Too often, survivalists make the perfect the enemy of the good and only focus on “total” preparation, when in fact, “immediate preparation” is what is necessary.
The reality is most survival situations are short-term affairs and for those, there are some basics that you must have but can use a foundation for any longer-term planning.
Food and water
When SHTF and blows indiscriminately, you will be needing all the energy you muster just to get by. Your kit should consist the following food:
• canned meat, fish, and beans (“pop-top” cans that open without a can-opener is a sound idea)
• canned juice
•trail mix
• dried fruit
• cereals
• biscuits
• protein or granola bars
• water (3 gallons per person)Bedding and extra clothing
Every kit should have a complete outfit of suitable clothing for every family member. Include these items below in your kit:
• Wool-blended blanket and Emergency heat and reflective blanket
• Sleeping bag and sleeping pads
• Extra Clothing (long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirts, pants, jackets, socks, etc.)
• Undergarments
• Rain coat or ponchoPersonal supplies and medication
Having a first aid kit in your pack should not be an option rather it is a must. Non-prescription medication should also be included to treat fever and body aches. And of course, we shouldn’t neglect the importance of hygiene and sanitation when we’re talking about survival for sickness and disease will exceedingly lower your chances of getting out alive and well out of a perilous circumstance. Don’t forget to include the items below in your survival kit:
• First aid kit and supplies (ointments, gauze pads, assortment of bandages, cold/hot packs, scissors, and tweezers)
• Toiletries (toilet papers, moist towelettes or baby wipes, toothbrush, feminine hygiene products, etc.)
• Cleaning Supplies (sanitizers, soap, shampoo, dish soap, etc.)
• Medication ( For fever, stomach ache, toothache, and children’s medicine)
• 3-day stock of prescripted medicineEquipment
The items listed below are important components of your 72 hour survival kit.
• basic tools (wrench, pliers, shovel, hatchet or ax, pocket knife, etc.)
• can opener
• dishes and utensils
• camp stove and fuel
• rope
• duct tape
• whistle with neck cord
• cell phone charger
• dusk masks
• hand operated or crank radio with spare batteries
• pen and paperLight and firestarters
When we are confronted by a natural disaster such as an earthquake or a typhoon, power outages are inevitable. And it’s absolutely difficult to maneuver in the dark. So these items below will undoubtedly guide you out of harm’s way.
• flashlights/lamps
• extra batteries
• long burning candles
• flares
• lighters
• windproof/waterproof matchesPersonal documents and extra cash
Include your legal documents in your 72 hour survival kit. This will prove your identity and possessions to authorities in time of a survival circumstance. Place these documents along with some extra cash in a waterproof container.
• legal documents (passports, marriage and birth certificates, contracts, will, etc.)
• insurance policies
• contact information and several copies of your survival plan
• credit cards
• prepaid phone cards
• cash (include small bill and quarters for phone calls)Ready-to-go kit
In the event that you need to bug out or evacuate your premises, store all the necessary stuff you need in a duffle bag or in your backpack and place it in an accessible place where you can get it easily when you need to bug out.
• non-perishable food
• water ( 3-4 liters per person)
• extra clothes
• first aid kit
• flashlight and extra batteries
• prescription and non-prescription medication
• personal hygiene items
• a card with emergency contacts
• protective weapon (if available)
Ideally, when a survival crisis hits, you have everything you need to make it through at your fingertips and can hunker down for the duration and the aftermath assured you are adequately prepared.
In reality, what you most likely will need is a 72-hour survival kit addresses the immediate needs; this list, while not entire, provides you with a framework for building that kit.
To learn what else you should include in any immediate, 72-hour survival kit, please visit Survival Life.
Featured Image via wildernessmastery
For 72 hours, just stay home.
In a survival situation, this list will get you killed, trying to carry anywhere near this amount of stuff will kill you, you wouldn’t be able to carry enough food to replace the calories you would burn trying to tote a pack with all this in it.
I believe this is not meant to be a bag which you keep in your vehicle or at work that is meant to get you home in the event of a SHTF scenario. Your complete kits would at your home or location to which you had to drive, ride or walk to. I agree, true get home kit would have to be much lighter.
Also, why does everyone have to put it in a tactical military looking bag? That’ll be the ones to get robbed in a shtf scenario bc everyone will know they have useful gear
Shannon Francis Mora
No firearms in this collapse scenario?
Question from a novice: Why are survival kits virtually always described as if for individuals? Wouldn’t it make more sense to identify contents of bags for two, three or more people in a small group? Seems that redundancies of tools among several people is inefficient use of space and weight. Am I off on this?
John Stelmack, think of it like this. You have a family of five. You divide up your gear like this; you carry the food and cooking tools, your wife carries the shelter stuff, one kid carries stuff to make fire, another carries stuff to collect and purify water, and the last carries tools such as knives, axes and snares. This scenario is over-simplified to make my point without having to type all day, but you get the idea. Now, one of your clan gets lost, injured, drops their pack in a river or or a ledge, or one of you need to set out on your own for a day or two see what lies ahead. No matter how the group gets separated, everyone loses because they are going to be missing one piece of your collective survival gear. Everyone should carry a minimal amount of tools to make fire, collect & purify water, build shelter, and hunt. Divide up some big stuff if you need to, but never travel without each person being able to be self-sufficient if the need arises. The real goal is to learn and become proficient with survival skills that you don’t need to carry a bunch of stuff. Learn to do more with less, and don’t rely on just what is in your kit to stay alive. Hope that helps.
uh…dusk mask? does something happen at dusk you need a mask? i think maybe it’s dust mask.
im happy to see working gloves , ppl often forget them but they are reaaaly usefull (y)
The first thing I would have isn’t there. Where’s the gun?