New to preparedness? Go camping with your go-bag, even if it’s just in your back yard

If you're one of *The Prepared's* many new readers who've recently become aware of the importance of preparing for emergencies due to the pandemic, welcome aboard. You might already have begun assembling your go-bag emergency kit, or maybe you’ve even purchased a pack and started filling it with essentials. Regardless of how far along you are in building your kit, you're not truly prepared until you’ve put your gear to the test. I relearned this lesson just a couple of weekends ago. My oldest daughter and I went on a mini-camping trip without leaving our property. We own 17 acres of land, and about half of it is forested, so we ventured into the wooded area and set up camp on a Saturday afternoon. I brought my go-bag—a heavily packed Goruck GR2 40L—and she carried hers, a discontinued Goruck Echo. This marked our first attempt at field-testing our packs and loadouts. We didn’t fully live out of the packs since we brought a tent and other supplies that wouldn’t fit in an on-foot evacuation scenario. That’s perfectly fine. Our goal was simply to gain some practical experience and uncover any issues.  I'll share some insights from that night spent outdoors with my pack, not because these lessons are directly applicable to your preparations, but to demonstrate how valuable this kind of exercise can be. **Note**: All the gear mentioned in this review was purchased with my own money—the packs, the multi-tool, the hatchet, etc. Some items in the packs were provided for review purposes, either by *The Prepared* or manufacturers. However, everything discussed here is from my personal collection. **The Gear**: - Goruck GR2 (USA) 40L - Goruck Echo – discontinued - Williams Blade Design Bearded Axe (made by Winkler Knives) – discontinued - Leatherman Free K4 - Therm-a-Rest NeoVenture Sleeping Pad - Nemo Fillo Pillow --- ### Why Testing Your Loadout Matters Before diving into my experiences, let me emphasize why testing your complete go-bag setup is crucial, especially for newcomers. Here are some compelling reasons to test your kit: - Avoid surprises during emergencies by understanding how your gear functions. - Identify potential weak points or items that might fail under pressure. - Discover what’s working well so you can retain or enhance those elements. - Customize standard recommendations to better suit your unique needs. That last point is often overlooked. Our team invests significant effort in creating comprehensive lists, which might suggest that you won't need anything beyond what we recommend. However, there's an important caveat: While our lists will cover most people adequately, they can't cater to everyone’s specific circumstances. So, test your gear—not just to fine-tune our suggestions but to ensure your setup meets your personal requirements. --- ### Lesson One: Always Pack a Pillow I can’t sleep without a pillow—I just can’t. Before this trip, I realized this, yet I neglected to include my inflatable camping pillow in my go-bag. It wasn’t on our standard list, so it slipped my mind. None of the alternatives in my bag (like clothes or a tarp) worked well enough for me to fall asleep comfortably. In the end, I improvised by stuffing spare clothing under my sleeping pad near my head, creating a makeshift pillow. It did the job, but it wasn’t ideal. A good night’s rest is critical during stressful situations, so for me, having a proper pillow outweighs the extra weight. **Key Takeaway**: For optimal performance and comfort, I must keep the inflatable pillow in my go-bag permanently.  --- ### Lesson Two: Bag Design Can Make or Break Your Experience We chose Goruck bags for several reasons: - Uniformity makes it easier to describe lost bags to others. - Their distinctiveness helps us locate each other in crowded areas. - Goruck’s reputation for quality remains solid, even if customer service has declined slightly. - The zipper design allows the bags to open flat, eliminating the hassle of digging through contents. This last feature proved invaluable during our short trip. In the middle of the night, when I needed something from my pack, I simply unzipped it and located the item without disturbing anything else. Whether it was buried deep or hidden, I never had to remove other items unnecessarily. My daughter initially struggled with the pack’s design, accustomed as she was to traditional school backpacks. By the end of our stay, though, I had taught her to use the pack correctly. This made managing the campsite much smoother and kept things organized. Overall, the investment in these packs felt worthwhile. **Key Takeaway**: Despite their cost, Goruck bags offer unmatched functionality in the field. I’m glad I followed the review advice and avoided top-loading designs. --- ### Lesson Three: Combining a Hatchet and Multi-Tool Works Brilliantly I’m a big fan of knives, both literally and figuratively. However, during this trip, I decided to experiment with leaving my fixed-blade knife in the pack and carrying only a Winkler tactical hatchet and a Leatherman Free K4. This combination turned out to be incredibly effective. I used the hatchet for heavy tasks like chopping and shaping wood, while the Leatherman handled lighter duties like cutting and food preparation. Together, they complemented each other seamlessly. At no point did I feel the need for a larger knife, although I briefly wished my Leatherman had a saw blade. Though I still recommend keeping a fixed blade handy, I’ll definitely incorporate this hatchet/multi-tool duo into future outdoor excursions to see how it performs. **Key Takeaway**: This setup works well for my needs, so I’ll feel more confident using it on more demanding trips like hunting or extended wilderness camping. --- ### Final Thoughts Even small-scale activities like backyard camping can provide invaluable insights into your gear. While I didn’t cover everything I learned here, the process left me feeling confident about my setup. Knowing that your gear is reliable reduces stress significantly, especially during uncertain times. Overall, testing your loadout isn’t just about identifying problems—it’s about gaining peace of mind. And in today’s unpredictable world, every bit of reassurance counts.

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