The Top Gear That You Would Buy For Survival & Preparedness
I would like our readers to respond in the comments below to the following question: “If you didn’t have to worry about the money, what gear would you buy as it relates to survival & preparedness”?
This is sort of like a poll, except you are creating the list.
I don’t know how many times that I have listed various gear and preparedness items here on the blog. But this time I would like YOU to list them.
This might be beneficial for others who are starting in preparedness. Or for sparking new interest or ideas for those who already are prepping.
When enough comments have been input, I will update this article to reflect the gear you’ve chosen for preparedness.
List as many as you would like. If you only feel like recommending 10 things, that’s fine. 50 items? That’s fine too.
You might be specific, or general, it doesn’t matter.
When listing, to make it easier for me and others to read, do not put it all in a run-on sentence or one paragraph. List each item on its own line. In other words, hit the “Enter” key to get a new line space or two, (it reads better that way!)
Ready? Set, Go!…
150 acre survival retreat, night vision and body armor.
Berkey water filter
water and a way to store it
white rice (stores longer)
pasta/noodles
canned meat
alt. cooking/heating
sleeping bag
tent/RV
BOL
generator/solar panels, steam operated generator
gasoline, diesel and a way to store a lot of it
batteries for storage of electricity produced
alt, form of transportation (diesel car/truck, bicycle, motorcycle, ATV)
firearms
ammo
crossbow, w/bolts, compound bow/recurve bow w/arrows
drone (for survailance)
Ok, to make it clear,
we’re talking GEAR,
and NOT food/water/land and so-on…..
Just stuff like a good Sleeping Bag
or A Berkey Water Filter.
This can also be Bug-In or Bug-out “Gear”
One
Item
Per
Line……..
Think I got it
NRP
“not water” that is not fair for them that want a moat. I still want under-land for that perfect bunker.
Okay back to reality.
“night vision for less”
” that un-economic (for this area sun hours) solar system with the lithium batteries”
“that new skid steer with the back hoe attachment – for defense ditches and evidence eradication”
“50 like minded neighbors” ya, I know only if pigs could fly. What would it take to get a million on the streets like Hong Kong.
A plane ticket and all my gear
100 acrers next door to NRP
I’ll just take NRP
Best answer ever!
DaisyK – how you doing? Hoping you’re having a fine early summer.
DaisyK
Now that’s a heck of an offer…. HAHAHA
Hope your doing well my friend.
Just had a thought, the Article is about “Stuff”, Did I just get declassified to “Stuff” LOLOL
Some pets are good to have as food but some are just hard to cage, feed and clean. :)
– Just to be clear; are we still talking about NRP?
– Papa S.
Papa Smurf;
Thinking it best I stay OUT of that conversation…. HAHAHA
Just blame DaisyK, a certain pet is on her wish list.
Some animals could be useful in a SHTF time – rabbits are quiet but do smell if caged and are not cleaned regularly.
A bicycle that fits inside your car and can be concealed from sight, to escape the gridlock of a big city.
POOF the Genie said and a link to the Citizen Folding Bike appeared.
Decent price, decent quality and with Muffin Run Flat tires option no worries about glass and nails.
No I don’t get paid by them nor do I own stock as they are not a stock market company.
At least your Top Gear request was easy.
Ok, so Fantasy Island . . .
What hermit us said
A top of the line radio communications system
“Enough” defensive materiel
That big old metal round egg incubator my mom used to have
4×4 deisel van set up for living with extra large fuel tank
Solid trailer to match van for hauling gear, with 150 gallons of additional fuel
Radio gear
High volume water purification setup,
Solar and wind generators with large battery bank, about a 3kw potential but flexible.
This is an interesting area to ponder, bugging out bs bugging in calls for different things, however, these items i could see as being beneficial no matter what, the van and trailer as well as solar i would use right now.
I see things through a practical lens most days, but it is all tempered by my reality.
Bugging out VS bugging in not bs
And the 150 gallon fuel storage is built into the floor or sides of the trailer.
Tommy
Umm
If bugging out….
A 4×4 Kenworth, tandem 53′ trailers, maybe a third or fourth.
(Lots of shift and critters to haul.)
Would I need a special, special endorsement license for that??
JC
ha!
I want to pick up that van on the WC next year and drive it to Kens on 6/20 maybe head up to Sturgis and then back across Utah and check out Moab then go and hang with Honesteader up in Idaho till 2020 election violence dies down in 2026
LOL
You have such an optimistic mind set!
Luv it!
Hope I don’t slow ya down with my rig.
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin. We gonna do what they say can’t be done
I would start with a Berkey and filters
Buckets of long term food
Good clothing for weather conditions
Tent/ sleeping bag or hammock for temp shelter ( hypothermia. )
Guns/ ammo
Crossbow/bolts
Cord (550)/ rope
Wood cutting devices: chainsaw, axe, maul, hatchet, handheld chain for cutting and machete or full tang knife for splitting wood.
Knowledge for fire starting (dryer lint, tp rolls, candles/bee wax, magnesium, ferro rod, zippo lighter, inner dry bark.
Barrel stove, wood burner/cookstove, grate to put over a barrel for cook top, Kelley kettle or just a camp fire with coffee pot and cast iron cookware.
Ability to cut and erect a wood shelter (cabin with shake roof.)
Water containers Food grade barrel, tarps for collection, buckets ( food grade.)
First aid kit ( triple antibiotic, tourniquets, israel bandages, scissors, sutures, dissolvable suture thread, betadine, alcohol, eye wash, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, pain killer or willow bark tea, blood stop powder, splints etc. First aid manual.
Butchering skills or book plus knives, container to salt meat down smoking tent to cure meat.
Meat storage elevated from predators. Rope and pulley.
Salt.
Honey, knowledge to gather swarming bees and weave a skeep or hive.
Draw bar to remove bark or make shingles.
Solar panels, generator, faraday cage
Lites: kerosene lamps, solar charged lites or those that run off of generator.
Radio: CB, short wave Baeofang for cheap, walkie talkies or Kaito 500.
Chargeable batteries (Panosonic ) and charger (solar.)
Canning supplies.
Fishing gear.
Traps and snare wire and knowledge or book.
Pair of rabbits, chickens, milk goat or cow. Knowledge to keep milk, make cheese and butter.
Horses.
Basic vet knowledge. Or a book.
Vinegar: making, using for cleaning, cheese making, as leavening for baking, creating and preserving ” the mother.”
Transportation: vehicle, spare parts, tires, bikes, dirt brkes, wagons and buggies w/ horses. Tack.
Plow
Tools: shovels, hoses, post hole digger,
Soap: bar soap, dish soap and laundry. Knowledge to make soap ( books) plus Fels Naptha and 20 Mule Team Borax, etc.
#3 washtubs and washboard, and manual wringer.
Seed (preservation) storage and knowledge of uses of plants, homeapathic, uses in general.
Just to name a few critical supplies.
– Add a pressure cooker/autoclave and wraps for instruments to the above.
– Papa S.
That was not a list
It was a book! And a very good one too.
Earth Roamer custom RV. At $1.5M that will NEVER be in my shop, but it’s nice to dream! These things are set up for off-grid, off-road, go-anywhere adventures. I’d also have it hardened against EMP.
Park it in my 600 acre, walled compound that houses all of my family members.
FOOD CATEGORY:
Getting It >
-foraging books & tools
-garden tools
-fishing equipment
Preparation >
-cast iron cookware
-Instant Pot
-propane campstove
Storage >
-pressure canner & cans
-dehydrator
-vacuum sealer & bags
-freezer
(next, energy)
A complete solar system (not like the Milky Way!). Enough to survive well off-grid, and plenty of extras to have in a faraday cage, just in case.
Wood gasifier/generator
emp-proof vehicle with spare parts
fishing gear
hunting gear
lots of salt, then get more salt, dirt cheap
seed
solar panels with charge controllers, etc.
DC deep well pump
water filtration, aqua brick
Batteries, lots of batteries large and small
ammo and knowledge to reload, supplies.
ham radio comms
small wind turbines with knowledge to build more.
air rifle
sling shots
books about foraging for food and medicine
books and more books
firewood and the means to get more
Remembering the idea of the Article;
“This might be beneficial for others who are starting in preparedness.”
Water Gear;
Big Berkey Water Filter with Sight Glass and Stand.
1000 gallon elevated water storage tank, gravity drained.
Several Sawyer Mini filters
CamelBak HydroBak Hydration Pack
A ‘real’ canteen
Water Cubes to store and haul water
Fire Starter & Firewood Gear;
Several fire starter magnesium rods
Bic Lighters, starting a fire should not be hard work
A good full tang knife
Bow Saw
GREAT hatchet
Machete
Axe
Small lite weight Chain Saw 12” – 16”
Food Prep and Storage;
Wood Stove for cooking and warmth
Solar Oven
All American Pressure Cooker/Canner
Dehydrator and/or Freeze Dryer
Mobil Trailer (cooled) for that VERY Deep Pantry
Cast Iron Cookware toss out that other junk
Solar Powdered Freezer-s
Security;
Motion Sensors for the entire perimeter and cross sections
Night Vision
Mace
Remington V3 Tac-13 12 Gauge
Springfield Armory DXM 45acp 4”
DPMS Oracle AR-10
And of course that Barrett M107
Backhoe and a pallet of Lime
Shelter;
Well Built Secure House
Artic Tent and support equipment
A good set of cold weather clothing/boots
Sun Shades/Tarps for Sun Block
That’s $1.5 million Camper that someone mentioned
Sanitation;
A good shovel
TP, 5000 rolls of TP!!!!
Personal Hygiene stuff, Soap, Shampoo, Tooth Paste/Brush, Feminine Hygiene, Condoms
Wash Cloths and 4-million Wipes
Meds & Such;
A HUGE First Aid Kit
Personal Meds for at least one year
Over the Counter Meds, Aspirin, Diarrhea Control, Eye Wash
Antibiotics, Penicillin, Blood Clot, Tooth Ache Meds
Nail Clippers and Scissors
Other Stuff;
Sleeping Bags GOOD ONES
Blankets and Pillows
Para Cord and Tarps
Small Cook Stove aka Rocket Stove
Fish and Hunting supplies
A FULL set of Fox Fire books
Gardening and Farming tools
Ok that’s enough;
I might add that no amount of “Stuff” is going to be worth a Flying Fig if you don’t know how to use it……. If you are serious about Preparing and Survival, get the Knowledge on how ‘they’ lived 200 years ago, and practice that, DO that Lights-Out weekend. Figure out how to preserve foods and CLEAN water, set up that $500 tent, and sleep in it a few times.
The biggest failure would be having $500K of “stuff lying around and you don’t know what to do and have the mindset to save yourself and your family.
PS:
All of these things are discussed in depth here on Ken’s BLOG, simply do a search and find out what and how to use them. OR better yet, just ask over on the Open Forum.
I’d like to pack a map of your whereabouts.
Chevy;
Tis easy to find me, just get a Sat Photo of the 50,000 rolls of TP in the Southwest hehehehe
Would that pick up the sunken firearms in the nearby reservoir?
h-m-m?
In between the lines you note to pack a sense of humor.
Well, since money is no object, Here we goo…… Night vision including thermal for each member including back up for each member in a faraday cage. Full comm setup so I can talk to ET if needed. Armored diesel 4X4 vehicle and no go flat tires with ports for firing out of if necessary. An underground lair like a cave in a James Bond movie where I can store everything such as the equipment including but not limited to backhoe, skidsteer, excavator, CAT D-9, generators, saws, you name it. Ofcourse vehicles will be stored in said lair. So everything except the extensive solar and wind power generating system will be underground. Ofcourse enough food for a gajillion years and multiple sets of seed banks uncluding heirloom and hybrid because HEY, when the gajillion years passes, food will have to be grown and even though there are issues with hybrids, there is some nutrition there. Certainly there will be a clean water source that comes from deep underground where if there is surface contamination of some sort, the water will not be affected for generations. Also, we cannot forget about all the small items such as extra lightbulbs, spoons, knives, forks, clothes, shoes, boots, undies (underwear), socks, medicines. we also cannot forget about equipment to manufacture things such as lathes, drill presses, drills, saws, grinders, welder, torch, and plenty of raw materials available to manufacture things such as slabs of copper, aluminum, steel, and sheeting. Cant forget about protection–various arms from pea shooter up to and including grenade and rocket launchers.
I know it isn’t much, just a brief overview of things. And again since money is not an issue, I don’t have to budget and can just go out and buy all this stuff at once.
Then again, were do I put all this stuff until my underground lair is completed?
A larger wood stove, mine is sufficient, just want a longer burn time.
Horse drawn farm machinery.
Night vision.
Dental/medical equipment, and those knowledgeable of using them.
A fully upgraded solar/and wind power.
Upgraded/better coms.
A boarder wall…..and one that also surrounds my acreage.
A 24/7 trusted security team, with their own provisions.
My youth and overall good health.
*Ohh, it’s not a wish list?
(We’ll just make do with what we have)
There is lots of stuff on the wish list , but I think a complete solar system and solar well pump would top the list.
As a wildfire survivor, I have had the misfortune of having everything I ever had burned up until it was fine ash and twisted steel.
So in terms of bugging in, ordinarily I would, but since wildfire is a deadly threat, I wouldn’t recommend it.
So if it turns out that you are more than likely going to have to leave and not come back, your bug out gear is best to contain the following.
Anything you think you need you should have it. But do this. Do not buy cheap crap, pay yourself first instead. Get your stuff at the very highest and best level you can afford because you may actually have to use it and survive with it for an extended period of time. Then once you have it, practice with it. Use it. Get to know your gear. And if you really have to survive with it you will never regret having treated yourself well.
If you treated yourself cheap, you will regret it from the very first minute and never stop until you find replacements to upgrade your gear with if you can afford to do so or if it’s even available to you somehow. Good things are not cheap and cheap things are not good. It’s universally true.
So that’s it, get the best gear you can afford for your bag. You might actually have to use it.
– The only “new” items in any of my bags are one time only use items that I have used similar items before. Everything else is an old and hard used friend. If the things are new, how do you know they are worth carrying? Use them, practice using them and if you can wear them out or break them before your family/life depends on them.
– Papa S.
– Left out the comma after ‘can’; still, if it’s not good enough to use and try to wear out now, what good is the item? I would never put an item in my bags that I have not used, unless it’s something that I have used up and have another, like food, braided fishing line, or 550 cord.
– Papa
Perhaps a least costly version of some items with which to practice.
Purchasing and retaining the higher quality, more expensive version to keep on the side, and in like new condition for the time that you may actually need to use it.
Let’s remember the items required for the maintenance, and cleaning of the equipment, tools, etc.
A whole house propane generator and other propane appliances. Then install as many 1000 gal. tanks as feasible, this is the big one. Lots of PGA for my tinctures and it is a good antiseptic. Learn to operate a still and buy the corn to go with it. Put in bullet proof windows like they have in some convenience stores. You said $$ was no limit. If money was no limit for us would buy a chunk of land in the Ozarks and install my boys on it too. Mr.’s daughter, well she knows how to procure things so to speak she might come in handy.
Grain, BUY GRAIN…………….
Lye — many industrial sized drums
Use for
—Disinfectant
—Making Soap
—Covering diseased or dead animal carcasses in (deep) hole
—etc
Lye could keep you/your ranch/bug out disease free
1. Endless supply of insulin for DW
2. More medical training
3. Several acers out of town with a lake
4. Brick home with full basement and fire place
5. Tractor and plow
6. Berkey water filter system
7. A multi fuel deuce and a half with a camper on the back
8. Kimber 1911
9. LOTS of ammo
10. Multiple deep freezers
11. More canning equipment
12. Out door kitchen with fire pit/grille
13. Time
Car guy
Yep, an endless supply of all meds (insulin)
So a medicinal supply lab shall be added to both our lists.
…..and housing for all these additional ‘others’ on our lists.
…..maybe a mile or so away from home base.
– Tilley Hat
– Benchmade Knives
-Mora Knife
– Sig Handgun(s)
– Sig .556 AR15
– Kelly Kettle
-Sawyer Water Filter
-550 Paracord
These are just a few of the great quality items that I’ve found to be more than worth the investment necessary to acquire them.
1. I wish I had the skills/knowledge/strength to use all the stuff I have.
2. I wish my family agreed with my prepping life style.
Texas Boy,
Ham radio comms. Are ya there yet?
Texas Boy
#1 Learn the skills, research the knowledge, now, while you still can. Strength? We all get there. Have faith.
#2
And when you and yours NEED to use your current preps, they’ll wonder why you didn’t do more.
Keep doing what you’re doing.
Just saying
Keep on keepin on!
First I want 3 everything but I can settle for at least 1 of each.
1st to learn how to use it
2nd to stash at another local as my back up
3rd to stash in a metal cage and as a spare if an electronic device
Full solar system
Berkey water
Thermal optics
Pre 1970 Honda XL 250
Pre 1970 4×4 tractor with loader. Must be diesel.
Propane cutting torch
Propane supply
Diesel supply
Gas supply
More hand garden tools than I already have
Massive library on history, mechanical books on all my gear and “how to” on medical, food production, animal husbandry
More shoes/boot than I could wear out in 30 years
200 lbs of nails
More rechargeable batteries
100 lbs candle wax with wicks
Medical supplies
100 t post
1000 ft 4’ net wire.
Trailer load of treated 2×4.
20 more fruit trees
40’ shipping container to hold my “stuff”.
There is enough here to build my greenhouse and keep the large critters off my row crops. I have the space for all of this just no tim door money to make it happen.
Solar oven.
This is so easy to make and it can get hot!
You can do it with nothing more than an aluminum roasting pan.
When I win the lotto:
– Hands on training in combat and how to set up the property for defense, medical
training,
– Someone to come and set up my property for defense IE: observation posts, defensive
positions, fencing, etc
– Ceramic plates and carriers for all
– Night vision
– A large climate controlled shop with root cellar to store more preps
– Solar system
– A commune big enough to house all of you- instant tribe- like the Gulch!
And BTW when I say I can I am saying it in the pre SJW language like AmerICAN.
Or better said “If you think you Can or you think you Can’t, Your RIGHT”
Or as we said in the Military “It’s not brag when you CAN”.
The nice thing about socially sensitive folks is they self eliminate when the chips are down. The bad thing is good folks around them will suffer due to the sudden loss of trust (often betrayal) and teamwork.
SO to honor the thread question my Top Gear is a The Few, The Proud, The Honorable Friends that will die for me and I for them.
A small example of why trusted friends are so critical. If some how the Government Takers get wind that you have illegal food production like chickens, hopefully your trusted neighbors will alert you they are coming so you can disperse them to trusted friends to hide. Yes you WILL have to lose some to the Takers for the deception to work but you and your tribe will still have chickens to breed more.
If you don’t have trusted friends to alert you, delay and lie to the Takers then you and yours will be totally stripped with nobody you can trust to take you in and rebuild your life.
Pick your trusted friends wisely. If you cannot trust them with your wallet can you trust them with your family?
Me2,
Trusted friends are one of the most important things we will need. Not only now but in a SHTF world. Unfortunately we cannot buy them. Trust is earned.
Me2
That trust thing is huge, most place too little weight on gut feelings along those lines,
Benefit of the doubt works in the here and now but when things get dicey thats all out the window.
Personally i trust just about no one as i have been lied to and decieved many times, pretty sure it will happen or is happening again but that is human nature, i believe most these days are full of crap so place very little weight on any one person.
Anywho, sorry for the mini rant
I feel like you are making some assumptions about me without knowing me. I have trusted friends and we work together and there is mutual respect. I also have respect for many of the members on this site for the knowledge they have and choose to share. I feel like Ken was approaching this article from an “I wish I had” perspective and in a perfect world I wish I had some in this group near me to teach me additional skills. As far as I know I haven’t fought with anyone on here or done something to earn disrespect. And I CAN do many things. I was an LEO for 18 years- so I know something of the few, the proud and the willingness and ability to protect and lay down my life for my brother.
Montanahome I apologize if you feel that I have disrespected you. That was not my intent.
My comment was just about the difficulty of creating an “Instant Gulch” as you know well from your 18 years LEO even folks you thought you knew pretty well could surprise you in their poor even dishonorable actions under stress. Takes time to build trust, takes Real Stress to test if that trust is warranted. Training trustworthy people is EASY compared to finding them and earning their trust.
I hope you are not offended by my attempt to explain.
A grain mill
high-powered magazine loaded .50 calibre air rifle
Bullet proof glass for my house and vehicle
10 yards of sand
1,000 sand bags
1960 Dodge Power Wagon
night vision for rifle and helmet
Winchester model 70 in 30-06 ammo of course
4X12 scope
A doctor living next door
A grain mill. I live next to a corn/wheat fields
If money was no object I would buy a time machine. I have wasted so much time I would like to get back.
I would try harder to buy the best for the value that I could sooner and more often. I have replaced a lot of stuff that was not a lot less than the best you could get. Like I bought a bunch of tweezers and nail clippers. I should have just saved a little more and bought Tweezerman tweezers and Seke nail clippers.
I get caught up in the “I have this much in pesos now to buy this widgetry that is good enough… I’ll really kick myself if I can’t get it later and I need it.”
A while back I built a still that was good enough. I don’t have the nerve to drink more than a sip of it. Even though I did the math and I’d have to drink all of the heads or tails to get sick Carbureted garden tractor runs on it. So I bought several cases of each New Amsterdam gin, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, and Russian Standard. Not great but they work. I should have built a decent fermenter, a nicer still, and bought some oak barrels… But it was easier to buy bottled stuff and figure out the still and other crap if I need to.
I would like to have a small fleet of drones.
I sent this article to my husband, daughter, and niece, and it has caused a flurry of messages to one another! Thanks for provoking thought in that category!
We had some pretty fun comments. I thought it would be thought provoking to think about – considering if money wasn’t an issue. Hopefully we will get even more comments here before I compile the list.
For my locale:
10 acres of broken brush,
A 10′ X 10′ x 4′ angle iron frame platform w/ 2 x flooring and 4′ h. corners. A raised floor 5′ off grade) to sleep, yet keep low enough to not stick above tree canopy.
Two insulated 5 gallon water coolers – to store drinking water.
At least three 1 quart canteens, all three with metal cup and cover.
60 gallon barrel w/ cover to store seasonal gear (i.e. winter weight bag – jacket – pants).
Two hammocks- Sleeping / Resting / bird netting / carrying / concealing bulky items.
1 roll clear visqueen – 100 feet x 4′. Waterproofing – windproofing living space.
2 Swiss canvas ruck sack – only material strong enough to withstand constant thorny growth without too much noise. 1 in reserve for future.
4 pairs boots – three desert type, one insulated winter.
Clothing – 10 pairs wool socks, 3 pairs Duluth Fire Hose jeans, 3 pairs heavy wool pants – shirts, 10 T-shirts, 10 pairs underwear.
Firearms – .308 Win. bolt rifle / CZ 452 .22 bolt rifle and Walther PPK hideout handgun / Glock ,45acp / 12 G. Remington 870 pump shotgun. 500 centerfire rifle rounds – 10 bricks rimfire – 500 centerfire pistol – 300 shotgun (250 buck shot – 50 slugs).
Tools – Hammer / 2 saws (limbing – bow ) / 3 machetes / 5# box(es) of fence staples / 4D nails / stainless deck screws / 2 multi-tools / 2 blade screwdrivers (large small) and one medium Phillips. Two wheelbarrows both w/ flatproof wheels.
Transportation – bicycle w/ flat resistant tires / spare tubes / spare parts.
Hmm, I have been reading but not posting:
1. Things: our feds eating us alive with their diabolical politics ( they are things in my eyes )
2. TP, TP and more TP
3. Space ship, so when the planet starts rattling I can just go up in the air with all my supplies, family and trusted friends
4. I think that sums it up
5. I am close to NRP coming from El Paso, so there is plan B heeeheee
I had to review my notes from the field from the 5 years I worked in the outdoors/ off the conventional grid and 3 winters doing the same as a working college student: This is old info ( 1980’s) and some of the companies have changed or gone out of business since that time:
Swiss army knife: Victorinox
Backpacking stove: MSR -XGK multi fuel that burned white gas or kerosene.
Water filter: See Backpacking stove: yep, I boiled water if it was from a questionable source. Boiling was a back-up to a clogged Katadyne filter.
Backpack type: If you are of thin build and have minimal deposits of body fat, you will be happier with an internal frame pack. ( more comfortable with less chafing.). If you are of huskier build and/or carrying odd shaped or heavy awkward loads like wood stoves or engines, a solid frame backpack with hip belt in addition to shoulder straps work better.
Handguns: This is a personal issue and I would encourage one to base this decision on how it fits your hand in addition to pointability. I was issued Smith and Wesson back in the day. I like Ruger for their durability and simple design. At the Handgun competitions during the rimfire portion of the course, Ruger Mark 1,2&3’s dominated the line.
Rifles: Whatever shoots straight. I fix and repair rifles so I see them as modular and think nothing of removing and replacing barrels springs and stocks. ( the AR platforms are designed to be easier to work on in this regard.). I wrote an opinion piece on optics last week so enough said.
Shotguns: I grew up learning to shoot and clean the Remington 870 and this transitioned into my job as a sworn officer where the shotgun in the car or truck was a pump 870. I have been carrying one and using them on game, clay birds and the occasional felon since age 12. I gave up bird hunting years ago after my Mentor passed away. I still like to shoot trap on a warm sunny Sunday morning with other old guys. ( so I am biased on this topic.).
Best 4×4 off road vehicle: Some one else’s 4×4 off road vehicle.
Best navigation equipment: Suunto Forester compass. More features at lower price with good precision that the Silva compass. I still have and use mine and pack it along when others are testing their GPS devices. I go to the USGS offices to purchase maps as I am a map nerd and this led to me being a line scout when Southern California hills were on fire. ( I was younger in better shape back then.).
and…for NRP..: My favorite toilet paper is Cottonelle. My Wife uses Charmin Ultra soft so we are a house divided…My wife tells me that girls have more delicate heinies…
Handy tools for your medical kits: Replacement bandage scissors and forceps both straight and curved can be obtained for lower cost at your local ag supply store that stocks Equine Care supplies. To clear vomit from an airway in a hurry with minimal head turning: get a plastic bulb type of turkey baster and cut the tip off.
One fully stocked Trident nuclear submarine with a crew of 20 enlisted trained E5-E6 sailors and the Pacific Ocean. All 24 birds present with the full complement of MIRVs and all the torpedoes that we could carry. The Black Pearl lives.