What's in your bail out bag?

The more important question is where are you going?

Think about it. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
- Home?
- Family?
- Friends?
- Cabin?

Next question. How far away is that and how will you get there? When you have the where figured out then you can start thinking about a bug out bag. The bug out bag is just a means to an end. Most kits you see online are about gearphilia, not preparing for some specific event.

How much time/stuff do you think is an adequate buffer for the perceived threat level?
- 3 days?
- 3 weeks?
- 3 months?
- 3 years?

Most folks will feel adequately prepared if they have a plan in place to take them to a alternate location, with 3 days of food and water on hand, a gassed up car to get them there, scans of the important documents (if your home is destroyed), and enough cash on hand to get set up.
 
sideways said:
The more important question is where are you going?

Think about it. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
- Home?
- Family?
- Friends?
- Cabin?

Next question. How far away is that and how will you get there? When you have the where figured out then you can start thinking about a bug out bag. The bug out bag is just a means to an end. Most kits you see online are about gearphilia, not preparing for some specific event.

How much time/stuff do you think is an adequate buffer for the perceived threat level?
- 3 days?
- 3 weeks?
- 3 months?
- 3 years?

Most folks will feel adequately prepared if they have a plan in place to take them to a alternate location, with 3 days of food and water on hand, a gassed up car to get them there, scans of the important documents (if your home is destroyed), and enough cash on hand to get set up.
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To me a BOB bag is something you grab when you're in a pinch and you don't have the time to think about: where, when, how long or with whom. To me it's more of a emergency "Oh shoot" bag. Of coarse having the time to actually sit and think about where to go, how far is that place, how long should I stay etc. would be ideal. However, a bail out situation rarely offers you the luxury of time to think about these things. I hope I'm never in a situation like this, but being prepared always makes a bad situation just a little easier.
 
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The point of thinking about the where, when, how long, with whom etc is to help you prepare your kit. No two situations are alike and the best kit is the one tailored to YOUR situation. The kit will work a lot better when you know that you are heading to uncle bob's farm in the next county, or to the parents house in the other direction and you packed accordingly. In any emergency the choices boil down to stay or go. Staying is better but if you have to go you better have a destination in mind. Being homeless with a backpack of stuff is not a viable plan. No kit will keep you going long term. I hate the BOB name. It implies that there is no destination in mind. If there is no destination in mind then you should not be bugging out. Look before you leap.

I have a car kit that will get me home or to one of several back up locations with friends and family. The car kit is a cooler with food and water in it. It is a box of pioneer tools (ax, saw, crowbar) to clear roads. Car stuff to keep the car running (tire changing gear, booster cables, car phone charger, windshield washer fluid, oil etc). A full change of temperature appropriate clothes and shelter items. Stove and fuel, fire and navigation. In case your home is destroyed you will want to have your important information backed up off site somehow or on your person. Losing that stuff could mess your life up much more than the the lack of an item you could realistically replace at the nearest running supermarket.
 
two things I never see listed that I keep in mine are underwear and socks. I can wear the same clothes for a while if need be but dry socks and underwear are a must at least for me!
 
. The point of thinking about the where, when, how long, with whom etc is to help you prepare your kit. No two situations are alike and the best kit is the one tailored to YOUR situation. The kit will work a lot better when you know that you are heading to uncle bob's farm in the next county, or to the parents house in the other direction and you packed accordingly. In any emergency the choices boil down to stay or go. Staying is better but if you have to go you better have a destination in mind. Being homeless with a backpack of stuff is not a viable plan. No kit will keep you going long term. I hate the BOB name. It implies that there is no destination in mind. If there is no destination in mind then you should not be bugging out. Look before you leap.
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I agree, the best kit is the one tailored to the situation. But who knows what the situation will be?

You're on your way to Uncle Bob's farm near the coast. You packed specificly for that mission. 50 miles into your trip, you tune in your radio to hear an emergency broadcast stating "Stay away from the coast.... The outbreak, soldiers, little green space guys, whatever, have occupied or spread to the coast. " Guess what? You specifically packed for that destination. That mission is compromised. Now what?

I'm not trying to argue with you and I really appreciate your input. Good debates are how we grow and overcome obsticles. My question is, how will we know the specifics that we should plan for?I think it's impossible to plan for specific situations, destinations etc. in a emergency situation, it's almost like putting all your eggs in one basket, no? Having a good general bag is more of a leg up than having a specific bag IMO.
 
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You can't know what the future holds and anyone who tells you different is lying or trying to sell you something. There is no way to be covered for 100% of possible emergencies. But with perhaps 20% of the stuff you can cover 80% of the possibilities. So make a flexible tailored kit that fits your needs. The amount of water necessary to cover 3 days of travel in your geographic region will not change. The weather patterns will not suddenly change. The car breaking down will still be a major concern.

Now again going with the uncle bobs farm example what are the odds that your own home becomes unlivable at the same time as uncle bobs does? Add a third location to the mix and it is pretty unlikely that all three are out of play. Being prepared for the most likely bad stuff is the best policy. If 99% of emergencies can be covered by going to visit uncle bill or the folks then focus on that.
 
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