Portable water filters for go-bags, emergencies and backpacking, compared by what they remove, how much water they're rated for and how fast they flow, plus tablets for viruses.

Emergency radios compared: NOAA weather alerts, AM/FM and shortwave, and how many ways each can be powered (battery, hand crank, solar and AA batteries), plus phone charging and lights.

First aid kits compared by what's actually inside rather than the piece count: family kits for the house, compact kits for the car and the trail, and a trauma kit for people far from help.

Lanterns to light a room, headlamps for every person and plug-in lights that switch on when the power fails, compared on brightness, run time and what powers them.

Battery power stations that run a fridge, a CPAP or a router through an outage, silently and safely indoors, compared on capacity, output, battery life, recharge speed and backup switchover.

Freeze-dried buckets, ration bars and MREs compared on what matters when you have to live on them: calories per day, the meals, shelf life and how much water they need.

Backpacks for a 72-hour go-bag compared on capacity, comfort, build and how well they organise gear, from tactical MOLLE packs to low-profile hiking packs, plus a complete pre-packed bag.

Fire starters that work in wind, rain and cold: ferro rods, stormproof matches and ready-made tinder, compared on reliability, strikes per rod and how easy they are for a beginner.

Fixed-blade survival knives compared on steel, tang, blade length and sheath, from the inexpensive Morakniv every bushcraft instructor recommends to full-tang knives built for batoning wood.

Multitools compared on the pliers, the blade, the tools you'll actually use, locking and weight, from a full-size Leatherman to a keyring Swiss Army knife.