When people talk about bug-out bags, there are really three main types of commonly discussed bags.

There is the GHB or Get-Home-Bag.

There is the BOB or Bug-Out-Bag.

Finally, there is the INCH bag or I'm-Not-Coming-Home bag


The GHB is typically the smallest of the three. This bag has some items to help you get back home, usually in the case of localized or personal emergencies. For some this is the bag they keep under their desk at work. For others this is part of their EDC. It all depends on your situation.

The BOB comes next. This is considered a ~72 hour bag. The purpose being, to either get you to your closest bug-out location (a friends home, a shelter, a second home, whatever), or to help you wait it out until help arrives. This is for more regional disasters. With the BOB, more than likely you'll be returning to your home, but you also need to be prepared with the appropriate paperwork and what-not, just in case your home is ruined when you do return.

The INCH is for the largest of disasters or extreme long-term disasters. Depending on your situation, this might just be a backpack or it might be an entire vehicle full of stuff. This is where you really start getting into the whole 'survivalist' mentality.

For some people, the BOB also becomes their INCH. This can be ok depending on your situation, but it tends to be a compromise. This is because the BOB is supposed to allow you to travel light and fast (i.e. Grab it and Go!), whereas an INCH setup is typically much more of a burden. Again, it's highly dependent on the person doing the prep.