Learning + Tutorials

The key to prepping an effective emergency Bug Out Bag or any other survival kit is being able to quickly find and take stock of the items within it.

Resist the urge to dump everything in there willy-nilly. You should be able to find each item quickly and efficiently (even in the dark) without spilling the whole thing open or rummaging endlessly.

Items should be grouped together by function into kits: a fire making kit, a sleep kit, cooking kit, etc.

Planning your emergency clothing and weather protection needs are quite obviously region specific. Southerners probably don't need full winter jackets in the summer, while those in the northern climes are probably good without water-shoes or bathing suits during the winter months.

For most of us, having access to electrical power has become so second nature that we hardly give it a thought. It's so abundant to be almost free, and there are lots of places all around to plug in your cell phone when it runs out of juice.

But if the grid goes down for a long period of time, or you need to charge your devices on the move, then you need to consider sources of portable power if you are serious about prepping.