Helping you put together the best bug out bag possible on whatever budget you may have.
If there’s an emergency that requires you to evacuate with little to no notice, would you be in trouble? A bug out bag gives you the peace of mind to know you’re ready for this sort of situation. We recognize that not everyone is in a position to pay hundreds of dollars on gear, and we don’t encourage you to put yourself or your family in a crisis in order to be prepared for a crisis. That doesn’t make sense. We do recommend that you do have some sort of bug out bag. Surprisingly, you can buy a decent bug out bag for about the same as you could put one together, and maybe a little less.
If you’re 75% done putting your bug out bag together, or you’ve got a good amount of gear on hand, you might want to also check out our Bug Out Bag Essentials Checklist. Buying a few items to finish your bug out bag off will definitely be cheaper than buying a whole complete bag. If you don’t have a ton of gear and supplies on hand right now, and you’re looking for the good enough for now option, read on. Otherwise, click on the button below to see the build it yourself bug out bag checklist for the best gear to fill out your bug out bag on a budget.
Where does the term “Bug-Out Bag” come from?
Most sources agree that the name bug out bag came from the military’s bail out bag carried by pilots. The phrase changed to bug out during the Korean War. A tactical retreat was referred to as bugging out during the conflict, and has become the go to term for military units since then. The words “bug out Location,” and “bug out bag” are also used by the military. Preppers have expanded it further with the phrase bugging in, which really just means sheltering in place, and not bugging out. While we’ve used the phrase in this way as well, the term bugging out is more about escaping danger.
Being Prepared with Your Bugout Bag
It’s important to be prepared but forty eight percent of Americans don’t have the emergency supplies for use in the event of a disaster situation. That’s about half the country. This isn’t to say that people have good emergency supplies, or know what they have. This was an opinion based study. People might think they’re prepared, but not have all the essentials they need. You need to take a good hard look at what you’ll actually need in a bug out bag.
Buy a Pre-Made Bugout Bag
A premade bug out bag has most of the bare bug out bag essentials. These essentials aren’t the top of the line, but are generally effective. They obviously won’t be as customized for your needs as one you build yourself, but it is so much easier. Companies mass produce these pre-made bugout bags, and import some of the doodads and gadgets from overseas. This produces economies of scale, making it possible to get more gear for less money. A pre-made but out bag is generally more cost effective, though sometimes the manufacturers try to cut corners to lower costs. We have gone through several to identify which ones have the best bang for your buck.
Best Budget Bug-Out Bags You Can Buy
EVERLIT Complete 72 Hours Earthquake Bug Out Bag Emergency Survival Kit for Family
This has a high quality bag, and pays attention to good detail. For starters, good attention was paid to the backpack itself. The bag is professional, and built in a military style. Some similar backpacks cost about the same amount empty as this one does fully supplied. This bag has answers for food, water, shelter, protection, heat, communication, tools, and first aid. Actually, the first aid kit is better than most, and includes a tourniquet.
In terms of negatives of this bag, the compass and cable saw are cheaply built. The food ration bars are also not going to be Mountain House by any means, but it provides the necessary calories to keep you alive. Any of the budget options have the same ration bars, if they have any food at all. We would also recommend adding a change of clothing, or at least a pair of socks. From all our budget options, this one is far and away our favorite.
Ready America 72 Hour Emergency Kit, 2-Person, 3-Day Backpack
This bag is the least expensive option on our list, which is why we put it second. There’s obviously a lot less inside it than most of the other bags. The backpack is also much more flimsy and cheap, but it is also isn’t carrying as much, so it doesn’t have to be as sturdy. Does that make it ok? No. We want a much higher quality from gear we may have to trust our life to. This bag is mostly just water, a first aid kit, and a few other odds and ends. It’s extremely minimal, but, as of the time we’re writing this, it’s also only about 1/5 the price of the EVERLIT (our favorite).
This bag is advertised as a 72 hour kit for 2 or 3 people, but it certainly isn’t that, unless you’re planning on being hungry or thirsty. This looks like it’d keep you fed and watered for about 24 hours, unless you’re rationing quite a bit. All that being said, its the least expensive option, and if its the best you can afford in a bug out bag on your budget, its better than nothing. If you can afford better though, we STRONGLY recommend that you get something better.
Best Family Budget Bug Out Bag
Emergency Zone 4 Person Family Prep 72 Hour Survival Kit/Go-Bag
My favorite thing about this family bug out bag is that it is in fact 2 bags. There are a lot of “family” bug out bags that have all the gear and equipment stuffed into one bag. I don’t want to have to carry enough for 4 people! This bug out setup splits it. I’m also a fan of all the exterior pockets. This bag has a lot of gear that is easily accessible.
This bag prioritizes the essentials. They have the same ration bars, a good water supply, and a good first aid kit and safety gear. This is our budget family option. If you’ve got infants or small children, make sure you add some diapers and formula or baby food, if needed. This bag is probably our favorite budget bug out bag option for a family.
Emergency Zone The Essentials Complete Deluxe Survival 72-Hour Kit
This kit feels very similar to the bug out bag made by Emergency Zone above, with the two bags and family focus, though some of the contents are a little bit cheaper. The single biggest thing I liked about this kit was that it included a booklet on emergency preparedness. People think about and plan with gear, but often forget knowledge in their preparedness and bugging out. If you don’t want to think about bugging out, or prepping, but still want the knowledge at your fingertips, along with the gear and resources, look into this bug-out bag.
What Do I Need to Add to My Pre-Made Bug Out Bag?
It is recommended that you add copies of personal documents, comfortable clothing, local maps, and any medications or prescriptions you may need. We keep a laminated list of items to grab attached to our bug out bag of items we don’t generally store in there that we might want to grab. We also have this list prioritized and organized by time available. If we have 30 seconds to get out, all we grab is the bag and our hidden cash reserve and key documents. If we have 2 minutes, we grab contacts, rifles, and our box of grab and go food from the pantry, and an extra case of diapers, and the list of things to grab goes up from there, depending on how much time we have to go.
Having a list and a plan thought out before hand means that you’ve done the thinking before hand, and you don’t need to rely on a brain pumped full of adrenaline in an emergency situation while you’re trying to bug out. You need to drill, or have instructions or protocols for yourself in order to react quickly and appropriately in an emergency situation. We recommend that you both drill, and have your protocols written out.
Bug Out Location
What will be essential for your bug out bag will depend on where you live and what geographic challenges are around you. Do you live in the desert? Do you live in extreme heat or an area with a varying climate? Is there a high likelihood of civil unrest in your area? You’ll need to pack your bugout bag with all of that in mind.
You’ll also want to identify where you’ll bug out to, which will also inform your bugout bag decisions. Are you going 5 miles? 50 miles? 500 miles? What obstacles could come up while getting there? We recommend checking out our Bug Out Location Checklist for helping to determine where you want to bug out to.
Don’t Forget to Prep for Bugging In As Well
A lot of people put more energy into bugging out than they do into bugging in. Most emergencies are best weathered in place. Have you considered what you’d do for both bugging out AND bugging in? If you need to put more work and preparation efforts into the latter, check out our article: Bugging In Essentials.
Keep Learning
Prepping is an ongoing venture. Because of this, we recommend that you subscribe to our bimonthly newsletter to keep prepping, emergency preparedness, and self reliance on your mind. We promise, we’re not spammy, which is why we only email you twice per month. We hope you think about being prepared more than twice per month, but our newsletter is a valuable resource to help you learn new things, and just to keep prepping on your mind. Right now you can also sign up for free. You can also follow our Facebook Page for regular articles and resources.
