If you’re a prepper, you’ve surely heard of a bug-out bag or BOB, but have you ever heard of an INCH bag?
If there’s one thing that preppers love besides getting all of the gear and equipment we predict we’ll must survive a catastrophe, it’s coming up with clever acronyms for our luggage.
A BOB is a bug-out bag, a GHB is a get-home bag. But what about an INCH bag? What is an INCH bag, exactly?
An INCH bag, or I’m-never-coming-home bag, is largely a supersized bug-out bag designed to assist someone sustain away from home for a reasonably long time period, no less than a few weeks.
If a bug-out bag is the one you reach for when there’s a probability of constructing it back home or to a pre-selected secure location, the INCH bag is the one you reach for while you really need to move for the hills.
Ideally, an INCH bag will contain every thing it’s essential fully sustain yourself anywhere that you simply might go.
It is a much greater bag, and in addition a much greater undertaking to assemble one. I’ll let you know more about them below…
Isn’t an INCH Bag Just a BOB?
If you’ve heard an INCH bag talked about in conversations around prepping, personal readiness, and survival you may have come to the conclusion that the term is just interchangeable with a BOB, or bug-out bag.
This is sensible, because they’re each large bags, often rucksacks, full of survival gear. And in actual fact sometimes the terms are used interchangeably.
But if you should get really specific about things, these two bags have a separate taxonomy, in a matter of speaking.
Although any given person’s bug-out bag is perhaps slightly smaller and leaner, or slightly larger and beefier in comparison with anyone else’s, a bug-out bag is ultimately chosen with a specific amount of practicality and mobility in mind.
An INCH bag, then again, is invariably significantly heavier than that very same individual’s bug-out bag.
Where putting together a bug-out bag all the time revolves around selections, probabilities, tradeoffs and compromises to raised ensure mobility and reduce fatigue, the INCH bag is perhaps higher regarded as a “kitchen sink bag”.
You pack it knowing it will be a monster to maneuver and carry, relatively, in exchange for higher capability.
How Long Should an INCH Bag Sustain You?
At least 2 weeks and preferably more. Some people construct around the concept that you might be really never coming home in case you are reaching for it.
An INCH bag will ideally prepare you to you sustain almost indefinitely in a given environment by equipping you with tools and materials to maximise your efforts in that environment.
But there isn’t a set metric for a way long an INCH bag should sustain you.
INCH bags, like bug-out bags, are entirely user-specific. That being said, those folks construct a bug-out bag with the notion that it’s going to help them survive anywhere from a number of days to every week at most.
An INCH bag gives you a clue within the name, “I’m never coming home”, and while it is perhaps slightly hyperbolic, it’s not by much.
When I assemble my INCH bag, I need it to assist me sustain comfortably with almost zero effort for every week even in the midst of the wilderness, and simply for at least 2 weeks and beyond.
I do pack it with the intention of supplementing what I carry with natural materials, though.
What Gear Should You Include in an INCH Bag?
An INCH bag will include all of the standard stuff you set in a BOB and rather a lot more. But beyond this, it’s going to place more emphasis on the inclusion of drugs to assist you sustain and thrive wherever you occur to be.
Consider the next additions as hallmarks of an INCH bag loadout:
1. Enhanced shelter kit
Consisting of additional cordage, tarps, emergency blankets, tools, fasteners, and more that may help you construct a more substantial and sturdy shelter with less effort and time.
2. Rations
Hopefully your environment will supply much of your food if you might have the abilities, however the INCH bag should offer you enough food to maintain you going for hopefully an entire week, even whether it is a lean week.
Pack shelf-stable, high calorie foods, and expanded mess kit to assist you take advantage of them.
3. Expanded first-aid kit and medications
Digestive ailments, diarrhea, nausea and things like that shall be more of an element than usual. Bring meds accordingly.
Also bring sunscreen, bug sting and bite relief, spare prescription eyewear and what it’s essential care for it, any required prescription medications, and so forth.
4. Hygiene kit
You’re going to be on the market long enough that keeping yourself in good condition goes to do wonders for you mentally and physically.
Consider bringing a razor, extra deodorant, toenail clippers, etc.
How Heavy is an INCH Bag?
Compared to a BOB, an INCH bag goes to be significantly heavier. Speaking for myself and my peers, most of our INCH bags weigh no less than 50 kilos, and several other of us have INCH bags weighing 70 kilos or slightly over.
This is an amazing amount of weight to hold in case you aren’t in great shape and conditioned to it, so be sure you’re putting within the work so you’ll be able to actually move it on foot if you might have to.
