Welcome to my new world of being prepared! Thank you for embarking on this journey with me as we find ways to prepare ourselves for an emergency or disaster that could alter our everyday life. It is my desire to help you find the best bug out bag for you and your family to own when any survival emergency arises that is equipped with or without survival gear. This will be a personal preference.
It could be a change forever or just a change for a numbers of hours, when “life as we know it” is not available to us. We will need to consider our basic needs such as food, water and shelter and fire.
I feel the way our world is today, we need to be prepared for any type of emergency that comes our way and that would include survival skills.
I’m not a doom and gloom person and I don’t think a pack of Zombies will show up any time soon, (Although I do watch The Walking Dead). I just want us all to do what is best for our families to at least have a survival kit on hand in case of an emergency. Always be conscious of having a supply of water, water filter, or water container.
To get us started, we will need to look at the bug out bag check-list I have researched that will provide us with the essential products and equipment to survive if we must leave our homes in an emergency situation. The bug out bag list below is for your consideration. Peace of mind is a priceless commodity.
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Bug Out Bag List: Buy Factors
Bag Construction
One of the main concerns about the products on this bug out bag list, is the construction of the bags. You will want a bag of quality material with strong stitching for carrying a heavy load. Some bags are Military grade tactical material while some are nylon/polyester and similar to those that could be purchased at Walmart.
If we were going to use this bag for weeks on end, we want one of heavy construction. If it is used just for a few days, the quality is important but not paramount. We do want something that is comfortable to carry as well as durable for carrying our survival gear.
Check out the style of the bug out bag as some are easier to carry than others and some will have padded shoulder straps for comfort. One of the reviews is a duffel bag style which would be awkward to carry if you are in a hurry but the capacity is large.
If your load is going to be heavy, the well-constructed bag is best. If you prefer to have a compact unit in your vehicle or at the office, I would suggest getting a smaller survival kit. Some of the bug out bags are water resistant but not waterproof and do come with a covering.
Most of the bags on the bug out bag list are dark in color or of a camouflage design which is what we want. We sure don’t need a hot pink one that could be seen for miles. Basic black is a sensible color to go with.
Bug Out Bag Essentials and Contents
When checking out the bug out bag contents, we need to consider the quantity and quality of the components included. Most premade bug out bag have enough food bars that have high caloric content to keep a person alive and somewhat satisfied.
As for me, they better have some chocolate in them. You can always add some bars of your own choosing that will not take up much room. Just remember to check the shelf life on such additions to your bug out bag kit.
Some of the survival kits have just the food, water, shelter and medical needs. Other have complete survival gear including fire starting kits, knives, tents, ponchos or sleeping bags.
If you have a bug out location already determined, it will govern your needs as to the rest of your contents. One of the bags on the bug out bag list has a little stove but just energy bars for food. The stove would be used to heat water or for warmth.
All the kits have First Aid supplies which are a must have for everyone. You can always customize this component to fit your individual needs. Whatever you have in your bag, take the time to do some training to make sure you can handle the weight without sustaining an injury.
Carrying heavy loads can put strain on muscles and ligament and be very exhausting. If you want to add a few ready to go water pouches to the bags that don't have them, be mindful of the additional weight added to your bag. A LifeStraw water bottle would be a good choice also.
Necessary Water Supply
It is said that we can live without water for three days but who wants to! All of the reviewed bags have either prepared water pouches or a way to purify water that you find on your way to your destination. The prepared water pouches are convenient and are perfect for the smaller bags for the car or office.
The LifeStraw and the LifeStraw water bottle will give you a means to drink from almost any fresh water source that you come across. You may want to add a few prepared water pouches to the kits that don’t have them for convenience sake. Just washing your face in contaminated water can cause problems.
When you reach your destination, you will need purification tablets or powder to treat your water supply around camp. Both types of water supplies are very acceptable and will depend on how much you plan on using. This is one thing we don’t want to skimp on.
Carrying a load on your back that you are not use to will cause you to get thirsty sooner than if you were just walking. You can add some pouches of prepared water to any bug out bag kit, just don’t add to many as it will change the weight of your bag. If you would have to wash off a wound quickly, it would be nice to have access to a water pouch so you don’t have to worry about contamination.
Top 7 Bug Out Bag Product Reviews 2018
I've included two complete bug out bags in my review which include food, water, shelter and survival gear. The other five are what you need without the hard-core survival gear. You can add more contents to your bag if you wish, as you travel along your journey. Just having our basic needs (FWS) is what we need immediately. I will refer to all of them as bug out bags to make it easier to read.
Perfect Survival Kit 4 Person
This is a 4- person perfect survival kit deluxe. It will prepare you for earthquake, evacuation, fire, flood or any other emergency disaster. This deluxe kit includes safety items, extensive First Aid items, fire making gear, water purification kit and ample food rations. Food includes 48/ 200 calorie bars and there are 48 packages of Datrex water ready to drink.
Lack of Survival Gear
There isn't any hard core survival gear such as an axe or hatchet. This kit would be for those that already have a bug out destination that is setup in advance.
This would be great for the family because when leaving you will have one unit to grab and go. The bag is very well equipped and well arranged. It is a duffel style bag and measures 12" x 14" x 22". If you have children, they will want a bag of their own but, there is plenty of room in this bag to add more “stuff”.
If you run into a situation where time is a factor, grab your family, grab the bag and take off. This bag weighs in at 32 pounds loaded, so be mindful of what you add to it.
Ultimate Arms Gear 2 Survival Setup
This company makes a 2 person, 3-day supply emergency bug out bag. The great feature on this bag is the “LifeStraw” filter. It filters up to 264 gallons of water and surpasses EPA guidelines.
There is a 2-person, 3-day supply of SOS emergency rations that are good for 5 years and 12 pouches of drinking water to use right away, if needed. You will get a fully stocked First Aid kit that comes in a poly bag and the contents are all made in the USA. Only changes your would make to the emergency kit would be to serve you personally. Be sure to brush up on your survival skills.
As far as the survival gear, this bag is endless. There’s an 8.5” survival knife, compass, paracord, saw blade, wire saw, fire starting kit, polar-Shield blanket, Military style 56”x 90” rain poncho that can even be used to make shelter.
The bag itself has a camo look and has plenty of compartments on the outside for easy access. This is a great feature as you can store your First Aid Kit where it is handy and you don't have to open the whole bag to get to it.
The contents in this bag are complete enough that I don’t think you would want for anything when you set up camp. Oh my gosh, did I mention it even has ceramic rods for knife sharpening?
Ultimate Arms Gear 4 Person Kit
The next bag from our bug out bag list is from the same company as the one described above but is for 4 people with a 5-day supply of food and equipment. It has the “LifeStraw” that has no shelf life and is Time Magazines’ “best invention of the year.”
It filters up to 264 gallons of water and kills certain bacteria that are dangerous to our health according to the EPA and their guidelines. The straw gives you the ability to drink out of numerous sources of water.
Featured are SOS emergency rations that includes 60 fortified food bars and 40 bug out pouches of ready to drink water. The two sources of water are a good idea so we can have water available immediately.
This bag has the most extensive inventory of survival gear ranging from an axe, glow sticks, compass, 2 tube tents, shovel, survival knife, saw blades, fire starting kit, paracord, polar-shield blanket and including a 23" machete with a sheath.
Included in the bag is a Department of the Army Survival field manual. I am not familiar with this manual, but it might not be necessary to buy a Survival Guide with this kit. This is complete! Knowing some survival skill can change your survival rate.
Preppers Favorite Compact Bug Out Bag
This bag is a complete get home bag but can be used as a bug out bag. It is extremely small and weighs only 6 lbs. There is nothing cheap or cheesy about this one.
The bag itself is Military grade rugged tactical polyester. It will be packed with enough supplies to survive 3+ days and make it back home safely.
You will have the amazing Water Filtration Straw that allows you to safely drink directly from a river, pond or other water source you are not sure about. Food rations have a 5-year shelf life and exceeds US Coast Guard and SOLAS standards and are certified Kosher.
The First Aid Kit comes in a tough carrying case with a first aid guide. You will have various pads, dressings and bandages along with gloves, scissors, tape, first aid creams including antibiotics and hydrocortisone.
This kit would be great to have in your car, ATV or snowmobile. Survival gear is limited but the multi-tool is a quality piece. For the single guy or gal, this is a perfect starter kit.
Disaster Preparedness Kit
This kit is a 3-day kit for 2 people in the event of earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood or fire. It meets all Red Cross, FEMA and Coast Guard preparedness guidelines. This kit is time and hassle free and is a great value.
The backpack is sturdy with padded shoulder straps. The food bars sound like they are few in number, but each bar is 18 ounces and will split into 6 bars. This is made by SportsMarkUSA and their products have a good reputation.
There is plenty of room in the backpack so you can customize it to suit your individual needs. I Like the fact that is has two polar blankets as well as all weather ponchos. This would also be a great bug out bag to put in your college students’ car as they travel back and forth across the country. An emergency kit in their car would lessen your worries as a patent. I would also add a sleeping bag and some duct tape.
Keep one in your car or at the office for your peace of mind too. The weight on this jewel is only 8 lbs so you can see how great it would be to have more than one. Again, survival gear is not a part of this kit but the components it does have are quality and you can add survival gear depending on your personal needs.
Stealth Tactical Kit
The survival kit in this bag is simply amazing. It is a discrete design with tactical functions that help you blend in with your surrounding. The bag is water resistant but not waterproof so it comes with a waterproof cover. It also has two nylon organizational bags.
The measurements are 21" x 14" x 11" and weighs in at 27 pounds shipping weight. The components in the bag come in either a plastic container or a ziplock bag.
It’s a two person kit for a 72-hour survival period. The price is higher than the other bags but when it was rated, all parts of it are rated advanced. One surprise was a N95 mask that filters out 95% of particles in the air.
There is 48-page Emergency Preparedness guide so you don’t have to purchase one separately For the money it is definitely a high quality product and I could see everyone being happy owning this product. Again no hard-core survival gear.
Emergency Zone 840-2 Urban Survival Bag
Next on our bug out bag list is a kit for urban survival in the event of an emergency or disaster . I really like the bag on this one as there are compartments on the outside so you don’t have to dig through it to find what you need. In other words it cuts down on the frustration level.
It’s measurements are 16" x12" x 8" and weights right at 15 pounds. There is ample room in it to add your extra necessary items. Customers really liked this and gave it a high rating. It has a 61 piece First Aid Kit and plenty of personal hygiene products even a few just for the ladies! This survival kit is a must have.
The food is US Coast Guard approved with 5 yr shelf life and water packets included. I was impressed with the number of products to keep a person warm in the kit.
If you live in the north part of our country this would serve you well. I guess it can get chilly at night even in our Southern states. This does not have hard core survival gear but will give you peace of mind having it in your possession.
Conclusion
We have checked out 7 different bug out bags with different contents, different styles and different prices. Now we just need to make a decision on which bag to purchase with the necessary survival gear. After reviewing the bug out bag list a couple of times, purchasing one of these bags should be our first step in being prepared to protect our families.
Down the road you may want to upgrade your bug out bags but lets get one in storage as soon as possible for our peace of mind. Some people have good intentions of doing things like this, months later they still won't have any kind of survival kit. Not all the bags and content are of the highest quality. We will approach that like we do our golf, boating or biking equipment. What comes in the bag, will work, but if we find a better piece of equipment or just want to add to it, we’ll buy it.
The above reviewed bug out bag list is for 1,2 or 4 persons. There are a few important items that will not come with your bag so let’s talk about them. You will want to add copies of Ins. Papers, medical cards, ID for each person, important phone numbers and pictures of your family in the event you would get separated. Include a map of your immediate area and a map of your state.
Next, don’t forget the anti-diarrhea pills or liquid as well as some prescriptions you take daily. Next a sewing kit, a bandanna, some bug spray and a portable radio with batteries (in the kits that don't have a radio). Put in a change of clothes, oral hygiene products and a survival guide . Having this information in our survival kit can save on confusion in an emergency.
I'm excited to get started on this new adventure, and will approach it as I do other adventures. There is a purpose in what I am doing and I will accomplish this, one way or another! Until next time, "Keep your chin in the wind" . We WILL get this done!
