What to Pack in a Go Bag Power & Light Kit for Emergencies

By BioLite | Published: 2026-10-15

Category: Buying Guides

Build a go bag power and light kit that actually works when the grid goes down: the gear to pack, the trade-offs to weigh, and how to size it to your household.

Quick answer

Pack three things and nothing more: a power bank that can charge your phone at least twice, a rechargeable lantern that runs all night, and a way to refill both without a wall outlet. The BioLite Go Bag Power & Light Kit bundles that exact set, which is why it works as a starting point for most households. Add a wall charger only if you expect long outages and want a fast grid top-up between them.

Why power and light belong in the same bag

Most emergency go bag checklists treat lighting and charging as two separate purchases, which is how people end up with a flashlight that takes batteries they don't have and a power bank that's dead when they need it. A go bag power and light kit solves that by sharing one recharge path: whatever charges the lantern can usually charge the power bank, and one solar panel or wall adapter can refill both.

That shared path matters more than raw capacity. A 10,000 mAh bank with no way to recharge it is a two-day resource. A smaller bank paired with a solar panel is a two-week resource. When you're choosing portable power for an emergency kit, count recharge cycles, not milliamp hours.

The emergency go bag checklist for power and light

Keep the kit small enough that you'd actually grab it in a hurry. Four items cover the vast majority of short-term outages.

Power bank sized for your phone: two full phone charges minimum, more if you rely on your phone as your only radio and map.
Rechargeable lantern: warm, diffuse light is easier to live with for hours than a focused beam, and it won't blind you at 3 a.m.
Charging cable that matches your phone, plus a spare if you have one.
A recharge method that doesn't need a wall: a foldable solar panel, or a wall adapter if you're topping up before a storm rather than during an outage.

Lantern or flashlight: pick based on how you'll use it

A flashlight is for moving; a lantern is for staying put. In a go bag, the lantern earns its space because a blackout is mostly a sitting-and-waiting event. Look for a lantern that collapses flat, survives rain, and gives you a low setting that lasts through the night rather than a single bright mode that drains in two hours.

If you also need a headlamp for hands-free work, that's a separate tool and a separate decision — this kit is about keeping a room lit and a phone alive, not about walking a trail.

How much solar panel do you actually need

A 100-watt foldable panel is the practical ceiling for a go bag. It's enough to charge phones and lanterns directly, and it's also enough to pair with a larger power station if you later add one. Anything smaller becomes a trickle charger in overcast weather; anything larger stops being something you'd carry.

The trade-off is setup time and bulk. Panels with an aiming or positioning system cut the guesswork, which matters when you're setting up in bad weather and don't want to babysit the angle.

Wall charging still has a place

Solar is the backup plan, not the primary one. If you know a storm is coming, a wall adapter that fills your lighting system in a couple of hours is faster and more reliable than hoping for sun. Keep one in the bag for the pre-outage top-up, then switch to solar if the outage runs long.

Decision rules for sizing your kit

If you have one phone and a short outage risk: Choose a compact kit with a small power bank and a collapsible lantern. Weight and packability beat capacity here, because you'll actually carry it. Stop at two devices. Adding a third usually means adding a charger too.
If you have two or more phones in the household: Size the power bank for double the charges and plan a solar recharge path, since one bank will be shared. A 100-watt foldable panel covers phones and lanterns at the same time. Shared banks drain faster than people expect — count devices, not people.
If you already own a SolarHome system: Add the matching wall charger for fast top-ups and treat the SolarHome as your home base, with a smaller go bag kit for evacuation. Don't buy a wall adapter for a system you don't own — it won't fit.
If you're planning for multi-day outages: Prioritize rechargeability over capacity. A smaller bank plus a solar panel outperforms a large bank with no refill method after the first two days. Ask 'how do I refill this?' before you ask 'how big is it?'

Products that fit this kit

Go Bag Power & Light Kit: The Go Bag Power & Light Kit bundles a Charge 100 Max power bank, a Solar FlexLight, and a Luci Emergency light in one BioLite Shop Exclusive package. It's the shortest path to a working kit — one purchase covers charging, hands-free light, and a lantern, so you're not matching specs across three separate orders.
Luci Original Matte: Luci Original Matte runs up to 24 hours on a single charge from a built-in 1,000 mAh battery, emits up to 65 lumens, is waterproof, and collapses to 1 inch. It's the low-weight option if you want a lantern that lives in a backpack permanently and still gives you a full night of warm, diffuse light.
SolarPanel 100: SolarPanel 100 is a foldable 100-watt panel that charges devices directly and pairs with the BioLite BaseCharge 600 and 1500 (sold separately), using an Optimal Sun System that goes from packed to power in under sixty seconds. It's the upgrade path: start by charging phones and lanterns directly, then reuse the same panel if you later add a power station.
SolarHome Wall Charger: SolarHome Wall Charger plugs into the solar input port on a SolarHome Control Box and fills the onboard battery in 2–2.5 hours (620+ in 2 hours, 625 in 2.5 hours). Only useful if you own a SolarHome 620+ or 625 — it's a fast pre-storm top-up, not a standalone charger for other gear.

Who this kit is for

Best for

Renters and apartment dwellers who need a grab-and-go kit that fits in a closet
Households in storm, wildfire, or grid-instability areas preparing for outages of a few hours to a few days
Anyone who wants emergency lighting and charging from a single purchase instead of matching separate brands

Not for

Whole-home backup or running appliances — that requires a power station, not a go bag kit
Off-grid living where lighting and charging run daily, not just during emergencies
Campers who mainly need a trail headlamp rather than room lighting