“Daddy’s home!” These are the words you’d want to hear as the workday ends. You’d be worried sick if you don’t hear your father’s booming voice announcing his return. In the event that some accident or emergency situation is keeping your old man from getting back to you, he’ll need all the help he can get. That includes a number of get home bag essentials.
If you’re running out of brilliant Father’s Day gift ideas, get him some survival gear or other important items to help him build his get home bag. That way, you’re helping your dad be better equipped to make it back home even if the world has gone bonkers.
Preparing A Get Home Bag
A get home bag is similar to a bug out bag in the sense that they both contain gear and supplies that will help you survive when SHTF. With a bug out bag, your aim is to survive after evacuating your home or shelter. A get home bag is primarily for you to get home to your family.
One thing you should consider when getting your father something for his get home bag is the kind of disasters or emergencies that are more likely to happen and affect him. If your dad works at a nuclear plant, for example, his get home bag should include stuff that would be useful in the event of a nuclear meltdown. This goes for all kinds of natural disasters such as a typhoon, flood or earthquake and even man-made ones like a terrorist attack, biochemical attack, or an active shooter situation. You can even prepare your get home bag to handle alien invasions or zombie outbreaks.
Communication
Let’s say you’re already a professional earning your keep and you’re planning on getting something special for your dad. One of the popular Father’s Day gift ideas you can consider is a new smartphone. This is a great gift, no doubt about it. However, if you want to go the extra mile, why don’t you get him a nice power bank or solar charger so he’ll have the means to contact you when SHTF.
Better yet, get a pair of two-way radios. Dad can keep one in his bug out bag while the other is at home with the rest of the family. If the communication grid falls, two-way radios and other old school communication tools like HAM radios will be back in fashion.
Light and Warmth
It’s quite common for power to be out in disaster-stricken areas. Your dad will find it easier to get back to you if he can see the way. Father’s Day gift ideas like tactical flashlights, LED headlamps, camping lanterns are always a good idea. You can also opt for lighters, waterproof matches, and other firestarters if your budget is a little limited.
Protection From the Elements
Aside from fire, your dad will need the right clothes to protect him from the cold and rain. Such father’s Day gift ideas should include a poncho, jacket, wool blanket, or a Mylar blanket.
He’ll also need something to protect him from dust and smoke. N95 face masks will do the trick but it would be better if he had a respirator in his get home bag. You can also opt for something a tad more stylish such as an air filter scarf.
If your dad is an outdoor enthusiast, he’ll appreciate it if you give him a tent or sleeping bag for father’s day. A bivouac shelter or bivvy is actually more suited for his get home bag since it is more portable and less space-consuming, qualities that are great if you have to travel fast. If it takes him more than a day to get back to you, he’ll be glad to have these pieces of outdoor gear in his get home bag.
Food and Water
It may seem a little too simple to give food and water as your Father’s Day gifts but when it comes down to it, these two are the most important things your dad will have in his get home bag. He will need sustenance to have the energy to get back to you. Get him packs of energy bars or a box of MREs or the ready-to-eat meals that military people eat on the field. He can distribute them among his get home bag, bug out bag and in the prepper pantry.
If you want fancier Father’s Day gift ideas, you can consider a BPA-free water bottle, a personal water filter or even a pack of water purification tablets. A metal container can be useful not only to keep water but also for boiling and cooking Yu just need to keep it in your get home bag in a way that it will not make a loud sound, which is not a good thing if you’re trying to hide from threats.
Portable water filters and purification tablets will let you drink water dirty water in case you run out of supply. Get all three, if you can. All these will be pretty useful when he has no access to clean drinking water.
Weapons and Self-Defense Tools
Assume that there will always be threats. In a zombie apocalypse, you’ll be dealing with mindless flesh eaters. In an economic collapse, desperate people will do anything to survive including hurt other people to get what they have.
Firearms are ideal as long as they are acquired legally and you get the proper documents. Anyone who owns a gun should also have proper training in handling the gun. The mental aspect is also important, especially with all the issues regarding guns nowadays.
Aside from firearms, other Father’s Day gift ideas that would help keep your dad safe until he’s home include pocket knives, survival knives, pepper sprays, and blunt weapons.
Bag
Of course, your old man will need the right bag for all his gear and supplies. A get home bag is smaller compared to a bug out bag because you need to be light on your foot. Your pops will need to travel fast to get home to your family so a small tactical backpack would be ideal. This will keep his hands free to do other tasks such as climbing walls or using weapons to defend himself. Fanny packs, sling bags, and duffel bags will work, as well.
Other Get Home Bag Essentials
Office workers often wear dress shoes. These are not suited for roughing it out. Include a pair of sneakers or any sturdy and comfortable shoes among your Father’s Day gift ideas.
Don’t forget his extra pair of socks. If you’re not capable of breaking the bank for an expensive pair of rubber shoes or hiking boots, a pair of hiking socks will do. He should be able to replace his dress socks and shoes with the more appropriate ones when the need arises.
A multi-tool is one of the best Father’s Day gift ideas you can think of. Every person should have one. He should have a multi-tool in both his get home bag and bug out bag so he’ll have something to use in case one gets lost.
Other basic get home bag items that you should include in your list of Father’s Day gift ideas include a signal mirror, emergency whistle, window breaker, compass, paracord grenade, N95 face mask, respirator, first aid kit, hygiene kit, and an emergency weather radio, among other things.
Any father will do everything in his power to get home to his family in the event of a disaster. If you’ve seen The Impossible starring Tom Holland, Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, you know how much everyone fought to be together again after the tragic Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. While the film focused more on the struggles of the mother and his son, the father also did all he could to find his missing family. This true story just shows that no parent will ever give up until the family is once again complete.
With regards to get home bag essentials, there are certainly other items you should have that are not listed here. If you know one that we left behind, please feel free to share them in the comment section below. Please go to The Gentleman Pirate, as well, to know more about get home bags and other tips that can be useful in getting back to your family. There are also plenty of Father’s Day gift ideas over there. Here’s another one. A tactical pen such as the Strike Pen Black courtesy of Ape Survival is one of the best Father’s Day gifts you can give your old man to help him come home safe.
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