Recommended Equipment
Practical preparedness gear, organized by system. These recommendations are meant to support real homes, real routines, and real-world disruptions.
This page is designed to be a useful resource, not a hype-driven gear dump.
Back to Homepage Ask a Gear QuestionWater Storage & Purification
Water is one of the first systems I recommend people solve. Focus on simple storage, dependable treatment, and realistic volume for outages and short disruptions.
Suggested items
- 7-gallon water containers — A useful household storage option if you can handle the weight: about 58 pounds of water, plus the container. Smaller containers may be easier to move.
- WaterBOB or similar bathtub liner — Useful for quickly storing a larger volume of clean water ahead of a storm or outage.
- Compact personal water filter — A lightweight backup filter is a smart layer, especially for travel, kits, and contingency planning. Check the exact model’s pathogen claims; many portable filters do not remove viruses.
- Unscented household bleach — Not exciting, but a practical item to understand for emergency water disinfection when used correctly.
Before buying, calculate your household water quantity and understand what each treatment method can do. See the complete emergency water guide.
Emergency Lighting
Lighting is one of the easiest preparedness upgrades to make. Hands-free light, room light, and battery strategy solve most outage problems quickly.
Suggested items
- Headlamp — A headlamp is one of the most useful lighting tools during outages because it keeps both hands free.
- Compact flashlight — A simple everyday flashlight belongs in a vehicle, bag, nightstand, and utility drawer.
- Rechargeable lantern — Lantern-style lighting makes kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces much easier to use during outages.
- AA / AAA lithium batteries — Reliable battery storage is part of the system, not an afterthought.
Communications
This is one of the strongest categories for Prepared Home Solutions. Most people have no backup communication plan beyond a cell phone.
Suggested items
- GMRS handheld radios — A basic GMRS handheld setup allows families to stay connected when cell networks fail locally.
- Mobile GMRS radio — A mobile radio can dramatically improve range and usefulness when compared with handheld-only setups.
- NOAA weather radio — One of the simplest and most practical readiness tools for storms, outages, and changing conditions.
- Spare chargers, antennas, and batteries — Communications systems fail at the accessory level more often than people expect.
Vehicle Preparedness
Vehicle kits solve more real-world emergencies than long-term supply storage for most people. Start with practical items you will actually use.
Suggested items
- Jump pack or jumper cables — A dead battery is one of the most common real-world disruptions people face.
- Wool blanket — A blanket is simple, versatile, and far more useful than most people realize during roadside delays.
- Headlamp and reflective gear — Breakdowns often happen at the worst time of day. Good visibility keeps small problems from becoming dangerous ones.
- Water, first aid kit, and phone charging backup — A simple vehicle setup covers the majority of common travel and breakdown scenarios.
Starter Preparedness Kit
If someone is starting from zero, this is where I recommend beginning first.
Hands-free light for outages and repairs.
Basic household water storage.
Simple storm and outage awareness.
Keep phones and essentials running.
Start with the basics and build from there.
Questions about gear?
If you are not sure what fits your home, vehicle, family, or budget, reach out directly. I would rather help someone build a practical system than just send them to a generic gear list.
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