If there comes a time when you have to leave your house quickly, you will have limited time available. It is beneficial if you have prepared for this precise scenario and possess a bug out bag for each member of your family to swiftly pick up and leave.
If you haven’t found the right place, then you are in luck because we have created the most extensive bug out bag guide on the internet. This guide will help prepare you to handle any situation that may arise. We offer gear suggestions for every budget, detailed reviews and comparisons for all recommended survival equipment, as well as downloadable or printable checklists. Rest assured, we’ve got you covered when it comes to your bug out bag.
Definition of a Bug Out Bag
A Bug Out Bag is a backpack containing essential items for survival during emergencies, such as natural disasters, that allows for easy transport. Its purpose is to equip individuals with the necessary tools for immediate evacuation of their home or workplace.
Bug Out Bags have various names, such as Go Bag, Go Kit, Grab Bag, 72-Hour Bag, and Bail Out Bag. However, regardless of the name used, they all refer to a portable emergency disaster survival kit.
To ensure quick deployment, a Bug Out Bag should be prepared and stored in easily accessible locations well in advance.
Typically intended for short-term use and not long-term survival, these items are specifically designed to be compact and lightweight, making it easy for individuals to carry them in their backpacks or even use a rolling suitcase as a bug out bag.
These items are not intended to substitute for all the things in your home.
When you begin preparing a bug out bag, prioritize and consider your plans first.
If you were compelled to leave your home and depart from the town, where would you choose to go? What essential items would you require for the initial 3-4 days in that location?
For most individuals, this entails either staying at their relative’s or friend’s place, booking a hotel, or seeking refuge in a storm shelter.
To think systematically, you will need, at the very minimum, a couple of changes of clothing, a toothbrush, and possibly a sleeping mask and earplugs.
If possible, it is not advisable to plan on living like an outlaw in the woods when assembling a Go-Bag or Bug Out Bag. However, a few simple items that we will discuss later can help you be prepared to handle such a situation, just in case.
The kits we construct and extensively discuss on this website enable us to have multiple contingency plans. Therefore, in the event that circumstances worsen significantly, we can still purify water, cook, and remain comfortable in the wilderness as a final option.
It is quite simple to get caught up in the moment and have the desire to pack every possible item in your Bug Out Bag. However, you may end up with a backpack weighing 70 pounds, which becomes difficult to wear for more than a few minutes due to back or neck pain.
Resist the temptation to add or remove any information while rephrasing the text.
Why a 72-Hour Bag?
In the event of a widespread emergency, it is common for government groups such as FEMA or first responders to take around 3 days or even longer to arrive and offer assistance.
During this period when institutional aid is not accessible, it is essential to ensure the safety and support of yourself and your family.
That is the reason we refer to our needs for 72 hours when discussing the contents of our Bug Out Bags.
Most individuals find it easy to begin with this organizational technique as it involves a step-by-step thinking approach.
Consider the events and experiences of the past 72 hours of your life.
- What did you eat?
- What did you wear?
- What did you use in the bathroom?
- Who did you have to care for?
- Where and how do you sleep at night?
Consider how to fulfill those needs without the comfort of your home and with the absence of open nearby stores.
Bug Out Bag Essentials
In a bug out bag, these are the necessary items that most experts recommend. We also provide a list of suggested items later in the guide, which are not deemed essential. While these suggested items are helpful in specific situations, the following gear is indispensable and should be included as a minimum requirement.
Safety BOB Essentials:
The priority of self-defense is consistently upheld, especially as crime rates typically surge during widespread disasters. Even in non-emergency situations, security and self-protection remain the primary focus in most risk analysis.
- Survival Knife: ESEE Izula Fixed Blade Knife (See why this is the best survival knife)
- Bushcraft Knife: Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Knife (See why this is the best bushcraft knife)
- Handgun: The preferred CCW that you are trained on (see ours here)
- CCW Holster: Alien Gear Concealed Carry Holsters – Get a holster in the profile you want from the best brand.
- Ammunition: PSA Ammo Deals – Get ammo for your CCW at huge discounts.
Fire & Light BOB Essentials:
In order to avoid being unproductive during the dark hours of the day, it is necessary to have access to sources of light and the capability to generate fire. In addition to providing visibility, fire sources are essential for keeping warm, cooking food, and ensuring the purity of water.
- Flashlight: GearLight S1000 LED Flashlight (See why this is our favorite flashlight)
- Headlamp: Vont Spark LED Headlamp (See why this is our favorite headlamp)
- Lighter: Ronson Jetlite (See why this is our favorite lighter)
- Waterproof Matches: UCO Stormproof Match Kit (See why these matches are the best)
Water BOB Essentials:
- Steel Water Bottle: Nalgene Stainless 38oz (See why this is the best survival water bottle)
- Purification Tablets: Potable Aqua (See why this is our favorite tablet)
- Water Filter: Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System (See why this is our highest reviewed survival water filter)
Food BOB Essentials:
- Ration Bars: Millennium Bars (See why this is the best survival food bar)
- Meals, Ready to Eat (MRE): US Military MRE
Communication BOB Essentials:
- Emergency Radio/Light/Charger: NOAA Solar Crank Radio (See why this is the best emergency radio)
- Survival Mirror: Survival Signal Mirror (See why this is the best signal mirror)
- Spare Cell Phone Charger: Make sure it works with your main cell phone
Shelter & Clothing BOB Essentials:
- Work Gloves: Mechanix Wear Covert Gloves (See why these are the highest reviewed survival gloves)
- Waterproof Tarp: AquaQuest Defender Tarp – Tarps are essential for making impromptu shelters quickly (see why this is the best bug out bag tarp)
- Survival Bivy: Life Bivy Sleeping Bag – Camping sleeping bags are more comfortable, but a survival bivvy will always get the job done. (See why this is the best-reviewed bivy)
- Socks: Darn Tough Light Hiker (See why these are the best survival socks)
- Long Sleeve Shirt: Carhartt Midweight Crew (See why this is the best survival shirt)
- Underwear: Some clean ones. Roll these up with the socks and shirt into a skivvy roll to compress and organize.
- Pants: TRU-SPEC Tactical Pants (See why these are our best budget pants)
- Survival Blanket: Arcturus Survival Blanket (See why this is the best survival blanket)
Hygiene & First Aid BOB Essentials:
- Basic First Aid Kit: 299 Pc First Aid Kit
- Prescription Medication: Don’t get caught without your meds! Pack them securely in an airtight, watertight container.
- Toothbrush: Travel Toothbrush
- Toothpaste: Colgate Travel Toothpaste
- Soap: Campsuds
- Feminine Supplies: Feminine hygiene supplies may make sense to store in your BOB, even if you are a male.
- N-95 Masks: 3M N-95 Masks (mask shortages are over, so get the real deal)
- Nitrile Gloves: Venom Steel Nitrile Gloves – protect your hands from contamination with the most durable nitrile gloves we’ve reviewed.
Documents & Navigation BOB Essentials:
- Rainproof Pen: Rite in the Rain EDC Pen – take notes in any conditions (see why this is the best survival pen)
- Rainproof Notebook: Rite in the Rain Notebook
- Copy of ID: Quickly prove your identity
- Emergency Plan: Print a copy of your TruePrepper Basic Emergency Plan
- Compass: Brunton TruArc Compass – navigate and plot your maps. (See why this is the best survival compass)
- Local Maps: Print copies of local maps. Here’s how you download them for free.
Miscellaneous BOB Essentials:
- Multitool: Leatherman Signal – Designed for survival, it is no wonder it topped the competition in our multitool review roundup.
- Paracord: TOUGH-GRID Paracord (See why this is our preferred paracord)
- Duct Tape: Gorilla Tape 35 Yard Roll (See why this is the best duct tape for survival)
- Cash Stash: Stash some money in your bug out bag.
