Column by Alex R. Knight III.

Exclusive to STR

No one can seriously deny that there's a lot of unrest out there lately.
 
And it's coming from an increasingly diverse number of directions.
 
Tom Woods even recently penned an essay in which he posits that American society has arrived at a place in which it has become time to admit that "the differences are irreconcilable," and he advises we all prepare to go our separate ways.
 
It may well be time to conclude that -- between the powers that shouldn't be, and an endlessly quarreling public ever fighting for support and control of those powers – long before any voluntaryist vision prevails en masse, society itself may simply dissolve into chaos.  In other words, people may well just decide that, in effect, suicide is easier than changing.  The dollar may also collapse.  World War Three could take wings.  Any number of other scenarios might arise in such a witch's brew of discord, fear, fighting, infighting, and reckless printing of currency out of thin air under a burden of over $20 trillion of government debt.
 
If so, then so be it.  That's their choice.  The choice of so many blind statists and societal livestock.  But it's not mine.  And it doesn't have to be yours, either. 
 
I recently prepared for myself, at very little cost (in fact, I already had most of the contents laying around the house), a "bug-out" bag designed to be both lightweight and minimalistic, yet provide the best chances of either short or long-term survival in the wild and/or on the run.
 
I started with a CVLIFE 50L woodland camo military tactical backpack, currently available for about $40-50, and outfitted it with the following gear and supplies.  They are listed in no particular order, and in some cases I've included brand names either for frame of reference, or because I feel they offer a superior product for a decent price.
 
Inside:
 
* Henry AR-7 Survival Rifle with three 8-round magazines (loaded)
 
* 26 additional rounds Remington .22 LR hollow-point 36 grain ammo
 
* Hatchet with blade cover
 
* Swiss Army Knife with can and bottle openers
 
* Deerslayer buck knife with belt holster
 
* Rogue River Woodland camo folding rescue knife
 
* One roll toilet paper
 
* Colgate toothbrush
 
* Colgate toothpaste (small)
 
* Spool of dental tape (heavy-gauge floss)
 
* Two disposable twin-blade shaving razors
 
* Lifestraw personal water filter
 
* Small Crayola pencil sharpener
 
* Small pointed wooden dowel
 
* Small notepad
 
* Small sharpened pencil with eraser