Ready America 70280 review: a two-person 72-hour go-bag, and what it leaves out

This is a research-based review, based on manufacturer specs and published data. We do not test products. The contents list comes from Ready America's product page for the 2 Person Emergency Kit (3 Day Backpack), model 70280, checked November 1, 2026. Ready America's own store listed it out of stock that day; it is widely sold on Amazon. We compare it against Ready.gov's Build a Kit list, updated July 1, 2026.

Ready-made 72-hour kits are popular because they solve the hardest part of preparing: starting. You buy one box, and the household has food, water and first aid in one place. The 70280 is one of the best-known of these kits.

The question is what "72 hours for two people" actually covers. Ready America says each kit holds enough emergency supplies to sustain two people for three days. Line its contents up against the federal checklist and the gaps are large, especially water.

Who should buy it

• Households with nothing ready, who want a bag they can grab in an evacuation today.
• Commuters and drivers: a 7.75 lb bag fits under a car seat or at a desk.
• People who will add their own water, light, radio and medicines; the backpack, bars, pouches and first aid kit are a reasonable base.

Who should skip it

• Anyone sheltering at home through a long outage. Home stores of water and food, covered in our water and food storage guides, matter far more than a bag.
• Buyers who want a finished kit with no assembly. Ready America's Kit Plus (70284) adds a headlamp, multi-tool, water purification tablets and duct tape, and still lacks a radio.
• Households larger than two. Buy per person, or build your own.

Strengths

• Long shelf life. Ready America lists a 5-year shelf life on the food bars and water pouches, so the core does not need yearly rotation.
• Calorie-dense food. Two 2,400-calorie bars need no cooking and no water to prepare.
• One bag, one place. Food, water, first aid, ponchos and blankets in a single backpack.
• Light. 7.75 lb for two people is easy to carry.
• Masks and gloves. Dust masks match Ready.gov's list for filtering contaminated air.

Drawbacks

• Water falls far short. 12 pouches of 4.225 oz total about 50.7 oz, under half a gallon. Ready.gov says one gallon per person per day; two people for three days is 6 gallons.
• Thin on calories. 4,800 calories shared by two people over three days is 800 calories per person per day.
• No radio, flashlight or batteries. Ready.gov lists all three. Lightsticks last 12 hours each.
• No tools. No wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, no can opener, no duct tape.
• Small first aid kit. 33 pieces covers a few small cuts.

How it compares

The base kit, Ready America's upgraded version, and a kit you assemble from Ready.gov's list. Ready America figures are from its product pages.

Using it in a long outage

What to add, using Ready.gov's list

• Water: as much as you can carry for evacuation, plus 6 gallons for two people for three days at home. A filter such as the Sawyer Squeeze makes found water usable.
• A battery-powered or hand-crank radio with NOAA weather alerts, such as the Midland ER310.
• A flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries; see the Black Diamond Spot 400 review.
• A cell phone charger and backup battery, such as the Anker 737 power bank.
• Wrench or pliers, a manual can opener, local paper maps, plastic sheeting, duct tape, moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties.
• Prescription and non-prescription medicines, glasses, and copies of important documents.

Go-bag versus stay-home kit

A power outage usually means sheltering at home, where weight does not matter and stored water, food and heat do. Keep this bag packed for the moments you have to leave: a gas leak, a fire, a hurricane evacuation, a trip to a warming center. Keep the bulk supplies at home in bins, and use our grid-down 30-day plan for quantities.

Maintain it

Write the purchase date on the bag. Ready America lists a 5-year shelf life on the food and water, so replace them on schedule. Check medicines, batteries and the first aid kit every six months, and update the paper contact list when numbers change.