Before we begin this somewhat unusual article, let me assure you of one thing: I haven’t lost my mind. A good ole diesel Ford F250 is probably one of the best bug-out vehicles for most of us and you probably don’t need any of these crazy bug-out vehicles. What I’m trying to do here is stimulate your imagination a little bit and give you a few unconventional ideas on what you can use to bug-out other than your feet. (You can find a full list of the best vehicles for bugging out at this link.)

Some of them may shock you, others will get you to say: Oh, I never thought if that, that’s clever!

OK, let’s get started with my list of crazy bug-out vehicles…

ATV

If fuel consumption is something you’re worried about when it comes to 4x4s, an ATV may be the right choice in bug-out vehicles for you. Obviously, you can’t load it up with supplies (except your bug-out bag) but it should be enough to get you where you want to go… quietly and fast. It’s perfect if you have a bug-out location between 50 and 100 miles away; it could be farther away but then you have to always have extra fuel tied to the back rack.

Inflatable Boat, Kayak or Canoe

If a car or an ATV doesn’t quite fit your budget and you’re near a river, an inflatable boat could work as your prime choice in bug-out vehicles. You can bug-out way faster on water than you can on foot and, if you choose a kayak over a boat, you can even carry it in your BOB (a lot of them are under 10 pounds).

You can find plenty of them on Amazon and the best part is, they can give you quite a workout as part of your survival fitness training if you decide to use them while camping.

Monster Tactical Vehicle

These crazy bug-out vehicles are definitely not for everyone. They’re big, they’re armored, they draw attention to themselves and they eat up huge amounts of fuel. Of course, the biggest drawback is the price.  It can easily go beyond half a million dollars. The Knight XV from Conquest is the perfect example: it weighs 13,000 pounds (a little below 6 tons), it has a 6.7L V8 turbo diesel engine, 300 HP, and costs over $600,000.

Do you need it? Probably not, unless you’re a hardcore prepper with lots of cash on your hand and figured you could use a “mobile bunker”. See, just like a bunker, if people know you’re in it, they can keep you inside until you’re ready to come out… one way or another.

Expedition Vehicle

Just when you thought there’s nothing crazier than a tactical vehicle, there it is: the UXL 17-HD from Unicat with its 261 gallon (or 990 liters) tanks, bulletproof cab, and windows and even land mine protection. It weighs 17 tons or 34,500 lbs and…I won’t go into the price of this thing.  Definitely bug-out vehicles for the prepper who has everything (else).

Off-Road Go-Kart

There’s nothing funny about going from an expedition vehicle to a go-kart with our list…but this one may be something you will actually use as your last ditch option in bug-out vehicles. There’re a wide variety of go-carts out there but the ones that have 4-wheel drive are the ones you’ll want to start looking at.

Handcar

I saved the best for last. The handcar is a rail track vehicle you’ve probably seen in two places: in movies depicting life between 1850 and 1900…and in Looney Tunes cartoons. Believe it or not, there are people out there who still make them and even sell them (like this guy, for instance).

Is a handcar something you really want to use as a bug-out vehicle? Probably not, since they’re pretty heavy and you’d need a trailer to take them to the tracks. Even if you manage to do that, there’s no telling how far it can take you. Although trains will probably not work, all it take is one abandoned locomotive in your way and you’re forced to abandon your handcar and continue bugging out on foot. (Bugging out on foot on the rail tracks, by the way, is a great idea as not many people will think of doing it.)

Final Word On Crazy Bug-Out Vehicles

When you look at this list again, you probably realize not all of these bug-out vehicles are crazy. Inflatable canoes, ATVs, dirt bikes and off-road go-karts are actually viable options and don’t cost a fortune. Whether you should get one or stick to your car or bike, that really depends on the number of people in your household, your budget, your bug out plans, your climate, the landmarks around where you live and, of course, your fitness levels.