Terminology: What is the difference — size & purpose — of a Bug-Out bag, Bail-Out bag and Go bag. In my mind those bags have different functions. Is that discussion worthwhile?

Don't get too hung up on terms. Pack what you need for your likely destination.

Jeanette Isabelle

Generally I agree with that sentiment, but in order to discuss this subject, it’s good to have a common understanding. A lot of discussions on a bug-out bag go on to discuss something smaller that would be good for maybe 24 hours.

So definitely pack what you need, but for the sake of discussion, it would be nice to have a common terminology.

"Go Bag" -- A kit designed around "I expect to leave this place on short or no notice to do a thing." I travel quite a bit for my job, and my overnight bag fits this description. I can be out the door for a 1-4 night trip in under five minutes. I have another bag set up for IT support. While that's not my job any more, every so often I am doing something for work or for a friend or relative, and it's convenient for me to have those things in its own bag.

"Bail Out Bag" -- A kit designed around "I may have to leave this conveyance that I'm in abruptly." A kayaker may have fire-makings, communications, and first aid gear, for example.

"Bug Out Bag" -- Here I've seen a lot of different definitions. Mine is a kit designed around "I may have to leave this place abruptly." I do not maintain one of these. You may look at my car-based emergency kit and call it a Bug Out Bag. Neither I nor the bag would be offended, even though that's not how I think of it.

These are my definitions for me and my situation and use cases, yours may be different.

"wrong gear" is a questionable term. I keep my "core bag/goody bag" assembled with basic ten essential/survival gear stufff, a lot of which has pretty broad application.

A recent example. On Super Tuesday I supervised a polling place and at one point i needed a bit of string to hang an item. the most convenient source was my goody bag, which had lengths of mason's twine, normally used to construct impromptu shelters or bivys. But here was another use in a distinctly urban situation. Duct tape is another classic example of a broadly useful, versatile item.

Definitely if you have time, you can fine tune the contents of a bag to become more suited to the situation.

i have no need for any of this as wilderness travel is my game. but looking at a youtube of a guys gear i was struck by the things he had that called out "i'm a prepper,rob my stuff!".a hat with a tactical logo,fancy sunglasses and a $100 back pack.

The post in the discussion is mistaken in stating that your BOB has the wrong gear. Just because you have a BOB with gear & supplies for an extended stay in the wilderness does not mean it’s the wrong bag for a hotel stay or camping out on a friend’s couch. You may only use a clean shirt and socks from the BOB, but at least you have a clean shirt and socks. If you’d bugged out to a hotel with only pocket carry or a Bailout bag, you might not have much to take you through an overnight. You’ll be wearing the same shirt and underwear when you check out.

Different bags for different purposes, but that doesn’t mean a BOB won’t be okay for a hotel stay. I’d rather have too much than too little so a BOB would beat out a (necessarily minimalist) Bailout bag everyday.

OTOH, a Go bag may have just what you need if you had a hotel stay or overnight in mind when you put it together. Currently my Go bag (to call it that) is like a 24 hour kit — through the day and overnight. When I was flying on active duty I’d often take a bingo bag just in case we landed at a field other than the one planned. If everything went as planned I’d go back to my room and drop my bingo bag in the corner unopened. If we had a problem and landed somewhere else, I had an overnight bag. Sometimes landing at a different field was planned and I took the same bag; call it a Go bag.

This thread started me thinking that a Bailout bag would be a good place to keep the EDC items that I stopped carrying and maybe also for back-ups to my pocket carry. A cellphone goes with me only occasionally and if I’m going somewhere unfamiliar I’ll want a GPS. Items needing battery power might also need a power bank.

I have had a messenger bag unused and available, good for a small kit and fairly inconspicuous. Considering the COVID-19 issue, I will add a couple N-99 isolation masks and a couple pair of nitrile gloves in a ziplock bag. A minimalist FAK will also be included in another ziplock.

So, the result of all that thinking was a Bailout bag consisting of:
Bag: Timbuk2 XS Messenger Bag — 549 ci, nylon.
GPS: Oregon 600.
Cellphone: Kyocera DuraXV, 4G LTE, waterproof/shockproof...
Power: Anker 10,000 mAH plus cables
Ziplock1: Minimal FAK, one pair of nitrile gloves.
Ziplock2: N-99 Isolation masks & add’l nitrile gloves.
Additional cash in a small pouch.
My Kindle for passing the time reading if it comes to that.
Readers.
Back-up locking folder & Leatherman
Back-up 1xAA LED flashlight.

All that and room for more. Any thoughts???

Russ,
I'm not exactly sure what your situation of focus is, but I like your list in more civil places, where shelter, heat, and water are available.

After a fist aid kit discussion with the wife this morning, maybe sterile gauze in a ziploc and duct tape.

This gets me to wondering if I still have a first aid kit in my truck. It got emptied during our big move. Sigh.

Spending a lot of time, as I do, around firearms, I carry a compact trauma kit. Maybe a couple extra batteries for your flashlight. Also, consider a Ritter PSP, a 2 person Heatsheets blanket, and some kind of water container. Maybe also some chlorine dioxide tablets.