Bug Out Bags 101

[Nwitraveler]

I still need to buy a bag I have stuff scattered everywhere. Just can’t seem to find a bag I like

 

[rhino]

I still need to buy a bag I have stuff scattered everywhere. Just can’t seem to find a bag I like

So put everything in a big Rubbermaid or similar tote until you find a bag or pack you like. It will at least be organized and readily transportable.

 

[proud american]

My God! You guys are prepared. This is the type of info I like reading. Obviously need to re-develope my survival bag. Lot of good ideas. Thanks

 

[JeepHammer]

My 'Bug Out Bag' mostly hangs on my belt.

Knifes (sheath knife, blades in multi-tool, scalpel blades in sheath), and usually my little pocket knife.
Canteens, canteen cup, canteen stove, all US military issues from wars going back to WWI with a metal canteen/lid.
There is usually a canteen cup lid in there too, but sometimes I forget to put it back in after use/cleaning.
It all nests and fits in the standard canteen cover.

From the plastic tube around my neck chain (straw, siphon, chest tube for sucking chest wound, anti-rattle/chafe, etc.) to clean socks, everything MUST have more than one use/purpose.

Multi pistol or rifle ammo pouches make good sorted, easy to find storage without light or looking through a bag.
As for flashlights, AA mag light with LED bulb. Mag light because you can get light filters for the head, LED bulbs which make battery life stupid long, and screw the head completely off and it makes white area light.
Fits in a pistol mag pouch with room to spare...

Multi-tool with heavy wire cutters fits in a pistol mag pouch also, and attached to a belt.

A belt bag will do fine for the cheap poncho (Wally-World), and/or one of those metal survival blankets, cordage, bug spray, the rest of the small crap.
The short road flairs will fit into 30 round rifle ammo pouches, and you can't get tougher or cheaper than that for a belt bag.

A road flair is crazy handy when your fingers don't work from the cold, or you have an injured hand/arm.
Let's not forget a flair produces crazy heat nearly instantly, so if you need to cauterize a bleeding wound, dull red metal 'Glow' for a full 5 seconds...
No cigarette lighter or fire starter will do that for you.
Road flairs produce both smoke & light signals, so that takes care of instant signaling also...

It doesn't have to scream 'SURVIVAL!' on the package, or be 'Tacti-Cool' to be useful, a pill bottle of strike anywhere matches, a couple disposable cigarette lighters in a pill bottle, and along with road flair(s) your three ways to make fire are covered.
Cotton balls are needed for padding, wound care, tinder for fire starting, and a little tube of Neosporin for wound care, but also makes the cotton balls burn MUCH longer/hotter.

Just a tip from practical field experience, your 'Brown Hole' is going to get VERY sore if you spend several days moving in the field without proper hygiene, a dab or vasoline or neosporin will put the flames out from dehydration, a roughage diet, and a crap load of walking & sweating.

Marines know this, we don't do force marches without those little NON-Alcohol wet wipes you get from fast food places & vasoline or neosporin.
You WILL gall the private areas in about 5 miles of jogging/running, and no matter how loose your pants are, jockey shorts are going to gall skin in about 10 miles of walking.
A little vasoline goes a LONG WAY towards keeping skin where it belongs, particularly if you wear boxers instead of jockeys.

I have to say this again, it's that important... CLEAN SOCKS, padded sole/instep.
Socks work as a particle filter for water, they are anti-rattle bags for gear, they allow you to pad the collars of boots rubbing you raw, they work as compresses/bandages in a pinch, they make improvised mittens, they work to mop sweat and wash/dry yourself...
If your feet quit, you are DONE, might as well shoot yourself.

The camp stove burners are nice, but you can make your own out of tuna or cat food cans, cardboard cut into strips & canning paraffin.
They burn long, but not quite as hot and make more light than 'Sterno' or the like.
They are also self waterproofing since paraffin is waterproof.
I use a cotton ball and neo or vasoline to get them started.
I know 'Sterno' is cheap, but cat food/tuna cans are free, cardboard is free, and if you know someone that preserves, paraffin is free.

 

[Charleybravo56]

Lets use this thread to discuss the Bug Out Bag or BOB. I’ll post up my thoughts on the subject and a pic or two and then lest open it up for everyone to share their own ideas and load outs. Try not to let side topics creep in like the get home bag, bail out bag, fighting load, or survival kits etc. Everyone’s ideas will be different however. One man’s survival kit will be another’s BOB. That’s fine.

I would like this thread to be stickied so members can read it first rather than post the umpteenth “what should I put in my BOB” thread.
Okay, some background. I have been doing this prepping thing for a long time. More than 20 years. I have had a BOB that whole time. I am a wilderness survival instructor. I teach BOBs in my Bug Out 101 class. I have taught workshops specifically on BOB only.

My own BOB is designed for my needs and those of my family. As my children have grown older, those needs have changed. I have happily swapped out diapers and biter biscuits for more useful items and real food! My BOB is set up for a 72 hour type kit in the event of evacuation to a shelter, hotel, campground or relative’s house. But it also has long term survival tools in it to fashion a life in the sticks for a very long time.

Here’s my Bug Out Bag.

I use an old school, medium ALICE, w/out frame, in OD. I’ve use this as a BOB for about 10 years now.

Shelter: A PVC tarp, 8x9, lightweight, camo w/ grommets. That’s rolled up on top. Inside that is a USGI poncho liner. In an outer pocket is a 5x6' section of silnylon and 20' 550 cord. I keep a small container of deck screws and large nails in that pocket as well. 2 contractor bags. 1 vinyl poncho. Small fleece blanket.

Tools: wire saw, Pak Axe, Leatherman tool, Pilot survival knife, Gerber folding saw w/ extra blade. 2 Metal cans for cooking, tinfoil, 2 sets of utensils, Metal cup.

Food: 1 3600 cal lifeboat rations. 8 cliff bars, 2 MRE entree only, 4 cup o soup, 4 hot choc, hard candy, 1 lb rice, beef jerky, raisins, tea/coffee. Most inside ziplock bags.

Medical: decent 1st aid kit w/ current meds like ibuprofen and benedryl, but also a broad spectrum antibiotic, tummy meds, eyecare, dental care etc. I also keep a set of instruments in there and a good trauma kit.

Hygiene: 4 toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, camp suds, foot powder, chapstick, hand sanitizer, women's needs, baby wipes, bug juice/DEET. Sunscreen. Extra pair of specs, extra pair of contacts.

"Survival": 2 headlamps, 1 "shake" light, 1 LED puck light, 1 LED lamp, a candle, firekit w/ matches, lighter, steel/ferorod, tinder, dry wood, water treatment tabs, MSR filter, compass, whistle, flaggers tape, signal mirror, Grundig SW radio w/ extra batteries, SAS survival manual, Bible, deck of cards, small set of plastic animals, paper and pencils, 50' of 550 cord, 25' brass wire, fishing kit, small sterno can w/ stove. Extra batteries. Repair kit: duct tape, zipties, wire, small nails, nuts/bolts, eyeglasses kit, sewing kit, safety pins.

Clothing: 2 wool watch caps, 2 pairs kids socks, 2 pair wool adult socks, 2 pair kids undies, 2 pair adult undies, 2 pairs gloves.

Water: 2 bottles of water (1 qt, 1 20 oz) plus a Platypus bladder. More water treatment tabs and iodine.

Inside top flap is a thumb drive w/ copies of documents. I also keep a couple maps in there, cash, map tools, extra compass.
Here it all is laid out. It all fits, and the only external storage is the pak ax. I can hang all sorts of stuff from the outside if I wanted, but this works fine.

I am 100% confident that I could provide for my family for a long time using these items. I can provide for them with a third of these items, having all this stuff will make it downright easy.

As far as ammo, guns and fighting stuff, that is carried as 1st line mostly. So, my EDC G19, spare mag, knife, light, OC etc is all on me. I can upgrade very quickly by grabbing a rifle and chest rig.

Lets see what else everyone is doing. FWShooter, can you cross post your thread here?

Thumb drive, great tip! Thanks

 

[Kirk Freeman]

We have "go bag" inspections next drill. I have learned a lot by reading this thread. Thanks to all INGOers here.

I am currently using a Maxpedition duffel bag, but have been eyeing that REI "Roadtripper" bag too.

 

[DadSmith]

I live in the country. I have a cistern, and can catch rain water. I have a septic system so no worries about public sewer backing up. If electric goes out I can dip water from the cistern. I live in a house built in 1901. It has 14" of brick wall for outer walls. I have everything I need to survive right where I am.

Maybe some of you can bug out my way

 

[Dan]

That’s a well put together pack. Very nice. I’m carrying a Vanquest Ibex 35 currently. Set my wife up with my old tru spec pac and set my kids up with a small sling pack.

 

[johny5]

 

[IndyBeerman]

No popcorn needed, that right there is a quality post even though it's thread necropsy.

 

[johny5]

No popcorn needed, that right there is a quality post even though it's thread necropsy.

It was my way of marking it to come back an read when I had time

I suppose I could have subscribed.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Bump

 

[Gaffer]

No popcorn needed, that right there is a quality post even though it's thread necropsy.

Yeah, except for a few technical changes as time goes on (my flashlights have gotten brighter and smaller), this stuff is pretty.... timeless..

 

[Megasaki]

Just a word of an older guy's advice,,you need to have a place to bug out to. If someone sees you hiding out on their land,,or using what they think are their resources..you will be needing a doctor or a crypt. Best to own some land with a well, and septic. Coupled with city water and electricity.

 

[Megasaki]

Also, have medical supplies stocked. Ammo and gun cleaning equipment is a must. A wood burning stove. Enameled cookware, Iron ware. wood chopped and stacked. etc etc

 

[profjeremy]

What an awesome thread! I haven’t read through it all yet (40 pages and all), but what I’ve read already has been immensely helpful. Although I spent my childhood hunting, camping, fishing, etc. I’m kind of new to this and wasn’t in the military, so I feel like I’m at a bit of a disadvantage. I appreciate everyone’s contributions and am enjoying the read!

 

[bogrunner]

Coming from Northeast Vermont, my wife and I would take out bags out for survival weekends and live out of them for several days. This gives us a chance to learn about weak points in our bags and what we need to work on physically our selves.

 

[Horsetrader]

I can understand what’s in your BOB. The weights are good but I would be interested in your thoughts of what weapons you choose and why ? Big guns and ammo adds to weight and is not practical in certain situations. Be interested to read different opinions. We all share one major goal, survival. Stay safe , Stay Alive, God Bless America

 

[jdthieke]

Its really interesting to see he many of you have constructed your BOBs, I'm going to have to make a few...

 

[offthegrid]

I am putting my bug out bag together, as the world is going to hell in a hand basket, and the post by WETSU has to be one of the best I've seen. I am going to use his recommendations a guide. Once I get this compiled, I will send some pics, for those that care. I used to think that a bug out bag was handy, but maybe not necessary, but now I believe its a must have for disaster survival.