Best Outdoor Camping Equipment for Preppers

Best Outdoor Camping Equipment for Preppers

Camping is a fantastic opportunity for preppers to exercise their skills and get used to the idea of an emergency situation. So, if you want to be truly prepared pack up the right equipment (as I listed it below) and head to the woods for a night or two of living in nature.

Water Filter System

When the world turns upside down, your main worry should be towards your health and the ones in your party. Now, since water is crucial for the human organism (especially when you’re on the move), I recommend packing some bottled water in your BOB.

Still, if you’re on the roads for more than 72 hours, it’s time to consider alternative solutions, like a natural source (a stream, creek, or river). That’s when a portable water filter can come in handy.

Important tip: never drink from a still body of water (lakes, ponds, puddle, and so on)! These are easier to contaminate given that water is not refreshed.

To protect yourself from any contaminants (which are more than likely to exist even in running water) it’s best to carry a portable filtration system that will destroy most of the pathogens. If not or you’re on a budget and can’t afford to splurge, make sure you know how to make one, using the things around!

Tent & Mattress

In an SHTF scenario, shelter is right up there with food and water because you must shield yourself (and your family members) from the elements. We are no longer used to walk through rain or snow without catching a cold, and this is the last thing you need when you’re running for your life!

This is why, your BOB should always include a tent, a sleeping bag, and a mattress for outdoorsmen (air bed, inflatable pad, or regular pad). Now, if you don’t have all these you can improvise, using a tarp and branches to put a temporary roof over your head, but you should always have proper insulation from the ground.

The sleeping bag and the pad or mattress are a must-have because they keep the coldness of the ground from creeping into your bones.

Orientation

A map and compass are mandatory, but I recommend using GPS systems (if they still work) as well. But you should always know how to navigate the grounds using what you see in front of you (or above, if it’s nighttime). These skills are extremely precious in an SHTF scenario and they’ll get you to your destination if it happens and you get lost.

Also, I would recommend learning how to read tracks (both animals and humans). You never know when this skill could come in handy!

Fire Making Kits

Another vital skill is building a fire regardless of the weather. For this, you should have a small kit tucked in your BOB, with kindle, fire accelerant, and a spark generator (either a lighter, flint and steel or waterproof matches). It’s crucial that you keep this kit in an impermeable case that won’t allow even a drop of water in!

To make sure you can cook or heat your food whenever necessary, learn how to light a fire even in humid conditions. Also, learn how to find the right type of woods and even how to make fire without modern tools.

In Conclusion

While the list could go on and on, I consider these items to be the most important when you’re forced to live outdoors. Now I strongly recommend that you practice lighting a fire, installing a tent, and sleeping outside every time you go camping – this knowledge will prove priceless when the time comes!