Realistically, the more tools you can carry, the better. With that said, it’s pragmatic to understand that there are limitations to what you can pack and carry.
Therefore, these are some of the most essential (and versatile) tools for rounding out a home toolkit for disaster preparedness.
Knives
Notice it does not say “a knife.” You need to pack several blades as these will be indispensable for food prep, first aid, and general utility. If there’s one single tool you need it’s a knife, so pack several, fixed and folding.
An Ax
If you need to cut your own fuel, you will not want to be without an ax. A full-sized ax with a haft of 36” or longer is ideal, but you can settle for a pack ax if you’re tight on space.
Saws
Again, notice it does not say “a saw.” Saws are nightmarish to sharpen so it’s better to have a few than it is to have one. Also, different saw tooth configurations excel at different things.
Wedges
They’re heavy but if you can spare the room for them they will come in handy if you ever need to split your own wood for fuel (or timbers).
A Hammer
Or better, several. You will need a hammer to drive hardware, wedges, and more.
Driver Sets
It’s impossible to say just what and how many drivers you need but obviously you will want flathead, philipshead, hex, and Torx drivers, since these are the most common. Socket bits are also vital as these are common on machinery. A drill or impact driver is also helpful.
Pliers
Pack a pair of both needlenose and squarenose pliers as these have a basically indefatigable list of uses.
Wirecutters
Wirecutters can be used for cutting through annealed wire, as well as for wireforming, making them highly utilitarian.
Adjustable Wrenches
When your drivers can’t get the job down, lean on some adjustable wrenches to conform to the requirements of the situations.
Strap Wrenches
This is the most niche tool on here, but it is a valuable one nonetheless. If you ever need to tighten or remove a pipe or any other rounded or cylindrical object or fitting – such as a can or jar lid, a strap wrench is what you need.
Visegrips
Visegrips can help you remove screws and other fasteners that have become stripped, and they can also be useful for forming cold metal.
Lighters
Lighters can be used to light fires and candles for light and heat, making them a somewhat nontypical tool, but a vital one nonetheless.
Cordage
Pack some paracord that can be used to help make quick repairs or to build camp furniture. Cordage has a wide range of practical applications, justifying its position here.
Tweezers
Tweezers are a necessity for manipulating fine components in any system, and they also have a wide range of applications in first aid, so make sure you have some.
Wire Strippers
If you ever need to repair a lamp or establish basic electrical connections, you’ll be happy you had a good wire stripper within reach.
Multi Tools
When all else fails, reach for a good multi tool. Chances are it’ll have what you need and there is safety in numbers – the number of tools the device contains.
Where to Get Started with Your Checklist
These are just a few of the essential basic tools your preparedness kit should contain. If you want to get started building that out, visit CH KADELS. They carry multi tools, knives, saws, axes and other survival essentials that you’ll need if you’re ever in a situation in which the chips are down.
