5 Pieces of Tech Every Survivalist Needs

While technology may be anathema to some preppers, if you can find a way to sustain power, it can be a major boon after society breaks down. Viable power sources will help keep anything from a tablet with survival guides available to appliances like a fridge powered. Technology can give you the edge on those who would steal from you to simply hunting for food. Here’s some tech you’ll want to invest in.

Generator

To power your devices, you’ll probably need a generator. Whether it’s a refrigerator, your phone — while cell service still works — or the items on this list, it’s essential to have a power source. Wasting gasoline is a problem, however, and it’s better to prioritize vehicles. Instead, find a solar-powered generator.

Generators are portable, so if you need to move, you can take it with you. But what if you need to be even more mobile, not bound by a box you are dragging behind you?

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Solar Backpack

If you have primarily smaller devices, like your phone or an e-reader with all the survival guides you need, then you probably don’t need a larger generator. This is doubly true if you intend on staying on the move. In this case, it’s probably better to get a backpack with an integrated solar panel. Some also come with a water bladder, making it the perfect hiking companion.

Camera Drone

Either the generator or the solar backpack can be used to power the batteries for a camera drone. While some camera drones only allow for reviewing a recording after the drone has returned home, some offer real-time streaming, often to a phone connected to the remote.

The applications for a camera drone after the fall of society are numerous, but let’s focus on just a few. First, there’s the obvious: Reconnaissance. You can scout ahead, and see if there are any dangers, or figure out the best path to a landmark.

The second is to identify threats. Need to know if someone is tracking you? Send out the drone. Need to see if that fire is a campfire or natural? Send out the drone. Or, if you have a partner, you can provide information from a bird’s eye view, especially if you have a two-way radio.

Finally, you can search an area for wildlife for hunting. With the ability to fly high, drones won’t disturb wildlife nearly as much as traipsing through the brush. Instead of wasting physical energy, let the drone do the work, and then you’ll have a better idea of where to hunt.

Smart Scopes

Speaking of hunting, it’s important not to waste bullets. To increase the likelihood of an accurate shot, invest in a smart rifle scope. With an onboard computer, you plug in some information, and the scope does all the trajectory calculations for you. This increases your chances of having an accurate shot, meaning less ammo needed in the long run.

Since it uses a battery, as long as you have a rechargeable battery station, coupled with the solar backpack or generator, you have a shooting advantage.

As a secondary use, the scope can be used as a monocular, giving you another way to conduct recon without needing to get close to your target.

A Smokeless Fire

It can be dangerous out in the wilderness. In a scenario where everyone is fighting for survival, you don’t want to give your position away. Enter smokeless fire devices. While some take the form of a fire pit, others are portable and able to produce fire from biomass like twigs or pinecones. These fires let you stay warm, cook food, and not draw attention to your campsite. Some models even use excess thermal energy to provide a small charging station, giving you another option for charging small devices.

About the Author: Brooke Faulkner’s mission in life is to be prepared for anything life throws at her. As a mother of two, more often than not that includes legos and snotty viruses. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found zipping around the wilderness on her ATV.