Many people die of disasters whether natural or not because they refuse to leave their homes. When something extreme like an attack, hurricane or tornado strikes (and you were forewarned), but your plan was to hunker down, you should expect to not be rescued for days, even weeks. Is this scenario unthinkable to you? Then you should learn how to build a Bug Out Bag (BOB). But before you even put all of your gear together, consider these tips.
What's the ideal Bug Out Bag?
Lightweight, compact, sturdy – has everything you need. You can invest on a useful BOB without spending several hundreds of dollars. One, you can find anywhere from alice bags to military style backpacks for starters. Your BOB should have enough room for everything you need with pockets and straps for items that cannot fit inside, like survival blankets and tents.
Know where you're going, who you're going with, how much you need to bring.
First and foremost, you should have a plan on where you're going to bug out. The woods? Your friend's house? Out of state? This determines what items you will include in your BOB. You will need camping equipment when you bug out in the forest, but maybe not at your friend's house some 30 miles away. Are you leaving with your spouse and small children, with a pet or with elderly folks? Then you should build a separate BOB for everybody, because most likely all of their needs won't fit in one bag.
Go camping or backpacking for two nights in the woods, trying all your BOB gear to find out which ones you really need and which ones you don't.
One of the best ways to prove your BOB is built to work its purpose is to practice what you will do before a disaster happens. That's why it's called prepping. Go hiking in a nearby trail and camp out for two nights in the woods. Most likely some stuff that you have packed in your BOB won't be necessary. But then you can also take note of items that you will actually need when real s%^*# happens. For example: hydration, food, first aid kit, even firearms.
You should print out this list from FEMA if you're just starting out, otherwise here's a more detailed list that will help you build a better BOB. Our previous post (NOTE TO JIM: CAN YOU LINK THE FIRST POST ON BOB HERE) showed what stuff CamoGear recommends to pack, and we'll keep you updated on other ways to spruce up your BOB according to your unique necessities.
