Beginner's BOB Gear Requirements

[Megatron]

Good post s13.

Thinking about what you put IMO doesn't matter how new you are to prepping I still think a knife should always be in the pack. It's a tool that enables you to do so many things.
To me there should always be 4 things as a minimum. A knife, a bashaa (or a sheet of heavy duty plastic at least 8 by 5), means to light a fire and lastly a good length of paracord or other string.

Even on a hair string budget all these things can be bought for under a fiver from a carboot sale.