Bug Out Bags: Your 72-Hour Evacuation Kit

A bug out bag — sometimes called a BOB, go-bag or 72-hour kit — is a pre-packed backpack with everything you need to survive for at least three days during an evacuation. The idea is simple: when you need to leave fast, you grab one bag and walk out the door.

What should a bug out bag include?

A well-built bug out bag covers the basics of survival for 72 hours without outside support:

• Water (1 liter per person per day minimum) and a portable water filter or purification tablets
• Shelf-stable food — energy bars, freeze-dried meals, trail mix
• First aid kit with trauma basics
• Flashlight, headlamp and extra batteries
• Emergency radio (hand-crank or battery)
• Emergency blanket or compact sleeping bag
• Fire-starting tools — waterproof matches, ferro rod or lighter
• Copies of important documents and emergency cash
• Change of clothes and rain protection

How heavy should a bug out bag be?

Most experts recommend keeping your bug out bag under 20% of your body weight. For a 180-pound person, that means roughly 35 pounds or less. Heavier than that and you will burn energy too quickly if you are moving on foot.

Related categories

• Bags & Backpacks
• Food Storage Pouches
• First Aid Kits