Before venturing into the unknown, you want to ensure you are ready for any situation. In most cases, people usually get caught up and make mistakes when preparing their bug out bag. Lack of early planning is always to blame for such incidences.
As an experienced prepper, you already know what gear to include in your bug-out bag. However, it can be challenging to decide what to carry as a beginner and what not to. However, you do not have to experience such confusion when preparing this article, which has been prepared to give a detailed description of beginner prepper tips.
15 Must-Have Beginner Prepper Tips and Gear
Water gear
Water is one of the essential elements for survival. Dehydration is one of the primary causes of death. As a beginner, you want to ensure enough water and water filtration tools before venturing into the unknown.
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Consider packing enough clean water using durable aluminum bottles in your bug-out bag as beginner prepper tips. Ensure you pack enough water to last you through the days you plan on being in the wilderness.
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However, if you need more water due to overstaying or being lost, you need to have another alternative to getting clean water. As such, you need to have a portable water filtration tool. An excellent example of water filtration is available on Amazon. It is a must to have.
Food
Another beginner prepper tip is to always have enough food. You should ensure you have an adequate amount of food for the anticipated period of the calamity. When stocking the food, you should consider the ease of accessing other food sources in case your stock runs out. Also, the food should be durable because it is dried, frozen, or canned.
Since one is not sure of the extent of the calamity it should hit, a prepper must learn hunting and gathering techniques. With hunting techniques, you are assured of a continuous supply of food. You can read below our guide about foraging for food during the winter season, for more tips on beginner prepper tips.
Self-defense gear
Self-defense is a beginner prepper tip that you must know. Before you start, you need to understand that venturing into the unknown is a risky event, and one needs to be prepared all around. How would you protect yourself should you encounter dangerous animals or other people who want to harm you?
Some of the self-defense gear you should have in your backpack is pepper spray, a gun, and a pocket knife. While not everyone is comfortable carrying a gun, pepper spray can help free yourself from the attacker and give you ample time to run. As a beginner prepper, ensure you have one of these self-defense gear in your bag.
First aid kit
It is essential to have a survival pack with you. Being out in the wilderness, you are exposed to being bitten by snakes, injured by poisonous tree branches, or another form of injury. Whichever the case, you need to have medical items to help you take care of the issue before you can access a better health facility if the injuries sustained are serious.
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Imagine being asthmatic and misplacing one inhaler you carried? The possibilities of surviving are very slim. However, if you can include an extra inhaler in your first aid kit, you are safe. Thus, a first aid kit is an essential gear that a prepper should prioritize when packing their bug-out bag. Ensure the kit is fully packed with all the essentials ranging from medications and bandages.
A ready bug out bag
If you are preparing for emergencies or planning to venture into the wilderness, you need to have a bug-out bag ready. It is a survival pack containing the essentials necessary to survive an emergency. The size of the bug-out bag will depend on your needs and the number of people depending on it.
7 Ways to Gather an All-Purpose Bug Out Bag on a Tight Budget
Currently, with unpredictable climatic changes, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the possibility of a disaster occurring. However, whenever a disaster string you need to be ready to go, and this piece of equipment can ensure a fast exit.
Paracord
A paracord is another survival gear that a beginner prepper should have. At one point, you might be required to drag some items along the way and especially when moving up a mountain. In such a case, you need a parachute chord as it is versatile enough to pull things without breaking.
When purchasing, ensure you get a genuine mil-spec paracord that will not disappoint. For survival purposes, you can consider purchasing UST Para tinder from amazon. It is suitable for hiking, camping, emergencies, or overall outdoor survival.
Firestarters
While having natural fire starter skills is essential, one should also carry fire starters’ gear. I do not have to emphasize the importance of fire as it ranges from cooking, keeping animals away, and staying warm during cold nights.
The Complete Guide to Making a Fire in Any Weather Condition
Thus, as a beginner prepper, a fire starter is one of the essential survival gears you should not leave behind. The survival endless match box is an excellent example of an all-weather fire starter outdoor survival tool available on amazon.
Map and compass
You might be wondering why you need a map or a compass while there is a Google map. However, as a beginner prepper, you are probably unaware that these smartphones have a network range. If you venture into interior areas, you might not access your online map, and also your phone might go off.
It would be best to have a hard copy of map and a magnetic compass to tell direction and avoid getting lost when that happens.
Communication device
Whether you plan on venturing into the wilderness as a group, one should have a communication device. The best communication device that you should consider is a walkie-talkie.
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These types of devices have a strong network and can operate in interior locations. As beginner prepper tips, consider purchasing an emergency professional rechargeable walkie-talkie before you start.
Shelter
When venturing, especially into the forest where there are a lot of wood materials for building a shelter, most prepper forgets to carry a tent. Having shelter-building skills is essential as having access to the necessary materials.
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However, you forget that before setting up that shelter, you need a temporary one. A go time gear life tent can provide you with temporary emergency shelter. Ensure you grab yours from Amazon before you start your exploration.
Sleeping bag
A sleeping bag is one of beginner prepper tips that one should not forget. While sleeping out in the cold, you need all the sources of warmth you can get.
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A sleeping bag is one of the sources. Get one of the warmest, waterproof, and lightweight sleeping bags on most for survival purposes.
Cooking utensils
You need to carry a few multitasking cooking tools. The purpose of these utensils is to cook and boil water.
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While you can survive on canned food or roasted meat, at one point, you will need boiled water for drinking or making coffee/tea.
Cooking stove
If you want to survive, you need to stop relying on firewood for cooking. Fire might not light during heavy rains, and in such situations, you will need a reliable source of the fire. Having a portable stove is essential.
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Flashlight
Another beginner prepper tip that one should consider for survival purposes is a flashlight. A prepper should consider purchasing one which is rechargeable and also uses batteries. Also, carrying an extra pair of batteries is recommended.
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Flares
While you hope for the best, you should consistently anticipate emergencies. If you get stuck in the ocean or the forest, flares can be your only life-saving tool.
They are great at sending a strong signal up the sky, signaling for rescue ships or helicopters. Get your UST see laser flare from Amazon.
As a beginner prepper, these are tools and tips that you should consider before setting out. Make prior arrangements to avoid the last-minute rush. Rushing to the last minute might lead you to forget some essential gear for survival purposes.
