What about BOB's?

The Basics of Bug-Out Preparedness by Eric Power

If you look on the internet these days for pretty much anything, you'll be linked to 2,187,243,539 sites that claim to have exactly the information that you need. This is no less true when you look up Bug Out Bags.

Here's a little background on me: I am a prepper. (sshhh....don't tell anyone OK?) I started getting into the prepping mindset around 2007 when I started hearing about the failing economy.  The general decline of society is something that has concerned me for a while now, as well. I also remember a 4-month period right before Y2K when I started storing gallon water jugs like mad (no extra food, just water!), and prepared a lock-down/security procedure for the two-bedroom apartment that I lived in at the time. Looking back, it all seems silly, but never mind that right now! I could see the writing on the wall and it didn't (and still doesn't) look all that fantastic. So my wife and I started looking into being prepared for whatever might come our way, be it natural disasters, hyperinflation, societal collapse, and/or *GASP* ZOMBIES. And this time, making sure it was done the right way.

One of the first things we heard about when researching a prepper lifestyle was the BUG OUT BAG (BOB). Also known as the Go Bag, the Emergency Bag, or the SHTF (S**t Hits The Fan) Bag, this is like the sliced bread of the prepper community; a staple without which, you could not survive. So we looked online for some tips on what to put in a BOB. It was like a tsunami! Everybody had their own customized bag with different items, redundant items, ridiculous items, and GUNS. Always with the guns. One guy, I swear, had more bullets for the two guns he carried in his BOB than he had food and water. I get it; guns are sexy. I love guns. I do. But it seemed that their love affair with firearms was consuming their practicality. Because really, what is the point of a gun if you have nothing else in your BOB to protect? Without the less "sexy" stuff like food/water, fire-starters, and maybe a change of socks, you might not survive too long wherever you may be, whether it's the wilderness or the urban jungle.

Now, I'm far from being an expert on these things but having put together more than a couple of them, I have some tips on what to do in general. My wife and I have four children between the two of us, ranging in age from 8-23. Each one has their own bag. And, of course, one each for myself and the Missus! Six, yep count 'em, six BOB's!

FieldLine Alpha Ops Internal Frame Pack

First of all, a well-stocked BOB is not exactly cheap. Tallying up all the essentials, from food to shelter and all the little things in between, can get pretty pricey. The first consideration you should make is the bag with which to hold it all. Now you can luck out by going through the bins at Goodwill or Salvation Army stores and finding yourself a sweet deal on a quality pack. Chances are not great, but it is possible! I found a decent bag for my 8 year-old daughter at Goodwill (since I'm not outfitting her like a Navy SEAL) but beyond that, all the others, save for one, were store-bought. Now luckily I happened upon a fantastic deal at, of all places, Wal-Mart. This is the FieldLine Alpha Ops Tactical series, which was $40 (I've seen them even cheaper this year!). Considering some of the other bags people like using for BOBs, this is a steal! Condor bags can run over $100 or more; granted, the Condor is better quality, but the price is too out there for me, especially considering how many I need. Another version from Fieldline, which is more of a hunting pack, cost only $30. Much easier on the wallet. Fieldline, I think, is a QUALITY bag for the money. Many pockets for organizing, made from tough Cordura fabric, sturdy zippers, and guaranteed to hold everything you should need for an emergency situation. One of them even comes with a rifle sling! Ohhh yeah.

Fill 'er Up!

So, what should you put in your BOB?  The list has a myriad of choices. The first things to consider should be the most vital to your well-being.  The most important survival necessity is water. You will not last long without water. In a disaster/emergency situation, it is likely that municipal water sources will be contaminated. So pack some bottled water! But here's the drawback...water gets heavy; you want to keep the weight of your pack as low as possible, in case you have to walk a considerable distance. Consider a portable water filter. There are many brands to choose from; Katadyn makes a great filter that is pack-friendly. Also, there is the one that I chose for my family: The LifeStraw. It's extremely light and is capable of filtering almost 300 gallons of water! To use, you simply stick it into the water source and drink like from a normal straw. It's cheap and effective, and it made the cut for our BOBs.

It Ain't a Pillowtop...

Your second priority is warmth/shelter. Some might say food should be next, but you can live several days without food. If you are without shelter to keep you warm and dry, then you will not last long! Now you can build a suitable shelter from supplies in the environment, so it's not necessarily something you should pack but it's always helpful to have it just in case. It can be as simple as a tarp with some rope or twine, or a bivouac bag for sleeping. Part of keeping dry is suitable clothing. We found a great deal on some Coleman rain suits that are made from thick, heavy duty waterproof vinyl. A higher end product that I've heard rave reviews about is the Frogg Toggsrainsuit. They are very durable and keep you very dry. More expensive but if you can afford it, they are definitely worth the price. Also consider the season/climate for your living area. If it's cold out, pack some warm clothes. If it's summertime, having a heavy parka for your bug out isn't very sensible. Rotate items according to your need. Winter has started here in my area, so I will be packing my bags with gloves, hats, scarves and masks very soon.

That "Rumbly in Your Tumbly" Feeling

Next in importance is food. Unfortunately, food gets rather heavy as well. It only takes a few meals before your BOB gets pretty hefty. So do your best to pack light items such as protein bars, granola, raisins, and other non-perishables. Make sure that the items you pack are high-calorie items as well. You're not dieting in emergencies. You will be taxing your bodies, possibly hiking in rough terrain and you need that energy. My

wife came up with a great idea for a homemade MRE. She put together a kit which includes some small canned foods (with easy open pop-tops),  snacks, and beef jerky, and vacuum sealed them with our Foodsaver. Actual MREs are also an option but are much more expensive per meal. The good thing about whichever food you choose is also the bad thing: it will disappear eventually. On the plus side, your pack gradually gets lighter; of course, the bad news is that you're running out of food! The best way to prepare for that eventuality is to have a Bug out location, stocked with more food or at least a means of gathering food (i.e. hunting, trapping, fishing etc.). If at all possible, try to reach your destination with your vehicle. If not reach it, then close the gap as much as possible. It's best however, to plan as if you must walk the whole way and pack your food accordingly; make sure that you're not stuck with too much trip at the end of the food.

Okay, Now What??

Now those are the absolute necessities: Water, Shelter, and Food. You shouldn't stop there, by any means. Anything you can think of that would make your trek from point A to point B is fair game for stocking away in your bag. A first aid kit, lighters, waterproof matches, or the higher end magnesium fire-starters are a welcome addition to your survival arsenal. Also consider a light source of some sort to see at night. The majority of flashlights pose a problem in that they run batteries down. The last thing you want to carry in your bag is a mother-lode of batteries. Talk about heavy! I've found more than a few lights that are either solar or hand-crank, which means you turn a handle on the side for a minute or so to charge the battery inside. The charge will last for a fair amount of time; when it runs out, just crank it again! Never a worry with batteries or, as is the case with a solar light, a cloudy day that didn't charge it fully.

Another very handy item to have along is paracord - AKA 500lb strength parachute cord. I've got a 100 ft. bundle; it's relatively cheap, very strong, and very light. It has about a thousand different uses, from stringing up shelter, making a tourniquet; you can even use the inner threads for sewing thread, fishing line, or even floss! A great way to pack a good length of paracord and be fashionable at the same time is a paracord bracelet.  The family recently got some as an early Christmas present from The Rat and The Ratwife themselves.  I've taken to wearing it everyday and it's very comfortable!  This way you always have some on you for a situation where it may be needed. Thanks you                                                           two!  

There are many things you may choose to include in your BOB. If you happen to be in the woods or walking the highway, lost or otherwise, a great thing to have is a knife. A good sized, fixed-blade knife is good for chopping, whittling spears, lashing to a branch for use as a spear, or a number of other possibilities. Self-defense is always a good use for a knife, if you are without firearms, or in an area where it might be illegal. Also, some other tools may be handy. I have a pair of wire cutters, some electrical tape, duct tape, and even some zip ties. You never know when it might come in handy; and since they are pretty light and fairly small, the perception of them is pretty negligible in your pack.

Is Anybody Out There??

And finally, communication with the outside world is extremely important. If there is a local disaster, a radio is essential to finding out what is going on in your area; relief efforts, power restoration, which areas may have looters or rioters, or when it is safe to return. If you are lost, and you make the news, this could help

with your morale; knowing that they are searching for you can go a long way to boosting your resolve to keep fighting and surviving till they find you. Now of course, a radio is powered in a couple of different ways; typically electricity or batteries. Generally, if it's a situation where you need your BOB, electricity most likely will be unavailable and batteries eat up your pack space and create weight issues. So, like the flashlights, I found a hand crank radio that can be powered anywhere. This model is endorsed by the American Red Cross, and is made by Eton Corporation. It has the crank, a solar panel for sunny day charging, AM/FM and the Weather Bands, a small built-in flashlight, and it even has a USB port which can be used to charge your cell phone! All of this in a package just slightly larger than the palm of my hand. You can't beat that for a survival tool.

"To Be Prepared is Half the Victory." - Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 

I've always thought that in the case of emergency situations, it's always better to have and not need, than to need and not have.  The time to prepare is not after an emergency has started.  It's before. Well before, even!  PREpare.  It's in the word! If the storm clouds are brewing off in the distance, it's still too late.  So Be Prepared.  If it's good enough for the Boy Scouts, it's good enough for me.