Imagine a situation where the world is going into chaos for whatever reason – natural disaster, financial collapse, whatever.  Bugging in is just not an option because your dwelling is in immediate peril.  It’s time to bug out!  But you have to act fast. What do you do?

Bugging out is going to be the beginning of one of the most difficult things you’re going to do in your entire life. I say “the beginning” because when you’re out there, every hour and every day is a race against time. You either get to safety or you don’t.

In what follows, I’m going to let you in on some of the ways to get out of a crowded city, and I’m also going to offer solutions for those of you living in the ‘burbs.

You should know ALL the ways to get out of your city and should have at least a car at your disposal to do so if you’ve done a proper job of prepping. If you live in the suburbs, you probably have one, maybe two ways to get out assuming you’re not going to evacuate through the other side of the city. But that’s not a bad thing; the advantage is that those one or two roads are less likely to be blocked, giving you the opportunity to make a quick exit.

Bug Out Early

This scenario is the best option. If for whatever reason you find out that things are going south before anyone else, you have enough time to bug out before the rest of the town figures they need to do the same.

How can you find out in advance?

• Listen to local radio or TV; police band radio is also a great resource
• Maintain a network of friends and preppers who keep in touch with the latest local happenings
• Anticipate big events by keeping an eye on national news events that could potentially affect you locally

If any or all of the above happen:

• Immediately contact your family and friends and meet them at a pre-determined rally point
• Follow social media as well as local radio and TV networks to confirm that this is really happening
• Decide whether you need to bug in or out or not
• Act as soon as humanly possible

Bug Out At Night

Wait until 3 or 4 in the morning to bug out would be wise if you haven’t waited until the masses are on the move. There should be fewer people roaming the streets at those early hours.

Do not push the pedal to the metal and take off despite the open road. Police may still be patrolling and being pulled over for speeding will delay your exit and potentially foil it completely.

Yes, you need to be quick, but you also have to be on alert. Just because a road looks ok, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Darkness is not just your friend it’s also a friend of your enemies.

Bug Out Undercover

Whether you’ll bug out on foot, using a motorcycle or your car, one thing you need to do is to do it undercover. That means you don’t want to stand out in any way – and they’re a lot of ways you can stand out.

For example, it may be ok to use one of those electric scooters by Segway to evacuate if you have no choice, but do it at 3 AM in the morning might attract attention. Sure, it could work if that’s all you got but keep in mind these can only take you about 15 to 20 miles until you have to recharge them.

One way of staying undercover is to use a more common means of transportation.  It is less obvious what is going on if you’re in a normal vehicle than something that stands out more.  Wouldn’t a quad on the highway stand out to you?

The next thing you should be careful about what you’re wearing. Jewelry, suits and provocative clothes are a no-no. They say wearing a hat can make you look taller in a riot, but if you’re evacuating at night, that won’t matter. It’ll have the added benefit of hiding your face from certain angles. Hats and baseball caps are great in keeping a low profile.

Last but not least, tell as few people that you’re leaving as possible. The fewer neighbors know you left, the better. Otherwise, rumors will spread and someone might eventually burglarize your home.

If you’re evacuating during the day, the same rules apply. Know where you’re heading. Don’t tell anyone and keep going while traveling as calmly as possible.

Conclusion

As you can see, there’s no secret information when it comes to bugging out. You have to be quick. You have to be alert. And, above all else, you must anticipate how and when things will go wrong. There is no bulletproof plant for you to stay safe during a bug out, but bugging out gives you mobility, and it might be the only option for you regardless of whether or not you prepped to bug in.

As a well-informed prepper, you’ve no doubt put a significant amount of thought and effort into choosing the best, most essential items to include in your bug out bag. Did you know that the way you pack your bug out bag is just as important as the items themselves? It’s true. Even the most well-prepared kit can lose its life-saving ability if the items you need aren’t reachable at the exact moment you need them.

I will teach you the proper way to pack your bug out bag to ensure that you maximize the benefits of your survival preparedness in this article.

Choosing The Right Bag For Your Needs

All packs are NOT created equal. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Choosing the right bag for you and your particular situation can mean the difference between life and death. Don’t choose a bag simply because you already have it or it’s on sale. Selecting a bag that will be an asset and not a hindrance requires as much thought as deciding on the items you will keep in your bag. The more time you invest beforehand in picking your bag, the better off you’ll be when the time comes to use it.

Your number one concern for your pack is mobility. If you can’t move with it, what’s the point? The most important considerations for mobility are comfort, weight, and accessibility in my mind.

Comfort

It’s more than likely that you will find yourself walking great distances for days on end in a bug out situation unless your survival plan involves hunkering down in one spot. This is why the comfort and fit of your bag are so important. If the bag you’ve chosen makes walking for more than a couple of miles at a time impossible or has other aspects that cause you discomfort (such as straps that can dig into your shoulders after a period of time), then chances are this isn’t the right bag for you.

Different bags fit each person differently. This is why experimentation is an essential part of your preparedness process. Take a day and try out a couple of bags. Can you walk comfortably for several hours when they’re fully packed?

Weight

While comfort is the first consideration I look for, even the most comfortable bag in the world can’t help you if it’s impossible to lift. If you find that the bug out bag you’ve packed is too heavy for you, consider paring down your items to only those that are most essential.  If that doesn’t work, choose a bag with better support that can help bear some of the weight (here is an article with tips on reducing your bag’s weight).

Accessibility

This last consideration is often overlooked by many preppers despite the fact that it can have life-or-death consequences. You may have packed all the items you need for survival, but if you can’t reach them in time, your careful planning won’t be of any use to you. Look for packs that have different compartments and provide easy access to items you will need access to within a moment’s notice. Selecting a bag with various compartments and storage capabilities will also make organizing your bug out bag much easier.

Essential Items to Pack In Your Bag

There are a myriad of lists available online that provide suggestions on the essential items to pack in your bug out bag. However, the best person to determine the necessary items to pack is you.

If you’re not sure if the items you’ve decided to pack are the essential ones you’ll need for bugging out, the best way to find out is to try them! Take a weekend and test out your bug out bag under non-disaster conditions. This testing will not only help to determine which items are essential and which ones you are missing, but also allows you to evaluate your equipment and become more proficient with its use.

The items in your bug out bag should generally fall into the following categories (listed in order of importance):

1. Shelter And Safety / Protection
2. Water
3. Ways To Make Fire
4. First Aid
5. Hygiene
6. Food
7. Personal Tools

The items you choose for each of these categories depend entirely on your personal situation and geographic location.  Keep in mind that the greatest tool to add to any bug out bag is knowledge. The more you know, the more useful your pack will be in an emergency situation.

Pack Your Bug Out Bag The Smart Way

There is a right way and a wrong way to pack your bug out bag. Knowing the distinction can mean the difference between life and death. When packing your bug out bag, mobility is key. Utility is a close second. The organization of your pack cannot be haphazard and has to be approached with the same methodical process as planning for your bug out kit.

A properly packed bag is not only easier to carry, but can also fit more gear. You generally want to keep heavier items further down in your bag and close to your spine and vice versa for lighter items.

Once you’ve established that your gear won’t hinder your mobility, the next step is to properly organize your items to maximize utility. Start by evaluating and sorting your items based on the following three criteria:

1. Non-urgent – items that won’t be retrieved with a sense of urgency such as extra clothing, bedding, and miscellaneous supplies
2. Urgent – items that you will need to access frequently such as shelter, water, and food
3. Emergency – items that will need to access within a moment’s notice such as self-defense gear, communication tools, and flashlights

To ensure maximum utility, pack your non-urgent items first (in the bottom or least-accessible part of your bag) followed by your urgent items. Emergency items are always packed last and be retrievable almost instantly.

Conclusion

You’ve chosen the best bag for your mobility and comfort needs, gathered the most essential items for your bug out bag, and packed them properly according to urgency of use. You’re all set, right? Wrong.

Your bug out bag and its contents should always be foremost in your mind when it comes to preparedness. A properly packed bag requires constant evaluation and revisions based on your lifestyle and location. Are the medications you packed expired? Are you equipped with items to support the new baby you just had? Are the clothes you packed appropriate for the season you’re in? These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself as you review your bug out bag. I recommend doing this review every three to four months.

Pro Tip: Set a reminder to do this in your phone right now before you have a chance to forget.

Don’t let packing become an afterthought when it comes to survival preparedness. Put the same effort and analysis into packing your kit as you did into planning it. Remember, there’s no time left to plan after disaster strikes and chance favors the well-prepared.