45 State Bugout Bag
Silent Thunder Ordnance
What with COVID-19, somewhat irreverently known as the “kung-flu,” tearing its way through the world, thoughts naturally trend toward worst case scenarios. The great toilet paper and hand sanitizer purge is a prime example of this, fear is driving unnecessary hoarding. Grocery stores are being emptied of all TP, and we’re even seeing some of the first known cases of people willingly, in what I can only imagine is absolute dire need, spending real money on “dude wipes.”
On a more serious note though, what would happen, what would you do, if some worst case scenario came to your city and you had to get out of dodge? Are you prepared, and what would your bugout bag look like? In a way, it is EDC on steroids. I should also add that this ought to be tailored to you personally, matching your skills and likely bugout environment. Carrying a survival saw for example is incredibly useful in a forested area, however in the middle of a desert maybe not so much. Likewise if you haven’t been put through survival training, a proper compass may not be particularly useful to you. It is also meant to complement what I already EDC, but not replace it. I also built it out to be what I call “45 state legal,” which is to say something you could carry almost anywhere. Even in most of Europe, this should be more or less legal. That means, specifically, no firearms. Should it be that kind of bugout, there are a whole suite of different things, weapons, armor, and ammo which ought be carried, and are beyond the scope of this blog post. So here is my bugout bag, built with the expectation of, not long term outdoor stays, but short term outdoor “excursions” to get out of dodge, or get places which otherwise may be hard to get.
Food/Water/Shelter
Mylar emergency blanket - too small, light, and useful not to have. Good for survival, but also emergency signaling as it is bright gold on the outside.
Mylar tarp - heavier duty, longer term, grommets at the corners, and OD green on the outside so reasonably camouflaged. This is a repeat use item rather than an emergency one. I’ve spent more than one night under this.
Bug net - you can wear long pants and sleeves, but just a few bugs in your face can make life really tough.
Serious socks - wool hiking socks. These are dual purpose, working as emergency mittens if necessary.
5 mil contractor garbage bags - these fold tight and serve a million and one purposes. They burn well, they build shelters, they make a serviceable rain poncho, they can carry water, solar still, bedding, the list just goes on and on and they are very compact. If you’ve been through survival training, you don’t need any more explanation on these.
2 liter Nalgene
2 liter water bladder
1 liter water bladder w/ integral filter
Water filter - why so much water capacity and two filters? You can go weeks without food, but if you’re hiking hard you’ll consume water at a staggering rate. Good sources are also not always easy to come by. Stock up when you can, and be sure you have a way to purify it on the move.
No food - The plan isn’t to spend months outside, just days, and most of that time should be spent covering ground as rapidly as possible. A few days without food is no big deal. If you need some though, as crazy as it may sound, dry dog kibble is a great choice. Why? It is nutritionally dense, light weight, shelf stable, and you’re not going to snack on it frivolously so it’ll still be there if you ever REALLY need it.
Emergency Medical
Basic medical kit - A trick here is to get a basic medical kit and then supplement it. Many of the things below are simply that. This makes it easy, and gives you a convenient case to keep everything together as well.
Lighter - I know we sell two types of lighters, and I still recommend a bic lighter here. Why? An arc lighter doesn’t sterilize tools well, and a wick based butane lighter slowly leaks fuel. Neither are a good way to store energy for years and years without attention or use. Meanwhile a couple cent bic lighter will be around forever.
Superglue
Steri-Strips
Nylon monofilament needled suture - when you need to suture something, there is little else which will substitute. They also can be bent into an emergency fish hook.
Triple antibiotic ointment
Bandaids
Tongue depressors - dual use, medical and kindling in an emergency.
Gauze - same as above
Potassium iodide tablets - thyroid blocking in a radiation emergency
Tweezers
Silicon nitride tipped tweezers - can be sterilized in fire without damage
Sterilizing wipes - “moist towelette”
Sterile gloves
medical tape
safety pins
Sterile scalpel blades
benzocaine pads
Tools & Weapons
Large knife - 8.1” Morakniv with sheath. We live in an age of embarrassment of riches, with so many great options on the market from Busse/SYKCO to ESEE to SURVIVE!, however part of a bugout bag is it doesn’t get used all that often. So a couple hundred dollars for a big knife that’ll rarely be enjoyed might not be money well spent. Contrast that with a big Mora. They’re tough as nails, well made, light weight, work great, and can be had for embarrassingly little money.
Scalpeldashi - serves the “small knife” requirement. Incredibly useful. Spare sterile blades too.
Sharpening stone
Survival Saw - Boreal 21 is my pick, even better than the vaunted and no longer available Sawvivor.
Slingshot - I specifically bring a Harpy, but bring what you’re accurate with rather than what is smallest. Should the time come, you won’t be thankful your slingshot is tiny, but you will be thankful your slingshot is one you’re very accurate with. Wrap this in a protective bag to keep it away from oxygen and light. Not only is a slingshot a great weapon/diversion tool, ammo can be picked up as you go giving it almost “limitless” capacity.
Spare bands, wraps, pouches, and ammo - Wrap these in a plastic bag as well to keep them in good shape for when you need them. I’m partial to alliance bands, as they’re much longer lasting, both use and storage, than typical exercise bands.
Eyepro - not just from projectiles (you are bringing a slingshot after all) but from sun and weather. It sounds goofy, but you only have the two eyes. An inexpensive pair of impact rated glasses, tinted or not, cost almost nothing and weigh almost nothing. They also go well with firearms, should you be bringing those.
Paracord - I always wrap this on my knife sheath. Handy place to store it compactly, and right next to the tool you’ll need to use it. Don’t skimp, real milspec 550 cord comes on big spools for surprisingly little money.
Ferro rod - I know I said a lighter above, however even the enduring Bic is transient and easy to ruin next to a ferro rod. This will sit idle in your pack practically forever and always produce hot sparks when you need it.
Orienteering Compass
Lockpicks - multi-use. Picking locks? Hopefully not. They’re very thin spring steel with useful shapes though to be a probe, prybar,
Monocular - (daylight)
Faraday bag - Even when turned off, your phone is never truly “off,” and surveillance increasingly leans on technology. A faraday bag you can drop your phone in and truly go dark is compact, light weigh, good for other things, and a cheap hedge should you need to “disappear.”
Backpack - all this gear needs to go in something. In this case I’m using a Teton Sports Oasis 1100. It is very light, well thought out, lots of useful quick-access pockets, includes hydration, an emergency whistle, and an integral rain fly. Don’t take this as an endorsement per se, it works, but I’ve also not taken this bag to hell yet. As a result it looks good on paper, but nothing is ever truly great until field proven.
Things Unsaid
Hiking Boots - you’re going to be covering ground. Have a good pair of boots, ones broken in and proven.
Season appropriate clothing - winter in the north or summer in the south of the United States can be brutal. Seasonally appropriate clothing is critical. Wear it/bring it with you.
Flashlight - Batteries don’t store well. As a result, this is an EDC item rather than a go-bag item as it can’t be practically stored in a state of readiness. Keep in mind a light with very long battery life is much more useful than a pocket rocket. Potentially a relatively dim red light is also highly useful.
Phone - you’d expect to find this in your pocket, not your bugout bag. These tools are oh so useful for easy orienteering, info, etc but they’re a double edged sword as they can be used to track you and are notoriously unreliable when you need them most. Don’t be dependent on your phone.
Cash
Map - grab one for wherever you’re going before you leave.
Pet supplies/Bugout Bag - You’re not going to leave your beloved and loyal companion behind are you? Pack a bugout bag for your best buddy as well. If you have a dog for example, bring the basics you need to cover ground, such as a water bowl so they can drink without lots of spill, and a wrap if they break a claw or tear a pad. The last thing you want is to have to carry your animal. Dogs in particular can be incredible assets as well, being extremely alert and astute.
Keep it light! - Remember the point of bugging out: to cover ground, and cover it fast. This isn’t a camping trip.
Have a plan! - Have a reasonable plan for where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, and how long it is going to take. Preferably let someone know this.
Store your bag somewhere useful! - I keep my bugout bag in my car. Why? Because wherever I’m going, my car is probably going to be the first step to getting there. It also allows me to carry a lot more other gear I’m not planning to keep on my back.
The whole thing, including containers but not the water they carry, weighs just 4.2 pounds. A key idea to bugging out is to NOT put yourself in a survival situation. Have a plan, and strive to ensure this doesn’t become a survival situation. And that is part of the mindset here. Long term, you have incredibly poor prospects for survivability, producing enough food to sustain yourself alone in the wilderness is incredibly difficult. Thus this bugout bag doesn’t have such lofty goals. Again, the plan needs to be a relatively quick jaunt from an unsafe area to a safe pre-existing shelter which is out of the crisis epicenter. If it is going to be weeks of hiking, you require a LOT more gear, and largely that is gear oriented for the season you’re currently in. Also don’t undervalue your car. Tools, weapons, ammunition, maps, food, water, fuel, loved ones these are all things easier for your car to carry than your arms and legs. Take the easy road as long as you can.
I hope this was interesting, and potentially inspirational, for your own bugout gear. Everyone has their own skill sets, and how that interacts with location and season. Personalize and pack your own bag accordingly. May we all never need it. Stay safe and healthy everyone. :)
