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About the author
I put this checklist together because most bug out bag lists I see in classes and online have the same two problems. Some are short lists of the obvious, written to sell a kit. Others are long articles where the gear list is buried in text, with no sense of what matters most, how much any of it weighs, or what it costs.
My background is in emergency response. I trained and worked as a wildland firefighter with the US Forest Service, hold a Wilderness First Responder certification from NOLS, and teach FEMA's Community Emergency Response Team course to volunteers. I have a degree in Emergency Management and have spent more than 15 years in response work and preparedness training. In that time I have watched people evacuate with far too much, with far too little, and with bags they had never once tried to carry.
What this site is for
One thing: a bug out bag checklist you can actually use. That means every item sorted by priority, a short reason it belongs, a realistic weight and cost, and a way to tick it off online or on paper. The full list, the PDF and the spreadsheet are free, with no email signup.
How the checklist is maintained
- Sources: the list follows Ready.gov (FEMA), American Red Cross and US EPA guidance wherever they overlap, and the homepage links to each source.
- Weights and costs are typical figures for a solid mid-range version of each item, not measurements of one product. They are there to help you plan, and they are reviewed every January.
- Corrections: if you spot an error or think an item is missing, email contact@bugoutbagchecklist.org.
How the site makes money
Some items link to Amazon. If you buy through those links, the site earns a small commission at no cost to you. That never decides what goes on the list or which tier an item lands in; plenty of the most important items, like a written plan or copies of your ID, cost nothing and earn nothing. Details are on the affiliate disclosure page.