Go Bags and Preparedness Kits for Everything
This is meant to be a checklist for people making go bags. And other useful kits for extreme situations. This isn’t going to be perfect, but it should provide a good starting location for most people.
Emergency Kit
This is meant to be a small bag that can easily be thrown under a car seat, or clipped onto a backpack to make a good survival kit or go bag. This item is excellent to give to people who don’t know anything about prepping as well. I am basing this heavily on an episode of live like the world is dying titled Margaret on Go Bags. So check that out if you want a better summary of this. Link Here and original poster’s name is Margaret Kiljoy.
An emergency kit should contain 3 ziplock bags one for hygiene, one for First aid and another for survival sundries. Everything on this list should be made to be lightweight first and foremost. Ideally this emergency kit would be able to fit in something as small as a lunchbox once complete.
Hygiene Bag
Small travel toothbrush.
Small travel toothpaste or toothpaste tablets.
Floss. (can also be used for sewing thread.
Compressed towel. Just add water(Douglas Adams would be proud these are a thing)
Tampon. Not for gunshot wounds, for its original purpose or possibly for firestarting
Earplugs. The small cheap ones.
Lip balm.
Condoms. If getting them for water and not for original purpose, get them unlubricated.
Lube packets.
Nail Clippers.
Hair Tie's.
Soap Strips.
Possibly some type of small cheap razor.
First Aid Bag
Emergen-C Packets. They’re Vitamin C packets that make water into healthier Tang. Gives a boost as well as making water taste better to some.
Alcohol Wipes. For sterilizing wounds as well as possibly disease carrying objects.
Super Glue packets. I recommend the tiny ones at harbor freight you can get 10 for like 4 dollars. Some people have mixed opinions on supergluing wounds closed, but even if you have reservations they can be used for fixing things like boots and packs as well.
Antibacterial ointment.
Band-Aids.
Wound Closure Strips/Butterfly Bandages.
Irrigation syringe, for much larger puncture wounds and cleaning them out.
Tweezers.
Gauze.
Petroleum jelly Packets.
Aspirin Pills. Pain relief, Fever reducer, Anti Inflammation medicine.
Advil / Ibuprofen Pills. Mild pain med, often used to help with arthritis.
Tylenol / Acetaminophen Pills. A mild pain relief and fever reducer.Caffeine Pills
Benadryl / diphenhydramine. Anti Itching, anti anxiety, allergy aid, sleep aid.
Caffeine Pills/ Caffeine Gum.
Potassium Iodide. Only if worried about nuclear war.
Any personal medications needed such as: personal pills, spare contacts/glasses, vitamins, ect.
Survival Kit
Kn 95 masks / P100 masks.
Butane lighter coated in duct tape. It helps protect the lighter and extra duct tape is useful.
Solid Fuel for Fire.
Kindling / tinder.
Box of Needles. Get both leather and regular needles.
Fishing Hooks.
Fishing line. Does not need to be a massive spool, may also double as thread for needle.
Water Purification tablets. Can also use a filter, remember this kit is meant to be small though.
Whistle
P51 / P31 can opener. Smallest can opener money can buy.
Emergency Blanket / Space Blanket.
Plier style multitool / Swiss army knife.
Other Good Stuff
Optional stuff to throw in here but still heavily recommended. If it isn’t included in an emergency kit, it should certainly consider being carried in a bugout bag/go bag.
Spork or other metal cutlery. Every military kit for the past 1000 years has included a spoon.
Compass
Emergency Sleeping Bag. Warning it can be impossible to get back into the bag.
Small Paracord Bundle.
Magnesium Striker Block
Headlamp. Rechargeable by USB if possible.
External Phone Battery.
Phone charger. With multiple different cable plugs if possible, get a universal/octopus type.
Sunscreen.
Hand Sanitizer.
Wet Wipes.
Toilet Paper
Baby Powder. As a chafing reducer.
Hothands Packets. Any small instant heat packet.
Go bags
The Purpose of a go bag is meant to have more functionality over an emergency kit. It’s something that can easily be picked up and can be kept in a closet, by a door, or in a car’s trunk. Before finishing this kit I have to emphasize that it’s necessary to actually practice with a go bag properly, as this will let you know what parts of your kit actually work. I recommend going hiking with this bag for at least a few miles, throwing it on a bike, going camping and if possible, using every bit
The Bag itself, Get something bigger than a regular backpack with a fair amount of durability. Consider using molle attachments as well as this can make attaching the emergency kit to the go bag easy.
Steel Wall Canteen. Good over Plastic Nalgene bottles because water can be boiled in it. Recommending 32 oz or 1 liter.
Ready to Eat Food. Recommend things like protein bars, granola, trail mix, jerky, candy, ect. Things that are shelf stable, high in calories, can provide easy fuel to keep moving. At least 2000 calories of this.
Passport / copies of important documents.
Entertainment (Pack of Cards, books, gameboy, downloaded music/tv shows.)
Digital library, Keep a USB stick on the bugout bag with all the information you can put on it. It’s possible to download wikipedia, there’s tons of useful stuff on my other page here.
Collapsible plastic water canteen
Water Filter.
Paper Maps for Local Area.
Extra Method of starting fire
Durable Fixed Blade Knife. Find one that can split wood and be used for bushcraft. Bigger knives can be used for intimidation but are somewhat less useful for doing actual work with. Consider a knife 6 inches or less.
Small Knife Sharpening tool / Whetstone. Please practice with this before placing it in a go bag. As it takes some practice to get right.
Sleeping Bag. Use a small lightweight one rated to as low a temperature as possible. If concerned about weight or size, consider using a sleeping roll, blanket or beach towel.
A Tent, a Tarp or a Bivi Bag. All have their uses and all have their downsides. Tents offer more protection but are also bulkier and take a decent amount of time to set up. Tarps are light, cheap and are great for making improvised shelter in the woods, but offer little protection. Bivi bags are an odd hybrid of both sleeping bags and small personal tents, some people swear by them, some people think they’re stupid.
Poncho or Raincoat
Extra Clothes. keep one change of clothes suitable to the local climate.
Socks (this is a must)
Underwear
Sturdy Pants, no holes.
Under Shirt
Gloves, even a cheap pair of gardening gloves are insanely useful.
Hat, either something warm or something to keep the sun out of your eyes.
Radio. Get at least one way communications with NOAA weather radio. I recommend the types that are crankable with solar panels that can also be used to charge a phone. If a ham radio operator, consider getting a small handheld two way radio.
Binoculars. If money is available for this, consider thermal binoculars
Duct Tape
Cooking supplies.
Optional Items. Things that are useful but not for everyone.
Machete. Useful for cutting down foliage and intimidation.
Hatchet. Useful for chopping wood and intimidation
Folding Saw. Useful for wooded areas and great for building shelters.
Collapsible Solar Lantern.
Bear Spray. Can be more useful than a firearm. If you live in an area with bears, consider this.
Walking Stick
Folding Mini Shovel. A shovel is massively useful, I just wish they weren't so bulky.
Things to Add to a phone.
We live in an age where many of the people who talk to and meet everyday have a high power computer in their pockets able to communicate in loads of different ways.
Accessories on other parts of this list that are useful to have.
Strong bulky phone case.
Solar charger / backup battery.
Universal phone charger.
Things to download on a phone.
Offline Maps
Apps for communicating over wifi
Backups of important documents
Records of contact information for family and loved ones.
PDF and Ebook reader apps.
File management system. For transferring and moving data.
Useful how-to books and guides. I have a whole link to useful stuff over here.
Translation software books or guides to common languages. Note that you can download specific languages on google translate.
Entertainment Books. I have a whole link to useful stuff over here.
Music. There’s tons of music free for public use out there. I know game osts and the internet archive are good places to start.
Games that work offline. To keep the mind occupied.
Mesh network communication apps. Apps like Bridgefy, and Briar. Are communication apps that do not rely on centralized servers, meaning that they’ll work without the need to communicate to a centralized server. So even if there’s no mobile data or wifi, some degree of communication is possible, even if it’s just to 300ft through bluetooth communications.
Guns and firearms. Only carry a firearm if you know what you’re doing.Can keep it secure at all times and know the relevant laws thoroughly.
9mm handguns are by far the most common ammunition type and are small and easy to carry/conceal.
If planning to spend an extended amount of time in the woods and survive there. Consider a small 22 rifle.
