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The term Bug Out Bag (also called a “Go Bag” or a “72-Hour Survival Kit”) can be off-putting to a lot of people.
It makes it seem like you’re eagerly awaiting a chance to go berserk in the wilderness. Urban Dictionary even defines Bug Out as “an act of freaking out over usually nothing; overreacting.”
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Terminology aside, a Bug Out Bag is essential to disaster planning and preparedness. Disasters can strike at any moment and can be more common than you would expect.
Even if you think these disasters will never occur, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? I sleep better knowing I’ve done everything in my power to keep my family safe!
As a report from the Heritage Foundation says, local governments are often overwhelmed during large-scale disasters. They rely on state and federal governments to help in these situations. However, it takes an average of 72 hours for state and federal governments to respond.
Because you can’t rely on the government to help you immediately (or at all, depending on the type of disaster), you should be self-sufficient for at least three days.
Some people prefer to make their Bug Out Bags for even longer periods.
There are many Bug Out Bag lists out there that will tell you exactly what to pack. However, these lists ignore the fact that everyone has different survival needs.
Please don’t follow any Bug Out Bag checklist blindly. Instead, think about the following:
To ensure no critical item gets overlooked on the Bug Out Bag list, I encourage people to divide the gear into categories based on goal/task.
These categories are the essentials you will need to stay alive.
Water is your #1 most important item for survival in a disaster situation. Depending on the disaster, the normal water sources may be completely contaminated – such as after a nuclear attack.
For most, shelter probably means using a tarp or a tent. There is considerable debate about whether a tarp or tent is best for your Bug Out Bag. It really comes down to your level of experience. If you don’t have experience sleeping in tarp shelters, go for a tent.
Choose a tent that has the highest hydrostatic head rating you can find while still being lightweight.
The rating tells you how well it will withstand water (as well as its ability to resist snags). Don’t go with anything less than a 2500 rating!
You will also need a sleeping bag, bivvy bag, or emergency blanket for each person.
I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the many types of survival shelters and learn how to make a shelter out of debris. You never know if your tent will get lost or stolen, so this knowledge could save you!
According to the survival rule of three, you can go 3 weeks without food. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include food in your Bug Out Bag list. People get grumpy and angry when hungry.
Choose non-perishable, high-protein, and high-fat foods (you’ll need the energy!). You’ll probably want to avoid canned goods because they are so heavy.
If you aren’t sure what food is suitable, read this post for 50+ Bug Out Bag Food Ideas.
Fire isn’t just about warmth.
I’ve met people with a complete weapons arsenal in their Bug Out Bags. A firearm certainly seems like a good idea; you can read more about the best bug out guns here. However, multiple firearms are just likely to weigh you down.
You may also want to consider pepper spray for your BOB. It is a great non-lethal weapon.
You won’t need much for hygiene, so don’t bring shampoos or deodorants. Here are some essentials:
When it comes to clothes for your Bug Out Bag, you don’t need more than a spare shirt and pants. Who cares if you are stinky and dirty – you will be alive!
As for the selection of clothes, choose wool items or camping clothes (usually synthetics) because they dry quickly.
If you get wet while bugging out, it could quickly lead to hypothermia, so you want to have that rain jacket, dry clothes, and socks to change into.
A wide-brimmed hat is also suitable for keeping rain and sun out of your eyes.
I keep extra socks in my BOB because keeping your feet dry is so important. I also have my boots next to my BOB in case of SHTF while wearing sneakers or sandals.
Recommended reading:
As for first aid, stick to the essentials. You don’t need a tourniquet in this kit, but you will need a multi-purpose tool like a Leatherman, which has small scissors, bandages, antiseptic wipes, and burn gel.
Read this post for a Checklist of First Aid Items for Your Bug Out Bag
Imagine all of the obstacles and dangers you might encounter when fleeing a disaster.
These obstacles can be overcome with gear such as heavy-duty gloves, a crowbar, flashlight, and face mask.
To ensure you don’t miss anything, do your best to visualize what could happen during a disaster. These types of gear are included in the Bug Out Bag checklist below.
However, everyone’s Bug Out Bag list will be different, so it pays to visualize potential disaster scenarios.
Finally, don’t forget to include all the essential documents you might need in an emergency, such as your ID, passport, phone numbers, and photos of family members (in case you get separated).
Our Emergency Binder template will come in handy for this; it is a binder of forms and worksheets that anyone can quickly fill out. Type your info into the PDF, save a digital copy, and print out a copy—view Template.
Click to download a PDF of this checklist.
(Optional Items)
See our checklist bundle for printable versions of this checklist and 16 others.
Hanging out with ultra-light backpackers has taught me a lot about reducing weight from my pack. These are people who know that every ounce counts.
An ounce might not seem like a lot – until you consider that it only takes 16 ounces to make a pound. Doing things (which might seem crazy at first) like cutting the edges off of your maps, those ounces can quickly add up to significant savings.
Backpackers say you should only carry 15% to 25% of your body weight. However, that’s backpacking. We are talking about bugging out. You might need to run with your pack on – so cutting weight is even more critical.
If your pack weighs more than 30lbs, I suggest reading this post on How to Cut Weight from Your Bug Out Bag. Some of the things you’ll need to focus on are:
This tip doesn’t get mentioned much. Instead, most people seem to encourage preppers to fill their BOBs to the max.
You should leave room in your BOB because you never know what you will find.
I don’t believe you need to spend a fortune to prepare for a disaster. Do what you can with your allotted budget.
But let’s be honest. While a $5 flashlight is better than no flashlight, it probably isn’t going to withstand the elements very well!
Not all of your gear needs to be super high-quality. To make the most of your budget, prioritize items. These are the ones I believe to be the most important:
Whether you plan on bugging out in the city or remote wilderness, boots are likely a must-have. You’ll need boots to protect your feet from rubble like broken glass, flaming debris, and tough terrain.
The problem is that many of us don’t wear our boots every day. Thus, we keep our boots next to our BOBs to quickly put them on in case we need to flee.
A BOB at home isn’t won’t do much good if disaster strikes while you are at work. Make multiple BOBs and keep them at:
Additionally, you will want to have a Get-Home Bag in your car.
Bugging out on a nice summer day is fine. You could probably even survive with no gear (though not very comfortably or safely).
When the weather gets bad, though, things are tougher! Here are some of the things that can happen with rain or cold:
These problems (and many others) can be avoided with careful planning. For example, you’ll probably want to bring a survival shovel for building a snow cave. Use a wet sack inside your Bug Out Bag to keep items dry.
The most crucial piece of prepping advice (whether for bugging out or hunkering down) is to run a survival drill.
Follow your Bug Out Plan using just the items in your BOB.
How well were you able to survive?
Chances are you will come up with flaws in your BOB contents – like realizing that your knife is not suitable for batoning wood or your pack is too heavy to carry long distances.
That is what prepping is all about: Strategizing, testing, and adjusting plans.
No plan is perfect, but with drills and careful planning, you can get it as nearly perfect as possible.
Hikers use a general rule that your pack should be less than a quarter of your body weight, but they are not bugging out where you may need to run or hide. For a Bug Out Bag, we suggest aiming for 10 to 15% of your body weight; for a 200lb adult, aim for a 20lb pack.
This depends on many factors and, of course, your physical fitness. But as a general rule, 30 liters is a good size Bug Out Bag for an average adult.
You should carry 1 to 3 Quarts of water per person and have a water filter and bottle to replenish supplies.
You should aim to pack enough to survive for 72 hours in an emergency. This will give you enough time to evacuate from a disaster and wait for federal or government response.
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