Go Bags v Bug Out Bags

While many use go bags and bobs interchangeably, I think there are a few key differences that need to be addressed.

1.  Bug Out Bags (called BOBs) are designed for rough terrain – they are usually designed by survivalists for preppers who intend to walk/ through hike to a bug out location and would need survival items for camping/surviving off the land for a few days (usually 72 hours); they often include tents or raps and paracord, bed rolls, camp stoves, water collection, etc.  Go Bags, on the other hand, usually have a more “suburban”
   connotation – they are bags packed and designed for getting in the car and going at a moments notice.
2. Bobs focus on highly specialized gear while Go Bags are mostly what you have on hands with one or two specialty items; because Bobs are survivalist specific they usually have lots of gear – like gunshot kits, weather radios, ham radios or other communication devices, knives and multi tools, bed rolls and tents, camp stoves, ground navigation – just to name a few.  Go Bags may have one or two pieces of Prepping “gear” while the majority of the items are “normal” home items that can easily be rotated annually for freshness and updating.
3.   Go bags can work in tandem with a car kit. Because Go Bags are deigned to primarily be used for car travel (though, should have elements for foot travel stocked as back up), you can design them to work in tandem with a car kit. My car kit contains a full first aid kit with cpr mask and liquid skin. I plan on adding a suture kit as well. Because of this I carry only a small first aid kit with some OTC, like acetaminophen and Imodium, in my Go Bag. This gives me space for other items. BOBs are designed to be all-in-one; this makes them bulky and often much heavier than the average go bag.
4. Go bags are highly functions for lots of emergencies – go bags have changes of clothes, toiletries, food and water, maps and official documents, a little bit of money, meds, and a few other personal items to make 2-3 days away from home more comfortable. Depending upon your most likely scenarios, you can adjust your go bag easily – say adding winter weather layers in case to need to grab the bag and get out faster than scrounging for a scarf will allow; or you can plan a go bag to act as an evacuation bag with a weeks worth of basics, and a few valuables stored away preemptively. A go bag for kids might center around snacks and a few lovies or small toys to keep them occupied and calm during your “go” time. Because the focus isn’t rough terrain survival, go bags have more space to be highly personalized, and can annually or seasonally be updated to reflect your changing needs. They’re often lighter and more accessible to  those of us with average strength and stamina.

At the end of the day, which style you want to pack and keep on hand is dependent upon what your priorities are. If hiking through woods/ rough terrain is a likely scenario for you in the event of an emergency, a BOB complete with cap gear may be the best option. But if you’re most likely to be evacuating/relocating to a hotel/friend’s place/vacation home/ or shelter then you will want to center your bag on highly functional and common items.