Once you got serious about prepping, you probably sat down and put together a basic bug-out plan.
You probably built a bug-out bag and you have a vague idea of what you’d do if you were forced to leave your home in an emergency.
Television and movies, including shows like “Doomsday Preppers,” make bugging out seem like an adventure – something that’s even kind of romantic and exciting.
But the reality is that YOU might turn out to be the weak link in your plan, even if you think you’re prepared.
We spoke with former spec-ops soldier and survival trainer, Jeff Kirkham about this issue, and here’s a summary of a few tips he shared with me…
This Green Beret Says, “90% Of all Bug-Out Survival Plans Are DEATH TRAPS!”. Here Are 3 Reasons Why…
There’s no shortage of it on the internet…
“Bug-out” survival plans and bug-out bag packing lists that are based more on fantasy than real-world experience.
In fact, you can ask any soldier who has ever had to live out of a backpack for any amount of time and you’ll (hopefully) get the same answer I’ve come to after seeing how most people are preparing for a disaster or crisis…
90% of the bug-out plans most people put together are “death traps”!
But what dooms their survival plans isn’t leaving out some critical piece of must-have gear or being betrayed by some nefarious member of their survival party.
The fact is, too many people sabotage their own bug-out plans.
Here are three ways they do just that:
1. Most People Fail To Even HAVE A Bug-Out Survival Plan
Failing to have a plan is the worst mistake that people make when it comes to survival.
Too many preppers think, “Well, I’ve got my bug-out bag and I’ve got my food supply, so I’m good to go.”
Essentially, their planning stops there.
The reality is that when an emergency happens, all of a sudden you will learn just how many holes there are in your vague ideas of what you’ll do.
Anything you didn’t account for… anything you didn’t prepare to deal with… becomes a surprise.
In survival, surprise can equal death if you can’t adapt fast enough.
The best thought-out escape-and-evasion or bug-out plans will fail when things don’t go as you anticipated them going.
2. They Overestimate What They Can Carry In Their Bug-Out Bag
A lot of people have bug-out bags, but they haven’t taken into account that they can’t carry it because it’s too heavy.
This is a HUGE shortfall when it comes to survival planning.
Everybody is focused on the gear (and lots of it!), which leads to a false sense of confidence.
They pack everything but the kitchen sink so they won’t have to go without… but they fail to realize that if the bag is just too heavy to carry, you won’t be able to get half a mile down the road.
If you can’t carry your own bag, how will you deal with the fact that children or other team members might have to live out of it too?
There’s no excuse for this because you should be carrying your bag over long distances just to make sure you can do it.
Take your bug-out bag camping… take it hiking… whatever… but get out there and test it.
That brings me to…
3. They Don’t Realize Their Body’s Physical Limits
Bugging out is one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do.
The whole time you’re doing it, your body is under stress.
We all like to think we’re superhuman… that we’re “tough guys”… that we can do whatever it takes.
The fact is, though, your body has limits… and when you hit them, you WILL fail.
Failing physically in a bug-out situation could literally mean DYING.
It could mean watching helplessly as your family members die, too.
Most people absolutely are not prepared for the physical exhaustion that comes into play during a bug-out scenario.
This is (again) why it’s so important that your bug-out bag not be too heavy.
- The lighter your gear, the faster you will be able to move.
- The faster you are able to move, the less time you will spend under the stress of a bug-out.
- The longer you spend out there in the field, the more time there exists for the situation to deteriorate.
Stress and exhaustion also play hell with your ability to think, to adapt, and to plan… so all these things are locked together.
Keep these three things in mind when planning ahead for disaster… and when bugging out during an emergency.
You need to account for everything you possibly can BEFORE an emergency occurs…
…because when it’s all happening, it will be too late if you’re not ready, and you can’t afford to be the reason your survival plan fails.