You know the one. They can tell you how many days of water are in their basement, they own a hand-crank radio, and they have opinions about the best zombie novel. Shopping for them is hard, because they already own the obvious things and can spot a gimmick from across the room. Here is a guide to gifts they will actually use, split into the useful, the educational and the purely fun. (For gifts to give after the end of the world, see our earlier post on gifts for the post-apocalypse.)
Genuinely useful
- A good headlamp. Hands-free light is the most-used piece of gear in any emergency kit, and most people’s kits have a cheap flashlight instead. Look for one that runs on rechargeable or common batteries.
- A portable water filter. Squeeze-style filters are light, inexpensive and filter thousands of gallons. Pair it with a pack of disinfecting tablets, since most filters don’t stop viruses.
- A hand-crank emergency radio. The best ones receive NOAA weather alerts, charge a phone a little and include a flashlight. Useful in every blackout, apocalyptic or otherwise.
- A quality multi-tool. Pliers, blades, screwdrivers and a can opener in one. Buy from a brand with a long warranty; cheap ones snap at the worst moment.
- A first aid kit upgrade. They probably have a kit, so add what most kits lack: a tourniquet, trauma shears, a SAM splint and a quality emergency blanket.
- A folding solar panel and power bank. Real ones built for devices, not the tiny novelty panels that barely charge anything.
Experiences and skills
- A wilderness first aid course. Usually a weekend long, and the most practical gift on this list for anyone who spends time outdoors or worries about help being far away.
- A foraging walk or mushroom identification class with a local expert, the only safe way to learn wild food.
- A canning, butchery, blacksmithing or bushcraft workshop. Many community colleges, farms and makerspaces run them.
- Ham radio licensing study materials and an inexpensive handheld radio for after they pass.
For game night
- Pandemic, the cooperative classic about containing global disease.
- Zombicide, a cooperative zombie game with a lot of miniatures and a lot of chaos.
- Fallout: The Board Game, for fans of the video game series and its wasteland.
For the bookshelf
Our apocalypse reading list has plenty of ideas. For a practical pick, The Knowledge by Lewis Dartnell explains how to rebuild technology from scratch after a collapse, and it makes a great gift for someone who already has every survival manual.
Just for fun
- An edible insect sampler. Crickets and mealworms are high in protein and eaten around the world. Good for a dare, and genuinely nutritious.
- Custom dog tags engraved with their name, blood type and survival motto.
- A framed map of their neighborhood, ready for them to mark rally points, water sources and escape routes. Our map-making guide explains how.
What’s the best prepper gift you’ve given or received? Tell us in the comments.
