Bug Out Bag
This is the meat and potatoes of someone who truly has survival on the brain! The bug out bag is an essential tool for anyone that is getting prepared for an emergency situation. It makes sense, really. If you have a flash flood, or a hurricane, or just a stampede of zombies, having a bug out bag that you can grab and run out the door with is essential. Not to mention, they are fun to build, too!
Contents at a Glance
What Is Your Application
Urban or Rural
The first thing you need to figure out, is where are you going to be bugging from and to. If you are leaving your house in the city and headed to a relative's in the suburbs, then you will want to plan for an urban trip. The bug out bag should be able to sustain you for 72 hours. If you are having to walk, you have three days to get there. If you can drive, then you have 3 days worth of stuff on hand so you aren't completely putting the relatives out!So is it a city trip, or are you headed to the country? You might pack a little different if you are going to be out in the wild, so to speak.
Either way you look at it, there are some things that will be the same no matter where you go. Food and water to start, some way of communication like a cell phone, and it may be nice to have a hand-held GPS to help you get where you are going as well. A first-aid kit is essential, but it may change depending on where you are going. Not much need for a remedy for poison ivy if you are never leaving concrete!
So this could start amounting to quite a bit of stuff to carry. You are going to need a good, well made pack to pack all of this into. That is why they call it a Bug Out "Bag" after all.
Maxpedition Packs
Personally, I like the Maxpedition packs. They are made with 1000 denier fabric so they are pretty rugged and hold up well. Plus, they are M.O.L.L.E. compatible so you can add on all sorts of pouches and kits to fully customize your pack. I've seen a lot of knock-off versions of these packs, but all of the ones I have seen are 600 denier and from what I have heard, they don't hold up well at all. Believe me, you don't want to be hiking around with a pack full of stuff and a strap rip loose. I've had that happen before and your handy, easy to carry bag just becomes a nuisssance and a real chore to keep up with.Pictured here is the Vulture II. It has 2,810 cu. in. of space, weighs 3 lbs. 8 oz., and can be fitted with up to a 100 oz. water bladder. This pack is great for a 3 day bug out bag and if you need a little more space, you always have the M.O.L.L.E. attachment points on it to attach more pouches or kits.
You can pick up the Vulture II here at Amazon.
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- A-Poc A-Poc Jun 16, 2009 @ 9:25 am | in reply to Scott Skawronska
- Thanks Scott!! Great tip on the Datrex, although I agree that it might get a little old within a couple of days, LOL! It might not be a bad idea to offset the Datrex with a Mountain House meal or two even though they require water. As good as they are, though, it might be worth the trade-off.
On another note, I plan to update this page soon with pics of my Vulture II and a couple of add-ons I have for it! I just have to have some spare time first! I think you guys will like it, though.
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- Scott Skawronska Scott Skawronska Jun 15, 2009 @ 5:36 pm
- Don't leave out Datrex for emergency food -- it's a little bland but it has the caloric and nutritional requirements for survival in a relatively small package. You'll probably get tired of the stuff after three days, but it definitely beats starving.
Nice information here...may add your link to my own website. Especially about the Maxpedition.
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- A-Poc A-Poc May 27, 2009 @ 7:56 am | in reply to Todd
- Great tips guys! Especially the water filter idea. I agree 100% with that. Someday soon (maybe in the next month or two) I plan to do a lens on a good water filter. I'm torn between a couple of different ones right now. I may buy both and do a comparison or something. But every Bug out Bag should have a water filter of some kind for sure!
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- Todd Todd May 25, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
- Ipecac is a great idea to have around. What would you do if you or someone you know eats or drinks something potentially poisoness? It is just a good idea.
Whether it is a 72 hour kit, a Bug out Bag or in food storage, these items are a necessity.
Lets just say out of ten items, numbers 1, 2 & 3 is a good water filter. You cannot store enough & surely cannot carry enough water. Many emergencies leave you surrounded with water but cannot drink any of it because of contamination. You will die from lack of water long before lack of food. Put your money into a good filter.
There are a few good brands out there, just do your homework. I like the filter straws that filter as you suck. Do not use them for your main filter ut they are a great back-up filter & weigh nearly nothing & take up no space. They are made by Aquamira, I would not buy them off the Aquamira site however, I found them cheaper just by googling, Aquamira straw filter.
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- Toltecas Toltecas Apr 21, 2009 @ 6:05 pm
- Bug out bag. Try to take foods that do not take water to prepare, I see so many bug out
bags with things like, instant oatmeal, hot chocolate & soups. The water should be for
drinking & take vitamins & protein bars. I also take a bottle of fiber, not only is
fiber needed but it also swells for a full feeling. I came across what is called
Lifecaps. They are a capsule that has everything needed to survive without food with
the exception of water. It is full of vitamins & minerals plus Iodine. Anyway, you take
three of them a day & drink water. I can actually take enough food in one backpack to
las 6 months because of these little Lifecaps, protein bars, fiber & water. I will run
out of water in a week so I do carry a small filter & a couple of those straw water
filters that filter the water as you suck.
You do not always have the ability or time to heat water to make soup or oatmeal. Anyway,
after I bought 25 bottles I found a coupon code & bought 75 bottles more. The coupon code
