Useless BOB Items

[Lynn LeFey]

Canned goods.

I'm gonna have to disagree with this one. With the caviot that I'm talking about a 3-day bag.

Shelf stable canned food will last as long as MREs. It's easy enough to find canned food jammed full of calories. It is seriously more resistant to damage than an MRE mylar package. In a pinch, empty cans can be made into a load of useful things. Packing them doesn't take up any more space than MREs if you put them in with soft items, like clothes, where the non-conforming shapes of the cans don't matter. So, the only thing that's any kind of actual disadvantage versus MREs is the weight of packaging. People tend to think of the weight of an MRE package as non-existent. I actually weighed one versus a can the other day. The can weighs an ounce, compared to 1/3 of an ounce for the mylar MRE packaging. That means each can you carry only adds 2/3 of an ounce over carrying MREs. For the durability increase... oh, and the massive PRICE difference... I'm fine with canned food. Assuming I was eating a can of food per meal for 3 days, that's 6 ounces additional weight over equivalent MREs. I'm not seeing the 'useless' in it.

EDIT: What do I see people carring that I DO think is useless? I have to say I'm not a fan of folding shovels (seen too many break), and have to think I could get by digging my crapper hole with something a good deal smaller, like a gardening trowel. I just don't think I'm going to be doing any more digging while BOBing. The guns-guns-guns-knives-knives-knives issue has already been covered.

[DeadCanadian]

Yes, in a BOB that is being used to go to a set location pre-cooked foods like can foods are quick and fast. Eat them out of a can when you can't have a fire and if you can have a fire, every food comes in it's own clean cook pot

I like MREs but they are over stated as not everyone can get then and can foods and packaged foods can be had by everyone and is much cheaper. Same with backpacking meals, not everyone has a backpacking store where they live and not everyone wants to place an order for more when one meal expires.

Shelf life in not an issue is you are checking your BOB in spring and fall every year like you should if your bags only purpose is for bugging out.

[KnightoftheRoc]

What I meant by 'canned goods', is the weight/space versus things like Mainstay or Datrex rations. for the weight of three days of canned food, I can take ten days worth of rations in this form. I've weighed it up. So, perhaps not TOTALLY useless, but I'd say it's an area where better options certainly exist, and not expensively, either. My plans for a bug out mean that, if I'm bugging out, my life is on the line, or I'd still be sitting at home. In such a case, sure, a hot meal would be a good morale boost, but it's not something I'm willing to limit my movement abilities in order to have- staying alive is a hell of a morale boost, too.

Most of what we've all listed is not, technically, "useless", it all has a use, the list is more of a personal preference thing. I prefer not to lug around canned goods, nor deal with the empties, when I have other options available to me that work better, for me.

[MichaelM]

A lot about what's useful versus useless has to do with what you've got available to use.

If you don't have lifeboat rations, canned goods look pretty appealing. Good shelf life, good durability, and inexpensive. Just don't pack your whole kitchen shelf, because you'll weigh 4000 pounds and make a clunking noise when you walk. They aren't like the perfect survival food, but if they're what you've got they're better than starving.

The really silly part is when someone carrying a machete, ax, shovel, crowbar, rifle, shotgun, two handguns, a thousand rounds, and five large knives looks at three cans of chili and says, "Dude, you're carrying way too much stuff."

[ninja-elbow]

5.) ID packet. In the political climate we live in (sorry can't ignore this), you need to have ID. Driver's license, or State ID, SS card, maybe even a certified copy of your birth certificate and passport (if you have one), copy of your concealed carry permit if you have one, perhaps even a second credit card. Not ID, but you may want to have a paper with important names, numbers and addresses in it.

I'd like to reiterate this, and the lack there of seen in many BOBs. It sure would be nice to make it up into the next nearest town with open and operating banks and be able to pull some cash out. You may have ditched your house quickly and not grabbed your wallet. At many Red Cross stations after a disaster lap tops will be set up for you to begin insurance claims. Better have basic insurance info on you. How many of us, with cell phone and one click calling, remember phone numbers? What about addresses? You lose your phone, you lose that info.

One 3x5 card with a few numbers and addresses on it can save your day.

[Lynn LeFey]

What I meant by 'canned goods', is the weight/space versus things like Mainstay or Datrex rations. for the weight of three days of canned food, I can take ten days worth of rations in this form. I've weighed it up. So, perhaps not TOTALLY useless, but I'd say it's an area where better options certainly exist, and not expensively, either.

I've looked at Coast Guard type rations, and handily decided against them. I have to ask if you've tried prolonged activity while eating only them. I ask this for a simple reason. They're made to provide calories on minimal water usage, for people in a life boat (stationary). Since moving food through your digestive tract requires water, and they're made to NOT make you use excess water, I suspect that if you tried hiking on these, you might get cramps as your intestines basically stopped moving. Looking over ingredients in them seems to support my theory. They're basically simple sugars and carbs. I don't know this is a fact, just a suspicion, and since it's not my plan, I don't intend to spend the money to test it, but I think someone should. I really don't think someone could live and move on lifeboat rations. I recommend, as with everything else, that you field test them if you haven't already.

Maybe more important, if I tried eating lifeboat rations for three days straight, my morale would tank.

I should also say that I'm not just carrying canned food (hence my earlier statement that I wouldn't be eating a can of food every meal). I'm carrying some eat-on-the-go kinds of food as well (granola bars, gorp, etc).

Anyway, this is maybe something of a thread derail, so...

[ninja-elbow]

I considered the same points and determined that for my emergency rations (BOB kits and the like) lifeboat rations would be fine. Not so much for hiking though. If I'm humping the 5.5 miles across wrecked bridges from work to home due to an earthquake, I am just looking for calories to help me so rations, candy, a bit of jerky and tea will suffice. If I'm recreating on the Deschuttes, I'll take something different - and thus a ton more crap in my ruck

More in line with the subject though: I've seen people pack small cast iron pans and skillets. "You never know when you might take a deer and need to cook up the venison."

[mr_slappy75]

I considered the same points and determined that for my emergency rations (BOB kits and the like) lifeboat rations would be fine. Not so much for hiking though. If I'm humping the 5.5 miles across wrecked bridges from work to home due to an earthquake, I am just looking for calories to help me so rations, candy, a bit of jerky and tea will suffice. If I'm recreating on the Deschuttes, I'll take something different - and thus a ton more crap in my ruck

More in line with the subject though: I've seen people pack small cast iron pans and skillets. "You never know when you might take a deer and need to cook up the venison."

Uh... ah. Um... wow. Just wow . Why does it seem that some people are confusing an INCH Bag with a BOB? I have noticed that this tendency has come up in other thread in the forum before.

Then again -and I assure you I am not attempting to play devil's advocate-, like KOTR says, "Everyone's needs and preferences are different" but still!

I do not currently have a BOB with me as such for work; my hike home from work is a mere 3.2 miles if that, so I am plenty happy with my EDC/GHB 'Maxpediton knock-off' tactical murse (I assure you, it is neither a Fox Tactical or a UTG, a bit better but not by much). There is only one RR overpass I could walk over, but I have no less than 2 other alternative routes that by-pass it and one of them actually saves me .4 of a mile.
But let's just say for arguement's sake that the wife and I had to actually leave our BIL and hoof it accross the 7 or so miles to the ILs, I still can't fathom pots and pans like old time pioneers or gold rush miners.

[Lynn LeFey]

I gotta be honest in saying that I'd never heard of INCH bags before coming here. I like the idea, and it has allowed me to get a much better hold on what my BOB ought to be. Until you get a clear understanding and separation of roles, you're going to see some things people put into a BOB for longer-term survival. For THAT, cast iron is pretty good.

When i was in High School, and hiking on the super-cheap. several of us just had regular 1 quart aluminum saucepans for our cookwear. Surprisingly effective, but they look silly as hell strapped to the back of your pack.

[moab]

I don't think enough people consider the real need to have an INCH bag. If your not concerned about a PAW. And your only concerned about some temporary, regional natural disaster, you'll probably never put an INCH bag together. But if you are concerned about a PAW, you have to consider the likelihood of your BOL or your BIL being overrun. Even the best defenses can be overrun and taken by a hostile force. Or destroyed by natural disaster. Or made useless by some other form of plague. Then your in an INCH type situation. I personally think that every BIL or BOL should be outfitted with a well prepared INCH bag. Just like you'd prepare for spending a set amount of time in your BIL or your BOL. You have to consider the very possible likelihood of ending up on foot. For good. Or at least until you locate another BOL.

There seems to be this magical quality to a BOL that makes it some impervious castle. So well defended that no natural disaster, man made disaster, or plague can penetrate it. What if you get to your BOL and it's destroyed too? What then? Even if I had a castle impervious to the aforementioned disasters. I'd still plan an INCH bag. And have a strategy for getting away and moving beyond this one step plan - to simply get to my BOL or BIL.

I don't carry a BOB. I carry an INCH. (Suprise! Suprise! So I'm taking both boat rations and MRE type food. Supplemented with things like jerky and other dried foods.

Concerning the canned goods. Personally I agree - if it's all you've got - it's all you've got - so take it. I personally would not want to be humping canned food. But again, I consider the possible INCH scenarios in every location I could possibly end up in. And prepare for the worst. I guess the things I see in peoples BOB's that concern me. Isn't so much the weight (although that does concern me. Knife and firearms collections included.). As they have no means of hiding from a possible bad element. They carry all bright or at least colors that stand out. And no camouflage at all. I personally think that every BOB should at least include a light weight set of camo cloths and a camo pack cover. And have at least some limited training in cover and concealment and escape and evasion.

But this is only if your concerned about a PAW. Or at least one that goes on for some period of time. If your only concerned about staying alive in a natural disaster, where the general populace is generally taken care of, there is no need for all of this. But it's up to the individual to decide what they are planning for. Which is I think the basis of many disagreements here. Not a lot of conversation takes place about "what" each individual sees as their threat. Thus what they are planning for. So I try not to knock anyone. Until I find out what exactly they think is going to go wrong. Then and only then can you effectively critique someones bag contents.

[Guy Fawkes]

It was mentioned earlier, but I wanna add a +1 to things that are NOT useless in a BOB.

I do carry travel-size deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, camp mirror, etc. Just because not every bug out is gonna be living in the woods. You might just be going to stay at a friend or relative's house, or in a hotel, and actually be around people. You're not gonna wanna look like a hobo or anything, you wanna blend in.

[moab]

USELESS
Kerlix - 6-Ply, 4.5" x 4.1 Yd
Bulky and takes up TOO much space!



Instead use H&H Compressed Gauze, same thing just vacuum packed for space saving in you BOB/FAK/GHB/etc.

FULL OF WIN!
H&H Compressed Gauze - 6-Ply, 4.5" x 4.1 Yd

I'll have you all know that I got out my big unruly hunk of Kerlix guaze tonight. And noticed that if you simply smash it in your hand the air escapes. Must be the paper on one side. So I fired up my vacuum sealer. And crushed that sucker but good. Along with my 6" ACE bandage! They are now the size of a couple pantyliners. And rock hard. Problem fixed.

Now they're both full of WIN!

Patrick

[Cu Chulainn]

I've looked at Coast Guard type rations, and handily decided against them. I have to ask if you've tried prolonged activity while eating only them. I ask this for a simple reason. They're made to provide calories on minimal water usage, for people in a life boat (stationary). Since moving food through your digestive tract requires water, and they're made to NOT make you use excess water, I suspect that if you tried hiking on these, you might get cramps as your intestines basically stopped moving. Looking over ingredients in them seems to support my theory..

There's nothing in them that stops your intestines. Yes, they are flour, sugar, fats, vitamins and flavoring. The reason they don't us e a lot of water is because they don't have protein. Protein digestion is what uses the most water. These have components that are easily digested, and high in calories. Once you get past digestion, calories are calories.

You'll also notice those rations are broken into 400 calorie sections. There's a reason for that: you spread them out over the course of a day. Say you get the 2400 calorie Mainstay rations. That's 6 servings, one ever 2-3 hours, depending on how long you move and how long you rest. I do fairly active works. i eat before I go in, have a break 2 1/2 hours in and lunch after another 2 1/2 hours. I eat 200 calories at break and 300 at lunch, and am just starting to feel hungry 2 1/2 hours after each. So I think 400 calories every 2-3 hours should be do-able. After all, we are talking a bugout, not sustained living.

Re: morale going down eating the same thing. we're talking a bug out here, 3-4 days. I'm sorry, but if you can't eat the same thing for a mere 3-4 days without becoming depressed, I have to doubt your survivability. You have to be tougher than that.


Re: INCH bags.
The PAW is not the only reason for INCH bags. IIRC Jeriah had a post about this listing various reasons you might never come home, besides a PAW. I can personally attest to circumstance leaving me with nothing but a duffle bag of clothes and a backpack with camping gear. I've slept at people's houses, in my Jeep, camped int he woods. Even when I got into an apartment, trailer or home, slept on my Therm-a-Rest on the floor, cooked with my mess kit and drank from my canteen cup for a few months. None of which was a PAW or a natural disaster. Since I never went back to my original home, it was, by definition, an INCH situation. If you've never had to do it, count yourself lucky, but don't think there's no place for it.

[moab]

Re: INCH bags.
The PAW is not the only reason for INCH bags. IIRC Jeriah had a post about this listing various reasons you might never come home, besides a PAW. I can personally attest to circumstance leaving me with nothing but a duffle bag of clothes and a backpack with camping gear. I've slept at people's houses, in my Jeep, camped int he woods. Even when I got into an apartment, trailer or home, slept on my Therm-a-Rest on the floor, cooked with my mess kit and drank from my canteen cup for a few months. None of which was a PAW or a natural disaster. Since I never went back to my original home, it was, by definition, an INCH situation. If you've never had to do it, count yourself lucky, but don't think there's no place for it.

I couldn't agree with this more. And have found myself in a similar situation. Everyone should at least consider an INCH. It can happen easier than you think. Even with well thought out BOL and BIL. Why does every good bunker have a back door?

[Lynn LeFey]

I'm sorry, but if you can't eat the same thing for a mere 3-4 days without becoming depressed, I have to doubt your survivability. You have to be tougher than that.

That's okay. I have doubts about my survivability myself. But for lots of other reasons. Also, I stopped worrying about 'being tough' a long time ago. I know exactly how tough I can be when I need to be, and I have exactly 0 to prove to anyone, thanks.

I'm not sure you caught on to what I was saying earlier. I KNOW what survival rations are made of, and there's nothing in them that make your intestines move, and that's not good. I mean, yeah, I could take a soda bottle and fill it with nothing but cane sugar, and live on that for 3 days. I don't think it'd be wise, personally, and unless I'm missing something, that's what lifeboat rations are.

If you assume there's nothing in them that stops your intestines from working, then perhaps you should ask instead what is it that's KEEPING your intestines moving. Your stomach does primary digestion, such as breaking carbs down into sugar. Your small intestines extract fatty material (hence your gall bladder, which produces bile required to digest fat being just south of the Stomach) and absorb sugars and nutrients, and your large intestines extract water and push the rest out. If you're not eating dietary fiber (large intestines) Everything empties from small and large, and your large intestines sit there doing nothing for 3 days, except maybe fermenting bits that aren't getting pushed through any more. The more I think about Lifeboat Rations, the more I'm against them.

I'm not saying my concerns are RIGHT. I'm saying I've never seen this tested, and I really don't think Bug Out is a good time to put untested theories into practice. If you've tested Coast Guard Rations, and you're fine with it, more power to you. I'm fine with any weight canned food brings. We're all good, see?

I know exactly what happens when I eat a can of beans. And so does everyone else around me.

[sar5]

USELESS
Kerlix - 6-Ply, 4.5" x 4.1 Yd
Bulky and takes up TOO much space!



Instead use H&H Compressed Gauze, same thing just vacuum packed for space saving in you BOB/FAK/GHB/etc.

FULL OF WIN!
H&H Compressed Gauze - 6-Ply, 4.5" x 4.1 Yd

I agree the h&h items are well made and well packaged. Great tip to point out.

[sar5]

5.) ID packet. In the political climate we live in (sorry can't ignore this), you need to have ID. Driver's license, or State ID, SS card, maybe even a certified copy of your birth certificate and passport (if you have one), copy of your concealed carry permit if you have one, perhaps even a second credit card. Not ID, but you may want to have a paper with important names, numbers and addresses in it.

I'd like to reiterate this, and the lack there of seen in many BOBs. It sure would be nice to make it up into the next nearest town with open and operating banks and be able to pull some cash out. You may have ditched your house quickly and not grabbed your wallet. At many Red Cross stations after a disaster lap tops will be set up for you to begin insurance claims. Better have basic insurance info on you. How many of us, with cell phone and one click calling, remember phone numbers? What about addresses? You lose your phone, you lose that info.

One 3x5 card with a few numbers and addresses on it can save your day.

Great point, electronics are so depended on. Recently we had a family emergency and had to call out of state family. The cell was dead and the charger was back home, two hours away. The town did not have a charger that fit our phone. It yolks seven calls to numbers we could remember o get to the right people.

Having a old fashion phone book fo the wallet would have saved the day.

[KnightoftheRoc]

I'm sorry, but if you can't eat the same thing for a mere 3-4 days without becoming depressed, I have to doubt your survivability. You have to be tougher than that.

That's okay. I have doubts about my survivability myself. But for lots of other reasons. Also, I stopped worrying about 'being tough' a long time ago. I know exactly how tough I can be when I need to be, and I have exactly 0 to prove to anyone, thanks.

I'm not sure you caught on to what I was saying earlier. I KNOW what survival rations are made of, and there's nothing in them that make your intestines move, and that's not good. I mean, yeah, I could take a soda bottle and fill it with nothing but cane sugar, and live on that for 3 days. I don't think it'd be wise, personally, and unless I'm missing something, that's what lifeboat rations are.

If you assume there's nothing in them that stops your intestines from working, then perhaps you should ask instead what is it that's KEEPING your intestines moving. Your stomach does primary digestion, such as breaking carbs down into sugar. Your small intestines extract fatty material (hence your gall bladder, which produces bile required to digest fat being just south of the Stomach) and absorb sugars and nutrients, and your large intestines extract water and push the rest out. If you're not eating dietary fiber (large intestines) Everything empties from small and large, and your large intestines sit there doing nothing for 3 days, except maybe fermenting bits that aren't getting pushed through any more. The more I think about Lifeboat Rations, the more I'm against them.

I'm not saying my concerns are RIGHT. I'm saying I've never seen this tested, and I really don't think Bug Out is a good time to put untested theories into practice. If you've tested Coast Guard Rations, and you're fine with it, more power to you. I'm fine with any weight canned food brings. We're all good, see?

I know exactly what happens when I eat a can of beans. And so does everyone else around me.

I wasn't approaching it from THIS point of view, but you raise a good point. I think I'd be ok for a bugout, even with the hiking, because I also take along some trail mix and jerky. The trail mix has things like coconut in it, which provides a decent amount of fiber, if less than my normal intake. My current BOL is a friend's place, and will be reached by vehicle if at all possible (with a 4wd, almost anything is still possible for this) and I have hiked it, on nothing but rations, jerky, and trail mix, with no noticeable problems in the digestion dept, but that was only a single day (2011 SMBO contest). I found they delivered nicely on the calories needed for the exertion. I also spent three days eating nothing but rations and water, trying out the Mainstay and Datrex rations. While the taste wasn't exactly thrilling, it was tolerable, and I had no digestive problems of any note. This was done during my normal work week, walking to and from my job (2 miles one way) and doing my normal daily stuff. Not exactly physically demanding, but not sitting idle, either. Take from that what you will.

I think I have my summer experiment, now- thank you! I'll be sure to report back to ZS with details of my bowel movements

[mr_slappy75]

It was mentioned earlier, but I wanna add a Indubitably, my good sir and/or madam. to things that are NOT useless in a BOB.

I do carry travel-size deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, camp mirror, etc. Just because not every bug out is gonna be living in the woods. You might just be going to stay at a friend or relative's house, or in a hotel, and actually be around people. You're not gonna wanna look like a hobo or anything, you wanna blend in.

I would dare say that barring those in ZS who reside in socio-political hot-zones with a very high level of unreliability of infrastructure and government, by the by and large most of us will be close enough to some form of civilization or even staging zone were these items will aid one in being able to both blend in and cope…never underestimate the morale boost that a little personal grooming will give you.

That being said…even those of us who would need to stick it out in the woods for a while not only get the morale benefits of personal hygiene but the fact that many an illness can be prevented with some judicious cleanliness.

[ninja-elbow]

As I say in all my "seminars" I do on disaster prepping, we're all about 3 showers away from some plague.

[ninja-elbow]

Re food depression:

Just to make it clear, and I am assuming here so there is a 97% chance I am an ass, I think one person is talking about food depression - your body not taking in nutirents and calories efficiently due to lack of variety - and another poster is talking about depression due to lack of food - all is lost, I'm feeling down and hopeless, this will never end, I can't control my bladder due to my low mood, I'm so sad and can't stop listening to NIN as it is poignant to my current mood...

These are two distinctly different things. Neither have much to do with being tough. If you think that life giving food is ookey and you don't want it, you need to buck up and be tough and get it down. I hate mayonaise and avocado, if I was starving and it's all I got I'll eat it though. If I was having food depression or was depressed than all the avacado and mayo in the world, and me bucking up and eating it, will not solve either issue.

[Lynn LeFey]

I think I have my summer experiment, now- thank you! I'll be sure to report back to ZS with details of my bowel movements

Ah... See the great service I do here? I think if you've tested it and it works for you, then cool. Please do post results. I can't find anything anywhere on it.

As for the grooming supplies discussion... interesting point. I keep what amounts to 'overnight bag' stuff in my BOB.

And, as for INCH vs. BOB... I'm still mulling things over. The point of leaving your house even not in SHTF and not being able to return is an undeniable possibility.

As for food 'depression', I was talking about morale. It's easier keeping one foot going in front of another if you've got the prospect of a hot meal at the day's end.

My BOB's not settled by a long shot, so I appreciate the conversation. I've considered Coast Guard Rations before, and will reevaluate when I get some more info. I won't ever remove 'real food' from my plan, but might throw Coast Guard rations in as supplement or as an extender.

[KnightoftheRoc]

I think I have my summer experiment, now- thank you! I'll be sure to report back to ZS with details of my bowel movements

Ah... See the great service I do here? I think if you've tested it and it works for you, then cool. Please do post results. I can't find anything anywhere on it.

As for the grooming supplies discussion... interesting point. I keep what amounts to 'overnight bag' stuff in my BOB.

And, as for INCH vs. BOB... I'm still mulling things over. The point of leaving your house even not in SHTF and not being able to return is an undeniable possibility.

As for food 'depression', I was talking about morale. It's easier keeping one foot going in front of another if you've got the prospect of a hot meal at the day's end.

My BOB's not settled by a long shot, so I appreciate the conversation. I've considered Coast Guard Rations before, and will reevaluate when I get some more info. I won't ever remove 'real food' from my plan, but might throw Coast Guard rations in as supplement or as an extender.

As a calorie supplement, I can wholeheartedly endorse these in addition to a healthy, normal diet. The 3 day experiment knocked my diet all out of whack, just when I'd thought I had a handle on it. Well, besides the "Love Handles". If you aren't staying active enough to burn those calories, they WILL turn to fat. This is why I also pack jerky, for the protein. If I'm going to gain weight, I'd rather it were muscle, and the exercise/protein/calories should help with that. It certainly won't hurt, not for a few days, anyway.

[Cu Chulainn]

If you assume there's nothing in them that stops your intestines from working, then perhaps you should ask instead what is it that's KEEPING your intestines moving. Your stomach does primary digestion, such as breaking carbs down into sugar. Your small intestines extract fatty material (hence your gall bladder, which produces bile required to digest fat being just south of the Stomach) and absorb sugars and nutrients, and your large intestines extract water and push the rest out. If you're not eating dietary fiber (large intestines) Everything empties from small and large, and your large intestines sit there doing nothing for 3 days, except maybe fermenting bits that aren't getting pushed through any more. The more I think about Lifeboat Rations, the more I'm against them.

My counter to this is:

First, I think you're missing the point. This is for a 3-4 day bug out, not sustained eating. Unless you got food poisoning from something, 3-4 days of eating something will not materially affect your health. As for diet fatigue, it would be a factor if you were eating this for weeks, but not a couple of days.

Second, flour and sugar break down into simple and slightly more complex sugars, which go through your liver and provide glucose for the production of ATP in your cells. After digesting of such simple foods, there isn't much left to sit in your intestines. You won't poop much, not because your intestines aren't working, but because there isn't much of anything TO poop. If you're really worried about it, take some of the little trail packs of almonds they sell at the supermarket. Eat a couple of those a day with the rations, and you'll blow out your guts just fine.

Third: tough = resistance to shock. Tough doesn't mean taking a lot of punishment, it means keeping your head. Yes, it doesn't take much to wrap your head around the fact that you'll eat the same thing for 3 days. You don't dwell on that, because you will miss the things that actually will harm you along the way. Have you ever done this for real? I can tell you that you are focusing on your end goal, paying attention to your surroundings, and end up having to force yourself to remember to eat and drink before you get woozy. Half the time I didn't even taste the food I ate, so neither liking the taste, nor diet fatigue were a factor.

Fourth: weight. Move light and get where you are going faster. Getting where you are going means getting to comfort. For me, one of the most likely uses for the BOB is to get home. Both routes from work cross rivers. They've been flooded out before to where vehicular passage wasn't possible. Simply walk home with BOB, swim a little (definitely don't want cans doing that), get home quickly, and take a pizza out of the freezer, throw it in the over while I shower. Then I can eat it, knock backa few beers, and spend the rest of the night evacuating my bowels.


I'm not AGAINST you using cans, just arguing that lifeboat rations are a bad idea, or are harmful to your health over the period of time we are discussing. They are definitely not for long-term consumption (IIRC they say that right on the box).