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You need to store your emergency kits in something… A backpack seems like the obvious choice because of its easy portability, but you might be surprised to learn that 5-gallon buckets are sometimes the better choice!
A 5-gallon bucket provides tons of benefits over a standard backpack. And unless you have some extreme prepping goals, a 5-gallon bucket could even work for your 72-hour kit! It’s not the best option for every emergency kit, but we’re going to show you why it should not be overlooked.
Here are four reasons why 5-gallon buckets make great emergency kit storage containers.
5-Gallon Buckets Provide Protection from Rodents and Pests
It would be devastating to open an emergency kit and find out that rodents or other pests had gotten to your food. This happened to my friend, Stewart. Go check out his sad story.
Mice can chew through canvas backpacks and pests can get into anything that is not airtight. Storing your emergency kits in 5-gallon buckets could help prevent both of these problems.
Now, before you start saying that mice can chew through anything… Yes, I know that is true, but it will take mice a lot longer to get into a plastic, 5-gallon bucket than it will for them to get into a backpack.
If you plan to store any emergency kit in your garage, shed, or anywhere that mice can easily access, put your emergency kits in 90 mil, 5-gallon buckets instead of backpacks! You’ll be glad you did.
A 5-Gallon Bucket Can Double As a Chair
Another benefit to using a 5-gallon bucket for an emergency kit is that it has a built-in chair. This could come in handy if you ever find yourself waiting in line at an evacuation center or you just need to sit and rest during an emergency. Sure, you can sit on the ground, but having a chair is so much better!
You can even buy a padded lid for your 5-gallon bucket to make sitting on it more comfortable.
5-Gallon Buckets Keep Your Stuff Dry
5-gallon buckets are waterproof, especially if you use gamma seal lids. This means you won’t have to worry about the contents getting wet during an emergency. That’s a big deal if you’re facing a flood, hurricane, or any other extreme weather.
Imagine how nice it would be to know you have dry supplies waiting for you during an emergency. That might not be the same story if you’re storing your emergency supplies in a backpack.
5-Gallon Buckets Are a Manageable Size
It’s easy to get carried away when putting together emergency kits — there are so many things you could pack. However, you need to be conscious of weight or your emergency kit can become a liability. After all, you might need to carry it during an emergency.
Using a 5-gallon bucket is a good way to limit the size of your emergency kit. It forces you to plan more carefully what you put in it. 5 gallons is not a ton of space, but it is adequate for most emergency kits.
Most people choose to use a backpack for their72-hour kit or bug out bag, but a 5-gallon bucket could work. Of course, you wouldn’t want to carry one by the handle for very long — that wouldn’t be easy. Luckily, you can get a carrying harness for your 5-gallon bucket to turn it into a backpack. We’re not saying a 5-gallon bucket is the best choice for your 72-hour kit, but it definitely has some benefits.
Get some 5-gallon buckets and start working on your emergency kits today!
