were separated.

Also, make sure to get your dog checked out regularly. If he’s not healthy, he

can’t carry the load you need him to carry.

Dogs are faithful creatures who will enjoy being helpful and useful.

Involve them early on in your planning, but have a backup plan for carrying the

items in your dog’s pack, in case he’s not feeling cooperative or something else

comes up.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 65

Bug-Out Secret # 5

Bugging out on foot sucks.

Most of the time, if you have to leave, it will be by vehicle (at least to start) or

other means… which is why you want a good pair of bike bags on your ride.

A motorcycle is best, but even a mountain bike with carry bags will take you

farther and you can carry more than you can by foot.

Just like a pack on your dog, saddlebags on a bike help carry the load of extra

gear.

More importantly, you don’t want to try to ride a bike with a backpack on if you

can help it, as this will put you off balance.

Bike bags give you the best of both worlds by letting you carry your gear AND

carry it some-where other than on your body while you pedal.

An even better option is to stick with a “modular” MOLLE-based bugout bag that

can come apart and be attached to the same bicycle carry racks without having

to buy an entire separate system.

The image shown is an example of our “X-BOB” design separated and attached

to my bike for better weight distribution and transitional tactical use.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 66

13 Pillars Of Your Bug-Out Gear Build-Out

Ok, now that you have your bag, let’s start filling this puppy up (but not too full,

right?).

Every bag and survival kit should cover the “13 Pillars Of Preparedness

Equipment”.

This is nothing more or less than nine categories of survival that every bug out

bag and survival kit must address if that kit is to be complete.

These categories are...

1. Food

2. Water

3. Protection (including shelter)

4. Clothing

5. Lighting

6. Communication

7. Fire-Building

8. Medical Supplies

9. Utility Tools

10. Self-Protection

11. Evasion Support

12. Bartering Items

13. Personal Documents

The gear you include to address these categories may vary depending on your

needs and preferences, but the general categories don’t change.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 67

Let’s take each one and go through a list of the bare essentials, the basics, to

pack into your bug-out bag.

Along the way, we’ll continue to share our special tips with you...

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 68

Bug-Out Food

Hiking and decapitating zombies is tough work… makes a prepper reeeeeeaaaal

hungry!

To keep your strength up, this is NOT the time to stick to your Adkins low-carb

diet plan.

You need two things: the proper nutrients and calories - LOTS of ‘em!

Proper nutrition includes the essential vitamins and minerals that act as the nuts

and bolts for all your biological processes you’ll be using while bugging out.

For this reason, you want to pack a bottle of a good multi-vitamin/mineral

complex for your entire family in your bag.

As for calories…there are really only a few ways you can get enough food in you

and still not have to cart around your Igloo tailgating cooler…

• Carry your food

• Hunt your food

• Gather your food

“Carry Food”

Since hunting and gathering take a little more time and preparation for the off-

chance you’ll have an opportunity to bag some game or gnaw on some delicious

tree bark, we’ll first focus on the food you can have readily at hand for “instant

energy” when you need it the most.

When choosing the food to include in your bug-out bag, follow these four

guidelines.

Food in your bag should be…

• Calorie-dense.

• Weight-efficient.

• Easy (and possible) to prepare while on the move.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 69

With calorie density, your primary source of nutrients should come from a

combination of a majority of carbohydrates and fats, with a little bit of protein

thrown in for muscle recovery and maintenance.

Carbs are your most readily available source of ready-to-burn calories to give

you energy while fats pack over twice as many calories gram per gram than

either carbs or protein (9 cal/gm vs. 4 for carbs and protein).

For weight efficiency, you must understand that water is one of the heaviest

items you’ll have on you and this includes water that’s captured within the food

itself.

Pre-packaged foods (in a can our pouch) that already contain water are going to

weigh more ounce per ounce than other foods that don’t have water content.

Ease of preparation

lends to your primary

goal of getting to your

bug-out destination as

quickly as possible.

And finally, many

preppers worry that if

your “carry food” isn’t

compatible with your

current diet, it can

cause digestive

problems along the way.

I don’t necessarily agree

with this concern – the

human stomach is more

versatile than that – but

you do need to take into

account any dietary

needs that may cause a

health concern, such as

diabetic needs.

Ok, so let me now cut to the chase…

While I know a lot of preppers are stocked to the gills with military MRE’s (Meals

Ready-To-Eat) for their bug-out food, these are NOT your best pack-n-go food to

have when evacuating.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 70

MRE’s are simply too heavy and bulky to carry with you for an extended trek.

They’re meant to allow a GI to light the cardboard on fire… unzip the heated

meal pouch… and chow down on some beans and weenies.

Since there’s usually a steady supply of MRE’s waiting in the field, it’s no big deal

for a soldier to only carry one or two in a rucksack and then grab a few from the

First Sergeant when it’s feeding time again.

But in a bug-out scenario, you’re not getting resupplied, so forget the MRE’s.

Instead, the best bug-out food is that which doesn’t contain any water – so you’re

not carrying so much extra weight – and can easily be reconstituted on the go by

simply adding a little bit of water.

Here are your best options that fit all of the requirements you need, short of any

specific dietary concerns you may have:

• Raman noodle packs (good slow-burning carbs for long-term energy and

lots of sodium in the flavor packet to replenish lost electrolytes from

sweating)

• Nuts (primary healthy dietary fat source and can be eaten on the run)

• Energy bars (pack a few that are heavy on carbs rather than the ones

that are “protein bars” – you’re in need of energy, not trying to bulk up your

biceps.)

• Instant mashed potatoes

• Instant oatmeal packets (sweetened versions provide both quick energy

and slow-burning carbs for long hauls)

• Sports meal replacement powder (not just protein powder; should have

mix of high carbs and healthy fats; from nutrition or vitamin store)

• Any dehydrated “camp food” (this is like gourmet food on the trail)

Be sure to rotate your stock and keep an eye on expiration dates.

If you prepare a bag with food items in it, you must check these periodically, eat

the contents, and replace them with fresh contents.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 71

Eating the contents of your bag’s food supply periodically is a good way to make

sure such fare won’t be a shock to your system, too.

Plan on a bare minimum of enough supplies for 3 days.

A good breakfast, lunch, and dinner for three days worth would be a good start.

With a little rationing on your part, you can extend that, too.

And obviously, if you carry food that requires water to make it edible, you’ll need

to have a supply of water or the means to make found water more safe.

“Hunted Food”

Ok, the word “hunted” is pretty subjective in the wild.

Taking the time to bag an antelope, skin it, and cook it is not in the cards in a

bug-out scenario.

Remember… you’re trying to get somewhere, not wander around for a day of

hunting.

What you’re looking for is the small, meal of opportunity that comes up on your

way to your destination.

Grasshoppers (as gross as that sounds) are easy to catch, don’t taste bad at all

(just chew ‘em up whole), and are loaded with protein.

Fish make a great gourmet meal if you have the time to catch them and cook

them up.

Small game like squirrels, rabbits, and birds can be caught along the way and

eaten later at night right before it’s time to bed down for an end of the day meal.

In urban areas, don't forget that pigeons are plentiful and can certainly be used

as a food source.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 72

Bug-Out Secret # 6

When I was in the 10th Mountain Division’s Long Range Recon Patrol missions,

we could be out on our own for days.

One day as I was digging into yet another cardboard-tasting pouch of camel snot

from my MRE, my nose caught a hint of “barbeque”… that turned out to be slow-

cooked squirrel over a low-burning fire.

I asked my fellow soldier how the hell he bagged a squirrel with nobody hearing

him when he pulled out his simple pump-action Crossman air pistol and grinned.

The fact is, an air gun is a handy addition to your bug-out bag, as it’s easily

concealed… virtually silent to avoid giving away your location… you can carry a

ton of ammo… and it packs a bunny-thumping punch on “targets of opportunity”.

Best at close range, you can extend your reach and power with a cut-down

version of a rifle like the Crossman Sheridan (up to about 760 fps) or preferably

go ultra-light and concealable with a pump pistol that can still get up to 600 fps.

Then put your air pistol on steroids by teaming it up with a special hunting

pellet like the Predator Polymag Pellets.

They’re specially designed for higher velocity and increased accuracy while their

innovative hollow head structure combines with a sharp polymer tip to penetrate

vital organs and shatter bone on contact.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 73

Bug-Out Secret # 7

One of the biggest myths of survival literature is the snare.

There’s a television show I enjoy from time to time that features a pair of survival

experts in different wilderness environments.

They’re dropped into a location with a

few supplies to begin with.

Then they have to figure out how to

eat, sleep, and take shelter with what

they have available to them.

Often, these experts will set snares in

an effort to catch wild game for food.

They’ll check the snares again and

again...

...only to come up empty.

That’s the dirty little secret of snares

to catch game.

They rely on luck, and in an emergency, luck is hard to come by.

Have you ever actually seen a rabbit just fall into a trip wire or get caught in a

snare?

There is an alternative.

Rat Traps can be set in seconds.

When an animal responds to the bait in the trap, the snap will spring shut and

catch the animal very effectively.

Small game will be killed, especially if the trap closes on the animal’s neck.

In a real survival situation, forget the snares.

Go with rat traps instead to catch rats, squirrels, and other small animals.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 74

Bug-Out Secret # 8

Have you ever actually tried to catch fish while you were camping, using

something other than a fishing pole?

According to most survival manuals, all you need is a fish hook and some dental

floss and you’ll be hauling in Marlin for an evening feast.

This almost never happens.

In point of fact, it’s next to impossible to catch fish using a string and a hook.

There’s a reason fishing poles became the standard for trying to catch fish!

You’d be better off sharpening a long stick and spear-fishing, or using a net to

haul fish up out of the water (we’ll get to that) than you would be trying to fish

with a hook and string.

So forget those little fishing lines you find in survival kits.

You also don’t have to spend money on some gimmicky “pocket fisherman” type

gizmo that could break.

You can improvise your own handy “pocket fisherman” (let’s call it a

“Prepper Fisherman”) out of a simple spice bottle from your local grocery!

Follow along on the next page to see how…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 75

Bug-Out Secret # 8 (Continued)

First, pick up one of those small “hourglass” shaped plastic spice bottles at your

local grocery and wrap the indented part with a good amount of 65lb test fishing

line held on with a rubber band to keep it from unwinding during transport.

Fill the interior of the bottle with some “serious” fishing gear, including:

• Fish hooks

• A few small lures

• Some fake worms

• A small bobber or two

• Some lead weights

• Chem-lite “tackle beacons

This will now become your self-enclosed tackle box and all-in-one “pole” ready

for easy packing in your bug-out bag.

With no practice at all and a simple flick of your wrist, you can cast your bait out a

good long ways.

To reel in the big one for dinner, all you do is rotate your wrist in a spiral motion

to rewind the line onto the spool.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 76

Bug-Out Secret # 9

Have you ever tried sleeping in a bug-

infested area?

Mosquito netting weighs almost nothing

and can be folded and compressed

around your other gear, conforming to

available space, so it doesn’t take up

much room at all in your bug-out bag.

But here’s a use for this handy item

you probably DON’T know…

Mosquito netting can also be used to

catch fish and game!

Fish that swim close to shore (like

minnows, sunfish, crappies, etc.) are

easier to net than to try to rig a hook and

fish one at a time.

Take your floss or line and rig it to the

corners of the netting.

Spread the netting on the floor of a body of water-bearing fish, and when fish

paddle over the net, just haul them up before they can get out.

You’ll be cooking fish sticks in no time!

The netting can also be set up as a spring-trap on the ground strung to a bent

tree for a better chance of grabbing small game than a noose-style snare.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 77

Bug-Out Secret # 10

Anyone who’s ever fished knows the agony of defeat as you feel the fish nibbling

at your bait only to yank up quickly with an empty line and a trophy bass

swimming away, laughing with a worm in its belly.

Well that sucks even worse when you’re trying to fish for survival and your

stomach is grumbling.

Fortunately, an avid fisherman was forced to find a way to compensate for an

artificial shoulder that couldn’t jerk the pole fast enough to land a big one and

invented the “Speedhook”.

This little gizmo, when set, snaps the hook right into the fish’s mouth at just the

right time without you doing a single thing other than reeling in the fish and

cooking it up for a meal.

This thing works so well that it’s actually considered illegal for non-survival in

some states and countries!

And using our next “bug-out secret”, you can get even lazier because now you

don’t even have to be there to reel in the fish.

Just attach your Speedhook to this next survival contraption…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 78

Bug-Out Secret # 11

Imagine having your own “robotic fisherman” that will stand their patiently waiting

to land you a nice fat fish for your meal while you head out to gather supplies,

build yourself a hooch, or grab some shut-eye.

Well let me introduce you to the

“yo-yo automatic fishing reel”…

This small, mechanical fishing reel has a

tempered spring that automatically sets

the hook when the trigger is released by

a fish taking the bait.

After catching the fish - it keeps it fresh

and alive in the shallows waiting for you

to retrieve it at your whim.

All you do is attach the reel to tree roots and branches, boat docks or anything

else where you can suspend the reel a couple of inches above the water.

Then just bait the hook and let it do all the work for you!

When a fish takes the bait, it trips the trigger, causing the spring to recoil quickly,

which sets the hook and keeps tension on the line.

As the fish tries to swim away the stainless-steel spring fights the fish pulling it

back toward the reel and it will eventually settle down and rest in the shallow

water, keeping it alive and fresh.

Another effective setup is to bait your hook with a live minnow and pull the cord

down just far enough to reach into the water an inch or two.

The live bait will swim and make ripples on the surface.

Predatory fish will attack the wounded looking minnow with a vengeance and the

yo-yo will keep your dinner waiting for you when you return!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 79

“Gathered Food”

If you can spot an edible red-pluted suckerwillow tuber-bulb (I made that up) in

the middle of a thicket of poison ivy and pull it out for a grand meal of delicious

roasted mush that tastes like dog vomit, well… you’re a better prepper than me!

(Oops… I think I just ruffled some prepper feathers out there.)

Not to say that there isn’t a ton of value in being able to identify wild, edible

plants. There is.

It’s just not my bag baby. ☺

The way I look at it is that I don’t plan on having to live in the wilderness for an

extended period of time as I’m trying to simply get to my destination as quick as

possible.

And since plants don’t pack a ton of calories in them, it almost seems like you’ll

expend more energy foraging around in the brush than the minimal amount of

food you’ll find from Mother Nature’s produce section.

But I’m more than happy to be put in my place by those of you out there who

have ideas for easy-to-find, wild, edible plants, please let us know your best

advice by going to www.MyBestSurvivalTip.com.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 80

Bug-Out Water

Water is your most precious survival need – more than food.

As you sweat, your body needs to rehydrate or you will become exhausted…

suffer heat stroke… even die.

Your survival depends on you drinking enough water to keep up your energy and

stamina while avoiding massive dehydration.

But there’s another problem you need to be concerned with…

… water is also heavy!

The amount of water you need to survive for any length of time, were you to carry

it all with you, would be so heavy it would be hard (if not impossible) for you to

move.

While it makes sense to carry a small amount of water with you, such as in a

canteen, what you really need is a means to make found water safe to drink

(potable).

A good rule of thumb for people stocking survival supplies is to plan on one

gallon of water per person per day, however during long road marches in the

military, soldiers are known to consume up to about 5 gallons a day.

Obviously there is no way you would want to carry this much water with you.

You must therefore take advantage of “found water” along the way.

Unfortunately – especially during a natural disaster – water can easily become

contaminated and unfit to drink, even from faucets.

You must therefore have a means to be able to make found water “potable” (ie.

safe).

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 81

Found Water

Carrying a canteen or a water bottle so that you can carry a little water with you

is a good idea, even though you can’t possibly pack enough water to sustain you

while you travel.

Finding and consuming water while on the move has to become an ongoing task.

One way to hedge your bets is to carry water bags that can be collapsed and

carried in your bag or kit, then filled with found, treated water if you are going to

remain in one location for a time.

One easy to find and inexpensive option is a simple “Bota Bag”.

You can find these at most sporting goods stores or the camping section of a

good department store.

They’re lightweight, collapsible, and easy to stuff away or throw over your

shoulder.

Plus, they don’t have that “military look” like a military canteen does so it will

make you less noticeable as being “prepared”.

Your best option for carrying water however is to pick up water bladder

that can be integrated into your bug-out bag.

The best of these have a “water tube” with a bite valve at the end so you can

suck away on-the-go to stay hydrated without having to fumble around with

canteens and other gear.

Another benefit is that, since a water bladder is soft and pliable, it collapses as

you drink, reducing weight and space within your bag.

When I designed my X-BOB system, I made sure to include not just a water

bladder, but an in-line filter to make found water safe to drink!

Of course, having the ability to make found water safe doesn’t help you if you

don’t have water to filter in the first place.

This is why you must master the skill of where to find water along your route…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 82

Where To Find Water While Bugging Out

Sometimes you’ll be lucky enough to find bottled water along your bug-out

route… but not always.

Fortunately, even in urban settings, water can be found where most won’t expect

it.

The commode of a toilet -- the tank part -- holds drinkable water, for example, as

does a hot water heater.

In some cases, that water may be standing water which is often contaminated

with sewage or bacteria (even if it looks clean).

Remember, even the water from pipes and taps may be contaminated, especially

if the disaster that has prompted your evacuation involves flooding.

To stay safe and healthy, while addressing your water consumption needs with

water sources you find as you bug-out, you must treat your un-bottled water.

There are three basic methods for treating water: heating it, treating it

chemically, and filtering it.

Boiling water kills bacteria and parasites in the water – but doesn’t remove

chemical contaminants.

Make sure you boil water for at least a full

minute, if not more, to be safe and then allow it to

cool to room temperature before you consume it.

Don’t add collected ice or snow to it to cool it

down; you’ll have to retreat it because you’ve just

added possible contaminants to your boiled water.

If you can find an aluminum soda can or any metal

container that will hold water, you can boil water to

make it safe.

Especially if you don’t have the means to boil

water, you can still make that water safer by

treating it chemically with water purification

tablets.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 83

There are multiple brands of water purification tablets on the market. If you treat

water chemically, make sure you strain it through a bandanna or other cloth

before you treat it, to help remove some of the debris that may be in the water.

Be warned: chemical treatment may not kill some parasites present in found

water. You’ll have to weigh your need for water against the risks.

Finally, there are water bottles and

filter straws on the market that

incorporate filter technology to remove

contaminants and make found water

safer.

Some such filters will remove the

majority of parasites found in water, but

this depends on the filter.

Make sure to read the warnings and

indications included with the filter

equipment you buy.

Once you have clean, drinkable water, add some powdered electrolyte-

replacement powder to it.

When bugging out – especially in warmer climates – this flavored sports drink

powder will help you replace the salt and other electrolytes and minerals you

sweat out that are needed for proper muscular function, energy, and recovery.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 84

Bug-Out Secret # 12

The truth is, you never know

where you’re water source is

going to come from so you

need to be prepared for all

options at a moment’s notice.

You may come upon a

disgusting, mucky pond or

green, algae-filled swimming

pool and think there’s no way to

make it drinkable - but recent

cutting edge water filter

technology has been used in

Africa to literally transform even

dung-infested cattle watering holes into crystal

clear, drinkable water.

The very best option I’ve seen on the market so

far that I’ve incorporated into my own bugout

bag is the …Miniwell In-line Water Filter!

It weighs only 3 oz, takes up hardly any space at

all, and can clean the nastiest water you find

through the in-line filter and integrated water

bladder.

Even in a contaminated city (especially when

traveling overseas), you can walk up to any

garden or indoor faucet – connect your adaptor

– and be assured of clean, drinkable water.

Dunk your water bladder into the muckiest pond

you find and the in-line filter will have you

guzzling worry-free.

This technology is a prepper’s “secret weapon”

that will save your booty time after time as

you’re on the run while others will be begging for

water in the FEMA camps (or worse… forced to

quench their thirst from contaminated water that

will later make them sick – or even kill them!)

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 85

Bug-Out Protection Items

Protection comes in two forms.

Some protection is what you wear on your body.

This includes hats to keep sun and rain off you, sunglasses if bright sun is likely

to be a problem, and rain gear for inclement weather.

If you live somewhere that bad winter storms occur, cold weather gear would be

important to pack in your bag.

Such gear can be very bulky, however,

so you’ve got to balance the size and

weight versus the likely need and the

risks.

A military waterproof poncho is one

of the best, cheapest, most compact

survival insurance you can buy when it

comes to all around protection.

Special Note: Just as you don’t want

to have a camouflage bug-out bag that

will draw unwanted attention to you as

being “prepared” – neither do you want

to buy one of the common military

surplus camo ponchos. Instead,

choose a black poncho (they’re easy

to find) and will avoid highlighting

yourself as a target.

Not only is it used to keep the rain off of your noggin in a rainstorm, but it’s big

enough to extend over your pack while you’re wearing it as well.

Plus, it’s really the only “tent” we ever used when I was in the Army.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 86

Just attach a bungee cord or 550 paracord to the middle grommet on both ends,

fixing them to opposite trees, and you have a waterproof shelter that takes up

less room and weighs far less than even the “mini-tents” or tarps other preppers

may tell you to pack.

Bug-Out Secret # 13

The bulkiest part of any bug-out bag is

typically your sleeping bag.

While there’s nothing like snuggling into a

nice comfy down-filled bag at the end of a

long day, you can’t afford the extra space

and weight that’s better suited for food and

other necessities.

Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice too

much with the latest advancements in

emergency protection.

The SOL Bivvy Emergency Bag is a better

alternative to bedrolls and sleeping bags.

They’re much smaller and compact, have almost no weight, but will keep you

protected during “rest times.”

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 87

A 55-gallon garbage bag can stand in for a poncho in a pinch by cutting a hole

in the top of the bag and slip your head through – voila – instant rain jacket and

windbreaker!

Such a bag can also be used for protection from the sun or, if filled with leaves,

as a pillow or mattress (or even as a seat that won’t get wet).

It also makes a perfect ground cover under your poncho hooch to keep a

weatherproof barrier between the ground and your body when sleeping

Garbage bags can also be used to obtain essential drinking water.

Just fill it with snow that is left to melt… scoop up standing water to bring to a

camp before filtering… or deposit it in a hole to catch rainwater.

Bug-Out Secret # 14

Both men and women need to pay attention to this “protection” item…

You see, every woman knows that at some point, your “little friend” is going to

come knocking at the worst time during your trek.

Of course you can carry a few days of tampons or pads with you, but if those run

out or your bug-out lasts longer, you’re probably not likely to shove a bunch of

leaves up inside of you to stop the bleeding, are you?

Instead, pack a “Diva Cup” in

your bug-out bag.

The DivaCup (www.DivaCup.com)

is a reusable, bell-shaped

menstrual cup that is worn

internally and sits low in the

vaginal canal, collecting, rather

than absorbing, menstrual flow.

Menstrual cups have existed

since the 1930s and are a safe,

natural alternative that’s terrifically

suited for bugging out.

They’re super compact so pack 2 or 3 to have as backups. BTW… they’re

amazingly effective bartering currency!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 88

Bug-Out Secret # 15

Protection also includes breathing filters and masks as oftentimes during times of

civil unrest or martial law, law enforcement and/or military troops may use tear

gas for riot control.

When this happens, the burning watering eyes and labored breathing can throw

you into a panic.

This is extremely dangerous as you or those with you can more easily be

separated or even trampled in the stampede that can ensue as everyone tries to

run away from the gas.

While a full military gas mask would work best against such a threat, these are

quite heavy and bulky, especially for something that you shouldn’t have to use if

you’re smart enough to stay away from mobs of unruly people and stress-

overloaded FEMA and Red Cross camps.

A more practical option would be to use a standard medical facemask and carry

a small plastic bottle of lemon juice.

If you should be caught in a violent area where tear gas is being used, you

should quickly pour the lemon juice into the mask and put it over your face.

Each member of your party should have their own setup, but just as with the

airline’s rules for donning the oxygen mask in an emergency, first put yours on

and then assist your children, spouse, or other companion with theirs.

To protect your eyes, having a set of air-tight swimming goggles will help keep

the gas from making you tear up and blinding you – enough to at least clear out

of the area to get out of the gas cloud’s area of effectiveness.

Special Note: Putting on a medical facemask in combination with your white

camo paint under the eyes will add to your “diseased” disguise and make others

assume that you’re wearing it to avoid getting others sick with whatever you

have!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 89

Bug-Out Clothing

When it comes to what you pack in your bug-out bag, it’s not just about

“weight”… size matters too.

When you’re forced to bend down under obstacles and squeeze through tight

spaces, the bulkier your bag, the trickier things get.

And the bulkiest items you’ll be carrying (now that we’ve solved that damn

sleeping bag problem) will be clothes.

That’s why – sticking with our “minimalist” strategy – I’m not a big fan of carrying

a lot of extra clothing.

But to be prepared for all the elements and rigors of bugging out, it’s going to

require you be very selective of what you plan on wearing and packing.

Here are some strategies that will help…

Outer Clothing

While most preppers are reaching for the military camo

BDU’s, you now know that this is the wrong strategy if

you want to lay low and avoid detection from thieves,

looters, and desperate beggars.

A better choice is a good pair of low-weight, durable

convertible hiking pants.

Since hikers have the same general clothing standards

as soldiers (breathability, fast-drying, durability, etc.),

you can get the same benefits of military BDU’s without

highlighting yourself as a target.

My favorite pair is from www.ScotteVest.com (shown)

because they have hidden pockets for secret storage

and easy access on the run.

Also, buying “convertible” pants allows you to unzip the

bottom portion of the pants to instantly transform them

into shorts so you now have a 2-in-1 piece of clothing.

Unzip Here For Shorts

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 90

For your upper body, think in 3 layers: undershirt (more on that in minute), outer

shirt, and cold-weather.

Regardless of which layer you’re wearing, remember this one principle…wool

rules!

Now wait a minute… wool has come a long way from that bumpy, itchy sweater

your grandma knit you for Christmas when you were a kid.

The “new” wool (like Merino or

New Zealand) aren’t scratchy at

all and naturally...

… wicks moisture away from

your skin to keep you dry (in

the heat and cold)

… won’t shrink to Barbie doll

size when washed

… doesn’t retain body odor

… is the only fabric that keeps

you warm - even when wet!

Get a long-sleeve Merino or New

Zealand outer shirt through an

outdoor store (SmartWool and

Icebreaker brands are great).

For colder weather, don’t lug along a large parka.

Dry = Warm; and by dressing in layers with moisture-wicking wool, your body will

need less bulky, heavy clothing to keep you warm even during very cold weather.

In addition to the undershirt and outer-shirt, add in a mid-weight form-fitting wool

jacket (often used by cold-weather runners and skiers).

Besides, you’ll be quite active as you bug-out and the exercise will keep you

warm as you move.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 91

Bug-Out Secret # 16

It’s time to check the tags on all of your current bug-out clothing.

You see, one of the hidden advantages of wool over the common poly-

materials (like polyester, polypropylene, etc.) for preppers is that, unlike these

fabrics, wool doesn’t melt when exposed to extreme heat or flame.

In a bug-out scenario, fire can be an environmental concern you may have to

deal with – either from burning buildings from a disaster or even flash bombs

during periods of civil unrest.

You certainly don’t want to have a layer of poly-plastic melted to your skin

because you got too close to a flame – the pain is super intense.

(If you’ve ever melted the end of a piece of 550 para-cord and let the

bubbling goo touch your fingers, then you got a small glimpse of what it

feels like.)

And just ask any emergency room doctor or burn ward attendee how difficult it is

to perform triage on someone who was burned while wearing a synthetic fabric.

You can’t just pull off the melted plastic without taking the skin with it and this can

lead to excessive lost skin and a drastic increase in the risk of infection.

Natural fibers like wool resist heat and, when they burn, they just burn and don’t

melt to your skin.

Under Clothing

Bugging out is not the best

conditions for showing off your

Homer Simpson boxers.

They don’t provide enough

“support” and trust me guys… you

do not want your apparatus

swinging back and forth as you walk

or you’ll end up with a blister on

your little Elvis that will make you

wince with every step you take.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 92

Instead, get a better hammock for your “boys” by opting for boxer-briefs or even

your standard tighty-whiteys (I recommend brown, navy, grey, or black).

For the ladies… forget your leopard-skin thong– it’s made for the bedroom, not

the trail – so a pair of “boy shorts” or hip-huggers are best for prepper divas.

Bug-Out Secret # 17

Who would have thought that the type of clothes you use for bugging out could

be such a powerful hidden secret for survivalists, eh?

Another “secret tip” you need to know is what type

of undershirt, you should wear.

For bugging out, what you want to get is a

merino wool “compression shirt”.

These are skin-tight shirts that offer a lot of benefit

for the trekking prepper as they will help wick

away moisture from your skin to keep you dry and

warm in cooler weather and yet adapt to keep you

cooler in warmer weather.

The skin-tight compression against your skin will

not only help you avoid chaffing from your bug-out

bag and outer clothing, but it also reduces

muscle fatigue while helping your body recover

faster from exertion.

And don’t worry if you don’t have the fitness model look like the guy wearing one

to the right as compression shirts are very forgiving and by shrink-wrapping to

you skin, will even magically transform man-boobs into what better resemble

superhero-like pecs!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 93

How Much To Pack

Everyone will tell you to pack a full extra set of clothes. Not me.

Since the clothes mentioned are designed to be multi-purpose, multi-weather,

resistant to the elements, and dry quickly, they should all pretty much last you

through any short-term bug-out like we’re advising you plan for.

So personally, I pack two extra complete sets of underwear (briefs,

compression shirts, and socks) as this plan takes up much less room and weight.

Bug-Out Secret # 18

Clothing needs to stay dry, but it also needs to stay out of the way of your sexier

prepper gear – which means you need to have it enclosed in a waterproof

container of some type and very compact so it doesn’t take up a lot of room.

So pick up a “roll-up vacuum-sealed plastic travel bag” to solve this problem.

These airtight and waterproof clear bags allow you to hand roll them to push all

the air out of the bag until your clothes are as flat as a pancake.

It keeps them dry and neatly organized to shove into an out of the way area.

Also, keep your extra set of clothes sealed in these bags at a bug-out retreat so

they’ll stay fresh and safe from nibbling critters while stored away.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 94

Protecting Your Feet

Bugging out on foot should always be your last choice, but lots of things can go

wrong and leave you walking.

When you have no other choice but to hoof it to safety, one of the most important

lessons every infantryman learns is to protect his feet.

Blisters, moisture, cold, fungus, or “trench foot” can hobble - or even kill you - if

you’re not careful.

A good pair of hiking boots is

essential to protecting you from

falls, twisted ankles and the

elements.

You want something lightweight,

yet with a durable sole and

quick-drying shell that’s also

heavily stitched and/or heavily

sealed where the sole meets

the upper.

Leather is more durable and

can provide ample protection –

military boots come to mind –

but don’t overdo it on looking like a soldier if you can help it.

Any good quality pair of ankle-high hiking boots will work

Now any hiker knows that wearing a new pair of boots on a hike will kill your feet.

So don’t buy a brand new pair of boots and have them on standby right out of the

box.

Wear your boots for about a hundred miles of walking in order to break them

in first and make sure they’re the right size and fit for your foot.

Once they’re broken in, take them off and keep them in the same location as

your bug-out bag so no matter where you have to start from or what you’re

wearing at the time, a quick-change will have you walking comfortably.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 95

Bug-Out Tip # 19

During WW1 and WW2, there were numerous battles where casualties from

Trench Foot exceeded those from combat because soldiers spent so much time

with wet feet.

Even with taking precautions of warming and drying their feet, many men ended

up with feet that went numb and turned blue (in the early stages) and even (in the

worst cases) developed foot rot which became gangrenous and required

amputation.

When I was in the light-infantry, we would have to pack an extra set of boots in

our rucksack because we’d often have to cross streams or waddle through

swamps to reach our objective and we’d need a dry pair of boots to keep us from

developing foot problems that would take us off the battlefield.

Problem is… boots are pretty damn heavy and bulky – and carrying a second

pair in your bug-out bag isn’t something I suggest – so here’s a little trick…

Pack yourself a pair of cheap

“water shoes”!

These are the rubber-soled

flexible “slipper-like” shoes you

would wear on a beach or around

other bodies of water because

they’re comfortable and they dry

very easily.

And for bugging out, they’re

absolutely ideal!

Not only are they super lightweight, but they’re also extremely compact and can

slip into any tight area in your bag.

If your main boots are wet, you can slip into your water shoes while they dry or, if

you need to cross a body of water or if it’s raining, you can quickly switch over to

your water shoes as an alternative to keep your main bug-out boots nice and dry.

Plus, the rubberized sole is great for giving you traction while crossing rocky

streams where you could injure yourself if you slip and fall – perhaps

endangering your life if not at least twisting your ankle to the point of not being

able to travel on.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 96

But let’s not stop with just your boots because what you wear INSIDE of

them is just as important…

You need to make sure you have adequate padding and keep your feet warm

and dry.

Wool ski socks go a long way toward

accomplishing all of these goals.

You see, ski socks are specifically designed to

ride high on your leg and protect your shins

with extra padding.

This is especially helpful when scrambling

through brush, rocky areas and streams.

Wool is also the only fabric that keeps you

warm - even when wet - and resists odor.

The SmartWool brand offers a wide selection

of ski socks that fit the bill.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 97

Bug-Out Secret # 20

No, this is not a joke…

They’re now making

pantyhose for men –

cleverly mojo’d up with

the masculine name

“mantyhose”.

Now, I’m not one to judge

(often), but just adding

the word “man” on the

front of it and slapping

these on some skinny

male models with 6-pack

abs isn’t enough to make

me feel like my

testosterone tank is

topped off, ya know?

But then again, there was a time when panty hose came in handy…

You see, panty hose are an old military trick we used on many a long road

march, where it kept our feet blister-free.

Think about it:

Friction between your socks (and even your pants) and your skin is what causes

the most damage and painful blisters when you walk for long periods of time.

If, however, you wear thigh-high panty hose under your regular socks, you

cut this friction and prevent the chafing and blisters.

The result is a walk that is much less painful for you, allowing you to go farther

more comfortably.

Trust me, all it will take will be one or two long hikes with all your bug out gear in

tow before you start thinking that “mantyhose” isn’t just for androgynous male

models.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 98

Bug-Out Tip # 21

Pick up a pair of Kevlar-infused work

gloves down at your local hardware store!

These tight-fitting, rubber-like gloves not

only provide protection from the sharp

glass and other elements you may find in

an urban environment, but their

rubberized palm and fingers give you a

“super grip” that’s only rivaled by

Spiderman himself.

This comes in extremely handy –

especially in dirty, grimy, slick

environments – when you need to get a

grip and keep it.

For example, when using a weapon –

either a firearm or an edged weapon like a

knife or machete.

In combat, sweat, mud, and even blood can make you lose your grip on your

weapon and these gloves will give you grip traction to get out alive!

Remember, however, that kevlar gloves do NOT make your hands invulnerable.

Do not expect to start catching sword blades with your hands and pulling them

out of your enemies’ grasp.

Also, just because your hands are protected with these does not mean they are

crush-proof.

The gloves only prevent cuts up to a certain degree of force.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 99

Bug-Out Lighting

It used to be that you needed to count on a good high-powered flashlight in your

pack – but bulbs burn out, lenses get broken, and batteries die down.

The more advanced prepper realized that batteries aren’t always to be found and

while a wind-up dynamo hand-crank flashlight can come to the rescue, it’s

generally a bit too heavy for a bug-out bag and not very reliable.

And of course, you could get all GI’d

up with an ample supply of glow

sticks – but I’m not a big fan of

carrying anything I can only use one

time.

A better choice is a flashlight is

simply the new miniature LED

versions.

The benefits are numerous…

• They’re so small, you can store several in a pouch with negligible weight

• Their light is so bright that one single bulb is all you need to light up any

area you need to walk through or search for gear in.

• Some come with a clip so you can attach it to the bill of your bug-out

baseball cap (or get a head-lamp strap version) and have a mini-

headlight lighting your way as you walk.

• The LED bulbs never need changing.

• LED lights use so little power that you’ll likely never have to replace one of

these little boogers… like ever!

• They come in multiple bulb colors – choose a red one and a white one to

have on hand. Red doesn’t have a bright a signature at distances so you

won’t be as recognizable if you’re trying to lay low and undetected. White

is best when you need super bright light to find something or be found.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 100

Bug-Out Communication

Communication could be “signaling,” meaning using an emergency whistle to

blow the S.O.S. distress call (three short, three long, three short again).

It could be using a signal mirror to flash the same signal or simply to get the

attention of a passing helicopter.

While signaling distress is important, especially in some forms of wilderness

survival, it is less so in your bug-out plan.

When bugging out, you don’t want to draw attention to yourself, and the

assumption is that the people around you are more likely to hurt you than to help

you.

Communication, then, will most often be the wireless phone most people carry.

Though you need yours with you, during a widespread disaster, wireless phones

frequently don’t work.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 101

When everyone starts calling their friends, family, and coworkers during an

emergency, the load on the wireless network can cause calls to fail.

Power outages can prevent users from charging their mobile devices.

In certain kinds of terrorist emergencies, the government may even shut down

such networks in whole or in part.

You should have a communications plan, arranged with anyone you might want

to contact in an emergency, that is “failsafe.”

This means that certain assumptions will be made if you cannot contact each

other.

For example, as most of us spend our days at work, you should form a plan with

your family that says, “In an emergency, assume I am coming to get you at home

so we may all leave together, so stay put until I get there or I contact you.”

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 102

With such a plan in place, the failure of the wireless network will not affect the

plan’s execution.

Short-range communication among members who are surviving a crisis as a

group can be accomplished using two-way radios or Citizens Band (CB)

radios.

Be warned: Anything you say on such a device can (and will) be overheard by

others, either listening to the same specific channel(s) or scanning multiple

frequencies.

The most important part of

communication in surviving during a

disaster however is one-way

communication.

You need to carry a radio, especially a

radio that can pick up AM-band radio talk

and news stations.

During emergencies and disaster

situations, such stations are a very good

source of information regarding what is

happening and why.

Staying informed can help you stay alive.

The best survival radios offer multiple functions and free you from dependence

on consumable batteries (a weak link in any long-term survival scenario; once

the batteries run out, or if they run out while your bag sits waiting to be needed,

you can’t use the items that run on those

batteries).

Many quality radios on the market offer

hand-crank dynamos. Some, like this

model from Eton, have a solar panel, too.

Such radios often include small

flashlights, which run off the same battery

charged by the crank or the solar cell.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 103

Bug-Out Fire

The ability to make fire is

one of the most

fundamental survival skills.

Fire can be used to boil

water to make it safer to

drink.

It can be used to craft

primitive tools and weapons

(such as fire-hardened,

sharpened sticks).

It is used to cook food. It

can be used to sterilize a

needle. It is used to create light and lifesaving heat.

With so many available options for creating fire quickly and easily, you have

absolutely no excuse not to carry a primary and a backup means of creating fire

in your bag.

Personally, I like to have a “super lighter” handy that’s wind-proof and ready to

turn on when I need some flame fast (like “Molotov cocktail” fast).

But for starting fires for heat

and cooking (if you choose),

you need to have some fire-

making equipment such as the

military’s magnesium block.

Just shave some of the

magnesium off onto a tinder

source and strike your knife

against the attached flint rod to

spark up a fast flame.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 104

Bug-Out Medical Supplies

You need a medical kit in your bag - but you don’t have to go complete “combat

medic” to prepare for your bug-out trek.

In fact, many commercial medical kits contain a lot of junk you don’t need (like

those ridiculous tiny spot bandages) when just a few simple items will do…

• Band-Aids

• Quick-Clot for fast reaction to

larger volume bleeding

• Antibiotic cream

• Tweezers (for splinters and

ticks)

• Pain reliever pills

• Topical rash and burn cream

Bug-Out Secret # 22

While training Honduran troops in 1987, I got dysentery from the local water and,

unable to keep any food or liquids inside of me, I was laid out on a cot for 3 days,

dehydrated and malnourished until I began guzzling medicine to stop the

symptoms.

Bottom line… you can't bug-out if you're run down and dehydrated and even

worse… dehydration from diarrhea can kill you!

With water in short supply in a crisis, you

need to stop the diarrhea fast so you can

retain what you drink.

For this reason, always have a stash of

anti-diarrheal medicine in your pack!

No one ever thinks of this as a “must-

have” medical item but 2 million people

die each year from diarrhea (children are

especially vulnerable) and without medical

attention in a crisis, surviving isn’t likely.

Most water you find in a disaster is going

to put you at an increased risk of

contamination so this simple addition to

your medical supplies can save your life or

the life of a loved one!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 105

Not much more is needed but here are a few more

little-known “medical” items that may be useful…

For example, open wounds are like an invitation

for life-threatening infection.

That’s why a travel sewing kit is not only great for

minor repairs to clothing, but one of the most

critical “combat medicine” items you can use to

stitch up a wound.

If you’ve ever mended a pair of pants before, you’ll

be amazed at how quickly you’ll figure out how to

stitch up a gash on your arm or leg with your

sewing kit.

Bug-Out Secret # 23

An effective altnernative for closing up smaller, open wounds

is “super glue” (yes, the kind you get at the local hardware

store for working with wood, metal, ceramic, etc.).

There’s a reason why its warning label says “avoid contact

with skin” - it bonds skin just as well as it does wood!

In fact, super glue has even been used by surgeons to close

up cut organs that couldn’t be stitched (it doesn’t seem to be

toxic) and is a little-known secret of guitar players who need

to play with a cut finger.

With an open wound that’s not bleeding but needs closing,

first wash and dry the cut area.

Then, lay a thin line of super glue along the incision and

press the gash together until it bonds.

The glue will actually protect the wound from dirt and debris

while new skin forms underneath it.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 106

In addition, although you may not consider it medical gear, items for personal

hygiene are a necessity.

Infection, inflamed gums, parasites, and intestinal problems can all make

bugging out uncomfortable, if not downright impossible.

It doesn’t take much in the short term to maintain good hygiene on the run as

long as you pay close attention to your hair, hands, feet, armpits, and crotch as

these are the main areas vulnerable to infection and infestation.

Small items you should carry in your bug-out bag (within a separate kit bag) are:

• Compact toothbrush & travel toothpaste

• Travel anti-bacterial hand gel

• Small travel pack baby wipes

• Soap

Brush your teeth twice a day to avoid painful, inflamed and infected gums.

Once a day, either wash with soap and water or do a serious “wipe down” with

the baby wipes to your feet, pits, and crotch.

Germs on your hands can easily infect your food, water and open wounds so use

anti-bacterial gel after handling anything that may be germ-infested, after a visit

to your cat-hole (aka. latrine), working with a sick family member, and before

handling any food.

Your hair can become a vacation resort for fleas, lice, and other parasites so

keep it clean with soap and water at least every other day.

Bug-Out Secret # 24

It’s a fact of devastation… in a disaster you’re going to be treated to a host of

unpleasant smells such as sewage… garbage… chemicals… mold… and yes,

dead, decomposing bodies!

Here’s what coroners and morticians do to get past the smell… put on a surgical

mask and place a small dab of Vicks VapoRub under you nose. This will help

overpower the smell of corpses and other foul odors until you can egress from

the tainted area.

Side note – Vicks is also good for relieving headaches (put a dab on your

temples)… protecting small cuts from infections… and a good mosquito

repellent!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 107

Bug-Out Secret # 25

Pharmaceutical companies don’t want you to know about this…

Do you realize that fish antibiotics that you can

pick up right down at your local pet store is the

same exact antibiotics prescribed to you by a

doctor for bacterial infections?

This is huge!

In a survival scenario – especially one with

mass casualties and disease plagued and toxic

environments – the risk of infection skyrockets

and so does the chance of death.

This will undoubtedly put a strain in medical

supplies and even simple antibiotics will become

a scarcity.

Already, we’ve seen antibiotics come up in short

supply during the Swine Flu/H1N1/Bird Flu

scares.

Do you want to be without meds when the time comes?

Fortunately, you can stock up now at your local pet store on “Fish Mox” and not

have to wait in line at a Red Cross or FEMA camp to get this highly sought-after

necessity for yourself or a severely sick family member.

The costs vary dramatically, but look for 250 mg. capsules for about $15 to $20

USD.

A dose of 250 mg. is typical for children, double that for adults.

A standard medically prescribed antibiotic is 14 capsules per illness, per person.

Shelf life, based on government studies, is 2-10 years.

Bonus – imagine the bartering value of antibiotics in a collapse!

You’ll be able to barter anything you want when someone’s health is on the line!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 108

Bug-Out Secret # 26

The survivalist movement was, arguably, started by the threat of nuclear war.

Citizens started building bomb shelters and stocking them with food and supplies

because they were worried that the Soviet Union would bomb the United States.

These days, the threat of a rogue nation getting their hands on nuclear missile

capability is rearing its ugly head, but even more probably is a nuclear power

plant accident like the recent Japan tsunami disaster.

No doubt, in future years, we will see a second “tsunami” hit Japan in the form of

thyroid cancer outbreaks.

You see, nuclear radiation emitted from a power plant or nuclear bomb invisibly

attacks the thyroid gland with iodine, a known trigger leading to cancer.

Since it’s possible that you and

your family could be exposed to

nuclear radiation should we be

attacked with a nuclear bomb or

be devastated by a Fukushima

power plant meltdown, it makes

sense to plan now for protecting

yourself and those you love from

the radiation effects.

Your best protection is to have on

hand a stash of potassium iodide

tablets you can pick up online or

at any health store.

Potassium iodide prevents the

uptake of harmful radioactive

contaminants by the thyroid.

You and your family should take a

dose daily until the radioactive

exposure risk is no longer present.

In conjunction with having these tablets on hand, there's a device you can buy

called the Nuke Alert that’s a little keychain electronic device that makes a

chirping noise letting you know you’re being exposed to a radiation problem.

Age

Dosage mg/day

Over 12 years old

130

3 – 12 years old

1 – 36 months old

< 1 month old

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 109

Bug-Out Secret # 27

Strange as it may sound, simple Tea Tree Oil is the

“Swiss Army Knife” of the natural medicine world!

Tea Tree Oil has multiple applications and is an absolute

must for your bug-out bag.

Just as you carry a multi-tool because you don’t know

what utility problem you might face, you can carry THIS

“medical multi-tool” because it treats a variety of ailments.

When space is at a premium and weight is a factor, a

multi-use medical item like this one is really important.

Check out this list of uses from HealthMad.com – and all

from one single bottle!

• Cold sores – Apply pure oil directly to the sore as

many times as needed.

• Dental abscess/toothache – Drip a few drops directly into the cavity or drip

a couple drops on your finger and rub the tooth and surrounding gum. Be

careful not to swallow the oil. Ingesting a little bit of the oil won’t hurt you, but

always try to spit it out.

• Sore throat/throat infection – Gargle with 8-10 drops of tea tree oil diluted in

a cup of water. Repeat this two or three times within twenty minutes.

• Cuts/scrapes/scratches/abrasions – Rub a few drops of pure oil into the

cut. Do not use tea tree oil on deep cuts and wounds.

• Ear infection – Drip about three drops of tea tree oil into 1/4 cup of water, or

adjust the ratio until it’s comfortable for you. Fill a dropper with the solution

and gently fill the ear with it. Hold it in the ear for half a minute and drain.

Repeat several times a day or however often is necessary. Do not put pure

tea tree oil into the ear. Also, rub pure oil onto the outer surface of the ear.

• Ringworm – Apply pure oil daily for at least one month straight. Make sure to

do it everyday or the fungus can build up a resistance to the oil.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 110

Bug-Out Secret # 27 (Continued)

• Insect bites – Apply one or two drops directly to the bite.

• Athlete’s foot – Apply pure oil directly to the feet, on a daily basis for at least

a month to make sure the fungus is destroyed. In addition, you can drip

several drops into a basin of water and soak the feet.

• Canker sores – Apply pure oil directly to the sore.

• Oral hygiene – Add one drop of oil to your toothbrush when brushing your

teeth, or put one drop into the crease of your finger, run dental floss through it

and floss.

• Dandruff – Add a few drops to your shampoo.

• Ear mites – Make a mild solution of tea tree oil and water, perhaps five drops

of oil to 1 cup of water. Using a dropper, gently drip about ten drops into your

pet’s ear. Also, dip a cotton ball in the solution and clean the inside of the ear.

• Fleas and other insect infestations – Make a strong solution of tea tree oil

and water. Using a spray bottle, spray the liquid onto areas where insects lay

their eggs.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 111

Bug-Out Utility Gear

There are an assortment of utility tools you’ll find useful when bugging out..

A multitool such as a Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife provides multiple

functions in a compact package.

You can’t anticipate every utility need, so such a tool helps you hedge your bets.

A good, strong tactical/survival knife is very useful in any situation.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 112

A knife that incorporates some means of breaking glass (some knives are

equipped with “glass-breaker” tips like the Gerber LMF II pictured below) can be

very useful for bugging out to escape social chaos, as you may encounter

damaged or derelict vehicles that block your path.

Gaining access to such vehicles may require breaking windows… and if you are

yourself trapped in a car and need to break out a window, carrying such a knife

with you may help you escape.

Also consider:

Eyeglass Repair Kit – This is absolutely essential if you or any of the people in

your party wear glasses. The best kits have small replacement screws in them.

Duct Tape – Just 6’ or so, wrapped in a roll around a pencil for a quick poncho

tent repair or other quick-fix. But there’s actually something even stronger that

most preppers don’t even know about, waiting for you in Tip # 24…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 113

Bug-Out Tip # 28

When things fall apart, one of the first things to go will be the simple

conveniences you take for granted… like the local auto repair shop.

If you’re bugging out by vehicle or able to hotwire a car along the way, you may

be faced with problems that could strand you along the road like a punctured

radiator hose… broken fan belt… busted up muffler (from driving over zombies?)

With no tow truck to call, you’re

going to want to pack a couple

rolls of Rescue Tape in your bag.

Rescue Tape is the ONLY silicone

tape used by the military and on

every US Army vehicle and tank

as part of the US Army's Battle

Damage Assessment and Repair

Kit (BDAR) so it has solid

battlefield credibility.

It's a silicone tape that’s self-sealing (think electrical tape on steroids)… insulates

to 8,000 volts per layer… withstands up to 500 degrees (F) of heat,… and stays

flexible to negative 85 degrees F (negative 60 degrees C).

When applied, it creates a permanent, air-tight, and water-tight seal, so it can be

used for water-proofing and it resists oils, acids, solvents, and even road salt,

and never gets sticky like normal tape.

It’s so strong, it can even be used to create a MacGuyver-like fan belt!

But Rescue Tape isn’t just for vehicle repairs…

Because it seals water-tight it can be used as an emergency O-ring, gasket, to

wrap hydraulic fittings, and fix leaky pipes and hoses (above or below water!)

You can use it as an emergency tourniquet… wrap bleeding injuries… a

makeshift electrical insulator… create a non-slip grip on your rifle stock and

survival knife… and even wrap a survival bow handle to reduce vibration and

increase accuracy!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 114

P38 can opener — used for opening cans, of course.

The P38 is one of the smallest yet most functional can

openers you will ever own.

It easily beats much larger, more complicated devices,

and blows the doors off the can opener that comes on a

folding knife.

It’s much quicker and more comfortable to use.

Bug-Out Tip # 29

In a devastated environment, you’re bound to come across quite a bit of metal –

some of it useful… some of it an obstacle.

It may be a padlock that’s the only thing between you and a storage locker full of

resupplies… it may be a set of chains around a gate in the way of your bug out

path… it could even be a heavy piece of concrete rebar stabilizer bar that will

suffice as an improvised weapon for self-protection.

In any case, getting past metal requires tools… and you don’t want to feel like the

school janitor as you’re carting your gear all over the urban wasteland, right?

Instead, pick up a small, mini-hacksaw at your local hardware store.

These handy tools can be used for sawing through anything metal that’s

thumbing its nose at you and it takes up practically no space in your bug out bag.

The$P38$is$no$larger$than$a$

50-cent$piece.$$

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 115

Compass – Forget the big bulky (and expensive) compasses on the market.

For nearly 10 years in the Army’s light infantry, the best compass I ever used

was a wrist compass like the Suunto M-9.

You can twist the bezel to

the desired heading and

just hold your wrist out in

front of you for a line-of-

sight trek straight to your

destination.

Keep in mind that very few

people really understand

HOW to use a compass

and a map in order to find

their way, so do your

homework and pick up a

book on how to do just that.

Of course, owning a book

is no good unless you read

it and apply it.

Take your book, and your compass, out into the field, and practice using that

compass to get you where you need to go.

Large scarves and bandannas are extremely versatile survival items because

they can be everything from blankets and hats to water filters, breathing masks,

carrying bags, tourniquets, and even weapons.

Sharpening rod — This is used to

maintain the blades on the knife and

the multitool in your kit.

What a lot of people don’t realize is

that found stones can also be used

to sharpen a knife.

To use a found stone, find one that

is relatively flat and just draw your

knife’s blade into the stone as if you

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 116

were trying to slice off sections of the stone at an angle.

Sharpening is as much art as science, for some, but fortunately there are a lot of

resources in books and online.

Just look for sites where knife owners and hobbyists congregate to discuss

blades - you’ll find plenty of sharpening tips there.

Military canteen cup and stove – In our “Water”

section, we recommended not going with a

military canteen in order to stay covert, but I’ve

found it hard to beat the military’s canteen cup

and companion stove for a field expedient kitchen.

Yes, you may need to boil water for purification

along the way… but there’s also something to be

said about a hot meal keeping your spirits high

when times are tough (as a soldier in the field,

sometimes it was that one hot meal that made all

the difference in maintaining morale in our unit so

don’t discount the powerful effect of this gear addition).

And since the stove wraps around the cup in storage and

you can stuff the cup with other items, it takes up hardly

any space in your bag.

Just throw a solid fuel tab under your stove, set your

canteen cup on top and cook you up some hot grub to

warm your prepper soul.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 117

Bug-Out Tip # 30

A popular survival item was always the British Special Air Service (SAS) Survival

Kit, issued in a handy little tin.

These cost over $40 at survival stores, but you can make your own using a

simple Altoids mint tin that you can get at any grocery store and include...

• Razor blade

• Magnesium fire starter

• Waterproof-windproof

matches

• Tinder-Quik fire tabs

• Mini tea candle

• Micro LED light

• Rope saw

• Emergency whistle

• Water purification tablets

• Signal mirror

• Button compass

• Antibiotic ointment

• Butterfly bandages

• Sewing kit

• Folded aluminum foil

(signaling and/or cooking)

• Safety pins

• Duct tape

Use every spare millimeter of the space you have so be creative in what other

items you may be able to fit with the room you have left.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 118

Your preparations for

protection, including

shelter, must include

4 camo bungee

cords close by.

These thin “tactical”

versions of the

common tie-down

strap stretch to about

6’ long and offer the

quickest way to

transform your

poncho into a “hooch” … lash down noisy gear…

strap stuff down on top or in back of your vehicle…

…well, the uses are pretty much endless so keep

them handy in one of your bug-out bag’s outside

pouches.

In addition, no soldier would be caught dead without a supply of 550 paracord, a

versatile relatively thin rope.

550 Cord is useful for everything from building shelters to tying together support

items, bracing poles, suspending tarps or other “roof” materials, binding one thing

to another, making handles and carrying straps handles, and a million other

functions.

It is so simple yet so basic. You absolutely CANNOT forget to pack an ample

supply in your kit.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 119

We asked our Facebook followers for their most unique uses of 550 cord and

were amazed at the resourceful uses they came up with! Here are some of the

best ones to get your creative juices flowing of how it can help you get out of a

tight spot on your evacuation to safety…

Ian Barber I've used it when my accelerator linkage broke in my cj7.

Tied it to the accelerator arm on the carb, out under the hood, wrapped

around the mirror arm and presto, hand actuated throttle got me home

!!!!Rick Emery During OJE deployed to Bosnia we had rats really bad in

our barracks area (hut) you may call it. Had a box of canned goods and

other stuff and the rats would eat thru the wrappers. Took some 550

cord and hung my foot locker from the ceiling so they couldn’t get to it

!!!!Spy D. Mann Tied across windshield and through the window vents to

operate my wipers on my VeeWee Bug.

!!!!Nick Bible Run 550 cord between your legs and tie it off to belt loops...

Ensure to pull it tight (but not to tight) this will minimize chaffing

Jason Horton Making flies for fishing; I have used the inner core line

for sutures. IE for ascending rope or rescues. Used it for 2 part

tourniquet and binding splints also some great weapons

!!!!Mark A. Dixon A friend’s car broke down in the desert due to a torn

belt. They replaced the belt with a length of paracord to get home.

!!!!James Arwood Inner threads used as a snare for small game

(squirrels, rabbits etc)!

Jeremy Luckey Rifle sling

!!!!James Molloy I opened a bracelet I bought from a friend and used it to

tie up my exhaust for the 40 mile ride home after a large unsecured

board came off a truck, I had no choice but to hit it!

Modern Combat & Survival Tie 550 cord to your family in crowded

areas of unrest to avoid getting separated (can happen if crowds react

to tear gas or gunfire.

Click Here For More Of Our Facebook Tips

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 120

Now don’t worry about throwing in a giant roll of 550 cord in your bag because

we have a little secret to share with you...

Bug-Out Secret # 31

Could there possibly be a better survival “rope” than 550 cord?

Arguably there is…

…dental floss!

The new lines of dental floss are now made

from a composite fiber known as “Dyneema” –

the strongest fiber on the planet.

It’s so light, yet so strong that it’s now being

used to create the new high-tech personal

battlefield armor for our combat soldiers.

For bugging out however, Dyneema dental

floss has a multitude of uses…

It’s basically good for everything line is good for, provided you use enough of it.

It can be used for lashing together branches for a shelter… as fishing line… even

for suturing an open wound with a needle.

You can even make a bowstring out of it for an improvised weapon!

Simply take 10-15 strands of dental floss the length of your bow (that will be

about 40-60 ft. of floss for a 4’ bow) and you can twist the strands together in the

same direction and tie a loop at each end to create your bowstring.

Fortunately floss is so compact that you can carry a great deal of it (up to a whole

100 yards in a tiny compact case!) with very little effort and while leaving a lot of

leftover room in your bug-out bag so you’ll be able to carry more than enough to

handle any survival scenario.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 121

Another useful (though not

essential) item to consider is a

portable chair like “The Amazing

Pocket Chair” as seen on those

cheesy television informercials.

There’s just something to be said

about our need to sit on something

other than the ground, isn’t there?

I mean, around a campfire, don’t

you usually pull up your foldable

nylon camp chair or a log to sit on?

Instinctively, I think we know that

sitting off the ground is safer,

easier on our body, and also helps

to avoid heat loss that’s disipated

from our body through the ground,

especially when the ground is wet.

These little fold-out chairs are small enough to fit into your pocket but can hold up

to 250 lbs of prepper butt to give you a handly little seat as you chow down on

your Raman noodles.

You can pick one up at many of the drug stores or department stores these days

or just grab one online at www.AsSeenOnTV.com.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 122

Bug-Out Secret # 32

We are a society that craves electricity… and takes it for granted.

You don’t know how much we’re dependent on it until it’s gone, such as in a

natural disaster that wipes out power.

Remember all the pictures from New York City and the Northeast after “Super

Storm Sandy” came through?

Photos circulated on the Web of all the desperate folks who were waiting in line

outside stores with power to actually rent electricity so they could charge up their

phones and tablet devices and stay in touch with their loved ones. (Stores were

even charging up to $20 for one single AA battery!)

In a bug out situation, you need power to run your 2-way radios… your cell

phone… GPS and other items you may have that require charging or batteries.

Yes, you could carry extra batteries... but you can

only carry so many before the weight becomes an

issue (and what do you do when you exhaust your

supply?).

When bugging out by vehicle, a simple cigarette

lighter adaptor with a USB plug is super compact

and will be a handy backup since most phones and

GPS handhelds now use USB for charging.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 123

Bug-Out Secret # 32 (Continued)

When bugging out on foot or stuck in an area with no power or running vehicles,

you don’t want to be stuck in line at the local 7-11 waiting your turn to charge up

your gear, right?

Well, one of my favorite new purchases is my Goal Zero portable solar pack.

These are a little bit more expensive in the lineup of bug-out investments, but I

can tell you that it’s one of the most powerful tools I use almost on a daily basis

as I power up rechargeable batteries and even my iPad and iPhone using the

sun while sipping coffee at my local coffee shop.

You can even hang it from the back of your bug-out bag while you walk, charging

up the battery pack, and then plug your devices into the pack at night for a full

charge.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 124

Bug-Out Self-Protection

Provided they are legal for you to own before the fact (and whether you can carry

them legally may change depending on the situation), you should pack weapons

in your bag to defend yourself and your family from those people who become

dangerous social predators during the breakout of social chaos.

These weapons may include guns, knives, and even more exotic weapons like

swords (more on that in a few seconds).

Selecting weapons for your bug out bag and for long-term survival is really a

book in itself, but consider the following…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 125

The machete can serve you as both a bushcraft

tool and as a weapon.

Entire wars, or what are effectively wars, have

been waged in Africa using machetes.

The machete is really nothing so much as a small

sword.

It is so effective, in fact, that some cities have

already banned its sale because of its popularity

among Latino gangs.

Strapped to your bug-out bag (or hidden inside), a

machete can defend you as well as make it easier

to clear brush should you have to make a trail

through dense undergrowth in rural areas.

A machete with saw teeth on the spine can do

double duty as a saw, of course, but those teeth

are also useful for ripping through a target.

Knives and other blades are popular choices

among survivalists, particularly because in most

places, knives are still easily purchased and

subject to fewer restrictions than firearms.

A good, sturdy knife can be a very potent self-defense tool at close range, but do

you really think you’re going to have a “knife fight” with a mob, a police barricade,

or an armored riot vehicle?

Carry small blades like folding knives if you choose, but never forget that they are

for use against up to a few adversaries at very close range, not for large-scale

battle.

For that, you’ll need a more formidable weapon such as a machete, or one of

these badboys…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 126

Bug-Out Secret # 33

One of the most common “enemies” you may

come across in a disaster-ravaged environment

are packs of wild dogs, abandoned by owners

who moved on to safety, leaving Fido to find his

own food.

Instincts will bring the dogs together to form

these packs and, just as with packs of wild,

starving wolves, what was once a puffy pet

pooch can quickly become a teeth-gnashing

terror who now sees you as kibble.

For “pack” enemies, distance is your friend (it’s

not a good idea to go into close-quarters

combat mode with a gang of pit bulls).

But a sharpened stick will only get you so far…

unless that stick has this pointy little surprise on the end…

There’s been a return in “survival spears”

and the Condor Pipe Knife Dagger is my

personal favorite.

It’s modeled after the Borneo Headhunters’

Ceremonial Bone Dagger (because who

knows better how to quickly kill a beast or

man than an headhunter, right?)

Shaped like a hypodermic needle, this

hollow, sharpened, bayonet-like dagger can

be used in-hand, or - there are two screw

holes under the butt cap so you can attach

it to a spear shaft.

When used in hunting or holding off a pack of beasties, it easily pierces flesh with

a V-shaped would that doesn’t close as easily.

If you rotate the blade in the thrust, it will actually cut a hole double its width and

your adversary will bleed out even quicker.

Although this dagger is long, it’s not that wide so you can conceal it on your

person if you wanted.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 127

Bug-Out Secret # 34

There are of course times during a disaster or crisis where you may wish to be

found.

In these circumstances, having a flare gun is great for signaling rescue crews to

your location.

But flare guns can actually double as a “covert weapon” as well…

Firing a flare into a bad guy’s chest at close range may not be the same as using

a firearm, but a flaming fireball headed your way is not something most people

would want to experience.

Now, while you can pick up a flare

gun in almost any sporting goods

boating departments (or even

some chain stores like Wal-Mart),

I actually suggest you get

26.5mm flare gun like the

Russian or Czech model.

Why?

Because these versions have the

capability for you to add a special

insert that transforms your flare

gun into a REAL gun that allows

you to shoot either 22LR rounds,

.45 caliber, or 410 shot shells.

You can find these inserts at www.CheaperThanDirt.com or other retailers online.

Other weapons considerations include...

Handguns are lighter and more portable, but subject to more restrictions and not

as useful for hunting and self-defense at long-range.

Shotguns are widely available and useful for hunting game, but their range is

limited compared to rifles and they’re not nearly as accurate (beacuse they are

smoothbore weapons).

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 128

Bug-Out Secret # 35

If you’re carrying an entrenching tool in your bug-out bag, you’re on the right

track.

An entrenching tool is incredibly useful.

It can be used to dig latrines, bury your garbage, dig out a vehicle that is stuck in

snow or mud, or even to chop wood in a pinch.

However, the standard military e-tool packs more weight than we like for bugging

out.

Consider a Mini Entrenching Tool

instead - a modern version of the

e-tool with a collapsible handle.

It’s smaller than traditional military

tools and will be sufficient for a pretty

much any utility need you may have

for it on your trek to safety.

And it’s also a formidable weapon!

Think about it: Plant the thin edge of

a mini e-tool in someone’s skull and

you’ll split it wide open.

This new version even has a spike

(pick) on the back that basically

transforms it into a commando

fighting tomahawk.

Rifles are very useful for hunting and self-defense at long range, but they’re

bulky and harder to hide from observers as you travel.

That being said, there are more compact models on the market now like the U.S.

Survival AR-7, and even the Ruger 10-22 Long Rifle now has a “takedown”

version that allows you to store the rifle in two separate pieces and reassemble it

within a matter seconds.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 129

Bug-Out Secret # 36

Having all the guns, ammunition, and magazines in the world won’t help you if a

critical spring or firing pin breaks.

This is especially feasible due to the environmental problems that often come

with disaster such as weather exposure, contaminants, etc.

Look up a firearms accessory provider who offers complete spare parts kits and

individual spare parts for your weapons.

Besides keeping a cleaning kit in your bug-out bag, make sure you have a few

spare gun parts on hand for your gun’s high-wear parts, especially things like

firing pins, extractors, and recoil springs.

A broken gun is a useless paperweight, and in times of crisis, you never know

when you’re going to need it to be functional.

Another option for keeping your survival rifle to a size that’s concealable is a

folding stock for rifles in states where they’re legal.

What you shouldn’t do is cut down a rifle that you intend to use as a large

“handgun,” retaining the longer barrel for greater range as this is a violation of

firearms laws

Your rifle must always meet minimum federal overall length standards.

However, concealability is also one of your considering factors when deciding on

a firearm for bugging out.

Those who spot you with a rifle or other firearm will either want to take it from you

for their own survival or as a precautionary order such as the collection of

firearms from citizens done by law enforcement and military during Hurricane

Katrina.

Keep your firepower compact and concealed as much as possible!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 130

Bug-Out Secret # 37

You know those folding camp chairs that

collapse up nice and neat and get carted

around in their own little handy stuff bag?

Well no idiot would be carting one of

these around in a bug-out evacuation,

would they?

That’s EXACTLY what other people will

be thinking about YOU as they see you

walking with one of these folding

camping chair bags strapped to the

outside of your pack as you make your

way through populated areas.

What they don’t know (and you do!) is that that’s not a chair stuffed into the tote

bag… but rather your survival rifle!

This is a sneaky trick for hiding your weapon in plain sight that no one will

suspect – not even police and military!

Of course you’ll need to pack a rifle that will actually fit in the pack and the

aforementioned AR-7 and Ruger 10-22 takedown model that will fit perfectly.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 131

Bug-Out Secret # 38

Since caveman days, a walking stick has served woods-walkers well… and its

reputation is well deserved even in modern times.

Let’s face it, you’re not bugging out anywhere with a sprained ankle so a walking

stick is extremely helpful for…

• Walking over rough or icy terrain

• Helping you keep your balance as a “third leg” when crossing rocky streams

and descending steep slopes

• Extending to children or other team members to help them ascend a difficult

climb

• Walking longer, farther, and with less fatigue by using two poles as supports

as you walk (just think of them as cross country ski poles)

Especially helpful for preppers are

the new modern versions of the

telescoping walking pole you

should add to your bug-out gear.

Design-wise, they’re extremely

lightweight and super compact so

they can be easily collapsed for

storage and quickly extended for

instant action.

But there’s also a combat role

for these tools as well…

In melee, a walking pole can be

an effective “face-stabber” to

defend yourself from a distance.

And military snipers know that

poles can serve as a stable

support for your survival rifle

while standing to aim steadier and

hit your target more reliably and

from a farther distance.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 132

Bug-Out Evasion Support

As we’ve stated earlier, your goal in a bug-out scenario will likely be to become

as invisible as possible as you make your way to safety.

Evading looters, law enforcement, military, or just friendly neighbors looking to

sponge off of your good sense to prepare ahead of time is one of your primary

tasks to make it to your destination unscathed and ready for the next phase of

your survival plan.

But there may be times when you and/or your party may have to travel through

populated areas or come into contact with others, such as:

• To obtain supplies from government dispersion points

• Barter with local citizens for items you need.

• Military check points

• Or just to get through a populated area quickly.

The reality is, in most parts of the world where society lives, there’s going to be

other people somewhere in your area during a crisis and you need to manage

your visibility and avoid being seen as a “target” as much as possible.

But there’s no need to stick twigs and leaves in your hair and try to act like a

bush.

In fact, you want to blend in as much as possible, which is why we’ve advised

you not to wear camouflage clothing and look like a soldier.

However, when the threat of detection is higher or you’re in an area that’s more

heavily populated or you perceive it to be a bigger risk, it may require you to

become… shall we say, “sneakier”… and more creative with how you keep

people away from you.

Fortunately, all you may need is a just a couple of tricks in your bag that can

quickly get you through a rough area or out of a tough spot and none of them

take up much room in your bag.

Here are some of the best “evasion” secrets that may come in handy…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 133

Bug-Out Secret # 39

Sure, having a bug out battle tank (ie. the family automobile) will get you to your

destination faster than being on foot… but if you’re the only vehicle puttering

around town or along the highway, scooting past a line of stalled vehicles with

empty gas tanks, then you could quickly become a target.

That’s why one of the best bug out vehicles you should think of is a bicycle.

Personally, if I find myself ever forced to bug out on foot with my pack, the first

thing I’m going to do is locate bikes for me and my family because they don’t

need gas… they don’t get gridlocked in traffic… and yet you can still travel about

75-100 miles per day with your bug out gear to your destination.

Plus, in a collapse, you may be able to find some… um… “spare” bikes in

abandoned garages or (and here’s a sneaky secret) rented storage units!

Just break the lock on a storage unit on your bug out

route and you’re likely to find a few family bikes stashed

inside.

But here’s where the secret I want to share…

The most common maintenance issue you’ll come

across are flat tires – either yours or on bikes stored

for a long time.

Fix-A-Flat (yes,

the same as the

car stuff) makes a

small 6 oz size

version for fast

temporary repair of

bicycle tires.

This is great for fast fixes when you’re in an

area you don’t want to be stuck in… but I

also suggest you carry an ultra-small mini

bike pump and a patch kit for longer term

transportation insurance.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 134

Bug-Out Secret # 40

Think of this is the prepper’s disguise kit.

When bugging out, you don’t want to be hassled by beggars or looters who think

you look prepared.

Well, what’s the fastest way to look less than prepared?

It’s to look like Hell.

If you look like Death warmed

over, the last thing anyone is

going to think is that you’re well

off and well equipped.

Pick up a small 5-color camo face

paint case and make sure it has

white cammo paint in it.

Pasty white circles painted under

your eyes (emphasized by faking

a slow, hunched walk and

coughing) will make you look dirty

and diseased.

And looking diseased can be very

helpful.

Especially in an emergency, with medical treatment hard to come by, people

avoid sickness like... well, like the plague.

They don’t want to have anything to do with people who might transmit

something to them.

Who would want to steal food from a sick person?

That food could be contaminated in any number of ways, right?

This is probably the sneakiest trick in the book to keep most predators far away

from you.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 135

Bug-Out Secret # 41

If you’ve ever read a comic book, you’ve stumbled over one of the best kept

secrets of survival gear.

Mixed in amongst the x-ray spectacles

and joy buzzers is a little product that

has been available for a long time.

Stink Bombs are vials of smelly liquid

commonly used as pranks.

They release a horrifying smell for up to

20 minutes.

The idea is to make your friends

uncomfortable by stinking up their home,

their locker, or their car.

But you can use stink bombs for

evading opportunists, beggars, and

even military and law enforcement.

Just lightly dab a handkerchief or cloth in

the liquid to produce a light touch of that

“stay away from me” odor that will cause

others to want to leave you alone.

You can always discard your smelly rag once you’re in the clear.

You might also be able to use these at the entrance of a building that you’re

hiding in so that passers-by will give the “contaminated” area a wide berth.

Of course, you’ll have to put up with the smell for as long as you use it...

Adding a surgical mask over your face (with a dab of tea tree oil so you don’t

have to smell your own stink) will make you look more diseased and unwell.

Sneaky, eh? ☺

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 136

Bug-Out Secret # 42

In a bug-out scenario, it’s possible that someone will try to stop you – like at a

checkpoint by authorities or even by looters or other predators – and looking for

things to take from you.

In these situations, the only

option you have for keeping

what’s valuable to you is hiding it.

We can take a page from home

defense for this purpose.

A secret storage book can be

purchased, or even made, to

keep your gear hidden away,

such as a small gun, cash, or

other valuables.

They look like any other book

because they start out as any

other book.

On a bookshelf, they’re

undetectable.

In your bug-out bag, they’re unlikely to arouse interest.

Creating your own hollow book (paperback or hardcover) is as simple as cutting

a square template from cardboard and then using a razor blade to cut several

pages at a time (hint – leave the first few pages uncut so it looks like a real book

upon opening the cover).

Once your “secret vault” is carved out, brush some glue along the inside of it to

stick the pages together

A little patience will produce a custom hiding place that conforms to whatever you

need to stash.

Keep a rubber band wrapped around it in your bag so it doesn’t open up inside or

when it’s tossed aside by someone rifling around inside to shake you down.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 137

Bug-Out Secret # 43

When you stop to rest at night while bugging out, you need to maintain proper

security from hostile citizens, looters, and possibly authorities.

If you have enough members of your party, you can post a guard at night but let’s

face it… people miss things, and sometimes fall asleep when they shouldn’t.

Trying to stay awake and alert all the time isn’t possible and worse, it creates a

level of paranoia that will leave you exhausted.

You have to rest… recharge your body’s batteries… and yet still maintain

security to keep your party safe.

The best way to do this is with a

Perimeter Alarm and Tripwire.

While there are high-tech gadgets that will

sound a loud audible alarm, you may not

want your position to be given away so

pack two “Bear Bells” in your bug-out

bag as an alternative.

These large “jingle bells” were designed

for wearing as you walk through the woods

to scare off bears (or attach to a dog’s

collar to keep track of them in the bush),

but they can also alert you to someone in

your area of operation (AO) as well.

Simply line your AO with a line dental floss connected to the bells tied off inside

your hooch to wake you if tripped.

Note: I create a perimeter by running the line through eye-screws attached to

trees; using two lines attached to their own individual bell and tied off on

separate ends of my shelter lets me know what area of my perimeter has

been breeched.

Another option is to use your rat trap as the alarm as it’s less likely give away

your position and will just sound like a large, single twig snap in the dark.

Just avoid setting booby-traps that can hurt people –people you DON’T want to

see hurt – like a child getting up to pee on a tree, right?

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 138

Bug-Out Bartering Items

In a survival situation, money isn’t always your best “currency” for getting the

things you need for sustainable living.

In fact, riots, looting, and theft are rampant after disasters as desperate folks

realize that their money is of little use when you’re hungry and there’s no grocery

store to take their dough.

As money loses it’s luster over time, honest folks will look toward trading items

they own and services they offer in exchange for things they need.

That’s why mastering the little-know skills of “survival bartering” can mean the

difference between life and death in a crisis or life after a collapse.

Bug-Out Secret # 44

When my fellow soldiers and I were

road-marching in the military, there was

always one “food” we were never

without…Jolly Rancher candies!

I know… doesn’t sound like much of a

“secret”, right? Well consider this…

Jolly Ranchers (or other sweet hard

candy) will help stave off thirst (even in

dry climates)… keep your kids’ mouths

occupied so they don’t complain as much… and trigger your brain’s “pleasure

center” to help you and your family overcome the rigors of marching.

But here’s a real “Jedi Mind Trick” offered by this candy…

Jolly Ranchers are a sneaky way to “make friends” along the way as you start up

a conversation with locals you may want to barter with.

This “initial offering” of something pleasurable subconsciously gets your target

bartering companion mentally on your side and make them willingly fold when the

hard negotiation begins! Works like a charm!

Pack a small bag and consider them a “secret weapon” to be used sparingly.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 139

Now don’t think that bartering is as easy as a friendly smile, a Jolly Rancher, a

trade of a pair of socks for a can of beans, and a good-bye handshake.

When people are desperate, scared, and hungry, they change… for the worse!

And besides, when you’re bugging out, it’s not like you can afford to carry a

bunch of extra items just for trading – you need them for your own survival, right?

However, there are some sneaky “extras” you can have packed away in your

bug-out bag that can be even more valuable than gold to the right person at the

right time… and land you some life-saving items along the way.

Bug-Out Secret # 45

In prison, inmates know that cigarettes are the most coveted form of “currency”

that makes things happen behind bars – and that’s a valuable lesson for the bug-

out prepper when domestic

supplies are cut off to society!

Whether you smoke or not is

irrelevant - take them out of

their packs and stack several

cigarettes in an Altoids tin,

which is almost exactly the

right size.

This may, in fact, be the

ultimate barter item, because

there’s no way there will be

enough smokes in a collapsed

supply system and in a

desperate need for nicotine, smokers will trade almost anything for a fix!

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 140

Bug-Out Secret # 46

Ok, I know I already said that money isn’t your only currency in a crisis, but cash

is still king in the short term.

Yet it always kills me when someone proudly shows me their bug-out bag and I

ask them to pull out the cash they have stored inside.

Most of them look at me speechless

and figure they’ll just hit the ATM on

their way out of the city.

A small fraction light up with a “gotcha”

grin and reach in to pull out their small

bag of gold and silver coins they’ll use

for money in the post-apocalyptic

wasteland where U.S. currency is no

longer usable.

Neither option works.

If you’re planning on hitting the ATM networks when the balloon goes up, realize

that if it’s not out of cash from the other people running to protect their funds in

an emergency... there likely won’t even be power to run the machine.

That’s why you need to have at least $100 in cash (preferably per person and in

small bills, NOT large denominations) pre-stashed inside a pocket of your bug-

out bag.

Don’t worry about gold or silver for a three-day emergency kit.

The rest of society will still want US dollars, not whatever you’ve stored away for

the prepper apocalypse.

While the value of currency in some emergencies is debatable, it is absolutely a

fact that you should have some cash in your bug-out bag.

Remember that a situation that is tolerable when you have a hundred, or even

fifty or sixty dollars in your pocket, can be almost impossible if you have no

money at all.

Along those lines, carry a pre-paid phone card for use with pay phones, too,

because in many emergencies, there won't be power to recharge your cell phone

and the network on which that phone runs may fail.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 141

Bug-Out Secret # 47

Most people think of alcohol as something for either binge drinking or as rubbing

alcohol, which can be used as a sterilizer.

Well, it’s both those things.

Alcohol of sufficient proof can be an emergency

antiseptic.

In fact, it’s a staple of certain types of “battlefield”

medicine, in which you need to sterilize a wound or

medical tools or even if a victim simply needs it as a

“virtual anesthesia” to dull his senses with alcohol

and withstand the pain.

The best option here is to stock up on 3-6 “airline-

sized” mini bottles filled with Bacardi 151 or

Everclear.

They’re small, portable, self-contained, and the alcohol

within them is potent enough to use for sterilization –

plus they’re a great backup for another reason…

Perhaps the biggest use for

alcohol, however, is as a trade

or barter item.

In an emergency situation,

especially one of any duration,

people will want alcohol for the

comfort and escape it provides.

What you need, however, is

alcohol to carry that can be easily

traded in small units.

That’s what currency is, really: a means of exchanging small units of value to

accommodate different transactions.

As a trade item, I prefer a handful of “Pocket Shot” style mixed-packets which

are plastic packs of various popular liquors.

These travel best and take up very little room with very little weight.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 142

Bug-Out Secret # 48

I don’t want to offend anyone. I really don’t.

Whether you choose to view hardcore porn or find

it disgusting, it’s a fact that a large segment of the

population does find it desirable.

What I mean is that pornography is a vice, like

alcohol… and that can make it an extremely

valuable trade item.

In a crisis, you have to look at people’s vices and

see what they’ll consider valuable.

Porn is one of those things.

It’s an escape, a creature comfort, and it’s one of the possible “currencies of

crisis.”

So how do you trade porn?

Obviously, you can’t carry around stacks of old magazines - but you can tear

pages of out of these and carry them in tradable packets.

While power may be in short supply during an emergency, there will be people

who have battery operated players.

This means that adult DVDs will also be of value if you can find the right person

to trade with.

Depending on how desperate you are, this just might secure you valuable food

and supplies.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 143

Bug-Out Personal Items

The following tips are things that you may find to be “basic”, but frankly, so few

people ever consider to pack them, it makes them “secrets” in and of themselves.

Bug-Out Secret # 49

If you’re like me, you prep because you want to protect your family and loved

ones and keep them safe.

With the dynamics that are inherent in a crisis – natural or man-made – it’s quite

possible that you and those you protect can become separated.

You could lose track of them in the chaos of a riot… separated by authorities for

order, arrest or movement… or a child could simply wander off without notice.

It’s for this reason that you should

carry with you photos of your

children and spouse, as well as

anyone else in your party.

This allows you to identify your

family or party members to

authorities or to other civilians, so

you can try to find them and/or

claim them.

Remember, having pictures on your cell phone or computer, like most of us do,

won’t help you in an emergency if they get broken or your power source fails.

You have to have real, hardcopy photos in color for better identification.

In addition, have digital copies of a few good headshot photos of each family

member on hand so that it can be given to authorities and shared digitally across

their network to increase your range and chances of locating a separated party

member.

Speaking of which…

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 144

Bug-Out Secret # 50

Nearly every one of your unprepared neighbors will react to an evacuation the

exact same way - in a panicked mad scramble for a few cans of food… some

pillows… luggage with clothes… and finally, the family photo albums and videos.

In fact, packing these types of emotional items are always tops on the list

because let’s face it... if you were to lose your captured moments in a storm, fire,

or other disaster, they'd be gone FOREVER!

But not only do these boxes of memories take up valuable space that can be

used for important things like food and water – but the time wasted trying to

decide what’s important and what can be left behind to make room for the stack

of VHS tapes from your kids’ toddler years is time that could jam you right smack

dab into the middle of the gridlocked highway.

Time is of the essence when you decide

to get out of Dodge and every second

counts - but then you really don’t want to

abandon all those memories for the sake

of a few cans of baked beans, right?

The answer comes in embracing our

advancements in technology - buy

yourself a few high-capacity flash drive

USB memory sticks at your local

electronics store (or even the grocery

store these days).

These mini-storage cards are super tiny and hold a LOT of storage space on

them and once you have them, either scan your photos and convert your home

videos into MP4 video files and then copy those digital files over onto your

portable flash drives.

(If that sounds too techy for you, there are cheap services out there where all you

do is drop off your box-o-photos and videos and they'll do all the transfer for you!)

Keep these flash drives either in a safe container in your bug-out bag or in an

easy-to-snag location at home where you don't have to go looking for them.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 145

Bug-Out Secret # 51

Often overlooked in emergency planning is what you’ll do when the emergency is

over.

What good is bugging out when, once you get back, you have no proof that you

owned your home and property before it was severely damaged by a storm or a

wildfire?

What good is it to survive a disaster if you can’t then prove who you are and what

you own?

You should keep all your critical documents (preferably legally valid duplicates,

which can usually be obtained by paying a fee to the issuing clerk or authority)

with you when you bug-out.

Make photocopies of all IDs and credit cards, too, and keep these separate from

your wallet where the originals are located.

Store everything in Ziploc bags or, even better, purpose-made watertight

pouches that come with some of the tactical bags on the market.

In addition, keep digital versions of these documents on a USB drive (see Secret

# 50) for backup reference.

Your critical documents should include.

• Bank account numbers

• Credit card records

• Drivers license

• Birth certificates

• Passports

• Property deeds & titles

• Registrations (Weapons, etc.)

• Social Security Cards

• Prescriptions

• Any other important paperwork

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 146

Bug-Out Secret # 52

In speaking with military SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape)

instructors, I’ve discovered that surviving during hard times like captivity is

critically dependent on your mental state.

Same holds true for surviving during a large scale disaster or even enemy attack.

One of the common methods used by prisoners of war (POW’s) to stay strong

and not give up was to create an American flag (out of anything they could find)

that they could secretly keep hidden and pull out when they needed a jolt of

patriotism to push on.

As a patriot and ex-soldier myself, I can identify with this practice and I decided

to pack my own version of my country’s flag…

What I did was take an 18”x12” cloth American flag and sewed onto the back an

18”x12” orange signal flag.

This easily rolls up and tucks away into my bug out bag and now offers me

multiple benefits…

US flag for…

• Patriotic inspiration to push on and SURVIVE!

• Signal to friendly troops as I approach checkpoint in “enemy” territory

Orange flag for…

• Waving when I need to get someone’s attention for rescue, rallying, etc.

• Use as marker for helicopter landing zone

• Put in tree top to signal random aircraft (if I need to be rescued)

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 147

Budgeting For Bug-Out Gear

A lot of people don't prepare for bugging out, or survival in general, because the

task just seems so daunting.

They worry that they don't have the money to spend on stockpiling all kinds of

survival gear.

They figure they have more immediate problems.

Hope, however, is a not a long-term survival solution... and you CAN afford to

prepare now, no matter what your budget.

You would be amazed, for example, just how much survival gear can be found in

dollar stores.

You can take the first-aid kits you buy in dollar stores and add to them the

contents of a sewing kit, together with a butane lighter, some safety pins, a razor

blade, and either some superglue or another brand-name synthetic skin.

Do this, and you've got a great little bug-out bag medical kit.

For a few dollars, you can buy packages that contain multiple items (five butane

lighters to a package, for example) and make multiple kits whose price averages

out to just a few dollars each.

If you have kids, add some colorful character-bandages... and even if you don't,

an adult won't care and any kids you encounter along the way just might.

There are plenty of mail-order catalogs and websites that offer inexpensive

survival gear, too.

Another GREAT place to look is the camping section of Wal-Mart.

Every town, it seems, has a Wal-Mart, and you can get magnesium fire-starting

blocks and a variety of other survival gear for dirt-cheap prices at these stores.

But don’t get sucked into grabbing every cool tool you see on the shelves.

Sure it would be nice to roast marshmallows over that handy portable camp

stove… but it’s just not practical for bug-out purposes.

The important thing to do is to start with your most critical items first and build

from there.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 148

In other words, if you had to bug-out TOMORROW, what would you need in

order to at least get started.

Looked at from this perspective, having a fancy, shmancy bug-out bag like the

one we recommend may not be in your budget… so an inexpensive camping

backpack can take its place until you can upgrade to your “dream bag”.

Also, while you may not have the perfect clothes for an extreme bug-out

scenario, you DO own clothes, right?

Pull out what you have that comes the closest to what we’ve described and start

with these in your bag first.

These are just a few examples of what you can improvise with in the short-term.

Start with what you have and slowly add things like food and water aids, etc.

Just make sure not to get lazy a few weeks in.

Take just a little big out of each paycheck with the goal of adding something new

from our list each payday until you have the ultimate “extreme bug-out bag”

ready to go at a moment’s notice.

www.ModernCombatAndSurvival.com 149

Test Your Bug-Out Gear

Most of the time the gear that you rely on should look like hell.

This is because you should be using it, and practicing with it regularly.

Look at the gun in the waistband of someone who carries a gun day in and day

out.

That person isn't carrying a "safe queen" if he uses that gun on a regular basis.

Never field gear you haven't tested, and if you buy something, try it out before

you pack it in your bag.

Buy two fire blocks, for example, instead of one, so that you can test one of

them.

Cycle through your carry gear and make sure you use up any consumables,

replacing them with fresh items.

This way, you won't have expired

medication or other perishables in your

bag.

The same goes for batteries, which have

limited shelf lives.

Building a bug-out bag is absolutely

useless if you don’t test your gear and

know you can depend on it.

Use its contents. Practice. Get familiar

with what you carry.

Building a bag, and then learning how to

use what’s in it, could be all that saves

your life when an emergency happens.

If you like, you can check out my own

Extreme Bug-Out Bag (our “X-BOB”) at

www.SurvivalGearSecrets.com.

Train hard. Stay safe. Prepare now.

Survival Kit Bug Out Bag V3

Navigation menu

Versions of this User Manual:

Views

Navigation