Samantha Biggers
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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
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36 Responses to “2017 BDS Best Prepper Gifts – The Best Gifts for Preppers This Year”
Great article as always. But i kind of wish youd address stuff for elderly. I am 60 a diabetic and find my go bag is essentially all first aid and its heavy.what do you suggest ive been looking for a red backpack type bag that had the symbol for first aid. So i can switch my first aid stuff to it to leave more room for go bag stuff then how to make it lightèr or i think i need a red wagon or something.i need a cane sometime crutches to walk and have not seen anything out there addressing disabilities in a crisis.how could we help ourselves. I dont have a car but thought of a go cart with attatched trailer. HELP! Plus i could email you the contents at this time to help give you an idea what is there now
Hi, Debbie. I am disabled, too, and I wonder if you can use a walker with a seat instead of cane/crutches? I can push many things on mine, while keeping them accessible as well. There are all kinds of baskets, bags and accessories available.
thank you for your replyroxanne.i would like one of those .i have a prescription for it but found no dme place to bill it
Great article as always. But i kind of wish youd address stuff for elderly. I am 60 a diabetic and find my go bag is essentially all first aid and its heavy.what do you suggest ive been looking for a red backpack type bag that had the symbol for first aid. So i can switch my first aid stuff to it to leave more room for go bag stuff then how to make it lightèr or i think i need a red wagon or something.i need a cane sometime crtches to walk and have not seen anything out there addressing disabilities in a crisis.how could we help ourselves. I dont have a car but thought of a go cart with attatche trailer. HELP!
Thank you very much for your holiday gift guide, Gaye. My family is considerable distance away and I cannot see them at holidays, so I am always looking for things I can send them easily (although the rest of them laugh at my mania for prepping, so these may be gifts for myself!)
As we are both fans of adult colouring books, I wonder if you are familiar with Alberta Hutchinson’s Mandala colouring book series? She has several of them out now, such as the “Mystical Mandala Coloring Book“. I think you may enjoy them!
Wishing you and your family a very blessed Christmas!
It is on my wish list! There are two versions. I assume this newer one is the same, just in a newer format Link.
Nice list! One thing I have found is that everyone, boys and girls, love a knife for a gift. If they are under 8 years old a small folder is good (Swiis Army). 8-12 a Mora knife is really cool. 12-16 fixed blade skinners hit the spot and 16+ good butcher knives for the girls or things like the SOG Bowie for the boys seem to put a smile on their face.
It seems a universal fact that people like a well made knife.
Thanks for posting this gift guide. My daughter had a 72 hour pack when she lived with me, but when she moved out from the Pacific NW to Southern CA she was not interested in keeping it updated. When her fiance’s stepdad began getting into prepping, out came the bag and she and her new family have emergency plans, a designated meeting place, and provisions for all 4 adults, 9 dogs, and 1 cat.
That you posted gifts to make, makes me feel good. We used to give baked goods all the time, and everyone appreciated them. “The perfect gift” wasn’t something one bought, but something one thought up to do for another. Thanks for helping to bring that back.
As my kids have gotten older, their stocking stuffers have become more useful items. My 21yo daughter appreciated those things more when she moved to her own place and had to weather her first storm and power outage alone. Even little things count, like waterproof matches and emergency candles, because they aren’t items people normally think about purchasing.
I made my order on the Dec. 1. I hope you get the commission. 🙂 I am grateful for all that you do for us.
My gifts for the holidays are rather low tech. Each Christmas for the past 10 years, I write a memory of a family member or a Christmas past. Then I email it to my family which covers from Florida, to Michigan, to Louisiana to the middle of the country. Coming from a large family, this is the best I can do. Since I am also the family historian, they never know from who, what or where each family story may come.
For those more local, what started out as just wanting to learn more about what is in the food I eat, has become more than…so this year, the people near me will be receiving a sets of Homemade Herb Blends especially created for their health and well-being along with the nutritional info and health benefits for them. My daughter is creating the labels and cards. While I now grow my own herbs and some spices, I also buy in bulk. lol Though I have saved spice and other small jars so each package will be different. There goes my stash of jars, but will be gathering again next year. These people know I am not any sort of medical person, just interested in eating the best with what’s available. 🙂
For the younger set, I am working on my own set of cards which feature local plants both in the yards and around us. Just my way of teaching with fun…anyone for a scavenger dinner??
Janet – That is sweet of you to ask since the commissions support my work and I will never ever ask for accept donations :).
With Amazon, you should start your shopping “session” from one of my links (any link). I am told that if you place things in your shopping bag then come back later, the affiliate code is still valid but I honestly doubt it. What I tell people is that if they want to go back and visit their shopping cart, start from any of the links on my page.
LOL I spend over $500 a month at Amazon but none of my purchases count.
Thank you for the info. I plan to place an order there soon.
i just put a bookmark for your blog on my “favorites” bar so it’s easy to always use your link to get to amazon.
Thank you so much for your comments and support 🙂
PER Amazon shopping: Is your commission a multiple-time deal or must a person link from your site to Amazon each time? Thanks for all you do. 🙂