Survival Wish List 2012 - Part 2

After the first part of my Survival Wish List I started looking at more things that I would include in this list and these are some more I have found. Let me say that this is a "wish list" and not a packing list or a starter list to be fully prepared. These are things that I would like to add to my collection and I will make a more in depth list of a go-bag or something like that in the near future. 

To start of my list I suggest any and all should get used to firearms and be comfortable around them. I have been shooting ever since I was very young and have shot many different caliber and style firearms. This being said bullets I feel are a very important piece of being prepared. Whether it be for home protection, hunting, target practice or what ever the need is a good stock pile of the ammo is never a bad thing. I suggest stocking the ammo that you prefer using and are most comfortable with. Ammo that is most widely used is also a good thing to stock up on. Ammunition such as 22lr, 9mm, 45acp, 410ga, 5.56 (223), and 7.62 (308) are never a bad thing to have either. Having firearms such as these also makes it easier to find ammunition if the need ever comes about. Hornady came out with the Zombie Just in Case ammunition and of course they turn heads with the 'zombie' style preparedness in mind but these are very good rounds to say the least. Hornady is known for its quality but fairly expensive ammo that gets the job done. Even if you grab a couple boxes of these to put for the aesthetic look of the box it will still come in handy if it is needed. I like to have at least a couple extra boxes in storage. 

This leads me to my next item on my list. The Hornady Lock N Load Classic Reloading Kit would be a pricey investment to solve most of your ammunition needs but in the long run would easily pay for itself. This kit comes with almost everything you need to start pressing your own ammo except the individual dies you will need per caliber bullet you wish to make. With a box of ammo bringing the cost of a round to right around $1.25 a round having the ability to press your own rounds to suit your needs for a faction of the cost is a no-brainer. As I mentioned the initial cost would be high with the cost of the press kit and individual ammunition components but the more and more you shoot the more of a savings you will see. If you enjoy shooting and want to be prepared this is a good thing to look into.

Switching to a slightly different survival element I would add paracord to my wish list. 550 Paracord is a very light weight and strong tool you can use for survival situations. This strong cord can almost be woven into bracelets, belts, slings or anything you could think of making it very easily available. You can grab sections of this military spec cord for about $10 per 100 feet or $50 per 1,000 feet. Having a roll of this at your disposal could come in very handy for simple things like making a grip on a knife more comfortable or making strong shoe laces for your boots or shoes. Integrating this into the rest of your survival kits as well as your everyday life will only benefit you in the long run.

Tools can make or break a survival situation so I think to have tools that have multiple implications add to the overall importance of the tool. I posted about different types of hatchets a little while ago and of course I would have one on my wish list. The Gerber Gator Axe II Saw Combo is a multi-tool that has many different uses while at the same time keeping it light enough to carry and still pack a punch. This hatchet combo has a very sharp out of the box cutting edge with a hammer edge on the back of the blade along with a hand saw that stores in the handle. I have used similar products as this and with the light weight of the entire tool along with the multiple uses it an essential item to have at your disposal.

Last on this part of my list is a need that everyone everyday as and that is water. I have been outdoors enough that having a good filtration system like the Katadyn Vario Multi Flow Water Microfilter is a must. Everyone is used to having clean water at the turn of a knob or in a bottle but if you do not have clean water that is accessible you need a way to clean water to make it safe to drink. They have all sorts of filtration systems now that are as simple as a filter straw or bottle that can filter around 100 gallons of water. This system can filter around 500 gallons of water per filter depending on the quality of the water. With its small size and potential to provide so much valuable clean water having this in a situation could keep you alive. This system is around $80 and the straw filters range around $20 so having something like this isn't a huge investment so I feel this is the most important to have to be prepared for a survival situation.

That finishes this part of my Survival Wish List. As I said in the beginning this is not a list of stuff I would pack or place in a go-bag but these are items I would suggest to have for each of their potential uses. I am sure I can find more items and I will post some more soon. Thank you.