Packing Water for a 72-Hour Go-Bag

Pouches, bottles and a collapsible jug: how to carry three days of water when you can't carry three gallons.

Three gallons weighs 25 pounds, which is too much for most go-bags. So a go-bag carries some water and a plan for more.

What I pack

• Two 1-liter bottles, full
• Six sealed emergency water pouches (they flex and fit into gaps)
• A collapsible 2.5-gallon jug, empty, for refilling at shelters
• A small water filter and the manufacturer's instructions

Car kit

A case of bottled water in the trunk, swapped each spring and fall (heat ages the plastic taste fast).

Kids' bags

One bottle plus two pouches each. Light enough that they'll actually carry it.

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