Last night I was thinking about a bug out bag. I'd never done so before. I live in a location where things like floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc. are nearly unheard of. Then I got to thinking about more mundane 'disasters'. What if my condo burned down and I ran out after the fire alarm in my jeans and t-shirt only to have the building disappear along with all my possessions. What if I had no family in town to help me out? Having a bug out bag could make that situation (or any like it) much more livable.

Unfortunately I enjoy excess and planning a bug out bag quickly exceeded the capacity of the book bag I was planning on using. Since the chances of my needing the bag are about as good as the chances of both me and my wife needing it, I decided to put that fact, and my excessive nature, to good use and put together 3 distinct bags using only bags I had around the house and only gear I already owned...My budget for this project (at least at this stage) is zero.

With the 3 bags I selected I set some criteria. I should be able to carry all 3 bags if I needed for a short distance (ie: to the Jeep/Car/Bike/Whatever) or have all 3 between my wife and I worn and ready to be taken on a long walk if needed. The bags would cover nearly all situations including travel, commuting to work, and camping (though in that case the contents would be moved to our larger hiking packs to make room for standard camping gear...much of which overlaps with the BOB gear). The bags should be somewhat weatherproof in case I need to take off by motorcycle. There would be enough redundant gear to cover both my wife and I. The bags would hold any EDC stuff that either of us wouldn't normally carry but would like to have in a pocket should things get dicey (this is more for her...she carries nothing and often her work outfits don't even have pockets!). Most importantly the bags would never be considered complete. These are a work in progress and always will be...it's the only way I can keep from getting complacent with what I've put together.

I started with my backpack and started loading it up. This was tough because it had to carry my every day work stuff as well as EDC. Fortunately it's a very sturdy Deluxe Bookbag from the MEC and has lots of room, lots of pockets, and it's well constructed. The following is how it looked when I was done...not completely full but close and likely too full. I wanted to err on the side of heavy then cut back as I needed.

• MEC Deluxe Bookbag
• My Work notebook + power brick + cable lock
  • Outdoor Research dry bag size #2:
  • Gear Repair Kit
  • Food & Water Kit
  • Toiletries kit (just some soap, travel toothbrush, toothpaste etc)
  • Spare AA, AAA, and 123 batteries
  • Travel charger for cell phone
  • GMRS radio in holster (to clip onto pack)
• First Aid Kit
• 1L Nalgene bottle
• GSI Stainless mug
• 700mL fuel bottle
• Moleskine (in ziplock)
• Pen
• Space Pen
• Smith's Diamond steel sharpener
• 2 blank DVDs
• 1 blank CD
• Signal Mirror
• 500 (about) calories worth of energy bar/gel
• 1 freeze dried meal (2 servings)
• Tea Bag (in ziplock)
• Hand Sanitizer
• Sun Screen
• Skin Cream
• Mini magnet compass (a tiny rare earth magnet that always points north on a flat surface)
• 2 chemical hand warmers
• AMK double size space blanket
• Siltarp Poncho
• 8 ultralight tent pegs
• 20m bright yellow paracord (3mm I think)
• Gerber TriTac flashlight
• MSR Miox Pen
• Red LED Flasher (in case I need to bug out by bicycle? Seemed handy)

The bag is heavy but I'm used to that. I haven't weighed it yet. I'm sure I can cut weight somewhere and will be working on it plenty over the next little while. One drawback is that I can't bring certain things in to work (digital camera, knife, etc) so I needed a small bag that I could wear with the pack if needed but leave in the car when working. I picked a large hiking fanny pack for a Grand Canyon day hike and haven't used it since. It's got the stuff I can't carry in to work plus some extra goodies that I'll never need while I'm inside:

• Wool gloves
• Poly glove liners
• Light toque
• Rain/sun hat
• Fleece head over neck warmer
• 2x 700mL water bottles
• Digital Camera (in waterproof pelican case)
• Nokia N700 wireless internet tablet (in ziplock)
• Kershaw Cyclone (the EDC pocket knife I can't take in to work)
• Gerber Multitool
• Victorinox Cybertool 34 (I carry both so that if it's me and my wife she can carry the SAK...around her neck if she has to)
• Gerber Freeman Hunter (my current standard camping belt knife)
• Gerber LMF II (backup super knife, hammer, spear, etc.)
  • I like knives, back off
• 2 chemical hand warmers
• Coghlan's Space Blanket
• Dorcy LED Headlamp
• Neck Lanyard (another camping mainstay)
  • Fox 40 whistle
  • Suunto compass/thermometer combo
  • Firesteel and striker

These two cover just about everything but not quite (for my satisfaction). It will be winter here soon and I needed to take that into consideration. The last bag is a military surplus German rucksack that I picked up at Cabelas. I waterproofed it with Nikwax and started to load it up:

• Outdoor Research hydroseal compression bag
  • The North Face 20 degree F mummy bag
  • Change of pants (lightweight polyester)
  • Change of socks (2 pair, light and heavy)
  • Base layer shirt
  • Spare shirt
  • Med Weight long underwear
  • Pocket size first aid kit
  • Rain Coat
  • Rain Pants
  • Waterproof overgloves
• Firestarter kit
• Gerber Gorge Shovel
• Gerber Gator EAB Saw
• Gerber Big Rock Camp Knife
• Gerber diamond sharpening steel
• 2 Servings freeze dried food.
• A couple of high calorie snacks.
• Stainless cup

Obviously there is room for improvement and room to have some redundancy cut out. With zero budget it will take some creativity. Currently there are a few things missing like a sleeping pad (which I am looking forward to improvising), and there isn't enough sleeping bag for 2 people but I think this is a very complete start to a solution. It's going to allow my wife and I to take a lot of essentials with us the next time a fire alarm goes off and anything is better than nothing.

Call me crazy (my wife is) but if nothing else I feel better having this stuff around.

Hmmm. I might add a little office stuff--Paper phone number/ contact list area map, spare keys for everything, cash, back-up id, (old liscence will do) sunglasses/ spare glasses.

Not exciting, but useful.

Looks like a pretty good start so far (especially with no budget!!)
A few things that you might want to think about:

-Bug spray/wipes/cream (if bugs are a concern)
-Basic toiletries (soap,toothbrush?/toothpaste?)
-Prescriptions if needed
-Some kind of basic hunting/fishing gear depending on your "expected" Bug out conditions (small fishing kit, snare wire, etc.)

I hope this helps!!

A Bug out Bag can also be used as a Bug in Bag. Mine is there to keep all the gear in one place so I can find it when bugging in. Like last week when power went out after a storm I got the lights out of the BOB and the scanner to see what is going on around us.
I've started replacing battery powered gear to standardize on one type (AA) instead of the multiple like your AAA,AA,123. By eliminating one or more types I was able to save room for more of the others and even carry a small charger with vehicle plug (MAHA C401FS).
I'd add a flash drive with important documents or backup cd's or even a hard drive in an external enclosure that stays there just in case you can't get to the laptop in time to pack it. My laptop stays in the living room and my BOB is in the bedroom so if I had to leave via window my backups are there already.
A new change I have made is keeping the front pocket of my BOB empty and when I come home and empty my EDC from my pockets into that pocket. That way if I bug out in the middle of the night I don't have to try stuffing my pockets full of my edc gear, its in the bob and I can transfer it later.

All great ideas. I'm definitely going to implement as many as I can. I work the pack to work today and it's pretty damn heavy. Not a burden to have under my desk but if I need to tote it around I can really start to feel it...it's just a book bag after all with no support belt. I'm going to have to take measures to reduce weight...either by getting rid of some stuff or transferring items to one of the other bags.

A few notes about your suggestions:

• A 'hunting and fishing' kit is something that's in the works right now. I do carry hooks, snare wire, and line in my pocket kit...though I'm not a hunter and wouldn't even know what to do with something I snared.
• Bug spray isn't an issue right now. It's about to snow any day here.
• I'd like to go all AA but the radio uses AAA and the Miox pen uses 123. Nearly everything else is AA. I'm working on cutting back to the minimum number of extra batteries or including a solar AA/AAA charger and some rechargeable AAs and AAAs (I have plenty already). With the zero budget it will have to be a future consideration along with upgrading the radios to ones that use AA batteries.
• The USB key is a great idea. I'm going to scan in documents and put them on an extra key ASAP. Having extra money, maps, and ID is also a great idea.

I would definitely add maps. If you want to keep a zero budget you can always print them off the computer and laminate them. I carry three types, state, multi-state (all adjoining states) and a map of my work building. The map I have for work is just a mini blueprint, but it shows all fire exits and has the dimensions clearly labeled. This makes it easy to navigate if the power goes out.

I inventoried and repacked 2 BoB's and one camping (ALICE) pack tonight. The camping pack is used in conjunction with a fully equipped.orgbat harness and I still have to inventory and repack it.

I also stripped some gear from each BoB and repacked that gear into two new Dayhiking pouches that will accompany the BoB's and/or the camping packs. These will stay close to me and my nephew along with the BoB's but when camping, they will stay on our belts BECAUSE if you don't carry it, you won't have it when you need it. I still have to write up the inventories on these packs but I will wait until I get a couple more items, to complete them.

My BoB currently is designed to support myself for approximately 10 days in the field, and consists of the following:

Checklist-BoB-Bo (Austrian Rucksack)

Updated: 30 Oct 2007
A) Left Outside Pocket
55 gal garbage bag
Medicine Pouch (Native American)
Toilet Paper

B) Right Outside Pocket
Pouch w/light/laser-hat clip
Paracord
Pouch w/shoestrings & electrical tape
Pouch w/3 bandannas
Pouch w/dryer lint
5 gal ziplock bag

C) Front Outside Pocket
Messkit w/6 triox tablets, matches, 3 SOS pads, metal spoon, can/bottle opener
Pouch w/salt, pepper, & sugar
Pouch w/VFR charts

D) Interior Pocket
Magellan User manual
Pouch w/coffee filters
Pouch w/Magellan GPS unit
Spare ziplock bags
BoB inventory
(Deleted) emergency comms plan
Emergency Contacts

E) Main Compartment
Air mattress (I am getting old)
Leather gloves
Pouch w/6 prs-socks
Pouch w/6 prs-underwear
8 zip ties
1 roll-duct tape
55 gal garbage bag
4 MRE’s
11 granola bars
Pouch w/mixed nuts
5 boxes-raisins
2 pks-blueberry poptarts
Pouch w/tea bags
Pouch w/small chocolates
Pouch w/6 hot chocolate mixes
Pouch w/5 Ramen Noodles
2 pouches-10 pks of instant grits
Pouch w/buffalo jerky and Slim Jims

F) Fanny Pack
Camo Compact
Poncho
Shovel
Bottled Water
Nalgene bottle

G) Hanging Outside/Pack
Shaving Kit
FAK & meds in shaving kit bag
Possibles in shaving kit bag

H) On Shoulder
Messenger Bag w/licenses, log book, additional bottles of water, "Book of Bo-Vol I & IA"
1 Qt canteen

I) Belt w/EDC-Buck 110 knife, Leatherman, Ball Cap, flash light (mini-maglight), Binoculars, Kabar knife, New Dayhiking Pack

Note 1: I would be adding 1 extra set of clothes: (long sleeve/winter) or (short sleeve/summer) T-shirt, Long sleeve work shirt (khaki),
Blue Jeans, and (wearing)Combat Boots

Note 2: I would supplement my food & water with additional goods from the boat on which I work.

Note 3: I would strip survival gear from my lifejacket after I got off of the boat.

I noticed you list a lot of foods that require water (chocolate mixes, ramen noodles, grits) but only a couple bottles of water. High protein foods also require a lot more water to break down. I don't know how you pack your MRE's, but in the military we had a thing called combat packing. You take everything out of the packaging and repack around your person, pack, etc. for quick access to snack items and entrees for later. This really does cut down on the space they usually take up. Hope it helps...

Roger the MRE packing methods. I have left them in their regular packaging for now but will break them down if/when I have to bug out, once I would be in a secluded, secured area, and then get moving again.

AR-overscore, for this night!!!

I don't have any either. fish usually upsets my stomach as well as anything greasy (squirrel for example) so I don't know what I could safely eat.


Who will you talk to on the GMRS radio? Those don't have a lot of value unless you know someone else with one or leave some note for SAR on what channel/frequency you will be on. You may laugh but I carry a handheld CB radio. Since my primary bug out location is 250 miles away by highway if I break down or need to call for help I can try to reach the thousands of trucks listening on channel 19. I also have a CB in my truck so if we were to bg out with both vehilces then my wife can take the hand held in her car. I tested that out in a state forest on Fathers day when I met with a cousin of mine and gave him the handheld so we could communicate as there wasn't much cell phone service.
Standardizing on one battery type is a long term goal I've set. As you do replace gear start keeping it the same then you can borrow batteries from one to the other. AA's that are "dead" in a radio can still power a light.
Be careful with solar chargers, most are crap and need more hours than there is daylight to properly charge.


I carry a roll of quarters and some cash in my BOB. You can get maps free be going to the city/county/state web sites and requesting them. I go every so often and look to see if they have a new one available and request it, have the maps for my state and any I pass through to my main bug out location as well as maps of most of the surrounding states.
I've made a home dr plan document and store it on the flash drive as well as scans of birth certificates, etc. I also keep some cd's/dvd's with pictures and such in my bob in case I can't get them from the safe in time.