A go bag is a small bag for a short, urgent departure: a hospital, a fire, a few hours or one night. A bug out bag is a larger pack for leaving home for several days, possibly on foot. The names matter less than the job.
The three questions
- How long? 24 hours, 72 hours, or 7 days.
- How far? To the car, to a shelter, or on foot for miles.
- Who carries it? One adult, a child, or the household.
A 7-day bag for four people is not a backpack. It is a vehicle kit plus a small personal bag.
The layers
Layer 1: on your body
- phone, ID, cash, keys;
- a small flashlight;
- a jacket or rain layer;
- comfortable shoes.
Layer 2: personal bag
- water bottle and filter or treatment;
- 1–2 days of no-cook food;
- personal supplies (glasses, hearing aids, hygiene);
- headlamp, batteries, power bank;
- documents and contact list;
- warm layer and rain shell.
Layer 3: household kit
- water and food for the full household;
- shelter, tarp, blankets;
- tools, duct tape, radio;
- pet supplies;
- copies of documents.
What most bags get wrong
- Too much weight. A bag you cannot carry is a storage box. Keep it under about 20% of your body weight, less if you are not used to hiking.
- Too much gear, too little water. Water is heavy; plan refills and treatment.
- No plan. A bag without a meeting point and a contact list is just stuff.
- No rotation. Food, medicine, and batteries expire.
- No practice. Walk around the block with it. Open it in the dark.
A simple 72-hour list
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Water | 1 gal/person/day, bottle, filter or tablets |
| Food | no-cook bars, nuts, canned fish, can opener |
| Personal | glasses, hearing aids, hygiene, documents |
| Light | headlamp, batteries, power bank |
| Warmth | emergency blanket, dry socks, rain shell |
| Docs | ID copies, insurance, contacts, cash |
| Tools | multitool, duct tape, radio, maps |
| Pets | food, water, carrier, records |
The short version
Build for the job, not the label. A light go bag you actually carry beats a heavy bug out bag you leave in the closet.
For the field version, see Build a 72-hour go-bag, Evacuate a city, and Family emergency plan in Fieldry.
Sources
- Ready.gov — Build a Kit: https://www.ready.gov/kit
- Ready.gov — Evacuation: https://www.ready.gov/evacuation
- Ready.gov — Water: https://www.ready.gov/water