Gear

Bug Out Bag Checklist

While the other checklists you’ve found here on US Preppers have been geared more towards sheltering-in-place, this one is specifically tailored to your needs in the event staying put is not in your best interests. Many of the essentials of food and water are the same when it comes to daily requi...

Many of the essentials of food and water are the same when it comes to daily requirements, but weight and space now enter into your list of priorities. Dehydrated and freeze-dried foods will dominate your supplies and a portable water filter to will become your best friend. Seated next to these are a suitable shelter and a variety of survival gear designed to meet your basic needs away from home. This checklist’s focus is on the bug-out bag, a backpack or duffel bag or even a suitcase, that is packed a ready to go when an emergency hits. For a deeper dive, see pocket-sized bug out supplies.

However, if you have the means for, say, a bug-out vehicle making the weight and space issue of a single pack less of a priority, an additional wish list of supplies and gear is included below the bug-out bag basics. We've also covered the complete bug out bag checklist. Related reading: a mini bug out bag for a kid's school backpack. For a deeper dive, see full bug out bag guide. Check out common bug out bag mistakes to avoid.

Water, Food & Fire

2 liters of water per person per day (3-day minimum), in durable bottles or a hydration bladder
Portable water filter (Sawyer Mini or Lifestraw) plus purification tablets as backup
Steel canteen or pot that can safely boil water over a fire
3-day supply of high-calorie, no-cook food: energy bars, nuts, jerky, and trail mix
Freeze-dried or dehydrated meals that only need boiling water
Compact mess kit with spork and a small can opener
Three fire-starting methods: ferro rod, stormproof matches, and a butane lighter
Cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly as all-weather tinder