When it hits the fan, you don’t need everything—you need the right things.
What to Put in a Minimalist Go Bag
Most guys building go bags overdo it. They stuff 72-hour kits full of fire starters, tarps, fishing hooks, and freeze-dried meals like they’re hiking the Appalachian Trail. That’s not what we’re talking about here.
This is about building a minimalist go bag. A bolt bag. A speedball. Something you can grab when things go sideways—fast. A short-term, under-48-hour bag for getting out, not bugging out. It’s designed to be carried every day or kept within arm’s reach. Think gas station to home, city to safety, or hotel to your vehicle.
Let me show you what that looks like for me.
Purpose of the Minimalist Go Bag (a.k.a. Speedball, Bolt Bag)
This isn’t a camping kit. It’s not meant to help you live off the land. It’s meant to help you get home, get out of a bad area, or ride out an immediate crisis without looking like a guy cosplaying Red Dawn.
You want it small, fast, and unassuming.
Mine lives in my vehicle or gets slung over my shoulder when I travel. The entire setup is designed to promote short-term self-reliance in high-stress situations. Not survival in the woods. Urban mobility, speed, and redundancy.
The Bag: 221B Tactical PF-1 Armored Fast Access EDC CCW Bag
I’ve been through a few configurations, but I keep coming back to the PF-1. It’s compact, armored and gives me fast access to the essentials.
It’s not overloaded. It’s not flashy. It blends in.
221B Tactical PF-1 Armored Fast Access EDC CCW Bag
221B Tactical PF-1 Armored Fast Access EDC CCW Bag
221B Tactical PF-1 Armored Fast Access EDC CCW Bag
221B Tactical PF-1 Armored Fast Access EDC CCW Bag
221B Tactical PF-1 Armored Fast Access EDC CCW Bag
I don’t off-body carry my firearm in it, but I do keep critical support gear inside, and it’s laid out so I can access everything in seconds.
It’s also got a quick-adjust shoulder strap, so I can sling the bag behind me, cinch it down, and move fast.
221B Tactical PF-1 Armored Fast Access EDC CCW Bag
What I Keep In My Minimalist Bolt Bag (and Why)
- Spare Magazines (x4) – Loaded with 147-grain 9mm hollow points. One mag is never enough—this is for sustained defense, not a warning shot.
- Cash – A couple hundred in small bills. Credit card readers fail, and cash talks when systems are down.
- Passport – Quick ID in an emergency, proof of citizenship, or a backup if your wallet disappears.
- Smoke Grenades (x3) – For distraction, escape, or cover in a worst-case scenario. Especially useful in urban settings, riots, street takeovers, or low-visibility situations.
- Bear Spray – Non-lethal deterrent that buys distance. Works just as well on two legs as it does on four.
- Small Medical Kit – Just the essentials: tourniquet, pressure bandage, gloves. It’s not a trauma suite, but it can save a life.
- Headlamp – Hands-free beats handheld every time—whether you’re applying a bandage or navigating in the dark.
- PSA Dagger Maintenance Kit – A compact set of tools and cleaning gear to keep my sidearm functional.
- Duct Tape (Short Roll) – Gear repair, wound closure, restraint, you name it. If you can’t fix it with duct tape, you didn’t use enough.
- Hand Restraints – For when you need to control a threat or secure someone until law enforcement arrives.
- Gloves – For everything from trauma response to keeping your prints off anything that needs to stay anonymous.
- Phone Charging Cable + Battery Pack – My iPhone does maps, messaging, flashlight, camera—you name it. This setup gives me one full recharge from zero.
What I Don’t Carry (On Purpose)
Here’s where I differ from the typical prepper checklist:
- No Water Bottle: Space is tight. I’ve debated swapping out the bear spray for a bottle, but for now, the spray stays. The jury is still out on how I’m going to incorporate water.
- No Shelter or Fire Kit: Where I live and operate, I’m already dressed for the weather. I’m not hiking into the mountains. I’m navigating cities, highways, or rural farmland—and I’m doing it in proper shoes or boots, not flip-flops.
- No Spare Shirt or Socks: I’m not planning to change clothes. I’m planning to move. Quickly.
Going Even Lighter: My Ultra-Minimalist Setup
Sometimes, even the PF-1 is more than I want to carry. I scale down to an ultra-compact setup using the SOE FUPA fanny pack.
It rides close to the body and gives me just enough gear to be useful without slowing me down. Yes, it’s a woodland camouflage pattern, but as more and more people carry camo bags, it blends in more than you think.
SOE FUPA fanny pack
SOE FUPA fanny pack
SOE FUPA fanny pack
Here’s what I pack into it:
- 2 Spare Magazines – Still loaded with 147-grain hollow points. Less firepower than the full rig, but a resupply to the one in the gun and spare in my Tier 1 Concealed IWB holster..
- 2 Smoke Grenades – If I need to break contact or create chaos, these give me an edge.
- Minimalist Maintenance Kit – Just the basics—enough to clear a malfunction or give my PSA Dagger a quick field wipe-down if needed.
- Gloves – Thin, functional, and ready for anything from medical response to scraping through broken glass.
- Duct Tape (Short Strip) – Rolled flat. It still does 90% of what a full roll can.
- Hand Restraints – Lightweight and easy to stash. They stay in every loadout, regardless of size.
- Compact Medical Kit – Just a TQ, some gauze, and chest seals. Enough to plug a hole.
- Headlamp or Flashlight – Both have their place, but only one fits comfortably.
This is a “get in, get out, get home” kit when even the bolt bag is too much. It’s fast, it’s light, and it works.
Purpose Over Paranoia
This isn’t about playing secret agent. It’s about being prepared without being encumbered. Every item in my bag earns its keep. If it doesn’t serve a clear, immediate function, it’s out.
That said, you should tailor your kit to your Area of Operation (AO). Live in Arizona? Add a water pouch. Work in a dense city? Maybe consider upgrading communications with a two-way radio. Spend time in snowy climates? Layer accordingly.
But don’t carry what someone else says you need. Carry what you know you’ll use.
Final Thoughts: Build a Bolt Bag You’ll Actually Carry
At the end of the day, the best gear is the gear you’ll actually have on you. A bolt bag shouldn’t be some overloaded rucksack that you dread carrying. It should be small, fast, and mission-ready.
If I had to choose between the two bags above, I’d go with the PF-1 solely because of the shoulder strap. It just works so well, and when cinched down to your body, it has little to no flop. The SOE Fupa, on the other hand, while smaller, flops around more than I like.
If you’re still building your go bag or rethinking your setup, start small. Be intentional. Think like a problem solver, not a gear hoarder. That’s how you stay prepared without getting bogged down.
About Scott Witner
Scott Witner is a former Marine Corps Infantryman with 2ndBn/8th Marines. He completed training in desert warfare at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Mountain Warfare and survival at the Mountain Warfare Training Center, the South Korean Mountain Warfare School in Pohang, and the Jungle Warfare school in the jungles of Okinawa, Japan. He now enjoys recreational shooting, trail running, hiking, functional fitness, and working on his truck. Scott resides in Northeastern Ohio.
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