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The Prepared Path Starter Kit
Everything you need to get started, curated and tested. Free downloads, essential gear picks, and the books worth your time.
Section 01
Free Downloads
Print these, save them to your phone, share them with family. No purchase required.
5 Simple Steps to Start Your Emergency Plan
A practical, beginner-friendly checklist covering water, food, communication, shelter, and documents. FEMA-aligned but human-readable.
Section 02
Essential Gear
Gear I've personally researched, use, or would buy without hesitation. Organized by category, with honest notes on each pick. All prices approximate.*
Water
ProOne Big+ Water Filter
The best Berkey alternative right now. Gravity-fed countertop filter. No electricity, removes 200+ contaminants. Great for apartments.
WaterBOB Bathtub Reservoir
Store 100 gallons in your bathtub before a storm. Single-use but worth having. Best $35 you can spend on water storage.
Reliance Aqua-Tainer 7-gal
Durable, stackable, BPA-free water container. The $25 workhorse of emergency water storage. Get at least two.
Power
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro
800Wh capacity, charges to 80% in 50 min. Powers a mini-fridge, CPAP, or laptop for hours. The sweet spot of price/capacity.
Jackery Explorer 240
Lightweight 240Wh station. Great entry-level option for phones, lights, and a fan. Quiet, clean, safe indoors.
Anker 737 Power Bank
25,600mAh, 140W output. Charges 3 devices at once including laptops. The must-have EDC power bank for any emergency bag.
Food Storage
Augason Farms 30-Day Emergency Supply
1 person, 30 days of calories. Freeze-dried, 25-year shelf life. Not gourmet, but the gold standard for bulk calorie storage.
Mylar Bags + Oxygen Absorbers
DIY long-term food storage. Seal rice, beans, oats for 25+ year shelf life. Much cheaper than buying pre-packed supply kits.
First Aid
MyMedic Solo First Aid Kit
Serious trauma capability in a compact bag. Includes tourniquet, Israeli bandage, chest seals, and more. Not just bandaids.
CAT Tourniquet (Combat Application)
The same tourniquet used by military and first responders. Life-saving in a bleeding emergency. One per person in your home.
Communication
Midland ER310 Weather Radio
NOAA alerts, hand crank + solar power, phone charging port. The one piece of gear that should be in every home. Set it up now, not during a storm.
Baofeng UV-5R Handheld Radio
Two-way radio that can receive NOAA weather. Get a license or use for receive-only. The $28 entry point to amateur radio comms.
* Prices are approximate and change frequently. Always verify current pricing on Amazon. Affiliate disclosure: Links marked ↗ are affiliate links — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only link to products I'd genuinely recommend.
Section 03
Recommended Reading
Three books worth owning in print. Not digital — when the power is out, you'll want paper.
When All Hell Breaks Loose
The most practical, no-BS survival guide written for actual humans, not fantasy preppers. Cody's tone is exactly the right mix of serious and approachable.
View on Amazon ↗The Prepper's Blueprint
Comprehensive, organized, and not overwhelming. Think of it as the preparedness textbook — the kind you actually want to read. Great for systematic thinkers.
View on Amazon ↗One Second After
Fiction, but devastatingly realistic about EMP/grid-down scenarios. It changed how a generation thinks about preparedness. Read it once — you won't forget it.
View on Amazon ↗Never Miss a Guide
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