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Always Be Ready: What’s In Your FEAR Bag?

Talyn

Emissary
Founding Member
In those cases, what you have within arm’s reach will be what you use to deal with the problem and keep you going for the foreseeable future.

If you have to leave your car and get away and you have to do it right now. No popping the trunk to grab your get-home bag. Just like a defensive encounter on the streets. The gear you have near you is the gear you’ll use to maintain your safety for maybe the next 24 hours.


A “Forget Everything And Run” or FEAR bag with me in the cabin of my vehicle and not shoved into the trunk somewhere. The bag I’ve chosen (a Sentinel cross-body bag from Elite Survival Systems) looks like every other cross-body bag out there, but it has a large rear compartment that’s perfect for an iPad Mini…or a small raincoat…or a micro-compact pistol.

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A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” – Gen. George S. Patton

Urban and suburban areas are by definition built-up areas with plenty of buildings, so finding a haven from inclement weather isn’t on the top of my list, although I (the author) did add in enough cash for a night in a decent hotel so I can keep the “roughing it” part to a bare minimum.

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Preparing for a violent defensive encounter is a good thing, and more people really should do it. But we also need to keep in mind that there’s more than one way our normal daily routines can be thrown into chaos. Prepare accordingly.
 
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Love THIS topic. I do kinda wonder why you cant access the trunk; but I suppose that could be a situation. I usually keep a "Day" size pack handy with meds, a change of clothes, (a hoodie can do a lot to change your description if necessary). Also some cash (never enough) in $5s and $10s a disposable lighter with dryer lint mixed with vaseline (as a fire starter) and a couple spare mags for whatever handgun Im currently carrying. If theres room then maybe a rain poncho and a spare knife is never a bad idea.

During "High Stress" periods, I'll toss in a couple of the larger paintball smoke grenades and a couple of the pepper grenades (think regular pepper spray but once the button is pushed it dumps the whole can). At THIS level I think Id have a short (pistol) rifle in either a pistol or maybe rifle caliber
 
IFAC, AR in carbine length 5 thirty rd mags, Taurus G3C 3 twelve rd mags 3 fifteen, Sawyer water filter along with iodine tablets fire stater A couple of Bic Lighters. I can easily go 2 days no food and still have enough energy but water is a must. My plans are if I have to leave my vehicle I’m traveling as light and fast as I can.
 
I don't entertain any idea that I am young and mobile enough to do any Rambo stuff but I do have a bag that is with me over the passenger seat for additional items not on my person. As a matter of fact just today I had to go to an appointment and didn't feel like jeans, t shirt and cover garment (Hawaiian shirt) so it was shorts, t shirt and my cross-body bag (linked below). Todays contents were an IWI Masada with spare mag, a CRKT Hissatsu folder, my wallet and some cash and a flashlight capable of 800 lumens.
This is the bag that is with me when I leave home. Usually I have a handgun on me in addition to these items in the car but today was hot and I felt lazy so I carried the bag.

 
Great post. I’ve been doing this for years and never realized it had an official name. My son gave me this bag and I don’t know who made it. It has 4 compartments that zip closed and one that snaps. On road trips I carry my wallet, check book, cell phone and head lamp zipped up tight. If I have to leave my truck in a hurry everything is in one place. Nothing important to search for on the way out. On the sides l have a clip for keys, a place to clip on a pocket knife, and a place that holds a small Illumistick.
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The other great feature is the rear compartment:
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I carry a wallet, pistol, one spare mag, pocket folder and flashlight on my person. I do have a survival box in the trunk with water food, purification staw, candle lantern, waterproof matches, space blankets etc in the trunk but don’t feel I’ll need anything more on my that what is always there,
 
I have a Spec-Ops brang Pack Rat organizter pouch. I use it as my active shooter bag. It has a light, leatherman, IFAK, folder with a window punch, baton, neck-knife with a whistly in the sheath, sharpie, AR mag, 15 round Glock 43x/48 mag, monocular, zip ties, 550 chord (not much) and a few other things. I've had it for years. The only things that have changed is what pistol mag is in it and light or knife upgrades. If I have this slung and fall in the water I'll probably sink.
 
I don't entertain any idea that I am young and mobile enough to do any Rambo stuff but I do have a bag that is with me over the passenger seat for additional items not on my person. As a matter of fact just today I had to go to an appointment and didn't feel like jeans, t shirt and cover garment (Hawaiian shirt) so it was shorts, t shirt and my cross-body bag (linked below). Todays contents were an IWI Masada with spare mag, a CRKT Hissatsu folder, my wallet and some cash and a flashlight capable of 800 lumens.
This is the bag that is with me when I leave home. Usually I have a handgun on me in addition to these items in the car but today was hot and I felt lazy so I carried the bag.

I’m working on a chest rig that will go with me into the woods. We have black bears here so my 10mm is probably what will ride on front. Eyeballing a Ruger Super Blackhawk 5 and a half inch 44 magnum. I couldn’t tell you the name of the bag to save my life.
 
I have often wondered if your firearm would work in place of a window breaker when underwater.
The key is to hit the corner. I dont know why but the corner seems to break easier.

OTOH there are some pretty cheap glass breaker options, one is even worn like a rubber band bracelet with a ceramic bead. You hold the rubber band between your thumb and forefinger, pull back on the bead and let it snap on the glass.

When I was "squirreling" with the VFD as a paramedic, I fell in love with the spring loaded center punch. They arent much bigger than a fountain pen. I used to carry them when I was police, since I usually got to accident scenes before the FD
 
Pipe, tobacco, lighter. Anything else I need is already on my person. Wallet with P38 & band aid, pocketknife, reading glasses, handgun, ball cap. I might still die of exposer, hunger, thirst, but you can bet your sweet bippy nicotine withdrawals won't be part of it. You'll find my body leaned up on the sunny side of a tree with a pipe in my hand and a smile on my face.
 
Great post. I’ve been doing this for years and never realized it had an official name. My son gave me this bag and I don’t know who made it. It has 4 compartments that zip closed and one that snaps. On road trips I carry my wallet, check book, cell phone and head lamp zipped up tight. If I have to leave my truck in a hurry everything is in one place. Nothing important to search for on the way out. On the sides l have a clip for keys, a place to clip on a pocket knife, and a place that holds a small Illumistick.
View attachment 114499
The other great feature is the rear compartment:
View attachment 114500
@Recusant whatcha got tucked away in there?
 
Some good ideas in this thread, and I get the premise, but that premise is, I think, somewhat flawed.

If there is civil unrest, I am not out and running errands. I am close to my camp, hunkering down, and hyper-vigilante. Civil unrest does not occur in a vacuum. In today's world, there is plenty of news/intel that anyone with a pulse can be alerted to an, about to-SHTF situation.

In a natural disaster, the first thing that comes to my mind because I live within miles of the coast is a bad hurricane .... but again, lots of advanced warnings. So, I think that the natural disaster is more likely to be a catastrophic quake, like Kalifornia slides off into the Pacific, than a weather event. But quakes tend to have lots of smaller warning quakes, from what I've read. Even Mt. St. Helen's gave everyone months of warning.

Here on the Gulf Coast, we think more like bug-in and keep +/- 96 hours of supplies on hand.

Maybe an EMP? There again, I have my (unscientifically verified) doubts one would disable the entire US grid. So not really a FEAR-bag as much as a get home bag.

Maybe a Red Dawn scenario? Maybe .....

The lesson is that you have some things with you, no matter the event.

I welcome any additional thoughts on the topic.
 
My bag isnt a bag for shtf but for being stranded. I hunt in some areas where its a hike to get back to someone. For Texas or other N states, i keep tools, water, and clothing dependant on season like rain gear, hats, gloves, etc & light equipment. Its more about getting stuck or truck break down than rogue assailants or such. I’m always armed, so thats not an issue. Its more of so I have the items needed to hike out or stay put for a bit, then get to somewhere
 
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