Real Life Bug Out Bag

[Soundguy]

Easy to forget the basics.

In our modern automobile centric world, what many people have on their feet would make 5 miles tough.

Rdgs, D.

You really think so? The average semi active person walks around 5 miles a day. I'm not talking couch potato, bus driver, and other professions that have you 'growing' out of a chair.

5m is my minimum target per day, not counting my exercise walk. That's all done in boots.. which is what I wear 99.999% of the time. If I'm awake and have been awake for more than 20 minutes.. I'm in boots.

I'm pretty sure that even walmart 1$ flip-flops would let someone walk around all day, multiple days.. weeks... before blowing out.

 

[frugalangler]

Sans frigid temps, anything above about 40*F I wear sock-less sandals (when I'm wearing 'footwear') and can walk further in those than any other shoes I've ever had - but I do agree that women wearing high heels will definitely be challenged. You might go only 20 minutes until you put your boots on, that's your style, but unless I'm on rough terrain such as gravel I'm barefoot or at most my sandals.

I'm always amazed at some of the south African folks that go barefoot all the time, even the athletes - and I can see why they run barefoot - I wear the lightest footwear I can and despise when I have to don heavy boots, I feel like they are a ball and chain, but I suppose it's what you get used to.

 

[MossRoad]

You really think so? The average semi active person walks around 5 miles a day. I'm not talking couch potato, bus driver, and other professions that have you 'growing' out of a chair.

5m is my minimum target per day, not counting my exercise walk. That's all done in boots.. which is what I wear 99.999% of the time. If I'm awake and have been awake for more than 20 minutes.. I'm in boots.

I'm pretty sure that even walmart 1$ flip-flops would let someone walk around all day, multiple days.. weeks... before blowing out.

I think what he's getting at is most people don't wear sturdy shoes. I didn't when I was in I.T. Didn't need to. And wasn't thinking about having to hike out of the zombie apocalypse to get to safety. Now that I'm zombie aware, I wear sturdy shoes.

 

[aczlan]

You really think so? The average semi active person walks around 5 miles a day. I'm not talking couch potato, bus driver, and other professions that have you 'growing' out of a chair.

5m is my minimum target per day, not counting my exercise walk. That's all done in boots.. which is what I wear 99.999% of the time. If I'm awake and have been awake for more than 20 minutes.. I'm in boots.

I'm pretty sure that even walmart 1$ flip-flops would let someone walk around all day, multiple days.. weeks... before blowing out.

I would count myself as semi active and I have averaged just under 2 miles per day since September (about 4000 steps per day with a 2.5' step according to the pedometer on my phone).
The WHO reccommends 10,000 steps per day which would be about 4.7 miles with my stride.

Aaron Z

 

[kevinwak]

The one thing I make sure to keep around and keep fresh is a supply of gas. A few years back when ft mcmurray was evacuated due to forest fires people were running out of gas on the highway. The gas stations in town had such long line ups and there was such a traffic jam on the highway that people didn’t have a chance to fill up and even some of those that did ran out along the highway due to traffic jams.

 

[/pine]

For those that have critical health issues that require daily medications may have problems maintaining a supply in certain scenarios...

Also, I saw a headline today that said the sfb's running N.K. is testing warheads loaded with Anthrax...so toss a few 60 day regimes of Cipro in the bag...!

 

[MossRoad]

My wife stuck a fitbit on me about 3 months ago... I average about 11,000+ per day. If I didn't count weekends, I'd average closer to 15K per day.

 

[aczlan]

My wife stuck a fitbit on me about 3 months ago... I average about 11,000+ per day. If I didn't count weekends, I'd average closer to 15K per day.

During apple harvest, I am in the 9-12k steps/day range. This time of year, its a lot lower though.

Aaron Z

 

[3930dave]

I think what he's getting at is most people don't wear sturdy shoes. I didn't when I was in I.T. Didn't need to. And wasn't thinking about having to hike out of the zombie apocalypse to get to safety. Now that I'm zombie aware, I wear sturdy shoes.

Bingo.

That, and areas like FL don't have (what Canucks call) cold-weather. Walk 5+ miles here in Winter wearing running shoes or less.... on a bad day you're looking at frostbite.

Appropriate boots are always a good choice..... feet being the most critical mobility items we own.... Don't get me started on flip-flops.....

No doubt, plenty of people on TBN here walk a lot. Many people don't though.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

The one thing I make sure to keep around and keep fresh is a supply of gas. A few years back when ft mcmurray was evacuated due to forest fires people were running out of gas on the highway. The gas stations in town had such long line ups and there was such a traffic jam on the highway that people didn稚 have a chance to fill up and even some of those that did ran out along the highway due to traffic jams.

Good example. Faced with walking out of an impending fire-zone, the only thing I'd want on my feet would be heavy boots.

Gasoline shortages often severely limit options. A bicycle can be a great way to get through stalled traffic. Small displacement motorcycles have great mpg performance.

Rgds, D.

 

[Soundguy]

I would count myself as semi active and I have averaged just under 2 miles per day since September (about 4000 steps per day with a 2.5' step according to the pedometer on my phone).
The WHO reccommends 10,000 steps per day which would be about 4.7 miles with my stride.

Aaron Z

exactly... 10k steps / 5 miles.

I know fro a fact even a 1$ set of walmart flip flops will survive that... multiple times over.

I have a set of 4.99$ walmart brand 'aqua socks' those ar ethe mesh topped, thin soled 'shoes' you wear when walking on the beach, kayaking, or paddle boarding, etc. I have a pair that is going on 2 years now. their soles are about 1/3rd as thick as a walmart flip flop. Some of the tread on mine are wearing.. but it's still an intact sole. i wear these when going to the beach, kayaking, paddle boarding, and many times when camping / fishing / kayaking.

I can guarantee you I've done miles per day in these with no problems walking thru woods, sandy beaches, slippery surfaces, mucky riverbeds, logs, etc. I have a nicer set of Cressi's that are made of neophrene wetsuit material with a thicker rubber capped bottom that are essentially a dive show / boot, and i wear those when kayaking in areas that have mild rapids.

 

[aczlan]

exactly... 10k steps / 5 miles.

I know fro a fact even a 1$ set of walmart flip flops will survive that... multiple times over.

I have a set of 4.99$ walmart brand 'aqua socks' those ar ethe mesh topped, thin soled 'shoes' you wear when walking on the beach, kayaking, or paddle boarding, etc. I have a pair that is going on 2 years now. their soles are about 1/3rd as thick as a walmart flip flop. Some of the tread on mine are wearing.. but it's still an intact sole. i wear these when going to the beach, kayaking, paddle boarding, and many times when camping / fishing / kayaking.

I can guarantee you I've done miles per day in these with no problems walking thru woods, sandy beaches, slippery surfaces, mucky riverbeds, logs, etc. I have a nicer set of Cressi's that are made of neophrene wetsuit material with a thicker rubber capped bottom that are essentially a dive show / boot, and i wear those when kayaking in areas that have mild rapids.

I will have to look for some of those for "hotel pool" use.

Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

I actually wear those aqua socks in hotel showers and gym / beach bath houses that look like they have never been cleaned.

 

[MossRoad]

I've had the same pair of beach shoes for probably going on 15 years. They wear pretty darn well.

 

[MossRoad]

I've also had really good luck with Sketchers brand shoes, in the hiker style. I buy a new pair every year. Those are my clean pair. I promote the year old ones to daily work shoe status. And I promote the two year old pair to garden work status. I have 3 pairs of garden status now. Nice if I get a pair wet or muddy.

Anyhow, I give them two thumbs up... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Einthewoods]

Get this book. All that you need for that question (and many like it)

There are about 1.643 Million answers to that question on the web, but the book trashes most in a very clear and reasoned way.

 

[tractorshopper]

Another item that has come up in the talking about this is that I would drive NNE to pick up my mother and my wife would drive SSE to pick up her dad. So we would be separated for a while and in two vehicles.
RSKY

Like others have said, you should have a designated meet up spot and maybe an alternate after X hours.

When 9-11 happened, Shaw AFB was sending fighter jets past our local nuclear power station on a regular basis for a while, drilling for potential response to threat type of thing. It got us all to think about what would happen if terrorists hit the nuclear plant. Duke Energy even sent us all living in a 12 mile radius of the plant iodine pills to take just in case of a meltdown. My wife and I did talk about who would grab which kid from school if it ever happened during school day and we would head SW toward Atlanta and had a designated place to meet up in the event of cell failure and inability to reach each other by phone. The reason we would head SW is that is where our normal wind direction comes from. Hence drive in the opposite direction of the projected fall out.

Just typing this now feels pretty silly, but that was a very uncertain time looking back now.

 

[MacLawn]

Oh the weevil's in the cotton.
And the corn don't grow.
Gonna stay right here,
In the home I know.
When you're achin' with the mis'ry,
and you're old and gray,
(headin', headin')
Then you'd better be thankful
that He let you stay.
Let you stay to see the children
playin' 'round your door
(headin', headin')
For the time is soon a'comin'
when you won't be here no more.
Let the rain pour down,
let the cold wind blow
Gonna stay right here
in the home I know.