If you were to ask me, “Goose, what is the most important part of surviving the apocalypse?” I would tell you “Know your basics. Learn the fundamentals. How to ride a bike, how to make a fire, and how to ration water. Everything else will work out eventually.”

Alright, let’s talk about bug-out bags. First off, what does it mean to bug out? According to frostburg.edu, “Bugging out is the decision to abandon your home due to an unexpected emergency situation – whether a natural disaster or one caused by man – and traveling to a safer location.” Okay so… We’re evacuating. How does that relate to a bug-out bag? Well, a bug-out bag is simply the stuff you take with you when you bug out, preferably enough for 72 hours (3 days, in British speak).

“Well Goose, what ‘Stuff’ do we need?”

Well at the very least, you’ll want to be able to cover your basic needs. Air, shelter, water, and food. Remember your Threes. The average Joe will die after three minutes without air, three hours without shelter (in a harsh environment), three days without water, and three weeks without food.

Next, you will want a first aid kit. A first aid kit is necessary to treat minor cuts and scrapes, but also start treating major wounds (broken bones, major cuts, arterial bleeding, yadda yadda). A good one will have wound disinfectant, gauze, band-aids (of various sizes), needle and thread, an EpiPen, some form of tourniquet, and any prescribed medication.

Finally, you want to have some form of survival tools. What this includes is largely up to you. Personally, though, I’d carry a knife, a hatchet, some form of flares, a fire-striker (or matches), and some cordage. Now get out there and get packing!