Looking to kick start your emergency preparedness? Skip the fuss and pick a complete survival kit from these top rated, expert-curated go bags.
Every house needs an emergency survival kit – but building one can get awfully complicated real fast. What tools do you need? How much food should you have? What kind of first aid supplies should you include? To help you get started, we look at the best survival kits on the market today that take all the fuss out of prepping your emergency go bag.
First things first: here’s a basic rundown of what your survival kit needs to account for. The first 72 hours in the event of natural disasters or other emergency situations are the most dangerous, harrowing, and as such, critical. The CDC recommends preparing at least 3 days’ worth of food, water, and medical supplies for each member of your household. Other than adequate ready meals, potable water, and a furnished first aid kit, a survival bag should also include items that cover other human needs such as shelter, warmth, and communications.
Of course, this is a checklist that can be as long or as short as you want it to be. In the interest of keeping things simple, we’ve narrowed it down to the essentials that are required for survival with some degree of comfort. These pre-made, all-in-one survival kits include all the gear you would require to make it through these crucial hours.
If cost isn’t an issue, we’d cast our vote for the highly rated Seventy2 Survival Kit anytime. Whether it’s the contents or the pack itself, every aspect of this emergency survival kit stands head and shoulders above the competition. Not only have the supplies been tested and vetted by first responders and survival guides, but they are also well organized to maximize ease of use in the lightweight pack.
Made of 600D waterproof tarpaulin, the pack itself is sturdy yet discreet in a crowd. The airtight outer shell also doubles up as a floatation device. New to the world of survival techniques? No worries – the inserts come printed with step-by-step instructions on essential skills such as building a fire, administering first aid, and staying warm. In cases of bad weather, the PVC inserts are removable and can be used as snowshoes.
Although the Uncharted Supply Co Seventy2 Survival Kit has a total carry weight of 13 lbs, the padded straps and breathable back make for an easily adjustable harness that ensures your comfort.
For households of four or less, we like the Sustain Supply Co Premium Family Kit and we’re certainly not alone. Government agencies, Fortune 100 companies, and survival experts have picked this kit as their top choice for emergency situations. One of the biggest considerations for any go bag is the quality of the gear included; the last thing you want in an emergency situation is a malfunctioning tool.
That’s not a concern for the Sustain Supply Co Premium Family Kit. In fact, its star feature is a curated inventory of well-rated supplies in each category, promising reliability and quality. From Wise Company food portions to Sustain Survival straws and Morakniv companion knife, you can rest assured that you’re paying for premium essentials that work just the way you need them to, when you need them to.
While the survival kit only covers minor injuries, multiple light options, bath wipes, and a portable stove can help take care of other human comforts that are usually overlooked in these situations.
We love nothing more than a survival kit that prioritizes simplicity and function, and the Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag does just that. Emergencies and disasters are highly stressful situations, but the minimalist, color-coded organization system makes it easy as pie to grab whatever you need from a resealable, waterproof pack.
Plus, any item you reach for is sure to impress. From the phone charger to the 107-piece first aid kit, every item has been curated by a survival expert. Every pack also comes with a video guide with an expert walking you through your new emergency kit. To make things even easier, the Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag comes with a Refresh System that sends you automatic reminders before any item in your kit expires.
In case you need another reason to pick this survival kit (we know we don’t!), Redfora donates 1% of every order to disaster relief efforts, victims, or prevention projects through Redfora Relief.
Being on a budget doesn’t mean that you have to trade off on quality – especially with the Ready America Deluxe Emergency Kit. Packed with basic essential emergency supplies as recommended by the American Red Cross, this portable go bag is designed to sustain one person for three days.
This survival kit consists of a 33-piece first aid kit that covers your bases for minor injuries on the go, while a basic hygiene kit and survival blanket take care of your other creature comforts. The Ready America Deluxe Emergency Kit also features food and water supplies recommended by the Coast Guard with a shelf life of five years. The 32oz BPA-free water bottle and water purification tablets means that dehydration will be far from your list of worries in case of emergency.
Final Thought:
A complete emergency survival kit may be a great start to preparing yourself and your family for hairy situations, but it’s far from the end. Familiarizing yourself with the pack contents, organization, and how to use the supplies is essential to actually making use of the kit when the time comes. Emergency situations can rattle even the calmest of us, making it hard to think clearly and focus. Getting to know your kit beforehand will prove to be invaluable experience in times of emergency.
In addition, take the time to do yearly checks on your go bag to make sure that your supplies are not expired, replacing items that are no longer needed or working. It’s also a great time to get everyone in the household familiar with the kit and supplies.
By the way, if you want to consider just a First Aid Kit and may be customize an emergency Medical Survival Kit on your own, follow the links for more valuable information.