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.

Staff Writers

Doug Mahoney and Joshua Lyon

Doug Mahoney ni mwandishi mwandamizi wa wafanyakazi katika Wirecutter inayofunika uboreshaji wa nyumbani. Alitumia miaka 10 katika ujenzi wa hali ya juu kama seremala, msimamizi, na msimamizi. Anaishi katika nyumba ya kilimo yenye umri wa miaka 250 na alitumia miaka minne akijenga upya nyumba yake ya zamani. Pia hufuga kondoo na ana ng'ombe wa maziwa ambaye hunyonyesha kila asubuhi.

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.