9 Survival Items Everyone Needs But NO ONE Has 

I think safety glasses are overlooked. An eye injury when the grid is down would be a disaster.

I’m 14, but I’ve gotten my whole family into prepping

I am a 66 year old retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant (E8/1972-1993) and former Defense Contractor (2005-2010). From 1988-1993 I did substantial disaster management work in California for riots, floods, fire, earthquakes, etc, especially in the areas of logistics. I can tell you from firsthand knowledge and experience from many disasters that if you are counting on the government or military to take care of you and your family’s needs in a disaster or collapse you could not be more wrong. The truth is that the U.S. military and government is simply not equipped or manned to feed, house and take care of large numbers of civilians, especially in a major city. A small town yes, a large major city no. No better real-world example of this exists then the Katrina disaster which should have been a wakeup call for everyone out there on the limitations of the U.S. military and government to take care of effected civilians in the disaster area. While we can provide good levels of security patrols and rescue, that is pretty much it in many cases. The bottom line here is except for the military providing rescue and security or anti-looting patrols, you are pretty much on your own for most things. One sad fact is that most people in this country are not prepared to take care of themselves and only have enough food on hand to support their needs for about two weeks, and usually far less. Think about what that means! There are going to be a lot of very desperate people out there running around, especially in a prolonged disaster or collapse. My recommendation to all of you would be to have at least six months of non-perishable food and consumable supplies (ie; toilet paper, soap, etc) for you and your family and the ability to defend yourselves.

I rarely see anyone mentioning a good whetstone or some other means of sharpening tools. A sharp tool is a safe tool

On my sign I would write “Hungry-Need Food Please!. That way they would think you didn’t have anything lol. Instead of a washboard I have 2 buckets with holes in the center of the lids and new plungers. Just add clothes, soap and water, put on the lid with plunger handle through the hole- works almost like a butter churn. The second bucket is for rinsing.

I have a sign in my driveway that says “If You Can Read This You’re In Range”. Works great!!

Watching this video from Europe, I am so amazed that you have listed clothes pins as if they were something rare. Throughout my whole life I have always dried my clothes on clothesline!

A simple pencil sharpener: super easy to carry and it can turn dry woodsticks into pretty thin pieces as firestarters. Saves time searching and drilling 😉

I have a washboard, and let me tell you...gets everything faaar cleaner than the washing machine. I wouldn't want to have to use it for jeans or towels, but it is great for everything else. And yes, I use it several times a month... I find it meditative. I used it for diapers a long time ago.

So as a lady who was without a washer for two weeks and didn’t want to pay the laundry mat… if you are prepping to wash and hang dry clothes, it is also VERY helpful to have something to wring them. Actual wringers are expensive, but the press-type ones on the commercial mop buckets will work. If you don’t get enough water out by hand, and hang them in the wrong weather, they don’t dry fast enough and will smell musty. (I added a wringer to my preps)

It’s hilarious to hear you explain clothes pins to the younger set!

Something my family have always kept in our preps, and in our cars is a pack of cards. Simple but card games can help keep the mind sharp and the littles entertained in longer term emergencies. They come in a million varieties from basic cheap packs, to waterproof, and even ones that have tips for emergencies, flora/fauna identification, and more.

Absolutely the #1 item is an inexpensive pair of suede leather gloves from any hardware store. They protect your keyboard callused hands and fingers from cuts, bruises, splinters, dirt, etc, giving you more confidence and speed in grabbing, handling and pulling items. They can be put into fire temporarily, or handle cooking/boiling pots to prevent burns. Your primary tools are your limbs. Protect them at all costs. For their weight, they are gold. Buy a multi-pack -- make them a tradable item.

Sewing kits. Or some type of clothing repair. You can buy cheap complete ones for a few bucks. They include buttons, thread, thimble, needles and in some cases a small sissors.

I was only 14 when I was very impressed with an item in my friend's kit. Fingernail/toenail clippers!

I am allergic to bees so I have a stockpile of ground hornet spray. I also have a store of Liquid Children's Benedryl it has saved me a few times I use it instead of my epi-pen, as long as you get it down your throat immediately before anaphylaxis sets in. I try to keep it with me everywhere I go in the summer.

Window screen & tools needed to replace your window screens. If there is a grid down situation & you don't have air conditioning you will want to open your windows without bugs coming in.

Use a brand new toilet plunger and a five gallon bucket filled with soapy water to wash/agitate your clothes by agitating with a up and down motion. This works MUCH better than a wash board with less effort. Then rinse in another bucket of clean water. Next, use a mop wringer with a bucket to wring the clothes out, before hanging them to dry. As a bonus, you can conserve the rinse water in the bucket to use again.

I love how he explains air drying & using clothespins without being condescending towards the younger generation. Very appreciated - another reason to respect this man

For the budget conscious: I buy brake cleaner (very cheap) and have stopped using any type of wasp and hornet spray. Only caveat is that you need to get within a few feet of the target. It's incredible and kills everything crawling out of the nest almost instantly. We hit the small nests in the spring when they are forming.

There was a entrepreneur in the 90's who sold solar powered clothes dryer for $49.95. It was a bag of clothes pins and a black clothes line.

Multi hole mechanical pencil sharpener...Quick tender and sharp sticks for traps and snares..

Good video and catalyst for generating options! Knowledge is the pivotal issue to improving each of our efforts to mitigate SHTF. This means as a minimum resource we need Books/Materials to refer to and mitigate long-term areas of weaknesses like : Security, Medical, Nutrition, Food Preservation, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Construction, Gardening, etc. The one survival item I would ensure I had was a strong sense of Good Will with my neighbors. If I could only choose 1 material item to add to the video's list, I would a Fireman's Jacket.

I got a washboard about half that size for $6. It fits in my backpack, got it at a carneceria. Got a bar of natural rose scented Zote soap for a buck. I've had to wash clothes by hand before. If you can find the clothes pins without springs I would recommend it. 550 paracord makes a great clothes line.

Printed maps and a compass are a must have!

Dawn dish liquid and water in a spray bottle kills wasps, hornets, flies and other pests without the chemicals. I use it quite often in my business to get rid of pests AND the nest. It's also more cost effective and safer for the user.

From over 25 years as a dancer I have developed really tough toenails. It's a struggle to cut them. So I have put some industrial strength toe nail nippers in my storage. Might seem trivial but it's hard to walk comfortably in your shoes if your toenails are too long.

LMAO "back in the old days". I turned a large igloo beverage cooler into a manually operated washer. I put an isolator in the bottom with a gasket and hooked it to an excersize bike. Tested, works great! 😁

1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of dish soap in sprayer then top off with water. Kills wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets. Way cheaper than store bought stuff.

I still hang out our laundry. Saves energy and works great.

The one item most everyone forgets is heavy duty aluminum foil. So very useful. If the sun does a micro nova you will need protection from DNA damaging plasma and cosmic rays. Also several layers may help protect your electrical components. You can start a fire with it, make utensils... Shiny side out for emf protection. The dull side has a wax coating to help prevent sticking when cooking

I'm a millennial but I've hung my clothes on lines lol. I still do it because half of my clothes i don't like putting in the dryer. I have almost everything on your list because of life lmao. A bottle of skin so soft oil works great as bug spray, also citronella, ecualyptus, peppermint and lemongrass oils are great for bugs and a few drops with some carrier oil works wonders.

A leather working kit. Everything from skinning to making your cloths, blankets, or even shelter.

Now we use close pins to clip our chip and snack bags.

Whoa whoa whoa! That "solar" light uses rechargable batteries and they do wear out! Stock up on at least 3 sets per light. I'm dealing with one that crapped out and need to replace. So I'm saving up for a bulk pack of rechargables.

Repair kits for eye glasses are cheap but if you loose the small screw that holds the temple piece in place, one of these kits are invaluable. Steel wire and decking screws along with a good quality multi-tool can also save the day... Great videos CP, keep up the great work!

I recommend a small packet of cinnamon and crushed dried chili pepper flakes. Of course these can be used to flavor food, for trade, and especially to kill off ants. Bay leaves are also good to put in around your food to prevent bugs from intruding.

Nails ! Some of the first settlers burned their homes down because nails were so rare , they'd wait around afterwards to pick them up to take with them so they could rebuild .

Trauma shears are very inexpensive. I worked in the ER for many years and they proved invaluable. I use to carry them all the time when I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman (combat medic) serving with the Marine Corps. You can cut through leather and once I cut right through steel bands on an AMOL (medical supply box). My Chief told me to go get some tin snips from supply and I told him I would just use my trauma shears. Well, he said they would never work, after I pulled them out and instantly cut through the bands he said he would never doubt them again. Also for certain family members and in certain situations they can be much safer than a knife.

Prepping since earlier this year, trying to tell my relatives to do the same! They're not listening, they think I'm crazy! We'll see who's crazy, though, won't we?

How about soap making: from fat and ash to soap which could be used or bartered. Even just general knowledge about how people would live and make things pre industrial revolution is extremely valuable.

I have had problems with mice and rats and I learned a great tip and it works. Equal parts of baking soda and sugar.

I have a washboard and clothespins. Also have plenty of pest control items stocked up. Spray paint is a pretty standard prep. as is solar powered lights, etc. Got 'em stocked. As a person who works with wood, I've always had a wide selection on hand tools and I don't plan on getting rid of them. Deet is a necessity where I live, prepper or not . . . so, got it. Might look into that doorstop alarm though. Looks like an interesting gadget.

I'd take a manual flour grinder, since flour itself is deemed to have a short shelf life, whereas grains are better in that department. That way you will have bread.

Dollar store solar yard lights. Set them out in the daytime at night bring them inside. For a dollar, you can't beat it. The three-dollar ones have an on/off switch and are a lot brighter.

little old lady should use her clothes pegs to hang out some pieces of men's clothing (large size) and also leave a pair of work boots outside near her door

For your 1" Auger, it is nice to have a 1" Log Tenon Cutters; Since watching your channel, I've stepped been forced to reevaluated some of my prior beliefs and have delved deeper into subjects that I knew nothing about. - I've learned a lot from your videos. Thank You for sharing you knowledge

Bicycles and spare inner tubes & parts!!! (& Trailer to haul gear) Out of all prepper channels I have seen, not one have I seen ever talks about bicycles. A good way to travel once petrol runs out

I have a small foot-pedaled washing machine I would use for cleaning clothes if there was no power.

Back in the old days? Here in Ireland most of us dry our clothes on a clothes line ... I only use the dryer when the weather is desperate ... they cost a solid fortune in electricity!

So many great ideas! I have a stock of puppy pads for bugging in so my pups can potty in a controlled manner if its too dangerous outside. Bonus! One can light them on fire and lob at people.

Pack of cards and a harmonica. Reason being if a grid down situation you will need to keep amused in down time 👍👍👍

Good item to add to the overlooked list. Sillcock Key. You can use them to access water in places like businesses, schools etc, and to access the water stored in water heaters.

Seeds to garden, and homeschooling items for kids. Old fashion way.

My friend was a Army Ranger. He fought in Vietnam. He told me he could smell the enemy from across a field.

soap - learn how to make it. from scratch. I'm talking ashes and fat. These are otherwise going to waste and it's actually not that hard. Also a really good hand grinder. Make sure it can grind oily seeds as well as non-oily. That way you can make your own flours and nut butters.

I just bought these bug nets for your head. They go over the top of your head and they were like $2 from Walmart aka ChinaMart in the camping section. They also have lanterns that are only $7 that you put lamp fuel in with a wick. Highly recommend them!

I still have my washboard from 1969. The house I just bought still has a clothesline. Good video .

Things I think are often overlooked * Specifically for females* - reusable menstrual pads and/or cups - "shewee" (shaped funnel for easy urination)

I have three sewing machines, light, heavy duty and an industrial sewing machine.. tarps, tool bags, tents, seat coverings etc. I have made draperies for my daughter's room and I also make custom quilts all sizes to order. I have a multitude of hand powered tools. I look for them at yard sales esp senior couples. There is a very long list I am working on..

Fishing line and fishing hooks are often overlooked good for fishing but also can be used to make snares hard to see and strong if you get the heavy test

What do you mean back in the day I haven't used a dryer in 5 years I hang everything out to dry

You know those high end men's manicure sets... Back in the 90's they were a christmas gift for many. Those tiny packs have tons to offer for the survivalist! Check em out. Small and full of sharp blades. Plus...who doesn't need a hanging nail trimmed while scavenging for food. Dreamy tools!

Here in Brazil and in a lot of countries of South America, hanging your clothing is still very common, not everyone can afford a drying machine. Very useful tips. Regards from Brazil.

Metamucil, laxative, Pepto-Bismol and the like, I suspect eating survival food in an emergency for any length of time is going to have some affect on your digestive system. I think it would be beneficial to have vitamin supplements stocked up also.

I have a farm and we use cats as pest control they kill all the field mice that will destroy or crops which is a plus because cats are nice to have around anyways

clothes that have been hung outside smell absolutely amazing.

Great list! The rodent control is really important. We lived in an apartment in an old country schoolhouse for about 7 months. Mice came inside during the winter, and we lost $50 worth of shelf- stable milk, broth, and pantry staples in one shot, before I realized the mice were there. We now use D-con in the basement and a good cat in the house.

Store your arisols upside down. It will prolong the shelf life by keeping the propellant at the bottom of the can.

I have a mosquito net for my head that goes over a hat - seasonally we have a ton of bugs so if we were living rough that would be a fantastic tool. It could also double as a net for other purposes whether fishing, washing, gathering, etc.

A lot of travelers' gear is good prepping gear too. Eg. dry bags, pegs (aka clothes pins - multipurpose, can use as a clip for multi items), dry soap, quick drying towels, camping equipment

Estate sales are a GREAT source of older wood working tools. I have found brace and bit sets with assorted auger bits for pennies on the dollar. Wood chisels also. Garden tools, ladders, sharpening stones, etc. are also easy to get for a really good price.

It's $1.00 for each dryer load where I live, so yeah, clothes line.

I've got everything you mentioned except the door stop alarm, & wash board. I have a large bar of Hunter's soap that washes your scent away. I always keep a pair of dollar store reading glasses in my sewing kit, tool box, car, barn, anywhere I need to read something. I also have an 8'1/2 x11 plastic magnifying sheet I use when doing cross stitch. You can lay the whole sheet on any page to read easily. In an emergency, a plastic water bottle, (doesn't need to be full), turned on it side makes a great magnifier. Keeping some simple herbs & spices for medical emergencies like, whole cloves or clove oil for toothache, spilanthes (the toothache plant), eucalytus for dry tooth sockets & pain, tansy to keep bugs away, from your threshold or thrown in a fire, jewelweed, for poison ivy, (it usually grows nearby poison ivy), cattail root for wounds that won't heal, plantain leaves for bites and cuts, dried puffballs to stop bleeding, yarrow leaf for bloody noses, chamomile for anxiety & to help you sleep. Throwing a handful of mullein into a still water body temporarily paralyzes fish so all you need is a net to scoop them out. So many more free things from the earth. I keep a roll of hardware cloth handy there are so many uses for it. Thank you for your videos, they always challenge me to think!

Love it. I actually prepped up almost all of the same, minus the wood tools. Instead of a washboard, I paced a large Ice Cube tray, at the outset of lock downs I gave it a shot in the tub and it worked fine, plus it takes up less room and it's multi functional.

I'll just add 1, that has many purposes. Rolls of wire fencing (chicken wire/hardware wire/hog fence). Yes, fasteners of some type will be helpful. But chicken wire can be used for cages and traps, including fish and crab traps. Like all other gear, don't wait until it's needed to practice using it. If bugging out is the last resort, fencing can help build a perimeter and help protect crops from critters. It can be made into a mattress base to sleep on. Certain types (non-galvanized in particular) can likely be used to cook on. The list of uses is only limited by the imagination.

Thought it was hilarious that you had to explain clothes pins.

My good friend has a pedal lathe, and a pedal sewing machine...they both work great..

Paper and pencils. Aside from mapmaking and note taking, it's important for people to record their thoughts. If SHTF gets to the worst case scenario and bug out becomes homesteading, then homeschooling will likely come into play at some point. Paper can also be recycled if you have a crank blender

laserpointer (red) to deter looters. it enhances the idea that there’s a sniper locked and loaded.

Good video. Great list. Peppers are spending $60,000-$100,000 to place solar panels on their homes for something that may never happen. Save a bunch of money by prepping to live without electricity.

A good supply of extra saw blades for the bow saw, also called 'swede saw'. Winter camping in the north teaches us how important to be able to get firewood quickly from standing dead trees, or build shelters out of logs. Saws are more important than axes in such situations. And a stone to sharpen the blades.

Hey Canadian Prepper. One simple thing I like to keep in my preps is a couple of Hack Saw blades. I use paracord to wrap about one third of the blade to make a handle. I have used use mine while working on several projects. Cutting down aluminum drinking bottles to make my home made alcohol stoves for example. Hack saw blade would also come in handy to cut the lock off a building or storage shed. It would stop you from having to cut your hand off in case someone handcuffs you to a pipe on top of a building during the Zombie Apocalypse. You never know.

Wasp spray is a GREAT "self-defense" weapon....just add a lighter 😀😀

Fun fact: The simple clothesline can save you HUNDREDS of dollars a year.

Breaching tools, sledgehammer, pry bar, breacher bar. And announcement gear such as an air horn and megaphone. Can help you get found and out of a building collapse or help others.

You should look into buying a termiticide called Termidor. That stuff is amazing! It is a non repellent. Which means the pest don't even know it's there. I've been in the pest control industry for 16 years.

Solar panels, inverters, and rechargeable batteries of all sorts, which support 2-way communication devices, information radio, limited lighting requirements, and audio alarms. Loving your content!

A big red X on the front door and a sign reading "Quarantine" would be a good deterrent!

Rat traps can be used for squirrels when you need to keep a low sound signature. Heavy weight fishing line for traps and early warning.

I've included in my prep. Hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol,. Some selective OTC pain killers and vitamins/supplements. Camping equipment suck as tarp, shovel, fire starter, camp stove, sterno, personal items like nail clipper etc. ... Can opener/P38, utensils, pot for cooking. There are so many items you'll need, don't forget the small stuff like bar soap too. Socks, saran/plastic wrap, tie downs, rope, masking tape. Of course this is if you plan to hit the road. I'm hunkering down for the first couple of months then I'm off. If you can manage it, a wood stove AND most important, hunting equipment and self defense with plenty of ammo.

With the signage thing you could also write "Sickness/Death/Illness" in various word useage on the sign. No one is going to want to take a chance of catching something during an apocalyptic scenerio. It's not worth it in most cases. also 2nd hand stores and Home resale shops are great places to find vintage, not made anymore wood working tools and stuff like that. Washboard can be any kind of metal bent, anything with a smooth but bumpy surface to aggitate the water and soap through the clothes. Even beating them with a rugby bat against a stone would work. that's how they use to clean clothes in Tutor times. Tudor monastary farm series on YT is a great source for that.

There is a hiker friendly (thus bugout bag friendly) washboard called a Scrubba Wash Bag. Basically a rubber washboard inside a dry sack. Insert clothes, insert water, roll top shut, let air out of the valve, close valve, and agitate by hand (or foot). It works amazingly well, keeps all the soap and water inside the bag and not on you, doesnt need a basin, and packs down to fit in a pocket. RU-vid has vids, check it out.

Guitar strings, exacto blades, crochet needles and yarn, replacement rubber strips for fixing clothing , metal replacement window screens in a roll to make a candy shaped fire log! Plus you can save the ash to make soap.

This is the most useful prepping channel there is. Great content right to the point some humor. Great work all around

Using the rule of 3's. I recently broke my 2 favorite metal spatulas in the same week. So, have extra manual kitchen tools and long handled ones for cooking over a fire.

I still have a wood and glass washboard that I picked up at a yard sale for $2 back in the 70's. On the upper wood part at the back is stamped Vancouver, B.C. along with the image of the head of a Native American man wearing a head dress. I have since moved to Nova Scotia from B.C., and it came along. Just could not part with it, or my wood drying racks and clothes pegs. Nova Scotians hang out their laundry as a matter of course to catch those Atlantic breezes, so I am in the right place with my love for the old fashioned ways. Sending love & appreciation your way.

8:15-- in addition to these, if you have a current prescription i would recommend getting several backup pairs. I keep an extra pair in my GHB, BOB, and INCH bags in addition to just a backup in the medicine cabinet. There are several options online for durability and good deals. I also keep repair kits in all those locations (which can usually be found for around $2).

Rainbow wasp spray is the best I've found. It really drops 'em. Here in Florida, after hurricanes we see signs that say "You Loot, I Shoot". Careful on the Deet, you can be allergic (I am). Great info, thanks for making it.

"Looters will be butchered, salted and canned in mason jars".