Build Your Own 72-Hour Go Bag

A go bag only helps if the right things are in it, in the right order. This tool lets you pack a bag one item at a time, see what you are still missing, and send the result to someone else, like a spouse, a parent or a neighbor. It follows the same priority order as my 72 hour go bag list: bleeding control first, documents last.

Reader-supported: I may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.

How to use the builder

1. Tap an item in the picture, then press “Pack it in the bag”, or tick it in the checklist below. Packed items fly into the bag.
2. Watch the line that says “Next most important”. It always points to the first thing you have not packed, in my priority order.
3. Check the estimated cost box. It adds up the items you have packed, and the plus and minus buttons on the food row change how many days of food you are packing.
4. Press “Copy my bag link” to share your bag, or “Empty the bag” to start over.

New to prepping and not sure a go bag is where to start? The 5-question Find Your Kit quiz points you to the right guides first.

Why the items are in this order

Severe bleeding is the one problem on this list that can become life-threatening in minutes, so the trauma kit and tourniquet come first. Water comes next, then staying warm and dry, then light, power and communication, then food, then a simple tool, then your documents and cash. The reasoning behind each pick is in the full 72 hour go bag list.

What the builder does not do

It gives a rough cost, not a quote. Prices come from the merchants’ own pages on the date shown, before tax and shipping, and they change. The trauma kit is not counted in the total, because its price depends on the kit you choose. It is the one item I would never cut to save money. If the total is too high, start with the Essentials and add the rest as you can. You also do not need to buy a new bag: almost any sturdy, durable bag you already own will work, so the pack choice below is optional. Items I do not name use two example products, so they show a range. It does not add up weight. It also does not replace training: a tourniquet and a trauma kit are only as useful as your practice with them. The pictures are illustrations, not product photos.

Related guides and tools

• Household Water Calculator: how much water your household needs.
• Find Your Kit quiz: five questions to point you at the right starting kit.
• Printable Go Bag Checklist: a plain, brand-free version you can print and share.
• Car Emergency Kit Builder: the same kind of checklist, for your car.
• Water purification tablets vs. filters.
• Best fire starters for emergency preparedness.
• Mountain Man Medical trauma kits: Sweetwater vs. Yellowstone.

FAQ

Does the builder save my bag?

No. It does not create an account or keep your list on my server. Your choices live in the web address itself, so “Copy my bag link” gives you a link that reopens the same bag, and anyone you send it to can change their copy without changing yours. The site’s analytics counts aggregate actions, like which items get packed, the same way it counts page views.

Is a 72-hour bag enough?

It is a starting point for about three days away from your normal supplies. Household size, medications, climate and how far you would have to walk all change the list. I cover what changes in the household section of my 72 hour go bag list.

Why is the tourniquet its own line, separate from the trauma kit?

The standard trauma kit I list does not include one, so it gets its own line. I only list tourniquets that are on the CoTCCC list. A tourniquet also only helps if you have practiced putting one on, so look at my first aid classes page for training near you.

How accurate is the cost estimate?

It is a rough guide. I check each named product on the merchant’s page and note the date. Prices change often and leave out tax and shipping, so confirm with the merchant before you buy. Items I do not name show a range from two example products. The food row prices only the days you choose, but the food bucket it prices is sold whole, so you pay for the full bucket when you buy it.

Do I have to buy through your links?

No. Items without a link are generic things you can buy anywhere. If you do use a link, you pay the same price and I may earn a commission, which helps support the site. It never changes a verdict.