Make Your Own Survival Backpack List – Because One Survival List Doesn’t Necessarily Fit All

I don’t know about you but I always start my prepping with lists; I have a list of food to store, a list of items for my first aid kit, a list of items for my BOB, etc…

For some, they might feel or assume that a list is not necessary. But having a list is a sign of good planning; and planning is what prepping is all about. Besides, you don’t want to leave anything out that might turn out to be a necessity when you are already in a SHTF situation.

So plan ahead, and in order to plan successfully, start with a list.

A survival backpack (or emergency pack, survival kit, BOB, etc.), is one of the important things you need to always have ready. This pack should be placed where it can be grabbed quickly during emergencies or when a sudden crisis occurs and evacuation is necessary.

Your survival backpack should be:

-          Complete – has everything you need to survive for at least 3 days or 72 hours

-          Compact – it should be well-organized and properly packed. You need to be able to access items you need while on the go i.e. water bottle/filter, energy bars, torch, knife, map, etc. without having to unpack

-          Easy to carry – if your pack is too bulky, heavy or uncomfortable, you’ll expend more energy than necessary. Your survival pack should allow you to move with ease and not burden you during an already stressful situation.

So to make sure you have a complete survival backpack, make a list. There are a lot of resources online (this website included) that can give you a ready-made list. But make your own list because you alone knows what are the things you need to survive.

Food, water, shelter, first aid kit – these are a given. But what about other things?

Include survival gear and items you are comfortable with using – you must know how to use or operate each and every tool or gear you put in your pack.

Break down your list into categories – this makes it easier to have an idea of what you need to include. Here’s an example:

• Food
• Water
• Fire and light
• Protection against the elements
• Basic survival gear
• First aid
• Communication
• Weapon

Add/remove/combine categories to suit you better.

Next, assign items under each category. Here’s another example:

FOOD
Peanut bars, homemade jerky, trail mix, candies, granola bars

- Consider foods that do not weigh much, canned goods have water and are rather heavy. If you must include canned goods, consume them first. Also avoid foods that require water to prepare. If you can get MREs, then include them in your pack.

WATER
Carry as much drinking water as you can.
Water filter, purification tablets, a means to gather and boil water

FIRE & LIGHT
Fire steel, lighter, waterproof matches, kindling (waterproofed), flashlight, extra batteries

- have more than one ignition device and several kinds of kindling (i.e. petroleum soaked cotton balls, pencil shavings, lint)

PROTECTION AGAINST THE ELEMENTS
Tent, sleeping bag, clothing, socks, hat, bandana, boots, gloves, lightweight tarp

- Consider the weather and the environment where you plan to go in case you need to bug out. It is important to have the right kind of clothing to protect you against the elements. A lightweight tarp or emergency blanket can serve as backup in case your tent is damaged or you can use it extra protection against rain.

BASIC SURVIVAL GEAR
A good, reliable survival knife; multi-tool; cookware; fuel; rain gear; a small tool kit; duct tape; paracord

FIRST AID
gauze pads, ointment, Isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Band aids, Thermometer, Adaptic dressings, OTC medications, prescribed meds, pair of scissors, tweezers, cotton balls

- Here’s a list of items a basic first aid kit should have.

COMMUNICATION
Cell phone, extra batteries, solar charger
Portable CB or Ham Radio, or Portable radio police scanner

- There might be some instances that you will get separated from your family so make sure you have means to communicate with each other besides mobile phones (cellular services might be down in some emergencies)

WEAPON
A gun is the best weapon of choice for survival – anyone can use it (men, women, children, seniors, disabled people) and it is more effective at deterring others than a knife, baseball bat or a rock

OTHERS
What other needs are unique to you and your family members and even pets? List these down under this category.
Money (cash) and important documents are things you should bring along with you.

When you’re done listing items down, go over everything. Add or remove items as you see fit. Put the least important items at the bottom of the list; these are items you can survive without and should be added last if you still have space in your bag or if you still have budget for them.

As you pack your survival backpack, keep in mind that you also need it to be compact and easy to carry.

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