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The Best Gear for Your Bug-Out Bag

In the event of a wildfire, a hurricane, a flood, or any number of other emergencies, it’s a good idea to have a fully stocked bag of emergency gear (often called a “ready bag,” “go bag,” or “bug-out bag”). 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 more 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 our guides will help you be prepared with reliable and versatile tools that can help you manage whatever emergency you may face.

Find the complete article and gear ideas written by Doug Mahoney here.

LAST UPDATED

October 22, 2023

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Wirecutter’s mission is to recommend what really matters. Each year, we independently test and review thousands of products to help you find just what you need. Our goal is to save you time and eliminate the stress of shopping, whether you’re looking for everyday gear or gifts for loved ones.

We strive to be the most trusted product recommendation service around, and we work with total editorial independence. We won’t post a recommendation unless our writers and editors have deemed something the best through rigorous reporting and testing.

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