INCH Bag Guide: I’m Never Coming Home Bag
An INCH bag: short for “I’m Never Coming Home”: is the most comprehensive emergency bag a prepper can build. Unlike a standard bug out bag designed for 72 hours, an INCH bag is packed for an indefinite period: the scenario where you are leaving your home, your city, and your normal life behind permanently, with no expectation of returning.
This is an extreme preparedness concept, and the scenarios that require it are rare. But for serious preppers planning for grid-down collapses, TEOTWAWKI events, or scenarios where their region becomes permanently uninhabitable, an INCH bag is the ultimate go-bag. This guide explains what makes an INCH bag different, what goes in one, and how to build yours.
INCH Bag vs BOB: Key Differences
| Feature | INCH Bag | Bug Out Bag (BOB) |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Indefinite: never going home | 72 hours |
| Focus | Long-term sustainability | Short-term survival |
| Weight | Heavy (35–60+ lbs) | Moderate (25–40 lbs) |
| Unique items | Seeds, tools, long-term fire, skills equipment | 72-hr food, water, shelter basics |
| Frame | External frame often preferred (heavy loads) | Internal frame preferred |
When Would You Actually Need an INCH Bag?
Scenarios requiring a true INCH bag are severe and uncommon:
- Nuclear or radiological event rendering your region uninhabitable
- Complete societal collapse with no expectation of infrastructure recovery
- Permanent displacement from a war zone or occupied territory
- Natural disaster (mega-volcanic event, catastrophic flooding) that permanently changes a region
For most people, most of the time, a well-stocked BOB supplemented by a home bug-in kit covers every realistic scenario. Build those first.
Complete INCH Bag Packing List
Water (Long-Term)
- High-capacity water filter (Sawyer Squeeze or Katadyn BeFree: filters thousands of gallons)
- Stainless steel pot for boiling (1–2 litre)
- Water purification tablets (large supply)
- 2-litre water bladder for carrying
Food & Food Production
- 1-week emergency food supply (freeze-dried meals)
- Non-perishable calorie-dense food (nuts, jerky, hard cheese wax)
- Heirloom vegetable seed collection (small, lightweight, can start a garden)
- Fishing kit (hooks, line, small lures)
- Snares and small game trapping wire
- Foraging reference guide (regional edible plants)
Shelter & Extended Living
- Lightweight but durable tent (3-season minimum, 4-season ideal)
- Quality sleeping bag (rated -10°F / -23°C or lower)
- Sleeping pad (insulating from ground: prevents hypothermia)
- Large tarp (12×12 ft) for additional shelter or camp expansion
- Paracord (200 ft)
- Tent repair kit and seam sealer
Tools for Long-Term Survival
- Quality fixed-blade knife (4–6 inch, full-tang)
- Hatchet or small axe (for firewood and shelter building)
- Folding saw (for larger timber)
- Leatherman Wave+ multi-tool
- Sharpening stone (knives dull quickly in extended field use)
- Entrenching tool (compact folding shovel)
- Heavy-duty work gloves
Fire (Multiple Methods)
- Ferrocerium rod (large, 10,000+ strikes)
- Waterproof matches (large supply)
- Lighters (3+, stored in sealed bag)
- Tinder kit (dryer lint, char cloth, fatwood)
- Camp stove + fuel (10+ canisters for initial period)
First Aid & Medical (Extended)
- Comprehensive trauma kit (tourniquet, chest seals, haemostatic gauze)
- Dental repair kit
- Suture kit (and training to use it)
- Extended prescription supply (90+ days)
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics (prescription; consult your doctor)
- Medical reference book (US Army Survival Manual or Wilderness Medicine)
Communications & Navigation
- HAM radio (Baofeng UV-5R or better): communicate over distances
- Hand-crank NOAA weather radio
- Detailed topographic maps of your region (waterproofed)
- Compass (quality orienteering compass)
- Solar charger (for radio and device charging)
Documents & Records
- All critical documents (passports, deeds, medical records)
- USB drive with digital copies of all documents
- Physical skills library (survival, medicine, food preservation, farming)
- Cash (as much as practical) and pre-1965 silver coins (hold value in barter economy)
Managing INCH Bag Weight
An INCH bag will be heavy: 40–60+ lbs when fully loaded. This is unavoidable given the scope of what you’re packing for. Management strategies:
- Use a vehicle as long as possible: An INCH bag lives in your vehicle. You only carry it on foot when driving is no longer an option.
- External frame pack: An external frame distributes heavy loads better than an internal frame for sustained carry. ALICE pack systems are popular for INCH bags for this reason.
- Cache supplies along your route: Pre-position caches at your bug out location to reduce what you need to carry.
- Prioritise skills over gear: Wilderness skills (fire, water, shelter, food) reduce dependency on carried supplies. A skilled person needs less weight.
Recommended Products
ALPS OutdoorZ Commander Frame Pack: 80L
An 80L external frame pack built for hunting: which means built for hauling heavy loads in rough terrain. The external frame distributes the weight of a loaded INCH bag far better than an internal frame for sustained multi-day carry. A practical INCH bag platform.
- 80L capacity: room for everything in an INCH bag
- External frame: superior load transfer for heavy weights
- Built for hunting; handles rough terrain
Heirloom Vegetable Seed Vault: 35 Varieties
Seeds are the foundation of long-term food production. An heirloom seed vault contains non-GMO, open-pollinated seeds that reproduce true-to-type: meaning you can save seeds from each harvest indefinitely. 35 varieties covers staple crops across most climate zones.
- 35 non-GMO heirloom varieties
- Seeds save-able across generations
- Resealable, weatherproof packaging
INCH Bag FAQ
Does everyone need an INCH bag?
No. An INCH bag is for extreme, low-probability scenarios. Most people are much better served by building a solid 72-hour BOB and a 14-day home bug-in kit first. Only after those foundations are in place does an INCH bag make sense: and then only for preppers planning for truly catastrophic long-term disruptions.
What’s the difference between an INCH bag and a BOB?
A BOB is designed for 72 hours of evacuation, after which you expect to return home or reach a temporary shelter. An INCH bag is designed for indefinite displacement with no return. It contains everything needed to sustain life long-term: food production capability, extended medical supplies, comprehensive tools, and long-term shelter. It is significantly heavier.