I work in downtown Houston and live 27 miles away in a suburb.  So, this is very much a get myself home walking scenario (need to keep it light) if I can't use the freeway. Online calculators say it should take between 10 and 13 hours.  My route is all pavement on freeways and streets.  So, will plan for 1 night just in case.  Here's my list:

Items:
- CCW/extra mags
- pocket knife
- cash
- cell phone portable charging bank and cable
- water
- food
- TP
- change of clothes/shoes suited for walking
- jacket/hat (adjusted for season)
- blanket or lightweight sleeping bag
- small med kit

Any other suggestions?

Depending on what time of year.

Gun and mags
cell phone
flashlight
knife
pocket poncho
snack and water
small basic med stuff.

a coat or hoodie if it's winter.  

You can deal with being wet for 10 hours in the summer.  You'll be walking.  Just wear good shoes.  Probably don't even need more than a small sling bag for this.

If you’re in Houston you can buy food.
Where are you going to be pooping to need toilet paper? Are public bathrooms this poorly stocked in Houston or is the public not allowed to use a company’s business? If you’re staying the night in Houston I hope it is in doors at somewhere with a bathroom and maybe a shower.
Food you can buy in town. All you’d really be packing are snacks anyways.
Cash works, and there are ATMs around. If you have usaa you don’t pay fees. Us bank doesn’t charge either.

Change of clothes, gun with mags, first aid kit with medications if you have them, weather appropriate clothing. Phone charger cord with backup battery pack is a must.

Here's a little more context.  This is for a major emergency situation (EMP/major terrorist attack/etc) where hundreds of thousands of people are trying to get to or on the freeways all at once.  People trying to flee houston during katrina shut down the freeways due to the traffic jam.  People sat for a day or 2 on the freeway and were unable to move.  Assume driving is not an option.  Getting to home asap is the goal.  

If it's a temporary issue due to weather or something, I'd hunker down in the office (where I have food and water) or get a hotel.  I am thinking of what I need for a MAJOR situation.

If you're planning a work to home route, and you have the ability, store a cheap mountain bike at work in a closet or basement.  Scooter if you have a secure parking garage you can shove it in a corner and toss a cover on it without too much worry.

Water filter.

I'd add a poncho, bivy, or tarp for shelter, and I definitely agree with the water filter comment.

Fitness to quickly hump that far is pretty important too.  

Cap or hat.  I'm sure Houston gets plenty of sun.  It'll also keep the rain out of your eyes.

I would suggest a small set of pocket binos or a monocular, think along the 6x power. If you’re looking at humping from Midtown to Spring in a true SHTF scenario, being able to put eyes on the route wouldn’t hurt.

Bicycle in your car trunk

Dang beat.  But make sure you have a pump and spare tubes.  The tires will go flat

Dump the TP, too bulky, just use Dude Wipes if needed.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TTMW1XT?tag=arfcom00-20

For Houston, a Frogtog light weight rain coat shell and a light weight bivy sack instead of sleeping bag.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072NF8CRS?tag=arfcom00-20

Or go even smaller w/ compressed towlettes.  Think a dude wipe, but w/o the liquid, and compressed to the size of about 4 quarters.  link  You do have to add a little water to use them.  We use them on our motorcycle camping trips.  They work amazingly well.

@OP, I'd seriously consider storing a relatively cheap E-Bike at the office.  Most have a range of 30-45 miles and will carry up to 300 lbs.  In a true SHTF event an ebike will be about the best local transport.  Charge it w/ a couple 100 watt solar panels and you'll be able to travel around silently.

What can you do?

What about in different weather conditions?

I wouldn’t count on an online calculator for this type of thing.

Also, the more you carry the more capabilities you have but the harder it is going to be to cover that distance.

Didn’t see it yet, maybe I missed it…

If you wear glasses or contacts, have spares.

Paper maps of the area.

Flashlight with extra batteries.

Paper map.

Notepad and pen.

Multitool.

Paracord.

Lighter.  -Since you already have a small battery bank maybe a cheap plasma style rechargeable.  I keep one like this in my bag since I don't use a lighter all the time.  If outdoors I carry a bic or zippo.  I also have a bic in my desk at work.  For a leave and forget lighter these seem to work well.  I have had the same one in my EDC bag since 2019.  I used it a little here and there but not as much as I use a zippo or bic when camping.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T2D1VT2/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?pd_rd_i=B07T2D1VT2&pd_rd_w=OS83l&content-id=amzn1.sym.f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_p=f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_r=TZR1Z8JWWHM4RH3TE3VM&pd_rd_wg=E4sIo&pd_rd_r=29592b89-95e0-4ea8-99c1-93f64a3c9f5d&s=home-garden&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&th=1

User preference but I also keep a lighter weight fixed blade in my bag.  Nothing expensive just an amazon special/ Gerber knock off in a plastic sheath that can clip to my belt.  I have high end blades but only carry them when I plan on using them for outdoor purposes.    

When the weather is shitty, I also add a winter hat, wool gloves, wool socks, and leg gators but I have snow in my area so AO dependent.

ETA/  I should also add that my AO is not urban.  Slightly suburban if that...  Most of my 30 mile hike home would be on a road or highway surrounded by woods, and a small town or two depending on which way I go.  H2O is not hard to find in my area.  

27 miles in a highly populated hellhole, and going through areas potentially filled with shitheads?

First, I'd plan on a week. Minimum. Online calculators are bullshit, don't depend on them. Get a decent map, identify areas and neighborhoods to stay out of. Give them a decent buffer also. Identify potential lay up sites every few miles, via map and getting an eye on them. Look at lines of drift, plan at least four tentative routes. Update every six months or so, for the route assessments. Maybe more often, depending on....uh....social issues.

Some good suggestions so far, regarding getting a magnified optic and using it to see what can be seen. Dude wipes, etc. Small water filtration system.

Add in paper maps, and possibly strip maps.
Topo would help, as would preprinted aerial maps.
Identify the utility vaults on, or close by your route.
Add in light, low profile soft armor.
Add in, and learn how to use a lock pick set.
Add in a solid fixed blade knife, for urban use I like something like the bk3 tac tool.
Add in some keep awake stuff - caffeine items, vivarin, crank, whatever. You'll need it, because you might have to stay awake for a few days straight.
Ditch the sleeping bag, go with a woobie or similar.
Get upper outer layer clothing that's reversible, add in an additional hat in a different color and shape. Use drab clothing.
Add in a contractor trash bag.
Add in a good hank of paracord.

I'd set up a basic bag, then go modular and build a couple other supply kits, one for hot weather and one for cool weather. Vacuum bag bulky clothing to minimize size during storage, vacuum bag other supplies for long term storage. One grab and go with the basics, and if you have time, grab the appropriate additional kit.

Cache every ten miles, what's in it is up to you. I'd suggest long term energy bars, water, small med kit items, spare ammo, batteries, etc.

Or you could start getting into running marathons, that'd help also.

Some good advice already. 27 miles isn’t a short distance, so you’ll have to pace yourself.

Appropriate clothing and trekking shoes for the season.

Water, some energy bars, energy gels, electrolytes packets.

Headlamp is a good idea with extra batteries.

Map, hard copy.

Motrin, Icy Hot, whatever you use for active recovery to keep moving.

Water is going to be your challenge. Lightweight is likely about 3-4 liters of water, that will be cutting it close. Something like a Grayl purifier will handle most nasty ditch water to keep you hydrated.

Possibly a small prybar to just breach a vehicle or unoccupied shack or storage unit to get out of nasty weather. I like a simple CCF seat pad to sit on. A space blanket and a few tealight candles can help keep you warm enough to rest for a few hours.

I’m working on a new setup for getting out of a city…will post up later this week.

Biggest challenge will be identifying your routes: primary, secondary, tertiary and connecting routes. Know the “danger areas”, any major obstacles, etc. If a major SHTF happens without notice, making that decision as fast as possible is essential and you’ll have about 24-48 hours before things really go to shit. Only you know your level of fitness, so to avoid any soft tissue or mechanical injuries, don’t push yourself too hard. Sprinting the first half-dozen miles is great, but limping the next 20 can kill you.

I have a Montague Paratrooper folding mountain bike. Something to consider to cut that travel time down into 5-6 hours. Something to consider...

ROCK6

For food just some candy bars for energy, you should be able to go at least 1 day without a full meal.
A few cheap emergency blankets and an emergency poncho take up near zero space and weigh nothing.
A good pair of socks and a second of the same, if you are walking it can mean all the difference.
A universal silcock key will let you fill your water bottles at most office or commercial buildings.
Moleskin (just in case) in a small first aid kit, I like the liquid bandage for small scrapes or cuts.
All the above will add like a pound at the most.


ETS -  maybe consider a handheld GPS of you have to take a detour, my Garmin GPSMAP67 is lightweight and battery is good for up to 200 hours.

Actual paper maps, that show alternate routes around potential bottle necks and blockages.

And at that distance, I'd very strongly consider a bicycle....

Folding bike or Razor scooter type ( Electric if you don't mind the weight).

What I always don't see, but what has gone bad on me covering several miles, insoles.

If you're 10 miles into your walk home and you mess up your insoles, from a pebble, sands, or they just weren't good to begin with, you're going to be miserable.  Bad insoles are going to tear through your socks, then your feet.

They take up very little room and weigh practically nothing.

Moleskin, several sizes of bandaids, some foot cream/powder and a spare pair of well worn in boots with comfortable, fitted socks.

I think you are being overly optimistic on your travel time.  Walking directly to your destination is most likely not going to happen. Detours are a strong possibility.

Leave the nonsense like toilet paper etc out and replace it with extra socks. Just how many times do plan to crap along the way?  Use the dirty socks for that occasion.


Why exactly, the phone charger and cable?  Turn the phone off unless you want to make a call. Towers will be down most likely anyway.

A sleeping bag?   You are going to get robbed in your sleep.    You can stay awake for 23 hours. If not, crawl into a dumpster and close yourself in for a nap.

Here, look at my walking bag list. It's pretty much the same setup I go hunting with.

I already have a sidearm, folding knife and spare mag on me and seasonal clothing is in the truck.

Non-military style ruck. (it's dark maroon) Internal Camelback.  
Three pair socks
Previously mentioned moleskin etc.
Two tourniquets
One israeli bandage.
Pair of light weight hiking shoes tied to outside. (For swapping footwear if you get hot spots or even worse, wet feet.)
Three disposable rain ponchos and three space blankets.
Small roll 550 cord.
rollup water bottle. (filled at departure)
Couple of Bic lighters.
A walking stick. (I have a fused ankle.) Great as a club too. Made it myself out of aluminum billet.  
One LCP MAXX .380 with spare mag. (in case I lose my primary)
Surefire light.
2 packs of USCG survival bars (Vanilla) 6K calories total.

As light, little and multipurpose as possible. You wanna be as fast, quiet and Low Observable as you can be. Pockets and belt pouches where possible to avoid looking like you have something worth taking as you'll be in urban terrain mostly.
A small light, lighter, a silcock tool, two soft sided water bladder/bottle(one with a screw on filter, some cliff bars(or "Lifeboat rations"), caffeine pills, a Frogg Toggs poncho.
Get a quick drying long sleeved button up shirt two or even three sizes too large. Add seasonal layers.
Loose nylon hiking style pants, two pairs of the best socks you can get. The most expensive, lightweight trail shoes you can find, well worn, scuffed up. A plain ball cap.
Look like a guy that just got robbed or a homeless person. Drab, lumpy clothing, artfully ripped, stained and dirty. Think "Express Oil Change" Dickies, not Gucci Tactical.
You're the rabbit, not the fox.
A crappy looking walking stick for dogs and, well, walking. Wrap some tape and cordage around it. Put a metal ferrule on the tip.
"A pistol for getting out of trouble as opposed to looking for it." As Darryl Bolke describes it.
One, or at most two reloads. A good, secure, concealable OWB holster for walking 35-40 miles(when all is said and done)
A cheap, sharp lockblade. It don't have to last forever or split logs.

came here to @ you.

I would suggest a multi tool and being that your in a big city maybe a silcock key.

Depending on what part of Houston, a gas mask.  It sounds stupid but with all the hazmat locations in town and the rail lines, I would get one.   Plus a map of rail lines in and out of Htown.

I don’t think it’s just food for the stomach or calories for energy, it also helps with hydration and water absorption. Plus, you need a little food to help if you’re popping any Ranger Candy (aka Motrin).

GPS is a good idea and right now is the time to establish some way-points and routes…



I should have mentioned this early. Get some Leukotap! I swear by this stuff for backpacking and it’s more about blister prevention than blister management. Once you start feeling a hot spot, apply some Leukotape and I’ve had that shit last an entire week on the trail (waterproof and great adhesion). The tape eliminates the friction on the skin and the formation of a blister. This shit will keep you moving and avoid a lot of foot pain.

Can’t mention socks enough. My minimum standard is always a second pair to rotate and if more than a couple days, I would recommend at least two spare pair. Good merino wool socks. If they get we, you can also wring them out pretty effectively and they’ll still mitigate most of the moisture that fucks up feet.



Second time mentioned and a good consideration regarding the sillcock key. We were downtown Atlanta for some event, and I intentionally started looking for those water spigots outside of major buildings and found several. Do some afternoon recons with your GPS and mark a few as water points.

A smaller “urban” sling bag I’ve carried in Jacksonville and Columbia, SC. It’s fine for just walking around not too far from the truck, but there is no easy way to carry water other than a small hydration bladder (which I haven’t really set it up for). Notice the sillcock key:












.
This is a solid recommendation. I’m only familiar with Houston because I’ve had to drive around it a few times and it’s fucking massive and has shitty traffic. I do remember seeing several railroad tracks and not sure of the OP’s route home, but if near frequented tracks, the likelihood of a SHTF caused by a train incident and spill of toxic chemicals is pretty high.

I’ve got a full-face respirator in my truck kit, but for a smaller, lighter kit, I have a half-face respirator I would pair with some safety goggles. Not perfect, but a lot more compact and easier to carry in a pack. The full-size respirator takes up a lot of space, so it’s more of a stand-alone item for situational needs.

This was a small pack I carried when visiting Atlanta on one trip. It was less about bugging home and more about just getting out of the city or back to the hotel and/or truck to evacuate. It was more of and experimental mental exercise, but it’s since been refined…











Just some thoughts on shit paper and stress to the body when trekking long distances. I'm not sure if it's just me and the wife, but the immediate stress of sitting in a car for several hours before hitting the trail head and hiking the first day, your body gets stressed pretty good. Just about every section hike I wouldn't shit for the first day to two. We also didn't really get the ravenous appetite until day's 3 or 4. We didn't pack as much food for the first couple days, but we still needed it for water absorption and as previously mentioned, something to help digest Motrin. Instead of TP, just a small travel pack of wet wipes would be handier. Even if you don't shit and need to wipe your ass, they would be handy to just wipe off the sweat and salt residue that often causes painful friction rashes.

ROCK6

You should make that walk some time when it's not an emergency. Then you'll have some idea of what you're facing.

Something with wheels is far more important than the pack.

Scooter, skateboard, rollerblades, ski-rollers, bicycle, tard-trike, foldable bike, electric boogie board, etc.

That drops your travel time considerably.

Also don't discount the benefit to pulling the rip cord early. If nothing happens you can sheepishly say "had the shits had to go home" the next day.

This is all solid advice and what I would recommend BEFORE just putting a bunch of shit in your Amazon cart for purchase or throwing a bunch of camping gear in your pack.

Everyone needs to develop their own decision matrix and rehearse it. I suspect there won’t be some loudspeaker announcement, tweet, or ARFCOM GD post that tells you “the SHTF!!!!!”. Chances are, there will be indicators, rumors, traffic backed up, power goes out, comms go out, you hear a big boom or see a massive cloud of dark smoke, etc. with no explanation or communication. You may have to make that decision without all the facts; in fact, I can guarantee you that you likely might not even know what the SHTF really is at the time you need to make that decision.

When I was on active duty and not in an “essential” position, I had a pre-filled out leave form with a fictious excuse that I could quickly submit if my spider-senses were tingling. At worse, I lose a day or two of leave, but it would have covered me getting out the door much sooner if a significant event did occur.  

Lists are great if they’re about your plan!

ROCK6

Ibuprofen.  Extra hiking socks.

Walking 27 miles sounds like a nightmare.  I don't think many people could do that.

I walked 6 miles last week, because I wanted to establish some kind of baseline as what I am capable of, for the same reason you are.  I work 15 miles away from my house.

I think I'm physically capable of it, but it would suck.

What about a bicycle?

One thing I wonder about with storage lockers is if power goes out, whether the storage locker is accessible. Some of the self-store ones down here are all electronic and I seriously doubt they have backup power (which would seem ridiculous in an area prone to hurricanes). In the apartment complex I'm stuck in currently, we have a garage unit that we're using for storage but same problem: no power, key FOB doesn't open the door. The apartment maintenance people can open it up with one of several master keys but that assumes they're even nearby or can be contacted. It's why we keep the battery backup power sources in the apartment rather than storing them there.

Having that pre-made "I need to take unplanned vacation to do X" thing is a great idea. I've used "unplanned urgent car repair" for that one time (although it turned out to be that, sadly). Calling in sick draws a lot less scrutiny in the post-Covid world as well. Having to take a spouse to an appointment is also common without necessarily having to be too specific on what the "appointment" is.

Leaving as quickly as indications tell you to is very important even for "regular" disasters like impending hurricane. Beating the crowd keeps you from getting stuck on the interstate with no gas, no place to go, and no way to get there even if you had one. I'd much rather burn a day of vacation and an overnight hotel bill than be stuck someplace (wherever that may be). Where I work, we had guys out on the west coast when 9/11 happened. They ended up stranded there until they could find a rent car to drive all the way across the country to get back. It's why I always get a rent car when I'm on travel. Uber isn't going to help you bug out of the city.

Lightweight items

Instead of a sleeping bag, a sleeping bag liner and an emergency bivy.

Life straw and collapsible water container

Backup flashlight

Trauma first aid kit. Don’t get one with 500 bandaids, just enough to stop major bleeding.

Two whistles to communicate past visual range (if safe).

Multitool - but you don’t need 5 knives either

Just ideas on lightweight options.

Do your area study then prepare accordingly.  Most folks have little to no idea about areas outside of their normal routes to include areas to avoid, areas which should be safe, industrial areas and what they may contain, routes around highways or tracks where a hazmat incident or even just a traffic jam may cause an issue, etc.   Houston has flooding issues, you can look at various sources to figure out, historically, which areas will likely need to be avoided in a weather event.  The equipment part of the equation has been pretty well covered.

Small solar charger.  Jic

I would add that a huge key to successfully getting home is reading the situation early and getting a jump on the trip home. Obviously not every situation would allow for it, but don't get caught up with the huge numbers who waited and created the mass exodus.

also, if your walking distance is 13 hours and this would be walking with all of Houston trying to get out, I am not sure I would be thinking about a sleeping setup. If it is that bad, you need to set yourself up to push through and get home.

Life long Houston resident. Know your route/routes.
A bike is huge.

Consider light compact nutrition.



You may not be able to use roads and have to go through lots of chain link fences.



Also consider crowd control. Best to avoid them but  . . .
Attached File

The bicycle is a great idea.  I would also suggest a folding kiddie trailer.
I have a close friend who lives on Sanibel island.
A week after hurricane ian, we chartered a boat to take us over to the island to do damage assessment and mitigation.
There was NO power and minimal police.  Minimal to no services.
No AC.
No fresh water.
No sewer or flushing toilets.


After being dropped off on the beach, We had to hike to his current rental  to grab supplies and head to his just puchased house about 2 miles away.

I knew he had bikes at the rental house so I borrowed a kiddie trailer to hook to the bikes, a pump, lube, spare tube.

The trailer was awesome and loaded it with item and rode over to the new house.

My only concern about the bike is it limits your ability to duck and cover.
You may have to abandon the bike or trailer.

One thing to consider.  Make sure the bike has a soft cush seat.
If you put a harder mtn bike seat on it and you ride for a couple hours, the next day your rump will be very sore.  


eta... One thing I found with bic lighters is the flints will disintegrate after some time.  Not sure why.  Clipper lighters have replacable flints.
Also protect lighter from accidental discharge.

Someone mentioned a paper map.  Good plan, but scout out a couple of routes in advance. You don’t want to walk into a gang controlled area.

Once a new bic lighter is struck its susceptible to the flint (mini ferro rod) corrosion and disintegration.  Brand new ones last quite a bit longer in storage.  Used ones do not.  Regardless they are not forever items and have a lifespan.

I have checked regular size and mini bics that I have used in my kits over the years and found a few here and there to no longer have the flint intact.  I always double check my gear if it's something I might need to rely on.

I usually pocket carry a fueled-up zippo when out in the woods or camping.

Well I Don’t carry any fire arm or ammunition , or extra shoes . Company vehicle and too much space used .

I do carry small pot small cup  , blanket , trash bag , para cord , dried food ,  , instant coffee tea , bullion , hard candy , small tarp , duct tape , pocket knife ,
Maybe an mre  , compas , pen n paper , fire start stuff. Med kit whistle and signal mirror . And a jacket .

There is a lot of good information here Op.

Bottom line your distance to cover is not an easy task while avoiding trouble/detection and making good time on foot. Getting out of the area early before or on the first wave of people leaving the area is optimal. As suggested if you somehow can manage to keep a bike nearby it would probably pay off if cars are dead.

I'll reiterate go light and adjust for seasonal extremes with your gear selection.

Have your routes selected and drive them or walk sections of them if you have to for familiarization. This will help identify choke points or areas you may have to navigate around to avoid trouble. You can also pre select potential hide sites for rest. Maybe have a topo or other map with a 1:50k size or similar if you need one so you can see a large area for your get home kit.

All your gear should fit in your pockets or on your belt if you can manage it. A small generic looking backpack like someone would use for commuting or something is what I would pick for a pack if you need one.

Foot care and chafing will be important considerations if walking along with hydration. Definitely plan on foot and skin care and some electrolytes.

Caches if possible along the way for stuff you might need but aren't willing to lose if discovered would be a good idea, energy bars, batteries, first aid, etc. Surplus ammo cans painted the same as the surroundings and hidden just off the beaten path will probably work ok for this.

Make and carry a SMALL basic survival kit that includes what you might need look at companies like SOLKOA or HARDCASE for ideas or buy one from them. Keep it small so you will be able to put it in a pocket and keep it there.

Have the ability to make a fire but avoid unless necessary, the same goes with light discipline at night avoid using lights unless you have no choice and even then minimize signature by staying low and covering yourself up to lets say read a map.

A monocular is probably a great idea to check out areas ahead to avoid trouble.

Caffeine pills, a pair of mechanics gloves would probably be something to consider. You need to keep moving and if you tear up your hands you multiply the problems.

You want to look like everyone else trying to get home if you can. Avoid tactical looking anything unless everyone around you is all tactrcooled out. Your goal should be to get past any checkpoints (.gov, Karens, or whom ever) and avoid trouble by blending in with everyone OR remaining undetected.

I commute 21 miles one way each day and I generally carry something like this in my work backpack;

SOFTTW / CAT
EMT Shears (Used for more than just medical stuff)
Micro blowout kit (wound packing)
A content modified SOLKOA SERE kit (basically took one I purchased after SERE school and tore it down and re packed it to suite my needs)
Tan or OD heasheets blanket
Small amount of 550 cord
Glock 48MOS TLR7sub with AIWB holster
Two spare magazines
Streamlight 1L-1AA with a shock cord loop for retention on my finger
40 oz Single wall metal bottle (I can carry water and I can boil water)
Micro first aid kit (focused on foot care and boo boos to keep moving)
Multi tool

My pockets usually have in them;

Gerber 06 Auto
Wallet
Vasiline brand Lip balm
Bic Lighter wrapped with duct tape
Handkerchief
Swiss Army knife (tinker) with red photon light attached

I wear good hiking shoes every day and adjust my clothing for the season including headwear. I also usually wear a Mjölnir fire striker necklace.

Most of this gear I can carry in my pockets. I keep a Mystery Ranch Hip Monkey empty in the bottom of the day pack so if I decide I need to I can stow the minimal amount of gear I have and move quickly. My truck has additional small gear in it and I would definitely pull some of it for a walking trip home if I had the time to do so.

My next investment is a small fixed blade pocket knife like a MilMak or AMTAC. I probably should have a small headlamp in my work bag.

@machinegunseabee

I have both an AMTAC Minuteman and MilMak CCW, both are excellent "pocket" fixed blades. I have deep pocket sheaths made by Gypsy EDC...highly recommend.

That said, if that style appeals to you the MilMak is a better bargain. I really do like my Minuteman despite all the drama of it likely being imported and marked up, but the CCW is really a solid design along the same lines and offers a very slight belly on the edge.

If I lost both today and could only buy one replacement despite the cost, I would still go with the MilMak.

ROCK6

Protection:  Keep it real.  If you think you need a rifle do you really need to go to work that day?  I like the 365XL with three spare max cap mags as reloads for my GHB.  For the most part my protection stuff is always on me.  I might at most put two mags in the pack.

Knife I am moving away from folders.  I carry an Esee Izula at 11:30 horizontally on my belt.  Its a much better position to access if you are fighting than your pocket.

Cash is min 2x what it cost normal to get an Uber/taxi home.

Power:  I use a goal zero nomad panel with a venture 30 power cell.  Its not cutting edge anymore but works and enables me to regen power if needed.  If weight is an issue I could cut this by air plane mode/shutting off the device to conserve power while moving.

Dump jacket for poncho.  Poncho + wool blanket = shelter or cold weather gear.  Look up videos how to woobie a wool blanket.  Get it large enough to cover your pack while moving too to keep your gear dry.  I also keep a thick piece of clear plastic sheeting about 8' square and two 30 gal contractor trash bags.  They have a lot of use from ground pads, dry storage, etc.

Toss in 100 feet or so #36 bank line to rig poncho or preform cordage tasks.

Water:  I like 40oz single wall steel bottles.  I can boil them to purify water or cook.  Add something like a sawyer filter with purification tablets to process water along with a silcock key.  

Food:  For that distance why?  At most 2-3 power bar type stuff.  I carry a variety of teas for energy (caffeine), or for effects (peppermint for example for a stuffed nose for example).  I do keep a vial of olive oil and honey that could be calories and energy, but are multi use items for me.  Peppermint altoidds are a good item too to help with stuff nose/sore throat, and to stay awake.

TP:  Go with something more multi purpose.  Are you really going to take a shit in the 24 hours it takes to get home?  I dont see going in to work if you have the shits at the start.  Carry something like wet wipes more for general hygiene.

Change of clothes is a good idea.  Add spare socks or two incase you get wet.  Always good to have a dry set if you need to rack out.

Med:  I go hard here.  My EDC has two blow out kits.  One can go on my EDC the other rips off a velcro panel.  Both have gloves, a cravat, chest seals, TQs, and an Oales bandage (because its both gauze and a pressure dressing).  The tear out has small stuff for more hiking injuries, some OTC, etc.  Of note I also carry things for other types of emergencies you can come across, like sugar packets for a crashing diabetic.  My repair pouch also has some dual use stuff like tape.  I'll use tape instead of a bandage.  A strip of tape from my repairs pouch plus a vasoline soaked cotton ball from my tinder box will fix a blister.  Just some ideas how to dual use things for non critical injuries.

Fire:  Another go hard.  I keep a large ferro rod, a small firesteel, my cigar lighter, and a storm proof match kit.  Along with this is an altoids tin full of cotton balls.  The tin can be used to make more tinder if I need to and protects my lighter and firesteel.  In a separate altoids tin I have a homemade three wick beeswax candle ready to deploy as a mini stove, heat source, fail safe fire starter, or emergency light.  Combining beeswax with olive oil/honey I can start to make some salves/poultices etc if needed.

Repair kit:  Things I need to fix what I break or come across.  My Victorinox multi tool with the angled wrench and bit set is a life saver at making things work.  A couple needles with dental floss, with some stuff I can use as patches to hold it all, along with the typical small zipties, trapping wire, gorilla tape, super glue, etc.  Benchmade made a tool called a Houdini years ago, I think they are not for sale.  The tool has a glass breaker, a seat belt cutter, whistle, and small LED light.  It adds a lot of flexibility for its tiny space and weight.

Navigation:  Sure you might know a way home, but if that way is blocked are you familiar enough with the total area to navigate through.  What if you need to find water?  Good maps, I like topo plus aerial view along with a compass and small headlamp with red LEDs.  I dont want to burn battery navigating with my phone if I can avoid it.  Phone is back up if needed.  Maps plus pencil and small write in the rain note pad go in a waterproof clear bag.  If needed I can refold the map and set on top of other things in the bag, close it up and see what I need on the fly.

Signaling:  Small glass mirror, large orange bandana to act as a vision panel, along with the light from my various flashlights.  I could probably make a decent smoke signal in very short order by having the candle and some materials I picked up along the way like rubber or green vegetation.

PPE:  My sunglasses are safety rate, plus clear at night.  Mechanic style gloves plus wool gloves in winter.  If bitter cold I will have brought a shell glove to fit over these as part of what I wore.  Add balaclava because reasons.  

Bottom line my GHB isnt really a GHB, its more of a what I need to accomplish my tasks today plus deal with some major problems, and get home.  Pack size is about 2k cubic inches.  It needs to be narrower and no taller than my shoulders so I can move as freely as possible.  One potential weak point on the pack is it doesnt have a waist belt, but since I'm carrying AIWB that probably will just make a mess.  I havent noticed any major issues when I did a couple mock test runs.  It does have D rings at the bottom attachment point I could quickly fashion something if needed.

Also consider setting some cache along each potential route you will take.  

This can minimize what you might need to bring, and offer resupply along with additional items.  Maybe you bury stuff, maybe you rent a tiny storage unit.

Thinking about it more its a heavy urban area.  Probably a good idea to bring some small tools to open pathways for you to move.

Lock pick set (with practice), snips, prybars could all be useful.

Maybe NVDs would be a good idea.

One thing to consider is you arent going to have a few hours of calm before the rats come out.  If their phones arent working they know they can get away with hoodrat shit.  I think that time will be closer to minutes not hours.  That makes me leery of a bike.  A bike is a target in that environment.  Maybe it helps you get away, but you are always heading to something.