List of Thrival Survival Essentials for Uncertain Times

My favorite SHTF survival essentials

The majority of mainstreamers don’t want to consider the possibility of system collapse. For others the argument is moot because their own world has already collapsed. If you’ve already lost your job, home, transportation, etc., or suffered through an outage of basic services, you would be quite blessed in a camp stocked with the items below.

My life’s goal since I was 17, was to learn how to live as simply and happily as possible. I’ve had opportunities to do that and consider myself knowledgeable about radical simple living on the fringes of the system in semi-remote rural areas, without conventional power or running water.  There are certain items I like to have on hand to thrive and survive and I listed them below. If you so choose, you can benefit from my practice, but consider the fundamental items you need to survive in your particular geography.

Here is a list I found on Truth is Treason.

TWELVE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

1. Water
2. Food
3. Shelter
4. Heat
5. Light
6. Hand Tools
7. Health and Personal Care Supplies
8. Communications
9. Hunting, Fishing and Security
10. Hobby & Craft Supplies
11. Transportation
12. Barter

The items of essentials on the list below are accessed from the system. Some are only useful until complete collapse. Meanwhile, these work well for a thrival camp on the fringes and provide for a rather luxurious experience.  It is obviously not for a fleeing to the wilderness with a “bug out bag” desperate survival situation.

If you have the foresight and money to collect these items, know that they will soon run out and/or wear out in a SHTF scenario.  If you are stocking a bug out location, acquire multiples of all these items to the best of your ability. Where quantities are given the assumption is this list will serve two people.

An attempt has been made to divide the items into categories, of course some belong in multiple categories.

Once you have a solid stock of the core items and become proficient at using them, you will be at the point of being able to fend for yourself for months, even years, with minimal reliance on the system, while still maintaining a reasonable comfort level, as long as you can remain strong and healthy.

For a long-term grid down scenario or system wide collapse, the daily goal should be learning how to provide for your needs with whatever can be sourced from nature and from uncontaminated apocalyptic debris.

I would practice actually living in a minimalist camp for as long as possible before the SHTF — preferably at least a month or longer.

I made this list based on my experience living very simply and cheaply in a safe rural place with trees, near water, on some private acreage where I have the liberty to erect shelters. It will have to be adapted for the lay of your own land.

SELF-RELIANCE CHECKLIST

COMFY THRIVAL-SURVIVAL ENCAMPMENT ON THE FRINGES

Which of these would you like to have on hand? Did I forget anything?

I. WATER

1. 10 four or five gallon plastic buckets with lids
2. Water Igloo(s)
3. Mesh strainer and cheesecloth
4. Gravity ceramic water filter(s), extra filters
5. Wireless water pasteurizer/distiller
6. Clear 1/2 inch plastic tubing – 20 feet
7. Rainwater barrel(s) and screening
8. Pump

II. FOOD & KITCHEN SUPPLIES

1. Plastic buckets with lids, filled with dried foods, i.e. lentils, beans, split peas, grains, oils, seeds (sprouting and growing), nuts, brewers yeast, vinegar, baking soda, fruits, powdered juices, coffee, supplements, herbs
2. Canned goods
3. Metal food storage containers
4. At least two large glass sprouting jars with screen lids
5. Canning jars and tools
6. Glass bottles with lids/corks
7. Screens for food drying
8. Hand cranked food grinder
9. Wheat grass juicer
10. Propane camp stove, extra fittings, seals, propane
11. Rocket stove cooker
12. Wood cook stove, stove pipe and parts
13. Propane refrigerator and repair parts
14. “Fridge” thermometer
15. Food thermometer
16. Metal plates and cups
17. Eating utensils
18. Good all purpose knife, filet knife
19. Mortar and pestle
20. Wire whisk
21. Cast iron pot/pan/Dutch oven
22. Can opener
23. Towels, hot pads
24. Spatula
25. Tin foil
26. Wash basins (two for dishes)
27. Camping coolers

III. SHELTER

1. Good quality canvas and/or plastic tarps
2. Plastic sheeting
3. Tent(s) with flap doors or sturdy zippers, extra zipper(s)
4. Cordage, cable, wire, bailing twine
5. Monofilament
6. Bungee cords
7. Strong clips
8. Screen or fine mesh net material
9. Lumber
10. Tar paper
11. Sheet metal
12. Rain gutters
13. Windows and doors
14. Rugs
15. Sheets or light cotton throws
16. Sleeping bags and pillows
17. Wool blankets
18. Leather skins and hides
19. Solar heat drapes
20. Solar cooling drapes
21. Rodent-proof and weatherproof storage containers
22. Appropriate clothing
23. Waterproof boots, waterproofing i.e., mink oil
24. Shoe Goo or Barge contact cement
25. Rain poncho, and patch supplies
26. Gloves (warmth, work)
27. Hand, foot, body warmers

IV. HEAT

1. Wood heat stove, extra stove pipe, elbows, caps, rope sealer
2. Rocket stove
3. Fire brick
4. High temp sealer
5. Stove thermometer
6. Propane tent heaters and canisters
7. Propane bulk tanks and fittings, extra filled tanks, fittings & seals
8. Solar cooker
9. Kerosene heater
10. Kerosene, wick cleaner, extra wicks and parts
11. Clear plastic tubing
12. Funnels
13. Handsaws, splitting mauls, hatchets, axes
14. Chainsaw, tools, extra chains, fuel

V. LIGHT

1. Kerosene lanterns, extra wicks, extra glass chimneys
2. Candles, and/or wax, stearic acid, extra wicks
3. Flashlights, solar, battery, hand crank
4. Solar garden lights, string lights
5. Lighters, matches
6. Tungsten/magnesium fire-starter

VI. HAND TOOLS

1. Draw knife
2. Utility knife and blades
3. Tool sharpeners
4. Shovel(s), rake, hoe, pitchfork, potato fork
5. Hammer and nails
6. Screwdrivers and screws
7. Brace and bit
8. Pliers and wrenches
9. Nuts and bolts
10. Clamps
11. Hinges and hooks
12. Rasps and files
13. Rope
14. Rawhide
15. Level, plumb bob, chalk line
16. Chalk
17. Winch/Come Along
18. Tape measure
19. Gorilla tape
20. Glue(s)
21. Caulking
22. Rubber
23. Sandpapers
24. Gasket material

VII. HEALTH AND PERSONAL CARE

1. Bandage supplies
2. Butterfly bandades
3. Tweezers
4. Suture supplies
5. Nail clippers
6. Scissors
7. Colloidal silver making kit
8. Rubbing alcohol
9. Peroxide
10. Witch hazel
11. Oil of oregano
12. Vitamin D & E oil
13. Hemp oil
14. Insect and tick repellant
15. Homeopathic remedies
16. Feminine supplies
17. Soaps, bleach, borax
18. Hot water bottle
19. Toilet paper
20. Paper towels
21. Fabric towels
22. Cotton blankets
23. Galvanized wash tubs
24. Huge pot (to heat water)
25. Enamel wash basins
26. Washboard, clothes line, clothes pins

VIII. COMMUNICATIONS

1. Paper and writing implements
2. Digital media, i.e. cell phone, laptop, I-Pad (There will be an auspicious time to dismantle these)
3. Radio(s), i.e. am/fm, short wave, HAM
4. Rechargeable batteries
5. Small water, wind, fire, battery chargers
6. Inverter(s)

IX. HUNTING, FISHING, SECURITY

1. Firearms, ammunition, and cleaning kits
2. Bows and arrows
3. Any other weapon(s) of choice
4. Fishing gear
5. Binoculars
6. Compass
7. Maps
8. Calls
9. Scents/cover scents

X. TRANSPORTATION

1. Bicycle, tire pump, tools & repair equipment
2. Wheelbarrow
3. Hand cart
4. X-country skis
5. Sled(s)
6. Snow Shoes
7. Paddle boat/raft
8. Truck (useful until SHTF)
9. High-mileage car (useful until SHTF)
10. ATV (useful until SHTF)
11. Snowmobile (useful until SHTF)

XI. HOBBY AND CRAFT

In a thrival-survival camp, the line between hobbies and producing necessities tends to blur, so you may prefer to stick these in another category.

1. Sewing Supplies
2. Musical instrument
3. Books
4. Hand tools and materials for craft(s) of choice (i.e. knitting needles and yarn, wood carving tools, farrier tools, leather tanning tools, leather craft tools, spinning and weaving supplies; cloth making supplies, baking, fermenting, wine or beer making supplies, blacksmith tools, etc.)

XII. BARTER GOODS

1. That’s up to you. The idea is to be able to stock and/or produce an item/service people need.

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