Beginner's BOB Gear Requirements

[Scythe13]

I think this will be one of the first gear lists I've recommended for those new to prepping.

Okay, this will be easy enough, and most of you will probably already have much of this gear already. Others will already have this gear packed and ready to be used. But for those new to camping and BOB trials, this post will be a good starting point.

Opinions on gear will vary, but take this list as a basic foundation. Not just for camping, but also for building a BOB (Bug Out Bag).

First off, we'll look at the basis for our gear selection...the Rule of Three.
Please note, the Rule of Three should be based around Bugging Out, but for the 3 Minute rule, camping doesn't have the same requirements.

The Rule of Three.


Three Minutes without air (for a BOB it's really required, camping...you'll get locked up as a nutter on most camp sites haha).

You can't survive Three Minutes without air. Please don't take this at literal, it is just a guideline concept, and no I don't mean while you're stuck underwater. We'll put this as more of a survival situation. So, the first thing to think about, you cannot survive for long with contaminated air around you, or if you're trapped in an avalanche, or if you're building an air tight hut. You need air. With regards to gear, you'd probably be looking more towards the contaminated air situation, for this instance. The others you can sort out with common sense and training. But for contaminated air, you'll be wanting a gas-mask.


Secondly, you can't survive Three Hours without shelter.
Shelter comes in MANY different forms. Clothing, tent, tarp, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, etc. But this will be the first thing to deal with for camping. The most important thing is to stay warm. Even in the summer, that's vital to get you through. Oddly, most people look towards getting a great tent. Which is cool. But not the most important thing. The most important thing, in my experience, is a good quality sleeping system. The system is a combination of sleeping bag and sleeping mat, plus maybe an inner liner or bivvy.

I have said many times to my Scouts and to those around, a low quality sleeping bag in a good quality tent can kill you. While a good quality sleeping bag in a low quality tent will still keep you alive. Keep this in mind when you buy your sleeping gear.

You can't survive Three Days without water.
Again, this is a guideline, don't take it as being exactly three days.
This means that once you have your Three Hour situation sorted (shelter) the next thing you need to consider is water. Now, there is an overlap with water and food, but for now, we'll just consider water. You'll want a water carry system. Think water bottle or canteen. Then you need to filter it and purify it. This is where water purification tablets come into play, as does water filters, e.g. Katerdyn or Survival Straw's. It's easy enough to work this bit out.

OVERLAP.
Lastly, with water, the ability to boil water is important. This is where the overlap with food comes in...so let's jump over to that part.

You can't survive Three Weeks without Food.
Check it out, we're now looking at cooking pots and pans, gas cookers, and the alike. This can also be used to boil water. See the overlap?
This is where knowledge and resources come into play. Carrying a little extra can go a long way.

So, we're all done right?

NOPE! But this is a good starting list.

I can already hear you all screaming "Scythe13, you're a knife guy. What the hell? You've not mentioned any knives or anything like that yet?" You're right. I've not. Neither have I mentioned toilet paper or tooth paste or first aid. Why not? Because at the moment, if you're new to prepping, you have enough to worry about with all the extra stuff going on and the hassle from friends and family and the odd looks in the office, and the far-away-glossed-look in your eyes....haha. I'm kidding.

We're just looking at how to start off your gear for your BOB and for survival camping. Looking at skills would be where knives and first aid kits come into play. Are they as important as high quality gear? Damn right they are! Are they as simple to use as a sleeping bag and tent? Urm...NO! Try whittling a spoon, and then try getting into a sleeping bag. Slight difference in skill level right? What about weaving a basket or carving a fire board?

With skills comes an advancement in items to carry.

If you're new to prepping and looking at building a BOB, keep it simple to start with.

p.s. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE carry toilet paper in your bag!!! You can't survive Three Social Situations without toilet paper haha.