Bug Out Bag inventory sugegstions

[Patronus]

I'm working on a BoB. Trouble is I can't fit my shotgun, AK, Wal-Mart, MKT(Mobile Kitchen Trailer) and Kroger in it and the dang Doctor keeps climbing back out. Think maybe I'm gonna have to either get a bigger bag or a shorter list.

Any suggestions?

 

[jsquared]

I put a balance between things I will need for a long time (shelter, clothes, guns, water purification, etc), things I would need constantly (food, ammo, batteries, etc), and things I would want to hang on to no matter what (financial info, ID cards, birth certificate/passport, etc). Mine is by no means complete or even close to complete but thinking along those lines made it a little easier to form a list of what to buy.

The way I see it, a BoB is really a very last resort when it comes to supplying yourself. Something along the lines of "I have 10 seconds to get stuff, and it takes 15 seconds to open the gun safe." So you have to be able to heft it quickly, it has to be small enough to fit somewhere that you can access in a moment's notice, and it has to be light enough to carry for at least a week while on foot. With all this in mind I formed a list of things I would take that would give me long-term sustainability for the basic physical and security needs, a short term (week to two weeks) supply of sustenance by way of food, and not leave me scrambling to grab things at the last minute (that means everything in the BoB is DEDICATED to the BoB. This includes gear, guns, food, clothes, etc).

If you havent read these blog entries I would definitely suggest it, they helped me a lot when I was thinking about what I would want to take with me if I only had a moment to grab whatever I could. They are written by a fellow that bugged out during Katrina and learned some things along the way, but the basics would be helpful for anyone, even someone looking to get things together before-hand in case of a fire or something else sudden.

http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/p/0007.html

 

[Tonyf6188]

I have read most of what he has posted.

The thing I do different is prepare for things individually. My BOB is for that only.
My emergency plans for other emergencies (fire, natural disasters, etc) are prepared
for by themselves. For me, the BOB is what I need to get from where I am to home.
All I am interested in when planning the bag is making enough preperations to make
it there. The things in it are designed just for travel and survival. No luxury items.

The way I did it is this. Think of a hiking/camping trip in which you will be WALKING a
long distance. What distance would you travel? How long would it take you to get
where you were going? What things do you use on a daily basis that you could not
function without? (No, not coffee, tobacco, or beer) How much weight can you actually carry?
Ask yourself those questions and any others that are directly related to your situation
and the answer you need turns up right in front of you. If you are like me, after you
get your first list together, you will be cutting the list in half. Fill your bag with what you
think you need, walk a couple of miles in every season of the year and you WILL modify
what is in your bag.

The only other advice I can give is to pick the best bag you can. I have several Alice packs,
as well as several other types of milsurp and hiking backpacks. After trying many I ended up
with a Condor 3 day assault pack. It is the most comfortable to me. It was alot more money
than the others but it is Multi-cam so it blends well in the woods and it holds all the things I
need as well as all the MOLLE accessories that you can stand available.

 

[TBurnham]

My BoB is along the lines of being caught away from home and what I will need to get home. At home I have bigger more thorough Bobs, as I would expect beinig "at home" is not going to be a good place to be. I have what I think we will need close at hand. my wife and I both and we have an adult son that lives with us due to mental issues, we talk about it all the time and we each know the important things we are each responcible for. We also know which each of us is responsible for. Not the most prepared but I think we are doing ok.

 

[Tonyf6188]

My BoB is along the lines of being caught away from home and what I will need to get home. At home I have bigger more thorough Bobs, as I would expect beinig "at home" is not going to be a good place to be. I have what I think we will need close at hand. my wife and I both and we have an adult son that lives with us due to mental issues, we talk about it all the time and we each know the important things we are each responcible for. We also know which each of us is responsible for. Not the most prepared but I think we are doing ok.

From what you said above, you are alot further along than most. The first and most
important step is to identify and acknowledge the clear and present danger!

 

[Baele]

From what you said above, you are alot further along than most. The first and most
important step is to identify and acknowledge the clear and present danger!

This is very important. If your plan does not realy involve bugging out then you do not need a BoB. Decide what you need the bag for. Mine is aGHB/ Camping/hiking bag. This works out well because I use the gear, rotate items and find new items to try before I really need them.

No point stocking a bag with things you will not use or are useless. No point in having 5 days worth of food if home and work are less than a day of rough hiking.

You bugging out with no place to go does not make you a survivor, it makes you a refugee.

 

[sovietak474u]

I have a bug out trunk. Mine has everything from MREs, gas masks, chemical/biohazard suits, bulletproof vests, tons of ammo, bagged water... you name it. Just gotta keep it well rounded. Never know what crazy **** is going to pop up. Clear plastic is a good buy too. Its best to have something to cover windows and doors with... just incase of a chemical attack. My bug out trunk is ment to keep me alive in a stationary place. In a E.L.E its best to stay where your at...

 

[83rdrecon]

1st - plan to bug in if that is an option.

2nd - if not, then prestage. You only need a primary weapon, and I would suggest something lower profile to get you to your BOL. If you don't have a BOL, then why bother with a BOB?

3rd - If you don't have a BOL or friends on board, screw the BOB and work on developing friends - trustworthy like minded ones. Basically you're gonna need to sell yourself on what you bring to the table. If I have 100 acres of prime BOL, tell me what you have to offer. You get my drift?

 

[hoboken911]

1st - plan to bug in if that is an option.

2nd - if not, then prestage. You only need a primary weapon, and I would suggest something lower profile to get you to your BOL. If you don't have a BOL, then why bother with a BOB?

3rd - If you don't have a BOL or friends on board, screw the BOB and work on developing friends - trustworthy like minded ones. Basically you're gonna need to sell yourself on what you bring to the table. If I have 100 acres of prime BOL, tell me what you have to offer. You get my drift?

Pack everything that you can think you may ever need. If you don't need it for the particular situation you find yourself in, then just dump it and move on. But a gallon of water, a couple boxes of granola bars and a pistol will get you a long way.

 

[83rdrecon]

Pack everything that you can think you may ever need. If you don't need it for the particular situation you find yourself in, then just dump it and move on. But a gallon of water, a couple boxes of granola bars and a pistol will get you a long way.

Not really, and again, you have to have a place to go to to begin with. Rest is an exercise in futility.