Survival Supplies – 25+ Things That Will Fit in a Backpack

Survival Supplies – 25+ Things That Will Fit in a Backpack

A lot of people ask me... What types of things should I have nearby in case of emergency? Now there are a lot of things that come to mind… Each case is different; the following is a list of useful items and survival equipment that all families should have nearby.

Back Pack- External Frame or Internal Frame or G.I duffel bag with carry straps.

Books, Magazines, Reading Materials

Binoculars

Butane LIGHTER; Fire Paste (a gel that ignites damp wood); Matches;

Compass

COPIES OF IMPORTANT PAPERS: insurance papers, drivers license, important phone numbers, bank information, weapon permit, military id, shot records, passport, medical insurance cards, etc.

Disposable Shavers; Soap; Toothbrush; (Baking Soda doubles as Toothpaste, multiple uses, saves space);

Emergency Strobe (LED Flashing) & Extra Batts.

Flashlight & Extra batteries/bulb

FOODS: High-Calorie, "Compact" Items; (Even if you don't eat this stuff normally, Consider Low-Temperature, Labor-Intensive, Emotionally-Trying Conditions & Plan Accordingly): Chocolate; Vegetable Oil (Pure-Fat & Condensed - Very Practical!); "Morale" Foods; "Survival Bar" (3-day); Beef Jerky-vac sealed;

Knife - folding (Gerber lock blade knife)

Maps / Road Atlases

Mirror - Small handheld for signaling

Money ($20 Quarters; $100 Small Bills)

Navy Watch Cap-wool (90% of body heat is lost via an uncovered head!)

Notebook (waterproof if poss)

Paper Towels - more uses than toilet paper, more space-efficient

Pens/Pencils

Radio - Wind-Up AM/FM/SW (Small, built-in generator)

Rain Suit

Space Blanket (Thin, Foil Lined)

Spare keys, phone card

Survival candle in a can such as the Nuwick Candle-good for 120 hours

Survival Saw ("wire" saw)

Tools: VICE GRIPS, Screwdrivers (Phillips & Slotted), Adjustable Wrench, Tin Snips (Heavy-Grade Scissors); Lightweight HAMMER (also good for defense)

TOYS: Playing Cards, Frisbee,

Watch/Timepiece (Cheap, tough LCD plastic watches Probably best)

Water: 1/2 Gal For your carry-bag/Backpack; Because of water's weightiness, a small water filter should be included - even a few Coffee Filters pressed between a couple of plastic planters;

Whistle

Keep in mind that this list contains just a few basics that we all should have in our possession. It is in no means a comprehensive list of survival gear or supplies. I will elaborate more on why each one of these things may be useful in future articles. Hopefully this gives you a good start on your survival kit!

Survival Gear for Beginners – Long Term Survival Food Strategy Part 2

In the last article we discussed factors to consider in preparing your long term survival food strategy. As we previously stated, Mountain House brand freeze dried foods are an excellent choice to stock up on in the event of a crisis.

In order to prepare, you will need a large quantity of #10 cans of freeze dried food as well as a large water supply. If you have a family of four, you will be able to store roughly 3 months worth of freeze dried food and water in a space about 3 feet by 3 feet with a 4ft ceiling.

This quantity of food and water should be easily transportable in truck, van or sports utility vehicle. You will want to keep this survival kit somewhere very accessible, preferably not inside your house because... you never know what type of disaster you will be facing.

Generally a 3 month water supply would be equivalent to about eight 55 gallon containers or 440 gallons. There are drums available that can store food or water safely for up to five years.

I hope this article has been able to assist you in your preparations for a long term food and water supply. In future articles we will touch on other considerations in regard to survival gear and supplies.