What Do I Need In My Bug Out Bag?

1. Shelter

Shelter in your BOB can be as simple as a large garbage bag to keep the rain off, or as fancy as a tent. Whatever you decide on, you need to have some way of getting out of the weather. Exposure to the elements is one of the most deadly things you will need to survive.

Since shelter is mostly about keeping you warm, I will include hand warmers in this spot.

2. Blanket/sleeping Bag

If you have the room, a nice sleeping bag will keep you warm in an emergency. If not, some sort of bed roll tied on the outside of your bag will do. Something as small and simple as an emergency blanket can change a life or death situation very quickly. If nothing else, a wool blanket folded up and stuffed in the bag will still keep you warmish even when wet.

3. Fire-making

Fire making is important for survival since it is helpful in so many ways, from keeping you warm to purifying your water. You should shoot for at least three separate methods of starting a fire in your kit.

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These can be things like waterproof lifeboat matches, butane lighters, Zippo type lighters, flint and steel, or a fire piston. Include with these things accelerant such as cotton balls soaked with Vaseline and candles to help get a stubborn fire going.

4. Water filtration

Speaking of purifying your water, you should have a water filter included in your kit. Even one of the personal straw type filters is good. You don’t want to be drinking water of unknown quality in an emergency situation.

5. First aid/medical

You need a decent well-stocked first aid kit. It is worth every penny buying one of the better kits on the market. I have said many times that a lot of the kits on the market are glorified boxes of bandages.

Along with your kit you will need to include any medications you or your family might need. It is a good idea to include this medication in the kit of everyone in your group. That way if someone loses a kit the person needing the meds will still have them available.

6. Knife/multi-tool

When you need a tool they have on them they can be a God-send. In my opinion this is one of the most essential items on your checklist.

Your knife/multi-tool should have a large sheath knife for heavy cutting chores and a smaller pocket type knife in case you don’t carry one all the time. If you have room, it is a good idea to have a spare pocket knife or two anyway.

7. Light

A nice big Maglite doubles as a light source and a club if you need it. Include an extra set of batteries and a bulb to keep it going when you need it. Headlamps are the most used product for light source.

A smaller LED light will work well when you don’t need to light up the countryside. Get yourself a good quality light source, which ever style you chose.

8. Cordage

As much as I like making natural cordage, in a bug-out situation the last thing on my mind will be sitting around the fire, making it. Sure, I will keep my eyes open for sources as I am going, but a few feet of Para-cord is a much better thing to put into your pack. Several years ago before I discovered Para-cord I always carried a small roll of poly rope.

9. Clothing

Depending on the size of your pack, you should include some spare clothing for your bug out. If you have a lot of room, pack a complete outfit change with extra underwear and several changes of socks. If you have a small pack you should at least include a change of socks.

A good pair of leather work gloves will save your hands from lots of potentially serious problems, and they don’t take up much room.

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10. Food

Depending on what you envision your pack getting you through, you may or may not pack food in it. Most people will put in an MRE (or three) or some similar shelf stable food to get them through a couple days.

If your pack is for a long-term bug out, you will need to include provisions for harvesting your own food supply. Adding in some traps and snares should feed you in the wild, but only if you know how to use them.

11. Weapons

Weapons are by and large a personal choice for the person building the BOB. Some people will not feel comfortable with a firearm, while others feel the same way without. You need to decide what type weapon you want to carry with you on your bug out.

If you have a firearm, you need to figure out how you are going to feed it. Ammunition can get heavy if you are carrying several hundred rounds.

If you don’t want a firearm, consider learning to use a quarterstaff. It is a deadly weapon when wielded by someone who knows how to use it, and looks just like a walking stick.

12. Toiletries

Keeping yourself clean in the field is important to keeping yourself healthy in the field. TP, soap, deodorant, toothpaste/brush and moist towelettes are things you should include in your kit.

13. Communications

In any breakdown, you will want to keep up on the most current information available. Since cell service and Internet is easily knocked out or spotty, you should get a portable radio that has short wave receiving capabilities. I have a windup radio that works well. I use it for listening anytime I am out doors.

A pair of high end walkie talkies, along with spare batteries, can keep you in communication with others in your group.

14. Money/barter items

One thing most people don’t think of including in their BOB is cash money. Money can come in handy when you are in need. Some will suggest adding silver or gold coins since they have “real” value over the fiat money currently being churned out by the Fed.

You may have to buy housing, passage or even bribe your way past a checkpoint; you never know. Take as much as you can afford.

You may be able to barter any of the high value items in your pack if you come across others who are in need. If you have the room to spare you might pack extra sets of basic items such as first-aid kits, fire starters or extra ammo with the sole idea of trading them.