We have seen all the survival movies and read some of the really good prepper books. All of these you will see the hero or heroine have a “bug out bag” AKA BOB.
Whenever the good guy faced some sort of apocalyptic situation they dug in the BOB and pulled out that needed survival item that saved the day for them and their group. Another situation happens, say they run up against the undead and the hero again pulls out some great weapon and takes out 20 zombies.
Finally the group stops and makes camp and once again the hero basically pulls out the Hilton hotel of tents, sets it up in two minutes, has a fire and is munching down on some really great food.
What DOESN’T this guy have in that back pack?
Folks, what we need to remember is that this is Hollywood and isn’t real.
When we lived in Texas I used to conduct classes teaching people how to build a realistic Bug Out Bag.
But before we started the class, I wanted everyone to have a good US Army MOLLE Back Rucksack or at least the equivalent.
Here is what I suggest – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-USArmy-ACU-Rucksack
Now if you buy one new, they are on the expensive side about $150 – $175 and that is when you can find them in stock.
You can also get them used, which you find these used ones in really good condition and those range around $50+.
NOW, the problem with a used ruck is that some of the gear is missing, like the better padded waist belt or the improved shoulder straps. These are included in the MOLLE II ACU pack, so keep your eyes out for them. They will make a difference.
Here is a good link for used rucks – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Army-ACURucksack-USED
Now the reason I had my students get these before the class because held class at Walmart.
I made the students wear the pack and as we walked through the store, I would make recommendations to them about the different gear, supplies, food, ect.
No shopping carts were allowed, but they could use the hand baskets that you can carry. When we walked through the store, they had to put all the stuff in the back pack or in the hand baskets. But no matter what, they had to carry their items.
That in and of itself was a big learning lesson for a lot of people. They realized real quick was really needed verses that stuff that looked good in the movies.
My class usually lasted about 3 hours and it gave folks a good idea of what it meant to lug all this stuff around, dodge other shoppers and well as stay out of the way of each other, but close enough to listen to my lecture.
Building Your Own Customized Realistic Bug Out Bag
So right now you should have a good sturdy rucksack that can hold a bunch of survival stuff with you, throw it on your back and then walk to your predetermined destination.
But here is the realistic thing, just because you have tons of pockets, pouches and such, does not mean that you have to fill them with stuff.
This is one of the mistakes that a lot of people make when building their 72 hour Bug Out Bag.
It is 72 hours folks, this is NOT a Get Out Of Dodge Bag. We will talk about that in a following article.
If you read my Customized First Aid Kits article, then you understand that I customize in stages or what I call Foundations. This 72 hour BOB is foundation #2.
What is Foundation #1? Well your office Get Home Bag, you can read about that here…
Get Home Bag – http://raygano.com/your-office-bug-out-bag-get-home-bag/
Foundation Bag #3 is your Get Out Of Dodge Bag (GOOD)
So first things first, let’s focus on the BASICS for a 72 hour bug out bag.
Basics #1 – Clothing, Hat, Gloves & a Drive on Rag
Clothes are important but what we need to remember is that we are packing for 72 hours, NOT packing to live the rest of our lives out of a backpack.
So we need to be strategic in what we are going to wear.
First we need to take weather into consideration. Is it hot where you live, cold, rainy, snow, etc. To keep your BOB up to date, you will need to pull clothes out and put clothes in to suit the weather.
Let’s focus on cold and think in layers. If you focus on cold and maintain layers, you can always adapt and strip down layers if the weather is warm. What you do not want to do is pack for warmth and then all of a sudden unannounced you are stuck in the cold with only warm weather clothes.
A good pair of jeans several shirts, and thinking layers, so a “T-Shirt” then a long sleeve shirt and then even a long sleeve wool shirt or light jacket depending on where you are located.
IF you are in a colder region, you may want to pack some Thermasilk long underwear. Yes, they are more expensive, but they keep you warmer and they are lighter to carry instead of the bulky cotton ones you normally find at Walmart.
It is always good to have some sort of head covering like a good baseball hat, stocking cap or both. You lose the most amount of your body heat from your head. IF you keep it covered, it helps keep in the heat. A hat also protects your head from the elements and will cushion a bit if you bump your head against some low hanging branch, or some sort of obstacle you may be crawling / ducking under.
When I was in the Army I was part of Special Ops and one thing that to this day that I always have in any of my bags is a “Drive on Rag.” What is a Drive on Rag? It is a Military Cravat Triangular Bandage. These things are great and have many uses.
Primarily we hung it off our rucksack strap and used it to wipe the sweat from our face as we were humping through the brush. “Wipe that sweat off your face there troop and drive on.” Thus the name Drive on Rag.
But another great use is to wear it on your head like a bandana, it helps absorb the sweat, but it will also help trap in some of the heat so you do not lose body temperature. You can also wear it under a hat, just adjust the hat to fit.
Something else that is like the drive on rag is the Shemagh. This is a large thin cotton scarf that you see a lot of military wear. They have million and one uses. I have several I still use them.
In fact, here are 20 ways to use your Shemagh…
- – Protection from Sun
- – Cool Down Yourself
- – Warm Layer
- – Protection from Dust, Sand & Wind
- – Improvised Water Collector
- – Primitive Pillow to Make Your Sleep Comfortable
- – Simple Traveling Bag
- – Soft Towel to Dry Yourself
- – Bandage to Keep Small Wounds Clean
- – Tourniquet to Stop Bleeding
- – Sling for Injured Arm
- – Emergency Water Filter to Get Rid of Debris
- – Comfortable Foot Wrap to Replace Lost Sock
- – Makeshift Potholder
- – Blanket to Keep Yourself Warm
- – Improvised Baby Swaddler
- – Simple Trail Marker to Not Get Lost
- – Splint Tie to Fix Your Injury
- – Poultice to Speed up Healing Process
- – Washcloth to Keep Everything Clean
Hands need gloves. It is imperative that you have a good pair of gloves that allow your hands to breathe as well as protect your hands. I like the “Mechanic” brand of gloves. They are meant to take a beating, but they are thin enough to maintain your finger dexterity.
You want to wear glove if you are bugging out to your predesignated site. Why? You may fall, need to climb walls or fences, crawl on the ground, move debris, a number of things you may encounter where you may need to clear obstacles with your hands. Doing something like that when your hands are not used to it, and without gloves, your hands are going to look pretty chewed up. You will need your hands once you get to your destination, so make sure you protect them with a good pair of gloves that you can really work and maneuver in.
Finally it is a good idea to have a pair of high impact safety sun glasses. I have a pair of Jackson Nemisis Safety Glasses. These are made for people who use those gas powered weed-eaters. You know how small rocks and such always get slung through the air. Well these are great high impact sunglasses. You do not know what sort of situations you will be facing, falling debris, people throwing rocks and such, wind hurling all sort of stuff in the air. This is why it is good to have a pair of high impact glasses.
The Nemisis glasses are super thick plastic, anti-fog and run about $9.00 on Amazon. These are what I wear today and they are great.
Basics #1 Links – Clothing, Hat, Gloves & a Drive on Rag
Thermasilk Pants – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Thermasilk-Pants
Thermasilk Shirt – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Thermasilk-Shirt
Drive on Rag – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Drive-On-Rag
Tactical OD Green Shemagh – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Shemagh-Tactical-Scarf
Mechanic Wear Gloves – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Mechanics-Gloves
Jackson Nemesis Sunglasses – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Nemesis-Sunglasses
Basics #2 – Food & Water
They taste great, kind of like butter cookies, and they do not make you thirsty like other survival bars or food. They are 6″x6″ square so you can fit a number of them in your Bug Out Bag and they not take up much room.
You can see the video here that I produced talking about the ER Bar.
WATCH NOW – https://youtu.be/fmzJwbTBGgs
Another item that you need to have in your Bug Out Bag is a means to contain and filter water.
I am a HUGE fan of Berkey water filters. We use them ourselves and we even own a Royal Berkey Water Filter. These are the best water filters in the world. One of the best things you can put in your bag is a Berkey Sport bottle. This will filter 125 gallons of treated water, 75 gallons of swamp / muddy water. These are a great thing to have on hand to not only keep in your Office Bug Out Bag / Get Home Bag, but also to keep a few in the car and other places. You never know when you are going to need to get some water and these are inexpensive enough that you can purchase multiple bottles.
Here is a video of me when we lived in Texas of me drinking out of a skanky pool that our dogs and chickens used to drink out of and even bath in.
WATCH NOW >> https://youtu.be/9_qmqfEwcEg
Finally, you want to have water in your bag just in case you cannot supply yourself before you leave your area.
Answer – emergency water pouches / boxes are a great way to go. The negative is that they will weigh down your pack, so you need to really assess how much you will put in your pack to get you going till you can find some sort of water that you can use your Berkey Sport Bottle.
NOTE – if you are having to seek out water, find your water source and make sure you hydrate yourself by drinking as much as you can there at your water source, then filling up your bottle on top of that.
Throw in a few salt packets or Gatorade packets in your bag so that you can put some in your mouth and then drink some water.
DO NOT ADD SALT OR GATORIAD TO THE SPORT BOTTLE… it will filter those things out as well. But you need replenish your electrolytes. So putting a little bit of powdered Gatorade in your mouth then taking a swig of water will help you build those electrolytes back up again.
Another good thing is adding a bottle of salt pills. These will help you replenish your electrolytes as well. Keeping hydrated and the electrolytes up will help you in your trek home.
Basics #2 Links – Food & Water
ER Emergency Ration 3600+ Calorie, 5-Year Emergency Food Bar – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-3500-ER-Bar
Berkey 22-Ounce Water Filter Sports Bottle – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Berkey-Sport-Bottle
Emergency Water Packets – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Emergency-Water
Electrolyte salt pills – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Electrolyte-Salt-Pills
Gatorade packs – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Gatorade-Packs
Basics #3 – First Aid Kit / Gun Shot Kit
I like the Coleman’s Expedition First Aid Kit. It has 205-Pieces and it is slim in a neoprene sort of case. This is a good starting point for your BOB First Aid Kit.
You also want to have in your bug out bag medical supplies like an Israeli Compression bandage, Tourniquet, quick clot blood clotter. These are needed just in case one sustains gun shot or bad knife cut. If you are bugging out, then things have gotten bad. There could be a chance that you could get cut or shot while traveling. You will need to have the items on hand to stop the bleeding.
Something else that a number of people have told me about is having a small tampon in your gun shot kit. A small tampon can be pushed into the bullet hole and then deployed into the wound. The small size tampon is about the size of a 9 mm to .45 caliber bullet. These are made to stop the bleeding and that is what you have to do. Having a few sanitary pads also are also good for knife wounds, bad cuts and scrapes. Again, these are made to hold blood and can help stop the bleeding. You can use some Gorilla Duct Tape to keep these things in place.
OH… super glue. You would be amazed at the first aid uses super glue has. It is great at closing up a cut quickly. This is why I always keep it on hand.
Put all these things in your Coleman First Aid Kit and you are good to go..
Now because this is custom to you, you also might want to odd assortment of stomach meds, allergy meds, head ache, nausea, sore muscles and whatever else you might need or can think of.
One last thing, bug spray and sun tan lotion. These are also good things to add to your first aid kit. You will be walking and you will encounter both bugs and the sun.
Basics #3 Links – First Aid Kit / Gun Shot Kit
Coleman First Aid Kit – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Coleman-First-Aid-Kit
Israeli Compression Bandage – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Israeli-Compression-Bandage
Military Issue Combat Application Tourniquet – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Tourniquet
Quick Clot Blood Clotting Agent – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Quick-Clot
Super Glue Single Packs – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Super-Glue-Single-Packs
Gorilla Tape To-Go – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Gorilla-Tape-To-Go
Walking? Think Sore Muscles
This is something that a lot of people do not think about to put in their bug out bags. You are probably going to have to walk to where ever you are going. Driving a car out of a disaster area, or where ever will probably not be realistic. You and a million other people will be trying to drive out of town. So you need to be ready to walk. That may be 10, 20, 30 plus miles.
Newsflash – You will be sore, your muscles will hurt if you are having to hump a ruck out of town.
So it is a great idea to keep something for sore muscles and pain relievers. Personally I LOVE tiger balm and in fact we use it all the time. It comes in a really small jar that you could keep in the first aid kit and a little bit goes a long way.
Keeping a few pairs of extra socks and a few pairs of extra underwear also in your bag is a very good idea. You do not need clean pants or shirts, but clean socks and underwear are not only a pick me up motivator, but it will help prevent blisters, chafing and fungal infections. Putting a small bottle of Gold Bond Medicated Powder in your bag is also a good idea. This will help prevent any fungal infections taking root.
Believe me, I speak from experience. When I was in Spec Ops and out in the field, we easily walked 20 + miles a day with a heavy rucksack on our back. Having fresh socks, underwear and some body powder was like a blessing from heaven. If you have to walk, you will be glad for the little comforts as well.
There is an old saying”Take care of your feet and they will take care of you.” Believe me, this is gospel truth there friend.
Sore Muscle Links
Tiger Balm – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Tiger-Balm
Gold Bond Medicated Powder – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Goldbond-Powder
Basics # 4 – The Need For Sleep – Poncho, Poncho Liner & Space Blanket
You have to think about how long it may take you to literally walk to your predetermined destination.
Forget those “survival blankets” made out of thin mylar. They rip really easily, they are shiny like a mirror, and they are very noisy. Plus they really do not do a good job of keeping you warm. They cost what, $3.00 or so? Well you get what you pay for ….right?
But you need something that will help you stay dry and keep you warm at night, in fact something you can use multiple nights if is necessary.
When I was in Spec Ops we did not have the luxury of sleeping bags. What we used was a wet weather poncho and a blanket type item called a poncho liner.
When you tie the poncho and liner together, you have a pretty good weather proof blanket that you can cover up with and get a good night’s sleep. The newer wet weather poncho also comes in a digital cammo pattern. Covering up with this will also camouflage you and not draw attention to yourself. Being digital cammo, the pattern does well in both a city and urban and wooded environment. You need to remember that things may not be going well and you will not want to draw attention to yourself. So remaining camouflaged may be something that you want to do and having a digital pattern poncho could help you with that.
NOW… to kick this up a notch and this is what I personally carried, it was an all-weather space blanket that is the same size as a military poncho. These do not have the hole or hood cut out in the middle. I tied my poncho liner into space blanket and had a great warm blanket. If you have a wife who likes to sew, have her sew the two together, but keep them seam on the edge so that there are no holes in the middle to prevent rain from seeping in. Just so you know, I have slept in mine in below 30 degree weather and it kept me toasty warm.
How I used all these items together…
I would gather up a pile of leaves or pine needles. Once I had a good pile, I would cover that with my poncho. Then lay on top of the soft pile covered with the poncho and then cover up with my space blanket and poncho liner. Let’s just say that I started a trend with my team and we all slept well, that is when we were able to get some sleep.
A good military poncho and poncho liner will also help protect you from the elements, keeping you dry as well as warm as you are walking.
Pairing the poncho with some 550 paracord, you can also make a shelter out of the poncho and still have the poncho liner to keep you warm.
Here are some examples…
The military poncho is a very versatile tool. But you couple that with a space blanket and poncho liner and you are able to handle just about any inhospitable weather Mother Nature wants to throw at you. These fold/roll-up pretty tight, they are light, and easy to stuff in your Bug Out Bag / Rucksack
Basics # 4 Links – The Need For Sleep – Poncho, Poncho Liner & Space Blanket
Military Poncho Digital Cammo – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Military-Poncho-Digitalcamo
Poncho Liner – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Poncho-Liner
All Weather Space Blanket – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Space-Blanket
1000 Ft of Black 550 Paracord – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Black-550-Paracord
Basics #5 – Weaponry – Tools – Fire Starter
My Tatang Survival Knife
If you are looking for a great survival fixed blade knife, I HIGHLY recommend this knife. It is a high carbon steel knife that I can sharpen to a razor edge with a rock if I have to. This is why I love higher carbon based knives. This blade is so sharp I can literally shave with this knife.
Here is my Tatang in relation to a K-Bar. As you can see this knife has got some heft and you are able to also choke up on the blade to give you more fighting agility. Hold it by the grip and it will hack into any tree or lop of any branch you need it too. I have also sharpened the top edge, which was sharp when I pulled it out of the box, but now it is razor sharp. This knife with its “Spear point” can literally double if need be as a spear. Strap it on with some 550 cord to a long stick and you have a pretty formidable weapon and a means to defend or hunt if you have too.
It is also very versatile where you can dig with this knife, chop as I mentioned, and even use it to skin out a deer or hog. The edge holds pretty well and I was really surprised. This is a knife that if you had to, you could even throw it. But it would take some practice to do that.
This is a beast of a knife and is one of my top ten knives out of all the knives I own. This is definitely my “go to” knives if I needed to be in a survival situation and the main reason why I purchased it.
Tomahawk / Map & Compass
A much needed tools to have in your Bug Out Bag is a tomahawk, map and compass. I personally recommend United Cutlery’s M48 Ranger Hawk Axe with Compass. I personally have this very tomahawk and I have put it through its paces. It is a GREAT cutter and you can put a real good edge on it. The compass is a good military type compass that when you pair it with a map of your local area, or the area you where your predetermined destination point is located.
Why I recommend having a tomahawk in your bag is that it will double as a weapon, but you may need it to cut open a door, break a window, chop wood or chop up a wooden pallet to make a fire.
The Tomahawk is a great all around tool and that is why many of the frontiersmen carried them.
The compass is needed to help you get home, especially if you have to go navigate areas you may not know or know as well. You do not know what sort of situation may be taking place, so you may have to avoid areas that have riots, fires, who knows what. So having a map and compass in your Bug Out Bag is critical.
Leatherman SkeleTool CX Multitool
A lock blade Knife
Screw driver with philips and flat head bits
Needle Nose Pliers
Regular and Hard Wire cutters
Bottle Opener / Carabiner
Really, those are all the tools that you will really need in the day to day life. I have used my Leatherman for a million and one things. I got it when they first came out and I have loved it ever since. You can carry it on your belt loop, which is what I often do, or slip it into your pocket. There is a belt holster you can get for them, but I don’t like those so I don’t use it. Clipping it on my right side belt loop and then my cell phone can also help hold it in place which I do clip to my belt.
Here is a video review I did several years ago – https://youtu.be/_WbVycdnZbw
Spyderco Resilience G-10 Plain Edge Knife / Cold Steel Voyager Clip Point XL
The Spyderco Resilience G-10 and The Cold Steel Voyager Clip Point XL are my “EDC” knives.
EDC = Every Day Carry. So every day I have one of these knives in my pocket almost all the time. If I do not have it on me, then it is sitting by me on my desk.
I am someone who likes big folders (pocket swords) and I swap out between Spyderco and my CS Voyager about every 2 months or so.
Right now the Spyderco Resilience is in my BOB, and I am carrying the SC Voyager Clip Point.
Both of these knives are great all around carry knifes that you can keep in your Bug Out Bag or do what I do and swap out knives from time to time.
So right now my Cold Steel Voyager XL is my EDC and Spyderco is in my bag. There will be a time that I will want to swap them out and probably want to start carrying that again and put the CS Voyager back in.
NOTE – What is great about the Spyderco knife is that you can do a red-neck fix on them by putting a zip tie on the ring and it allows the blade to be deployed as you are pulling it out of your pocket.
Because these knives are so large, you can also use them to chop and split wood, skin out an animal, but the biggest reason is that they make for excellent self defense knife.
Because these blades are so large, I am able to “flick” them open with some practice, thus speeding up the deployment, and if you need your knife in a hurry, then this is a great thing to learn how to do.
Once you learn how to flick it open, it is a noise that people just know and raises the hair on the back of their necks.
Here is a video review that I did a while back on the Cold Steel Voyager Large and the XL knife.
WATCH NOW – https://youtu.be/7PPQurggMNk
Three Sources To Make Fire
Light and fire are a huge motivators. Just having a fire that can help keep you warm does wonders for the emotions and stress levels. This is why it is important to have multiple means to make fire in your Bug Out Bag.
First – Storm / Weather Proof Matches – these are a great thing to have. Small and compact. They also come in their own weather proof box that has a striker on the side.
Second – Swedish Army FireSteel 12,000 Strike Fire Starter – These are great to keep on your key ring or just about anywhere. The throw off 2,980-degree C spark in any weather, at any altitude. These are also approved by International Survival Instructors Association.
NOTE – if you take plain 100% balls like they sell in the makeup section at Walmart and you get some petroleum jelly AKA Vaseline, melt the petroleum jelly and pour it over some cotton balls, stick them in a small plastic jar or bottle and you have instant fire starter that will burn for several minutes. One spark is all it takes to get a fire going using the Swedish Firesteel.
Finally – Bic Long Stem Lighters – HEY… keep it simple and just light a fire. This is why I like these. You can reach this into a fire kindle bundle and get the fire going. Add some of the fire starter you made with cotton balls and vasoline and presto … fire. No fancy Rambo stuff, just pull the trigger and light the fire.
Basics #5 Links – Weaponry – Tools – Fire Starter
Blackhawk Tatang Knife – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Blackhawk-Tatang-Knife
Tactical Tomahawk and Military Compass – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Tomahawk-and-Compass
Leatherman Skeletool CX – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Leatherman-Skeletool-CX
Spiderco Resilience Lock Blade Knife – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Spyderco-Resilience-Knife
Cold Steel Voyager XL Clip Point – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-CS-Voyager
Storm Proof Matches – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Storm-Proof-Matches
Swedish Fire Steel – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Swedish-Fire-Steel
Bic Long Stem Lighter – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Bic-Long-Stem-Ligher
Basics #6 – Personal Papers, Copies, Cash & Coins
It is a good idea to make copies of all your important documents like birth certificates, wedding certificates, and passport. It is also a good idea to make copies your driver’s license, social security card, and all your credit cards.
Take these along with say $100 in cash (small bills) as well as several ounces of silver and put all these into a vacuum seal bag.
If you do not have a FoodSaver vacuum sealer, then it is a very good investment. Not only can you seal food, make your own MREs and other things, it will also help protect you documents and such that you can then keep in your Bug Out Bag.
Get all these together and you then vacuum seal it all so that they are air tight and will last.
As always, I recommend getting your silver and other precious metals from Steve Quayle’s Renaissance Precious Metals. He makes it easy to purchase a few ounces just for a situation like this.
Renaissance Precious Metals – http://www.sqmetals.com
Another good thing to put in your Bug Out Bag are family photos. You do not know what will happen in the future and if you are bugging out, there is a serious reason why. So like it or not, loved ones may or may have not made it through whatever might have taken place, so having a good number of family photos sealed up in your Bug Out Bag can be a very positive motivator.
Finally, I recommend Waterproof King James Bible.
This is a great bible. It is made in the USA with a 25% lighter weight paper
Extremely Durable Synthetic Pages Sewn and Glued into Spine
- Stain Resistant
- Ultra Clear Text
- Ideal for Gear Bag or Backpack
- Dry Highlight
- Write and Underline with pencil or ball point pen
- No Bleed Thru
- F L O A T S
The durability of the Waterproof Bible gives you the freedom to take God’s Word with you anywhere – lounging, traveling, exercising… with worry free confidence that your Bible will withstand the test of time.
Basics #6 Links – Personal Papers, Copies, Cash & Coins
FoodSaver – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Foodsaver
Renaissance Precious Metals – http://www.sqmetals.com
Waterproof King James Version – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Waterproof-KJV
Packing Your 72 Hour Bug Out Bag
You now have the basics. What you want to do is now pack your rucksack.
First thing is go purchase some heavy duty 55 gallon garbage bags. Pack several in the bottom of your rucksack. These make great ground cover, cut holes in them and they make great rain gear, etc.
Take another 55 gallon garbage bag and use that to store your clothes and other items in that need to stay dry.
If you want, use one bag for your clothes and another for your supplies and such. This way you can grab what bag you wish to use and keep the other packed away in the rucksack.
When packing your rucksack you want to put the lighter things towards the bottom that sit lower on your back and the heavier things towards the top of the rucksack.
This will help you if you are walking a really long distance. If you place the heavier things in the bottom of the rucksack, you will find that your lower back will get pretty sore and waist pad will start to push into your back. By placing the heavier items on top, your shoulder and the padded waist belt will help distribute that weight better.
Now if much of what you have weights about the same, then I recommend packing in regards to necessity.
I would put my sleeping gear and heavy clothes towards the bottom of the bag.
You will want to get to your food, water and first aid rather quickly, so I would pack those towards the top.
If you feel comfortable, strap your Tatang knife onto your left strap with some 550 Para cord. Make it tight and also tie it HANDLE UP.
I say handle up because that is one of those Hollywood things you see in the movies, the handle to the knife is facing down.
You would not believe how many knives have gotten lost because they just dropped out of the sheath.
Another point is that if you come across someone who wants to do you harm, having your handle down gives the attacker a tactical advantage. All they need to do is grab the handle, pull down and push into your abdomen.
By having your handle up, it will prevent you losing your knife.
The M-48 Tomahawk has straps so that you can strap it to the side of your rucksack if you wished. Personally I would make it the first thing that I can reach for when I open my rucksack. It is a tool that you will use a lot for many situations. If you do store it on the outside of your rucksack, make sure that it is secured really well, you do not want to lose your M-48 Tomahawk.
The flap of your rucksack has a clear plastic covering that is secured with Velcro. This is a perfect place to keep a map as well as your photos and documents. This is also a pretty waterproof area in your rucksack. So keeping flat items like that in the flap will help protect them better. This also helps keep the flap of your rucksack somewhat “flat” when you close your rucksack.
Packing Your 72 Hour Bug Out Bag – Links
1000 Ft of Black 550 Paracord – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-Black-550-Paracord
55 Gallon Garbage Bags – http://tinyurl.com/PZ-55-Gallon-Garbage-Bags
Conclusion
You now have a packed 72 hour Bug Out Bag that contains the basics. I recommend that you try it on, see how it feels and if you need to make adjustments to the bag, now is a good time to do it.
In upcoming articles we will discuss taking this bag to Foundation #3 and add items to it to make it a Get Out Of Dodge Bag – GOOD.
We will also follow that up with an article about testing your 72 Hour Bug Out Bag.
Remember, the key is to keep things light so that you can bug out quickly. You goal is just 72 hours, not spend the rest of your life living out of the bag.
Till next time – Stay Safe!
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