Must-Have Prepper Gear

There's no two ways around it: If you don't get enough water—and clean water, at that—you aren't going to make it. Most preppers already have a stockpile of bottled H2O, but there's always the chance that you could wind up becoming separated from your supply. That's where the Sawyer Products Squeeze Filter Water Purifier comes in. Operation is simple: fill up the pouch of your choice at a nearby natural water supply, screw the filter directly onto the pouch and squeeze the bag to filter your water into a container. Your water should be safely drinkable. The filters are easily replaceable, and the whole package sports a field weight of less than three ounces.

A basic survival kit doesn't work as a be-all-end-all, nor should it be considered "unnecessary" for those that have prepper stockpiles. Instead, you should consider it an "on-the-go" version of the most important parts of your inventory. Whether you have to move quickly, or just want something to put in your car for a worst case scenario, an essentials kit is a good first step to being prepared. 

Depending on the situation, you may need to let people know where you are—whether it's a potential rescue party or simply a nearby ally. Items like whistle and mirrors should be a given, at this point, and should suffice in most situations. But what if you REALLY want to make a racket? Well, this World War II Hand Held Air Raid Siren could provide the answer. Crank it up and anyone nearby will know where to find you.

It's not often you'll find a piece of survival gear that can also be called trendy, but the Ultimate Survival Technologies Survival Bracelet could fit that bill. The "bracelet" can be unraveled into eight feet of heavy duty paracord, which could have a number of uses in a pinch. It glows in the dark, too, allowing it to potentially serve as a signal at night.

In a perfect world we'd never have to leave the comfort of our beds, but we all know the world isn't exactly perfect. As such, emergency sleeping materials should be considered a staple of any prepper's inventory. This Two Person Emergency Bivvy from Adventure Medical Kits should provide the protection necessary to get you (and a friend) through the night. It's lightweight and is made from a heat-reflective polyethylene that's reflects your body's heat back onto, ensuring warmth.

This one's pretty simple. Plenty of our most valuable possessions run on gas—namely vehicles and emergency generators—so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some fuel on hand, in the case of an emergency. So you'll be needing fuel cans, like this five gallon, steel, unissued NATO one.

When push comes to shove, nothing is more important in a prepper's stockpile than food or water. You might be able to get by without one of the other "essential" pieces of gear, but, as they say "you gotta eat." The Wise Foods Grab and Go Breakfast and Entrée Bucket comes stocked with 84 servings of assorted food that you need only rehydrate to eat. The bucket will keep, too: It sports a 25-year shelf life.

Forget being a prepper—everyone should have a reliable first-aid kit. Even the most mundane of events can lead to a situation where first-aid is required, and it's good to be prepared. The XNO First Responder Go Bag from ERGO Grips provides just about anything you'd need in one easy-to-transport nylon bag that can be attached to a belt or pack.

Ever since some cave man or woman discovered it thousands of years ago, fire has been essential to human life. If you're caught in an outdoor or long-term survival situation, odds are you're going to need to produce it. One way is with more conventional technology, like the Blazer Scout Butane Lighter. It's water windproof, ensuring you'll be able to put it to use in even the harshest of conditions. Another option, especially should you run out of butane, is the BlastMatch Fire Starter, an all-weather flint based fire starting system.

No matter how you shake it, modern society is pretty reliant on technology. Keeping your gadgets functional can be key. Granted, in a extended crisis, there's probably no helping that. But, in the short-term, there's something that can help you preserve power: the Bushnell Bear Grylls SolarWrap Mini. The SolarWrap Mini is a flexible solar panel scroll that charges an integrated lithium ion batter on the go. It can charge anything that can be connected to it via USB. As long as your favorite gizmo can charge using a USB port, you'll be able to keep it powered up and ready for action.

It's not necessarily a good idea to keep all of your essentials in one place—what if there's a fire, or the location is compromised? The MTM Survivor Burial Vault allows you to securely bury your valuables or emergency supplies anywhere you'd like (though we'd at least recommend you do the burying on YOUR property). An important tip, though: Remember where you buried it.