The Best Emergency Prep Kits for Keeping You and Your Family Ready

First and foremost, you need to have access to clean drinking water. This lightweight and easy-to-use water filter system has been the top choice for military personnel, backpackers, fisherman, and survivalist alike. It boasts a high-performance 0.1 micron absolute inline filter that is capable of stopping even the most dangerous bacteria found in dirty water. It is also filter rated for up to 100,000 gallons so rest assured this baby will last the long haul.

This is a pricey but genuinely premium go bag, and yes, it’s the one that’s literally under our desk as we type this article. Whether you pick the Comfort2 or Comfort4 bag, the former being equipped for two people, the latter for four, you can count on having every basic necessity met for 72 hours. These bags are packed with food, water, cooking and eating hardware, a water filter, fire-starting tools, lanterns and glowsticks, a knife, emergency whistles, lots of first aid supplies, and much more. And what’s more, all that gear is tucked into a hiking pack you can wear for hours on end as you trek toward safety.

This go-bag from Emergency Zone has all the basics covered, like first aid and lighting and gloves and sanitation. What we like even more is that it comes with plenty of food and water. And even beyond that, we appreciate the inclusion of a few comfort items, like a deck of playing cards and a bar of hand soap, because even in an emergency situation, you will eventually get bored, and because hand sanitizer may technically clean your skin, but it doesn’t leave it feeling great.

If you think there’s a chance you may face some seriously dangerous conditions, such as high winds throwing debris, ash, and hot cinders, or a deluge of rain and flooding, this is a good kit to consider. It comes with gear like safety goggles, rugged gloves, and a hand-cranked flashlight/radio combination, all of which can help you safely navigate your way through trying conditions as you connect with help.

This compact survival kit does not include food and water, to be clear, so you will need to procure some shelf-stable rations separately and stash them with it. But what it does include is a lot of useful hardware, from a folding shovel to a compact hatchet/hammer multitool to a wire saw to cordage and more. If you think you may need to prepare and maintain a campsite when you bug out from a disaster, this is a good kit to have on hand.

This is another kit that lacks food and water, but it’s got a few inclusions you don’t see in most other go bags that make it worth consideration. These include a multitool, which is just always handy, and a survival shelter, which can be set up to keep two people protected against rain and wind gusts. Add in the raincoat and space blanket that is also included, and you just may be able to keep warm and dry with this kit even in rough weather.

As the name suggests, this emergency kit is more about getting a vehicle working than it is about supplying human beings, but as your car is likely to be your ticket to safety, it needs to be kept functional, too. With jumper cables, a tire repair kit, a tow rope, an air compressor, and more, this kit just may help you get back on the road. And it does have a first aid kit, so if you tuck some food and water in the trunk with this pack, you and your vehicle will be well prepared.

This emergency prep kit is lighter on hardware, not having a hatchet or saw or shovel, but it’s heavy on the basics, packing in plenty of potable water and food and featuring a sizeable first aid kit, too. And with multiple ponchos, space blankets, and warming packs, it can keep you and your people fed and quasi-comfortable for multiple days.

This document bag is intended to be used as a go-bag, keeping all your valuables in one place to save time in emergency situations. Keep your cash, passports, and any other valuable documents safe in any emergency scenario.