The term Bug Out Bag (also called a “Go Bag” or a “72-Hour Survival Kit”) can be off-putting to a lot of people.
It makes it seem like you’re eagerly awaiting a chance to go berserk in the wilderness. Urban Dictionary even defines Bug Out as “an act of freaking out over usually nothing; overreacting.”
BUG OUT BAG CHECKLIST
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Terminology aside, a Bug Out Bag is essential to disaster planning and preparedness. Disasters can strike at any moment and can be more common than you would expect.
Even if you think these disasters will never occur, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? I sleep better knowing I’ve done everything in my power to keep my family safe!
As a report from the Heritage Foundation says, local governments are often overwhelmed during large-scale disasters. They rely on state and federal governments to help in these situations. However, it takes an average of 72 hours for state and federal governments to respond.
Because you can’t rely on the government to help you immediately (or at all, depending on the type of disaster), you should be self-sufficient for at least three days.
Some people prefer to make their Bug Out Bags for even longer periods.
There are many Bug Out Bag lists out there that will tell you exactly what to pack. However, these lists ignore the fact that everyone has different survival needs.
Please don’t follow any Bug Out Bag checklist blindly. Instead, think about the following:
To ensure no critical item gets overlooked on the Bug Out Bag list, I encourage people to divide the gear into categories based on goal/task.
See here for some real-life examples of bug out bag contents.
These categories are the essentials you will need to stay alive.
Water is your #1 most important item for survival in a disaster situation. Depending on the disaster, the normal water sources may be completely contaminated – such as after a nuclear attack.
For most, shelter probably means using a tarp or a tent. There is considerable debate about whether a tarp or tent is best for your Bug Out Bag. It really comes down to your level of experience. If you don’t have experience sleeping in tarp shelters, go for a tent.
Choose a tent that has the highest hydrostatic head rating you can find while still being lightweight.
The rating tells you how well it will withstand water (as well as its ability to resist snags). Don’t go with anything less than a 2500 rating!
You will also need a sleeping bag, bivvy bag, or emergency blanket for each person.
I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the many types of survival shelters and learn how to make a shelter out of debris. You never know if your tent will get lost or stolen, so this knowledge could save you!
According to the survival rule of three, you can go 3 weeks without food. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include food in your Bug Out Bag list. People get grumpy and angry when hungry.
Choose non-perishable, high-protein, and high-fat foods (you’ll need the energy!). You’ll probably want to avoid canned goods because they are so heavy.
If you aren’t sure what food is suitable, read this post for 50+ Bug Out Bag Food Ideas.
Fire isn’t just about warmth.
I’ve met people with a complete weapons arsenal in their Bug Out Bags. A firearm certainly seems like a good idea. However, multiple firearms are just likely to weigh you down.
You may also want to consider pepper spray for your BOB. It is a great non-lethal weapon.
You won’t need much for hygiene, so don’t bring shampoos or deodorants. Here are some essentials:
When it comes to clothes for your Bug Out Bag, you don’t need more than a spare shirt and pants. Who cares if you are stinky and dirty – you will be alive!
As for the selection of clothes, choose wool items or camping clothes (usually synthetics) because they dry quickly.
If you get wet while bugging out, it could quickly lead to hypothermia, so you want to have that rain jacket, dry clothes, and socks to change into.
A wide-brimmed hat is also suitable for keeping rain and sun out of your eyes.
I keep extra socks in my BOB because keeping your feet dry is so important. I also have my boots next to my BOB in case of SHTF while wearing sneakers or sandals.
Recommended reading:
As for first aid, stick to the essentials. You don’t need a tourniquet in this kit, but you will need a multi-purpose tool like a Leatherman, which has small scissors, bandages, antiseptic wipes, and burn gel.
Imagine all of the obstacles and dangers you might encounter when fleeing a disaster.
These obstacles can be overcome with gear such as heavy-duty gloves, a crowbar, flashlight, and face mask.
To ensure you don’t miss anything, do your best to visualize what could happen during a disaster. These types of gear are included in the Bug Out Bag checklist below.
However, everyone’s Bug Out Bag list will be different, so it pays to visualize potential disaster scenarios.
Finally, don’t forget to include all the essential documents you might need in an emergency, such as your ID, passport, phone numbers, and photos of family members (in case you get separated).
Our Emergency Binder template will come in handy for this; it is a binder of forms and worksheets that anyone can quickly fill out. Type your info into the PDF, save a digital copy, and print out a copy—view Template.
(Optional Items)
See our checklist bundle for printable versions of this checklist and 16 others.
Hanging out with ultra-light backpackers has taught me a lot about reducing weight from my pack. These are people who know that every ounce counts.
An ounce might not seem like a lot – until you consider that it only takes 16 ounces to make a pound. Doing things (which might seem crazy at first) like cutting the edges off of your maps, those ounces can quickly add up to significant savings.
Backpackers say you should only carry 15% to 25% of your body weight. However, that’s backpacking. We are talking about bugging out. You might need to run with your pack on – so cutting weight is even more critical.
If your pack weighs more than 30lbs, I suggest reading this post on How to Cut Weight from Your Bug Out Bag. Some of the things you’ll need to focus on are:
This tip doesn’t get mentioned much. Instead, most people seem to encourage preppers to fill their BOBs to the max.
You should leave room in your BOB because you never know what you will find.
I don’t believe you need to spend a fortune to prepare for a disaster. Do what you can with your allotted budget.
But let’s be honest. While a $5 flashlight is better than no flashlight, it probably isn’t going to withstand the elements very well!
Not all of your gear needs to be super high-quality. To make the most of your budget, prioritize items. These are the ones I believe to be the most important:
Whether you plan on bugging out in the city or remote wilderness, boots are likely a must-have. You’ll need boots to protect your feet from rubble like broken glass, flaming debris, and tough terrain.
The problem is that many of us don’t wear our boots every day. Thus, we keep our boots next to our BOBs to quickly put them on in case we need to flee.
A BOB at home isn’t won’t do much good if disaster strikes while you are at work. Make multiple BOBs and keep them at:
Additionally, you will want to have a Get-Home Bag in your car.
Bugging out on a nice summer day is fine. You could probably even survive with no gear (though not very comfortably or safely).
When the weather gets bad, though, things are tougher! Here are some of the things that can happen with rain or cold:
These problems (and many others) can be avoided with careful planning. For example, you’ll probably want to bring a survival shovel for building a snow cave. Use a wet sack inside your Bug Out Bag to keep items dry.
The most crucial piece of prepping advice (whether for bugging out or hunkering down) is to run a survival drill.
Follow your Bug Out Plan using just the items in your BOB.
How well were you able to survive?
Chances are you will come up with flaws in your BOB contents – like realizing that your knife is not suitable for batoning wood or your pack is too heavy to carry long distances.
That is what prepping is all about: Strategizing, testing, and adjusting plans.
No plan is perfect, but with drills and careful planning, you can get it as nearly perfect as possible.
Hikers use a general rule that your pack should be less than a quarter of your body weight, but they are not bugging out where you may need to run or hide. For a Bug Out Bag, we suggest aiming for 10 to 15% of your body weight; for a 200lb adult, aim for a 20lb pack.
What size should a bug out bag be?This depends on many factors and, of course, your physical fitness. But as a general rule, 30 liters is a good size Bug Out Bag for an average adult.
How much water should you carry in a bug out bag?You should carry 1 to 3 Quarts of water per person and have a water filter and bottle to replenish supplies.
How long should a bug out bag last?You should aim to pack enough to survive for 72 hours in an emergency. This will give you enough time to evacuate from a disaster and wait for federal or government response.
just like to say if you’re not in a situation where you aren’t going to really be fighting other humans bows can be a nice alternative to guns. you can practice anywhere, can hunt game, are silent, reusable ammo and if need be you can craft more arrows or the bow itself. like I said for self-defense against humans you won’t do so well but against mother nature in the long run can achieve better results. (p.s. might wanna get a backpack with a bow hook and quiver) Reply
Unwaxed dental floss and a needle is as good a sewing kit as you’ll need; it comes with a built in cutter, is self-packaged, and there’s multiple uses for it besides mending. I’d also like to say that ‘fleeing’ is misleading. Most people have nowhere to ‘flee’ to. Reply
A small plastic pencil sharpener is a useful item to have and it weighs next to nothing. Its easy to make kindling with and pointed sticks are easier to use with shish kebab type of cooking. Reply
The main think….you better know in advance where you are going to “bug out” to. Make sure in advance that you know the best and safest route to get there. Also, what is available there to keep you safe, fed, etc. Reply
Lisa R FlandersThe BOB weight of 10-15% for me would be 11-17 lb. I’m also an older person.
The lists sound great, but it seems like even just the suggested 1-3 qts of water would be 2-6 lb. and take up too much space in that small of a pack. I’m wondering how to best prioritize? Reply
As a petite woman, I have the same issue. I’m a backpacker though, so I’ve gotten really good at going “ultralight” and getting my pack weight down. There are some good suggestions in this post: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/cut-weight-from-your-survival-backpack/ Also check out ultralight backpacking forums. They’ve got lots of great tips.
*As for water, I’ve made sure my bug out routes are near water sources and I’ve got a good water treatment system in my BOB. Then I don’t have to stress about carrying as much water. Reply
Water needs are different second to body mass
So we ( I’m too pretty thin weighing about 58kg) should calculate the water needs on our weight
Personally I rarely drink more than 2lt of water in the whole day during summer and an active workout, During winter in a normal day 1/1.2lt is all I need.
Also is important in focusing how and where find water, and bring a filtration system Reply
At 70 years young I have survived many natural disasters. These include tornadoes, wild fires, earthquakes and many hurricanes. In each case the “government” did NOT show up within 72 hours! That is why I never recommend a 72 hour BOB. My personal BOB is packed with enough light weight food to last two weeks. To accompany these provisions I always carry snare wire and a light weight fishing kit. I also carry at least two books, a wild edible foods guide and a book on medicinal wild plants and how to prepare them. All of these should be used from day ONE. Reserve the food you carry in your BOB for those unlucky days when you can find nothing else to eat. You WILL last a lot longer if you do and you will not starve to death. Reply
I you live an an area that gets cold, use a real back pack and not a bag so that you can carry a real sleeping bag and tent or tarp/mylar. Good luck out in freezing weather with a tube tent or space blanket! I have camped many nights in the snow and I have mostly done it with just a 9×9 mylar , tarp, and backpacking matris and sleeping bag. I think it would not be good at all with just a tube tent/space blanket that is on a lot of BOB lists. Reply
Primal SurvivorYes every BOB will be different and must be tailored to your own circumstances and climate. You can see our reviews of the best survival sleeping bags here. Reply
Can I recommend everyone carry at least one course of amoxycillin-clavulanic acid. It’s a great all purpose antibiotic, weighs nothing, and could easily prevent a simple cut becoming a life threatening septic mess. You should be able to get a script if you tell your doc you’re travelling overseas and would prefer to carry a supply of abs. Also, in Australia, a pressure bandage is a must. Snake venom has to travel through the lymphatics before it reaches the blood stream in many cases. So a well placed pressure bandage can effectively trap any venom in the area bitten for over a day and prevent the need for immediate access to an ER if you’re unable to reach one. Most dogs will survive on garbage and human remains if there is a major catastrophe, so just don’t leave them locked in your yard if you think you’ll be gone longer than a week. Cats are supreme hunters and will have no trouble surviving on insects and small animals. Reply
Great lists here. I would add a mechanical analog wrist watch. In a survival situation, knowing the time will be important. Examples: gauging distances traveled, planning when to bivouac for the night, and to offset going crazy while waiting around. Also, I must plan for a northern climate. I always include an axe for chopping enough fuel to stay warm through the night and a small coffee metal can and long lasting candles for added warmth & light inside a car. Addendum… needles & thread, fingernail clippers, good tweezers, small scissors, long Ace cloth bandage, Zippo lighter, instant coffee, sugar packets, & powdered hot cocoa mix. Reply
Primal Survivor Great additions Couch and reiterates the point about customizing your bag to local conditions. Reply Lynne ShapiroA little humor.
“You know how you can tell the Baby Boomers? They’re the ones that wear a watch.”. Reply
I think bug spray and sun screen would also be good, too. Hard to be focused with a sun burn and bug bites. Reply
Primal SurvivorYeah for sure – this is just a guide, it needs to be personalized to your own needs and climate etc. Reply
I think this list is good too for a person that would not be able to get home but would need to wait where they are until a family member could get to them. For instance I know someone who would have to go thru the middle of a city to get home and I know she would get lost trying to go around the town. Someone would need to go get her at her work place. Reply
Cash: don’t carry $20 bills. We had a major blackout here and convenience stores were selling packs of 2 batteries for $20, not giving change. Since then I keep small dollar store change purses of quarters, loonies, townies, & $5 bills. Maybe a ten. Cash talks when debit & credit are down Reply
Primal Survivor Good common sense advice. Reply Lynne ShapiroAfter Katrina, FEMA recommended $200 in one dollar bills.
Obviously, this was years ago and you may need more. Reply
Still trying to find the bug out bag checklist I don’t know how many web pages later but I’m still looking Reply
Primal SurvivorThere is a sign up form near the top of the post, enter your email address and it will be sent to your inbox. Reply
I wanted a 4 season shelter/sleep setup that was 5 lbs or less, very compact, is not effected by geting wet, all of it being capable of being worn as a poncho. What I came up with was a highly modified Escape bivvy, a bag made out of a 6×8 PEVA shower curtain, a bag made out of a pair of casualty blankets, a bugnet bag. I used velcro to create a seall the way around the Escape. I added a removable hood, with drawstring and another drawstring at the neck. I made the bivvy a foot longer and 6″ wider at the shoulder. I created the other bags by installing a snap every 5″, all the way around and by sewing (1 edge only) a 3/4″ wide strip of muslin sheet. These strips “tangle” and hold in body heat really well. The casualty bag is stiff enough to serve as a pack frame, letting me save weight and money in my pick of backpack. The shoulder straps and hip belt can be padded with dark socks and underwear. This again lets me save weight and pack cost. My hammock is made out of monofilament gillnet, minus the lead weights, becomes a hammock via the muletapeThe bugnet bag is of course
useful vs bugs, but it also protects vs condensation inside of the Escape bivvy. If I get inside all of the bags, I can sleep pk (by virtue of an Ambien pill) at freezing temps, given two sets of long johns, wearing my (unlaced boots or 2 sets of socks) gloves, shemaugh around the face, (keep head inside the bags) neck gaiter, boonie hat,, and balaclava. This is if I”m up in a hammock or on a pile of dry debris. If I add dry debris between all the bags and the layers of clothing, I can sleep ok at 20F, and suffer thru the night at `10F, or sleep ok with a seated position and the UCO candle lantern (beeswax candles only) or happy rocks/water bottles giving off heat between my feet. I can handle 0F if I can have the aluminum foil reflector on the far side of a Dakota fire pit, using the happy rocks, and the PEVA over the propped open end of the bivvy. If it’s below zero, it’s unlikely (at night, at least) that anyone will bother you if you use a Siberian fire lay to “project” heat 6 ft or so, “aimed” at the propped open head end of the bivvy. The clear PEVA lets in radiant heat, but then traps it. If you set up the gear as a supershelter, 0F at night can become 40F by noon, if the sun comes out, due to the greenhouse effect. Reply
Bit more “hardcore” than most balisong but sounds like an amazing custom solution you got going on there. Reply
Cold Steel shovel, Crunch multitool with saw blades, lockaid “gun”, 2 qts of water, (depending upon the area) 1 plastic canteen, one plastic canteen, water filter, water treatment pills/fluids, 2 canteen cups, medical kit (to include tape and condoms) firekit, heavy-duty trekking poles, Kindle reader with survival info, “shaker” AA light with Campmor headband to hold it, keychain led light, 2 lbs of rations (almond butter, Tang, instant oatmeal, powdered Gatorade, spices, Day pack, OD green socks, underwear, sleeping/shelter gear (5 lbs) about 5 lbs of clothing/boots(beyond what you’d wear to the office) NVD goggles, about 25 lbs. 3 lbs of soft armor, 2 lbs of pistol and ammo, and possibly another 12 lbs of autorifle, silencer, scope and ammo. Reply
