Emergencies usually popup without warning. That’s what makes them an emergency.
It could be a natural disaster like a flood, earthquake, or forest fire. Or it could be man-made.
Either way, the best thing to boost your chances of survival is to be prepared. The best way to be prepared is to have the essential life saving items on hand when you need them.
There are pretty much two ways to go with this – build your own kit or buy a pre-made kit. I favor the do-it-yourself method because it’s more customizable and you’ll be more familiar with each component than if someone else chooses all your gear.
Survival Kit Checklist
The 10 Essentials
As the name implies, the 10 Essentials are absolute must-have items. This isn’t opinion, this is fact.
Shelter – Emergency shelter will save your life.
Water – Have at least 3-days worth plus a way to purify water.
Food – Have at least 3-days worth.
Clothing – Remember, “Cotton kills.” Go with synthetic clothing, outdoor gear is ideal.
Fire Starter – Storm-proof lighter or matches plus a fire starter kit.
Navigation – Waterproof maps and compass (and know how to use them).
First Aid – Have the supplies and the knowledge to use them properly.
Sun Protection – Hat, sun glasses, sunscreen.
Light – Flashlight with extra batteries.
Knife – Ideally, a full-tang, fixed-blade knife.
For sanitation concerns:
Hand Sanitizer
Garbage Bags
Zip Ties
Moist Towelettes
Germs can cause a lot of problems. Do you remember the game Oregon Trail? Don’t be the one that dies of dysentery.
From here you can build out with whatever you think you’ll need or want.
Be sure to include personal items:
Medication
Feminine Products
Baby Stuff (diapers, etc)
Things like paracord, bleach, fire extinguisher, etc. are all useful to have. Also, keep in mind you’ll need to scale up the food and water to your anticipated group size. If you have kids, pack something non-digital/electronic to entertain them – books, cards, games, etc.
Here is a table with gear to consider when assembling your survival kit.
Cost: $ = Under $50, $$ = $51-100, $$$ = $100+
Item
Weight
Size
Cost
Datrex Survival Water Pouch (64 qty)
19 lbs
13x7x10
$
S.O.S. Rations Food Bar (2 Pk)
3.6 lbs
N/A
$
SOL Emergency Bivvy
3.5 oz
84"x36" (bivvy)
$
OD Wool Blanket
3.4 lbs
66"x90"
$
MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat) Menus 13-24
22 lbs
N/A
$$
Adventure First Aid 2.0
10.4 oz
6x5x4"
$
Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen SPF 60
5.4 oz
N/A
$
KA-BAR Knife
0.7 lbs
7" Blade / 11.875" Overall
$$
MagLite ST3D016 3D LED Flashlight
15 oz
12.3x1.6x2.2"
$
Suunto A-10 Compass
N/A
N/A
$
SOL Rescue Howler Whistle (2 pk)
Less than 1 oz
N/A
$
UCO Stormproof Matches
1.7 oz
N/A
$
Ambient Weather Emergency Radio
1.1 lbs
3x2x5.5"
$
Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Starter
1.9 oz
4.8"
$
Lightload Towels
0.3 oz
12x12"
$
Note: This table contains affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, if you decide to purchase one of the items I make a small commission to support the website.
