Judy's emergency preparedness kit is stocked with essentials

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As extreme weather events become a more regular occurrence in many areas of the U.S., making sure you and your family are properly prepared is crucial—especially if you only have minutes to get out.

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Judy, an emergency preparedness company formed in early 2020, makes grab-and-go kits for disasters of all types like earthquakes, wildfires and tornadoes. As a Florida native and current resident for over 30 years, I’ve lived through my fair share of tropical storms and major hurricanes to know what you really need in your hurricane preparedness kit.

Intrigued by Judy, I decided to check out the four-person Mover Max Kit with my husband and two kids. Judy also makes a variety of emergency preparedness products like portable power stations and bundled kits for up to 10 people that can be used in many different situations, not just hurricanes.

Even Oprah included Judy’s The Safe on her coveted “Favorite Things” list in 2020. If Judy is good enough for Oprah, could it be good enough for me? Here’s how it went.

What we like

Bold, bright, waterproof design that’s lightweight and easy to wear

All of Judy's products, including the Mover Max backpack, are designed in its signature "Safety Orange" color because it's bright, bold and easily stands out. It’s a smart color choice that makes it easy to spot against many backdrops (water, trees, etc), which is what you want if you're stranded and waiting on emergency officials to rescue you. (Though, I’m not sure how easy the color is to spot during the thick smoke put off by wildfires.)

Designed to be waterproof and 100% water-resistant, the backpack is made from PVC. I tossed the bag into the pool to see if it lived up to its claims and it passed with flying colors. No water made it inside of the bag, which makes me feel good about using it during heavy rain situations like hurricanes.

Full of supplies, the backpack weighs about 15 pounds and measures 18 inches by 17 inches by 8 inches. It wasn’t too cumbersome for my 5-foot-3-inch frame, though I did have to adjust the straps for a better fit. Overall, the backpack is lightweight and the straps are cushioned, making it comfortable to wear for an extended period. There’s also an adjustable waist strap that helps more evenly distribute the backpack’s weight, taking (some of) the burden off of your shoulders.

Expert-picked essentials for almost any emergency

Judy claims to have leaned on the advice of certified emergency managers and emergency management and disaster response experts when designing and building the emergency preparedness kits—and it shows. All of the Judy kits, including the Mover Max, focus on providing thoughtful essentials in core areas like tools, first aid, food, water, safety and warmth.

The kit includes many survival basics recommended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s emergency preparedness Ready initiative like a first aid kit, hand-crank radio, KN95 masks, ponchos, hand warmers, wipes, tissues, emergency blankets and biohazard bags. Additional items like shelf-stable energy bars and multiple packets of water are also included. Everything comes neatly packaged in the back and is individually wrapped.

Judy’s kits include an ideal variation of hand-picked products that can be used during almost any emergency scenario, which leaves me feeling like my family and I will be well taken care of should I ever need to use the kit. However, you’ll need to add in your own extras like any prescription medications, important documents, infant and/or pet supplies and cash (which is good to have on hand to pay for items when the power is out).

It’s long-lasting and loaded with value

Creating your own emergency kit for evacuations can certainly be done, but ordering one from Judy is a much easier alternative. Instead of gathering supplies one by one, almost everything you need is neatly packed into the sturdy, bright orange backpack. Purchasing the kit saves you the time and effort of having to build one yourself.

It also means you won’t be scrambling last-minute to assemble your basic supplies ahead of big weather events, like tornadoes and wildfires, that can crop up quickly. The food and water packets have an impressive five-year shelf life and all of the other supplies should last you for the long haul, adding even more value to this fully-loaded survival kit.

After you’ve gone through all of the supplies, you can reuse the waterproof backpack and stock it with your own essentials for future evacuations.

What we don’t like

It’s not made for families with young children

The kit is designed for a family of four, but not everything in the Mover Max Kit is entirely suitable for young children. The wearable supplies, like ponchos, dust masks and gloves, are made for adults and would be difficult to use on young kids during emergencies. However, other items like a first aid kit, glow sticks and emergency blankets are great for kids.

This doesn’t render certain supplies useless for kids, but you may need to make some modifications like tying back the poncho or mask loops to better fit your little one. Alternatively, there’s enough room in the backpack to add a few of your own extras like kids’ face masks, baby bottles, and diapers.

There are only enough supplies for 72 hours

It includes enough supplies and essentials to last a group of four people for up to 72 hours. This isn't a gripe, because it's next to impossible to pack in enough supplies for everyone, but this kit would be even better if it also came in a 5-day and 7-day option. Since this kit is designed to be used for evacuations, presumably you’d be able to get somewhere safe within a 72 hour period, but it’s something to keep in mind for those unexpected emergencies.

The food is just OK, but you may want to supplement with your own

The only edible item, at least in the Mover Max Kit, are seven tightly sealed blueberry energy bars. My family and I did not care for the taste and my kids (ages 8 and 3) found them difficult to chew. The bars could be useful in a pinch, but you may want to supplement the food stash with other shelf-stable products that suit your personal nutritional needs.

Should you buy it?

Yes.

This kit has (almost) everything you need for evacuations. It’s no secret that properly preparing for major weather events like wildfires, hurricanes and earthquakes give you the best chance of survival. If you don’t have the time or inclination to create your own kit or don’t know where to start, Judy is a great place to begin. The kits include necessities, handpicked by experts, that you can grab and go on a whim should an emergency arise. The biggest perk is the waterproof backpack, which can be reused for years to come long after you’ve used up all of your supplies.

On the downside, it’s not customizable. You’ll likely need to add items to the kit to meet your own needs (like prescriptions, child care or pet products, cash and important documents). You may also need to add additional shelf-stable food products to meet your (or your family’s) nutritional needs.

However, the Judy go-bags lay a great foundation for building out your own emergency evacuation kit. When you only have a short period to leave your home, it’s nice to know that the Judy evacuation kit is ready to go at a moment's notice. If you live in an area that experiences frequent evacuations or simply want the peace of mind that you’re prepared for whatever comes your way, then one of Judy’s survival kits is a wise investment.

Get the Judy Mover Max Kit from Judy for $195

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.