Philosophy
So you realize there’s likely to be trouble somewhere down the line and want to start putting together a bug out bag, but don’t have a lot of money to throw at it. Or you just want to camp out over night, but don’t have the bucks for a lot of fancy camping equipment. Fair enough. Let’s see what we can put together for a low cost yet usable camping kit. You don’t need to have the latest and most expensive gear in order to go camping for a few days. A small to medium sized backpack with a few key items is all you need in order to hit the woods (or the road in case of a bug-out) and survive in comfort.
One thing that will come in exceptionally handy using this kind of gear is experience. Don’t be afraid to get out there and experiment with your kit once you have it assembled.
Stoves
DIY alcohol stoves are the way to go for the prepper on a budget and these lightweight, low tech stoves work great. Check here for instructions on how to build yours.
Another is the Altoids Alcohol stove. I don’t have any experience with this one, but it looks pretty easy to build.
Each of these stoves is supposed to be able to boil two cups of water within five to six minutes, which is pretty decent.
The other important piece to any of these stoves is the pot holder, so make sure you take the time to build a good one! The pot should be suspended about 1 to 2 inches or so above the flame. I use wire mesh curled up with the pot resting on top and it works beautifully.
Fuel
The alcohol used in these stoves is denatured alcohol, which can be found at your local hardware 
store, Walmart, etc. I use HEET gas line antifreeze and have had good luck with it. (Don’t try to use regular antifreeze.) Use anywhere between 1.5 to 2 ounces to boil your water. Fuel can be stored in a small bottle and carried with you, but label it so you don’t accidentally take a swig after a long hike as this stuff will kill you.
Utensils, Pots and Pans
You’ll want a small pot that can hold at least two cups of water for boiling and you can probably get one at a lawn sale or Goodwill for well under $5. For utensils some people use sporks, but I use a plastic spoon and fork for my stuff. Don’t forget we’re doing this on a budget!
Also, everything should fit in the pan for storage thus saving space in your pack. Here’s a list of the things in my pack:
1. Lighter/matches/fire steel. The lighter can be picked up for about $1. A box of wooden matches for about the same and a fire steel goes for around $6 to $10 depending on where you pick it up and what kind you buy.
2. Cozy – a cozy is a container that I made from a powdered lemonade container. The body of the cozy is covered in duct tape to help seal in heat. If you can find someone who drinks this kind of lemonade ask them for the container when they’re done with it. If you don’t want to wait you can pick one of these lemonades up for about $3. Mine is ugly, but I’ve drank a lot of coffee and made a lot of soup in it! I’ll write a post at some point on how to make one.
3. Utensils – you can use plastic utensils, which will basically cost you nothing or you could even grab a spoon, fork and knife from your kitchen drawer if you’re so moved. Either way this shouldn’t cost you anything.
4. Multi Tool – Not an absolute necessity, but they do come in handy. Mine is an American Camper and if I remember correctly cost me under $10 at Wal-Mart. Yeah, yeah, you can go out and buy the latest and greatest for a $100 or more, but what’s the point if it’s mostly sitting in your pack? Get one that does what you need and call it good. This one has accessories I’ve never used and likely never will, but the pliers are worth their weight in gold.
Shelter and Bedding
The military poncho has many different uses and in my opinion no kit should be without one. It can take the place of a tent by making it into a shelter and when mixed with a poncho liner it can make a pretty decent sleeping bag. Oh yeah, when it rains it’s great for keeping you dry! This must-have can be picked up for about $25 dollars if you shop around. 
For summertime you can get away with a poncho liner for a blanket/sleeping bag. Anybody who has been in the military can tell you that these are very nice to have if you’re going on patrol and don’t want to carry one of the heavy sleeping bags with you. These are light weight and they tie into your poncho to add extra warmth. You can pick this up for about $30 at your local Army Surplus store or online.
Pack
ALICE Pack – ALICE stands for All purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment. This is an external frame backpack that comes in olive drab and was used by the military from the Vietnam War until the late ‘90s. They can usually be picked up inexpensively at Army/Navy stores or online.
The List
Ok, enough BS’ing around. Let’s get down to the list of gear and prices:
Stove – $1 for materials to make your own
Fuel – one container Heet for under $2
Pot – Pick one up at Goodwill for $5 or less
Utensils – 0$ You shouldn’t have to pay anything for these
Cup/Cozy – Under $3 to make one
Lighter/Matches – $1
Poncho $20
Poncho Liner $25
or Sleeping Bag $34
Sleeping Mat – $13
Paracord – 100ft for $7
Water Purification Tablets – $6
Back Pack – $54.00
Water Bottle – another purchase at Goodwill. $1 Or just use a plastic water bottle you buy water in.
Flashlight – LED Flashlight for $9
Trash Bags (Various uses) – $1
Compass/Match Holder – $4 – It says here $7, but you can find them cheaper. This was the best picture.
Multi-Tool – $11.95
Survival Knife $21.59
Total: $185.59 if you use the poncho liner/poncho configuration and not the sleeping bag.
Total: $194.59 if you don’t get the poncho liner and buy the sleeping bag instead.
As you can see I lean towards military surplus gear and the reason for that is I know it works based on extensive experience with it while I was in the Corps. The ALICE pack may not be the most comfortable pack out there, but I know it’s reliable and easy to repair if something tears or breaks. These packs are rock solid in my book.
Misc Stuff
When you do head out you’ll want socks, underwear, toiletries, etc, which you should have in your house or apartment. Open up one of the trash bags and use it to line your pack to help keep everything dry in case it rains. Put everything inside the trash bag, tie it up and you have a waterproof pack that will keep your gear nice and dry.
Don’t forget to throw in some food! I like to carry some dehydrated soups you can pick up at the grocery store for about .25 cents apiece. You can also make your own MREs at home as well if that’s something that interests you.
That’s It!
I hope this helps any of you out there who’s just getting started and on a tight budget to get a BOB put together. Good luck!
*Note – prices may vary, but if you look around you can get some good deals. Don’t be afraid to shop around!
–Jarhead Survivor
30 comments
BE CREATIVE! Use flea markets, army surplus stores. The closer you get to an active military post, the more cool stuff you can find in surpls stores and flea mkts. Harbor freaight tools has some really cool stuff. The evil WALMART in the camping section is loaded with stuff. I amazes me at how much they appeal to the survivalist stylism in thier regular camping gear. BigLOts, hardware stores yard sells. IT is amazing what you can find for cheap when ypu learn how to improvise and how to do things on your own. For instance, this past summer I went looking for some milspec trip wire(never mind why) and no one in town had any. IT used to be common as dirt and now I cant find it. Go to the craft section in walmart and look for”florists wire” it is almost identical to milspec trip wire except it is dark green and has a little shine to it. What about mass wound bandages? Kotex or maxi pads, yea yea, I know laugh laugh, they are sterile, highly absorbant and individually packaged. Any combat medic or SF guy will tell you to put tampons in your med kit, it will plug a simple GSW. Point being, learn to think outside the box to get the things you need, in some circumstances, it could even confuse the bad guys if you get searched. There is so much available to use for what you need you just have to recognize it.
Save your 550 cord for needed things, heavy stuff, for utility stuff, go to walmart fishing or any sporting goods stor and spend $2 on a roll of that heavy twine they use to make trotlines, it is tough strong and CHEAP you about 300′ for $2-3! IT also comes in different colors I got black cuz its low viz. For a water proof container for matches, I use film containers and if need be, use a candle and run a bead of wax around the cap. Ziploc freezer bags are great for tons of stuff if you cvant figure this one out, just quit and let them put in a camp cuz your not gonna make it. There are only a few things that I would absolutly spend good money on and not be cheap. A small radio with a dynamo and it must have SW/ TV/ etc. bands other than AM/FM, this could yeild you valuable info in a grid down situation, think about how our news has always reported on things as they happen in other countries(coups and such_) get it? In a propagandist situation where good info will keep you free and alive, this outside news cast could literaly save your LIFE! Wheather, news and a lil music is good for anyone. This is an infinate list so I will cease and desist, I think I have made my point.
WOW, i just cant stop with this one…..took a young kid, NEW PREPPER shopping for some gear. In one day, I got him a London Bridge pack for get this…….$20! We found a slightly used Gerber LMF II for $50, I have continually given hime extras and left over from my own gear, I do research on gear before I buy it. I try to find someone who has humped/used the gear first, if it doesnt perform doesnt matter how cheap it is. Tac gear is much harder, A lot of people like MOLLE gear, I do not. I like having MOLLE straps so I can add extra pouches and attachments etc. but the vests, and GI stuff are not very good. BLACKHAWK and London Bridge are WHERE ITS AT! Eagle Industries makes a few good pieces too. Tac gear has to 1) fit properly or you WILL have pproblems, 2) Carry what you need to carry, if your mag pouches are for AK mags and you put AR mags in them, they will probly not be readily accessable due to the depth of the pouch. Some will interchange but not many. 3) Do what it is designed to do: go out and drill your gear. If you have a rig that carry 500 rounds in mags and you cant get the mags out FROM ANY POSITION and reload, then your rig doesnt WORK! Try to do a speed load on an AR from Vietnam era mag pouches, it can be done but it is SLOW. If it is all you can get use it, but if can find some thing better, do so, you will see a huge difference in performance in the field. Holsters: today, thanks to the movies and such we are INUNDATED with this idea or drop leg holsters and subloads. If you like these items I have a challenge for you that is realistic. Put on your pack and all or you gear and lie down. Roll over and back three complete times and try to get you hand gun out and back in without getting up( as if fire were going over your head:) and then tell me about a drop leg holster, also try to deplot it from a seated pos. in a vehicle. Same with the subload mag pouch fill it full and run 100 yrds and the ndrop to one knee, fire and try to reload from it. Doesnt work well AT ALL. They look cool for the camera but…….These were designed to use with heavy body armor on swat teams for SHORT TERM engagements. The idea is that the rop leg rig gets you below the vest line so you can draw. Thats really all they are good for. Your gear has to work together. In a bug out situation, if you dont have a retreat to bug out too, you are likley out of doors and thats it! You should be prepping on a LRPS peridigm, your WHOLE LIFE is on your back. While this is a bad plan, if its what you have, you had better make it work.
I ran a drop leg in the Corps and I like em. If you train with them they work great, and what about your pack waist straps? You cant wear them and use a standard holster, in which case the drop leg is the way to go (and Im GOING to wear those straps haha). As for a vic, my holster had two leg straps, I had the lower one set tight and the upper one a bit loose. When I hopped in Id pop the lower strap and just rotate the holster to the top of my thigh, problem (kinda) solved. They are not the end all of holsters by any means but they have there place outside the mil (or Hollywood haha)
Remember gents- Let the mission drive gear.
you will die from exposure, way before you would from thirst or hunger. include a “tarp” or two. if the budget doesn’t allow for tarps, then heavy plastic. (you should have this from post 9/11) to survive you must get dry, and then stay dry. (and out of the wind) “space blanket” (don’t skimp on this)
wool socks! GI helmet liner, or other warm hat. a sharpening stone, and an “ignition file”. (many uses) if you don’t want the weight of a MILSURP folding shovel, then bring a garden trowel. (needed for camp sanitation and shelter making)
HERE HERE ! Harbor freight has some cool tarps. I got a small one(small enough to carry large enough to use for shelter) in camo! They are real cheap, durable and can be used for everything from covering your firewood to making a stratcher! Plastic too, has WAY more uses. I have both in my get me home bag. GOOD STUFF!
Thanks for your ideas, guys. Keep ’em coming. Looks like Spook45 has been thinking about this for awhile as well!
Never set aside your local dollar store. Yes , I know most of the stuff is from China, but if you’re on a budget, that’s a small sacrifice. Sewing kit, stainless cup, utensils (if you don’t want flimsy plastic or wifey says no to raiding the kitchen), plastic, foodstuff, etc. Another option is a surplus and salvage store. In Maine, that means ONLY one thing. Mardens. Tons of tarps, low cost clothing, knives, tools, fishing equipment, kitchen stuff, food, plastic. I’ve even seen ATVs, portable BBQ grills, pellet guns, tents (2 person dome tent for 15 bucks). Awesomeness.
Another thing that shouldn’t be forgotten is recycling. The pot in my bag is a coffee can. I also have a plastic peanut jar to store things in and to collect water. In another pack, I have an Anerican Camper mess kit. Paid about $5 for it about 12 or 15 years ago. The go for a little more now, but pot, plate, frying pan and cup for that price os a fair deal. I still gave the coffee can and peanut jar in that kit as well.
The possibilities are endless.
well, when your back is against the wall CHINA worx. I would agree never dismiss the dollar store. I play thos game in my head where I take $10 and go thru a store and see what all I would buy if I had to get survival stuff on the fly and that was it. Freds, Dollar Store, Biglots, I like old mom n pop hardware stores. You will find COOL STUFF in those places that we have not seen for 30 +years! Anywhere you go you can find both survival stuff OR STUFF you can Survive WITH! Candles, wicks for oil lamps(old hardware) nails plastic tarps etc……..list goes on forever! I never dismiss anything because I can make stuff out of NOTHING. I can turn most any solid object into a weapon. Tools are $$ in a breakdown situation, we could go on for days!! DOLLAR STORE ! HELL YEA…..
Sometimes you can find it in the old Mom and Pop stores because sometimes the product might have been on the shelf for 30+ years. Awesome for tools and accessories. You’re right when you say that we could go on for days with this AND that we could make anything with nothing. If prepping knowledge had a hall if fane, MacGyver would be in the first class if inductees.
I love these blogs! a couple other things that i would like to add…
LED Flashlights – Harbor Freight Tools (if there’s one in your area) usually has coupons in their advertisements for a free 9-LED flashlight running on 3 AAA batteries – if you can’t get the free one, they have a 2-pack for under $5.
Shelter / Sleeping Bag – hardware stores have inexpensive heavy-duty plastic painter’s “drop cloths” that would come in handy for shelter, as part of a BOB. As has been mentioned, a couple layers can be stuffed with natural insulation in the form of dead leaves. There are inexpensive, non-puncturing plastic tarp grips to hold the tarps in place, as well.
I’m trying to collect the pieces for a decent BOB, including a small fishing kit, an air rifle (.22 cal for small game [accurate using a scope, and powerful enough for small game] – over 6000 pellets so far stocked so far), stainless steel mess kit, decent sleeping bag and tent, some books on traps, preparing wild game, outdoor survival…
I purchased a fairly large backpack from Amazon as my BOB – 7100 cu.i., for less than $55 – search for Keymer. great price! I haven’t had the necessity to use the backpack yet, but it appears to be very well made.
As the Boy Scout motto says, Be Prepared!
(Born in Maine, Living in Exile) visit exiles.com – great site!
7100 ci is pretty big pack! So where you living now exile?
i’m stuck in ill-annoy, a little nw of chicago – hate it here – “there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home…” i want to bug out “just because”…!
I hear ya, buddy. I’ve actually been in that area at one point, although it’s been years. What part of Maine are you from?
I lived away from Maine for some time and I hated it. Couldn’t wait to get home, so I know how you feel!
I was born in Camden, and lived in the south central area – from Waldoboro, up through Pittston, Chelsea, Gardiner, Augusta, Waterville… Me Mudder’s in the Freeport area… When I cross into New England from NY, even without seeing a border sign, my brain knows that I’M HOME!
i wasn’t disparaging the milsurp poncho, by the way. the tarps/plastic are in addition to it. the poncho goes over you and your gear, faster than any fancy rain suit could. (although i’d sure like to have the fancy rain suit too) you may have loved ones with you on this trip that will need to be covered up while you’re using the poncho for other things. (a debris hut is much more cosy when it’s waterproof)
I like the poncho because it makes a good all around piece of equipment. It’s not the best at any one thing, but it’s pretty good at alot of different things.
Good point about the plastic though. I was thinking heavy trashbags could be used for that, but a good piece of plastic or a cheap tarp can make an excellent shelter. I have a small camp in the woods behind my house made out of a tarp and it works great.
i keep a 10×10 tarp attached tothe backof my bob between my back and the bag where its out of the way ,i also took a bunch of $1 survival blankets and gorilla glue and glued & sewed them to one side of that tarp a its a pretty good light weight alternative to a tent & sleeping bag in less severe climates
That’s a great idea! Sounds like a home-made bivy bag.
The dollar store can be a good place to get some simple things for your first aid kit to. I just put together a BOB for my girl, one of her many Christmas presents, found anti-fungal cream, triple antibiotic ointment, vasaline, ace bandages, medical tape, various adhesive bandages, gause pads and rolls, cheap pepto-bismol, small spray bottles for alcohol/iodine/hydrogen peroxide, Tylenol, Mydol, cold medicine, chap stick. Other things I have found at the one near me include razor blades/knives, flashlights, candles, lighters/matches, all kinds of water tight containers, foodstuffs, beverage mixes (in the individual serving packs), cleaning supplies, small tools… I have even seen water purification tablets (iodine ones) and sometimes they have “off brand” freeze dried foods! NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE $ STORE!
Absolutely! The onehere sometimes carries small hatchets as well. Though not the best, they are alright. The handles are skinny, they weigh only a pound and they have trouble taking a good edge(I’m guessing cheap steel us the culprit). Still not a bad deal for the person on a real tight budget. I also found what looked like a shake type flashlight. It died on me about 4 months later. Had a buttonbattery in it that didn’t seem to be connected to the wires of the shake mechanism at all. Nothings perfect, I guess.
I like a couple of construction grade trash bags. Heavy duty and can work as a poncho,tarp, shelter even a solar water heater if the sun is out.
I per fer to store my clothes in several ziplock bags. It keeps them dry as well as as a garbage bag but you can place dirty items in them, mini washer with a little water and soap, carry water in them. If you are drying items with body heat you dont get wet while drying them. Plus they can be make shift gloves/golashes, if you get the 2 gallon size.
I line the entire pack with a heavy duty trash bag. Then if I unexpectedly fell into a body of water or it started raining, my gear is still dry. They sell “pack covers” for this, but it’s just more weight and requires putting it on. The trash bag is lighter and has more uses.
I have another idea… you think box wine has no value? those plastic bag containers inside, once the “wine” has been enjoyed, make marvelous water containers… and they’re free, once the wine is gone… pretty durable plastic… even the wine is quite inexpensive…!
That’s a great idea!
“When it’s time to throw in the towel, don’t forget to throw in the trowel”. another inexpensive item is a small gardening trowel, which can be useful for doing your “bidness” and covering up the evidence… it’s sturdier than the wonderplastic tems, and if you already have one, it’s free, for the BOB, at least!
I am enjoying reading all of these ideas and suggestions on B.O.B.s here. I have had a B.O.B packed and ready for years now, but until recently haven’t really thought of it as being prepared for when SHTF. I actually think my B.O.B. is more of a luxury item for me. Every year I pick a wilderness area and spend my weeks vacation being dropped off for 5 days and 6 nights with nothing more than my 2 knives (that I carry at all times), and the clothes of the season on my back. This is what I call my relaxing vacation. Last year I gained 5 lbs. and in ’99 I didn’t come home for 5 mo. It just goes to show that with a little training and instincts it is perfectly natural to “survive” for extended periods without any modern “conveniences”. I have found that after one month or so living off the land becomes second nature. After all most of humanities time on this planet was just that. Living off the land. If anyone needs training….your best bet would be to pick up a BSA manual and read it. You will get the basics on just about every aspect of survival. Then you can build your skills from there.
As far as stoves go , just get on ebay and get one of the older (1930s) sterno folding stoves that look like old fashion gas stoves on the top plate . They are built well enough and dont weigh or cost much . The esbit and some others are simply crap , your better off with 3 rocks and an open fire . The others are fine if you like to balance your kit on them and dont mind the slightest movement kicking it over . I do , so I dont get flimsy , mickey mouse pocket gear .
Forgot to add this : Learn to make a Dakota Fire Hole . This method has many advantages and can be made in almost any environment including the desert . If you plan to be outdoors , this is the way to go depending on your situation , then all you need to get is a small dirt cheap rectangular charcoal fire grill top ( you can get the top without buying the grill at a grocery store chain ) to lay flat on the ground over the fire hole . Urban areas , I’d still go for the old style sterno folder . Just my 2 cents , do what works for you and fits your needs the best .
Pretty insightful post. Never believed that it was this simple after all. I had spent a excellent deal of my time looking for someone to explain this subject clearly and you’re the only 1 that ever did that. Kudos to you! Keep it up