When building your emergency pack, there are some bug out bag essentials you will NOT want to miss!
If you had only minutes to grab whatever you could before you flee your home, and you don’t have a bug out bag prepared ahead of time, there is no way you will be able to grab all the stuff you will need to survive for a few days.
There is no way of knowing IF and WHEN such a time will happen.
It can happen in the middle of the night – by a fire, an earthquake, hurricane streets closed off power supply gone neighbors in need.
If you are a survivalist, you will be prepared.
If you’d rather just buy a survival kit than make your own bugout bag there are several great resources online where you can do that.
Regardless is you buy a survival kit or make your bugout bag, there are some bug out bag essentials you will want to make sure you have along.
Make sure your backpack is a strong one , with lots of pockets and outer straps for strapping on outside gear.
Food…Mountain House freeze dried foods is best, but you can also pack protein bars, jerky, etc, providing they are vacuum sealed.
Besides having a good sturdy survival knife, you will need a multi-tool as well. Make sure it is not just a cheap version of a Leatherman.
Knife as I mentioned earlier, a good knife is a MUST HAVE .
Flashlight a hand crank flashlight works a regular flashlight is better, especially if you happen to have a solar backpack where you can keep the batteries charged.
Mylar Blankets… these work well as they are lightweight and can also be used as a tent if you happen to get caught in nasty weather.
Firestarter is a HUGE bug out bag essential… magnesium firestarters work great as it is almost guaranteed to work in any weather. But if you do take matches, make sure they are waterproof.
Small first aid kit with some basic things such as adhesive tape, pain killers, bug spray, etc.
So basically although this is a very basic bug out bag essentials list, it will help anyone at least get some bare neccessities together and ready to grab within seconds.
Small pots and pans… just an odd assortment of lightweight pans is good.
Veressa Sweiltz has compiled hundreds of emergency survival articles. Don’t forget to get the more specificlist of bug out bag essentials on her bugout bag website. This article, Bug Out Bag Essentials Ya Gotta Have For Your Bugout Bag is released under a creative commons attribution licence.