Don't get to carried away with many luxuries in your pack, it should generally be filled with the essentials to survive (Food, Water, Fire, Shelter) Experts reccomend that your Bug Out Bag is 25% of your body weight in ease of mobility/transportation and strain on your body. Each individual should design and create their bag revolving around a system that works for them, there is no "perfect" Bug Out Bag. In terms of the essentials to survive, water is a top priority. Your body is made up of 70% of it, making it crucial to have the ability to sustain water within your body and maintain function of your body.
So yes, pack bottles of water, but for further collection it is suggested tht you add a collapsible bladder in your pack (such as the "Platypus"). The spare bladder will not add any noticeable weight, and fits into any space in your pack with ease. Now that storage has been addressed, it is time to consider filtration. If you were to drink an unreliable source of water, there is a high chance you will attract various diseases, such as diarrhoea which will devastate your hydration. The SAS believe it is best to assume the worse than take a risk. Water can be filtered through: Filtration tablets, Boiling (at least 5 minutes), stills, UV light, chemicals (small drops of bleach) and physical particle filters. There are some water bottles that are able to boil water through the use of the sun allowing a continuous sorce of filtration or for a faster alternative, I would reccomend purchasing the "LifeStraw", allowing you to directly drink from the source.
In terms of fire, it is fairly straight forward. Fire can be made from lighters, flint, mathes, friction, sunlight and even batteries. If the positive and negative terminals of any battery are crossed, sparks are formed. Optimal use is done with 9volt or higher battery, and steel wool. The steel wool acts as the perfect bundle of tinder. While a flint and steel creates sparks, it is fairly ineffective when faced with damp or wet wood. Fire can be made with a wooden bow drill, however unless familiar with the method it is generally near impossible to achieve. Fire through magnifying sunlight is a fairly simple method, however it can only be used in the day in good conditions. Matches are a good, quick source of fire, not replenishable however. Matches can be waterproofed by dipping the tips in wax. A good way to keep warm is through using a space blanket, it can reflect up to 90% of body heat.
A good addition to a Bug Out Pack are garbage bags. They can be used as shelter, waterproof bag to put your pack in, water collection/storage, and if entered can insulate heat maintain your body core temperature. Also it is vital to a small first aid kit, you can up one for around $10 at your local supermarket. When packing food, pack lightly. Dehydrated foods are perfect, and can provide you with meals in a smaller space. Yes they are more costly, however it is a one time purchase for your pack and in a life or death situation, you will be glad you paid the small bit extra. I would also suggest a good are and multi-tool. A small roll of cordage is also a must, the capabilities are infinite. Also remember hygiene, cleanse your hands with some soap or sanitizer when handling and preparing food, you might not believe it, but it can be the difference between life or death.
I know many will not share the same opinion, but I would not suggest bringing a gun of any sort in your pack unless it is a flare gun. Ammo is not replenish-able, gives away your location to potential threats and is heavy. For hunting, a slingshot can have an infinite amount of ammunition and if modified, it can be loaded with arrows (look up a sling bow), even rigging it capture fish. If you do pack a slingshot, make sure you pack at least a spare pair of bands. If you have the money, although it is isn't essential I would recommend adding a thermal monocular, allowing you to locate humans, and animals from miles away with ease at day or night.
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I apologise for the length of this post I must say I got carried away,I hope anybody who reads this can walk away and gain something. This is my first post and I hope it useful. Feel free to message me and enquire on anything. I believe I know a lot of widespread information on Bug Out Bags, information I couldn't add to this post. As well as bunkers, and Bug Out locations. (Including self sufficiency, weather prediction, navigation)
- Jack
