She lists the following as the top items to consider in an earthquake kit: flashlights (with extra bulbs and batteries), first-aid kit, wrench or pliers to turn off the gas and water supply, battery-powered or hand-crank portable radio (with extra batteries), and an emergency whistle. A quality, ready-made earthquake kit includes most of these supplies, but you still may need to supplement the kit with some basic tools, as well as personal care items that are specific to your household situation. Besides consulting with Kristin, we researched earthquake kits that include most of the supplies you need in the aftermath of a quake. We evaluated based on the type and amount of supplies, along with the carrying container’s durability and portability. We also sent the most popular options to our testers to see if they lived up to the manufacturers’ claims, including quality, utility, versatility, and overall value. Our top pick, the Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag, has a color-coded organization system and includes more than 40 accessories, including a flashlight, multi-tool, and a two-person tent. Here are the top earthquake kits available now, based on our research and testing. The Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag is the best option we tested when considering earthquake kits that would meet the immediate needs of most people in the aftermath specifically of 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. The bag’s compact size doesn’t detract from comprehensiveness. “When I first looked at the list of gear in the Redfora Complete Earthquake Bag, I expected some sort of suitcase or at least an oversized backpack,” she recalls. “But when I pulled this bag out of the box, I discovered that it’s the same size as any normal backpack.” This well-equipped option is designed to sustain two people for up to 72 hours, but you can order a larger pack for up to six people. It is easily transported and well organized, so you can take advantage of its resources. This backpack-style earthquake kit 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. We also were impressed that it is well organized, a necessity when dealing with a power failure in the wake of a disaster. 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. 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 according to our tester, 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, our tester points out 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. 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. 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 noted by our product tester. 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. “On the surface, $200 feels like a lot of money for an emergency kit given that you’ll (hopefully) never actually need to use it,” our tester asserts. “However, I tallied up the contents, and the gear (plus pack) would be about $300 if compiled separately. 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. “You can actually get quite a bit of use out of the stove and cookware if you like to camp,” our tester reports. 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. 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. 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. 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 3-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. 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. A four-person supply of 21 survival essentials is neatly stowed inside of three different boxes for organization and accessibility: tools & first-aid, safety & warmth, and food & water. Especially in the event of a disaster, the pre-labeled and organized supplies make it easy to find what you need most. The sturdy bucket-style backpack features a roll-down top and waterproof material to ensure that everything inside remains dry and ready for use. The biggest shortcoming of this portable earthquake kit is in the tools category. An included multi-tool is handy for small jobs, but this kit lacks larger tools, such as a foldable shovel. It also doesn’t offer cordage, a fire starter, or tube tent, so it’s worth considering these items as an add-on for your emergency kit.
What to Look For in an Earthquake Kit
Type of supplies
While most survival kits provide you with some basics to establish a measure of personal safety and comfort, the type and quantity of supplies can vary considerably. When shopping for an earthquake kit, keep in mind the most likely conditions you’d be dealing with in the event of this type of disaster. Debris is common in the aftermath of a quake, and utilities, such as water and natural gas, may be interrupted. Choose an earthquake kit that takes into account those conditions while matching your family size and addressing other specific needs you may have. When speaking about disaster preparedness, Kristin Stevens, Director of Climate and Disaster Resilience at Americares, points out some additional items that every home should have:
Amount of supplies
Two factors to consider when evaluating the number of supplies you need in an earthquake kit include the number of people in your household and the period you expect to be self-reliant. Earthquake kits for multiple people include duplicates of personal items such as ponchos, heat blankets, dust masks, etc. Keep in mind that as your supplies increase, so does the storage space required for your earthquake kit. While it’s important to be prepared, be practical about where and how you store your survival supplies. A supersized kit that expires or is unreachable in the event of a disaster does you little good.
Durability
A disaster can produce debris and moisture that might affect your survival kit if the case or bag it’s contained in is not durable enough. Look for a moisture-resistant shell, backpack, or case for your earthquake kit, and choose materials that are tear-resistant, preferably a high denier nylon. Thinner fabric may result in a damaged kit.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Thie article was written by Erica Puisis, a lifestyle writer for The Spruce, Erica used insights from her personal experience in building a disaster preparedness kit to find practical, complete solutions. Then, to find the best earthquake survival kits, we bought and tested a number of popular models and applied the testers’ evaluations to this roundup. To receive expert advice, Erica interviewed Kristin Stevens, Director of Climate and Disaster Resilience at Americares, who discussed about the typical supplies an earthquake kit should include, along with practical additions every household should make when buying a ready-made earthquake kit. In addition, we incorporated resources from the CDC, along with third-party reviews to identify products worthy of a spot on our list. The CDC recommends including tools such as a shovel, ax, broom, rope, and fire extinguisher. Other frequently seen items in earthquake survival kits include personal protection equipment such as work gloves, goggles, and a dust mask. A first aid kit is a must-have, preferably with scissors for cutting bandages or clothing to quickly tend to a wound.
Food with a long shelf life and minimal preparation requirements along with a supply of drinkable water or a water filtration system, are also essential for survival situations. You should also consider having at least a basic earthquake kit in your car, in the event of a quake that prevents you from returning home. Simple survival kits that fit in the glove box or trunk can provide you with at least the most essential items for a disaster.
For commuters, keep an earthquake kit at the office. Having a stash of emergency supplies on hand can help you be more prepared in the event of an earthquake while you’re at work. Choose a small kit that fits in your desk or a corner of your office so that you’ll have it close by and easily accessible.
“Every six months, review the contents of your earthquake kit and disaster supplies,” advises Kristin Stevens, Director of Climate and Disaster Resilience at Americares. “Replace any expired items. Make sure that names and phone numbers on your emergency contact list are up to date as well.”
