HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT BUG-OUT BAG

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT BUG-OUT BAG

I am often asked questions about bug-out bags. There is definitely a lot of interest, and for good reason. Since we are in the middle of hurricane season (whether or not we’ve seen a major one), it makes sense to have an evacuation plan, especially for those who live near coastal areas.

This plan no doubt requires packing supplies that you may have to live on for an extended period of time. Even if you live in the middle of the country and the nearest coast is a thousand miles away, some emergencies may require you to pack and leave without warning. This is when a bug-out bag comes in handy.

For those new to the concept of a bug-out bag or survival bag, it’s simply a bag of food, water, clothing, and shelter that lasts an average of 72 hours. This bag is almost always in the shape of a backpack as it is designed to be easily carried when you have to walk. Also, this configuration is best for supporting the weight that all of the grocery clothing and protection will be carrying on your back. In addition, the bag will hold all of your bug-out gear to accompany the rest of your supplies.

There are tons of resources online and on YouTube for bug-out bag lists, or you can read our post on the topic for more detailed information on what to pack in your bug-out bag. A bug-out bag is different from a get-home bag but has similar requirements. A Get Home Bag should give you everything you need to get home from anywhere, usually work or school.

Do you have to worry about a bug-out bag? This is a great question, but it really comes down to the person and the situation you are facing. Do you live in a big city or in the country near a chemical plant? Do you have somewhere to go if you have to hike by foot from all of your own belongings? Is your health so good that if you have 50 pounds of gear on your back, you could run for 3 days? Do you know how to use whatever you spread out on the floor for your bag?

RELATED: A QUICK GUIDE ON HOW TO START PREPPING

I talk about the reasons for and against the actual act of bugging out in the face of most scenarios, but I like to say that reality always gets a voice. Whether or not you want to leave the safety of your home, circumstances you haven’t even thought about can force you to abandon your plans and strap on your bug-out bag to head off into the sunset. When this event occurs, it is wise to be prepared.

IDENTIFY WHAT YOU NEED THE BUG-OUT BAG FOR

When I officially started preparing in late 2008, I was like so many other people, and the overwhelming need to pack a bug-out bag and get ready was an all-consuming thought. I researched a ton of blogs and forums, read books, and watched dozens of videos until I knew or thought I knew all about a bug-out bag. I had my first bag ready packed and ready and then I tried it on. Very soon after that, my plan started to change and in hindsight, I want to share some of my mistakes with you so that you can’t make them yourself.

I was too focused on “the stuff” I needed in my bug-out bag and didn’t think too much about what I needed the bag for in the first place. Knowing where you’re going and what you’re going to do are 101 things to pack, right? If you want to pack for a business trip we say; You go out of their way, if you’re like me, to what you’ll do on the trip to make sure you’re covered for any eventuality. That makes packing easier.

I didn’t do that with my personal bug-out bag. What I did was make a list of everything I needed and then I went out and bought it or put it in my bug-out pile. My stack was bigger than the package I chose and when it came time to put everything in my bag I realized there were a few things I needed to reconsider.

Most of you build a bug-out bag as something to grab and walk out the door never to return to, and this would be in line with the general consensus of even having such a bag. However, we are almost never in a situation, fly out the door and blindly walk through alleys. Unless you’re Jason Bourne and that’s the movies.

If you are forced to pack, know where you are going. This could be a friend’s house, an old college roommate in another state, or Aunt Bunny who lives an hour away. What does this bag have to hold in order to make your life at Aunt Bunnies bearable? Do you need a shovel, hiking sticks, and a field ax? Maybe not. Do you need 2 liters of water and your winter snowshoes? Maybe you do. Knowing where you are most likely to go will help you make the next decisions.

Once you know what you need the bug-out bag for, you will know which type of bag is best for your needs.

IDENTIFY WHAT YOU WILL BE CARRYING IN YOUR BUG-OUT BAG

If I’m honest, one of the most superficial pleasures in preparing for anything is getting new gear. Yes, I admit that I enjoy buying and trying out equipment. This has nothing to do with vanity, I like to consider myself a gear freak, only to the point that it appeals to me to try new and interesting items that have multiple purposes and could save your life.

In the beginning, when I was gathering my bunch of equipment that would save our lives, I thought more about what I was getting than thinking about what I needed. I found all sorts of bug-out pocket checklists, some of them a page long. Sometimes I would sit there and listen to YouTube videos and write down everything that was said. When all was said and done, I had a huge pile of gear and my bank account was much lighter.

Going camping was a big eye-opener for me and taught me more about what to pack than any YouTube video could. Well, in truth, it put the lists I had put together into perspective. It’s funny how life has a habit of doing this with nearly 70 pounds of gear on your back. I recommend anyone with plans for a bug-out bag to take this campsite for two nights in the woods.

You don’t have to drive 80 miles in the wild, just take that bag with all of your belongings and hike (so you are forced to carry the bag) in the woods and set up camp. You will be surprised how quickly you find out what you have but don’t need and what you want.

Once you have a better idea of ​​what to put in your bag, put all of these items on a table as the size of your bag needs to fit all of your gear. Can you get by with a daypack or do you need a larger 4,150 cu pack to fit everything in? It can be helpful to try a friend’s backpack first if you don’t have one yourself, or go to the store and try it on in person.

IDENTIFY YOUR PRICE RANGE. SURPLUS MILITARY EQUIPMENT IS A CHEAP AND STURDY OPTION.

That might sound like it shouldn’t matter. I mean how can you price your survival? Well, it should be because if you’re like most of the preppers I know (including myself) this won’t be your last bag. Take the time to search for bags and don’t necessarily believe in all of the hype surrounding the Mil-Spec types of bags. By that, I mean the bags that look like they’re ready to go to war on the back of a soldier in Afghanistan. These routinely come with price tags over $ 200 and I don’t think that’s a requirement for a bug-out bag.

Remember, if this is really going to be a bug-out-bag ready for you, have it packed at all times so you can grab it and walk out the door. Do you want to spend more than $ 500 and then stick it in the closet for a year?

The opposite is also the case because my first bag was very cheap. I bought a used Army Alice package on Ebay for about $ 20. These were exactly as I remembered and are spacious enough to hold everything you are likely to need. They aren’t the most comfortable, however, and if you’re trying to be discreet, a military-style backpack is usually not the first thing that comes to mind. I chose this bag because the use is perfect and the price was incredible. In the end, I didn’t use it. Instead, I take my Alice package with me when I go hunting and it’s perfect for that. I just don’t want to lug it around while listening to it.

OK, WHAT NOW?

So you’re wondering when does he get to the question of how to find the perfect bug-out bag? OK, here are the steps I would take to help you choose your bug-out bag.

Understand what you need the bag for. Is this to get to a neighbor’s house across town or a family in two states? Will you be on the water with this bag? This will help you with size, features, and functions. Most bags simply contain different amounts of things.

Knowing this will help you figure out how much gear to carry. Backpacking is an excellent practice. You may need to buy camping gear, but this will teach you what works and what doesn’t. You will also learn how much space and weight you should plan for.

Choose your price range and buy within 20% plus or minus from that point. Craigslist and eBay have great deals, but you may spend more time (on Craigslist) or receive an inferior product (eBay). I would stay away from high-end bags unless you find an incredible sale. For example, LLBean makes great bags at very affordable prices, but you can also find great discontinued prices on last year’s models.

Go to a store with backpacks and try them on before buying. It is also important to measure yourself to get the right pack for your body.

Once you have your bag, pack it with all of your gear and go hiking for a few miles. Doing that in the neighborhood may seem strange, even though we have a lady here in our neighborhood who does much stranger things. If the neighborhood isn’t working, take your backpack to the nearest hiking trail. Nobody will know you are not training for an extreme hike and it will either show you need to make the backpack lighter or confirm that you did this part correctly.

Schedule a test run. Turn off the electricity to your home and live from the pack for 3 days. If you successfully complete all of the above steps, you have a perfect package. Now lock it in the closet and start other preparations!

Thanks for reading!

Originally posted on my blog. Check it out here: https://ithinkitstimeoutdoors.website/

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