The Ultimate Preppers Checklist

It’s always good to be prepared, and in today’s volatile world, that preparedness could be more important than ever. If you’re interested in building up a stockpile of essential items for times of emergency or disaster, you’re in the right place.   

Below, you can find a comprehensive preppers checklist, complete with a downloadable PDF version for more practical use. 

We talk you through each type of essential item, explain why it’s important and give advice on the best products and types of equipment to buy. 

Let’s dive in.

What Is A Preppers Checklist And Why Do You Need One?

So, what is a preppers checklist exactly?

In short, it’s a guide to the supplies and tools you may need to survive different types of emergencies, from hurricanes and tornadoes to flooding. The checklist should include the main essential items: food water, shelter, and other vital tools to keep you safe and self-sufficient, which we discuss below. 

You may wonder why you need to go through this preparatory process, but the very nature of the incidents you need such a kit for is unpredictable. For example, food and water can run out quickly in cases of disasters like flooding, like with Hurricane Katrina. If you have your own supplies, you can avoid the panic and stay in control of your own situation, as well as ensuring you have everything you need to survive the days that follow.

Download LA Police Gear’s Preppers Checklist (PDF)

Before we dive further into the essentials of a preppers checklist, if you want a quick start you can download LA Police Gear’s Preppers Checklist. 

This printable PDF document outlines the absolute essentials and gives you great prompts about the types of things you need to look for. 

To download it for free, just click here. 

What Do You Need To Pack?

When building your preppers kit, it’s important to ensure that you have all of the basics covered, and then look to build from there. That’s how we’ve structured our explainer here, starting with the most vital item of all.

Water

One of the most important things you need in your supply kit is water. A person can only survive a few days without it, so not bringing enough with you is non-negotiable. 

It’s advisable to bring at least one gallon per person per day. This is for hygiene as well as drinking. If you’re not sure how long you could be without access to clean running water, it’s wise to bring water purification tools, like filters or tablets. This can help keep you going even when you don’t have access to the freshest water. 

Water pouches can easily be attached to backpacks, helping you free up carry space. 

Preppers Checklist For Food

A close second in the league table of essential items is food. Items that have long shelf lives are best, such as canned goods like tuna or vegetables, freeze-dried meals, and protein bars. Foods like rice, pasta and dehydrated vegetables are also ideal. 

It’s important to pack enough food to eat each day that will give you the energy you need to survive. If you plan to do a lot of hiking, for example, then high-protein foods are more desirable as you’ll burn up a lot of energy. So, think about the types of nutrients and energy different foods can provide. 

Pro Tip: Something to think about too: bring a manual can opener. While electric ones are great for cracking open tins in a few seconds, if the batteries run out, you’re stuck in a jam. 

Medicines And First Aid

As well as food and water, it’s vital to pack all of the first aid and medication you may need for a few days in the wilderness. This is doubly the case if you take prescription medication or have severe allergies and use an EpiPen or inhaler. The last thing you want is to run out and develop complications as a result. 

In addition to prescription medication, it’s important to pack painkillers and antihistamines for allergies.

It’s also important to bring along a well-stocked first aid kit. This should include bandages, antiseptics, and tools like scissors and tweezers. You could also add splints and tourniquets if you think there could be a risk of severe injuries. 

Cooking Supplies

Related to food, it’s important to bring along the utensils you need to cook and prepare it. If you can, pack a portable camping stove with fuel canisters so that you can make hot meals. 

Lightweight pots that are practical for packing can be vital for boiling water. It can help to bring fire-starting tools just in case the spark on the stove fails, like waterproof matches and lighters. 

Hygiene

If you’re preparing to spend more than a few days in the wild, then it’s good to factor in personal care and hygiene. Neglecting to do so could lead to illnesses which can develop into emergencies. 

Important bits of kit include:

• Hand sanitizer
• Wet wipes
• Soap
• Feminine hygiene products, like tampons
• A cloth or sponge

Communication and Navigation

If you’re caught out and have no way of contacting anyone or finding your way, then having the tools on hand to help can make the difference between life and death. 

Something that a lot of military-minded people recommend is a battery-powered or hand-crank emergency radio. This means of communication is one of the most failsafe, so if, for example, the internet goes down, radio will still operate. 

Two-way radios can also prove helpful. They can enable you to keep in contact with family or friends nearby. 

You could also pack a compass, and if you still have access to signal and battery packs and chargers, a GPS device. 

Survival Clothing

If you’re planning to deal with extreme situations, then it’s vital that you wear the right type of clothing. 

If the emergency situation is a natural disaster, you may be forced outside into harsh weather, be it rain, sleet, wind, hail or snow. Temperatures could drop to freezing conditions, and if you’re not wearing the right clothes, the exposure could get you before anything else. 

The best tip to keep in mind is to layer up. Consider wearing thermal underwear and fleece jackets to keep heat in, and on the outside, wear waterproof clothing to keep the damp at bay. 

Don’t forget to pack enough spare socks!

Shelter and Warmth

If you’re forced out of your home in an emergency situation, finding shelter that’s warm and dry is vital. Consider packing a lightweight tent or sheet of tarpaulin which are both waterproof and can keep you dry. Insulated and waterproof sleeping bags are also important. When considering which sleeping bag to get, check the lowest temperatures in your area and buy one that can withstand them.

It’s also wise to pack the likes of emergency blankets which can keep you warm when the cold wind bites. 

Essential Tools and Lighting

Given how limited carry space is, multitools can be a prepper’s best friend. Knives, for example, can double up as scissors and tin openers, amongst other things. 

It’s also wise to bring along a flashlight or headlamp, especially in scenarios where there’s no power. Other items that can prove useful include duct tape and strong and compact rope or cord, which can help you build shelter. 

Security Items

It’s important to stay safe in emergency situations. Depending on the situation you’re anticipating, it could be wise to pack self-defense items like pepper spray or alarms, to heavier weapons like a firearm—provided you have a license. 

How Do I Carry My Equipment?

We’ve gone through the checklist and you may be thinking that there’s a hell of a lot there to carry. The trick is to aim for efficiency and to pack the most important items. To help you do this, a tactical backpack should give you all the essential carry space required to get everything in. 

These backpacks also come with MOLLE, which is strapping that allows you to add pouches, expanding your carry space. This type of set up is known as a bug-out bag, and it’s vital that they’re portable and comfortable to carry—you may have to do so for long periods of time. 

For bulkier items, it may be wise to bring a duffel bag. 

Where To Buy Items For Your Preppers Checklist

Now that you’ve learned everything you need to know about preparing for the unexpected, you may wish to start building your supplies. If so, you’re in the perfect place.

Here at LA Police Gear, we offer a wide-range of items that are found on a preppers checklist. For example, we stock a wide-range of first-aid kits, including tactical kits which are used to treat more serious wounds like broken bones or gunshots. 

We also supply a wide range of quality tactical clothing, so if you need to stay warm while exposed to the elements, we’ve got you covered too. Quality products can make a massive difference to your chances of survival, so it really does pay to trust the best, and that’s what we offer. You’ll also find our products for sale at some of the very best prices around, and if you do find a better one, we’ll price-match it. 

If you have any questions at all, big or small, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.