121: Making the Most of What You Have in a Bug-Out Vehicle (BOV)

No vehicle is perfect for everything. This doesn’t mean it isn’t good enough.

Your vehicle can be good enough, but you need to consider:

• Your Vehicles Capabilities
• Where you are, where you are going, and everything between

Vehicle Capabilities to consider

• Terrain during transit
• Terrain at your Bug-Out Location (BOL).
• Storage Room
• How far you can go on stored fuel

How much storage room does your vehicle have?

• Your vehicle needs to hold your family
• Your vehicle needs to hold your gear

Your Bug-Out Vehicle (BOV) needs to hold your family.

• Each adult takes a seat.
• Each child could take up more with a carseat.
• Each child not in a carseat could take half a seat.
• Car, SUV, Minivan, Van, ETC?
• Another Variable: Will you take one vehicle or two?

Your Bug-Out Vehicle (BOV) needs to hold your gear.

Assumptions:

You have a Bug-Out Bag (BOB)

A pre-stocked Bug-Out Vehicle (BOV)

When SHTF, you will grab as much stuff from your home as possible.

Your vehicle must be able to hold all of your gear.

• You will pack the back full
• Everyone will stuff items under their seats
• Can your suspension system handle this weight?
• You may add a car-top carrier
• You could add a trailer

How far can your Bug-Out Vehicle (BOV) go on stored fuel?

(I plan to go more in depth on the next podcast, but I will quickly cover a few points)

• Most vehicles can go around 350 miles on a tank of fuel… 180 miles on half a tank.
• Keep your tank full.
• Get a larger tank
• Carry extra fuel with you (safely)

You should make sure your Bug-Out Vehicle (BOV) works:

• Where you are at
• Where you are going
• And any terrain that could be on your route

You need to choose a vehicle that can carry everyone and everything you need:

• Don’t leave behind vital gear
• Worse… don’t leave behind a family member or pet because you didn’t have room.

Be responsible… choose a vehicle for travel capabilities, storage room, and fuel consumption.  

Don’t become the guy with a supped-up Jeep that overheated or ran out of gas and broke down in stopped traffic.  That amazing off-road vehicle isn’t so amazing anymore… is it?