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22 Comments

  1. I would substitute a couple or three bandanas for the coffee filters. They’re reusable and multipurpose. And you can get them for around $1 each at the big box store.

  2. You lost me at the knives in backpack. To Be functional as an everyday get home bag it would have to be able to carry it with them at school. The majority of the time a teenager is away from home involves school and activities directly after school. I would rather have them in the habit of having ninety percent of the tools they need with them ninety percent of the time. Other than the knives Your choices have merit, thank you.

  3. Thank you for some great ideas, but you lost me on the knives in a get home bag for teenagers. Most of the time a teenager is away from home involves school or after school activities where weapon carry is prohibited. I would prefer they have ninety percent of the tools needed to get home the ninety percent of the time they are away from me. Teach them some basic self defense skills to go with the bag such as picking up a ” walking stick” as soon as possible on their journey home.

  4. Good ideas. The knife thing is useful, but not practical if they are at school. For our bags we pack U.S. Coast Guard approved survival food. Looks like a brick. They come in different sizes (how many calories). They have a shelf life measured in years. They require No cooking so you can save a lot of weight. Real easy to prepare: just tear the wrapper off. A little more expensive than an MRE meal but easier to deal with. Many sellers out there. Just be sure to compare calorie size to it’s equal. No need for a fire which can be smelled/seen for a long distance and requires the person to stop traveling. Enjoyed the read!

  5. Although the comments regarding school activities are correct, the scenario was a teen who had a vehicle, etc. While not appropriate in school perhaps the knives should be in the vehicle well concealed. Anyone who agrees with the premise of the article and is acting on same, will likely have no problem figuring out how to accommodate this.

  6. Thanks for the article, it caused me to take another look at the issue. As several commenters noted, the knife is a no-no due to most schools having a zero tolerance policy. If the teen is driving, you may consider one for a bag that stays in the vehicle, but even that is subject to inspection if parked on school grounds. For a full time carry bag, you need to remember that most teens have to carry many books in their backpack, so anything that adds weight for every-day carry (EDC) must be very light. A bag like you describe may be kept in the car, or locker if properly sanitized, but the teen may not be able to access it in an emergency.

  7. When my boys went off to college, we packed each a light backpack with a roll of parachute cord, multipurpose tool, two canteens, one canteen cup, fire starting materials, water purification tablets, a poncho, granola bars, a compass, map, hat and a first aid kit. Large knives and rifles/ammo were kept at their apartment. Since they were hundreds of miles away, they were introduced to local relatives who would be able to shelter them in the short term.

  8. I agree with pretty much ALL your recommendations–but there are several alternatives. I have SEVERAL bags ready to go. AND, in my opinion, you have to have a knife–somewhere, somehow. I do not believe you can survive any amount of time without a knife. All my bags have a least two–one may be a multitool

  9. With respect to the issue of knives in a school environment, consider making multiple caches along routes which your child might take. These could contain knives and additional supplies (more water, water filters, food, fire starting tools).

    It falls on you to train your child about OPSEC on the caches. They could feel the need to “show off” to friends and reveal a cache…

  10. While I commend your initiative to write this article IMHO you’re off base on several issues. Since you refer to a teenager who is at least 16 my response keeps this in mind. First a parent needs to be realistic as to how far the teen can walk. If driving they could be 20,30,40+ miles away. You need to dicuss with them at what distance are they to bug in until you come. Especially if you talking about a daughter. When talking distance be it suburban or city do they have a map and know how to use it? Many people know how to from here to there,but pay little to no attention to what’s inbetween. In most areas the most available “water” is found in retaining ponds next to roads/parking lots. Iodine and lifestraw won’t work. Forget the stove and cooking.If they can’t make it home within two days exposure is bigger worry then being hungry. This assumes they have enough common sense not to head out without proper clothing/raingear. In the end all such get home bag must be geared to the abilities of the individual and their location. When it comes to teenagers they need to know when to stay put, what distance it’s feasible to walk home and a map with the areas to avoid clearly marked.

  11. On the knife issue, your average government school is going to melt down on that one. Perhaps most of these issues could be remedied by home educating to begin with. Most of the time you arrows would be at home or close to it and if away the pack could contain the knife and other items government schools would frown mightily on (like aspirin in your first aid kit etc).

  12. The problem with retaining ponds is the petroleum run off from road/highways and parking lots found in them. I may be wrong but I know of no “personal” “filter” that can remove petroleum products. Iodine is worthless in this situation.

  13. Thanks for the article. Depending on the distance a teenager might have to travel, I would strongly urge a current map with the route marked and any relatives or caches locations marked. As days pass societal restraint will decline so, alternative routes (possibly sewer system at worst)should be marked. Thanks again.

  14. In that case, you are going to want to have iodine water purification tablets on hand?

    Some people are iodine intolerent.
    If you don’t know your tolerence to it, find out!
    There are alternatives.

  15. I guess you could call me a nonconformist or maybe just a Rebel, I have three sons and boys by the time they are in high school should have enough discipline to be able to carry a pocket knife and not be taking it out while in school. I understand that these liberal bastions of feminization have zero tolerance for such things as a pocket knife, but the last I heard they still don’t do strip searches. Trekker Out

    1. Many if not most schools now have metal detectors at all entries. Some also do random hand wand scans. At least they do in most Texas towns. They’re generally not calibrated to alarm on metal buttons, but will alarm if higher quantity of metal is carried. In the 90’s I was searched daily due to having 2 metal bars and screws in my arm after a nasty forearm reconstruction from a shattered bone. This among other reasons are why my wife and I chose to home school our children. Also FYI, I’ve had axes and machetes confiscated from my truck from random auto searches. Tools I used for clearing fence for a rancher I worked for.

  16. This new comment feature is great!
    A few observations after reading these comments;
    1. The article is NOT a complete manual or how to article, rather an excellent place to start & get us thinking about the subject.
    2. As several comments suggest, knives can be accommodated in various ways. They are REQUIRED and the question is how to have them, not IF you need them. Personally, if a cache along the route is used, a firearm would be included. Just my $0.02.
    BB

  17. Trick for carrying more water when hiking: drink the first pint before leaving, then another in 1 hour. That’s 2 pounds less to carry, and you were likely halfway to early dehydration anyway.

  18. I would like to thank you all for your comments. I am always learning more about prepping everyday and strive to give the best advice I can. Please to continue to add your input. God Bless

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