Get Prepared, Build a Go-Bag, Stay Ready—Just in Case

You’ve all heard of the guys building bunkers and stuffing their basement with canned food. As if in the event of a natural disaster or economic collapse they’ll be fine for a couple years eating creamed corn and sucking puddle water through a purifying straw. And maybe those guys are right. Maybe when the world comes near its end we’ll all be kicking ourselves for not stockpiling plastic silverware and astronaut ice cream and whatever else those dudes got in their bunker. Maybe when nuclear war breaks out we will envy the paranoid family who hoarded hot dogs and saw it all coming.

Of course those preppers we joke about are the extreme. They are the people who wake up each day waiting for an asteroid to hit. But there is something to be said for realistically preparing for an emergency. You can get some supplies in order for a hurricane or temporary loss of power or medical event and not go as far as digging a hole beneath the swimming pool.

Here we’ve collected a handful of our products that can fit in a go-bag and be on standby in the event of an emergency. This list of products isn’t designed to keep you safe in the event of the next civil war (we’re working on that list), but rather to give you a few handy options if your family does ever fall on scarce times.

Start with a Good Tactical Bag

We’ve got your deployment bags, your 3-day assault packs, some with integrated hydration, and your advanced medical packs—but for our purposes here we probably just need a simple backpack. Our Everyday Pack is compact, lightweight and has a large, single compartment for all the preparedness supplies we’ve listed below. (It also has a nice little front pouch if you need something for class. But first disasters…)

Next, Choose a Good Flashlight

The Streamlight ProTac 2L Tactical Flashlight will do. Designed with professionals in mind, Streamlight is a law enforcement favorite. It delivers super bright light in a compact package and comes with a number of settings. The LED technology is also easier on batteries.

You’ll Want a Medical Kit

Emergency food is great, but you’d be surprised how many people prepare for a disaster like it’s a picnic. What you want is a good medical kit. The Red Cross (should our theoretical disaster hit) will be busy and you want to be sure you have supplies on hand to care for your family members.

Our Quick Detach Medical Pouch was built alongside G-Code®. It fits on a tactical belt and is made for fast access. The double zipper allows you to simply pull and the pouch unfolds to grant access to the first aid supplies inside.

Our Quick Detach Medical Pouch is made in the USA and Berry Compliant for those who serve. But it’s also a great, compact addition to any disaster preparedness setup.

[video callout] Learn more about our customizable medical kits.

If things get really bad you want to have important documents in your emergency supplies. You want all the important proof-of-life documents you might need to restart. This might require a fireproof box or something more substantial than a bug out bag. But for now, we’re not talking about the exact end of the world, not the Revelation. More just a hiccup in the order or things. A simple vast economic collapse where you need things like a few Petzl Carabiners, a Leatherman Surge, and some good rope. Maybe a couple ballistic helmets for the kiddos…

We’re being a little facetious, of course. We hear of so many people preparing for the End Times we got to wondering if it’s survival supplies we’re going to need or a bulk supply of 5.56. Should we fill our basement full of 5-gallon water jugs? (Experts recommend 1 gallon of water per person per day you’re hunkered down. FYI.) Or if the bad times come and the world goes nuts is it ammunition we’ll need?

Those are sad thoughts for another day. For now let’s keep our disaster prep lighter. Let’s picture a disaster where everything slows down for a spell, the cellphones all die in one great, awesome zap, and we’re left with our canned beans and the people we hold dear to lay out under the stars, all the lights across town dead, no longer infecting the sky, and we were the ones wise enough to snag a few Softie Snugpaks when they were online at Tactical Assault Gear —while supplies last...