ALTHOUGH home is always regarded as home sweet home but sometimes, the same home needs to be evacuated as quickly as possible. Fires, hurricanes, floods, or visits from unwanted guests could be reasons to abandon your home in an emergency. A bug out bag seems to be such a valuable asset at that moment that you can grab and run to a safe and secure refuge. A good, well prepared bug out bag could mean the life and death of you and your family. Each bug out kit has to be tailored to meet the needs of you, your family and even your pets. You may even add additional items that are personal to you that we might have left off. Don’t make your bug out bag too heavy with unnecessary things so that it is portable and easy to be carried.
What Makes A Good Bug Out Bag?
As mentioned, when choosing the bag make be sure that it is not too heavy to be carried. This is a very important point to keep in mind. The bug out stuff should be reliable and durable as the way leading to your destination could be hard to reach. Besides, the bug out bag’s size should be large enough to accommodate all the necessary essentials in it, but again not too big that it hinders mobility. Keeping in mind the size, and durability, the bug out bag should be light and tough besides, being comfortable at the same time. If you are planning to move to a local shelter, you may need two bags to separate out the camping gear.
A BOB Essential Checklist
A bug out bag is an essential kit and it varies with individual preference. The list below highlights items you must or should have:
- Necessary identity and traveling documents such as passports, vaccine charts, insurance documents, and driver’s license
- Vaccine records for your pets if you are carrying pets along with you
- Water container or a bottle
- At least 3 liters of water
- Manually prepared phone contacts list of all emergency and family contacts in case your phone goes out of order
- Water filter and water purification tablets
- Protein cans and dry meals cans
- Spare charger for your phone
- An additional solar phone charger
- Cooking utensils with a pot scourer
- Small gas stove along with sufficient fuel
- Your personal camping mug
- Spork
- Clothing to cover you in the rain like poncho or raincoat etc
- Fleece jacket
- Additional pair of underwear and socks
- Good quality hiking boots
- Stuff to keep you safe from sun heat like Hat
- Tarp and tent
- Sleeping bag and blanket (additionally sleeping pad, pillow or cot could be added)
- Fire starters like traditional matches or a lighter
- First Aid Medical kit (add the routine medications you or your pets have been on)
- Survival blanket (keeping in mind the weather condition)
- Wet towelettes (something must in case you don’t find enough water)
- Bug spray (they are also very important stuff on the list in case you intend to stay sometime in the open)
- Camping soap
- Hand sanitizer
- Travel towel
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash
- Deodorant
- Feminine hygiene products (gender specific items should be considered in here)
- Survival knife (for security purposes, it is a very important item you plan to spend some time in the open or in the wild)
- LED headlamp or a good quality flashlight
- Camping saw
- Batteries (capable of charging cell phone and your flashlights)
- Candles (something romantic when used for candlelit dinner purposes)
- A reasonable amount of cash (it could be of good use to buy some extra stuff on the way)
- Duct tape
- Paracord
- Can opener (a multi-tool can take care of your knife and can opener needs with some extra features)
- Smart tool kit (the kit should contain the tools they may be needed during camping related activates or for other unexpected activities)
- Compass (you may add some additional navigation stuff as well if deemed necessary)
In this article, all efforts have been made to provide you with all necessary information regarding your bug out bag and items and precautions related to the same. But bugging out is a highly subjective matter and so is a bug out bag. So you may take the above items as a general guide that a survivalist may need while going on a disaster preparedness journey. Again, it is important to please put your medical needs as a first priority for bugging out preparedness, and if you have kids or pets, their rations and needs as well. So, good luck with preparing your perfect bug out bag.
