In a survival situation, having containers can greatly increase your chances of survival and have been used since the beginning of time to help ancient cultures survive. Unfortunately, these days containers are often an overlooked piece of gear.
Containers can add a lot of value to your survival kit.
Containers are actually one of the most versatile pieces of gear you can carry, and can be a lifesaver during certain situations. One item that I like to carry in all my survival kits, one that not only provides a multitude of survival uses but also serves as a make shift container, is the good old plastic storage bag.
Plastic storage bags and freezer bags make a great emergency container, and are a smart addition to any survival kit or Bug Out Bag.
These types of bags are strong, cheap, require very little space in your kit, and have a million uses in a survival situation. Among its many uses, the ability to capture and store water is probably the most important.
Why you should include Plastic Storage Bags in Your Survival Kit:
- In a pinch, they can be used to capture and transport water from your watering hole.
- They make a great emergency container for capturing hard to reach water that may be impossible to get with a traditional water bottle. Because these bags are flexible, they can be worked into small crevices or watering holes that would be difficult to reach with other inflexible containers.
- They can protect valuable survival gear and electronics from water and moisture.
- They keep your small gear in one place, and protect it from dirt and damage or from getting lost.
- They are great for carrying things like water, tinder, foraged food items, and first-aid gear.
- They make a great makeshift glove for touching things you might not want to touch with your bare hands.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Make sure you rotate your supply: Overtime plastic storage bags can weaken, so make sure you rotate your plastic bags every year or so.
- Buy Name Brand Bags: There is a huge difference between brands; when it comes to survival, you don’t want to save a couple of cents on a bag only to have it break once you start filling it with water.
- Adding Duct tape to the outside of the bag can help it last longer, and will protect the bag from being punctured.
I put everything in my packs in zip locks , this will help keep your pack afloat if you loose it on a lake or crossing a stream and keep things dry in the rain.Easy to recover a floating pack than one at the bottom of a lake or river.
That is a very good idea, nice. If there’s anything about survival it’s the effectiveness of being able to improvise!
They have also come out with some very large plastic ziplock bags. Some big enough to put your sleeping bag, clothes, shoes, etc. in. I put my towels and clothes in them and then squeeze out all of the air that I can so it takes up less room in my backpack.
Using double zip locks to carry your spare ammo keeps it nice and dry and gives you an extra bag if you find a food source or water.