Practical guide to assembling a get home bag for everyday carry. Includes gear lists, weight considerations, and scenario-based planning.
What is a Get Home Bag and Why You Need One
A get home bag is a compact emergency kit designed to help you travel from your workplace or daily location back to your home during a disaster. Unlike a bug out bag designed for 72 hours of wilderness survival, a get home bag focuses on the specific challenges of urban travel over a distance of 5-50 miles. Most Americans commute 15-30 miles to work. If a major earthquake, EMP event, or civil emergency disrupts transportation, you may need to walk home. A properly equipped GHB provides the essentials for a 12-24 hour journey on foot through potentially dangerous urban and suburban environments. The key to an effective everyday carry emergency kit is keeping it compact and lightweight enough that you actually carry it daily, not leave it at home when you need it most.
Choosing the Right Bag
Your get home bag should be inconspicuous enough for a professional environment yet durable enough for hard use. Avoid tactical-looking bags that advertise preparedness and could make you a target during a crisis. A quality commuter backpack in gray, black, or navy blends into any urban environment. Look for a bag in the 20-30 liter range with comfortable shoulder straps, a hip belt for load distribution, and multiple organizational compartments. The 5.11 Tactical COVRT18, Osprey Daylite Plus, and Mystery Ranch Urban Assault are excellent options that look professional while offering durability and comfort. The bag should be comfortable enough to carry for 8-12 hours of walking. Test it loaded with your gear on a long walk before committing. Your EDC bag is only effective if you carry it consistently.
Essential Gear List for Your GHB
Pack your get home bag with these essentials organized by priority. Water: carry a 32-ounce water bottle filled daily plus water purification tablets for refilling from urban sources. Food: pack 2,000-3,000 calories of compact, non-perishable food like energy bars, trail mix, and jerky. Navigation: include a printed map of your commute area with multiple routes highlighted, plus a quality compass. A paper map is essential because your phone may be dead or GPS satellites may be unavailable. First aid: a compact trauma kit with bandages, antiseptic, pain relievers, and any personal medications. Light: a compact flashlight and headlamp with spare batteries. Fire: a lighter and waterproof matches. Shelter: an emergency bivvy or space blanket for overnight situations. Tools: a multi-tool, paracord, and duct tape wrapped around a pencil.
Clothing and Footwear Considerations
The clothes you wear to work may not be suitable for a long walk home. Keep a pair of broken-in walking shoes or boots in your bag or at your desk. Walking 15-30 miles in dress shoes or heels is a recipe for debilitating blisters. Include a pair of moisture-wicking socks, as wet feet develop blisters rapidly. Pack a lightweight rain jacket that doubles as a wind layer. In cold climates, add a compact fleece or insulated jacket, warm hat, and gloves. A bandana or buff serves multiple purposes including sun protection, dust mask, water pre-filter, and bandage. Dress in layers that can be adjusted as your activity level and the weather change during your commuter preparedness journey home. Avoid cotton clothing which retains moisture and loses insulating properties when wet.
Route Planning and Situational Awareness
Plan at least three different routes home from your workplace. Your primary route should be the most direct path using main roads. Your secondary route should avoid highways and use residential streets. Your tertiary route should use trails, greenways, and off-road paths that avoid populated areas entirely. Walk or drive each route at least once to identify potential hazards, water sources, rest stops, and areas to avoid. Note bridges, tunnels, and chokepoints that could become impassable or dangerous during a crisis. During an actual emergency, maintain situational awareness by staying alert to your surroundings, avoiding crowds and confrontations, and moving with purpose. Travel during daylight when possible and find a secure location to rest if you must travel after dark. Your get home bag planning should account for the specific challenges of each route.
Maintaining and Updating Your GHB
A get home bag requires regular maintenance to remain effective. Check and rotate food items every 6 months, replacing anything approaching expiration. Test batteries and flashlights quarterly. Update maps if your commute route changes. Adjust clothing seasonally, swapping warm weather items for cold weather gear and vice versa. Refill your water bottle daily. Check that medications are current and not expired. Review and update your route plans annually or whenever road construction or development changes your area. Practice your get home plan by actually walking your routes at least once per year. This exercise reveals fitness limitations, timing estimates, and gear deficiencies that you can address before an actual emergency. Your everyday carry emergency preparedness is only as good as your most recent practice and maintenance cycle.
Sarah Mitchell
Sarah is a certified emergency preparedness instructor with 12 years of experience in food storage and budget prepping strategies.