3 Best Bug Out Bags
If you want a Bug Out Bag that actually helps you in a real “grab-and-go” moment, you need more than cool-looking gear and a tactical vibe. You need a bag that fits your body, matches your local climate, and carries the essentials without turning you into a slow, sweaty pack mule after 20 minutes.
In this post, I’ll show you the 7 best bug out bags worth considering right now, with clear reasons for each pick. Some are perfect for ultralight mobility, others shine for family-ready capacity, and a couple are built for hard use and bad weather. I’ll also point out what most beginners get wrong, so you don’t waste money on the wrong size, the wrong features, or a bag that falls apart when you need it most.
Quick note: the “best” bag depends on your plan. Are you leaving on foot or by car? Urban or rural? One day or three? I’ll keep the picks practical and explain who each bag is best for—so you can choose fast and feel confident.
TacPreps 72-Hour Survival Kit
Here’s my take on the TacPreps 72-Hour Survival Kit / Emergency Bug Out Bag (45L), “2 Persons, Deluxe without Food” based on the listing specs and the included item breakdown. I have not field-tested this exact kit, so I’m reviewing it like a gear-check audit: what’s smart, what’s missing, and what I’d upgrade before trusting it.
The good (what they did right)
The “big rocks” are covered.
A beginner kit should handle the basics first: water, shelter, heat, light, and first aid. This one clearly aims at that. The listing highlights a water filter, an IFAK-style first aid kit, and a 45L pack with compartments.
Shelter package looks more complete than most pre-packed kits.
The comparison table shows an emergency tent, bivvy bags, paracord, emergency blankets, and ponchos included for the 2-person kits, which is a solid baseline for short-term exposure risk.
First aid is not just band-aids.
The IFAK list includes alcohol pads, sterile pads, a trauma bandage, elastic bandage, a splint, scissors, an emergency blanket, and a CPR barrier device. That’s more thoughtful than many “survival kit” bundles that inflate piece count with junk.
The tool selection focuses on utility, not gimmicks.
The listing calls out practical stuff like a headlamp, saw, compass with whistle, multitool, duct tape, gloves, and zip ties, plus a solar radio/light combo. Those are realistic problem-solvers for outages and messy evacuations.
The bad (what would make me hesitate)
Weight and bulk can kill the whole idea of a bug-out bag.
The package weight is listed as 18 pounds. That’s before you add your personal items (water containers, extra layers, meds, documents, etc.). For many beginners, heavy bags end up living in a closet instead of being truly grab-and-go.
“171 pieces” is not the same as capability.
Piece counts often pad value perception. What matters is: do you have enough calories, enough water capacity, and enough insulation for your climate. This version is “without food,” so you’re not buying the most important part of “72-hour” for two people.
Performance claims deserve real-world verification.
The listing claims the water filter can process up to 1,300 gallons, and it also mentions emergency water pouches with a 5-year shelf life in some variants. Claims like this can be true under ideal conditions, but you should still test the filter, practice setup, and validate what you can actually carry and use.
Return policy risk.
The page shows the item as non-returnable (with exceptions for damage/defect). That raises the stakes. With pre-packed kits, you really want the option to return if the bag stitching, zippers, or included components are not what you expected.
Who this kit is for
Best fit: someone starting from zero who wants a foundation kit to build on, especially if you’re preparing for power outages, short evacuations, or vehicle-based bug-out.
Not ideal: people who plan to move on foot for long distances, or anyone who needs a lightweight setup.
What I would add or swap (small changes, big payoff)
Water carrying, not just filtering. Add at least one durable bottle or bladder per person. Filters are useless if you cannot carry clean water.
Real warmth. Add insulating layers, hat, gloves, and socks appropriate to your region. Emergency blankets help, but clothing wins.
Personal meds and documents. Meds, copies of IDs, emergency contacts, some cash.
A simple checklist and a practice run. Pack it, carry it for 30 minutes, and adjust. Most bug out failures are comfort and fit issues, not missing gadgets.
Bottom line
This kit looks like a good starter framework with decent coverage of shelter and first aid, and it includes several practical tools.
But the weight, the “without food” limitation for a “72-hour” label, and the non-returnable status are real drawbacks.
This kit on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4k4kp4O
Stealth Angel Survival – 72 Hour Family Emergency Kit – 1-5 Person Survival Bag for Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and Other Natural Disasters
The good (what they did right)
It’s genuinely “72-hour complete” for the basics
This kit isn’t just tools. It explicitly includes 72 hours of food and water, plus water purification tablets, which is a big deal for beginners who often forget calories and hydration until it’s too late.
Clear focus on shelter and warmth
The kit calls out emergency blankets, body warmers, ponchos, and a tube tent. That’s the right direction because in a lot of real emergencies, exposure (cold/wet/wind) ruins people faster than lack of gadgets.
Light and comms are built in
A hand-crank radio, flashlights, and an emergency whistle are the kind of items that matter during outages and storms when your phone is dead or networks are overloaded.
Hygiene is included (morale matters)
Most kits ignore this, but the listing includes a hygiene kit with things like toothpaste and face masks. Staying reasonably clean helps prevent small problems (skin issues, infections) from turning into bigger ones, and it helps you keep your head straight.
Weight looks manageable for a pre-packed kit
The listing shows a package weight of 8 lb. For a pre-built “all-in-one” setup, that’s on the more carryable end compared to many bulky bundles.
The bad (what would make me hesitate)
The packed size suggests tight limits
The listed dimensions are 16 x 10 x 10 inches. That’s compact, which is nice for storage, but it also hints that everything inside is likely small/light-duty and there may not be much room for personal essentials after you add your real-world items.
Water treatment is tablets, not a true filtration solution
Tablets help, but they’re not the same as a filter in terms of taste, speed, and practicality with questionable sources. If you expect silty or nasty water, tablets alone can be an awkward solution.
First aid may be “basic-first-aid” level
The listing calls it a first aid kit, but it doesn’t clearly signal robust trauma coverage. Many pre-packed kits handle scrapes well and struggle with anything more serious.
The “multi-tool kit” can be hit-or-miss
It includes a “multifunctional 8-in-1 kit,” which can be handy, but in pre-packed bundles those components sometimes feel like “good enough once,” not “trust it repeatedly.” Without specifics, durability is an unknown.
Bottom line
This is a solid, beginner-friendly 72-hour kit that covers the important categories: food and water, shelter and warmth, light and communication, first aid, and hygiene. It’s also relatively compact and lighter than many pre-packed “everything kits.” The main tradeoffs are the typical ones for bundles: compact components, tablet-based water purification instead of filtration, and a first-aid setup that may be more basic than people assume.
This kit on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZBWZKl
Premium 72 Hour Survival Backpack with Supplies
The good (what they did right)
It includes real calories and real water (not just “survival gear”).
The listing specifies two 3,600-calorie food bars, twelve packets of sealed water, plus two freeze-dried oatmeal breakfasts. That’s a meaningful step up from kits that are basically tools and optimism.
Cooking capability is built in.
A 10-piece stainless steel camp cook set, a folding stove, and a TPU water bladder are called out. That’s practical for extended outages or sheltering somewhere that isn’t home.
Comms and situational awareness get real attention.
The kit highlights upgraded 5-watt 2-way radios, a 2000 mAh emergency NOAA radio, and an upgraded LED COB solar lantern. In storms and blackouts, being able to communicate and get alerts matters.
The pack itself sounds durable (on paper).
They describe a 45-liter 900D tactical backpack, which is the right size category for a 2-person, 72-hour bundle—assuming the stitching and zippers match the spec.
First aid is positioned as comprehensive.
The listing emphasizes a 184-piece first aid kit (and elsewhere references a ~180-piece kit in the page content). Either way, it’s clearly meant to be more than a tiny boo-boo pouch.
The bad (what would make me hesitate)
Weight: this is a heavy “bug out” solution.
The technical details list item weight 20 lb (package weight 21 lb). That’s before adding your personal essentials. For many people, 20 lb turns into “car kit” more than “move fast on foot” kit.
A 72-hour kit for two people is always tight on water in real life.
Even with 12 sealed water packets and a bladder, two people burn through water quickly—especially in heat, stress, or if you’re walking. The kit covers “some water,” but “enough water” is a different standard.
Marketing claims are still marketing claims.
“5x more powerful” for the radios and “twice as bright” for the lantern are stated as upgrades, but those are vendor comparisons, not standardized test results in the listing.
Short warranty window.
The technical details list a 30-day warranty. That’s not automatically bad, but it’s worth noticing for gear you may store for a long time and only discover problems when you finally open and test it.
Who this kit is for
Best fit: a home-and-vehicle preparedness kit for two people (storms, outages, evacuation by car), where weight is less critical than having “a lot of categories covered.”
Not ideal: anyone planning a long on-foot evacuation, because 20 lb is a serious baseline load before personal gear.
Bottom line
This Denver kit looks like a well-rounded, feature-heavy 2-person bundle with food, water, cooking, comms, and a big first-aid component, built around a 45L backpack.
The main drawback is simple: it’s heavy, and at 20 lb it’s closer to a robust emergency “go bag” for vehicle use than a lightweight, foot-mobile bug-out setup.
This kit on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4q2dQky
