A get-home bag is a compact set of supplies for travelling from work, school, or another routine location to a planned safe place when normal transport is disrupted. It is not automatically a 72-hour wilderness pack.
Evaluation label: planning guide and checklist. Products were not physically tested for this revision. Build the route and load first; product comparisons come second.
Start with distance, people, and route
Map the ordinary route and at least one alternative. Estimate walking time conservatively, including weather, darkness, crowds, closures, health, footwear, children, and anyone who depends on you. Decide whether the destination is home, a family meeting point, or another safe place.
A two-mile urban walk, a 25-mile rural commute, and a winter crossing need different bags. If a load is too heavy for the least-conditioned intended user, it is not a working plan.
Get-home bag checklist
| System | Core items | Adjust for |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Paper map, contact card, meeting points, routes | Bridge/tunnel closures, school pickup, accessible routes |
| Water | Filled bottle plus treatment appropriate to likely sources | Heat, distance, source contamination, refill opportunities |
| Food | Familiar compact snacks or a simple meal | Allergies, diabetes, heat, duration |
| Feet and clothing | Broken-in shoes, socks, weather layer, hat/gloves as needed | Work clothing, season, visibility |
| Light | Headlamp with tested battery | Night route and traffic exposure |
| Communication | Phone, cable, compact power bank, paper numbers | Local alert/radio plan and coverage gaps |
| Medical | Personal medication, small first-aid kit, medical information | Prescriptions, mobility, allergies, training |
| Protection from weather | Rain shell/poncho and compact insulating layer | Cold, heat, smoke, and local hazards |
| Tools | Whistle, compact multitool if lawful/useful, tape, marker | Specific route problems rather than “tactical” appearance |
| Money and identity | Small cash, appropriate ID/document copies, spare key | Secure storage and theft risk |
Three useful load levels
Short urban route
Footwear, water, weather protection, light, phone power, map, cash, medication, and a way to be visible often cover the important gaps. A normal backpack can be less conspicuous and more comfortable than a military-style bag.
Long commute
Add capacity and route-specific water treatment, more food, spare socks, an insulating layer, a more capable power plan, and contingency lodging or pickup contacts. The plan may be staged: keep walking equipment at work, but use transport whenever it is safe and available.
Vehicle-supported commute
A vehicle can hold seasonal and roadside supplies while a smaller backpack carries only what must leave the car. Heat can damage batteries, food, water containers, medication, and adhesives, so inspect vehicle gear more often.
Common mistakes
- Packing for three wilderness days when the actual problem is a six-hour walk.
- Buying the bag first and filling every pocket.
- Leaving work shoes as the only footwear.
- Assuming a straight-line map distance is a usable route.
- Carrying unfamiliar defensive equipment without training or checking local law.
- Never walking even part of the route with the packed load.
Shopping shortcuts
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Search links avoid pretending one untested product suits every commute.
Connect the bag to the rest of the plan
- Choose among home, vehicle, evacuation, and get-home kits
- Build the vehicle layer
- Build the family communication plan
- Choose water storage and treatment by contaminant
Substantively rewritten and reviewed September 9, 2026. Links checked September 9, 2026. No hands-on product testing was performed for this revision.
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Outstanding article! I would add eye protection to the list.
A pair of sun glasses makes a pretty good low tech eye protection. For those who wish to prepare better, they make sunglass tinted safety glasses, two uses in one. You can also tape tinted sunglass lenses or film on the outside of clear safety glasses.
I would recommend 2 “first aid” kits. 1 would be the bleed kit and the 2nd is your booboo kit. When you digging around for something to stop bleeding you don’t want to be tripping over your moleskin and you aspirin.
not a bad idea at all Robert, that makes a lot of sense.
I recommend cordage as well for the “Get Home Bag”.
A roll of duct tape.
Agree with most of these recommendations. I think the stove isnt necessary to boil water when you have the Sawyer or a life straw or even a few drops of bleach in a small 1 oz squeeze bottle. Think it just takes up space. Nice add with the caffeine pills. I have 4 bottles of redline energy shots in mine. I feel like you forgot a blanket or some sort however. If you encounter someone in shock, or if you’re wet and night is coming on fast, if everything else in the bag is soaked, then you’re SOL. Overall very nice “moderate” list for most folks to get started ?
A handy tin can will make a water vessel for heating or cooking and it usually is lying around on your way if you look for it. No need to carry ahead of time. Foil will also work and weighs even less. Can’t heat over a fire? Drop hot rocks in the water.
I would also recommend an anti diarrhea med like Immodium. Dehydration can come on fast and can be a killer.
I suggest a good video (for those who learn easier by seeing) on how to use things found along the way, getting home, to use expedient solutions for necessary items.