Big Ticket Items That Belong On Your Prepper Gear List

There are lots of cheap prepper supplies that are great for building a beginner’s survival kit. But if you want to build the ultimate survival stockpile, there are some amazing big ticket prepping supplies that belong on your prepper gear list. You may need to save up for these items, but they are definitely worth owning. In some cases, you can find cheaper alternatives, but either way, they will help you thrive in a disaster or emergency situation.

What we’re going to discuss is prepper gear for a long term emergency. Whenever something big happens, one of the first results is the emptying of grocery store shelves. Most people are unprepared for an emergency, but when one happens, they will immediately rush to the store to buy anything and everything. And it doesn’t take long to empty those shelves, leaving nothing for you.

Whether it’s an earthquake that damages roads, making it impossible for trucks to deliver goods to your area, a sudden pandemic such as the Corona Virus, or just a lack of money that prevents you from buying an emergency food supply, you’ll want to start building a stockpile of important survival supplies that will get you through the hard times. And it all starts by creating a prepper gear list that is all-inclusive.

Water: The Number One Item on Any Survival Gear List

When it comes to prepper gear, water is surely the most important. As a general rule, people need one gallon of water per day. Half is used for drinking and half for hygiene. However, if you live in a hot climate area, or someone in your household is pregnant or nursing a baby, you’ll want to store extra water. Storing at least two weeks worth of water is recommended. For a family of four, that translates to 56 gallons total.

The general consensus is that water should be stored in food-grade plastic bottles. The easiest way to stock up is with store-bought bottled water. A case of 36 water bottles at 16.9 ounces each will give you a total of about 4.75 gallons. Buying one case per week for 12 weeks would supply a family of four for two weeks. If you store water this way, you’ll want to replace it every 6 months or so. This is done by simply drinking one case every two weeks and buying a new case to replace it. Just make sure to drink the oldest water first.

Long Term Water Storage

There are options for storing larger amounts of water. The three best methods are 5-7 gallon water containers, 55 gallon barrels, and 160 gallon water storage tanks. A quality 7 gallon container from Reliance Products goes for about $15. As with store-bought water bottles, you can buy one at a time until you have the desired amount.

The Augason Farms 55-gallon Water Barrel will run you more than $100. Since it’s much heavier when filled, you’ll also need some type of siphon to be able to use the water. A third option is a 160 gallon water reserve tank. It’s the most expensive way to store water, but it’s extremely handy. By stacking one on top of the other, you store 320 gallons in a small space. Plus, they have spouts, so no siphons are necessary. They run just over $500, but if money is no object, this is a great water storage option.

Lastly, you’ll also want to buy some water treatment drops for treating the water. The drops will kill bacteria and control the buildup of slime in water storage containers.

Reverse Osmosis Water Filter

Water storage is great for situations where your water is shut off. However, if you still have running water, it’s a good idea to filter it for drinking. Depending on the type of disaster or emergency you’re experiencing, water can become contaminated. This is where a water filtration system will come in handy.

I have been using the APEC Essence Roes-50 water filtration system for years. The entire system was easy to install and it’s easy to replace the filters when necessary, unlike some systems. It will remove up to 99% of contaminants such as chlorine, arsenic, fluoride, lead, heavy metals, bacteria, and more than 1000 other contaminants. You’ll get up to 50 gallons of clean, fresh tasting, drinking water per day. It’ll run you about $190, but the replacement filters are fairly inexpensive.

Food: A Key Ingredient on a Survival Kit List

In addition to water, an emergency food supply should be on every prepper gear list. You can live without a lot of survival gear, but you can’t live without food and water for very long.

Augason Farms offers many options to choose from. Whether you want a 3-day emergency food supply or a one year supply, they’ve got you covered. Their long term food supplies come in stackable pails with a shelf life of up to 25 years. You’ll have a wide variety of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, milk, snacks, desserts, and more. You’ll find meals that include hearty soups, breads, muffins, pancakes, baking staples, eggs and dairy, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, wheat and grain, beans, meat substitutes for longer storage, drinks, and more.

Solar Generator Power Stations

So what do you do when your power goes out? Sit in the dark? Eat cold food? The Goal Zero Yeti 3000 Lithium Portable Power Station stores 3000 watt-hours of power in a replaceable lithium battery pack. It offers a wide variety of power outputs and can run 10 devices at one time. They also offer smaller solar generators at various price points (Yeti 200X, Yeti 400, Yeti 1000, Yeti 1400). Prices run from about $300 to $3,000, depending on the size.

One of the biggest problems people have when the power goes out is having their refrigerated food go bad. The Yeti 3000 can power refrigerators, lights, medical devices, sump pumps, and more. Plus, it’s portable, and safe for indoor use, unlike gas-powered generators. There’s also no noise, no fumes, and no need to store gasoline. When the power eventually comes back on, simply plug it in to recharge. You can also turn ports on and off, and check battery levels, by installing the free Goal Zero Yeti App on your mobile phone.

Portable Solar Cooker

When the power goes out, and the electric stove or oven isn’t working, you can still cook food. Just load the food into the tube cooking chamber of the GoSun Sport Portable Solar Cooker and set it to cook. It can reach temperatures up to 550°F and cook a meal in as little as 20 minutes. If you can see a shadow, you can cook.

There are many items that belong on a prepper gear list. I’ve only listed a few of the most important. These prepper supplies may not fit into a bug out bag, but if you are not forced to evacuate your home, they can make life so much better.