Prepper Gear: Quality vs Quantity

Several years ago, I was helping my daughter and her fiancé move into their new home. By the time we pulled up into the yard with the last load of the day, it was dark. Of course Murphy’s Law was in effect, and I dropped my truck keys somewhere in her yard while moving in boxes.

“No problem.” I think. I returned to my truck and retrieved the solar powered flashlight my parents had given me several months before. I kept it in my center console of my truck for just such an emergency. And although it wasn’t the highest quality, it would turn on and work when I would test it every month or so…..usually sitting at a red traffic light, bored and waiting for my turn to go.

But not this time. This time…..nothing!

However, I am prepared, and the old adage of “Two is one and one is none” is true. I had a spare pocket flashlight in my glove box, and within 3 minutes I was able to locate my car keys.

The next day, I spoke to my mom about the aforementioned situation and the crappy solar powered flash light.

“I know.” She replied. “I got one for me too and mine barely lasted two weeks. But that’s ok. They were cheap.”

You know the saying….You get what you pay for.

Now I’m NOT about to complain about a gift. My mother’s heart was in the right place. And the idea of having a flashlight that never needs batteries is hugely appealing. But had that been a real “life or death” situation, without a backup, I could have been screwed. It was then I decided to add a small flashlight to my EDC (Every Day Carry). For more on EDC, click here.

This in turn led to a discussion with my mother about living in a disposable society, and that a lot of things you buy are not designed to last. (Hence your need to buy more.) It made me think about how much of my gear and supplies were “disposable”.

Let’s face it. Mass produced items such as cigarette lighters and flash lights are cheap. The beauty of it is that you can buy a few, or even several. I have multiple sets of cheap flash lights, cigarette lighters, duct tape, etc.

The downside is that these items are designed to last only a few times before they cease to work and you have to buy new. God forbid your item stops working in an emergency. Or worse yet, the “grid goes down” for an extended period of time and you are unable to buy more.

You know the saying….You get what you pay for.

I hate to say this, but if you look through your survival/prep gear and supplies and find that a lot of it is “Wal-Mart” brand, you aren’t doing yourself many favors. In a long term survival situation, quality will always trump quantity.

Of course all you might be able to afford are the cheap items. And in that case, that is better than nothing. (For more on prepping on a tight budget, click here.) But there are some items where I feel you need to get the best quality you can afford. Even if you have to scrimp and save, I would encourage you to invest some money in the following gear and get high quality:

Footwear

In any emergency situation, movement will be a critical. Your ability to get away from danger and to a safe place could easily save your life. And if you cannot drive out, you will most likely be on your feet. You must take care of those.

Many people keep a set of walking shoes or boots in the Bug out bag. But what sort of quality are they? Are they built to last? Can they endure the possible rough terrain and maybe even hazardous areas you might have to walk through? Are they at least water resistant? Are they “broke in” enough so that you don’t have issues with blisters? (Or at least a reduced risk.)

For footwear, I recommend something sturdy that provides ankle support. In an emergency situation you have no idea what the road/ground conditions might be. So you need something that can hold up to the rigors of hard surfaces and hazards while still protecting your toes.

Rubber soles would be a must. Breathability is also very important. Hot, sweaty feet can lead to some big problems if you find yourself having to walk long distances.

As mentioned above, water resistant shoes/boots would also be wise for the reason I mentioned above. I’d also look at getting a high end pair of wool socks. Solid, high end boots won’t be of much good if you have crappy, cheap cotton socks.

Firearms

Any situation involving a firearm can quickly become a matter of life and death. And those are the times that quality matters!

My circumstance might be a little different than others. As a police officer, I am in situations where I might have to use my firearms much more than a normal person. Hell, I’m heading straight to those situations! But since I am putting myself in those conditions, I want to make sure I have the highest quality firearms I can get. If I pull the trigger, it needs to go “bang” every time and it needs to be accurate.

To me, when it comes to firearms, quality matters. My life may someday depend on it! So ask yourself, how cheap am I willing to go on a tool that could someday save my life? You should budget yourself for a decent, quality firearm.

Guys…if you are buying a gun for your wife/girlfriend, that question applies to her as well. What is her life worth to you? (Then again, if you have both a wife and a girlfriend, are you sure you want them armed?)

Having a quality firearm is not enough by itself. Shooting is a skill that can go rusty over time. So make “range time” a fairly common occurrence in your life. If you can, get your significant other to go with you. With a gun in the house, they should know how to use it as well.

Survival/Gear Bag

Whether you have a bug out bag, get home bag, etc., this is another item I feel needs to be high quality. All your gear will do you no good if a strap on your backpack breaks, or if a zipper breaks, it won’t close properly, and you risk your gear falling out.

Is your bag easily adjustable so that it will fit correctly? Can you move quickly and quietly with it? Much like your footwear, poor quality packs can impede your movement. This is of course no bueno!

Can you carry your bag a mile? 5 miles? A full day’s march? It is a lot tougher than you might think, and I’d encourage you to practice now. Throw your pack on, and go walk a few miles. The exercise will do you good, and you will find out first hand where the pack rubs you. You can make adjustments to your pack now, before an emergency hits.

Is your bag resistant to the elements? Will it keep your gear and supplies dry? Do you have gear (like a poncho) to help you in this process? Scotchgard or other water repellent sprays could come in handy.

This is a bag that you would be toting for miles, or in the worst case scenario, living out of. So make sure it will hold up in the worst of times.

Hints and Tips

If you are like me, and probably 90% of other prepared-minded people, then you are on a budget. We don’t have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on an armored RV with solar panels and zombie slaying flame throwers. So we have to balance what we buy versus the costs. But there are some things to keep in mind when looking for quality while trying to keep costs down.

The first is that just because the item is expensive, that doesn’t mean it’s the highest quality or that you need it. It also doesn’t mean you couldn’t get a similar quality item for cheaper. I’ve seen sleeping bags rated down to -60 F that were $1000. But I got a great deal on a Teton Sports 0 F bag for $120 and it does just fine.

The second thing to keep in mind is that used items can still be quality items. This is especially true of surplus military equipment, which was designed to be rugged and durable. I’m leery of buying used items online. But I check military surplus stores from time to time and they generally have used items that are still in great shape. And they cost much less than buying it new.

A third way of keep costs down is to time the sales correctly. For example, most sporting goods store begin discounting their winter items in February and March as they start to make way for spring items. August and September are good times to look for sales on camping equipment, as the weather turns colder and less people camp.

Also, be sure to balance what you need with what you want. We as preppers love getting new gear, firearms, etc. New equipment is sleek and sexy, but is it always necessary? Can learning new skills and training make spending hard earned cash on that piece of gear unnecessary?

Make sure you get the essential items you have to have first. Food, water, medical supplies, etc. Once your priorities are taken care of, then start looking at “new toys”.

And finally, having the skills to repair or build your equipment is truly handy. Most people cannot manufacture their own backpack. But if you know how to sew and can repair your current one, you can save yourself some money.

Final Thoughts

When shopping for quality gear, ask around about the items you are looking to purchase. And I don’t mean talking to the salesperson whose judgment could be based upon the commission he makes from your sale. Talk to people who already own this same equipment. Talk to people in the field. For example, a gun smith is a great source of knowledge about gun quality. Friends and colleagues who have outdoor experience are another good source of information.

Using my boots as an example, I spoke to many other police officers from several different departments who I saw wearing those boots. They all spoke highly of them. I got online and read multiple reviews from multiple sites (like this one) and message boards about them. I did my homework on them before buying them. With a limited budget, I wanted to make sure my money would be well spent. For me, it was.

There are tons of prepper groups on the web. Join a few and ask. Some of these groups have a wealth of information.

In the end, you know best what works for you and is within your budget. Just remember, the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.

What prepper gear not mentioned here do you feel folks should buy top quality? Let us know in the comments below.

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