Add this little package to your bag if you're worried that a boil water notice will be issued while you're walking home. www.spiritussystems.com/cana-provisions-water-decon-kit/
I'm 51, pretty much in the same boat with my spine, keep that jeep gassed up and running well because, in our situation, a breakdown could mean life or death.
I had 2 cheap tarps as well the first time I did a get home and a cheap tarp and a poncho the second along with a brew kit. You're uncomfortable, scared some of the time, you don't set up camp unless it's raining, you wear the tarps, poncho for a couple of hours sleep if not raining. You just want to get home so walk as much as possible and only sleep when you are too tired to do anything else and feel relatively safe. Coffee is your big treat, what gets you through and awake. Simple but not fun.
FINALLY someone who gets it!!! IF you are walking home-you need good shoes, water, maybe an extra layer, and thats it. I have my EDC bag, which MAYBE weighs 10 lbs-with water. Also, people are generally charitable. If on the off chance, you can NOT make it home-surely someone will take you in. As to "tactical" looking bags. There was a blog written, shortly after hurricane Katrina, by a guy who lived through that. There was a TON of practical, real world information he wrote about. I wish I could remember the name of it-ghosts of Katrina, maybe? Anyway, the point I was getting at: First, it didnt matter WHAT bag you used. No one cared if it were a tactical, a school bag, or a suitcase. Either you were a target, or you werent. A bag is a bag. When everyone is evacuating-the ONLY people that care are simply targeting people with packs, period. Second, and I rarely see people address this: ALWAYS carry cash. Rule of thumb, for me, is $200. $100 of that in $20 bills, then 5 $10, 5 $5 bills, and 25 $1 bills. IF its a large scale situation (like a hurricane), there is no electricity. So, no credit cards. Cash is king.
Thank you for this realistic down to earth take on a get home bag. I’m setting up a get home bag for me and a friend. It’s slightly extra but not over the top. I characterize it more so as a two-day rapid deployment move fast bag. I chose the Camelbak HAWG as my bag.
When I was working it was only 12 miles but there was a major river to cross. If all the bridges were out I would have had to cross that river. I never did get a blow up kayak or wet suit which I would have needed .Get home bags are very subject to to area and circumstance. I agree with you on how people have so much gear to go 20 miles.
This was the best video I've watched in a long time. I've been prepping for years and always considered my 72 hour bag to be my get home bag. You just squared me away on this. Much appreciated!
This is a very good video and points out the elephant in the room of GHB videos. I carry a bunch of stuff in my van in case I’m stranded somewhere and can’t walk out, like a blizzard closed highway. I’m good to go for 72 hours easily while department of transportation clears the road. My GHB is too much for one person to comfortably carry but my plan is to take only what I’ll need depending upon the circumstances and either leave the rest with my abandoned van or give my extras to someone who may not be walking my way. Also where I live is a piedmont region and creeks are everywhere so a water filter is probably the best option. My first four quarts of water is already packed in the bag and I always have several bottles of water in the van along with those tasty boat rations.
AWSOME video! This is the first honest and realistic video I’ve ever seen. Too many people pack everything and the kitchen sink but get winded walking up a few stairs. Thank you for sharing.
Taking care of your body should be everyone's priority. Mobility and having the capacity to move quickly is key. I absolutely agree with the simple bag, no tactical look. Just keep it simple, blend in, and get home safe. Thank you for this awesome video.
Great video! Makes perfect sense for a regular guy with a regular job. Now as for myself I find myself in different cities 100+ miles away. I do have to bulk up my EDC get home bag but your setup and theory is very viable. Movement is very important. My food is bulked up, 200 bucks in small bills, more batteries, and a box of 380. But that's all added. Now I really want that hat ya got!! My normal carry bag is a small gym size duffel bag but I have one of those 5.11 packable backpacks in the duffle for when I have to get on the move. Holds everything with room to spare. My normal carry gun is a Zastava M70A pistol in 9mm but I always have my lil Beretta pico in 380(always). The M70A might get traded to free up weight so it's expendable. My system is bigger but only because I have a greater distance to travel. Thank you for putting this out there brother
Thanks for the video. It’s refreshing to hear some rational speaking on this issue. I can’t even count how many guys, including friends, that think they need an entire load out full of mags, an AR, etc to get home. My bag consists of wet weather gear, a light sweatshirt, extra socks, water and water tablets, some food and snacks, a small medical kit, and a couple pocket knives and flashlights. I also have a .22lr Henry survival rifle with 2 8 round mags just in case which only adds about 3 1/2-4 pounds. I carry a very lightweight ccw Kahr PM9 with 2 extra mags. My goal isn’t to fight it out in the streets and make contact. My goal is to evade and get home as quickly as possible. Some of these guys think they’re gonna be in the battle of Fallujah or something. All that gear and extra mags and ammo is just going to weigh you down in the end.
My day hike bag is a 24x32 military style canvas laundry bag, I stuff my gear inside and roll it up like a bedroll, used 1100 paracord to tie it up as Bushcraft zipties then attach shoulder strap so I can carry diagonal across my back, attach water bottle pouch + filter to lower end of shoulder strap, looks like old fashion Hobo Bedroll. Weighs 10 pounds including 28oz Gatorade bottle & includes torso size ground insulation. Ground insulation is important, my ground insulation is a 24inch x 10foot piece of reflectix, fold into thirds 24x40inches long torso pad, duct tape the sides to hold it in place then fold in in half to roll inside laundry bag, I use a 55gal contractors trash bag as a bivy sack which comes up to my shoulders, my poncho is my shelter cover.
A LOT of people work 40+ miles from home, or do so a lot of the time and many are a lot further than that. They rent a room, camp out, sleep in their vehicles. If something shuts down the roads/gas/cars, you bet your bootie that it's a bicycle steal a motorycle or forget about going home. You'll never make it on foot (in time) if it's 40 miles. With a bicycle, that's just 4 hours of easy pedaling, even with 40 lbs of stuff on the bike The wheels still roll.
This is the most practical get home bag video. People don't realize the weight cost of all that extra shit. Everything in this is spot on. I only have a recommendation, eye googles, and dust mask. When there's a major emergency, smoke/dust and debris are always present. Fantastic job my man.
Thanks for this! I am older with a very bad back, so these videos recommending 30 lb packs are unrealistic to say the least. I work 10 miles from home on flat terrain so I can make it with your suggestions. I even have a bag like the urban one you showed with the metal in the straps. I feel so relieved. Thank you!
FINALLY, someone with some common sense and logical thinking on this topic. Well done and thank you! Keep videos like this coming, more people need to watch them. There is way too much Fantasy Island BS about bags out there. The KISS principle reigns supreme, in my opinion.
Yeah. Especially if the gravel is lower than the cross ties or if crossing a bridge. Walking on the road or sidewalk or highway shoulder is the way to go if possible.
Good job, post has really good advice about fitness, thats what will make it or break it for anyone...With that Ive had a heat stroke, multiple joint and spine surgeries, I work on fitness but 20 miles a day is not reality for me at 66...What was the most positive thing I got from this is to greatly reduce a local get home bag and have a secondary bag for possible long distances (90 to 600 miles) which could easily be the case for me traveling to see family. You have a old school attitude, I like that but as we age we have to use our heads...The heat stroke happened after pushing myself to far during a August high heat index day in my 40s, I was in good condition and worked outside all the time but that day I let my guard down and paid the price...Consider a video on task planning, energy and enviormental awareness.
My commute varies. Typically, it's about 25 miles, beginning in a semi-urban environment to a very rural home environment. But one to a couple times a month, it's around 200 miles, transiting through very remote, high mountain terrain. Due to this variable, I carry two separate GHBs. One is fairly small, with just a few essentials of additional clothing, one MRE entree, a few snacks, water, a couple spare pistol mags, a headlamp, basic IFAK and a folder. As stated, my goal is to be back home in 8-10 hours. Weight - 5-7 lbs. The extended commute GHB is more akin to a 4-5 day backbacking setup. I used to do long-distance solo hiking on the Pac Crest Trail, so I already had a fair amount of high-quality, lightweight kit & food. Plus it includes the same essentials as the small bag. May also include a .556 SBR, as this route is on a fairly major highway which passes through a few sketchy towns. Weight - 20-25lbs Add a few more pounds of cold weather clothing/gear in the winter. Winter storms might make it impossible to get over the Cascade pass, so I may need to just find shelter and hunker. That would really suck!
@@19Savage78 It is the most dangerous weapon in the world. It keeps shooting after you finish using it. It keeps shooting even after it runs out of ammo. It clouds the minds of the enemy so they start babbling nonsense. But mostly it's a way for me to know which viewers were paying attention (and who has a sense of humor).
VERY few people are going to walk 20 miles in 7 hours You need to take at least a 10 minute break per hour (5 minutes every 30 minutes is better) or you'll be blistered-exhausted Such a walk will require you to carry/drink a gallon of water (8 lbs) and a lb of food, and it can easily be cold, windy, raining, If you'r often move than 15 miiles from your home, simply put a taken down mountain bike in your vehicle Then you can get home at the rate of 15 mph, if it's all on pavement. Remove the front wheel, rotate the forks, remove the pedals, seat and handlebars and a bike becomes a very compact package Cable and lock it to your car and if you have a pickup truck, include tarp into the security set up. Get it ceramic coated vs rust and keep the lubes you need for it in your vehicle If you're oven 100+ miles from home, you're nuts, bro Get a different job or relocate where you live.
So yeah, a get home/EDC bag is a great idea, and totally sensible. The BOB is a little to romanticised for me This is real life here. Im not leaving my house(the best shelter I have) unless its flooded, blown up, or on fire. If I am meant to die, I will die in my home, and not out in the woods playing the walking dead stuff. PLEASE!
I’m just getting into figuring all this stuff out. Of course I’m 45 miles from home daily and that would be a little rough in one day. However the point is to get home as quickly as possible. For myself I imagine the scenario that would cause me to get home on foot is going to be: Weather, attack on are soil, or civil unrest. In those 3 scenarios only one will be acceptable to walk the way I might would drive. The other 2 I feel as they would require more stealth and possibly something more than a hand gun, but still somewhat concealable, maybe like A 9mm AR pistol. We can definitely split hairs on everyone’s different situations, but the takeaway I got is be in shape and keep it as simple as possible, the goal is to get home! Great video!
Finally, a realistic “get home bag” and more importantly a realistic “get home mentality”. Get and stay fit, socks, comfortable shoes and water for a roughly 7-10 hr journey. Everyone plz stop with the Johnny apple seed frontiersman bag with saws and 7 knives, 5 ways to start fires etc
Definitely have at least two ways to make fire and two sources of light. I'm gonna keep a flashlight and light sticks in my bag. I'll also have two bic lighters and storm proof matches. You should really try to gey home by dark, but there's no guarantee you will. You don't want the bag too big or too heavy and you don't want to draw a lot of attention. I keep a winter hat in my bag. I have been considering a head net and some leather work gloves. I put an extra pair of socks in my bag too.
i tend to not go much farther than 100 miles from home these days. but at about the 45 mile mark is where the trouble comes from. ( city's with gang problems.). closer to home semi open country but privet owned. farms and ranches. and a couple mts in the way if i go cross country. and a couple rivers. limited number of bridges. but while working my get home bag was set up for a four day hike. food some water a way to get more water, fire and ways to keep warm. the bob was a lot more.
Thanks for the perspective. Please send more knowledge out to the internet. I always wondered where the common sense get home bag video was, found it lol
The most realistic video about get home bags. All these people have a bag with stuff to make a shelter, things to cook food, water filtration systems, a hatchet and multi tools for "crafting". They make it seem like their route home is going to take them through the woods for 3 or 4 days. I work exactly 20 miles from home, over a small mountain range so half the walk is uphill. I figure even with going slower due to the incline, 10 hrs and I should be home. I'm not stopping to camp or eat. My family will be waiting on me.
I always laughed at such videos, living in a medium sized but still sleepy hick town I thought I'll never need this stuff. Then a police shooting happened and our downtown was destroyed and ravaged by rioting and looting...riot-central was mere blocks from my office. So in the event that I have to abandon my car and hoof it I have a get home bag in the trunk. I have maps to help me re-route if needed, I have a few tools in case I need to get past locks or doors or fences or whatevers as I get out of town. Then it's through the suburbs and finally out to the rural parts where we live. My wife is disabled and it's imperative I make it back to her. It could be between 20 and 30 miles which I'm capable of so whether the disaster is man-made or Mother Nature, be prepared!
Thanks and thanks for watching. I just checked out your channel. I'll be subscribing if for no other reason than the Kiss posters. Kiss is one of my faves. I first saw them in August 1976 in Atlanta. Awesome show.
I really respect your attitude and approach, really sensible and grounded. Personally I also think about the possibility that for some reason I might run in to challenges that might prevent me from getting home as the crow flies so on top of your sound suggestions I pack a decent 3mx3m tarp, a little extra food (as you say, nothing that needs to be heated) and an IFAK. I also run all my electricals (radio, torch etc) on 18650 batteries and I carry a 50,000 MaH powerbank and some spare 18650s with a charger that runs from the powerbank. Finally, for me a decent multitool is an absolute must because you never know.
What a person needs hiking is Food, Water(+filter), Insulation(jacket+gloves), Hygiene, First Aid, Rain Protection. Always keep knife, flashlight, cash, compass, whistle, fire starter in pocket. At night a person needs shelter + more insulation(ground+cover).
This is awesome!!! I have been laughing at all the videos pretending they are in the Middle East trying to get home for years. All your comments are so accurate, I carry a small child size backpack for my water, extra socks, Luna bars, and some butt wipe. That’s it. And living in metro Detroit, I would never put a long gun in my truck, I’d have no windows in 5 minutes.
As the years have gone by, "bug out/get home" bags seem to have become more about gear sales and comfort items rather than necessities. Fitness, preparation, and mindset that will largely determine whether or not you're able to succeed. It's also refreshing how your video cuts through the noise, focusing on movement, efficiency, and practicality, rather than overloading on gear. Very, very good job. Nothing wrong with having a mess of gear in your vehicle to handle unexpected scenarios, but if you need to walk 20 miles from a disabled vehicle - leave that shit in the car and get it done. Bravo Zulu on your video. 👍👍
I live in an area with the potential of a 7.0 earthquake or greater with a river between me and home. I keep a little extra in case I need to get across if bridges go down.
Good idea. I live in the New Madrid Fault area so it's something I think about too. Luckily there are no big bridges around me unless I needed to cross the Mississippi, which I don't. 😀
Couple things. 1: don't walk down the middle of the road. If possible, go thru the woods. Stay un-noticed. No tactical gear. 2: let's leave zombies where they belong, movies and TV. Don't assume you can just walk unhindered back home. Grid down scenario, society is going to collapse quick for some. You may need to camp, even if all you have to go is 20 miles. You may need to hunker down to avoid people, and you want to avoid people.
@jmagnuson71 Thanks for watching and commenting. 1.Roads are good, sidewalks are better. Woods make a five hour walk into a two day hike. 2. Zombie is a euphemism. I definitely DO assume I can walk back home if I act quickly enough. People who waste time sneaking around won't be home yet when things get bad. Definitely be prepared to take evasive action if needed but top priority is getting home to protect your family and homestead as quickly as possible.
I said this in other Tubers video on this subject. You don't need a camping kit. You just need some water, energy bars and a pew pew. I can do that with pocket items, a jacket and a water bottle. Go up a notch and go with a sling bag and add some more water, maybe a few more energy bars. In that sling bag have a trauma kit cuz 911 barely works as it is. I agree with everything you outline here with the exception of a trauma kit. Add that for sure. I always have a multi tool with me and a lighter. Light rain jacket which I think you had. Even in the tropics, at night you can go hypothermic when wet+cold but as long as you stay moving and you've already dressed for the weather you should be ok. My back and forth to work bag has all my stuff that'd I'd need. It's about half full so if I needed i could add bricks to it to make sure I validate the fact that I'm dumb as dirt. LOL
@@Jor-El-Earth1 Thanks for watching. I carry 2 tourniquets and a trauma kit on me (ankle IFAK) already so I don't add one to the bag. But it sure wouldn't hurt.
Your right about about the crazy bag wait people are talking about but 20 miles in 100 + heat with heat index and 40-80% humidity that leaves the temperature around 105-120 will kill you where I live really fast.
certainly along my ideas. light weight and simple I also carry small binos ( to see ahead ) and bug protection head net and wipes , map and compass ( just in case I have to detour around ) and in my truck I have weather appropriate outer shell . and thats all I would need to hike home
As a 79 year old and still working about 20 miles from home, I've given this topic a lot of thought. My first GHB was 30 lbs. I'm fit but I'm not that fit. My current GHB is about 10 lbs. I think your reasoning is dead on.
Be prepared to spend the night in bad weather if you get stuck more than 20 miles away! A military style poncho in a neutral color with a puffy jacket may just save your life. Also a small hand gun with a couple speed loaders or magazines is always reassuring as well!😊
You’re obviously an urban dweller, lol. We’re in the Ozarks and 10 miles here is NOT 10 miles in the city. My husband commutes 32 miles to work and leaves home before the sun comes up and leaves work just as it’s going down. He’s career Army and even humpin it, sans pack, that’s 15 hours with no break. That’s why GHBs are more complex than than you elude to. And a BoB is not the same as an INCH (I’m Never Coming Home bag).
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. I agree that for lots of folks a BoB is not the same as an INCH bag which is not the same as a GHB, that's why I said that in the video. And wow, 32 mountain miles is very different from the 20 miles that this video is specifically about. Your husband should definitely carry a much more robust bag. As far as being an "urban dweller" goes, we do live within an hour drive of a town with over 9,000 people and it does have a Tractor Supply and a Walmart. But there are more chickens, goats, horses and cattle around us than people. And we are more than 50 miles from the nearest interstate highway. Which is fine with us.
Comfortable boots, protection from the rain and protection, like pew pew. Most of us already carry adequate edc to handle various situations. But a water bottle would be nice and butt wipe is handy too.
@dustytrails8682 How long did it take you to make it back? (Also, people should have enough food and supplies at home that they don't have to do that. When I lived in a hurricane zone I learned that pretty quickly) 😀
I live in Arizona during the summer time it is 112 degrees at midnight so we do not walk during the daytime so if I was at work where I have a possibility of being up to 80 Mi away from where I live as a service plumber and I cover the entire Phoenix Metro area and the suburbs around it which is a massive area I will not be walking during the day
I'm physically disabled and 100 miles from my home. I'm currently taking care of my father who fell and broke his hip. All my plans are now no good. I never planned for this situation. Any ideas anyone?
Its 3:30pm on a work day, you are 20 miles from home, your leg becomes injured (maybe its an ACL tear, the most common sporting injury) in the chaos of the whatever it is that's happening. You now move at one third normal speed and also need to stop regularly from the pain of your injury. Enjoy sleeping several nights in a wet ditch with no warm clothing or sleeping gear. You ran out of drinking water day one and your body has not had carbohydrates for days so your reactions and decision making are impaired. Your slow limping is easily seen via the headlamp at night for miles around, marking you as a ripe target if anyone is feeling antisocial. Any kind of head wound will kill you because you have no way of controlling bleeding and no fluid intake left to expand your blood. Planning on the best case scenario put you in this situation.
@@driver3899 You should write a book. I'll get you started... --- The unthinkable had happened. The grid was down, and it seemed like an EMP had struck-maybe a high-altitude nuke, though no one really knew for sure. I was left with no choice but to make the 20-mile trek home on foot. Three miles in, something went horribly wrong. My knee buckled out of nowhere, and I realized with a sickening jolt that I’d torn my ACL. It didn’t make sense; I hadn’t done anything that should’ve caused it. I walked distances like this regularly, but there I was, barely started and already crippled. With no time to waste, I fashioned a crude crutch from a sturdy tree limb and kept moving. Even at a snail’s pace, I managed to cover eight miles that day. As I hobbled past you, sleeping in that ditch, I couldn’t help but notice your shiny REI bivvy tent and North Face sleeping bag. At least you were prepared in that regard, lugging that 40-pound bag all this way had paid off somewhat. By nightfall, I reached an old barn I passed daily on my way to work. I asked the folks who lived in the farmhouse for permission to sleep inside, and they kindly obliged. I refilled my water bottle at their well pump, then settled in for the night. Before drifting off, I pulled out my radio, hoping to reach the local repeater, but was met with silence. I scanned the channels, catching a brief snatch of conversation on 123.025 MHz. It sounded like helicopters from the Army base 75 miles away, just running comms tests. I figured they’d been hardened against the EMP after all. The next morning didn’t start much better. While getting ready to leave, I clumsily walked into a nail jutting out of a board, splitting open a nasty wound on my head. Swearing at my own carelessness, I dressed the wound with the hemostatic compressed gauze from my ankle IFAK. I set out again just before dawn, munching on my last Quest protein bar as I limped down the road. Three miles from home, I finally reached out to my wife on the radio, giving her an ETA. The relief in her voice when she answered was palpable, and I was grateful she’d remembered to pull the radio from the Faraday box in the basement. When I finally limped through the door just after 4pm, hunger gnawed at me. I wolfed down a big meal at the kitchen table, my mind drifting to you. I wondered how you were faring. If you had a torn ACL too, carrying that heavy pack would be damn near impossible. It had taken me nearly 18 hours to get home when it should have taken less than six. As the weight of the day’s exhaustion hit me, I downed some ibuprofen and wrapped my knee. The injury was a serious setback, and the real work hadn’t even begun yet.
@@ThatBlevinsGuy Civilian youtuber training and real world experience is superior to all others, can never be criticised. They are above reproach, their word is law.
Ok I think it’s a good idea. For people that commute to work… this is my take on this. Let’s just say you go to work and something happens etc. If the roads are bumper to bumper and it’s not possible to travel then you have to get out a walk because you need to get home to your family. Or your house. There is so many things you need. Just be ready you guys. I keep a bicycle in my vehicle I have survival gear. Lots of water. It’s a big rig with a fridge and a bed . But still be ready.
Good question. If it's a coronal mass ejection emp the antenna would be fine. With a nuclear burst emp I think it would be ok as long as the antenna was just a wire with no circuitry but I'm not sure. The little snubby antenna work well for me and fit better in bags and glove boxes.
@@williamkious5349 that’s what I figured. He’s probably just storing his in the bag because it fits and keeps it together. But I had to ask because mine is kept out of the faraday bag, and I’ve always wondered if I was correct in my thinking. Thanks
3L of waters weighs about 7# and will last you a whole day. Drink one before you start your hike. Drink the rest along the way. I hesitate to step on private property during "austere conditions".
Some days, I'm 20 miles from home. Some days, I'm 60+ miles from home. So, I carry for the possibility of a 3 to 4 day trek. I'm looking at folding (non-electric) bikes.
You make some good points but my truck is parked at work I'm always 60 miles from it and at least 40 miles to a 100 miles from home so a shelter is a must no guns in company vehicles so I'm working on getting them at a couple different secure location I carried my bag with me Monday it generally stays in my vehicle at the yard
Yeah I think you'd need more than the guy who works 20 miles from home. I'd have a hard time not at least rocking an ankle holster but depending on the kind of work that might not be a great idea.
3:37 Ready Hour Meal Cubes. 2500 calories in four individually wrapped meal bars. They have the consistency of uncooked oatmeal. They taste…ok. They will fill you up. You of course don’t have to cook them and the cube is the size of a baseball. Strongly recommend for get home and 72 hr kit bags.
4:08 If you are in fact held up for a night for whatever reason and need to “camp,” don’t have a tent. It attracts attention. Think gray man. Think “look like a homeless guy.” Have a brown or gray tarp (to keep rain and/or snow off you) and a Mylar emergency blanket, or bevy sack. Roll yourself up in both (if it’s cold) among the weeds or local terrain. You’ll easily be misssed and if seen you’ll likely be ignored as a homeless person.
Less than 10 miles work to home. Small bottle of water, good footwear, waterproof clothing, hi viz armband as walking country lanes, phone with power bank and cable, small torch, whistle on keys anyway, cash n cards etc, blister plasters. Food will be what ever is left of my lunch that day. Get home as quickly as possible.
I lost 130 lbs . I walk 10.5 -12 miles a day . My get home bag covers 200 miles at the farthest point of my get home . No reason for pot and pans for that distance . A get home made for 6 miles would not work for me . Everyones get home back will need to be built for what they need . My bag has 3 water bottles , flashlight , headlamp, rain jacket , 5 hour monster , 2 cliffs bars , granola, rain jacket ( can be used as tarp )wool blanket , some tp.and pepper spray . some of us have over 20 miles to cover .
I would add some simple medical to what you have, what I keep in my day pack such as a blister kit including moleskin, some Advil (or whatever), and if you are on any prescribed medications have 24 hours worth (am/pm) doses, since you don't know that time of day/night this will occur (am/pm) doses may be different, I will say that if you EDC a firearm most should expect it to end up in the bag as well if you have never walked a long distance with a handgun and holster I can tell you that it gets really heavy, really fast. thank you for the video, it has given me a lot to think about.
Sure necessities, but there was a father who gave a coworker a ride and broke down during a blizzard a couple years back in VA. He didn't have anything ,He left his truck didn't make it past a football length and died.
I do something similar. Im in a food desert, walk 3 to 5 miles one way to go shopping. And carry everything home rather than ride the bus. I can cover 20 miles shopping in a day taking breaks in my own apt, ( i make a loop on east side of town, go home unload my wagon and have lunch go to west side make another loop go home make dinner. )
Good stuff. It's definitely possible to over-prepare to the point where you are undermining your ability to complete your own objectives. Preparedness and planning should involve careful risk assessment of realistic scenarios and contingencies. Also, physical fitness should be the foundation of any "prepping" endeavors. If you get totally winded walking 50 meters up a 25 degree hill, easily injure yourself due to poor conditioning/balance, and are too weak to manipulate your own body weight, all the gear optimization in the world is not going to help you.
I wish it was 20 miles. hahahaah I am looking at 3 days min in nice weather. 30lbs pack - side arm Everyone wears camo in TN hahahaha and everyone carries a AR here at least in my area.
Why do preppers think people are going to go crazy a day after the power goes out? It simply doesn't happen. There have been multiple power outages and there were no societal meltdowns. It will take more than the grid going down before chaos ensues. People won't become chaotic until they are desperate and power outage simply won't cause that until there is a lack of basic resources like food and water. Neither of which will become unavailable in the short term of a simple grid down scenario.
I think it is the mythical EMP scenario that everyone yearns for... I mean is afraid of. Where there's no radio or phones or internet to tell people what happened or what to expect. So mass confusion would be pervasive. The prepper fiction genre almost always has about a third of the population go full Mad Max almost immediately. I have no idea what would really happen but the toilet paper wars didn't help me to relax about the possibilities. And it's no fun prepping for an apocalypse where most everybody is ok to each other and everyone just starves to death because if we aren't Amish we can't hunt enough game or produce enough food to live more than about a year.
@ThatBlevinsGuy Fair enough, but I don't think that happens within days of an emp. Society and government won't magically cease to exist just because the power goes out. I don't pretend to know how long it will take, but I don't forsee it happening until people begin to starve and become desperate.
Idk about that... in '03 when the power outage put 50 million ppl in the dark for a few days, I was working on the outskirts of Detroit. By the third night it was starting to get rough. Luckily the power came back on, but it was different that 3rd night
In all probability an isolated EMP won't destroy as much as we fear. And a coronal mass ejection emp would probably be regional, not nationwide. But if multiple high altitude emp occurred it would almost certainly be part of a larger nuclear war and would be inconsequential as civilization would be destroyed within hours. (Just finished reading Annie Jacobsen's Nuclear War. Hoo boy.)
@@JosephAllen-d2efor much of the population thier food supply will have been used in 72-96 hours. At first it'll be simple foraging, but shortly thereafter it'll be food riots, followed by looting and/or die trying. That'll be within a week to ten days, or sooner, of grid down. I've seen this first hand in NOLA after Katrina. It gets very ugly, very quickly!
Everyone’s situation is different. Mobility is essential to survival. Hydration is crucial. Sheltering maybe necessary. If you drove to work your vehicle should have days of supplies and equipment stowed. Get Home ASAP.
my main road between home and work is a highway. I was thinking of the railroad tracks that lead directly to my home, but would you say that's worse than a highway during a bad situation? I have about 28 miles to cover. Im also interested in a folding bike to put in my trunk. Would the highway be conflict-less enough to travel on?
@TheNintendoman64 Walking on tracks is harder than walking on pavement. You have to constantly watch where you're putting your feet so you don't trip. A bike would make the 28 miles pretty easy. Just make sure you check the tires frequently or have a hand pump in the car too.
You are so correct. This is my pet peeve ! People seeing who can cram the most useless crap into a bag they cannot carry more than 100 yards anyway. All that cute "Survival" junk you bought will end up thrown along the road somewhere ! If you need more than a small bag and your pockets, your not gonna make it anyway..
I agree mostly with this video, the only thing i would add is a water filter sawyer mini... it weighs just a ounce or two and i think it's worth having....i will be removing some items from my bag .
maintaining a 3 mph average, for 20 miles requires a VERY high level of fitness. You're going to need to take some breaks, massage your legs stretch them, You're going to need to drink about a gallon of water as you do so, and it weighs 8 lbs. Who says that your route will be flat pavement? what if it's up and down hills, thru brush, mud, or snow? You can easily need to use trekking poles, or you'll blow out a knee or ankle and then probably NEVER get home. Especially if there's no trees from which to make a splint and crutches.. Just use the bicycle, already. You can always walk beside it if part of your trip is in wooded hills. You can always just abandon the bicycle, ya know! To average 3 mph, youll have to JOG 4 mph for most of the 20 miles. That is no JOKE, folks
@@ThatBlevinsGuy they're not cheap, true. But mine has survived several trips, plus use here in the US. In a southeastern summer, an umbrella is less hot than a poncho or rain jacket, and can double as a parasol against the sun. Multifunctional capabilities.
Add this little package to your bag if you're worried that a boil water notice will be issued while you're walking home.
www.spiritussystems.com/cana-provisions-water-decon-kit/
Im 58 disabled now. Mechanic,tree cutter, factory worker. I carry a full backpack in jeep. Neck back disabled. Im learning.from you
I'm 51, pretty much in the same boat with my spine, keep that jeep gassed up and running well because, in our situation, a breakdown could mean life or death.
Thank goodness someone made this video. Shoes, water, socks, a few snacks, concealed weapon, headlamp. Start walking. It's not hard.
Water - lifestraw
If you're going to drink filtered water you should consider this too...
www.spiritussystems.com/cana-provisions-water-decon-kit/
I had 2 cheap tarps as well the first time I did a get home and a cheap tarp and a poncho the second along with a brew kit. You're uncomfortable, scared some of the time, you don't set up camp unless it's raining, you wear the tarps, poncho for a couple of hours sleep if not raining. You just want to get home so walk as much as possible and only sleep when you are too tired to do anything else and feel relatively safe. Coffee is your big treat, what gets you through and awake. Simple but not fun.
FINALLY someone who gets it!!! IF you are walking home-you need good shoes, water, maybe an extra layer, and thats it. I have my EDC bag, which MAYBE weighs 10 lbs-with water.
Also, people are generally charitable. If on the off chance, you can NOT make it home-surely someone will take you in.
As to "tactical" looking bags. There was a blog written, shortly after hurricane Katrina, by a guy who lived through that. There was a TON of practical, real world information he wrote about. I wish I could remember the name of it-ghosts of Katrina, maybe? Anyway, the point I was getting at:
First, it didnt matter WHAT bag you used. No one cared if it were a tactical, a school bag, or a suitcase. Either you were a target, or you werent. A bag is a bag. When everyone is evacuating-the ONLY people that care are simply targeting people with packs, period.
Second, and I rarely see people address this: ALWAYS carry cash. Rule of thumb, for me, is $200. $100 of that in $20 bills, then 5 $10, 5 $5 bills, and 25 $1 bills. IF its a large scale situation (like a hurricane), there is no electricity. So, no credit cards. Cash is king.
Lots of good info here, thanks. I'll try to find that blog post!
Thank you for this realistic down to earth take on a get home bag. I’m setting up a get home bag for me and a friend. It’s slightly extra but not over the top. I characterize it more so as a two-day rapid deployment move fast bag. I chose the Camelbak HAWG as my bag.
When I was working it was only 12 miles but there was a major river to cross. If all the bridges were out I would have had to cross that river. I never did get a blow up kayak or wet suit which I would have needed .Get home bags are very subject to to area and circumstance. I agree with you on how people have so much gear to go 20 miles.
One of the best prepared videos I’ve seen in a long time. Thank you 🙏🏻
This was the best video I've watched in a long time. I've been prepping for years and always considered my 72 hour bag to be my get home bag. You just squared me away on this. Much appreciated!
Thanks for the feedback.
This is a very good video and points out the elephant in the room of GHB videos. I carry a bunch of stuff in my van in case I’m stranded somewhere and can’t walk out, like a blizzard closed highway. I’m good to go for 72 hours easily while department of transportation clears the road. My GHB is too much for one person to comfortably carry but my plan is to take only what I’ll need depending upon the circumstances and either leave the rest with my abandoned van or give my extras to someone who may not be walking my way. Also where I live is a piedmont region and creeks are everywhere so a water filter is probably the best option. My first four quarts of water is already packed in the bag and I always have several bottles of water in the van along with those tasty boat rations.
I don't mind the cinnamon flavored boat rations.
AWSOME video! This is the first honest and realistic video I’ve ever seen. Too many people pack everything and the kitchen sink but get winded walking up a few stairs. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching
Taking care of your body should be everyone's priority. Mobility and having the capacity to move quickly is key. I absolutely agree with the simple bag, no tactical look. Just keep it simple, blend in, and get home safe. Thank you for this awesome video.
@@donaldlamendola8294 Thanks for watching.
Great video! Makes perfect sense for a regular guy with a regular job. Now as for myself I find myself in different cities 100+ miles away. I do have to bulk up my EDC get home bag but your setup and theory is very viable. Movement is very important. My food is bulked up, 200 bucks in small bills, more batteries, and a box of 380. But that's all added. Now I really want that hat ya got!! My normal carry bag is a small gym size duffel bag but I have one of those 5.11 packable backpacks in the duffle for when I have to get on the move. Holds everything with room to spare. My normal carry gun is a Zastava M70A pistol in 9mm but I always have my lil Beretta pico in 380(always). The M70A might get traded to free up weight so it's expendable. My system is bigger but only because I have a greater distance to travel. Thank you for putting this out there brother
Thanks for the video. It’s refreshing to hear some rational speaking on this issue. I can’t even count how many guys, including friends, that think they need an entire load out full of mags, an AR, etc to get home. My bag consists of wet weather gear, a light sweatshirt, extra socks, water and water tablets, some food and snacks, a small medical kit, and a couple pocket knives and flashlights. I also have a .22lr Henry survival rifle with 2 8 round mags just in case which only adds about 3 1/2-4 pounds. I carry a very lightweight ccw Kahr PM9 with 2 extra mags. My goal isn’t to fight it out in the streets and make contact. My goal is to evade and get home as quickly as possible. Some of these guys think they’re gonna be in the battle of Fallujah or something. All that gear and extra mags and ammo is just going to weigh you down in the end.
Thanks for watching. I need to get one of those Henry rifles!
My day hike bag is a 24x32 military style canvas laundry bag, I stuff my gear inside and roll it up like a bedroll, used 1100 paracord to tie it up as Bushcraft zipties then attach shoulder strap so I can carry diagonal across my back, attach water bottle pouch + filter to lower end of shoulder strap, looks like old fashion Hobo Bedroll. Weighs 10 pounds including 28oz Gatorade bottle & includes torso size ground insulation. Ground insulation is important, my ground insulation is a 24inch x 10foot piece of reflectix, fold into thirds 24x40inches long torso pad, duct tape the sides to hold it in place then fold in in half to roll inside laundry bag, I use a 55gal contractors trash bag as a bivy sack which comes up to my shoulders, my poncho is my shelter cover.
Excellent presentation.Good info straight to the point. Not pushing brands or trying to sell just got info
A LOT of people work 40+ miles from home, or do so a lot of the time and many are a lot further than that. They rent a room, camp out, sleep in their vehicles. If something shuts down the roads/gas/cars, you bet your bootie that it's a bicycle steal a motorycle or forget about going home. You'll never make it on foot (in time) if it's 40 miles. With a bicycle, that's just 4 hours of easy pedaling, even with 40 lbs of stuff on the bike The wheels still roll.
This is the most practical get home bag video. People don't realize the weight cost of all that extra shit. Everything in this is spot on. I only have a recommendation, eye googles, and dust mask. When there's a major emergency, smoke/dust and debris are always present. Fantastic job my man.
Good points about the mask and goggles.
Thank you for the wisdom I look at a lot of these videos yours is the most informative make more sense
Outstanding advice! Look forward to more, just subbed 👍🇬🇧
Thanks for this! I am older with a very bad back, so these videos recommending 30 lb packs are unrealistic to say the least. I work 10 miles from home on flat terrain so I can make it with your suggestions. I even have a bag like the urban one you showed with the metal in the straps. I feel so relieved. Thank you!
@@patricia-patticonner1185 Thanks for watching!
Thanks for a practical video.
I really admire your polite responses to all of the comment section commandos.
"Comment Section Commandos" 😃
FINALLY, someone with some common sense and logical thinking on this topic. Well done and thank you! Keep videos like this coming, more people need to watch them.
There is way too much Fantasy Island BS about bags out there. The KISS principle reigns supreme, in my opinion.
Walking along train tracks is hard work. The spaces between sleepers are less than average stride.
Yeah. Especially if the gravel is lower than the cross ties or if crossing a bridge. Walking on the road or sidewalk or highway shoulder is the way to go if possible.
Thank you for sharing your Wisdom Mr.Blevins. It was a pleasure taking a class with you.
@@markcurtis4465 Thanks Mark!
Good job, post has really good advice about fitness, thats what will make it or break it for anyone...With that Ive had a heat stroke, multiple joint and spine surgeries, I work on fitness but 20 miles a day is not reality for me at 66...What was the most positive thing I got from this is to greatly reduce a local get home bag and have a secondary bag for possible long distances (90 to 600 miles) which could easily be the case for me traveling to see family. You have a old school attitude, I like that but as we age we have to use our heads...The heat stroke happened after pushing myself to far during a August high heat index day in my 40s, I was in good condition and worked outside all the time but that day I let my guard down and paid the price...Consider a video on task planning, energy and enviormental awareness.
My commute varies. Typically, it's about 25 miles, beginning in a semi-urban environment to a very rural home environment. But one to a couple times a month, it's around 200 miles, transiting through very remote, high mountain terrain. Due to this variable, I carry two separate GHBs.
One is fairly small, with just a few essentials of additional clothing, one MRE entree, a few snacks, water, a couple spare pistol mags, a headlamp, basic IFAK and a folder. As stated, my goal is to be back home in 8-10 hours. Weight - 5-7 lbs.
The extended commute GHB is more akin to a 4-5 day backbacking setup. I used to do long-distance solo hiking on the Pac Crest Trail, so I already had a fair amount of high-quality, lightweight kit & food. Plus it includes the same essentials as the small bag. May also include a .556 SBR, as this route is on a fairly major highway which passes through a few sketchy towns. Weight - 20-25lbs
Add a few more pounds of cold weather clothing/gear in the winter. Winter storms might make it impossible to get over the Cascade pass, so I may need to just find shelter and hunker. That would really suck!
You should make a video!
What is a “Fully-Semiautomatic assault rifle”?
Just for clarity so I don’t grab the wrong weapon.
@@19Savage78 It is the most dangerous weapon in the world. It keeps shooting after you finish using it. It keeps shooting even after it runs out of ammo. It clouds the minds of the enemy so they start babbling nonsense. But mostly it's a way for me to know which viewers were paying attention (and who has a sense of humor).
@@ThatBlevinsGuy fantastic answer. I will make sure and leave that one at home. lol
Man, you just made more sense than a 100 other guys.I've seen all put together
Thanks for watching. I'm not much of a knife guy, so I have to ask... What are your thoughts on knives that don't set off metal detectors?
VERY few people are going to walk 20 miles in 7 hours You need to take at least a 10 minute break per hour (5 minutes every 30 minutes is better) or you'll be blistered-exhausted Such a walk will require you to carry/drink a gallon of water (8 lbs) and a lb of food, and it can easily be cold, windy, raining, If you'r often move than 15 miiles from your home, simply put a taken down mountain bike in your vehicle Then you can get home at the rate of 15 mph, if it's all on pavement. Remove the front wheel, rotate the forks, remove the pedals, seat and handlebars and a bike becomes a very compact package Cable and lock it to your car and if you have a pickup truck, include tarp into the security set up. Get it ceramic coated vs rust and keep the lubes you need for it in your vehicle If you're oven 100+ miles from home, you're nuts, bro Get a different job or relocate where you live.
So yeah, a get home/EDC bag is a great idea, and totally sensible. The BOB is a little to romanticised for me This is real life here. Im not leaving my house(the best shelter I have) unless its flooded, blown up, or on fire. If I am meant to die, I will die in my home, and not out in the woods playing the walking dead stuff. PLEASE!
Spot on and inline with my thinking as well.
I’m just getting into figuring all this stuff out. Of course I’m 45 miles from home daily and that would be a little rough in one day. However the point is to get home as quickly as possible. For myself I imagine the scenario that would cause me to get home on foot is going to be: Weather, attack on are soil, or civil unrest. In those 3 scenarios only one will be acceptable to walk the way I might would drive. The other 2 I feel as they would require more stealth and possibly something more than a hand gun, but still somewhat concealable, maybe like A 9mm AR pistol. We can definitely split hairs on everyone’s different situations, but the takeaway I got is be in shape and keep it as simple as possible, the goal is to get home! Great video!
Finally, a realistic “get home bag” and more importantly a realistic “get home mentality”. Get and stay fit, socks, comfortable shoes and water for a roughly 7-10 hr journey. Everyone plz stop with the Johnny apple seed frontiersman bag with saws and 7 knives, 5 ways to start fires etc
Thanks for watching
Definitely have at least two ways to make fire and two sources of light. I'm gonna keep a flashlight and light sticks in my bag. I'll also have two bic lighters and storm proof matches. You should really try to gey home by dark, but there's no guarantee you will. You don't want the bag too big or too heavy and you don't want to draw a lot of attention. I keep a winter hat in my bag. I have been considering a head net and some leather work gloves. I put an extra pair of socks in my bag too.
If you need a Get Home Bag, you've never heard of a bicycle.
@@LowPlainsDrifter60 Agreed. Do you always have a bike in your vehicle or at your workplace or would you have to "acquire" one, should the need arise?
@@ThatBlevinsGuy Yep, got a fold up bike in the trunk. I would "borrow" one though if I had to.
i tend to not go much farther than 100 miles from home these days. but at about the 45 mile mark is where the trouble comes from. ( city's with gang problems.). closer to home semi open country but privet owned. farms and ranches. and a couple mts in the way if i go cross country. and a couple rivers. limited number of bridges.
but while working my get home bag was set up for a four day hike. food some water a way to get more water, fire and ways to keep warm.
the bob was a lot more.
Thanks for the perspective. Please send more knowledge out to the internet. I always wondered where the common sense get home bag video was, found it lol
Yeah, there is an awful lot of BS out there.
good info, thank you sir.
Thanks for watching!
I use the 5.11 LVC10 Sling Pack and I swear it is one of the top of the line get home bags. Its lightweight and you can put ALOT in it for its size.
Not bad advice for an ideal situation, but you also have be prepared for the unexpected and for extenuating circumstances.
True. You have to assess the situation and be prepared to adapt if needed.
i live in the hills. but can not do much when it is over 100F.
just need boil water. and it is easy to build a fire with no smoke.
The most realistic video about get home bags. All these people have a bag with stuff to make a shelter, things to cook food, water filtration systems, a hatchet and multi tools for "crafting". They make it seem like their route home is going to take them through the woods for 3 or 4 days. I work exactly 20 miles from home, over a small mountain range so half the walk is uphill. I figure even with going slower due to the incline, 10 hrs and I should be home. I'm not stopping to camp or eat. My family will be waiting on me.
Morgan was his name and Thad and an outstanding series of books but also on audible
Link?
@@ThatBlevinsGuyThe Survivalist Series by A. American. Excellent series. I believe he is on book eleven.
I always laughed at such videos, living in a medium sized but still sleepy hick town I thought I'll never need this stuff. Then a police shooting happened and our downtown was destroyed and ravaged by rioting and looting...riot-central was mere blocks from my office. So in the event that I have to abandon my car and hoof it I have a get home bag in the trunk. I have maps to help me re-route if needed, I have a few tools in case I need to get past locks or doors or fences or whatevers as I get out of town. Then it's through the suburbs and finally out to the rural parts where we live. My wife is disabled and it's imperative I make it back to her. It could be between 20 and 30 miles which I'm capable of so whether the disaster is man-made or Mother Nature, be prepared!
New sub here. Great video!! Thanks for talking common sense. If you have time to cook, you have time to walk! Great advice
Thanks and thanks for watching. I just checked out your channel. I'll be subscribing if for no other reason than the Kiss posters. Kiss is one of my faves. I first saw them in August 1976 in Atlanta. Awesome show.
I really respect your attitude and approach, really sensible and grounded. Personally I also think about the possibility that for some reason I might run in to challenges that might prevent me from getting home as the crow flies so on top of your sound suggestions I pack a decent 3mx3m tarp, a little extra food (as you say, nothing that needs to be heated) and an IFAK. I also run all my electricals (radio, torch etc) on 18650 batteries and I carry a 50,000 MaH powerbank and some spare 18650s with a charger that runs from the powerbank. Finally, for me a decent multitool is an absolute must because you never know.
@@andynight75 I like that plan. I do carry an ankle IFAK which might get to be a pain if I'm hoofing it 20 miles.
What a person needs hiking is Food, Water(+filter), Insulation(jacket+gloves), Hygiene, First Aid, Rain Protection. Always keep knife, flashlight, cash, compass, whistle, fire starter in pocket. At night a person needs shelter + more insulation(ground+cover).
This is awesome!!! I have been laughing at all the videos pretending they are in the Middle East trying to get home for years. All your comments are so accurate, I carry a small child size backpack for my water, extra socks, Luna bars, and some butt wipe. That’s it. And living in metro Detroit, I would never put a long gun in my truck, I’d have no windows in 5 minutes.
As the years have gone by, "bug out/get home" bags seem to have become more about gear sales and comfort items rather than necessities. Fitness, preparation, and mindset that will largely determine whether or not you're able to succeed. It's also refreshing how your video cuts through the noise, focusing on movement, efficiency, and practicality, rather than overloading on gear. Very, very good job. Nothing wrong with having a mess of gear in your vehicle to handle unexpected scenarios, but if you need to walk 20 miles from a disabled vehicle - leave that shit in the car and get it done. Bravo Zulu on your video. 👍👍
Excellent topics covered in the appropriate manner. Moving your body is key.
M.O.V.E.
Motionless
Operators
Ventilate
Easily
I live in an area with the potential of a 7.0 earthquake or greater with a river between me and home. I keep a little extra in case I need to get across if bridges go down.
Good idea. I live in the New Madrid Fault area so it's something I think about too. Luckily there are no big bridges around me unless I needed to cross the Mississippi, which I don't. 😀
Couple things. 1: don't walk down the middle of the road. If possible, go thru the woods. Stay un-noticed. No tactical gear. 2: let's leave zombies where they belong, movies and TV.
Don't assume you can just walk unhindered back home. Grid down scenario, society is going to collapse quick for some.
You may need to camp, even if all you have to go is 20 miles. You may need to hunker down to avoid people, and you want to avoid people.
@jmagnuson71
Thanks for watching and commenting.
1.Roads are good, sidewalks are better. Woods make a five hour walk into a two day hike.
2. Zombie is a euphemism.
I definitely DO assume I can walk back home if I act quickly enough. People who waste time sneaking around won't be home yet when things get bad. Definitely be prepared to take evasive action if needed but top priority is getting home to protect your family and homestead as quickly as possible.
I agree, stick to the woods. Use compass and track your way home with a map, I'm staying away from roads and people entirely.
I said this in other Tubers video on this subject. You don't need a camping kit. You just need some water, energy bars and a pew pew. I can do that with pocket items, a jacket and a water bottle. Go up a notch and go with a sling bag and add some more water, maybe a few more energy bars. In that sling bag have a trauma kit cuz 911 barely works as it is. I agree with everything you outline here with the exception of a trauma kit. Add that for sure. I always have a multi tool with me and a lighter. Light rain jacket which I think you had. Even in the tropics, at night you can go hypothermic when wet+cold but as long as you stay moving and you've already dressed for the weather you should be ok. My back and forth to work bag has all my stuff that'd I'd need. It's about half full so if I needed i could add bricks to it to make sure I validate the fact that I'm dumb as dirt. LOL
@@Jor-El-Earth1 Thanks for watching. I carry 2 tourniquets and a trauma kit on me (ankle IFAK) already so I don't add one to the bag. But it sure wouldn't hurt.
Your right about about the crazy bag wait people are talking about but 20 miles in 100 + heat with heat index and 40-80% humidity that leaves the temperature around 105-120 will kill you where I live really fast.
I liked the couch to 10 mile hike idea. Guilty of the 5.11 skiing bag. It's black though so it's a less noticeable 😂
U make good sense,,, thanks
certainly along my ideas. light weight and simple I also carry small binos ( to see ahead ) and bug protection head net and wipes , map and compass ( just in case I have to detour around ) and in my truck I have weather appropriate outer shell . and thats all I would need to hike home
Thank you for the common sense approach. I see so many videos that are filled with fantasy BS. Thanks for perspective.
Everyone knows its no fun being practical its fun being tactical!!! Lol
Finally! A real person with some sense 👏
As a 79 year old and still working about 20 miles from home, I've given this topic a lot of thought. My first GHB was 30 lbs. I'm fit but I'm not that fit. My current GHB is about 10 lbs. I think your reasoning is dead on.
Be prepared to spend the night in bad weather if you get stuck more than 20 miles away! A military style poncho in a neutral color with a puffy jacket may just save your life. Also a small hand gun with a couple speed loaders or magazines is always reassuring as well!😊
Indeed. And when I mention the assumption that the viewer has a good EDC that means (to me) a concealed pistoI and ifak.
You’re obviously an urban dweller, lol. We’re in the Ozarks and 10 miles here is NOT 10 miles in the city. My husband commutes 32 miles to work and leaves home before the sun comes up and leaves work just as it’s going down. He’s career Army and even humpin it, sans pack, that’s 15 hours with no break. That’s why GHBs are more complex than than you elude to. And a BoB is not the same as an INCH (I’m Never Coming Home bag).
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. I agree that for lots of folks a BoB is not the same as an INCH bag which is not the same as a GHB, that's why I said that in the video. And wow, 32 mountain miles is very different from the 20 miles that this video is specifically about. Your husband should definitely carry a much more robust bag. As far as being an "urban dweller" goes, we do live within an hour drive of a town with over 9,000 people and it does have a Tractor Supply and a Walmart. But there are more chickens, goats, horses and cattle around us than people. And we are more than 50 miles from the nearest interstate highway. Which is fine with us.
@@ThatBlevinsGuy Where you live sounds amazing!
Comfortable boots, protection from the rain and protection, like pew pew. Most of us already carry adequate edc to handle various situations. But a water bottle would be nice and butt wipe is handy too.
I was camping by Mt St Helen's when it erupted when I finally made it back to Chehalis all the stores were empty, people panic fast
@dustytrails8682 How long did it take you to make it back? (Also, people should have enough food and supplies at home that they don't have to do that. When I lived in a hurricane zone I learned that pretty quickly) 😀
@ThatBlevinsGuy took me four hours moved trees out of the way in rd had food enough for another week myself but was loo,ing in case
I live in Arizona during the summer time it is 112 degrees at midnight so we do not walk during the daytime so if I was at work where I have a possibility of being up to 80 Mi away from where I live as a service plumber and I cover the entire Phoenix Metro area and the suburbs around it which is a massive area I will not be walking during the day
Finally, some greyman common sense. Cardio is everything. I love it!!!
I'm physically disabled and 100 miles from my home. I'm currently taking care of my father who fell and broke his hip. All my plans are now no good. I never planned for this situation. Any ideas anyone?
I think I'd make plans to hunker down wherever I was if travel is impractical.
Its 3:30pm on a work day, you are 20 miles from home, your leg becomes injured (maybe its an ACL tear, the most common sporting injury) in the chaos of the whatever it is that's happening.
You now move at one third normal speed and also need to stop regularly from the pain of your injury.
Enjoy sleeping several nights in a wet ditch with no warm clothing or sleeping gear. You ran out of drinking water day one and your body has not had carbohydrates for days so your reactions and decision making are impaired. Your slow limping is easily seen via the headlamp at night for miles around, marking you as a ripe target if anyone is feeling antisocial. Any kind of head wound will kill you because you have no way of controlling bleeding and no fluid intake left to expand your blood.
Planning on the best case scenario put you in this situation.
@@driver3899
You should write a book. I'll get you started...
---
The unthinkable had happened. The grid was down, and it seemed like an EMP had struck-maybe a high-altitude nuke, though no one really knew for sure. I was left with no choice but to make the 20-mile trek home on foot. Three miles in, something went horribly wrong. My knee buckled out of nowhere, and I realized with a sickening jolt that I’d torn my ACL. It didn’t make sense; I hadn’t done anything that should’ve caused it. I walked distances like this regularly, but there I was, barely started and already crippled.
With no time to waste, I fashioned a crude crutch from a sturdy tree limb and kept moving. Even at a snail’s pace, I managed to cover eight miles that day. As I hobbled past you, sleeping in that ditch, I couldn’t help but notice your shiny REI bivvy tent and North Face sleeping bag. At least you were prepared in that regard, lugging that 40-pound bag all this way had paid off somewhat.
By nightfall, I reached an old barn I passed daily on my way to work. I asked the folks who lived in the farmhouse for permission to sleep inside, and they kindly obliged. I refilled my water bottle at their well pump, then settled in for the night. Before drifting off, I pulled out my radio, hoping to reach the local repeater, but was met with silence. I scanned the channels, catching a brief snatch of conversation on 123.025 MHz. It sounded like helicopters from the Army base 75 miles away, just running comms tests. I figured they’d been hardened against the EMP after all.
The next morning didn’t start much better. While getting ready to leave, I clumsily walked into a nail jutting out of a board, splitting open a nasty wound on my head. Swearing at my own carelessness, I dressed the wound with the hemostatic compressed gauze from my ankle IFAK. I set out again just before dawn, munching on my last Quest protein bar as I limped down the road.
Three miles from home, I finally reached out to my wife on the radio, giving her an ETA. The relief in her voice when she answered was palpable, and I was grateful she’d remembered to pull the radio from the Faraday box in the basement.
When I finally limped through the door just after 4pm, hunger gnawed at me. I wolfed down a big meal at the kitchen table, my mind drifting to you. I wondered how you were faring. If you had a torn ACL too, carrying that heavy pack would be damn near impossible. It had taken me nearly 18 hours to get home when it should have taken less than six.
As the weight of the day’s exhaustion hit me, I downed some ibuprofen and wrapped my knee. The injury was a serious setback, and the real work hadn’t even begun yet.
@@ThatBlevinsGuy Civilian youtuber training and real world experience is superior to all others, can never be criticised.
They are above reproach, their word is law.
I'd read that book, to be fair 😉@ThatBlevinsGuy
really good video. well done sir a lot of common sense in your bag and preparation which isn’t so common anymore
@Happy-AR Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching
Ok I think it’s a good idea. For people that commute to work… this is my take on this.
Let’s just say you go to work and something happens etc.
If the roads are bumper to bumper and it’s not possible to travel then you have to get out a walk because you need to get home to your family. Or your house. There is so many things you need. Just be ready you guys. I keep a bicycle in my vehicle I have survival gear. Lots of water. It’s a big rig with a fridge and a bed . But still be ready.
very important question for you. will the antena survive out of the faraday bag? I've wondered about it as mine wont fit in my bag...
Good question. If it's a coronal mass ejection emp the antenna would be fine. With a nuclear burst emp I think it would be ok as long as the antenna was just a wire with no circuitry but I'm not sure. The little snubby antenna work well for me and fit better in bags and glove boxes.
An emp will only fry circuitry. A wire antenna would be unaffected. Just keep it disconnected from the radio until needed.
@@williamkious5349 that’s what I figured. He’s probably just storing his in the bag because it fits and keeps it together. But I had to ask because mine is kept out of the faraday bag, and I’ve always wondered if I was correct in my thinking. Thanks
3L of waters weighs about 7# and will last you a whole day. Drink one before you start your hike. Drink the rest along the way. I hesitate to step on private property during "austere conditions".
Some days, I'm 20 miles from home. Some days, I'm 60+ miles from home. So, I carry for the possibility of a 3 to 4 day trek. I'm looking at folding (non-electric) bikes.
You make some good points but my truck is parked at work I'm always 60 miles from it and at least 40 miles to a 100 miles from home so a shelter is a must no guns in company vehicles so I'm working on getting them at a couple different secure location I carried my bag with me Monday it generally stays in my vehicle at the yard
Yeah I think you'd need more than the guy who works 20 miles from home. I'd have a hard time not at least rocking an ankle holster but depending on the kind of work that might not be a great idea.
@@ThatBlevinsGuy I'm in and out of location where I would lose my job I drive a trash truck in a rule area
I'm in your shoes. Biiiiiig get home bag. The plan is to access the situation and leave what's not needed to shed weight.
3:37 Ready Hour Meal Cubes. 2500 calories in four individually wrapped meal bars. They have the consistency of uncooked oatmeal. They taste…ok. They will fill you up. You of course don’t have to cook them and the cube is the size of a baseball. Strongly recommend for get home and 72 hr kit bags.
@@juxtaposition7904 I've got a few packs of "Lifeboat Rations" that sound like the same thing. They used to sell them at Wal-Mart.
4:08 If you are in fact held up for a night for whatever reason and need to “camp,” don’t have a tent. It attracts attention. Think gray man. Think “look like a homeless guy.”
Have a brown or gray tarp (to keep rain and/or snow off you) and a Mylar emergency blanket, or bevy sack.
Roll yourself up in both (if it’s cold) among the weeds or local terrain. You’ll easily be misssed and if seen you’ll likely be ignored as a homeless person.
I favor a umbrella and a standard small tarp tie the corners down umbrella to hold it up
Less than 10 miles work to home. Small bottle of water, good footwear, waterproof clothing, hi viz armband as walking country lanes, phone with power bank and cable, small torch, whistle on keys anyway, cash n cards etc, blister plasters. Food will be what ever is left of my lunch that day. Get home as quickly as possible.
@snapdragon2441 More than one small bottle of water. Like 1.5 L minimum. One 16oz bottle every 1 1/2 hours.
I lost 130 lbs . I walk 10.5 -12 miles a day .
My get home bag covers 200 miles at the farthest point of my get home . No reason for pot and pans for that distance . A get home made for 6 miles would not work for me . Everyones get home back will need to be built for what they need .
My bag has 3 water bottles , flashlight , headlamp, rain jacket , 5 hour monster , 2 cliffs bars , granola, rain jacket ( can be used as tarp )wool blanket , some tp.and pepper spray .
some of us have over 20 miles to cover .
@@LovingIdaho That's determination! Thanks for watching.
Way to go bruz cuz, keep that shit up👊🏻
Informative and beneficial video, but also entertaining!
Thanks for watching.
I would add some simple medical to what you have, what I keep in my day pack such as a blister kit including moleskin, some Advil (or whatever), and if you are on any prescribed medications have 24 hours worth (am/pm) doses, since you don't know that time of day/night this will occur (am/pm) doses may be different, I will say that if you EDC a firearm most should expect it to end up in the bag as well if you have never walked a long distance with a handgun and holster I can tell you that it gets really heavy, really fast.
thank you for the video, it has given me a lot to think about.
Sure necessities, but there was a father who gave a coworker a ride and broke down during a blizzard a couple years back in VA. He didn't have anything ,He left his truck didn't make it past a football length and died.
I do something similar.
Im in a food desert, walk 3 to 5 miles one way to go shopping. And carry everything home rather than ride the bus. I can cover 20 miles shopping in a day taking breaks in my own apt, ( i make a loop on east side of town, go home unload my wagon and have lunch go to west side make another loop go home make dinner. )
304 Looking forward to the rest of your videos
Good stuff. It's definitely possible to over-prepare to the point where you are undermining your ability to complete your own objectives. Preparedness and planning should involve careful risk assessment of realistic scenarios and contingencies. Also, physical fitness should be the foundation of any "prepping" endeavors. If you get totally winded walking 50 meters up a 25 degree hill, easily injure yourself due to poor conditioning/balance, and are too weak to manipulate your own body weight, all the gear optimization in the world is not going to help you.
Love the going home series
A classic thriller! Thanks for watching.
it's likely to be windy, cold, raining, snow underfoot That's the reality for most of the US, most of the year.
I wish it was 20 miles. hahahaah I am looking at 3 days min in nice weather. 30lbs pack - side arm Everyone wears camo in TN hahahaha and everyone carries a AR here at least in my area.
@@SurvivalSavvvy LOL. I'm about 65 miles north of you. TN is a unique place for sure.
Why do preppers think people are going to go crazy a day after the power goes out? It simply doesn't happen. There have been multiple power outages and there were no societal meltdowns. It will take more than the grid going down before chaos ensues. People won't become chaotic until they are desperate and power outage simply won't cause that until there is a lack of basic resources like food and water. Neither of which will become unavailable in the short term of a simple grid down scenario.
I think it is the mythical EMP scenario that everyone yearns for... I mean is afraid of. Where there's no radio or phones or internet to tell people what happened or what to expect. So mass confusion would be pervasive. The prepper fiction genre almost always has about a third of the population go full Mad Max almost immediately. I have no idea what would really happen but the toilet paper wars didn't help me to relax about the possibilities. And it's no fun prepping for an apocalypse where most everybody is ok to each other and everyone just starves to death because if we aren't Amish we can't hunt enough game or produce enough food to live more than about a year.
@ThatBlevinsGuy Fair enough, but I don't think that happens within days of an emp. Society and government won't magically cease to exist just because the power goes out. I don't pretend to know how long it will take, but I don't forsee it happening until people begin to starve and become desperate.
Idk about that... in '03 when the power outage put 50 million ppl in the dark for a few days, I was working on the outskirts of Detroit. By the third night it was starting to get rough. Luckily the power came back on, but it was different that 3rd night
In all probability an isolated EMP won't destroy as much as we fear. And a coronal mass ejection emp would probably be regional, not nationwide. But if multiple high altitude emp occurred it would almost certainly be part of a larger nuclear war and would be inconsequential as civilization would be destroyed within hours. (Just finished reading Annie Jacobsen's Nuclear War. Hoo boy.)
@@JosephAllen-d2efor much of the population thier food supply will have been used in 72-96 hours. At first it'll be simple foraging, but shortly thereafter it'll be food riots, followed by looting and/or die trying. That'll be within a week to ten days, or sooner, of grid down. I've seen this first hand in NOLA after Katrina. It gets very ugly, very quickly!
Everyone’s situation is different. Mobility is essential to survival. Hydration is crucial. Sheltering maybe necessary. If you drove to work your vehicle should have days of supplies and equipment stowed. Get Home ASAP.
my main road between home and work is a highway. I was thinking of the railroad tracks that lead directly to my home, but would you say that's worse than a highway during a bad situation? I have about 28 miles to cover. Im also interested in a folding bike to put in my trunk. Would the highway be conflict-less enough to travel on?
@TheNintendoman64 Walking on tracks is harder than walking on pavement. You have to constantly watch where you're putting your feet so you don't trip. A bike would make the 28 miles pretty easy. Just make sure you check the tires frequently or have a hand pump in the car too.
You are so correct. This is my pet peeve ! People seeing who can cram the most useless crap into a bag they cannot carry more than 100 yards anyway. All that cute "Survival" junk you bought will end up thrown along the road somewhere ! If you need more than a small bag and your pockets, your not gonna make it anyway..
If I'm a bad guy... those huge bags and all that gear are zombie chow
People need to put a silcock key in their bags. 5-10 dollars to maybe get you water if needed in a city.
@@timrew9818 Yep. No reason not to.
I agree mostly with this video, the only thing i would add is a water filter sawyer mini... it weighs just a ounce or two and i think it's worth having....i will be removing some items from my bag .
@@surviveitforbeginner if you filter you probably need to to decontaminate too. www.spiritussystems.com/cana-provisions-water-decon-kit/
First aid and medication is a consideration. I use a small hydration backpack. Security is also a consideration.
maintaining a 3 mph average, for 20 miles requires a VERY high level of fitness. You're going to need to take some breaks, massage your legs stretch them, You're going to need to drink about a gallon of water as you do so, and it weighs 8 lbs. Who says that your route will be flat pavement? what if it's up and down hills, thru brush, mud, or snow? You can easily need to use trekking poles, or you'll blow out a knee or ankle and then probably NEVER get home. Especially if there's no trees from which to make a splint and crutches.. Just use the bicycle, already. You can always walk beside it if part of your trip is in wooded hills. You can always just abandon the bicycle, ya know! To average 3 mph, youll have to JOG 4 mph for most of the 20 miles. That is no JOKE, folks
Great video
You didnt have to bust my bubble about zombies 😭😂 im still holding out for them after these 27, cov-19 boosters
Really well done video with some clever dry humor and no tough mall ninja melodrama horse 💩. Subbed your channel
@@juxtaposition7904 Thanks for watching!
Also think about a cane or walking stick. They will help you walk and can be used as a weapon.
Good idea. 👍
Unbreakable Umbrella. Walking stick, Umbrella, last ditch thwacking tool. I carry one on my trips to the Philippines.
Yeah those things are cool. Expensive though!
@@ThatBlevinsGuy they're not cheap, true. But mine has survived several trips, plus use here in the US.
In a southeastern summer, an umbrella is less hot than a poncho or rain jacket, and can double as a parasol against the sun.
Multifunctional capabilities.