21 Essential Items for Your Emergency Hurricane Kit

LifeStraw makes an incredible survival product: a tube containing a hollow membrane filter that purifies 1,000 gallons of any water you find. LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottles feature that same filter in a BPA-free bottle that strains out 99.999999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.999% of waterborne protozoan parasites without chemicals, iodine, or batteries.

If you don’t need to filter lake water to drink, there’s also a replaceable carbon filter that will clean 100 liters of tap water, too. This value pack includes two LifeStraw Go 2-stage filtration bottles in blue and purple but they come in many, many different colors and graphics. There’s a flip-top mouthpiece and a carabiner to hook onto a backpack or belt. They’re great for travel, backpacking, camping, and emergency kits.

Stop using single-use plastic bottles! Make the investment and drink up some delicious water no matter where you go…especially when something really, really bad goes down. Highly recommended.

If there was just one item you could take with you to a desert island, it should really be the original LifeStraw Personal Water Filter. This device is truly amazing; Each LifeStraw will provide 1,000 gallons of safe drinking water without using chemicals or iodine. It removes 99.9999% of bacteria including escherichia coli (e-coli), campylobacter, vibrio cholera, pseudomonas aeruginosa, shield, and salmonella and 99.9% of protozoa including giardia lamblia (beaver fever), cryptosporidium parvum, and entamoeba histolytica. 

In other words: drink water anywhere and you won’t get sick. Rivers, creeks, oceans, and lakes are all fair game with this incredible survival product. LifeStraws never go bad and they’re so small that they will fit in any emergency kit.  They’re ideal for family and friends to use during camping, hiking, and backpacking as well as for emergency kits at your home, car, and office.

They require no electrical power, batteries or replacement parts. They’re also BPA-free and chemical-free. But how do they work, you ask? They feature membrane microfilters made of hollow fiber membranes with microscopic pores of 0.2 microns in size. The dirty water enters on one side and the bugs and garbage get trapped leaving clean water for you to drink.

If none of that impresses you, then consider this: for every LifeStraw product that anyone purchases, a school child in need receives safe water for an entire school year. And they’re cheap. Get a two-pack already!

The number one amenity anyone needs in an emergency is water. Blue Can produces emergency drinking water with a (wait for it) 50-year shelf life. Stock up on these cases of water and you can (ha!) make sure that your family will be that much safer in an emergency from hurricanes to power outages to compromised water lines.

Each case of Blue Can Pure Water contains 24 cans or 2.25 gallons per case. The box is made from enclosed double-thick corrugated cardboard, making it perfect for storage. The water and packaging comply with standards for purified drinking water with a 50-year shelf life. All cans are made of corrosion-resistant aluminum and are hermetically sealed.

It’s the only lab-tested and lab-certified 50-year shelf life emergency drinking water. Each pack is enough for a two-day supply and a great resource for the house, cabin, boat, or RV. It even stays fresh in the heat! Available in a pack of 24 cans or 48 cans. 

Going through a weather emergency doesn’t mean you should suffer needlessly. This 124-serving Ulitmate Preparedness Pack from Wise Company provides a complete survival food kit with a delicious variety of ready-to-eat food including breakfast, lunch, dinner, fruit, desserts, and drinks. All the items are conveniently stored in four-serving pouches.

This all-in-one survival food kit can be stored at home or in your vehicle for emergency situations, or individually wrapped pouches can be taken along on hiking, backpacking, and camping trips. Easy to prepare in any situation, just add water, wait 12-15 minutes, and enjoy delicious, hearty food with no cooking necessary.

The food is stored in a convenient, easy to store bucket so your foods stay safe so they’re ready when you need them most. Here’s the crazy thing: they have a 25-year shelf life so you’ll reduce waste and won’t have to worry when disaster hits.

You don’t need an underground bunker to be prepared for the next disaster. Augason Farms Emergency Food Supply provides 1,854 calories and 47 grams of protein each day for one person for 30 days. With nourishment like that, you’ll not only survive but you may thrive during a crisis like a hurricane. This emergency food supply may be assembled and stored just about anywhere, including mobile homes, apartments, and RVs, providing everyone with the ability to shelter in place until the situation improves.

These meals are not only satisfying and filling, but they’re tasty as well. The survival food is secured in a watertight, easily transportable 8.5-gallon pail that’s perfect for storing at home and office for unexpected emergencies. Augason Farms feels that survival foods should taste as good as a home-cooked meal; your emergency food doesn’t have to taste like MREs!

They’re ideal for not only disasters, but even as a tasty and economical way to supplement daily meals. They are perfect for busy working parents, budget-conscious families, and anyone who needs a nutritious meal that’s quick and easy to prepare. The pail includes such foods as cheesy broccoli rice, mac and cheese, chicken vegetable soup, maple and brown sugar oatmeal, instant potatoes and more.

If you’re recovering from a disaster, you’re going to need power for those mobile devices. This solar power bank from Blavor is a little larger than your average cell phone but can fully recharge at least two phones before running out of juice. It even has a wireless charging function that’s compatible with several iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models.

Keep in mind that wireless charging drains the battery faster than with cables and the solar charge feature is pretty slow. That said, the battery capacity is so larger for such a small size, it is definitely handy to have on hand in case bad things go down.

It’s made of premium ABS with a lithium polymer 10,000mAh battery. It’s IPX4 splashproof, tough, and rugged. There is one standard USB port, a micro-USB port, two flashlights, and a compass kit. There is a USB-C port but it’s used to charge the battery itself. Available in four different colors, this power bank from Blavor would be an excellent addition to your vehicle or emergency kit.

This highly-rated little power cell is a great fit for tailgating, traveling, and emergency recharging needs. The Jackery Explorer 240 Portable Power Station features lithium-ion battery cells, AC 200w output, DC 12v 10a max carport output, and two USB smart ports outputting 24W. You can charge all sorts of devices like smartphones, laptops, LED lights, projector, mini-fridge, and even drones.

Ready for a little glamping? The Jackery Explorer 240 is perfect for that. Think of power enough to run an air compressor for an inflatable mattress, some deck lights, phone chargers, a small laptop, and a projector for a movie night out in the great outdoors all powered by this power cell for hours! This little battery can do that and more. It can even be recharged using a 60W solar panel (sold separately).

AmazonBasics AA high-performance batteries will stay powered up for ten years in storage under normal use making them a great choice to stock for emergency use as well as to power everyday devices. They perform as good or better than top branded batteries and their design prevents leakage, heat build-up, and corrosion to make them safer. Their power flow is adapted to the needs of the device you use most, making them suitable for a wide variety of items such as emergency and outdoor devices, game controllers, remote controls, toys, radios, and more.

Let’s say the worst happens and you’ve got to move in a hurry. You get a knock on the door and you have to GO. NOW. This complete emergency kit from Redfora has everything you will need to keep you safe, warm, and fed after a disaster. This particular kit comes in a large red duffle bag with supplies for four people however Redfora features emergency kits for up to six people. Grab more than one for more people or a longer period of sheltering in place.

It comes complete with food and water, first aid, hygiene kits, shelter, warmth, tools, and off-the-grid light and communication. If you can only grab one bag while leaving your home, this is the bag you should have. Food and water has a five-year shelf life and features four 3,600-calorie food bars, 48 water pouches, four hydration bags with straws, and 40 water purification tablets.

The large duffle features a large first aid kit, a small hand-crank flashlight/radio/phone charger, waterproof matches, emergency ponchos, mylar sleeping bags, a tube tent, hand warmers, candles and glow sticks. There’s also a tool kit featuring a note pad with pencil, a five-in-one whistle, a 50-foot nylon rope, safety goggles, sewing kit, and work gloves. No one wants to bug out but if you have to, be prepared.

Uniquely customized by US military veterans and designed to prepare you for an emergency or disaster situation, this emergency survival bag from Everlit features top-notch first aid supplies, water and food, essential survival gear, and safety protection equipment. This bag will keep two people going for 72 hours. The food and water are shelf-stable for five years and include 24 packs of 125ml drinking water and two packs of 3,600-calorie emergency food bars. The kit also offers water purification tablets that can treat up to 25 quarts of water.

The molle tactical backpack also features a three-in-one hand crank flashlight with radio and phone charger, survival gear, emergency shelter, thermal blanket, a Recon Medical Gen 3 tourniquet, and many more essential contents that keep you prepared during the first critical 72 hours of any unpredictable emergency event.

The military-grade backpack is easy to organize with many compartments. It’s made of 600-Denier polyester, making it tear and water-resistant. Comfortable straps, great zippers, a comfortable mesh-padded back area, and padded shoulder straps will withstand heavy-duty use. This emergency bag is the one when you really have to run.

Very nice to have on hand for emergency shelter, your family of four can sleep comfortably in the Coleman Sundome Tent. Measuring six feet high at the center with a 100 square-foot sleeping area, the tent sleeps six people (two queen size air beds) comfortably with plenty of room to move around. It sets up in ten minutes!

Coleman’s exclusive WeatherTec system is packed with features to keep you and your tent dry, whatever the weather. The durable tub floor has welded corners and inverted seams, making it waterproof to keep moisture out. And if you’re dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane, get ready for moisture. Leak-free rainfly seams, water-resistant fabric, and a weather-protected zipper guard are all specially designed to repel water and keep you and your gear dry.

The frame design is strong, using 11mm shock-corded fiberglass poles engineered to withstand stormy conditions. A mesh vent provides increased ventilation to keep you and your family cool and comfortable. There are separate storage bags for tent, poles and stakes, with easy-to-follow instructions sewn right into the carry bag so you’ll never lose them. This version sleeps six but Coleman also offers tents in two, three, and four-person sizes as well as a brilliant green color.

After water, food, fuel, and first aid, the next thing you’re going to need in an emergency is shelter. This Life Tent from Go Time Gear is a waterproof and windproof two-person tube tent constructed from extra-thick tear and puncture-resistant polyethylene material. It will lock out rain, wind, and snow. Engineered to be your layer of protection against harsh weather, the interior reflects up to 90% of your body heat keeping your warm, dry, and protected from the elements.

It weighs just 8.7 ounces and it packs up into a 5.25” x 3.25” inch stuff sack so it takes up to no room in your hurricane kit. Because the Life Tent was engineered for emergencies and survival, Go Time Gear included a 120-decibel survival whistle in the tent cover to cut through wind and trees to alert rescuers up to a mile away. The 550-pound nylon core Para-Synch Technology drawstring can be used to tie down or repair gear.

In an emergency, the tools in your hurricane kit will be the difference between life and death. The Go Time Gear Life Tent stacks the deck in your favor and is the perfect shelter that you hope you’ll never need. 

You can never count on anything but the unexpected. During times of crisis, it’s good to have the Kaito KA500 Emergency Radio at the ready. This little device can be powered six ways including a hand crank generator, solar panel, compartment for 3 AA batteries (not included), 5V USB input, 5V AC/DC input with a wall power adapter (sold separately), or a built-in NiMH replaceable and rechargeable battery pack.

The radio offers comprehensive coverage of AM, FM, two-band shortwave, and seven pre-programmed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather channels for entertainment, sports, talk-shows, breaking news, and 24/7 real-time weather forecasts in the USA and Canada with the Public Emergency Alert System. The telescopic antenna extends more than 14 inches for high sensitivity reception and there’s an LED signal strength indicator for pin-point tuning accuracy. The built-in speaker delivers loud and crisp sound so you can get all the details from that news report.

The unit acts as an emergency mobile battery charger with a built-in standard DC 5V USB output port for charging mobile devices. Other features include a reading lamp with five LEDs, an LED flashlight, and a red LED S.O.S. beacon light. Made of tough ABS, the Kaito KA500 is rugged enough to withstand drops and resist water to keep going when you need it. Of course, you don’t have to wait until the power goes out; you can take the Kaito KA500 Emergency Radio with you on that hike, camping trip, or just kicking back at the house with a cold lemonade!

The Etekcity LED Camping Lantern 4-Pack provides a lot of light for a variety of settings for a good price. Each lantern has 30 bright LEDs to illuminate 360 degrees around the base. Battery life is over 30 hours. When not in use, the lanterns collapse into a supremely compact unit to easily fit in your backpack or emergency kit.

The Etekcity LED Camping Lanterns are built with aircraft-grade materials so they will survive being dropped from ten feet and are water-resistant. When ready to light up the dark, unfold the handles and pull the housing up. Brightness is adjusted by how high you pull up the lantern; no power buttons or switches are necessary.

At full intensity, the lanterns stand 7.1 inches tall with the handles taking up another 2.7 inches. The base is less than 3-1/2 inches in diameter. Light and compact in size, the Etekcity LED Camping Lanterns are perfect to take camping, biking, or hiking for brilliant light wherever you need it.

These lineman’s pliers, dubbed Vampliers by Vampire Tools, might be the best set of pliers you ever own. Made of Japanese high carbon steel, they’ve got specially designed concave shaped jaws with vertical and horizontal serrations that grab on to screws that are stripped, rusted, corroded, or all three to get them out. They bite down hard and don’t let go!

Vampliers will even work on tamper-proof fasteners like Torx screws or security screws. The grips are finished with environmentally-friendly elastomer and feel good in your hand while you’re ripping old screws out of things. If you’re in an emergency situation, you may need to shut off or turn on utilities. The plastic-coated handles will make that safe to do and the precision jaws and teeth will get the job done.

If you’re building an emergency kit, you’re going to want to include a great tool to make fire. You just never know when you’re going to need warmth or protection. The Überleben Zünden Fire Starter is a ferro rod for the ages. Traditional materials and ergonomics went into the design of this amazing fire starter.

The grip has been intentionally left natural to wear naturally and get more seasoned the longer you own it. The material that Überleben uses (Sånft-korr ferrocerium) for the strike is the perfect balance between softness and durability, consistently outperforming leading fire starters. This thing throws out a 5,500-degree F shower of molten sparks in any weather (waterproof!) and at any altitude. 

At nearly five inches in length, the Zünden is 1/2-inch thick and good for more than 20,000 strikes. A military-spec 550 paracord lanyard is included as is a multi-tool striker that can be used as a straight-edge spine, concave tinder scraper, map scale, ruler, hex wrench, and (perhaps most importantly) a bottle opener. Add in Überleben’s Tindår Wick and Bellow (a hemp tinder tube; you gotta love all those umlauts), you’ll have an incredible fire-making set of tools that will allow you to make a campfire pretty much anywhere you want. Highly recommended.

Okay, so you’re stuck in a bad situation and you’d like to have a hot cup o’ joe. That’s tough to do in the aftermath of a severe weather emergency. If you have an Überleben Stöker Flatpack Stove in your emergency hurricane kit, keeping warm and cooking food will be a lot easier.

Fueled entirely by organic matter (think twigs, sticks, bark, moss, pine needles, pine cones, and the like), this wood burning bio-stove will keep you moving forward without stressing over resupply. It also works with charcoal, wood pellets, or in combination with an alcohol stove. Weighing in at only 14.5 oz., the Stöker’s simple 5-panel design packs down quickly to less than 6” x 6” and less than a quarter-inch thick. It easily slides into a backpack with zero bulk.

The Stöker is made entirely of HD 304 stainless steel; it’s high quality, anti-corrosive, and extremely strong. Like, cast-iron-griddle-on-top strong. I’m not even kidding. The natural waxed canvas sleeve to carry it in is a plus and when combined with the Überleben Zünden Fire Starter, you’re really playing with fire now.

When you find yourself in an emergency situation and you have to fire up your portable generator, you’re going to need to have some extra fuel on hand to make sure things keep running. The SureCan 5-Gallon Fuel Container is so much better than any gas can that you’re used to.

The flexible spout on this gas can is on the bottom and rotates more than 180 degrees to fit perfectly into any machine’s fill location. A thumb control on top controls the flow of gasoline and allows for one-handed use. Pull straight back on the safety trigger and then down on the thumb button; fuel is released when you want it and you stay in control the entire time. Let off the thumb button and the gas stops. 

It features a comfortable grip, a child-proof refill cap, a locking system and it’s self-venting. No more bending over, no more awkward tipping, and no more gas spills; when you’re dealing with a crisis, why not make it as easy on yourself as you can? Get the SureCan. Highly recommended.

Let’s face it: there may not be a lot of time to gather tools in the event of an emergency and the tools you might want to take might be bulky and heavy. So if you’re going to have one all-in-one survival tool to take with you when you head for the hills, better make it the FiveJoy Military Folding Shovel Multitool.

Solid carbon steel and aerospace-grade aluminum construction combine to make a lightweight (only 1.2 pounds!) and compact essential gadget that you must have in your outdoor bin or emergency kit. The FiveJoy fits easily in your backpack or the trunk of your vehicle. Dig your car tires out of snow, mud, or ice, or use the shovel head as a glass breaker in an emergency.

This multitool checks all the boxes with flair: heavy-duty shovel, sharp ax blade, serrated saw, hammer, paracord, and more. All the essentials for survival are covered here. It also features an emergency whistle, fire starter, bottle opener (a must-have), and more. You can adjust the shovel angle, making it simple to alternate functions and positions. The spade can be used at 30-degree, 85-degree, or 180-degree angle as a hook, hoe, or shovel.

The engineered handle optimizes comfort and control for all glove types to minimize hand fatigue. Slip-proof foam cushion on the aluminum handle is water-resistant, quick to dry, and perfect for recreational gardening or on hiking trips (when you’re not fighting for your life). It’s strong, tough, rugged, and virtually indestructible. Get one.

Your emergency hurricane kit isn’t going to be worth anything if the elements get to it in the middle of a crisis. This Rubbermaid Brute 20-Gallon Storage Tote with Lid is the perfect container for your precious survival belongings. The user-friendly grip handles decrease potential for back injury and finger strain. Holes in each handle allow for water to drain out so bacteria isn’t built up.

The lid snaps tight, keeping your contents secure and protected. Need two or more bins for your emergency supplies? The Rubbermaid Brute containers stack securely for efficient use of space wherever you have them. They’re tough, durable, and food-safe. Look, preparing for a hurricane, tornado, or flood is tough enough already; get a container for your emergency kit that’s as tough as the situation you’re facing. The Rubbermaid Brute is that container. 

Available in a single 20-gallon size or a pack of six 14-gallon containers which may be easier to move around. They’re also great for holiday decorations, garage items, and gardening storage.