Bug Out Bags: Hiking Packs, Survival Kits.... What are they?
Bug Out Bags: Hiking Packs, Survival Kits.... What are they?
We have bags and kits and packs and kits we carry in packs and every other assortment of stuff on hand to carry along to make our lives easier and more comfortable - even to the point of life or death survival.
We have threads and posts and threads and posts discussing who carries or should carry what in all of these packs and kits and bags.
I quite often read posts here that seem to confuse hiking packs, survival kits, and bug out bags and every other kit by every name and nature with each other.
Some of us (me) keep several kits in our vehicles - just in case we have to bail out of wherever we are fast. I always keep a substantial first aid kit in each vehicle, together with a fully stocked survival kit with at least two of each of the Ten Essentials, a duffel with complete changes of clean clothes appropriate to the season, a vehicle repair kit with automotive fluids, some spare parts, and repair supplies, food and water, and lots of other necessities. I even keep two collapsible dog bowls, dry dog food, and two leashes in the cars, just in case we have only seconds to evacuate the house.
Still, here we go again.....
First of all, everyone's needs differ depending on their own personal circumstances, their geographical location, their planned activities, and the intended purpose of the bag, pack, or kit itself. Some items may belong in every type of kit you have. Others will be of immense value in one kit and absolutely useless in another.
For example, I keep some prescription pain meds in virtually every kit I own. However, I don't keep any of the thumb drives and documents and records that I have in my bug out bag in any of my hiking packs. I keep extra socks and underwear in my BOB, but never had a pair of either in the "abandon ship" bag I carried when I ventured out on Nantucket Sound. My hiking pack looked nothing like either of those.
I read one post recently that described a pack as a BOB. It's absolutely nothing like my BOB - it's a lot more like a mini-version of my day hike pack.
For some of us, the best BOB would be one that helps you to survive outdoors in the dead of winter in the event your wilderness cabin burns down. For others, it's more appropriate to pack items that will make your stay in a shelter or with family or friends a mere inconvenience if you have to leave your home for the short term, such as in the case of a nearby HazMat truck spill, a major gas leak, or something else of that sort.
I can be out of the shower and standing outside in a pair of pants and shoes holding my keys with everyone - including the dogs - out of the house in less than a minute - unless the house explodes, bursts into flames, or collapses.
A "disaster" may be limited to your household or your neighborhood or your region of the country. Build your kits and packs accordingly, and be realistic about what you need and where you'll likely be bugging out to. Think about what you, your family, and your pets NEED everyday, account for medical needs and documents you may require, and include those items in your pack or in your vehicles.
Give some thought to keeping copies of your important records, documents, irreplacable photos stored on thumb drives, and other items, such as your household inventory (for insurance purposes) in safety deposit boxes - one local and one a good distance from home - just in case. Think about keeping spares of other items - such as clothing - at the home of a family member or friend if you can.
There are several threads in the Forums suggesting what should be carried in different kits. Look them up if you care to.
I can go on forever on this subject, and I'm sure that most of you have ideas that I haven't touched on here. Just remember, for most of us, a BOB is NOT a camping backpack or a wilderness survival pack.
