Survival Kit Guide - Off Grid Questions Blog

More Prepared provides a comprehensive range of survival kits designed for various emergencies. These kits are suitable for different situations, whether it is a natural calamity like an earthquake or a human-caused crisis such as a school lockdown. An emergency kit contains essential items that can offer assistance. You can select from our assortment of home and car kits for your family’s needs, school kits for your students, or office kits for your employees. If you cannot find the specific kit you require, feel free to inquire about our customizable emergency survival kits, which can be personalized to meet your specifications and budget.

If a natural disaster were to occur in your area tomorrow, would you be completely prepared? Although it is impossible to know for certain when or how severe a natural disaster will occur, it is important for every individual, family, school, or business to possess a reliable survival kit. Regardless of your location or the specific emergency circumstances you may encounter, having a quality survival kit is indispensable.

No matter if you are getting ready for an earthquake, tornado, wildfire, or hurricane, More Prepared offers standard survival kits that will give you peace of mind. Whether you need a small kit for one person or an extensive emergency response kit for 1,000 people, we have you covered. You can easily and safely store backpack survival kits in a school closet, your car, or your home garage. Most of our pre-made survival kits have a shelf life of at least five years. Our family and individual kits are stored in durable backpacks and containers for easy transportation in emergencies, where quick action is crucial. Our larger kits come with wheels for easily accessing and moving them around.

What to Know About Buying an Emergency Preparedness Kit

When preparing an emergency kit, it is important to focus on essentials in order to minimize weight. Thus, you must meticulously select and include only what is crucial to ensure survival, supplementing the prepackaged emergency kit you purchase. Here are a few recommendations to take into account:

Hand sanitizer
The best face masks you can afford, in case you wind up in a tightly packed community shelter
Baby wipes are the easiest way to clean yourself in the field
Feminine hygiene products
A good quality compass, like the Suunto A-10, provided you have the knowledge to use it.
A map of the area you live in, should you not have access to GPS.
Extra clothes, if there’s room in the pack. Opt for warm, durable, multipurpose materials like Merino Wool. Do not pack cotton clothing. Cotton gets wet and stays wet.
Insect repellant
A good quality first aid kit and the knowledge required to use it. Take a course if you haven’t done so already.
Prescription medications.
Earplugs and a sleep mask: an essential for crowded public shelters.

Our Recommended Products

Ready America 2 Person Deluxe Emergency Kit (3 Day Backpack)

While the Ready America 72-Hour Deluxe Emergency Kit may not be flawless, it sufficiently addresses the essential elements well enough for us to consider it the top choice for a pre-packaged emergency kit, suitable for the majority of individuals.

Contained within the Ready America kit are the subsequent products:

two ponchos to shelter from rain and wind
a pair of Mylar emergency blankets
a minimalist first-aid kit
a five-in-one survival whistle (includes a ferro rod for starting fires and a compass))
two well-stocked hygiene kits (including toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and wet wipes),
two Coast-Guard approved MayDay brand 2,400-calorie ration blocks
six 4.225 fl oz water pouches
nitrile gloves
a biohazard bag
a 32-ounce water bottle
enough water purification tablets to purify 25 quarts of water
a multitool
10 yards of duct tape
a hand crank-powered radio/flashlight

We were let down to discover that the Ready America kit did not contain waterproof matches, despite being advertised. If the matches had not been crossed out on the equipment list with a magic marker, we might have assumed it was just an oversight. Nevertheless, this item can be easily obtained at outdoor stores or online.

Blue Coolers Blue Seventy-Two

Upon opening the Blue Seventy-Two, we were amused by its small size and immediately realized that it would make an ideal survival bag for children. It is not advisable to burden children in dire circumstances, but they can carry essential items such as rations and a limited amount of water. The knowledge that they are assisting in carrying necessary supplies for the family can greatly contribute to uplifting their spirits during challenging times.

When inspecting the contents of the Blue Seventy-Two emergency kit, you will discover:

One 2,400 calorie SOS ration block
Five 4.22 fluid-ounce packets of potable water
One emergency rain poncho
One Mylar blanket
One pack of tissues
One dust mask
One survival whistle (the same as in the Ready America kit)
A dynamo-powered flashlight

In addition, due to its limited capacity, there is still space in this small backpack to accommodate a plush toy, extra attire, or other lightweight comforting objects.

It should be noted that the rain poncho included in this kit is of low quality and too small to adequately cover a child. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase a properly fitting water-resistant layer to include in this kit. Considering the poncho provided by Blue 72 as sufficient shelter against the elements is utterly absurd.

Emergency Zone Urban Survival Bug Out Bag

Regrettably, the quality and assortment of materials provided with the kit have been altered since our previous assessment. The tube tent that comes with it seems more like an upgraded garbage bag with its bottom detached, constructed from fragile plastic that tears effortlessly. It fails to provide any warmth whatsoever. Furthermore, even with heavy rocks placed on the ground, the tent’s flimsy walls would sway in gusty winds.

In addition, the kit includes a water bladder, which comes with a limited number of water purification packets. Each packet can only purify one liter of water, which is approximately half the capacity of the water bladder. Furthermore, the included knock-off Swiss Army knife in the kit was of low quality and had a dull blade when it arrived.

Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag

We were highly satisfied with the Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag due to its excellent craftsmanship and comfortable fit. Nevertheless, it didn’t have properly sized PALS webbing on the exterior, despite the initial impression.

The bag contains neatly organized items in labeled plastic zip bags and provides instructions and suggestions for additional items to include in the kit. Each bag has a QR code that can be scanned with a phone to access instructional videos. It is advisable to watch these videos prior to using the kit, considering that internet availability may be limited or impractical during emergencies.

The kit consists of an authentic Swiss army knife which is sharpened and ready for use. Additionally, the first aid kit and flashlight are reasonably well-made. We are also grateful for the provision of work gloves which can be used for activities like searching through debris, as well as chemical hand warmers.