A fire can wipe out everything you own without a hope for restoration.
Whether at home, in your vehicle, or at work, a single spark can destroy everything.
While it’s impossible to fireproof everything, you can fireproof some of your most important documents and files by storing them in a fireproof storage bag.
We’ve put together a collection of the 10 best on the market for your perusal.
The Good Stuff Fireproof Pouch
Easy handling and transportation combined with a UL certification place it in the top spot.
It comes with a waterproof silicone outer and a skin-safe inner lining to prevent itching- no gloves required!
At a Glance: Best Fireproof Document Bags
Click the link to go to the full review.
Best Fireproof Document Bag Reviews
The Good Stuff Small Fireproof Bag
Dimensions: 10”x13”x0.6”
This small bag is designed to safely store important items, like your passport, money, photos, bank cards, jewelry, and keys. It’s also small enough to pop into your backpack if you need to make an emergency evacuation.
At less than half the size of some of the bigger bags we’ve looked at, this item isn’t big enough to store a whole family’s valuables but is perfect for an individual or couple. Note, though, that you get two bags when you purchase this product, so double the storage.
Made with high-quality materials, including dual-layer fireproof fiberglass with a non-itchy silicone coating, this bag offers protection against fire, water, and extreme weather conditions.
Combine this small fireproof bag with one of Roloway’s jumbo offerings to get comprehensive protection and complete peace of mind.
Highlights
Portable and easy to store- Waterproof lining to protect from sprinklers etc
- Thick fiberglass lining
ENGPOW Fireproof Document Bag
Dimensions: 14.2”x10.6”x4”
Fireproof and waterproof, this document bag not only stores your documents safely but organizes them at the same time. Slip your passport into one of the customized mesh bags, slide up to 16 cards into the slots provided, and use the main pocket for your laptop.
With its multiple security protections, this file organizer will protect your valuables against fire, explosions, and severe weather conditions, including storms, earthquakes, and hurricanes.
No bag is entirely foolproof, and this bag won’t do so well if submerged in a puddle for a long period, although it will do better than your passport would in similar circumstances.
This option may be a little large if you’re looking for something to safeguard your personal effects. Still, if you need to store documents and valuables for the whole family, it’s worth the investment, especially as it comes with a 100% money-back guarantee.
Highlights
- Protects and organizes valuables
- Includes fireproof money bag
- Explosion and extreme weather resistant
Trikton Fireproof Bag with TSA-Lock
Dimensions: 18”x13”x5”
The Trikton bag is a generous size and perfect for people traveling with valuables. It can hold up to temperatures of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, contains multiple interior pockets for easy organizing, and has a reflective border for increased visibility in dark conditions.
What a bag!
It’s got a special lining that makes it easy to handle and comes with a lifetime warranty. It protects against fire, water, and smoke, and it even does the dishes.
Just kidding.
Highlights
- TSA-Lock for safe and secure traveling
- Has a handle and a shoulder strap for easy transportation
- Exceptionally well-reviewed and with supportive customer service
Oxzoh XXXL
Dimensions: 17”x12”x6”
One of the larger fireproof document bags, the Oxzoh XXXL offers plenty. It’s constructed of silicone-coated fiberglass and heat-blocking aluminum, plus it features a lockable zipper and two methods for carrying: an over-the-shoulder strap or a simple handle.
Offers protection to 2,192 degrees Fahrenheit, which is impressive.
Highlights
- Adjustable shoulder strap for carrying
- Generous space inside to store your valuables
- Impressive temperature rating
Cool Carry
Dimensions: 15”x11”x3”
A bit narrower than others, the Cool Carry boasts a tremendously high heat resistance of 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. The Cool Carry also uses larger sewing threads for increased protection and features a two-stage closure system for increased protection from water.
Every customer review is quite satisfied with this bag, and some reviewers fold their own Cool Carry bags in half to fit into smaller safes, something other bags are incapable of doing. In theory, you could fit up to two large laptops inside this bag, making this an excellent addition when transporting your electronics over large distances.
Highlights
- Smooth silicone-coated fiberglass makes this bag easy to handle without gloves
- Bendable and foldable to fit into cramped areas
- Strong water protection outside of total submersion
Avlone Fireproof Document Bag
Dimensions: 15”x11”x2.5”
A double-sealed bag, the Avlone Document Bag resists fires as hot as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Like most other bags, it’s water resistant, and this one also features a double closure and a reflective stripe across the top to easily find it in the dark.
It’s from a family-owned business and has a lifetime warranty. A regular complaint is the bag’s opening; while it has generous dimensions, the opening on top is a bit small to fit things easily or remove larger items.
Highlights
- Reflective strip on top of bag for finding in a low-light situation
- No special handling required, and no chemical-y smell
- Convenient carrying handle
Files, Documents, and Jewelry
Seeing “fireproof document bag” leads one to imagine it’s a container strictly for files and paperwork, but these bags are versatile in their design and can hold just about anything you need to protect from fire.
Besides storing valuables inside these bags, it’s potentially useful to store some items inside of them to prevent fire from escaping. I’m thinking of things like LiPo batteries and other combustibles that you keep around the house that are potentially dangerous or prone to sudden catastrophic failure.
While these bags work independently, they’re at their best when paired with a safe or lockbox for added protection. The added utility of these bags is that they are far easier to move around than a safe or even a lockbox, so in the case of an emergency, you can grab it and go without delay.
Chemicals
These bags are often treated with chemicals or made of irritating materials. Wearing gloves while handling is recommended.
Most are constructed of fiberglass due to its raw ability to protect against fire and heat. Some use heat-reflective aluminum inside as an extra layer of defense.
Anyone who has ever worked with insulation can tell you that stuff gets itchy if you handle it without a pair of good gloves and long sleeves.
Some of the bags below have a silicone lining that allows them to be handled without fear of irritation.
What to Store
“Storing valuables” is a subjective topic, but a few guidelines and ideas can help.
We recommend the following as a starting point:
- Passport, insurance information, and other forms of identification/proof of ownership
- Cash and credit cards
- Wills and deeds
- Valuable electronics (cell phones, computers, etc.)
- Batteries for electronics
- Irreplaceable photographs
Additionally, it’s helpful to prepare for SHTF scenarios by packing the following:
- Your families emergency binder
- Emergency medications
- Maps
A secure USB with books and text on survival like our own collection you can find here.
A digital binder with your emergency info (see template.)
A Word on Temperature Ratings
Fires are terrifying, and buildings go up quickly.
The long and short of it details that fires in a house can reach temperatures up to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit, although exceptions abound and higher temperatures aren’t unknown.
Generally, most house fires fluctuate between 1,000 and 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, with higher temperatures recorded near the ceiling and on second or third floors.
A bag with a temperature rating of 1,100 degrees of fire protection is pretty solidly built and will handle all but the most extreme house fires. Don’t feel obligated to purchase a higher temperature-rated bag unless you’re storing your belongings in an elevated area.
Paper usually crisps up and becomes destroyed at temperatures of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, so while a bag can protect your belongings from temperatures, it can’t do it for very long. Most bags aren’t meant to survive fires longer than thirty minutes or so, which is where the added protection of a fire safe comes in handy.
Read: Do fireproof bags really work.
Remember: The safety of you and your loved ones is infinitely more valuable than any documents or material possessions you’re trying to save.
Always ensure you have a safe escape route before saving anything, and practice an escape plan with your family.
If you are involved in a car fire, the temperatures reach the higher end of a house fire but can burn hotter. A fireproof documents bag in your glove compartment can save valuable information in your car.
Invest in a car fire extinguisher for added insurance while you’re at it.
A Song of Fire and Water
Sorry, Mr. George R. R. Martin, I had to do it.
While worrying about fire protection is worthwhile, many people forget how we put fires out. Usually, that’s with water, and too much water can be just as destructive as a raging inferno.
Besides holding a variety of objects, most of these bags feature other protection benefits like being water-resistant, so they gain a secondary purpose and use.
While none of these bags are waterproof, they are often water-resistant. That resistance can protect your valuables from sprinkler systems going off and the overflow of a fire hose.
Transporting your valuables while traveling and being caught in a downpour can also damage what’s inside your bag, so this water resistance is doubly useful.
Warranties
Most of the bags reviewed offer a warranty, although those warranties are often worded vaguely.
They offer something akin to “Money back guaranteed if you’re ever dissatisfied,” but the only time one might want their money back is if the bag fails.
And if that bag fails and it’s holding essential documents and other items, does it matter if you get your money back?
Most warranty processes instruct the customer to mail the item back for a full refund, but the warranty information tends to end there.
Bottom line: These warranties only cover wear and tear damage to the bag and nothing more! Don’t expect to receive any compensation for items lost in a fire.
