11 LIGHTING
IN A BUG OUT SCENARIO, the electricity will almost certainly be off-grid. Besides the sun and moon, your only light source might be inside your Bug Out Bag. Not having a flashlight of some kind can stop you dead in your tracks during low-light or dark conditions. There are countless reasons to include a light source. The most obvious are listed below.
Traveling at night can be advantageous in some instances. In desert regions, for example, traveling by night is cooler and conserves precious water versus traveling under full-sun by day. Depending on the circumstances, you may want to avoid interaction with other survivors by traveling at night and remaining low-key. Regardless, traveling in nighttime or low-light conditions without a flashlight can be very dangerous. Even a very minor injury can be a devastating setback and travel burden.
If you do travel during daylight hours, you’ll get farther faster if you can begin traveling at first light and stop after twilight. This means you’ll be setting up and breaking up camp in low light. For ease and safety, you’ll need to be able to see what you are doing. Carrying a light source increases your productive time on your route and in camp settings.
A high intensity flashlight makes an effective signaling device. It can be used for a variety of applications.
The members of my Bug Out Team and I have developed a very simple communications code using flashlights. We can use “flashes” of light to relay basic messages should the need arise to communicate from afar or in silence. Each of us keeps a small laminated note card in our BOB with the signal codes. Below are a few from our list:
A flashlight can also be used to signal for rescue. Besides just waving it around to get a rescue team’s attention, there are internationally recognized distress signals. The most popular is Morse Code for the letters SOS. In Morse Code, the letter S is three dots and the letter O is three dashes. Thus, using your flashlight, the SOS distress signal would be three short bursts of light then three longer bursts of light then three shorts bursts of light. Then, this pattern is repeated. Typically, the longer burst should be equal in length to the three short bursts combined.
When it comes to the lighting category, I suggest packing one main flashlight, one very small backup light, and one alternative light source.
Ultralight Head lamp: Black Diamond ION
Get a hands-free LED headlamp. Don’t bother with any other styles for your primary BOB light source. The most obvious benefit of a headlamp is that both of your hands are free to work. They are also extremely lightweight and the LED models last a very long time before new batteries are needed. Some models weigh in at only a few ounces. There are a huge variety of headlamps on the market at varying price points. Regardless of your budget, I’m sure there is one to meet your needs.
Headlamps provide ample light for normal tasks such as setting up camp, preparing meals and traveling. These are the perfect BOB lighting source—compact, lightweight, bright and long-lasting.
Mini Maglite
1. Mini Maglite LED. The mini Maglite LED is a perfect backup BOB flashlight. Below are some reasons why I love it:
I’ve gone on many overnight camps when I’ve used the Mini Maglite exclusively. It is a good, reliable tool.
2. Mini Keychain LED. These little keychain-style LED lights are surprisingly bright for their size. They are also very cheap, typically around five dollars. If you are a minimalist packer, then these are an excellent solution. They can be attached to zipper pulls or tucked into almost any small space. I keep mine as a zipper pull on one of my smaller kits. They are also virtually indestructible. The Photon brand (my choice) has a crush-proof bulb and is visible over one mile.
Photon Brand LED Mini Light
Photon Light as Zipper Pull
While neither of the following options are completely necessary, they are both small and lightweight with unique benefits in a survival/rescue scenario. Because of this, I have included them as recommended pack items.
Any small candle will work just fine. The one I use is 1 in diameter and 4 tall. The brand is 9-Hour Candle and it’s designed specifically for survival and preparedness applications. It has a long, steady burn time (nine hours).
9-Hour Candle
A candle can be used for light in a base camp or shelter but also can be helpful while starting a fire in less-than-perfect conditions. If you find yourself working with damp fire tinder, you can light the candle first and use it to ignite your tinder. This is a much more efficient way to start a fire and helps to conserve your ignition source. In a small, protected shelter, the flame from a candle can also be used as a heat source to raise the temperature a few degrees if necessary. This is especially true in a snow-cave-style shelter.
Snap-style glow sticks typically last anywhere from two to four hours and can be an excellent overhead lighting solution when hung from the ceiling of a shelter or tent. They also make a highly visible nighttime signaling device. There are two important attributes to a good visual rescue signal. The first is motion. The second is that it looks out of place from its surroundings. This can be accomplished with shape, color, or both. The best way to signal using a glow stick is to attach a 36" length of cord onto one end and swing it in circles as fast as you can while facing your target.
Glow Sticks
Glow Stick Fitted With 36" Length of Paracord
The produces a very unique circular motion of light that can be seen for miles.
Glow Stick Rescue Signaling Technique
Just for kicks, I weighed all of my lighting tools:
All Lighting Items Fit In Your Palm
The total weight came in at 7.2 ounces—not even half a pound! And all of them combined fit into the palm of my hand.
Just these few ounces can make such a huge difference in a disaster survival scenario. They can drastically impact your chances of a successful Bug Out and rescue.