- Best OverallWell-equipped with hot meals, safety equipment, and survival tools to get you and your family through any situation.
- Best TacticalEquipped with enough food and water to last one person for a day, a first aid kit and extra survival gear like pliers, and zip ties.
- Best for Camping/CompactA mini survival kit packed with a surprising amount of tools such as a firestarter, flashlight, and a first aid kit.
- Best WaterproofThe perfect survival equipped with water, food, first aid kit and other camping-related gear such as blankets and hand warmers.
- Best Family On The GoAn excellent survival kit with a multi tool acting as radio, charger, siren, and power station, as well as sufficient food and water to last a family of four three days.
- Best Supplement KitA small survival kit packed with a sterile water bag, purification tablets and essential camping gear such as a firestarter and whistle.
- Best Inconspicuous PackThis survival kit looks like your average backpack but has everything you need ranging from a first aid kit, water, food and other emergency essentials like light sources.
- Best OrganizedAn exceptional survival kit made of a flexible waterproof material with the interior divided into compartments/pouches for organizing the food, water, first aid kit and the additional essentials.
- Best for Home UseThis kit is ideal for a family of four for up to three days; it contains sufficient food supply, water, first aid kit and emergency supplies like dust masks.
- Best BudgetIdeal for stranded situations, equipped with water and food bars with extra features such as glow sticks.
In today’s tumultuous world, it’s better to be prepared and hope for the best than be unprepared and face the worst. Most people are beginning to adapt to this line of thought, giving rise to the introduction of survival kits, which offer unmatched tools and supplies in the survival prep market.
To help you wade through the plethora of options, our team has compiled a list of the best survival kits available today. Each one is tailored to fit specific situations; what works for one may not work for the other. Keep reading to learn more about the ten best survival kits on the market.
Best Overall: Sustain Supply Comfort4
- Hot and nutritious meals
- Plenty of water for cooking and drinking
- Great first aid kit
- Various light sources
- Fantastic camping/survival equipment
- Bag is slightly bulky
- Has to be packed in a specific way
- Material is not ripstop
Food/Water
Included in the Comfort4 Survival Bag is everything you need to keep moving during an emergency for 72 hours.
There are nutritious and delicious hot meals all from Wise, so you can be sure the packets have enough calories and nutrition to keep you fueled for whatever you may face in the coming days.
Additionally, there is enough water to cook and drink for three days.
The food and water in the bag is enough for four people. Thus, if your group is smaller, this pack will last you even longer.
First Aid
During an emergency, there’s a big chance that you or someone might be hurt. The Comfort4 Survival Bag includes a high-quality first aid kit to treat minor injuries on the go. However, for major or life-threatening wounds, you may need to seek professional medical attention afterwards.
Extra Features
While most survival kits come with the essentials only, the Comfort4 Survival Bag packs a few extras that help secure its position as the overall best on this list.
It contains extra supplies such as various light sources, a camping knife, bowls and spoons, water filter straws, and a fire starter included, preparing you for the unknown.
Best Tactical: Seventy2 Pro Survival System
- Exceptionally durable material
- Expanded tool selection
- Waterproof
- Compact design
- Expensive
- Food only good enough for one day
- Fairly heavy
Food/Water
Designed for first responders, this survival kit comes with two emergency ration bars that equate to 2400 calories, enough for one day. While other kits might come prepared with more calories for longer stretches of time, this survival pack is meant for a single person, not a family or small group.
First Aid
This survival kit comes equipped with a first aid bag that can treat minor injuries. Although you don’t have everything you need to recover fully, the kit can be a useful stop-gap to ensure the injuries don’t get much worse at least to give you enough time to get to a medic.
Extra Features
The 600D waterproof materials are ripstop and highly durable to above-average wear and tear. This rates it among the best tactical backpacks. It can endure almost any cuts, rips, and stretching.
Not only that, but it also contains extra supplies such as top-quality survival gear, air-filtration masks, chemical lights, a shovel, plyers, zip ties, and more. Overall, this is the bag that’s going to prepare you the most for the unexpected out of any other on this list.
Best for Camping/Compact: VSSL Camp Supplies
- Extremely compact size
- Well-designed for easy carrying
- Durable shells
- No food supply
- Limited carrying capacity
- Relatively expensive
Food/Water
You don’t get any food included in this survival kit, but that’s not surprising due to its size. However, there is a 1-liter water bag and ten purification tablets so you can take advantage of any water you may find along the way.
First Aid
There is a mini first aid kit included in this pack, perfect for very minor cuts and scrapes. It comes equipped with band-aids, gauze, antiseptic wipes, and safety pins to secure the bandages.
Extra Features
The extra features are what sold us on this camping survival set. You have everything you need to reap resources from an outdoor environment, including fishing hooks, a wire saw, a fire starter kit, a compact flashlight, and a bunch of other nifty tools.
It is a great supplementary kit to carry along with another survival kit if you already have one.
Best Waterproof: Judy The Mover Max
- Exceptional waterproofing
- Great protective gear for cold and water exposure
- Cool hand-crank radio
- Not many tools included
- Relatively heavy
- Slightly expensive for what you get
Food/Water
This kit ranks among the best because of its water and food supply. You get ten meal-replacement bars, along with fourteen packets of purified drinking water enough to last three days for a family of four.
First Aid
Included in this survival kit is a compact yet extensive first aid pack. It’s made of a durable material that can be carried separately if you need extra space, and it’s waterproof as well to ensure the materials stay viable for use. The pack is filled with 109 different first aid tools and materials, ensuring you’re prepared for any kind of minor injury.
Extra Features
Since this kit is designed for expeditions into wet environments, many of the extra tools and features are geared towards waterproofing and cold exposure. You’ll be prepared for frigid temperatures with emergency blankets and hand warmers, along with a hand-crank radio for calling for help.
Best Family On The Go: Ready America Deluxe Emergency Kit
- Cool multi-tools
- Easy to carry
- Plenty of food and water
- Very conspicuous
- Can be heavy if full
- No room for extra gear when fully-packed
Food/Water
There are four food bars included in the pack, totaling 9600 calories. If you have small children, this is plenty to ration between four of you over three days. It might not taste incredible, but you can wash it down with the 1-liter water bag inside.
First Aid
The Ready America Emergency Kit comes with a relatively small medical kit. It has enough supplies to deal with minor cuts and bruises but doesn’t have any sutures or fasteners to administer more advanced medical aid.
Extra Features
One of the coolest things about this survival kit is the special multi-tool called The Emergency Power Station. It functions as a flashlight, AM/FM radio, emergency siren, and cell phone charger to boot. However, this is also what makes it relatively heavy. While the straps make it easy and comfortable to carry, not forgetting that it does have enough supplies for four people inside.
Best Supplement Kit: S.O.L. Traverse Survival Kit
- Compact size
- Essential camping survival gear
- Affordable
- Durable case
- No food included
- No water included
- No proper first aid included
Food/Water
The major drawback of this small survival kit is the fact that it is not equipped with large food and water supply. You’ll have to supplement it with your own food and water to be prepared for an emergency outdoors.
However, it does come with purification tablets and a sterile water bag. You can take advantage of naturally occurring water sources without worrying about nasty bacteria or diseases that may be lurking.
First Aid
This is an extremely compact pack for camping survival essentials, so it’s understandable that it doesn’t include a first aid kit. You can pack your own inside and still fit everything you need, so be prepared to purchase one separately.
Extra Features
The main attraction of this pack is the camping gear that it comes with. You have a fire starter, whistle, duct tape, and safety pins to get you through the night and secure your campsite.
For cold and/or hypothermia, the survival blanket is an amazing accessory to have on hand. You can treat exposure to the elements and keep warm throughout the night if you don’t have a proper shelter.
Best Inconspicuous Pack: Sustain Supply Essential2
- Covert appearance
- Fantastic materials
- Plenty of food and water for two people
- Inexpensive
- Could come with more tools
- Some nonessentials included
- Fairly heavy
Food/Water
There is enough food and water packed away in this survival kit to last two people up to 72 hours. Also included are two survival straws, perfect for filtering natural or unclean water sources into drinkable safe water for consumption.
First Aid
You get a basic first aid kit with 49 pieces to treat any sort of cuts and bruises before seeking professional medical attention.
Extra Features
While this bag is packed to the brim with survival necessities, no one who didn’t know that would be the wiser. In situations where there is a threat of being robbed or looting, it’s a great option to have a pack that doesn’t look like it has anything somebody would want.
Also, you have two different light sources in this kit; snappable chemical lights and a rechargeable lantern.
Best Organized: Surviveware 72 Hour Survival Backpack
- Highly-organized and adaptable
- Many different tools
- Durable materials
- Well-stocked medical kit
- Lacks side carrier straps
- Very heavy when fully-loaded
- Expensive
Food/Water
Under the hood, you have enough food and water to last you and your partner for 72 hours and then some if you ration the supplies. It comes with two food pouches, each totaling 3600 calories. For water, you have nine temperature-resistant emergency pouches. However, you should also carry a primary water supply to add to the ones provided.
First Aid
The Suriveware Responder backpack comes with the brand’s small first aid kit. It’s a well-equipped package containing everything you need to treat small wounds and even some serious lacerations.
Extra Features
Made of a flexible, waterproof, and durable tarpaulin synthetic material, the exterior of this survival pack is unmatched. Inside, you’ll find everything you need neatly organized with dedicated pouches and pockets. You can also change the positions to your liking, reorganizing them to fit the needs at hand.
The tools are no joke either, featuring a wide range of high-quality devices for various activities. In addition to the standards like a knife or chemical lights, you have a crank weather radio and weatherproof duct tape, among others.
Best for Home Use: Judy The Safe
- Easily stored/stacked
- Extremely durable shell
- Well-stocked for any situation
- Not wearable
- Very conspicuous color
- Would prefer to have more water included
Food/Water
In terms of what you need to stay full and hydrated, The Safe is fairly well-stocked. The meal-replacement bars are full of calories to keep you energized for as long as possible. There are enough of them for a family of four to last up to 72 hours.
However, we’d prefer if there was a bit more water included in this pack. The water packets are a bit small and bound to run out sooner if you don’t practice rationing.
First Aid
The 109-piece first aid kit is an essential thing to have on the road or at home. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to wrap and disinfect minor cuts, burns, and bruises.
Extra Features
Since this kit was made for a family of four, you have four of almost every survival essential included inside. Ponchos, hand warmers, dust masks, and even a biohazard bag are all available for use. It’s a great kit to have when you’re on the road or want to store it in the basement for emergencies.
Best Budget: Ready America Basic Emergency Kit
- Very cheap
- Compact and lightweight
- Good amount of food and water
- Lackluster external material
- Extremely small first aid kit
Food/Water
You’ll find plenty of sustenance for you and your partner in this bag, with two survival food bars and twelve water pouches with a five-year expiration date. There are about 4800 calories between the different pouches, so two people can have enough to sustain themselves for around two days.
First Aid
The first aid kit included in this survival pack is pocket-sized, so it’s not surprising there isn’t too much inside. You’ll have some bandaids and gauze along with some other things, but you won’t have enough to deal with a wound that needs consistent treatment or something more major.
Extra Features
Giving you some options are two long-lasting chemical glow sticks to light up the night or signal for help. Making this kit better for urban environments where air quality might be poor are two dust-masks, along with gloves for handling hazardous materials.
Final Verdict
Depending on who you are and what you need, different survival kits on this list may be the best fit for you. However, our team recommends the Comfort4 Survival Bag as the best overall survival kit available. The extra tools that the bag comes with, along with the hot and nutritious meals make it the perfect kit for a family during an emergency.
No matter which kit you pick, we’re sure you’ll be prepared for whatever the world has to throw at you. In today’s unpredictable times, it’s better to be prepared than risk getting caught without a plan and supplies. Remember, don’t eat the supplies before you need to.
Common Questions About Survival Kits (FAQs)
Given the many survival kit options available, it’s understandable to have some concerns.
Here, we’ve tried to answer as many of the common questions we’ve been asked about survival kits. Keep reading to find out what qualities to look for and how to know if you need one or not.
What should be in a survival kit?
The answer to this question depends on what kind of situation you’re preparing for.
If it’s an emergency survival kit for unexpected circumstances, you should have a well-rounded supply of tools, food, and water to keep you safe, hydrated, and energized.
Regardless of the situation you need the survival kit for, it should have a medical kit along with some tools to get you through a sticky situation, like a knife or a wire saw.
How heavy should an emergency pack be?
Your survival kit should weigh no more than 30-pounds maximum with all the equipment stored inside. This may seem like a lot, but when it comes down to survival, you’re going to need all the tools at your disposal.
However, a compact survival kit may weigh next to nothing but still be well-equipped, so don’t judge a product on this factor alone.
How long should a survival kit last?
Typically, most survival kits have enough supplies for three days give or take. Some have less, but they’re usually much smaller and not meant for long excursions.
The survival kit should include enough materials for everyone on the excursion. As such, a 72-hour survival kit will only last half that time if it’s meant for two people and you are four.
The tools in a survival kit need to be of high-quality and should last long, depending on what they are. You don’t want your fire starter to break when you need to start a fire, just like you don’t want your knife to snap in half as you’re cutting through wood.
Does my survival kit need to be waterproof?
While water-resistance is a good quality to have, you might not need a waterproof survival kit. Most of these, especially backpacks, are at least water-resistant, combating the elements sufficiently.
However, if you’re operating in a wet environment, it may be necessary to use a kit made out of waterproof materials to keep your supplies dry. Assess what the risk of water damage might be and make your decision accordingly.
I live in a safe area. Should I have a survival kit?
In our team’s opinion, everyone should be prepared for the worst. A survival kit isn’t just for people with enhanced exposure to dangerous situations. In today’s world, dangerous situations can arise any time. It’s better to have a survival kit and not need it than not have one when you need it most.