Everyday Carry
By Robb Manning
Get Home Bag - Echo-Sigma
Every once in a while in the Everyday Carry column, we’re going branch out from firearms a bit, and explore some of the other aspects of carry. This is going to be one of those instances. Though this isn’t about something that you carry on your person, it is something that you would carry in your vehicle, and it fits into the “Everyday Carry” lifestyle, which takes a note from the Boy Scouts: be prepared.
A Bug Out Bag (BOB) is one of the ways people in the “be prepared” mindset keep themselves ready. In the event of a natural disaster, or riots, or what have you, it might be best to suddenly and rapidly leave your home to go somewhere safe. A BOB keeps everything in one place, and by simply grabbing the BOB and heading out the door, you have enough gear and provisions to last you a few days and get you to your bug out location. What many have not prepared for, is the step between A) crisis starts, and you realize you need to get to somewhere safe; and C) grabbing your BOB, and leaving your home. Step B: getting to your home and your BOB, and rounding up your loved ones, if applicable.
Thankfully, Echo-Sigma has thought of that, in the Get Home Bag (GHB). First, about the name; it’s clever, really. Echo-Sigma is phonetic alphabet for E-S, which stands for Emergency Systems. They go buy Emergency Systems, E-S, and Echo-Sigma. E-S realized that when a crisis starts, we’re often not at home -- we could be at work, at the park, at the store, or anywhere. If the stuff you need is at home, you have to get there. Plus, the home serves as a rallying point for the rest of your family. While a lot of us work 10-25 minutes from home, the kids are most likely at school, only a few minutes from home. So it’s only natural to have the rally point be your house. The problem is, it could be tough getting there.
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I’ve been in some crisis situations -- some natural disasters, and some civil unrest. I’ve been through a handful of cyclones in Okinawa, a hurricane in Florida, several California earthquakes (including the 1994 earthquake which destroyed part of L.A.), and I watched the L.A. riots from two hours away, atop an armed, armored M1036 HMWMV, waiting to be called in. I’ve seen how people act just before, during, and after such events. -- the two things that crisis events have in common; there will be panicked people, and no matter what you expect, expect the unexpected.
That’s where the GHB earns its keep -- it has a vast array of supplies that will get you through just about any situation. Most importantly, it keeps all of these supplies in one, organized place. I keep mine in my SUV. Since it comes in a convenient backpack, when you arrive at work, just carry it with you and store in your office, cubical or locker. If something comes up, you’re ready.
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When the GHB arrives at your door step, pull it out of the shipping box, and it’s ready to go. There’s nothing to assemble, no packaging to remove, it’s just ready. Mine has been bouncing around in the back of my SUV since I’ve gotten it, over six months ago. The gear inside is tough, and the Condor pack that it’s in is extremely rugged, and protects the contents well.
The Echo-Sigma Get Home Bag offers great peace of mind, that whatever comes your way, you’ll be ready. It doesn’t even have to be something along the nature of a disaster or civil unrest, perhaps you get in an accident, or come upon an accident and people need help. You’ll always be prepared with a flashlight, first aid kit, and if it’s cold outside, thermal protection. Possibly you’re camping or out fishing and one of your kids gets cut and you need a band-aid. Maybe there’s a hunting accident and one of your hunting partners or your dog are injured. Or it could be January up north, your wife is driving home late from work on an empty rural road and she puts the car in a snow bank. She finds her cell phone is dead, but thankfully she has the GHB with an emergency thermal sleeping bag. It’s also a great idea for a college kid to stow in a dorm-room. There are countless uses for the GHB, I’ll never be without one. I think it’s something everyone should have.
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The GHB is high quality, and comes with high quality gear inside it. It comes stored in a Condor Outdoor Assault pack, and includes enough food and water to last 1-3 days. It has a Hydration system, compact survival kit, compact first aid kit, 1 Gerber “Vise” Multi-tool, 1 waterproof LED flashlight, emergency poncho, emergency tube tent, 50 feet of 550 paracord, zip ties, thermal sleeping bag cocoon, signaling mirror, leather work gloves, respirator mask, protective goggles, spare batteries, and 2 hand warmers.
Several options and upgrades are available at check out, such as the standard or arid (determines what kind of food and how much water), flashlight upgrade, multi-tool upgrade, or even a second multi-tool. You can also choose to add a fixed blade knife or a camp tool. Another option is to opt out of the multi-tool (-$10), flashlight (-$30) or food and water (-$10, -6lbs) -- good for if you already have those things. The pack comes in Black, Red, Coyote Brown, A-TACS, or MultiCam. Standard pack weights 16 pounds. MSRP starts at $249, plus upgrades and add-ons.
I’ve spent countless hours texting, emailing and talking on the phone with Bill Kirk, co-owner of Echo-Sigma, and I can tell you for a fact, Bill cares about these bags, and Bill cares about the people who buy them. To him it means a lot more than just making money selling a product. He believes in his product and he knows it can save lives. That thoughtfulness and caring is reflected in the quality and design of the Get Home Bag.
Available at: echo-sigma.com