The Best Gear for Your Go Bag

In the event of a wildfire, a hurricane, a flood, or any number of other emergencies, it’s essential to have a fully stocked go bag (also called a “ready bag,” or “bug-out bag”) of emergency gear. This way, you and your family can quickly evacuate to a shelter or other secure location armed with basic survival supplies and tools.

For this guide we focused on gear that could be easily carried in a backpack, emphasizing lightness and portability wherever possible. For sheltering in place, we have a separate guide to the best emergency-preparedness supplies, to help you manage at home for a period of time following a disaster that knocks out utility services or cuts off outside resources to your area. We hope both of these guides will help you be prepared with reliable and versatile tools that can assist you in managing whatever emergency you may face.

Continue reading to learn more about packing your go bag, written by Doug Mahoney and Joshua Lyon.

Foto thumbnail Blog Otè
Staff Writers
Doug Mahoney and Joshua Lyon

Doug Mahoney se yon ekriven ansyen nan Wirecutter ki kouvri amelyorasyon kay. Li te pase 10 zan nan konstriksyon wo fen kòm yon bòs chapant, òmòn, ak sipèvizè. Li ap viv nan yon fèmye trè mande 250 ane fin vye granmoun ak te pase kat ane trip ak rekonstwi kay li anvan yo. Li leve mouton tou e li gen yon bèf chak jou ke li lèt chak maten.


Joshua Lyon is a senior staff writer covering home and decor topics at Wirecutter. He has written and edited for numerous outlets, including Interview, Country Living, The New York Times, V and VMAN, Marie Claire, Jane, and Food Network Magazine. He’s also a Lambda Literary Award–nominated author and ghostwriter. Learn more at jklyon.com.

Medya Mansyone

Sawyer’s picaridin lotion lasts a long time, stores well in survival kits and cars, and doesn’t have the laundry-list poison control label like DEET sprays.

Sean Gold
Founder & Lead Writer

Medya Mansyone

Secure a small loop of cord to a trekking pole to create a convenient place to hang a water bladder and filter water.

Nathan Pipenberg
Ekriven

Medya Mansyone

It contains 20 percent picaridin, a powerful insect repellent that will make nights around the campfire much more enjoyable.

Liz Provencher
Freelane Writer