The best survival tech (2024)

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So you’ve found yourself in a tropical zone during hurricane season, have you? Or are you stuck in a blizzard or the basement during a tornado? Well, you can ride it out without the appropriate survival gear or be prepared.

Many of us have lived through a natural disaster and can testify that the cost of being prepared is worth never having to use any survival tech.

So, you’ve got your home comfortable with a great smart thermostat and covered all the entry points with security cameras. But what happens when nature decides that it wants to upend your cozy existence?

The best survival tech all have something in common. None of it is erroneous and serves a very valuable purpose. From providing clean water to being able to tune in to emergency broadcasts to chopping your way out of a dicey situation.

Outside of stocking up on cans of beans, bottled water, and Spaghetti-O’s, this list of survival tech should occupy a small space in your go-bag if you want to become the ultimate survival companion.

Find the best survival tech for you

Raynic Weather Radio

The Raynic Weather Radio steps in during a disaster when our smartphones fail. We might think that our phones are infallible, but during a natural disaster, it’s highly probable that cell towers will be down.

So the first thing in your emergency bag should be a crank radio.

It’s rechargeable from the wall, but you can also wind the crank to listen to emergency broadcasts or run the flashlight. And if your phone is dead, you can give it just enough juice to make an emergency call.

It has preset NOAA weather channels, a 3W flashlight, and a 2.5W reading lamp. Plus, since you might be in a hurricane and all, the Raynic Weather Radio is IPX3 waterproof.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

The LifeStraw Personal Water Filter has a microfiltration membrane that removes 99.999% of waterborne bacteria and parasites. It also eliminates microplastics, which are sadly a massive part of our water supply.

Basically, if you need to drink murky disaster water, you’ll want to filter it first.

You can drink up to about 4,000 liters (1,000 gallons) of water with this thing before replacing it.

However, the best course of action is to purchase one LifeStraw Personal Water Filter for every family member and add them to the emergency supplies.

Serjur 8-in-1 Multi-Function Flashlight

Multi-tools are the cornerstone of any hurricane go-bag, and the Serjur 8-in-1 Multi-Function is built around a solid flashlight. That bit has seven lighting modes, including a blue and red SOS mode.

The solid magnetic head can be a window breaker, with a seatbelt cutter on the side and a 120dB alarm. You can light up the solar charging panel to a white work light or turn on the strobe to get a rescuer’s attention.

Whether for daily use in the car or as part of your emergency supplies, the Serjur 8-in-1 Multi-Function is a flashlight built for survival.

BLAVOR Solar Charger

Since our smartphones can literally be our lifelines during a disaster, you’ll want to keep them charged with the BLAVOR solar charger when the power goes out.

Or, you can at least charge the iPads to keep the kids entertained. The battery is rechargeable through USB-C or from the onboard solar panel in a pinch.

The 10,000mAh battery sets this portable battery apart from its 3,000-4,000mAh competitors. Like many of them, it’s shockproof, dustproof, and IPX5 waterproof.

That means that whether during a tornado, flood, hurricane or just camping by a stream, the BLAVOR Solar Charger will keep you powered up.

Jackery Portable Power Station

The lithium-ion battery in the Jackery Portable Power Station can be charged with a secondary solar panel or by plugging it in to the wall.

While this power station won’t fit in your emergency supply bag, it’s a great alternative to a full-on gas-powered generator. You can’t plug your refrigerator into it, but you can charge smaller appliances, like your George Foreman grill.

During a hurricane or tornado, power is essential. It enables us to communicate and coordinate.

If you have a bunker or basement, keeping a Jackery Portable Power Station on the shelf next to toilet paper and Pop-Tarts is a good idea to maintain a semblance of modern survivability.

Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill

If you have a propane grill, you might not need the Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill when the power goes out. But how’s the wind out there? Cooking on a propane grill outside in 50mph winds is hard.

So when the power goes out, and it’s been a few days, it’s time to start cooking and preserving the meat in your fridge before it goes bad.

That’s why having a portable electric grill is handy. But wait, the power is out; how can you use a grill? Well, it pairs nicely with a portable power station.

And yes, using the juice from a power station is worth it if you want to eat. Plus, the Chefman Electric Smokeless Indoor Grill won’t fill your house with fumes because it’s smokeless.

Hotdot Rechargeable hand warmer

Sure, in tropical climates, you might not need the Hotdot Rechargeable hand warmers, but the weather doesn’t always meet expectations. Things can get cold fast, or you could be in a blizzard and not a hurricane.

Using your smartphone with frozen hands is hard, but you’ve got a portable battery, so it’s time to charge the hand warmer.

It’s an optional piece of survival tech, but a hand warmer is a handy thing to have around for those super cold outdoor moments. The Hotdot Rechargeable hand warmer could keep your hands warm long enough to crank your radio and signal for help.

DEWALT 2W Heavy Duty Walkie Talkies

During a disaster, whether speaking with family you were separated from or with rescuers, a walkie-talkie is a reliable communication device. These are also IP67 water and dustproof, which means they’ll survive the weather.

With 2,662 channel combinations, you’ll be able to find someone to talk to with the DEWALT 2W Heavy Duty Walkie Talkies.

And you don’t have to wait for a disaster to use them, as they are great for camping and other outdoor activities.

Yes, most survival items are cross-functional, just like general outdoor items, so you should buy everything on this list. Especially the DEWALT 2W Heavy Duty Walkie Talkies so that you can talk to your friends.

LcFun Waterproof Lighter

The LcFun Waterproof Lighter is for those times when starting a fire is not such a simple task.

In true survival fashion, you need to make a fire to keep warm, but the wind is howling and raining a bit. It’s a good thing this lighter is windproof and waterproof, creating an electrical charge to start a fire instead of a flame.

Plus, you can keep it charged with your portable battery to start all the fires you want. While starting a fire is not a normal thing to do during a disaster, the LcFun Waterproof Lighter only takes up a little space in your go-bag, so it’s better to be prepared.

Casio Pro Trek PRG-270-1

The Casio Pro Trek PRG-270-1 is an excellent watch with features. One of those features is essential during a disaster, especially a hurricane or tornado, and that’s the barometer. Once you learn how to read it, you can tell if another storm or tornado is coming and prepare accordingly.

The watch also charges itself through solar charging (if the sun is out), and even in total darkness, it has nine months of battery life on a full charge.

There’s an LED backlight, so you can always see the digital compass and tell which direction you are walking. The Casio Pro Trek PRG-270-1 is a solid accessory that lives on your wrist, providing pertinent information during a disaster.

How to pick your survival tech stash

Aside from these tech-focused items, you will also need some standard items in your emergency kit.

Be sure to grab a nice first aid kit, a comprehensive survival kit (like with multi-tools, paracord, fire starters, emergency blankets, and other survival items), a few cases of water, and toilet paper.

Cans of beans are fine, as is peanut butter, but those things take up a lot of space in a go-bag. Instead, try dehydrated meal kits or MREs.

Regardless, keeping the best survival tech on hand during a natural disaster can be the difference between life and death.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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