Most preppers would agree that having the right supplies is critical for surviving potential disasters.
This comprehensive checklist details the essential items to stockpile, covering all bases from medical necessities to sustainable food sources.
You'll discover the bare minimums for short-term endurance as well as long-term survival, including renewable energy solutions to outlast unpredictable scenarios.
Introduction to Doomsday Prepping
Doomsday preppers are individuals who actively prepare for potential large-scale disasters or the collapse of society by stockpiling supplies and learning key survival skills. The motivation is to become self-reliant and endure events like natural disasters, economic crises, or social instability.
Defining a 'Doomsday Prepper'
A doomsday prepper is someone who:
- Actively stocks up on food, water, medical supplies, weapons, and tools to last long periods of time
- Learns techniques like foraging, hunting, and emergency medical care
- Makes backup plans for shelter, power, communication if infrastructure fails
- Aims to be self-sufficient and well-equipped for apocalyptic events
Doomsday preppers anticipate and adapt to survive worst-case scenarios. They hope for the best while preparing for the worst.
Motivations for Prepping
There are many reasons why people get into disaster preparedness and doomsday prepping:
- Protecting their family and loved ones
- Fear of natural disasters worsening due to climate change
- Concern over global pandemics and disease outbreaks
- Worry about cyberattacks taking down critical infrastructure
- Loss of confidence in the government to maintain stability
- Desire to be self-reliant without depending on failing systems
By prepping, people feel more in control and empowered to handle life-threatening emergencies.
Overview of Essential Prepper Supplies
The most critical supplies that preppers stockpile include:
Food & Water - Canned goods, freeze-dried meals, bottled water to last months or years First Aid - Trauma kits, medicines, sanitation items to handle medical emergencies
Power - Solar panels, generators, fuel to maintain electricity Lighting - Candles, flashlights, lanterns for when the grid goes down Communication - Emergency radios, walkie-talkies to stay informed Tools - Axes, shovels, chainsaws for clearing debris and building shelters
The exact items vary based on the disasters they anticipate, from nuclear wars to viral outbreaks or electromagnetic pulses that disable electronics. Preparing for the unknown is a key mindset.
How do I prepare for Doomsday?
Being prepared for a doomsday scenario requires gathering essential supplies and planning ahead. Here is a basic disaster supplies checklist to get you started:
Water
Having an emergency supply of water is critical. Aim to store at least one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation needs. Store water in food grade plastic containers and replace every six months. Consider setting up rainwater collection systems as a renewable water source.
Food
Stock up on non-perishable foods with a long shelf life, such as canned goods, dried foods, nuts, and MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Rotate your food supplies to avoid expiration. Focus especially on calories and nutrition.
Communication
A battery-powered or hand crank AM/FM radio will allow you to stay updated about the situation from emergency broadcasts when the power grid fails. A NOAA weather radio will provide alerts for impending extreme weather.
Light
Flashlights and lanterns with spare batteries or solar/hand crank chargers. Headlamps allow for hands-free light. Candles can provide light indoors if used safely.
First Aid
A well-stocked first aid kit is a must, including bandages, gauze, medicines, etc. Know basic medical skills and take a first aid course. Stock extra medicine if needed for those with chronic illnesses.
Tools
A multi-tool, duct tape, whistle, plastic sheeting, and rope have a variety of uses from signaling for help to emergency shelters and repairs.
Prioritize sustainability through renewable sources like solar power. Think long-term by growing a garden, raising chickens, hunting/fishing, and foraging for food sources. Develop key skills like welding, carpentry, mechanics and learn to make things from scratch. Staying informed, vigilant and ready to adapt will help you survive a doomsday disaster.
What do preppers stock up on?
Preppers focus on stocking up on long-lasting food staples that will sustain them in an emergency. Here are some of the most essential items for a prepper's pantry:
Dry Bulk Food Staples
- Rice: White, brown, wild, basmati - rice is calorie-dense, non-perishable, and versatile. Aim for a mix.
- Pasta: Dried pasta lasts years and is filling. Stock up on elbows, spirals, penne and spaghetti.
- Beans: Dried beans are packed with protein. Black, pinto, kidney and chickpeas have a long shelf-life.
- Grains: Wheat, oats, barley, etc. are high in fiber and nutrients. Buy whole grains when possible.
- Lentils: A prepper staple thanks to their shelf stability and health benefits. Stock up on green, brown, red lentils.
When building your prepper pantry, focus on nutrient-dense non-perishable foods that will sustain you in an emergency situation. Prioritize calories and shelf-life. Supplement with freeze-dried and canned goods as well.
What do doomsday preppers store?
Doomsday preppers focus on stockpiling essential supplies that will aid in long-term survival if a catastrophic disaster were to occur. The key categories of supplies that preppers prioritize storing include:
Water
- Bottled water - Stock up on bottled water or jugs to store clean drinking water. Rotate stock to ensure freshness.
- Water filtration systems - Essential for purifying found water sources when bottled water runs out. Consider gravity filters, pump filters, or water purification tablets.
- Rainwater collection barrels - Collect rainwater runoff from rooftops for a sustainable water source. Use water purification methods before drinking.
Long Shelf-Life Food
- Canned goods - Stock up on canned foods like vegetables, fruits, soups, meats which can last for years. Store in cool, dark place.
- Dried goods - Dried beans, rice, pasta, and grains store well. Augment with freeze-dried and dehydrated camping foods.
- MREs - Meals Ready to Eat are calorie-dense and have a 5+ year shelf life. Great for emergency rations.
First Aid & Hygiene Supplies
- First aid kits - Well stocked medical kits with bandages, gauze, medicines, etc.
- Medications - Stockpile necessary prescriptions and over-the-counter meds.
- Soap, toothpaste, toilet paper - Essential hygiene items often overlooked.
Storing adequate food, water, first aid and other critical supplies helps ensures preppers can survive if normal supply chains are disrupted post-disaster. Prioritizing longevity allows surviving long-term.
How much does the average prepper spend?
The average American prepper spent $149 on doomsday preppers supplies like food, water, toilet paper, medical kits, and other emergency gear in 2022. This may not seem like much, but when multiplied by the estimated 80 million Americans actively prepping, that's over $11 billion dollars spent on preparations last year alone.
This huge market underscores the growing demand for reliable long-term survival solutions. While individual costs vary widely, most experts recommend having at least a 3-6 month stockpile of critical supplies like:
- Water - 1 gallon per person per day minimum
- Food - 2,000+ calories per person per day
- Medications - Both prescription and over-the-counter
- Fuel - For cooking, heating, transport
- Sanitation - Toilet paper, feminine products, waste bags
- Tools - Knives, radios, batteries, flashlights
Building up such a comprehensive prepper supply inventory takes time and money. But putting it off leaves you unprepared in the event of extended disasters like earthquakes, pandemics, cyber attacks, climate events, or civil unrest.
The good news is that with some planning, you can steadily accumulate everything on your doomsday preppers supplies checklist without breaking the bank. Focus first on versatile basics like rice, beans, canned goods, and a water filter. Then gradually expand into more specialized gear as your budget allows. Consistent small steps is the smartest approach.
Best Prepper Food Supplies
Having a reliable food supply is critical for emergency preparedness. When considering prepper food storage, focus on nutrient-dense, non-perishable items with a long shelf life that meet your dietary needs.
Prepper Food Considerations
When building your food stockpile, consider:
- Nutritional value - Prioritize nutritious, high-calorie foods.
- Shelf life - Choose items with 1+ year expiration dates.
- Storage conditions - Store in cool, dry, dark conditions.
- Dietary needs - Stock foods suiting medical or ethical diets.
Essential Long-Term Foods
Recommended long-lasting prepper foods include:
- Rice, beans, lentils, chickpeas - Inexpensive, nutritious.
- Honey, maple syrup - Last indefinitely sealed.
- Pemmican - High-calorie meat preservation.
- Freeze-dried or dehydrated fruits, vegetables, meat.
- Canned goods - Meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, soup.
- Nuts, peanut butter - High calories and fats.
Water Storage Essentials
Stock water in:
- Food-grade plastic barrels
- Stainless steel containers
- Glass bottles with tight seals
Have water filtration supplies on hand. Calculate 1 gallon per person daily.
Emergency Food Supply Strategies
To preserve foods long-term:
- Seal in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.
- Pressure can, pickle, dry, or freeze surplus produce.
- Rotate stock using "first in, first out" system.
- Take inventory every 6 months, replacing expired items.
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Emergency Medical Supplies
Medical preparedness is a critical component of any doomsday prepper's supplies. Having the right medical gear and knowing how to use it can mean the difference between life and death in a disaster scenario.
First Aid Essentials
A well-stocked first aid kit is the foundation of medical preparedness. Be sure to have ample supplies of:
- Adhesive bandages
- Gauze pads and rolls
- Antibiotic ointments
- Antiseptic wipes
- Medical tape
- Scissors and tweezers
- Pain medication
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Antacids
- Antihistamines
- Sterile gloves
Also consider adding sutures, clamps, hemostatic agents, tourniquets, and other trauma care items. Know how to properly dress wounds, stop bleeding, stabilize injuries, and more through first aid training.
Sanitation & Hygiene
Preventing illness and infection is critical when access to medical care is limited. Stock up on:
- Bar soap
- Disinfectants
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet paper
- Feminine hygiene products
- Diapers if needed
- Garbage bags
- Bleach for water purification
Proper sanitation and hygiene will help avoid gastrointestinal issues and other preventable illnesses.
Specialized Medical Gear
For long-term scenarios or more serious medical situations, consider investing in:
- Blood pressure cuffs
- Stethoscopes
- Thermometers
- Scalpels or surgical tools
- Sutures and staples
- Prescription medications
Advanced training is recommended for proper use of specialized medical gear. Being prepared to handle more complex injuries and illnesses can save lives when professional medical care is not available.
Having the right emergency medical supplies, coupled with knowledge on how to use them, is a key part of every doomsday prepper's stockpile. Invest in quality first aid essentials, sanitation items, and specialized gear to ensure your health and safety no matter the disaster.
Survival Gear and Tools
Prepper supply caches typically include an array of tools for survival tasks as well as weapons for defense. Having the right equipment can make a crucial difference in an emergency situation.
Multi-tools & Knives
Multi-tools like Leatherman's are invaluable for preppers. Their pliers, screwdrivers, can openers, and other features allow you to handle basic repair and building tasks. Quality fixed-blade knives are also essential for hunting, preparing food, and shelter construction. Consider stocking various knife types like drop points, skinning knives, and bushcraft models. Top brands include Morakniv, Benchmade, and ESEE.
Basic Tools
It's wise to cache basic tools for emergencies:
- Axes and saws for gathering firewood and building shelters
- Shovels for digging latrines and shelters
- Duct tape and work gloves for repairs
- Rope, carabiners, tarps, and paracord for shelter construction
- Camping lanterns, flashlights, and batteries
These basic items will aid survival in a grid-down disaster. Rotate your stock to keep it fresh.
Weapons for Self-Defense
While firearms can provide personal protection, ensure proper training and legal compliance first. Bows, crossbows, blades, and spears are quieter alternatives. Only stock what you're comfortable using responsibly. Consider alarms, dogs, and defensive fortifications as well.
Survival Kit Tools for Natural Disasters
Prepare for risks in your region like earthquakes, floods or tornadoes. Useful items include:
- Fire extinguishers
- Gas and water shutoff tools
- Smoke detectors
- Signal flares
- Weather radio
- Boarding for windows
Tailor your tools to likely emergency scenarios. Organization and readiness are key.
Survival Skills & Knowledge
Beyond just stockpiling gear, cultivating practical survival skills & knowledge is equally important for preppers. Let's explore some key areas to focus on.
Primitive Survival Skills
Learning fundamental skills like making fires, traps, shelters, fishing, hunting, foraging, and more can make the difference between life and death in a disaster scenario. Consider enrolling in wilderness survival training courses and practicing techniques like:
- Fire making - Using a fire steel, bow drill, flint & steel can ignite fires even without matches or lighters.
- Shelter building - Creating debris huts, lean-tos, and other shelters from materials in the wilderness.
- Hunting & trapping - Setting snares and traps can provide a renewable food source. Learning to track animals, use primitive weapons like bows, spears, and slingshots can also help acquire meat.
- Water procurement - Creating water filters, rain collectors, solar stills, and knowing where to locate natural springs.
Regularly honing these fundamental skills, even on recreational camping trips, is worthwhile preparation.
Emergency First Aid Training
When hospitals and professional medical services are inaccessible, knowing how to treat injuries at home can save lives. Consider taking an emergency first aid course covering:
- Stopping bleeding and bandaging wounds
- Setting splints for broken bones
- Applying tourniquets
- Administering CPR
Having first aid supplies like gauze, bandages, antibiotics, scalpels, and suturing needles on hand is also vital when professional care is unavailable.
Foraging & Identification
Foraging can provide essential vitamins and nutrition from wild edibles. However, incorrectly identifying plants and mushrooms can be extremely hazardous. Study field guides that specify edible species in your region, noting key identification markers. Useful foraging skills include:
- Identifying edible/medicinal plants
- Spotting toxic plant look-alikes
- Harvesting wild berries and nuts
- Distinguishing choice edible mushrooms from poisonous lookalikes
Consider connecting with experienced foragers in your area for hands-on learning.
Navigating Climate Change Challenges
A changing climate can intensify disasters like floods, storms, droughts, and heatwaves. Useful skills for adaption include:
- Water conservation during droughts using rain barrels, strategic planting, mulching, and other permaculture techniques.
- Temperature regulation through insulation, passive solar design, layering clothing, and other strategies to survive extreme heat/cold during grid failures.
Take steps to evaluate risks climate change poses to your region and develop skills to endure them. The resilience cultivated through primitive survival and sustainability practices can prove invaluable.
The ability to improvise solutions from available resources and apply fundamental skills with competence separates the prepared from the unprepared. Take time to cultivate hands-on abilities - they could save your life.
Comprehensive Prepper Supplies Checklist PDF
Being prepared with adequate supplies is crucial for survival during emergencies. This checklist provides a framework for gathering necessary resources. Focus on sustainability, versatility, and meeting basic needs.
30-Day Supply Per Person
- Non-perishable food and water (1 gallon per person daily)
- First aid kit, medications
- Flashlights, batteries, candles, matches
- Hygiene items - soap, toiletries, feminine products
- Cash, important documents
- Basic tools - knife, duct tape, tarps, rope
- Battery/crank/solar-powered radio
- Extra fuel, propane, gas stabilizer
- Pet food and supplies
90-Day Supply Per Person
- Same as 30-day supply
- Additional canned goods, freeze-dried meals
- Water filtration system - lifestraws, filters
- Backup power - solar panels, generators, batteries
- Weather appropriate clothing, boots, blankets
- Shelter reinforcements - tents, tarps, emergency blankets
1-Year Supply Per Person
- Same as 90-day supply
- Heirloom seeds, gardening tools
- Fishing/hunting weapons and tools
- More fuel - wood, propane, gasoline
- Hand powered appliances - blender, grinder
- Barter items - liquor, cigarettes
- Board games, books, educational materials
Accessing the Prepper Supply Catalog
Readers can access a comprehensive digital Prepper Supplies Checklist catalog here, outlining gear needed for short and long-term emergencies. Hard copies are available by emailing support@weloveprepping.com. Compare your existing stockpile against the checklist to identify any gaps.
Doomsday Prepper Starter Kit Essentials
When starting out on your prepping journey, having the basics covered is key. Here are some essentials to include in a beginner doomsday prepper starter kit.
Bare Essentials for Immediate Survival
Focus first on gathering supplies to meet your most urgent survival needs:
- Water - Stock up on bottled water and water purification tablets. Aim for 1 gallon per person per day.
- Food - High-calorie, long-shelf life foods like granola bars, canned goods, dehydrated meals.
- First Aid Kit - Bandages, gauze, medicines, etc. Know basic first aid.
- Tools - Knives, duct tape, fire starters, flashlights, batteries, radio.
- Shelter & Clothing - Tent, thermal blankets, jackets, gloves, sturdy shoes.
This covers the critical basics to survive 72 hours. Next level up...
1-Week Supply Kit
To sustain yourself for a week or more, build upon the 72 hour kit:
- Expand water supply to 7 gallons per person
- Add more canned/non-perishable foods
- Include cash, battery pack, toilet paper, hygiene items
- Upgrade first aid with sutures, medications
- Add tarps, rope, camping stove, fuel to tools/shelter
This kit should fit in a backpack for mobility. Now let's extend it further...
2-Week Supply Kit
To prepare for longer term disruption:
- Have water replenishment plan - rain barrels, water filters
- Stockpile high protein foods - beans, rice, nuts, jerky
- Expand medical supplies with prescription meds
- Add weapons, two-way radios, maps to your gear
- Have secondary shelter option - tent, cabin, vehicle
Prioritize reusable and renewable supplies for sustained preparedness.
Sustainability & Renewable Resources for Long-Term Survival
Incorporating sustainable gear and renewable resources is crucial for long-term survival preparedness. By relying on solutions that can be continually renewed or replaced over time, preppers can achieve reliable self-sufficiency.
Sustainable Tools
Multi-purpose, non-electric tools with replaceable parts are ideal for sustainable preparedness. Quality hand tools like axes, saws, shovels, and rakes can last decades or longer with proper care. Stainless steel offers durability for knives, while replaceable hacksaw/bow saw blades enable continual use.
Renewable Energy Solutions
Leveraging renewable energy sources is vital for continual access to power. Solar panels can charge batteries and run electronics indefinitely. Small wind turbines and micro hydro generators can also produce supplemental energy. Backup manual chargers allow charging during overcast weather or at night.
Water Renewal Systems
Catching rain in barrels provides an ongoing water source. Simple sand, gravel, and charcoal filtration makes water potable. Recycling greywater from sinks/showers through constructed wetlands renews limited water reserves.
Long-Term Food Production
Cultivating high-yield, calorie/protein-dense crops and raising small livestock enables reliable long-term nourishment. Focus on hardy, heirloom varieties suited for your climate. Save seeds for future planting. Hunting/foraging offers supplemental nutrition from sustainable wildlife and vegetation. Practice skills for harvesting, preserving, and storing food.
Conclusion: Preparing for the Unpredictable
Being prepared for unpredictable events requires forethought and dedication. By stockpiling necessary supplies, developing key skills, and focusing on sustainability, preppers position themselves to handle a range of emergencies.
Have Supplies For All Survival Needs
When building your prepper supplies, be sure to cover all bases in terms of basic needs:
- Food & Water: Non-perishable food, water filtration/purification tools
- First Aid: Medical kits, medications, hygiene items
- Tools & Weapons: Knives, axes, shovels, radios, flashlights
- Skills: First aid, hunting, foraging, self-defense, communication
Stockpile For At Least 30 Days Initially
Start out small - try to have at least 30 days' worth of critical supplies. This includes food, water, medicine, and other basics. Building up to a 30-day supply is an achievable goal for most.
Incorporate Sustainable Tools & Renewables
Integrate sustainable gear like hand tools, sewing kits, reusable items, and renewable power sources like solar panels. The more self-reliant you can become, the better.
Adapting Prepper Strategies to Individual Needs
Customize your prepper plan based on your situation. Factor in location-specific risks, household needs, health considerations, and available resources. An adaptable approach ensures the highest level of preparedness.
Being ready for the unpredictable starts with stocking supplies, honing skills, and focusing on sustainability. Customize a plan that enables you to handle short and long-term emergencies.
