Patrick Kelley
5 Survival Items You DON’T Need
We’ve all seen the lists: “12 Survival Items You Should ALWAYS Have on You,” “Never Leave the House Without These 4 Things,” “The One Thing Every Bug Out Bag Should Contain” -- the list goes on. These articles are extremely helpful (and we have plenty if you want to check them out by starting here), but it’s time we talk about the flip side of that. We know what things we’re told we should have when prepping for an emergency, but what about those things we should avoid?
It’s important to be smart about what you bring and to really consider every ounce you’re adding to your pack. You need room for those life-or-death items, and you need to keep your pack from getting too heavy so you can travel long distances with it.
Every scenario is different, so what you should pack will be different from what your neighbor packs. But there are a few things that (almost) no one should ever pack.
Here are 5 things you can leave at home when you’re prepping for a survival scenario:
- Sleeping bags. Great for camping, but a little too large to take with you during a survival situation. We absolutely recommend having a solid, warm sleeping bag in your stash for other situations, but when trying to pack lightly, it just doesn’t make the cut.
- Large tent. Similar to a sleeping bag, carrying a large tent simply takes up too much room for a survival scenario. Keep it compact -- consider a tarp.
- Lantern. Large lanterns are helpful, but can be a waste of space, not to mention they’re extremely heavy. In a survival situation, a flashlight or smaller source of light will work just as well. Consider this.
- Cookware. Your stash of cookware can get extremely heavy even if it only contains a few pieces. Grab a smaller, lightweight set instead. Check out this full set of lightweight cookware from Mission 24.
- Survival books. Books take up space. Your prior knowledge is much more valuable. Take time now when you’re not in the middle of an emergency to take in all the knowledge you’ll need to be prepared for anything. Leave the books at home.
Check out your bug out bag or your emergency stash. Do you have any of these items taking up space? Consider replacing them with smaller items that can get the same job done while taking up a fraction of the space.
