154 Bug Out Bag Essentials (Open Checkist!)

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 the non-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.

Other useful resources:

The Lost Ways (Learn the long forgotten secrets that helped our forefathers survive famines,wars,economic crisis and anything else life threw at them)

Survival MD (Best Post Collapse First Aid Survival Guide Ever)

Backyard Innovator (A Self Sustaining Source Of Fresh Meat,Vegetables And Clean Drinking Water)

Blackout USA (EMP survival and preparedness)

Conquering the coming collapse (Financial advice and preparedness )

Liberty Generator (Build and make your own energy source)

Backyard Liberty (Easy and cheap DIY Aquaponic system to grow your organic and living food bank)

Bullet Proof Home (A Prepper’s Guide in Safeguarding a Home )

Family Self Defense (Best Self Defense Strategies For You And Your Family)

Survive Any Crisis (Best Items To Hoard For A Long Term Crisis)

Survive The End Days (Biggest Cover Up Of Our President)

Drought USA (Discover The Amazing Device That Turns Air Into Water)

SOURCE : survivalsullivan.com