CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
BOV Resources and At-Home Exercises
Building a Bug Out Vehicle requires three main areas of preparation: Bug Out appropriate gear, features and accessories; information and knowledge; and hands-on practice. I have divided this chapter into a variety of BOV-related supply categories. Under each category I have listed the following three headings:
Gear Resources: Under this heading I have listed many of the Bug Out Gear items mentioned in this book along with where you can purchase them.
Further Study: Under this listing I include a variety of resources for more in-depth study of that particular category. These resources can be books, Web-sites, organizations, schools, etc.
At-Home Exercises: Practice makes perfect. It’s important that you know how to use the gear and tools in your Bug Out Bag. This heading lists important At-Home Exercises to familiarize yourself and your family with key Bug Out tools and skills.
BOV Survival Supplies
BUG OUT BAG RESOURCES
I highly recommend not purchasing a preassembled Bug Out Bag. Building your own personal Bug Out Bag can be a time-consuming process, but it’s important. Preassembled kits are designed to make the most margins possible for the manufacturer. Often, this means including inferior (or less) gear. That isn’t a reassuring formula for a kit designed to provide one with three days of survival supplies. Rather than provide retail sources for preassembled kits, I will only provide resources for further study on this topic.
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- If you haven’t already, start building a Bug Out Bag. Start with the six most critical categories: Shelter, Water, Fire, Food, First Aid, and Self-Defense.
BOV Shelter
GEAR RESOURCES
Rooftop Tents
Shelter/Trailer Combinations
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Go camping with your BOV and spend at least one night in the shelter option you’ve chosen. Evaluate weaknesses in the plan and make changes accordingly.
BOV Water
GEAR RESOURCES
Bulk Containers
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Go camping with your BOV and use only the water stored in your BOV for cooking, hydration, and hygiene. Evaluate weaknesses in the plan and make changes accordingly.
BOV Fire
GEAR RESOURCES
Ignition Devices
Store-Bought Tinders
Ready-to-Burn Store-Bought Logs
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Go camping with your BOV and use only the ignition devices and fire tinder in your BOV to start the fire. Do not bring firewood. Use only the tools in your BOV to gather and process firewood during your campout. Make changes based on the experience.
BOV Food
GEAR RESOURCES
Long Term Food Options: Dehydrated and open-and-eat meals
Cooking and Food Preparation Tools
- Many outdoor camping retailers and websites
- Metal mug/cup: www.gsioutdoors.com
- P-38 can opener: Local Army/Navy surplus stores
- Esbit stove and fuel tablets: www.campmor.com, search “esbit”
- Canister stoves: All backpacking stores and websites
- Tabletop propane stove: www.coleman.com
- Spork: www.rei.com
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Mark the expiration date of your BOV food and make that a weekend to go camping. Eat only the food packed in the BOV using only the food preparation tools in the BOV. Make changes based on the experience.
BOV First Aid and Hygiene
GEAR RESOURCES
First Aid Kits, Hygiene Products, and Tools
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Use your BOV first aid kit to treat the next family first aid issue. Did you have everything you needed? Are there any changes that need to be made?
- While on a camping trip, do not use public restrooms or outhouses. Try using the bathroom as if in a Bug Out Scenario and those facilities aren’t available. What did you learn?
BOV Maintenance
GEAR RESOURCES
Tire-Related
Battery Related
Key-Related
- Magnetic hide-a-key: local hardware stores
Tools and Miscellaneous
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Know how to change a flat tire.
- Know how to change all the belts in your BOV.
- Know how to jump a dead battery.
- Know how to push start a manual shift vehicle.
- Hide an extra set of keys in a hide-a-key case on your vehicle.
BOV Off-Road Travel
GEAR RESOURCES
FURTHER STUDY
- How to use a Hi-Lift Jack, an off-road winch, come-along, or pry-jack: www.hi-lift.com.
At-Home Exercises
- Get your BOV stuck. Then get it out using your off-road tools.
- Drive your BOV off-road and get a feel for what it can and cannot do. This will help to avoid unnecessary risks in a real-life scenario.
BOV Communications and Navigation
GEAR RESOURCES
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Program and use all of your communication radios and devices. Some, such as mobile HAM radio units, must be programmed in order to use. Don’t wait until a disaster strikes to figure out how to use these tools.
- Communicate with (or at least listen to) outside sources using your devices.
- Develop a unique and personal FLASH code with your Bug Out Team for basic commands.
BOV Defense and Security
GEAR RESOURCES
FURTHER STUDY
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Practice camouflaging your BOV. Adjust your plan and the material you use until you are satisfied with the results.
BOV Storage Solutions
GEAR RESOURCES
AT-HOME EXERCISES
- Do a test run. Pack your BOV at least once with everything you plan to take on a Bug Out Journey. Make changes based on what you can and cannot fit.
- Once everything is packed as you like into the BOV, pretend that the BOV has broken down. How much can you take and what do you have to leave behind? Are you okay with the results? Make changes accordingly.
Bug Out Vehicles Retailers
Retailers for Alternative BOVs
Retailers for Bug Out Trailers and Campers
Retailers for Carts and Wagons
Summary
Choosing and outfitting a BOV can be very overwhelming if you allow it. For large tasks that may feel too big to conquer, I suggest breaking them down into manageable chunks. I call this “goal-ienteering,” named after the sport of orienteering. Orienteering is a sport where you use a map and compass to navigate from point to point toward a final destination. Reaching each individual point along the way makes the final destination achievable. The key to outfitting a BOV is the same way. Rather than trying to finish the entire build at once, break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This book is divided by chapter into those smaller manageable chunks for this very reason. While it’s impossible not to skip around a little bit, try your best to focus on one chapter/survival priority at a time. I promise this will save you time and frustration in the long haul. Good luck!
