I put together a go bag a few years ago, but it’s not that great. The bag is oversized and has too many pockets. It has a tarp I’ll never use for shelter. I might’ve been better off with a family size camp stove than my little MSR Pocket Rocket deal. And I don’t have any hot meals (yet) for it.

Since I recently ordered a sling for daily carry, I’m working on a holistic preparedness approach, comprised of:

1. On my person
2. In my car
3. At home

(If I worked in an office, that might be number four; shelter-in-place without a workplace stash does not make for a fun mental space.)

On my person

I ordered a Bellroy Sling in forest green. It’s 7L so I think it’ll be plenty roomy without being too large. My planned load out is akin to this:

• Fisher Space Pen and small notebook
• lip balm
• eye drops
• hand sanitizer
• sunglasses and microfiber cloth
• mints
• AirPods
• keys with pill holder (1 ibuprofen, 1 acetaminophen, 1 aspirin, 1 diphenhydramine; also a loose loratadine-pseudoephedrine or two)

Additional items could include:

• Anker battery backup and cables—it’s huge, so probably only if I’m expecting a long day. Otherwise it’s with my home bag.

In my car

I finally purchased a basic roadside kit and fire extinguisher to keep in the car, and I’ve refreshed my first aid kit. The last thing to add is a bag with a change of clothes and basic toiletries.

Roadside kit

This is in the cargo area.

• blanket—the one that came with the kit isn’t great. I may put the better one from my existing bag in the car.
• reflective triangle
• screwdriver, pliers, multitool
• jumper cables
• tow strap
• headlamp
• quart of oil
• full spare with the scissor jack and tire wrench that came with the car
• gloves

First aid kit

This and the fire extinguisher sit under the front seats, accessible from the back row.

• bandages of various sizes
• roll of gauze
• alcohol prep pads
• ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, diphenhydramine
• Bactine

Overnight bag

• change of clothes
• jacket, gloves, beanie
• toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, contact lens solution and case

Unfortunately, I don’t have a backup pair of glasses. I would feel much better having a backup pair in the car in case the contacts are bothersome. I considered keeping the case in my daily bag, but without solution it’s useless.

I need to add non-perishable snacks here.

Up front

In the glovebox, I have a couple pens, a tire pressure gauge, pen light, napkins, and my recent service records. In the console there’s a canister of Wet Ones and spare bulbs. And since the start of pandemic I’ve kept a pump bottle of hand sanitizer in the driver door. And of course, my iPhone charger and a spare USB port are always ready to go.

At home

Our pantry is well-stocked, so this is focused on equipment. My bag at home currently looks like camping gear. Again, since this is meant to be a holistic approach, the concept is to augment what’s in the car.

• Sangean MMR-88 emergency weather radio—it uses weird Nitecore 18350 batteries (need to buy more)
• Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp
• Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries (need to buy more)
• USB quick charger for those batteries
• trowel, tissue, garbage bags
• copies of important documents in a sealed bag
• First aid kit from Adventure Medical Kits
• Personal camp stove, fuel canisters, and mess kit
• Miscellany: fire starter, lint, water purification tablets.

I’d like to buy a few freeze dried Mountain House meals—the lasagna and beef stroganoff are both good.

I’m always re-evaluating and tweaking, so if you have any suggestions let me know.