# Tools for a young prepper?



## NoahGoldFox (Sep 3, 2013)

Im only 14 and this christmas (il be 15 by then) im thinking of using my christmas money to buy some supplies and right now im thinking of just gettinf a 40-60$ dollar premade survival pack. do you think i should do this or just buy something else? im only spending 100$ so dont list anything to expensive.


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## ApexPredator (Aug 17, 2013)

I would avoid a premade kit but wait for some of the older preppers who have gone through your situation.


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## nutmeg (Sep 3, 2013)

my first tool is firesteel (Amazon.com: Light My Fire Original Swedish FireSteel Army 12,000 Strike Fire Starter - Black: Sports & Outdoors). Or maybe you can consider multitool.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

One size fits all kits fit no one's needs. My advice is to avoid them. Your skill level dictates what you need & what works for you.

Here is my advice to you. Get into being a boy scout or explorer. Work on different merit badges & the tools & skills that go along with them.


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## Fuzzee (Nov 20, 2012)

Make the money go as far as it can to get yourself setup with some survival supplies. You're not going to be able to stock rooms with food or buy high end home water filters. Start small by getting some of the basic of a B.O.B. going and put it together piece by piece looking for options of what you might be able to find around the house already, for cheap at garage sales and at local stores. You can take that money though and go to any local store that sells them like a Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, etc. and buy a Visa gift card with it and buy some things online you won't find local. Some of the most important in your road to being able to have the basics of survival. Water, food, fire, shelter, security. I did a review on these a while back and there an excellent knife and firesteel combo for the money. Especially for someone on a tight budget.

Amazon.com: Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife Fixed Blade Knife with 10 cm (3 Inch) Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade and Swedish FireSteel Fire Starter - Black: Sports & Outdoors

I just pick up one of these for my get home bag and find them excellent too for cost. The Ndur water filter containers can filter up to a 100 gallons before needing to replace the filter. The cleaner water sources you take from the longer the filter will last of course. Running water from a stream for example being much better than a murky stagnant pond. The canteen version can be used with a usgi canteen cup which is a great combo for storage space and using the cup to cook with.

Amazon.com: NduR 52010 38oz Pull Top Filtration Canteen, Olive: Sports & Outdoors

http://www.amazon.com/G-I-Type-Stainless-Steel-Canteen/dp/B00125M48I/ref=pd_sim_sg_6

You've got a backpack around I'd bet or can find one somewhere like a garage sale for near to nothing. The better made the better pack of course and start putting together some supplies, like a old medicine bottle loaded with Vaseline soaked cotton balls for fire starting tinder when tinder is wet or lean. A small fishing kit with some line wrapped around a piece of plastic, some hooks, and split shot sinkers, etc. etc. An a number 1 priority is read and learn as much as you can about bushcraft and survival out in the woods and at home. An excellent book for learning and info is the SAS Survival Handbook.

http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-...78&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=sas+survival+guide

All good things to start with. That's my two cents anyways.


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## PalmettoTree (Jun 8, 2013)

Follow Fuzzee's advice and you cannot go wrong.

See what you can accumulate before Christmas without spending a dime. Get yourself in shape. If you are in to athletics fine but if you are not do not worry. Getting into is about self improvement and has nothing to do with what others can do.

The most important part of prepping is building your self confidence. Confidence that will be there when you are tired, thirsty, hungry, and hurting. That is when your mind can tell you to do the right thing and self pride is reward and filling enough.

Good luck in all you do. I'm rooting for you!


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

I would get 2 uninsulated 32 oz stainless steel water bottles, a stainless steel cup with handles, and a FireSteel. With these, you can cook, boil your water, and carry 2 quarts of good water. If you have money left, get some Cup of Soup, "just add water" kinds of foods at the grocery store. You could even make Mac n Cheese.

A WristRocket slingshot will take a lot of small game. A lightweight Silicone-nylon tarp adds shelter for about $10 at WalMart. Add a good blade and you're in business.


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

First, weclome to the group NoahGoldFox!

I agree with the comments that advise not to buy a pre-assembled kit that represents someone else's idea of the right tools for you.
That being said, common sense dictates that you have the tools and skills to make fire, provide shelter, drink water and eat food.

A good fire steel is a must have. I've had great luck with the Light My Fire brand FireSteel and FireKnife. My Wife and I spend as much time camping in our motor home as possible and usually prefer camping where there are no services (electricity/water/sewer/etc.). A camp fire is a must and is always our favorite way to cook our meals. When it's time to start a camp fire, we leave the matches and lighters packed away and bring out the FireSteel. Starting a fire with just a steel requires good tinder and kindling. Cotton balls infused with petrolium jelly work well as do many commercial products like Tinder-Quick. My favorite tinder is thin peelings of birch bark... I can usually get flame with 4 or 5 strikes on the steel. Then it's up to the prepared kindling to do its job. Firemaking requires some practice, but it's not hard and it's very rewarding. Oh... stay away from the magneseum fire tools.. they just suck.

A good fixed-blade knife is a good tool to have. I prefer a longer fixed carbon steel blade which can be "batonned" for turning firewood into kindling, used for light chopping, etc. I've gotten a lot of miles out of my Kellam Wolf Pack "Slasher". Its 7" blade works well for batonning and quality steel holds an edge very well. There are lots of good, yet reasonably priced knives that would fill this role.... think Gerber, Cold Steel, etc. ...and don't forget a sharpener to keep that edge keen.

Something in which you can boil water / cook food is high in the list. It can be as simple as a GSI Stanless bottle cup (a stainless cup with folding handles, in which a 1L Nalgene bottle conveniently fits) or a full stainless steel mess kit. Start small and work your way up to whatever level makes you comfortable. I have a full mess kit, but mostly use just the GSI cup.

You've got to have water... Something like a LifeStraw or a Katadyn water purification bottle would serve you well.

A servicable emergency shelter can be made from a tarp (or two) and some rope. Paracord is relatively inexpensive, quite strong and packs light. I've always got a few hundred feet handy.

I'll stop here, but you get the idea. Start with the basics and build a kit that will suit your personal needs. Once you get an idea of what you'll want to carry, then you'll have the fun of finding the right pack in which you can carry it all 

Good luck!


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## Mic (Jul 19, 2012)

I say buy whatever it is that will fuel your desire to stay interested in prepping. If you buy the "wrong" stuff now, you'll still have some stuff you'll need/want and you're going to add to it to personalize it anyways.
Just stay interested. You've got a great start just because you have an awareness at your age that very few of us probably did and a tiny percentage of the kids your age have.


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## BeefBallsBerry (Aug 25, 2013)

I would customs make you're kit. Good place to start is Budk.com


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

Welcome and glad you have decided to start preparing yourself for an emergency situation.. There was a lot of great advice above.. Also look into ROTC or Civil Air Patrol. I didn't have ROTC in my town when I was in school but I was in the C.A.P. from jr. high thru graduation and you can learn quite a bit about survival.. Their main task was SAR(search and rescue) You will even be able to fly if you are interested.... Start taking camping trips with friends and you will soon learn what you need and don't need. Also, start talking to your parents,friends and other family members and see if you can get them on board.. If not, I'm sure you have a friend that will be interested..
I would stay away from the pre made kits.. It is more fun and usually cheaper to put one together with your specific needs in mind..

Good luch and it you have any questions, just ask.. We will be more than happy to help..


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## Protect this House (Aug 12, 2013)

My son will be 13 next month and he preps as well. The first thing he did was create a bug out bag. Together we have established guidelines for him. He focuses on things that he could afford such as water storage/purification, medical supplies and the occasional pocket knife. Everything else I buy, if there is something that he desires that is outside his scope of buying we discuss it and set a time line. Not sure this helps but you need to be realistic in what you could do to prep at your age. Keep it small and it will add up.


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

Also, do you have any kind of job or income other than your parents? It will help with your preps and also help with your work ethic.. I remember as a kid, I mowed lawns, I planted a few gardens at different properties and sold the produce/vegetables at festivals and farmers markets and even door to door(which I never was comfortable with going to strangers homes), bought and sold candy and fireworks.. You will be surprised how much money there is to be made if you really try.. You can have plenty of fun in the process. I've never really been the grocery,restaurant or retail worker.. If you find something you love to do and can make money at it, it's not like a job..

Think about your hobbies and see how you can make some extra money at them. It will go a long way with helping your prepping if you have an income other than an allowance type situation..


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Start by getting a good back-pack. It will be useful to go on hikes and back-packing camping trips. You can build a good med kit into the pack and fire starter kits too. get an empty "Visine" bottle and put bleach in it to purify water. Work your kit up a little at a time until you have a three day food supply, water bladder, shelter, TP, first aid, fishing supplies, and a couple of good books on building primitive traps and edible plants in your area. You are "developing" a woods-craft interest so unless your parents are "preppers" you don't have to confront them with that worry. Find some friends that have similar interests and go on day hikes to practice your skills and use your equipment to see how it works for you. Take it a little at a time and just keep ading to it.


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## NoahGoldFox (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks for the advice. i already have a old backpack so i guess il use that until i get a better one. ^>^


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## NoahGoldFox (Sep 3, 2013)

Do you think i should get a miitary looking pack? cause i can get one for pretty cheap and i really like how they look and they hold a bunch of stuff. ^>^


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## NotableDeath (Mar 21, 2013)

NoahGoldFox said:


> Do you think i should get a miitary looking pack? cause i can get one for pretty cheap and i really like how they look and they hold a bunch of stuff. ^>^


Never go off of survival supplies based on looks, just a fair warning. As far as packs go, I would say stick with your old backpack until you can save and set aside a small budget towards one. You can buy "Military Style" one's that arn't worth the plastic there made from. Around 30-50 USD can get you a solid pack that can still hold a fair amount. My personal suggestion would be to aim for a MOLLE pack, as those you can add extra space if needed.


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## pharmer14 (Oct 27, 2012)

Prepadoodle said:


> I would get 2 uninsulated 32 oz stainless steel water bottles, a stainless steel cup with handles, and a FireSteel. With these, you can cook, boil your water, and carry 2 quarts of good water. If you have money left, get some Cup of Soup, "just add water" kinds of foods at the grocery store. You could even make Mac n Cheese.
> 
> A WristRocket slingshot will take a lot of small game. A lightweight Silicone-nylon tarp adds shelter for about $10 at WalMart. Add a good blade and you're in business.


I added a hammock also at walmart to the tarp. Throw in some rope you have laying around the house and I've got summer shelter and bedding for under $50.


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## pharmer14 (Oct 27, 2012)

Prepadoodle said:


> I would get 2 uninsulated 32 oz stainless steel water bottles, a stainless steel cup with handles, and a FireSteel. With these, you can cook, boil your water, and carry 2 quarts of good water. If you have money left, get some Cup of Soup, "just add water" kinds of foods at the grocery store. You could even make Mac n Cheese.
> 
> A WristRocket slingshot will take a lot of small game. A lightweight Silicone-nylon tarp adds shelter for about $10 at WalMart. Add a good blade and you're in business.


I added a hammock also at walmart to the tarp. Throw in some rope you have laying around the house and I've got summer shelter and bedding for under $50.


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## pharmer14 (Oct 27, 2012)

BeefBallsBerry said:


> I would customs make you're kit. Good place to start is Budk.com


I've bought a knife/hatchet/paracord bracelet combo from Budk. I haven't had a chance to use the knife or hatchet yet. The hatchet seems a bit undersized, but I won't know for sure until I get in the woods again...

Don't have much experience with their kits.


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## pharmer14 (Oct 27, 2012)

As for the fire discussion, I'm a fan of flint and steel, but I also like versatility. We've made fire cylinders and also gotten good with magnification. My next goal is to master the fire drill. Be versatile. Master a few techniques. Don't rely on just one.


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## Unclebeano (Oct 1, 2013)

I recommend this for a bug out bag, it is well built and strong for a good price. Remember one thing, when it comes to survival, quality over quantity. Would rather have one good pack then multiple cheap ones.

Amazon.com: Tactical Assault Pack - Combat Rucksack - 17" Military MOLLE Backpack 27L - Black: Sports & Outdoors


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## Paltik (Jul 27, 2013)

+1 to those saying not to buy a pre-packaged survival pack. For bug-out bags, get-home bags, and home kits, I say you're always better off assembling your own kit based on your plans (for bugging out, getting home, or sheltering-in-place) and your own knowledge and skills.

Since you mentioned Christmas, here's a great idea for from my article on getting more gear for your money: Create an Amazon.com wish list, then share that list with your family and friends. In other words, you do the shopping, then add the gear (or books or supplies) you want to your Amazon.com wish list. Then your family and friends can see what you want and order it directly from Amazon.com. The item will still show on your wish list for a couple of months (so you'll be surprised on December 25), but anyone who tries to buy it after that will get a note saying someone else already bought it. People appreciate knowing what things you'll enjoy, and at the same time they like having a choice. As a bonus, if you come into some extra cash, you'll already have a list of things you've researched before.

And since advice is free, if I were you I'd start with my EDC items (stuff you'll always have with you, such as a multitool, bandana, flashlight, whistle, etc.) and a get-home bag (stuff you leave in a desk drawer at the office or in your locker at school to help you get home in a disaster scenario). Actually, I'd start with thinking and planning (so you might want to buy a helpful book or two to start), but this is where I'd start spending money on gear and supplies. After that, consider taking on a pastime that will be useful, such as camping, hiking, amateur radio, fitness, geocaching, orienteering, first aid, gardening, hunting, fishing, woodworking, metal working, etc.


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