Bug Out Bag Essentials Not To Miss

A bug out bag, also known as a “ready bag” or “go bag,” is a crucial portable emergency kit to have in preparation for any unforeseen emergency. In the event of a wildfire, flood, hurricane, or any other type of emergency, having this bag readily available allows you and your family to swiftly evacuate with essential supplies and tools needed for survival.

The bug out bag essentials are specifically intended to last for a period of 72 hours as you find shelter and restock on supplies.

The intention behind these bags is for quick deployment, so all preparations should be made in advance. Your bug out bag should be compact and lightweight, to ensure easy transportation without excessive strain. Being ready is crucial. It is essential to have complete self-reliance solely on yourself and your bug out bag.

When assembling your bag, consider this question: In the event of an emergency that compels me to leave home, what items would I require for the initial 3-4 days of survival?

Pick your bug out bag

The first crucial step is to choose the type of bag that will contain your bug out essentials.

When considering your choice, keep in mind that the item you select should possess qualities such as durability, comfort, and spaciousness to accommodate all your survival supplies. However, it should also be compact and lightweight enough for effortless transportation. It is important to note that a typical school backpack may lack the needed durability for challenging situations.

Carefully examine the bag, including its compartments, size, and quality, to determine if it is durable enough to meet the requirements of a survival situation.

These are the top 3 recommendations for bug out bags.

Blitz 30
Kelty-Coyote 60-105 Liter Backpack
Condor 3 Day Assault Pack

When searching for the ideal bug out bag, it is important to also think about the color. It should have earthy tones, but not camouflage, so that it can effortlessly blend in. However, if you opt for a camouflage bag, there is a chance that people might mistake you for military personnel even if you are not. Suitable color options may be black, beige, and green.

When considering the specifics, each person’s bug out bag will vary. A military bug out bag will differ from that of a father, and even more so from a young man’s bag. Additionally, your own bag may vary depending on your location and the specific environmental obstacles you may encounter. It is important to keep an eye out for a waterproof bag.

What to put in your bag

To ensure your emergency-readiness pack is complete, it is important to include five different categories of bug out bag essentials.

water purification
environmental protection
food supplies
sleeping gear
first aid

When making a bag for each family member, remember that it’s unnecessary to include every item in every bag. Distribute the items wisely and consider sharing certain ones. Keep the bags lightweight by packing only the essential items for survival.

Below, you will find each one of these categories and examples that are included in them, as well as additional categories and examples.

Water

Humans have the ability to endure a lack of food for a duration of three weeks, whereas they can only withstand water scarcity for a maximum of 72 hours. It is crucial to prioritize water in your emergency preparations rather than food. It is recommended to have a minimum of three liters of drinking water.

Here are a few things related to water to remember:

Collapsible water bottle

HydraPak Sky Flask

Hard water bottle

Hydro Flask Standard- Mouth Vacuum Water Bottle

Canteen

Keith Titanium Ti3060 Canteen Mess Kit

Water filter / purification

Platypus GravityWorks Water Filter System

Food Prep

After water, your top priority should be food. It is crucial to have an adequate amount of food that can sustain you and your family for a duration of three days. When considering durability, we suggest opting for metal cookware and utensils over plastic alternatives.

Here is a list of food items to consider:

Beef Jerky

One-of-Everything Jerky Sampler Box

Protein / energy bars

Pro Meal Bars 12-Pack

MREs / dehydrated food

XMRE 1300XT MRE Military Meals

Knife

Honey Badger Drop Point Pocket Knife

Spork

Snow Peak Titanium Spork

Metal cooking pot

Toaks Titanium 750ml Pot

Metal cup

Ti-Double 600 Mug

Pot scrubber

Alpine Dish Brush / Scraper

Portable stove

MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove

Stove fuel

MSR SuperFuel Quart

Clothing

The category that relies the most on your location is clothing. It is important to strategically layer clothing to maintain a healthy body temperature constantly. Additionally, it is crucial to always keep an extra set of dry clothes. If your current clothes get wet, you become vulnerable to hypothermia, which is a highly perilous and potentially lethal condition.

Here are some clothing items that you should consider.

Lightweight long sleeve
Zip off pants
Underwear
Hiking socks
Medium weight fleece
Hat with flex brim
Working gloves
Rain poncho

Shelter / Bedding

During challenging times, it is crucial to ensure that you can obtain sufficient rest, or at least some rest. When searching for such items, ensure that they are all designed to be compact, facilitating easy transportation and fitting into your backpack effortlessly.

Please consider the following shelter items:

Sleeping bag

REI Co-op Magma 15 Sleeping Bag

Ground pad

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad

Wool blanket

USA Made Wool Blanket

Tarp

Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp

Tent

The North Face Wawona 6 Tent

Heat Source

Having a dependable heat source is contingent upon your location, and regardless of where you are, it is probable that you will encounter chilly temperatures during the night. Make an effort to ensure that you possess several means of generating warmth.

Here are a few things to consider in regards to warmth:

Lighter
Ferrocerium rod
Tinder

Lighting

Similar to your heat source, which can also create a source of light for you, this will be vital when it becomes night time. Both of these categories you will want to make sure you have several backups for that you’ll be able to deploy immediately.

Here are some points to consider regarding lighting.

LED headlamp

Petzl Actik Core Headlamp

Mini LED keychain

Nitecore Tini Keychain Flashlight

Light glow stick

Cyalume Military Grade Glow Sticks

Mini LED light

BioLite AlpenGlow 500 Lantern

Solar lantern / charger

MPOWERD Luci Pro Outdoor 2.0

Batteries

Shop at your local grocery store

First Aid

The significance of first aid is self-evident. It is crucial to have a first aid or survival kit stored in one of your family members’ bug out bags. We advise creating your own customized kit in addition to purchasing a pre-assembled one from the store to ensure it suits your requirements.

Below are some first aid items to remember:

First aid kit
Trauma kit
Insect repellent
Mylar survival blanket
Medication
Bandages
Tampons

Hygiene

Due to its simplicity, aspects of personal hygiene are often neglected, although they can result in swift deterioration of health if disregarded. Ensure your survival by avoiding the impact of issues like bacterial infections.

Here are a few hygiene items that you should consider.

Wet napkins
Toilet paper
Hand sanitizer
All-purpose camp soap
Small pack towel
Travel toilet paper
Travel size toothbrush and toothpaste

Tools

Depending on the level of your survival skills, you may require different quantities of tools to assist you. Basic tools such as a knife will consistently prove more useful than you initially anticipate.

Here are some tools to consider:

Survival knife

Morakniv Garberg Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife

Multi-tool

Leatherman Wave Plus Multi-Tool

Estwing’s Sportsman’s Axe

Navigation and communication tool kit

GAIA GPS App

Extra Supplies for a Bug Out Bag

All the essentials and suggested additions for your bug out bag have already been discussed. Now, this is the section where you will find anything else that could potentially be useful. These additional supplies are designed to assist you in highly specific situations, although they are less adaptable and may require a substantial amount of space. Nevertheless, they have the potential to make a significant impact in an emergency situation. Therefore, it is worth contemplating whether to include them in your bug out bag.

HAM Radio: Baofeng UV-5R5
CB Radio: Uniden PRO401HH – HAM may get all the attention, but CB can be an alternative choice that doesn’t require a license.
Takedown Rifle: A 10/22 is an excellent choice for a collapsible, versatile rifle.
Gun Cleaning Kit: Universal Gun Cleaning Kit – take care of your weapons.
Pocket Sharpener: Fallkniven DC3 – Small but effective diamond sharpener
Ammo Pouch: Accessible ammo can be a priority depending on your situation.
Machete: CRKT Halfachance Parang
Axe/Hatchet: Estwing Camper’s Axe These will help you get firewood and get through walls, in extreme cases.
Quick Dry Cloth: Swedish Sponge Cloth
Long Underwear: Carhartt Thermal Pant
Sunglasses: Whether driving or just outside, sunglasses come in handy.
Sleeping Mat/Ground Pad: Mountaineering Foam Mat
Scarf/Shemaugh: Free Soldier Shemagh – Stay covered in any environment
Rainproof Shell: Waterproof Backpack Cover
Ball Cap: Condor Tactical Cap
Compressed Towels: Lightload Towels
Handwarmers: HotHands
Tent Stakes: 7″ Aluminum Stakes
Electrolyte Mix: Liquid IV Hydration Powder – Stress and hard work getting through a disaster can quickly dehydrate anyone. Combat this with an electrolyte mix.
Bleach: Use for hygiene, sanitization, water treatment, and other sterilization uses.
Coffee: The little routines in an emergency can help, especially if we have a developed dependency on them! The caffeine in coffee can be helpful if you need to stay awake for any reason.
Prybar: Spec Ops D10CLAW
Binoculars: Bushnell Waterproof/Fogproof 10X Binoculars
Gold: Gold CombiBar – money that you can hold is still worthwhile even when the main currency crashes.
Silver: Silver CombiBar – smaller denominations for better payment/barter flexibility
Hacksaw: Lennox Mini Hacksaw
Zip Lock Bags: Lightweight storage is never a bad idea.
Waterproof Bag: Earth Pak Dry Bag
Pliers: Adjustable wrench pliers
Dish Soap: A little bit of dish soap in a small water-tight container.
Rope: There are plenty of other cordage options besides paracord.
Fishing Supplies: Best Glide Survival Fishing Kit – tackle and kit will help you stay prepared if you live relatively close to a body of water.
Snares: USGI Trip Wire – Trapping and snaring may require a license in your area. Please check locally to learn the rules and risks before you deploy snares.
Conibear Traps: Bridger Conibear Traps – Again, check locally for rules and risks before deploying a conibear.
Beef Jerky: Pick your favorite brand and flavor.
Condiments: Make anything edible (like an MRE!) by dousing it in your favorite condiment.
Multi-Vitamins: Make sure your diet completes all of your body’s nutrient requirements.
Stove Fuel: Extra camp stove fuel.
Keychain Flashlight: Olight L3T Flashlight
Steel Wool: So versatile and lightweight.
Glow Sticks: Great for low-light, visibility, signaling, and marking.
Magnifying Glass: SE 5X Magnifier
Fire Extinguisher: Cold Fire Tactical Extinguisher – A portable fire extinguisher can come in handy
USB Drive: Load a USB drive with your favorite survival manuals and maps of the area.
Insurance Documents: With many regional disasters, it can be a race to file insurance. Being prepared with your documents can make sure you’re at the front of the line.
Bug Out Bag Checklist: TruePrepper Full Bug Out Bag Checklist
Edible Plants Guide: Edible Wild Plants (Paperback)
First Aid Guide: Survival Medicine Guide
Fishing/Hunting License: It’s not a bad idea to keep licenses around.
Bible: Or whatever spiritual guide you follow. A bug out bag is for your body and mind, but it doesn’t hurt to look after your soul too.
Iodide Tablets: iOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets – Usually found in our specialized kit for those with radiation risk, this one makes sense in a general preparedness kit with its low cost and small package. Protect your thyroid from absorbing radiation during the most terrible emergencies.
Shaving Supplies: A straight razor will last longer than disposable packs.
Foot Powder: Gold Bond Medicated Foot Powder – Keep your feet dry when you’re on the move!
Toilet Paper: Coghlan’s Tissue On The Go
Floss: Floss is versatile and surprisingly strong!
Sting Kit: Sting-Kill – Take the bite out of a sting quickly
Extra OTC Medication: Over-the-counter meds should be a part of your first aid kit, but stashing extras is a good idea.
Trauma Kit: Trauma IFAK – Use only if trained.

Bug Out Bag Variations

There are various types of bug out bags created for different purposes.

Get Home Bag (GHB) – kit designed to get you home to your supplies rather than away to a bug out location.
(INCH) I’m Never Coming Home Bag – kit designed to support survival indefinitely.
(GOOD) Get Out Of Dodge Bag – the same as a bug out bag, tweaked for urban preppers.
(SCARE) Social Chaos and Response Emergency Bag – kit designed for the biggest wildcard in emergencies: other people.

Variations that center on individuals and pets are also available.

Kids’ Bug Out Bag | Gear List with Pro Tips
The Dog Bug Out Bag – A Survival Kit for Man’s Best Friend

You can create a bug out bag for anyone, any situation, and any duration of time by following a step-by-step process. The key idea is to ensure flexibility in bug out plans, and the diverse range of kits that can be assembled using this approach showcases this versatility.