Tools in my GHB

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I'm going to preface this post with an admission: I overpack. Anyone who has seen my luggage knows this. Part of what drove me to be a prepper is my hatred of not having a thing when I need it, and so I somewhat compulsively over-estimate my needs when packing because, as has been drilled into me by my parents, It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

So yes, what I consider a Get Home Bag other people would probably call a Bug Out Bag, and my BOB is more likely an I'm Not Coming Home (INCH) bag, aka I'm a homeless refugee and now I must live in a camp in the woods.

That said, I have a question for the rest of you: Am I weird for carrying tools in my GHB? Or do other people do it, too?

I know that space is at a premium in GHBs and weight is a major concern, but I can't keep myself from adding these -- I feel un-prepared otherwise. And they only add about 3 pounds total to my bag.

I live in a semi-rural part of the county (think "suburban neighborhoods in a sea of undeveloped woods") and so my GHB needs to be optimized for both city and country use in case I need to walk home.

Top to bottom, left to right:

• Folding bush saw in case I need to make a shelter, build a fire, or otherwise carve wood. 
• Craftsman clench wrench in case I need to unscrew a nut, like from a car. I realize it's not the best tool for the job, but it's a fair jack-of-all-trades tool and it's lightweight. 
• Mini claw hammer that I bought at the grocery store. I don't expect to do a lot of hammering nails; this is more of a "in case I need to break or bash something with a blunt object."
• Compact screwdriver set that has multiple bits:  Phillips heads 1-3; Torx heads 10, 15, 20 and 25; and flathead screwdriver heads 4, 5 and 6mm. Again, not the best tool, but certainly a multi-use and lightweight one. 
• Mini pry bar. There are many uses for this that aren't nefarious. If you've ever needed to open a crate or a paint can, you know how useful one of these is. 
• Hawke Peregrine knife for all my multiple fixed-knife needs. Plus I can lash it to a branch and make an improvised spear if I need to. 
• Multi-Use Survival Tool (MUST) and MUST Angle. The angle is the bit on the left, the MUST is the hatchet-looking thing on the right. With any coin as a screwdriver I can change the MUST from a hatchet to a chisel, and the addition of the MUST Angle creates an adze. Using just the angle without the blade, I have a hoe. 
• Not shown: the Leatherman multi-tool I always have on me. 

With these tools, I am reasonably certain I can handle most tasks I'd need if I ever had to walk home from the next county, and they only weigh 3 pounds. 

But what do you think? Am I foolish for carrying this extra weight? Or have I neglected an important tool that I absolutely need?

Tell me what tools you have in your Get Home Bags!