Bug Out Emergency Bag (Backpack) Should Last How Long? 3 Days? A Week? More?

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by ED GEiN, Oct 25, 2019.


  1. ED GEiN

    ED GEiN Monkey+++

    Assuming you have to leave your premises immediately for a SHTF situation and all you can take is a Prepacked Backpack and whatever you can carry/put in your pockets, how many days should you have packed for? Assume you can not use your car, cart or anything else just what you can carry. Obviously you are limited in space so should you just pack enough to last for yourself only. The question is for how long? I ask because the more duplicate items I pack the less I can pack for anything else. Obviously food & water comes first. How many days should your Bug Out Bag Last if you don;t know how long you will be away from your home?
     
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  2. Lancer

    Lancer TANSTAFL! Site Supporter+++

    Food for a minimum of seven days @ 2,000 calories/day. Research survival foods - very high caloric density and stable, ie; won't rot or melt with long non-refrigerated storage.
    Water for 24 hours @ ~ 4L/day. Be sure to have the ability to capture and sanitize more!!! Tetraglycine Hydroperiodide tablets are cheap and shelf stable. Camping water filers are also a very wise addition - pump systems and the Life Straw variants should be on your list. Practice until you can use them in the dark...
    Add photocopies of all important documents: DD-214/SSN/Birth Cert/driver lic/insurance papers/bank records/etc ad naseum. Scan them all onto an encrypted & waterproof thumb drive that goes in your pocket.
    A couple headlamps with rechargable batteries. The versions with variable light output, and red lights are nice for limiting your exposure to external observers.
    A Baofeng handheld for each family member - pre-programmed with FRS/GMRS/local LEO-EMS/NOAH/HAM repeater feqs.
    A solar charger for your electronics. (I like the ENKEEO 50W system - 12 VDC + USB charging ports, and, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V313R86/?tag=survivalmonke-20)
    Weapons you are proficient with.
    After that? Research "Get Home Bag", (GHB). The basic premise is backpack with enough resources to allow you to survive however much time you estimate it will take you to travel to a place of safety.
    Our personal BOBs are assembled with the expectation we will at least have the truck initially, so lots of "extras". The vehicle itself is relatively robust with 4WD/AWD, skid plates, 'Roo Bar, extraction gear, a metal lockable tonneau to secure the bed, and under seat long gun storage. But that's just me....
    My GHB is planned for a 7 day trek from work to home, roughly 35 miles dependent upon the detours I might need to take. (I've actually hiked significant portions of my pre-planned routes, and discovered that bushwacking is slow going: every down tree will be directly across your path, with a hole or loose rock where you plant your boot stepping over it. I've even discovered two abandoned dug wells without covers or guards of any sort - death traps if hiking in the dark....)
    Edit: A cargo vest is also a nice addition - you can transfer the absolutely mandatory objects from the pack to your person. If SHTF and you're essentially on the run, circumstances might dictate abandoning your pack...
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2019
  3. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    Depends on where you are going and how long it is going to take you to get there. I keep enough stuff in my truck to walk home from work but its only about 15 miles.
     
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  4. ED GEiN

    ED GEiN Monkey+++

    Thanks for very helpful info which supplements what I've prepacked. I just wish I had a preplanned place to go to other than my sisters house.
     
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  5. 3M-TA3

    3M-TA3 Cold Wet Monkey

    @ED GEiN any idea where you plan to bug out if you are hoofing it? What resources are there and how long do you think it will take to get there?

    For me there are two sizes - smaller 72 hour bad and a larger get home bag for a week plus. Also, consider your wife in this. Perhaps you carry the GHB and she takes the 72 hour bag if the situation dictates. Make each bag self contained but complimentary.

    This is a GREAT time to get new backpacks as many places will have them on closeouts. I've also seen many great deals on Craigslist - it amazes me how many people sell a backpack after a single season or many times they look completely unused.

    Edit: black, gray, green, brown - colors that don't draw unnecessary attention and can blend in if you need to hide or scope things out before you move. Don't get red, yellow, orange, rainbow, etc. unless you want to be seen. You can also change colors with a cover.

    Don't discount external frame packs - they are cooler and distribute weight better than internals. Internals shine where having the weight closer to your body is better like rigged terrain. End Edit.

    Don't worry about carrying a ton of water, just have a single bottle or camelback type system and a good filter.

    Whatever you put in those bags it's a good idea to store them in the vehicle you are most likely to use to bug out. This way you are ready with options. Do you have a garage for your vehicle(s) or do you park in an open lot or parking structure?
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2019
  6. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Good Movie here for you Ed
     
  7. ED GEiN

    ED GEiN Monkey+++

    I have enough resources to last me 6 months if I can bug out at home other than no firearms at present. Unfortunately no go to place for me in LA at this point. Major weakness I know along with the absence of firearms. Only thing tht can possibly help me in my building is I'm friends with an exGangmember and his family.
     
  8. ED GEiN

    ED GEiN Monkey+++

    Wow Thanks so much. Will watch this in the next few hours I need to monitor the History Channel regularly. Thank you again.
     
  9. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    A good Internal frame back pack is what I use, 5600 cubic inches gives me 15 days of food rations, that I can stretch 5 more days! Foods are a hybrid type of MRE that provide close to 5000 calories and are backed up with 3 pounds of Beef Jerkey for a very high protein load! Outside of that, I keep 3 gallons worth of treated water ( think Life water, only better) and plenty of small snack type foods to fill the spaces! Outside of the food and water, a good filtration system, and cook stove with utensils, light weight, warm clothing, extra ammo for the rifle and pistol I would have with me, plus a back up pistol ( Cap and Ball Black Powder) bullets, primers and powder sealed in horn. extra radios and batteries, and a small solar charger!
     
  10. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Ed, you pack for the trip to your sister's and return (in case she shuts the door in your face) plus one day.
     
    chelloveck likes this.
  11. snake6264

    snake6264 Combat flip flop douchebag

    How far can you tab with the weight
     
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  12. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    Make sure you make several "Practice Runs" with your set up before you have to try it for real, you will learn an awful lot about your gear and your self doing this now!
     
  13. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    Sling shot bag and what I am wearing meals come easy
     
  14. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    While your opinion may vary, I don't think being prepared would matter if you do not have some way to protect your preps, hiding caches or fire arms are my choices at my age. Have a get home bag in car, that would be my first concern, it is dominated by water, water filter, energy bars, clothing for the season, insect repellent and bug net, sleeping bag and wool blanket, poncho, tarp and ground pad. I don't think lack of food in a 2 to 5 period would matter, but would tend to concentrate on foods that would help in keeping blood sugar up to good point. If I did have a better place to bug out to, I might be more involved in a bag, if I do have to get out of dodge, it would be to a cache location and basically an enhanced deer blind. That is within a few miles so long term dependence on the bug out bag again is not a factor. At 81 and with heart problems, I have neither the ability or the plans to walk 100 miles to a wilderness area and hunker down and survive. It isn't going to happen. In my situation, a group of individuals who have greater abilities and are good friends, is more important than any other prep.
     
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  15. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    Is your sister prepping ?? Does she have her $hit together ?? Can she support herself for the next month ??? If not ,, why are you going there ?? She , and her's ,, " old man and kids " , will be draining your preps ,, with no resupply . If they are not contributing ,, do not go there . You cannot save the world . Our world is full of useful , and worthless , idiots . IMO ,, your better off living in the forest alone ,, than living with leeches ,,,,
     
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  16. Altoidfishfins

    Altoidfishfins Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Interesting comment. I was prepping for several years and through casual conversation with my sister, found out that she had been doing the same thing all along. LOL.
     
  17. ED GEiN

    ED GEiN Monkey+++

    Just finished watching the movie, thanks. Now my second favorite movie, after Citizen Kane. Can't believe I hadn't heard about it till now. I'm going to start a separate thread on that if you don't mind. Super informative. A few things I question and looked stupid like abandoning the car when 3 or 4 armed people were following in another car and taking everything instead of taking your chances. Will comment on it more specifically tomorrow..Will make a few DVD copies of it for my friends.
     
  18. ED GEiN

    ED GEiN Monkey+++

    Her husband has 1 or 3 rifles, they have water, 2 cars (I don't drive being from NY) and it would be initially safer. He also has some survival plans/skills.
     
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  19. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Breaking one rule in a True SHTF will get a whole lot of Macho Men with big guns dead. That rule AVOID CONFRONTATION AND CONFLICT AT ALL COST. You do not take your chances in a survival situation, you make the most logical choices in each situation. You know the reason some of us give you so much shit, is not to tear you down but rather to build you up and encourage you think a bit differently :) And I will give you credit....... you keep coming back for more :)
     
  20. ED GEiN

    ED GEiN Monkey+++

    I'm going to comment more tomorrow on this great DocuMovie, but while I agree with you in general on confrontation, when your car and all your water and food are at risk, you approve of the guy hiding and leaving the car when he had a weapon amd was at least 4 minutes ahead of his 3-4 pursuers? They nearly died as a result
     
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