What is a Bug Out Bag?
In a survival situation, is makes sense to have emergency supplies and and a first aid kit. It’s even smarter to prepare for when disaster strikes and assemble your own bug out bag. Whether it’s natural disasters or another type of emergency situation, you need to have a bug out bag and a bug out plan that you can implement at any point in everyday life. Even something as simple as rain gear can make a huge difference in carrying out your bug out plan.
In times of an emergency, whether nature, economic or manmade disasters, you need to make sure that you always have everything you need in a comfortable pack. We will get deeper into this, but remember to take your body weight and required water storage into account. Evacuating your place for your safety due to emergency situations or imminent threats are never too far from reality—which is why having a bug out bag is very important. The term was first coined in the 1940s, when the army had to pack up immediately and leave as soon as possible, this is where the term “bug out” got its name.
No one likes to think or even wish for a disaster to strike their community, but no one knows when or where a disaster can strike (we’ve outlined the damage something like an EMP can do in our blog). We cannot stop or control these disasters that might occur, but we have choices and control with ourselves to take action now and start building out a big out bag and emergency kit for preparation. Because when a disaster does occur, the only way to overcome it is to be prepared at a moment’s notice. And believe it or not, it’s easier to be prepared for natural disaster or another emergency than you’d think. You just need to carry the right items in your bug out bag!
Survival gear doesn’t need to be complicated, and Prepper Base is here to help dispel the notion that you need to be some kind of survival expert in order to get starter prepping. And the first thing about prepping is assembling a good bag. A good bug out bag, that is. On this site we get into some of the most detailed aspects of assembling a good bug out bag, like water filtration system, what makes a good sleeping bag, the best fire starter, we even talk about the Ham radio as well.
The key of having a good bug out bag is to be ahead of most people when disaster strikes. This means packing some of the following items: important documents like phone numbers and a driver’s license, money, a wool blanket, multi tool, hand sanitizer, food, toilet paper, first aid, water filters, a sturdy fixed blade knife, and more gear. A premade kit can be a good start, but you really need to build your own bug out bag in order to know everything that’s packed and you can have fast access to what you’ll need most often. You can also ensure proper weight distribution and make sure you have the right bag for the job, since your bug out bag might be one of your best friends for a while.
Bein prepared for the worst but hoping for the best is the Prepper Base mentality You can’t imagine how important a good bug out bag could be when infrastructure stars falling apart. When you have everything you need, you can put all your energy into keeping safe.
Bug Out Bag Articles, Guides and Reviews
Here are Prepper Base we have dedicated ourselves to keeping people informed. We have dedicated ourselves to the prepping lifestyle.
And that means that we have the privilege to write about our prepping and survivalist passion and share valuable information with you all. Check out some of our guides and reviews. We’ve got some great info about prepping along with some prepping and bug out strategies as well. We talk about Food, Water, Outdoor Survival, Prepping Equipment, and even more on our Blog!
But read on if you’re interested in more bug out bag info.
Bug Out Bag Basics
One of the basics about a bug out bag is that it must get you from a disaster or emergency area to safety or your bug out location.
That means your bug out bag needs to get you from one location to another- and that might involve long periods of walking with your bug out bag.
So first off, get something you can comfortably carry for a long distance.
Second, you don’t know if medical facilities will be available, so get some first aid kits. If you’re lucky you might be able to contact someone, so a cell phone is a good idea too.
Third, water might become an issue if you’re on a journey for a few days to your bug out location. So make sure your bug out bag has a water filter, water purification tablets, or a dependable method to boil water.
When it comes to bug out bags, try to pack light and carry only the necessities. If you are undecided on packing some supplies, leave that gear out of the bag. Remember you could be walking for a long time with your bug out bag- keep it to the essentials.
Some Final Words Before You Dig Into Bug Out Bags
It all starts with a good pack. The best bug out bags are made with backpacks that have quality materials and other details like carry loops, pockets for supplies, etc.
Once you have your pack sorted out, the next step is packing itself. This is where many people lose their way. Soon we’ll have an entire post all about how to pack your gear, food, first aid kit, sleeping bag, and the rest or your emergency supplies as efficiently as possible.
And just because you’re in a survival situation doesn’t mean that you need to neglect important things like food and proper hygiene. Grab a shower or a dip in a (clean) river whenever you get the chance, and ration food properly to give yourself energy to stay alert.
Remember that you need to be able to access the most important gear as quickly as possible when you are dealing with your bug out bag. Check out some of the links above and start making a list in your head for your future bug out bag.