Today we’re going to look at building the ultimate survival kit bug out bag. This consists of a complete survival tools list and kit list for your survival bugout bag,

18 Items You Need in Your Survival BugOut Bag

You want to know what most people talk about these days; guess what it is. It’s bug-out bags! It’s a very common topic among people now, even within the government. It’s a good thing that the awareness of bug-out bags is increasing because these bags could literally save your life. These bags are really appreciated mostly in times of emergencies. You never know when you might be prompted to evacuate your house for safety reasons. Having these bags will make that evacuation procedure go more smoothly than you realize. You could literally be gone in a moment’s notice, as long as you have all you need to survive. You NEED an ultimate survival kit bug out bag!

Don’t get the wrong idea about bug-out bags. They don’t usually contain everything you might want in it. We are only talking about the necessities that you might need to ensure your survival in times of emergencies. It’s not a bag meant for vacation or for spring breaks, neither is it a suitcase you can use for traveling. A bug-out bag is only effective if it is used for survival purposes.

Now, the main problem I think people usually encounter with a bug-out bag is how can they fit all the stuff they need inside the bag. If you are just going to take all the things you want in times of emergencies, you will only end up with a huge load. It’s better you take the things you need instead. Only the most important things should be carried and if it turns out that you still have room for extra, then you can add other stuffs inside the bag.

The things you need

• Food. It’s no news that you need food for your survival in case of an emergency. So, I recommend that you add at least 72 hours/3 days’ worth of food in you bug-out bag. Also, don’t focus on carrying canned foods. Instead, carry dried foods that are so much lighter and easier to move around.
• Water. You should also add water to your bug-out bags because they are just as important as the food you bring along. However, you should know that you can never carry enough water. Instead, just carry the quantity of water you feel you will need to survive.
• Water Purification. Since you won’t be able to carry all the fresh water you need to survive, I suggest you add one or two means of water purification materials you might need to ensure your survival.
• Canteen or Water Bottle. Canteens or water bottles are very helpful in case you stumble across some water when your water has finished. You will not only need to drink the water, but you should also fill up the bottle to carry along with you.
• Backpacking Cookware. Most backpacking cookware are made to be lightweight, and as such they are usually made of aluminum or magnesium. They are extremely helpful in case you have some food that needs to be cooked.
• Fire Starters. Fire starters are used to start fires. It’s right there in the name “fire starters”. The best kinds of this material to add to your bug-out bag is butane lighters or waterproof matches. If you are proficient with fire starters, you can also add a metal watch as well.
• Backpacking Tent or Tarp. You can use this when you are in need of shelter or when you need a place to sleep. If you don’t own a tent, a tarp will work just fine as long as you have some cords for it.
• Parachute Cord. Parachute cord, which is also referred to as paracord or 550 cord is the best survival rope in the market today. There are lots of things you can accomplish with a rope. It is one of the best survival equipment that everybody should have.
• Knife. Personally, I think that a knife is just as important as a rope. You can’t simply overemphasize its importance in your survival in times of emergencies. It has lots of uses, and because of that I suggest you get yourself the best fixed-blade knife with a full tang for your survival journey.
• Hatchet/ Hammer. In your survival kit, you should also add a hatchet and a hammer. You can use  the hatchet to chop woods to make fire in case you are out in the woods, and you can use  the hammer to drive nails or tent pegs into the ground to create shelter for yourself.
• Documents. Important documents and papers should also be added to your bug-out bag. These documents can be scanned and then store in an external storage device like a flash, memory card or even an external hard drive. If you do that, you make the documents more portable and easier to move around.
• Compass and Maps. Maps are also important tools in your survival kits. They can help you navigate your way around a certain area. Both road maps and topographical maps should be added to your bug-out bag.
• Rain Poncho. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but rain has a way starting at the worst possible time. Sometimes, it comes when you least expect it. Having a rain poncho when this happens can come in very handy because it prevents you from getting wet. It can also serve other purposes like; it can be used to pick up extra items that you find on your way, or it can be used as an extra sheet when you sleep.
• Clothes. You shouldn’t add clothes in your bag like you just came from a shopping spree. Only have a least one change of clothes in it.
• Soap and Toothpaste. Soap and toothpaste are meant to keep you clean and maintain your health while you try to stay alive during this survival period. Just because you want to survive doesn’t mean you need to look like a slug in the process.
• Fishing Gear. Remember, you are taking food that can last you for at most 3days. So, to avoid dying of starvation is suggest you bring along a fishing gear that can provide food for you in case you run out. It’s a lightweight and it can provide food for you in the process.
• Weapon. A weapon is meant to keep you safe and protected from all kinds of predators, including the four legged and two legged predators. Imagine you escape a disaster, only to find yourself being killed by someone/something else. It’s really not the kind of happy ending you should be looking for.

So now you’ve got a cool survival bugout bag…

The bug-out bag is meant to hold and keep the things you need. It’s not supposed to fit in someone else’s idea or opinion. Depending on the kind of weather you are living in, your bug-out bag should contain things you need to survive that weather condition. If it is cold, carry warm clothes. If it is sunny, bring more water. Your ultimate survival kit bug out bag really has to contain things that will ensure your survival.

Also, only add things in your bag that you know you can use. Don’t bring any fancy survival equipment along just because someone recommend it. You should only bring equipment you can use so that you can avoid the extra weight.

13 items of survival gear that you must have (the survival tools list)

If you get to any survival situation, you’ll realize it’s not similar to your usual comfortable life. I’ve met different people who said “We are ready to face any emergency”, although they didn’t do anything for any survival. These people are usually the ones who are doing work at home by themselves. Many are lucky enough to have their own workshop and after that, they repair everything when their families ask them to do it.

But it doesn’t mean that all these people know how to survive. Many courses don’t show the right survival gear. And by the way, how can any tools that need power help you, if you don’t have any source of electricity around you? The survival gear for an emergency isn’t the same as those tools which we use in our everyday life.

Survival gear can be divided into 2 main types: tools for home and portable tools which you can use outside. So, it’s necessary to have all types of survival gear because you never know which kind of an emergency situation you will need to handle.

The best survival tool list:

• Knife. This survival tool is the one that can be used for almost everything; you can get and prepare the food using it or you can even build a shelter. It is important to have a really good knife, so make sure that you choose the one which has a fixed blade and a full tang. You don’t need a very long blade: it may look nice, but it won’t be easy to use it. Choose a knife which is 4-5 inches.
• Axe. If you are staying without any power source, then you will probably be in need of starting a fire to get warm. You can use an axe to cut woodpile to start a good fire.
• Bow saw. Of course, the most useful saw is a chainsaw, as it cuts woodpile really fast and effectively. But if you end up without any gasoline, a chainsaw won’t help you a lot. If you use a bow saw, it won’t work as fast as a chainsaw, but its huge advantage is that it can work all the time if your body has some energy and strength.
• Lumberjack saw. There are a lot of situations which can do harm to your house. And it is really good to know how to repair it because it can help you to stay at home. Sure, a chainsaw and a jigsaw can be more effective, but they need power to work. Earlier, when no one knew about all these modern saws, people were using lumberjack saws to cut any industrial wood and it was completely fine.
• Shovel. This is a really necessary tool if you need to dig the ground for any reason: for example, if you want to plant something or simply if you want to create a latrine. This can be really important.
• Wagon or wheelbarrow. The small wagon is a very useful tool if you decide to bring some water from the river or if you want to keep your garden in good shape. Of course, a car can be more effective when you decide to transport something, but if you don’t have any gas for this car, then only your wagon can help you to bring the necessary supplies.
• Lighter. At first, we can say that a lighter is just supposed to help you if you want to smoke a cigarette, but it can be very useful if you get into any survival situation. It is definitely better to use lighters instead of matches if you need to start a fire, because lighters can work even if the weather is not very good, although matches really depend on the weather. Just put the lighter not far from your body, so that if it is windy, your lighter will still work and the fuel in it won’t be wasted.
• Gun. This weapon type may sound cruel at first, but actually it’s a real survival tool. You can use a gun for many goals, for example, to hunt if you’re out of your food, to protect yourself and your shelter, to make an SOS signal. But don’t forget to practice how to shoot and how to load your gun, so that in case of any emergency you’ll know what to do with it.
• Hatchet. This is a portable axe. A hatchet is really great to have in your survival kit, while an axe is really perfect for home use. Of course, a hatchet can’t be as effective as an axe, but at least it doesn’t weigh so much and besides, it’s better to have a small axe than not to have anything like this. A hatchet can also be used as a hammer when you need to set up a tent.
• Wire saw. Unfortunately, you can’t put a bow saw into your survival kit. So, if you need to leave your house and to go into the woods, you should have a wire saw then, because it can help to cut some branches that can be used as a shelter later. The best option is to choose the three-wire saw; so, if one wire is damaged, you still can use this saw. 
• Portable shovel. This is a small version of a shovel. If you stuck in the woods, you’ll definitely need this portable shovel, because it can help to dig the ground and make a hole that can be used as a latrine or as a fire pit. This shovel can also be used if you want to make a trench which will help you to get some water. A portable shovel is not as good as a big garden shovel, but still, it’s much better to dig using it instead of using just your hands or your knife.
• Sharpening stone. If you have a good knife which you’re planning to use at home and in the forest, you should remember that this knife must be really sharp. A sharpening stone and some oil are what can help the blade of your knife to be in the best form.

 

Have you completed the survival tools list checklist?

Really good survival gear and knowing how to use it can be lifesaving. So, first of all, you should buy professional survival tools. Don’t even think about trying to get cheap tools, as in this case all these tools can break when you really need them. Then you should learn how to use every tool. Buying the best axe doesn’t guarantee that you will be warm in the wood if you have no idea how to cut woodpile using this axe. Practice with every tool as much as you need to become really good at using them. In this case, when the time comes, you’ll be ready to survive without stress, because you’ll know how to use all survival tools.

Now you can build the ultimate survival kit bug out bag!

So you’ve now got a complete list to build an ultimate survival kit bug out bag complete with a comprehensive survival tools list. Now you’re truly ready for when the SHTF!

Read this article on whether to bug out or bunker in!