(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)
For a 3-season blanket, I have a Snugpak Jungle Blanket. It is a modern version of the “woobie” poncho liner that is loved by American soldiers. It is anti-bacterial, windproof, and water-resistant. If you prefer the good-old woobie, then go for it. For an emergency blanket, don’t bother with the cheapo ones. Get an SOL (Survive Outdoors Longer) emergency blanket. Its construction using metalized polyethylene instead of mylar makes it much stronger, quieter, and will not shred apart. For a poncho, I suggest the US Style Helikon-Tex poncho. It is waterproof and quick-drying, made of rip-stop polyester. Additionally, it has taped seams and grommets at the perimeter.
Clothing
A great alternative to the standard poncho for warmer temps is the Mountain Hardwear Exposure Paclite with Gore-Tex. This jacket is an expensive piece of clothing. However, a breathable, waterproof, and windproof jacket is invaluable. It seems that Mountain Hardwear changes the style of these slightly from year to year. I caught mine 50% off when they switched to the updated version. The breathability of Gore-Tex cannot be ignored when doing strenuous tasks in wet weather.
Clothing choices are very important. I think that the clothing you are wearing while bugging out is just as important as your BOB. If you have the option of changing into optimal clothes before you bug out then take this info to heart. Rule number one is to only wear wool or synthetics. Cotton is comfortable, but is terrible at getting rid of sweat or moisture. Wool coats, trousers, and socks were the top choice to keep warm in the old days. They were standard issue for winter clothing for soldiers. Today, wool is still king for certain articles of clothing especially since Merino wool is itch-free. Keep in mind, wool comes in many thicknesses and is not only for cold weather.
The advantage of wool is that it helps wick moisture away from the body and helps maintain your body temperature. Additionally, wool retains its insulating properties even when wet or moist. Merino wool socks are a must. They wick moisture away from your feet and still keep them warm, without being itchy. Choose a sock weight that is appropriate for the temperature outside and your level of activity. Make sure that your shoes fit correctly while wearing your socks. Always have extra pairs of socks in your bag.
Rule number one is to wear synthetics or wool, but no cotton. Rule number 2 is to dress in layers. As you get warm take layers off. Remember the phrase: “You sweat, you die.” Most people think this only applies to cold weather situations because your sweat can get cold and lower your body temperature. Keep in mind that in hot temperatures sweat can kill you through dehydration. Even mild dehydration can fog your mind and make it harder to make good decisions. For underwear, pick synthetic. Do not use cotton. You do not want swamp *ss.
The base layer is highly dependent on the temperatures you will be bugging out in. For colder weather, I like merino wool long johns shirt and pants. Woolpower has great merino wool clothing that is high quality. They have different weights of wool available. You don’t need the highest weight available unless you are in the Arctic. Keep in mind you are going to layer, so don’t put everything into the first layer. Their loop weave on the inside helps trap air and insulate. For any other time of year use a light wool shirt or synthetic shirt.
The middle layer is highly dependent on the season and temperature. For winter, I use a merino wool full zip sweater that hangs down low. Wool used in layered combination allows for sweat to get absorbed by the first layer and then transfer to the next layer of wool. In summer, a middle layer may not be necessary. For spring or fall, I would most likely choose a synthetic fleece or synthetic sweater.
The outer layer is very important. For winter, you need something that has windproof/water-resistant properties. Personally, I like a Gore-Tex shell and Gore-Tex gloves. Gore-Tex allows moisture to escape from your body, but keeps moisture from getting through. Make sure to keep your important gear dry as well. Military dry bags are an inexpensive way to keep items from becoming wet.
One of the most important items that could be overlooked in a bugout bag is a good hat. You need to keep sun off your face and it can help shade your eyes and keep you cool. I personally love Tilley hats. They are some of the highest quality hats made in Canada. They have a stylish brim curve that also helps cover your neck. I personally like the Tilley T5 hat. The T5 has a medium brim, 1/8” fitted hat sizes, wind straps, a pocket inside the top, foam that makes it float, and is pre-shrunk (won’t shrink if washed). There are a few options for the T5 style. I like both the cotton duck and hemp hats.
Safe, Drinkable Water
Water purification is a top priority. Luckily, some ingenious solutions have been created. My main purification system is a Versa flow water filter screwed into 2 CNOC Vecto water bags. The system has one top “dirty” water bag that flows by gravity through the filter into the bottom “clean” bag. Imagine having 2L of clean water in 3 mins. The bags can also be used with other water filters like the Sawyer mini if you use accessories to connect it. The Versa Flow water filter is similar to the Sawyer mini, but it is has female threads on both ends making it ideal for working with the Vecto bags. Keep in mind, the Versa Flow is made in China instead of USA. The Sawyer is manufactured here in USA. The bags have a top clamp that slides off and allows easy filling in a pool of water. The bottom of the bag has molded-in threads and a cap that are compatible with the water filter threads as well as many one-time use water bottles.
Always have an additional means of purifying water. Water purification tablets don’t take up much room at all. You may want to keep a bandana in your kit to do prefiltering for solids in the water. Don’t forget that if you have a fire, you can use boiling to kill any harmful bacteria, viruses, and other unwanted microscopic critters.
If you can spare the weight, a pot is a great addition for boiling water and cooking food. I have one that nests with my Solo stove. If you can’t spare the weight. Then you will have to boil water in a stainless-steel single wall water bottle. I like the Self-Reliance Outfitters 32 oz stainless steel water bottle and nesting cup set. You can use both to boil water and the cup has lid. AlfieAesthetics made a great bail from brass wire to lift the bottle off the fire without burning your hands.
Lightweight, High-Calorie Food
Food should be an essential component of your BOB. The most important thing to focus on is calories per weight and the food should be something you will actually eat. One very cheap calorically dense food is peanut butter. However, it might be hard to down a jar with a spoon and no crackers or bread. One focus to reduce weight can be to buy freeze-dried foods. With the water removed, the weight is significantly reduced. Granted, you will have to find or carry water to rehydrate, but ideally, you will be fairly close to water when you camp so you won’t be carrying a lot of extra water weight.
Besides the weight savings, the food might be able to be packaged smaller after freeze-drying. Buy freeze-dried food from a reputable company like Mountain House. Freeze-drying allows for amazing 30+ year shelf life and retains the food color, and many of the vitamins and minerals (unlike heat dehydrating). Make sure to have a long spoon or spork to be able to scoop down into the bottom of the bag. MREs can be an option, but make sure you will like the entrée and it usually comes with other items that may not be as useful.
Cordage
Finally, we have come to the last category: cordage, fixation, and miscellaneous. One of the best items that is not usually suggested in BOBs is gloves. I like tight-fitting stretch gloves with a coating. Maxi-Flex gloves fit this need perfectly. They still allow for good dexterity due to their stretchiness and the nitrile coating helps prevent dirt from embedding in the fabric and getting on your hands. For cordage, buy some 550 paracord made in America for your kit. You can also split open the paracord and use the seven smaller inner strands for uses that don’t need the full strength of 550 paracord. There is a survival paracord that has some wire or fishing line and fire starter in it. I think it is a little unnecessary if you have the other items I suggest in your BOB. You could use it as shoelace if you don’t want to add weight. In the case that you use it in this manner, take one of the smaller strands from inside the paracord to use as your laces. Additionally, take some duct tape that is off the roll and flatten it. This gives a more compact form. You can buy it already in this configuration if you would like.
Another must-have item is monofilament fishing line. I think the best way to store it is on a metal sewingmachine bobbin. The bobbin keeps it knot-free and untangled. A headlamp is indispensable for being able to work with both hands in the dark. I prefer a headlamp that has a red light on a separate button other than white light or a red lens filter. The red light will make you harder to spot in the dark and maintain your night vision. In order to keep your sense of direction, make sure you have a compass. Personally, I like a plastic map/navigation compass that is made out of see-through plastic. If you want to go all mil-spec, then you can get a Lensatic compass.
First Aid
Everyone should have a custom first-aid kit. Most pre-assembled first aid kits are garbage and only full of bandaids. North American Rescue has some decent pre-assembled kits. However, I prefer to make a custom kit that is able to take care of large lacerations/ gunshot wounds. I won’t go into details on my kit here, but if you need some ideas, go to SkinnyMedic’s Youtube channel. Don’t forget tweezers to pull out splinters and nail clippers. Depending on the season, you may want to bring a mosquito net for your face. A mosquito face net weighs basically nothing. Finally, don’t forget to bring a little soap. Campsuds soap is one of the best options.
Overall, this is a guide for an advanced BOB. Don’t feel like you have to have the high-tier items on this list. You can make a poncho from a garbage bag if need be. The items I have listed here are some of the best you can buy. However, you can just as easily come up with a bug-out bag from items only found in a Walmart. You must look at all of your preps and budget from a bird’s eye view and determine which holes need to be filled first. I know commonly security gets the most attention. Instead, I think people need to focus on the immediate needs first in order of importance: water, shelter/clothing, fire/warmth, food. Security is maybe fifth on the list. Remember to keep this hierarchy of needs in mind while constructing your BOB, as well.