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18 Survival Essentials to Stash in an Emergency Bugout Bag

A well-stocked bugout bag isn’t just for emergencies. It’s plenty useful other times, too.

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By Hayley Helms and Jack Seemer

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A well-stocked bugout bag isn’t just for doomsday preppers. It’s peace of mind in portable form, and it’s often just as useful in everyday life.

Here are a handful of versatile tools and accessories you’ll want within arm’s reach when it matters most … and even when it doesn’t.

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Black backpack with a front zippered pocket and an elastic bungee cord crisscrossing over the pocket. The backpack has adjustable side straps and a top zipper closure. The material appears durable and slightly textured.ULA Equipment

Best Daypack

ULA Equipment Ultra 30L Dragonfly

Crafted from fabrics 15 times stronger than steel by weight, twice as abrasion-resistant as same-weight nylons and waterproof to 200 psi, this daypack is literally ready for anything.
Lightweight orange and beige camping tent with a mesh side panel and an extended rainfly supported by two trekking poles at the front.Big Agnes

Best Backpacking Tent

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 XL

Proprietary HyperBead fabric makes this award-winning tent lighter, stronger and more waterproof than ever before.
A winter cap featuring a textured olive green fabric on the top and sides, combined with a black fabric visor and ear flaps. The ear flaps appear to be insulated and designed for warmth.Ciele

Best Beanie

Ciele VLVBeanie

Over-engineered? Maybe. The most insanely functional and capable beanie ever? Absolutely.
Dark gray crew sock with a light gray heel, toe, and cuff trim. Features a small red mountain logo near the top and red text on the toe area. The sock has a ribbed texture around the ankle.Darn Tough

Best Hiking Socks

Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks

More-than-average amounts of wool in these mid-cushioned outdoor socks means above-average comfort, mositure wicking and temperature regulation.
A pair of black gloves made from a smooth, stretchy fabric. The gloves have a simple, sleek design with individual fingers and a slightly extended cuff. The left glove is shown with the palm facing down, and the right glove with the palm facing up.Icebreaker

Best Glove Liners

Icebreaker Unisex 260 Tech Glove Liners

Never miss a text with these touchscreen compatible, merino wool glove liners.
Black neck gaiter with a contoured top edge and a small white robot logo accompanied by three vertical colored bars (orange, blue, and yellow) near the bottom edge.Smartwool

Best Neck Gaiter

Smartwool Active Fleece Neck Gaiter

Merino and polyester play well together in this cozy, protective and breathable neck gaiter.
Gray BioLite headlamp with an adjustable black strap featuring the BioLite logo in white, a rectangular light housing with a clear front lens, a red indicator light, and two buttons on top.BioLite

Best Headlamp

BioLite Range 400

BioLite’s updated headlamp offers 400 lumens of brightness, USB-C fast charging and a comfortable, moisture-wicking band. Its IP67 waterproof rating and one-handed tilt make it a versatile choice for a variety of settings.
Yellow cylindrical outdoor battery with black screw cap and attached loop, labeled "OUTDOOR BATTERY 5000N" with features including IP67 waterproof, dustproof, and shock resistance.NestOut

Best Power Bank

NestOut Power Bank

Small but tough, this 5,000mAh charger is the pocket-sized lifeline for your devices. It’s rugged, splashproof and compatible with a range of add-on accessories, such as lanterns and fans.
Compact first aid kit with various medical supplies including an emergency blanket, fabric bandages, adhesive bandages, safety pins, wound closure strips, antiseptic wipes, lubricating jelly packets, blister gels, zip ties, and a small pouch containing additional items. The kit is organized neatly on a white background.Uncharted Supply Co.

Uncharted Supply Co. Triage Kit

Designed with expert input, this collection of first aid essentials packs into a water-resistant, pocket-sized pouch.
White flexible water bottle with a gray flip-top cap, a black strap on the side, and a gray water droplet logo on the front. It has a capacity of 3 liters (100 fl oz).HydraPak

Best Water Filter

HydraPak Seeker+ 3L

This almost-weightless backcountry water storage can now be used as a go-to water filtration solution. Collect water, then roll and squeeze to filter. Pack it down to pocket size when your thirst is quenched.
Black tactical knife with a textured handle, partially sheathed in a black protective cover featuring multiple rivet holes and the "SOG" logo printed on the sheath.SOG

Best Survival Knife

SOG Hidaka FX 3V

As elegant as it is effective, this survival knife is styled by Kiku Matsuda with a Japanese design influence, featuring a hybrid drop point and tanto blade shape.
Navy blue RTIC insulated water bottle with a wide mouth, a flip-top lid, and a sturdy handle attached to the lid. The bottle has a silver band near the top and the RTIC logo in white near the bottom.RTIC

Best Water Bottle

RTIC Outback Bottle

The ceramic lining on this leak-proof insulated water bottle maintains fresh taste and smell, so every sip goes down easy.
Yellow plastic safety cover with a black inner component, designed to protect the tip of a small tool or device. The cover has a rounded top and an open section revealing the black inner part, with a small rectangular slot at the bottom. The word "ust blastmatch" is embossed on the front.UST

Best Fire Starter

UST BlastMatch

Start fires with one hand (if necessary) thanks to this unique, flint-based fire starter. Lasts up to 4,000 strikes, and works while wet.
Blue Leatherman Signal multi-tool with pliers, saw, knife, bottle opener, and screwdriver attachments extended.Amazon

Best Muilti-Tool

Leatherman Signal

This has been one of our top picks for the best multi-tools for years. It includes nearly two dozen functions, including the first built-in ferro rod, hammer, and emergency whistle, all in a compact multi-tool. In other words: 4.5 inches of pure utility. Worth noting: Leatherman’s Amazon shop offers eight different varieties of the Signal, but only this blue-handled version is on sale at the moment.
Black folding shovel with a serrated edge on one side, compactly folded with a handle at the top.SOG

Best Backcountry Shovel

SOG Entrenching Tool

Stay prepared for anything with SOG’s folding shovel, designed with a tempered steel blade with teeth cut in for cutting and slashing. Folded up, you’ll barely notice it.
A Gerber axe with a tan and black handle, a black axe head, a black sheath with the Gerber logo in white, and a black fire starter rod with a paracord-wrapped handle.Gerber

Best Hatchet

Gerber Bushcraft Hatchet

This ergonomic hatchet’s genius isn’t in its blade; it’s in the hidden, water-resistant storage compartment built to house fire-starting material.
Compact black and dark blue walkie-talkie with a short antenna, an orange carabiner attached at the top, and a black carabiner connected to a coiled cord at the bottom. The front display shows "ROCKY TALKIE" and channel 128 in green digital numbers.Rocky Talkie

Best Walkie Talkie

Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio

Designed with climbers and skiers in mind, this rugged radio has a range of up to 35 miles and a four-day battery that’s cold-rated for -20 degrees Fahrenheit. It also comes with a built-in carabiner and is ready to use right out of the box.
Garmin inReach Messenger Plus, a compact, rectangular device with rounded edges, featuring a black outer casing and a red front panel. The front panel displays the Garmin logo and the product name "inReach Messenger Plus." Below this, there is a small digital screen showing weather information, including temperature (76°F, feels like 98°F), humidity (20%), and wind direction (NW) with speed (12). The red panel has a diagonal striped texture on the upper half.Garmin

Best Satellite Messenger

Garmin InReach Messenger Plus

The InReach Messenger was already backcountry survival staple, giving users the ability to send short texts without wi-fi or cell service. But addition of photos and voice messages makes the Plus version a true backcountry communication tool.
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