5 overlooked items you need in your bug out bag.

Here are 5 unconventional but powerful items most people forget to pack in their bug-out bag.

Each one lightweight, multi-use, and potentially life-saving when the grid goes down:

ON SURVIVAL is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

1. Duct Tape (Wrapped Around a Pen or Bottle)

Forget the bulky roll — wrap a few feet around your flashlight or water bottle. It can repair gear, seal leaks, splint injuries, waterproof shoes, or even serve as emergency tinder.

2. Safety Pins

Tiny but invaluable. Use them to repair clothing, secure bandages, hang gear, or even pick locks in a pinch. A handful weighs almost nothing yet offers dozens of survival uses.

3. Contractor Garbage Bags (Heavy-Duty)

These aren’t ordinary trash bags. They can become ponchos, ground covers, solar stills, or improvised shelters. Strong, waterproof, and worth their weight in gold when you need flexibility.

4. Crank-Powered Emergency Radio with USB Output

It’s not truly “unconventional,” but it’s shockingly overlooked. A hand-crank radio gives you access to weather alerts and can charge small devices without electricity — vital when communication networks fail.

5. Cash in Small Bills

In a grid-down situation, cards and crypto mean nothing. A small stash of $1s, $5s, and $10s can buy food, gas, or passage when digital systems crash.

ON SURVIVAL is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.