Bug Out Bag – Example of a Setups

I have often gotten the response concerning the recommendation what to pack in a Fully Equipped Bug Out Bag that this is a setup so heavy that no one could possibly carry it. In order to provide some reference concerning the weight I have put together an example of a setup focused on light weight items to show how one can build a Bug Out Bag that have all the essentials that one could need but still keep the weight of the BOB light enough to be carried. This setup is based upon the article Bug Out Bag and Checklist.

This setup does not include your clothing that should ideally consist of Hiking Boots, Merino wool socks, Heavy Duty Pants, A Base Layer Shirt from synthetic materials or merino wool, Gloves, A Hat or Watch Cap, A Sweater and Shell Jacket. Other equipment that is expected to be carried on your person is your watch, cell phone and wallet.

Setup 1: Light Weight Setup - Bug Out Bag
Total Weight including Water: 28 Pounds

Backpack and Drypacks 2,5kg
[ ] Backpack – Osprey Aether 85 – 2300g
[ ] Drypacks from Exped M (8 liter), L (13liter) and XL (22liter): 55g+66g+82g

Clothing Inside the Bag 1,244kg
[ ] Short Sleeve Base Layer 200g
[ ] Change of Underwear 100g
[ ] 2 Pair of Socks 100g
[ ] Buff, Merino Wool 54g
[ ] Klättermusen LIV 290g
[ ] Hilleberg Bivanorak 500g

Shelter 1,765kg
[ ] Tarp - Hilleberg Tarp -10 700g
[ ] Sleeping Bag - Western Mountaineering SummerLite 525g
[ ] Sleeping Mattress – Theremarest Ridgerest Large 540g

Light 0,1kg
[ ] Fenix LD-10 Flashlight and one extra AA battery (54g + 23g + 23g) 100g

Equipment to Build a Fire - 0,054kg
[ ] BIC Lighter 14g
[ ] Matches- 15g
[ ] Fire Steel – Light My Fire Scout with Striker (20+9 g) 29g

Survival Knives 0,285kg
[ ] Fixed Blade Knife: Fällkniven F1 150g
[ ] Swiss Army Knife: Victorinox Climber 85g
[ ] Sharpener: Dianova Lapstone Mini 50g

Pocket Survival Kit 0,17kg
[ ] BCB Combat Survival Kit 170g

Water 3,785kg
[ ] Water Bottle - 1 Liter Nalgene (160g+1000g) 1160g
[ ] 2 Liter Bladder Nalgene (545+2000g) 2545g
[ ] Water Purification Filter – Aquamira Frontier 30g
[ ] Water Purification Tablets – Lifesystems Chlorine Dioxide Tablets 50g

Food – 1,065kg
[ ] 6 DryTech Freeze Dried Rations 1000g
[ ] Salt and Pepper (From Restaurants) 15g
[ ] 10 Tea Bags, Sugar, Powdered Milk 50g

Stove, Fuel and Cup – 0,5kg
[ ] Esbit Cookset 585ml (Stove, Wind Shield and Cooking Vessel) 200g
[ ] 12 Esbit Tablets 185g (4 per day) 185g
[ ] Spork – Optimus Titan 17g
[ ] Folding Cup (2,5 dl) 28g
[ ] Steel Wool, Washing Up Liquid 50ml, Half Mop 70g

Map and Navigation etc 0.233kg
[ ] Map in Waterproof Case 100g
[ ] Compass - Silva Ranger SL – 23g
[ ] Passport and Immunization Card 50g
[ ] Rite in the Rain Notebook and Pen 60g

Hygiene etc 0,515kg
[ ] Half a roll of Toilet Paper in plastic bag 100g
[ ] Half a bar of Soap 25g
[ ] Tooth Brush, small tube of Tooth Paste 50g
[ ] Razor 20g
[ ] Hand Disinfection – BCB Stridex 20g
[ ] First Aid Kit: Lifesystems Pocket + Blister Plasters (200g)
[ ] 550 Paracord 50 feet – 100g

Other Items
[ ] Secondary pair of shoes: Merell Barefoot Trail Glove – Ultra light Trail Running Shoes 350g

The total weight of the Setup lands on 12,72kg (28 pounds)

I would argue that this is a weight that most people can carry without difficulty even if they are not extremely well trained.

Analysis
Building a Light Weight Setup is all about trying to keep the weight of every item in the kit down. In this example an Ultra Light Sleeping Bag, Light Weight Sleeping Mattress, a Bivanorak that can be used as both a Poncho and Bivi-Bag in combination with a light weight quality tarp provides a light weight shelter with multiple options. The Ultra Light Trailrunning Shoes from Merrell also provide an additional pair of shoes, The Klättermusen LIV Down Sweater and Merino wool Buff some additional protection from exposure.

The weight of the Water and Water Containers is a post that is hard to reduce further. The Freeze Dried Rations provides light weight meals in combination with an Esbit Stove that includes a cooking vessel and windshield.

The main disadvantage with an Ultra Light Sleeping bag is that it will not provide enough heat if the weather is cold. How easily people freeze depends very much on the individual, some people freeze easily. Try your sleeping bag and make sure that it functions well for your climate and your terrain.

This setup could easily include some extra food like additional frieze dried rations, flapjacks, energy bars, chocolate bars, tools, one extra bottle of water, a heavier water purification filter, some additional batteries and extra fuels tablets for the stove without being too heavy.

Setup 2: Comprehensive BOB / I’m Never Coming Home (INCH) / Cold Weather BOB

Total Weight including Water: 58 Pounds

Backpack and Drypacks 4,2kg
[ ] Backpack –Norona Para Ranger (120l) 4100g
[ ] Drypacks from Exped M (8 liter), L (13liter) and XL (22liter): 55g+66g+82g

Clothing Inside the Bag 1,344kg
[ ] Long Sleeve Base Layer 300g
[ ] Change of Underwear 100g
[ ] 2 Pair of Socks 100g
[ ] Buff, Merino Wool 54g
[ ] Klättermusen LIV 290g
[ ] Hilleberg Bivanorak 500g

Shelter 5,34kg
[ ] Hilleberg Soulo 1 Person Tent 2200g
[ ] Sleeping Bag – Carinthia Defence 4 1850g
[ ] Sleeping Mattress – Exped Downmat 9 LW 1290g

Light 0,484kg
[ ] Headlight: Fenix HP-20 230g. 10 AA batteries 230g
[ ] Flashlight: Fenix LD-10 54g

Equipment to Build a Fire - 0,083kg
[ ] 2 BIC Lighters 28g
[ ] Matches in Waterproof Bag 15g
[ ] Swedish Fire Steel Army 40g

Survival Knives 1,585kg
[ ] Fixed Blade Knife: Fällkniven A1 305g
[ ] Multi Tool: Leatherman Charge TTi 232g
[ ] Sharpener: Dianova Lapstone Mini 50g
[ ] Axe: Gränsfors Small Forest Axe 1000g

Pocket Survival Kit 0,29kg
[ ] BCB Ultimate Survival Kit 290g

Water 4,305kg
[ ] Water Bottle - 1 Liter Nalgene (160g+1000g) 1160g
[ ] 2 Liter Bladder Nalgene (545+2000g) 2545g
[ ] Water Purification Filter – Katadyn Pocket 550g
[ ] Water Purification Tablets – Lifesystems Chlorine Dioxide Tablets 50g

Food – 1,665kg
[ ] 9 DryTech Freeze Dried Rations 1500g
[ ] Salt and Pepper (From Restaurants) 15g
[ ] 10 Tea Bags, Sugar, Powdered Milk 50g
[ ] 3 Powerbars and 3 Chocolate Bars: 600g

Stove, Fuel and Cup – 0,902 kg
[ ] Esbit Cookset 985ml (Stove, Wind Shield and Cooking Vessel) 417g
[ ] 24 Esbit Tablets 370g (8 per day) 370g
[ ] Spork – Optimus Titan 17g
[ ] Folding Cup (2,5 dl) 28g
[ ] Steel Wool, Washing Up Liquid 50ml, Half Mop 70g

Map and Navigation etc 0.263kg
[ ] Map in Waterproof Case 100g
[ ] Compass - Silva Ranger SL – 23g
[ ] Passport and Immunization Card 50g
[ ] Rite in the Rain Notebook and Pen 60g

Hygiene etc 0,715kg
[ ] Roll of toilet paper in plastic bag 200g
[ ] Half a bar of Soap 25g
[ ] Tooth brush travel, small tube of tooth paste 50g
[ ] Razor 20g
[ ] Hand Disinfection – BCB Stridex 20g
[ ] First Aid Kit: Lifesystems Pocket + Blister Plasters (200g)
[ ] 550 Paracord 100 feet – 200g

Other Items 0,50kg
[ ] KwikPoint Translator 60g
[ ] Secondary pair of shoes: Merell Barefoot Trail Glove – Ultra light Trail Running Shoes 350g
[ ] Speedy Stitcher 90g

The total weight of the Setup lands on 21,619 kg (48 pounds)

Analysis
This Setup is considerably heavier than the first setup that was presented. The Setup includes a sturdier backpack with a larger storage capacity, A high quality four season one man tent, Cold Weather Sleeping bag and an Inflatable Sleeping Mattress with down loft. The Setup also includes some sturdier tools like the Fällkniven A1 Fixed Blade Knife, The Leatherman TTi Multi Tool and A Medium Sized Axe from Gränsfors. The Setup also includes additional food, fuel tablets, a high quality headlamp and the Katadyn Pocket Water Filter. This setup may be a more attractive alternative if you have to deal with a cold climate or travel longer distances with the access to vehicle. The setup also includes a larger stove that can use alcohol as fuel in addition to fuel tabs.

Since the weight of the pack is considerable you must be a well trained individual if you are going to be able to carry it longer distances. Another option is to load the content of the bag into bike bags and onto a bike trailer and use a bike as a Bug Out Vehicle (BOV). If you have the access to a motor vehicle the weight of the bag does not present a very big obstacle.

The Two Suggested Setups
The two setups represent a Mini and Maxi approach to a comprehensive Bug Out Bag. The items suggestion could easily be exchanged or replaced with other items from different companies; this is just an attempt to give the reader an idea of possible setups. Exactly what that should be packed in an emergency pack depends on a number of factors like your local climate, terrain and season. Your personal fitness and skills is also an important factor for deciding what should be packed and not.

How much can an individual carry? This is a very individual trait. Physical fitness, training, age, training and individual characteristics all come into play. People can have an overweight that well excides these packs but still be able to move around with any great difficulty. But the more you pack the harder a march will be. Experts disagree upon this topic but some suggest that 1/3 of the body weight as a maximum for men and ¼ of the body weight for women.

There are no easy answers that fit every climate, setting, terrain and person. You must find a concept that works for you, these list are simply suggestions intended to give you some inspiration and ideas for your own setup. One Size does not fit all.

Also see:
Introduction to Evacuation and Bug Out Bags
Bug Out Bag and Checklist
Light Weight Bug Out Bag
Bugging Out as a Group