What to Pack for An Emergency

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With everything from natural disasters to communicable diseases to civil unrest threatening our day-to-day well-being, it’s important to have some basic supplies on-hand to ward off both literal and metaphorical storms.

That’s where the best bug-out bags (a.k.a survival kits) come in. Essentially a portable emergency kit (the name supposedly comes from the backpacks Army pilots took with them when they were directed to “bail out” or “bug out” of their planes), the best bug-out bags are an easy way to keep survival tools and supplies in one place.

What Are the Best Bug-Out Bag?

The best bug-out bags (or BOB for short) are designed to hold basic essentials that can help you survive for up to three days without power, food, or water.

The exact contents of a standard bug-out bag vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but at the very minimum, the best survival kits have some first aid tools (I.e. bandages, rubbing alcohol), survival gear (think: a pocket knife, a flashlight, and a fire starter), and some way to get food and water. We’ve listed bags that include energy bars and pouches of water, along with kits that throw in a water filtration straw or water purification powder. The three basic essentials, as recommended by the American Red Cross, are food, water, and emergency blankets for shelter and warmth, and all three are included in most of our bug-out bag recommendations.

The best bug-out bags are all designed for easy carry, whether as a backpack or pouch. Look for bags made from tear-proof, water-resistant fabrics, as well as bags with extra rings and handles, so you can attach a water bottle, keys, and other small accessories. We’ve found options with well-organized compartments and zipped pockets too, so you can safely store and access your belongings. While all of our picks come pre-stocked with emergency essentials, they all have room for you to stash your wipes, hand sanitizer and big-ticket items like your laptop, phone and wallet as well.

Bug-out bags aren’t just used for emergencies, they can also make great camping or hiking bags. The best survival kits include items for personal hygiene — like soap, shampoo and toothbrushes — and some come with sleeping bags and blankets too.

A multi-purpose 72-hour survival kit, bug-out bags are a no-brainer when it comes to staying prepared and having peace of mind. We recommend keeping one in your car, (at least) one at home and one at work, so you are never left stranded. Make sure you keep the bags somewhere that’s easy to access, so when an emergency hits, you’re ready to safely grab and go.

1. Judy Mover Max

Emergency Kit brand Judy rose to fame after an endorsement from Oprah and has since become lauded means of preparing for the worst. The brand’s classic product is this Mover Max backpack, which showcases how Judy recognizes that your emergency kit’s container is equally as important as what’s inside.

The backpack itself is waterproof, rip-proof, and puncture-proof, and features sturdy shoulder straps with chest and waist buckles for security. This means you can strap on the pack without worrying about the contents being damaged or lost.

Inside the Judy Mover Max is three cartridges that organize your supplies by needs: water and food, safety and warmth, and tools and first aid. You’ll find everything from a 101-piece first aid kit to meal-replacement food bars to a hand-crank radio. Overall, it’s enough supplies to sustain a four-person group for 72 hours.

Judy has also expanded its product lineup to include larger kits, as well as survival kits with included power stations which we highly recommend. 

2. Emergency Zone Urban Survival Bag

Unlike some bug-out bags, which are big and bulky, this backpack from Emergency Zone is no larger than a school bag, which is great if you need to dash out quickly.

There’s enough here to sustain a family of four for at least 72 hours, including U.S. Coast Guard-approved energy bars and filtered water pouches to keep hunger and thirst at bay. A water bottle, filter straw, and water purification powder let you always have drinkable water on hand. This backpack also includes two reflective sleeping bags, a roll-up tent, and hand warmers, in case the heat goes out.

A well-stocked first-aid kit includes two N95 face masks (industrial strength) and more than 100 types of bandages, wraps, etc. There’s also a personal hygiene kit that includes two toothbrushes, toilet paper, feminine pads, soap, and shampoo. Basic survival tools like a flashlight, multitool, light sticks, and rope are also included.

The backpack is super heavy-duty and carries all your items with ease. Reinforced shoulder straps and a wrap-around chest strap keep the bag close to your body at all times. With six different zippered compartments, everything is neatly organized. There’s enough room for other essentials too, like your ID, wallet, phone, and even your laptop.

Be aware that this bag weighs 25 pounds with everything in so it might be heavy for some. Also: food bars and water last for five years; you’ll want to replace them if you have the bag for longer than that.

3. Uncharted Supply Co. Seventy2 Pro System

If you’re buckling up for a possible natural disaster — be it a hurricane, earthquake, or wildfire — we recommend getting this Seventy2 Pro System survival kit from Uncharted Supply Co. The bug-out bag is about as heavy-duty as they come, adding tools and a rugged, highly-portable packaging system on top of the standard survival supplies. As the name suggests, it’s designed for two people to survive for 72 hours in worst-case scenarios. In our review, this is the ultimate survival pack that every family should own.

The Seventy2 Pro System’s capabilities start with the backpack itself, which is made of 600D dual-coated tarpaulin. It’s lightweight yet large enough to fit everything that the kit includes, and features waist and chest straps for added security while hauling the pack.

Inside the backpack is a plethora of supplies that can handle just about any disaster, big or small. You get the basics, like a first-aid kit, a water filter, survival blankets, and food bars, but you also get more hardcore pieces like a shovel/pickax, chem lights, RZ M2 air masks, a survival tent, and crank radio/flashlight/charger. There are also weatherproof work gloves, which, combined with the shovel/pickax, pocket knife, and multitool, let you do some serious work in case the emergency should last longer than three days.

4. Yiderbo First Aid Survival Kit

Even if you already have a comprehensive emergency supply kit — or you’ve chosen one from this list — it’s not a bad idea to get a supplementary first aid survival kit to boot. We like this best-seller from Yiderbo, which delivers 274 pieces in a portable, 1.7-pound package. The portable case is also decently rugged and waterproof in case of a drop. Inside is a huge range of first-aid essentials including bandages, ice packs, medical scissors, and wipes.

5. Ready America Emergency Kit

Ready America’s emergency kit contains enough rations to sustain two people for up to three days. Basic essentials include two, 2400 calorie food bars and 12 emergency drinking water packets. The bars can withstand temperatures between -22ºF to 149ºF while the water withstands temperatures from 40ºF to 230ºF.

The backpack also holds a 33-piece first-aid kit, emergency blankets, two face masks, and two glow sticks, that get you 12 hours of light. Each kit also contains gloves, emergency ponchos, and pocket tissues.

Everything is housed in a lightweight, bright red backpack that helps you stay visible in case you need to be rescued. It also makes the bag easy to spot, so you can grab and go if time is of the essence. Our suggestion: keep one of these bags in the car, one in the closet, and one at work, so you’re always prepared.

What we like: the bag and kit are assembled in the USA by a company with more than 25 years of emergency preparedness experience.

Everything is housed in a lightweight backpack that’s easy to carry. The nylon material stretches so you can fit larger items in the bag as well.

6. EVERLIT Survival First Aid Kit

In serious emergencies, we would trust this comprehensive survival kit from Everlit. It boasts a U.S. Coast Guard-approved emergency food and water supply that can comfortably sustain two people for 72 hours, comprising two packs of 3600 calorie food bars and water packets. If you run out of water packets, the kit also has enough water purification tablets to purify 25 quarts of water.

You also get a bevy of tools and first-aid equipment. You’ll find essentials like a multi-tool, thermal blankets, and 100 feet of paracord, plus more serious gear like a survival shelter, work gloves, and protective goggles.

The whole kit comes neatly packaged in a weatherproof 600-dernier nylon backpack with separate pockets and reliable zippers for easy access. Weighing 21 pounds, it is on the heavy side, although not too heavy considering how much gear you’re getting.