For the avid survival enthusiast and the novice camper alike, proper equipment can make or break your outdoor experience in a hurry. Making sure you have quality equipment that’s built to last is a great start for planning any outdoor trip, be it camping, hunting, exploring, or even an afternoon of hiking.
One important thing to remember while preparing to go on a trek is to be prepared, but not be bogged down. Minimalist camping is a big trend for a reason with survivalists and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world figuring out just what it takes to get by and packing accordingly.
If you’re planning to go camping or just looking to get prepared for the next time you’d like to enjoy nature on a whim, here are 20 websites that offer a wide variety of survival products.
1. MajorSurplus.com Has a Wide Range of Survival Gear
The folks over at www.majorsurplus.com have done a terrific job of providing an online marketplace catering to every need for the avid survivalist.
From military surplus to actual camping gear, they’ve compiled an enormous amount of equipment for anybody looking to do any outdoor activity. They also offer coupons and discounts in their newsletter, so you can get email alerts for specific brands and products.
2. More Than Just Products at Off The Grid
Offthegrid.com goes the extra mile in terms of survival gear. They sell camping equipment and outdoor supplies, but they also put a strong emphasis on actual survival situations. When it comes to outdoor activity, Off the Grid has a great selection of items for any emergency or survival experience. They also offer how-to videos and blogs for a wide variety of situations.
3. The National Rifle Association’s Survival Selection
Fire starting kits, hand turbines for phone charging, and a myriad of other survival and home defense items are available at the www.nrastore.com. In addition to camping and outdoor gear, they also have a sister site at www.nratactical.com for hunting and self-defense equipment including firearms.
4. Emphasis on Preparedness at Forge Survival Supply
While Forge Survival Supply has an online marketplace for different equipment, they also offer guides and survival tips for an enormous amount of situations. Bug out bag checklists, blogs and email newsletters with survival information, and an easy to use website really make www.forgesurvivalsupply.com worth checking out.
5. A Community for Survivalists at Survival Cache
At www.survivalcache.com you’ll find much more than just a marketplace selling goods. They have an active community of survivalists, survival book reviews, and quite a few guides outlining the essentials of certain types of equipment.
They do have a great store as well, and combined with the knowledge to be gained is a terrific starting point for any outdoor enthusiast.
6. S.O.L. Focuses on The Little Things
Another website offering, not just products but also learning resources, www.surviveoutdoorslonger.com really does a great job of providing information.
They don’t just look at the basic equipment or focus on having the widest variety, but also at smaller items that many people may not consider. If you’re looking to get the most out of your equipment in terms of efficiency and preparedness, S.O.L. is a good jumping off point.
7. Camping Survival Offers A Great Selection
A very large marketplace for survival gear, www.campingsurvival.com is an online store that focuses on selling equipment. Great if you’re looking to compare brands and prices, they have a large array of items in quite a few different categories.
They don’t offer any other benefits like blogs or instructional videos, however.
Recommended: Top 20 Websites for Survivalists
8. Be Prepared to Survive With Information and Supplies
In addition to survival gear and outdoor activity items, www.bepreparedtosurvive.com puts a lot of focus on being ready to deal with any major catastrophe or emergency situation. Providing instructional videos, books, and guides while also having an online store sets this website apart from quite a few others. Learning how to use tools can make a significant difference in terms of surviving in the wild or during a major catastrophe.
9. Not Just Knives from Gerber
Gerber is known worldwide for their wide selection of high-quality cutlery and blades, but they also sell varying types of survival equipment. Small emergency kits and fire-starting tools are just the tip of the iceberg at www.gerbergear.com. They mostly offer tools for small equipment, so if you’re looking for a one-stop shop this might not be the best choice. Don’t underestimate the quality of a good hatchet or skinning knife, however.
10. Recommendations from Gray Wolf Survival
While not a traditional marketplace, www.graywolfsurvival.com is a great resource for finding reviews and information. If you’re serious about the equipment you’ll be using for a survival experience, Gray Wolf Survival can be a way to find out the ups and downs of products you may have been previously considering, as well as recommendations for gear you never thought of in the first place.
11. Survival Kits Ready To Go
Specializing in complete survival bags and bug out bags, www.survivalkit.com really sticks to their name. The first thing you’ll notice upon visiting the site are featured bug out bags that come fully stocked with everything you’d need, as well as blogs and tips for dealing with any emergency.
12. Independent Survivalist Gear at My Patriot Supply
Not a typical camping or survival goods store, www.mypatriotsupply.com puts emphasis on being self-sufficient and prepared for any emergency situation. With heirloom seeds for growing your own food and water filtration as a few examples, they’re determined to help customers be ready for anything.
13. Survival Life is Here To Teach
Reviews, how-to guides, kits, product reviews, and an online store are just a few of the things www.survivallife.com has to offer. For learning tips and tricks, there are few sites that provide as much information.
14. Bug Out Bags From The Ready Store
Another website specializing in survival kits and pre-packed bug out bags, www.thereadystore.com has an enormous variety of different packages available. No matter the emergency or outdoor situation you’re looking to cope with, you’ll be able to find guides and equipment here.
15. Tactical Gear at BrigadeQM
Less emphasis on outdoor survival equipment and more on tactical and hunting gear, www.brigadeqm.com offers a moderately wide selection of gear that leans more towards military surplus than survival.
16. Equipped.org Offering Both Gear and Information
While www.equipped.org doesn’t have their own direct marketplace, they do provide reviews and guides on different products. They also have direct breakdowns if you’d like to make your own bug out bags or survival kits.
17. Ideas Courtesy of The Red Cross
Not so much a market as it is a good place to figure out what you’d need in an emergency or survival scenario, www.redcross.org really goes above and beyond in terms of how to make your own emergency kits. They’ll help you figure out how you can make your own bug out bags with a lot of ‘just in case’ mentality while not overdoing it.
18. Military Surplus at US Cav
Another website that offers camping gear and military surplus alike, www.uscav.com has a great store and not much else. Any piece of survival equipment you can imagine is available here, and their prices are very fair.
19. Medical Supplies and Kits
At www.adventuremedicalkits.com you’ll find some great medical equipment for emergency situations. Ranging from single items to advanced medical packs, this website is very similar to other pre-made kit websites but with an emphasis on medical preparedness.
20. An Obvious Choice in Amazon
It would be disingenuous not to recommend www.amazon.com for the more fiscally conscious outdoor enthusiasts. While there are countless sites offering guides, piles of equipment and premade kits, Amazon is one of the best resources for price comparing and reading item reviews.
Before you make any purchases, try to see if you can find the item on Amazon to see how it’s held up in actual survival situations.
Any outdoor activity can be an exciting and rewarding experience, especially if you’ve packed well and with a bit of thought. Putting consideration into what you bring will help you save precious space, while research can show you a few neat tips or tricks that you may not have considered otherwise.