There are many "survival kits" and "72 hour kits" on the market these days. These manufactured kits range from very inexpensive (and usually very cheaply made and/or inadequately equipped) to the very expensive. And just FYI... the more expensive kits aren't necessarily better just because they cost more either.
If you don't have the time, energy, or interest in building your own kits, then a pre-assembled kit could be a good option for you, but only if you have fully evaluated each individual kit item one by one. There actually are some
really nice "fully loaded" kits
available at reasonable prices, but these tend to be the exception to the rule. Most pre-assembled kits are garbage that are designed to sell to the masses to make them feel better about having something in case of a disaster, but when that kit is relied upon to perform it will do you only marginally better in a crisis than having no kit at all. If you want a quality kit stocked with quality gear, be prepared to spend some quality money on it.
While a pre-assembled kit will generally cost you more than a kit you assemble yourself, if you don't have the time or interest to assemble a kit yourself, the pre-assembled kit option is available to you. That being said, pre-assembled kits have a number of significant disadvantages over a kit you tailored to your own personal needs and preferences. Let's take a closer look at a few of these disadvantages:
When you build your own kit...
1) You are personally involved in choosing every component of your kit. You chose your knife, your fire steel, your flashlight, your water bottle, your food stuffs... and you did so because no one knows better than you do what you prefer and are comfortable with. Much of this is simple preference, but when you are in a situation that is scary, stressful and uncertain, it is a really nice comfort to have those preferences met. It is nice to use that knife or water filter that you are comfortable and familiar with. It is really comforting to have Cajun beans and rice in your food stash if that's what you enjoy eating. It is really nice to have a kit full of items that you a familiar with and comfortable with... and the only way to make this happen is to build the kit yourself.
1) You know exactly what is in your kit and how to use it. After all, you put it in your kit yourself. You chose the items in your kit for a reason.
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