I live 7 miles from my workplace, I might take a water bottle with me in the summertime if I need to walk home.

I have found one of the quickest tests for many of those things is a cub-scout or boy-scout campout with my kids. You want to know if your knots will stretch that tarp tight and keep it that way? Let a dozen 5-8 year olds play around your tent/tarp.

Want to know if that knife has a good grip? Set up a shelter in the rain (cutting paracord as you go). Find out real quick if the grip on that knife is what you think it is.

Want to know if your bag organization works? Take it for a 2 mile hike. You may quickly find that you HATE the bag that you loved in the trunk.

Want to test which battery/light combo lasts longer? I have that one CRUSHED. I took 7 flashlights to the last campout. Most of them even worked the next day.

I don't have to try to go live off the grid to find a "T&E" environment.

-shooter

There are a few, limited circumstances where it might be necessary. Fire - and there is nothing left. IN that event you'd be lucky to grab anything and since it's a much different threat then a bug out bag would be largely a waste of time and money. If you wake up to flames in the house so sorry - money spent on fire alarms and sprinklers would do more for you.

Put a 100 gallon tank in the attic and work them off it. It's still an asset if the water supply goes putz as you will have more backup with at least gravity flow.

Tornado, as in dirt sucking EF5 which erases everything above ground level - your shelter should be big enough for every family member to at least sleep in. Use bunks. Then you can stay, rather than have FEMA bus you to Houston. All your gear is kept in the shelter anyway.

No doubt it's starting to sink in - unless it's an extreme contingency, it's just better to hunker down, not bug out. ds

Ok, the dam is going to burst and your lot will be buried in 30 feet of water for 6 months. What again? Another bad choice. Don't live there live on high ground. Far too many worry over the details of what gear to carry not where to be, which is highly preferable. Far better to live on high ground, with shutters to roll down in case of bad weather, and plenty of stored food which can get you thru 6 months of no work. It might look like a compound in a third world country but done right you never leave.

This is what is wrong with "bug out." It recognizes that the homes we live in are a total failure in a disaster and we will be on the street. How about we build a more vigorous, substantial home - like, Germans, say - and sit it out? You can't really carry all the stuff you need - even the average soldier requires substantial support. Just like the pioneers in covered wagons - they didn't back pack it to the West Coast, they had pack animals and carts. And as soon as the Native Americans saw how explorers were doing it, they adopted the practices post haste, as all indigent peoples do when faced with more sophisticated societies. It's why they get assimilated. They work at it for the benefits.

No bug out bag here. Not going and won't leave.

Many of these decisions are relative.  Most have to live in reality and accept that they purchase a home mostly based off good school districts, work location, family, etc.  As I've said before, no residence is immune from some form of regional, seasonal, or man-made/caused threat vector.  I can understand the bunker-mentality and can appreciate it, but for many it's an evolution.  Most young people and couples are likely unable to bug-in if they're living in a college dorm or small urban apartment...their best chance at survival may very well depend on a an early-decision to bug out to a family residence with more resources, capabilities and more defendable.  Harry Truman bugged in when Mt. St. Helens blew and he's bugged in permanently.  I can at least respect his decision as he knew the consequences...he was tied to the home and location and when they were destroyed, so was he.  There isn't a square inch of soil that isn't guaranteed disaster free anywhere on this planet add in man-made/caused issues and no bug-in location is immune.  

Still, I accept that our current home will be a bug-in location for our kids; one off working and living in an apartment and another heading off to college next year.  Both are prepared to bug-home if things get bad and we are their contingency plan.  Bugging out is very much lower on my priority list, but not ignored.  My focus is of course our home and just as important...getting home.  Outside of the apocalyptic storms that destroy neighborhoods, just about everything is geared towards getting home.  Big storm approaching; get home quickly.  Any major financial crisis, get home; those warnings of escaped or on-the-run criminals, get home; flu in the area, get home (and stay home).  Most working people spend about half to two-thirds of their life away from home and even with the most prepared home, if you're not prepared to get home, your planning for failure.  Bugging out has it's limited needs, but for me, bugging home is a higher priority.

ROCK6

I belive your thinking about a more fantastic idea, involving bugging out to the woods and living off the land, fighting zombies and what not.
But every day people have to bug out for real. War, fire, disasters of different nature simply force people out of their location.
When that happens people leave not becuase they want to but because they have no other choice.
If you ever find yourself in such a complicated situation, every bit of planning goes a long way.
I agree with you about a small bag being the first thing to grab, and it may well be all you need. Then again in certain areas an climates, and certain type of disasters, goign on foot for longer distances adn maybe doing so in toughter winter condition may dictate other gear, which can get bulky.

I enjoyed reading this thread and made me think about the posts and how they apply to me.  BOB or GHB

I  see four major (if shtf) threats near me.  A nuclear power plant, a hoard Chicago people going north or very large rioting, or EOTWAWKI.  I can't see going anywhere so I pick bug in.  All my security, food and shelter is here.  If EOTWAWKI or the power plant goes, well...   If anything else happens I bug in or drive out of it.

Just some random thoughts:
I see the need for better shoes for GHB.  Couldn't imagine being stuck in dress shoes which I would not be in.
Need to go through the bag again.  
I like the candle idea I just read in another thread.
I need a small tarp.
If I take the items out of the package I wont know how to use it.
Which water tabs taste like a good IPA?
Where is the list of the shit that won't break, doesn't suck and does everything.
"Daddy, why can't we stay in the hotel like the other people" lol

To be honest I'd like to try it but figure I'd get board quickly unless the film crew shared their beer.

Good footwear is paramount. Even though I wear merrels at work my nice broke in keen boots are in the back seat of my car. As is a trekking pole.
But.
My BOB is a Ghb. Its 40 miles from my home to work. Its 85% woods/fed land in between.

For me to leave my car it'd have to be pure grid lock..or non functional.
As I've told my wife. Drive until you can't.
I'd rather move at 30 mph vs walk. Ability to stay calm and focus vs panic is key .

IPA water tabs.
Aqua tabs ..mix in some young pine needles..old orange rind and stir. There you go. Lol .

What folks need to think about is this.
It is all about options.
Car vs walk..bug home...bug out.
Home vs BOL.

I think many get to hung up on the terminology.
Its apparent in many replies.
Pack your bag with kit you know works..it'll serve you on a day hike..power outage..flat tire or hurricane.

Having had to bug out/bug in many times during hurricanes gets you in a frame of mind.
Stay or flee.
I've stayed every time...but leaving has always been on the boards.

This last one back in October had us on that line due to its level and our location.

But you know what made it easier?

The fact that we've got land..our gear..our brains and options.
House blown down.

Out comes the large tarps..tent..and right into camping mode till things are rebuilt. Its that simple. No need to over think things.
Or
Move on into a apartment..trailer..RV ..pop up..
Its all about options.

 if you're not prepared to get home, your planning for failure. Bugging out has it's limited needs, but for me, bugging home is a higher priority. 

Spot on Rock.
But 
You gotta have a sustainable location aka home.
Gonna get home to your urban loft when it's full blown antifa riots on your block.. ..probably isn't wise.

But that another topic on choosing where you live...

There are only a couple of situations that I can think of that would force me to bug out.
Flood, fire or some biological or hazmat situation, in which death would be inevitable.

That said, if the situation (civil unrest) is so bad that one would consider bugging out from their home, what
would it be like on the outside?   Bugging in gives you more advantages.  Anyone coming out you
from the outside is going to have limited resources and will be at a disadvantage.  

I do have a GHB that lives in my truck, which I am rarely more that 100 yards from at any time.  

If I ever do bug out, it is going to be in my RV pulling a trailer loaded with ATV and any other supplies.  That
would most likely take place earlier than later.

Home sweet home.

 

So this has started the conversation with my son.  He'll be right at 100 miles south of us in college next year.  99% of most SHTF scenarios are very short term and likely broadcasted well in advance (think hurricane).  His primary goal will be maintaining supplies to last a week without power (including water and food); second is a decision matrix of when to bug-home...and that also has several factors such as keeping freaking gas in his car (damn teenagers!)!  Lastly will be his bug-home bag...keeping it packed and ready to go; most likely to throw in the truck, but we have some work to do on both mounted and dismounted routes home.

We will have some additional plans, but I just don't think anything less than an actual owned/rented home is a very good long-term option.  Also, location is critical as well...the best home is the worst location is often not a viable situation either...

ROCK6