The 12 Best Survival Christmas Gifts [2023]
This post has been updated multiple times from the original Survival Christmas Gift Guide that was first published in 2016. Check back yearly to find the best survival Christmas gifts for that tough-to-buy-for survivalist in your life (or to update your own wish list).
It’s that time of year again. Not just to get together with your family and enjoy the cooler weather, but to also round up some survival swag for your closest family and friends. When you need to get a gift for the avid survivalist of the group, we have your back with our countdown of the 12 best survival Christmas gifts.
Over the last year, we have been taking notes on our favorite tools and gear that would make the best presents for anyone who likes being a little more prepared than usual. Listed below are the results and the 12 best survival Christmas gifts you can get your hands on this season- in order of price from lowest to highest.
Credit Card Fresnel Lens
These things are fantastic stocking stuffers. They come three in a pack, and their great in any survival kit. Fresnel lens are super thin and effective as a fire-starting magnifying glass. They even made our list of the best magnifying glass fire starters. They make a great gift for anyone looking to get into survivalism, prepping, or even just camping. You can find it here:
Bayite Small Ferro Rods
These Bayite ferro rods are one of my all-time favorites. These are little ferrocerium rods (fire starters – nothing special), but the great part is that they are small enough to be put anywhere.
Bag pulls, jacket pulls, lace them in your boots- you can even replace buttons with them! You can’t have enough of these cool little things, and they are the perfect size for stocking stuffers too. Obviously, they were one of our better-reviewed ferro rods in our roundup.
Survival Bandana
The Colter Co. reflective survival bandana is packed full of survival tips for easy reference in the field. It is high visibility, high quality, and was our top pick in our survival bandana roundup.
Bandanas are ridiculously versatile in survival situations, so they make great gifts. They are a great addition to any survival kit, and this one takes it all a step further:
Brunton TruArc 3 Base Plate Compass
Getting lost in the woods sucks. Make sure you keep a solid, well-renowned compass around and a good map of your local area. We have a quick guide on how to print local maps here: How to Get a Free Survival Map of Your Local Area.
Those might make a thoughtful addition if you want to include them in your gift bag with this small and sturdy compass. You can get the compass here:
Mechanix Wear FastFit Covert Gloves
FastFit gloves are great for EDC, Go Bags, or Car Kits. They sport an elastic cuff so you can easily pull them on and off, and they are a little less bulky than traditional Mechanix Wear gloves. This is the most versatile pick out of our survival Christmas gifts and makes a great gift for pretty much anyone. Get your hands on them here:
Morakniv Companion Bushcraft Knife
I know… What would a TruePrepper gift guide be without a Morakniv plug? These knives are awesome for anything and everything survival and bushcraft-related, and I cannot get over the price tag on them.
Quit complaining and just get yourself one already. Then you’ll see how reliable, sharp, and versatile they are and get one for everyone on your list. I prefer the hi-vis orange because I can sometimes be forgetful. Get your hands on one here:
TACT Bivvy Emergency Survival Sleeping Bag
We just can’t get over how lightweight, versatile, and possibly lifesaving this thing is. It is right at that sweet spot as far as gift prices go and makes a great stocking stuffer. Grab one here:
Liteband ACTIV 350 Headlamp
This headlight will light up a room quick! Liteband has developed a versatile headlamp that has the widest illumination field on the market. 210 degrees is more than enough to light up your entire environment, so you can handle survival tasks with ease. The counterbalanced battery pack makes it sit much more comfortably on your head than a typical headlamp, plus it only weighs 3 1/2 ounces. All of these made it one of our top picks for task lighting in our headlamp review roundup.
It’s a great deal for anyone who wants a serious headlamp as a great survival Christmas gift:
THRIAID Survival First Aid Kit
A huge step up from a basic first aid kit, the THRIAID Survival First Aid Kit includes a ton of upgrades:
- MOLLE EMT pouch
- Combat tourniquet
- Israeli bandage
- SAM splint
- Tactical first aid knife
- EMT blunt scissors
- Tons more!
This kit is definitely not a toy, and you need to be trained to use most of the equipment. Grab your kit here:
CRKT Onion Halfachance Parang Machete
Super high ratings, 65Mn Carbon Steel drop point powder coated blade, and a nylon sheath for under $75? This 20” blade is meant for hacking through jungles, so you know it can handle any survival task you present it with.
The parang blade is great for machetes used for bushcraft since the shape is better for chopping. If you know of a survivalist without one, they would love to find this parang under the tree. Get your hands on the parang machete here:
Trucker’s Friend Survival Tool
Is it an axe or a hammer? Or a pry bar? No matter what purpose you are using it for, this 20” hunk of metal and fiberglass can get the job done. It is better reserved for the urban survivalist; in a car kit, bug out bag, or as a last-ditch home defense weapon.
This makes an excellent gift for any crossover zombie/survivalist enthusiast since this would obviously be a great weapon for dispatching any undead foes. Make the zombie fan happy on your list by getting one here:
Teton Sports 3400 Frame Backpack
The Scout 3400 is a great survival backpack. It is big enough to hold everything you need, yet still lightweight. The day pack holds 55 liters of gear and is the best-selling internal frame backpack for good reason.
It earned our top pick during our bug out bag review roundup, and could easily check a big box on any survival Christmas gift list.
The Final Word
Well, that wraps up our list of survival gear Christmas gifts. Hopefully, you’ve picked up a few awesome ideas for yourself or that special survivalist in your life. If nothing quite fits the bill, check out our other list: The Best Prepper Christmas Gifts.
We’ve also listed out the best sales this year for the holiday season:
We hope you have a great Christmas, and get to spend plenty of time with your friends and family. We are looking forward to getting back to some nuts and bolts articles about prepping.
Keep exploring, stay prepared, and be safe.
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