Prudent Prepping: One Is Never Enough

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

There have been other birthdays besides my own recently. I had a chance to help build a GHB again!

Well it wasn't really a bag, since what I gifted was just most of the contents of your generic Get Home Bag and not the bag itself. This was the second GHB I've helped build in the last six months, but it's the first in a long time that I've personally invested in completing. This is the start of a second bag for the person it's going to, since they need to tailor the contents for their own needs and climate.

Want to know what I did?

First Things First
I am in no way an expert survivalist or claim to have any special knowledge or insights on keeping anyone safe. I am also not connected in any way to the manufacturer's of the products I mention here. Don't believe me? See the disclaimer at the bottom of this post (and every post I make) when mentioning or reviewing products.

With that taken care of, here is where I always start.

Water
There is an somewhat accurate saying the goes like this: "You can live three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, and three weeks without food." Now, since oxygen is pretty easily obtained, water should be one of the first things secured in an emergency*, so I picked the Sawyer Mini Filter.

http://amzn.to/2EJ5rRl

I really prefer the Sawyer Mini in a GHB because of how small, light, compact and efficient it is. Rolled up, everything fits into a 1 liter nalgene bottle.

This excerpt from the Sawyer wesite explains things very well:
Our lightest and most versatile personal water filtration system, the Sawyer MINI weighs just 2 ounces, fits in the palm of your hand, and provides 0.1 micron absolute filtration — removing 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera and E.coli, and removing 99.9999% of all protozoa (such as giardia and cryptosporidium).

*Real survival experts may want you to find shelter first, but water is close to number one.

Fire
Fire is a requirement not only for heat but also for cooking, and having a way to contain that fire is also important.

UCO Matches and Case

http://amzn.to/2CAanlu

Not only are the matches practically guaranteed to light, they also come in a refillable case!

Hedge your bets against the weather with a UCO Stormproof Match Kit. Stormproof Matches are windproof, waterproof and light up quickly and consistently in driving rain, heavy winds and falling snow—and will relight even after being submerged in water. Each kit includes 25 matches, 3 strikers and a waterproof case that floats!




Esbit Compact Stove and Fuel
I like the Esbit stove in a kit for its compact size.

http://amzn.to/2GAlptn

There’s no such thing as "no room“. At least not for this folding stove which really can be stowed away in any equipment. And it’s ready to use in next to no time when it’s needed.

Simple and stable stove is constructed from durable, galvanized steel; Folds down to a small, compact size.

Includes 6 smokeless, Esbit 14 g solid fuel tablets; Each tablet burns approximately 12 minutes; One tablet boils 500 ml of water in about 8 minutes.

The included fuel was supplemented with a second pack.

Sea To Summit
I have these utensils in my lunch box. They work really well and weigh next to nothing.

http://amzn.to/2HAbHZl

Individual utensils in this set have several holes punched out of the handle to reduce weight

Bottom hole on handle is hexagonal shaped; each piece is a different size hex wrench (3mm, 4mm, 5mm).

I highly recommend these.






GSI Pinnacle Soloist
This is a pot set that will outlast most people who own it. Hard Anodized and everything nests together.

http://amzn.to/2Cg8nDc

Folding handle locks into place for cooking and secures entire set for transport, eliminating the need for a stuff sack.

Unique mug/bowl solution with low center of gravity and Sip-It virtually eliminates spills while the integrated insulating sleeve keeps drinks hot.

All GSI products are amazingly well-built and just cool to look at!


Since this GHB Starter Set is a gift to a family member, some splurging took place in selecting these items; a perfectly adequate set can be assembled for a fraction of what I spent here, with most of the savings made in what cooking gear I selected. The pot is the same brand as what is in an existing kit, so on an outing everything will be compatible.

Any of the other things that should go into a GHB were deliberately left out, since things like first aid kits, shelter and food can be added as items of personal choice. My weather and wants do not overlap much with the person who received these  things.

The Takeaway

• Basic GHB items all seem to be the same: water, fire, cooking and eating. 
• Exactly how you get from your idea of basic to the Finish Line is a topic for discussion among friends, preferably while safe and warm and with plenty of good food and drink. 
• If you are adding-on to existing gear, making things compatible will reduce stress in an emergency. 

The Recap

• Everything needed to start a very nice Get Home Bag. Happy Birthday! 
• One Sawyer Mini Filter: $19.97 from Amazon with Prime. 
• One set of UCO Stormproof Matches: $8.23 from Amazon with Free Shipping, no Prime. 
• One Esbit Compact Stove: $10.99 from Amazon with Prime. 
• Extra pack of Esbit Solid Fuel tabs: $9.49 from Amazon with Free Shipping, no Prime. 
• A set of Sea To Summit utensils: $19.95 from Amazon with Prime. 
• One GSI Pinnacle Soloist cook set: $44.95 from Amazon with Prime. 
• Nothing else was purchased this week.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!