Friday, July 17, 2020

Best Survival Kits for 2020: In-Depth Buyer’s Guide

Outdoor travel equipment

Nothing can give you more peace of mind than knowing you’ll be prepared in the event of a disaster or emergency situation.

The best survival kits can be used in a variety of situations, however, the point of using one of these kits is to help you survive, whether you’re on a journey through the backcountry or when a natural disaster strikes. Of course, there are dozens of top-selling kits to choose from, but if you’ve never used one before, then you may not know how to find a kit that contains all the tools and supplies you need at a time you need it the most.

I’ve done my homework and tested out several of the best-selling models of survival kits, narrowing it down to six kits that have what it takes to get you through the backcountry or a natural disaster, safely. I’ve also put together a buyer’s guide that includes all the information you need to know in order to choose the perfect kit for you and your family.

Below, you’ll find a comparison chart, which lists each of the models that made it onto my list, how they rated, the set size, and other helpful information that will allow you to make an informed decision when it comes time to hit that buy now button.

Survival Kit Comparison Chart

Product Size Weght Carry Case Rating
Aokiwo Emergency Survival Kit

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47 2.4 LBS Molle pouch
KOSIN Survival Gear

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18 1.4 LBS ABS plastic
Monoki First Aid Kit Survival Kit

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241 1.54 LBS Canvas bag
Verifygear Survival Kit

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17 600 Grams ABS plastic

Aokiwo Emergency Survival Kit


Our Rating: (5/5)

This is a forty-seven-piece kit that comes with a variety of medical supplies and survival tools that can help get you through any type of emergency. This kit includes sixteen pieces of medical supplies, ten fishing tools, one Molle EMT pouch, and a folding knife, in addition to other essential survival gear that every camper, survivalist, and hiker should keep in their pack.

Other kit contents include:

  • Carabiner
  • Bottle clip
  • Saber card
  • Tactical defense whistle
  • Flashlight
  • Folding pliers
  • Emergency blanket
  • Compass
  • Fire starter
  • Pen
  • Wire saw
  • Folding knife
  • Three-mode tactical flashlight

 

The first aid supplies include everything you need to provide emergency treatment and prevent infection.

This kit is Molle system compatible. The bag is made out of one thousand denier nylon, which is water-resistant, highly portable, and durable. It features a few large compartments so you can neatly organize all of your supplies and keep an eye on your inventory.

Pros

  • 47 piece kit
  • Includes tactical knife
  • Durable carrying case
  • Low price

Cons

  • Knife is flimsy

Conclusion

This kit is designed to help you treat mild to moderately severe injuries, includes supplies that can prevent infection, and comes with everything you need in the event of an emergency to stabilize the injured party until help arrives. This is the ultimate kit for a bug out bag or the hiker in need of a kit that contains enough medical supplies to treat a large number of people.

KOSIN Survival Gear


Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This kit includes a variety of survival tools that can help you in the event of an emergency. These tools include:

  • Water bottle clip
  • Mini light
  • Tactical pen
  • Whistle
  • Credit card knife
  • Flashlight
  • Scraper
  • Flint
  • Carabiner
  • Emergency blanket
  • Wire saw
  • Survival knife

This smaller kit is perfect for the backpacker or for bug out bag use, since the kit is very compact and light and won’t take up too much space in your pack. The biggest drawback of this set is the lack of medical supplies. Fortunately, the carrying case does have some extra space so you can always add medical supplies of your choice.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Waterproof carrying case
  • Includes tactical knife
  • Low price

Cons

  • Doesn’t include any medical supplies

Conclusion

This kit is highly portable and pack friendly. It’s compact design will allow you to easily stash it in your trunk, bug out bag, or hiking backpack. This model includes many of the important tools you’ll need to survive in the event of an emergency or natural disaster, however, you’ll need to add your own medical supplies to make this kit complete.

Monoki First Aid Kit Survival Kit


Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This is a massive set that contains 241 pieces of survival gear and essential medical supplies. This model comes with a total of sixteen tools, an emergency blanket, folding knife, pliers, whistle, fire starter, flashlight, fishing line, fishing weights and hooks, and more. The first aid supplies are designed to treat mild to moderately severe injuries. With proper use, the supplies included can help to prevent infection. Despite the size of the kit, it only weighs in at 1.54 pounds.

Pros

  • 241 pieces
  • Low weight
  • Highly portable
  • Includes essential medical supplies

Cons

  • Compass does not work well

Conclusion

This kit is perfect for home, travel, hiking, camping, bug out bag use, and more. It includes all of the gear and supplies you’ll need on a longer camping trip, or in the event of a natural disaster. Compact, lightweight, and durable, this is one kit you don’t want to leave home without.

Verifygear Survival Kit


Our Rating: (4/5)

This seventeen-piece kit includes collapsible fire tube, first aid blanket, carabiner, flashlight, screwdrivers, tactical compass, and other survival tools. It doesn’t come with any medical supplies, which may be a drawback for some potential buyers. The included supplies and lightweight, compact design of the kit make this model a great choice if you need a small kit to keep with you at all times, on your next camping trip, or a kit to store in your bug out bag. However, the lack of medical supplies makes this model a poor choice if you’re looking for one that covers all the bases.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Compact
  • Waterproof case
  • Includes basic survival tools

Cons

  • Does not include any type of medical supplies

Conclusion

Lightweight, highly portable, and small enough to fit in any pack, this is a great kit for on the go use, if you need a kit to store in your car, or if you’re looking for a basic model that you can use on your next hiking trip. However, the lack of medical supplies will be an issue if you’re looking for a main kit you can use for your next long hiking adventure.

Survival Kit Buyer’s Guide

A survival kit can be used to help you make it through a dangerous trail when you’re hiking through the backcountry, and it can also be used when your area is hit by an earthquake, hurricane, or another type of disaster. Having the right survival kit can basically mean the difference between life or death, which is why it’s so crucial that you choose wisely and purchase a kit that’s loaded with the tools and supplies you need.

However, there’s a lot to consider before you order the first affordable kit you come across.

Below, I’ll go over more of the benefits of using one of these kits and how they can help in the event of a disaster, in addition to discussing the types of supplies to look for, tools, and how big the kit should be, based on the number of people in your family or hiking party.

The Benefits of a Survival Kit

Emergency preparation equipment

  • Having a kit at home, in your car, or in your pack when you’re hiking through the woods will ensure that you have all the essential gear on hand in the event of an emergency. A kit will contain all the supplies you need to survive in a variety of emergency situations.
  • These kits are relatively affordable and include many pieces that will allow you to create a shelter, treat an injury, or make a fire. Basically, for a low price, you can purchase a model that can save your life in a natural disaster or if you get lost in the backcountry.
  •     Keeping a kit on hand will mean you will always be prepared when a disaster strikes, so you can remain calm and protected in a situation that’s life threatening.
  • You can purchase a high-quality kit that’s mainly assembled for home or backcountry use. Whether you’re camping, hiking, or you need a kit to keep in your car, there’s a survival kit there out there for a variety of purposes. If the kit you purchase is missing an important tool or two, you can easily purchase the tool separately and store it in the bag or carrying case with all of your other important tools and supplies.
  • A kit can see you through the first seventy-two hours, following a natural disaster. This type of kit will come with freeze-dried or dehydrated food, water purification tablets or some type of water filtration system, and essential medical supplies that can help treat minor to serious injuries and prevent infection from setting in.
  • Keeping one of these kits in your backpack or in your vehicle will ensure you’re always prepared, wherever you go
  • A well-rounded kit can ensure your survival, should you get lost in the woods
  • Many of the supplies in a kit can last for several years before needing to be replaced
  • A kit will contain everything you need to create a makeshift shelter, build a fire, purify water, and cook a meal.

Other Important Features

As you now know, a survival kit will be one of the most important pieces of gear you can take on your next camping, hiking or hunting trip, and you should also keep one on hand in the event of an accident. Now, I’ll discuss what to look for in a kit that can provide the help you need in an emergency.

Kit Size

The size of the kit will be an important factor that can help you choose a model that’s big enough to treat all of your family members or the people in your hiking or camping group. The size basically tells you how much supplies it contains, thereby allowing you to calculate how many people it can help, or how many days it can provide treatment. Aside from medical supplies, there will also be some basic, yet important tools that will account for some of the pieces in a standard survival kit.

If you’re planning a hiking or camping trip, then you may not want to bring along a large kit since it can add a lot of weight to your pack. Carrying a massive kit isn’t exactly practical if you’re hiking for several hours a day.

Because of the weight, most kits designed for the backpacker will not include water or food, since both can add some serious pounds. Instead, many of these kits will focus on a variety of emergency supplies.

However, if you’re looking for a kit that you can keep in your car or home, then you may come across some models that come with dehydrated food. These types of kits will ensure you and every member of the family has enough food to survive for a period of seventy-two hours and they’re available in different sizes depending on how many people are in the home.

So, if you’re not hiking or camping and you don’t need to carry anything else, then the kit you choose can be as big as it needs to be to provide food, water, and emergency treatment to every member in your household.

If you’re looking for a kit for camping and hiking purposes, then you’ll need to only bring the basics since the weight of the kit is important considering you’ll be hauling it around for several hours a day.

Most manufacturers will be very transparent in terms of how many pieces come in a kit, how much it weighs, and the type of supplies it includes.

Type

It’s also important to know exactly what you plan on using the kit for so you can ensure you have all the right gear you need when a disaster strikes. Every kind of event would require different types of supplies. As an example, if you’re holed up in a bomb shelter in your home or a basement, then you won’t have much use for a fire starter. Yet, you’d definitely need one if you’re going on a hiking trip.

At home, you’ll have more access to food and water, whereas if you’re planning on buying a kit to keep in your car, you may want one that comes with dehydrated food and water purification tablets, since you may not have access to food or fresh drinking water.

Contents

The contents of the kit will be very important to your survival if you’re lost in the backcountry or stuck at home without power.

In most situations, it’s always best to have a kit that comes with some type of water purification system, whether it’s a filter or purification tablets. This will be especially important on a hiking trip.

Light Source

Light will also be vital. While a battery-operated flashlight will come in handy, you should also purchase a kit that comes with some type of light that works on a crank system or a flashlight that’s solar-powered.

There will be some items you find in a kit that will only come in handy in certain circumstances, however, there are some that can work for plenty of different scenarios, such as a light. Whether you’re lost in the woods or stuck in your home with the power out, having an emergency light source will be important.

Shelter

A good kit for outdoor use will come with some items that are weatherproof and these items will come in handy if you need to protect yourself from inclement weather in extreme conditions. These items can consist of a small tent, tarp of some kind, or a poncho and can be used to keep you dry in case of a serious storm, tornado, or hurricane.

First Aid Supplies

At home and out in the woods, you’re going to need a kit that comes with first aid supplies such as bandages, antibacterial ointment, medical tape, ace bandages, and anything you can use to treat mild to severe injuries until you’re able to get the injured person in your party medical attention.

The medical supplies in a kit can prevent infections and can also stop bleeding, helping to increase an injured person’s chances of survival.

Hygiene Products

Proper hygiene is a must in order to prevent infection. When you purchase a kit, make sure it comes with soap, alcohol wipes, hand sanitizer, waste bags, and other important hygiene products that can significantly reduce chances of infection.

Tools

Kits designed more for a bug out bag or backcountry use will come with useful tools that can help you make a shelter, hunt, make repairs, and basically survive on your own, during a disaster or when you’re lost in the woods.

These tools can include:

  • Fire starter
  • Duct tape
  • Pliers
  • Rope
  • Gloves
  • Knives
  • Multipurpose knife

And more.

Other important equipment in a kit can include:

  • Sewing kit
  • Suture kit
  • Flashlight
  • Medical scissors
  • Matches
  • Portable stove
  • Mylar blankets
  • Insect repellent
  • Over the counter medication

Aside from some basic tools and medical supplies, there are a number of other types of products that you’ll need to look for in a well-rounded kit, one that will have all the bases covered. This will include certain tools such as a multipurpose tool that comes with sharp blades, a pair of work gloves, which can protect your hands when you’re cleaning a camp site or collecting firewood, duct tape, which can help you build a waterproof shelter, and paracord that will also help you put together some type of makeshift shelter.

Additionally, chemical light sticks, a small tool kit, and even a can opener can help you survive during an emergency, until help arrives.

The contents in a kit will vary from model to model and can depend on the quality of the kit and the size.

Price

You’ll find that many of these kits are surprisingly affordable. However, the price will be directly impacted by the size, and of course, the quality of the supplies. Smaller kits will cost around $20-$40, while larger, high-quality models will run anywhere from $50 up to $200. Again, the price can depend on the type of tools and supplies, the size, and the overall quality.

Be Prepared

If you’ve never camped or hiked before, then make sure you know how to correctly use all of the supplies and tools that come in these kits. It’s important to be prepared for an emergency before you set out. This can be done by practicing setting up a makeshift shelter, learning how to correctly use a water filtration system, and building a fire with the help of flint and steel. Remember, one of these kits can be totally useless if you don’t know how to correctly use the contents.

Frequently Asked Questions

emergency tools

What Should You Include in a Survival Kit?

  • These kits should come with a flashlight and one to two extra sets of batteries
  • Emergency candles
  • Water purification tablets or a water filter
  • Tape and cordage, including around one to two hundred feet of paracord and a roll of duct tape
  • Two to three fire starter options such as waterproof matches, lighter, and flint and steel
  • Space blankets, wool blankets
  • Poncho
  •     Tarp
  • Medical supplies
  • Over the counter medication such as aspirin or acetaminophen

What is the Best Survival Food?

  • Beef jerky
  • Brown rice
  • Energy bars
  • Chocolate bars
  • Peanut butter
  • Dried beans
  • Trail mix
  • Instant coffee

What are the Top 10 Survival Items?

This can depend on whether you’re trying to survive from home during a natural disaster or you’re lost in the woods. If you’re lost in the wilderness, then the top supplies will include:

  • Signal mirror
  • Proper clothing
  • Bow saw
  • First aid kit
  • Compass
  • Map
  • Survival knife
  • Fire starter
  • Dehydrated food
  • Water purification tablets

What is the First Thing to do in a Survival Situation?

  • Remain calm
  • Make some type of insulated shelter. Building a shelter that can keep you warm and dry will protect you from the elements and can prevent hypothermia
  • Find a clean water source
  • Collect water
  • Build a fire
  • Find food

 

What Should be in a 72 Hour Bug Out Bag?

For a bug out bag that covers all the bases, make sure it includes the following supplies:

  • Antibacterial wipes
  • Paracord
  • Knife
  • Sleeping bag
  • Water purification tablets or filtration system
  • Multipurpose tool
  • Medical supplies
  • Tent

Final Thoughts

When you’re shopping for the best survival kit, make sure you take into consideration the many factors I’ve included in my buyer’s guide, so you can be sure that you end up with the right kit based on use and the number of people in your family or hiking or camping group. The models I’ve included in my top six list are all loaded with high-quality supplies and tools, so you can be sure that each kit in my lineup has what it takes to help you make it through a natural disaster or any other type of emergency situation.



source https://readyandarmed.net/best-survival-kits/

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