You’re Good to Go, Did You Forget Your Jacket?
What is a Bug Out Bag?
The term bug out bag derives from the term bail out bag. American air forces used this during the Korean conflict to describe a survival pack the soldiers would use in case of a retreat or being shot down. The modern-day civilian equivalent is the bug-out bag, also known as a “go-bag” or a “GOOD (Get out of dodge) bag”, designed to be your survival pack in the case of a natural or manufactured emergency.
Why do you Need Clothes in a Bug Out Bag?
So, the worst possible scenario has happened, and you need to rush out the door, grabbing your bug-out bag as you go. Your bag is filled with water, food and fire starters, but have you packed any survival clothes? Disasters don’t tend to give you a heads-up, so having clothes in your kit to help you survive is essential; you can’t take on a disaster zone in your PJs.
The key to choosing the right clothes for your bug-out bag is functionality. When considering a clothing item’s function, the primary question is – what environment may you find yourself in? Consider the central climate where you live and focus on packing clothes for those temperatures. Remember that even warm areas like deserts can become freezing at night.
To help you, we have created a checklist of items you may want to consider packing in your kit.
Bug out Bag Clothing Checklist
Base Layers
Being comfortable and dry when dealing with a significant emergency may sound like a luxury, but staying dry will keep you safe from medical emergencies such as Hypothermia. As we mentioned previously, you want to keep things seasonally appropriate. Anything moisture-wicking, UV-resistant, and thermal will help with your underclothes in any environment. Moisture-wicking underwear will help your comfort in any situation you may find yourself in.
Pants & Shorts
In a disaster, you will be moving around a lot, and you want a pair of pants that let you do that comfortably. Quick-drying cargo pants with plenty of pockets are a good option. They allow you extra storage, and you can wear these types of pants for days quite comfortably.
For warmer climates, a pair of cargo pants that zip away to shorts is a great option—allowing you to cover up or cool down as needed. If you need to assemble your bug bag ASAP, a pair of cotton jeans will do fine. They are breathable and durable, helping to protect you from scrapes or cuts you may get against your legs out in the wild.
Shirts
Long-sleeved button-downs are the order of the day here. They can be tied to your pack or your person. You can also open them up for cooling down if needed. Consider a waterproof version that you can obtain from fishing or golf stores. Also, pack a comfortable T-shirt; again, pick a fabric suitable for your locale’s climate.
Outerwear
A jacket is an essential ingredient for survival in an emergency. If you live in a warmer climate where you might get wet, you need a good quality rain jacket made of material such as Gore-tex. You need a hardworking outdoor jacket ready for action in a cooler climate.
Again, it is a gore-tex outer layer with a wool or nylon inner layer. A hood to keep your head warm and trap heat is also invaluable.
Socks
Socks are a much-overlooked piece of kit when thinking about a bug-out bag. It sounds small, but a giant blood blister on your heel due to a lousy footwear choice can slow you down significantly. In any weather conditions, merino wool and moisture-wicking materials are best for looking after your feet.
Shoes
You are looking for comfortable, lightweight shoes you can walk miles in. A pair of waterproof hiking boots is an excellent place to start when looking for the proper footwear. Of course, snowboots if you are in more arctic environments. If you have room for a second pair, throw them in. You don’t know how long you will be on your feet and want to avoid walking in hole-riddled shoes in the wild
Accessories
What accessories should you have in your bug-out bag? Hats, gloves, and scarves are essential to help you survive any emergency. In the cold, your body loses most of its heat through your feet, hands, and head.
You will want to buy a hat that covers your whole head, including your ears, so anything with ear flaps or a ski mask made of wool. A pair of durable and warm winter gloves and an insulated scarf that will keep your neck warm.
In warmer climates, a wide-brimmed hat is the order of the day to keep the sun out of your eyes and protect you from sunburn. A pair of UV-protected sunglasses is worth packing in your kit as well. As for your neck, a good quality shemagh will protect you in dusty or smoky environments.
Choosing Fabrics
When you’re sure it’s time to grab your bug-out bag, you can’t be bringing clothing materials that will tear easily, we have your back on which materials to look for when adding items to your cart.
As mentioned previously, natural fibres are suitable to look for: cotton, Bamboo, Wool, or Natural Down. Natural fibres aren’t the only thing you should be packing in your kit; you will also want to look for Moisture-wicking materials like Nylon, Polyester, Synthetic Down, and GoreTex.
Packing your clothes
A bug-out bag must be packed with lightweight materials to travel light and quickly. You want to ensure your clothes aren’t weighing you down or taking up too much room. Try rolling up your clothes instead of folding them. Use bungee cords or vacuum-sealed bags to save space. Make sure you are checking in on your bug-out bag every six months.
Bug-out clothing is just one of the things you should be considering packing in your bug-out bag. You can find the other items you will need, like high-quality survival gear at The Survival Island online store.