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A well-stocked go bag can make a significant difference when a crisis arises, preparing you for the emergency. Carefully choosing these go-to essentials will ensure a hassle-free trip experience. Food, water, medical supplies, clothing, safety tools, communication devices, money, and travel accessories are some of the most important things you must pack in your bag.
With a little preparation, these essentials can save you from unnecessary hassle. They will help you survive long enough to reach home or another desired location safely. Jackery Portable Power Stations are handy when you want to power some of your go-bag essentials for hours without any safety hassles. They are reliable emergency power stations, are portable, and occupy less space.
Key Takeaways
- A go-bag is a disaster supply that you can carry along to evacuate quickly or leave home during an emergency.
- Go-bag essentials include food, water, a can opener, a first aid kit, flashlights, device chargers, clothing, and copies of important documents.
- Making a go bag involves choosing the right bag, gathering supplies, packing the essentials, and placing the bag in an easily accessible place.
- While a go bag packs critical supplies that last 72 hours in an emergency, a stay bag has essential gear that helps individuals survive for 5-7 days.
What Is a Go Bag?
A go bag is an emergency kit with the necessary supplies to guarantee survival during a disaster. It has enough supplies for at least 72 hours, up to one week. Alternatively known as a bug-out bag, it is a tiny backpack you can carry along for short-term survival.
The essentials packed in a go bag help you evacuate rapidly and guarantee that you survive until you get help or reach a safe place. These bags are inevitable for emergency preparedness. The checklist for these essentials may differ from place to place, but you need to be aware of the minimum required items that must be incorporated into any go bag.
Why Do You Need a Go Bag
Preparing a go bag is vital for swiftly evacuating the essentials during emergencies like floods, fires, storms, etc. Carefully preparing a go-bag essentials list will help you determine the essentials that are inevitable to carry along. Here are the reasons justifying the need for a go bag.
Ensures Swift Evacuation
Carrying a go bag lets you quickly grab essentials and evacuate to a safe place without wasting a moment. It ensures you don't have to spare time collecting supplies when calamities arise, and you can rapidly access life-saving equipment.
Ensures Safety During Wildfires
During wildfires, there is not even a moment to spare for searching for essentials. Carrying go-bag essentials, make sure you stay calm during the disaster. You can easily and swiftly access the safety tools you require from your go bag.
Portability
A go bag from a reputable brand is usually durable. Despite being durable, these bags are lightweight enough to ensure portability. You can conveniently carry one and can easily place it in a safe spot. You can keep your electronic devices and gadgets charged in the go bag by using the Jackery Solar Generator. For example, the Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station and Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station provide efficient and reliable output to keep most of your devices charged.
Provides 72-Hour Survival
Typically, a go bag includes sufficient provisions to last for 72 hours, guaranteeing safe survival. They include water, food, medications, clothing, and all other necessities. Any go bag can ensure at least 72 hours of survival until you get assistance or move to another safe place.
Go Bag Essentials
A go bag is a backpack equipped with emergency essentials for safe survival and hassle-free access to the necessities. A go bag's essentials list typically includes food, water, medication, travel accessories, money, communication devices, clothing, safety tools, first aid, and many more.
Before getting acquainted with the essentials to pack in your go bag, let's first understand how to choose one.
It is vital to consider the size and fitness level of the individual carrying the go bag. Determine the number of people using the go bag essentials, whether you are going alone or with a family. It is also important to consider how long the go bag needs to last.
If you intend to travel for 3-5 days, a 50L to 80L go bag will suffice. Consider the bag's design aspects, such as the type and number of compartments, compression straps, a grab-and-go handle, etc., for portability and convenient transportation.
Medical
Pack prescription and over-the-counter medications that last at least seven days in your go bag. Labeling the containers will help you distinguish the medicines easily for quick access. You should also carry a printout listing all the medicines and related items you carry. You can carry a copy of your health insurance card to help you when you require immediate medical treatment.
Travel
When packing your go bag, ensure it has all the necessary travel documents, including passports, visas, birth certificates, itineraries, etc. Packing these essentials in a flame- and water-proof container is recommended. For safe shelter, you must also carry blankets, sleeping bags, and an insulated sleeping pad.
Money
Electronic payment methods may be inaccessible during a disaster, and internet connectivity may not be strong enough. Keeping some cash in your go bag is always better to tackle such adverse situations. With cash easily accessible, you can purchase the supplies you need without any delays. The amount of cash to carry depends on the number of people coming along and your typical needs.
Communication Devices & Info
When disaster strikes, your go bag must have enough essentials to ensure uncompromised communication. You can carry a whistle (for signaling), printed maps and evacuation routes, rechargeable batteries, and an emergency radio.
You also need to carry cell phones with chargers. Make sure to carry some extra chargers in the bag.
Clothing
Your original clothing may get damaged or wet during a disaster or adverse situations. Packing some extra clothing can help you tackle such adversities without any delays. For example, hypothermia doesn't take long to set in, and in such unexpected circumstances, the extra clothing in your go bag can prove to be a lifesaver. Your go bag can hold emergency blankets, gloves, and seasonal attire. Customize it according to the season to stay prepared for extreme weather and ensure safe evacuation.
Personal Items
Your go bag can include a power backup source such as Jackery Solar Generator to power lighting and other gear. It provides a reliable and portable power solution to keep your devices charged on the go. The go bag should also include personal hygiene products, towels, sunscreen, a small toiletry kit, feminine products, etc.
Food & Water
It is inevitable to carry essential food supplies to ensure decent health for you and the people along with you. Many individuals plan to overpack their go bag with food supplies, but this approach ultimately affects its portability. It is better to pack only non-perishable and lightweight food items capable enough to provide energy to your body. Such food items are easy to consume on the go, with little or no preparation.
Carrying heavy meals that have to be prepared will waste your time and make your go bag bulky. Instead, you can carry canned food items like fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and Granola bars. Carrying water can feel very heavy and severely impact the portability of your go bag. Instead, you can carry sufficient water in a huge bottle or bladder in the bag and then plan to source water supplies through water filters or purification chemicals.
The portability will not be compromised if you carry a hydration reservoir or a collapsible water bottle. You can carry a metal pot or cup to serve boiling water (if needed).
Safety
To ensure safe and swift evacuation, your go bag must include safety supplies like an N95 respirator, heavy-duty work gloves, a headlamp (200 lumens), and lanterns. You can also pack glow sticks and flares for enough visibility and safe navigation.
Jackery Portable Power Stations Explained
If you are planning to prepare a go bag for emergencies, you will need a reliable portable power station that can charge small electric gadgets. Jackery is a renowned solar brand that manufactures solar generators, solar panels, and portable power stations.
The Jackery Portable Power Stations are compact and can easily fit your backpack. The multiple output ports ensure you can plug in various appliances and charge them simultaneously. These portable power stations can be recharged using three different methods: car chargers, wall outlets, and Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels, ensuring you are never left without power.
Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station
The Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station is a mini portable power station that can charge small appliances like smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, etc. It weighs only 965 grams, can fit the palm of your hand, and can even be carried on the plane. Simply pack the power station in your bag and charge radios and GPS devices anywhere.
Appliances Running Time
- Phone (20W) = 4.2H
- Radio (5W) = 16.8H
- GPS Device (2W) = 42.0H
- Smartwatch (1W) = 84.1H
- AirPods (1.5W) = 56.1H
Customer Review
“My son and I took the Explorer 100 Plus to summer camp, and it did great charging our fans and phones over the course of the week. We had a mini solar cell to charge this during the day, and we never drained the battery.” — Brian Forster.
Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station
The Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station is another small, lightweight outdoor appliance charging solution. It weighs only 8.27 lbs and features a foldable handle to make transportation much easier. You can pack the portable power station in your go-to bag and keep small appliances charged wherever you go.
Appliances Running Time
- Phone (20W) = 12.2H
- Radio (5W) = 48.9H
- GPS Device (2W) = 122.4H
- Smartwatch (1W) = 244.8H
- AirPods (1.5W) = 163.2H
Customer Review
“The unit’s well built, lightweight, and very reliable. I have many plans in mind for this unit, from camping to road trips and equipment backup. I highly recommend this unit and plan to invest in more “plus” backups with higher capacity.” — Stanley Daniel.
Go Bag vs. Stay Bag
Stay bags and go bags assist you during emergency preparedness but serve different purposes. Both these types of bags are crucial for those who are preparing an emergency preparedness plan. Go bags are designed to be portable and include key essentials to ensure safe survival and swift evacuation. A stay bag usually consists of key essentials when staying home without water, heat, or power. It is identical to a disaster supply kit or emergency kit. Because it is not mobile and is meant to stay in one place, it can include lots of items.
|
Parameters |
Go Bags |
Stay Bags |
|
Meaning |
A go bag is a portable backpack equipped with critical supplies that can easily last for at least 72 hours in an emergency. It is designed to help you reach a safer place conveniently. |
A bug-out bag has all the essential gear and supplies to help individuals survive for 5-7 days or longer. |
|
Duration of Evacuation |
Go bags typically consider short-term evacuation, ensuring safe survival for 72 hours. |
Stay bags ensure emergency preparedness for long-term disasters where an individual may have to travel considerable distances by foot to move to a safe place. |
|
Things to Pack |
● It includes enough water and snacks that should last at least 72 hours. ● It also includes medical supplies, personal belongings, documents, money, credit cards, etc. |
● It contains food and water that should last for up to a week. ● It also contains illumination and visibility tools, prescription medications, chargers for electronics, a list of emergency contact numbers, and other items. |
Go Bag vs. Emergency Kit
Go bags contain essentials that can be carried on the go if you have to evacuate a place in a hurry. Emergency kits contain many emergency essentials meant to last for at least two weeks. The number of items in emergency kits is usually more than in go bags because emergency kits are not designed to be mobile. While they may seem analogous, some significant differences between a go-bag and an emergency kit are discussed below.
|
Parameters |
Go Bag |
Emergency Kit |
|
Meaning |
It is a mobile disaster supply kit that can be carried out if you need to evacuate quickly or leave the home during an emergency. |
It is a collection of supplies you will require during an emergency. Typically, these kits are designed for various uses, such as a house kit (to provide shelter) or a car kit. |
|
Portability |
It is durable yet portable to carry during a disaster easily. |
It includes many of the items found in a go-bag kit, but it is not designed to be mobile, so it can include more supplies. |
|
Storage |
An individual can easily make and store a go bag in a safe, dry, and clean place to prevent harm to items over time. |
The Red Cross advises storing an emergency kit with at least two weeks' worth of water, food, and other supplies. |
|
Things to Pack |
● It typically includes a minimum three-day supply of non-perishable food and water bottles. ● It also includes a first-aid kit, cash, prescription medications, copies of essential documents, etc. |
● In addition to the essentials in the go bag, an emergency kit includes a few more things. ● It includes a whistle, local maps, personal sanitation supplies, duct tape, battery-powered radio, etc. |
How to Make a Go Bag
Go bag essentials are handy for hasty evacuation without compromising safety. The following steps eliminate confusion about how to set up and what to pack in a go bag.
Step 1: Choose A Bag To Pack The Essentials
Firstly, it is inevitable to carefully choose and buy a quality bag to pack all the essentials you intend to carry. A suitcase or a heavy-duty duffel bag will be most appropriate to store all your essentials safely. Make sure your bag is big enough to carry the essentials and not feel bulky. It must be durable enough to carry all the essentials without getting ripped or damaged.
Step 2: Gather Supplies To Pack
Prepare a go-bag essentials list and start gathering the items to pack. Buying necessary non-perishable food items that will last a minimum of 72 hours (per person) is inevitable. Carrying a gallon of potable water per person daily (or a portable water filtration system) is also crucial.
You must also gather supplies like clothing, blankets, money, medications, prescriptions, important documents, shelter accessories, safety tools, etc. You can carry a Jackery Solar Generator to reliably and safely power your gadgets on the go.
Step 3: Pack The Go Bag
Carefully packing the go bag will avoid hassles when needed and ensure easy access to the items. Evaluate your needs to avoid confusion about what to pack in a go bag. Pack the massive items at the bag's bottom to uniformly distribute the weight. You can use vacuum bags or zip-lock bags to store clothes. Store the food items (except canned foods) in metal or plastic containers to protect them from spoiling or harm by pets.
Step 4: Store The Go Bag
Place your go bag somewhere that is conveniently accessible. For hassle-free access, store it in the trunk of a card. Make sure to keep it out of the reach of animals and children. To avoid harm to food items inside, store the go bag in a dry, cool place away from doorways or vents that may expose it to undesired cold or heat.
Go Bag Essentials FAQs
How big of a portable power station do I need for an emergency?
The right size of portable power station needed for an emergency will depend on the appliances you want to charge and for how long you wish to power them. For example, if you want to charge a radio (5W), phone (20W), and GPS device (2W) simultaneously with the help of the Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station, the running time can be calculated as:
Working Hours = Battery Capacity in Wh × 0.85 ÷ Operating Wattage of the Appliances = 288Wh × 0.85 ÷ 27W = 9.0H
Note: The battery capacity is multiplied by 0.85 to account for the power loss that happens when charging appliances.
What are 10 items in a survival kit?
The 10 items an individual must pack in a survival kit are food and water (to last for at least 72 hours), blankets and warm clothes, first aid kit (antibiotic ointments, adhesive bandages, etc.), flashlight and additional batteries, survival tools, map (with evacuation routes), money, medications, documentation (passport(s), visas, driver's license, etc.), and Jackery Solar Generator (to power your devices on the go).
What to put in a 72-hour bug-out bag?
A 72-hour bug-out bag should contain food, water, a first aid kit, clothing, lighting, navigation tools, multi-purpose tools, matches/firestarters, a flashlight, extra batteries, and a whistle (to signal for help).
How much money should be in a go bag?
It is recommended that your go bag include $150 to $300 per individual to tackle emergencies. This amount accounts for a few days of necessities like water, food, shelter, etc.. Spending habits can vary from individual to individual, so adjust the money accordingly.
What should a girl have in her emergency kit?
A girl's emergency kit must include undergarments, personal hygiene accessories, a menstrual kit, skincare supplies, and hair accessories. It should also have the essentials common to any individual's emergency kit.
Final Thoughts
Go bag essentials are inevitable to ensure safe survival and effortless and swift access to the required item on the go. You must be well acquainted with your needs and pack the essentials in your go bag accordingly. When preparing a go-bag essentials list, you will likely over-pack, so be clear with the most important essentials to carry. An uninterrupted power supply is crucial to keep your devices powered up for survival. Therefore, you may consider investing in a Jackery Solar Generator, which provides a reliable solution to keep your devices running.
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