The 8 Best Survival Kits You Can Buy in 2022

For the most part, nobody expects to be caught in a dire survival situation. Unfortunately, it’s not really up to us to decide when, where, and if emergencies fall upon us. As such, it’s always a better idea to be ready for such an outcome, just in case. And while you can mentally prep yourself for disaster, there are also real-world physical steps you can take to keep you and yours ready and safe should you need it.

Perhaps one of the best ways to do this is to keep a survival kit on hand. Sure, you could go through the motions and build your own to your specific desires and needs, but that takes a lot of time and dedication. If you want a simple, quick, and effective solution, however, we suggest picking up one of the best pre-built survival kits — which we’ve put together on the following list. That way, you’re always prepared to stay alive and keep alive until you find help.

While all of the following selections are pre-built with their own individual suites of tools and supplies, it’s important to note that not all of them feature the same purpose nor collection of supply types. Some are all-in-one kits that include both potable water and survival foods, while others function more as complementary kits to accompany you while out camping, hiking, and the like. We’ve done our best to note the differences between them, but it’s worth pointing out that the kit you choose should depend upon your own personal needs, activities, and even the number of people that live in your home or may accompany you on your adventures. There is no single do-it-all survival kit that’s perfect for everyone — so make sure to take an inventory prior to settling on one.

S.O.L. Traverse Tin Survival Kit

Small enough that we’d feel comfortable calling it handheld, the S.O.L. (short for Survive Outdoors Longer) Traverse Tin is the perfect survival kit for campers, hikers, and adventurers in general. This is due in part to the fact that it’s relatively lightweight (0.5 pounds), easy to pack in even a small daypack, and comes fully-loaded with a complement of outdoor-focused survival gear — including an emergency blanket, waterproof fire starter, water purification tablets, 100-decibel emergency whistle, and more. Just keep in mind that this is more of a supplementary kit than a standalone one, as it doesn’t have any food rations or water included.

Purchase: $20

VSSL Compact Camp Supplies Kit

Housed in a military-grade aluminum cylinder designed to fit in standard water bottle pockets (like those you find on most backpacks), the VSSL Compact Camp Supplies Kit is the perfect emergency fallback for outdoorsmen that frequently go camping, hiking, etc. And while it doesn’t have any food or water rations, it does come with a full suite of survival-friendly supplies that can help you make your way to safety and shelter in a pinch. That includes things like first-aid supplies, an LED flashlight, an oil-filled compass, a wire saw, water purification tablets, and a whole lot more. To say this kit is impressively loaded to the gills would be putting it mildly.

Purchase: $129

Judy The Mover Max

Seemingly emerging out of nowhere, Judy has quickly become one of the top names in the survival space for their exceptional pre-built kits, unique minimalist styling, and overall approachability. The brand’s model hinges specifically on building out kits for American families, as natural disasters are on the rise and most Americans still don’t have a survival plan in place. Take, for instance, their Mover Max kit. Compiled within a waterproof roll-top high-vis backpack, this kit has enough emergency supplies for a family of four to use over the course of 72 hours — including medical supplies, food and water rations, a radio, a multi-tool, dust masks, and so much more. For the price, there’s a tremendous amount of value here — especially when you consider that everything inside is good for years.

Purchase: $180

MyMedic The Recon Kit

If your primary concern in an emergency is your ability to dress and treat any and all kinds of wounds, then the MyMedic Recon Kit is probably the emergency survival pack that will speak to you most. This comprehensive kit is focused specifically on first-aid and comes loaded with literally dozens of supplies ranging from bandages to splints and everything in-between. Plus, the whole thing comes in a tactical-style durably nylon backpack with MOLLE webbing for modular attachments. Perfect as a comprehensive medical kit to go along with a set of rations, shelter and bedding, and other emergency survival supplies, this is a triage kit that will inevitably come in handy, especially during more serious emergencies.

Purchase: $250

Judy The Safe

As further proof that Judy has staked their claim amongst what few worthwhile survival kit brands there are, we present to you their comprehensive and fully-loaded Safe. Like the more-portable Mover Max, this kit is equipped for up to a family of four across a span of 72 hours. This kit, however, is intended more for home use — to be stored in your garage, attic, basement, or even apocalypse bunker. And while this one doesn’t come in a backpack, it’s still waterproof, comes in the brand’s signature hi-vis orange, and contains over 24 different varieties of lifesaving supplies — ranging from first-aid to rations and everything in-between. It even comes with two bottles of hand sanitizer, which is especially important in this time of pandemic in which we have all found ourselves.

Purchase: $250

Uncharted Supply Co. The Seventy2 Pro Survival System

If you’ve heard of any of these pre-built survival kits before — or at least the brands themselves — it might very well be this one from Uncharted Supply Co. This particular kit made the rounds a couple of years back, as there wasn’t anything quite like it on the market at the time — a two-person, fully-equipped, survival-kit-in-a-backpack, so to speak. Their initial launch was so well-received, in fact, that a slew of copycats popped up. However, Uncharted is still going strong as one of the best. Perhaps that’s because they’ve managed to imbue their kit with superb styling. Although, it’s likelier that this 72-hour survival kit is loaded to the teeth with a supremely impressive array of supplies in the realms of first-aid, rations, tools, face masks, and so much more.

Purchase: $565

Echo-Sigma Get Home Bag: SOG Special Edition Emergency Kit

If you’re of a tactical inclination or you just really enjoy and appreciate the work of SOG as a brand, then you’re going to immediately want to look further into the Echo-Sigma Get Home Bag: SOG Special Edition Emergency Kit. Billed as a “midsize disaster preparedness kit,” this offering comes in a modular tactical backpack, includes up to three days worth of water and food, has a fully-equipped first aid kit, and features five different exceptional SOG tools — including a multi-tool, fixed and folding knives, and a Dark Energy tactical flashlight. It also even comes with 50 feet of military-grade 550 paracord, which might actually be the single most useful thing you can have in an emergency (outside of sustenance).

Purchase: $580

Preppi The Prepster Ultra Advanced

If you can count yourself amongst the lucky few we generally refer to as the 1%, then the Preppi Prepster Ultra Advanced is likely to be your survival kit of choice. This pre-built kit still has all the supplies you’d expect out of a comprehensive collection of survival gear — including a medical kit, masks, a fire starter, food and water rations, and more — but it also exceeds expectations in a number of ways. For starters, this luxury survivor’s kit comes in its own fireproof duffel bag. It also includes additional, if perhaps extraneous supplies — like a solar panel to keep your tech charged, a chocolate bar, toothbrushes, and more. Yes, it’s the most expensive kit on our list by a wide margin — but how much are you willing to spend for peace of mind and comfort?

Purchase: $4,995

The 12 Best Survival Schools

A true survivor isn’t going to rely solely on pre-packaged supplies because, eventually, they’re going to run out. And that’s where you’ll need more skills — to take advantage of the world around you. You can learn all those skills and more at any of the best survival schools.