Five Must-Have Bug Out Bag Items
Preparation is the key to surviving a disaster, and that’s why a Bug Out Bag is a beloved essential of many keen survivalists. However, included in a Bug Out Bag should be the ultimate items to helping you stay safe, but how do you narrow those down?
With a heightened level of anxiety around potential disasters and threatening situations right now, it’s no surprise that companies capitalize on this by bringing out countless ‘essential’ items for the prepared-minded. By making sure you know the must-have supplies (besides the obvious of water and food rations), you can distance yourself from useless gadgets that won’t actually get the job done.
There are pre-equipped Bug Out Bags available on the market, and these can work well, but if you want to customize your bag to suit your survival needs, we’ve chosen five essential items that every prepper should have to maximize your chances of staying alive.
With the help of our picks, in no particular order, we hope you’ll feel prepared and ready to leave at a minute’s notice when even the worst scenarios happen.
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Sleeping Bag
It goes without saying that shelter is a crucial component of survival. A sleeping bag will do more for you than an emergency blanket (although they can be great as well), and that’s why it’s made our ‘must-have’ list. If you can get your hands on a comfortable sleeping bag that will fit nicely into a bug out bag, then you’ll know you can at least rest when you’re on the run.
However, many traditional camping sleeping bags can be on the heavy side, so you’ll need to bear this in mind before choosing one for survival. Luckily, there are great lightweight options available, designed for backpacking trips and long-term camping.
When it comes to the best sleeping bag for survival purposes, finding one with the right balance of being both warm and lightweight can be tricky. Be sure to check out the manufacturers’ temperature rating (if there is one), and consider the environment you’re likely to be in. Do you live in a cold, wintery area? A thicker sleeping bag will work best for bugging out, and will be worth the extra weight when you’re stuck in snowfall.
There are several factors to consider when it comes to choosing a sleeping bag, but this is in part due to its importance for survival situations. Because shelter is so crucial to keeping you warm and well, it is worth taking the time to choose the right sleeping bag for you.
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Compass
Bugging out will be made much simpler if you know how to navigate potentially unfamiliar environments. That’s why a compass is a must-have for anyone keen to get prepared.
While there is some element of skill involved in using a compass, particularly a more advanced one that comes packed with features, even a basic compass will get the job done when you’re in a survival situation.
This made our list of essential items, as you never know where you’ll find yourself when you need to bug out. Without a compass, your life will simply be made more difficult, and you’ll have to use far more brainpower to figure out your route.
If you’re serious about navigation and more cautious around which route to take, there are plenty of compasses available that offer complex features, and can even alert you of potentially dangerous weather conditions. Some may find this really useful, but a more stripped-back model would hopefully get you to safety just as well.
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First Aid Kit
It’s likely that you’ll encounter all kinds of first aid kits when you’re searching for one, as they will often be built with a different purpose in mind. For example, some first aid kits are designed for use in the home or a work environment, while others will include ‘survival’ or ‘tactical’ in their description.
This may seem like an obvious choice to have in any kind of survival kit, but first aid kits for survival require some thought behind them, as there may potentially be more threats to your safety in the wilderness. It should be a well-stocked kit, with enough equipment to help heal everything from small wounds, to burn injuries.
You’ll also need to think about the expiry date of your chosen first aid kit. Typically, survival-themed kits will last between 3-5 years, but if your Bug Out Bag is gathering dust, make sure to check and re-stock the first aid kit if necessary.
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Multi-Tool
You never know what kind of obstacles you might encounter when you need to bug out. If you are limited for space in your bag, or only want to take one weapon with you, a survival multi-tool will be one of your best investments.
While the knife included with a multi-tool may not make as much impact as a large tactical knife, you can feel assured that you have some kind of weaponry on hand, which makes it a must-have for bugging out, when time and space is often limited.
However, multi-tools are, as their name suggests, multi-functional. Some of them will include hatchets and hammers, which are great for when you’re stuck in the wilderness or need to set up a shelter. Often, multi-tools will come equipped with screwdrivers and wire cutters, making them an all-round versatile and genuinely useful item to have on hand.
And best of all? They are built to fit comfortably in your pocket. With a variety of tools designed as a lightweight and compact item, multi-tools are undeniably a must-have.
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Flashlight
Flashlights come in all shapes and sizes. EDC Flashlights, Tactical Flashlights – it can be confusing to choose the best one for you.
However, in regards to bugging out, flashlights simply need a few features to keep you safe and be worth having. Make sure to choose a flashlight that emits a high level of lumens, so not only will it offer general outdoor use, but it could also help you in search and rescue situations where you need it the most.
The battery life is also vital to the quality of your flashlight. In a bug-out situation, you’ll likely be away from the comfort of your home for at least a couple of days. Over this length of time, using a powerful flashlight on a regular basis may drain its battery. That’s why a flashlight built for survival and tactical scenarios will be built to last longer, and are therefore an essential item to keep in your Bug Out Bag.
Recap
So there you have it – my top five essential items for bugging out. Now, it’s time to start assembling your bag with these must-haves, along with necessities such as food and water.
One of the best things about Bug Out Bags is how customizable they are, and there’s no strict guidelines in the prepping community as to how exactly your bag needs to look. However, I hope my choice of must-haves has given you some idea of where to start if you are new to the idea of bugging out!
Best of Luck!
About The Author
Terry Daine is a former Royal Marines Commando, enthusiastic about all things survival-related. Terry created Survival Front, to bring you the best survival product reviews, and to help you improve your survival preparation, with quality guides and expert insights. You can also follow Survival Front on Facebook, to stay updated with all of the latest articles.