Home/

10 Camping Items to Add to Your Emergency Kit

Joe Pasteris|

If you’re preparing an emergency plan, whether for a major earthquake, devastating storm or a relatively minor inconvenience like being snowed in for a day or two, you’re going to have to accept a level of uncertainty: Will the power go out? Will the roads be drivable? Will your phone work? The unknown is enough to drive some people into a panic and others into complacency.

But with just a bit of planning, you can put together an emergency kit that will have you ready for most situations, allowing you to stay calm and know you’re well-prepared. And if you’re an outdoor adventurer with a garage full of gear, it’s likely you already have a handful of the essential items in your home.

Here are 10 things you might already own, or want to invest in, that can get your emergency kit started or make good additions to one you already have.

1. 3-Day Supply of Nonperishable Food

Check your cupboards because the types of food you take camping can be good options to have on hand in case of an emergency. Ideally, you want to have ready-to-eat options that don’t require refrigeration or cooking, like nonperishable snacks or canned foods, but if you have a backpacking stove and fuel in your emergency kit, then freeze-dried backpacking meals can be a good option. (If you’re stashing canned food, make sure you also pack a manual can opener.) Ready.gov recommends having at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food.

 2. Water Jugs

It’s essential to have access to clean drinking water in case of an emergency. Ready.gov recommends keeping on hand one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days. If you already have a water jug at home that you take on car-camping trips, fill it up and keep it accessible. Also consider having some type of water treatment on hand, such as a filter, purifier or chemical treatment, in case your supply of clean drinking water runs out. (Learn how to choose a water filter or purifier.)

3. Headlamp/Lantern

Whether the power is out for a few hours or a few days, you need a way to light up the night so you’re not stumbling around in the dark. Stash an extra headlamp or lantern with fully charged batteries, as well as an extra set of backup batteries. Some lanterns have a hand crank for charging the battery so you don’t have to worry about running out of juice.

4. First-Aid Kit

If you’re waiting out bad weather at home or a serious disaster strikes, you need to have access to medical supplies to treat minor or serious injuries. You can assemble your own kit or buy a premade one. Either way, make sure you include any special medications and have enough supplies for you and your family. Learn more about choosing a first-aid kit or building your own.

Also, it’s a wise move to get some first-aid training so you’ll know how to actually use your kit if the need arises.

Sign Up for a First-Aid Class

5. Maps

Downed trees or flooded streets may force you to find a different way across town. Your GPS can help, but the more you can limit your dependency on battery-powered gadgets when the grid goes down, the better. If you have a paper map or atlas that covers the area you live in, add it to your emergency kit so you can find the best route through the mayhem.

6. Sleeping Bag/Blanket

For many people, no electricity means no heat. If you’re stuck at home in the cold, a warm sleeping bag or blanket will definitely be useful. If you’re tight on space, you could instead keep an emergency blanket on hand if you want a more compact solution.

7. Multi-Tool

Channeling your inner MacGyver gets a whole lot easier with the right tool. A good multi-tool includes a knife blade, screwdrivers, scissors, a can opener and more, providing countless uses during an emergency.

8. Radio

If the power grid goes down, you might not be able to get the latest news on your smartphone, but old-school radio can often endure a disaster. With a simple battery-powered weather radio that picks up AM, FM and NOAA radio bands you can stay updated on the current weather and emergency conditions and enjoy some music or talk radio to pass the time. If you have one with a solar panel and/or hand crank you won’t have to worry about draining the batteries.

9. Backup Battery

For most of us, even the most outdoorsy in the bunch, a smartphone has practically become an extra appendage. If you want to keep using your phone, and other electronics, when the electricity gets knocked out, you’ll need a different way to get power. There are a range of portable power devices, from compact battery packs that will provide one or two full charges on up to portable generators. Bigger power sources like these can run small appliances, lights and even some medical devices for a short time.

10. Daypack

It’s recommended that you stow all your emergency gear together in a designated spot so you know right where everything is if you need to shelter in place or get out quickly. Keeping some of your supplies packed in a simple daypack can be a good way to stay organized and be ready to grab and go if you need to get moving. If you have a pack that no longer accompanies you on the trail, give it a second life as part of your emergency kit.

For more suggestions on how to prepare for emergencies, visit Ready.gov
Joe Pasteris
Joe Pasteris

Longtime REI Expert Advice editor Joe Pasteris is now a freelance writer based in Vermont. REI member since 2006.

Read More

13 Comments

Please fill in your details below to comment:

  2. Jim Cox

    For water, also remember a water heater will hold, say on average, 40 gallons of water that can be used for drinking during an emergency. It should be accessible directly from the heater tank from a valve at the bottom. Check out your unit before an emergency.

    The tank of a toilet is also clean water if you haven’t put cleaning chemicals into it. It’s not the bowl, so don’t get squeamish.

    If you know a disaster is coming up, like a hurricane, you can fill something like a WaterBOB Bathtub Emergency Water Storage Container that holds about 100 gallons of water.

    If you use plastic containers to store water, do not set the container directly in contact with a concrete floor as chemicals can leach up into the water.

    Finally, check your stored water’s freshness every six months to a year.

    Reply
  3. Rich

    I have found out a long time a go that a good small shovel like a E-tool makes the best tool for the job. It digs for water,brakes glass,self defense, helps with around the camp fire the list goes on and on

    Reply
  4. cammoustra

    Can I suggest a power inverter that can run off a (running) car engine to provide AC power? You can’t run the house on one, but you could power up a few small items while in use.

    Reply
  5. cammosutra

    So, Mr. Censor person: I am curious. What was so wrong with my suggestion about an automobile powered inverter power supply that you chose to delete it after review? It is a perfectly good suggestion, and if someone decided to delete it, I am curious as to why. I can be reached at atdouble@earthlink.net if you do not wish do discuss it here. Or will you delete this post too?

    Reply
    • cammosutra

      Adding to my previous post, I must also add that this suggestion your moderators removed could LITERALLY save a life if someone was on a CPAP machine or some similar medical device and had no power or access to a generator for an extended period..

      Reply
    • Aer Parris

      Cammosutra,

      Thanks for your suggestion! We haven’t deleted it, we just manually approve all comments and it sometimes takes us a little bit of time.

      Happy trails,
      Aer, staff writer

      Reply
  8. James

    I have all this stuff. I would add 3 day supply of water, extra medication, and communication plan with loved ones.

    Reply
  9. Mily

    Hi Joe. Thank you very much for your informative post. I’m thinking to go camping with my family so your items are very helpful, I’ll follow your suggestions. By the way, I also buy a Charcoal Grill for our dinning BBQ as shown here https://www.eathealthyandthrive.com/best-charcoal-grills/. What do you think about that? I hope my camping trip would be fun.

    Reply
  10. Wollermann Business Brokers

    Thank you for the post.
    Good check point list here. Helpful in preparing our camping kit.

    Reply
  11. chaze

    Useful for backcountry travel or flying over mountainous terrain:Individual picture of each family member; copies of any critical prescription meds & eyeglasses or contact lens; a utility bill displaying occupier’s name & address; whistle and strobe; several cheap poncho’s; gaiters; small flint; dental floss(for emergency cordage);become familiar with emerg. satellite messaging feature on iphones 14 or greater.

    Reply