How To Choose The Best Survival Tomahawk For Your Bug Out Bag

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If you are building a bug out bag or even a general camping and bushcraft kit, it is worth considering adding a survival tomahawk to your gear.

The tomahawk has a storied history as a reliable tool and the modern day survival tomahawk has evolved rapidly to meet today’s needs.

In this guide, we will discuss this history as well as teach you how to pick the best tomahawk for your needs.

What Can I Use My Survival Tomahawk For?

Given the vast utility of a survival tomahawk, it is a tool that any serious prepper should be looking at. A survival tomahawk is one of the best multipurpose items you can have with you and can effectively carry out a great many tasks including:

Chopping wood
Kinetic building entry
Glass breaking
Vehicle rescue
Prying
Hunting/Butchering
Self-defense
Piercing/cutting sheet metal
Opening of metal, wood, and plastic containers

Few survival tools can offer as many practical uses in such a compact, simple package. One can see why a survival tomahawk is a favorite tool for hunters, police, firefighters, park rangers, farmers, and servicemen.

Best Survival Tomahawk: CRKT Kangee

The CRKT Kangee gets our pick for best survival tomahawk because has a combination of the best characteristics.

It is a compact tool that does not sacrifice cutting power due to its forward weighting and multiple grip options. The fact that it weighs 1.5 lbs means that it will not cause undue fatigue if carried in a bug out bag and can still be swung with ease after a day’s travelling.

The G-10 handle scales come off for cleaning and will last several lifetimes.

The cutting edge design of the CRKT Kangee screams practicality. The sharpened spine is perfect for pushing cuts and the sharp beard makes it ideal for hooking anything just out of reach or for use as a climbing aid.

The tapered spike on the rear side of the Kangee is perfect for piercing tough materials and makes it an even more formidable self defense tool.

Overall the CRKT Kangee is a durable, well-made modern tomahawk that would be a welcome addition to any survival kit or bug out bag.

Best Tactical Tomahawk: Smith and Wesson Extraction and Evasion Tomahawk

The tactical tomahawk space has become crowded as of late and finding the best tactical tomahawk from this crop can be a challenge. You could surely seek a more expensive, flashier option than the Smith & Wesson Extraction and Evasion Tomahawk but you really should not let that distract you.

This tactical tomahawk can be thought of like a tough old grandfather: It will simply get the job done every time. It won’t complain, or give up on you half way. It will do what you ask of it, full stop.

The Extraction and Evasion Tomahawk is extremely well built and makes for an intimidating self-defense option. Its hefty weight of 2.7 lbs and longer than average length (15.9″) will provide the leverage and force required to destroy a lock or silence an enemy’s weapon in a heartbeat.

The thick, full tang construction of the S&W Tomahawk makes this a great tool that can be applied to any hands-on tactical situation.

The fact that it retails around the $50 price point makes it a no-brainer for anyone looking for a reliable tactical tomahawk.

There are many other tactical tomahawks out there that deliver far less for 5 times the price.

Save your money and go with the Smith and Wesson Extraction and Evasion Tomahawk, it is our pick for the best tactical tomahawk.

Best Urban Tomahawk: Gerber Downrange Tomahawk

The Gerber Downrange Tomahawk is the multitool of breaching tools. It ingeniously combines the cutting power of an ax with the sheer force of a hammer and the leverage of a pry bar.

It is an all-in-one urban survival tool for anyone looking for a compact option for defeating building doors and windows or a fast reaction vehicle extraction tool.

Gerber is renowned for making high quality gear with the practical user in mind. This is clearly a tool that is built to last and the all-in-one design makes it the most versatile breaching tomahawk on the market.

The Gerber Downrange would be a great addition to an urban bug out bag and would be an immense aid in scavenging or rescue efforts.

Solid build quality coupled with extreme versatility earns the Gerber Downrange our pick for best urban tomahawk.

How To Choose The Best Tomahawk

The first thing to consider when looking for the best tomahawk is what you intend to use it for primarily. A survival tomahawk that will be used mainly for chopping and breaching should have different features than one that will be a primary self-defense tool.

Let’s look at the parts of a survival tomahawk and examine what styles are best for which tasks.

Handle Length

Tomahawks range in length from 8-20 inches.

Determining how long your tomahawk should be will depend on your intended usage.

A longer handle will provide greater leverage when prying and increased force when swinging but will be less compact and heavier.

A smaller handle will enable more effective usage in close quarters and add less volume and weight to a pack.

Here are some applications that are ideally suited for each type of handle:

Long Handle Tomahawk

Splitting wood
Chopping trees
Opening doors
Breaking locks
Butchering large game
Forceful opening of vehicles for rescue
Piercing tough materials – kevlar, sheet metal, wood, heavy plastic
Prying

Short Handle Tomahawk

Long hikes (lightweight and compact)
Close quarters self-defense
Throwing
Precision chopping
Evacuating vehicles
Butchering small game

Back Side

The rear of the tomahawk, also called the poll or butt is traditionally flat or rounded. However, many modern tomahawks offer the option of a spike on the back. Once again choosing what type of poll your tomahawk has will depend on what problems you intend to solve with it.

A bushcraft tomahawk will typically have a flat butt for hammering. If you are looking for the best tactical tomahawk for your kit you are probably going to be seeking a spiked back for effective piercing.

It is worth noting that both a flat but or a spike will effectively break glass. Here are some advantages of each option:

Flat back

Hammering
Pounding
Forcefully opening doors
Defeating locks
Easier to carry and deploy

Spike

Piercing
Prying
Self-defense
Intimidation

Cutting Edge

There are many options for the business end of your survival tomahawk. As with every element choosing the best tomahawk for your kit will depend on your intended usage.

Cutting Edge Length

A longer cutting edge will require a larger and heavier ax head. This added weight and edge length will, however, allow for greater force in your swings. This will make splitting wood and chopping doors easier. Many of the best tactical tomahawks have circular cutouts in their cheeks to save weight without sacrificing the cutting edge size. This may be a good option if you want the largest cutting edge without the added fatigue of a big, heavy tomahawk.

A narrower cutting edge will typically be able to pierce deeper with each strike as it will encounter less resistance. This will make a narrower cutting edge better for emergency vehicle extraction and for piercing heavy duty materials.

Spine and Beard Options

If you are looking for the best tactical tomahawk for your kit it is worth mentioning that modern tomahawks come with additional sharp edges beyond the traditional cutting edge.

This is thought to provide a tactical advantage as it opens up additional options for attack and defense when using a tactical tomahawk. Many modern tomahawk makers have started including these options and it is worth considering when finding the best hawk to meet your needs.

The Best Tomahawk: Take Your Pick

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when choosing the best tomahawk for your kit. As with any survival tool you should consider what you are most likely to use your tomahawk for.

A survival tomahawk is an excellent all around choice for their high versatility and compact designs. If you have more specialized tasks in mind like breaching doors, extracting people from vehicles, or serious self-defense you may want to consider a more specialized tool such as a breaching or tactical tomahawk.

Hopefully, our guide here has helped you understand the many qualities that make a good tomahawk such a valuable addition to a bug out bag or survival kit.

To recap, here are our top picks for best tomahawks by category:

Best Survival Tomahawk: CRKT Kangee
Best Tactical Tomahawk: Smith and Wesson Extraction and Evasion Tomahawk
Best Urban Tomahawk: Gerber Downrange Tomahawk

Your Thoughts?

Do you have a survival tomahawk that you love? What qualities do you think the best tactical tomahawk should have? Please let us know in the Comments Section below!

The Best Tactical Pen For Your Kit

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A tactical pen can be a good option for a self-defense tool in an emergency. They make great every day carry companions due to their small size, light weight, concealability, and dual purpose functionality.

In this article, we will show you how to choose the best tactical pen for your EDC kit or Bug Out Bag by taking a look at some of the best options on the market.

We’ve conducted extensive research and built the table below to allow you to compare some of the best tactical pens on the market.

Pen	Size	Weight	Features	Cost	Material
Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen	5.59"	1.02 oz	Integrated glassbreaker	$$	Machined steel
Schrade Survival Tactical Pen	5.9"	1.7 oz	Integrated survival whistle, glass breaker, and magnesium fire starter	$$	Anodized aluminum
Uzi Defender Tactical Pen	6"	2.4 oz	Heavy Duty, incudes integrated glassbreaker	$	Aircraft Aluminum
CRKT Williams Tactical Pen	6"	1.2 oz	Tapered body to aid grip retention	$$	Machined anodized aluminum
Smith and Wesson M&P Tactical Pen	5.7"	1.4 oz	Ridged body for excellent finger holds	$	T6061 Aircraft Aluminum
Vktech Tactical Pen	5.7"	3.7 oz	Scoops on back for catching attacker's DNA, makes and excellent glass breaker	$	Aircraft Aluminum
Schrade Tactical Pen	5.7"	1.6 oz	Highly Inconspicuous Screw on/off cap	$	CNC machined 6061 aircraft aluminum
Smith and Wesson 3rd Gen Tactical Pen	5.7"	1.4 oz	Includes stylus tip on one end for touchscreens	$	T6061 Aircraft Aluminum

What Is A Tactical Pen?

A tactical pen is a writing tool that is also designed to be used as a defensive weapon.

Tactical pens are typically made of metal or a very sturdy plastic. Aircraft-grade aluminum and titanium are frequently employed to make strong, lightweight, tactical pens.

One or both ends of the tactical pen is typically tapered to a point to allow for it to be used as a thrusting self-defense tool. Whereas a normal pen would bend or break if used in a defensive scenario, a tactical pen is designed exactly for this use.

Why Carry A Tactical Pen?

People carry tactical pens for many reasons.

Some may just want a high-quality pen that looks good and matches other gear they may have, like a folding knife or other tactical equipment.

The main reason people carry tactical pens is to have a reliable self-defense tool that can be hidden in plain sight.

While a knife or firearm will draw most anyone’s attention if spotted while being carried, a tactical pen is more of a “gray man” option. Most tactical pens will pass a security or TSA inspection, therefore, can be carried almost anywhere.

UPDATE: A reader has sent this article to show that some of the more aggressive style pens do get confiscated at airport checkpoints. Consider this when choosing your pen if you plan on traveling with it.

With some basic training, tactical pen carriers are more readily able to protect themselves wherever they go.

Another advantage of tactical pens is that often they are designed to be non-lethal and come with a blunt end that is intended to apply painful force to pressure points, sensitive areas, and other vulnerable locations on an attacker’s body. This can be an appealing non-lethal self-defense option for those not wanting to cause mortal damage to an attacker.

Others may just be looking to lighten their kit by combining their self-defense tool with their writing instrument into one small multipurpose item. A tactical pen is perfect for this.

Tactical pens are a robust, low key, self-defense option.

Best Overall Tactical Pen: Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen

The Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen doesn’t attempt to do absolutely everything its competitors try for but instead chooses to execute the essential functions of a tactical pen with authority.

It comes out of the box with a Rite In The Rain ink cartridge, so you will be able to confidently take notes, mark maps, and more in any conditions.

It also has a low profile glass breaker integrated into the tip to assist in emergency evacuations from vehicles of buildings.

Additionally, it is one of the few “click” pens you see in the tactical pen format, which I consider to be an advantage – no cap to unscrew every time and one less thing to lose.

Overall the machined steel body is extremely strong and will hold up to the roughest applications. Its various ridges and indentations ensure a positive grip should it be required to discourage aggressive behavior.

These features have all been added thoughtfully and executed flawlessly.

There is no excess on this tactical pen, and it strives to meet your daily needs at every turn.

Coming in around the $40 price point, the Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen exceeds expectations and makes for a reliable companion for years to come.

Best Mid-Range Tactical Pen: Schrade Survival Tactical Pen

The Schrade Survival Tactical Pen gets our pick for the best mid-range tactical pen for several reasons. For one it has a ton of useful survival gear packed into its compact package including:

Survival Whistle
Glass Breaker
Magnesium Firestarter

These items alone justify the $25 price tag.

As a tactical pen if both writes well and is strong enough to be a functional self-defense item.

The narrow taper at the writing end serves well as a force multiplier if you ever needed to deter an attacker with it.

This tactical pen has a rather inconspicuous profile to it, unlike some other pens that have an obvious weaponized appearance.

Its ordinary appearance will help it avoid scrutiny from security checkpoints, ensuring that you will be able to defend yourself pretty much anywhere.

The Schrade Survival Tactical Pen is a solid mid-range tactical pen that will not disappoint.

Best Budget Tactical Pen: Vktech Tactical Pen

In the sub-$5 price range, there is no better choice than the Vktech Tactical Pen.

While you can’t expect it to be of the same quality as our previous picks, it still has excellent workmanship for the price.

Picking it up you can feel its solid construction.

The knurling along its body meshes perfectly with the palm of your hand for a comfortable non-slip grip.

The Vktech Tactical Pen offers reliability and durability at an unbeatable price making for a great entry-level option.

How Do I Choose The Best Tactical Pen For My Kit?

Pen Quality

When looking for the best tactical pen a good place to start is to choose one that writes well. This is the basic function of a tactical pen and is what you will use it for 99% of the time. The best tactical pens out there accept ink refills from quality producers like Parker and Hauser, Fischer Space Pen, and Rite in the Rain.

Self-Defense Features

Once you have a good writing tool, it is time to look at the defensive features to find the best tactical pen for your personal protection.

First, decide how you would want to use your tactical pen as a defensive tool.

A smaller woman, for example, may struggle to inflict damage with one of the blunt ended tactical pens and a tactical pen with a pointier end may be more suitable.

A larger person would probably be more able to strike with enough force to ward off an attacker with either of these options so they would have a wider variety of suitable tactical pens to choose from

Grip

In addition to being comfortable in your hand for writing, having a good grip is key to using the pen as a defensive tool.

In a self-defense scenario, you will likely be swinging it with velocity you will want to make sure the tactical pen stays put in your hand upon impact.

The best tactical pen you can choose will have ridges or grooves for your fingers to sit in and knurling to aid grip retention.

Best EDC Knife — Click to read our article on picking the BEST EDC Knife

Attachment Clip

The best tactical pens on the market will have a robust pocket clip for attaching the pen to a pocket, bag, or belt.

Many pens also have additional attachment options for keyrings, carabiners, and paracord.

Make sure the tactical pen you choose has an attachment option that matches the way you intend to carry it.

Extra Features

A common point of differentiation to look for when finding the right tactical pen is to keep an eye out for unique features.

Many tactical pen makers work to make their products stand out by incorporating additional features such as:

Hidden Handcuff Key
Magnesium Firestarter
Window/Glass Breaker
DNA Catching Scoops (for identifying an attacker to law enforcement)

Keep an eye out for special features such as these when choosing your tactical pen.

How to Use a Tactical Pen

There are many schools of thought of the best way to use a tactical pen for self-defense.

If you are going to carry one, it is essential to train in how to use it effectively.

Once you have learned proper technique, it is as important to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

Typical tactical pen targets include:

Pressure Points

Armpit
Neck
Inner arm
Inner thigh

Sensitive Areas

Throat
Eyes
Ears
Groin
Ribs
Solar Plexus
Nose

BONUS: Instructional Video

Here is a helpful instructional video to get you started.

Conclusion

There are a lot of great options out there for carrying a reliable, multipurpose tactical pen.

Finding the BEST tactical pen for your needs can be a challenge, but hopefully, the suggestions we have made will help you decide.

Once again, here are our picks:

Best Overall Tactical Pen: Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen
Best Mid-Range Tactical Pen: Schrade Survival Tactical Pen
Best Budget Tactical Pen: Vktech Tactical Pen

Want Even MORE Info On Building Your EDC Kit?

If you are looking for even more information on how to build your ultimate EDC kit you can check out my book, The Every Day Carry Guide. It is a comprehensive manual that will teach you:

How to be prepared at all times – no matter where you are
How to build your first EDC kit from scratch
How to refine an existing kit to make it more effective
How to pick the best gear to realistically make you more prepared
How to assess threats and risks in your every day life

Your Thoughts?

Do you have a tactical pen that you want to share? Is there a quality you NEED to have when finding the best tactical pen for your environment? Please let us know in the Comments Section below.

How To Make Your Family Bug Out Bag

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Family Bug Out Bag

If you are a parent or plan on bugging out with family members that have children there are some important factors to consider when preparing for your potential evacuation. This includes carefully packing a family bug out bag and making your family bug out plan compatible with the limitations presented by having young ones with your bug out group. Here we will take a look at bugging out with infants, young children, and tween/teens to help you determine what to pack in your family bug out bag and how to best prepare your family unit to survive when the unforeseen strikes.

What Makes A Great Family Bug Out Bag?

A family bug out bag can differ from a typical solo BOB in a few important ways. Although it has the same primary purpose of being a mobile kit to help you survive, it must be tailored to meet the needs of multiple people of various ages and skillsets. Here are some items to add into your family bug out bag based on the ages of the children you will be evacuating with:

Family Bug Out Bag: Infants and Toddlers (Age 0-5)

Combination child carrier and pack

This will enable you to carry both your child and survival gear . It is ideal to utilize one of these combination packs as an option for your family bug out bag if you have a toddler or infant that you are going to bug out with. Having a combination child carrier/pack will enable you to carry everything comfortably and allow you to move further faster.

Osprey Packs Poco	Kelty Pathfinder 3.0	Kelty Transit 3.0	Vaude Wallaby 12L Pack

Diapers

This is obvious for anyone who has been a parent but it might be something that is overlooked when packing your firestarters, paracord, and other survival gear. Reusable diapers are probably a better option. Besides the fact that they are multiuse with some basic treatment, they are also multipurpose and can be put to many other tasks beyond their primary objective.

Medicine syringe/Eyedropper

This goes along with any medication you may be giving your child. It may be as simple as a reflux medication but you do not want to have to improvise a delivery method while on the move. Medicine syringes are lightweight and take up very little room. If your infant may need to ingest any medication be sure to pack one.

Formula

You may pack rations or be able to forage and hunt for yourself but what about the little one? Even if the mother is currently breastfeeding it is wise to pack some powdered formula. This will enable another person to feed the child if the mother is separated or otherwise unable to do so.

Pacifier

If your child takes a pacifier having one packed in your family bug out bag will make sure it comes with you as you evacuate. A pacifier may help your child sleep and will give you an option for keeping them quiet when maintaining a low volume is imperative.

Extra Clothing

As a rule of thumb pack your family bug out bag with 2 more sets of clothing for your child than you pack for yourself. This will enable you to better regulate their temperature by using the principle of layering and give you options in the event of a diaper accident.

Waterproof Bodysuit

This is essential foul weather gear for your infant or toddler. Keeping them warm and dry will go a long way in reducing parental stress and keeping morale high. There are many options out there for this, make sure if you already have one that it is packed in your family bug out bag, not hanging in the closet. Also be sure that if it has been a while since you last performed a review of your family bug out bag that this item (and any other clothing) still fits your growing child.

Pre-sterile bottles

These are bottles that are sold in sterile packaging. It will save you from having to boil a bottle before feeding your child while on the move. Be sure to keep track of expiration dates on any sterile items as a part of your regular bug out bag reviews.

Sterilization agent

This is generally sold in a concentrated powder or liquid form that is diluted with water. If you have to use any bottle multiple times you will eventually need to sterilize them. A few drops of sterilizing agent mixed with water in a nalgene or other wide mouthed water bottle can be used to sterilize bottles or other small items.

Bug Out Planning for Infants and Toddlers

It is essential to realize that you are going to need to carry your child for the overwhelming majority of your bug out. Besides the physical limitations of toddlers and infants they may be emotionally or mentally traumatized by the event that caused the bug out and new surroundings. This will lead them to be more needy and want to be in frequent reassuring contact with their parent. As you will already be carrying your family bug out bag, the additional weight of your child has to be incorporated into your bug out planning. It is necessary but it will ultimately slow you down and cause you to burn more calories. Plan your energy intake and rest stops to account for this.

Noise reduction is an important aspect of operational security. This clashes with the need for most young children to yell or cry to express their needs. This means you need a strategy in place to keep your child quiet if a critical situation arises. It may be as simple as giving them a pacifier or as advanced as giving them a dose of antihistamine or other substance that may make them drowsy (Talk to a doctor if you are considering this latter strategy!!!!). Plan and prepare to avoid problems when you are on the road.

Family Bug Out Bag: School Aged Kids (Age 5-10)

Non-battery powered toys

Keeping your school aged child’s hands and mind occupied will go a long way in making the situation more bearable for both you and them. Plan on packing at least one non-battery powered toy in your family bug out bag to keep your child entertained when you set up camp for the night. Ideally this item will have many uses and ways to interact with it. Think simple, and light and a single toy, not something with many pieces like legos. It is good to have your child pick this item and put it in the family bug out bag themselves as it will help them understand that it is a special toy they are setting aside as part of the family’s preparedness planning.

Comfort item

Kids this age know enough to pick up on the cues around them to know something is wrong. Pack a familiar item for them in your family bug out bag to comfort themselves with. This may be a favorite toy, blanket, or stuffed animal. Having something they are used to interacting with will make the bug out situation less overwhelming for them and reduce parental stress.

Child’s Bug Out Bag

School aged kids will be able to carry their own backpack with a few supplies to take a small amount of the load off the parents. You may be able to pack some of their clothes or other lightweight items in their pack or split up some of the group’s basic essentials such as rations or other survival items amongst the gear they are carrying. Be careful not to overload the child, 5 lbs worth of gear is a good guideline. If you load them down and tire them out quickly you are going to have to carry them AND the gear.

Bug Out Planning for School Aged Kids

A child at this age can begin to contribute towards the family’s prepping. They will be able to undertake many tasks while under adult supervision such as collecting firewood, setting up camp, foraging, and many more. This is also a good age to instill the prepping mindset in kids. Have them tag along as you build your bug out plan and pack your family bug out bag to get their minds working.

Starting to learn basic survival skills is an excellent way to involve kids as well. Train them in basic first aid to start off with. This means they will be able to provide some assistance if the parent gets hurt.

It is wise to put photos of the family in the pockets of school aged children. In the event you are separated, they will be able to show these to authorities or other people they encounter to help find you again.

At this age kids also begin to spend time away from their parents at school. Because of this it is important to drill into them where to meet if a disaster occurs. As we cover in our How To Make A Bug Out Plan Article, this may be a specific office or classroom but what is important is they know what to do when the bug out plan is initiated.

Lastly although school age kids can show some initiative and take on some responsibilities it is important to recognize that at some point in your bugging out the parent will most likely have to carry them. This may be due to exhaustion or just facing difficult terrain. Regardless of why you need to be prepared to do this and have a family bug out bag packed in a manner that does not prohibit carrying your child.

Family Bug Out Bag: Tween and Teens (Age 10-18)

Teen/Tween Bug Out Bag

Kids in this age group should be able to carry at minimum all their own personal gear that makes up your family bug out bag. This may be their spare clothes, rain gear, and any tools that are specifically for their use such as a hunting or self defense item. Get your teen or tween a backpack made to fit their smaller frame. Make sure it is a quality bag that is able to be carried comfortably and cinched tight to their bodies, not a cheap school book bag. We provide tips on how to pick the best backpack in our article here.

Hunting Tools

Teens and Tweens are old enough to be taught at minimum proper weapon safety, care, and use. Note that this does not have to be a firearm, if you are uncomfortable with giving a minor a gun you can still teach them to fend for themselves with a slingshot or bow and arrow. Have them practice accuracy and stalking as a part of your regular preparedness exercises so they are ready to catch dinner when you are bugging out.

Knife

A knife is one of those basic tools with nearly limitless applications. A kid in this age group should be taught how to safely carry, use, sharpen, and care for a knife. Pack a knife for your teen in your family bug out bag or have them carry it with them in their pack. There are numerous tasks that a teen can carry out using this to assist the welfare of the bug out group as a whole.

Bug Out Planning for Teens and Tweens

As teens are entering the first stages of adulthood this is a great time to start giving them some responsibility. They should be able to understand the seriousness of a bug out situation and grasp that all bug out group members need to pitch in and help. As you prepare at home challenge them to make decisions in a controlled environment. Doing this will teach them to take responsibility for the well being of the family. Teens are also able to learn more advanced skills such as:

Basic survival skills
1st aid
Signaling
Orienteering
Fire building
Scavenging
Hunting
Trapping
Shelter building
And many more…

Kids in this age group are able to take on more autonomous tasks to be carried out when on the move and when setting up a camp. Teach them to take ownership over basic tasks such as gathering firewood, finding and treating water, and foraging for food.

Teens are also able to understand that a bug out situation can be very dangerous and that they may need to defend themselves or their family members. If you are comfortable and knowledgeable in self defense or weapons training it would be wise to pass this information on to older teens in a responsible manner.

Family Bug Out Bag Conclusion

Bugging out with children of any age adds challenges to an already difficult situation. However as you can see with some simple planning you can overcome these difficulties and help your family evacuate safely. Think critically about what items to add to your family bug out bag to make things easier on both the child and the parent. Also include your kids in your preparedness training and bug out planning so they know what is going on when the time comes. If you are interested in more details on making a Family Bug Out Plan, I recommend checking out this comprehensive ebook:

Your Thoughts?

Do you have any items that you would add to your family bug out bag? Is there any special planning that you would do to make sure your family can bug out safely together? Please let us know in the Comments Section below.

Bug Out First Aid Kit Ideas and Checklist

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A bug out first aid kit is one of the most important essential items to consider for your BOB or evacuation kit.

Having a well-stocked first aid kit will help you overcome injuries to keep you moving to safety when time is critical. As it is prohibitive to carry an entire hospital’s worth of emergency medical supplies it’s important to assess what injuries are most likely to occur and how you can effectively treat them while executing your bug out plan.

We suggest focusing on two areas when building your bug out first aid kit: Trauma and Mobility.

Assessing Your Bug Out First Aid Needs

As we discussed in our Every Day Carry Guide it is important to properly assess the threats you will likely be facing when considering developing a bug out plan or assessing what gear to include in your preparations. When it comes to First Aid, we will look at medium to high probability threats that have medium to high impact to address what we need in our bug out first aid kit.

Trauma Injuries

While it is highly likely that you may scrape your knee or cut your hands while in a bug out situation these minor injuries probably will not affect your ability to effectively move to safety. They are high likelihood/low impact problems. When planning a bug out first aid kit we will want to address medical emergencies that are of higher impact such as trauma injuries. These will be lower probability but far higher consequence than a knee scrape or simple cut and may be debilitating or life-threatening.

Traumatic injuries can include:

Burns
Vehicle collisions
Broken bones
Arterial bleeding
Falls from heights
Gunshot wounds
Knife Wounds
Blunt impact injuries

Treating trauma injuries should be a focal point of your bug out first aid kit. This will allow you to address the worst of problems and keep you alive and moving when time is critical.

Mobility Injuries

A mobility injury is anything that prevents you from moving efficiently or at your intended pace. They have a wide range in terms of severity. In the risk assessment scale are generally medium probability and high impact. The manner in which one is affected by a mobility injury is that they will lose their ability to move to safety, which is a major problem in a bug out situation.

Mobility injuries include:

Blisters
Ankle sprains
Knee injuries
Torn ligaments
Frostbitten extremities
Broken bones

As you can see there is a wide range of mobility injuries. While some of them may not be life threatening by themselves they can lead an injured person to be unable to evacuate a dangerous area which can lead to further injury or death. Being able to effectively treat mobility injuries with your bug out first aid kit will help you deal with this type of injury and keep you moving when it counts.

Your First Aid Kit: Buy or Build?

When adding a first aid kit to your bug out bag you are faced with two paths of how to get this done. You can either buy a premade first aid kit from a sporting goods store or online or you can purchase the items you want individually for a custom kit. Both choices have their various advantages and disadvantages and ultimately you have to decide what is best for you.

Premade First Aid Kits

Premade kits are the easier choice as they will come prepacked in a neat bag that can simply be added to your BOB. The items are picked for you and this is a plug and play option. However, as with premade bug out bags, premade first aid kits are generally costlier than DIY kits and the quality of medical supplies within them can range greatly.

If you choose to go this route be sure to get a quality kit as you generally get what you pay for and First Aid is not an area to skimp on.

A popular option is to buy a premade First Aid kit and then add a few extra items that don’t usually come with premade First Aid kits, such as a tourniquet or moleskins, which allows you take advantage of someone else doing the grunt work of finding basic items while tailoring the bag to suit your own needs and requirements.

There are good quality premade bug out first aid kits out there and we will recommend a few here for your reference:

Building your own Custom First Aid Kit

Although building your own bug out first aid kit can be time consuming, there are a few advantages to this approach:

Get exactly the items you want – don’t pay for useless things that don’t solve the problems you anticipate
You control the quality of items – no cheap medical supplies that will let you down when you need them
Cost is generally lower – shop around for the best price for the survival first aid items that you need
Get the bag that you want – select a container for your medical supplies based on your own criteria for size, features, and quality

There are a seemingly endless number of first aid items to choose from out there. Let’s take a look at some of the most important items to have in a first aid kit designed for disaster management.

Trauma First Aid Items

Blood clotting agent

This is a substance designed to encourage clotting within a wound to stop bleeding. They were designed by the military to treat shrapnel and gunshot wounds and have recently been made available for civilian purchase. A blood clotting agent, such as WoundSeal Powder, can be effective for stopping life-threatening blood loss that may occur in a bug out situation.

Burn salve

Burns can come from many threats in a bug out situation. A burn salve, such as J.R. Watkins Medicated First Aid Salve, provides relief from heat-related injuries, discourages infection, and promotes healing. Burn salves are generally small and lightweight, fitting easily in a bug out first aid kit.

Tourniquet

A tourniquet, such as the SWAT-T Tourniquet, is a last line of defense against blood loss. Using one after other first aid methods (pressure, elevation, clotting agents, etc) have been applied will usually stop bleeding but it can do so to a degree that the limb is sacrificed. Additionally, they can only be used on arms and legs and are useless for abdominal or head wounds. The blood clotting agents are a better choice but it can mean the difference between life and death in the right situation to have a tourniquet in your bug out first aid kit.

Heavy Gauze

This is used to apply pressure to wounds, absorb blood, and prevent infection. It is a basic first aid item that belongs in any trauma first aid kit. Plan on packing multiple rolls in a well-stocked bug out first aid kit. Check out Gerber’s Heavyweight Gauze Prefolds.

Skin Closure Kit

Some people recommend a suture kit to close large wounds/cuts but if you don’t have any medical training you will likely cause more harm than good. Instead, pack some 3M Steri Strip Skin Closures for an effective and safe way to close wounds.

Chest Seal

This is designed to create an airtight seal on chest wounds to prevent lung collapse. It is typically used to treat penetrating chest wounds caused by gunshots, stabbing, or shrapnel. They are sold in pairs to cover the possibility of needing to seal both an entry and exit wound in the torso. The HALO Chest Seal is a highly-praised option.

Trauma Pad

A trauma pad is a large, sterile dressing used to treat large sized wounds. They are frequently impregnated with clotting agents to minimize blood loss. This is ideal for treating trauma injuries in a pre-hospital situation.

Mobility First Aid Items

Moleskin

Taking care of your feet is one of the most important maintenance tasks involved in a bug out situation. If you have to suddenly hike for miles on end to reach your bug out destination, you are likely to develop blisters on the way. Moleskin is designed to provide cushioning around these sore spots to prevent chafing and allow you to keep moving to safety. The good choice for a First Aid kit is Dr. Scholl’s Moleskin Roll.

Triangle Bandages

The Swiss Army knife of first aid kits. Triangle bandages, such as Dynarex Triangle Bandages, can be used for many medical purposes including packing wounds, keep ice packs in place, applying pressure to lacerations, make a sling for an injured limb, and tying on splints.

Splint

Although a splint can be fashioned out of scavenged materials it is good practice to have a good one, like the SAM Splint, in your bug out first aid kit in the event that you do not have time to go looking for splinting materials.

Ace Bandage

These are good for wrapping rolled ankles or twisted knees to provide the support you need to keep moving to safety. They can also be used for wound dressing and bandage application in a pinch. Consider Ace Elastic Bandage with Clips for an easy-to-use ace bandage.

General First Aid Items

Anti-diarrheal medicine
Medical tape
Pain relievers
EMT shears
Ammonia inhalants
Butterfly strips
Nitrile gloves
Tweezers
Antiseptic wipes
Superglue – to close small wounds
Antibiotics (Fish antibiotics can be used if a prescription is unavailable)
EpiPen

Choosing a Bag for Your First Aid Kit

When picking a bag for your bug out first aid kit you will want one that meets your individual needs and has the features you require to be compact, functional, and accessible.

Another important factor to consider is size. Depending on if this is an Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) or if you are responsible for your whole family, the amount of supplies you need will vary, therefore you need to choose an appropriately sized bag.

The Maxpedition FR-1 Pouch is a compact bag that can carry a deceptively large amount of supplies. You can’t go wrong with this bag.

Closing Thoughts

As you can see there are many options for planning an effective bug out first aid kit. With some simple organization you can either build your own from the ground up, buy a premade medical kit, or combine the two approaches to maximize effort expended and customization options for this essential survival item. Once you have a bug out first aid kit be sure to review it as a part of your periodic BOB Reviews to make sure the items within are still usable.

Do you have an item that you would add to your bug out first aid kit? Do you have first aid skills or advice that you would like to share? Let us know in the Comments section below.

Cold Weather Survival Gear

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Having a survival kit packed full of bug out bag essentials is a good start towards coming out alive in any situation. However if you are likely to have to face a cold weather survival scenario you should consider adding specific cold weather survival gear to your kit to maximize your chances. If you live in a cold weather climate you may have these items in your BOB at all times. However if you live somewhere that has seasonal changes in temperature, you should include the addition of supplemental cold weather survival gear into your regular bug out bag updates.

Cold Weather Survival Gear

There are many essential BOB items that are helpful in a winter survival scenario. The best of these can serve to greatly increase your chances of survival when the mercury is dropping and snow is on the way. Here are our picks of the best cold weather survival gear that should be a part of any bug out bag in a cold climate:

Shovel

This will greatly help you when breaking trail through the wilderness, digging a fire pit, or when shelter building. If you are going to be shoveling snow a flat shovel blade is suggested. If you will have to be digging into frozen ground a spade or pick end will serve you better.

Broad blade for moving snow	Spade tip for digging in frozen ground

Saw or Hatchet

This is a personal choice but bringing one or the other is a smart move. These tools will help you build a shelter and gather firewood as well as many other important tasks. A hatchet will be better at smashing ice and splitting wood but a saw generally weighs less and is better at cutting dead wood for fires.

High quality basic hatchet	Survival Chain Saw	Compact Folding Saw	Hatchet/Saw Combo

High energy/low weight foods

Maximize the space in your BOB by using compact rations that have high calorie values such as MREs, granola or powerbars, energy gels, or nuts. You will be burning more calories than normal so you need to up your intake to keep pace.

High energy gel - high energy, little weight	High calories, take up little space	Keep hydrated, just add water
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Fire starting equipment and tinder

Having a fire is a key to keeping warm in a cold weather survival situation, make sure you have a high quality fire starting set. A magnesium fire starter will last longer than matches and will work better in wet or windy conditions. Invest in a good one to maximize your odds.

Compact and reliable	One handed firestarter	Military grade firestarting gel. Better than any tinder.

Container for boiling snow

A metal water bottle or canteen is a great multipurpose survival tool in this regard. It will serve as a storage container for the water after you have boiled it and will not crack if the water freezes, like a plastic bottle would.

Wide mouth makes it easy to stuff snow inside	Classic style, comes with an integrated cup and carry case	Insulated to keep liquids warm
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Emergency blanket

This is another great piece of multipurpose cold weather survival gear. Emergency blankets are relatively inexpensive and in a cold weather survival situation they can be used for wrapping up yourself up to keep in warmth, as a ground cloth to keep you from losing heat to the cold ground and to keep moisture from being absorbed by your clothes, or as a shelter building material.

Compact and inexpensive	Upgraded, heavy duty version of a space blanket with integrated hood	Bivvy sack made of emergency blanket material. Put your sleeping bag inside for extra warmth.

Quality waterproof boots

Taking care of your feet is one of the core elements of survival. Wet shoes from walking through snow can quickly lead to frostbite. Being immobilized due to this can quickly lead to death. Having a good pair of warm, waterproof boots will eliminate any issues with your mobility and allow you to survive longer.

High quality warm, waterproof men's boot	High quality warm, waterproof women's boot	Add on to your boots to give you traction on ice

Brightly colored bandana

Something brightly colored, preferably fluorescent will be visible from great distances against a snowy background. This can be used for signaling passing cars or planes. As mentioned in our multipurpose survival gear article, a bandana has many uses and this applies to cold weather survival as well. As a cold weather survival gear item a bandana can be used for:

Collecting and melting snow and ice
A Layer of head cover under a hat
Wrapping extremities to prevent frostbite
Signaling

Bright orange and printed with helpful survival information	Bright red and printed with 1st aid infromation

Quality sleeping bag

Having a quality sleeping bag rated to sub-zero temperatures is one of the most important pieces of cold weather survival gear you can have. It will allow you to rest when you need to in order to recover your energy. Additionally, keeping warm at night will cause you to burn less calories that would otherwise be spent keeping your temperature up. We suggest one that is rated to -20 degrees F (about -30 degrees C) for starters. If you live in a very cold region get one that is rated for even colder to ensure your safety.

High quality bag rated to -20	Extreme bag rated down to -40

Snowshoes

If you are in an area that usually receives a lot of snow these are a good thing to have. They will make traversing snow covered ground far easier than breaking trail through snow banks. Snowshoes can be purchased in many places or you can learn how to make them in the video below:

Basic snowshoes	Midrange snowshoes	High quality top of the range snowshoes

Conclusion

As we have discussed in the past tailoring your bug out bag to your survival scenario is a key to having it be as useful as possible when you need it. Adding cold weather survival gear to your kit will greatly increase your chances of succeeding in a winter survival situation. Be sure to pick quality gear, you will not be happy that you saved a few dollars when you are out in the wilderness freezing. As with any survival tools make sure you take any items you select out and familiarize yourself with using them. You don’t want a life or death situation to be when you are taking an item out of its original packaging. Practice your cold weather survival skills and hone the techniques of using your cold weather survival gear for the best results.

Your Thoughts?

Do you have a piece of cold weather survival gear that you would recommend? Do you have an innovative use for one of the cold weather survival gear items that we mentioned above? Please let us know in the Comments Section below.