When disaster strikes and you need to haul ass, you don’t want to be running around gathering essentials. Your solution is a bug out bag—a kit that contains the essentials to help you survive for three days. Instead of buying a precomposed version, why not assemble your own with gear you trust? Here’s a guide to get you started.
The Bag
Obviously the first thing you’ll need is a bag. While it has to be portable, you’re going to need at least a decent size backpack. Extra pockets, straps, and an abundance of storage are key for holding all the items you need. Durability should also be taken into consideration.
Water
Possibly the most important thing in your bag. While a human being can go without much food for weeks, you won’t make it a few days without water. Aim for at least 3 liters. We don’t really need to give you suggestions here, but we’d say those expensive bottles of Voss aren’t necessary.
- Source Tactical 3L Hydration Pack – $89
- Osprey LT Reservoir 3L – $43
- Camelbak Thermobak Mil-Spec 3L Pack – $77
Food
Clearly you don’t want anything perishable since the bag could be sitting in your closet for a long time (hopefully forever). You’ll also want to make sure to stash foods that pack protein and carbs for energy. The smaller the better since space is at a premium in your pack. One last thing to keep in mind is how you’ll prepare the food, the simpler it is to open and eat, the more advantageous it is.
- 3600 SOS Calorie Bar – $6
- 6-Pack or MREs – $45
- Pemmican Organic Beef Jerky – $40
- Planters Trail Mix – $37
- Justin’s Nut Butter Peanut Butter – $6
Clothing
Choosing the right clothing to pack is the difference between a bag that will zipper shut and one whose seams get busted. Think the absolute essentials and keep in mind it could be any time of year when you need to grab the bag. Since your kit is designed to sustain you for 3 days, there’s no need for more than 1 or 2 outfits. Here’s a breakdown of what we’d recommend:
- Columbia Zip-off pants – $35
- Hiker Socks x2 – $18
- Asics Long Sleeve Warm-up – $24
- Hanes Beefy T-Shirt – $6
- CK Underwear x2 – $35
- Poncho – $1
- Warm Lightweight Jacket – $299
Mutli-Tool
Tossing a bunch of tools in your bag is completely unnecessary and, frankly, pretty dumb. A good multi-tool with some blades and a few extras is ideal for hundreds of little tasks you might encounter away from your home. As with everything, size and weight are key, but you also don’t want to buy something cheap that will break at the sight of a stuck screw.
Knives
We don’t mean a little pocket knife, for your bug-out bag you’ll want something substantial. The little stuff can be taken care of with the blade on your multi-tool, but for serious cutting and chopping, you need a proper outdoor knife.
Flashlights
You don’t know why or when you’ll need your bug-out bag, but with large-scale disasters, odds are the power is going to go out. A flashlight is an absolute necessity. Make sure you toss some extra batteries in your bag to accompany it (and anything else that requires batteries).
Guns
You might not consider yourself a gun guy, but in an apocalyptic disaster or a real survival scenario, you’re going to want one. From hunting game to protecting yourself, the right firearm will be useful. The landscape you live in will also determine what type of gun you really need, and when you do decide, don’t forget the ammo.
Bandanas
Yes, a bandana. For 30 reasons why you should add one to your backpack, just read this article. They weigh nothing, take up barely any space, and could come in handy in a first-aid situation or a variety of other scenarios.
Necessities
With the basics covered, there are some random other items you’ll want to have stashed away in your bug-out bag. Besides the items listed below, we’d recommend some cash, a phone charger, any medications you need, and copies of your important personal documents.
