Over the past few years I have changed my thinking on preparedness. I used to have bug-out bags, and to some extent I still do. My plan was, in any situation, to run for the hills. One of the key components of preparedness and survival is having a community, which we’ll discuss more in the future. If you bug out, you leave your community and your home, which contains everything else you have but can’t carry on your back. Thus, my philosophy changed from “Where do I bug out,” to “How do I get back home?”
What things should you consider when making a get-home bag?
I want something that is light, easy to carry, has enough gear for 24 hours and doesn’t break the bank. This also means I won’t be preparing for every possible scenario, and the truth is, you can’t. I like to observe what other people are doing for their get-home bags; I usually find something I could add or replace or make better use of. However, a lot of the time I think people pack way too much stuff. You have to find a balance between being ready for the zombie apocalypse in your car, an extended stay on I80 in Wyoming, or your vehicle breaking down while you’re off enjoying the outdoors. My bags are small and weigh under 10 pounds.
Another theme I believe in is that the best item to get is the one you already have. It’s more important to learn how to utilize the items you already have than to spend thousands of dollars on fancy gear. Like Professor Killswitch says, “If you haven’t practiced, you haven’t prepped.” I am constantly getting little things here and there that I throw into my bags, like a pocket knife gift or a new firestarting tool. These small, inexpensive items gradually build a really great kit. I keep a bag in each of my vehicles and they are all just a little different. Knives, firestarters, and other items might be different based on what I’ve collected and tested, but the essentials are all there.
Everyone’s situation is different. You need to evaluate your specific situation and build out your bag according to your needs. Make sure you are making your bag based on your geographic area, urban, rural, etc, temperate zone and your most plausible scenarios.
What goes into making a get-home bag?
While my bag is based on my needs every get-home bag needs to contain the following: food, water, fire, shelter, tools.
Food:
- 24 hours worth of calories
- I was gifted 3600-calorie food rations, the kind you find in lifeboats. They are a little heavy. At some point I’ll change them out for Quest protein bars.
- You could also use freeze-dried food like Mt. House, but then you have to add gear to cook and eat them. You can find some cheap metal cups at Walmart and a spoon that would work for this, and the cup has multiple uses.
Water:
- 32-64oz of water
- I chose to use bagged emergency drinking water. They are small and lightweight. I have a Lifestraw as a backup.
- I don’t have a way to carry water in my kit. I chose this to save on weight and bulk knowing I almost always have a bottle w/ me in the car.
- If you wanted to have a way to carry water, you could use plastic roll-up bottles or a hydration bladder. Or you could put in an old water bottle you don’t use as much anymore.
Fire:
- I always have at least 2 ways to make fire.
- Bic lighter, because it’s easy
- Ferro rod as a backup that will work with one of the knives in the bag.
- Firestarters/tinder. I have 3 different ones in my kit. This is fun for me; I love to get new starters and try them out in various conditions like rain and snow. My favorites end up in my bags. Recently, I discovered Pyro Putty and love it. I will be adding it to my bags.
Shelter:
- Emergency blanket. You can wrap it around yourself or use it to make a shelter.
- 50 feet of cordage. I used twine that I already had in the garage. I will change it out for 550 Cord.
- Something I saw someone else have was a heavy duty trash bag. I will be adding this. You can put it on the ground and it’s another layer of insulation. You can punch holes in it and wear it as a poncho. You can stuff leaves or newspapers in it to give it even more insulation. Very versatile and adds little weight.
Tools:
- Knife. You should have at least one good one. I have three knives in my bag.
- Small multitool
- Fixed blade
- Pocket knife with a serrated edge.
- Flashlight. I like head lamps better, but I have lots of extra LED flashlights.
- Duct tape. It’s amazing!
- Masks. Even before the pandemic, I had masks in my bags. There could be forest fires or other situations when a mask could come in handy.
- Compass. Just in case my phone dies or I’m out of cell reception and Google Maps is gone. I need to add some topographical maps of the areas I most frequent.
- First aid kit. I have a basic boo-boo kit: bandaids, gauze, slings, advil, imodium, etc.. Depending on your situation, you might want to expand this. When I go hunting, for example, I add items for gunshot wounds, such as tourniquets, chest seals and clotting agents.
- Super glue. It can fix some items and works as stitches in many cases.
- Personal security items. I’m not going to go in depth on this because everyone has their own comfort level with self defense gear. Most of my self defense gear is part of my EDC (everyday carry), but I have included flex cuffs. They are like giant zip ties. They can be used if I need to detain someone for a variety of reasons, or hanging things up, or strapping things down.
- Communication devices –not pictured. In addition to my cell phone, on longer trips I have a ham radio in the car. Not only will you be able to communicate with others but you can pick up weather reports and sometimes even TV stations.