What do you take with you?

Is it enough to save your life?

Well once again we are stepping into a new year. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I hope your dreams come true in 2025. We are in for a remarkable new year with not only remarkable things happening in our country but also throughout the world.

I am sure many of you traveled during the past holiday season and I hope everything went well and you arrived and returned safely. I would like you to think about that trip and consider for just a moment if that trip did not go as smoothly as it did.

What if for some reason you ended up stranded somewhere? Whether it was in an airport, bus station or on the road in your vehicle. Did you have with you the proper equipment or supplies to make it for a night, or several?

Now some scenarios would require more than others. If you travel by vehicle and your trip consisted of driving on some non-heavily used roads and you became stranded, then the required equipment is much more than spending a night in an airport.

On a recent trip I realized that I have built a routine when it comes to equipment and items that I always have close. A good friend and I traveled in my truck to Show Low, Arizona where I had recently purchased land. There were many purposes of the trip and some of them consisted of traveling off road on some very remote and rough roads.

We hauled my friends Can-Am, a off road all-terrain vehicle, and used it to explore the area around the land that I had purchased.

The trip consisted of traveling to Show Low, traveling to remote areas in the Can-Am, staying the night in a hotel, then returning to the land for more exploring and some shooting.

The friend that accompanied me on the adventure is also like-minded and is involved in firearms, tactical shooting, situational awareness, and survival skills.

Without pre-planning or any communication about what we were bringing on the trip I noticed that we both brought items and equipment that would assist us if we ran into a non-expecting situation.

I have written about every day carry items necessary for survival.

Some of these items could consist of a firearm, extra loaded magazines, an individual first aid kit, a pocketknife, a flashlight, and other non-lethal forms of defense.

When your travels extend beyond the boundaries of normal populated areas, what you take with you should be a lot more.
I took my go-bag. This backpack is equipped with many survival type items and much more. I also had sleeping gear in case I had to spend the night in my truck.

I always carry extra water and long-term food (MRE’s). Emergency medical supplies are necessary and a two-way radio. HAM, GMRS or a satellite phone can be extremely helpful.

No one ever plans on breaking down or getting stranded. What we must realize is that it is always a possibility. The better we prepare for that the chances of survival drastically increase.

Your vehicle has space for these types of supplies without hindering your ability to be comfortable during the drive. I go to extremes when loading up for a trip, but that does not mean everyone needs to do the same. Think of the essentials that you cannot do without. Water, food, shelter, and self-defense.

I constantly stress, if you carry a firearm for self-defense, you must train regularly. Not your typical standing on the firing line wasting ammo, but real-life self-defense techniques and training. You got the gun, do not sell yourself short by not being trained.

Think about your last trip and what you did not have with you that might have helped with your survival if things had taken a turn for the worse. Then, prepare for your next adventure by getting equipped and trained.

NEVER STOP TRAINING!

For any questions regarding my article, email me at
[email protected]
Oz Johnson/Lead Instructor, NRA Certified
Karin Johnson/Operations Manager
J-G-T.com
602-410-7355