Shopping Guide – Survival, SHTF

There is nothing more American than taking responsibility.  It is a good idea to learn basic ways to provide for yourself in a survival situation.  It is important to know how to split wood in different ways with different tools, how to navigate without a map or compass, how to maximize your firewood, find or purify water multiple ways, and other things.  This is a list of things you can buy that will help, listed in order of what is most important, first.

  1. Knife – the most important tool
    Morakniv Companion Heavy Duty Knife with Sandvik Carbon Steel Blade 4.1-Inch $20
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NZVZ3E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.  When you have more money, buy a better knife: The Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife $475
  2. Food
    1. make your own pemmican as there is no commercial source to buy real shelf-stable pemmican, containing meat AND fat (fat being the most important).  If you can’t, buy jerky.  It doesn’t have fat, but at least it’s something that has shelf life.
    2. learn how to find wild food
    3. pine tree needle tea
    4. Hopefully you’ve already mastered other ways to find food, like making a bow and arrow, or setting line traps, catching fish, etc. $14 Essential Bushcraft by Mears https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0340829710/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  3. Fire-starter
    Go for the best – http://www.firesteel.com.  But, you can start a fire simply with a 95% carbon steel knife and a piece of flint rock.  Armageddon Gobspark w/ magnesium rod $27
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X37BRL2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  4. Fire prolonger
    Unless you’re really good at making fires, it’s not a bad idea to have something to keep the fire going while you pile the wood on.  Cotton balls with vaseline worked in is perfect for this.
  5. Water container to boil water.  You can’t ‘boil out’ chemicals, but you can boil out organisms that can make you sick.  You don’t have to boil the water for a long time — as soon as it reaches a boil, it is safe.  Zebra loop handle pot works best so you can hang it or put it on the fire: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LWLU5MJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1.  Zebra billy can canvas bag – 14 cm $18 https://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/1294-Ray-Mears-Canvas-Zebra-Billy-Can-Bag-14-cm/
  6. Might be a good idea to have some water purification tablets as a back up, like chlorine dioxide or iodine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IBY64W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  7. Bath wipes for keeping clean after expelling waste – biodegradable
    Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes, 6 x 8-Inch $9 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUHXMZ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  8. Warmth blanket
    If you live in a cold climate, it is a GREAT idea to have something that can double as a tarp and a really warm yet durable blanket.  You can use these as a roof or to lay on, or warp around you.  Survive Outdoors Longer (S.O.L.) Windproof All Season Blanket $17
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078GQPKV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  9. Shelter tarp for rain
    Hilleberg Tarp either 10 XP for two people $200, or 20XP $370 for more.  It comes with 3mm ropes (guy lines).  If you get a different tarp make sure you have four lengths of 4 metre-long thin cord (2mm), and one length of 7 metre-long thick ridgeline rope (5mm)
    https://hilleberg.com/eng/shelters/tarp/.  Tarp pole $65: https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/tent-accessories/
  10. Pegs to hold tarp
    https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/tent-accessories/
  11. Rope to lash shelters
  12. Navigation
    1. book – Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass by Gatty $10 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/048640613X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    2. How to find the North star http://survivaltopics.com/how-to-find-the-north-star/
    3. Compass
      Suunto MC-2G In Global  $63 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0020MACLS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    4. Maps to get out of the city and to a location where you know you’ll be safe
  13. Medical kit
    My Medic – pick the item you think you might need instead of buying a kit.  You won’t find them cheaper anywhere, and in the exact number you want.
  14. Saw
    1. folding pocket saw – Bahco 396-LAP Laplander Folding Saw, 7-1/2 $24 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001IX7OW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    2. buck saw – Agawa Canyon – BOREAL21 with Rancher blade $63
  15. Axe
    Gransfors Bruks Ray Mears Wilderness $140 https://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/814-Gransfors-Bruks-Ray-Mears-Wilderness-Axe/. Ray Mears Folding Buck Saw Case $75 https://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/832-Ray-Mears-Folding-Buck-Saw-Case/
  16. Wood stove in case the grid goes down from Woodstock Soapstone Company https://www.woodstove.com.  The Survival Hybrid stove is recommended for anyone with a tiny home: https://www.woodstove.com/index.php/new-survival-hybrid. At 310 pounds, it is not a portable stove like the Snow Trekker stoves meant for cold weather tent camping.

Extras

  1. Flashlight $50(Lenser P7QC AAA) or headlamp $80(Princeton Tec Apex AA or Nitecore HC65 CR123)
  2. Liner silk
    Sea To Summit Silk Stretch Liner – Mummy $65 or Snugpak Silk Insulating Liner $35
  3. Sleeping bag w/ center zip or learn how to dig a trench to keep warm.
    Ray Mears 4-Season Sleeping Bag – Golden Eagle $260 https://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/64-Ray-Mears-4-Season-Sleeping-Bag-Golden-Eagle/#
  4. Hammock
    DD Frontline Hammock $45 or XL for taller people https://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/1469-DD-Frontline-Hammock-Olive-Green/
  5. Mosquito net
    COGHLANS 9640 32×78 Mosquito Bed Net $20 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ECUFI6/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_6?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
  6. Waterproof Guide Map Case Sea To Summit Tpu $25
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01844B0BQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  7. Waterproof phone case $23 – SealLine Waterproof E-Case
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01844B0BQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  8. Cold weather canvas tent and stove made by Snow Trekker Tents https://www.snowtrekkertents.com/canvas-tents/ or stove from Four Dog https://fourdog.com/view-all-tent-stoves
  9. Carrying packs – Cooke Custom Sewing https://www.shop.cookecustomsewing.com/category.sc?categoryId=11
  10. Snowshoes made by County Ways https://snowshoe.com
  11. Sleds by Black River Sleds http://www.blackriversleds.com
  12. Pulks for carrying loads across snow https://www.skipulk.com

For your car it’s a good idea to have the following in case there are blockages when you need to get away:

  1. Pocket Chainsaw 36 Inch – Sportsman $22 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMR0MZS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  2. Shovel – Voile Telepro $58 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LW1Q9X4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  3. Gloves & rain poncho
  4. Bag to keep things tidy – Tactical Gun Range Bag $40 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074PRH3LF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1