Best Survival Gift Ideas for 2026
Survival gifts can make a world of difference when they are needed. We’ll cover different gift budgets and topics.
BY SEAN GOLD, UPDATED:
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The gift of preparedness is one of the best gifts you can give someone. Whether you are looking for presents for the Average Joe or the most prepared guy you know, we have you covered.
Preppers may seem hard to buy for, but with the wide range of survival interests, there are plenty of great gift ideas to pick from. We’ve reviewed tons of gear, so here are the best picks of what we’ve fallen in love with for 2026.
These are sorted by price point under each section, so you can get the exact gift you are looking for within the right price range.
Contents (Jump to a Section)
Survival Gifts Under $25
Survivalists and preppers appreciate a thrifty find, and none of the gifts below will break the bank. Plus, all of these gifts are great to have more of. This means you don’t have to go sifting through their survival gear inventory to make sure they don’t already have it. If that is the case, even better!
Anyway, let’s get started with our favorite, cheapest gift options under $25:
Mylar Emergency Blankets
Mylar blankets are versatile, small, and lightweight. They are an auto-include in almost every type of survival kit.
You can’t have too many of them, and they never expire, making them an excellent preparedness gift for anyone.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
We know these specific ones are the best because they are our top pick for mylar blankets in our survival blanket review roundup.
Bayite Toggle Ferro Rods
We are in love with these things. The Bayite toggle ferro rods are meant to be added to any drawstring.
The two holes on each ferro rod let you pop one on clothes and packs, so you have a firestarter ready to go anywhere.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
They instantly upgrade anything with a string on it, so it is easy to see why this was our portable pick in our latest review roundup of the best ferro rods.
Knafs Pocket Sharpener
Grab the best portable sharpener you can find for your gift, and you won’t regret it!
Knafs is a newer knife-obsessed company, and this little diamond sharpener is a great value that will keep edges sharp on the go.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
It fits perfectly in a pocket or a bug out bag, and is our top EDC pick from our sharpener review roundup.
Rite in the Rain EDC Pens
Pens have been a longtime go-to gift for retirements, birthdays, and more. Kind of boring. But when you put a survival spin on it, you’re giving one of the best pens you can find.
This thing will write anywhere- even underwater and in space! This price is also for a pair of them:
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
This is our top pen from our review roundup, and this pair of them comes in at half the cost of the original Space Pen. It’s another tool you can’t have enough of.
ThruNite TH20 Pro
Shed some light on practical gift-giving with this hugely versatile headlamp. The tiny light attaches to a band to stretch around any size noggin, and it detaches quickly to fit in a pocket.
They can use the included lithium battery or an AA to power it. It comes in a small box, so you won’t need much wrapping paper.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The insane versatility is documented in our best headlamp review, and it’s a powerhouse for its price.
Survival Gifts Between $25 and $50
This sweet spot of gift-giving price points offers a huge range of gear with practical survival applications. Whether it’s a survival staple, like a top-end water filter or EDC folding knife, or a way to learn a new skill with lockpicks, this price range accesses some great gear.
Clear Lock Pick Set
You’re not investing in any sort of degenerate behavior by gifting one of these- lock picking is a legitimate and challenging hobby.
This set comes with everything you need to get started, including the clear lock to understand how pins and tumblers all work.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
It also passed the rest of the beginner sets in our survival lock pick set review.
Sawyer Mini Water Filter
The Sawyer Mini is an incredibly versatile personal water filter that everyone interested in survival or prepping can’t get enough of.
Clean drinking water is always a priority, so this gift is always a winner.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Sawyer edges out Lifestraw for portable filters. You can see why in our best survival water filter review.
OKC Rat 1 Knife
Ontario Knife Company developed the Rat 1 with well-renowned Randall’s Adventure & Training (known for their ESEE survival knives).
It is universally recognized as one of the best sub-$50 survival knives you can get.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
It is a perfect gift for anyone and is the top budget pick from our folding survival knife review roundup.
Prepper Gifts Between $50 and $100
Give serious survival gear and top-notch prepping equipment at this price point. Our gift ideas here are usually the top performers from our review roundups and include the gear we use and rely on every day.
Cosori Dehydrator
Besides just making great dehydrated snacks, this little countertop dehydrator can also help out with a prepper’s pantry.
It is one of the best small appliance gifts you can get a prepper and will probably kickstart a new hobby (if not addiction)!
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The Cosori is also our budget pick from our best dehydrator roundup, if you want to check out the other pricier models.
ESEE Izula
ESEE is the best of the best when it comes to survival knives and is universally loved largely due to their no-questions-asked return policy.
They are actually impressed if you can beat one of their knives up enough to break it.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
It is the perfect gift for those into bushcraft and wilderness survival, as it topped our fixed neck knife review roundup.
Mission Darkness Faraday Bag
A Faraday bag is a unique bag used for EMP protection or general privacy by shielding the electronics you place inside.
This one is big enough for a laptop, and it’s another one of those things that preppers cannot get enough of.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
This specific model beat the competition in our Faraday bag review roundup.
Prepper Gifts Over $100
If you have a bigger budget or are looking for something to get your significant other, you might find some good ideas in this section. When you throw aside a budget, there are plenty of awesome prepping supplies and survival gear to consider.
Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio
Keep in touch with the Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio- a beefed-up walkie-talkie that uses FRS to transmit up to 35 miles on a good day with clear sight.
This radio is different than your standard walkie-talkie with its massive 4-day battery life, rugged casing, and compact size.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Grab two of them if you want to keep in touch yourself, or nag them on one of the 128 channels/privacy codes. You can also see other less expensive options in our walkie-talkie review.
Leatherman Signal
Leatherman has been making multitools for a while, but this is the first one explicitly made for survival.
While you don’t necessarily need one for survival (a regular multitool works in a bind), this beauty sure is nice to have as a gift.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
This survival-oriented multitool topped our review roundup of multitools.
5.11 Rush 72 2.0
When preppers think of bug out bags, they think of the 5.11 RUSH series. The 72 is the flagship of all of the various sizes and comes in a few different colors.
It beats out other brands with its thicker fabric and affordability for what you get in our survival backpack review.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Give them a bag that’ll never fall apart with the RUSH 72 2.0 backpack that’ll be their new favorite bug out bag.
MIRA CM-6M
Do they need an upgrade from their second-hand army surplus masks? This is the top-tier CBRN rate mask they want.
It’s a one-size-fits-most with the adjustable head harness, so it’s the one thing you can buy them to wear that they won’t want to return.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Of course, this is also our top pick from our gas mask review roundup.
Personalized Survival Gifts
Some of the best survival gear we’ve reviewed offers the option of customization. Typically, these are our top picks or upgrade picks- so what better way to give a gift than by getting the best ones personalized?
Olight Customization
Olight is a semi-premium flashlight brand that gives us solid gear at a good value. This combination earns them plenty of our top spots in reviews.
You can also get most of their gear engraved for only $5-$10.
The Seeker 4 Pro topped our survival flashlight reviews, and there are some others worth checking out that can be customized:
- Arkfeld Pro EDC Flashlight
- Baldr S Rail Weapon Light
Gerber Strongarm
Gerber has been making a comeback lately with their fixed knives, and the Strongarm gets as much love as ever. They recently had a Magnacut limited run, but the 420HC ceramic coat is just fine for gift-giving.
As with any survival knife, we suggest the straight blade over a serrated one. Get whichever blade/handle color combo you think they’d like (we run black/black).
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Customization in text runs $10, and image runs $15-$25 for both sides. The image is laser-marked across the entire blade, which can look pretty cool.
Subscription Boxes & Gifts
Subscriptions are gifts that can deliver all year, and there are a lot of options to consider for survival-themed boxes. You can also go a little more old-school and pick up a magazine subscription. Why give once when you can deliver a gift all year long?
Recoil Offgrid
While other magazines crater and disappear, Recoil Offgrid is still thriving because it’s the best. It retained the top spot on our recent top 5 survival magazine list.
The rag offers a ton of survival tips and gear reviews- perfect for the prepper on your list.
*Price per magazine with annual subscription at the time of publishing.
All preppers know the value of hard copies, and getting OG in the mailbox every other month always makes that day a little better.
BattlBox
BattlBox is one of the oldest prepping/survival subscription boxes on the block, but they do it right, which is why they have the staying power. There are four tiers of monthly subscriptions: Basic, Advance, Pro, and Pro Plus.
Any prepper or survivalist would be more than happy with these, and the range of prices adapts to any budget.
*Starting price per box at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The curation is key to the success of BattlBox- they pack value but also can surprise you with cutting-edge gear that push prepper’s boundaries. They earned the top spot again in our top 10 survival subscription box list this past year, and are going strong after their tenth anniversary.
Under-the-Radar Gifts
Sometimes you want a gift that doesn’t scream prepping and survival but improves preparedness in a big way. These gifts do just that and fly under the radar as they can pass as typical gifts.
Car Escape Tool
It’s cheap, and it belongs in every car, truck, or vehicle that has windows and/or seatbelts. When someone needs to get untangled or get through a window, the Resqme escape tool will help them out.
While it’s a tool that definitely helps you prepare for worst-case situations, it’s widely accepted as a smart safety device to keep in your car.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
After testing a bunch of seat belt cutters and glass window breakers, we found this one to give the best bang for the buck.
Phone Power Bank
Everyone can use a portable power bank that they can use to charge their phone during emergencies or just whenever they forget to charge it.
It’s a popular gift regardless of the recipient’s preparedness level and will help anyone stay connected during disasters or everyday charging emergencies.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
This one is a great deal at 20,000mAh and was the top pick in our phone power bank review.
Document Bag
One of the keys to any sort of preparedness plan is having your critical documents in order. Consolidating them to a fireproof/waterproof portable and lockable bag is a great idea for grab-and-go evacuations.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
As long as you don’t call it part of a bug out plan, this top-ranked bag from our document bag review is a sneaky gift that’ll improve anyone’s preparedness.
Novelty & Gag Prepper Gifts
You don’t have to just give preppers beans, bullets, and bandages. There is a huge array of gear that we appreciate, and most of us even have a sense of humor! Here are a few gift ideas that your favorite survivalist may not already have, but are always useful in SHTF situations.
Portable Bidet
Any handheld bidet will do, but this is one of our favorites. It’s silly at first glance because it is another toileting item, but when you consider practical applications in survival situations, this thing is a real workhorse!
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Hygiene is important, and this gift is definitely a conversation starter! Plus, it topped our portable bidet review (yes, we tested bidets…)
Diversion Safe
A diversion safe may seem like a silly concept at first, but it can be effective. Stash whatever you need inside, and you can even include other small gifts for a nice gift bundle.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
A dictionary is believable for most people, but we listed out our top 10 diversion safes if you are looking for something that blends in even better.
Compressed Toilet Paper Tablets
During emergencies, everyone rushes out to clear the shelves of toilet paper. Plus, the jokes about wiping your butt are endless for those with a refined sense of potty humor.
But these little things are cool. With a little water, they expand into usable wet wipes.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
It’s like watching science in action each time you get to use one of these, and they’re not bad at cleaning up either! This specific kind topped our toilet paper tablet review we finished up recently.
Pulsefire LRT
Looking for an expensive gift for a hardcore zombie prepper? Look no further…
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
A few reasons they’ll love it:
- Shoots over 25 feet!
- Illegal in California and Maryland!
- Fire!
Plus, it topped our flamethrower review!
Survival Gift Ideas to Avoid
Not all gifts are going to go over well with a practical prepper. Bundles and ‘tacticool’ gear (as we call it) are going to be missed opportunities and will never be used. Merch and swag that advertises how much we love prepping and broadcasts how prepared we are won’t go over well either.
Cheap Survival Kits
Oh man, these things are just junk. Yet they sell like hotcakes. They are always on some sort of perpetual sale or ‘limited deal’, but are not worth their weight at the dump.
You can typically find these on Amazon between $20-$50 (like I said, always on sale).
Everything in these kits is cheap garbage that is the exact opposite of the equipment you would want to rely on for survival.
The only time we would recommend these kits is maybe for kids playing in the woods.
You can get a good pre-made survival kit relatively cheap, or build your own bug out bag.
Shirts, Flags, & Bumper Stickers
Most preppers and survivalists don’t like to advertise.
It’s called the grey man concept, and it’s a mantra that helps people unassumingly stay under the radar.
Gifts that put their survival skills and prepper mentality on display for all to see probably will not end up getting used or appreciated. Besides, most things that you find directly preparedness-related are cringeworthy.
Don’t get us wrong- there are plenty of other shirts, flags, and bumper stickers related to 2A, politics, or other ‘prepping-adjacent’ swag that your gift receiver may love to get. Just not prepping.
Special Occasions
Get ready for a specific holiday or event on your calendar with our expert-curated gift guides:
- Great Prepper Gifts for Mother’s Day
- Best Prepper and Survival Gifts for Father’s Day
- The Best Prepper Christmas Gifts
- The Best Survival Christmas Gifts
These are great because they are tailored specifically for Mom or Dad, and the Christmas guides include specific price points, stocking stuffers, and even white elephant suggestions.
The Final Word
Whether you are polishing up your own list or looking for survival gifts for a friend or loved one, hopefully, you have found something that will work great. Preparedness makes a great gift, but just spending time with your loved ones is more important than gift-giving. If you need more help finding the perfect gift, check out our holiday-specific guides or our entire in-place survival kit list.
- Survival Deals and Coupons for Preppers [Updated Daily]
- The Best Premade Bug Out Bag for Emergencies
- Home Survival Kit List | 53 Essentials
Keep exploring, stay prepared, and be safe.
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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