Top 7 “Prepper” gifts for non-preppers

Chances are that as a prepper, you most likely have those family members or friends that you love and care about who are not completely on board with the idea of being prepared. Maybe they see preppers as “kooky”. Or maybe they just choose to live their life with their head buried in the sand, thinking nothing will ever happen to them. Whatever the reason, they are still a part of your life. So maybe you “prep” for them.

That’s what I did. I had a girlfriend who was a non-prepper. I built her a little “Go bag” and told her to keep it in her car trunk “just in case.” A month later, she used her bag during a tornado. After that, the “light went on” in her head so to speak. It had a big impact on her life, and she is now doing things to be more prepared.

Fortunately, she was receptive to the idea of having the bag. I prepped for her should the unfortunate happen, and it paid off. So maybe you would like to do the same for those people in your life.

But what if you have family/friends that are not as receptive as my girlfriend was? They may not like the idea of prepping, and any sort of “prepper” gift from you will be met with an eye roll and the obligatory “fake smile.”

Or maybe they just don’t know about prepping, and you are not sure how to bring it up. Either way, holiday gift giving might the perfect time to “prep for them”.

I tend to use holidays and birthdays as a way of helping to prepare the “non preppers” in my life. There are gifts out there that you can give them that will help them be more prepared should SHTF, but without having the “prepper stigma” they might attach to it.

I have given each of the following items below as gifts:

Flashlight

I don’t think there is anyone in the civilized world that has not needed or used a flashlight at some point. Be it a power outage or having to go outside at night to look for something; a good, solid flashlight is almost a necessity. In an emergency setting, it is an absolute must!

I have given this Stream Light Rechargeable flashlight (see picture to right) as a gift before. The beauty of it is if you mount it on the wall and leave it there, you will know where it is at all times. It will remain charged, with a charge lasting 2 to 3 continuous hours depending upon the setting. It is rechargeable so you never have to worry about batteries.

The rechargeable battery itself has a 50,000 hours plus life, and can be easily replaced. (They are about $12.) You can also purchase a DC adapter for it and leave it in your vehicle.

If you are looking for more of a “stocking stuffer”, I recommend the Olight SR1. It is easily rechargable and fits easily into your pocket or purse. It puts out around 1000 lumens, which for a light that size BRIGHT.

This little flashlight is not only bright, but also durable. I carry one with my EDC, and have used it more times than I can now count. It is well worth the money.

Emergency Vehicle Kit

As I talk about in my article “Is your car ready for a disaster?” I made myself an emergency vehicle kit, which I keep in my truck at all times. Making one for a family member who has long commutes or does a lot of driving might actually make their day.

If you worry about it giving off too much of the “prepper vibe”, by making them one, there are pre-made kits you can purchase online. This particular one even has a hand crank flashlight, so you never have to worry about batteries.

I bought one for an uncle several years ago who is “on the road” at least two or three days every week for work. He really liked it because the chance of having car trouble on the side of the highway was a very real possibility to him. Now he is “prepared” and yet it did not come across as a “prepper gift”.

You can always add items to this kit as well!

Sleeping bag

I’m going to be completely honest here. This was a gift I bought my girlfriend BEFORE I made her the Go bag. The sleeping bag did NOT go over very well initially. Even after I explained to her that her bag zips into mine to make a double bag, she wasn’t too thrilled. I did promise her a camping trip, just the two of us, so that she could use it. That made it a bit better.

But after the camping trip and using her Go bag during a tornado, I think she realized that she was a part of my long-term plans, and that made her feel better. She understood my thinking behind the present. Still, I had to promise her that gifts for occasions like Valentine’s day and anniversaries would be strictly romantic in nature.

So with that said, you might want to think of this as a gift for a male or for your kids…unless you have a woman in your life who really likes to camp. I know my kids loved sleeping bags when they were little. And on those cold nights when you might lose electric power, a solid, warm sleeping bag will help keep them warm.

I love this Teton Sports bag. You can specify a left side zipper or a right side zipper, and with one of each they will zip in together. These bags are rated to 0 degrees F, and I stayed very warm during our November camping trip.

Pocket Knife

Next to your cell phone, I would list a good, solid pocket knife as one of the most important survival tools out there. I carry mine on me at all times, and have given good pocket knives as gifts on many occasions.

I have the Kershaw Tanto knife for my EDC. It is VERY durable and holds its edge very well. Spyderco also makes some quality knives!

I have given quality knives as gifts to most of my family, and several of my co workers. They were always appreciated and it didn’t have the “prepper” stigma with it.

If you are looking for something a bit more discreet, there are pen knives available. It writes, but also has a small hidden blade inside. Be sure to check your local laws and ordinances though, as these maybe illegal in some areas.

Also, don’t be like me and forget and carry it on you when you go to the airport. Lost a nice pen knife that day.

Multi-tool

On more than one occasion I have been in a situation where I wish I had a screw driver or some other type of tool on me. Now I have a Leatherman tool in both my GHB (Get Home Bad) and my EEDC (Extended Every day carry) bag, as well as a little key chain multi-tool on my key ring.

I have given the key chain tool before, which has a bottle opener on it. My friend liked it because now he always has a way of opening his beer. (And it avoided that “prepper” stigma!)

I have also given the Leatherman as a gift as well. It was always well received. Some come with a carry case that easily attaches to a belt.

I prefer the Leatherman multi tool because they are well-built and durable. The one in my GHB is over 15 years old and is still going strong!

Emergency Radio

In my state of Oklahoma, tornadoes can strike with very little warning. My girlfriend used her emergency radio in a community underground tornado shelter during such a storm. The storm, along with being underground in a metal container, played havoc with people’s cell phones. But her hand cranked emergency radio worked like a charm! Soon everyone was gathered around her radio listening to the weather/tornado updates.

If you have friends or family members that live in areas where weather can cause emergencies, one of these little gems can be a lifesaver! In a power outage situation with no TV or internet, these are a great backup to your cell phone. (And will even recharge your phone!)

My sister is one of those who rolls her eyes when it comes to prepping. But like me, she lives in Oklahoma and knows that tornadoes are always a real possibility. So she was truly appreciative of the little hand cranked radio with the flashlight.

This particular model is VERY handy. It has a hand crank and is also solar-powered. So there are multiple means of powering it. In addition to picking up FM/AM radio, it also picks up NOAA weather alerts.

This handy little radio also has a USB port, which will charge your cell phone. It comes with a LED flashlight and emergency beacon.

A good watch

More and more people rely on their cell phones and other electronics now a day, especially for things like telling time. But you cannot beat a solid wrist watch. This Casio is rugged, and also comes with a temperature gauge and a barometer. A barometer measures air pressure, and is good for making short-term, local weather forecasts. Click here to learn how to do that.

Clearly, to someone who is already a prepper, these gifts would be a wonderful addition to their inventory. But for non-preppers, I listed gifts that would help someone out in an emergency setting, without necessarily giving off that “prepper” vibe.

Be sure to check out our Prepper Recommendations page for other great prepper gift ideas!

Stay safe out there!

If you enjoyed this article, please click the link to vote for my site at Top Prepper Websites! Thanks

Join our newsletter to receive updates about this site. NO SPAM!!

Follow us on Minds at @planandprepared, on Parler, on Gab, on Gettr, and on Twitter

Be sure to check out our Prepper News Feed. All the newest prepper articles and videos from across the internet in one place!