Bug Out Gear for a
Bug Out Location, Long Term Survival Retreat or Base Camp

Your big bug out gear items will need to be high on your list of priorities once you’ve got your immediate survival and escape equipment sorted. These will be the items that you’ll need to purchase ahead of time and store in your long term survival camp and will be the ones that turn an initial base camp into somewhere resembling a home away from home.

Generator

The first item on your bug out gear shopping list will be some sort of electricity generator. It’s all well and good relying on daylight and campfires for light and heat in the first few days, but if you’re in for the long haul, you’ll need some way of generating electricity to power items that will make your life easier. Popular fuel options include:

• Propane – these are the cheapest and most common generators and a small tank of propane will provide you with a good month’s worth of electricity for a survival scenario. They are much heavier than their counterparts and you will need to make plans for what happens when your propane supply runs out.

• Solar – solar generators are a relatively new technology and come with a high price tag. However, they will run for years and you can store electricity for use during cloudy spells. You will need to buy spare parts for the panels if they break and have a backup plan for power if you go through a long spell without sunshine.
• Wood – wood burning generators are becoming much more efficient with new technology, but you’ll find them the most expensive option if you need one to power big appliances. You’ll also need to make sure you have wood chopping and splitting equipment stored at your camp.

Food Storage

Initially, you’ll spend a long time eating high calorie energy bars and MRE to keep going. For a long term survival plan, you’ll need some bug out gear dedicated to food storage. You can find refrigerator models that will use the electricity from your generator or ones that come with their own solar power panels. In either case, you will be best served by having separate refrigeration and freezer units as combination units take up more power than two separate items. 

Finally, make sure you find ones that have the capacity to be locked against predators, the elements and other survivalists. You may need to buy your own padlock but you don’t want to damage the unit with your own set of screws and locks.

Oven

The last big item you should get ahead of time is an oven. Cooking over a campfire means that one of your team always has to be in attendance and you’re limited to foods that can be cooked and eaten straight away. A portable oven, powered either by your generator or by propane, will give you the opportunity to bake foods which will make them last for longer. It will also give you the flexibility to leave camp during the day and come back to warm and tasty food.

Get Your Bug Out Gear in Place Beforehand

All of these big bug out gear items need some research before you part with your money. As these should be stored at your base camp well ahead of time, you will also need to invest in a system that will allow you to “lock up” the camp until you need it. 

If there’s space, a simple garden shed will give you more than enough storage room. Otherwise, covering your items with tarpaulins and camouflage will keep them dry and ready for usage. Just make sure that if you choose this option that you put a groundsheet underneath all of your objects to stop any damp and moisture from rising.

Return from Bug Out Gear to Bug Out The Complete Plan