It’s that time of year again, a time when people go out and spend millions upon millions of dollars buying a bunch of useless junk that nobody really wants. Instead of fighting mobs of people, so you can pick up a $5 toaster this Black Friday, why not put some more thought into your gifts – Why Not Give the Gift or Preparedness?
Every year around this time we challenge our readers to give the gift of preparedness. In my opinion, it’s a great non-confrontational way to introduce the topic to those unprepared family members who just don’t want to come on board.
Here are some great gifts that can help introduce your friends and family to the wonderful world of Preparedness.
The Gift of Power
The GoalZero Guide 10 Adventure Kit
The Goal Zero Guide 10 Adventure Kit is a small portable solar panel kit that can keep just about any USB powered device going indefinitely, without ever having to rely on the power grid. From charging iPhones and small tablet devices, to charging AA batteries for your flashlights, emergency radios and other emergency gear, this is one of the most reliable chargers on the market.
It makes a great gift for outdoorsman, and can come in extremely handy the next time your friends and family face a power outage. It retails for around $100, and can be purchased on Amazon for around $80
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The Gift of Emergency Communication
When it comes to emergency preparedness, the ability to communicate during an emergency is essential.
Even during small-scale disasters (earthquakes, seasonal storms, etc.) your normal communications channels can become compromised, that’s why we recommend having as many ways as possible to communicate during a crisis. Believe it or not, the C.B. Radio is still one of the top emergency communication tools you can have.
When it comes to C.B. Radios, we recommend anything made by Cobra. I have one in my truck, and I just installed the new 29 LX Realtree Camo Platform. The radio is a real workhorse, and combined with a good antenna is the perfect addition to your survival communication plan. It also features NOAA Weather Plus alerts, which is one of the reasons we are recommending this specific radio.
The Gift of Protection
Ask any outdoorsman what one item they couldn’t live without, and more often than not you’ll hear them answer their knife. But finding that perfect knife is sometimes harder than you think. I’ve had hundreds of knives, and really only trusted a few of them.
One of the knives that I’ve come to depend on is the Benchmade Bushcrafter. In my opinion, it’s one of the top outdoors knives on the market, and one of my favorite to carry out into the wilderness. In fact, almost everything I’ve ever owned by Benchmade has far exceeded my expectations, and this knife was no different. It’s amazingly strong; and with proper care this knife will likely last you a lifetime.
The Gift of Fire
I’ve always loved the idea of Rocket Stoves. They’re compact, very efficient and they are great cooking tools for both emergencies and even everyday camping.
One of the top stoves on the market right now is the EcoZoom Rocket Stove. I’ve been using it for the last couple of months, and I take it with on just about every camping trip I take. It’s one of the most energy-efficient cooking stoves on the market, and can keep a fire going with little more than a couple of twigs and sticks.
The Gift of Lights
The Energizer Folding Lantern
When it comes to emergency preparedness, emergency lighting is one of those things that always comes in handy. One of my favorite emergency lights, and something I actually use quite often when I go night fishing, is Energizer’s new Folding Lantern. The lantern runs at up to 300 lumens and has a run time of up to 100 hours. The Light runs off 4 or 8 AA batteries, giving you the option of running it on fewer batteries during an emergency situation.
Love the list! Great gifts for family. I would change the Cobra 29 for the 148 though. It’s only about $5 more and includes SSB capabilities. Also, to go with that Coleman light, add a solar battery charger, like this one: AA and AAA Solar Battery Charger
It will charge 4 AA batteries and a cell phone (while charging the batteries).