Book Review: Realistic Bug Out Bag by Max Cooper

I read a lot of books and have a personal library of over 900 books which is almost exclusively non-fiction. To me reading is an activity that I really enjoy as it provides relaxation, knowledge, and information. I am constantly looking to expand my knowledge base. I also read a lot of books on all aspects of survival, prepping, and emergency preparedness. Unfortunately, these genres tend to produce a lot of books that are not the best quality and are quite frankly worthless. With the advent of self-publishing through Amazon it seems that everyone thinks they can write a book on these topics. In reality, many of these books are short being under 50 pages, contain lists, and lack very little new information or insight. One of the main problems with such short books is that they never focus on details. All the information is very superficial and of little value to anyone who has even the slightest amount of experience. A few months ago I read a book called Realistic Bug Out Bag by Max Cooper and I felt like I hit the jackpot.

Finally, a great book on bug out bags that is not just a packing list of items to throw in a bag. This book is well thought out and contains relevant information, which I believe, will benefit all preppers from the newbie to those with years of experience. Even though I have years of experience I still picked up some very valuable information in this book. I should also say that I do not think it is possible for one book to be so comprehensive that it provides every nugget of information that you will need. This book is no exception. Yet, compared to every other bug out bag book I have read this one is head and shoulders above the rest. This book contains 170 pages of information that is relevant to building a bug out bag that you can use should you need to immediately evacuate. Let’s review the book.

Topics covered include: Kit methodology, bug out bag assessment, fire, water, food, shelter, light, communications, clothing, medical, weapons, pets, miscellaneous items, summary, resources, and references. I am going to highlight items that I believe are relevant to anyone who reads this book.

• First, I like that the author stresses that the weight of your bug out bag is always going to be a significant priority since you may be forced to walk for miles for a host of reasons. 

• Many authors also talk about using a bug out bag that allows you to ‘blend into your environment’ but Cooper discusses another approach. Without giving away his information I like his ideas about not necessarily blending in. 

• Cooper goes on to provide a Bug Out Bag Assessment that I think is genius. If you take the time to complete the assessment in an honest manner you will know whether you are mentally, physically, and medically capable of bugging out with your bag. In many respects this is an aspect that a lot of preppers tend to overlook. They tend to ignore their weaknesses which will have disastrous consequences in a SHTF situation. Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring facts does not make them go away! In my opinion the assessment is worth the price of the book. 

• The author goes on to stress that your BOB should be light, mobile, and efficient. With this in mind Cooper goes on to discuss options for items that you can use in your BOB. 

• Another aspect of the book that I really like, and proves to me that Cooper knows what he is talking about, is the section on food. Way too many preppers say you do not need food in your BOB as most BOB’s are designed to get you through the first 72 hours. These “preppers” advocate that you do not carry food or that you carry a couple of energy bars. Yes, we can all survive about 30 days without food but who wants to do so! More importantly, have you ever done three full days without food? Even during the first 72 hours of a crisis you are going to need to be able to think clearly and provide your body necessary fuel in the form of food. 

• Cooper talks about bugging out with elderly parents, young children, and pets. Each of these situations presents unique challenges that must be worked out ahead of time. 

• The Weapons section on firearms talks about a host of relevant skills that one must have in addition to basic marksmanship skills. Again, this is really good information as too many preppers incorrectly believe that your ability to shoot is the most important and they fail to have even a basic understanding of tactics and other important survival skills. 

• The book provides good use of photographs. 

Throughout Realistic Bug Out Bag there are gems of information that are only known and obtained through experience. Too many books fail to provide the little gems of information that truly make the book worth the cost. That is not the case with this book. This book has earned a spot on my bookshelf and is a book that I will read again at some point in the future. If you were to read one book on bug out bags this is the one. It is well written, well organized, and full of useful and insightful information that many other BOB books lack. 

As of the writing of this review the book is priced at $9.29 which is definitely a bargain. At this time it does not appear that a Kindle version is available. Remember, this book contains 170 pages of information and is not a 50 page pamphlet of lists. This book makes a great gift for the prepper in your life. 

Pick up your copy on Amazon at: Realistic Bug Out Bag by Max Cooper

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. As always: Stay Safe

TC

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