Everybody knows that you need a water supply in your Bug Out Bag, or any other preps for that matter. Bottled water comes in cheap plastic bottles that are obviously not ideal for long term use. So how can bottled water improve your Bug Out Bag?
If you are like me once you have packed your Bug Out Bag it does a lot of nothing. It just sits around.
Problem
Now think about what you are using to store water in your Bug Out Bag. More than likely you fall into 1 of 2 possibilities.
A) Your bag is packed but has empty water containers, which you plan to fill as soon as you know you’re going to need it.
B) You water containers are filled and in your bag, just sitting.
Neither of these is a great option.
If you do A: What if your water source is contaminated? Or you don’t have any time at all to grab and go. Maybe every second counts.
If you do B: When is the last time you changed that water? Your Nalgene or CamelBak water is going to be pretty gross and possibly even contaminated if it has been sitting for weeks or months.
Solution
Pack your clean, dry, empty water containers in your Bug Out Bag. Then pack enough bottled water to fill all of your containers. Don’t waste valuable pack space. Just strap a plastic bag full of bottled to the outside of your pack. This is a temporary set up. Also think about keeping some water in your Bug Out Bag, we carry a product called Main Stay Water, which has a shelf life of 5 years.
This way, when you have to bug out, you have enough water to fill all of your containers, but it is in sealed bottles that have a much longer shelf life. As soon as it’s time to go, dump all of the water into your nice clean containers and head out, or do it in the car.
More
This applies to more than just your Bug Out Bag. It will probably be even more useful for a Urban Survival or Get Home Bag where you might be away form home and your larger water reserves.
*Note: Even though this is a better solution you still need to rotate you bottled water stock occasionally. It lasts a while but not forever.
Visit our new Survival Gear store – Forge Survival Supply
Also read “6 Dangerous Urban Myths About Water”
What else?
How else do you keep your Bug Out Bag up to date?
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I use cheap HDPE Nalgene narrow mouth bottles ordered direct from Nalgene:http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/SearchResult…
And follow these directions for water treatment:http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/public…
I use treated municipal water and rotate water every six months. These bottles are done in batches for my bail out/get home bag, truck bag, and bug out/in bag, with a Google calendar reminder to swap out water. And I keep a copy of that HTML page on my survival USB drives, of course.
The nalgene containers seem light-weight and durable. What do you use for (field) boiling, cooking, etc?
In my bug out/in bag I have an Esbit stove and other means of starting fire, as well as a small camping cook set. For my bail out/get home bag and truck bag I use MRE heaters and beverage bags. They pack extremely flat, and will boil water and warm up food (although, water is primary for these resources): http://www.flickr.com/photos/wmode/2362382588/in/…
I do store FRHs in a ziplock bag now to prevent premature ignition.
+ 1 on MRE heater packs. I am using G.I. 1 quart canteens for now.
those and a camel bak are all i use my best friend has the 2 quart containers but they seem a bit bulky for a web belt. and the MRE heaters are great but watch out the can over heat and burn you or your stuff. it has happend to me so just becareful everyone
Maybe I really behind the curve here but if you guys all use your MRE heaters for boiling water and whatnot for other stuff what do you do with the MRE and no way to "cook" them.
or do you have a way to get extra heater packs?
I dont know about others but i can buy the heaters individually at the military supply store so i always have extra on hand but i eat my MREs cold most of the time they are not bad if you concider the alternative.
Those MREs can be eaten cold (or luke warm) if need be. I did it regularly during the war. No problem as they are all precooked.
What does anybody think about adding unscented bleach to water for long term storage instead of waiting until it is needed. I am filling the bleach bottles we buy which have a few drops left and filling with tap water. All ideas welcome.
aj52,
I think the first thing I would do is look up the correct water to bleach ratio that still maintains safe drinking water. I feel like it would be really easy to over do that if just pouring some in to fill the bottle.
Lucas
You are absolutely correct about the ratio. This depends on the strength of the bleach. You find that expressed as a percentage on the label. I wouldn't want to steer anybody in the wrong direction so anyone interested should check for themselves by Googling "Bleach as a water purifier". The EPA has an interesting chart. This may be covered elsewhere but I am also checking out the uses of baking soda,vinegar and honey. My idea being that in a survival situation the sooner we get to basics the better. Thanks for an excellent site!
i was kicking it around the net and found this – http://www.quakekare.com/3-pack-of-water-boxes-p-… . there are other types, most types are "coast guard aproved".
It's late August and the area I live in has had some wicked heat and humidity for weeks at a time. When it comes to my anticipated water consumption during hard times I am doubling my storage and vastly upgrading my ability to secure and make safe drinking water. In a survival situation with limited ways to beat the heat I don't think the 1 Gal. per person per day is enough if you use water for cooling down.
Most people don’t think of this, but, your hot water heater is a great place to get plenty of clean water in an emergency situation. I would probably turn off the water to the house, then empty the contents of the hot water heater into my empty water containers. (provided I was home when something happened.)
http://www.aquamira.com/preparedness/frontier-pro…
youll need something like this so the water doesnt continuously pour out. so you can stop flow
Sabrina that is a great way to get water, also if you live in the suburbs like I do I have a well, not city water. I have a shut off on the main line so I can isolate the house, all the plumbing is full of water, placing a spiket at the lowest level lets you drain the water into containners, remember…this water should be kept for drinking. Use other water sources for cooking by boiling.
what about sterilizing water from a nasty muddy river or creek?
I forgot to mention, the iodine used for cleaning cuts can be used for water purification, I will try to find some info on the ratio (If I remember) and post it.
In the Bug Out Bag article you recommend 3 liters of water – 1 liter per day. That little bug out bag would already be maxed out with 3 liters of water in it. It's Better to have a couple of bottles of water for immediate needs and a filter container like a Katadyn or Livesaver than 3 liters of water.
lol, ChefBear, the VA DOH is always a pain inna butt – I have to display the test strips on the wash tubs when I do chlii cookoffs, but they're sometimes handy when working at home. I keep a few gallons of grocery store spring water, wrapped in a cheap fleece blanket, inside a trashbag in the vehicle, and most winters, they don't explode.
Tie up some water bottles in plastic bag and then tie them up to strap on your BOB. Set a reminder on the computer or your paper calendar for every few months to drink your old ones and then replace them. ……. also, out of curiosity, does the bleach-treated water taste nasty?
So how long can bottle water set?
I think if you use bottle water you could have bottles setting with your BOB.
Then rotate with the bottle water your using. New Bottle water goes to BOB
A gal of water is 8 lbs the world round, Right?
I have a Kelly Kettle for boiling water, it comes in 3 different sizes, requires no packable fuel source like propane, kerosene, naptha, etc…. -uses sticks, twigs, pine cones, paper, etc.check it out online.
Good info canuck! I've never seen/heard about the Kelly Kettle, really nifty, I'm putting that on my wish list for Xmas!
general rule of hiking around in the desert southwest is plan out the amount of water you would normally carry anywhere else , then triple it !
Stashing away a few salt tablets would also be a good idea .
I'm wondering, If you keep a few bottles of water in the freezer, will they keep longer? Not to mention you will have ice cold drinking water as it melts, and ready ice packs to treat heat casualties. A bottle in each armpit and the groin will help bring down someones core temp.
Make sure they are no filled to the top. Thus leaving room for the expansion.
Hey guys why don't you go to the Ready Store website and buy their Micropur tablets or powder that will kill viruses, protozoa etc and then buy their water preserver that you add to your water bottles that will preserve water for years. They also have 4oz bags of H20 to put in your pack that will last for years and then there are the water blocks that are 8 oz. of water that lasts for years. They also have food grade stackable water containers. Good luck
here is a link about why not to store bottled water for long periods and bottled water in general .
http://www.efoodsdirect.com/Blog/why-you-must-not…
Why has nobody suggested reusing soda bottles.
At reuse they are FREE, last years, function as good as any other, you can see what's in them
unlike most others, they fit in almost all waterbottle pockets on packs/belts, they come is many sizes and most common is the 16oz and 24os sizes again *FREE*
Pre-filled plastic water or soda bottles are generally not recommended for reuse because the small diameter opening doesn't readily allow them to be properly cleaned inside and can thereby become a breeding ground for bacteria.
It's also open to debate whether or not the PETE #1 plastic breaks down and into your water with repeated use and washing.
That said, I don't often get out the bottle brush for my Klean Kanteen bottles, and it hasn't killed me, yet. I just swish soapy water around in it and give it a good rinse. I never put in anything other than water. I also frequently use collapsible cups rather than drinking directly from the bottle. Especially when I only bring one bottle but there are multiple people using it (me and my kids).
I don't see any reason to not reuse a water bottle, but within limits. Like if you just finished the bottle, refill it and keep using. But I don't think I would continue the practice for several days (unless, of course, there was no other alternative).
Store the bottles upside down. So if they don't freeze solid, you can turn them over and drink what didn't freeze.
Great tips! I want to make a 1 person survival kit. Of course water is essential. I will have to make sure to get lots of it! I wonder what else I should pack.
Ah very cool. I don't think my military supply store sells them individually (it's not an impressive store) so I didn't know they were even sold that way. Good to know.
one of the places to check for them in packs of six or 12 is cheaper than dirt and my store near me i guess you would call in my toy store i know the owner well he has always treated my guys and myself really well.
Water is inside that thing too, just not condensed yet. Try leaving it in the sun for a while, and you might find it'll backfire on you. I know there are moisture absorbers out there, which might help. Limiting the air available to hold the water to condense is another way to think it out. Plastic wrap might be a simple solution, and then take it a step further with shortening on the outside for water-proofing?
MRE. Meal Ready to Eat. They do not need to be heated. In fact a large percentage of troops prefer not to heat the meal. It's only a nicety for when it's cold outside. -US Marine of 12 years.
dont forget to kill the power, if the grid hasnt already failed. If you dont, and you drain your water heater, your gonna burn out the elements and 24hrs without water just cost you 500 bux
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