A USB flash drive lets you carry mountains of survival information in a low cost, lightweight, compact device. Some preppers might criticize the idea because it requires an electronic device (your phone, tablet, or laptop) and battery power to operate, but don’t assume that all survival situations are the same. In many cases, your cell phone will be your single most important piece of bug out gear, and a USB flash drive can give you access to valuable information whether the cellular network is up or not.
These are important not just for bug out bags but for personal preparedness in general. You can load them with copies of military manuals, cookbooks, contact information, maps, etc. You can give make multiple bug out USBs and give them to friends and family.
Step 1 – Buy the Right USB Flash Drive
When it comes to survival, some flash drives are better than others. Look for three criteria: durability of the device, storage space, and cost. Unfortunately, durable devices with plenty of storage space are more expensive, but this is not an area where you want to skimp.
Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth – 128GB
Corsair has established the standard for prepper USB flash drives. It comes in a solid, waterproof case. The price is low on this device but the sacrifice is the memory size.
- Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth 128gb Usb 3.0 Flash Drive - 128 Gb - Black
Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth – 1TB
This is the mothership of prepper USB drives. It has the same waterproof case as the smaller 128GB version but with a massive 1TB of memory.
- Hard-anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum housing
- EPDM water seal
- Molded shock damping collar
- High performance USB 3. 0
- Limited 5 years
SanDisk 2TB Extreme SSD
SanDisk is probably the best name in the business. I use a drive like this for my laptop. It might be oversized for a bug out USB drive, but it depends on your needs. If you do opt for a drive like this, I recommend getting a waterproof case to go with it.
- Get NVMe solid state performance with up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write speeds in a portable, high-capacity drive(1) (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device & other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes.)
- Up to 3-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance mean this tough drive can take a beating(3) (Previously rated for 2-meter drop protection and IP55 rating. Now qualified for the higher, stated specs.)
- Use the handy carabiner loop to secure it to your belt loop or backpack for extra peace of mind.
- Help keep private content private with the included password protection featuring 256‐bit AES hardware encryption.(3)
- Easily manage files and automatically free up space with the SanDisk Memory Zone app.(5). Non-Operating Temperature -20°C to 85°C
Step 2 – Download Survival Information
I encourage you to download more information than you think you will need. Organize it so it’s easy to find the files you want.
Digital Copies of Books
- Where There Is No Doctor
- Where There Is No Dentist
- Various Military Manuals
- Maps
- Countless Old Cookbooks
- Ham Radio Frequencies
Personal Documents and Information
- Family photos and pictures of pets
- Cryptocurrency wallet keys
- Any certifications or certificates, for example: CPR, SCUBA, Hunter Safety, etc.
- Amateur radio license and list of handles, repeaters, frequencies, etc.
- The deed to your home
- Apartment lease
- Life insurance information
- Locations of caches
- Transcripts or degrees
- Driver’s license
- Concealed Carry License
- Birth certificate
- Passport or passport card
- Social Security card
- Medical insurance cards
- Immunization records (If you keep this handy for your kids, they will thank you one day)
- Medical records and history
- Photos of your house or valuables for insurance purposes
- Your family’s disaster plan information
- State or County disaster plan information
- A list of your firearms’ serial numbers
- Vehicle title
- NFA forms for suppressors, SBRs, or SBSs
- Last will & testament, a living will, or power of attorney
- Adoption papers
- Marriage license or divorce papers
- Death certificates
- Green card or naturalization documents
- Investment Account info
- Alimony or child support information
- Passwords
- Vet records or microchip information for pets
- Emergency contacts addresses and phone numbers
- Any lengthy projects you wish to keep a backup of (ie: Master’s Thesis)
- Warranties
Step 3 – Protect Your Information
The problem with flash drives containing personal information is that they can be lost or even stolen. This is why you should protect the information on your flash drive.
BitLocker is an encryption feature included with Microsoft Windows. It’s very easy to use. Print your back up key or store it somewhere safe. Use a secure password!
VeraCrypt is another option. VeraCrypt is a free, open source encryption software. It’s intuitive and easy to use. What I like about this is that you can make a hidden drive, a partition within a partition that looks like random data.
You can also protect your USB drive (and electronic devices) from an EMP or solar flare by storing them in a Faraday bag. You can buy different types. I recommend two companies for Faraday protection devices: SLNT and Mission Darkness. You can use coupon code “PREPPER” for $5 off at Mission Darkness.