50 Top Items For Your Bug Out Bag (Part 1)

What you need in your Bug Out Bag

When planning your bug out bag, it is essential that you plan realistically and not get caught up in a paranoid hype of buying “just in case”. Yes, you will want to be prepared for an emergency, but adding superfluous elements to your bag and to your storage supply will only limit the space that you have for things which are important. Knowing what essentials to pack is not only a needed strategic method of planning your bug out bag, it could ultimately be the factor that saves your life. Here are the key essentials which should be in your bag.

1. Socks

If you talk to any military personnel, he or she will tell you that you have to keep your feet healthy. Why? Bug out bags are designed for a situation where you have to move and travel. If your feet are injured, infected, and you are immobile then there is little use of the bag. Pack several pairs of thick cotton/wool socks. Socks which are not used on the feet can be used for other purposes such as storing food and supplies.

2. Filtration System

Where it is paramount that you pack water (either in packs or in bottles), it must be understood that your water supply will eventually run out. As such, you will need to have a way of obtaining water. And as a catastrophic event is apt to ruin the local water supply, you will need a way in which to filter the water. There are several products which are available. I would recommend both the filtration straw as well as a portable system capable of handling 200 or more gallons of water.

3. A plant and herb book/ first aid book

Granted, books will weight down your bug out bag quickly, so only pack two. The first book needs to be a paperback (don’t pack hardbacks) of herbs and plants which grow in the wild. This book will be a huge help when gathering food. Where you would want to think that your skills of discernment are high, the reality is that in a bug out situation, you will have other things on your mind and may forget what you can and cannot consume.
The Second book is for first aid. This book is more for others to help you than for you to help them. If for some reason you become injured and cannot render first aid to yourself, it would behoove you to have a manual that can walk someone through what is needed to get you back on your feet.
In some dire situations where you need a fire and you’re having a hard time finding kindling, then sadly the pages in these books may be the first thing that gets burned, so you better read them quickly!

4. Fishing Kit

You will need to gather food. Fishing is one of the easier ways in which to obtain food. You do not want to rely solely on the food in your pack.

5. Superglue

In addition to having a first aid kit, have a few containers of superglue. Not only can you use, sparingly, the glue for an adhesive for fixing minor issues with your bug out supplies, but you can use glue for closing wounds in an emergency situation.

6. Chili Powder

Chili Powder works not only as an additive for food, but also on a variety of non-consumption levels as well. If a small amount is put into socks, it can be absorbed in the feet and raise the temperature of the body. In warm water, the steam can help with a cold, and if needed chili powder works as a fairly effective defensive weapon when thrown in someone’s face.

7. Strike anywhere matches

Bush craft skills can only take you so far, and so strike anywhere matches will be needed in your bug out bag. Ensure that you have them carefully stored so that they do not get wet or ignite.

8. A compass

Since you will be bugging out, it would be wise to have some sense of where you are going. Using a compass with glow in the dark indicators (or one with LED backlight) will help you to find the way. Do not rely upon a GPS in your phone or electronic device. Yes, your device can help you for a time, but once the battery goes dead, you will need to have a method of navigation. Have a compass and pack a map of the local area.

9. A multipurpose knife

Some people will tell you that your only knife should be a Crocidile Dundee style device. However, you will need to have something functional which can be used for diverse situations. A swiss army knife or a survival knife is ideal for the everyday tedious tasks, and those tweezers on the side will come in handy quite often as you gather wood, supplies, and berries.

10. Rope/ParaCord

From makeshift shoelaces to hanging up meat, rope is a necessity for any bug out bag. Nylon is a great pick as you can melt and mold it somewhat. Just be sure to get a thickness which does not break without you wanting it to.

11. Gloves

Your hands need to be protected, especially if you plan on hunting and gathering. Get some heavy duty work gloves (not those cheap latex ones) to keep your hands safe.

12. An extra pair of shoes

There is no telling how long you will be without the ability to buy a new pair of shoes. That being stated, you don’t want your sole to run out while in the wild.

13. Needle and Thread

This is perhaps going to be one of the top tools in your bag. From fixing your bag from minor tears, to repairing your clothing and making shelter, needle and thread is a must. If you do not have sewing skills, get some. There are plenty of videos which can show you how to get started.

14. Flint and Steel

If you are in a bug out situation, then the odds are that you will have to have an immediate and a long term plan for survival. And where matches are welcome (and needed) in your pack, there will come a time when you run out. Unless you are really good at finding natural flint and steel, then the odds are very bleak that you will get a fire going. Sure, you could try to start a fire by rubbing sticks together, but why? Flint and steel kits are cheap and easy to carry.

15. Paper Towels

Consider this all purpose paper. Good for cleaning things up and cuts. Also works well in place of comparatively flimsy toilet paper. May be a bit of common sense here, but you do not want to be using your hand and leaves when you are out in the woods. Besides, what you don’t use for hygiene, you can always use to start a fire.

16. Shovel

It is recommended that you use a military folding shovel in your bug out bag. These are super easy to carry and incredibly durable.

17. Canteen with a cup kit

Having water is good, but having a means in which to fix your food, coffee, boil water for sanitation, and such is paramount to your survival. The Canteen with a metal cup is an all-in-one type of kit. Generally, the canteen fits into the cup and the cup attaches to the canteen via the handle of the pan/cup. When not being used for water, it can double as a cooking pot or feeding bowl.

18. Hatchet

While you do not need to go tromping through the woods with an axe, you will need to have a hatchet or a hand-held axe in order to cut down small trees for shelter as well as utilize it for cutting up game and such. And while the thought may seem a bit morbid, you would not want to be stuck trying to cut up a deer with your 2 inch pocket utility knife.

19. Sunscreen

Even in cold temperatures, you can get sunburned, especially if you are like most modern adults who don’t spend enough time out in the sun. Get you some SPF 50 or so and use it sparingly. The last thing you want is to get sun blistered due to your body not being used to all day exposure to UVs.

20. Backpack Rain Cover

Simple enough. A cover to keep all the contents of your bag dry. It does no good to have extra clothes and supplies if they get ruined by a deluge.

21. Benadryl

Regardless of how careful you are in the woods, the odds are very high that at one point you will have to use Benadryl. Additionally, if you have an allergic reaction and don’t know what caused it, Benadryl typically gets it under control quickly.

22. Duct Tape

You will never laugh at the jokes about duct tape again once you get into the woods and find out how many uses you really have with it. Just ensure that you keep it wrapped up and the sides clean to avoid frustration.

23. Goggles

Water in a bug out situation may not be the cleanest (even now in a non-bug out situation you would not want to stick your face in some water sources). However, you may be forced to dive into these areas. As such, protecting your eyes should be a top priority. In addition to the water, goggles can help protect the eyes from dust storms and smoke.

24. Instant Coffee

If you are in the habit of having at least 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day, like the average adult, then you will need to have coffee. Coffee has caffeine which is an accelerant drug. Going cold turkey from your daily coffee fix will not kill you, but that headache you will get may have you wishing you were dead.

25. Cards

When there is nothing to do or when you are too exhausted to get up and do something, you will still need to occupy your time. Cards are an easy way to do so. If you’re having a hard time starting a fire, these will often help with that.  By the time you end up burning through a lot of cards you certainly won’t be playing with a full deck anyway.