A BOB is a self-contained kit designed to get you through at least 72 hours of independent survival while on the journey to your destination, often called a “Bug out location.” When SHTF, your BOB will be crucial and every individual should have their own! I have also heard this called a “GOOD Bag” (Get Out of Dodge bag). Think about it, if a fire erupts and you only have a small amount of time to get out of your area, what will most people do? The typical reaction is to rush around the house and grab as much stuff as possible, including your pets (we’ll get to pets later). A lot of times, you will forget important items and most likely grab items that you don’t actually need. If you already had a plan and a BOB, things will go a lot smoother. You can focus on the changing environment and what you need to do next, knowing you will at least have the essentials to get you by while things either stabilize or you find a new location to homestead.
Proverbs 24:27
Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.
Like anything else, you’ll get what you put into your BOB. It will take time, energy, and money, but it could also be the one thing to save you and your family’s lives. You don’t want to go cheap on certain things and for goodness sake please do not buy the premade packs you see at Walmart or other box stores. Yes, there are some decent premade bags out there but even those are not perfect. Everyone’s bag should be tailored to themselves, with specific medications or medical needs, kids needs, pets, etc. Think of your BOB as a long term relationship. It should grow and evolve with time, and also changes depending on your life circumstances. Oh, did I mention it will cost money! Thinking of it as a relationship, BOB will require a certain degree of commitment in order for things to work out; he is not a one night stand. Plan on spending some time building your bag. It will take time to source and assemble the proper contents of your kit to make it right for you. Building your BOB is only half the project, learning how to effectively use the survival tools is crucial and will also require an investment of time and energy.
Building your BOB doesn’t have to be difficult. It could even be a fun thing for you and your family to do together; all while learning and or using tools to explain and teach yourself or children. I have always liked making my own camp fires but learned very quickly that they are not as easy as some might think or what you’d see on TV. It took a lot of practice and I had fun teaching my kids how to use a flint and what would be the best things to use for tinder. I also make sure to always have things on hand such as “Fatrope” or “Fatwood” and many other types of tinder and fire starters. That’s just one example of the things you can do when building a kit with your family. Make it fun and educational while building and getting familiar with your BOB.
Now I want to focus on a few key attributes of a BOB. First off, it has to be something that is comfortable to wear and also manageable. In an ideal situation we’d want to rely on our vehicle, but make sure you’re aware of the possibility that fuel is not accessible. There could be road closures or roads destroyed, traffic jams, or vehicles could be inoperable. That’s why your bag shouldn’t be too heavy or at least something you’ll be okay with carrying while walking for miles if needed. Walking on foot at some point will more likely happen one way or another if there is a widespread disaster. Secondly, your bag needs to be ready to go at a moments notice at all times. It should be somewhere convenient but still out of the way. With that said, do not advertise your bag to visitors in your home or even extended family members. Like I’ve said, your bag is an investment. You likely keep your valuables in a safe and secure place in your home to protect them from whomever. Take the same precautions to protect your bag from theft.
Another thing to think about is to make sure your bag isn’t some tricked out Gucci-looking bag that screams you’ve got the goods. All that will do is put a big target on your back. It’s human nature to show off our cool stuff, especially something you have worked hard at building. Resist the urge and be humble when it comes to your BOB. It’s good practice to ask yourself, “What can I do to look less prepared?” Supplies of all kinds will be at a premium in any disaster scenario, and you will be carrying an incredibly valuable assortment of merchandise on your back. If you choose to share, that’s great, but being forced to share is something totally different. Desperation can bring out the worst in people, and you will have enough problems without sending signals to scavenging opportunists that you and your family are stocked with survival rations. Rioting, looting, mugging, and pillaging are all very common in disaster emergencies. Just look at what the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 did and the types of things people did when struck with panic and fear. Also you have to think about the quality of your bag. There are many good brands, I strongly encourage you to make sure it’s good quality with YKK zippers and cordura fabric, all while keeping a low profile. I can go on and on about compartmentalizing and making sure you pack efficiently but ill leave that to you, or you can reach out to us for guidance if you’d like some help.
We also have pre-made, ready-to-go Survival Kits available in our shop (under the Merchandise tab).
Holy Homestead 