Unless you are routinely rucking with a 60lb pack you are not going to suddenly find the strength to do so in an emergency situation. You are better off carrying the basics and keeping your pack to 25lbs or less.

Rather than stocking up on gadgets and filling every pocket with gear you aren’t likely to need or use, put effort into mastering skills. Because the more you know, the less you need to carry.

Getting out of dodge on foot

In any sort of a “Get Out Of Dodge” scenario when your main goal is to put distance in between yourself and whatever the incident is that you’re running from, the key is to be lightweight and fast while still being able to provide for all of your immediate needs.

• Maintaining core body temperature
• Staying hydrated
• Consuming calories
• Cover ground quickly… without wearing yourself out
• Treat life-threatening injuries
• Effectively navigate from Point A to Point B

It comes down having a streamlined kit and only carrying what’s necessary. With the exception of some redundancies for the most important things.

Gear for your ultralight “GOOD” Bag

Bag: You need to start with a good durable backpack in natural colors that can blend into a woodland environment as well as an urban one. This means you will want to avoid camo patterns and anything that looks tactical, as that would cause you to stick out in urban areas. Grey along with muted greens, browns or blues are your best choices.

Shelter Kit: A shelter kit consists of something sleep under, sleep on, and to sleep in. Plus some cordage to hold it all together. If you know how to build a shelter with a tarp – it is usually a better option than a tent. You can also make a shelter out of a large poncho and it can do double duty as rain gear. For something to sleep on – that could be a couple of contractor-grade trash bags filled with leaves or grass. Or you could go with a hi-tech pad. For something to sleep in you could use an emergency blanket (not the Mylar ones that are single use) or a poncho liner sometimes referred to as a “woobie.”

For cordage to make a shelter try using 550 paracord just for the ridgeline – this means you will only need to pack about 60 feet of it. Then use #36 bankline for the rest of your construction. While you can make stakes fairly easily, it doesn’t hurt to pack 6 aluminum or titanium tent stakes. It’s one less thing you have to worry about if you are cold or injured.

Fire Kit: You want to have at least three ways to make fire. A Bic lighter, a ferro rod, and a Fresnel lens would be my suggestions. You will also want to have a bit of tinder. This could be as simple as cotton balls smeared with Vaseline or as high tech as a tin of mini-infernos. Even if you are experienced in gathering natural tinder, if you are cold and wet, your hands might not be working well and having ready-made tender at your disposal could be a lifesaver.