Introduction: Urban-suburban Get Home Bag Without a Tactical Look.( Grey Man Approach)

About: I was pretty much raised on diy, I was taught wood working by my grandfather at 7-8 years old. I have learned to repairing my own vehicles by doing it, making mistakes and learning from.them and reading about …

Please bear with me this is my first instructable. This bag is meant to take a less tactical looking approach during a disaster while still being able to hunt and protect your self. With proper rationing and using your surroundings for water and small game this bag should be able to sustain one person needs for 5-7 days. This bag and my EDC covers the needs of food, water, shelter, fire, navigation, and security.
During a disaster when you might need to leave your vehicle behind and walk home. You need to not stand out but still able to have security, most areas walking down the street with a visible weapon might draw unwanted attention. This bag is what will get you there in one piece.


First to start my EDC on body carry is a 300 lumen flashlight, a Kershaw blur folding knife, a Leatherman rebar, a compact 9mm handgun in the waist band holster, spare magazine, a bandana, bic lighter, $20 in ones,also Chapstick which is flammable and a great multiple use item from chapped lips to fire making. . a spare pocket holster for the handgun in the car.

missed Zippo in picture.

Step 1: Water Storage and Purification

Having multiple ways to get water and treat it is probably the most important aspect of any survival situation wheather it's urban or wilderness environments. I have 2 nalgene bottles which I have found to be pretty much indestructible after years of use. I have one bottle wrapped in 15 feet of duct tape. The 2nd bottle is nested with with a gsi stainless canteen cup.

2- nalgene bottles (full)
1- sawyer mini water filter with straw
1- 1lt platypus water bladder for carrying extra water.
1- gsi canteen to boil water if needed
1- Folding stove with fuel to boil water and cook as needed.
1- bottle potable aqua tablets
(50 tablets)

When grabbing my bag from the trunk of my car I will top off the nalgene bottles and platypus bladder from a gallon jug and small water bottles before I leave the vehicle behind.
Having many options are able to use the folding stove that you can burn the fuel tablets to boil water, use potable aqua tablets to treat as you walk, mini filter to drink from puddles. or uses a squeeze filter system. Using maps of your area to follow water sources to your final destination is the best option. instead of searching and hoping for water. Exertion of carrying a pack and moving quickly will dehydrate you faster.

Step 2: Food

For food I went with light weight and decent amount of calories and minimal cooking needed. Most everything can be ate on the move. I have also added coffee and tea for a caffeine boost.
1- MRE entree w/ heater
1- MRE brownie w/peanut butter packet
1- MRE cracker w/cheese spread packet
2- oatmeal packages
8- fruit bars
6- individual coffee packs
4- cream packs
4- lemon tea bags and honey pack
6- vegetable bouillon cubes at add flavor to bland meals or game.
2-spoons.
....forgot pictures of 3 retort tuna packs and 3 mayo packets

Also food can be added to my pockets from trunk of the car.
folding stove and fuel mentioned above used for making tea, coffee, oatmeal.

If food begins to run low I can use the
.22 rifle with scope to hunt small game if needed. with 200 rounds of ammo..

Step 3: Shelter/ Warmth/ Layers

For shelter I have a given my self a layered lightweight approach
1-ultralight homemade silnylon 8x10" tarp with aluminum stakes
1-small 6*6 foot wool blanket
1- SOL space blanket
2-55 gallon heavy duty contactor bags.
With these materials I have coverage from wind and rain with the tarp. I pre strung the tarp with blaze orange paracord (I got sick of tripping over lines) I open the trash bag and put in the wool blanket then the space blanket inside of both for an improvised sleeping bag. All pieces are good at keeping you warm and dry.
For additional layers. I have
1- pair of merino wool ski socks. great when wet they still insulate great.
1- ski hat
1- mechanix gloves.. more information in next steps.
1- boots to put on when I leave the car.
1- insulated bandana fleece backed
1- regular bandana

1-boxers
1- safety glasses more information in next steps.

Step 4: First Aid Kit

To say risk of injury during a disaster and walking home is an understatement. Having a basic understanding of treating injuries as well as first aid kit. I have a basic kit for treating a deep puncture wounds as well as cuts blisters and sprains

I have
2 quick clot sponges,
1- basic tourniquet
4- gauze pads 4*4
1-Israeli style compression bandage.
1- neosporin tube
1- visine eye drops, helps with debris
1- roll of 4"gauze
2- pairs nitrile gloves
1- roll of paper tape.
bag on right-
various bandages, bandaids, butterfly sutures, glacier gel blister pads.(awesome bandages for blisters and burns)
1- large pill fob. filled with amodium, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Tums, and benadryl.
1- small hand sanitizer bottle.. also flammable liquid for fire starting.
1-large magic marker for marking treatments on someone and righting notes on map pages you took out of atlas.

Step 5: Security/ Hunting/ Body Protection

Please follow all your state and local laws when adding firearms/magazines/ammo/ knives as well as have safety training before handling any weapon. I am liscenced to carry in my state, which also allows me to carry a firearm during a state of emergency, your local laws may vary.

For travel with a rifle and ease of carrying much more ammo than a center fire rifle I choose a Ruger 10/22 take down rifle modified with a folding stock and pistol grip and red dot scope. I have 3- 25 round magazines loaded in the top of my pack as well as a 10 round magazine. Plus spare 15 rounds in the pistol grip handle. On the folding stock I have braided paracord as an extra back up of cordage. about 60 feet.
100-rounds of .22 for reloading magazines in pack (CCI mini mags)
25-rounds of 9mm hollow points (Speer gold dots)
4- magazines loaded with 85 rounds of .22 should be plenty of hunting and self-defense ammo on my way home. I don't plan on playing Rambo. i plan on avoiding any Confrontations whenever possible. I will only have the rifle assembled when crossing thru wooded terrain where I may run into small game or camped for the night. My 9mm will be accessible at all times. Even with a grey man approach having a bag still says to those who want stuff that you have a bag full. That's why it's important to look as low profile as possible. If the situation seems bad enough the stock can be folded in and the rifle can be carried some what discreetly. I wouldn't recommend it, but it is possible. I plan to travel out of the way to avoid larger crowds and people. A few hour drive could turn I. to days+ walking especially if people are rioting and situations have got worse.


This is where the safety glasses and mechanix gloves come in. If you have ever been walking through the woods and had a twig fly back and hit you in the face you will see the benefits of clear glasses walking/running through the woods at night. One stick to the eye could stop you from progressing. Same principal with mechanix gloves is you can push through sticker bushes, catch falls, and be able to work your way through damaged building and over grown areas.

Without your hands,feet, or eyes working properly survival will be much harder and take much more adaption.

Step 6: Basic Navigation, Cordage, and Morale Boosters. TP and Everything I Forgot Pictures of ?

The small pouch in the first has the very basic will be attached to my belt when leaving my car, this pouch stays accessible. It has
1- fire steel w/pill fob filled with cotton balls and Vaseline,
the bottle of potable aqua
2-20 foot pieces of paracord
1- wet fire tinder cube
1- folded piece of foil.
1- button compass with clip
1- match container wrapped in duct tape, filled with matches, misc. hooks, sinkers, and 50 feet of fishing line.

Back pouch of backpack has
2 packs of folded TP. about a half roll+
also 2- S biners for attaching gear to your pack, and a magic towel for cleaning the canteen cup and yourself as needed, I would wash between the two cleanings haha.

Minimal space and weight can go a long way to keep you sane on a hike solo or with another person. Having a mini set of playing cards can occupy time while in a safer place and keep your spirits up. Also having tea and coffee can really boost morale. It helps give a sense of normalcy.

For navigation.. I have a giant Atlas that covers every street, highway, river, stream, park, hospital and police station in my state. Having a detailed atlas in your kit is a great addition to any car kit. I have copies of 100sq miles surrounding my house already copied that I can mark water, woods and planned route as I travel. if I am farther than 100 miles from home and have to abandon my car I can rip out the pages I need and head out. that's why it stays in my trunk.

Other things i keep in the trunk is a gallon jug of water and a few small bottles, packs of cookies and crackers and a contractors jacket. All things I can take or leave as needed, I will definitely be filling all water containers before I head out. I hope this is helpful to someone else. This is a mix of my experience backpacking as well as being a concealed carry holder and the cross over between the two. I know there is probably a few things I'm forgetting.

I forgot to get pictures of
3-tuna pouches and mayo packs I added.

4- dehydrated lemon packets( size of sugar packs)

Head lamp with red filter

8 lithium AAA batteries for headlamp and flashlight

Zippo in my EDC


also Cigarettes are a great way to get information from people, carry a fire(ember), trade for something you need.

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