Prepper Stocking Stuffers, Pt. 2

            We all have that person that is sooooo hard to buy for. Maybe they have a lot of things. Maybe they don’t like anything you buy them. Maybe they just don’t want you to “waste your money” on them. This is the beauty of being a Prepper. We believe in redundancy. We LIVE redundancy. It doesn’t matter if it is an item you already own or that already have two of. We love to have backups for our backups. So, if you are reading this guide, feel free to pick up any of these items or similar items for that Prepper, or potential Prepper, on your list.

            Water is so important to our survival. Having an adequate supply can not only save your life, but those in your care. The WaterBOB is simple. It is a large plastic container for holding 100 gallons of clean water for short term use. It is made of food grade plastic and folds up to the size of a folded bed sheet for easy storage. This is not something to tote around with you when there is water in it. This is best used in the bathtub or other container that is a snug fit. While the plastic strong, I have serious doubts if it would last long full of water with no support for its walls. I have not used one myself, but I have seen them used by others successfully. A great little Prepper item for around $25.

            Fire is a big deal. The ability to make fire separates us from the other animals. Sure, you can rub two sticks together or scrape some fire steel. You can make tinder from cotton balls and sawdust. However, the old standby is waterproof matches like these from Cabela’s. There is no school like the old school. I remember getting a set of waterproof matches in a waterproof holder years ago and they were viable for many years. Having your matches in a waterproof container is important because the matches are often made of wood. If the wood is wet for too long, it goes limp from water log. Just try and start a fire from a limp match (oh boy…). Yep, you can waterproof your own “strike anywhere” matches (and I suggest you do  for your own long term supplies) but for a gift you may as well shell out the six or seven bucks and get a great holder for the matches, too.. I’ve used this brand of waterproof match and it works well even when soaked. Plus, it actually does fit in a stocking.

            Maybe you know someone who is just starting out with Prepping, but is serious. There is no one person in the world better schooled on Prepping than James Wesley, Rawles. While I still don’t know why there is a comma in his name, the man knows his business. His “Patriot” series of books is a must read for all serious Peppers, but for beginners I suggest his book “How to Survive The End Of The World As We Know It: Tactics, Techniques And Technologies For Uncertain Times.” It is a compendium of things you can do to help you plan and prepare for just about any catastrophic event. It is a very dry read, but the information is solid, tested and easy to find. It is worth so much more than the $10 or so you will pay for it. I have it on Kindle, audio and paper form.

More next time!