★ 20 VITAL S.H.T.F. Items You Probably Forgot ★

★ 20 VITAL S.H.T.F. Items You Probably Forgot ★
Graphic © off-grid.info. Image: MIRA safety, via Amazon

Here’s my “top 20” list of items that are often forgotten, but without which you might be absolutely HOSED in an emergency or disaster situation! Have a scan through and make sure you have what you need!

1) Respirator (Plus Cartridges)

In numerous survival situations, one of the first things to go out of the window is air quality… and as we all know, if you can’t breathe, you are done for, in minutes.  Don’t forget the filter cartridges; carry a couple of spares and look for “True CBRN filters” -which give protection against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear contamination; including radioactive iodine.

For a serious full face respirator, check out the highly rated 3M 6900PF system and the MIRA Safety CM-6M Full Face Mask and NBC-77 CBRN Filter. These have true lifesaving potential. (I have the MIRA unit with the NBC-77 filter.)

For more info on respirators / gas masks, see my detailed tutorial here.

2) Cash

Always good to keep some on hand. ATMs require 3 things in order to function: Power, actual cash and an internet connection. If serious events happen and any one of these fail, the ATM will be non-op. Having a well-hidden cash backup that nobody knows about can be a lifesaver.

3) Fuel

What is the range of your vehicle? As in, not just the theoretical range (how far it will go on a full tank of gas) but the actual range RIGHT NOW with how much fuel you actually have in the tank RIGHT NOW? That’s how prepared you are. If there is a situation where the gasoline supply is disrupted, will you be able to get where you need to go? “Don’t let it go below 1/2 tank” is the golden rule.

4) Water Containers (BPA Free)

Check out the super-highly regarded Scepter 5 Gallon / 20 Liter BPA Free. These are the ones supplied to the U.S. Marine Core. Robust, portable and secure. Water is heavy – anything bigger than 20L is going to be challenging to carry further than a short distance. If this size is too heavy, they also make a 2.5 Gallon / 10 Liter (Amazon USA Link) container. 2.5 Gallon / 10 Liter (Amazon UK Link).

5) E-bike

An e-bike is a super useful piece of survival kit. Fast, quiet, can go VERY many places that even 4WD off-road vehicles cannot, and can be charged from various sources including solar. It gives resilient independence in case of fuel crisis.

6) Some Kind Of Alternative Comms

It’s highly beneficial to have ‘backup internet’ that runs on an entirely different system to “terrestrial internet” and 4G/5G networks so that even if the grid goes down you have some comms. Starlink (no affiliation) is satellite based and now has mobile systems that really can be used pretty much anywhere – forest, field or mountain. A lot of preppers and off-grid folk already have it. It’s also advisable to have an additional form of comms that runs outside of internet and phone networks. i.e. 2-way radio. Learn and observe licensing requirements in your location.

7) OSB / Plywood

Keep some sheet plywood / OSB on hand to board up windows fast in case of a real emergency – especially in urban environments. Store vertically in a dry place.

8) Totes

As in a crate, not as in “totally”. You totes need some totes. You can easily grab these from the nearest hardware store and it’s a good idea to have one or more dedicated to your survival gear – then you know where it is and can access ‘n’ deploy FAST. Preparedness means being able to act immediately when needed. If stuff happens, you might not have time to dig around trying to find all your various survival items! Keep it organized, updated and ready to grab ‘n’ go. Make sure everyone in your group knows where the survival items are. UK buyers: check out the Really Useful Plastic Storage Box 84 Litre – these are stackable, sturdy (can be stood on) and if you get the transparent ones you can see what’s inside them, which helps you find your stuff.

9) Extra Supplies Of Non-Perishable “Home Basics”

Review all your basic home supplies and make sure you have a good supply. You might as well get a crate of toilet roll NOW before everyone panic buys. It doesn’t go off. Fill up a Really Useful box and you have several months supply, now you are chilling while they are fighting in the aisles, you literally don’t need to worry about it. The plastic crate will keep it dry, but by all means throw in a desiccant bag for good measure. I buy items like razor blades and toothbrushes in bulk, laundry soap / dish soap by the gallon, it’s cheaper in the long run and I’m not going to run out any time soon.

10) Solar Panels + Emergency Power Bank

Even a small setup is super valuable because if there’s no power you can still keep your essentials going – freezer, flashlights, phones, radios, internet box, etc. For batteries, take a look at “LiFePO4” – Lithium Iron Phosphate – not the same as ordinary Lithium, but safer and longer lasting…. not only are these around one third the weight of lead-acid batteries, these have an amazing lifespan, being rated for several thousand cycles.

Here’s a highly rated 100Ah 12V LiFePO4 battery from Power Queen (Amazon USA link) (Amazon UK link). This “4.7 stars” battery is claimed on USA Amazon to deliver an incredible “up to 15,000 cycles”. To put that into perspective, that’s 41 years at 1 cycle per day – in other words it could potentially be a “lifetime” battery, although clearly none of the reviewers would have been able to test it for that long… On the UK Amazon it claims “4000-15000 cycles” – with 100% of capacity at 4,000 cycles (over 10 years at 1 per day) and 60% remaining at 15,000 cycles.

That’s rather a large range, where are they pulling these numbers out of?? Makes you wonder – but either way, these are some of the most highly reviewed LiFePO4 batteries that should be good for years and ought to last until new technology supersedes them…

11) “Carbon Block” Water Purifier

Water is life and is of course one of the top survival areas to focus on. An awesome water filter is the Big Berkey (USA Amazon Link) – this is a high quality unit. Take a look at the list of contaminants that it removes from water – pretty great. I’ve been using these for many years. Here’s the UK “equivalent”: British Berkefeld 8.5L Stainless Steel Gravity Water Filter System (UK Amazon Link). I am not sure what kind of filter this one uses but it is also highly regarded.

12) Camp Cooking Setup

A propane / butane cylinder with the correct regulator and a double burner will mean that you can make hot food and drink in a grid-down situation.

13) Rat Traps

In SHTF situations, pest control is of paramount importance. The classic Victor Traps (USA Amazon Link) (UK Amazon Link) are still used by professionals and they can be stored for a long time until needed. Stash a few because if you need them, you will be glad you did. On that note, some 1/4″ steel mesh aka “hardware cloth” is excellent for rodent proofing. You will need some heavyweight cutters(such as ‘tin snips’) to cut it to size. You can use staples to pin it down but screws ‘n’ washers will give an even more secure rodent proofing solution. If they can’t get in, the problem is solved, so the main cure for rodent issues is to top giving them free board and lodging. Forget spray foam – they can chew through it!

14) Spare Batteries For Your Various Devices

Having two means you can keep the flashlight going while you recharge the other battery!

15) Rocket Lighter

These are inexpensive and highly windproof, a very useful backup option. (UK Amazon Link) (USA Amazon Link)

16) Shovel

Just an extremely useful item to keep in the trunk of the car. For something portable, check out this highly rated folding shovel (USA Amazon link) (UK Amazon Link)

17) Boots

At least one good pair of sturdy boots, broken in and ready for action, is an invaluable survival asset. See my full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) list and tutorial.

18) Spare Glasses / Specs

If you need glasses in order to drive or do other important tasks, and your only pair gets broken or lost, well, there goes that. Always have a spare pair.

19) Repair Strap And Wire

Steel “Hanger Strap” is an amazing survival item that can help you repair and secure a wide array of items. cut-your-own-length hose/duct jubilee clip is also super useful, and a roll of 14 or 16 gauge rebar wire / tie wire will give you a means of repairing many items. Inexpensive and valuable!

20) Fire Extinguisher

Have one, have a designated location where it always lives, make sure everyone in your household knows where it is and knows how to use it, inspect periodically and replace if out of date. Just this simple procedure could save your life! Here’s a top-reviewed fire extinguisher (USA) (4.8 stars from 8,635 ratings) on Amazon that is rechargeable and described as being for wood, paper, trash, plastics, gasoline, oil, and electrical-equipment fires.

FINALLY: Rehearse!

The one thing that most people forget in being prepared… is to REHEARSE for various situations. Don’t leave it until the air is full of toxic gases to figure out how to put on your respirator!

Preparedness drills are simple; you imagine a chosen situation has happened and then rehearse your actions, perhaps more than once – until you “have it down”. You could even set an alarm for a random time and use the alarm going off as the signal to spring into action.

Here are a few examples.

a) it’s 3am. You wake up coughing from acrid smoke. Your house is on fire and you have SECONDS to get out. Do you have your quick escape bag READY? How fast can you get out? Where will you go? How will you survive there?

b) Basic “car situations” – do you have jumper cables, do you know where the jacking points are to lift your vehicle to change a wheel? Did you check that the spare tire actually has air in it?! Do you have all the spare fuses and correct lightbulbs for the vehicle, in the vehicle? How’s your in-car emergency kit?

c) Major storm – like we just saw in North Carolina – takes out power , cell phone towers, and leaves major devastation. Do you have backup systems and resources to take care of your household and to help others?

d) There’s an economic meltdown. ATMs are closed and all digital-based assets are at risk. How long will you last? What’s your game plan?

e) Major fire or chemical event leaves the air toxic. Do you know where your respirator is and can you deploy it fast?

f) Supply chain disruption leaves stores without food on the shelves. How long will your supplies last?

(what other situations can you think of that you might need to make a plan for?)

Just doing these simple training exercises will make the difference between being a bumbling, dithering fool and a smooth operator in times of crisis!

They could literally make the difference between alive and dead. So, which do you want to be?

Hopw you enjoyed this useful survival gear list, don’t forget to follow and share!

For a FULL survival item checklist, check out my 175 Items That Will Disappear First In A Disaster – Stock Up On These Now!