← All Kits & Checklists
Multi-pillar
🎒 Your Go-Bag
Non-negotiables first, then support pillars, then extras. Pack it, check it, own it.
Non-negotiables
These four cover the things a body fails without fastest — food, water, shelter, and warmth, in that order of urgency.
- 🟢 Food: 2–3 protein/granola bars, trail mix or jerky, peanut butter packets
- 🔵 Water: 1–2 filled bottles, purification tablets or straw filter, collapsible container
- 🟤 Shelter: emergency space blanket, compact tarp/poncho, paracord (10–25 ft), extra layer
- 🟠 Fire & warmth: lighter, waterproof matches, fire starter, hand warmers (1–2 pairs)
Support pillars
These don't keep you alive today, but they keep small problems from becoming big ones — an untreated cut, a missed call, an illness from poor hygiene, a fall in the dark.
- 🔴 First aid: assorted bandages, antiseptic wipes/gauze/tape, pain reliever, personal prescriptions, nitrile gloves
- 🟡 Communications: phone (charged before storing), power bank + cable, written contact card + paper map
- 💗 Hygiene: wet wipes, hand sanitizer, toothbrush/toothpaste, travel soap, feminine products if needed
- ⚪ Light: headlamp + backup flashlight, extra batteries, glow sticks
Extras
Small items that make a bad day meaningfully more bearable, without adding real weight or cost.
- Extra socks + underwear
- $10–20 cash, small bills
- Multi-tool or pocket knife, duct tape, pen + notepad
- One comfort item
Seasonal swap reminder
Swap it twice a year, tied to the daylight-saving clock change — the same memorable anchor you already use for smoke detector batteries.
☀️ Summer additionsElectrolyte packets, sunscreen, extra water, cooling towel.
❄️ Winter additionsHand/toe warmers, wool layer, ice traction cleats.
Bag size & weight — for someone with zero experience
Adult bag size≈30–40L — a weekend hiking backpack. Don't own one? A large gym duffel works fine.
Kid's bag size≈15–20L — small enough they can actually carry it themselves.
Adult target weight≈15–20 lbs fully packed.
Kid's target weight≈5–10 lbs — comfort items only, nothing they'd struggle to carry.
The weight testCan you carry it up and down a flight of stairs twice without stopping? If not, it's too heavy — cut something, don't skip the test.
Use a separate bag, not your everyday one. Keep it visible and ready — front door, under the bed, or trunk — never buried in a closet.
