The Go Bag
Recently, I was having a conversation with a man who’s become concerned about being prepared because of recent world events. With his Google–Fu he had surmised that he needed to build a mythical, magical “Bug-Out” Bag. He rattled off lists of items he needed to have in this bag in order to escape and survive. In my mind, I was adding up every item’s weight and cost and realizing how overwhelming it will be for this man to build this bag. It made me think that this would be a good topic to discuss. I hate the term Bug-Out bag. Bug-Out is an action. It’s a planned operation. Yes, we have set aside equipment to aid the operation but do not put the cart before the horse. Plan the operation, then determine the equipment you will need. This article is not about “bugging-out.” This article is about the “Go Bag.”
What is a Go Bag? A simple definition: it is an extension of your everyday carry. It’s something that you can have nearby you -- for example, home, office, car -- that will aid you in whatever your daily operation may be. We must have a balance and make sure that it’s realistic and fits your scenarios exactly. Just because something used to be in your bag, and there might be SOME reason for it, doesn’t necessarily mean you need to have it now. Always be updating and thinking about what items would be useful. If you catch yourself in a situation thinking you wish you had a certain item, think about adding it to your Go Bag. On my “combat vacations,” I always liked to have a few extra hand grenades. Now that I’m retired, I would STILL like to have a few hand grenades, but I don’t. Always be thinking about what’s in your bag and whether it has a purpose.
Major point that people often forget: ounces make pounds. When we’re building our Go Bag, realize that you may have to carry it. You may not be in the best of conditions. You may be wounded or fatigued. Right now, as I write this article, I know I can move three miles an hour with an additional fifty pounds all day long. That does not mean I can have fifty pounds in my Go Bag. A trap that many fall into is redundancy. I’m not saying do not have a P.A.C.E. plan but look at ways that you can have multitasking items. For example, when we talk fire starting, I love a regular Bic lighter. If it runs out of fuel, I still have a sparking wheel that gives me a flint and steel capability. I may have an additional piece of flint, but I’m not carrying an additional piece of steel, I just use the spine of my knife. I still have the ability to build a fire multiple ways, but I’m limiting the items I’m carrying. I absolutely believe that one is none, and two is one, however, you don’t need four items that only do one job. Another way to cut weight is just because a package comes with thirty aspirin doesn’t mean that you must carry ALL thirty aspirin. Remember, ounces make pounds.
If you search the internet, you will find tons of lists. I don’t want to make that list for you because I don’t know your individual situation. I just want to share some things that I have come across in building Go Bags. Remember, this is an individual and mission specific build. First thing, let’s talk about the bag. In my experience, I have used just about every kind of bag you could think of. From the most expensive, hand-made, to literally, I ran into Walmart, bought the first thing that looked like it could hold my equipment and get me through the day. What matters about your bag is does it suit your mission parameters? If I’m working in an office setting and the people I work with are all dressed in business casual, having a camouflaged M.O.L.L.E. rucksack, is probably not the best choice. Finding a bag that suits your environment is almost as important as a bag that is big enough to put everything you need into it. When looking at your bags, always check the stitching. That’s what is going to give out first. Look to see that it has reinforced double stitching. Multiple compartments are always a good idea because it allows you to divide up your equipment into categories. Don’t assume the bag is a quality bag because of its price. That Walmart bag I talked about buying, I still have to this day and use it as one of my Go Bags.
You may have caught in that last paragraph that I said Go Bags. You’re not limited to just one bag. You may find yourself building multiples. Or, like me, you have a large family. I’ve got to build six of everything. As much as I wish I could have six Mystery Ranch backpacks, I can’t. Instead, I have six Walmart backpacks that work just fine for my family.
Items to think about including in the bag. Again, I don’t want to give a list, I’m just sharing ideas. When starting to collect your items, think about your basic needs. Start off simple. We need water, shelter, and food.
Water, we need something to put the water in. I’m a big fan of that Nalgene bottle or the Hydro Flask. Both are thirty-two-ounce containers. Pro of the Nalgene bottle is that it’s light. Pro of the Hydro Flask is increased durability. Next thought on water is purification. They’re not my favorite thing but they weigh next to nothing: Iodine tabs. Something that I have in every one of my family’s bags is a LifeStraw. No, it’s not going to purify millions of gallons of water, but it’s going to clean the water that I need to drink for my immediate needs.
Shelter, I love the classic Army poncho and poncho liner. This isn’t always practical and it can be very bulky. A great alternative is some of the newer space blankets. You get a lot of capability out of a small package. If this a larger bag and you have the room for it, I do recommend getting a tarp. You can make some great shelters out of an 8x10 tarp with some cordage. When thinking about Shelter this is also clothing. Wet weather? Cold weather? Change of environment?
When we’re talking about food, there are two areas to think about. The food that I’m carrying with me and the items that I’m carrying to procure food. When picking your food to carry with you, bring things you will actually eat. I will never carry Cliff bars. They are wonderful, they are great. However, in Afghanistan on several missions, all we carried were Cliff bars. They were great for calorie to weight ratio and served their purpose. But I have had way too many. Point I’m trying to make, be thoughtful about the food you are bringing with you. I’m not going to take a Snickers bar as it would melt. This is something that is very personal, and you need to think long and hard about the food you would take with you.
Items to procure your food with. These are items you are going to use to harvest food from your environment. Having fishing hooks and fishing line are great. You can improvise a fishing pole, but do you even know how to fish? Think about a good day, with good equipment, how good of a fisherman are you? So, when thinking about your harvesting equipment, it must be something that you are proficient with and suitable for your environment. I think this is an area we can all improve in. Just because we go hunting once a year doesn’t mean that we’re a great, mighty hunter. This is an area that with a little bit of work and practice with our equipment can go a very long way.
Now that we’ve talked about the basic survival needs, lets think about some other tools we may want to carry. Remember that your Go Bag is an extension of your everyday carry. You may have a pistol, knife, flashlight, etc. as part of your everyday carry. You may look at supplementing these items in your Go Bag. More ammunition (in magazines), a good fixed bladed knife, and a good headlamp or larger flashlight. These are all tools that will enhance your capabilities.
The Go Bag is an excellent place to carry a little more first-aid equipment with you. However, do not overload yourself by trying to make a full Aid Bag. This is just supplementing your everyday carry. You’re never going to have all the items that you want. Just make sure you have the items you may need to survive to the next level of care.
As I’ve already said, the goal of this article is not to give you a list of everything that you need to pack, but to start you thinking about what you should pack. This is one of my favorite subjects. I love to discuss different equipment and the strengths and weaknesses of tools, but the Go Bag is an individual thing. You can talk to ten different survival experts and we may agree on nine things, but we will all argue on that tenth thing. And we’re all correct. Remember, it’s a choose your own adventure. Choose wisely.
Chris
P.S. I am looking forward to the upcoming Land Nav classes where I’ll get to go through some of my favorite survival techniques with you guys in person.
Land Nav Seminar - May 27
Land Nav Two-Day Workshop - May 29-30