What to include in a bug out bag?

What would you include in a bug out bag? When leaving a large city, should I assume our whole family will be leaving together, thus eliminating the need to duplicate items?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Wow, where to start!? I would suggest first to get a copy of Cody Lundin's books 98.6 degrees The art of keeping your a$$ alive and When All Hell Breaks Loose. Cody is the barefoot guy on Discovery's Dual Survival and a very knowledgable guy.
A BOB is useless unless you learn/know what to do with it and basic survival skills!

These books cover all the elements of human nature and then delve into gear and what to use/not use.

1st. WATER....containers, purification pills, purification straws, pot to boil water. Basically several different means to carry and purify water. Cody's books explain this as well as what unsafe water will do to your system etc.

2nd. Fire making. Have several different methods! Storm matches, lighters, magnifying glass, 9volt battery and steelwool.

3rd. Shelter. I picked up some tube tents online that are the basic shelter. Also Ive several military ponchos and a cheepy blue tarp with steel eyelets to tie off

4th. Things you need to prevent hypothermia, correct clothing NOT COTTON. Heat packs space blankets etc.

Ive made 3 BOBs for my family and they all have the 4 basics and duplicated items. If one bag is lost with the firstaid kit the other bags have one as well.

Here are the other things I have in my UGH heavy BOB
Batteries...try to keep gear that runs off similar battery types.

A radio that picks up shortwave and AM and is crank powered

A knife, a utility tool, a trowel or small shovel, Gloves, meds, some food (one MRE per bag), flashlight and headlamp, sewingkit medical kit, 550 paracord 100' per bag, a dogleash, zipties, metal snares for small game, a wrist rocket for game/protection, glow sticks, duct tape, compass, bungee loops (have a small ball at one end), an old hunk of bed spread I found that makes an excellent towel or ground cloth, Oil for guns and equipment, my harmonica, personal toiletries, fire starting kit that has all the stuff to get a fire going, pen and small notebook, big sharpee, change of underware and socks plus a polypro undershirt, bandana, Shemag, its that towel thing you see wrapped around terrorists heads, small fishing kit.

A BOB has to be basic and on the lighter side. Ive packed cache bags that hold the overflow that complements the BOB but isnt really needed.

Remember, the more you know; the less you have to carry. Plus, know/practice using what you pack.

Great luck!

There's lots of threads on BOB's that'll give you some ideas. Here's one from a while ago that might be helpful.

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=17339&Number=242840#Post242840

Highly recommend this book (Survival Mom):

http://www.amazon.com/Survival-Mom-Disas...he+survival+mom


And her blog:

http://thesurvivalmom.com/


P.S. Welcome to ETS!!

When starting a bug-out bag, I always recommend people look at the information on www.ready.gov and www.getprepared.gc.ca. Especially their gear lists. They're government sponsored websites which explain the bare minimums one is expected to have for an emergency situation. They're a great place to start for the novice interested in being better prepared.

The only area I kinda differ with them is on the issue of water. Ready.gov recommends one gallon per person per day, which is perfectly appropriate. However, if you're trying to make a backpack or duffel bag style BOB that you can easily carry, that's simply too much weight (25+ lbs in water alone!). For individual kits where I don't have the support of a vehicle, I'll carry less water out of necessity. However, I'll also make sure to have a few methods of water purification in the kit.

Also worth stressing is that you should have copies of all your important paperwork, as well as all the paperwork you would need to start a new life in a different area. That's where a lot of people get screwed. They end up having to leave their old life behind with no documentation proving who they are, what they owned, that they had insurance, that they were qualified for a job, ect.

Finally, I also think it's especially important for each person to have an individual bug-out bag, even if you do have an overall family bag. Children too should have some gear on them, even if it's just some basic food, water, and toys. The simplest reason for that is the whole, "never have all your eggs in one basket" line. If you've only got one big bag and something happens to it, you're screwed. With a bunch of little bags you might at least be able to salvage something. Plus you never know if you might somehow get separated due to some secondary event that is out of your control.

BOB/ Depends...

1. Where are you going? Driving 100 km to grandma's is different from a 40 mile hike

2. What is your (general) location/ The weather?

3. What's your training? ( I have a wholly different First aid kit from a trained EMT or a nurse)

4. What's your budget?

Welcome

teacher

Welcome to ETS!

First, figure out what the most likely threats are and what your responses would likely be, both for bugging in and bugging out. Get training, CERT is a good place to start. Figure out how long you need to prep for -- three days would be a minimum, I try to be ready for at least two or three weeks. After you have that figured out, it will be easier to decide what you need.

Thanks for all of these great suggestions and the links!

...should I assume our whole family will be leaving together, thus eliminating the need to duplicate items?

You've already been given great direction to decide what a BoB needs. I'll give my opinion on this one part of your question: There are 2 kinds of items to consider in regards to this question.

There is "Personal Gear" that each person needs to carry for themselves. Examples: Sleeping bag, mess gear, toilet paper, canteens/water, knife, flashlite/headlamp, personal FAK, etc.

Then there is "Community Gear": this is gear that the entire group will have use for, but this gear won't be needed by each person, at the same time. Examples: Tent half or parts, axe, AM/FM/TV/SW radio receiver, fire grill, etc.

Welcome abord Suzie

Beside the gear , don't forget to practice. When the weather permits you can camp even in your backyard. Have a feel of sleeping in a tent and lighting fire by firesteel. And then add a Bic lighter in your pack.

Foodwise, try and choose the foods you do eat instead of fancy flashy name brands all over the www. that are deicated for survival and bug out bags. This is especiually important with kids. Sure you will eat anything if you are cold and hungry ( maybe including a rat that Cody illustrate in one of his books, but "normal food" help you and the kids by adding a feel of "it is OK, just like normal times" in a stressful situation.

There are lots of Youtube Videos on line, but I would be weary of many of them. There are a lots of 'guns but no groceries' and 'knives but no knowledge' type videos out there. There are so many videos which underestimate sleeping systems, clothing, shelter etc, some have none at all thinking a mylar survival blanket will do the job. Sleep deprivation will lead to wrong decision making, which can lead to poor survival outcomes.

Maineprepper on Youtube is very good with his advice on Bug out Bag equipment. (Although the perspective is through a military POV the advice is very solid)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nzRKYRVH9A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqPjzLOkkHY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZipWqPHgzA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffUh5g8Y3uQ

I would suggest that any BOB list that is centered around so called "space blankets" for warmth is likely to be woefully inadequate in other areas as well.

To me they are little more than thin and quite fragile one time use tarps. They are not blankets. They have zero insulation capability, and the supposed heat reflection properties are not much use in the vast majority of situations. They will help keep the wind and rain off of you, and that is about all they are really good for, IF you can keep them in one piece while trying to use them.

They have two things going for them in a BOB though. One is they are cheap, and the other is they are lightweight and don't take up much room.

My personal opinion is that most people would be better off with an emergency poncho or a 55 gallon garbage bag as they will keep the weather off of you as well as the space blanket will, while being somewhat less fragile. Cost, size, and weight is not far off from the space blanket.

I'd echo this advice.

In my mind, a BOB is a part of a larger plan, not a plan in itself. My pet peve with many bug-out related threads is the lack of definition and planning of what the bug out actually is. I see lots of stuff about bug out vehicles, bags, etc. (here and elsewhere) but I really think the crucial part of the planning is:

• What event or disaster would require me to bug out, to abandon my home and the preps there?
• Where am I bugging out to?

Having concrete and fully fleshed out answers to these questions will provide the neccessary parameters required to make those decisions about gear & transportation related needs.

For example, a realistic risk assesment might show the only real scenarios requiring a bug out are personal, like a house fire. In this case a bug out bag might consist of spare clothes and back-up documentation. However, those living in known earthquake zones may realistically be forced to bug out in a situation where not only they, but thousands around them, are displaced. They would likely need water, food, shelter, etc. in their bag.

I highly recommend visiting this site:

Listening to Katrina

There is a lot of information there--much of which is background that you need before building a BOB. There are also workbooks, and checklists to keep you busy.

I do suggest skipping the discussions of Katrina itself and the political/governmental discussions.

There is probably way more than you wanted to know, but most of it is probably what you need to know.

*yawns, stretching* Hi everyone.


I concur with the plan. The plan is what separates a survivor from a well stocked refugee.

First point, think of 5-6 types of events that would cause you to bug IN. Then think of 5-6 types of events that would cause you to bug OUT. The reasons for leaving sometimes require special items.

(No fair talking about zombies, plague, global EMP or anything like that- that's more than BoB can manage.)

So, with those reasons to leave town, you are now ready to think of three places you are leaving to. At least one should be in a different direction from the other two bug out locations. If you can't stash gear there, then you'll need to carry it. All of it. As a result, not all BoLs are created equal.

Now for the fun question- how are you getting there? You should have 2-3 ways to get to each BoL depending on road issues. Locate, not just on the map but actually drive them, potential problem points like major intersections (long skinny parking lots), bridges (boat ramps), and enviromental hazards (rock/mud/snow slide slopes, industrial chemical yards, etc) on each. Have a couple of detours for each, and mark them on the map. So, all of that means you might need special gear just to get to the BoL. And that's the easy option.

Hope to drive, plan to walk. Even bikes can break, and while there are winter bicyclists, they stick to plowed roads. Plan on a road march, with the option of going cross country. IF you have have to leave the vehicle, look at your gear. If you don't need certain gear any more, leave it. If you packed for a six day hike and you know you are two days walk out from where you are going, ditch three days of food if you are confident that you can afford it at your BoL.

On the topic of driving, if you need more than two cars, find out what you can swap between them with hand tools. You can put the same tires and rims on both? Great- if you've got the time and are willing to risk the exposure, get the jack and salvage them if you have to ditch the car who's engine just seized.

So, you're now on foot. Goody. Be ready for the worst weather that time of year can throw at you, or be ready to find places to hole up. Plan for what happens WHEN (not if) your party gets seperated, and cell phones are not a plan. Everyone who's old enough should have a map, compass, and know the route but also meeting points (message drops... ehhh, the work for some people). People to small should have pictures of their family, their home address, the BoL address, and (assuming you aren't running off to the cabin in the woods) how to reach whoever is at the BoL. "Me and Mommy and Daddy were going to Gam-ma and Gam-pa's" isn't super descriptive.

So... that isn't what gear goes into BoB, but what goes into BoB's brain. Instead, that list of nightmare should be telling you, along with your skill live and resources, what should be in your BoB.

Other things that should go into BoB's brain are documents. Thumbdrives are tiny and cheap and a 32gb drive will hold more wedding pictures, baby pictures, tax records, bank statements and insurance records than you can put into a van. Do NOT be the guy who dies with the box of photos under his arm. The only things I'd say that MUST be in BoB in hard copy are the last insurance bills, your insurance cards, your ID (including passport and birth certificate), bank book, and any prescriptions you have. And if at all possible, have someone far, far away hold a copy of all of that that you update at least yearly if not quarterly- you might have to dump BoB. He's a good guy and all, it won't be because of him, it's just that your life is weird right now.

And don't bug with your computer. If you really must, pull out the hard drive, assuming that all your really important stuff (records, photos, music) isn't on some kind of external backup already. Which is should be.

That, and cash. Cash is king. Silver, gold, an arm full of rolexes, those are all shiny, but but paper works. (Although a little bit of trade gold or silver never hurt in a crunch, just be smart about it and learn what it's really worth.)

Things NOT to put into BoB, IMHO.

Enough firepower to impress the Army. If I never again see another BoB with body armour, night vision gear, smoke grenades and 10K rounds of ammo, I'll be very happy. I'm not saying don't have a gun, that's your personal choice, just remember you aren't going to be subtle about that and you will make a bad first impression. Note, there are places in the world where this doesn't apply, but they aren't in the first world.

Gas masks, UNLESS your enviroment (reason to bug or hazards en route) calls for it.

Traps, fishing gear, seeds, etc. This isn't a Conestoga, and if things get that bad, we are all in more trouble than we can shake a stick out. Running out to the country and playing Robinson Crusoe is not a plan, its suicide.

More than four light sticks- buy a flashlight. A good one. That you can wear on your forehead and takes regular kinds of batteries.


So, that said, back to lurking....

Thanks for the reminder. Its back-up night.

Welcome to ETS Suzie!

I won't rehash the previous comments. (I think I'm in agreement with them all.) Personally, our BOBs are constantly being changed and adjusted. You'll find there are as many suggestions for what to put in your BOB as there are leaves in a forest.

Other than your most likely bug-out scenarios, three very important factors to consider when you're figuring out what to put in it are who you'll be with, your climate and your skill level.

Who you'll be with is significant. One or more physically and mentally able adults are going to travel much differently than a family with young kids or elderly members. Your needs, and hence your gear and method of transport/carry, is going to be significantly impacted by the composition of your group members.

Here in Ontario, we get 3 types of weather: hot (summer), cold (winter) and kitchen sink (spring and fall). I adjust our BOBs based on the worst expected weather for whatever season we are in, keeping in mind that cold & wet and hot & dry are deathly mixtures. Water, clothing, shelter and fire are my top four priorities. In addition to Cody Lundin's words of wisdom about keeping our body's core temp or 98.6, I also keep Bear Grylls' "PRWF" (Please Remember What's First) in mind: Protection, Rescue, Water and Food.

Someone else has already suggested practice and I second that whole-heartedly. Know your skills and know your gear. It's true when they say that the more you know, the less you need. Don't buy into the minimalist/ultralight philosophy if you don't know how to build natural shelters or fire, for example. Likewise, don't expect to hump 300 pounds of gear on your back while on foot.

Good for you for getting started! Remember too that the only way to feel confident with what you pack is to get out there and test it!