Getting Home

Kenny has posted a link to a few articles about getting home safely.  He then expanded on that with some of his kit.


Getting Home Essentials

Be sure to read the articles he links to and read what he writes.  Since I moved down here to Texas back in '04, my GHB has been changed many times.  Basically because of the deterioration of my spine and general physical condition.

My KIDS on the other hand.  Ohhhh have I embarassed them to no end.

We are no in the process of reorganizing their GHB's, I've ordered new gear for them, instead of water purification tablets and coffee filters, I've found brand new still in the packaging Aquamira Filter Straws for under $9.00 with free shipping, so each of the boys and I got new filters.  Be sure to follow the instructions unless you want to get a mouthful of activated charcoal and water.  That filter plus a space blanket sleeping bag, Sleeping Envelope, and a 55 gallon contractor trash bag go into a 1 liter sports bottle with the built in straw. (NOTE THAT IS NOT THE BOTTLE I BOUGHT) I got the bottles for the boys at the Academy Sports in Corpus for $4.99 each, and just grabbed two similar but with a softer more flexible plastic but no straw at the Walmart in town for $1.00 each.  Then each boy got an inexpensive pair of Winchester multi-pliers from Walmart for $5.00 each, a little unique camping tool, a compass, signal mirror, light, fire starter and such.They also each got a Serbian Mess Kit, That isn't where I got them, I got them from BudK, but they are sold out, although Sportsmans Guide has them 2 for $20.00. then they have a mix of Belgian, East German, Swiss and US Web gear, including, helmets. Yes I'm going to make them wear an Israeli steel pot I got from Numrich. They are going to look very weird when I'm done, Swiss Alpenflage shirts and ponchos, East German field packs, Belgian pistol belts and suspenders, West German buttpacks, US Canteens and carriers, and LC-1 Clips.

Oh a few more things of gear, P-38's can openers, Chem lights, 2 bandannas, a pair of cheap $1.50 a piar stretch gloves, 3 pairs of wool blend boot socks, and there are other things I won't put in now.  Once the boys and I flesh out their gear fully, we will write it up and post it here, probably with a video to show how it's packed.

One thing I got to try out though, because I intend to test it against my Katadyn Pocket Filter is a Chinese "Soldier Water Filter" with an extra filter.  I've cleaned out both filters, but I keep forgetting to get the food coloring at the store to do the first part of the test.

My Katadyn will filter out the smell of bleached water, it won't filter out the taste, but it filters out the smell.  The Katadyn also filters out any of the food coloring I put in.  I know the Aquamira will do neither.  It won't filter out the bleach smell nor the food coloring.  So as soon as I get some food coloring I will test this small filter.  I would still use bleach or calcium hypochlorite afterwards though just for peace of mind.

I also picked up a pocket Chain Saw, which if it works good I will buy 5 more for the kids.  Plus some other tricks I've picked up over the years.

Notice I don't list anything about food or cooking in this.  That will come when we get the boys full kits together.  I've found, that young men like to break into their GHB's and eat all the snacks.  Before I'm done they will learn the folly of that.