For right or wrong, one of the first things a budding prepper often does is assemble a bug-out bag (BOB). Shortly thereafter, they often run across the concept of a get-home bag (GHB). What’s the difference? Do you have to have both? How many of these bags do you really need?
Bug-Out Bag or Get-Home Bag?
Bug Out Bag
The BOB is your evacuation kit. It’s designed to sustain you and your family during a crisis that forces you from your home for an unknown period of time. There are a number of scenarios where the BOB could come into play. Examples include wildfire, flooding, and chemical spills.
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With evacuation being the focus, the BOB is centered on meeting your needs for at least a few days. In most cases, your stay away from home will be temporary, but you can’t know ahead of time how long it may last. Various and sundry experts have opined that you should plan on 72 hours at a minimum.
A typical BOB is a large pack filled with camping gear as well as food, water, and other supplies. Preppers will often add a change of clothes, a few hygiene items, and tools like a good knife.
The BOB is usually stored at home, ready to go at the drop of a hat. Ultimately, the goal of the BOB is to keep you alive if you need to leave home.
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Get Home Bag
The GHB is intended to be your best friend if a disaster occurs when you’re away from home. Perhaps you’re at work or shopping a few towns over, and something happens that prevents you from quickly and easily returning home. One example is a severe winter storm that strands you at work overnight. Or perhaps some sort of calamity occurs that renders your vehicle immobile, and you’ll need to hoof it home.
Your GHB is intended to meet your basic needs as you travel home from wherever you are when disaster hits. It is often sort of a slimmed-down version of a bug-out bag. Common advice is to determine how long it might take you to walk home from work, then outfit your GHB for that length of time. In many cases, this might not be more than a few hours to a half day or so.
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A basic GHB will have things like water, snacks, spare sunglasses and a hat, good knife, fire kit, and flashlight. It might be a backpack, satchel, or even a duffel bag. But again, the traditional GHB isn’t nearly as robust as a traditional BOB.
The GHB is stored in your vehicle or kept with you as you travel away from home.
Do You Need Both?
In many cases, yeah. They each serve a different purpose.
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While hunkering down at home during a crisis is often your best bet, there are absolutely some scenarios where hitting the road is the ideal option. If home is no longer a safe location, then it doesn’t make much sense to stick around. With that in mind, every home should probably have a bug-out bag.
It’s never a bad idea to keep some emergency gear and supplies in your vehicle, just in case. The get-home bag is a great way to do this. It will keep everything in one place and organized, so you can find it when you need it.
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