THE GTB (GO-TO BAG)
THE GTB (GO-TO BAG)
The Bag You Grab When the Moment Doesn’t Give You Time to Think
Everyone has a fantasy version of themselves —
the version who’s prepared, ready, organized, “on it.”
But when real life hits —
when something happens,
when you need to leave,
when a moment turns,
when opportunity or danger shows up suddenly —
most people freeze.
Not because they’re weak.
Not because they’re scared.
But because they don’t have a plan already built into their life.
That’s what the GTB is for.
The Go-To Bag isn’t a “bug-out bag.”
It’s not a doomsday kit.
It’s not tactical cosplay.
It’s not paranoia.
It’s practicality.
It’s reliability.
It’s capability without clutter.
It’s the bag you can grab in 3 seconds and walk out the door knowing:
“I’m okay. I’ve got what I need.”
That’s the whole point.
WHY I CREATED THE GTB SYSTEM
The GTB grew out of my real life —
not YouTube trends,
not prepper forums,
not someone else’s checklist.
There were moments when I needed to leave quickly.
Moments when I didn’t want to pack.
Moments where nature, weather, circumstance, or opportunity changed instantly.
If you have to build a bag in those moments, it’s already too late.
So I built a GTB that lives ready —
with gear chosen from experience in the woods,
in the mountains,
on the road,
in storms,
in travel,
and in real off-grid living.
Not a fantasy kit.
Not a movie kit.
A real kit.
THE RULES OF A GTB
My GTB follows three simple rules:
1. I can grab it without thinking.
No searching. No packing.
Just grab and go.
2. Everything inside must serve multiple purposes.
No single-use toys.
Everything must earn its weight.
3. It must be small enough to live with — not big enough to dread.
A GTB you don’t carry is a GTB that fails.
WHAT’S IN MY GTB — AND WHY
Here’s the narrative version of your exact loadout.
Not a list — a real explanation of why each thing matters in real life.
Paracord
The most important item people forget.
Paracord is shelter.
Paracord is traps.
Paracord is fishing.
Paracord is repairs.
Paracord is clotheslines.
Paracord is everything.
It weighs nothing — and saves everything.
Candles — Exotac
A candle is light, heat, comfort, dryness, and fire-starting all in one.
Most people underestimate candles.
I don’t.
They have saved more people than modern gear ever will.
Flashlight — Nebo
Light equals safety.
Light equals direction.
Light equals control.
A Nebo flashlight is small, bright, reliable, and tough —
exactly what a GTB demands.
Survival Pen — Boker
This isn’t a writing pen.
This is a tool.
A striker.
A defensive implement.
A pry tool.
A glass breaker in emergencies.
It’s the kind of thing you never think about —
until the moment it saves your life.
Multitool — Gerber Dime
Small. Cheap. Indestructible.
My GTB always has one.
Because when something breaks, you don’t want to wish you had pliers —
you want to reach into a pocket and fix the issue now.
Knives — Benchmade Pocket Knife / Benchmade Infidel / CRKT Sting
Different knives for different tasks.
Benchmade Pocket Knife
Everyday utility.
Opening, slicing, repairing.
Benchmade Infidel
Fast access.
Last-resort defense.
CRKT Sting
A backup blade that can take abuse most knives can’t.
Three blades sounds like a lot —
until you need one and don’t have it.
Redundancy is safety.
Saw — SOL Pocket Chainsaw
For clearing brush, cutting branches, making shelter.
A saw is easier than a knife and quieter than a hatchet.
Water — LifeStraw + Grayl Titanium Filter
Water is life.
Without it, nothing else matters.
LifeStraw for streams.
Grayl for unknown sources, travel, and backup purification.
Two systems.
Two methods.
Two redundancies.
Because water shouldn’t ever be a gamble.
Fire — Vargo Titanium Cooking Set
This isn’t camping gear.
This is survival gear.
Titanium doesn’t rust, warp, or fail.
A pot means:
boiled water
cooked food
melted snow
disinfected river water
warmth
safe calories
Fire + metal = survival.
Fishing Gear — Exotac Hand Reel
A hand reel is tiny, silent, lightweight, and extremely effective.
You can survive anywhere with this and a bit of skill.
Hunting Gear — Pocket Shot Slingshot
People underestimate slingshots.
They shouldn’t.
Silent hunting.
Zero ammo weight.
Easy learning curve.
Works on birds, squirrels, rabbits — exactly what survival actually looks like.
Blankets — SOL Emergency Blanket & Matador Pocket Blanket
One is warmth.
One is ground insulation.
Both fit in your hand.
They turn wet earth into a home.
They turn freezing nights into survivable nights.
Hammock — ENO Hammock Set
This is ultralight shelter done right:
hammock
tarp
fly
straps
You can sleep clean, dry, and off the ground in minutes.
THE GTB ISN’T A BAG — IT’S A STATE OF MIND
A GTB is freedom in a strap.
It’s the promise that you’ll never be caught empty-handed.
It’s the confidence that you can adapt to whatever the moment throws your way.
It’s a small, compact answer to a world full of big, complicated problems.
Most people carry fear.
I carry a GTB.
Because when life shifts — and it always does —
the person ready to move is the person who thrives.