When it comes to being prepared for emergencies, most people would agree that having the right survival gear is critical.
The good news is, with some essential items like multi-tools, water filters, fire starters, first aid kits, and flashlights, you can be ready for a wide range of situations.
In this article, we'll explore the key survival gear that every prepper should have, including recommendations for specific items in categories like hunting tools, navigation, communications, and more. You'll learn the most versatile and durable options to build a comprehensive layered system to keep you safe in the wilderness or during urban disasters.
Introduction to Survival Gear Essentials
Having the right survival gear is crucial for preppers to be fully prepared for emergencies or disasters. This gear allows you to meet your basic needs, withstand the elements, navigate challenges, and even save lives in crisis scenarios. In this article, we'll explore some of the most essential categories of survival gear that every prepper should have in their arsenal.
The Ultimate Multi-Tools
Versatile multi-tools like Leatherman and Swiss Army Knives provide preppers with essential functionality for repairing, food preparation, shelter building, and other critical uses in the field. These compact tools contain various implements like pliers, screwdrivers, can openers, saws, and more. Top-rated picks like the Leatherman Wave Plus or Victorinox SwissTool Spirit X prove invaluable for handling unexpected problems. Useful for building traps and snares, prepping kindling, or fashioning makeshift survival items on the fly.
High-End Water Filtration Systems
Clean water access can make or break survival outcomes in emergencies. Cutting-edge portable water filters like the LifeStraw Personal Water Filter and Sawyer MINI provide preppers with on-demand water filtration down to 0.1 microns. These allow drinking from lakes, rivers, and other sketchy sources. Water purification tablets like Potable Aqua are also essential backups. Properly hydrating and avoiding waterborne illness improves health, morale, and judgment.
Reliable Fire Starters and Tinder
The ability to reliably start fires enables cooking, warmth, and signaling. Products like stormproof matches, blast match fire starters, and magnesium alloy fire starter rods excel here. Quality tinder materials like cotton balls, dryer lint, or wax-infused twine also help ignition. Fire gives comfort, safety, light, and key survival fundamentals. Preppers must prep and practice fire starting using various tools and techniques.
Comprehensive First Aid Supplies
Disasters mean increased injury risk. Being equipped to immediately treat wounds, burns, sprains and more can save lives. A robust IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) with various bandages, gauze, occlusive dressings, ointments, trauma shears, and more is a must. Training in emergency medicine and keeping aid supplies current improves outcomes. Don't forget critical meds, irrigations syringes, and instruments too.
Illuminating Light Sources
Top-tier flashlights, lanterns, and headlamps grant vision and signaling in the dark. Rugged waterproof lights from brands like Streamlight, SureFire, and Black Diamond withstand abuse. Strobe, candle, and SOS signaling modes are useful as well. Reliable batteries or crank charging removes failure points also. As daylight wanes, illumination gear provides control, safety, and awareness - all key to survival mindset.
In summary, equipping yourself with versatile multi-tools, advanced water filters, reliable fire starters, trauma medical supplies, and military-grade lighting provides protection and capabilities for preppers in disasters. Train with survival gear extensively before emergencies hit.
What survival items should I have?
As a prepper, having the right survival gear can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. The key is being prepared with versatile items that serve multiple purposes to help you survive in the wilderness. Here are some essentials every prepper should have in their survival kit:
Multi-tool
A good multi-tool like a Leatherman or Gerber Suspension is one of the most useful pieces of survival gear. It packs tools like pliers, screwdrivers, can and bottle openers, wire cutters, etc into one portable device. This allows you to perform various repair and crafting tasks critical for wilderness survival. Having a versatile toolset in your backpack enables you to be ready for anything.
Fire starter
In an emergency, the ability to start a fire can prove invaluable for signaling, warmth, purifying water, and cooking food. Useful items include stormproof matches, magnesium fire starter, firesteel, tinder, and waterproof tinder kits. With reliable fire starters, you can ignite damp wood or kindling in wet conditions. This gear helps guarantee you can create a fire whenever needed for survival.
Water filtration
Clean drinking water is among the most vital survival necessities. Equip your go-bag with a portable water filter like the Sawyer Mini or LifeStraw Personal Water Filter for removing bacteria and parasites. These allow you to drink from lakes, streams, etc by filtering up to 100,000 gallons of water. Having personal water filtration guarantees access to potable water which is essential to your health and survival.
So in summary, versatile multi-tools, fire starting gear, and water filters represent some of the most indispensable survival items that every prepper should carry in their backpack or bug out bag. Invest in reliable survival gear engineered for the outdoors to be ready for emergencies.
What item is required for survival?
A basic disaster supplies kit is essential for every prepper. At a minimum, your kit should contain critical items like:
Water
- Stock at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and basic sanitation. Plan for several days' supply. Store water in food-grade plastic containers and replace it every six months.
Food
- Keep a multi-day supply of non-perishable foods that don't require refrigeration or preparation. Some good options are protein bars, canned goods, nuts, dried fruits, and MREs (Meals Ready to Eat).
Communication Devices
- A battery-powered or hand crank AM/FM radio will allow you to stay updated on news and weather alerts when the power fails. Pair this with a NOAA weather radio for direct access to emergency broadcasts.
Light Sources
- Flashlights and lanterns with extra batteries are vital when the lights go out. Candles can also provide light, but pose fire risks. Consider renewable light sources like solar-powered lamps as backups.
Basic Tools
- A good multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife packs useful features like knives, screwdrivers, scissors, and bottle openers into one portable survival tool. Duct tape and zip ties can also help with repairs.
Equipping yourself with these fundamental survival gear items will empower you to handle short-term crises. Continue expanding your supplies based on your family's unique needs.
What is the most important survival kit?
When building a survival kit, there are essential items that every prepper should have on hand. At a bare minimum, your kit should contain basic supplies like water, food, a flashlight, first aid supplies, shelter, navigation tools, and other necessities to survive for at least 72 hours.
Water
Having an adequate water supply is critical - plan for at least one gallon per person per day. A 3-day supply is recommended for a go-bag, while you'll want a 2-week supply readily available at home. Water filtration devices like portable filters or water purification tablets are also extremely useful for procuring water in the wilderness if supplies run low.
Food
Stock up on lightweight, nutrient-dense, non-perishable foods like protein bars, dried fruit, beef jerky, and meal replacement shakes or MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). These will provide you sustenance in survival scenarios. Again, have at least a 3-day supply in your go-bag, and 2-week supply for home storage.
Light
Every survival kit should contain a flashlight or headlamp. Choose LED flashlights that are impact and water-resistant. Having extra batteries is also essential should your main light source stop functioning. Glow sticks also serve as useful secondary lighting sources.
Tailor your survival gear to your needs, but this basic gear can mean the difference between life or death in an emergency.
What were the items in the survival pack?
Brian was relieved to open his survival pack and find several essential items inside. These included:
- A warm sleeping bag and foam sleeping pad to help him rest comfortably in the wilderness
- A compact cookset with a pot, pan, and utensils to prepare meals
- Waterproof matches and lighters to easily start fires
- A sturdy fixed-blade survival knife for preparing food and making shelters
- A compass to help navigate his way back to safety
- A well-stocked first-aid kit to treat any injuries
- A cap to protect him from the elements
- Fishing line and hooks to catch food if needed
While Brian hoped he wouldn't be lost in the woods for long, finding these survival gear essentials gave him peace of mind that he could meet his basic needs if necessary. He felt empowered knowing he had reliable gear to face various emergency scenarios.
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Best Wilderness Survival Gear and Equipment
For longer-term scenarios outdoors, these items offer shelter, sustenance and navigation.
Portable Emergency Shelters and Bivvy Sacks
Portable shelters like tents and bivouacs protect from elements while keeping pack weight down. Brands like Snugpak excel here.
When heading into the wilderness for an extended period, having lightweight yet protective shelter is essential survival gear. Options like bivvy sacks and small 1-2 person tents from reputable brands like Snugpak are excellent choices that provide refuge from the elements while adding little weight to your pack.
Made of waterproof and breathable materials like Gore-Tex, these portable shelters setup in minutes. Their low-profile design sheds wind and precipitation while insulating body heat to keep you warm. Spending a night in a bivvy sack or tent beats alternative makeshift shelters hands down.
Many feature built-in mosquito netting to protect from insects. Some like the Snugpak Stratosphere even have an elevated sleeping platform to stay dry above wet ground. For survival scenarios, this type of versatile portable shelter is vital survival gear.
Efficient Hunting Tools
For procuring wild game, tools like folding knives, fishing line/lures, slingshots, small game snares are extremely useful.
When surviving long-term in the wilderness, procuring meat through hunting wild game is critical. Useful survival gear for this includes:
- Folding & Fixed Blade Knives - for field dressing hunted game and other camp tasks. Models with full tang construction from steel alloys like 440C or 154CM hold an edge incredibly well. Knife brands like Benchmade and Buck make excellent hunting/outdoor fixed blades & folders.
- Fishing Line, Lures & Tackle - set up snares and traps to secure reliable protein sources from streams and lakes. Braided line with high tensile strength is ideal. Companies like Rapala pioneered many of the best fishing lures for generations.
- Slingshots & Ammo - take down small game effectively with specialized slingshots launching steel shot at high velocities from brands like SimpleShot.
- Small Game Snares - secure squirrels/rabbits with tactically placed snares from cordage/wire. Quick to set up and efficient at collecting protein.
This hunting gear helps feed yourself indefinitely when surviving off-grid. It offers silent, renewable sustenance procurement without relying on preserved rations.
Robust Water Containers and Filtration
Storing ample water supply using bottles/bladders and purifying it with devices like the Sawyer MINI filter are vital for off-grid survival.
Safe water access is among the top survival priorities. Useful solutions include:
- Water Bottles/Bladders - sturdy vessels for transporting ample H2O supply on treks. Top brands like Nalgene and Camelback offer BPA-free, shatter-resistant bottles/bladders holding 1-3 liters comfortably.
- Water Filters - make discovered water sources potable. The Sawyer MINI filter screws onto standard bottles, removing 99.9% of bacteria/protozoa from up to 100,000 gallons and lasts for years.
- Water Purification Tablets - backup option using chlorine dioxide to kill viruses & bacteria when filters are unavailable. Veterans recommend Potable Aqua.
This survival gear allows safely carrying ample reserves of water while harnessing found sources for indefinite off-grid endurance. They are arguably the most important items to have when operating remotely.
Essential Firemaking Tools
Items like ferrocerium rods, stormproof matches and lighter allow starting warming fires for cooking and heat.
Genering fire is paramount for survival purposes like boiling water, cooking food and generating warmth. Numerous tools enable this critical capability:
- Ferrocerium Rods - strike these flint-based rods with knife blades showering sparks to ignite tinder. Brands like Überleben make quality rods lasting thousands of strikes.
- Stormproof Matches - waterproof/windproof matches guaranteed to light after submersion. UCO Stormproof Matches come in self-contained kits.
- Lighters - simple yet reliable fire source even in wet conditions. Butane lighters from Bic last the longest.
These essential survival gear items enable starting fires for warmth and cooking during wilderness survival scenarios spanning months potentially.
Accurate Navigation Items
Whether map and compass or GPS devices, having multiple ways to navigate dramatically cuts getting lost risk.
When moving cross-country through wilderness, precise navigation is critical. Useful solutions include:
- Topographic Maps & Compass - tried and true navigation allowing movement planning through landscapes by terrain features. Waterproof versions from ExpertGPS survive abuse. Military-spec baseplate compasses from Suunto withstand professional use.
- GPS Devices - modern navigation solution marking exact coordinates using satellites signals. Rugged, waterproof units from Garmin and Casio keep you on track.
- Personal Locator Beacons - transmit emergency SOS messages via satellites to notify rescuers of distress signals. Devices like the ACR ResQLink 400 saves lives as last resorts.
Accurate navigation is paramount for pathfinding through wilderness while avoiding hazards. It also enables linking up with rescue if injured or lost. For off-grid excursions, having redundant navigation capability is prudent survival preparedness.
High-Quality Urban Survival Gear
For disaster preparedness in populated areas, these items fill basic needs and allow escaping harm's way. Having the right urban survival gear is crucial when disaster strikes crowded cities and suburbs.
Comprehensive 72-Hour Survival Backpacks
Self-contained bags holding 3+ days of food/water, first aid, tools. Makes 'bugging out' of disaster zones doable.
Urban disaster preparedness starts with having 72-hour survival backpacks ready to go at a moment's notice. These self-contained bags should include at minimum:
- 3 days supply of food and water (2,000 calories per day)
- First aid kits - bandages, ointments, medicines
- Light sources - flashlight, glow sticks, headlamp
- Multitool or basic toolkit - knife, pliers, screwdrivers
- Emergency blankets and hand warmers
- Battery pack and cables to charge devices
- Whistle and protective dust masks
Choosing a high-end survival backpack designed specifically for urban scenarios streamlines the bug out process. Key features like molle webbing to attach additional pouches and structured compartments keep your most vital gear secure and accessible.
Having 72-hour bags prepped allows escaping dangerous disaster zones rapidly on foot or public transit if needed. You won't have to scramble gathering supplies with crisis unfolding. Just grab bags and essentials like cash/IDs, then head to safety.
Effective Two-Way Radios
Enable communication with others when cell networks are down. Long range capability amplifies effectiveness.
Two-way radios continue working when cell towers fail, making them invaluable survival gear for groups. High-end models like Motorola's emergency radios have up to 35 mile range indoors/outdoors.
Key features for reliable two-way radio communication include:
- NOAA weather band - receive emergency alerts
- High frequency range - more signal penetration
- Encryption - private channels for your group
- Headset jack - hands-free use
- Rechargeable batteries
Having a standardized radio channel amongst friends, family, and neighbors establishes a resilient local communication network if disasters knock out regular phone services.
Nutrient-Dense Food Rations and MREs
Compact, long-lasting food supplies mean not relying on unstable supply chains. High calorie density aids survival.
Stockpiling dense food rations avoids starvation if supply chains falter after catastrophes. Nutrient-rich options like Datrex emergency food bars provide 2,400 calories and stay edible for 5 years.
Great for bug out bags, MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat) pack familiar foods like pasta, tuna, apple sauce, peanut butter into portable ration packs needing no refrigeration. MRE cases contain a day's nutrition (1,200 calories). Flameless heaters quickly warm meals while on the move.
Having substantial food reserves eliminates reliance on grocery stores, allowing hunkering down until order restores. Hardy survival food also makes useful bartering goods later.
Protective Equipment Essentials
Respirator masks, boots and clothing safeguard against hazardous environments, smoke inhalation, debris.
Disasters unleash dangerous materials and unhealthy debris demanding protective equipment like:
- N95/N100 respirator masks filtering 95-99% of particles
- Work boots/steel toes resisting punctures, heat, water
- Fire resistant jackets, gloves and goggles
- Chemical spill suits if hazmat threats exist
Well-outfitted individuals safely traverse disaster aftermaths and aid others requiring protective gear to prevent lung damage, wounds, burns.
Stashing protective equipment in 72-hour bags ensures you have lifesaving gear no matter the conditions faced when fleeing quickly.
Accessible Cash Reserves
Having physical currency on hand provides bartering ability and flexibility when electronic systems fail.
ATMs and payment systems often shutdown following floods, quakes and unrest. Having extra cash guarantees the flexibility to cover expenses if electronic transfers fail. It also enables bartering as currency holds intrinsic value during upheavals versus digital money vulnerable to erasure.
Ideal cash reserves for survival purposes include:
- $2,000+ in small bills - $5, $10, $20
- Mix of currencies - US dollars, Canadian dollars, Euros
- Some precious metals - silver coins, fractional gold bars
Distributed across secure locations, these liquid funds provide purchasing power when commerce systems wobble. Cash handily stores unlike digital assets vulnerable to cyber attack as catastrophes mount.
Top Survival Gear Companies and Selection Criteria
Vetting products on critical factors like durability, weight, multi-functionality ensures your most vital items perform when needed most.
Reputation and Reviews of Top Survival Gear Companies
When selecting survival gear, reputation and reviews should be top considerations. Established companies like Leatherman, SureFire, Gerber, and SOG have years of experience crafting high-quality tools and equipment designed to withstand extreme conditions. The reputation they've built for durability, reliability, and effectiveness makes their products a safer bet for betting your life on.
User reviews on sites like Amazon and specialty outdoor forums can also provide great insight. Look for gear with consistently positive feedback on longevity, ease of use, weight, and how they hold up during real-world disasters and outdoor excursions. Avoid products with quality control issues or multiple reviews mentioning vital components broke easily.
While newer companies can sometimes offer unique innovations, proven mainstays provide confidence their gear will perform when you need it most.
The Importance of Field Testing Items
Simply reading product descriptions often fails to reveal strengths and weaknesses apparent only during hands-on use. Taking new gear out camping or on day hikes provides invaluable testing of real-world performance.
Pay attention to comfort, ease of access, weather resistance, glare issues, and component failures. Note any lacking features that would improve the utility. Document how the survival gear handles over longer durations under strain.
This field testing builds confidence in integrating equipment you trust into emergency and survival packs. It also aids winnowing unnecessary items that seem clever in concept but prove useless in practice.
The Versatility of Multi-Functional Gear
Given the constraints of weight and space when packing for unknown threats, multi-functional gear solves many problems at once. Prioritize tools, utensils, and other items serving more than one purpose.
For example, solid fixed-blade knives can chop wood, pry open cans, carve traps, and defend against animals if needed. A metal container pot accomplishes boiling water, cooking meals, and carrying other smaller items. Bandanas operate as improvised water filters, tourniquets, slings, and signaling devices.
Seeking out adapatable equipment with overlapping uses makes your survival preparations more flexible in responding to diverse risks. Having fewer items pulling multiple duties also lightens your critical load.
Assessing Durability and Ruggedness
Surviving in the wilderness or disaster aftermath entails exposure to extreme weather, rough terrain, and high physical demands. Gear failure at the wrong moment could prove catastrophic. When evaluating survival gear, carefully assess durability and ruggedness first.
Look for solid construction from quality materials like aerospace-grade aluminum, carbon fiber, diamond-cut cobalt, or surgical stainless steel where possible. These resist dents, corrosion, breaks, and wear far longer. Robust sheaths, handles, and storage cases also protect when not in use.
Well-designed tools feel substantial in your hand, leveraging physics for chopping/cutting. Shoddy or light metals bend easily. Favor simpler mechanics with fewer breakable parts. Test functions requiring finesse like firestarter strikers or folding mechanisms.
While no equipment lasts forever, favor the most durable and rugged options within budget. Repairs in the wilderness won't be an option.
Balancing Weight Considerations
You must carry every essential item while hiking to safety or securing basic needs. Lighter gear prevents rapid fatigue, joint issues, and back problems - helping maintain critical mobility. But over-focusing on feathery ounces risks fragile equipment failing when you need it most.
Assess each item’s weight against its utility. Streamline overlapping tools but keep redundant fire or water options as insurance against failure. Carabiners, paracord, and folding saws trim heft while still providing vital functions. Set weight minimums on knives, shelters, and cooking gear needing sturdiness to avoid disasters.
With thoughtful trade-offs, keeping pack weight under control need not require risky compromises on durability. Carefully balance these considerations for each piece of gear your life could depend on.
Building a Comprehensive Layered Survival System
Creating multiple tiers of preparation ensures capacity meeting a range of risks from local disasters to societal collapse.
Strategic Storing of Backup Supplies
Caching extra survival gear and supplies in strategic bug out locations provides critical reinforcements in case your primary supplies are compromised or unavailable. Useful items to cache may include:
- Extra food rations and water filtration/purification equipment
- Backup communications devices, batteries, solar chargers
- Basic medical supplies, medications, first aid kits
- Tools, shelter building supplies, cooking equipment
- Navigation items like maps, compasses, GPS devices
- Barter items, cash, precious metals
Rotating stock and ensuring proper storage conditions will keep cached gear protected and maintained for emergency use when required.
Ensuring Localized and Mobile Resources
Maintaining everyday carry (EDC) bags equipped with 72-hours worth of essential survival gear provides critical capacity for addressing localized disasters or situations necessitating rapid evacuation. Useful items to include may be:
- Water, high calorie food rations, basic cooking supplies
- First aid resources, basic medications
- Flashlights, batteries, fire starting capacity
- Shelter building equipment, emergency blankets, tools
- Navigation items, maps, communication devices
- Self defense equipment depending on laws and environment
Keeping EDC bags organized and equipped provides mobile capacity stabilizing most short term crisis scenarios.
Establishing Secured Long Term Shelters
Constructing dedicated underground bunkers or shelters, properly stocked with months to years of supplies provides ultimate insurance if all else fails. Useful considerations may include:
- Hardened location away from flood zones, fire risks, nuclear targets
- Reliable air filtration, ventilation, temperature regulation
- Independent power via solar, wind, generators with fuel storage
- Ample food, water, medical supplies for duration
- Communications equipment, security monitoring systems
- Tools, equipment for indefinite sheltering if needed
Though expensive, ultimate shelters provide final option enabling survival through severe, long duration threats to established settlements.
Investing in Hardened Retreat Locations
Obtaining rural retreat location in strategic geographic area better insulates from urban instability while providing site for establishing resilience. Ideal features may encompass:
- Arable land, flowing water, forests with hunting
- Durable structures, secure perimeter, remote monitors
- Renewable power sources, water access and storage
- Facilities for sheltering group, equipment storage
- Food growth, livestock capacity, supply warehousing
Though often costly, rural retreats procure space enabling development of secure facilities and sustainable resources hedging against disruption of traditional infrastructure.
Investing in Resilient Communications Equipment
Reliable communications provide critical capacity when normal infrastructure fails. Useful items include:
- Two-way radios enabling local communications
- Satellite phones, messengers reaching global networks
- Radio direction finders aiding location services
- Local computing networks, data backup solutions
- Hardened communication rooms or facilities
With robust communication equipment, information and coordination remains possible supporting effective response even if traditional connectivity methods fail.
Redundancy across survival systems, through caching of survival gear, mobile readiness, secured shelters and hardened retreat locations, backed by resilient communications equipment, provides layered capacity addressing wide spectrum of risks - enabling preservation of life through virtually any crisis scenario.
Final Thoughts on Outdoor Survival Gear
Outdoor and wilderness survival gear can mean the difference between life and death when disaster strikes. Having reliable equipment for shelter, water, fire, food, navigation, and first aid is critical. However, gear alone is not enough to guarantee survival. Proper training in core survival skills is equally vital, as is being part of a community and maintaining strength of spirit.
Prioritizing Skills Over High-End Gear
While fancy equipment from top brands seems appealing, technical know-how and proficiency should take priority. An expert with basic gear can accomplish more than an amateur with cutting-edge equipment. Focus first on competency with fundamental skills like building shelters, starting fires, foraging, orienteering, and administering first aid. These talents never fail even if equipment does.
The Benefits of Being Part of a Preparedness Group
Belonging to a community focused on emergency readiness provides significant advantages lone wolf preppers lack. You can rely on others for mutual assistance, play to individual strengths via specialization, collectively store more provisions and handle bigger projects. Social support also helps maintain morale. However, carefully vet any group to ensure shared values and avoid instability.
Maintaining the Human Spirit
When facing the stress of disasters, strength of heart and morality can make the difference between perseverance and despair. Cultivate qualities like ingenuity, tenacity, courage, patience, selflessness and hope within yourself and your community. Be ready to comfort and care for others. Stay vigilant against fear, impatience, selfishness and hopelessness - such weaknesses compound danger. With fortitude and compassion, we endure.
