154 Bug Out Bag Essentials (Open Checkist!)

154 Bug Out Bag Essentials (Open Checkist!)

By Dan F. Sullivan

Lightweight, durable, water-resistant, and ready to fulfill all your survival needs. That’s what your bug out bag should be like. But we all know packing a BOB is a balancing act, don’t we? There are items that are crucial and there are others that are more or less important, depending on your location, climate, your medical condition, and on and on.

I initially wanted to write an article that covered just the essentials but then I quickly changed my mind. EVERY item in your BOB is essential. If it isn’t (for you), then don’t pack it in the first place!

So what I’m going to do is give you a full list of all the things you can or should include for your survival, leaving it up to you to decide which ones make the cut and which ones don’t.

Caveat: never buy those pre-packed BOBs. They are too expensive and may miss important items that you need, such as medication, pet care items, and so on. You’ll also end up with a backpack that won’t fit you comfortably .

Another caveat: you don’t need all the items below. A lot of them are just alternatives for others on the list. Pick the ones you think you’ll need most and make sure you keep your BOB weight below 35 pounds.

OK, let’s get started!

Water

• as much water as you can comfortably carry (when bugging out if it slows you down, you can always drink it or dispose of it)
• stainless steel water bottle with no paint or coatings (used to boil water or for cooking). Recommended: the Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated Water Bottle with Stainless Loop Cap
• water filter (like the LifeStraw)
• water purification tablets
• water canteens
• bleach
• water bladder

Food and Cooking

• cans or foil pouches of tuna
• pop tarts
• canned food (could be heavy)
• jerky
• can opener (only if you have canned food)
• freeze-dried (lightweight but needs extra water to cook)
• boullion cubes
• spam (some people love it, some people hate it)
• energy bars
• cooking stove
• pot scrubber
• vitamins
• protein powder

Word of the day: Prepare! And do it the old fashion way, like our fore-fathers did it and succeed long before us, because what lies ahead of us will require all the help we can get. 

Shelter, Clothing, and Warmth

•  a pair of hiking boots. Keep these tied to the outside of your BOB. When you grab your bag, the boots will come along too. (Assume there is no time to change shoes when SHTF)
• poncho
• tent
• tarp
• sleeping bag
• a pair of long pants
• a pair of shorts (in case you’re facing extreme heat)
• thick wool socks
• (thermal) underwear
• blanket
• gloves (useful for protecting your hands when climbing trees and fences on the run)
• a change of footwear (in addition to your hiking boots)
• t-shirts
• bandanna (make that two)
• sunglasses
• a jacket
• an extra pair of reading glasses

Fire and Cooking

• waterproof matches
• 4-5 bic lighters
• fire sticks
• vaseline cotton balls
• magnesium fire starter
• tinder
• aluminum foil
• fresnel lens

Light

• headlamp
• battery-powered flashlight
• hand-crank flashlight
• phone charger
• candles

Communications, Electronics, and Positioning

• a ham radio
• a walkie talkie
• universal USB solar charger
• paper and a pencil (or a pen)
• pencil sharpener
• hand-crank AM/FM radio
• cell-phone with pre-paid calling card
• extra cell-phone battery
• GPS
• ear buds
• whistle
• signaling mirror
• compass
• topographic maps

Hygiene and Sanitation

• toilet paper
• hand sanitizer
• toothbrush (break off the handle to save space and make your BOB a bit lighter.)
• toothpaste (or baking soda, if you prefer, as you can mix it with water)
• floss
• comb
• shampoo
• fingernail clippers
• feminine hygiene products
• tripwire
• a bar of soap

Best Post Collapse First Aid Survival Guide Ever

Tools

• a good fixed-blade survival knife
• a good multi-tool
• a pocket knife
• pry bar
• ax
• a hand-powered chainsaw
• small hammer and nails
• folding shovel

Self-Defense, Hunting and Fishing

• gun
• gun cleaning kit
• ammo
• body armor
• pepper or wasp spray
• slingshot
• machete
• fishing/hunting vest
• bow and arrow
• dog/bear whistle
• fishing rod/reel
• fishing hooks

Find out more about using cold weapons for survival on Bulletproof Home.

A Prepper’s Guide in Safeguarding a Home

Medical / First Aid

• basic first-aid kit
• suturing kit
• CPR mask
• pain killers
• styptic powder
• arm sling (keeps your arm in place when injured)
• thermometer
• neosporine
• anti leg cramp pills
• hand and body warmers
• baby powder
• laxative
• gauge pads
• tourniquet
• knee brace
• aspirin
• medical tape
• scissors
• respirators
• benadryl
• medical gloves
• trauma shears
• antibiotics
• aspercreme
• abdominal pads
• iodine tablets (for radiation threats)
• suture kit
• Tylenol
• tweezers
• band-aids
• triangular bandages

Other/Misc.

• duct tape (oh, so many uses)
• paracord
• brass wire
• sunscreen
• paper clips
• small elastic bands
• extra-large trash bags (numerous uses)
• copies of your most important papers and IDs
• money (in case you have to buy your way out of an unpleasant situation)
• sunscreen
• ziploc bags
• condoms (useful for a number of things, including holding water)
• an extra set of keys
• mosquito net
• coins (for vending machines)
• bug-spray
• compressed sponge
• inflatable canoe and a small pump (doesn’t take much space and could help you bug out on a river)

Controversial Items

We all have our own ideas on what a bug-out bag should contain and sometimes it’s best to agree to disagree. That’s why I decided to make a separate list of thenon-essential items, meaning the ones that may be important for some but not for others. Here it is:

E-readers

An eBook reader can be a good addition to your BOB for several reasons. They use very little energy and can hold thousands of survival eBooks and manuals. And you don’t need to worry about the Wi-Fi signal giving away your location, you can just turn it off. You won’t need it, anyway, and it just eats up battery life.

What you should be worried about is the weight or the fact that an EMP will render it useless unless you put it in a Faraday cage. Faraday cages themselves are controversial in that everyone seems to know how to build but no one can be certain whether it will actually work or not.

Maybe you should consider just becoming a very good prepper or if more convenient, replace your Kindle with a paper copy of the SAS Survival Guide Handbook.

A Compact Digital Camera

There are a couple of things you can do with a digital camera. First, you can take photos every couple of miles so you can find your way back if you get lost. Second, you can use the zoom function to take a better look at things/people. Of course, you can also use binoculars for that. Whether you include a camera, is up to you.

Comfort Items and Foods

Some people will need them, others won’t. Up to you whether you want to carry them but, just in case you want them, here’s a small list:

• a small bottle of whisky
• cigarettes
• wine
• chocolate
• coffee
• and, of course, the above-mentioned eReader

Don’t wait until food becomes scarce; start preparing for the future now by becoming as self-reliant as possible. Your long-term chances of survival could very well depend on your ability to feed yourself and your family without relying on someone else.

SOURCE : http://www.prepperfortress.com/154-bug-bag-essentials-open-checkist/