Independence Day sales are typically known for deals on grills, lawn equipment, coolers, and ways to stay cool through the summer, and all of those can relate to prepping and survival in some way. After checking out a slew of sales, we’ve rounded up the best gear for preppers to check out to augment their survival kits and preparedness plans.July 4th lands on a Saturday this year, but sales have already started and run through the weekend for the most part. Like most roundups, we’ll keep updating as sales come and go throughout the period, so check back periodically to…

Hurricanes pose a large threat to those who live near the coast. Between the high wind and massive amounts of rain, they can cause various types of damage that can exceed $150 billion each year.I’ve lived through several hurricanes of all categories and dealt with flooding, wind damage, power outages, and more. In North Carolina, we don’t have it quite as bad as Florida, but less prepared communities can have even tougher times with large storms.Many people around the world and in the US aren’t affected by hurricanes, so this list isn’t for everyone. But, if you live on the…

Two of the most common SHTF scenarios can catch you off-guard: house fires and home invasions. When something happens in the middle of the night, you don’t want to be fumbling around for your larger kits. Enter the WUSH Bag (Wake Up, Stuff’s Happening Bag). This kit is designed to be highly portable and address your immediate needs for evacuation and more.WUSH bags are still an extension or variant of everyday carry, even though they serve a specific objective. Below, we break down what exactly a WUSH bag is, how it is different than a bug out bag, and share…

There aren’t a ton of Veterans Day sales that apply to prepping supplies and survival gear. It’s close enough that many retailers just wait for the post-Thanksgiving holidays.Veterans Day is on November 11th, as always, which falls on a Tuesday this year. Sales have already started, and a few run through the end of next week. Like most roundups, we’ll keep updating as sales come and go throughout the period, so check back periodically to catch new deals. Contents (Jump to a Section) Check back through the Veterans Day period for updates. When you buy through our links, we may…

Water is a basic human need and key to survival. Methods to gather, store, and sanitize water are all important, but knowing how much water you may need is important as well. Water is heavy and takes up a lot of space when it is stored, so knowing exactly how much you need can help you plan for preparedness.That’s why we’re going over the gear that can help you store, filter, and sanitize water, as well as sharing a calculator (and the general math behind it) that will help you store the correct amount of water based on your needs…

Christmas is around the corner, and plenty of companies that sell prepping supplies and survival gear are running countdown sales leading up to it. They approach it differently- a few move the 12 days further out to account for shipping, if they do most of their business online. Either way, the winter sales are a good opportunity to get those last-minute gifts, use up FSA funds, or round out a survival kit before 2026 gets here.For the most part, the deals are on emergency food storage and tactical gear. They are usually flash sales on specific gear or supplies, designed…

The death of TikTok was exaggerated, and it continues to grow (under American ownership, now) beyond its dance-clip roots. Preppers are everywhere, and one of the main hallmarks of preparedness is information sharing, so it makes sense that TikTok has become a platform with thousands of preppers sharing videos.Some creators promote preparedness products, others share practical prepping advice, and even more do both. There are preppers out there sharing videos with their tens of followers, but the best accounts are resonating with hundreds of thousands. We’ll share more about TikTok preppers and the top 10 accounts to follow below. Contents…

Many survival kits and emergency plans rely on travel to escape threats. Having technology to guide you is always nice, but it’s not necessarily reliable during a disaster. This is why navigation gear and map-reading skills are important focuses for your preparedness.GPS is everywhere- in your vehicle, on your phone, and even in your watch (for some models). It’s great for convenience, but paper maps, compasses, and low-tech gear are more reliable if you know how to use them. Map reading can be simple with a bit of practice, and all low-tech navigation gear is relatively inexpensive.I’ve taught land navigation…

Sign up for the Outdoor Life Newsletter Get the hottest outdoor news from Outdoor Life. Into every life a little rain must fall, so offset it with epic hunting adventures. The North American continent retains wild beasts aplenty in open, wild country like the Mountain Men enjoyed 200 years ago. Towering mountains, gnarly canyons, expansive grasslands and deep forests. More than 440 million acres of public land are open to free exploration, camping and hunting. Why settle for the same 100-acre deer lease year after year? Dream big, lay plans, saddle up and grab your adventure. Note that these aren’t…

Disasters and emergencies can be dirty, stinky, hazardous messes where you’ll want to protect your hands, skin, eyes, and airway. PPE, or Personal Protective Equipment, can help you with that protection.PPE spans from typical everyday gear to safety gear and then to specialized equipment. It typically involves covering your body and protecting your vital functions critical to survival. Sometimes it’s rolled up into clothing or first aid gear because of this.I’ve taught PPE strategies and equipment use in the military, so I’ll share the gear you’ll need to be prepared and a few strategies to help you out when you…

Sign up for the Quick Strike Newsletter The hottest fishing news, tips, and tactics I’ve covered the rise of the weird urchin style bass bait multiple times and even discussed it on a recent podcast. In that time, I’ve gone from a non-believer, to skeptic, to a full believer in the urchin. But, that didn’t happen because it’s trendy, it happened because these baits actually catch fish. Throughout the spring and summer, I’ve experimented with different rigging options, different sizes and colors, and now have a full on collection of urchin style baits taking up a compartment in my bass…

Our world has evolved over the last century to become reliant on energy. Energy has improved our standard of living globally and helped to extend the average lifespan of humans during that time. However, our reliance on energy can become a problem quickly during emergencies.Whether you need to power medical devices, keep your food preserved, pump well water, or just have a light in the dark, energy will help you out. In this guide, we’ll cover essential power supplies and off-grid energy solutions to help you navigate emergencies. Contents (Jump to a Section) This post on emergency power and energy…

Sign up for the Quick Strike Newsletter The hottest fishing news, tips, and tactics WHEN a fellow goes a couple of hundred miles into Ontario on a fishing trip in October, something’s wrong. Either he’s an optimist, has his seasons mixed, or is just plain stubborn. My case was a combination of all three. It all started with Floyd O’Neil’s mid-September telegram: “Vacation Unavoidably Delayed Three Weeks Sorry May Hit Indian Summer.” That “Indian Summer” had a treacherous sound to it. Then and there I started digging my heaviest wool duds out of the moth balls. And I was glad…

Water storage containers are essential for emergency preparedness, and there is a range of types and use cases to consider. Water can be difficult to find during emergencies, so having containers to stockpile water for emergency use makes sense for most people. Gallon jugs can get it done in a pinch, but dedicated emergency water containers give water a longer shelf life, hold more water, and are much more durable.My main recommendation is for the Aqua-Tainer, which isn’t terribly expensive, and it holds a three-day supply of water easily.If you need more durability, WaterBricks give you a sturdy, nesting water…

Shelter is a top priority for survival, and tents are the best all-in-one solution to cover it. A tent can be a highly personal choice that adjusts to your specific use case, whether you are pitching it for your family in an emergency or using it in a bushcraft setup in the woods.I’ve been using tents long before my time in the military, spanning from Cub Scouts and solo bushcraft excursions in the woods to family camping getaways.My main recommendation is the Combat One ICS, which is an affordable, battle-tested military surplus tent that works for a wide range of…

Under Defense Department guidance, the military services are supposed to provide baseline cognitive assessments to all service members who work in jobs that involve blast exposure and track them throughout their careers.But the services have been unable to complete those requirements because they are hampered by a lack of resources, including a shortage of staff and the technology needed to conduct such assessments, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.In 2024, after extensive reporting by The New York Times on the impact routine weapons training can have on the brain, including traumatic brain injury, the Pentagon issued…

A U.S. Navy destroyer went days in the South China Sea without power last month, leaving sailors without potable water, galley services, toilets or air conditioning.USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, suffered an “engineering casualty” with its generators, causing a power outage for four days while conducting routine operations in the Indo-Pacific, 7th Fleet spokesperson Cmdr. Matthew Comer told Military Times.Comer declined to comment about where exactly the incident occurred, but multiple news outlets reported it happened in the South China Sea.The ship received support from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, which included meals from Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser…

New price-point entries from Leupold, Nikon, Sig Sauer, and Vortex are durable, capable, and cost well under $400, with half the budget binoculars in this year’s Outdoor Life optics test costing less than $200.The optics industry is leaning into these budget binos because that’s where the market is. But hunters, shooters, and birders have also realized the abundant value in binoculars priced below $500. Most have good-enough glass and coatings, and the lifetime warranties that most brands extend to these products mean buyers aren’t stuck with a clunker.That’s not to say that all these price-point optics are worth the money.…

South Korea and the United States will cut short annual joint military drills to five days from 11 and scale back some field training, the allies said on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump ordered a substantial reduction in U.S. participation.The change in the drills comes as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits South Korea on Wednesday and Thursday for regional security talks expected to cover developments on the Korean Peninsula.North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, late on Wednesday dismissed the move, saying the nature of the exercises remained provocative and aggressive even if the scale…

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Former Navy SEAL Capt. Daron Miller found a new definition of strength when he shifted his focus from elite performance to a career as a U.S. Army chaplain, using his background to support soldiers.At 19, Miller was searching for something difficult to accomplish and a way to define his identity. While browsing a book about Navy SEALs, he found his challenge.“I decided to join the Navy and become a SEAL before I even paid for the book,” Miller said in an Army release.The book mentioned that candidates in the final phase of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, or BUD/S, were required…

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Watch full video on YouTube