ad banner

2017 BDS Best Prepper Gifts – The Best Gifts for Preppers This Year

Avatar for Samantha Biggers Samantha Biggers  |  Updated: July 5, 2019
2017 BDS Best Prepper Gifts – The Best Gifts for Preppers This Year

This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Full Disclosure Here.

While the Holiday season is a great time to think about gifts, it’s not the only time to give. For me it usually involves a lot of cooking and eating and spending time with my husband’s side of the family and our neighbors. The gifts we give are often gift baskets that we put together ourselves and that contain items that we think the received will enjoy.

It is important to think about others during this time of year but you also need to realize that a well thought out gift means a lot to someone regardless of the cost. For this  gift guide, I am going to focus on a lot of smaller items that you can mix and match for more elaborate gift baskets or you can use as stocking stuffers.

NOTE: This resource has been updated for year round gift giving! All those special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries, special day’s – in addition to the Holiday season.

I have tried to make an effort to include a lot of gift options in a variety of price ranges with no single item costing more than $100. Homemade gifts and crafts are another prepper appropriate gift option that is ideal for the person that seems to have everything and you are at a loss as to what to buy.

Give the Gift of Fire

One of the most critical gifts of all is the gift of a reliable portable stove system. Here at BDS, our team has reviewed a variety of cooking and heating sources over the years. The following products are the ones we can highly recommend for any gift giving opportunity.

BioLite CampStove 2 Bundle

BioLite offers some truly excellent and functional products for energy generation. One of my favorites is the CampStove 2 Bundle available here], which features a lightweight grill system, cooking system, water boiling system and USB charger. Truly a multi purpose kit! All that is required is wood for fuel, making it the ideal comfort item for remote self-sufficiency.

SoloStove Lite

Speaking of fire, if you just want the ultimate lightweight heating source, I would highly recommend the SoloStove lite available here for a special discount. All you need is a handful of twigs to boil water anywhere.

Gifts For Coffee Loving Preppers

When it comes to making coffee, there are a lot of options. A lot of preppers like the idea of a French Press but like me, they have discovered how fragile some are and how quickly coffee goes cold. The Stanley French Press comes in several sizes and keeps coffee hot for 4 hours!

Stanley Classic Vacuum French Press

Stanley Classic Vacuum Travel Press Mug – 16oz

Stansport Percolator

Stansport Aluminum 20 Cup Percolator Coffee Pot

A percolator is a great way to manage your coffee needs in a variety of situations. This is a lightweight aluminum version.

Kingnice 8 Cup Camping Stainless Steel Tea or Coffee French Press Coffee Maker, Thick Durable Non-slip (1000 ml, 34 oz)

Tools For The Prepared

Bellfyd Tactical Pen

A tactical pen is great because it can be carried most anywhere and is not considered a concealed weapon. You can pay a lot or you can get this pen at a fantastical price. This carbide tip pen can be used as a glassbreaker, a wrench, bottle opener, a sharp point for fending off attackers, and an LED flashlight. This is a good stand alone gift or an impressive stocking stuffer!

Gerber Bear Grylls Firestarter

This sturdy fero rod and striker fits together to form a waterproof cylinder where you can stash some dry tinder for getting a fire going fast wherever you are at. The lanyard makes it easy to hold on and reduces the chance of you losing it. There is an emergency whistle built into the lanyard. Gerber makes good quality products that they stand by and they don’t charge as much as some.

Cold Steel Hunter Knife

Pendleton Hunter

This knife has a 3 inch fixed blade so it is legal in a lot of places. This is a very high quality knife from a popular company. If you want to give a great belt knife then you will not be disappointed in what you are getting for your money.

Emergency Sleeping Bag With Drawstring

Everyone needs a bag for the unexpected night out. This bivy is perfect for keeping in a car or a day trip bag if you live somewhere that the weather can turn in an instant, even a short hike of a few miles means you should be prepared. These bivies are affordable enough to give to everyone on your list.

Gerber Gator Ax

I am a huge fan of the Gerber family of axes and hatchets. We have a hatchet with a knife that we bought over a decade ago and have used for a ton of different projects. The serrated saw that fits in the handle of this ax is pretty amazing. The husband is definitely getting one of these for Christmas.

Gerber E Tool Folding Shovel

There is nothing worse than a tool that breaks when you need it most. A lot of folding spades don’t hold up to the job over time. The folks at Gerber have once again created a quality product at an affordable price. This is quite possibly the only folding spade you will ever need to buy.

Garmin GPS

I remember when a cheap GPS was $400. It was only about 14 years ago. Now you can get a quality garmin GPS for under $100. GPS doesn’t take many batteries and they are just nice to have.

While a good waterproof map can get you out of a situation, if you have a GPS you are going to be better off. Many people are more comfortable navigating using them thanks to every cell phone having the technology built in.

Mylar Blanket

While you could give this 10 pack to just one person or you could put a few in a gift basket or as stocking stuffers. At under a buck or two each these are something every prepper should have a few of.

299 Piece First Aid Kit

This is a wonderful starter kit or back up kit for your car. Sure you may want to add in a few things like bloodstop powder and extra medications but every great kit needs a good foundation to start with. This affordable kit could be part of a prepper gift basket for sure!

Solar Wall Lights

A lot of folks have places that they wish had a bit more light outside. These lights are bright, LED, solar powered, will last 10 hours on a single charge, and they even have a motion sensor feature.

Putting together a gift basket

When it comes to putting together a care package for a holiday present, set a budget and go from there. For the cost of a dinner out for example would allow you to give someone the Gerber Firestarter, Emergency Bivy Sleeping Bag, and the 299 piece medical kit. That is a good start to being more prepared!

Creative wrapping

I usually get paper gift bags and use those or get creative and put gifts in a cheese box that formerly housed a 20 lb wheel of Amish Cheddar. Our little farm stand offers these for $5 and they are great for storing small things. People don’t just throw them away like paper.

Alternative Gifts

Help out a fellow human on a big project

If you have a friend or family member that wants to do some prepper projects then offer to lend them your time for an afternoon or for a specific task. Helping someone out with labor is a great gift. There are times when a fellow prepper may need help getting a barn finished, shearing sheep, digging, getting their garden prepped, harvesting, etc.

Maybe you know a couple that could use some free childcare while they work on a project?

These are just some suggestions and I bet you can think of a lot more things to do to help out those around you in lieu of a gift from the store.

Home Canned Goods

If you have priced what a quart jar of good jam made with even mediocre ingredients costs then I bet you have been shocked. The same jam I make at home with more fruit and less sugar costs 70% less than what you can buy it for! People love homemade foods.

Pickled products are also popular for gifts!

Remember that this season is about taking the time to relax and rejoice with those that you care about the most.

Gifts For Pampering

It is very easy to get so caught up in prepping that one forgets that everyone needs something that is just for enjoyment once in awhile. Preppers need to let their hair down and be pampered too. Small luxuries can mean a lot sometimes. Here are a few ideas for pampering a prepper in your life.

A New Bathrobe

I went a long time without owning a robe for running outside and such. In the winter time it can get pretty cold and windy here at 3000 feet. My winter weight fleece robe has been very nice to have for when I just need to run outside for a minute first thing in the morning or if the thermostat got set too low. I wish I had been smart enough to get that robe when wood heat was all we had!

Alexander Del Rossa Womens Fleece Robe, Long Hooded Bathrobe

Alexander Del Rossa Mens Fleece Robe, Long Hooded Bathrobe

Bath & Grooming Gift Sets

A lot of handmade soaps are a few bucks a bar. Scented candles are not expensive either. Burt’s Bees has some kits available that make great prepper gifts.

Burt’s Bees Tips and Toes Kit

Burt’s Bees Hand Repair Gift Set, 3 Hand Creams plus Gloves

This is my favorite gift set from Burt’s Bees because it takes care of major dryness, flaking, and blisters from working outside. For the hardworking prepper this kit is an amazing gift that will last for many months and is very affordable.

Burt’s Bees Essential Everyday Beauty Gift Set, 5 Travel Size Products

The everyday essentials kit is one that can be appreciated by men and women alike. This is a gift pack worth considering as part of a large gift basket or as a stocking stuffer but it makes a good small gift all on its own too!

Burt’s Bees Best of Burt’s Holiday Gift Set, 3 Hand & Feet Products

Burt’s Bees Men’s Gift Set, 5 Natural Products in Giftable Tin

Beauty and Grooming Box Subscriptions

Allure Beauty Box

I used to think that the idea of a beauty box subscription was kind of silly but I decided that what harm would it do to spend the few bucks and try out Birchbox. I was really surprised. For lady preppers on a budget that want some good quality beauty products it is a good deal and something to look forward to in the mail each month.

Right now Birchbox is running a special where you use the code DOUBLEFUN and get a free extra box with a subscription. You really do get at least $50 worth of products and sometimes more for the price per month. Birchbox also offers a man’s grooming box for the same price. The first box I got had a single product that was worth more than what I paid for all the samples combined!

Allure is more, but you also often get $80 worth of beauty products each month for your money. So for $30-$45 you can buy a gift subscription and the receiver can customize their box online so the get samples relevant to them.

Kids & Teens

Some of these recommendations are not going to be appropriate for all kids, ages, etc. and some you will want to supervise kids when they are using. Of course most things are not allowed to be taken to school. When I was a kid I was out on the banks of the Skagit River with a lock back pocket knife. Now days some may think 8 years old is too young for a knife of ones’ own.

Survival Tool Kit

X-Plore Gear Emergency Paracord Bracelets

This survival bracelet is something I would have though was pretty neat when I was a kid. This sturdy paracord bracelet has a compass, flint firestarter, a scraper that doubles as a knife, and of course the paracord can be unraveled in an emergency and used. This bracelet comes sized for kids and snaps on and off with ease.

ECHI Outdoor Survival Tools, 10 in 1 Multi-Purpose Outdoor Emergency

This kit has a lot in it that is useful. A tactical pen, compass, firestarter, knife, flashlight, scale, whistle, key light, and a tool card are all included in a sturdy plastic case small enough to fit in a smaller backpack. Although this kit shows with a paracord bracelet, it does not come with one.

Solar Lantern

A solar lantern that doubles as a flashlight is a safe gift for kids and it is something they can get a lot of use out of. Camping trips, slumber parties in the backyard, tree houses, ect are all times when some cool extra light is a good thing. Even younger kids will find it cool that the sun charges the lantern. This lantern also is a powerbank so it can be used to charge cell phones, tablets and other small devices.

LED Flashlight

This 2 pack of tactical flashlights is a great option for those that have more than one kid to buy for or you can give them both so they have one in their backpack and one in their room for outages! I am pretty sure that most schools allow flashlights but you may want to check before they take this one with them. This light is bright and features a zoom future which kids will think is pretty cool.

I hope this list has helped you get some great ideas and find some bargains. The holidays do not have to be stressful. Get your shopping done early if you can and take the time to relax and remember what the season is supposed to be about.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season! – The Team At Backdoor Survival

If you enjoyed this article, consider following our Facebook page.

Aff | Tactical Flashlight

[DEAL] Ultrabright Tactical Flashlight

Never be Vulnerable in the Dark Again

Get This Deal →
Aff | Tactical Flashlight
[DEAL] Ultrabright Tactical Flashlight Get This Deal →

36 Responses to “2017 BDS Best Prepper Gifts – The Best Gifts for Preppers This Year”

  1. I realize that you probably make money from Amazon if folks buy these items, but honestly, several of these are truly useless and shouldn’t be recommended as a serious “prepper tools”. At the top of the useless list is the 299 piece first aid kit. Like most of these pre-packaged kits, they offer nothing that would be truly helpful in a real emergency, just crap for minor cuts and abrasions like bandaids, antibiotic cream packets, and tweezers. Hardly the stuff necessary to stop a major bleed, reestablish an airway, or protect against shock. The military’s Individual First Aid Kit has a lot less stuff, but has the sort of items that could really help with life threatening emergencies.

    The Garmin GPS is another “prepper tool” I would never suggest anyone serious about prepping waste their money on. It may be fun for geo-caching, but it’s much too high tech to withstand the rigors of a real emergency, especially one brought on by an EMP blast. You’d be a lot better off buying a military-style compass with a luminous dial. Much cheaper and eminently more practical.

    Buying stuff that makes you feel like your prepping is different from buying items that would truly help in a real disaster. I think you would be well advised to avoid the former in favor of the latter, even if it does mean you make less money.

  2. Wow, what a list. This is really a great one. The only two exceptions I can see on here are, number one, the Stan sport percolator. Do not buy the aluminum version. Get the stainless steel version with the wooden handle. I have had mine for over 30 years. It is the only piece of camping equipment that is giving me full satisfaction. The second item would be the two flashlights, do not fall for the Navy seal flashlight BS. Those flashlights are crap. Get something good like an Ollite, Streamlight, 3sevens etc. you will spend quite a bit more money, but it won’t break on you when you need it most.

  3. A few weeks ago, I ordered 3 of the portable camp lanterns. Our electric power goes off especially during the winter. My old camp lanterns just were inadequate, never holding a charge. These new lanterns, made by Hatori, are excellent. They are compact, and easy to use. I especially like the multiple sources to recharge the battery on these lanterns, Only thing I would improve, would be to re-wire the lantern so that the solar cells in the lantern could be used to re-charge the 1.5 volt AA batteries in the bottom of the lantern.

  4. Please don’t feel hypocritical for offering a gift guide. Yours is different — it comes from personal experience and not necessarily an attempt to earn money by selling your own stuff. Many of the suggested items are inexpensive, too. And knowing that someone else uses these things helps the rest of us a whole lot.

    I love that your family chooses not to exchange gifts, too. Our family is getting too large and we’ve been trying to come up with an alternative, and I most certainly like yours. I’m an artist and like to make gifts for family members, but another alternative for the non-crafty-type is still to do an all-homemade Christmas where cookies or other homemade baked goods/treats are exchanged as the only gifts. They won’t get exchanged or sit in the back of someone’s closet forever. (As long as you know your recipients’ food likes/dislikes/allergies.)

    Happy Holidays. Thanks for continuing to share your expertise.

  5. gaye, there’s nothing wrong with recommending gifts, or buying them. it’s a matter of moderation. our society has been warped by the greed of those who have made us into nothing but consuming machines, with no idea what we really need or want other than the status that owning and spending money can bring us. i think prepping is a great remedy for that illness, and your site is a reliable reality check for anyone who wants to maintain a sense of perspective in an insane world! thank you.

  6. gale, there’s nothing wrong with recommending gifts, or buying them. it’s a matter of moderation. our society has been warped by the greed of those who have made us into nothing but consuming machines, with no idea what we really need or want other than the status that owning and spending money can bring us. i think prepping is a great remedy for that illness, and your site is a reliable reality check for anyone who wants to maintain a sense of perspective in an insane world! thank you.

  7. I love your articles and postings. I too am getting older. At 77 with a rotater cuff injury I can no longer chop my own wood for my wood stove, but am trying exercising for more independence. I collect and save seeds and will keep up my gardening. I live in the PNW area and WILL STAY the rest of my life. Keep the good information coming. Yours is my favorite site.

  8. A few of these have been added to my wish list. I’ve finished buying for Christmas now, I start about August and hopefully finish by end of October, spreads cost and helps me avoid hordes of people (ugh people)

Leave a Reply