Survival kits are meant to help you through an emergency, whether that means a natural disaster, a man-made attack or a weather emergency. While it's true you could put together your own survival kit, the truth is many items may be difficult to locate or expensive to buy separately, especially if you live remotely and need to have the items shipped to you. A good pre-assembled survival kit will provide you with all the basics to help you survive a number of emergencies, whether you're at home or on the go.
Large Personal Survival Kit
This is one of the few survival kits designed to be carried on person, so you can bring it along when you go backpacking or plain on being out of civilization's reach for a while. The kit is meant for a single user, but many of the supplies are duplicated, so you can easily cover two people with a single kit. Aside from a small first-aid kit, the packet also contains SPF-15 sunblock packets, a 50-pack of iodine water disinfectant tabs and a thick plastic bag where you can store the clean water. Fire-starter flint and tinder, razor-knife blades, a fishing kit, needles, a compass and a small saw make it easier to prepare your environment for survival. The kit also includes miscellaneous items not commonly found in other survival kits, including a 20-foot parachute cord, survival instruction cards, a signal mirror, a magnifying glass and two aluminum containers. The kit weighs 12.7 oz.
Survivor Emergency Kit-4 Person
Meant to be kept at home, this large survival kit is perfect for a family. The kit comes with two large backpacks you can use to store all the materials provided. To offer weather protection, the kit comes complete with emergency sleeping bags, body warmers, ponchos and two tube tents. A deluxe first aid kit, a sewing kit and a hygiene kit take care of all the basics. A number of tools are also included in the kit, such as an emergency light, an eight-hour light stick, a folding stove and fuel tablets and a multitool knife. The Survivor kit also contains food and water, including four 3,600-calorie energy bars, 24 water pouches, 50 water purification tablets and one empty plastic bottle. As of 2010, the kit sells for $200.
Ready-to-Roll Survival Kit
The Ready-to-Roll survival kit is similar to the Survivor Emergency Kit but with a larger first-aid kit. This kit also comes packed in a case with wheel, so it's easy to carry even by children or the elderly. The kit contains a large survival set plus a number of search-and-rescue tools. Of special mention are the folding shovel, flashlight, dust masks and thick gloves, a 24-inch pry bar, safety goggles and hard hats. The kit also contains solar blankets to keep you warm, ponchos, a solar radio, yellow paramedic blankets, six 3,600-calorie food rations, 27 water packs and safety vests. As of 2010, this kit has a retail price of $395.
References
- Equipped: Large Personal Survival Kit
- The 7 Store: Survivor Emergency Kit-4 Person
- Survival Goods: Ready to Roll Survival Kit
- Build the Perfect Survival Kit; John D. McCann; 2005
