Bug Out Bag Guide for 2023 - Off Grid Questions Blog

A bug out bag, also known as a “ready bag” or “go bag,” is a compact emergency kit that is crucial in the event of an emergency. Whether it’s a wildfire, flood, hurricane, or any other type of emergency, you and your family can swiftly evacuate with all the essential supplies and tools needed for survival.

The bug out bag essentials are specifically intended to last for a period of 72 hours while you search for shelter and restock on supplies.

In order to ensure readiness, these bags are designed to be quickly utilized. It is essential for all arrangements to be made beforehand. Your bug out bag should be compact and light enough to be transported effortlessly. Being prepared is of utmost importance, as you should be able to depend solely on yourself and your bug out bag.

When assembling your bag, consider this question: What would I require to survive the initial 3-4 days in the event of a forced departure from home?

Pick your bug out bag

The first step in the process is to carefully choose the kind of bag that will hold all of your bug out essentials.

When considering your needs for survival, it is important to select an item that is sturdy, cozy, spacious enough to accommodate all your necessary supplies, yet compact and lightweight enough for effortless carrying. A typical backpack meant for your child’s schooling purposes will not possess the durability required for challenging situations.

Take your time to carefully examine the bag, paying close attention to its compartments, quality, and size, in order to determine whether it is capable of meeting the requirements of a survival situation.

When searching for the ideal bug out bag, it is important to take the color into account. It is advisable to choose a bag that has earthy tones, avoiding camouflage patterns. The bag should easily blend in with the surroundings. However, if you opt for a camouflage bag, there is a risk of being mistaken for military personnel, which you are not. Suitable colors to consider are black, beige, and green.

The appearance of everyone’s bug out bag may vary. A father’s bag will differ from a military bag, and particularly from a young man’s bag. Your bag might also vary depending on your location and the specific environmental obstacles you might encounter. It is advisable to be attentive to the inclusion of a waterproof bag.

What to put in your bag

To ensure preparedness for emergencies, it is important to include five categories of essentials in your bug out bag.

water purification
environmental protection
food supplies
sleeping gear
first aid

When creating bags for each family member, keep in mind that you don’t need to include every item in every bag. Distribute them accordingly, as some items are necessary only once or can be shared. Prioritize packing only the essential items in each bag to minimize weight.

Bug Out Bags Examples

The Military Bug Out Bag

The Bug Out Bag was created by a female military veteran who did a commendable job selecting her BOB items, including rare additions such as the collapsible washbowl.

She has made a wise choice with a khukuri, a superior survival knife for outdoor use compared to a regular folding knife. The basha pole is of high quality, but I wouldn’t suggest it to preppers unless they possess combat proficiency to utilize it effectively.

In addition to the standard waterproof jacket/poncho, it was a clever choice for her to include waterproof pants in her BOB. If you have ever experienced backpacking in the rain, you’ll understand what I mean!

Bug Out Bag Contents

Sleeping bag
Poncho liner/blanket
Roll matt
Survival Tarp
Bungee and paracord
Basha pole
Khukuri knife
Spare clothes rolled into pant leg
Waterproof trousers and jacket
Shemagh (aka tactical scarf)
Boonie hat
First aid plus trauma first aid kit
Wash kit and washbowl
Towel
Pot, gas, and gas stove
Rations
Water bottle – see survival canteens
GPS and Batts in pelican case
Hexi stove
Cable tape
Leatherman Wave and Swiss army knife
Wind up flashlight
Mini survival kit

Backdoor Survival Bug Out Bag

The Bug Out Bag provided by Backdoor Survival is the only one that contains COPIES OF IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS.

In this post about emergency binders, it is important to emphasize the need for having duplicates of essential documents such as ID, passport, and health insurance in case they are required by rescue personnel. It is worth noting that not all emergencies will result in a doomsday scenario, hence the significance of these copies for less severe situations!

In addition, they added some other highly practical items to the list, such as TOILET PAPER. Although it is not essential and occupies considerable space, it would likely be advantageous to have some TP available during SHTF situations. Check out alternative options to toilet paper and explore toilet paper tablets.

Bug Out Bags are intended to contain the essential supplies needed for immediate survival following a disaster. Although a knife sharpener is not deemed essential, it is compact and lightweight, making it reasonable to include in the bag.

To ensure preparedness for battery failure, it would have been better to include a sturdier flashlight, specifically a manual winding one.

Bug Out Bag Contents

Medications and first aid items
Survival blankets
Toilet paper
Berkey water bottle
Sanitizing wipes
Mini flashlights
Chemical light sticks
Batteries
Toiletries
Essential documents (aka Bug Out Binder)
Paracord plus paracord bracelet
Firestarter
Swiss army knife
Kershaw OSO Sweet knife
Compass
Knife sharpener
Storm whistle
Cash in small bills
Multi-tool
Energy bars
Survival poncho
EDC flash drive

The Budget Bug Out Bag

This is a great demonstration of creating a Bug Out Bag without spending too much. Although some items in this BOB, like the knives, are of better quality, they have been used and inherited. While this Bug Out Bag is a decent starting point (better than what most people have!), it does have several weaknesses.

Instead of including four knives in the kit (yes, four knives are present!), my preference would have been to choose one high-quality survival knife with a fixed blade. Fixed blades are stronger than folding knives, and a well-made blade enables tasks such as cutting wood. Alternatively, he could have packed one fixed blade along with one folding knife.

Instead of carrying all those spare batteries, I would have chosen a wind-up flashlight as well.

It is necessary to include some form of tarp or tent in the Bug Out Bag to ensure there is a shelter option. Without a roof over your head, a wool blanket is not very effective.