Bug Out Trailer

Having a ready-made bug out trailer is a great alternative to spending a small fortune on a bug out car as it allows you the freedom to continue using your main car safe in the knowledge that you can leave at a moments notice fully prepared. You will have to make sure that your car has a big enough engine to pull the trailer and that you know how to hook the two together in a hurry.

Types of Trailer

Your bug out trailer should be a place where you can store the bigger items that you'll need to take to your base camp in the case of an apocalyptic event. These will be items like bottled water, stoves and tents that you don't want to leave out at the base camp for fear of them being stolen or damaged by the elements. You have three main options when it comes to choosing the right type of bug out trailer for your survival plan:

• Open top - this will be the cheapest option as it's effectively a metal frame on wheels. They're typically used by landscaping companies and trash collectors so you should start by asking those places if you're looking for a second hand model. It's a useful trailer if you have a lot of stuff in bags that you just want to throw in and go, and they tend to be much lighter than other trailers. However, you'll find that they are susceptible to the elements as they provide no cover and accessing everything can be difficult as you can only load things from the top of the trailer.

• Covered storage - these trailers look like mini tents on wheels and provide a waterproof cover for your survival supplies. The cover will be a tarpaulin style fabric that will attach to a metal pole frame work, meaning that once the cover comes off, you'll have instant access to your equipment. These tend to be used by campers and hikers so look online for camping stores as they will be able to point you in the right direction. The main drawback with these is the size, as they're typically designed for shorter trips and tend to have a much smaller volume meaning that you'll only be able to pack the essentials. 
• Mobile home - if you can afford it, a mobile home trailer will be your best bet in a survival scenario. While they're not quite an RV, they will have the essentials like a fridge, toilet and sleeping areas making them ideal for waiting out the first few days. They can be incredibly heavy meaning that you'll need a car with a large engine to tow it, and the shape will be recognizable as a mobile home to those who haven't made the same preparations as you and who may want to share with you. 
• Bike trailer – many different designs a small two-wheel trailer that attaches to a bicycle, can greatly increase your chances of survival by allowing you to take more survival gear with you in a bug out.

What to Pack

As with any part of your bug out preparations, your bug out trailer should have the larger items that will help your initial survival chances. You should have a decent supply of canned and dry food as well as cooking and eating utensils for your survival party. The trailer should also hold any water purification systems, tents, blankets and some form of firewood to help you get set up as quickly as possible.

In an ideal world, you should pack your bug out trailer ahead of time and practice the drive out to your base camp so that you know how long it will take and any dangers or pitfalls on the route. You could undertake a couple of days survival practice so you can find out if you've packed the right equipment.

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