These days many people in the United States and elsewhere are in a constant state of anxiety given many of the precarious state of affairs around the world.
The value of the US dollar is continuing to deteriorate, largely due to the reckless monetary policies of our own government and the banking cartel, as well as a geo-economic shift away from the petrodollar combined with rising inflation and an unsustainable national debt placing us in the constant peril of a potential economic collapse; Mass civil unrest is a constant looming danger due to the weaponization of political tribalism and divide and conquer psyops designed to pit average citizens against one another over petty differences to ensure the masses do not unite against the ruling predator class.
Environmental disasters appear to be increasing with frequent regularity, often attributed to anthropogenic “climate change” but more accurately ascribed to a combination of corporate ecocide as big business monopolies poison the environment as a byproduct of production and / or outright pillage it for its natural resources; and decades old covert geoengineering programs used as a means of attempting to control or otherwise modify the weather, resulting in catastrophic consequences. In addition to the potential of random natural disasters in general which pose their own risks.
Wars, and the possibilities of wars — proliferated largely by the ruthless and destabilizing policies of US imperialism pursuant to maintaining the current world order of unipolar hegemony — on ever increasing larger and more destructive scales pose the constant threat of altering life as we know it, either in the instance of a looming third World War or even worse still a nuclear cataclysm.
Supply chain disruptions, infrastructure failures, pandemics — either naturally occurring or manmade, dystopian authoritarianism, random disasters and unpredictable events all pose their own unique risks to the peace and prosperity of society which deserve to be acknowledged as reality and prepared for.
Oftentimes preparing for disaster, colloquially referred to as prepping, is dismissed and discounted or even ridiculed. Regarded as a behavior of the chronically paranoid, usually assigned as a mindset of conspiracy theorists or apocalypticism. But bad things can and do happen, civilizations can experience turmoil and even collapse entirely. The historical record is rife with examples of this happening and it is only our own hubris that makes us believe our modern society is impervious from this reality.
The same way that one buys insurance, keeps a fire extinguisher tucked away under the sink, or a first aid kit in the closet in case you need them, people would do well to ensure that they are more adequately prepared for a serious disaster in the event that one occurs. As such we have compiled a list of the top 50 essential supplies that one may need to survive. Of course it goes without saying that what and how much you can carry varies by scenario, it’s best to keep in mind that ounces equal pounds. That being said this list has been put together taking various different types of circumstances into account.
First, the bare essentials —
• Storable nonperishable food.
• Safe, clean water for drinking and other uses.
Human beings need food and water to survive. So when it comes to emergency food storage it is imperative to have a good supply, whether that be emergency food supplies bought from a survival website or store, or something more basic along the lines of MRE’s, or canned goods and other items with a long shelf life. Food and an ample supply of water is essential. As is the ability to store transport and maintain those items.
• Backpack.
• Canteen / water bladder/ camelback.
• Water purification tablets / lifestraw.
• Seeds for growing food and other edible or medicinal plants could also be helpful in a long term scenario.
In a situation where for whatever reason you may not have access to stores of food being able to acquire and preserve your own also requires some basic supplies, including:
• Hunting gear; including guns and ammo (also useful for self-defense) (and basic gun cleaning kit), slingshot, bow and arrows, as well as a spool of durable string or wire for crafting rudimentary snares and traps.
• Fishing gear, including a small bow of hooks/ tackle, spool of fishing line, portable net, foldable fishing net trap, collapsible fishing pole, etc.
• As well as a means of preserving what you catch either with salt, smoking the meat, dehydrating it, or some other method.
• Some basic cooking utensils are also obviously necessary such as a portable cooking stove, or tripod stand for cooking over fire. A small camp mess kit and hand utensils (spork, can opener, etc.) Also spices.
• As are fire starting materials such as matches, a waterproof arc lighter, or a flint and striker.
Once those essentials are squared away several other pieces of equipment could be invaluably useful in a myriad of different circumstances.
• First aid kit / medical supplies, medications, and vitamins.
• Rechargeable solar flashlights.
• Solar charging block/ power bank
• Small hand crank generator.
• Extra batteries.
• Toiletries including toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste as well as deodorant, soap, squeezable bidet bottle (because eventually your toilet paper will run out), portable camp shower bag, and other hygiene essentials — Keeping yourself clean helps to prevent illness and infection as well as helps to maintain good mental health, things that are absolutely imperative in a survival scenario.
• Portable toilet or at the very least a 5 gallon bucket to be used as one. Keeping a few 5 gallon buckets on hand couldn’t hurt since they can be used for multiple purposes (transporting materials, collecting water.)
• Washboard (along with detergent, unscented bleach powder, clothes pins, and drying line) — In a survival scenario trying to keep your clothes clean is just as important as keeping your body clean.
• BOOTS (and socks). If you’re going to be constantly on the move a good comfortable pair of durable boots are a godsend. As are extra socks. You may be able to get by with just constantly rewashing the same set of clothes (although if you can carry extra you should) but nothing beats a fresh pair of clean socks.
• Basic hand tools (hammer, saw, crowbar, bolt cutters, etc.)
• Multitool or similar multi-purpose utility tools such as an E-tool and multi-function survival/ camping hatchet. A good knife is also advisable.
• A sharpener.
• Maps.
• Compass.
• 550 paracord. Lots of it.
• Some kind of communication equipment; portable ham radio/ CB radio, walkie-talkie, satellite phone, etc.
• Duct tape.
• Sewing Kit
• Tarp.
• Space/ thermal blanket.
• Tent and or bivy sack.
• Hammock
• Sleeping bag.
• Poncho.
• Gas mask specifically suited for filtering nuclear, biological, and chemical agents.
• Ultra bright chemlights / glow sticks.
• Signal mirror.
• Whistle.
• Bug repellant.
• Gloves.
• Compact binoculars.
• Ziploc bags
• A journal and pencils (and a pencil sharpener / extra eraser.)
• Glasses (and a repair kit) – Those that wear glasses should definitely make sure they have an extra pair and a way to fix them.
• Items for entertainment including playing cards, board games, puzzles, books, dice, an MP3 player or old CD player with CD’s, basketball or football, maybe even an instrument or two such as a harmonica or acoustic guitar. Simple things such as these can go a long way towards maintaining morale.
• Barterable items. It’s important to have something you can trade with in a survival situation, especially one where people may be desperate and or unpredictable. Keep a few things that people may want on hand. Pretty much anything featured on this list could be a barrable item, but it would also be good to consider the unorthodox. Gold or silver, coffee or tea, nicotine or alcohol among other things would still be considered desirable items in a survival scenario.
• A rugged bicycle. — Often overlooked, in a potential scenario where fuel may run low or vehicles may not be accessible due to an EMP, a strong bicycle with panniers or perhaps even a small trailer would be an invaluable form of alternate transportation. In that circumstance a repair kit and some spare parts would also be good to keep on hand.
And finally, the last and arguably most paramount piece of survival equipment, is knowledge. No amount of prep gear will be enough to save your ass if you don’t have the appropriate knowhow to use it. And not just the knowledge of using equipment, but other essential knowledge as well. Knowing land navigation, your local flora and fauna, concealment tactics, animal tracking, psychology and human behavior to better understand how to interact with other people who may or may not be hostile are all crucial.
Nobody wants to have to go through a disastrous survival situation. But things happen. So it’s always best to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. As they say, it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.