The idea of using my tool bag as my bug out bag may have crossed my mind on more occasions than I can count. I used to have it very often when I started prepping until I seemed to have forgotten about it. Until very recently. When I happened upon my backpack-style tool bag, which had spent years laying in the basement collecting dust.
And now, with the bag long been replaced, there was nothing at stake & I had no reason not to try out how a tool bag would work as a bug out bag.
The bag I used for this exercise is the DeWalt DGL523 Tool Bag, so there may be some differences to your tool bag, but I doubt they would be significant. Let’s look at the features I found great & those which are otherwise.
The Desirable Features Of Using My Tool Bag As My Bug Out Bag
Shoulder Straps
Since they are designed to carry many heavy tools, most tool bags have 2 heavily padded shoulder straps that can be adjusted. The padding means the bag is comfortable to the back & the straps never dig into you.
Your bug out bag has to have padded & adjustable straps since you’ll be carrying it about a lot. The typical weight of a BOB is between 25-50 pounds. If you’re carrying such a load for hours, you want to have straps that will ensure your shoulders don’t turn sore.
Padded Carry Handle
Like most of the others, my tool bag has a small padded handle to carry it on top in case you choose not to use the back straps. I can’t tell of other tool bags (you may be suffering constant tearing away of these handles), but the one on my bag holds very well. I am convinced a good tool bag would have an excellent carry handle.
This particular bag has two handles: one on the front & back. Holding both handles ensures the weight of the load is appropriately distributed. So, when looking for a tool bag to use as your BOB, you want one with two padded carry handles.
Base Pad Feet
The exterior bottom of my bag features base pad feet — as most tool bags do. These feet give the bag an elevation off the ground when dropped, thereby reducing wear & tear to the bag’s bottom.
These feet will also ensure that the bottom of your bag is kept dry if it is set down in slightly wet conditions. However, note that the elevation I talk about isn’t high enough to prevent my bag’s bottom from getting wet if I place it in a puddle of water.
A Lot of Compartments
My bag boasts nearly 50 separate pockets, compartments & straps — thus providing you with a neat level of organization. It is typical to pack your bug out bag as much as you can to be ready for whatever comes your way. You’ll agree with me that having such a bag is invaluable.
A bag that allows great organization allows you to access your gear & supplies quickly & efficiently. If you have any tool bag with plenty of compartments lying about, you can get it already.
Built-in Light
I’m not sure that this is common with most tool bags, but mine has it. If yours has a built-in light, too, you can bet that’s a great feature for BOBs.
The light in my bag is a 39-lumen LED that operates on two batteries. This light is sealed in a plastic frame that you can adjust through rotation. There’s a small button to turn the light on & off by the side.
This light does a good job of lighting up the front compartments of the bag whenever I need to search for an item. However, you may not be lucky with the LED light if you’ve left your tool bag unattended for years. Only one out of the 3 I found still worked.
Durable Zippers
Zippers in tool bags are usually disappointing — just like the carry handle. What they do most is break or get stuck. This can be manageable in a tool bag but never in a BOB bag. So if your tool bag has poor zippers, you may want to replace them before using them as a BOB.
My bag has great zippers that have remained good over the years. At first, they were rusty, but it was nothing a little lubrication couldn’t do.
You need your bug out bag to be easily accessible during an emergency. I’ve once been unable to open my zippers while afield & I had to cut through with my pocket knife.
The Not-so-great Observations of Using my Tool Bag as my Bug Out Bag
Rigid Frame
Tool bags are meant to carry heavy tools about, so they tend to have rigid & firm frames. This is attributed to the fact that these bags have to be durable.
My bag has a very hard bottom, and while this is a nice feature that I like, I also dislike it. Sure, it helps to ensure that heavy gear does not cut through the bottom, but this hardness is usually felt on my back, which makes me uncomfortable. It’s like a minor snag on your littlest toe — little but frustrating.
Storage Space
The storage capacity of tool bags cannot be compared to what you get from the standard bug out bags. In fact, some regular backpacks may offer more space than tool bags.
The main feature of these bags isn’t their space: rather, it’s the organization. This is why my bag has many pockets, compartments & straps. You may have to leave some essentials behind when packing your tool bag.
Price
I paid little for my bag, considering that I bought it several years ago. However, you would have to splurge a lot of money on a tool bag like mine these days. The price of this DeWalt was nearly three figures when I started writing this & there are even more expensive bags.
This may not be a problem, though, as any standard military, outdoor pack, or tool bag will cost even higher.
Final Lines On Using My Tool Bag As My Bug Out Bag
I’ve come to realize that using my tool bag as my bug out bag isn’t a terrible idea. The pros far outweigh the cons, so I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of carrying the DeWalt on my next camping trip to see how practical it is. Let’s hear from you: have you tried to use your tool bag as a BOB before?