Realistic BOB
Posted by BigBellyEd@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 96 comments
Hi everyone, Bug Out Bags have been documented to death I think. But all BOB lists are all about bushcraft, camping and hunting gear in an 60 liter backpack called “72 hour sustainment” or something along those lines. Plus, in case one has to BO, where do you want to walk? You can do maybe 3 miles per hour. I mean it is different for everyone and every scenario. When organizing my BOB the list is totally different. If I have to bug out, i do not expect to return in the near future but would much rather resettle in a different location or even country.
For this scenario I am packing it as follows: a) Irreplaceable personal items like diaries, memories, hard drives b) value dens items like currency and so on c) Documents like Diplomas, passport, certificates, property documents d) Personal Protection Equipment e) Camping gear so sustain me and my fam on the way f) wear most valuable but also weather resistant clothes g) get all of this in my car and GTFO
I think about all of this because it contains items from everyday life. So in stead of a grab bag I would store all of the items close together with the planned bag and be ready in several minutes.
What do you consider a realistic BOB?
Khakikadet@reddit
I pack my bugout bag with a realistic expectation that I need to go now due to an evacuation order, what do I need to get me though 72 hours? I'm not planning on a bag that I can use to survive in the Amazon rainforest for two weeks, I need a bag where I can get to a hotel on the other side of the state and stay there a while while I try to get my life back in order.
I have a couple changes of clothes, Socks and underwear, some cliff bars, weather radio, flashlights, first aid kit, some paracord, screwdriver set, basic PPE, ect. as well as copies of important documents, think ID, proof of ownership, Insurance information, ect. You will need this to get back into an evacuation area.
On the outside, tied on with a string I have a double sided checklist, one with the bag's inventory ( so anyone in the family can see what's already in the bag) and on the other side of is a checklist of things we need to grab that are not in the bag. (Fill up some water bottles, grab the travel toiletry bag, grab a laptop or tablet, phone chargers ect.) Typing this out I realize I should probably pack a phone charger in the bag.
Playful_Ad9286@reddit
I have battery packs for charging, but another super useful item has been a USB charger for the car. I've temporarily lived in motels and my car, and it's super helpful to charge devices from your car.
Also I have an assortment of both battery and rechargeable lights. All together I have 6 hands-free headlamps. Less than $20 for a decent quality, but even found a headlamp from the dollar store.
Clothes are often simplified or overlooked in bug out bags. Layers and having backup socks and outfits. When I lived in a car it was summer, and I would carry empty plastic jugs so I could fill them up with water every day. P-38 can opener is useful. Always had some basic self defense, pepper spray, knife and sometimes a hidden hammer. Never had to use defense tools, but someone attempted carjacking me once and it's reassuring to have something basic.
Charged phone, battery packs and chargers. Light, water, clothes, food/snacks, meds & first aid. Documents and valuables. Most of my equipment is modular, I might bring a first aid kit, water and snacks for a day bag. Then long term camping gear or emergency gear stashed away according to use.
08b@reddit
This is what I've come to realize. I have few situations (ie natural disasters) where I live that I'd need to evacuate, but the BOB is 72 hours of important items and some comfort. I'd likely drive, it's more likely I'd have to go to a friend/relative's house. Probably more likely that I'd stay at home instead of bugging out.
My original BOB had more camping/outdoor items. Some are useful, but that's not the most likely scenario. I live in a fairly suburban area, where would I go and camp?
I also have a list of things to grab if I have 15 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours to prepare (or something like that). That would all assume I've driving and could load up the car to go somewhere. Don't want to think through the "what-ifs" if you have very limited time. Want to grab and go, even if it's grabbing a few things from around the house.
CardiologistLow6373@reddit
This is a great idea, to have a list depending on how long you have to prepare. Love it, thx for sharing
thriftingforgold@reddit
And keep your battery packs charged :)
Khakikadet@reddit
Absolutely, I'm in that pre-hurricane season of rotating my water, checking supplies, charging what needs to be charged, revisiting my plans.
Also, I've also taped a grease pencil, (you could use a sharpie) to this checklist, so you can check things off as you go. Keep it simple stupid.
mopharm417@reddit
I don't think anyone can have just one bag. I have a kids sports bag with various wound care and finger splints, ice packs. My purse is my EDC. I packed a tornado bag this morning in case I had to go to the shelter. I wasn't anticipating a tornado, but I'll be damned if I'm sitting in the shelter with a bunch of old people and no snacks, no water and a dead cellphone. My bob is in my truck with rough camping gear and a change of clothes. I have a snack tote and water in the truck. You do you!
SpartArticus@reddit
My bugout bag is basically just a weekend primitive camping kit. Sleeping bag, thermarest inflatable pad, 1 person tent, couple changes of clothes, flashlight, knife, rope, 1st aid kit, matches lighter, toaks pot and spoon, fuel and brs stove, sawyer water filter + pouches, metal water bottle, mres, poncho
Fred_Dibnah@reddit
Your right, all roads lead down to the ultralight camping setup. Gets expensive though. This is what £2000 of stuff looks like https://lighterpack.com/r/p99r8r
Base weight of 9.8kg but this of for raining cold UK weather.
fartxgoblin@reddit
My bag I keep packed up in case of a weather emergency (tornado) or house fire. I keep all of our important documents in it all the time so I never need to worry about where they are and they're ready to go. I also keep: cloth diapers, wipes, lighter/storm proof matches, bottled water (plus life straws), manual breast pump, head lamps (plus extra batteries), snacks for the kids, a first aid kit, a full tang knife, Leatherman, emergency blankets, and a crank radio.
jadelink88@reddit
A lot depends on what you want to do with it. It usually includes your documents, sometimes stored separately (due to fire/theft concerns) in a safe. But then what?
My 'travel 100km to the rural area I have family in' pack, is not the same as my 'I'm urban camping in the swag for a few days in normal times' pack, neither of these is the same as my 'I'm in that country area and it's bushfire season' pack.
iLikeReddit2142@reddit
Realistically, my 72 hour bag is 3 full changes of clothes, some sort of face covering, flashlight, a couple lighters, cash, travel hygeine bag with individual wet wipes, lifestraw, collapsible water bag, some water purification tablets, a raincoat, personal documents like my ID and SSC, 2 cans of food, phone charger, 2 good knives (one fixed, one folding), multitool, and my Glock 19 with 3 mags loaded.
I have more of an urban survival bag. I'm not going to be camping in the woods and the elements. Ideally, I'll have my truck.
BigBellyEd@reddit (OP)
Are those items permanently packed, ready to go?
iLikeReddit2142@reddit
The only thing that isn't is my wallet, which has my cash, ID, and SSC. (Yes, I'm that guy that carries my SSC in my wallet)
iLikeReddit2142@reddit
The only thing that isn't is my wallet, which has my cash, ID, and SSC. (Yes, I'm that guy that carries my SSC in my wallet)
3goblintrenchcoat@reddit
This is what's in my go bag. I am disabled, and I know I am not going to be walking for miles and miles to go into the wilderness to build some kind of natural shelter. I am much more likely to find ways to shelter in place in the city that I live in, and even if I have to evacuate, I am likely to still be in some kind of civilization. A lot of my go bag stuff is more about making sure that I have my medicine, that my cats are taken care of, that I am warm and dry and able to sleep. I have some food, and the capability of drinking water, but mostly I want to make sure that I can be resilient during a disruption. I also separately have a bunch of medical gear in my car, because I’ve been a street medic for many years, and so I have stuff to help with other people being injured or sick, avoiding infection, that kind of thing.
ganache98012@reddit
Thank you for sharing your list!
stephenph@reddit
I have two levels of bug out plans, my health and family pretty much preclude hike across the state, although push comes to shove we all are tougher than we think.
Level one is get out now, evacuation, house burning, etc. I keep a lot of smallish amounts of "survival" items in my car, flashlight, blanket, rotated water bottles, change of under clothes, knife, cash, etc I also have an actual bag in the house with food, water, change of clothes, water filter, box of ammo for my carry gun, thumb drive with important docs and pictures, local maps), I would also grab my pistol and possibly a long arm if the situation warrants.
Level two is To get out of the region and away from whatever is going on, maybe not expected to return. The assumption is at least a few hours heads up and the roads are passible. Keep cars at least half tank when possible. In addition to level one bag, pack like for a camping trip (tent, camp stove, propane, kitchen tools, food box for a week, more changes of clothes, one of the mini PCs/laptop and the nas which has most pictures, documents etc). More stuff as time allows. Don't forget cash always have a few hundred at least if possible as cards might not work or be accepted. You also might need it for bribes to get through check points, and papers that police or checkpoints might need. Don't forget some fuel, I keep a couple 5 gal gas cans that will go into the truck that will get me apx 100 miles each (my truck holds 22 gal) so can go about 400 to 600 miles before I need to fill up.
Make sure you do a dry run bug out. See how long it takes to actually leave the house. In my case the level one takes about 15 min (I had my partner randomly text me a go order) that time is to wrap my head around the situation and gather needed items, get the dog leashed, etc.)
Level two, I can realistically be packed up and driving in about 45 min. An hour and a half max and I am done, mainly due to limitations on what the truck and car can carry, packed well. Might need a few min to verify WHERE we are going but that can be done once away. If time, or available, get online and find out more about the situation, safe routes, maybe even hotel reservations for at least first night.
In 8 hours assuming you don't get stuck in traffic, you can be away from most emergencies, in 2 days (figure about 1200-1600 miles) you will be in a different region of the country, even with traffic. I have several routes pre mapped to leave the immediate area and avoid major towns as much as possible
OnTheEdgeOfFreedom@reddit
My BOB is the back of my Toyota Fortuner. The largest single problem I'm likely to face is an earthquake and the plan would be to 4WD out of the region, to a hotel.
Short of living in the middle of a city, I have real problems coming up with a scenario where walking out of a disaster makes any sense. You don't do it for hurricanes, floods, wildfires, wars, pandemics... I have never understood the fascination with filling a backpack and hiking to safety.
Maleficent_Mix_8739@reddit
A realistic BOB, this implies two important factors. The first is an assumption that one knows where they’re bugging out to and the second involves a reality check.
So I’ll just give my own take on this. I’ve been at this for just over 30 years, studied enumerable subjects, taught survival courses, tested tons of gear etc..
What all my experiences finally led me to do was to look to the area(s) where I’d head if I needed to bug out. So I set a goal and relocated. So my “BOB” is now my home. I looked for areas with high quality of life scores (less desperate people), low crime, high wages and decent sized Amish, Mennonite and Native populations. Plentiful forage, good hunting, fishing, trapping etc, clean air and clean water in abundance. Low occurrence of natural disasters and very few “strategic targets”.
Nearly every state has special ways of acquiring abandoned or forfeited property, many times one can simply assume the taxes. So if you’re worried about things to come put your goals in check, rethink your strategy and adapt and overcome. Get land you can easily afford, get a container dropped and start building from there if you can’t swing buying a new place. In this strategy all you’re BOB needs to be is just whatever you need to get from point A to B. Human complacency is probably the worst element to overcome. Call it a pre-bugout.
LastEntertainment684@reddit
When the war in Ukraine started, I followed reports of people leaving the country pretty closely. People packed up what they could, drove as far away as they could, then when traffic got jammed up they took whatever they could carry and walked the rest of the way with the masses. I noticed a decent amount of rolling luggage, little luggage carts, and wagons.
I saw the same theme with the California wildfires. Pack up what you could, drive as far as you could, walk when you can’t drive anymore.
I realized that’s probably the most likely scenario for a wide range of bug-out situations. Even with a motorcycle or a bicycle, if you don’t beat the crowd, you’re likely to get stuck moving at a walking pace with everyone else.
With that in mind, I figured the following things need to be together so they’re quick to grab and go:
A decent set of clothes/shoes for the weather (in case you aren’t dressed). Including a jacket/rain gear.
Important Medications
Important papers, documents, and personal items
A decent amount of Cash and possibly things that can be traded for a lot of cash once you get to your destination (ie gold, silver, diamonds, etc)
A decent amount of water with some snacks
A headlamp (possibly a good set of NVDs too) so you can travel at night
A cell phone, am/fm radio, radio scanner so you can get information on what’s going on (and a way to charge all these devices)
A map of your surrounding area that doesn’t rely on cell service or GPS signal.
Some towels/toilet paper/wet wipes etc. Because you may need to clean yourself or someone else up so you can keep going. Be it blood, dirt, ash, poop, etc.
If you have that ready to throw on your back or wheel out the door, you’re probably already doing better than 99% of people.
The 10th item would probably be a weapon of some sort, but that’s going to come down to comfort level and where you’re going. If you have to get out via an airport, your BoB may need to be security compliant.
ponycorn_pet@reddit
is samsonite the best rolling luggage brand for durability? I need to get a good rolling luggage setup and all of the reviews online say swiss gear is no longer sturdy
Choppersled@reddit
All I can add is that I've used travelpro bags for years and they survive the airport well and I work on a towboat and get on and off the boat in some rough conditions - dragging it across mud, rocks, up and down riverbank, being thrown up and down from boats - and I've never had any durability issues.
ponycorn_pet@reddit
whoa o_o which model do you have??
Choppersled@reddit
Travelpro Bold Drop Bottom Wheeled Rolling Duffel Bag, Blue/Black, 30-Inch
Sorry can't find upc but this is the description. Been going on 6 years with it.
TonyBlairsDildo@reddit
There's no such thing as durable rolling luggage wheels.
What I've done for years is swap the cheap shitty casters suitcases come with, with good rollerblade wheels.
HybridVigor@reddit
I've had good luck with a Travlpro suitcase, traveling through airports frequently for a couple of my jobs. Lots of pilots and flight attendants seem to use the brand as well. Haven't used it so far as a refugee, though. For backpacking I'm a fan of Gregory packs.
ponycorn_pet@reddit
whoa, that platinum elite one looks insane XD no wonder pilots use them, thank you!!
The Gregory backpack looks like it would be comfortable and not too punishing against the spine :)
ranchpancakes@reddit
I’ll second travel pro. I have two carryon sized wheel bags that have held up fantastic over like 12 years.
ponycorn_pet@reddit
Thank you!! <3 an investment is worth it when it's built to last!
Thats_what_im_saiyan@reddit
bluetti had those backpacks with the tiny battery built in. I go back and forth about getting one. if I do end up having to walk it'll be great to be able to charge the battery with a little solar panel. which in turn will keep my phone charged. and I could probably trade letting someone charge their phone for some food or water or something.
bardwick@reddit
This is a great line. The BOB discussions always frustrate me. "What do I need to pack?". This question is dictated by the destination, but no one seems to have one. Without a plan/destination, all a BOB does is allow you to starve to death somewhere else, but now tired.
Little counter, but the wife and I started out with BOB. Nice backpacks, etc. Filled them with everything we could think of. Then, realized that in no scenario would they serve any purpose.
In the event of some pending natural disaster where I need to leave, this is my entire plan. Kids, wife, Wallet, phone, keys, gone.
If you are in REALLY good shape, you MIGHT be able to get about 24 miles a day. 3 mph for 8 hours. However people have this idea that they are going to walk 200 miles to the national forest and build a cabin.
The scenario is everything when it comes to a BOB. I can't think of a single one where it would be useful, or worth the time.
Vast-Fortune-1583@reddit
You sound like my hubs. We evacuated for Hurricane Michael. Went to GA to our daughters house. Dogs, leashes, keys, and change of clothes for 3 days. Important papers, just in case of flooding. We go light.
redbreast2020@reddit
Yep. Totally with you. I signed up for volunteer search and rescue and my bag, while similar to its original BOB configuration, is different enough and now has a purpose that has been tried and tested and is no longer hypothetical. I can spend 72 hours in the wild looking for a lost hiker or I can provide emergency aid to a driver in a car accident with the same bag. Nuclear bomb drops I’m screwed so there is that I suppose
PurpleSquirrel75@reddit
Please share your packing list with us!
DannyWarlegs@reddit
I have a property south of my home, even further in the middle of nowhere. Not in a city or town, just down a 1 lane dirt road that dead ends on a river. The kicker is i can follow the river behind my house south and get to my other property. It will take time, but I'll have fish, water, and other small game the entire way. I could even take a smaller John boat or 2 and float my gear along with my family, or strap a small motor and just ride it out.
Substantial-Basis179@reddit
In the PNW, specifically Portland, we're expecting the cascadia subduction zone earthquake, which will completely destroy much of the city because it's placed at the convergence of two large rivers. I imagine many people will try to walk to Bend, Oregon. It's 160 miles away.
bardwick@reddit
Yep, exactly.. Them and several thousand of their closest friends...
TinyBlueGlockosaur@reddit
So you’re saying there will be plenty of food to scavenge along the way!
bardwick@reddit
I think it was Rawles book, Patriots.. You can track the mass migration from the trail of useless crap..
PDX_Weim_Lover@reddit
And pets. 😥
HybridVigor@reddit
I'd probably have a good mountain bike at the very least. I'm a backpacker and enjoy hiking, but 160 miles is rather far. After 50 miles a pack feels five times as heavy.
Substantial-Basis179@reddit
That's a good idea.
Any_Tea_7845@reddit
160 miles in the high desert, what could go wrong?
lidlekitty_tweezler@reddit
Ive been thinking about this lately. Ive gone through and repacked my BOB so many times and am never satisfied. It either ends up too heavy or i realize i forgot to include something important. I am going to be reorganizing with a different approach on my next round. This time im making a list to check so i dont forget something in the event i need to just go. I dont want to store my important docs in my BOB but i do have them organized and together in a folder ready to go. Depending on the situation i want to be able to grab smaller ditty bags of stuff and chuck them in whatever backpack i decide is best at the time. The rest of the stuff could get chucked in a bin and tossed in the car. Im going to store all the ditty bags in a bin so i can just grab the bin if im using a vehicle, or select only the things ill need if i have to go on foot. I think it will work for me. Just need to get organized again and get my list to stick in the bin with all the stuff.
Perfect-Eggplant1967@reddit
BOB is just another BAB, You want a shopping cart. At your local store, they scrap them, take one home and pimp that out with some good wheels off a bicycle or something.
aethiadactylorhiza@reddit
I put together one that is a small personal item sized / under airplane seat bag in case someone in our family has a medical emergency. Due to where we live there is no “run back home and grab this”- it’s a 3 hour flight to the nearest hospital.
I’m still working on it but it included a couple changes of clothes, laundry detergent sheets, toiletries, spray detangler/conditioner, a couple books, crayons/coloring books, fidget, phone charger, and some family photos in small frames, food (horizon milk boxes for the kiddo, bars, small packs of cheerios, calming tea, microwaveable pouch meals). Working on documents and a list that shows what is in the bag and what would be good to grab.
So definitely different than a nuclear strike bag.
I also have go bags for the pets- copies of their vaccines and medical records, owner contact info, a couple of puppy pads, ziplocs and cans of their food, and treats in a gallon bag. This can be easily taped to the top of a crate with blue tape in case they need to be sent in for emergency vet care (been there done that).
It’s nice not to have to think when you are in flight or fight mode.
QuirkyBreath1755@reddit
My bob is the old diaper bag we keep packed for park days, stroller & my purse. If I have to evacuate super quickly I approach it the same as if I were planning an extended day trip out with my kids. Transport, snacks, water, back up outfit, first aid kit & wipes. (Always have wipes!).
More time means more items: documents/pictures, extra supplies, comfort items etc.
There are VERY few situations in the realm of possibility that would require a traditional bug out bag as described in most resources I’ve seen.
Short_Wish258@reddit
Italian here. My BOB includes clothing for a couple of days (me, wife and daughter), some food and water, personal hygene, some tools like flashlight, a knife/spoon/fork, solar panel. First aid kit + commonly used medicines (imodium, ibuprufen and so on)
It's not a complete list of what's inside, the point is I'm preparing for the most common event that could happen here: earthquake.
So I basically would like to have some of my stuff with me before army & co establish their support.
I live in a new building, so I'm kind of confident I could go back at one point and retrieve other stuff.
The BOB, as it is right now, seems to work in many other situations (at least in my head)
CamGoldenGun@reddit
Clothes, non-perishable food, documentation, water. If you really want to plan ahead, a pot/pan and maybe some type of water purification.
GusGutfeld@reddit
Yep, most people can survive 72 hours with nothing, as long as they can stay warm.
neeblerxd@reddit
A realistic bob is one you can carry for more than 100 feet without collapsing from exhaustion. I’d check out hiking subs. Hiking is survival, just the less marketed version
Also a bag that is not about pure isolation in the wilderness but rather equips you to take advantage of the resources, structures and environmental factors in your general area
Skywatch_Astrology@reddit
I traveled in Central America for a year out of a backpack and a suitcase to ‘practice’ so to speak. Every travel situation was different and I had to be prepared to lose my luggage/be separated from it for several days, and spend nights just living out of what I had in my bag.
This is still my bug out bag and what I continue to take whenever I travel because I know it has everything I might need which isn’t always glamorous.
Personal pharmacy: sunscreen stick, bug stick, bandaids, NyQuil, Tylenol, ibuprofen, anti-diarrheal, hydration salts, Valium, and anti-nausea (all of these are very expensive abroad, we take that for granted and you don’t always have the energy to go to a pharmacy when you have a fever.)
2-3 USB-C 10’ chargers. Everything I own is USB-C charged including computers, monitors, headphones, fans for this reason
Quick drying towel (doubles as blanket) Flashlight Can opener - utensils Chapstick Passport Pens Notebook Deck of cards Protein/granola bars Splenda Black tea/chamomile tea (having something hot to drink is very soothing) Collapsible water bottle that has a screw on filter for the drinking part Guy lines Caribeaners Wet wipes Bar soap Lotion Blow up travel pillow
Everything else I can/could usually find at my destination including a bed to sleep on.
OnJudson@reddit
Unless you’re living in an urban area, you likely are better off to stay with your preps. If you’re in an urban area, make a cache at your bug-out location. Your bag should be minimal.
Open-Attention-8286@reddit
What's reasonable depends both on where you're going and why you're leaving. If you're living near the coast and tsunami sirens blare, you might not have time to stop and think, you just grab stuff and skedaddle! But After the wave passes you'll probably be able to go back and rebuild.
Something like a breached dam, the evacuation itself might be similar (lots of water, moving fast, GO! GO! GO!) but you might not be able to go back for years, if at all, depending on how the broken dam is dealt with.
I think in my area, the only scenarios where I'd need to bug out are wildfires, chemical spills, and sinkholes. And honestly, the chances of any of those are ridiculously slim. My more likely risks would require bugging-in. But, everybody has different risks to deal with.
Eziekel13@reddit
Would also suggest excel sheet of everything in bag, with expiration dates logged… also expected or annual maintenance with dates for most recent maintenance…
Nothing worse than thinking your prepared then batteries are dead, gas has fouled and food expired…
dementeddigital2@reddit
Mine is pretty mundane. A stack of documents in a plastic bag, computer backups (and laptop), clothes, toiletries, cash, first aid, and some basics (like a flashlight, multitool, lighter, cordage, tarp, water filter, etc.)
oldtimehawkey@reddit
If you have family, your family members need their own BOBs. What if something happens to you like an injury or you get arrested (in trump’s new America, anyone is capable of getting arrested).
Don’t try to be Rambo for your family. Your spouse should have their own BOB. When your kids are old enough, they should have BOBs for them with clothes, entertainment, hygiene items, etc.
For pets, the kids need to know what to do for pets in situations so the kids can help with them. sometimes the kids have pet rabbits or hamsters, so all the care stuff should be their responsibility anyways. Have their traveling cages close and ready with a towel already in it. Have sandwich or quart size bags ready to throw food into or have the food in a big plastic storage thing.
Parents should each have an encrypted USB with pertinent info on it like passwords to bill pay websites, bank accounts, retirement accounts, etc; a spreadsheet with which bills are due when and company and account numbers for each bill; birth certificates for whole family, marriage certificate, death certificates, other important docs; vet records for pets, health records for everyone; mortgage, home insurance, car insurance, car titles, home deeds, any of those kinds of documents. Have phone numbers for each company too.
Should pictures be on a USB or will you rely on the cloud? Up to you.
One supremely important spreadsheet everyone should make now is one for all of your shit. It will help when doing insurance. You list everything you own. 55” Sony LED tv, date bought, serial number, and what you paid for it. Coffee maker, fridge, your clothes, even your books or art supplies. Be as specific as you can. Not “art supplies,” but “4 - blank canvases 10x10in, paint brushes, brand, $value.” I got this idea from a post about doing a claim after your house burns down. Have the spreadsheet ready beforehand. You’ll also want pictures of each thing - front and back, and do a video walk through of your house. Update the spreadsheet when you buy new expensive things. Review it at least once a year. You could have your insurance information in the spreadsheet on a different tab: company, phone number, website to do a claim, account number, passwords.
Small battery banks for the kids and a little bigger for the adults. Get cords dedicated to those banks too. I have 2inch long phone cords that permanently stay with each battery bank (a longer one might be more useful for you). I even have the battery banks numbered so I can keep track of them and make sure they’re charged weekly.
Make your kids pick up their rooms and put laundry in a laundry basket. You don’t want to try to get them up and out and be tripping on their toys and clothes. Then on your way out, grab the dirty laundry baskets because the dirty laundry is clothes you’ve worn so you know they fit and that you wear them. You can wash them later or wear them to camouflage as a less prepared family and be stinky and dirty.
Practice and plan. What do you do if there’s a reason to bug out but your kids are all at their friend’s houses and your spouse is out shopping and you’re the only one home with the dog, cat, and hamster and the cell network went down too? Plan for what’s more likely for your area. Fires and power outages can happen to all of us. Weather is another one to plan for that’s specific for your area. Floods. Societal unrest (zombie movie scenario) is probably least likely to happen for us in America. I live in a small city and a riot would be put down immediately but it probably wouldn’t reach my house anyways.
So each scenario needs to be considered and planned for. Paper maps of your area will help. If you have a big out route, have paper maps for the whole length of it. Each family member should know the bare bones of the plan and their roles.
Snoo49732@reddit
My fire safe is my Bob. I have a backpack and that ready to go
polaritypictures@reddit
in reality it's a evac bag. Plan for that.
CleanseFoldManipulat@reddit
Im pretty much in agreement. I have a "BOT" Bug Out Truck, and i know people will immediately say thats probably not a very good solutions because roadways will most likely be snarled, and thats of course absolutely possible, but I have put a lot of thought into how to overcome that issue, and i think i have solutions outside of it being 4wd with great suspension, and its of recovery abilities (winch, and appropriate gear).
Like you, we have important docs, and personal data on hard drives, a firebox with hard documents that will come with, and then all the "supplies" we will need to get us out of town.
Of course the "level" of bugout is driven by many factors, but again, as mentioned, if we are bugging out from our home, its probably pretty bad, so a means of moving more than just a backpack is probably warranted.
If i were single, I could probably accomplish this on an adventure bike to some degree, but NOT being single, my Toyota truck becomes the mobile bugout-mobile.
Hintontm0369@reddit
Also on a BOB, I look at it as a last choice, if I have 15 min to pack the SUV to leave the house I have 3 plastic bins packed along with 3 BOB(one for each family member) the BOB are if I have to leave my vehicle only
Lord_Despair@reddit
Bug out bags have almost become a meme at this point. They have lost relevance as people stop thinking about the purpose and have fallen prey to marketing and influencers.
What you should address is what are you leaving and why? Look to actual events to inform your decision. Are you fleeing wildfires like caifornia or Katrina wind and water?
You’re not camping in the woods in either of those scenarios. If you don’t fancy being in a mass shelter then you have to get far enough away to get yourself a hotel. If you are put into a shelter what will you need?
Modern day bug out bag should be geared to what you are likely to face in your area. Having a little cash in various bills is good but you will still be able to use credit cards in any big disaster like those mentioned.
With those big disasters it is good to get important docs as you leave. You should have a small safe to keep those in and should be able to be grabbed easily. Have king pictures of those docs is also a good thing to have a s back up.
Have battery backups for electronics. Water bottle because of course. Some snacks because it will be a comfort to be able to make you feel a little better. Spare sock and underwear because you will need them. Back up cloths are good. From there everything should make your life easier as you face a hardship. You don’t need snares or life straws. What good is a machete going to be in an evacuation?
Always think about the most likely things youre going to face and plan to mitigate the worst aspects of that. We are not facing an apocalypse. Even if there is mass riots and looting the best “kit” is your car and just getting out of there when you are told to.
Outinthewoods5x5@reddit
Was going to say something similar, the term "BOB" is thankfully being relegated to memes and something that denotes an inexperienced or starting prepper. In my opinion, the next thing that needs to change is the generic "What should a get-home bag have?" to questions like "what should I pack to walk 100 miles in winter?"
Lord_Despair@reddit
Yes. I saw a post where a guy wanted advice on his get home bag in case martial law was as declared by hike he was at work. What situation would things deteriorate so much during your work day that you would leave at 5 and then have to get home like that? Especially given that you had to finish our work day?
Alvin0209@reddit
Realistically, my BOB will get me away from my house after a tornado or fire (SE, so those are the most likely events that would destroy my house.) It would give me some food, water, and basic necessities to survive in a hotel or at a relative's house while I figure out where to go from here. But for most everything else, I am staying put in the shelter of my house with my food and water supply. (And weapons).
No_Purpose666@reddit
I know alot of the ideas about "bugging out" usually include an idea that your heading out to the hills, but I don't really have any intention to do that unless it's absolutely necessary or there's a solid place I'm heading to.
My BOB probably has about what most people's have, but I also include some items I find helpful navigating urban and industrial environments.
A couple of big 357 Magnum permanent markers for tagging info for friends to find or warn others to something, some silcock wrenches and radiator keys to access various water spigots and faucets, a bunge wrench to open oil, gas, water, etc. drums, and a small prybar that would be good for smashing a window or getting into a locked shelter.
ilreppans@reddit
8-9mph/3day/120mi/38L BOB for my NE urban/suburban area.
mh327@reddit
I think having a well thought out bag is a great idea, I think a lot of people miss the point. I posted a video a bit ago about while BOBs fail or rather, why we will fail our bags.
https://youtu.be/OLcbr2kOXxI?si=sGwEf4L6DwMXma5_
AdditionalAd9794@reddit
I kind of think you and other people are over dramatizing the bug out. Typically it's not a scenario where you leave on foot and never come back.
A bugout scenario I've face a few times, heavy rain is forecasted I know the creek beds will flood, might be mud/rock slides, maybe downed trees. My home will be cut off from town for atleast a few days. So I bug out, get a cheap motel, sleep on a friend's couch or in my car.
I have also bugged in in this scenario, I just have to inform my employer. Previously as a new guy, I wasnt really stable enough employeement wise where I could just take 4 or 5 days off work and expect to have a job when I returned.
Another scenario is wild fires, multiple times I've been in a so called mandatory evacuation zones, where I live evacuation zones tend to be overkill. I've complied once, typically I don't. That said, if it gets to the point where you have thick black snot a boogers and are constantly coughing indoors, smoke is givingvyou migraines, you should probably skip town.
Another scenario I hear other people do is a parade or 4th of July fireworks are in town. Someone has a pet or child who is sensitive to such things. So they pack up drive out to the mountains or some secluded area and set up camp for the weekend.
None of these scenarios you'd really want to do on foot say it's raining multipe inches in the next 24hrs, smoke effects your respiratory or you need to make sizeable ground that can't be done on foot
Blacktip75@reddit
My bob is now based on moving to family in the next town, 5km away (but have enough food for 72 hours and pet food for 4 weeks so I can order if needed, don’t expect emergency help to contain pet food). For most scenarios I expect we should shelter in place for a few weeks as our main risk is flooding but escape routes are below sea level so not a good idea to be caught there.
OSteady77@reddit
I always chuckle when people say they’re going to take hard drives or have hard drives with movies/shows/music/survival books in a SHTF situation. You think we will have power in an EMP or nuclear fallout level attack? You think you’ll have time to watch that stuff while you’re trying to survive? Can they be traded for supplies?
BigBellyEd@reddit (OP)
Probably won’t take THAT hard drive. ;) A cloud based storage is probably the solution.
CopperRose17@reddit
This is a good thread. We are surrounded by hundreds of miles of desert in every direction. The probability is low that we would "bug out" anywhere. Even if driving is possible should SHTF in any major way, I don't think those highways would stay safe for long. After joining prepper subs, I still thought I should assemble BOBs. This was "dumb" in our case, and a waste of money and effort.
We had a real life situation where I went to the ER for what I thought was something minor. It turned out not to be, and the hospital wanted to send me 300 miles away by ambulance! I thought they were insane. We came to the ER with nothing. I didn't even bring a purse or phone with me, thinking they might be stolen. I guess that I was the one who was insane. I checked myself out against medical advice and we went home. What we need in our BOBs is a change of underwear, a change of clothes, and basic toiletries. I would add my kindle. My husband would bring a book. He would have had to follow the ambulance in the car. So, what we really need is a hospital bug out bag. I keep documents and cash in waterproof bags already, easy to grab in a flood or fire. We will keep basics like water, a first aid kit, and survival blankets in the car. I suppose the lesson is that you have to assess your own situation.
Prepper_wif_hat@reddit
All BOBs should be mission specific, based on where you're going and why you're leaving. Bags for hurricanes are going to be packed very differently than those for teotwawki. You'll have time to pack for most emergencies other than house fires and nuclear strikes.
Firefluffer@reddit
One place people go wrong with preps, and I say this as a firefighter who’s been on big wildland fires and individual home fires; don’t rely on physical backups for your computer. Get a cloud storage like carbonite that’s automatic and off site. In a wildland fire you may not be able to get your BOB or laptop out of the house, or if you keep it off site, it might have been months since you backed it up.
If you have a fire safe, know that if it’s in your basement or in the middle of the home, it likely won’t save your belongings inside in a large wildland fire or fully involved home fire. They all have a maximum temperature and time limit for how long they can protect the contents and a safe in the basement is going to have piles of smoldering and burning material around it for hours. To avoid this, put the safe on an exterior wall, ideally on the slab. You want it to have the least heat exposure for the shortest period of time. I have seen people build, essentially a closet with two sheets of 5/8” drywall around their safes to protect them from heat, but I haven’t seen how something like this has held up. Seems like it would help both the temperature and time rating.
Most bugout situations aren’t going to be the end of the world. They’re going to be wildfires, hazmat incidents, hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes. Plan for those with the understanding that your family may or may not be together at the time and cell phones may or may not be available. Consider an out of region family member as an emergency contact person or even as your rally point. This came in handy a few years ago when my uncle couldn’t get ahold of his sister-in-law, but I was able to reach them both and reassure them all was well. They both lived in the same region and for whatever reason couldn’t call out, but I could call in.
funnysasquatch@reddit
Bug Out Bags are a marketing concept for bloggers and YouTubers used to get you to buy stuff from Amazon that they get paid for.
Their inspiration comes from earthquake packs in California.
The idea was that if there was a strong earthquake and your house collapsed, your bag could be in a spot that would be likely to survive and easy to find, even if the building collapsed. You would have emergency supplies, on hand, while you waited for assistance.
Not that you hike for miles to a bug-out location.
Bugging out became a trope for prepping because the content creators needed something to talk about. And gave them something else to promote. Because you need supplies for that bug out location.
Not that it was a smart move.
For the average person, you should just plan to stay in place (aka bug in). Your house (or apartment) is more comfortable. You have more place to store supplies. And its rare that you must actually leave.
The exception is if you live in wildfire or hurricane areas. But you tend to have time to prepare for those situations. And you're not hiking to your safe location.
You'll be loading up the car and driving. Most likely to friends, family, hotel, AirBnB, church, or government shelter.
You needs are - clothes, important documents (passports, insurance, medical) and enough food and water for the road trip.
Vegetaman916@reddit
Wrong. It is literally almost the opposite of that, where the "bugging out is bad" myth came from the fears people had of not being in the city and hoping for normal to return.
Having an emergency kit for an earthquake or flood or a hurricane or a dozen other things that experts and officials will actually tell you to evacuate for, well, that isn't prepping, that is just common sense stuff. Prepping is more than that, and a "bug out" scenario is societal collapse level stuff. Again, not a tornado.
Staying in your urban coffin during the outbreak of global nuclear war doesn't really make much sense when, if you are a prepper, you have a fully self-sustaining and isolated place to go out of the danger area.
No, the real myth is the one created acting like there are really people planning to grab a backpack and go live like Rambo in the wilderness, lol. Outside of fiction, no such people exist, and that isn't what bugging out is.
funnysasquatch@reddit
You are talking about mass evacuation - that started in the 1960s during the initial Cold War.
The phrase "bug out" as a term explicitly came from the prepper blogs and YouTube channels. Trying to sound macho (aka the Rambo stuff) and to promote affiliate products.
And there's no where to go to survive a nuclear war. Jacobsen's new book points out, it's not that the nukes are going to vaporize cites and bases.
They're going to hit nuclear power plants. A small kiloton bomb hits a nuclear power plant and that's a level of fallout, that is irrecoverable from.
It's not 2 weeks and come out and we start the slow rebuild.
I don't care if you have Zuck's bunker. You're just deciding where you want to hang out to starve to death.
Vegetaman916@reddit
You can believe what you like, but I grew up with my dad talking about the potential need to "bug out" back in the 80s long before blogs or YouTube, lol.
As for the science behind the effects of nuclear war, if your go-to is Annie's book you still have a lot to learn about it. The entirety of humanity is not going to just vanish, lol.
Threads is actually a bit more accurate than that.
I researched for many years before I wrote my own book, and there are many more and better ones out there that explain how the world will actually look. Maybe crack an acedemic book rather than a sensational attempt to make money.
And "come out in two weeks" is not something I ever said, nor was rebuilding. I can tell you didn't read my link. Maybe come out in 10 years, and there is no rebuilding, you either start over from scratch or you die, probably the latter.
But the goal is one day at a time. You live one more day than 90% of everyone else, then yoh are on the right track. Rinse and repeat as long as possible. That's all.
funnysasquatch@reddit
I have 40 years of experience on this. My first academic paper on it was 1991. Of course people said bugging out before now. But 99% of the people who talk about it now are from a combination of the Walking Dead which inspired an entire generation of prepping influencers plus Doomsday Preppers show.
And nobody knows what post nuclear war looks like. There are only levels of hope & fear. Threads & The Day After are frankly the best case scenarios. Most likely whomever survives best will be back to earliest humans- very primitive tribes in Africa, Asia & South America. Where they’re already used to surviving on very little & don’t have to worry about the fact the soil is ruined for centuries. Hopefully we won’t find out who is right.
Vegetaman916@reddit
I can certainly agree that we hopefully won't find out who is right.
Sorry if I sound like an ass, but this subject is the one thing that gets me fired up more than any other. Creating and maintaining a "bug out" location and small community designed to survive the worst case scenarios is just not a bad thing, imo.
Some of us live full-time there, others are waiting for the ww3 escalations, a d some go back and forth as the need presents itself. I went there for a year at the end of 2022, which is shown by I post I made about it in November, and the break in my activity.
Then I came back to the city. Nothing lost, and nothing gained but some time to relax, recharge, and learn about raising goats, lol.
I am still eating rice and pasta and stuff bought by the pallet at pre-pandemic prices, which shows how prepping for 10 years of underground living can help with other stuff too.
And hey, maybe H5N1 takes a weird turn. Or, maybe there is an economic collapse with a rise in crime making continued city life less manageable. Or whatever.
The idea behind bugging out is to have that fully self-sustaining and prepared location, maintained by a community, just in case. Hell, we even use it for little vacation getaways every now and then.
I'm one of those bloggers and Youtubers, by the way. However, if you look at the blog, you will see the most ad-free space on the internet. Not a single one, not even a banner. And, if you check the YouTube, you won't see me selling stuff. None of that "Thanks to Patriot Meals for sponsoring today's video" crap. And my books, well, check the Amazon price and do the math on the print-on-demand fee structure. My prices look like something from the 90s, and cover costs alone. I think I make .47 cents per copy.
Because I'm not doing it to try and maximize profits. I'm all done with that need, for the most part. And what I do need, I get other passive ways.
But I don't endanger my message of preparedness.
Because the real secret to being ready to bug out for the end of the world? It is simply that once set up and ready, then you can manage just about anything the world throws down. Self-sustaining permaculture farming never hurt anything, and I think everyone should be ready to "bug out" on the slightest provocation. The peace of mind is priceless.
Those who try and tell people not to prepare this way... get under my skin a little. Nothing is lost by being ready and willing to bug out. But a lot can be needlessly lost by leaving yourself short of options and trapped in a city life that may not always be viable.
Khakikadet@reddit
This is why we have prepping for doomsday and prepping for Tuesday tags on the same subreddit. Everything is a spectrum. If you want to continue to inflict Mormon levels of generational trauma on your kids by playing in the woods and building your society so you can all live out the end times together, That's on you. Go at it. But that doesn't mean that someone asking about building a basic go bag isn't a "prepper" because their couch isn't made out of Peanut butter jars.
Believe it or not, this is still well beyond what a majority of people have. Good on OP for waning to put together a plan at least.
Clovis_Point2525@reddit
>Their inspiration comes from earthquake packs in California.
Well, here in FL we've always been advised to have an evac bag for hurricanes.
Spiley_spile@reddit
Realistic will differ based on scenario, as you mentioned.
Mine is disaster evacuation-focused. I don't have a car. So while I have plans for a friend to help evacuate me, I had a wildfire evacuation where my A, B, and C option friends were all on different sides of 2020 Oregon wildfires from me. So my BOB supplies all have to fit in a backpack that won't break me to carry pn foot.
Below I linked two disaster-evac-oriented go bags/bob supply lists. There are two because I do community education and these are part of that. One is a general list. The other is a specialized, 3 day/25lbs lightweight set up with consideration for people who cant carry a lot of weight but still need versatile options in case they have to sleep outside.
https://www.reddit.com/r/preppers/s/xWEsHQU62j
Zen-Canadian@reddit
Your bug out bag should be tailored to your needs. Most people go with a get home bag, or a bag to move a specific distance in the event they have to leave home. The worst thing people do is buy a premade kit.
My bag is designed to get me 1500 kilometers, because as a wilderness prospector that's how far on average I'll have to travel to get home or to family. The hope is never to have to use it, but in the event vehicles aren't working it might be required. I can hike 50k a day, so if I can obtain enough food I can be home in a month.
The thing most people fail to carry enough of is cash/gold/silver. You can't carry everything, and you'll want to have money when power doesn't work.
Amoonlitsummernight@reddit
Smaller bugout bags. I'm not going to say that my bag is the best. In fact, there are things in it that I am always going back and forth on improving about it. What I will say is that most people have too much stuff in their bugout bags.
A bugout bag is intended to get you out of harm's way, and to a safe location. It's not designed for long-term camping or wilderness survival. That would be a camping, woodcraft, or I.N.C.H. bag, all of which are valuable in each one's own right (and I have an INCH kit), but it's important that we keep each mission separate.
This is my bag. It weights in at 3.5lb. It's based on the ESEE-6 Molle expansion, but you absolutely don't need this knife nor bag. Any small pouch that clips to your backpack or fanny pack should be able to carry most similar gear. So, what does it contain?
Small aside: My EDC items include a waterskin, Leatherman multitool, electric fire starter, and pen and paper. I just need to make that clear because a filled water container and multitool are invaluable in case of an emergency, and pen and paper are valuable in most scenarios.
Knife
ESEE-6, fixed blade, custom modifications (sharp spine, coating to patina, and minor profile alterations). This is a big knife for heavy tasks. A cheaper option would be the Mora and a small hatchet.
Water
Waterskin (EDC)
1gal dirty water, large mouth bag
Sawyer filter. It's small and reliable. I can use gravity to filter water when I'm resting, or fill the bag and drink directly from the filter without having to stop. I have enough tubing to accomplish my goals. The sawyer can also screw onto standard water bottles.
Fire
Electric lighter (EDC)
Ferro rod wrapped in bank line * Fire tin
* Fresnel lense
* BIC lighter
* Char cloth
* Tinder
* Fire blower
* Hurricane matches with striker glued inside the tin
Shelter
Onewind poncho tarp, which I have practiced setting up in the rain so I can pull all the cords tight after placement and not get wet. Regular tarps combined with pocket ponchos are also great options.
Stakes. Okay, I keep stakes because I don't want to have to waste time finding wood and whittling some when I reach a stopping point. These stakes have the exact cordage I want already attached for every shelter configuration I may use, and are lighter than wooden stakes.
Cordage
Misc pretied bankline, as well as several feet wrapped around Ferro rod
36ft orange paracord stored under the tins in the main pouch of the bag.
Medical tin
Pain: Asprin, Ibuprofen, Non-Asprin
Sterile Gauze
Antiseptic towelettes
Alcohol antiseptic pads
Assorted bandages
Fishing kit (in medical tin)
~50ft fishing line
Small ziplock bag with small hooks and weights
Small reddevil lure
Items I sometimes add depending on space.
Duct tape
Caffeine pills
Foot powder
Snare wire
Needle and thread
Bandana
Amoonlitsummernight@reddit
Frosty_Piece7098@reddit
In almost all cases, I would be in a far worse condition bugging out somewhere. All my food, tools, shelter, weapons, medications, radio gear, and social network exists at my house. “Bugging out” in the winter would be close to a death sentence. The best case is a defense network with my closest neighbors and making our area hard enough to loot that the looters go elsewhere. We could exist for at least a year in place, without ever leaving the property.
Granted, I don’t live in a city apartment. My chief concern is that some city people with a full tank are going to have enough gas to get out to where I live looking for resources.
Eeyor-90@reddit
My bag is packed for a stay at a hotel or shelter. I’m most likely to leave my home due to a fire or natural disaster. I may also have a need to travel with very short notice due to a family emergency. In either scenario, I’m not going to be walking far nor will I need to camp.
I’ve included a few “survival” items like a water filter, lighter, first aid kit that is more than just a boo-boo kit, knife, whistle, and a few other things, but mostly it’s packed to make a hotel stay more comfortable.
I have my files stored digitally and the cloud and an encrypted usb drive. I have a list of phone numbers for friends, family, banks, credit cards, and insurance providers so I can call people with a borrowed phone if mine is not working, lost, or damaged.
My get home bag is a bit different. That one is packed more for a long hike with some emergency camping gear. Walking home would be a last-resort and it isn’t very likely that I’d need to, but I could.
s3northants@reddit
Water, food, med kit, SBR, mini thermal drone, fusion nods, thermal camo. Just enough to get to a cache & onto the RV.
scovok@reddit
Most emergency scenarios are going to be weather related. In those cases staying home is usually the best case scenario with exception for weather events that might risk the integrity of your home.
In my opinion, most people who talk about bugging out leave out the most important tool, which is your vehicle. They are in a fantasy land where bugging out is caused by some EMP style event where their vehicle doesn't work. The chances of an event like that are not zero, but certainly not high on the list of reasons you might need to leave your home. Part of my bugging out plan includes regular maintenance on my vehicle as well as maintaining the fuel level so that I might be able to quickly leave in an emergency situation and not have to worry about stopping by the gas station on the way out of town.
If I need to leave my home, a BOB for me is what I need to survive away from home with the understanding that if I were to return, it might be to a pile of rubble or damaged in some way.
Just the creation of a BOB is not enough. You need to create a plan and share it with everybody in your household. If you do make the decision that it's no longer safe to stay in your home, you don't want the next decision to be, well where do I go? Identify a couple of spots so that all you need to do is grab your kit and leave. I have three spots in three different directions, and none of them are heading for the hills to create or join the wolverines.
Clovis_Point2525@reddit
Do you have a little wagon to carry all of that stuff?
funkytownup@reddit
I had a guy talking to me and an ex intel guy about his BOB. It weighed almost 200lbs. Had 100’ of 1/2” rope. He weighed almost 300lbs. Him and the intel guy knew each other. Intel guys says, “ where the “F” you gonna bug out to with that? Your fat ass can’t make it to the end of the block”. Intel guy’s Bob- break down .22rifle in a plain backpack. Cash and documents.
popsblack@reddit
BOBS have been around since long before content creators. Prepping as a hobby needs an exercise. Packing and re-packing buying and re-buying are that exercise. Not that there is anything wrong with exercise or planning, but understand the point. Which I think is thinking about necessities.
happyclamming@reddit
I have a small one that is not a hiking backpack. In it, I have laminated copies of all important documents, some cash, emergency rations, and a way to filter water. I have small things like matches and a knife and other things that might be useful. The concept would be to throw it in as a "just in case" bag instead of a " Here's everything you could possibly need to walk 100 miles bag." I have two small children so walking anywhere at Great distance is absolutely a non-starter.