Best emergency food supplies according to redditors
We found 219 Reddit comments discussing the best emergency food supplies. We ranked the 26 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 219 Reddit comments discussing the best emergency food supplies. We ranked the 26 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
You could get a water Bob and be able to drink tub water. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dkYLBb0JHR9C7
Buy a waterbob liner. https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Hahah those buckets of food are exactly what I bought from Amazon only way more expensive.
Exact same bucket, $99.
Hi, I run a business called ShakeproofLA and what I do is set people up to get ready for The Big One.
To set the stage, you have to understand that Los Angeles has, historically, had a major earthquake every 100 years, but right now we haven't a big one since 1857 when a 7.9 struck Fort Tejon.
So, add that extra 60 years to the amount of tectonic pressure that will be released when it finally does happen.
Now, what I'm going to say will scare the shit out of people, but here it is: When the next major quake hits LA it will be a major, major catastrophe. Thousands of people will die and the damage will be counted in the tens, if not hundreds of billions of dollars.
The water mains will break. The highways will crumble. The gas lines will erupt and fires will break out all over the place. It's estimated, worst case scenario, that 1/3 of the city will burn down, partially due to the broken water mains. If the earthquake is during a heatwave, those problems will be compounded.
The dust and smoke and pollutants (asbestos, etc) thrown up by the quake will cause further health problems down the line as well.
Downtown, all the glass in the buildings will break and fall. Except glass doesn't fall straight down, it floats down like a leaf, meaning that it will be thousands of razor blades slicing across the street. The fire department thinks there will be up to 10 feet of broken glass in the streets afterwards. Moreover, some 1/3 of the buildings in downtown could collapse, including many of the skyscrapers which were build using flawed construction techniques, during the 60's and 70's and 80's. Many of those same buildings are packed with asbestos, much like the World Trade center.
Scary AF, right? Well, I have a motto: "It's absolutely going to happen, so don't worry." All you can do it get prepared.
As the freeways will be out, there's basically going to be no leaving town. More likely than not, you will have to shelter in place. That being the case, you will need supplies.
Here's a list of ABSOLUTE NECESSITIES for you to have on hand. It's only a few hundred bucks and it very well could be the difference between life and death.
What I have listed are only suggestions and I'm not endorsing any particular brand over another. If you find something that does the same job for cheaper, great.
Food
Have at least 2 weeks supply of food above and beyond what is kept in the freezer and/or pantry. Below are some options, but feel free to search around and find the best price/amount for you and your family
Food Option 1
Food Option 2
Food Option 3
Radios
Emergency Radios are a must-have and the wind-up type, with a flashlight cover multiple bases at once.
Radio Option 1
Radio Option 2
Water
These jugs are available at any local Home Depot and will last for 5 years in storage. Do not store on concrete floors at it will leech, instead store on wood, cardboard or carpet only. You want one jug per person per week. Additionally, if you have a hot water heater, wait until it cools and use that. Be aware that the first water that comes out will be mostly mineral silt, so be sure to run it through a coffee filter.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/5-Gal-Water-No-Exchange-Initial-Purchase-5GALIP2/205227468
The Lifestraw allows you to drink any gross water you find.
Lifestraw
If you have an outdoor grill, great. That's your cooking platform. Make sure you have extra propane. If not, get a camp stove.
Camp Stove 1
Propane -
To be sourced locally.
Honey Buckets
You're going to need a place to poop, right? Get a honey bucket, or get hepatitis. Your choice.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079GFLVLM/ref=twister_B079C4GN4M?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/LEAKTITE-B5GSKD-5GAL-Black-Plastic/dp/B000VBW17S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1529963064&sr=8-3&keywords=5+gallon+bucket
https://www.amazon.com/Besli-Gallon-DrawString-Strong-Garbage/dp/B075ST2KJ9/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1529963592&sr=1-4&keywords=5%2Bgallon%2Bgarbage%2Bbags&th=1
First Aid Kit
DUST MASKS
I can't emphasize enough for people to buy these. N95 is the standard you want, as it will filter most pollutants. Buy these and don't get mesothelioma later in life.
Towelettes
Power Station
And the list continues. Have a car kit ready, consisting of water (I like VOSS water, as it's in glass, a couple Clif bars, a hat, sunblock, and old pair of walking sneakers and a space blanket. And dust masks. Don't forget those.
Fill out a FEMA Emergency Plan. and you'll really know where to go and who to contact in an emergency.
And that's the basics. Two weeks of survival supplies and FEMA will be on the scene, hopefully and roads will be open enough to get out of dodge.
Another good idea is to strap your furniture and TV to the walls, into the studs. I'd provide a guide, but that's my job, y'all.
Emergency Food Rations 2 Pack - 3600 Calorie Bar - 6 Day Supply - Less Sugar and More Nutrients Than Other Leading Brands - (5 Year Shelf Life) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756JN65W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OLDSAb2WB64C7
Bruh 3600 lmao
use this thread as your guide
https://www.reddit.com/r/NewOrleans/comments/49q9b7/heads_up_people_its_gon_rain/
Businesses closed. Stores were raided. It turned out to be absolutely nothing
We'll be lucky to get as much rain as they're forecasting.
Most of the serious storms are going to happen in August.
In other news, ZIMA has made a return to shelves and is currently $2.5 / 6-pack at Wally World.
If you're interested in MRE stocks, these are actually really good packs and take up less space
> Water blob
LOL. Here's a link to a WaterBOB https://amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Link
The 100% best solution is to have a propane burner along with a High Pressure Hose so that you can use normal propane tanks that you'd get for your grill. Then keep maybe 3 of those full and ready to go and that will maintain your ability to use your stocks for a good while. (Note: I didn't dig too deep into direct compatibility of those two items. I just listed them as an example so you could see what I was talking about.)
Barring that... it's a question of shelf life vs cost. Obviously MRE's would be one of the better options, but they're pricey and it's best to store them in cool environments which may not be doable for everyone. Mainstay 2400 Bars are available at Walmart for $5 apiece and are fantastic for BOB's due to their hardiness, but surviving on those for any length of time would probably be miserable.
Dropping into normal foods... yeah, a well stocked and rotated pantry is the way to go.
pro tip Though at this point it is more of a have on hand for next time tip.
Ever try one of these? Giant plastic bladder that sits in your tub and holds water. https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2
Here is the list of gear. It is meant for both myself and my wife, so I doubled up in some places. (Links where I have them)
Total Combined weight 27.4969375 Lbs (assuming my measurements are correct, couldn't get a good read on the tent so I had to use manufacturer info)
Stuff I don't have yet, but which I plan to include as I get them:
I like the Morakniv and firesteel ideas, and also:
Waterbobs for the win.
WaterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage (100 Gallons) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Cs5NzbY5TDVB6
There are giant water sacks that fit inside bath tubs and can be used if the tub isn't as clean as you'd want to drink out of.
(WaterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage (100 Gallons) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_my9Gzb5772SMJ)
As far as camp toilets, Ive heard people using kitty litter in a pinch, pardon the pun.
If you're worried about your bathtub not being very clean or if it has leaks, there are bladders you can buy. Even has a hand pump.
Hmm...36 packs for $200?
Amazon currently has the equivalent for 10% less (12 for $57).
Instead of collapsible water containers, I bought a WaterBob bathtub container. If anything is headed my way, it gets filled up. After the flood in 2015 city water was screwed for almost 2 weeks in my area. 100gal is enough for about a month for me, my kid, and my dogs if needs be.
If you live on the coast and have a bathtub, I would recommend investing in a waterbob some point. They're like $35, they hold 100 gallons, and they don't take up much room for storage. Flashlights are good, but battery powered lanterns are better light sources for a room. Above all, make sure you have some bug spray.
Emergency Reservoir
I have one of these I keep in the bathroom. No worrying about how clean the tub is. Also then the water is not exposed.
https://www.amazon.com/Rations-Emergency-Calorie-Food-Cinnamon/dp/B01HPGX1QG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=56079594676&gclid=CjwKCAjwnMTqBRAzEiwAEF3nds56fiOJ3Rj6rhm_dPLd6jv5WXXOy9_dg5aHfbOQ0dXc_rskhmGTfBoCH2cQAvD_BwE&hvadid=274684400325&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9004523&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=b&hvrand=2802027625740107525&hvtargid=kwd-302456618325&hydadcr=17079_9854065&keywords=3600+calorie+emergency+food+bar&qid=1565612827&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVFg3UElYVUo1RTVFJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODc5NTE1Mzk0U0VEVjFLTFlQMCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDA3NDIzMUs4VkdCREpCWlM0SSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
Don’t say I never do anything for you.
Hi there. Welcome to an unfortunate club where membership sometimes has steep prices. I am glad you have gotten an early start on preparing 12 cases of water may be enough. The guidance is normally 1 gallon per person per day for 3 days. This includes enough for food preparation, drinking, sanitary, and hygiene needs. You may also want to consider a bathtub liner that acts as a storage tank (like this one ) to aid in toilet flushing or if your water delivery system fails. This did happen for some folks during Harvey, so its importance cannot be overstated. The same amount of food and water should also be stored for your pet.
You also want to make sure you have non-perishable food on hand. If you can eat it, Peanut butter is a great source of energy when you need it during problematic times and clean up. Otherwise think like a hiker for food options. They are usually light easy to store and have high yield for you.
Consider power banks for electronics. Also purchase a hand crank radio as these will be vital to you for communication and information from local authorities in the event your power is out. Flashlights and batteries too. It is hard to see you at night if you need rescue, waving your hand in front of a flashlight is a basic but amazing beacon. Also entrainment like some music and a deck of cards are an extreme comfort when it sucks most. I can also say, from personal experience, extra socks and underwear are GOLD!
Your local and county OEM will be the best people to listen to for evacuation advice. They are paid to constantly consider and revise plans on this.
I hope that all of this is for nothing and that you are spared a major incident, but this is a good start for an all hazards kit. Check out Ready.gov for more specific information on this in case I missed something.
Above all being prepared is being safe.
I wish you ease in this time and hope that Irma decides to vacay somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic instead of any land.
It's useful to get one of these water storage bags so you can fill up enough to last a few weeks if necessary. They aren't very expensive either.
There's a thing you can buy that fills your bathtub with water in a plastic bag.
If you get one of these then you can store potable water in the tub.
In an emergency situation you want high calories. Unless it's an emergency lean bulk :)
You'll notice true emergency rations have extreme caloric density. Try something like this: S.O.S. Rations Emergency 3600 Calorie Food Bar - 3 Day / 72 Hour Package with 5 Year... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MF41LI/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_jAvlzb1QFBB0A (No affiliation.)
They have a 5 year shelf life in all climates. They pack small and light.
EDIT: I should add that these do not taste good. It's like eating a super-dense cliff bar. I know, because I tried one once out of curiosity. I don't really care, because they're true emergency rations. It's not something I would take backpacking or camping (like the tuna mentioned or someone else mentioned MRE's.) The plan with these is to have them if you need them, but you probably won't. And if I do find myself eating these out of my SHTF bag, whether they taste good or not is of little consequence.
Grizzly Gear - Tasty and chewy right out of the bag but it tastes like store-bought cookie dough.
ER - Edible but crumbly as hell and the sameness of the taste will drive you mad after a while.
Mainstay - Sweeter than eating actual sugar.
S.O.S. - Another "store-bought cookie dough" one.
Not free then. $15. Or you could get ten times as much emergency food at a 33% better value. Oh, and it has a 20 year shelf life. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IW1NQDC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5qpLAbZBNEQWP
Edit: also. You're being lied to and manipulated. The normal price is $14.95 with free shipping and handling. Don't fall for marketing gimmicks or shills on reddit.
http://www.americanpatriotlife.com/food-4-patriots-72-hour-supply/?gclid=CjwKCAiA_c7UBRAjEiwApCZi8ex5tRqGw2L443OMTL_qMVIOeckdws1tUa04PaG5A3BtTNTp8klWTBoC49YQAvD_BwE
Edit 2: holy fucking shit he didn't even try to hide it. OP's history is filled with internet marketing posts. I mean literally, he's posting links to marketing services that help you market your website. Gtfo
Looks fine for "I'm going to the hurricane shelter" purposes.
Suggestions:
Especially if you load much else in there you probably want something with a shoulder strap, if not a backpack. Carrying anything in your hand will get tiring, even if it's just around a campus or wherever you end up.
You've got ramen but nothing to hold water, let alone heat it in. For sustenance, try some purpose-built emergency rations that are ready to eat and last basically forever. And/or add a backpackers all-in-one mug you can heat water in, mix your stuff in, then eat / drink it.
Unbox that radio and store the batteries pre-installed. I virtually guaranty that cheap thing (not an insult here) has a "hard" physical switch and zero parasitic draw. No sense having things separate and potentially lost. Also – make sure it actually works!
Especially if you're a "set it and forget it" type – lose the alkaline batteries in favor of Energizer Lithiums. Ten year shelf life and no potential for messy / damaging leakage. Strongly consider standardizing on one size (AA or AAA) instead of messing with adapters. While you're at it, add a flashlight. Even if you EDC one. Even if it's just a Harbor Freight freebie.
That charger is a low-amp one, right? Probably 500mA max. You'd do well to have one that did a full 2.1A, since if/when you get access to electricity you (and everyone else) will want quick charging. A longer USB cord wouldn't be bad. Consider a multi-port charger, and a dual-tip micro-USB / Lightning cable so you can be someone's hero.
Add some duct tape. C'mon, you can't have any sort of bag without duct tape. Wrap it over a short dowel, large nail, etc. for additional usefulness. A little cord too. Ten feet of paracord, or even just string, can be super useful and takes basically zero space. Throw a couple decent sized zip-ties in. Those tiny buggers are nice sometimes, but definitely aren't long or strong enough to handle many useful tasks.
Replace those screwdrivers with a multitool so you have more size options, plus a blade, scissors, etc. and especially a pair of pliers. If you're enough of a tool snob to care (pretty sure based on what you packed that's "no") feel free to ignore me.
Put that TP in a zipper bag. It's not going to do you much good for anything if it gets wet from unexpected rain, a spilled bottle, etc. – pack your clothes and other soft goods in zipper bags too, for the same reason. The bags themselves can become very useful, even if only for separating your stanky worn drawers from everything else.
Because no matter how clean you think you made your tub, it isn't the best vessel for storing potable water. It is literally a vessel meant for catching the rinsed filth off your body. If you want to store potable water in your tub, get a liner https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2
If you're filling up your bathtub with emergency water, you could get something like this to keep it more sanitary: http://i.imgur.com/IrdgkV0.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Pizza's idea of the Sawyer was an excellent suggestion and would be one of my top recommendations as well. To hit some other categories for ideas:
Viral/Contamination:
Medical:
Informational:
Water:
Tools:
Other:
Anyway, just some suggestions. Hard to get too crazy on a budget. I'm sorry I missed the exchange but I signed up to give someone who gets screwed something so I'm sure I'm gonna help someone out.
I've never liked 72hours' kits, but I suppose they are easy if you want a click and forget experience. They do have the best prices on the #5 food grade Mountain House dehydrated food tins though. 20 year shelf life and you can take them camping to rotate your supply. Unfortunately they're packed with sodium.
In the event of a moderate earthquake or prolonged power outage, you can assume that you will be able to return to your home after the utilities have been checked and/or turned off. The key things you need to do are to save what food and water you can. 72 hours is wildly optimistic, in a city supplied by bridges on all sides I'd think the average prepared family should be able to sustain itself for at least a week. Some people buy a big turkey after Christmas and leave it in a deep freeze only to serve as an ice block in case the power fails. Water is the larger concern though.
By that, having a sink adapter for a water filter is invaluable. So is a bath tub waterBOB if you don't have space to stockpile flats of water or aquatainers. Assuming the water still has slight pressure, even if the pipes have cracked and the water is now contaminated with rust or dirt, as long as you can get some of it into a BOB (or even just a bathtub, just, be aware that bathtubs are notoriously filthy), you can treat it. Even toilet water... Having aquatabs, an aforementioned filter or even iodine (5-10 drops per quart) can easily get a bathtub full of dirty water into drinkable condition.
I think people almost fantasize about heading out into a park, setting up camp and defending their homestead. In an emergency event, you will want to be in your home. Authorities want you to be in your home. The backpacks on their websites... they're not going to keep you alive. A proper bugout bag needs to have clothes, money, medication, luxuries to keep children calm, high protein snacks, some water and more money. Any bug out bag will not keep you alive for a week, it's just not possible to carry that much alone. Focus on having enough to keep you alive while not being able to return to your home for 24 hours, because the chances are you will be able to return. In all likeliness you will end up in an emergency shelter which will have food and water, but not the personalized things mentioned above.
So the shitty tube tent, the $1 plastic parka, the gardening gloves, the water juiceboxes.. all that junk in the 72 hour bag.. you may find it useful but in all honesty it's not going to help you for fuck all in 99% of the emergencies we may experience in BC.
Not sure if this is common knowledge, but you can flush a toilet by filling the bowl with water. Obviously water will be scarce, but you can reuse any gray water you may have, i.e. from washing.
If you're planning to bug in, or at least want it as an option, I highly recommend getting a water bob. That link is to Amazon, but I'm sure you can get it a little cheaper. Well worth every penny and can help in any situation. For example if a big storm is coming, you can fill up one of your tubs and have fresh potable water just in case something happens, i.e. power outage or contamination.
This works well. I've used it before. Actually this might be different cause it was cheaper
WaterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage (100 Gallons) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_byWRzb5RZPS2Q
I second Mountain House. Either the classic bucket or the essential.
Buy the Mountain House Meals. They taste quite good and last 30 YEARS!!! Take that Jim!
In the '89 earthquake we were without power and water for a few days or more. Telephones didn't work (no cell phones back then). "Liquifaction" caused buildings in the Marina to slid off their foundations. The Bay Bridge was out of service for months. Then came the Northridge quake. Having an earthquake kit is being prepared. Here's some of what's in mine.
Buy one of these, turn off all the clocks in your house, and get to grinding with Ganesha. We'll see you in a month when you have 750k MP.
Jokes aside, I'm not really sure. You have a few avenues, but none of them look easy. Your long term plan probably does involve DAthena though.
>What do you guys recommend for a lantern?
Redundancy:
I've discovered camping is the perfect time to test out lots of your preps. You don't know how useful this stuff is until it's pitch black and trying to fry up some burgers and also mix your girlfriend a margarita and multi-tasking. I've found some things awesome (headlamp) and some things just impractical this way. It's made me remove and add stuff to my BOB. I highly recommend taking your BOB and other prep gear camping and trying it out for real.
Going by amazon.com reviews is almost always a good idea in my experience. Whatever battery lantern has 4.5 or 5 stars and 150 reviews is almost always a good pick. Buy spare batteries too!
Q2: Do you have a tub?
I think the main thing here is you want >72 hours of spare water already without doing anything fancy. You should have some water ready without having to filter anything. If your faucet turns off, you're not going to go start filtering ocean water. The sidebar has info about requirements, suggesting 2 gallons of water per person per day, and 5 per if it includes hygienic purposes.
Chances are you'll way more often deal with not having water for a couple of days rather than not having water ever again. If you can't go a few days without water comfortably, you should focus on that. Get something to store water and fill them. Buy a few packs of bottled water and keep it in the closet. Get that waterBOB. Have at least 72 hours worth for your family just directly from stocks. After you've got that done, then maybe consider "long term solutions"... but arguably you've probably got a lot of other stuff you should take care of before that, like extra beans and rice and cans of food.
I don't think there's any easy way to handle ocean => potable. Here's the thing. Let's say you'd benefit from something like that. That means you have no more water? Your city is completely water-free, as in everyone is trying to get water? Shit will get hellish. What are you going to do, go to the ocean, grab a few buckets of water and take it home? Either you've got a stealthy way of getting a lot of salt water to your house (live near the ocean?) or you are going to be noticed and people will start begging you for water for their grandmother, infant, etc. Get ready to have families lining up on your door step, begging for your help, fighting over half cups of water.
My point is, if you're prepping for never having water running again, you've got a lot more to handle and it'd be absolute chaos. It'd be better to make sure you can go 2 weeks safely at home without food and water, and if you've got that covered, then you can maybe consider long term homestead craziness. You prepare for a flat tire before you prepare for lightning striking your car, know what I mean?
CTD has them.
Edit: So does Camping Survival
Edit 2: So does Amazon, but the price sucks.
Amazing amazon: a product for every need
Maybe a water bladder that can be filled up in your tub.
WaterBOB Bathtub Emergency Water Storage Container, Drinking Water Storage, Hurricane Survival, BPA-Free (100 Gallon) (1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6LnJDb5HQ9AS6
first off - great kudos to you having those Aquatainers - it's a major omission mistake newbie preppers make - moving those containers is one of the lesser problems to solve - there's always wheels and a beefy back in the barter ....
eazy to store for apartment dwellers are 2.5 & 5 gallon poly collapsible jugs - good handle arrangement and durable overall - sqeeze store into those nooks & crannies and deploy for SHTFs ....
suggestion on water jug carry - a yoke is your friend - a 5 gallon container on each end (80lbs) is very doable for most middle aged men - even over rough open ground where wheels are a no-go ....
apartment preppers - you need a WaterBob for your bathtub .... https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
I bought one of these (you do need a tub). Seemed like a good investment. https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1536781041&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=water+bob&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2 keep forgetting to buy this
I just looked for a waterBOB and they are out of stock. There is one seller trying to sell it for $255.77.....https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1504636705&sr=8-1&keywords=Emergency+Drinking+Water+Storage&condition=new
If you really wanted to be frugal and give yourself a bit of an ascetic test you could buy a large bag of rice and a multivitamin. You would be fine for the month, and just think how good that first real meal would be when the month is over. Plus, you'd save a lot of that card for other things. If you wanted to make it less harsh, you could buy a few splurge foods like:
Spaghetti-O's (you could actually just buy these and be fine for the month too, 5 cans a day = $5 x 30 days = $150)
Mountain House dehydrated meals
Mac and Cheese
Any number of other things, really. The rice is an absolute frugal grocery staple. Beyond that, go to Amazon and search the listings under Grocery>Packaged Meals & Side Dishes. Just don't forget a multivitamin.
Praxis prepper is pretty level headed. Canadian prepper is okay, but pitches his products a bit much. Outside that you've got LDS prepper and viking preparedness, both of which are strong on the religious aspects. Prepping princess is a bit odd, but does target a lower income viewer.
You'll want to prepare for the events that are most likely to happen in your environment, and then just general social unrest second. Go watch "One year in hell" to get an idea of what a truly dire social unrest situation can be like.
Personally, I'd also suggest securing water, then food, then arms. I assume you've probably already got arms, so if something happened tomorrow, you could offer your services as a defense agent to someone that has the ability to take care of you and yours in return. I bought a 1000L IBC tote, commonly used in industries that are also re-purposed into aquaponic tanks a lot. I got it $40 used and another for free from work, you want one that's been used in something food grade safe, that you could store out of direct sunlight, and put in some sort of long term water storage chemicals, which is often just a very low dose of chlorine. I suggest keeping it out of the sun in order to avoid the clean water leeching the plastics in it. Another way to go for mobile situations, is smaller containers you can put in your car or some methods to purify the water that you do collect if your environment allows for such activities. You'll want about a gallon of water per person per day. That will actually seem like a whole lot if you ever have to use it, including showers and what not.
Amazon has a bucket of food from Augason farms, it isn't the only thing you'd want for 30 days but it would keep you alive. It's mostly the cheap carbs, rice, noodles, potatoes, etc, but you could add in anything you like. The spices are a bit off from good, but it's workable and "cheap." I bought one for each member of my family, threw them in a closet and hope they stay there for 18 more years. This is the one I bought. Really just aim for around 2,000 calories per day per adult, then add in your neighbor's pets as needed. This gives you a month to find a way to produce food or get the hell out of your location. I favor aquaponics and greenhouses for longer production methods if you're got the space, focused on things like wheat, potatoes, beets, but also I love perennials. Kiwi, black/rasp/etc berries, apples, walnuts (can also be tapped for a walnut syrup, like maples). Also consider anything that grows locally, it'll take less efforts to keep alive and can spread on its own. If you're moving, bugging out, focus on hunting and trapping animals less than plants as a food source. Unless you're familiar with the plants it's easy to kill yourself. I downloaded an app that can ID plants, but that'll only work when the system is up, and in which case I'd just buy apples.
You'll need a way to remove your waste, if you can safely process that into biomass for your garden, awesome. That's something that'll take some time to master, so I'd say don't read about it and try it just on some Tuesday night. Outside that, waste systems for a city will usually keep operating long after water systems fail.
Learn how to make something you can trade in an emergency that people will need and you'll need less abilities to do it all.
Like alcohol or fuels.
ITT: people getting hung up about the gun(s).
​
You all wouldnt be saying shit if he put in a machete for self defense.
​
Moving on:
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The powerbank should probably be one with a solar cell. It isnt going to be very much but if power is out, at least the sun will help a little.
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Also I'm not sure how long this kit is supposed to last. According to FEMA, at least 72 hours if not longer. I've also seen some rumblings of a food supply to last two weeks.
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Rations vs Supply
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One's literally ready to go out of the wrapper the other needs prep.
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An adjustable wrench as well to turn off water or more importantly natural gas flows
are you looking for something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Mainstay-3600-Emergency-Food-Rations/dp/B000QZ3CWC
More detail of the second pic in the link above:
I LOVE that lower compartment. So great to have all the random items I might need available, but out of the way and out of sight.
Or hold on to that food for the next hurricane. Come to think of it maybe you should always keep a rotating stock of about 2 weeks worth on non perishables at home that way when the next storm or power outage comes you arent stuck scrambling for the last can of beans like the rest of the idiots.
seriously, my storm prep consisted of fill up truck with gas, sit at home and drink beer. I always filled up a water bob in one of my tubs
WaterBOB Bathtub Emergency Water Storage Container, Drinking Water Storage, Hurricane Survival, BPA-Free (100 Gallon) (1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_piXNBbRXQQ8MJ
edit fixed the link
If you can't buy water you can buy a Water BOB and fill your tub before the storm.
I just bought this thing for storing up to 100 gal of fresh water in my tub.
I have two of these: https://www.amazon.com/Augason-Farms-Emergency-Water-Storage/dp/B00PUE4NX6/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1506452574&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=55+gallon+water+storage+kit
I would look at survival rations. ER Bar, S.O.S. Rations, Mainstay, and Datrex were the brands I looked at. I ended up with Mainstay after a little research. There honestly appears to be little difference overall though so you could actually get whatever you can find cheapest or whatever little differences you prefer. One 3600 calorie package is supposed to last 3 days giving you 400 calories per day.
The biggest thing to remember is that these are made specifically to be light, compact, and the minimum you need to keep going for 3 days. You would not want to pack them for living for months off of but for 3 days they were the best alternative I could find.
I also recommend Mainstay bars for something to keep in your car/office. They taste like extremely crumbly and dry lemon cookies, but they'll keep for five years in just about any place you're likely to put them.
Cheaper Than Dirt has them for $20
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP205-1.html
EDIT: Thanks to danger_one from the other thread, they are also available at a place called Camping Survival for $20 - http://www.campingsurvival.com/waemdrwast.html
and on Amazon for $30 - http://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Water-Storage/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314394973&sr=8-10
While I'm not one to discourage people from cleaning their bathrooms, I would think a 65-100 gallon water bladder would be a safer/smarter way to store drinking water in the tub (or in general): https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2
pro tip - Get a water storage bag for your bath tub $20 so you can store 100 gallons of clean drinking water as soon as you hear an emergency happening. Great emergency investment
A vending machine-style can rotator. You can buy one or you can customized it DIY.
The best way I've found for water storage, outside of cisterns and towers, is the emergency waterBOB which is designed to fit 100gallons into a standard bathtub. Not for long term storage, though. Or the water brick, which you can stack into nearly any pattern you want.
Every bit of space counts. And here. More organization here, here, here, and here.
You can even add storage in your backyard.
Really it's only limited by your space and your imagination.
I feel for you dealing with that polar cold being in northern Illinois. Ouch.
They make a bathtub bladder for water I recommend for apartment living. Amazon link.
If you know a bad storm is coming this can be very useful.
Depending on your window situation a small solar charger can keep your phone powered up (or emergency radio, etc).
Food is always tricky. There's lots of good options to toss in the bottom of your closet like a Mountain House bucket. But be sure you can make hit water to mix in. So a few sterno cans can be helpful here.
For the daily med requirement, that's a tough one. I'd talk to your doctor about "What if...." scenarios. What if you take a cruise and the ship gets stranded and you run out of your meds. What if you're on vacation and your carry bag gets stolen.
See if he or she can give you an in-a-pinch over the counter plan. Or a secondary option, etc.
> apartment preppers - you need a WaterBob for your bathtub .... https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Not just apartment dwellers, anybody with a bath tub!
First: not food safe. Second: they are made of thinner plastic that would not hold that amount of water.
What you are looking for is a Water Bob. Costs about as much as a camping air mattress, but purpose-made to store water for emergencies. Ideally you would want a bathtub or shower that you could deploy it in.
If you are looking for something you can buy right now, because you are worried about the hurricane... maybe go to walmart and get one of those $10 kiddie pools that you could deploy and fill up in your shower?
This is kinda cool as well but I agree with the other redditor that things happen quick.
WaterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage (100 Gallons) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_yvWRzb39128V2
Just get this. It's a lifesaver and you get 100 gallons of clean water.
I would recommend a waterbob: https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504580873&sr=8-1&keywords=waterbob
Check this out. Kind of interesting:
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Here is a fantastic 20$ solution that gets you 100 gallons of clean water
Also, LENTILS LENILS LENTILS. They taste great, store more compactly, cook faster and are better for you. Throw some curry powder in there and you got yourself a tasty ass meal.
You can get 100 gallon bags that you fill in your bath tub if you need drinkable water.
WaterBob
You say you have water covered, but at less than $25, a bathtub water bladder is always nice to have on hand. Especially if you know the crisis is coming and you have time to fill it up.
http://amzn.com/B001AXLUX2
Let's see here, Mountain House Essential Bucket is $52.49 today: http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-80663-Essential-Bucket/dp/B00955337I/
[re]EDIT: Hey it works! (but current price does not match what Amazon says today; has to do with the Amazon API, I am told.)
Well, any carb that digests quickly is basically off–limits as well. So white rice even in very small amounts is out. Brown rice in small amounts is sometimes okay. Beans in small amounts are sometimes okay. But by the time I eat anywhere enough calories of either to come close to counting as a meal, I’ve probably crossed the threshold of way too many carbs. So beans/rice/pasta really can’t be any more than a minor supplement. White potatoes are out. But sweet potatoes, strangely enough, I can eat one or two of just fine.
I was just looking at this (https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-Just-Classic-Bucket/dp/B00955DUHQ/ref=lp_13922515011_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1474200663&sr=1-1) from another post, and the beef stew is the only option there that’s close to being acceptable.
Yeah, you're comparing a 5 day food supply to 30 day food supply. Even if we assume the extras are useful, it's not a good deal.
A cursory look on Amazon yields:
9 day worth of SOS Rations, $20.45 (vs 5 days)
Ammo Box, $5.98
100 Aquatabs, $9.90 (vs 10)
10 1-gallon mylar pouches, $8.99 (vs 1 small bag)
Similarly stocked survival tin, $15.50
Now I already have more things and I'm only at around $60.
If you want to see some real crazy shit:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NGYGCH2?psc=1
You could also get some of those bars for lifeboats that have a 5 year shelf life.
https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Gear-Emergency-Food-Rations/dp/B00NGYGCH2
I am prepper and a FIL, here are some things I can never have enough of...
Your FIL will be thrilled that you support his prepping no matter what you decide to give him!
Similar thing. 3600 Calories per Bar
The thing with bug out bags is first figuring out where you're going to bug out to and how you're going to get there. Do you have relatives that live 100 miles away? If so can you walk there if your car is unusable? I'm still struggling with this as my family is in the exact opposite direction of where I'd want to bug out to in a disaster/ SHTF situation.
Unfortunately, BOB's can get pretty expensive quickly - I picked my bag and contents for an indefinite bug out so naturally I ended up spending a good amount of $ on it - BUT spaced out purchases throughout many months as I also didn't have the money to be spending all at once.
Anyway, if you want to keep it under $50, I'd suggest looking for second hand bags....even for a halfway decent one, this can bring your budget to at least half that. Ideally, you'll want one with an internal frame and a belt strap. This will keep the weight off your shoulders and distributed evenly throughout - this is especially important if you plan on walking a bunch of miles. If you're not planning on walking far, then this isn't much of an issue but to me, bugging out assumes some walking involved.
Following the survival rule of 3's, the first item you'll need to address is some sort of shelter. Get some 550 paracord and a decent tarp. This shouldn't cost too much and you can make a quick & easy A frame type shelter. Even a few heavy duty trash bags could go a long way (ie solar shower, solar still).
I'd def get at least a light summer sleeping bag unless you feel ok sleeping on a bundle of pine sprigs. Do you have decent hiking boots and wool socks ready to go? I see a lot of bug out bags skimping on this but to me is one of the most important things to have.
Can you start a fire with the fire striker you have? How about if the ground is wet? Not saying you need to get one of these but also not sure if you would be able to process wood with a leatherman.
Next is water. Do you have a cup/ canteen to hold/ boil water in? If you're on the run, get something like this. But if you have time to boil any stagnant water, the canteen with cup linked above is a good idea to have.
For food, yeah protein bars, cans of tuna are cheap and good to have. I got a few of these. But they actually get kinda heavy quick (3 days worth of food in one block). For longer term, I'm currently looking into a decent fishing rod and setting snares.
Hope this helps! If you want to spend a bit more $ I can share with you some of the other contents I have..
I use these
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=asc_df_B001AXLUX2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312062010845&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17513044832155461135&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9051964&hvtargid=pla-365377788888&psc=1
OR, get something like this...the water stays cleaner, and you can get it all out.
http://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Water-Storage/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314583051&sr=8-1
If all you're worried about is basic bathing and water to flush toilets, then fill up a bathtub with water before the storm hits.
If you're worried about drinking water, then look into a Water Bob. A giant plastic bag you put in your tub and fill up for drinkable water.
This is the product.
I believe amazon will ship it to the middle of... well, the amazon, if you ask them.
barring that,ask the manufacturer where they have a uk distributor.
There's the "water bob" which is a water bladder that fits in your tub. You should also have smaller jugs of water on hand under the bed the the closet, etc. In an emergency you can deploy this and store many gallons of water. That is as long as pipes don't freeze where you are and earthquakes don't break the main, but here's the link.
https://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_CHgFDb1Q7APP0
Basically turns your tub into water storage.
Yep - get a bath tub water storage bag instead
Or if you want to be fancy you can use a WaterBOB.
I keep a knockoff version that is built as well but didn't include the pump as I have a hand pump already, saved a few bucks.
WaterBOB.
Turn your bathtub into a water supply tank.
For Shelter-in-place:
What's missing from my shelter-in-place plan??? A LOT, I think...
any guidance on this list??
Well, I keep a month's supply of water on hand, so no issues there. I might pull out my emergency water holding tank and fill that up (just in case). My portable solar array will keep the refrigerator going and charge my cell phone and radio. My fireplace will keep the house warm. And, finally, my outdoor grill will allow us to cook food for a while. I have roughly 6 months of food and about month worth of frozen meats, etc. so I wouldn't even have to make an unscheduled trip to the grocery store.
Of course if it is looking like things will be too crazy and the interstate is somewhat clear I'll just take my family on a little vacation trip up to the cabin. No worries.
Localized disasters are easy when you practice preparedness as a way of life.
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2
>KEEPS WATER CLEAN FOR DRINKING: Water stored in an open bathtub with dirt, soap film, and exposure to debris will spoil and become useless. WaterBOB lets you negate these health risks and make your bathtub a clean and fresh water storage container that can keep water fresh for up to 16 weeks depending on the water source. Keep your water clean for drinking, cooking, washing, and flushing.
Real world product for disaster/survival scenarios. Id think in PZ it wouldnt be too much to ask to store the water to use for boiling.
Get one of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_BPeSzbRENBBK2
I'm too OCD for that. "Things" would get into my water. A waterBOB or just get water bricks are great for water storage and my peace of mind. Of course, your water tank should hold around 50 gallons.
A full bathtub can still go to crap if the sewer backs up the drain like it did to a friend of mine in Houston.
Get one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
> Just fill your bath tub before the storm.
If anyone is thinking about this for future use, there is a plastic tank/bag you can put into the tub to fill to keep the water a little cleaner.
https://www.amazon.ca/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
You could stack these guys in all sorts of configurations http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-27-Gal-Storage-Tote-in-Black-HDX27GONLINE-5/205978361 or even through your mattress on top of them. They are ugly but they make a good use of 3d space. Only 10.77 each when you buy 12 or more. Since you do not want guests to see them, incorporate them into the furniture somehow.
Use your bathroom to store some stuff. Get a good shelf that goes over your toilet seat. You are not occupying that space anyway. All (most) of your first aid kit stuff and maybe paracord and fire extinguisher and bleach and soap and baking soda and ... other non-edibles(drinkables) could all be stored in the bathroom. Also something like this: https://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2?th=1 - only $23
A bath Bathroom is the first place I run to when I say cut my finger with a knife, so it only makes sense that you put your first aid kit there.
I have a couple of these and these.
I particularly like the Sceptre cans because they're quite stout, unlike the cheaper 5-gallon camping cans you can get at Walmart or other places.
The water bob container is what you are looking for.
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001AXLUX2?cache=4918f250a2a1f9f8e4a6c5e7c197d5d2&pi=SX200_QL40&qid=1409118210&sr=8-1#ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1
It is usually $22.99 when sold and shipped by Amazon and not a 3rd party seller. Amazon as a seller appears to be sold out.
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CamelCamelCamel will tell you Amazon price history - it will help you know if you are buying at a low point.
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https://camelcamelcamel.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/product/B001AXLUX2
​
Overkill for you, I think but I'm grabbing a non-playa tested WaterBOB and yes you can use it without a tub. Seems decent. We shall see. I'd totally spring for a military bladder if I could, but, I can't. For you, I'd just get gallon jugs to supplement what you have. It makes it easier to distribute the weight in your car as well. The homer buckets aren't food grade IIRC, so, your milage/smell may vary. You'd probably be alright. If you want to do that, you'd be best off swinging by a restaurant or bakery and asking them for some food grade 5/7 gal buckets.
It is funny that you say that. this is also an option. nizmob is correct solar is not cheap especially for small projects.
I keep lifeboat rations in my vehicles for emergency food supply: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MF41LI/
not really that good a choice. You'd ideally want something with a higher calorie density and more carbs/fat.
something like this would be better:
http://www.amazon.com/S-O-S-Rations-Emergency-Calorie-Food/dp/B004MF41LI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1458404940&sr=8-2&keywords=survival+food+bars
What species if roach are you keeping? I've read dubia (I'm sure most other roaches too) are smart enough to be selective about what they eat vs what nutrients they need. I'm sure they can use that, but I would at least supplement it at a 30/70 ratio with some cheap dry dog food, for protein mostly. Dubia can produce protien from carbs (interesting stuff), but it's not efficient and they'd prefer a straight source of it.
If you want to go cheap though, I feed mine almost exclusively dog food I steal from my parents house and leafy table scraps. I'm not saying it's the best diet, I'm sure there is better, but my little guys do just fine
Edit: just checked the nutritional facts on that page, they have nothing. They're just carbs. No vitamins, no other nutrients. They're not really even cheap, for a staple food you're trying to feed roaches. You'd be better off with those orange slice candies, they're basically the same, but available in the super market for a fraction of the cost, and with both products you'll have to supplement something else in for nutrients anyhow. I'm not saying carbs aren't important for your roaches, but I'm sure there are better sources. Maybe something like this. It has a bit more nutrition, more than double the calories, and costs less
just watched some videos! This is incredibly helpful, what do you think about Emergency Ration Bars like this? Not sure if I'm going overboard but one of these suckers with 3600 calories could come in handy in a pinch as well
Yeah, it doesn't need to be great stuff either. You can build out a pretty good pack for like $40 at walmart...
Preferably to powerbars though: http://www.amazon.com/ER-Emergency-Ration-Survival-Preparedness/dp/B008DEYC86
EDIT: oh yah, a cheapo flashlight too for a few bucks... comes in handy... but this is something everyone should just have in the glove box.
EDIT2: best free fire tinder in the world too is dried out pinecones, compress a few dried ones into a freezer size ziploc bag and you'll be able to start a fire with the wettest shit on earth... lite those with a piece of TP or keep a napkin in there with them.
I know folks on here generally favor "real"-ish foods, but I have marine emergency rations for this purpose. They're pretty compact, vacuum sealed, and will keep you alive for up to 3 days. No frills, apparently tastes pretty blah, but does the job.
I have a different brand, but there are many companies that make stuff like this: https://www.amazon.com/ER-Emergency-Ration-1B-Preparedness/dp/B008DEYC86
All bug out bags should have one thing in common: The rule of threes.
In survival situations, the rule of three states that you should preferably have at least three ways of performing any survival task. For a bug out bag, this means you should have the tools to perform each of the following actions in at least three ways:
Start a Fire
Signal at a Distance
Generate Light
Treat injuries
There's really only one way to treat injuries, so rather than having three different ways of doing it, make sure you have the three essentials:
Purify Water
Stay Warm
Obtain Food
As well as these items, you should have as much of the following as you can get:
Take some of theses.
Also load up your pack with all your shit and weigh it. Then either "practice" hike with it or something heavier.
There are also backpacking subs that could help you out.
The essential bucket is also lowered to $49.99. I picked up two since I still have some of the essential bucket left and I don't use the breakfast meals. Either way, I would've missed it if I didn't see this. Thanks.
Classic bucket
Essential bucket
$6.50 a meal on amazon
Food. These things are delicious. You just boil 2 cups of water and pour it in. let it sit for about 8-10 minutes and feast. I take them backpacking with a jetboil to boil the water and I eat like a king.
edit: formatting.
This is what I got, one for me and one for my wife:
http://www.amazon.com/Augason-Farms-30-Day-Emergency-Storage/dp/B00IW1NQDC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
She doesn't realize it, but I've stocked up WAY too much baby food at home too :)
cisterna,
solar power,
4G LTE repeater,
1 tub of this 30 day food thing
ps. better information doesn't hurt. I've heard of people saying they would store gas in bulk homemade cisterns - that's not a good idea for obvious reasons... (boom!), Gas doesn't last forever but you can have a month worth storage before hurricane season in a couple of gas friendly canisters.
tormenteras are a must
not living in a wood house is another plus.
The freeze dried stuff is kind of expensive but it does get the job done. Depending on what other items you get them if could be a box of groceries (PB, pasta, rice, snacky bars, dehydrated things, etc.) or you could get them tubs of
soylent greenbachelor chowPrepper Chow. While I generally dislike these products due to the large amounts of inedible filler that goes in processed food it may be the best tool for the job.If you've ever tried the emergency food rations available at your local camping store (https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Gear-Emergency-Food-Rations/dp/B00NGYGCH2) they are very similar in taste, but they offer one notable difference, hence the cost difference.
Lifeboat bars don't induce thirst.
That is their selling point, and why they are popular.
You could try something like this... http://www.amazon.com/Mainstay-Emergency-Food-Rations-Calorie/dp/B000QZ3CWC
Nuts, avocados, bananas, peanut butter, and coconut/olive oil and butters are all healthy, high calorie foods and have pretty much been covered in this thread.
The only other option I can think of is something like the Mainstay Bars. They're designed to be calorie-dense for emergency situations, however you might find breaking a bar down and eating a bit every day would work for you. They're about 400 calories a bar, have some added vitamins and minerals, and have a mild lemon flavor. There are other types of these bars as well, but Mainstay is one of the more common ones.
http://www.amazon.com/Mainstay-Emergency-Food-Rations-Calorie/dp/B000QZ3CWC
We absolutely do - they're just marketed as emergency rations, and in bar form instead of kibble since we eat with our hands.
Example
However, the US military has spent a buttload of money on rations research and developed better no-cook light-weight rations.
This is currently the fore-runner:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QZ3CWC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?smid=A3077ZB2LWZZWN&psc=1
As a Floridian, these can be useful
And if your tub can’t keep the water from seeping down the drain. There’s always this.
I'm in Orange County.
To my north is LA. To my south is San Diego. I'd have to go through something worse before getting to something better there.
To the east is desert (part of it it literally named death valley. To the west is Ocean. There's nothing there for me unless I've specifically planned something beforehand.
There's local mountains, but those are two lane, winding roads and are likely to be jammed up or (intentionally or accidentally) physically obstructed. Any chance at scoring some game will be exhausted in a matter of weeks due to overhunting.
Unless there's a deadly environmental effect like radiation, your safest bet is to hunker down. Keep a couple months worth of shelf stable food, get a WaterBob and keep it topped off until you've got no running water. Make sure you know of the closest location you can get more water and come up with a plan to get it and purify it. Keep stocked up on plenty of ammo.
Then if you find yourself in a food riot kind of situation, do your best to remain hidden. If it's known no support would ever come, you'd have better chances of relocating to a more suitable place after 1-2 months and most everyone is either gone or dead.
like this https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=bathtub+bag&qid=1567103643&s=gateway&sr=8-13
Around $19.
Buy a WaterBoB instead.
link
Do you have a bathtub in your apartment? If so, get one of these waterBobs - average price is usually $25-30 shipped. You can use that in conjunction with a Sawyer filter such as this (but there are many options). Time how long it would take you to fill your bathtub up completely (or research average time). If SHTF, you'll need that much time to fill it up completely. 100 gallons of water should last you quite a bit of time if you use it sparingly, and if you live alone, even 30-50 gallons will last you a good amount of time.
As for food, look for kits that offer you 30+ days of food that don't take up much space. Get a good variety of foods that are ready to eat immediately, require a bit of cooking, or foil pouches that you can just add boiling water and wait. This gives you flexibility (and potential mobility as the circumstances dictate).
Flashlights and batteries are important. Headlamps are very practical. If the power goes out, nighttime is dark. Super dark. If you're in the city, it's pitch black. Get yourself two headlamps, two flashlights and a lantern. Using common batteries is ideal. Calculate the lifespan of their batteries, then make sure you have enough batteries to last you a month of moderate use. (This is less than you'd expect, some headlamps can run 10+ hours on a single set of batteries, and good LED lanterns Like this popular one have up to 90 hours life on low setting. Use it 5 hours a night on fresh batteries, you have potentially half a month of use (so just two sets of batteries would last you a while).
You'll need a way to cook, too. Make sure the area you decide to cook if you need to bug in is well ventilated. Cooking by a window is ideal. Again, most the food you have will mostly just be boiling water and rehydrating the food, or heating water up for extra disinfectant. So figure if you're going to use alcohol, fuel gels, solids, etc and get yourself a good supply of them. Stock up on matches and lighters.
Have a bug-out bag with 72 hours worth of supplies near the door. This should be completely self contained and under the assumption that you'd leave EVERYTHING in your apartment behind except for the clothes on your back and whatever shoes you put on. People like their packs being tactical, others say nondescript. I say whatever is comfortable for you to travel in.
And that's just the very tip.
If you live in a place where this could be an issue you can also invest in something like this. There are several similar products search bathtub water and bladder or bag or emergency
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2
No worries about cleaning the tub or getting sewage bsckups
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/
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\^ That's what you should buy if you want to use your tub for storing drinking water. I know some folks in FL who have used these successfully.
A Water BOB https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2
WaterBOB Bathtub Emergency Water Storage Container, Drinking Water Storage, Hurricane Survival, BPA-Free (100 Gallon) (1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.XZLBbPTJ7R5H
In addition to stored water and filtration, I have one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
The drawback is that you have to anticipate a water outage and fill it up before. My plan is to fill it up within a couple hours of s power outage, but I live in a desert and it never freezes.
WaterBOB Bathtub Emergency Water Storage Container
Looks like it would be a big hastle to clean and dry from use to use ?
Found it, for anyone wondering: https://smile.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Thanks for posting. Didn't know this existed.
Get one of these
They also sell basically giant bath tub sized "balloons" that are handy if you're in a place with unreliable utilities. I'm not sure how big a tub is but they probably hold at least 80 gallons.
Edit: this one holds 100 https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
there's also things like this
Also, if you're worried about Potable water, check out local camping supply stores for a LifeStraw (or similar) water filter. I use one while camping instead of lugging ten gallons of water into the woods. It'll clean up the scummiest pond water into clear drinkable stuff.
It doesn't filter out things like oil contamination, though, so fill up your bathtub. They're sold out for obvious reasons, but something like this really helps.
Raid your recycling for containers, too. Fill up all you can while you can.
Best wishes.
If this is a recurring thing, you may want to invest in a WaterBOB
Why? Because she bought all the water? Its first come first serve. Sure, a little compassion would always be nice but you should never expect people to show it, especially during an emergency.
The fact is: If seeing this pisses you off, you're woefully unprepared yourself. Most Americans don't even have the FEMA recommended amount of supplies, and wait until something is imminent before doing anything. This is why stores are flat out of stock and its a giant shit show. If you'd spend time/money on basic emergency preparedness (and were prepared yourself) you'd be looking at this photo and instead of getting angry at the woman buying all the water, you'd worry for the obviously under prepared.
Water doesn't need to be in a bottle to be clean. You can filter/sanitize it yourself if need be, but most tap water is absolutely fine.
Here are some solutions for water in an emergency:
WaterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage (100 Gallons) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DY9RzbVQSJNTDHS
New Wave Envrio Products BPA Free Bottle, 5-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003B27RAA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_k19Rzb8JNTDHS
Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon Rigid Water Container https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QC31G6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_129RzbHHVHTV4
If all else fails, get a steel cup and a bunch of those butane/propane camping fuel sources. You can boil your own water. Filters can and do work, but I usually don't recommend them unless youre willing to at least read how they work, and what they can/can't filter. I never recommend the iodine tablets for water purification unless its an absolute emergency.
I do not know why people just don't get a Water Bob particularly for events like this where you have a warning about an impending storm.
I ran across this on Amazon the other day. Wish we had seen it when I lived in Florida.
Best, https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Maybe too late unless some camping store or Walmart sells it but if you're going to continue to live in a potential disaster zone buy one of these: https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2
Or order it from Amazon and do next day delivery if possible.
This will get you the ability to instantly store 100gallons of drinking water.
Får väl skaffa en sådan här då.
WaterBOB Emergency Drinking Water Storage | Be Safe During Disasters (100 Gallons) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RqEaBbBCGHKRS
Yeah after the fact its not really great, as the water is already contaminated. However if your well water is still clean but at risk of contamination it's a vaible option.
As for portability, no it's literally a bag the size of a bathtub. 100 gallons of water. Not something you can move as its not rigid without a bathtub to sit in. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001AXLUX2?pc_redir=1407179256&robot_redir=1
$60 from Amazon, plastic "bag" for bathtub that holds 100 gallons and has a pump.
Arrives by end of September.
First of all I just want to say that, that strainer looks amazing.
I'm going to guess that you'll have $43.24
here is an item under $10, here is one under $25, and here is one under $50
I have a two-part 'bag'.
I use a utility belt for a few things, so the weight rides in my hips. That carries a 9" KBar, a Letterman MultiTool, a GoGirl (chicks can stand to urinate, think: small transmission funnel in silicone so it can roll up small), a couple days of Emergency Ration 2400 Calorie Food Bars, metal canteen, ferrous fire starter, and a good compass.
It's handy for a quick hike or in addition to my little backpack.
My backpack had a bunch of little stuff: spare socks, face mosquito net, mess kit, German WWII cutlery set, skein of paracord, spare ammo, cheezy little whistle, small fishing kit in an Altoids tin, fire starter in three flavors, old military rain poncho, glittery space blanket (has many uses), LifeStraws,etc.
Allow me to introduce you to the Emergency Survival Bar. 3600 cal in a 6 x 5 x 1.4 inch package, or 42 cubic inches.
From personal experience, these pretty much taste like edible (fatty) bricks. The issues others are mentioning with speed of absorbtion (fiber etc.) can be dealt with by just pacing how fast you eat these - on a short term basis anyway.
This is honestly a terrible article.
For one, the formatting is awful and the recommendations for building a kit are poorly laid out in the text. It would really help to have some bullets that summarize the urgency and necessary items.
Next, advice offered here is awful:
> "We recommend people keep seven to 10 days' worth of supplies in their car because we're Americans, so we usually have our cars with us," Rizzo says. "So if you have seven to 10 days of supplies at your office and seven to 10 days of supplies in your car, that's two weeks' worth of supplies."
Does Althea Rizzo, geologic hazards program coordinator at Oregon Emergency Management, have any idea what emergency food looks like?
10 days worth of emergency food in your car is a terrible idea. Anything stored in your car is going to expire in order of magnitude faster than food stored in a temperature-stable place. Each day's worth of food is essentially two mountain-house freeze dried packages - so you're talking about two of these buckets - and that's not including the water necessary and a stove.
This is just bonkers insane. 10-days worth of food and fuel, plus the supplies (water) to prepare those meals, is going to weigh 50lbs minimum unless you're doing backpacking gear. It would take up an unreasonable size of a vehicle's trunk.
1-2 days of food in your car is ample. In fact, a single meal in your car is probably ample.
Then, in an earthquake, what happens if your car is crushed? If suddenly half of your emergency supplies now under rubble?
> "We really recommend that people look at their lifestyle, look at where they spend time, and just squirrel away food and supplies there," she says. "Make sure you have a flashlight at work or a gallon or two of water. Maybe that's all you can put in your cubicle, but if you do, it'll still be more than you had yesterday."
Ok - keeping some emergency supplies at your office is important. But this shouldn't be a personal thing you do, this is something you should encourage your company to do. Your company should invest in having bottles of water, and if need be you should lead that charge. Not only are bottles of water useful in emergencies, but they're useful for guests attending meetings at your place of business. You can stash away 10 gallons of water at your office for $7 if you buy at Costco.
Very likely employees are walking home - so large gallon jugs are unrealistic for workers to be carrying. Hand-held bottles of water are reasonable.
> "One gallon per person per day is the rule of thumb," says Monique Dugaw, director of communications for the Red Cross in the Cascades region.
Holy crap that's terrible advice!
One gallon?!? That's it?! That's facepalm levels of stupidity right there. One gallon of drinking water is enough to stay healthy if you don't have any major activities. However, if you're going to wash your hands, wash your dishes, brush your teeth, bathe, or do anything else over a 14-day period....
What's incredibly likely to happen is you'll be thrust into a role of volunteering with disaster recovery. This will require real work, real sweat, which is going to dehydrate you.
Then, what about water to cook with? Unless you're opening cans of beans, you'll probably need to add some amount of water to each of your meals.
At minimum you should expect to use 2.5 gallons per day per person. That's the bare realistic minimum.
Edit: the more I think about this and research their prior statements in other article the more I want to throw Monique Dugaw and Althea Rizzo into a legitimate survival situation. They're both clearly not in any position to be making recommendations to the public. Not saying we need a SERE instructor, but at least someone familiar with practical survival skills and emergency supplies. For example, if you've tried a lifestraw, you'd not recommend it.
Why not just buy them in Mountain Home's own sealed plastic buckets?
If he does backpacking, these will be appreciated:
https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-Just-Essential-Bucket/dp/B00955337I/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1481209476&sr=8-6&keywords=mountain+house+meals
Depending on how much you're looking to buy they come in buckets for emergency storage.
http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-Just-Essential-Bucket/dp/B00955337I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449247788&sr=8-2&keywords=mountain+house+bucket
Grab the mixed dinner buckets on amazon! Usually about $60 for 12 dinner bags. Mountain House Just In Case...Essential Bucket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00955337I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7CVQzbZ8VJ5W9
some can. like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-80635-Classic-Bucket/dp/B00955DUHQ/ref=sr_1_1?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1416587859&sr=1-1&keywords=mre
Here you go. Use the MRs.
Got room in a cabinet for some of these? Just sayin', would beat toothpaste.
Buy yourself one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-Classic-Assorted-Package/dp/B00955DUHQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1505671407&sr=8-4&keywords=mountain+house
Along with a camping stove and a camping pot to boil water in (oh, and gas!). Should last you a few weeks.
Also spend a few bucks and get this
Emergency Food Rations - 3600 Calorie Bar - 3 Day Supply - Less Sugar and More Nutrients Than Other Leading Brands - (5 Year Shelf Life)-9 bars https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NGYGCH2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wB9YDb6AZ5HG7
While bland and not the best, it’s a have it and forget it thing. Also an emergency blanket (shiny one) to reflect heat.
Has come in handy in a few situations. Last year On the highway during an ice storm my car randomly died, something about the battery.
Took triple A 3 hours to get to me, fucking A was I hungry as a motherfucker, shivering I presume used a lot of calories. Took a solid 20 minutes in the storm chipping open my trunk for the food and blankets. Once I got situated with the survival blanket and a blanket overtop I was actually too warm.
So, in terms of prepping for complete disaster shotguns, ammo, and your own personal zombie apocalypse kit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QW7E9E8?psc=1
As for economic disasters, I would consider a property with some arable land, water access, and solar panels. If you can be mostly self sustaining hyperinflation doesn't really affect you. Take it I think you shouldn't adopt that kinda lifestyle for the big "if" everything goes to shit unless that's already your ideal.
https://www.amazon.com/ULTIMATE-Inspection-Western-Frontiers-Guarantee/dp/B01EDB3H2Y/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=MRE&qid=1562694359&s=gateway&sr=8-4
S.O.S. Emergency Water 5 year shelf life - 15 Individual 4.22 Oz Packets (With Tips) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GDMDWYO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-1rPDbPXW0JGS
I agree with the alcohol stoves, but keep in mind they can take longer to heat water to boil.
Do not use in confined spaces - no matter what fire source you are using. Hard in a hurricane, but cook in a larger space than just a bathroom.
Keep some dousing water nearby, just in case you knock it over.
Put the stove on a cookie sheet or baking pan. Aluminum foil folded up a few times will work in a pinch. If the stove or contents tip, it wont set the rugs on fire.
Cook only when needed.
Research "Cold Soaking" (lots of great YouTube videos from thru hikers on this) and No-Cook meals for alternatives. I have 3 packs of MRE's (you can stretch these into 6 days if you ration them out) which have an awesome shelf life. Also, oatmeal is an easy one to eat without cooking. Stuff like this is good for emergencies, I have some of this as well. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H5SF8AG
A 3600 Calorie breakfast bar maybe?
But you can buy these survival pills that have everything you need and leave you full. Or a bag of whey protein.
https://www.amazon.com/Survival-Tabs-Emergency-Preparedness-Earthquake/dp/B01FRD2O8A/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=Survival+tabs&qid=1559156835&s=gateway&sr=8-8
One bottle of this stuff lasts 15 days. Carrying cat food instead of something like this or one of the 3500 calorie bars just seems dumb, honestly.
Yes - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Russian-FSB-Mountain-Ration-Special-Force-MRE-2-3kg-5045-kcal-exp-03-2020/401753538739
And on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RQ57PD3
http://www.amazon.com/S-O-S-Rations-Emergency-Calorie-Food/dp/B004MF41LI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417914994&sr=8-1&keywords=ration+bars
This should keep him alive