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Survival school owner, instructor and author Creek Stewart couldn’t have picked a better time to release his new book, Build The Perfect Bug Out Bag. With all the baggage that the year 2012 has attached to it, lots of people are nervous about the future. Naturally, I couldn’t wait to get this book and give it a thorough read.
I wanted to see if it met my three criteria for a good survival book. I wanted to find out if it was realistic, if it contained legitimate skills and if it would be helpful to people.
I’ve written about bug out bags several times, but for those who don’t know, a BOB is a collection of goods that you would need to survive if you had to flee your home with no guarantee of shelter, food or water during an emergency. Most BOBs are based on a 72-hour window, during which time you are travelling to a safer location.
Was this book realistic about the reasons for building a BOB and realistic about the materials used? Yes, on both accounts. Mr. Stewart didn’t conjure any fantastic themes that we were supposed to survive against. There were no aliens causing a pole shift. No Sasquatch uprisings. Nothing that could be made into a Sci-fi channel movie was addressed. The book dealt with preparedness against natural disasters and reasonable emergencies. I was pleasantly surprised.
The items recommended for the BOB were right on target, too. A good deal of the book addresses the selection of clothing and gear that I currently use and recommend. The book also presents several options for gear choices, ranging in weight and price.
My next question was, “Does the book contain legitimate skills?”
Again, the answer is yes. The author obviously knows his stuff. Many of the skills explained in the book are presented the same way that I teach them. Creek Stewart has been teaching survival roughly the same amount of time that I have–about 15 years–and it shows. His ease in providing explanations and his turn of phrase show a level of experience that cannot be faked.
The book is also helpful to both the beginner and the expert, alike. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the idea of a bug out bag. No one wants to leave their home and personal possessions behind when the reason to do so is horrific and disturbing. But somehow, this book gives you a road map to get to a place of preparedness, without scaring you to death along the way.
To find out more about Creek Stewart and order this book, visit www.willowhavenoutdoor.com.
