🚨 The Bug Out Bag (BOB) is your 72-hour survival kit.
When you need to leave your house in 60 seconds – this backpack saves your life.
It is always packed, always ready, always in the hallway next to the door.
1. What is a Bug Out Bag?
The Bug Out Bag (English: "Get-out backpack") is a pre-packed backpack for a 72-hour evacuation (3 days). It contains everything you need to survive when you can no longer stay in or must leave your home.
- Goal: Survive 72 hours autonomously (water, food, shelter, first aid)
- Weight: Max. 15-20% of body weight (for adults: 10-15 kg)
- Location: Always in a fixed place (hallway, closet, car)
- Check regularly: Every 6 months: expiry dates, batteries, completeness
2. The Ultimate Packing List
2.1 Water (absolutely critical)
- 3 liters drinking water: 1.5L bottles (stable, stackable) or water bladder
- Water filter: Sawyer Mini, LifeStraw or candle filter (supplementary)
- Water treatment: Chlorine tablets or bleach (2 drops/liter)
- Drinking bag/cup: Collapsible cup or stainless steel cup (can boil!)
2.2 Food (2,200 kcal/day)
- Energy bars: 6 pieces (granola bars, protein bars, nut bars)
- Cans: 3x small cans (tuna, beans, sausage – with pull-tab lid)
- Dry rations: Instant noodle soup, rice dish (only hot water needed)
- Nuts/dried fruit: 300g (energy, fats, vitamins)
- Chocolate: 2 bars (morale + quick calories)
- Salt: Small packet (electrolytes, flavor)
2.3 Shelter
- Emergency tent or bivouac sack: Ultralight (500g-1kg), waterproof
- Sleeping bag: 3-season sleeping bag (comfortable to 0°C)
- Sleeping pad: Inflatable or foam (cold protection from the ground!)
- Emergency blanket: 2 pieces (silver/gold, warm, waterproof, reflective)
- Tarp/tarpaulin: 3x3m multifunctional tarp (tent, ground, rain cover)
- Paracord: 10m (all-purpose rope, 550 type)
2.4 Clothing
- Change of underwear: 1x underwear, 1x socks (merino wool = antibacterial, warm even when wet)
- Rain jacket: Waterproof, breathable, with hood
- Warm jacket: Fleece or down (light, compressible)
- Hat + gloves: Wool hat, waterproof gloves
- Neck gaiter/Buff: Multifunctional (hat, scarf, face mask, sweatband)
- Bandana: Dust filter, bandage, sweat cloth, signal cloth
2.5 Fire & Heat
- Lighter: 2x (gas + petrol = backup)
- Storm matches: Waterproof box (50 pieces)
- Fire starter: Magnesium ferro rod (works when wet!)
- Dry fuel: Cotton balls in vaseline (waterproof, burns 5 min)
- Candle: Pillar candle (storm candle, burns 8h, heat + light)
- Stove: Camping gas stove (small, 100g cartridge, boils 1L in 3 min)
2.6 First Aid
- Compact first aid kit: Plasters, wound compress, bandage, triangular cloth, disinfectant
- Painkillers: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol (blister, 2 days)
- Anti-diarrheal: Loperamide (dehydrates quickly!)
- Antihistamine: Cetirizine (bee sting, plant allergies)
- Moleskin: Blister plasters (march injuries = most common reason for evacuation!)
- Personal medications: 5 days supply (blister, labeled)
- Emergency blanket: 2 pieces (silver/gold)
2.7 Tools & Navigation
- Multitool: Victorinox or Leatherman (knife, pliers, saw, screwdriver)
- Pocket knife: Fixed or folding (sharp, robust)
- Paracord: 10m (550, multifunctional)
- Duct tape: 2m wrapped on a pen (repair, seal, bandage)
- Compass: Analog (no power needed!)
- Map: Paper map of the region (1:50,000 or 1:25,000)
- Pen + notepad: Waterproof (Rite in the Rain or simple foil)
- Signal mirror: Rescue mirror or makeup mirror (SOS signals)
2.8 Communication & Light
- Crank radio: FM + emergency flashlight + USB charger (all in one!)
- Whistle: Signal pattern: 3 short = emergency (SOS)
- Flashlight: LED, waterproof, 200+ lumens + spare batteries
- Headlamp: Hands-free, ideal for night work, climbing, repairs
- Glow sticks: 2 pieces (no electricity, waterproof, marking)
- Phone + power bank: In waterproof bag, airplane mode (saves battery)
2.9 Hygiene
- Toothbrush + toothpaste: Travel size (morale!)
- Soap: Small piece or soap sheets
- Wet wipes: 1 pack (biodegradable)
- Toilet paper: 1 roll (halved, in plastic bag)
- Trash bags: 5 pieces (hygienic, waterproof, emergency toilet)
- Disinfectant: Hand sanitizer (100ml)
2.10 Documents & Money
- ID: ID card/Passport (copy sufficient)
- Vaccination card: Important for evacuation to emergency shelters
- Insurance documents: Copy (waterproof packaging)
- Cash: 50-100€ (bills + coins, power outage = no ATM!)
- Contact list: Important phone numbers on paper (not just in phone!)
- Emergency card: Meeting point, destinations, important addresses
🔐 Complete emergency documents checklist (waterproof/laminated):
- ☐ ID cards
- ☐ Passports
- ☐ Driving licences
- ☐ Allergies & intolerances
- ☐ Blood type
- ☐ Emergency cash
- ☐ Paper map
- ☐ Contact addresses & phone numbers
- ☐ Credit card numbers and blocking information
- ☐ Account numbers
- ☐ Insurance numbers
- ☐ Photos of family & friends
- ☐ Logins
💡 Practical tip: Take laminated originals, keep certified copies stored away as well — everything in a waterproof pouch. Keep sensitive data (credit cards, logins) separate from your cash!
3. Weight Optimization
| Category | Recommended Weight | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 3 kg | 1.5L bottles, stackable. Filter instead of more water. |
| Food | 2 kg | Energy bars, dry rations = light + calorie-rich |
| Shelter | 2-3 kg | Bivouac sack instead of tent, inflatable sleeping pad |
| Clothing | 1 kg | Merino = light + warm even when wet |
| First Aid | 0.5 kg | Compact set, blister instead of bottles |
| Tools | 0.5 kg | Multitool + Paracord = lots of function, little weight |
| Communication | 0.5 kg | Crank radio integrates light + charger |
| Hygiene | 0.3 kg | Travel sizes, sheets instead of bottles |
| Total | 10-15 kg |
4. The Backpack Itself
- Volume: 40-60 liters (too big = too heavy, too small = not enough)
- Hip belt: ESSENTIAL! 80% of weight on hips, not shoulders.
- Sternum strap: Prevents slipping, stabilizes when running/climbing
- Waterproof: Rain cover or inner bag (trash bag works as budget option)
- Compartments: Water separate (leakage!), first aid accessible (top)
- Quick access: Flashlight, knife, whistle outside (hip/shoulder strap)
5. Checklist: Bug Out Bag
- ☐ Water: 3L + filter + tablets
- ☐ Food: 3 days (bars, cans, dry rations)
- ☐ Shelter: Bivouac sack + sleeping bag + sleeping pad + tarp
- ☐ Clothing: Rain jacket, warm jacket, change of underwear, hat, gloves
- ☐ Fire: Lighter, ferro rod, strike anywhere matches (packed waterproof!), storm matches, candle, stove
- ☐ First Aid: Compact kit + painkillers + moleskin + emergency blanket
- ☐ Tools: Multitool + knife + paracord + duct tape + compass + map
- ☐ Communication: Crank radio + whistle + flashlight + headlamp + phone + power bank
- ☐ Hygiene: Toothbrush, soap, wet wipes, toilet paper, trash bags
- ☐ Documents: ID, vaccination card, cash (50-100€), contact list — full list laminated (see 2.10)
- ☐ Backpack: 40-60L, hip belt, sternum strap, waterproof, padded
- ☐ Weight: 10-15 kg (max. 20% body weight)
6. Training!
A Bug Out Bag is only as good as the person carrying it.
- Practice carrying: 1x/week 30 minutes walking with backpack. Increase!
- Practice packing: 5-minute drill: Grab backpack in 5 minutes and go.
- Practice route: Test evacuation route on foot (without car!)
- Overnight: Once a year overnight with BOB in garden/forest (test equipment)