I came across Death Valley Magazine earlier this week; it's a daily blog targeted towards private military contractors and those who want to be PMCs. It's a fun read (profanity alert though for the sensitive) and the blog's authors/contributors approach some of the conventional survival/urban survival concepts with their own, no-BS point of view. I like it, though your mileage may vary.
In this article, they ask the question - do you really need a bug out bag? They point out that the bug out bag is intended to be the one thing that you grab on your way out the door; basically you hear that trouble is coming and have to be out the door, now.
The DVM guys come to the conclusion that for the most part, a dedicated BOB is not needed for prepared individuals in the first world. For the vast majority of disasters in 1st world countries they say, you will either have some advanced warning (hurricanes, floods, riots), zero warning (terrorist attack) or your best bet will probably be to bug in (pandemic). Here's their conclusion:
So in my opinion the reasons for having a BOB don’t really pan out, in just about every instance where you are supposed to use one you can’t. And the times you would need to evacuate you would have far enough advance notice that you would have time to pack an entire car or fortify your current location.
So what do you guys think? Do you need a bug out bag, or is it a niche item, overemphasized by the survival/prep gurus of the world in an attempt to get you to buy more gear?