Sunscreen protects your family's skin from sunburn when an evacuation puts you on foot or outdoors for long hours without shade. A bad burn drains energy and slows children down, so a small tube in each bug out bag keeps everyone moving.
Choose a sunscreen that protects the whole family through long hours outdoors and rides well in a pack.
- Broad spectrum, SPF 30 or higher: Choose a label that blocks both UVA and UVB rays so a full day on foot ends without a burn.
- Water resistance: Look for 80-minute water resistance to hold up through sweat, rain and stream crossings.
- Travel size: Pack one 3-ounce tube or stick per bag, enough for several days of reapplying to face, neck and hands.
- Gentle formula for kids: A mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide is easy on young skin and shows you where you have applied it.
- Leak-proof container: Choose a stick or a tube with a locking flip cap, and seal it in a zip bag so heat keeps lotion off your gear.
- Expiration date: Replace it when you rotate your bag, since sunscreen loses strength after about three years.
