This always kills me when I see planning out their bug-out bag contents…
Every wanna-be “armchair prepper” seems to enjoy adding item after item to their bugout bag thinking that the MORE you pack, the more “PREPARED” you are.
Wrong… wrong… WRONG!
When you’re forced to leave your home during a disaster, collapse, or some other “trigger event”, the sole purpose of your bug-out bag is to get you and your family to safety as quickly as possible.
Hopefully that means you had enough lead time to get out of Dodge by vehicle before the roads turn into parking lots with all the stalled cars and empty gas tanks.
But worst case scenario, that’s why you DO need to have a bug-out bag ready in case you have to evacuate on foot for any stretch.
When that happens, you’ll want to carry as little equipment as possible and yet still be prepared to survive.
If you follow those other “internet lists”, I can promise you – from my time “humping a ruck” for up to 100 miles in the military – that after a mile or so, you’ll be huffing, puffing, cursing and wheezing on the side of the road, pulling a bunch of useless crap out of your bag.
Let me help you out with…
6 Secrets To Knock 15+ Lbs Off Your Bug-Out Bag Contents
1. Don’t use a metal frame bug-out bag.
Old military bags and many hiking backpacks use this and not only does it make for a heavier bag, but it places the load further from your back, causing more fatigue and muscle soreness.
Even internal frame packs aren’t built as “one-size-fits-all” and don’t accomodate different body types very well.
This is why I designed our X-BOB 5-phase evacuation system to adapt to all shapes and sizes no matter how big or small you are.
2. Use a water filtration “system”.
Water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon so ditch all those water bottles.
While you do need clean water readily available, using a portable filter can save you from not only having to carry a ton of water, but you have a way to make more clean water on the run rather than trying to scavenge more water bottles like everyone else around you.
This is so critical that I actually designed a special compartment in our X-BOBs that let’s you easily carry the water bladder we include, and even drink it on-the-go with our integrated drinking tube.
3. No metal “mess gear”.
You gotta eat… but skip the fancy camping utensils and military surplus “mess kits”.
They’re big… heavy… noisy… and unnecessary.
Instead, pack as small stack of coffee filters as plates and aluminum foil you can form into a “pot” for cooking.
4. Ditch the MRE’s
3 days of the military-style “Meals Ready To Eat” (MRE’s) can weigh over 17 lbs.
Instead, pack dehydrated food packets that are super lightweight and easy to prepare on the go.
(Note: When you get your X-BOB evac system during this special promotion, we also include a way to get 72 hrs of survival food for your entire family. See how here…)
5. No tents or tarps.
Both are really really heavy (which is why, in the military, we NEVER even packed our issued tents for missions and training exercises).
All you really need is a small, square rain poncho and 2 bungee cords to make a lean-to you can put up between 2 trees in less than 3 minutes.
6. Swap out your sleeping bag.
We had a saying in my infantry unit… “Travel light… freeze at night”.
But with today’s technology you can still stay warm while sleeping without a sleeping bag.
Now, all I use is a mylar-lined survival bag combined with a cloth “sleep sack” (adds warmth and absorbs condensation).
Both fit easily into my X-BOB’s side tactical pouch and I’m toasty all night long
Evaluating Your Bug-Out Bag Contents To Lighten Your Load…
Ok, now it’s time to evaluate your own bug-out bag plan and look for areas you can trim down your evac list to lighten the load.
The first place I always tell people to go is with the bag itself because HOW you carry everything makes a big difference in how far you’ll go.
It should comply with our 12-level survival gear plan just as we lay it out in our [leadbox text=”free survival gear guide.” funnel=”sgs”]
This will allow you to adapt to any threat you may face and get you and your family to safety – even if you have to put your bug-out bag on your back and hit the trail!
What Other Bug-Out Bag Contents Tricks Help You To Lighten The Load?
Please Share Your Tips Below Now…
