When SHTF, preppers carefully consider all their options before bugging in or bugging out. If you decide to bug out, you need to prepare your bug-out vehicle to ensure that you and your family can reach your location with all the supplies that you may need on the road. (h/t to TheSurvivalistBlog.net)
If you have the means to do so, outfit a separate bug-out vehicle for your family. If you don't have the funds to purchase another vehicle for bugging out, don't worry – you can still prepare the car you use regularly.
Equip your bug-out vehicle with food, water, and other survival supplies. You'll also need multipurpose prepping tools to keep your equipment light and portable.
Consider getting a bug-out car with off-road capabilities to ensure that you can drive it on rough terrain even if you're pulling a trailer that's heavy with gear and supplies.
Choosing the best bug-out car
Here are some crucial considerations before you spend money on a second vehicle or before you put time and effort into turning your current car into a bug-out vehicle.
How many capable drivers are in your group?
Never assume that you'll always be in good condition to drive. If you get hurt, someone else needs to be able to drive so the whole group can safely reach your location.
You may also need a partner who can drive well so that when SHTF, you can both drive two different vehicles, effectively doubling the supplies that you can bring along with you.
Mileage and fuel storage
Large military-style trucks, an old school bus, or a tractor-trailer are potential bug-out vehicles, but these options have mileage issues and they need extensive refueling, especially if your bug-out location is far from your homestead.
Consider a bug-out car graded to get a minimum of 23 to 27 miles per gallon (MPG). A higher MPG is ideal, but this means you might have to go with a smaller car with less storage space.
Do you need a four-wheel drive (4WD) diesel bug-out car?
A car with a diesel engine offers two advantages as a bug-out vehicle:
- Fuel flexibility – If you know how, you can make your own biodiesel fuel after gas stations are no longer functional.
- Longevity – On average, diesel fuel can last at least 10 times as long as gasoline.
If you're using a truck as a bug-out vehicle, get a "truck tent" and set it up in the bed of the truck or extend it to the ground as a sleeping quarter. An SUV or a pickup truck that is spacious enough should be outfitted with a locked truck bed box or two to add more storage space.
How many supplies are you bringing?
The answer to this depends on the size of your group, especially if you're bringing along pets and livestock. The weight of the supplies you need to bring will also affect fuel usage, speed, and tire wear of your car.
Review the specs of any vehicle that you're going to use when you bug out. Do a test run to see if your theory will be applicable when SHTF. (Related: How to bug out in your car.)
SUVs and trucks as bug-out vehicles
SUVs and trucks are suitable bug-out cars, but they each have their own pros and cons. Unlike a military surplus truck or heavy-duty all-terrain vehicle, you may need to spend more if you want to upgrade an SUV or truck to make it more EMP-proof and bullet resistant.
Other options like a 4WD can haul fewer supplies and people, but it will have better gas mileage than a larger truck. The former will also still be able to haul a trailer.
Cars with modular interiors
Recreational vehicles (RVs), like campers or motorhomes, are considered modular interior vehicles. If you're using this particular type of vehicle to bug out, you can either leave it as is or remove the interior so it can carry more survival gear and passengers.
Both camper and motorhomes are multi-use bug-out vehicles and they can easily hide your supplies without letting your neighbors know about your SHTF plans. During quiet times, RVs can also be used for their intended purpose – going on vacation or practicing your survival skills outdoors.
RVs also have other benefits, such as:
- Having enough room so you can travel with your pets.
- Being a portable mini-homestead that can be parked in a bug-out location long-term so you can cultivate a small garden and even some livestock.
- Offering mobility and the ability to quickly travel to safer destinations.
- Having a bedroom, kitchen, shower, toiler, and transportation all in one vehicle.
Trailers and livestock for bugging out
Different types of trailers are compatible with SUVs, trucks, or other bug-out cars. If you have livestock, it is worth training them so they can pull a trailer over rugged off-road terrain when SHTF.
Unlike cars, livestock like horses will only require bags of grain, along with enough land to bale hay for winter consumption and pasture during warmer months.
If you own livestock, a livestock trailer is another good option for you. These types of trailers can easily haul both your supplies and people, and you can retrofit them to be used as basic living quarters.
Choose a bug-out car that suits your needs, and make sure it is easy to fix, dependable, and affordable. Considering these factors ensures that you will have an easier time bugging out if and when SHTF.
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