Every Bug Out Bag Needs Some Self Defense Tools for Safety

Holed up in your own home, you have an immediate sense of protection just because you’re enclosed with doors and windows locked. But in a bug out situation, you’re more vulnerable.

There are different kinds of predators and events that can bring harm to you and your loved ones, so you’ll want to have self defense measures that you can take on the go to keep you safe from danger.

Now the best form of self defense is avoidance. Any time you can go around a problem, do it. You never want to have a bolstered sense of self confidence to the point that it causes you to be foolish.

Another invisible type of tool you want to use is martial arts. Every member of your group – including little ones – should be taking some form of self defense class that uses martial arts to help you deflect harm if it’s brought to you.

But for your bug out bag, you need to pack some self defense gear as well. There are both human and animal predators you may need to defend yourself against, when avoidance won’t work.

If you’re comfortable carrying a firearm, this may be the best route. You can carry a rifle or a smaller handgun. These can not only be used for self defense, but also for hunting purposes to help you if you run out of food.

You’ll also need ammunition for your firearm – and any type of gear to clean and keep it in good, working condition. Make sure there are safety measures intact to keep younger children from accidentally hurting themselves, and teach them firearm safety, too – since it won’t be locked up in a safe at home.

You also want to carry some pepper spray or bear spray that can slow down an attack and give you a chance to make an escape from the harmful situation. It’s important that everyone know how (and when) to use this, including how to make sure you don’t accidentally get it in your own eyes.

A good knife can be a viable self defense tool. You can use a small pocket knife or something slightly bigger. There are straps that can keep the knife hidden around your ankle, too – so that no one knows you’re armed.

A stun gun might also be a good option for you to pack in your bug out bag. These are small, affordable gadgets that will zap a predator and give you a chance to get away. But you wouldn’t try using this on something like a grizzly bear, because you’d have to get up close to it and it likely wouldn’t have any impact – so make sure the gear that you choose to use is right for the situation.

Food and Water Gear to Pack in Your Bug Out Bag

Food and water are two of the most pressing concerns for most individuals whenever they’re going through the measures of preparing a bug out bag. Not only do you want to make sure you have things ready to sustain your needs immediately, but you have to think of ways you can have these things once your supplies run out.

Readymade food that is packed in your bug out bag should meet your minimum caloric needs and give you the energy you need to have for the increase in physical activity, such as hiking, building a campsite and more.

It also has to be light enough to carry in a bug out bag. Dehydrated foods are a lightweight option that don’t take up a lot of space and only require boiling water to prepare.

You also want things like peanut butter (get the pouches, not a heavy jar), pouches of meats like chicken or tuna, rice and more. Nuts can also be a great option because of their calorie levels.

Make sure you’re not packing any perishables, and try to stick with low sodium options that won’t make you thirsty. You also want to pack things that can help you hunt and fish, or even a local guide that can help you identify wild plants and berries that are safe for you to consume on the go.

For water, you almost have to go with options that will allow you to purify on the go. You can only take so much water with you because it’s heavy. A single gallon of water weighs over 8 pounds, and you need about a gallon of water each day.

You can find bug out bags that have a built in water bladder to help you carry water without necessarily taking up too much space in your bag. It’s important to have a map of your local area so that you know exactly where your natural water sources are (and a compass to help guide you there).

Once you find them, you’ll need to be able to purify the water from contaminants. You can get portable water filters that will filter up to 1,000-10,000 gallons or more, and they’re very lightweight, so you can pack more than one.

These come in the form of straws, purifying water bottles, and other products. Most of these water purifying products will protect you from almost all bacteria and parasites. You can also take a small container of water purification tablets with you.

These are very low cost tablets and they can treat the water so that it’s safe to drink. Remember, you not only need water to drink, but also to cook with, to wash with and more – and you need enough for each member of your family.

Make Sure Your Bug Out Bag Includes These First Aid Items

When you’re in the comfort of your own home, you may not need or use the basic first aid items found in your medicine cabinet. But bugging out is very different in terms of how you may experience injuries and discomfort.

Under normal circumstances at home, you could find a Band-Aid, go to the hospital or doctor’s office, or even call an ambulance if you needed one for a larger, more pressing emergency.

In a survival situation when you’re in the wilderness, you’re on your own. That means everything from a minor headache to a major event like a cut in a major artery has to be handled by you.

Your bug out bag has to have items that will be of the most use to you in a wilderness bug out situation. For example, you’ll be making your own fire on a regular basis. You probably didn’t do this at home.

But bugging out, you need a fire to boil water, for warmth, cooking and more. Therefore, it’s more likely that you or someone in your group will eventually suffer from a burn. You’ll need first aid items for that, such as burn ointment and gauzes to keep the wound clean.

You definitely want to have the basic first aid equipment with you such as bandages, ibuprophen, and other products. But you’ll also want a tourniquet in the event that someone does suffer a large gash on their leg, for example, and the bleeding needs to be stopped.

In addition to burns or cuts you might experience trekking through a wilderness location, you might have to go through some urban areas where you might encounter broken glass or something else.

Little things like something to handle blisters are important as well. When you’re not used to being on the go (and carrying a big bug out bag), it can wear on your body quickly and make moving around from place to place more difficult.

You need to make sure that you’re packing enough first aid items for each member of your family or group. When you’re packing, consider the medical needs and history of each individual to determine whether or not there’s something specific you need to pack.

Keep in mind that it’s not enough to just pack this stuff. You (and every member of your family) need to know how to use it, too. Without that knowledge, it’s just useless. Practice using the products if possible and teach each member of your group what the products are, how and when to use them.

Navigation and Communication Gear for Your Bug Out Bag

On a regular day, you can hop in your car and use any type of navigation system (whether it’s built into your car’s dashboard or on your phone) to help you get from one place to another.

There are convenient road signs to help guide you as well. But in a bug out situation, you may have to stay off the main roadway. You might be in the middle of a forest, trying to find a water source or get our family to a safe location.

The most simple navigation tool you want to pack in your bug out bag is a compass. Make sure everyone in your group knows how to use one, too. But it also might help to have a geographical map that’s laminated to protect it from harsh weather conditions.

This way, you can see where rivers, lakes and ponds are – and use the compass to get you there. You may also want to have a solar charger on hand that hangs from the MOLLE attachments of your bug out bag.

This can allow you to use your smart phone for navigation, although you definitely want to have hands-on capabilities and not rely on this alone. You don’t know if the Internet will even be functional, but if it is, it might help to keep your phone charged.

A solar charger is also important for basic communication. You want to be able to keep in touch with loved ones, and also keep informed about what’s happening in the world – especially in your local area.

A NOAA weather radio that can be charged by solar energy and/or hand cranked to working conditions is important because it allows you to get the news and information you need.

These usually also have other purposes, such as serving as a phone charger, and including a flashlight to help you find your way around in the dark hours of the night when you’re bugging out.

Walkie talkies work well for short distances, if your family wants to have these on hand. But a portable HAM radio is even better if your goal is to communicate with people miles away to keep tabs on how things are unfolding.

SOS signaling products are important for communication, too. You might end up in a predicament where, instead of bugging out, you need to be rescued. Flares and reflective gear can communicate to teams that you need immediate assistance.

What Your Bug Out Bag Needs to Have for Shelter and Comfort

While food and water may be the paramount issues on your mind when packing your bug out bag, when nighttime rolls around on your first day outside, your primary focus will be on shelter.

Whether it’s nice outside or you’re dealing with harsh elements, you don’t want to be sleeping under the stars in a survival situation. Your bug out bag should not only be prepared with readymade shelter items, but you should also pack something that gives you the ability to build shelter out of your natural surroundings, in case you ever find yourself in a predicament.

If possible, you’ll want to have a tent attached via MOLLE clips to your bug out bag. This will give you the most protection when bugging out in the wilderness. You’ll also want a sleeping bag attached, too – preferably one that will keep you warm when the temperature dips down to the coldest level possible in your area.

You may not be able to carry an entire tent big enough for your family. You have the option of each person carrying a small pup tent that’s much lighter, or using something like a tarp and sleeping bags instead.

There are a variety of bags and blankets that are durable and even water repellant to some degree, which can be helpful if you’re in an area with rain or even mist and morning dew that can saturate your belongings.

Some people forget about packing a pillow, and you won’t want to bring your favorite one from home. They have inflatable pillows where you can adjust the firmness of it and deflate it once you’re on the go again so that it packs up nicely in your bug out bag.

Another comfort item you might want to pack are ear plugs. Although some may want to hear every sound creeping up on them, others won’t be able to get any rest with the sounds of crickets and other critters making noise outside.

You may also want to get a sleeping pad to lay on the hard ground under your sleeping bag. There are micro pads that take up very little space, but pump up for a nice plump surface before you lay down for the night.

There are also emergency blankets that keep heat and warmth in and water out. You can find them in camouflage colors or in reflecting colors if you need to use it to signal for help.

Remember, you never know what the circumstances will be bugging out – so you also need to pack a good machete or knife that you can cut down natural brush and branches with, along with rope or twine so that you can fashion a shelter together out of your surroundings.

You’ll also want some solar lighting that can charge during the day by hanging it on the outside of your bug out bag using MOLLE attachments. That way, you’ll have the comfort of being able to see when the sun goes down.