Creating a Bug Out Bag (Firsthand story) - By Reddit Users

I'm a 48-year-old Army vet in good shape that exercises daily and believes in being prepared.

I had a Camelbak BFM which is a solid pack, but...

I did a mock bugout 2 weeks ago. My BOL is 67 miles away. In 3 days, I made it to my location. Made it there with shin splints, swollen knees and utterly exhausted. I wasn't worth a shit when I got there and slept for nearly 24 hours. My neck and shoulders are still tight.

The total weight of my pack, which included 4 lbs. of food, 2L of water (used my Sawyer Mini multiple times), the pack and all its contents was 33 lbs. which is far lighter than most.

Mind you, i'm 6'4, 260, 36" waist...in good shape compared to many even half my age. The base weight of my pack was LESS THAN 10% of my body weight. Base weight is the pack and all gear not counting consumables.

Here's what this old vet learned.

A military pack is for the military. Leave the squatty, molle-filled pack at home. It sticks out too far from your back, amplifying the weight carried. Anything that sticks out beyond the profile of your body can AND WILL catch on things.

My baby, a Fallkniven A1 knife w/ a custom Kydex sheath and swedish fire steel was no more useful than a 3" folder. I highly recommend a Spyderco Dragonfly II. But, but...I need a full tang. I need a big knife. NOPE ! What I needed was to be nearly 2 lbs. lighter. I pounded in stakes w/ a rock and the small knife handled a blister, cutting cord and opening food packages just fine.

It is my opinion (now) that many preppers believe they have a bugout bag when in fact, they are far closer to an INCH bag. Here's why :

Your focus is to get to your BOL ASAP. No way in Hell was I gonna use YoYo reels and snares. I had no time to wait for that shit and at the end of a long day of hiking, it was all I could do to eat, set up the hammock I carry, change into a baselayer and get some sleep.

I didn't need a hatchet, saw, or my A1. I brought shelter and wasn't gonna start a fire (see below). They're great for an INCH bag or your BOL, but not when your mission is to move

It's far better to have layered clothing and some down to sleep in than to build a fire I would have to wake up and tend every couple hours. I needed every minute of rest I got...actually, I needed more.

The "Gray Man" concept is preached...blend in, neutral colors, avoid camo patterns, logos/slogans on shirts etc.

Well, if you wanna broadcast your location, day or nite and stick out like a whore in church...light a fire. Do I still carry fire starters ? Yes. If my sleep system and clothes get soaked, survival trumps blasting my location to anyone within miles of me, but thankfully that didn't occur.

A Leatherman is a great item to have at your BOL, just like a saw and hatchet, but it had no business in my bag. I don't carry cans or bottles, my gear has no screws to be tightened, not gonna need the file to sharpen a knife. If it dulls in 3 days I need a different knife. Don't need a saw (see above). An awl? Lol. I have 2 heavy gauge needles in my repair kit that I can use to sew my bag and 10' of duct tape to temporarily repair footwear or patch my bag if I didn't or couldn't sew up the issue. The ONLY reason I could see for a multi-tool is if you have a firearm jam so badly that you have to extract the brass with pliers. I was a firearms instructor for 4 years and in all that time...that happened once. If it jammed, you needed to shoot more and by the time you clear that with a multi-tool....u r dead anyways.

A full 1st aid kit (IFAK) is great for your BOL, but again, not your bug out bag. Tweezers, meds for pain, tummy and allergies, leukotape (bcuz moleskin doesn't stick for shit), gauze, sunblock, neosporin spray, bug repellant, superglue and a few band-aids is all you need.

A shovel/trowel ? I dug 2 cat holes w/ a MSR Groundhog stake.

The rule of 3...only works in a vacuum. If you are sedentary, in a temperature-controlled environment...sure. I can tell you right now, I went thru over 2 gallons of water and nearly all my food.

But, but...I can go 3 days without water. Nope, I was replacing water like mad, was very well hydrated before I left and I only pissed 3x, sweated the rest out. I can only imagine if it had been summer. But, but...I can go 3 weeks without food. Nope. I needed the energy. My Jetboil Minimo was an all-star...hot coffee and warm, rehydrated MountainHouse meals. Yay !

I found that I had nearly 2 lbs. just in pouches and stuff sacks to hold gear.

What have I learned ?

A bug out bag needs to focused on getting from A to B as quickly, safely and discreetly as possible.

Even in good shape, I was sorely unprepared.

I needed, and have since purchased, a bag meant for backpacking. Got a green Osprey AG 70. It's amazing how much lighter it feels when everything is close to your back on solid suspension with the weight on your hips and nothing hanging, dangling or strapped to the outside that can catch on shit.

Rain pants suck and make you even more wet bcuz they don't breathe. Get a rain skirt (kilt). Bugging out is not a fashion show.

Ounces sound small, but they become pounds fast.

Besides the clothes on your back...rain gear, skivvy roll, base layer, gloves and a fleece cap were all i needed for clothing.

Cuben fiber stuff sacks rock !

"Darn Tough" socks rock !

Lipton Cup-a-Soup warms you up from the inside and staves off hunger.

Ziploc bags w/ snow in them are good for swollen knees.

Nalgene bottles are for clown shoes. 2 SmartWater bottles save you over half a pound.

Last but not least, bugging out sounds easier in theory than it is in reality.

The current iteration of my bag has a base weight of 18 lbs. and is multi-purpose. I'll be using it for backpacking and camping as well as bugging out. Means I will test my gear fairly regularly and know how to use everything in my bag.

Does Osprey make durable, reliable packs ? They have an UNLIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY. Dunno anyone else that would replace a pack free of charge 20 years down the road. Warranties don't mean squat in a SHTF scenario, but noone in their right mind offers that kind of warranty on sub-par gear.

I hope what I've learned helps some folks. Best of luck. Keep on preppin'.

-user Poxx70