Survival – Decide Outside – Making Adventure Happen

You might be wondering, what a bug out bag (also known as a survival bag) is? They are essentially kits that contain everything you need to stay alive for at least 3 days and up to 72 hours. In this article, we will be breaking down exactly what you need in your specific bag, including a bug out bag checklist for different emergencies. They are put together ahead of time by people SHTF! Of course, when we say this, we mean that the individual packs their own bag with what their specific needs will be. This will obviously differ from person to person. You’ll pack a lot of stuff in your specific bag that will be formed for your survival. Each item will have a purpose, as you will only have so much space in your bag to pack things. Therefore, every item must have a reason for being there. Along with telling you why certain items are important, we will be going over different genres of bags that we are calling our “Ultimate Bug Out Bags.” The Bug Out Bag Itself This is usually going to be a top-tier backpack that will be able to sustain a lot of weight and thus, a lot of items. Therefore, you’re going to need a lot of room. This means you’re going to be looking for the high-liter types. You’re going to also need one that can handle the elements and be as tough as possible. Durability is a must here, as a few scratches to open one of these backpacks could be catastrophic. This means you need to find a durable bag that is capable of taking punishment while also being hard to cut open. What backpack or backpacks could actually hit every mark like that? We have found ten that we recommend you look into. Not only can they work well as bug out bags but they can also work for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities. Osprey Atmos AG 65 Men's Backpacking BackpackDrakon Outdoors 40L Waterproof Survival BackpackGranite Gear Crown 2 60 BackpackGregory Zulu 55 BackpackOsprey Porter 46 Travel BackpackGranite Gear Lutsen 55 BackpackOsprey Rook 65 Men's Backpacking BackpackGregory Baltoro 65L BackpackArc'teryx Alpha FL 45 Backpack These backpacks are the best of the bunch. You’ll notice each is at least 45L and up and that they are mostly made for travel, camping, and hiking. Of course, due to this, you’re going to likely see only a few brands that will fit. In this case, that is Arc’teryx, Granite, Gregory, Osprey, and The North Face. The bags are weatherproof, easy to carry, and worth your investment due to multiple uses. Hydration Gear When we mention hydration gear for the ultimate bug out bags, we’re referring to quite a lot of things. This will mean stuff like specific water bottles, or something that can hold liquid as well as cook with it too. This also means stuff that can clean water, should you be in survival mode for a while. This might be the most important stuff to consider honestly. When it comes down to it, you just cannot be sure how long you’ll be out in the wild on your own. Meanwhile, if you’re going to have something that can carry water...you want it to be tough. Obviously brownie points go to things that can carry water well and still be capable of cooking with it too. Of course, these are not exactly as common. Therefore, the products we recommend below will involve different types of hydration gear. The ones that can double as things to cook with will be marked, just to make sure they stand out for you. SilverAnt Titanium Ultralight 800ml/27 fl oz Water Bottle (could cook with)LifeStraw Personal Water FilterSilverAnt Titanium Ultralight 1.2 Litre/40.5 fl oz Water Bottle (could cook with)Aquatabs-Water Purification TabletsEpic Nalgene OG Grande Water Filtration BottleSimple Modern Stainless Steel 17oz Vacuum Insulated Double-Walled Wave BottleEmbrava Best Sports 32oz Water BottleGSI Outdoors 8 Cup Enamelware PercolatorNaturehike Collapsible Water Bucket Everything mentioned above has the potential to be used in many ways. Well, except for the purification tablets. One actually acts as a filtration bottle and another is there to help with filtration. These can be massively important items to look into and potentially put in your ultimate bug out bag. Cooking & Food This can be a very difficult area for people when it comes to putting together an ultimate bug out bag. The reason for this is that you can easily find things that can be perfect for cooking purposes, but when you think of packing food itself, you can’t really do so unless you consider strictly perishable foods. On top of this, you’ll want to think about utensils and other similar things. Let’s also not forget that in order to cook, you’ll need some sort of heating source. That means the ability to make a fire. Plus, you sometimes don’t know how long you’re going to need to survive. This means those same pots and pans you’re using need to be easy to clean too. Therefore, they need to be something like “wipe-up-and-go,” where you just need to wipe out the pot or pan, and then it’s good to use again. This is why all of the pots/pans that we reference will be useful in many ways, same as the other stuff. After we list the products, we’ll also recommend some food items you can pack too. Buddy Bear Bowl Camping Cookware Pot1 Liter Camping Cookware Mess KitGSI Outdoors Escape Collapsible Cooking PotColeman 9.5-In.Frying PanUCO Utility Spork 3-in-1 Combo Spoon-Fork-Knife UtensilCamp Kitchen Utensil Organizer Travel SetColeman Camper's Utensil SetBreezing Style Folding Mini Pocket StoveOhuhu Stainless Steel Camping StoveREDCAMP PCS Camping Cookware Mess KitWealers Compact Foldable Outdoor Camping Hiking Cookware Each item offers something a bit different but you’ll notice how small they are, allowing them to fit into your ultimate bug out bag without an issue. This is important, as you’ll want to make sure you have as much room as possible in your bag. When it comes to food, you need to make sure you pack something as you’ll never know when food needs will arise. Things like jerky can be great but there are other food items you can pack in your ultimate bug out bag too. Here are a few choices you can go with… Wild Zora Mountain Beef StewPeak Refuel Mountain Berry Granola with Rice MilkWild Zora Palisade Pineapple MangoS.O.S. Food Labs Millennium Assorted Energy BarsMountain House Chicken Fried Rice4Patriots Emergency Food SupplyMRE Star MRE Kits CaseCaptain Dave's 12 Military MRE EntreesMountain House Pasta PrimaveraNitric Oxide Instant CoffeeFolgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee You’ll notice that each food item has the ability to last for quite a while. Of course, they WILL expire after a while. Therefore, we’d recommend that you check on the date they’re still good for every few months. Then replace them if they have expired or if they will soon, go ahead and eat them to avoid losing the money you spent on them before they expire. Clothing Clothing can be the hardest thing to recommend because people come in all shapes and sizes. Plus, we’re going to need to recommend clothing that can work for both men and women here. Not only will sizes and clothing types possibly differ from man to woman….you’ll need to be concerned with specific things each need. For example, everyone needs to have layers just in case. When night hits, as well as possibly rain or snow...you’ll be thankful for long sleeve clothing and jackets/coats. However, for pants men will need something a bit looser in the crotch versus pants women might need. Therefore, there will be a lot of crossover, but also some differences you’ll want to keep in mind. We’re going to recommend what amounts to a complete outfit for both men and women. This means you’ll see recommendations for pants, jackets, short-sleeves, long-sleeves, underwear, and possibly even some socks. One thing to be sure about here is that most of the clothing is waterproof or water-resistant in some way. This is due to the obvious issues one might face, as the weather could be erratic. The last thing you’re going to want is for you or your family/friends to get sick. Both need to have proper recommendations. While we will recommend clothing items, we will recommend those with multiple sizes as we cannot predict what our readers will be size-wise. We did not choose to put kids clothing in due to the ever-changing sizes kids will experience, meaning your ultimate bug out bag will have to switch out clothing for them consistently. That said, we’re going to split things up to help you keep up with men, women, and children’s clothing items. We’ll start with the men… Marmot Men's Minimalist Lightweight Rain JacketArc'teryx Beta AR JacketThe North Face Balham JacketArc'teryx Zeta SL Jacket5.11 Tactical Taclite Pro PantsFjallraven Barents Pro TrousersColumbia Rapid Rivers Pants5.11 Men' Stryke TDU Multicam PantHanes 5-Pack Sports-Inspired Cool Dri Boxer BriefWeatherproof 5 Pack Full Terry Thermal Crew SocksColumbia Thistletown Park Crew ShirtHanes Long-Sleeve Beefy Henley ShirtCarhartt K87 Workwear Pocket Short-Sleeve T-ShirtColumbia Blood and Guts III Short-Sleeve WovenWrangler Authentics Long-Sleeve Sherpa-Lined Shirt JacketLegendary Whitetails Buck Camp Flannel ShirtWrangler Authentics Flannel Shirt Jacket With HoodLegendary Whitetails Shotgun Western Flannel Shirt For Women… The North Face TKA Glacier Full Zip HoodieCarhartt Sherpa-Lined Sandstone Sierra JacketArc'teryx Zeta AR JacketColumbia Arcadia Ii JacketMarmot Delaney PantsEddie Bauer Guide Pro PantsArc'teryx Zeta SL Pants5.11 TACLITE PRO Tactical PantsThermajane Ultra Soft Thermal UnderwearReebok Seamless Hipster Panties 5-PackFruit of the Loom Cotton Pullover Sport BraHanes Sport Cool Ankle SocksChampion Essential Double Dry V-Neck Tee5-Pack Racerback Tank Top Dry-Fit Tank TopsHanes Nano-T V-Neck T-ShirtDickies Short-Sleeve Work ShirtLegendary Whitetails Cottage Escape Flannel ShirtCarhartt Rugged Flex Hamilton Flannel ShirtColumbia Canyon Point Ii Shirt JacketLegendary Whitetails Trail Guide Flannel Shirt In the end, you’ll see a lot of outdoor and athletic clothing referenced. The reason for this is the breathability this clothing gives, and both the warmth and coolness they provide too. A lot of this can get quite sizable in your backpack. This is why we recommend you use vacuum-sealed bags where you can shrink things down a bit to help them to pack easier in the backpack. You’ll need to seal them like normal but once you open the bags, the air will let out and you’ll be able to get the properly sized items. Shelter & Sleep If you ever have to head to the hills on short notice, in an emergency situation, chances are you’re going to be sleeping under the stars. For a bug out bag, a tent is the obvious choice! However, you can’t just choose any tent. Remember, space is not a luxury that you have! You’ll need to select a small tent. Something like a two-man or even a one-man tent in order to save space. Also, you’re going to need either a blanket or a sleeping bag (I recommend the latter). However, sleeping bags can also be quite large. This is why we’re going to recommend you put them in a vacuum-sealed bag too. We recommend taking a VAGO Compressor for vacuum-sealing your bag. It works via a power bank which can charge from other batteries too. Let’s get started…. Marmot Limelight 2 Person Camping Tent w/FootprintNaturehike Cloud-Up Lightweight Backpacking TentNemo Hornet Elite Ultralight Backpacking TentColeman Hooligan Backpacking TentBig Agnes Blacktail & Blacktail Hotel Backpacking & Camping TentKelty Salida TentMSR Hubba Hubba NX TentBlack Diamond HiLight TentNemo Dragonfly Ultralight Backpacking TentColeman Cabin Pop-Up TentMarmot Trestles 30 Mummy Sleeping BagSierra Designs Nitro 0 Degree DriDown Sleeping BagMountain Hardwear Lamina Sleeping BagKelty Tuck 22F Degree Mummy Sleeping BagALPS Mountaineering Fusion Sleeping BagThe North Face Aleutian 55/13 Sleeping BagSierra Designs Synthesis 20/35/50 Degree Sleeping BagColeman Brazos Cold Weather Sleeping BagKelty Cosmic 20 Degree Down Sleeping BagNemo Disco Insulated Down Sleeping BagPrimacare HB-10 Emergency Foil Mylar Thermal BlanketS.O.L. Heat Reflective Survival Blanket Medical & First Aid Most of the time, when we discuss medical or first aid supplies….we want to go with the obvious stuff. Things like bandages are obvious, right? Heck, even stitches and other stuff like it might also be something you think about. However, a true first aid kit or medical supply bag will need a few more things. First, you want to think about medicine. Something like over the counter drugs like Tylenol or Aspirin can be useful to have. Keep in mind that Aspirin is an NSAID, and could, therefore, hurt platelet counts. This is the stuff that helps to clot blood for humans. That means if you have a cut, especially a deep one that is causing you to clean and rebandage it...you might not want to use an NSAID. This is why Tylenol is useful to pack unless you’re allergic to it. This should be useful in helping pain problems. Though speaking of allergy issues, there could be a lot of random issues with allergic reactions a person might encounter. You’ll likely be outside and cross by something you’re allergic to or come in contact with an animal that bites or stings you. In these cases, you’re in an emergency situation. That is why it is great to include something like an EpiPen in your medical supply bag. Trust us, when you need an EpiPen...you’ll be thankful you have it around. They are easy to use and will be helpful long enough for you to seek medical attention. Of course, antivenom is also great to pack if you know the snakes or other poisonous animals local to you too. We’d also recommend you pack an Antihistamine, which could be something as simple as Benadryl. Sometimes, this is all you need to have after bites. You could pack the pill form or the cream. Another thing to remember is that you might have an issue with something you eat or drink, causing you to either get rid of in one way or another. This is why packing a Laxative can be important. Yet you may no longer need to do this, so anti-diarrhea medicines like Imodium can be useful to have too. In addition, if you are a woman or happen to be traveling with one...it is likely that they might have their period. If that is the case, you want to be prepared. This is why it would be best to carry pads or tampons for them. Tampons would likely take up less space. If you end up not needing them, then they are still very useful for other things such as other medical needs and even for helping with fire building, since they’re both dry and flammable. You’ll also want to have certain items to help you clean or treat cuts and injuries. For example, Iodine can be really useful but Hydrogen Peroxide can be a literal lifesaver. There are other disinfectants that can be just as useful as that, so any disinfectant will work. Just remember to have one. Other stuff to have is pretty obvious like Hand Sanitizer, Eye Wash Solution, Alcohol, Antibiotic Ointment, Super Glue, Duct Tape, Tweezers/Scissors, Lubricant, Thermometer, Sterile Saline, Syringe, Cotton Balls/Swabs, Safety Pins, Plastic Bags, etc. Remember to keep a check on ALL of these medications and supplies. While things like tape and bandages will never go bad or no longer work well, medicine and disinfectants do have a shelf life. It is best to check all of this every 6 months and replace them as needed. We’ve found a few First Aid Kits or Medical Supply Bags that can be useful to you. They go from Basic to extensive, so be sure to get the one you feel best fits what you’ll need for your specific needs. M2 BASICS 300 Piece First Aid KitSwiss Safe 2-in-1 First Aid KitAmerican Red Cross First Aid KitWelly 42-Piece Travel First Aid KitLightning X Small Medic First Responder EMT Trauma Bag Kit DJohnson and Johnson All-Purpose First Aid KitSwiss Safe 2-in-1 Double-Sided Hardcase 2-in-1 First Aid KitGeneral Medi 170-Piece First Aid KitLightning X Extra Large Medic First Responder EMT Trauma Bag Kit C Each version we listed above will have a lot of supplies in them ready to go for you. However, if you choose to buy one of the basic choices, we still recommend you make sure the items we listed above are there even if you have to buy separately. If you go with that option, be sure you pack them in a bag that is 100% waterproof and cannot rip with ease. This will ensure they stay ready to go for use, even if you get caught in a rough situation. Lighting When it comes to lighting, we will want to have something ready to go that will be easy to get up and go with. However, it needs to be possible for you to either need only a few batteries or the battery built-in needs to be extremely impressive. There is literally no in-between here. With that said, when we mention lighting, this could be something you get from your cell phone. Yet the problem with that is that flashlights on cell phones notoriously drain phone batteries relatively quickly. This is why flashlights you can hold will be useful. There are a lot of other light concepts you can go with too. Such as a travel lamp or lantern, yet these will only shed a small bit of light around your general area. Flashlights can often see out much further and even last longer in many cases. The best flashlights to get in situations like this are the tactical type. Not only will they have great lighting, but they are also known for being very durable. Some even can double as a weapon too. This makes them even more useful to have in case of emergency. The important stuff to remember here is the Lumen Strength, mAH Power/runtime, durability, and size. The smaller you can get, the better. However, you do not want to compromise the lumens and power. This is a delicate balance but flashlights are out there that do this well. That said, there are a ton of great tactical flashlights you can use for your ultimate bug out bag. Due to this, we wanted to highlight a few. Each will be easy to operate but some will be bigger or have more involved than others. Simply pick the one you feel best suits your needs and budget. SureFire Fury Intellibeam 1500 Lumen Tactical FlashlightFenix PD36R 1600 Lumen Rechargeable Tactical FlashlightEnergizer LED Tactical FlashlightStreamlight Protac HL5-X Series Tactical Flashlight (500 to 3500 Lumen)Pelican 7600 Tactical FlashlightEagleTac T25C2 Tactical Flashlight5.11 Tactical Station 3D FlashlightNitecore TM03 Super Bright 2800 Lumen LED Tactical FlashlightSmith & Wesson M&P Duty Series RXP Tactical FlashlightSOG Dark Energy 750A Tactical Flashlight As you can see, many brands have gotten in on the action when it comes to the best tactical flashlights on the market. There are a lot of other options from each company too. However, we tracked down the most affordable and realistic options and feel you’ll like each one. Survival Tools Anyone seeking to survive in any actual climate is going to need a lot of different things if they want to survive comfortably. However, we do not know how long you’ll be outdoors or displaced from your home. It’ll be tough to know exactly what your needs will be. Having a few key survival tools is paramount if you plan on surviving for any length of time after a major disaster, pandemic, or the zombie apocalypse. Things like multi-tools, compasses, and knives can mean the difference between life and death! Having the ability to make fire is one of the most important survival skills that you will need in order to survive. Most would recommend a lighter or matches, which can both be helpful. However, we think that the best thing that you can use to light a fire is a Ferrocerium Rod, better known as a Ferro Rod. Flints can also be great too. We’ll recommend a few of these below for you. That said, let’s go into some of the stuff mentioned… Leatherman Tread Bracelet Multi-ToolVictorinox Swiss Army Multi-ToolGerber MP600 Multi-ToolSOG PowerAccess Deluxe Utility Multi-ToolLeatherman Wave Plus MultitoolGerber Gorge Folding ShovelSmittybilt 2728 Matte Black Tri-Fold ShovelWealers Pocket ChainsawSOG Flint Survival & Defense ToolBaylite Ferro RodLight My Fire Swedish FireSteelCoghlan's Mosquito NettingAtomic Bear Paracord BraceletX-Plore Gear Emergency Paracord BraceletCammenga Official US Miltary Tritium Lensatic CompassSharp Survival Best Camping Survival CompassGarmin Instinct Outdoor Watch & Compass As you can see, there are a lot of things to choose from when needing stuff for survival. Now, these are only tools but they will most certainly be helpful. You may not even need certain stuff like the shovel if you have other things that can do the trick too. Therefore, only take what is absolutely necessary. Space will be at a premium in your ultimate bug out bag, after all. Communication Devices This is a bit harder to go over, as communication can be accomplished with your traditional cell phone. However, let’s pretend the cell phone is just not going to work. It could always run out of battery, of course. Yet you might want to be capable of reaching your friends and family who might also be trying to survive too. In this case, you’ll want to look into Walkie Talkies. They are really helpful in situations like this and do not tend to have many service problems like cell phones. In addition, you could also benefit from signaling if you do not have one of these. It could be accomplished with compact mirrors. You simply hold the mirror up to the sun and people from miles away can see the reflection. Of course, traditional signal fires with lots of smoke will be useful too. However, if you need to get someone’s attention quicker then this can be accomplished with a flare. Flare Guns are useful in helping flares be seen from miles away but flares alone can be seen far away too. We’ll also recommend getting a solar power bank, as they can be useful to everyone in any situation. There are a lot of good ones, such as the Hiluckey Solar Charger. It’s powerful and charges a lot on a huge 26,800 mAH strength. Other than the fire material, we’ll recommend the best products in these categories below. Orion Alertlocate Plus Flare Kit 12 Gauge Garage Monkey Engineering LED Road Safety FlareOrion 15-Minute Road FlaresWobane LED Travel Makeup MirrorBeauty R Us Compact MirrorMidland GXT100VP4 Walkie TalkiesMotorola T260TP Walkie Talkie 3-PackArcshell Rechargeable Long Range Walkie Talkie 4-PackRetevis RT22 Walkie Talkies 6-PackCraftsman 16-Mile Long Range Walkie Talkies When it comes to Walkie Talkies, you want to find something durable and useful. However, you’re unlikely to need one if you are not with someone. They can be useful, but only when they can connect to a channel that someone else might be on. Therefore, we wanted to make sure we found 2 or more in a set. As that can be quite crucial, yet you’ll also notice the flare set. We found both traditional flares and LED road flares. The LED option lasts the longest but won’t be seen as far off as those shot from a flare gun. Depending on where you are, longevity along with how far it can be seen will be the biggest determining factor for you. Sometimes it’s a compromise on need here. Self-Defense A good survival knife is mandatory for any bug out bag checklist! Not only can it be used for cutting and sawing, but it also makes a great self-defense weapon! Not only that, they will also be crucial for hunting and skinning/gutting animals or fish you might catch. In case you have not figured it out yet, a knife can likely be the most crucial piece of survival gear that you’ll own. However, one can also benefit from an ax or tomahawk. Especially those made for tactical purposes and have a tool side. For those unaware, many tomahawks are two-sided. One side includes the blade but the other side could be like a pick or rounded out. The pick version is better in hunting or fighting situations while the rounded end can be useful as a tool. Axes are different by design and do not have another end to them usually. This is the main difference between the two as there really isn’t any other. Tomahawks were often used by tribes worldwide due to how useful they could be in both hunting and survival. They were especially notable in the Americas, with most Native American tribes having some version of one. This was without any European influence, as they tended to have axes only. Meanwhile, hatchets are also great for survival needs. They are essentially smaller axes, so they can be very useful when packing gear. Although both hatchets and axes tend to be top-heavy to give the blade more force. Tomahawks spread weight evenly more often than not, allowing them to feel lighter. This can make them even more useful in combat or tool use situations. There are a lot of great versions of all three as well as knives that you’ll absolutely love. The 4 bladed items will be what we recommend over that of guns. Let’s be honest, if you can pack a gun with you that is great but you’ll eventually run out of bullets, John Wick. That’s when you’ll need the blades. Let’s get started on them…. Cold Steel Trench Hawk TomahawkCRKT Kangee TomahawkSOG Tomahawk Tactical HatchetGerber Multi-Purpose Downrange TomahawkBrowning Shock N' Awe TomahawkM48 Red Tactical TomahawkSOG Outdoor Survival HatchetSchrade SCAXE10 11.1 HatchetEstwing Sportsman's AxeFiskars 378501-1002 X7 HatchetGerber Pack Hatchet Camping AxeSpyderco WarriorHawk HatchetSOG EDC Tactical Folding KnifeCRKT EDC Folding Pocket KnifeKershaw Knockout Pocket KnifeVictorinox Hunter Pro Lockback KnifeUnited Cutlery USMC Marine Force Recon Giant Bowie Knife While we tried to add as much variety as possible, we also wanted to make sure you ended up with the right type of blade and make. It’s well-worth the extra money to get a proper blade that will last you a long time. Ultimate Bug Out Bag Types and Checklist Often ignored when it comes to bug out bags is that there are actually different types that have their own specific purpose. Each will require different supplies, but will also have a lot of similar things too. However, the differences can be pretty important! There are 4 main types that we’re going to go over for you, those are: Basic SurvivalEmergencyDisasterEscape/Evade These may seem somewhat similar, but trust us when we tell you that there are some stark differences. This will involve possibly the amount you pack, the type of things you might need or want to avoid, and much more. For example, Basic Survival bags differ from Disaster bags because you may not know how long you’ll be needing to last in a disaster. Meanwhile, basic survival needs are only going to be true “needs” for a limited period of time. Keep in mind that we won’t be suggesting many specific products here. Rather, we’ll make reference to the stuff we mentioned above for you. It’ll simply be a plug and play process. Evasion or Escape Bug Out Bag This is one of the most complicated and horrible experiences one will ever find themselves in. If someone is after you and you’re trying to get out as fast as possible, you’ll want to bring along a few key things. Of course, some will tell you that you could not be prepared for such things as no one knows when they might need to escape or evade. However, isn’t that the very reason to have a bag like this at the ready? Preparedness gives you a headstart. On top of this, if you’re in an escape or evade situation the bag you pack will need to be well-stocked but also as light as possible. You’ll especially want to choose a backpack that has leg and/or waist straps. Not only will you possibly need to go into the deep outdoors to escape, but you might very well need to head a long distance. Make things easier on yourself by distributing the weight across your body, making it easier to carry the bag. You’ll also want to pack a flint or ferro rod as fire will be needed. However, you’re trying to not be found here, so you’ll want to avoid making too much fire or smoke. Keep that in mind. Hunting will be likely, possibly even fishing if you find a good water source. Therefore, a knife is clearly needed. Yet if you are found, you’ll want to be able to fight if you’re running from dangerous people. Tomahawks are perfect for this and can double as useful tools. Plus, they’re light. You’ll also be unable to start a fire at times, which means boiling water might be hard to do. So you’ll want to have a container to put water in along with water purification tablets. A lifestraw can help here too but the tablets are cheap and small, why not pack them? On top of all of this, you’ll have plenty of other needs that will obviously need to be addressed as time goes on. From clothing that blends in well with the likely environment you’re heading into to the obvious like a good flashlight, compass, etc. Here is the complete list of items you’ll want: Weight Distributing Backpack(from Arc’teryx, Granite, Gregory, Osprey, & North Face)Tactical KnifeTactical TomahawkBasic First Aid KitJacketFlannel ShirtShort-Sleeve And/Or Long-Sleeve Shirt(s)Breathable PantsBreathable SocksWater Purification TabletsPocket ChainsawFerro RodLightweight 1 to 2 Person TentSleeping BagMulti-ToolParacord BraceletMess Kit (for food)Tactical FlashlightWater Bottle/FlaskCompassMRE Food Emergency Ultimate Bug Out Bag When Emergencies come up, it is rare that you will be in a bad situation for very long. Therefore, the amount you pack will likely be less. You are not trying to escape or evade anyone, so you’ll want to be found as best you can. You also do not have to worry about the weight of your bag as much but you’ll obviously want to avoid carrying too much. Under true Emergencies, there are often places people will be told to go for both shelter and food. However, let’s pretend neither are present. You might be in the middle of nowhere without a vehicle, yet you need to escape this area and find people to help as soon as possible. That means a long walk but unless speed is a priority for you, the size of your bag needs to be easy to deal with while also stocked heavily. It is unlikely you’ll run into anyone you’ll need to fight so a tomahawk might not be as useful to you as a lighter hatchet. You will also want to make sure anyone at a distance can see you, so a proper flare gun with flares can be essential. You will not know how long this will take you, so take as much MRE food as you can put in your bag. Due to possible service issues, cell phones might not work for you as well as walkie talkies will if you’re leaving with another person. Plus, they can be useful to check off and on for signals in a given area. The medical kit you have on you might need to be larger as well as what you take to stand the elements. You might be able to boil water, so taking a proper pot/pan can be very useful. Yet water purification tablets are still going to be of use. These can also be great for cooking purposes. Here is the complete list of items you’ll want to take: Waterproof BackpackTactical KnifeTactical FlashlightHatchetMulti-ToolLarge First Aid KitPocket ChainsawParacord BraceletCompassMRE FoodWater Bottle/FlaskSmall PotSmall PanFerro Rod or FlintJacketFlannel ShirtShort-Sleeve And/Or Long-Sleeve Shirt(s)Waterproof or Water-Resistant PantsBreathable Socks1 to 3 Person TentSleeping BagWater Purification Tablets Basic Survival Ultimate Bug Out Bag As mentioned above, the length of time one might be in need of their ultimate bug out bag in terms of basic survival will be limited. You’ll also be able to handle walking long distances in many areas all over the world. Therefore, unless you’re in a specific part of the world where life is harder, finding a place to call home for a while won’t be very difficult. You’ll still possibly have some issues to deal with, but the amount of time you’ll be without somewhere to go should not be as long. However, you need to still plan like you might be out longer than you think. This is why you’ll want to pack a small pot and pan, MRE food or snack bars, water purification, tablets, first aid kit, etc. There are clear needs here that you’ll want to bring to the table. However, less needs than other ultimate bug out bags. Therefore, it’ll be best to take everything you need and even something extra just in case. However, you should not go overboard. Again, we’re in basic territory here. When it comes to clothing, you’ll want to pack what makes sense. For warmer environments, a jacket is not as useful as flannel shirts. Meanwhile, colder environments require more layers. That said, you can pick and choose certain stuff to add but we’re going to cover everything. Here are the main needs: Waterproof BackpackFlannel Shirt or Jacket & FlannelWaterproof/Water Resistant PantsShort or Long-Sleeve ShirtBreathable Socks1 to 3 Person TentSleeping BagWalkie TalkiesCompassMRE Food/Snack BarsWater Purification TabletsSmall Pot/PanMedium First Aid KitTactical KnifeTactical FlashlightMulti-ToolParacord BraceletLED Safety Flare & Regular Flare/Flare GunWater Bottle/FlaskFlint or Ferro Rod Disaster Ultimate Bug Out Bag When it comes to a disaster, everything could become a problem at any point. You want to not only be prepared for anything but also prepared for stuff you don’t even know about yet. This seems nearly impossible but it’s not as much as one might think. When you prepare, you’ll have everything you need for the stuff you don’t know about yet. In the world of survival, improvisation is the name of the game 90% of the time. This is why you want to give yourself as many tools as possible to help yourself. This also means you need to pack a lot more stuff because you’ll never know how long you’ll be alone or be isolated with one or more people who are in the same crappy position as you. In disasters, you can expect literally everything to suck. Power likely won’t be working, cell towers could be down, businesses could be burned to the ground or not in service, and you’ll be lucky if there’s any set shelter people can stay in. You’re better off kicking it outside in the best possible area you can. Yet there are lazy people in disasters who will want to steal from you rather than do something for themselves. Meanwhile, these same lazy people will have more energy than you most of the time due to their lack of work. You’ll obviously want to defend your stuff and will therefore need weaponry. You’ll also want to be smart and hide crucial items like a flint or ferro rod from potential looters while you’re away. Paracord will be needed for tying, knives will be needed for obvious reasons, and you’ll want to have as much food as you can pack. Obviously, you’ll try to hunt and put numerous traps together. Yet this may not work or take a while to do so, meaning you’ll want to have food for as long as you can. Seriously, when we tell you to be prepared for everything...we truly mean it. That said, we’re going to make some recommendations below for you, check it out and pick the items that’ll fit you best for your ultimate bug out back to help in a Disaster. Remember, while many of these items will be able to fit in the backpack you’ll be using, you can also carry some in your pockets or on a belt. They can also be carried on a shirt or inside of a jacket/coat pocket. Therefore, while there might be a lot of items, do not assume you cannot take some needed items. You can do so, especially when you have other places you can put things too. Ideally though, you’ll want to put as much in the bug out bag as you can. Check out the items below and be sure to pack most of them: Tactical Weight-Distributing Backpack 60L to 70LFerro Rod/FlintMulti-ToolTactical KnifeTactical TomahawkJacketFlannel ShirtsShort-Sleeve & Long-Sleeve ShirtsWaterproof/Water Resistant PantsPack of UnderwearPack of Breathable SocksNumerous Flares & Flare GunWater Bottles/Flasks or ContainersParacordTactical FlashlightMedium Extensive First Aid KitLots Of MRE Food & Snack BarsCompass2 to 4 Person Waterproof/Water Resistant Pop-Up TentSleeping BagWalkie TalkiesCompassWater Purification TabletsSmall Pot & PanPocket Chainsaw Conclusion At the end of the day, surviving any issue that comes your way is essential. You can handle it, as long as you’re properly prepared. As you can tell, there are a ton of things that will be needed for most to survive. Make no mistake, you will likely find yourself in possibly extreme survival situations. Whether it’s other people coming for you or animals prepared to make you their next meal. Even worse, issues like hypothermia, heat stroke, and starvation are all real possibilities you might face. These ultimate bug out bags contain supplies that will protect you and keep you alive long enough to get aid from the right people or simply make it back to civilization. Your ultimate bug out bag will contain what you need in it to help with most of this and so much more. The question is, what will be in your bug out bag?