After I turned 50, I got it into my head that I wanted a brand-new vehicle, not used, just once in my life. Our minivan was about 22 years old and Midwestern winters had taken their toll on the body, so it was time for an upgrade.

We ended up buying a dealer’s demo model that had fewer than 2,000 miles on it. It has so many gadgets and gizmos, I feel like I’m piloting a spacecraft. While we’re still learning how everything works, I wanted to get the van outfitted properly for the numerous road trips we have planned. I think one of the best parts about getting a new-to-you vehicle is customizing it for your needs.
Enter the AP Premium Bag from KY Handcrafted. AP stands for All-Purpose, and that’s precisely what this bag is. It’s the ideal size for any number of assignments. I picked one up a few months back without a specific use in mind. I just recognized that it would be great in several different roles.

Once we got the new van, the first thing I did was grab the AP Bag to build a small emergency kit. We’ve got a lot of travel lined up, including some multi-state trips where we’ll be away from home for a week or more. The goal for this kit is simple: keep essential emergency items close at hand and easy to find. This isn’t a doomsday setup — it’s for the curveballs, like an unexpected overnight in the middle of nowhere. An all-purpose bag for an all-purpose kit, right?

inside of road trip pack

The AP Bag Premium edition features two Velcro panels on the inside, as well as a high-vis interior color to make it easier to find what you need.

The Bag

There are two models for the AP Bag, Basic and Premium. They’re both the same size, running 12 inches long, 8 inches tall, and 6 inches wide. Both are constructed from 1000D Cordura. They each have 1.5-inch carry handles as well as a 1.5-inch-wide shoulder strap. The carry handle straps go all the way around the bag, rather than just being stitched into place at the top. The shoulder strap attaches via G-hooks, so it’s easy enough to remove as needed.

The AP Bag, Basic or Premium, is available in Multicam, Multicam Black, Ranger Green, and Woodland Camo. The Basic is also available in straight black. I went with Multicam Black, simply because I wasn’t sure what role the bag was going to play at the time of purchase. I figured it was a good middle-of-the-road option between the available patterns.

Where the bags differ are with a few bells and whistles that are included at the Premium level, which is the bag we’re featuring here. The Premium’s interior is a high-vis color, and there are Velcro panels for attaching aftermarket pouches or pockets. The exterior has a zipper pocket on one side and an open top pocket on the other. There is also PALS webbing on one side so you can add an exterior pouch if desired.

Along the top is a Velcro strip where you can add a name tape. I ordered my name tape from an outfit called armynavywisconsin/CollarsUSA on Amazon. They did great work and only took a few days to get it shipped out to me.

What’s in the Bag?

The beauty of sticking to a smaller bag for a survival or emergency kit is that it forces you to think hard about each potential addition. You find yourself paring things down to the bare necessities, rather than filling it with a ton of luxuries right off the bat. The intention of this kit is to provide for our basic needs for a short period of time. This isn’t any sort of run to the woods to live off the land kit.

One of my primary goals as I put this together was to avoid buying anything special for the kit. I wanted to assemble it using only gear and supplies that I already had on hand. Fortunately, as a longtime preparedness author and instructor, I’ve accumulated quite a bit of miscellaneous stuff over the years.

water kit for road trop pack

After use, the Sawyer Mini water filter will dry nicely thanks to the mesh-sided Water Purification Kit Pouch from Tuff Possum Gear.

Water Filtration

Clean water is a critical survival need. We typically have at least one gallon of potable water in the van with us, along with a couple of refillable water bottles. But there’s always the possibility that we’d need more H2O in a bad situation. To that end, the first thing I put into this kit was a Sawyer Mini. I keep it in a Water Purification Kit Pouch from Tuff Possum Gear. It has a mesh front panel, allowing the contents to air dry between uses.

battery for road trip pack

This Battarix Power Card is a last-ditch option to charge a cell phone or similar device if there are no other power sources available.

Battarix

In an ideal world, we’ll be able to charge our phones using the van. However, emergency kits are intended for less-than-ideal conditions. The Battarix is a small lithium battery that’s pre-charged and ready to go for either Android or iPhone. It has an eight-year shelf life and takes up very little space.

tools for road trip pack

The Model 1 from White River Knives is perfect for a kit this size. The Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit Plus has a small ratchet and bits secured in the leather pouch

Knife

This is the element of the kit where I struggled the most. As a certified knife nut, it was difficult for me to narrow down the choices. Whenever possible, I gravitate toward a fixed blade rather than a folder, simply because there aren’t any moving parts to get fouled. I eventually landed on the Model 1 from White River Knives. It’s on the smaller side, but with plenty of blade to get the job done.

 

fire kit

The fire kit is contained in a Belt Pouch from Tuff Possum Gear. All of this and more can fit inside. The Pull Start Fire is the last resort option, because it’s a one-and-done item.

Fire Kit

This is another area where I have to be careful, as it’s easy for me to go overboard. I’m an admitted fire bug, and I tend to pack heavy for this category. I started with an Exotac titanLIGHT, as that provides immediate flame. For a secondary ignition source, I tossed in a ferrocerium rod from Black Beard Fire Starter, along with a Corona carbide sharpening tool, which generates massive sparks from the ferro rod. For tinder options, I included a tin of Fiber Light from Outdoor Element as well as a handful of Fire Plugs from Black Beard Fire Starter. Finally, as a Hail Mary fire starting option, I put in one Pull Start Fire fire starter. This is a self-contained unit that works amazingly well. You tie it to a log in your fire build, pull a cord, and the box ignites. I also have an extendable fire bellows to help nurse the fire along as needed.

Multi-Tool

A ton of great options are available. I went with the Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit Plus with the ratchet accessory pack. It all fits into a nice leather pouch to keep it organized. I’ve used this model a fair bit over the last few years, and it’s always performed well.

Flashlight

I’ve been fairly brand loyal to Streamlight for about a decade now. Nothing against any other brands, of course, but I own 15 to 20 different Streamlight products and not a single one has let me down. For this kit, I went with the MegaStream USB. It features 1,800 lumens and 26,000 candela on the highest setting. I can crank that down to 150 lumens and 2,100 candela in situations where I don’t need to cast shadow puppets on the lunar surface. Being USB powered, I could use that Battarix lithium battery to charge it in a true emergency.

lighting for road trip kit

SnapLights

I tossed in a couple of Cyalume SnapLights to use for signaling for help after dark. They don’t require batteries or charging, last upward of 12 hours upon activation, and are plenty bright enough to get someone’s attention if I need to flag someone down.

First Aid

This is a weak spot for this kit. The first aid pouch has a random assortment of adhesive bandages, OTC meds, gauze, and such. I’m going to revamp this kit to be far more comprehensive, as well as better organized.

Cordage

This is always handy to have available. You never know when you’ll need to attach one thing to another thing. I have a couple of options available in that regard. A hank of paracord is great for so many applications. I also took some duct tape and wrapped it around an old gift card, then put that into a small Ziploc bag to keep the adhesive from picking up dirt or lint.

tuff possum pouch

Shortcomings

As packed right now, I’ve not taken advantage of the interior Velcro panel. I should probably add a couple of pouches or pockets to the inside of the AP Bag, to provide for some organization to the contents. But as I stated at the outset, I wanted to put this kit together without buying anything extra. I only have a few Velcro pouches and they’re currently in use with other bags.
I also need to up my game when it comes to the first aid kit. Admittedly, I went the lazy route with this one and plan to revisit it soon.

The kit has no food, but that’s by design. I live in an area that experiences very hot and humid summers as well as winters that are well below freezing. These conditions aren’t conducive to storing foods for any real length of time. However, given that this kit is just meant to get us through an overnight at best, I’m not too concerned about snacks. The AP Bag itself, though? Zero complaints, no notes. It’s aces all around.

Road trip pack

Final Thoughts

I can wholeheartedly recommend the AP Bag. It’s made right here in the United States by a craftsman who genuinely cares about his product line. It’s a small outfit, but the quality is off the charts. I own several products from KY Handcrafted, and each one is the real deal.

Pack Stats

  • MAKE & MODEL: KY Handcrafted AP Bag
  • Dimensions: 12 by 6 by 8 inches
  • Material: 1000D Cordura
  • MSRP: $119
  • URL: kyhandcrafted.com

About The Author

Jim Cobb is a nationally recognized authority on disaster readiness. He has been involved with preparedness for nearly 40 years and has developed a reputation for his common-sense approach to the subject. In addition to his numerous books and several hundred magazine articles, Cobb is one of the cohosts of the How to Survive 2025 podcast. He offers a free weekly newsletter called The Survival Weekly Dispatch (jimcobb.substack.com/).

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original version for the web.


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