The 9 Best Earthquake Kits, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag

5

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The Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag is the best option we tested because it provides most items you need right after an earthquake. In particular, it includes items that meet the CDC’s recommendations such as goggles, gloves, a whistle, and rope. The only additions that would make this backpack-style earthquake kit complete would be a foldable shovel and an ax, but those are hard to find in most ready-made options.

Surprisingly compact, this backpack-style option is designed to sustain two people for up to 72 hours (although they also offer a larger option for up to six people). While testing, we were impressed by how well-organized this kit was, so it should always be easy to find what you need. It separates survival essentials into resealable, waterproof pouches, which are color-coded and specific to each category: tools and first aid, shelter and warmth, food and water, and personal hygiene.

While the Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag is a premium option with a price tag to match, our tester and her fiancé, an emergency medicine doctor, found it to be well thought out and a great baseline for individuals or families up to six (depending on the options you choose at purchase). The quality and convenience justify the price point and make this earthquake kit a rock-solid Best Overall pick. 

Price at time of publish: $165

_{Dimensions: Varies | Weight: 11-41 pounds | People Supported: 1-6 | Days of Supplies: 3 | Type: Short-term | What’s Included: Hand Crank Flashlight/Radio/Phone Charger, 107-piece Extended Life First Aid Kit, Multi-Tool, Sleeping Bag, Tube Tent, 50-foot Nylon Rope, 5-in-1 whistle, Food Bars, Water Pouches, Water Purification Tablets} 

Best Budget

Ready America 70280 72-Hour Emergency Kit

4.2

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Being prepared for a disaster doesn’t have to cost a small fortune. Ensure that you have a basic earthquake kit on hand by picking up the Ready America Emergency Kit. It may not be the most comprehensive earthquake kit on the market, but it’s compact, portable, and affordable. Many other kits are very heavy, but this jam-packed emergency bag is easy to tote around without breaking your back. While testing, we found this kit to be a little more limited than our best overall pick, but we found it would be lightweight enough to easily grab in the event of a disaster.

This two-person earthquake kit takes care of the most immediate needs in the wake of a quake. Inside the lightweight backpack, you find high-caloric food bars and water pouches, plus simple shelter necessities in the form of two survival blankets and ponchos. There’s no tube tent included, but we found that there’s enough room inside the pack to customize the kit to suit your needs. In line with most guidelines for earthquake preparedness, this option does include a first-aid kit, dust masks, and a whistle. The nitrile gloves are a good addition for tending to medical needs but don’t satisfy the suggestion of including work gloves in an emergency kit. Even still, we feel that you can jump-start your disaster preparedness plan by picking up this affordable earthquake kit and outfitting it with a few additions to make it complete.

Price at time of publish: $55

_{Dimensions: 20 x 12 x 12 inches | Weight: 8 pounds | People Supported: 2 | Days of Supplies: 3 | Type: Short-term | What’s Included: Food bars (2), water pouches (12), survival blankets (2), 33-piece first-aid kit, emergency light sticks (2), disposable dust masks (2), nitrile gloves (4), plastic whistle (1), emergency ponchos (2), pocket tissue pack (1), backpack}

Best Splurge

Uncharted Supply Company The Seventy2 Survival System

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If you’re looking to splurge on a survival kit in exchange for peace of mind, the Seventy2 Survival System from Uncharted Supply Co is a top option. We recommend this well-organized pack as the best premium earthquake kit for its assortment of equipment, instructive insert, and thoughtful design. Keep this waterproof, 600D pack with a comfort harness handy in your closet or car and you’ll be better prepared for a wide range of survival situations, including an earthquake. 

The center of the Seventy2 Survival System is a canvas insert with pouches that address essential needs such as water, warmth, food, and air quality. Inside each pouch you find the tools or equipment you need to meet the basic needs of yourself and a plus-one for 72 hours after a disaster. We especially like that this is one of the few earthquake kits to include a convertible shovel and pickaxe—tools frequently mentioned in quake survival guidelines.

If you’re at a loss as to what to do with the supplies included, it’s nice to know that there are step-by-step directions printed onto the material of the insert itself, outlining how to start a fire, administer basic first aid, or other best practices for self-preservation in a survival situation. 

Price at time of publish: $589

_{Dimensions: 18 x 12 x 6 inches | Weight: 13.5 pounds | People Supported: 2 | Days of Supplies: 3 | Type: Short-term | What’s Included: Backpack, survival tent, first aid kit, water filter system, hand crank radio/flashlight/charger, water bottle, emergency blanket, shovel/pickaxe, multi-tool, knife, flashlight, fire starter, food rations, gloves, stormproof matches, paracord, duct tape, googles, air mask, sunscreen, hat}

Best First Aid

Protect Life Emergency First-Aid Kit

4.2

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An essential part of any disaster preparedness plan is a first aid kit. While not a comprehensive earthquake kit, the Protect Life Emergency First Aid Kit is worth having on hand for attending to medical needs. However, although this product contains useful items, such as an emergency poncho, light sticks, and a compass, we think shouldn't rely on this product as a first-line earthquake kit, as it lacks virtually all of the CDC-recommended earthquake items.

On the other hand, it includes some basic additional survival supplies that can prove very useful. The zippered case is compact enough to fit into just about any closet, desk drawer, or glove box or trunk of your vehicle. While testing, we loved how lightweight it is and compared the size to your average toiletry bag.

This earthquake kit for first aid has more than 50 bandages, including butterfly closure strips, adhesive bandages, and specialty bandages like a first-aid abdominal pad, elbow or knee bandage, and triangular bandage. Disposable gloves, wound prep pads and dressing, plus antiseptic cleaning wipes are some of the other must-have items we found were included. In addition to addressing basic medical situations, the Protect Life Emergency First Aid Kit includes a poncho, heat-reflecting blanket, and a rescue whistle. Some other items that the CDC recommends, such as rope, work gloves, and a radio, are missing from the kit. However, this affordable option still makes a good first aid kit to have on-hand or works as an add-on to a more robust survival kit. 

Price at time of publish: $34

_{Dimensions: 7.5 x 2 x 5.1 inches | Weight: 1.1 pounds | People Supported: Varies | Days of Supplies: N/A | Type: Medical | What’s Included: Antiseptic cleaning wipes, alcohol prep pad, butterfly closure strips, adhesive bandages, gauze swab, instant cold compress, roll first-aid pad, cotton tip applicator, first-aid abdominal pad, rescue howler whistle, compass, moleskin blister relief, triangular bandage, emergency blanket, glow stick, disposable raincoat, scissors, metal tweezers, roll PBT conforming bandage, first-aid CPR face mask, eye pad, first-aid elbow/knee bandage, safety pins, povidone-iodine prep pads, first-aid non-adherent pad, first-aid adhesive wound dressing, first-aid guide, first-aid bag, first-aid brochure, first-aid disposable gloves}

Best Cookware

Sustain Supply Co. Comfort2 Emergency Survival Bag

4.8

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While the first 72 hours after a disaster are often referred to as the most crucial, the reality is, you may need to sustain yourself beyond that 3-day window. An earthquake kit with cookware—like the Sustain Supply Co Comfort2 Emergency Bag—is one way to bolster your survival strategy. We tested this disaster kit and found it to include many (but not all) of the recommended equipment and tools, along with several pieces of gear that boosted the pack’s value. 

The star of this earthquake kit with cookware is its portable stove. Small but efficient, the camping stove operates using whatever combustibles you have on hand. The kit starts you off with two InstaTinder packets for fire, even in wet conditions. A pair of pots, along with bowls and utensils (two sets), give you the ability to prepare basic sustenance. While testing, we noted that the cookware and stove would also be great to take on camping trips, so you can get even more use out of them. In addition, this earthquake survival kit features freeze-dried food options from Wise Company, although it should be noted that the options are limited to oatmeals and soups. Still, it’s likely to be more appetizing than the high-caloric food bars found in most earthquake survival kits. 

Price at time of publish: $215

_{Dimensions: 20 x 16.8 x 11 inches | Weight: 16 pounds | People Supported: 2 | Days of Supplies: 3 | Type: Short-term | What’s Included: Backpack, Wise Company food servings (12), liters of water (2); Sustain Survival straws (2), cyalume snap lights (4), Morakniv companion knife, LED lantern, flashlight, first-aid kit, emergency blankets, bath wipes pack, portable stove, bowls and utensils (2 sets), ferrocerium rod, InstaFire tinder (2), whistles (2)}

Best All-In-One

Stealth Angel Survival Earthquake Preparedness Kit

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The Stealth Angel Survival Earthquake Preparedness Kit is a good example of what a well-equipped, all-in-one earthquake kit should contain. This option covers the bases of food, shelter, hygiene, and safety, with few details overlooked. Packed into an easily portable backpack, you find what you need to sustain two people for up to 144 hours. While many earthquake kits only include enough supplies for the first 72 hours after an emergency, this kit offers you the peace of mind of having supplies on hand for nearly a week. 

Some of the earthquake-specific survival necessities included in this all-in-one kit include a whistle, safety goggles, and work gloves. A tent, ponchos, and emergency blankets ensure a measure of shelter, regardless of the conditions you find yourself in. Cordage in the form of both rope and paracord are also included. There is no foldable ax or shovel included, which are frequent tools mentioned for earthquake kits. However, smaller, useful tools like a pocket-sized multitool, tactical pen, and ferro rod can help with a variety of tasks. 

As expected of an all-in-one earthquake kit, this option from Stealth Angel also includes food and water to sustain two people. The 4-ounce water pouches plus water purification tablets are enough to offer basic hydration, while the food bars help to maintain caloric intake even during the aftermath of a disaster. You can tweak the contents of this earthquake kit after purchase to meet your specific needs, but it’s also ready-to-go upon delivery. It’s a disaster bag that you can put in your garage, closet, or car to have on hand if you need it, without the scramble of gathering supplies at the last moment. 

Price at time of publish: $320

_{Dimensions: Not listed | Weight: Not listed | People Supported: 2 | Days of Supplies: 6 | Type: Short-term | What’s Included: Water Pouches, 4-ounce (24), 400 Calorie Food Bars (24), Water Purification Tablets (20), Tactical Flashlight, Keychain LED Flashlight, Dynamo 4-in-1 Radio Flashlight Charger, 12 Hour Emergency Bright Stick, Survival Whistle, 2 Emergency Body Warmers, 2 Emergency Blankets, 2 Ponchos, Emergency Tube Tent with Rope, Stealth Angel Tactical Pen, 11-in-1 Pocket Card Multitool, Compass, Ferrocerium Rod 5-in-1, Safety Goggles, Work Gloves, Paracord Bracelet, Hygiene Kit, 36-piece First Aid Kit}

Best Family

First My Family All-in-One 4 Person, 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit

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Ensure that you have enough supplies on hand for everyone in your household by opting for a family earthquake kit. The First My Family All-in-One Emergency Survival Kit is equipped with enough supplies to sustain four people for the critical 72-hour period following a disaster, like an earthquake. This option stands out for meeting the basic needs of food, water, and shelter for multiple people in a pack that is lightweight enough to be easily portable. 

The First My Family All-in-One Emergency Kit includes some of the most commonly recommended earthquake preparedness items, including a whistle, gloves, and a three-day supply of food and water. Essential pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) and shelter essentials—such as face masks, ponchos, and Mylar blankets—come in multiples to ensure that everyone has what they need to feel a measure of security and protection from the elements. 

This earthquake kit is packed into a compact backpack that weighs less than 20 pounds. It’s light on the recommended tools and equipment you may need to stabilize your surroundings, such as a shovel or rope, but it’s a good start for giving your family the basic necessities that may be needed after an earthquake. 

Price at time of publish: $220

_{Dimensions: 12 x 8 x 19 inches | Weight: 17 lbs | People Supported: 4 | Days of Supplies: 3 | Type: Short-term | What’s Included: Water pouches (24), 2400 calorie food bars (4), ponchos (4), work gloves, Life Gear LED flashlight, multi-function camping tool, backpack, body warmers (4), Mylar space blankets (4), face masks (8), first aid kit, 12-hour glow sticks (4), 5-in-1 emergency whistle with flint}

Best Essentials

Guardian Survival Gear Quake Kits 72-Hour Emergency Kit

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While there are a wide variety of supplies and equipment that could be useful in the aftermath of a disaster, It’s important to have at least the basics at the ready in the event of an earthquake. The Quake Kits 72-Hour Emergency Kit is our recommendation for an earthquake kit containing the essentials. This option addresses the basic needs of food, water, and shelter while keeping everything organized into easily accessible pouches. 

Designed to support one person, the Quake Kit contains familiar staples of disaster kits, like long-lasting food bars, a 5-in-1 emergency whistle with flint starter, and a tube tent. It also stands out for including some items frequently addressed in earthquake preparedness lists, like 50 feet of nylon rope, and eye protection. Instead of only supplying water pouches, this option also includes water purification tablets, so you can ensure accessible water is safe to drink. A few additions make this kit more complete, like a hand-crank radio and batteries for the flashlight. But this kit is a popular kit to ensure that you have the essentials on hand in the event of an earthquake or other disaster. 

Price at time of publish: $120

_{Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 20 inches | Weight: 11 pounds | People Supported: 1 | Days of Supplies: 3 | Type: Short-term | What’s Included: 400 Calorie Food Bar (9), Hydration Kit with Water Purification Tablets (10), 4oz. Water Pouches (12), Deluxe First Aid Kit, Notepad & Pencil, 5-in-1 Emergency Whistle, Nylon Rope (50 ft.), Multi-Function Pocket Knife, Pair of Safety Goggles, Small Sewing Kit, Work Gloves, Mylar Sleeping Bag, Emergency Poncho, Hand/Body Warmer, 2 Person Tube Tent, Deluxe Hygiene Kit, Pack of Pocket Tissues, Surgical Face Masks (3), Biohazard Waste Bag}