When the order comes to leave, you won’t have time to think. You’ll only have time to grab and go.

The Family Bug Out Bag Checklist is the most comprehensive family-focused BOB resource in the Collapse Ready Household series. Built for real families — not solo operators — this checklist accounts for every member of your household, from the adults running security and navigation down to the toddlers who depend entirely on your preparation.

Most bug-out checklists are written for a single adult with military experience and no dependents. This one isn’t. This checklist is built around the reality that your family moves together, carries together, and survives together — and that a 6-year-old’s bag looks nothing like a 40-year-old’s.

Inside you’ll find fully itemized bag contents for adults, teenagers, pre-teens, and toddlers — each calibrated to realistic carry weight, age-appropriate tools, and the specific role that person plays in a family bug-out scenario. You’ll also find optional chest rig and plate carrier loadouts for armed adults and older teens, along with a complete weapons and ammunition guide covering primary long guns, secondary sidearms, and consolidated family ammo loads.

This isn’t a shopping list. It’s a system.

What’s covered:

Adult BOB — full load, trauma kit, navigation, comms, shelter, food, water, tools, documents, and power
Teen BOB (14–17) — scaled carry weight with genuine contributor role
Adolescent BOB (8–13) — age-appropriate tools and realistic independence
Toddler load (0–5) — distributed carry between adults with full infant-specific supply list
Chest rig and plate carrier configuration options with IFAK placement
Weapons loadout per person — primary long guns, sidearms, and caliber recommendations
Consolidated family ammunition table with realistic weight calculations
Pre-departure master checklist and annual drill reminders

Whether you’re building your first family bag or auditing a system you’ve had for years, this checklist gives you a clear, no-guesswork standard to measure against.

Because when systems fail — your family shouldn’t.

Bug Out Planning

72-Hour Family Go-Bag Checklist