While watching the war on CNN and especially the refugees heading out with their pitiful "bug out bags", I thought of a few things we should have. Some of those plastic tarps of good sze so one can have some protection from the weather. The same tarps are famous for tearing out their groumets. Camping area in WalMart has groumets that snap on for replacement or additional tie downs. A package of large needles. The kind that are good for hand sewing canvas, carpeting, sacking and maybe an awl would be handy too. And a good metal thimble that fits your finger. And then make sure you have the appropriate thread/string for such. A ball of KITE string is small, will go through head of large needle and is extremely strong. Can tie or sew with it. Can sew up shoes with it. Cloth for patching. Don't throw away that old pair of jeans. There is still patching material in it. Same with cotton or polyester clothing. Buttons....WalMart has a plastic container about 1 pt in size that is full of buttons of all sizes and colors. Velcro is a must for those zippers on the men's coveralls that break.

Got thread and snaps??

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), March 29, 1999

Answers

Dental floss is great for sewing up canvas,denim, etc...it's indestructable and cheap.

-- Alison (Sewing@home.com), March 29, 1999.

Gee, you didn't mention rope, or duct tape. I thought guys ALWAYS mentioned duct tape. What's it for exactly, they never say, we're just supposed to know. What's the tarp for? What are needles for? What are you guys gonna be doing anyway? Tie-downs? This reminds me of the ladies who advise us to stock up on things like soap & deodorant. Society is collapsing, but at least we'll all smell nice. You betcha. We'll smell nice & we'll have tarps & needles & duct tape.

-- explain (this@to.me), March 29, 1999.

In response to Taz's initial post (ignore the troll above):

I've done long-term backpacking, moved at least 150 times in my life (yuk!), lived in my van for a year (as an experiment -- which went well, if you don't count my boss making me park two blocks away so nobody would know one of his executives had the van with Grateful Dead stickers on it!), and while I've never had to be without power for more than two days, or in the midst of quakes, fires, floods and riots for more than two days, I think I've had enough life experience to say:

Yeah. Good point. Tarps are handy. Heavy stitching stuff is handy. So is rope and duct tape. ;-) Not until you HAVE to make a very fast hammock (to escape stuff on the ground) or lean-to (to escape stuff from the sky [rain/wind]) or carry more than you think you can (sometimes between many people) or carry one or more injured persons (who are damn heavy even when small, especially when you're trying not to jostle them around), do you really appreciate that sort of thing.

These are the kinds of 'basics' that you can often make an amazing array of useful items out of. This is good thinking and, bulk grain and firearms aside, this is the kind of stuff that is useful to talk about in a forum such as this.

PJ in TX

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@firedocs.com), March 29, 1999.

1.miniture bottles of pure grain alchohol - (anti-septic,carb cleaner,barter item. 2.red wine - gastronomical ailments,overall health 3. sulfer,gunpowder - antifungal,wound treatment

Thanks to all for all of YOUR help and guidance.kudos !!!

-- capnfun (capnfun@notfunatall.com), March 30, 1999.

Dental floss is an excellent choice for heavy duty repairs. Buy the waxed kind, though; it will slide through heavy material much easier. I know this 'cause Grandma kept a chunk of bee's wax in her sewing kit for those tough jobs.

Just thinking...you could use a bar of soap for the same purpose. Just stroke the needle across it a few times, and the needle & thread will slip through your work with far greater ease. A metal thimble will save your finger tips, too. Skip the plastic ones, though. They will be punctured right quick, along with your finger!

-- Arewyn (nordic@northnet.net), March 30, 1999.