Commercial kits are great - an easy solution for those who want a buy it and be done solution. But:

Building your own 72 hour pack has these advantages:
1. Almost always a better, bigger pack
2. You can personalize the gear for your situation
3. Most pre-stuffed packs have little room for anything else. Wanna bring a jacket and your laptop...then you're out of luck.
4. You can avoid toting cheap, heavy gear by not adding it.
5. It'll force you to think...

Excellent!! You can also easily prepare for more than 72 hours, now officially recommended, since substantive aid often doesn't arrive within 72 hours.

Do I really have to think? That's hard....

Do think it'd be convenient of could buy a kit of all the consumable or expiring usual items.

Lighters, matches, tinders, water purification tablets, general medications, sunscreen, bug repellent, candles, wipes etc.

And leave the choice of packs, tools and other gear to the individual.

Rescue Essentials (no affiliation) sells nice little OTC med refill packs. Super handy for that sort of thing.

Bigger? Definitely. Better? That would depend on the definition of "better."


True.


That statement sounds subjective.


Comparing and researching commercial kits has challenged me to think.

Jeanette Isabelle

Yeah, noticed BestGlide sell one to. Problem is think some law preventing sale of refills with meds in over here.

Though I almost never use candles in kits anymore-- small led lights are better

But led lights can not be used as Palmer furnace if you are cold and freezing.

I do own LED lights that put out a lot of heat. With that said, I do keep a small candle in my hiking bag.