Emergency preparedness from a Counterintelligence Agent

Reader’s list – $1,000 bug out prepper shopping spree

Shopping_spreeRemember the other day when I said it would be a fun thought experiment to see what you would buy at Amazon if you had $1,00 to spend? Well, we have our first reader’s list – and it’s a good one.

David Hausam did a great job with his list, so I’m going to list it here for you:

  1. $13- TEKTON 3240 1-1/4 lb. Felling Axe
  2. $11- Neiko 00109A Heavy Duty File and Rasp Set PVC Handle, 12 Piece
  3. $10- TEKTON 3104 4-lb. Sledge Hammer
  4. $70- Gorilla Carts GOR200B Poly Garden Dump Cart with Steel Frame and 10-Inch Pneumatic Tires, 600-Pound Capacity, 36-Inch by 20-Inch Bed, Black Finish
  5. $15- 4 Duck Brand 1265013 Colored Duct Tape, Black, 1.88-Inch by 20 Yards, Single Roll
  6. $24- 3/8″ x 100′ Multi-filament Polypropylene Rope, Multi-Color (Various: Red, Yellow, Green, or Blue): High Visibility, Lightweight, Floats, Mold-Resistant
  7. $80- 2 8X10 10oz/15oz Brown Tan Canvas Tarp with Heavy Duty Grommets
  8. $35- Military Outdoor Clothing U.S. G.I. used Military Surplus Alice Pack with Straps, Olive Drab, Medium
  9. $20- 2 Rothco Canteen / Cup Kit with Cover in Olive Green
  10. $58- Wise Food 52 Serving Prepper Pack, 8-Pound
  11. $25- Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife Fixed Blade Knife with 10 cm (3 Inch) Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade and Swedish FireSteel Fire Starter – Black
  12. $38- 1000 Foot Black Parachute Cord Paracord Type III Military Specification 550
  13. $109- Solo Stove & Solo Pot 900 Combo: Lightweight Woodburning Cooking System for Backpacking, Camping, Kayaking, Cycling, Boy Scouts, Emergency Preparation
  14. $20- MSR Stowaway Pot 1.1-Liter
  15. $21- Midland LXT118 22-Channel GMRS with 18-Mile Range, E Vox, and Channel Scan (Pair)
  16. $110- 150 Lbs Crossbow Laser + Scope + 8 Arrows Cross Bow
  17. $15- Topoint 3 Blade Broadhead TP211 (6 Pack, 100 Grain)
  18. $33- New Platoon First Aid Kit – ACU Digital
  19. $25- Tourniquet – Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T)
  20. $6- Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets
  21. $13- Pack of 50 disposable lighters
  22. $8- Vargo Outdoors Titanium Spork ULV (Natural)
  23. $19- Frogg Toggs Ultra-lite2 Rain Suit W/stuff Sack – X-large, Royal Green
  24. $19- Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel with Hardwood Handle
  25. $40- 2 SealLine EcoSee Clear Dry Bag (5 Liter)
  26. $15- Lifeline 29-Piece Ultralight Survival Kit
  27. $14- The Friendly Swede Carabiner “Grenade” Survival Kit Pull with Tin Foil, Tinder, Fire Starter, Fishing Lines, Fishing Hooks, Weights, Swivels, Dobber, Knife Blade Wrapped in Paracord in Retail Packaging
  28. $66- Leatherman 68010101K Crunch Pocket Multi-Tool with Leather Sheath
  29. $10- Streamlight 72101 KeyMate with White LED, Titanium
  30. $38- Streamlight 88033 Protac Tactical Flashlight 2AA with White LED Includes 2 “AA” Alkaline Batteries and Holster, Black
  31. $13- Duracell Procell AA 24 Pack PC1500BKD09
  32. $14- First Aid Wool Blanket 62” X 80”
  33. $20- LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

Here’s what David said about his list:

It is amazing to me both how much and how little $1000.00 will provide. My goal with this list is to try to cover both short and long term needs if this were all I had to work with.

Water

This is the greatest concern and I will rely mostly on boiling water but have the water treatment pills and life straw for hasty use. The Sealline bags can be used to waterproof gear or to carry water in larger amounts.

Fire

This is also a big area for peace of mind, security, water purification, cooking etc… I am bringing a lot of lighters (50), and a Mora knife with a fire starter. The ultralight survival kit and the Swede carbiner also have fire starters in them.

Food

The Wise kit has 8 pounds of food. Hopefully I would not have to get into it much but realistically you have to provide for yourself in this area and that is ultimately what the crossbow is for along with paracord for snares or to make fish nets. The stove has a good sized pot with it and the MSR pot will store some of my food. In a pinch I can use canteen cups to cook in.

Shelter

Cold is not as great a concern for me in South Texas but rain is. The Frogg Toggs suit is tough and totally rain proof. Additionally if closed up holds body heat very well. The two tarps will have to work for temporary shelter but the tools I am bringing will make a more permanent shelter possible. A wool blanket is also versatile as cover or potential clothing and as a filter.

Security

The flashlights will help identify problems and give me peace of mind, the crossbow will be the go to for distance and the axe or camp shovel will be for melee. The Mora knife will be the final line. First aid kit with CAT tourniquet will aid in the event of injury.

General survival

The Gorilla cart will make traveling much easier as well harvesting whatever I need, it can carry a load of 600# but really that is more than I could move myself except in ideal terrain. The ALICE pack is a familiar system to me so packing it is easy. The Midland radios will give minimum communication if I have someone with me. The tools I have chosen for the most part can be kept with me and will be relied on the most. Using Amazon is limiting as I would first like a Ruger 10-22 with a bulk box of .22lr. this has definitely caused me to reassess my strategies.

That’s a great list David, and I like how you’re thinking.

So what do you think about his list? What would you change? Think you’re up to the challenge to come up with a better list? If so, send me your list, and I’ll post it for all to read. That way everyone will be able to learn from what you chose.

Whether you want to send in your list or just do this exercise on your own, head to Amazon and find all the prepper or survival related stuff that you’d buy if you had $1,000 total – pretend like Amazon is really called Discount Prepper’s Warehouse btw. Make a list of those items and make sure your cost stays below $1,000 total (don’t worry about shipping because you’re in a hypothetical store). See just how creative you can get with this. Why did you choose those?

The only rules if you want to play the game is: They have to be current items available at Amazon and the total has to be less than $1,000.

Include the following in your email:

  • The exact link to Amazon for each item so they know which one you chose.
  • The cost of each item (doesn’t have to be the exact cost).
  • Some explanation as to why you chose what you did and maybe some kind of background to help readers understand your situation or your thinking.
  • A link to your website if you have one and would like it mentioned in the article.
  • Permission to use your name, initials, or first name/last initial in the article – or just say you want to be anonymous.

To get you started, here’s the list of the best-selling outdoor items they have.

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About graywolfsurvival.com

I am a former federal agent and military veteran who has deployed to combat theaters in Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan and have almost three decades of military and military contracting experience.

My goal is to help families to understand how to intelligently protect their family and their way of life against real threats, without all the end-of-the-world doomsday crap.

Comments

  1. mapleleaf says

    Great list, all items are well thought out and useful.
    I am coveting the Gorilla Cart for my yard.
    Excellent job.

  2. AK_Hounds says

    What a fun and enlightening exercise! This is a pretty good all-around list, and has almost convinced me to take the time and start my own ‘shopping spree’ 🙂 Just an FYI, though, and for anyone reading the list, don’t get as excited as I did about the 50 lighters for $5…read the one-star reviews, these puppies should probably be nowhere near anything you hope to keep! Go for the BIC, they’re spendier but far more reliable (and last many, many times longer than most cheap knock-offs).

    The cart is a neat idea, and one which I’ve considered incorporating into my plans should ‘the event’ be during summer. However, if you’re traveling on top of snow and ice for at least half the year, the drag-style freighting sleds are worth their weight in gold.

    Thank you for the challenge, GrayWolf, and for the list, David!

  3. One comment on the cart–be prepared for tire failure. The damned things are always trouble in my experience, so being able to repair would be helpful. Might consider a drag-able sled type of thing instead of a cart, although the trade off in energy expended might not be worth it. This one has pneumatic tires, but for those with (evil, hateful, eternally flat) tubeless tires like the cart & wheelbarrows I ended up with for my garden, this is another reason to carry a little liquid soap in your kit.

  4. Michael Aussie says

    Various size 100pk cable ties, duct tape, tie wire, fishing line, 3 in 1 butane soldering iron/blow torch/heating torch and consumables…

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