Once a vehicle platform is chosen, it’s time to outfit it with Bug Out gear. I look at my BOV as a huge mobile Bug Out Bag. Theoretically, even if you have nothing at all packed in your BOV, you should still have enough in your Bug Out Bag (BOB) to get you through three days of independent survival. This is the point in your build when you really need to decide which BOB/BOV Build Strategy that I discussed in chapter two you are going to choose when it comes to survival supplies. This strategy will play a big role as you gather and assemble your BOV supplies. Some of you who are on a tight budget need to hear this next sentence.
If you can’t afford to outfit your BOV exactly as I’ve outlined in this book, it’s okay.
But, your BOB needs to be top notch. One could argue that it’s not necessary to pack anything at all in a BOV except your BOB, and I wouldn’t necessarily disagree. However, as I discussed in chapter two, I don’t take that approach. I like the idea of outfitting a BOV with extra survival supplies and tools. Doing so creates multiple layers of preparedness. Your BOV becomes a new layer of readiness between your BOB and your Bug Out Location. My plan is to utilize the extra resources in my BOV first and keep my BOB as a fully intact Plan B. A BOB should always be a last-ditch effort.
The next several chapters highlight different categories to consider when outfitting and prepping a BOV. This chapter will focus on survival supplies. Most of these items will be redundant to what you already have packed in a BOB, but with a BOV twist because the limitations for size and weight aren’t as stringent. It’s about creating layers of preparedness.
You must be prepared to abandon your BOV and everything in it. You may have to complete your Bug Out Journey on foot with only your Bug Out Bag. You have to take this fact into account when stocking your BOV. I’ll also discuss some Bug Out Cart options in chapter fourteen if you have to abandon your BOV and still want to carry extra supplies.
Repurposed Deer Cart to carry Bug Out supplies (from The Sportsman’s Guide)
All survival supplies should already be packed inside your BOV. Your Bug Out Bag(s) is the only exception (except for extreme hot and cold climates, which I discuss later). It’s stored in your house. Disasters create very chaotic and confusing scenarios, and it’s easy to overlook even obvious steps when in a panicked rush. Don’t forget your BOB. A BOB is a self-contained, 72-hour disaster kit that contains all the supplies necessary to get you and your family through three days of independent survival. If you have to travel by foot, it is indisputably your most important resource. If you haven’t yet read my first book in this series, Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag, consider adding it to your survival library. Because I’ve chosen the BOV Heavy Build Strategy, all of the survival resources listed below are in addition to what is already packed in a BOB.
Bug Out Bag packed and ready to go
For some, a BOV is a shelter in and of itself. Large SUVs, vans, and mobile homes make perfect temporary shelters for unpredictable overnights on a Bug Out Journey. Extra storage room in a BOV gives you the opportunity to include more elaborate sheltering items than what you may have room for in a BOB.
Hypothermia is the number-one outdoor killer in the United States. You can die in as little as three hours without proper shelter in extreme conditions. The ability to regulate core body temperature during a cold weather Bug Out is critical. It’s not hard to imagine that you might have to shelter overnight during a Bug Out Journey. Heat shouldn’t be a problem while the vehicle is running, but it would be crazy to waste vital fuel just to keep the heater warm. Cold weather survival gear is essential for those who live in four-season regions. Packing these items in a BOB can be difficult because of the bulk, so including them in a BOV makes perfect sense. Some items to consider are
Even though I carry an extra set of clothing in my Bug Out Bag, I have also added one to my BOV. This set includes camouflage pants, shirt, hat, gloves, jacket, and face mask. I may never need a full camo outfit, but I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. There’s a little bit of Rambo in all of us survival types.
Plastic tote with extra cold weather gear
Creek’s camo clothing
Quickly boost your sleeping bag cold rating with only 3.8 ounces (108g)! Purchasing a low-degree rated, lightweight sleeping bag for extreme cold presents two big challenges: They can be expensive and bulky. However, you can add an Adventure Medical Products SOL Emergency Bivvy to any sleeping bag and drastically improve the cold rating. The SOL Bivvy weighs only 3.8 ounces (108g) and costs under twenty dollars. It’s basically a sleeping bag made out of emergency survival blanket material. It reflects up to 80 percent of your body heat. Layer it inside of an average-rated bag to create great cold weather sleeping setup.
Adventure Medical Products SOL Emergency Bivvy
SOL Bivvy layered inside of lightweight sleeping bag
Sleeping in a BOV may sound ideal, but it’s not always practical. This is the one advantage that large enclosed BOVs have over smaller alternatives. If your BOV doesn’t have interior sleeping space or you aren’t towing a camper of some sort, you’ll want to think about how you might handle an unexpected night on the road. Extra storage space in a BOV allows for you to pack larger and more substantial sheltering options if you want to use something more extravagant than what is in your BOB. The use of integrated vehicle tents is a growing trend among adventure travelers and represents an excellent BOV shelter system.
Integrated vehicle tents typically mount on the roof of a car, truck, or van. Selecting your campsite is as simple as parking the car. This option also frees up valuable storage space inside the vehicle. Bedding items can typically store inside the collapsed tent as well. I’ve even seen these mounted to the top of dedicated Bug Out Trailers, which we will discuss later. These are definitely one of the more expensive shelter options but certainly have their advantages.
Traditional camping tents are the most affordable shelter option. With those, the selection is mind-boggling. Below is a list of features to look for when selecting a Bug Out Tent:
Additional BOV tarp canopy
Rooftop tent from www.arbusa.com (Photo courtesy of ARB USA)
Bathtub Bottom
Large multi-person free-standing tent
Extremities, such as fingers and toes, are most vulnerable to cold. Pack hand and foot warmers that can be activated to generate long-lasting warm heat when you need it most. They are lightweight and inexpensive and perfect for extra vehicle storage when space is tight in your BOB.
HotHands brand hand and foot warmers from www.hothandsdirect.com
Water is at the top of the list when it comes to survival priorities. You can’t have too much! You should already have three liters of fresh drinking water packed in your BOB, but you should absolutely pack more water in your BOV. I suggest packing a minimum of one gallon per person per day in addition to what is already in your BOB.
One of the most popular questions I get at Willow Haven is whether or not one should store water in a BOV year-round. I personally don’t like storing water in my BOV during extreme heat and extreme cold. Extreme heat can leech some nasty stuff out of plastic containers (even food grade), and extreme cold can obviously freeze and damage containers. Outside of the dead of winter and summer, I keep water storage in my BOV. During extreme months I keep it inside, ready to grab and go near my BOB.
There are countless different ways to store water in a BOV. Here are my favorite three options:
Want the easiest BOV water storage option? Just buy bottled water. Bottled water typically has an expiration date of at least two years, and the shrink-wrapped cases are easy to stack and store. Loose bottles can also be stashed in small nooks and crannies to utilize every square inch of available storage. If the expiration date is only printed on the case packaging be sure to also write it on the individual bottles with a permanent marker.
Commercial bottled water options
Almost any empty plastic resealable drinking container makes for ideal extra water storage. Make sure they are food grade containers. Two-liter pop bottles are my container of choice. Even though I don’t drink soda, friends and family are happy to donate more than I can ever use. Thoroughly wash empty bottles and fill with either municipal or well water. Before you seal the lids, put in two drops of regular 4-6 percent household bleach per one liter of water. Make sure it’s regular with no added scents or softeners. This will give the water a storage life of at least one year. I change my BOV water storage annually.
Single bottles marked with expiration date and stored under the seat
Repurposed two-liter soda bottles filled with tap water and marked with fill date
There are literally hundreds of commercially available bulk water storage containers on the market. Again, make sure any container you use for water storage is food grade. If you’ve got the storage space, more water is always better. In addition to some commercially bottled water, I keep two six-gallon water totes in my BOV that I picked up in the camping section at Walmart for around ten dollars each. These containers are a bright teal color, which helps to quickly and easily discern them from similar-shaped fuel storage containers.
Six-gallon BPA-free water containers from Walmart
Bleach can also be used to purify questionable water as well. Just remember that you have to be 21 years old to drink. Use 2 drops of regular 4-6 percent household bleach per 1 liter of water. Hence, 21. That equals 8 drops per gallon. The water must be clear to start with, not murky or muddy. Once the bleach is added, you need to wait thirty minutes. And don’t forget the threads! Be sure to splash some bleach water around the threads of your container if it has a lid. Waterborne pathogens could be trapped there.
You may not plan on stopping during a disaster Bug Out, but plans can change, and it’s important to prepare for a variety of setbacks. You may at some point need to start a fire. Fire is a critical survival tool that can cook/warm food, boil and purify additional water, signal for rescue, and regulate core body temperature. I suggest keeping a very basic fire kit in your BOV in additional to the one packed in your Bug Out Bag. Your BOV fire kit should include the following.
Unless you want to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together, you’ll need to pack an ignition device. In fact, pack several. A couple of disposable lighters and a ferro rod should be all you’ll ever need. Lighters will not function properly in extreme cold or when they get wet. Ferro rods, also called metal matches, and modern-day flint and steel, will create sparks to ignite fire tinder in virtually any weather condition. I really like the Light My Fire brand ferro rods.
Disposable lighters, several ferro rods, and matches in waterproof container
You should always pack good fire tinder in any fire kit you make. Store bought fire tinders, such as WetFire, are proven winners. However, you can make your own tinder at home and it will cost you virtually nothing. We call them PET balls at Willow Haven. They are simply cotton balls mixed with petroleum jelly. A big dollop of petroleum jelly smeared onto a cotton ball is one of the best fire-starting tinders on planet Earth. It will ignite almost immediately with just one strike of a ferro rod and will burn upward of five to seven minutes. Make twenty-five of these and store them in a resealable bag in your fire kit.
WetFire brand fire tinder
PET Balls: Cotton balls mixed with petroleum jelly
When building a fire, you ignite fire tinder (PET balls) first. Fire kindling is used to grow the fire. It is typically larger and more substantial. Disaster conditions can render almost all available natural fire kindling useless. Don’t depend on gathering kindling from the wild unless you have no other choice. I recommend two types of kindling:
Fatwood: Fatwood is the word used to describe the resin-rich heartwood of the pine tree. Pine resin collects in the joints between the main trunk and the limbs but also settles in the stump and roots when the pine trees are harvested for other purposes. This pine resin saturated wood is extremely flammable and has been used since the beginning of time for fire starting. It’s now harvested commercially and sold in bundles at most home and garden stores. It makes perfect kindling even in wet and windy conditions, and just one PET ball will easily ignite a few sticks of fatwood. These can then be used to ignite larger sticks and logs.
Fire Eggs: I use homemade fire eggs almost exclusively to quickly and easily start fires at home and at Willow Haven. They are extremely effective and easy to make. You’ll first need an empty pressed-fiber egg carton. Don’t use the Styrofoam ones. Fill each of the empty cups with sawdust and then cover the sawdust with melted wax. Any kind of candle wax will work. Even old crayons will work. You can find big candles at Goodwill for pennies. After the wax cools, tear apart the fire eggs and keep them in a resealable bag until you need them. Just light a corner and these little guys will burn hot for at least fifteen minutes.
Package of fatwood fire kindling
Homemade fire-starting eggs
Fire Eggs Step 1: Fill pressed fiber egg carton cups with sawdust.
Fire Eggs Step 2: Fill each cup with melted wax.
Fire Eggs Step 3: Tear apart the finished fire eggs.
Light a corner of the fire egg to use.
This may seem like overkill to some people, but my goal when bugging out in a BOV is to be a completely self-contained survival unit. I prefer to have everything I think I will need packed in my BOV. This includes a small stash of firewood. Not only do I have the tinder and the kindling, but I also have the wood necessary to build at least a couple of really good fires. Rather than pack actual split wood, I choose to go with a case of Duraflame’s Roasting Logs. These individually packaged logs can be lit without the use of additional tinder or kindling. All you have to do is light the ends of the wrappers. The Roasting Logs are specially formulated for roasting and cooking from 100 percent renewable resources. They are compact and easy to transport and store. One case of Roasting Logs is good for four to six small campfires and takes up considerably less space than the same equivalent in split firewood.
Case of Duraflame Roasting Logs from www.duraflame.com
Duraflame Roasting Logs, fire-starting tools, and tinder packed in waterproof plastic five-gallon bucket
Because of the extreme weather changes here in Indiana, I store extra BOV food items during peak months in a waterproof bucket next to my BOV water and BOB in a hallway leading out the door. The shelf life of any food drastically decreases with prolonged exposure to extreme heat, no matter what it says on the package. When packing food in your Bug Out Bag, weight and size is of utmost importance. You don’t necessarily have those concerns when packing your BOV. Below are the most important criteria for BOV food:
Long shelf life: Choose foods with a minimum shelf life of one year. Make your life easy by choosing foods with long shelf lives so you don’t have to constantly change out expiring food items. Ideally, just one review and exchange of perishable items should be necessary annually.
Open and Eat Meals: Time, energy, and resource conservation are top priorities. Choose meals that do not require extensive preparation. The last thing you want to do is pull over to prepare meals.
High-Calorie Foods: Survival food is about calories. Don’t pack shallow food. Make sure your BOV food puts fuel on the human furnace.
At the time of writing this book I am on a version of the Paleo Diet, which pretty much means I eat only meat and vegetables. Luckily, that still includes bacon or else it would be extremely difficult. This also means that I find myself fantasizing about having to Bug Out just to gorge myself on the food stores I have in my BOV. My point is that you shouldn’t get too caught up in following strict diet guidelines when packing for a Bug Out. Foods that meet the Bug Out Food criteria above aren’t necessarily diet friendly. For me at least, these include two basic categories of food items:
Canned foods are a perfect BOV survival food ration. They meet all of the above criteria. From canned meats such as Vienna sausages and SPAM to hearty raviolis and canned pastas, there’s no lack of suitable options. And, I’ve never met a kid who doesn’t like every single one of them. They have a long shelf life, they are packed with calories, and they require very little to zero preparation.
Variety of Bug Out canned foods
Soldiers are issued MREs while serving in the field. Essentially, these are completely self-contained meal kits. They typically contain an entrée, a condiment pack, a large cracker, a small desert, and a water-activated chemical heat source. Often, the outer package serves as the cooking and heating container. These meal kits are time-tested in the field and are a very reliable and nutritious BOB food ration. They contain the most calories of any food item listed in this chapter—typically one thousand-plus calories per meal.
The government restricts the commercial sale of official Military MREs. You can still find them on ebay.com, in Army/Navy surplus stores, and at gun shows. However, these are typically overpriced. The better option is to buy what are called “Commercial or Civilian MREs,” which are very similar to the military version and often produced by the same manufacturers that sell direct to the military. I don’t recommend buying MREs on ebay.com—there are just too many imposters and it can be difficult to tell the difference. Below is a list of reputable companies from which to purchase commercial MREs. You can compare the prices and kits and make your own choice. I have purchased from each of them with no issues.
A sample MRE purchased from mrestar.com includes:
If you don’t heed my advice and instead pack food that needs a heat source for warming and/or cooking, you’ll need a camp stove and a basic cooking kit. My cooking kit consists of only two items: a GSI Outdoors Stainless Glacier Bottle Cup, which nests on Nalgene-sized bottles, and a Light My Fire brand spork. For larger families, one might consider a larger pot. Dehydrated meals should be the most complex meal you plan on preparing during a Bug Out Journey, and a simple pot to boil water is all you will need.
You’ll have to decide whether you want to pack an additional set than what may already be in your Bug Out Bag. I have a full BOV kit in addition to my BOB, but as I’ve mentioned, I prefer for my BOB to remain a complete kit until I have to travel by foot.
Building a fire to cook is sufficient, but not always practical. Fires are time-consuming, fuel-consuming, and indiscreet. Consider packing a lightweight backpacking canister stove, a solid tab fuel stove from Esbit (like I carry in my Bug Out Bag), or a tabletop propane stove. Tabletop propane stoves are popular for car camping and remote cabins. If you go this route, fuel canisters should be kept out of the vehicle during months of extreme heat.
Civilian Military Meals Ready to Eat
Canned foods and MREs stored in plastic, food-grade bucket
Five-year-old and heavily used GSI Outdoors Stainless Glacier Bottle Cup
Sampling of canister stoves and larger tabletop propane stove
Don’t forget the can opener! As a backup, pick up a military-style P-38 can opener at your local Army/Navy surplus. They are only about an 11⁄2 inches (4cm) and can go right on your BOV key ring.
Regular can opener and small P-38 military-style version
First aid and hygiene are closely related. Poor hygiene can lead to first aid issues. In order to stay healthy and/or efficiently heal existing wounds, proper hygiene is imperative. It’s also not hard to imagine the need for first aid supplies during a disaster evacuation.
You’ll notice in my extensive BOV medical kit that I have several prescription medicines. I believe it is important to develop a good relationship with a survival-minded physician. This is a doctor who understands your concerns for needing “just in case” Bug Out prescription medications—whether they are simply more of the medications you already take or extra ones such as antibiotics. If your doctor does not share your same concerns for a potential disaster scenario, I would suggest getting a different doctor. MedCallAssist.com, who is the supplier of my kit, also offers several medications with their kits.
The number-one public service to become overwhelmed during disaster emergencies is 911. Emergency responders and medical facilities become immediately clogged with disaster-related incidents. For far too many people, calling 911 is a Bug Out Strategy. You cannot depend on emergency medical service during a large-scale disaster. It just isn’t smart and it certainly isn’t a plan. A better strategy is to do the absolute best you can to prepare for a variety of potential first aid related issues independently. This involves having an extensive Bug Out first aid kit as well as professional first aid training.
Remember, prescription medications and an extra pair of glasses (if necessary) should already be securely packed in your BOB.
I purchased the first aid kits for both my BOB and BOV and then added to them according to my needs. My base Bug Out Bag first aid kit is the Adventure Medical Kits Adventure First Aid 1.0 and my base BOV first aid kit is the MedCallKit from www.medcallassist.com. Another great source for extensive medical kits is Chinook Medical Gear, Inc. at www.chinookmed.com.
I’m sure you can piece together your own BOV medical kit and save money, but buying them complete is a great option for busy schedules. The lists I’ve provided can at least give you a good benchmark to design your own kit.
It goes without saying that proper training is required to use several of the aforementioned items. The common mistake I see when packing first aid kits is when people include products beyond their training. Unless you’ve got the money and space to spare, including kit items beyond your level of medical training should not be a high priority. A huge variety of first aid training classes (including Wilderness First Aid) can be found in your local area at www.redcross.org. EMT training is also a great survival knowledge base supplement.
BOV Motion Sickness: If anyone in your Bug Out Crew gets motion sickness, don’t forget to include Dramamine in your first aid kit. There’s nothing that can make a Bug Out Journey more miserable than nausea associated with motion sickness.
Adventure First Aid Kit 1.0
MedCall Kit for BOV
Bug Out Hygiene, especially in a small space like a vehicle, is critical. Disasters have an uncanny reputation for creating incredibly unhygienic environments. Polluted flood water, sewage disruption, waste disposal interruption, and power outages all encourage a breeding ground for illness, disease, and infection. Human and animal waste (feces, urine, blood, and other bodily fluids) represent some of our greatest health threats. Entire civilizations have gone virtually extinct due to misunderstanding and underestimating the dangers of human waste. Even today, in developing countries, lack of proper sanitation is a leading cause of sickness and death.
I recommend a dedicated BOV hygiene kit that includes the following items. This kit can be modified to fit virtually any kind of BOV.
Paper Towels and Toilet Paper: I’ll admit, I have a weakness when it comes to paper towels. I use a lot of them and enjoy it. I don’t skimp. I prefer disposable paper towels over the cloth alternatives. A big fat roll of paper towels is a great addition to a vehicle hygiene kit. In my opinion, you can never have too many. They are perfect for a myriad of clean-up scenarios. Toilet paper is pretty self-explanatory. Nature may call during your Bug Out Journey and you should be prepared to answer. Keep these items protected in waterproof bags—you may have to go potty in the rain! I use SealLine Dry Bags from cascadedesigns.com/sealline.
These dry bags are incredibly durable and can be used to keep a variety of Bug Out Gear protected from moisture and water. You can also use larger resealable plastic bags.
Looking for a hassle-free on-the-go Bug Out toilet option? This GO Anywhere Toilet Kit is the only biodegradable solution that traps, encapsulates, deodorizes, and breaks down human waste with a NASA-developed gelling agent. Use it, seal it, and toss it in the normal trash. Go to cleanwaste.com/go-anywhere-trial-pack to get a free trial pack.
GO Anywhere Toilet Kit
Disinfecting and Cleaning Supplies: I suggest keeping a smaller pail inside of your main hygiene kit. In this pail, I keep disinfecting wipes, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a 2.5-gallon resealable bag, twelve disposable nitrile gloves, a small bottle of regular household bleach (I rebottled this into a Nalgene travel container to fit), and a scrubber sponge. The disinfecting wipes are perfect for quickly wiping down surfaces, and the pail and bleach can be used to mix a bleach-water solution for larger jobs if necessary. The gloves are good for protecting your hands from the bleach solution as well as whatever disgusting substance you might be cleaning up. The bleach can also be used to purify additional water if necessary. A sealable pail keeps these items separated from the rest of your hygiene kit.
Personal Hygiene: I highly recommend having a small stash of extra personal hygiene products in addition to what is already in your BOB. This includes the following:
Garbage Bags/Resealable Bags: I can’t stress enough the importance of being able to contain and properly dispose of trash and waste. You may be forced to store a variety of waste products in your vehicle while en route to your Bug Out Location. Garbage bags and large resealable bags are perfect for isolating anything from food waste to dirty diapers. Large 2.5-gallon resealable watertight freezer bags can be purchased from most grocery stores. A dedicated multiuse waste bucket isn’t a bad idea either. I use a clearly marked five-gallon bucket that has a roll of fifty-five gallon heavy contractor-grade trash bags inside.
Did you know a tampon makes excellent fire-starting tinder? The cottony fibers of a tampon will ignite with just one small spark from a ferro rod. I actually keep a couple packed in my fire kit just for that purpose!
Cotton fibers of tampon separated and ready to receive spark
Paper towels and toilet paper in SealLine Dry Bags
Small disinfecting pail with lid
Extra personal hygiene kit kept in BOV with First Aid and Hygiene supplies
BOV waste bucket with lid and contractor-grade trash bags
All BOV first aid and hygiene products in plastic storage tote
When I teach survival courses at Willow Haven, I focus on what I call The Core Four. These are Shelter, Water, Fire, and Food. These four categories, along with First Aid and Hygiene, are your top priorities when beefing up a BOV basic survival supplies kit.