Building A Bug Out Bag

During the first year that I moved into the place I currently live we had a nasty ice storm, we were left without power for DAYS and we were SO not prepared. After that, I swore we would never be unprepared again! I heard about a Bug Out Bag after researching emergency preparation kits.

So you might be asking…What exactly IS a Bug Out Bag? A Bug Out Bag is a kit that contains items that are important for survival in case of evacuation or emergency. I put one togeather so if we happen to get snowed in like the first year I was here we can find everything easily, there had been many times we were without power that I just was not prepared and was rushing to find a flashlight or candles and hurt myself in the process!

You can buy premade Bug Out Bag Kits but I think its more fun to build your own!

One of the very first steps in building a Bug Out Bag is picking out the bag! My Bag is from a company called Bomber & Co and is a fantastic duffle bag. Some people choose backpacks but I really like the duffle bag it is easy to carry, large in size and durable.

Here are the items I currently have stocked in my bag.

 A Radio:

This AM and FM radio was given to me by a neighbor, its vintage but is in very good condition. It takes batteries as well as plugs in and is great for listening to news reports, weather reports or just as a form of entertainment to make the time pass by.

Weather Radio:

This handy radio is awesome! Its a Flashlight with NOAA Weather Radio and In my opinion a must have for every bug out bag! It sells for JUST $19.99 which is a great price!

Lantern:

This lantern is AMAZING! its small in size but SUPER powerful. Its powered by 3x AA and also features handles for easy holding and you can even hang it. This lantern might be little but its durable and even waterproof! You can purchase it for $12.99 on Amazon right now.

Water Filteration System

This little system is awesome! The PointONE filter removes 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera and E.coli; removes 99.9999% of all protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium. The PointOne will also fit the threads on most bottles of water that you buy at a grocery store; great for international travel. This is such an important item to have in a Bug Out Bag as clean water is essential! You can purchase this system on Amazon and Sawyer offers some other great filters.

Water Purifier Solution

This little bottle is SUPER powerful and can purify up to 60 liters of water. It’s super easy to use and is effective against a broad range of contaminants including bacteria, viruses, protozoan cysts, chemicals, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and more. You can currently purchase it on their site for $13.55 a bottle.

First Aid Kit

My first aid kit contains:

• Tampons which are great for wound care but also double as a great fire starter.
• OTC Pain Killers
• Insect Bite Cream
• Benadryl
• Band-Aids
• Gauze
• Alcohol Pads
• Q-Tips
• Emergency Blankets
• Natura Disaster Handbook
• Bug Repellent
• Sun Screen
• Anti-Bacterial Spray

I also purchased a prebuilt first aid kit on Amazon, Its LOADED with 115 items and is a great price at just $24.97.

I also stock items such as Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash Samples. Many of the items I stock in my first aid kit are trial size as they save space. I also have a bag of hand wipes and baby wipes samples that I keep close to my first aid kit.

Tenacious Tape:

Tenacious Tape is SUPER important to have in my opinion. It’s great for repairing clothing, shoes, tents and more. It works fast and makes a great patch! The brand I use Gear Aid and you can purchase it online for around $3.91 a package.

Reusable Water Pouches:

Vapur is my go to brand!

Pocket Saw:

 You can purchase these online for under $5 however I plan to upgrade to the Gerber: Bear Grylls Survival Saw which sells for under $20.

Eat N Tool

This little tool is AWESOME! Its a spoon, fork, bottle opener, screw driver, pry tip, 10mm, 8mm and 6mm metric wrenches and also comes with carabiner. Its made of stainless steel and is such a handy tool! You can purchase it for $7.99.

Flint Striker:

 A very important item and you can find them on Amazon for as low as $4.99.

These are just some of the items in my Bug Out Bag. Below are some other items In my bag and items I plan to add in the near future, those items are marker with a *.

• Matches
• Lighters
• Can Openers(I have multiple types including a hand crank style and  P-38 Military style)
• Drinking Water, I ALWAYS have drinking water on hand(One liter minimum, per day, per person is highly recommended)
• Cast Iron Cook Wear(I always have a few cast iron pans stored near my Bug Out Bag)
• Signal Mirror
• Glow Sticks*
• Batteries
• Candles(I have these stored on a shelf next to my Bug Out Bag)
• Flashlight
• Whistle
• Pet Supplies(I always make sure I have a good supply of Pet Food and extra water for both pets, I also have a first aid kit for our pets that include ear cleaner, bag balm, pet balm, extra leash and collar, Cat and Dog First aid book, tweezers to remove ticks, Styptic powder* and copies of their records)
• Canned Food/Emergency Food/ MREs(I personally prefer Mountain House for Emergency Food but I also make sure to have a good stock of shelf stable foods that can be eaten easily out of the can, I also stock up on high protein items like pouched salmon, tuna and peanut butter.)
• Corded Phone(great for when the power is out but phone lines are still working)
• Extra Charged Cell Phone Batteries
• Charged Power Bank( I currently have an EasyACC power bank and I LOVE it!)
• Multi Tools and Knives
• Duct Tape
• Sewing Kit

I think this is a fantastic start to our Bug Out Bag and plan to grow it over time! Do you think I missed anything important?