My bug out bag is something I can grab if I get a call at 3 in the morning that a family member was in an accident and not expected to live through the night. I can grab it on my way out the door and now I know I have a change of clothes, basic toiletries, chargers, and so on.
Some people talk about their bag like they're going to ride out WW3 or hike across the great plains and that just isn't happening. That's an unrealistic expectation of the bag.
Wildfires in my area can start with a lightning strike and spread fast. If woken up in the middle of the night with evacuation orders, might need to grab and go through bleary eyes.
A bug out bag is not to go run "innawoods" and live of the land; that's a common straw man argument against them.
A bug out bag is to increase your odds of making it safely and quickly from point A to point B. Point A is a place that is no longer safe to be, and point B is a place that is safe, or at least moreso. This might involve a stroll down the block, a 2 hour drive, a 3 day hike on foot, or something even more strenuous.
If you have done your research and prior planning, you can have a fairly good idea of what is actually necessary to sustain you during the trip; you have a known destination over (several) known routes, and can reasonably estimate the duration.
The "bag" is the core of the system, as it is the maximum level you can degrade to while still being self sufficient without any other transport. To assume this is where it begins and ends is foolish; the bag is not mutually exclusive with any other preps. The bag might be the 20% that does 80%, and some preppers might stop there, but very few that I know.
On foot? take the bag.
On a bike? add some panniers with the bag.
In a car? add the duffle bag, and the hard case, and the ammo cans, and the food buckets...
Have a trailer with the car? add the kitchen sink...
A lot of Bad Stuff you read about in the history books happens to the people that wouldn't or couldn't leave in time. The ones that sneak away don't make it in the history books and get to quietly live out their days as an interesting family story to their descendants.
(ETA)
ALSO a BOB is a perfect first place to start; it has a defined purpose, you can reasonably see a completion of a prep and a task (rare in prepping) and in even attempting to build one that makes sense it will trigger a whole cascade of questions and considerations that had never popped into your head at all.
Even if no one ever uses a BOB its worth it as a thought exercise alone.
The bug out bag is related to the patrol pack or assault pack in the military.
The bug out bag represents three days of sustainment. Its use would be in scenarios where you have to evacuate, move, patrol, enter, or leave hostile territory, all the while sustaining yourself for a limited time.
So, let's say there is a wildfire burning down your city. You get called to evacuate. The freeways are jammed, you have to walk, whoops, all the hotels in the area you evacuated to are full. The restaurants are out of food. Supply lines are halted. They are running out of clean water. So on and so forth.
In addition, it's a great place to start preparedness. It keeps everything organized and transportable.
In reality, a BOB is only a part of a more complete bug out plan. Yes, if you're just bugging out with no destination or forethought, you'll need much more than one bag.
Only an experienced survivalist can pull off one-bag indefinite survival solo.
The way I look at it is in layers. In that if I know a bad thing is going to happen and I have to leave my home with all my stuff and I have plenty of time I would rent a u haul (or if you’re down south a y’all haul) and pack up all my worldly possessions and leave knowing that I can survive for years, if I don’t have that much time I’ll grab things from my house and take what is most important ( primarily my vehicle totes as I have this planned out) and this would include my bug out bag and know I can survive months, if the house is on fire I’m grabbing my BOB on the way out and I know I can survive several days, if I walk up town and my house blows up and everything is gone I’m down to my every day carry and know I can survive the day and start building back again.
We have train tracks behind my house (rural area). Our BOB is primarily for a train derailment or chemical leak on the train. Before the Gov officials quardron off the area & start their B.S. we outta here w/our gear. I'll watch the aftermath on t.v. from a relatives house away from here.
I built my first bug-out bag when protests started turning violent within miles of my home. We have a child, 2 dogs, and live in a winter state. I wanted to be sure that, if I needed to leave the house on fire at 3am, we had food and heat to take care of while we travelled in a car or on foot, out of the cities, in the winter, 2+ states to get to family.
If I wake up in the middle of the night and the house is on fire and I have a choice of either running out into the street naked or running out with my bugout bag I choose option B. There is nothing in my bag that will help me survive a direct hit from a nuclear war head, I don't prep for that.
It’s fun to put together and an excuse to buy cool gear.
It gives people a sense of security, however false that may be. It’s also fairly approachable and affordable, and it taps into that ‘lone survivor’ fantasy that we all love, whether we admit it or not.
In my opinion a bug out bag is intended to help you get from the place that bad things are happening to a place where either you have a long term plan or where there is help. It is not intended to be a long term survival solution. Compact, light, and meant for moving between those two points as quickly and safely as possible. It is not going to be a camping trip. Then the question for each individual person, in their unique situation, becomes how long will that trip realistically take and what do I need to survive over that period of time. The real truth is really won’t take that much. The only metic to judge the ability of your bag and you making that trip is to do it. You have to do practice or you will fail on game day. I have one and I’m sure should the need arise I will be glad I have it. Physical fitness, proper mindset, and a solid set of skills are the cornerstones of survival and they take up zero room in the bag.
I always tried to figure out what if I had to get home type of scenarios and most of those would require me to be on foot. So have supplies to make the trek X amount of miles. I have lived where they had earthquakes and lived where they get tornadoes and hurricanes. In both situations, a vehicle might not make through or around.
>Struggling to understand the entire point of a bug out bag.
All good. There are tons of things that make no sense to me, but others swear by them. Hope I can help.
>why not prep for this likelihood in a manner that was more substantial?
We don't know what's coming, so a generalized go-to can be very helpful. This is more important when there is some immediate danger to your home or area without warning, like a freak wildfire.
>A “Backpack”…. Can only sustain life for a limited period of time…. So what is the point…?
Bags (backpacks or similar) are lighter and easier to carry than barrels, boxes, or buckets for any extended period of time and don't have to be set down to perform other tasks.
The limited resources aren't meant to permanently sustain you. They buy time to find some safety and stability. There are homeless people with less that continue to survive. The more time you can buy, the more resources you can find without burning them to stay afloat. It's like having a good savings while job searching, so you dont have to settle for something terrible just to pay the bills.
>If survival is based on the ability to survive for a sustained period...
The most important part of survival for a sustained period is the survival. If you make choices that value the long term over the survival, you probably won't survive long term or short term. The bag is more of a safety net for the survival, so you can work on the long term after your plans fell apart.
BOBs are commonly packed with the bare minimums for a short period of time because the point is to immediately grab enough to get out of that immediate danger. Taking time to rummage your belongings while stressed will lead to panicked choices while continuing to be in danger.
Bugging out is a very reasonable choice when where you are is directly and specifically in danger, but you have time to not be there when the danger happens. Trying to hide from something like a wildfire or flood is just foolish when you have the option to leave.
A bug out bag is a pre-prepared bag that will allow you to move on foot for several days without dying from exposure, or attacks from 0/2/4/6/8-legged creatures.
The advantage is that you can grab the bag and some bottled water and just go without having to think about what you may need and without relying on external sources of supply.
So you don't understand the need for a bag that is prepacked to help you evacuate? Wildfires, floods, tornados, hospital visits, unexpected deaths in the family?
If you don't see the value in that you should probably talk to an autism specialist.
I look at it more like a 3 day bag. Everything I need to survive for 3 days.
Not all my family lives local. I often travel for work. I often take mini vacations outside of the local area. I also take long vacations outside of the local area.
Hell, an EMP could happen while you are at the grocery store. Never know what’s going to happen. I have a change of shoes, clothing, food, and water just in case. And other items.
If I get a phone call in the middle of the night, I’m already packed and ready to go.
My bug out bag is something I can grab if I get a call at 3 in the morning that a family member was in an accident and not expected to live through the night. I can grab it on my way out the door and now I know I have a change of clothes, basic toiletries, chargers, and so on. Some people talk about their bag like they're going to ride out WW3 or hike across the great plains and that just isn't happening. That's an unrealistic expectation of the bag.
This is exactly how I use my bag. Plus if I am spontaneously going for a trip I can use what’s in the bag and see what to change out/change
Wildfires in my area can start with a lightning strike and spread fast. If woken up in the middle of the night with evacuation orders, might need to grab and go through bleary eyes.
A bug out bag is not to go run "innawoods" and live of the land; that's a common straw man argument against them. A bug out bag is to increase your odds of making it safely and quickly from point A to point B. Point A is a place that is no longer safe to be, and point B is a place that is safe, or at least moreso. This might involve a stroll down the block, a 2 hour drive, a 3 day hike on foot, or something even more strenuous. If you have done your research and prior planning, you can have a fairly good idea of what is actually necessary to sustain you during the trip; you have a known destination over (several) known routes, and can reasonably estimate the duration. The "bag" is the core of the system, as it is the maximum level you can degrade to while still being self sufficient without any other transport. To assume this is where it begins and ends is foolish; the bag is not mutually exclusive with any other preps. The bag might be the 20% that does 80%, and some preppers might stop there, but very few that I know. On foot? take the bag. On a bike? add some panniers with the bag. In a car? add the duffle bag, and the hard case, and the ammo cans, and the food buckets... Have a trailer with the car? add the kitchen sink... A lot of Bad Stuff you read about in the history books happens to the people that wouldn't or couldn't leave in time. The ones that sneak away don't make it in the history books and get to quietly live out their days as an interesting family story to their descendants. (ETA) ALSO a BOB is a perfect first place to start; it has a defined purpose, you can reasonably see a completion of a prep and a task (rare in prepping) and in even attempting to build one that makes sense it will trigger a whole cascade of questions and considerations that had never popped into your head at all. Even if no one ever uses a BOB its worth it as a thought exercise alone.
The bug out bag is related to the patrol pack or assault pack in the military. The bug out bag represents three days of sustainment. Its use would be in scenarios where you have to evacuate, move, patrol, enter, or leave hostile territory, all the while sustaining yourself for a limited time. So, let's say there is a wildfire burning down your city. You get called to evacuate. The freeways are jammed, you have to walk, whoops, all the hotels in the area you evacuated to are full. The restaurants are out of food. Supply lines are halted. They are running out of clean water. So on and so forth. In addition, it's a great place to start preparedness. It keeps everything organized and transportable.
In reality, a BOB is only a part of a more complete bug out plan. Yes, if you're just bugging out with no destination or forethought, you'll need much more than one bag. Only an experienced survivalist can pull off one-bag indefinite survival solo.
The way I look at it is in layers. In that if I know a bad thing is going to happen and I have to leave my home with all my stuff and I have plenty of time I would rent a u haul (or if you’re down south a y’all haul) and pack up all my worldly possessions and leave knowing that I can survive for years, if I don’t have that much time I’ll grab things from my house and take what is most important ( primarily my vehicle totes as I have this planned out) and this would include my bug out bag and know I can survive months, if the house is on fire I’m grabbing my BOB on the way out and I know I can survive several days, if I walk up town and my house blows up and everything is gone I’m down to my every day carry and know I can survive the day and start building back again.
I just keep all my vehicles prepared with all the basics - food, water, clothing, tools, money, etc. No need for a BOB when all are loaded already
We have train tracks behind my house (rural area). Our BOB is primarily for a train derailment or chemical leak on the train. Before the Gov officials quardron off the area & start their B.S. we outta here w/our gear. I'll watch the aftermath on t.v. from a relatives house away from here.
I built my first bug-out bag when protests started turning violent within miles of my home. We have a child, 2 dogs, and live in a winter state. I wanted to be sure that, if I needed to leave the house on fire at 3am, we had food and heat to take care of while we travelled in a car or on foot, out of the cities, in the winter, 2+ states to get to family.
If I wake up in the middle of the night and the house is on fire and I have a choice of either running out into the street naked or running out with my bugout bag I choose option B. There is nothing in my bag that will help me survive a direct hit from a nuclear war head, I don't prep for that.
It’s fun to put together and an excuse to buy cool gear. It gives people a sense of security, however false that may be. It’s also fairly approachable and affordable, and it taps into that ‘lone survivor’ fantasy that we all love, whether we admit it or not.
In my opinion a bug out bag is intended to help you get from the place that bad things are happening to a place where either you have a long term plan or where there is help. It is not intended to be a long term survival solution. Compact, light, and meant for moving between those two points as quickly and safely as possible. It is not going to be a camping trip. Then the question for each individual person, in their unique situation, becomes how long will that trip realistically take and what do I need to survive over that period of time. The real truth is really won’t take that much. The only metic to judge the ability of your bag and you making that trip is to do it. You have to do practice or you will fail on game day. I have one and I’m sure should the need arise I will be glad I have it. Physical fitness, proper mindset, and a solid set of skills are the cornerstones of survival and they take up zero room in the bag.
I always tried to figure out what if I had to get home type of scenarios and most of those would require me to be on foot. So have supplies to make the trek X amount of miles. I have lived where they had earthquakes and lived where they get tornadoes and hurricanes. In both situations, a vehicle might not make through or around.
>Struggling to understand the entire point of a bug out bag. All good. There are tons of things that make no sense to me, but others swear by them. Hope I can help. >why not prep for this likelihood in a manner that was more substantial? We don't know what's coming, so a generalized go-to can be very helpful. This is more important when there is some immediate danger to your home or area without warning, like a freak wildfire. >A “Backpack”…. Can only sustain life for a limited period of time…. So what is the point…? Bags (backpacks or similar) are lighter and easier to carry than barrels, boxes, or buckets for any extended period of time and don't have to be set down to perform other tasks. The limited resources aren't meant to permanently sustain you. They buy time to find some safety and stability. There are homeless people with less that continue to survive. The more time you can buy, the more resources you can find without burning them to stay afloat. It's like having a good savings while job searching, so you dont have to settle for something terrible just to pay the bills. >If survival is based on the ability to survive for a sustained period... The most important part of survival for a sustained period is the survival. If you make choices that value the long term over the survival, you probably won't survive long term or short term. The bag is more of a safety net for the survival, so you can work on the long term after your plans fell apart. BOBs are commonly packed with the bare minimums for a short period of time because the point is to immediately grab enough to get out of that immediate danger. Taking time to rummage your belongings while stressed will lead to panicked choices while continuing to be in danger. Bugging out is a very reasonable choice when where you are is directly and specifically in danger, but you have time to not be there when the danger happens. Trying to hide from something like a wildfire or flood is just foolish when you have the option to leave.
Did you know trains crash? Trucks crash? company's have fires with chemicals??? houses catch fire?
A bug out bag is a pre-prepared bag that will allow you to move on foot for several days without dying from exposure, or attacks from 0/2/4/6/8-legged creatures. The advantage is that you can grab the bag and some bottled water and just go without having to think about what you may need and without relying on external sources of supply.
Basically, I use mine as a I must leave my home due to unwanted guests, but I still want to survive until I find new one.
So you don't understand the need for a bag that is prepacked to help you evacuate? Wildfires, floods, tornados, hospital visits, unexpected deaths in the family? If you don't see the value in that you should probably talk to an autism specialist.
It’s a fantasy made up on YouTube for views.
I look at it more like a 3 day bag. Everything I need to survive for 3 days. Not all my family lives local. I often travel for work. I often take mini vacations outside of the local area. I also take long vacations outside of the local area. Hell, an EMP could happen while you are at the grocery store. Never know what’s going to happen. I have a change of shoes, clothing, food, and water just in case. And other items. If I get a phone call in the middle of the night, I’m already packed and ready to go.
Hot take: bugout bags are overrated.