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Off Grid Survival

What Items should you pack in an Emergency Survival Kit?

Water is on the top of the "Emergency Supply Kit" of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) www.ready.gov website.  FEMA notes that each person should have at least one gallon of water per day for drinking and sanitation. While they recommend a minimum of 3-days of water storage, this does not account for more serious disasters where water utilities may become completely destroyed, as in the case of hurricanes or tsunamis, which often come with little to no warning. We have all seen the videos of people running to local grocery stores to stock-up on gallons of water, only to find the shelves nearly empty, just hours and even days before a forecasted hurricane was due to hit the coast. It is in moments like these that portable water filters become essential to basic survival needs.

While studies have shown that the human body can continue to live without food for up to three weeks, water is far more critical as the human body is made up of at least 60% water.  It is estimated that, especially in stressful situations, the human body cannot survival much longer than 3 or 4 days. Thus, portable water filtration devices should rank at the top of everyone's survival kit and camping resources.

In this section of our website, we examine not only the best portable filtration kits available, but many other supplies that will prove valuable to have in your survival in a disaster situation.

Survival Gear Essentials: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Survival Gear Pack

Packing Your Emergency Survival Kit

 

Why You Need the Ultimate Survival Gear Pack: A Comprehensive Guide

In today’s unpredictable world, being prepared for emergencies is not just wise—it’s essential. Whether you're venturing into the wilderness, facing natural disasters, or dealing with unforeseen circumstances, having the right survival gear can mean the difference between life and death. Let’s dive into why you need an ultimate survival gear pack and what you should include to stay ready for anything.

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Kayak vs Life Raft

Kayak vs Life Raft

 

When comparing a kayak to a life raft, it's essential to consider their intended uses and the contexts in which they are most effective. Here are the pros and cons of each:

Kayak Pros:

Kayaks are highly maneuverable, making them excellent for navigating rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. They can travel faster than life rafts, especially when paddled efficiently. Paddling a kayak provides a good workout, enhancing cardiovascular fitness and upper body strength.  Kayaks are great for recreational activities like fishing, exploring, and touring.  They are generally lightweight and easy to transport and store.  Available in different types (e.g., sit-on-top, sit-inside, inflatable), catering to various water conditions and personal preferences.

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10 Off-Grid Gadget Dad Gift Ideas for Father's Day

Father's Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate the adventurous spirit of dads who love to explore the great outdoors and embrace sustainable off-grid living. For those who enjoy camping trips or creating a cozy backyard oasis, finding the right gift can enhance their experience while aligning with eco-friendly principles. From solar-powered gadgets to eco-friendly gear, these gifts not only support a love for nature but also promote sustainable survival techniques. Here are ten popular Father's Day gifts that are perfect for off-grid camping and backyard patio living, ensuring your dad enjoys his time outdoors with the best in sustainable, practical, and thoughtful gear.

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Tiny Home Building Plans

Perfect Small House Building Plans

 

See the Best Tiny House Kits and Pre-Built Tiny Homes on Amazon

The primary characteristic of a tiny home is its small size, typically ranging from around 100 to 400 square feet. This compact size significantly reduces construction costs, as fewer materials and labor are required compared to traditional homes.  Many tiny homes incorporate off-grid systems for power, water, and waste management. This includes solar panels for electricity generation, rainwater harvesting systems, composting toilets, and greywater recycling. These off-grid systems reduce or eliminate dependence on municipal utilities, thereby lowering ongoing utility costs. Due to their small size, tiny homes are easier to heat, cool, and light, leading to lower energy consumption. Additionally, builders often use energy-efficient materials and appliances to further reduce energy usage and costs.

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Rain Water Collection System

Rainwater Harvesting QA - Cost, Is it Illegal? How I Treat It?

 

Here's a water collection system that utilizes all rainwater to supply all of the water needs this family has, both growing gardens and supplying drinking water in the  house.  If you live in a state where it is legal to collect rainwater, this can be a great off-grid solution for your water needs.

 

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Air to Water Off-Grid System

Off-Grid Water With Air and Sunlight

 

How would you like to design an off-grid water system that can run when you do not have access to clean drinking water? Regardless of whether your water is cut-off by an emergency or you are setting this up in a truly-off grid area, this is one way you can provide clean drinking water to your family. This equipment is truly a remarkable way to ensure your family always have the clean drinking water you need to survive.

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Solar Lighting - LuminAID Solar Powered Lanterns

 

Every Survival Kit needs a good emergency light. Whether you are hiking, camping or simply enjoying a day in the backwoods, LuminAid solar lanterns can provide emergency lighting, and a backup  power source for your cell phone or other small portable devices, if you purchase the upgraded models. 

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Solar Powered Hydroponic Grow Box

 

Whether you're living off-grid, or simply looking for an easy way to grow vegetables in your home, garage or greenhouse, this Solar Powered Hydroponic Grow Box is versatile enough to power off of a solar panel or plug into wall electricity.  As a portable grow box, it is able to fit in any small space that is at least 25 in x 19 in x 22 in.  As the heat generated by the grow lights maintains the grow box at 10 to 20 degrees above outside temperature, it is perfect for sprouting seedlings, growing lettuce and other small herbs in early spring or late fall.

NOTE: With further testing, we discovered the grow lights didn't provide enough light to sustain our plants to full term growth so we ended up adding an additional Clamp light with a Daylight LED light bulb to the system.  Unfortunately, that bulb was not able to to be powered by my solar panel and required an additional solar generator to run that AC light. So, be aware you may not be able to fully grow your plants strictly with the LED light strips we used.

While this box needs more light and power than my solar panel could consistently provide, I did find this box great for growing my Hydroponic starts with the addition clamp light and have used it consistently to grow plants to full term with wall electricity or in multiple-day power-outage a small generator did the trick as well. So if you'd like to purchase the Amazon supplies mentioned in this video, below are a few of my affiliate links:

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GoSun Solar Oven - Winter Cooking

 

What are solar ovens and how do you use them to prepare simple food recipes for off-grid camping or disasters? Solar ovens are portable devices that are insulated with reflective material designed  to harvest the light and heat produced by the sun to bake and cook food.  Since solar ovens are powered completely by the sun, their performance is directly related to the quality of the sunlight provided.

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Can We Power a Solar Generator Through a Window?

Can We Power a Solar Generator Through a Window

 

In this video, we test the charging performance of the IForway 145wh Solar Powered AC Generator with two different solar panels, the 25w - 18v IForway panel and the 40w - 18v Kingsolar panel. Viewing the solar charging at different lighting conditions beside a window on a cloudy, stormy day, we determined that both of these panel work well for producing back-up power for our 145wh IForwary Solar AC Generator indoors during a storm.

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Water Filtration Solution for Off-Grid Survival - Sports Berkey Bottle Filter

Sports Berkey Bottles are essential equipment to have on had for any off-grid adventure.  These filters utilizes ionic adsorption micro filtration technology in order to remove pollutants such as aluminum, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, and other dangerous heavy metals from questionable water sources. It also removes chlorine from municipal water sources.

You can purchase these Sports Berkey Bottles and the Berkey Black Berry Primer used to blows water out of both the Blackberry Berkeys and Sports Berky Filters by going to the the Berkey website at: https://theberkey.com/

 

 

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