Best Bug Out Backpacks – Guide to the Best Bug Out and Survival Backpacks

Direct Action Dragon Egg Tactical Backpack

The Dragon Egg is a 25+ liter capacity tactical bug out backpack designed with military and law enforcement applications in mind.

Available in a wide range of color and camo variations, this low profile survival backpack is ideally suited for use as a 2-day bug out bag as well as an everyday carry solution or hybrid heavy duty backpack for carrying your daily essentials such as a laptop.

With a considered combination of durability, comfort, and storage space features, the Direct Action Dragon Egg is a natural choice for a 48 hour bug out backpack that’s been designed with the ability to adapt and react to any situation that you’re likely to face in an emergency or disaster situation.

Construction and Features

The Dragon Egg is constructed from highly resilient, 500D Cordura with DWR coating for water resistance and all-weather capabilities. This Cordura fabric finish is available in a range of color options including camo variants which are NIR(Near-infrared) treated helping prevent detection with night vision.

Heavy Duty YKK Zippers are included on the bag and are glove friendly meaning you benefit from highly durable access points which can be interfaced with no matter the external conditions.

A paracord drag handle on the top of the bag is both durable and practical, containing two 2.5m cords which can be broken away from the bag when needed in a survival situation.

The Dragon Egg focuses on increased operator comfort in a number of ways from contoured foam profiles with air channels, alongside a mesh system that combine to  promote airflow and keep the pack off of the wearer’s back. After long periods of use, this effectively means a significant prevention of heat build-up and sweating, allowing you to comfortably wear the backpack for longer and under high intensity situations.

Storage Space

As a survival backpack, the Dragon Egg provides over 25 liters of storage capacity, utilizing a unique ‘egg’ shape to allow for a lower height and width profile while maintaining the same storage and packing space as other bug out backpacks within this volume range.

A front pocket on the bag includes an internal organizer system for equipment such as GPS, writing utensils, multi-tools, or other similarly sized gear.

Side pockets on this pack are well positioned and sized for storing and carrying a water bottle solution such as a Nalgene bottle or U.S. size canteen.

Daisy chain webbing on the front panel seam of the bag provides latching points for carabiners while laser-cut, non absorbent MOLLE/PALS provision makes the bag both modular and expandable in terms of extending capacity and range if needed.

Technical Specifications:

Why we love this Bag

The Direct Action Dragon Egg is an awesome choice if you’re looking for a 48 hour bug out backpack that effortlessly doubles up as an everyday carry or use bag.

The inclusion of features such as water resistant coatings, a paracord drag handle, and MOLLE/PALS extension make this bag highly tactical, while others such as a padded laptop sleeve mean it’s just at home in a hybrid role for use going to work or school, as it is in an emergency situation as a top flight survival backpack.

Learn More About the Direct Action Dragon Egg Tactical Backpack Here

How to Pack a Bug Out Backpack or Survival Backpack

When it comes to packing any backpack or rucksack, there are a few golden rules that will see you right whether you’re escaping from danger or simply escaping town for the weekend.

Even if you pick the best bug out backpack for getting out of trouble in a very specific situation, if it’s not packed properly you’ll be in for a rough time when you need to get to your equipment fast.

Remember, spending some time up front to make sure you’ve packed your bag properly and knowing where everything is can make all the difference when you’re on the road or on the trail and need to get to your gear quickly.

Packing Your Survival Backpack

Picking the best survival backpack for the job is of course, only half the battle when it comes to preparing for the worst, and knowing how (and what) to pack can make all the difference when you need to get to your gear fast.

Ensuring ease of access to your kit, alongside balanced weight distribution is the key to guaranteeing you’ll be able to lay your hands on anything and everything in your bag when the time comes.

Packing too much heavy equipment to one side of your bag will cause you to lose balance and can significantly impact the efficiency of your journey, potentially even leading to injury in the most extreme cases.

Similarly, packing your survival backpack in a way that puts priority items in the easiest to reach locations is an equally crucial consideration when planning the layout of your bag.

Knowing What to Pack

Once you’ve settled on a survival backpack, deciding what to pack is without a doubt, the most important part of implementing your bug out bag strategy.

Whether you’re planning a bag for a 72 hour bug out situation or are building an INCH (I’m Never Coming Home) bag, the considerations around the length of time you’ll be carrying your kit will undoubtedly play a deciding role on what you’ll need, how much gear you’ll need to pack and ultimately, the size and suitability of the bag you choose.

With this in mind, it can be useful to think carefully about the specific requirements of your bag before exploring the different options to ensure the capacity and feature set of the bag fits the bill – after all, you don’t want to find out you’ve got more kit than you have space to pack it!

Knowing where to begin and how to proceed when it comes to packing your bug out backpack is a topic worthy of a guide in its own right (and luckily we’ve put together just the guide here to get you started!) but there are a few essential elements to think about when you start loading up your bag.

Shelter 

Protection from the elements is a priority when bugging out and the packing the appropriate level of shelter will ultimately be dependent on factors such as the capacity of your bag, the climate and season where you live and the duration you think you’ll be bugging out for.

Providing adequate shelter when you plan out your bag can take the form of anything from extra layers or waterproof clothing through to a compact tarp, backpacking tent, or a full blown survival shelter.

Think about the specific requirements you have around budget, usage and weight/capacity restrictions and start from there.

If budget and space allow, you can’t go wrong with a high quality survival tent and it’s always better to be over-prepared should the worst happen. Similarly though, if your bag will simply be intended to get you home or is for a shorter period of time (say 24-48 hours), you can scale down accordingly.

Choosing a survival backpack with the largest carrying and packing considerations in mind will allow you to settle on a minimum set of values when it comes to capacity and storage space.

Check out our guide to the Best Survival Tents to learn more about the perfect tent for your bag

Hydration 

Access to clean drinking water is an absolute necessity for any prolonged period away from home, so ensuring you allocate enough when planning your bag is crucial.

As with most of the items you pack in your bug out bag, the amount of water you require will depend entirely on the length of time you think you’ll be away. When it comes to stocking enough water, the recommended guidelines vary, but aim to have at least 2 – 3 liters (70-100oz) of drinking water on hand per person per day (you can find more recommendations on intake here).

One of the most efficient ways of carrying water in your survival backpack is through the use of a hydration bladder, with many tactical bags containing dedicated compartments for storage as well as specific exit ports and latching points for the drinking tube.

If space allows, a hydration bladder should form the backbone of your bag’s water provision strategy and should be supplemented with a standard drinking bottle or canteen, either in the form of a traditional bottle or one with an integrated water filter.

On the subject of filtration, it’s a seriously good idea whenever possible to also include a dedicated water filtration system as a redundancy during an emergency situation.

After all, when disaster strikes, you simply can’t guarantee the quality of the drinking water you’re going to have access to.

Without a doubt, one of the very best places to start in regards to portable bug out backpack filtration comes in the shape of the excellent Lifestraw or Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System, both of which can easily be fitted into your bag and are worth their weight in gold.

Finally, consider investing in some water filtration tablets and pack them in a spare nook of your backpack for use in an emergency. If you need them in the field, you’ll be glad you did.

Nutrition 

Food is fuel and so ensuring you have an adequate supply in your kit is a key consideration when planning the loadout for your bug out bag.

In a disaster or emergency situation, food is a resource which can be incredibly difficult to come by so making sure you’re covered before you set out is essential.

When it comes to packing adequate nutrition for your bug out bag, there are a number of options depending on the range of your bag. If you’re likely to be bugging out for up to 24 hours or just need to get home from the office on foot, good choices include trail mix and high-calorie energy bars to keep you powered up.

If you’re getting out of dodge for a longer period of time (think anything 48 hours+), then consider investing in freeze-dried or ready to eat meal pouches which provide the perfect combination of packability, nutrition and energy. These pouches are essentially full coverage meals meaning they’re both nutritionally balanced and taste awesome.

Remember, maintaining morale is crucial during an emergency and a good meal can make all the difference in a survival situation, not just for the nutritional benefits.

Learn more about survival food options in our comprehensive guide to the Best Emergency Meal Kits.

If you’re likely to be bugging out for longer than 24 hours or are planning on bringing meal pouches in your kit, although not essential, it’s a good idea to pack some form of stove in your survival backpack inventory.

Stoves vary in complexity from simple solid fuel based systems to gas powered stoves and if you can afford the space and weight in your bag, the benefits of packing one include heating food as well as boiling water.

Again, the amount and type of nutrition that makes it into your survival backpack inventory is going to vary hugely based upon any number of factors ranging from personal requirements through to time coverage.

Sleeping 

Provision for sleeping is one of the areas in planning a bug out backpack that can be easily overlooked, but if you have the room and budget, be sure to include this as an element of your loadout.

Whether you’re sleeping under a tarp, in your car or in a tent, including even the most modest sleeping bag in your kit will not only protect you from falling temperatures but can make a serious difference to the quality of rest you’re able to get.

Options for sleeping bags range from the simplest lightweight and flat-pack survival bags (perfect if space in your bag is at a premium), all the way up to four season bags designed for extreme conditions and polar expeditions.

Similarly, a lightweight thermal sleeping mat or pad is an excellent addition to a higher capacity bug out backpack, survival backpack, or bug out vehicle, adding a layer of thermal protection and separation from the ground when it’s time to bed down.

Tools

The type of tools you pack into a bug out backpack will be largely influenced by the situation you’re preparing for in the event you need to get out of town quickly.

For example, if your bug out plan involves heading into the wilderness for any length of time, the tools you’ll want to pack will likely be very different to bugging out in an urban environment. Similarly, preparing a survival backpack for a bug out vehicle will require considerations that you probably won’t make if you’re planning to leave on foot.

When you’ve got the specific conditional and situational requirements established, the next most important thing to think about when planning tools and equipment (as with all the other items you end up packing), is weight and packing space in your bag.

An essential piece of kit in almost every situation is a well-featured multi-tool and whether you opt for a classic all-around tool like the Leatherman Wave or an all-inclusive Swiss army knife, the size and weight to benefit ratio makes this an invaluable addition to any bug out backpack.

If you’re likely to be bugging out in the wilderness or in a climate where snowfall is likely, a portable entrenching tool can make all the difference if you can make room in your bag. Similarly, if you’re bugging out by vehicle an e-tool is a worthy ally in the trunk.

Lighting

A reliable source of illumination becomes a critical piece of equipment when the lights go out and in a disaster situation, having access to a high-quality flashlight or torch in your survival backpack or bug out bag can be a lifesaver.

Without a doubt, when it comes down to lighting in your bug out bag, a lightweight tactical flashlight is a must-have component of a comprehensive survival backpack load-out.

Portable, durable, and built to provide light in the most challenging conditions, the best tactical flashlights are used by military and emergency services alike, offering incredible reliability and long-lasting, powerful light output.

When choosing a flashlight for your bug out bag, go for a model that offers multiple operation modes alongside excellent runtime, a reinforced casing, and waterproofing or high water resistance.

To find out more about survival illumination options, check out our definitive guide to the best tactical flashlights

It’s always wise to have a fail-safe (or two) in place when you’re assembling your kit, so it’s a good idea to also include a pocket sized LED flashlight as well as some kind of glow sticks in your bag. Both are inexpensive backups and will take up minimal weight and space in your pack.

Be sure to invest in spare batteries and pack in any available recess in your bag.

First Aid and Medical Supplies

A compact but comprehensive medical kit is an essential for any emergency situation where you find yourself away from home and potentially on the road or in the field.

The main objective of a portable medical kit is to pack as much essential equipment for triage and treatment as possible into as small a footprint as possible.

There are a couple of options when it comes to packing a survival first aid kit for your bug out backpack.

The simplest solution is to go for a pre-made kit which will contain the essentials to get you out of trouble should the need arise. Alternatively, building a customized kit and sourcing the supplies yourself is a good option if you’re looking for a bespoke kit with tailored contents.

Whichever route you go down, remember to supplement your kit with any prescription medicines or drugs you or your party currently take and be sure that all medicines are within expiry dates.

Additional Items

If you still have weight and packing capacity to spare, you’ll be in a better position to begin judging any extra items that will make any bug out scenario more manageable, and ultimately, more comfortable should you need to get up and go in a hurry.

The kind of kit that makes it onto this secondary list will vary largely based on the conditions where you live and personal preferences but the kind of things you may want to think about are those items which provide maximum benefit for minimal space constraints.

In your survival backpack loadout, consider packing a lightweight, energy efficient, and durable ebook reader or Kindle containing essential ebooks for survival, first aid, and bushcraft as well as a wide variety of fiction if you can spare the space.

How to Pack your Gear – Loading up your Bug Out Backpack

1. Tent – If your bug out bag contains a tent, tarp or similar shelter, it will almost certainly be the largest (and heaviest) bit of kit you’re carrying. With this in mind, you want to pack it into your bag first. Pack your tent vertically in your backpack with the weight distributed towards your back.
2. Sleeping Bag / Sleeping Mat – If you opt for a more substantial sleeping bag or a sleeping mat, pack it beside your tent to balance out the weight and help keep you balanced.
3. Cooking Equipment – Pack stove, bowls and silverware or similar sized items next as well as a secondary fire starting method and solid fuel.
4. Spares – If your survival backpack has a lower compartment, use this area to store spare clothing and if you’re kit contains one, a spare poncho (which can be used to wrap and protect the clothing here).
5. Flashlight, Gas, Water Filter – Keep your primary illumination source, stove fuel and a water filtration system such as a Lifestraw in a side pocket for quick and easy access if needed.
6. Water Bottle and Secondary Tools – Balance weight by storing important tools such as a multitool/Swiss army knife and your primary water bottle or a canteen in the opposite side pocket. Again, if you can go for a bottle that doubles up as a water filtration system to maximize the effectiveness and utility of your gear.
7. Food and Nutrition – Store food items toward the top of your pack but also distribute around different pockets and easy access points (particularly things like energy bars) for quick accessibility.
8. Waterproof – Keep a poncho or waterproof jacket at the top of your pack so you can get under cover quickly if needed.
9. First Aid and Essential Tools – Pack your first aid kit within immediate reach at the top of your bag along with a high-quality survival knife, matches or lighter (in waterproof pouch) and energy bars.

Survival Backpack Essentials – What to Look For in the Best Bug Out Backpack

Choosing the best bug out backpack or bag for your specific needs is an exercise that by its very nature will require thinking about a lot of different considerations, scenarios, and personal preferences to ensure you end up with the perfect pack for the job.

Comfort is obviously high on the list of priorities when finding the best bug out backpack for the situation at hand, but so is style, capacity, construction materials, functionality, and features.

Even things like color are going to represent a critical success factor for picking the best bug out backpack for use in an emergency scenario with urban survival situations for example, requiring a different set of design considerations to carrying a bug out backpack in a rural, wooded, or even desert environment.

With these areas in mind, this part of the guide looks at the specific elements that go into making the best survival backpacks and bug out bags and will help you think about some of the more specific components and features that go into most of the packs out there.

Bug Out Backpack Consideration #1 – Range

While there’s really no such thing as a ‘standard’ length of time that a bug out or survival backpack should look to have you covered, the commonly agreed rule of thumb is that unless you have a specific bug out plan in place, you should be looking to find a backpack or survival carrying solution that will see you through a minimum of 72 hours/3 days of use.

72 Hour Bags

Most of the best bug out backpacks will tend to be marketed as providing 72 hours of ‘range’ and what this really comes down to is primarily how much gear you’re going to be able to carry on you (i.e. a 3 day supply of nutrition, hydration, shelter, and other essential survival kit), as well as the practical comfort considerations associated with use over this length of time.

If you’re looking for a bug out backpack that’s going to provide that balance between adequate coverage in the face of the uncertainties of a survival situation while still making sure you’re not under-prepared or over-encumbered, a survival bag with 72 hours of coverage is probably what you’re going to aim for.

The best bug out backpacks within the 72 hour range are going to provide enough room to pack everything from suitable shelter through to emergency food supplies, water filtration, illumination, and the other essential tools and equipment for surviving up to three days.

24-48 Hour Bags

For situations where the objective is to get out of an area quickly and safely but not necessarily to evacuate for a prolonged period of time, the best bug out backpack may be one with a smaller packing and weight profile but that still provides enough coverage to see you through a period of 1-2 days.

A 24 hour tactical day pack is often a great choice as a survival backpack for getting you out of immediate harm when danger is close and you either need to get home, to a larger stockpile of supplies, or just need to get to safety as soon as possible.

Similarly, a bug out backpack designed for up to 2 days of use is going to provide a good range if you’re looking to keep a few more supplies on hand but aren’t anticipating a prolonged period of survival.

The important consideration when choosing a bug out backpack or survival backpack within this range is that while you’re going to benefit from reduced weight constraints when packing and carrying 1-2 days of gear, you’re also going to be considerably more exposed to longer term survival risks with a reduced packing profile on hand.

Bug Out Backpack Consideration #2 – Storage Space and Access

Similar to the concept of range, the storage space and compartments on a bug out backpack determine how much (and where) you’ll be able to pack the gear on your bag.

From the main compartment of the bag, to supplementary areas, pockets, and external pouches, the storage space on the bug out backpack you choose will be the major consideration when it comes to how much you’re going to be able to carry on you in an emergency situation.

Backpack Access

Top loading access is without a doubt the most common kind of opening you’re going to find on most bug out backpacks and will offer the most effective way of packing and unpacking your gear when you need to if packed in the right order.

Front loading packs can also offer a good alternative to traditional styles of bug out backpack, particularly if you’re looking for a way to get at all of your gear quickly.

Organization

For every kind of survival backpack, internal organization and division is something you’ll want to look for when thinking about the best bug out backpack for your needs and most bags will offer some level of dividing system for keeping your gear separated when inside the pack.

Pockets

Pockets will vary by type and size across most bug out backpacks, but generally speaking you’re going to be looking at a mixture of open and zippered pocket storage inside and on the exterior of the bag.

Map pockets and hydration bladder pockets are common inside the best bug out backpacks and are an excellent way for distributing and separating these elements of your survival gear when packing and on the road.

Latching Points and Additional Modular Storage Options

External webbing is an essential addition to the best survival backpacks as it allows for the attachment of modular storage pouches which can significantly extend the storage capacity of your bag.

MOLLE storage expansion is common in the best bug out backpack solutions and represents an incredibly effective way of ‘bolting on’ additional pouches for accessing specific elements of your gear such as first aid supplies, ammunition, food, and other essentials without digging through the rest of your kit to lay your hands on what you need.

If you’re thinking packing space within your bag may become an issue, then utilizing the surface area on the outside of a bug out backpack is one of the best ways to expand your carrying capacity with minimal effort and cost.

Bug Out Backpack Consideration #3 – Carrying Comfort and Ventilation

If you find yourself evacuating an emergency situation or disaster with three days of gear on your back, then choosing the best bug out backpack for continued comfort is a key factor to ensuring you get where you’re going as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Padding

The inclusion of adequate padding on a bag may seem like an obvious addition when choosing the best bug out backpack or the best survival backpack for use over any length of time but it’s one of those often overlooked areas that you don’t think about until it’s too late to do anything about.

The main areas where padding matters most on a bug out or survival backpack are the components that will bear most of the weight and be in the most frequent direct contact with your body.

Carrying comfort is the ultimate aim of the game when it comes to finding a bug out backpack with adequate padding so you’re going to want to find a pack that focuses padding on the areas which are likely to be under the most stress and where you’ll be feeling the majority of the burden from the bag.

With this in mind, look for a bag that features a good level of padding on the obvious areas such as the straps, back, and any hip belts or additional support areas, as well as those which actively promote the combined ventilation properties of any padding on offer.

Ventilation

If you’ve ever carried a backpack for any prolonged period of time, you’ll know the importance of adequate airflow when it comes to regulating your temperature (and reducing sweat!), minimizing discomfort, and making sure you’re able to carry your gear for as long as needed, no matter the conditions you find yourself in.

The best bug out backpacks and survival backpacks will feature some kind of mesh system or a dedicated ventilation system to encourage airflow and reduce sweating during longer periods of use.

Don’t overlook the importance of good ventilation when it comes to finding the best bug out backpack for use, particularly if you’re likely to be carrying your pack for prolonged periods of time or in warmer climates.

Bug Out Backpack Consideration #4 – Color and Finish

Choosing the best survival backpack for the job is always going to be a highly subjective endeavor with requirements and bag considerations varying widely between situations.

For example, the requirement for the material of a bug out backpack to be fully waterproof is significantly less important if you’re likely to be using it in arid conditions as opposed to temperate or colder climates.

It’s therefore important to think carefully about the kinds of environment and conditions you’re likely to be operating in with your bug out backpack in the event of an emergency situation unfolding and using this as a starting point for choosing the best survival backpack (in terms of construction and finish) based upon these criteria and factors.

Construction and Materials

Most of the best survival backpacks and bug out backpacks tend to be constructed from some form of extremely hard-wearing and durable material such as nylon or Cordura.

Generally speaking, the best bug out backpacks will display the properties of the material used in terms of a metric called ‘denier’ or ‘D’ (for example 1050D nylon).

The denier rating of a backpack doesn’t refer specifically to the ‘strength’ of the material used in the bag, but rather, refers to the weight. Strength is typically derived from the actual weave of the fabric, but in terms of abrasion resistance (think durability and resistance to wear and tear over prolonged periods of use), a bag measuring 500D is going to be less resistant to abrasion than one coming in at 1000D.

Color and Finish

Choosing the best bug out backpack color can be a tough one and while there’s no right or wrong answer to finding the best color or design for your bag, there are a couple of things that can be useful to keep in mind.

If you’re looking to pick the best survival backpack for use in any kind of wilderness situation – such as for forest, desert, snow, or similar uses – there can be a strong case for specifically opting for a bug out backpack that factors these environments into the design.

This may mean a specific camo finish or a flat color that’s sympathetic to these environments (like an olive drab or tan finish).

If however, you’re looking to put together an all-purpose bug out backpack solution that you can grab and go from home or a vehicle and that will serve you in multiple scenarios, you’re probably going to want to be thinking about a flat darker color such as a black or gray finish.

The major advantage of this last category is that firstly you’re going to draw considerably less attention in a disaster or emergency situation if you opt for a bag that ‘blends in’ and doesn’t promote the fact that you’re actually more prepared than your low-key backpack suggests.

Nothing shouts “I’m prepared, come and take my gear/question me!” like a camo or obvious military application backpack, so if you’re in an urban area or looking to keep a low profile in an emergency situation (recommended), then a less conspicuous color scheme on your bag is a good choice.

The Last Word

When it comes to any of our equipment rundowns and reviews, we reference as many expert sources, and real-world user reviews as possible when looking to provide the most relevant and educational information on the ins and outs of the best bug out backpacks and survival backpack solutions.

Finding the best bug out backpack or survival backpack for your specific situation is ultimately a highly personal activity with individual needs and preferences sometimes varying considerably between people, locations, and uses.

With these considerations in mind, this guide looks to provide advice on our own opinions of the best bug out backpacks and survival backpacks available today, however, it’s always important to carry out your own due diligence to find the best solution for you when picking a bag that’s perfect for your situation.