Best Survival Kit: The Ultimate Bug Out Bag
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Natural disasters like fires, tornadoes, and wildfires often happen suddenly and without warning. Quickly gathering up your family and getting to a safe place should be your number one priority, not searching for emergency preparedness supplies. That’s why these disaster preparedness kits can be lifesavers.
Best Emergency Preparedness Kit
Below are some of the best survival kits for sale that we found on Amazon (even an earthquake backpack).
We suggest having one at home, work, and in each vehicle and using these as a base then building onto it to include other necessities to make it a complete “go” bag. For example, some of these survival kits don’t have hygiene kits or fire supplies.
Emergency Preparedness Kit Reviews
Below are the kits we’ve reviewed for this article. We didn’t choose any winners because each person has their own preference. Instead, we’ve reviewed them and compared them against one another in a comparison table to help you determine the best fit for you.
- Short Term Survival : Ready America 70280
- Earthquake : Redfora
- Survival Backpack: Ready America 70385 | Sustain Supply Co. Premium
- Light: LuminAID
Best Short Term Kit: Ready America 70280 Emergency Kit Review
This 2 person, 72-hour kit includes food, water, and emergency blankets. It includes the most basic items needed in an emergency kit.
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Best Earthquake Kit: Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag
This emergency kit says it’s specifically for earthquakes but it can be used for other disasters as well. It is the best earthquake kit for 1-6 people for 3 days. It’s lightweight and has a substantial first aid kit. It comes with a 5 in 1 whistle, waste bags, hygiene kit, 12 hour bright stick, 30 hour candle, handcrank, tube tent, sleeping bags, multi-purpose knife, rope, sewing kit, memo book, goggles, gloves, rope, dust masks, and more.
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Best Survival Backpack: Ready America 70385 Deluxe Emergency Kit Review
The Ready America 70385 survival bag is an emergency response kit for 4 people for 3 days. This kit is basically double the Ready America 70280 kit above but it also includes utility items like duct tape and a multi-functional tool.
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Best Survival Kit Deluxe For Earthquake, Evacuation, Emergency Disaster Preparedness Sustain Supply Co. Premium Family Emergency Kit
This disaster preparedness kit is for up to 4 people for 3 days. It includes quality over quantity and more curated products including items that the other bags do not have. The Comfort2 and Comfort4 bags come with portable stove, bowls, utensils, and survival straw. It also comes with up to 8 snaplights, 2 LED lanterns, and more in a durable, quality bag. It doesn’t have many of the essential items for longer-term survival like sleeping bags and a crank radio, but if you need food and drink for a few days, you’ll be prepared with this kit.
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LuminAID Solar Inflatable Light
Invited by two architecture students shortly after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the LuminAID is the perfect alternative to having a flashlight or lantern during an emergency. This patented technology provides bright light via solar power (so it doesn’t require you to need power or stock up on batteries).
It’s waterproof up to 1 meter deep and floats which comes in handy during emergencies that involve rain or flooding. It folds up for easy storage, and at only 2.9 ounces it’s lightweight and easy to transport. It also has a handle and holes so you can carry it or use rope or a clip to hang it wherever light is needed.
LuminAID partners with organizations around the world to give light where it’s needed most, and we love that they are a mission-driven company that prides themselves on helping others.
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- Lantern Only: $29.95
- PackLight 2-in-1 Phone Charger: Check Amazon for availability
Emergency Kit Contents
Below is a table of all the emergency kits and a survival gear list of each kits’ contents. Remember, just because it doesn’t have one item doesn’t mean you can’t purchase that item to add to the bag. Building onto these bags and personalizing them is how you can get the most out of them.
Ready America 70280 | Redfora Earthquake Bag | Ready America 70385 Deluxe | Sustain Supply Co. | |
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Price | $36.59 | $165.00 | $36.59 | Check Amazon for availability |
Number of People | 2 | 1 to 6 | 4 | 2 to 4 |
Number of Days | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Food | 2 Food Bars (2,400 Calories Each) | 3,600 Calorie Per Person Per Day | 4 Food Bars (2,400 Calories Each) | Hot Meals |
Water | 12 Pouches | 12 Pouches Per Person | 4 Boxes (1 Liter Each) | 4 Boxes (1 Liter Each) |
First Aid | 33 Piece Kit | 107 Piece Kit | 107 Piece Kit | Basic Kit |
Emergency Blankets | 2 | 1 Per Person | 4 | |
Safety Light Sticks | 2 | 1 | 4 | Up to 12 |
Bag Style | Backpack | Backpack or bag | Backpack | Backpack |
Ponchos | 2 | 1 Per Person | 4 | 4 |
Whistle | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Pairs of Gloves | 2 Latex Gloves | 1 Leather Work Gloves | 1 Leather Work Gloves & 4 Latex Gloves | 1 Leather Work Gloves |
Dust Masks | 2 | 1 Per Person | 4 | 4 |
Weight | 5.4 Pounds | 11-41 Pounds | 19.7 Pounds | 27 Pounds |
Tissue Packs | 1 | 1 | 4 | Extra thick wet wipes |
Water Purification Tablets | 10 Per Person | |||
Hand Crank AM/FM/ Band Radio | 1 (Flashlight & Cell Phone Charger Included) | 1 (Flashlight, Siren & Cell Phone Charger Included) | 1 (Flashlight Included) | |
Function Knife | 1 | 1 | ||
Portable Stove with Fire Starters | 1 (Comfort Bags) |
For a more thorough list of each bag’s contents, please visit each kits’ Amazon page.
Make Sure You Know How To Do CPR
Another good idea is to familiarize yourself with how to do CPR. Here is a quick intro video from the American Heart Association.
Be Extra Prepared
In addition to having the best survival kits on the market, The American Red Cross suggests you have enough supplies to sustain each person for three days. This includes food, water, emergency supplies, and other essentials for survival. If you are caught without these necessary supplies it could be life-threatening. That’s why we recommend having survival gear in the most common places you spend time: home, work, and in your vehicles.
To be extra prepared for emergency situations. In addition to having the best emergency kit, you might also check out our tornado safety tips, bug out bag guide, and review of stun guns and tasers.