Stuck please help

[a father]

Hey guys in the process of building my B.O.B but I'm at a stalemate. I don't know what else I need. Currently I have firestarters, flint and steel, survival knife, regular knives (2), bright L.E.D. flashlights batteries (32 count AA AAA), Tylenol cordage, fuel syphon, tarp, folding saw, lighter, knife sharpener, work gloves, emergency blanket, 4 bottles of water, and a SS cup for boiling water. That's about it. I know I need a first aid kit but I want to build my own (any suggestions), and I also know I need food like cliff bars and jerky but any other suggestions? O yea I don't have a bag yet as well. I am waiting to get my supplies together to determine the size any good suggestions on a good quality bag?

Let me add sunscreen and bug spray

[thepeartree]

Hmm.... I don't see any rain protection,. Or any sun protection(sunscreen). Don't really count on the space blanket. A mouse fart will go right through it. Also, it's a little light on defense weapons. A hatchet or machete would be nice. Get yourseelf a half dozen Ramen noodle packets, too. If you get stuck traveling for more than a day or so, it's nice to have variety. You should add some kind of shelter if you can see spending days traveling. A simple tube tent would do, depending on the season.

It's hard to say much more without knowing your personal size and weight carrying ability.

[James m]

Insect repellent. They now have the small ones that look like a small tube.

[a father]

A hatchet or machete would be nice.
It's hard to say much more without knowing your personal size and weight carrying ability.

I was thinking of a hatchet because it's more compact. I do have a machete but its in the shed not my bag lol. In reference to size and weight im 5'10" and 250

[a father]

Insect repellent. They now have the small ones that look like a small tube.

I forgot I bought some when I was at the store the other day. Two small cans of the deep woods OFF

[Arklatex]

Maybe a lifestraw or equivalent means to purify water.

[Auntie]

I don't go anywhere without my super glue and magic tape (not sure what the exact name of it is - it sticks to itself and has no adhesive).

[a father]

Get yourseelf a half dozen Ramen noodle packets, too.It's hard to say much more without knowing your personal size and weight carrying ability.

I thought about these or M.R.Es however, should I get a small portable pot to add to my SS cup?

[Slippy]

Firearm (if a semi-auto some spare mags) and ammo.

[dannydefense]

Hey guys in the process of building my B.O.B but I'm at a stalemate. I don't know what else I need. Currently I have firestarters, flint and steel, survival knife, regular knives (2), bright L.E.D. flashlights batteries (32 count AA AAA), Tylenol cordage, fuel syphon, tarp, folding saw, lighter, knife sharpener, work gloves, emergency blanket, 4 bottles of water, and a SS cup for boiling water. That's about it. I know I need a first aid kit but I want to build my own (any suggestions), and I also know I need food like cliff bars and jerky but any other suggestions? O yea I don't have a bag yet as well. I am waiting to get my supplies together to determine the size any good suggestions on a good quality bag?

Let me add sunscreen and bug spray

Sounds like you're making a good start. A few observations in no particular order;

• I don't see an eating utensil. While this is mostly a luxury, it's a small item that can drastically change your demeanor first thing in the morning. A heavy plastic spoon would suffice, but something like CRKT's eating tool or Light my Fire's titanium eating tool are dollars well spent.
• Have you tried using the flint and steel? It's all well and good to have one, but they're a lot more difficult to be successful with than most people think. Take it out in the woods, find a half dozen different kinds of natural tinder, and try to start a fire with them. Not man made stuff, like cotton balls, but natural items; mosses, punk wood, thistle, bark, etc. Until you are proficient with a firesteel, it's better to keep extra lighters around (I have four lighters in my kit despite fairly extensive practice with my firesteel).
• I don't see anything for morale? A lot of people overlook this, but it's an extremely important part of survival. A pack of playing cards is great (you can be ridiculous like me, and purchase all weather cards, or just grab a deck of bicycle from the local market). Throw in a pack of your favorite sugary snack too; jellybeans, starburst, a chocolate bar so long as it won't melt where you store your kit, all of these things are not only excellent for getting a boost of energy, but they'll put a smile on your face too, and that's worth more than most things.
• For the food, I like to keep a small variety. I have a small bag of trailmix, which will run out quickly but tastes great. I have a 3600kcal Datrex bar (I lived off of this for a few days, and then tried to the Mayday for a few days. I stomached the Datrex much better, but it may be the other way around for you). I also have a few freeze dried meals in there, which are ultimately too heavy for the calories they provide, but I keep them in again because I could see them benefiting morale in a bad situation.
• You have a "survival knife". What kind? This is probably the most important part of your kit, be sure it's a sturdy knife, one that won't break after a few days of heavy use, and one that will keep an edge. A lot of survival type knives are half serrated. Personally I think serrations are a waste of perfectly good knife edge, but again your mileage may vary. A sharp edge will cut through anything as well and as quickly as a serration will, and it's much easier to maintain.
• The machete suggestion is a good one, especially if you get a quality blade with a sawback (one of the few things I don't mind being multi-purpose). Before that, I would recommend a good shovel or entrenching tool. This will come in handy for flattening campsites, fleshing out a more permanent fire pit for longer stays, digging holes next to water to let it filter naturally... digging holes to discard your waste in, and much much more. These can be inexpensive or expensive; I've found somewhere in the middle is usually just fine, with the exception of a little Gorge Folding Shovel by Gerber (for being cheap but awesome). $20, and I beat the hell out of it for three days an outing back, and it came out like a champ. Whatever you choose, look at the welds/rivets holding the handle to the blade. You want at least three points of solid connection; there are a lot of cheaper shovels that only have two rivets, and are missing a third right where the handle meets the blade (and takes the most abuse), and these will bend on you every time.
• A good poncho. You can get one for under $5 from Wal-mart that will hold up to most rainfalls, but again don't be afraid to shop around and spend a little extra. A good poncho can be shelter as easily as it is rain gear.

Take your kit out for a weekend and try everything in it. If anything is still in the package, it shouldn't be in your kit. Load up your vehicle with all your regular camping gear, set up your tent and make sure you have all the gear you'd regularly take with you in a non emergency situation. Then try to use only whats in your kit. What were you missing? What broke?