10 Best Survival Kits (Reviewed)

February 16, 2021/Riley Draper Table of Contents

If you’re the outdoors type, you know how important it is to be prepared no matter what. The world is scary, and sometimes it’s unforgiving. If you’ve got a good survival kit, though, you’ll be able to weather even the worst of unexpected surprises. Of course, best-case scenario, you never ever end up having to use any of these in a survival situation, but if you’re going to shop around for a survival kit on Amazon, you might as well look around for a kit that will last in storage and offer you the tools that you need to patch yourself up, get out of a jam, and brave whatever has come your way!

In a hurry? Here’s the test winner after 10 hours of research:

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10 Best Survival Kits – Overview

Here are the top 5 picks (keep scrolling for more details and picks 6-10).

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1. Sustain Supply Co. Basic

[amazon box=”B079KRHJRP”]

This survival kit from Sustain Supply Co. is the kit of kit you want to be able to reach for in a pinch. It comes fully stocked with everything you and a buddy will need to tough it out for about 72 hours, and it all comes packaged in a neat bag that won’t be intrusive in your storage area or clash with your daily loadout. 

When we say it comes with everything you need, we mean it. It has a few handy light sources, ranging from an LED lantern to a set of glow sticks, that will bring you the ease of mind should you get stuck in the dark (natural or otherwise), allowing you to navigate a situation no matter how grim or dim. You’ll have emergency drinking water with a five-year shelf life, a pocket knife, emergency rations, and a manual water filtration system. Your first 72 hours are covered by the contents of the bag, but it’ll also leave you with emergency supplies to extend your survivability.

PROS

  • The sleek packaging is easy to store with pride
  • Many light sources mean you won’t be undone by a dead battery
  • Comes with rations and water

CONS

  • The tight packaging cuts down on the potential number of people and hours you could survive off of this kit

Check Latest Price

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2. LIANXIN Roadside Assistance Emergency Kit

[amazon box=”B07FT6R38V”]

Cars are incredible. It’s a miracle they exist in the first place, but that doesn’t mean they’re infallible. If you’ve ever had a car fail on you during rush hour traffic while your wife needs to go to the bathroom, you know how frustrating it is to be out on the road all on your own. This roadside assistance emergency kit is going to make it as easy as possible to deal with almost any roadside issue when disaster strikes that doesn’t involve a wench lifting the entire engine out of your car. It’s light and compact enough to pack away in even the most economical of cars.

That doesn’t’ mean they’re skimping out on survival tools in this bad boy. There are clever additions here that make it useful in a wide variety of emergencies, like a wallet-sized multi-tool and small pliers instead of a billion socket wrenches, q-tips for cleaning out unfortunate gunk, an easy-to-coil 8-foot jumper cable, and a compact toolbox. There are solutions for problems that aren’t mechanical as well, like the high-strength traction rope, and one size fits all poncho in case you find yourself stuck off-road in the rain or snow.

PROS

  • Comes in an incredibly compact durable bag
  • Stuffed full of tools without becoming cumbersome

CONS

  • Compact nature means you won’t have more heavy-duty tools for more specific problems
  • No first aid kit

Check Latest Price

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3. Complete Earthquake Bag – 3 Day Emergency kit

[amazon box=”B0756MV23H”]

If mother nature has an adversarial relationship with the region of the world you live in, you’re going to need a good survival kit with everything you could possibly need during an emergency, and possibly a couple of survival items you would have overlooked if you were piecing together a survival bag yourself. This earthquake bag from Redfora is going to fill those needs for you, and then some. This bag will get you covered with the big three needs, light, shelter, and warmth, and they stack a couple of features on top of all of that.

Things that aren’t immediately obvious like a biohazard bag, in case you’ve got some soiled bandages to dispose of or whatever else would need sequestering behind a couple of walls of durable plastic and a zipper. There’s a pair of hygiene kits to keep your injuries clean and toothbrushes to keep your teeth fresh, and a memo notebook for any passing thoughts you need to hang onto while waiting for assistance. 

PROS

  • A great kit if you’re looking for something that provides more than just the basics
  • Hand crank flashlight is always a godsend in a pinch
  • Comes with water purification tablets

CONS

  • The zippers on this bag seem to be a common point of failure
  • No charger

Check Latest Price

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4. Ready America 70280 Emergency Kit

[amazon box=”B000FJQQVI”]

If you’re looking for a survival kit, but you don’t know where to start, this is a versatile bag to get you going. It’s a simple start. Buying this bag will get your hands on a decent set of masks, some gloves, there’s a set of rations, emergency water, and emergency blankets. For more dire situations you’ll find a 33-piece First Aid kit, two 12-hour safety light sticks, and an emergency whistle. Each kit also contains emergency ponchos and pocket tissues. 

This is a pretty simple kit, but it’s an excellent starting point. You’ll have a great, highly visible bag, if you happen to hang onto it long enough for the rations to expire, you’ll have an easy time finding replacements that will fit inside just fine. There’s nothing in here that you’ll have to go too far out of your way to learn how to use, and it’ll be great to have around just for the peace of mind and sense of preparedness. 

PROS

  • This bag and its contents will easily sustain you and one other person for three days
  • A great place to start your survival kit stockpile

CONS

  • Mostly just rations and water, if you’re looking for an emergency kit that will help in a variety of situations, you might want to branch out
  • The masks that come in the bag are just standard dust masks, not n95 masks

Check Latest Price

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5. Sustain Supply Co. Premium Emergency Survival Bag/Kit

[amazon box=”B072VNXZZ4″]

This is another entry from the Sustain Supply Co. These folks just know what they’re doing. This kit is a little more pricey than their basic survival kit, but those extra dollars are going to be applied to making this a kit that’s a little more comfortable to dig into while you’re sustaining yourself. You’ll have a wilder selection of less bland rations to choose from in this kit. There’s mac and cheese along with collapsable bowls to eat from. These are a pretty simple creature comfort, but if you’re in a situation where you’re finding yourself cracking open the survival kit, you’re going to be reveling in the simple pleasure of something as basic as a bowl to place in your lap.

There are firestarters and emergency blankets. Not everyone knows how to cobble together some warmth in a pinch, and this kit understands that need and rises to the occasion. If you’re huddled together without water and soap, but you’re not ready to give up on feeling clean, there are heavy-duty bath wipes to get you through the ordeal. Overall, this is a kit that’s well worth the money, and every cent you spend on it is going to come right back to you tenfold when you need it the most. 

PROS

  • Makes survival more than just bearable
  • The paracord is conveniently attached to the fire starter

CONS

  • More expensive than other kits that will last you just as long

Check Latest Price

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6. First Secure Car Emergency Kit and First Aid Kit

[amazon box=”B01C96AFWU”]

This kit is going to keep you off the streets. Literally. It’s another car emergency kit. It’s a little less robust than the LIANXIN emergency kit, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get you through some of the most unfortunate situations. It’s a kit that comes stocked with the basics, and sometimes that’s all you need. If you’re stuck in a rut, there’s a tow rope with a 10,000-pound capacity. If you’ve got some scrapes after an accident you’ll have a first aid kit and first aid supplies within arm’s reach so you can get patched up before exchanging insurance info.

If things get really nasty, there’s a combination window breaker/seat belt cutter, so nobody will be trapped unless we’re talking about a twisted metal situation. If that latter is the case, then rescue should be left to the professionals anyway. A tire plug set, work gloves, reflective warning triangle, and tire pump will give you access to emergency tire repair, so even if you’re stuck on the side of the road with a flat spare and a tire full of holes, you’ll be ready to get yourself back out on the road.

PROS

  • Great for tire repair and light to moderate accidents
  • Tow rope will help you out of a jam

CONS

  • Beyond tire repair, there aren’t too many tools for other roadside emergencies

Check Latest Price

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7. Monoki First Aid Kit Survival Kit

[amazon box=”B078PHQC2Z”]

This kit is a little daunting at first glance. There are over two hundred pieces to this thing. You’re probably never going to need every single one of them, but you sure as heck aren’t going to be lacking the one thing you really need when the time ever comes for this bad boy to make an appearance. It’s a robust emergency survival kit with everything from a pocket-sized wire saw to a tactical flashlight, you’re going to be flush with tools for every occasion. The key to a good survival kit is predicting your needs, no matter how broad they might be.

This kit takes the guesswork out of building your survival stockpile by throwing everything and the kitchen sink into one tight package (kitchen sink not included). There’s equipment for fishing, whistles for making noise so you can easily be located, and a robust first aid kit. It’s an excellent package for anyone truly concerned about being prepared for literally every single possible circumstance without overloading themselves with a cumbersome package.

PROS

  • Contains nearly everything you could possibly want in a package this size
  • The first aid kit comes fully stocked and includes an educational booklet

CONS

  • Pretty compact, so don’t expect to pull any large tools or food rations out of this one

Check Latest Price

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8. EILIKS Survival Gear Kit

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The previous survival kit was all about keeping you afloat during an emergency with patches and useful compact devices. This survival kit from EILIKS is similar but on the opposite end of the spectrum. It’s almost totally comprised of tools that will get you out of a jam. As long as you know how to apply them, you’ll be able to get yourself out of almost any tight spot.

This survival kit has a lot of handy tools. If you’re looking to gather firewood and roast up a meal you were able to trap, there are tools for that. If you’re looking to tighten some stray bolts while you’re waiting for rescue or resting up, there’s a wallet tool for that. If you’ve bugged out and you’re surrounded by cans, don’t worry there are several ways to get into one with this survival kit.

This kit travels well and is so full of useful tools of the trade that it’s pretty hard to pass up. If you’re going to be out in the woods on a mountain bike, or you’re prone to meandering day-long hikes, you might want to grab this set just to keep yourself ready for any in a lightweight and practical fashion. 

PROS

  • Great for a man with a plan
  • Plenty of tools to get yourself out of almost any situation

CONS

  • Nothing in the way of water or edible provisions

Check Latest Price

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9. Prep Store Elite Emergency Pack

[amazon box=”B085ZP5WL3″]

This is an emergency pack for anybody that understands that emergency preparedness sometimes means settling in. The small folding stool should be evidence enough, but if it isn’t the small spade, campfire pot, and solar panels should paint a more accurate picture of the kinds of needs you should be expecting to fill with this kit.

This isn’t a small kit, it’s not light, and it’s not great for moving around often. But that’s because it’s stuffed to the brim with useful trinkets and tools that are integral for bugging out and buckling down. You’ll never be wishing you had something to cook a meal in or scrambling for power during the long days with you and your emergency pack. 

PROS

  • A great survival kit for anybody looking to cover most of their bases
  • Great for campers, hikers, or anybody in an area prone to natural disaster

CONS

  • This pack is pretty big, if you’re not ready to store a hiking bag worth of stuff, you should look elsewhere

Check Latest Price

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10. S.O.L. Traverse Tin Survival Kit

[amazon box=”B018ONSQ28″]

You’ll never be stuck out of luck with this compact survival kit. It’s the size of a novelty pack of mints, making it easy to travel with, and the metal casing is durable and keeps your tools safe. This kit is a creative way to keep yourself safe in a pinch. There are easily burnable pieces of kindling, an intuitive firestarter, and an emergency blanket rather than a sleeping bag for all of the heat and shelter you could reasonably expect from something that isn’t a tent that you can carry around in a pocket.

You can’t fit any emergency water in this, but there’s a sterile liter-sized bag for collecting water, and a pair of sanitization tablets, if you’re in a situation where you can find water but it seems suspect. This survival kit is a powerhouse packed away in a pocket-size piece of product. For the price, the performance, and the productivity you’ll be able to squeeze out of this precious protector, we highly recommend it.

PROS

  • Compact and easy to travel with
  • Surprisingly helpful, especially considering the size of the kit

CONS

  • Limited space means limited storage
  • The roll of duct tape here is pretty small

Check Latest Price

Our Winner

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Sustain Supply Co. does one thing and they do it well. The kits that Sustain Supply Co. produces are high-quality for the price point, and everything in the kit is going to work when the chips are down. That’s the highest praise you can give a survival kit, isn’t it? You’re not looking for anything with the most bells and whistles or battery-powered this and that. A good kit knows what it’s all about, provides it for you when you need it, and sits silently until it’s called upon during the right moment. 

The bag in the Basic Survival kit is a nice sturdy bag without any frills. You’ve got a pair of straps and everything fits neatly inside without having to fumble through a dozen pockets. It’s easy to grab, easy to carry, and easy to open, and that’s really all you need from a good bug out bag. You’re going to have perfectly portioned rations, lights (and backup lights), emergency water (and a water filter that will keep you hydrated long after your water rations run out). It’s everything you’ll need in a survival kit and nothing you don’t need.

Bonus Tip: If you’re still not sure what to look for in a survival kit, here’s a crash course in throwing your own together!

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Riley Draper

Riley Draper is a writer and entrepreneur from Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a world traveler, he has been to more than fifty countries and hiked some of the most elusive trails in the world. He is the co-founder of WeCounsel Solutions and has published work in both national and global outlets, including the Times Free Press, Patch, and Healthcare Global. When he’s not writing, he’s probably on a hiking trip or climbing in the mountains.

Riley Draper

Riley Draper is a writer and entrepreneur from Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a world traveler, he has been to more than fifty countries and hiked some of the most elusive trails in the world. He is the co-founder of WeCounsel Solutions and has published work in both national and global outlets, including the Times Free Press, Patch, and Healthcare Global. When he's not writing, he's probably on a hiking trip or climbing in the mountains.

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