OK, so it’s unlikely to happen, but you never know just when your daily life will be transformed into something out of a Hollywood blockbuster movie. We all like to think we’d cope in a post-apocalyptic world, but when it’s survival of the fittest, a bit of forward planning pays dividends. Having a bag at the ready which you can just grab and go is the first step in your plans.
Bag
Before you start thinking about what to put in it, your first consideration has to be the bag itself. This is not the time for luxury handbags or suitcases; you need a relatively small backpack with lots of pockets which is light and easy to carry on your back leaving both hands free. Choose something sturdy and waterproof, in a colour which is not going to draw attention. A messenger bag is also a practical choice if you don’t like backpacks and rucksacks.
Food and Drink
Your first considerations should be your basic human needs for water and food. Lugging several large bags of mineral water around with you is not an option, so buy water purification tablets. These are light and easy to carry, so buy at least 1,000 tablets. These sorts of tablets can be used to treat water from streams or rivers, making it safe to drink.
You’ll also need something to eat, and the best things are high-energy cereal or chocolate bars which are light to carry and will keep you going until you manage to sort out a more permanent source of food.
Space Blanket
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| A space blanket will keep you warm while you sleep, but it won't protect you from roaming zombies! |
You’ll also need something to keep you warm while you sleep. A sleeping bag, although fairly light, is bulky and not easily carried around. A far better choice is a foil space blanket, of the type given to marathon runners after they have finished their race. These blankets fold up into a very small pouch and will keep you surprisingly warm. They are also very cheap to buy at just a pound or so each. Pack a couple in case one gets ripped.
Swiss Army Knife
Every survival expert needs a Swiss Army Knife or similar multi-tool with lots of different sized blades and other tools which will help you make a shelter, scavenge for food, make a fire and deal with all of those rabbits you are going to be hunting. Buy the best knife or tool you can afford, remembering though that you are going to have to carry this around with you. Don’t be seduced by all sorts of functions which you are never going to need.
Map
Don’t count on your smartphone or sat nav working in the aftermath of a natural disaster or apocalypse. Buy a good map of your local area or the area where you are thinking of travelling to, and practice looking at the map, understanding the symbol and working out possible routes or places which might give shelter. Practice navigating from one point to another in an unfamiliar area using the map so you’re not trying to learn the skills in an emergency situation.
Matches
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| Ensure your survival bag is strong enough not to suddenly tear when you're hiking through a devastated wasteland. Image credit: Mavi Kemani (CC) |
Unless you have a great deal of experience making fires using flints, then you’re going to need matches to help you along the way. Keep your matches in a waterproof plastic bag so that you will still be able to make a fire if your bag gets wet and the matches soggy. Matches are better than a lighter as they last longer and are not heavy to carry.
Wet wipes
You’re not going to be able to have a nice hot shower after an apocalypse, so buy a pack of baby wipes which you can use for quick wipe down washes when you get the chance. Alternatively, pack a face flannel and a bar of soap which you can use instead. Don’t bother with shampoo, conditioner and other fancy toiletries as they are too heavy to carry.
Plastic Sheeting
A large plastic sheet has many uses. You can use it to make a shelter with wooden branches as a frame, or sleep on it if the weather is fair. Make sure your plastic sheet is thick and durable as you just don’t know how long you are going to be using it for.
You should also make sure you bone up on your survival skills before the inevitable apocalypse does arrive.
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