What's in your Bug Out Bag?

[Jen]

I'm currious what items everyone considers essential in their bug out bags? What items are essential, what items are simply there to make things easier or more comfortable, but non-essential?

Also, if money were not an option, and you can have anything you want in your bug out bag, regardless of the cost, what items would you want to have in your BOB?

[tedbo]

Essentials for me would be plenty of t.p.and firestarting equipment.Next would be the ability to bathe fairly frequently.Sanitation should be uppermost as it keeps the bad things from invading your system.Keeping the body in good shape helps to maintain the stress levels better.
A good mindset with an attitude of getting thru whatever situation your in will do wonders for the body.

[tactical razorback]

First I think that the term BOB is misleading. I prefer to think of it as an "EB" (Emergency Bag).
There is so much discussion on the BOB Vs. BIB, Vs GMHB, Etc, Etc.
A generig bag, loaded with the essentials, iswhat I have & maintain. I'm not locked in to exiting, staying, or anything else that way.
Second I don't think that price will be the main concideration. Weight, bulk, and function are far more important than the cost of the hardware.
I've also discovered that, to a certain extent, function & comfort can be combined.
You HAVE to have the essentials, water, food, shelter, medical, and defence/offence. Probably in that order.
I also think that by using suitable materials, sometimes from the supermarket, allows a great deal more choice in most of these categories. Just because it is sold as a "Survival" item doesn't guarantee it's any better than a suitable substitute. Example: I have freeze-dried soups, and meals from the local supermarket in my EB, not MRE's. This compines function & comfort without a penalty. An open mind is a big asset in a survival situation, probably the biggest one.
I've listed my EB a couple of times, the latest (tested) incarnation is here:
Link.
http://www.survivalfiles.info/forums/showthread.php?t=35