Ready-Made Survival/Emergency Kits

[Lone]

When I first started thinking about prepping (within reason) only really associating it as something done in the U.S. beforehand, was surprised to see ready-made survival kits available on amazon, never really noticing them previously, obviously prepping not then on my mind.

It struck me as a good thing, to get such a kit (not got one yet) to also add to with personal choices of anything else required.

Prices vary, including for size and quality of First Aid kits too...but did think worth considering, for someone like me new to the concept, but not starting from absolute scratch.

That said, still didn’t have the finances or knowledge to make a decision to buy.

Are these well thought out for prepping, or are they just a massing of what might be needed, quality not taken into consideration long term, etc ?

[Deeps]

I've not looked at them Lone but by their nature they would have to be fairly generic so maybe not the best value for money for an individual's needs. I guess a lot of it will boil down to what your personal prepping priorities are.

[jennyjj01]

When I first started thinking about prepping (within reason) only really associating it as something done in the U.S. beforehand, was surprised to see ready-made survival kits available on amazon, never really noticing them previously, obviously prepping not then on my mind.
...
Are these well thought out for prepping, or are they just a massing of what might be needed, quality not taken into consideration long term, etc ?

It's a bandwagon.
Use such kits to generate ideas for what to stash, then buy your stuff from mainstream stores. E.g. Emergency dried meals are nothing more special than some of the 'pot noodle / vesta curry' type dried foods that sell in Tesco for a tenth of the price.
Plus, whatever (foods) you buy should be integrated into your day to day, if you are to have confidence in it.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Some are sold at vastly infiated price's

Look about at various kits pick the bones out of it

Write a shopping list buy a couple of items a month....

On the first aid kit subject do you have any training? You don't want to go slapping a tourniquet or a chest seal on a casualty willy nilly your more than likely to do more harm than good. ..

Then with anything is it bugging in or out .. you really don't want to be lumping a 2 burner and grill plus LPG bottle on the hoof

Look at some kits the quality of the kit is naff or just EXPENSIVE imo

Eg

1 Thermal Blanket £8 ISH in pound stretcher or eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fleece-Blank ... 2039453696?
hash=item3606a11400m6beZoGvc8Shly10Q7FDLwA
1 Wind-up LED torch ( crap never found a good one I'd go for a energiser led head torch £6 on offer the other month in Tesco and a pack of spare batteries £4) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Energizer-Vi ... SwRWdd19AU far more useable in the car


1 Double folding shovel. big collapsible snow shovel ,£5 home bargains

1 Ice scraper £1 ISH Asda doirway

1 Windscreen de-icer spray (£1.99 for 500ml in pound stretcher)

1 High visibility vest (£1.50 in home bargains)

1 Emergency whistle (£1.75 flea bay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHISTLE-LIFE ... SwpzdWrKFP

1 Long life drinking water 2l bottle 45p in Tesco

1 Long life emergency food ration box of cereal bars pack of chocolate £2 ISH

1 First Aid Kit (£4.99 in Lidl every few months or eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/First-Aid-Ki ... -KOoG0oTxw

2 Emergency foil blanket not a fan too noisy and rip easy in the wind one in the first aid kit £1.50 each ish or a better quality £10 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adventure-Me ... SwaG9XJLz2

2 Emergency light stick £2 ISH https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GLOW-STICKS- ... Swp~Vco7aN

2 Instant hand warmers £1 home bargains

1 Survival bag not the best thing £5 ISH

1 Carry back pack (unmarked) you must have a old bag kicking about or 10p bag for life


For for less than £50 you can put a much better kit together

But what have you got kicking about at home I've got a shovel in the shed...

Torch / bike lights

Sleeping bag from camping for example

[jansman]

I will second what Yorkshire Andy says.First aid kits especially.Without proper training,your FAK should consist of sticking plasters and bandage,as you could do more harm than good.Many first aid situations don't need equipment anyway,take choking or airway obstruction for instance,or a cardiac arrest.It takes knowledge,not kit.

Most ' survival kits' are geared to wilderness living,when gearing up for urban emergency would be far more appropriate.My own get home bag,pretty much fits in the pockets of my Barbour jacket,and is based around a potential 15 mile yomp home.Adequate clothing,few energy bars,2 bottles of water and a Sawyer filter to get more,plastic bivvy bag,fag lighter and pocket tool,torch and hiking pole.I ain't Bear Grylls ( he's a tw@t anyway),I just wanna get home.

[Arwen Thebard]

"That said, still didn’t have the finances or knowledge to make a decision to buy."

Take your time, buy a small bit each week or month and learn what YOU need as you go along. Just do what you can, you are already way ahead of most people just by knowing what you know.

Also, keep an eye on Freecycle and Freegle as odd items, useful for prepping, come up on there from time to time for FREE.

[grenfell]

I will second what Yorkshire Andy says.First aid kits especially.Without proper training,your FAK should consist of sticking plasters and bandage,as you could do more harm than good.Many first aid situations don't need equipment anyway,take choking or airway obstruction for instance,or a cardiac arrest.It takes knowledge,

Question for those in the know but are sticking plasters allowed in first aid kits? I seem to recall when working on building sites that at one time kits were supplied without them and the firm brought plasters in separately.
I recall one time when i had a piece of wood shoot out from a machine and hit me on the forehead. Not a huge cut an L shape 1/2 inch either way at most but it did blead and there seemed to be an inordinate amount of blood from such a small wound. First aider got the kit out but i think the blood spooked him a bit as he was all fingers and thumbs and could even undo the bandage let alone put it on me . I ended up just pushing the rolled up bandage against the cut on the way to a&e . They did the job properly even if it made me look like a target , the cut was just above the nose ad i ended up with an X bridging the top of my nose.

[Yorkshire Andy]

First aid kits can have plasters British standards says wash proof ..

You do first aid by consent, adults I'm going to put a plaster on is that ok?

You'd expect a "best not I'm allergic to them"

And you'd be slapping them on family and friends most of the time

If your wanting to be safe small gauze Square and microporus tape

[Yorkshire Andy]

First aid kits can have plasters British standards says wash proof ..

You do first aid by consent, adults I'm going to put a plaster on is that ok?

You'd expect a "best not I'm allergic to them"

And you'd be slapping them on family and friends most of the time

If your wanting to be safe small gauze Square and microporus tape

[Lone]

Thanks.

Yes, I was wondering if these items not only were false economy, but possibly false security, thinking the contents were all that was needed to get through an emergency, to those not fully informed.

Although I haven’t checked all types of ready-mades, I don’t recall seeing any kind of literature included on what to do in any kind of emergency, as it might be the case purchasers haven’t considered grabbing a few recommended books on the subject too...no point in having the stuff without some kind of basic guides to use everything sensibly as well as other practical safety/survival measures for the bigger picture so to speak.