As Father’s Day approaches this year, you may be struggling with what to get that Prepper Dad on your list so we have come up with 20 Prepper gift ideas for Father’s Day that the special Dad in your life will love. The gifts are broken out into different price points and we have links to purchase all of the gear shown below so don’t wait! If you haven’t gotten your father something for this Father’s Day, now is the time to order before June 16th!
Under $20
Flint Striker – Coghlan’s Flint Striker will give your Dad the ability to start a fire when the grid goes down.
Paracord – I think it goes without saying that Paracord is a gift idea with a thousand possibilities. Your Dad can use this paracord to make some snazzy survival bracelets this coming weekend or he can just augment his Get Home Bag with about 50 feet of great cordage.
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It – this is one if not the first survival books I read that taught me a lot of lessons about how to take care of my family if the grid goes down. This is a great book that covers a ton of information for the beginning prepper.
$20 to $50
Outdoor Research Halo Sombrero Hat – Hats serve two main purposes and those are to keep the sun or the rain off your head. The OR Sombreo is a great hat for doing both. If your Dad doesn’t have a cool floppy hat to wear when he goes hiking or geocaching with you, this might be just the thing.
Combat Tourniquet – You never know when you could be faced with a serious injury and the potential for a large amount of blood loss. The C-A-T Combat Application Tourniquet is military grade protection for those cases where you need to stabilize a victim of traumatic injury and it’s a great addition to your Bug Out Bag or family first aid kit.
Knife – The Spyderco Tenacious Plain Edge Knife is what I have carried as part of my EDC for over two years and I love it. This knife is perfect for smaller daily use chores as a general folder for hunting or camping trips. I have field dressed deer, cut potatoes and paracord, whittled sticks for Smores with this knife and it sharpens easily. I love it and it is a reasonably priced tool your Dad may like as well if he doesn’t have a good knife.
Compass – The value of a good compass is priceless when you are lost in the wilderness. If you plan to hike into the woods as part of your bug out strategy, then a compass is one of those must-have items. The Cammenga Model 27CS Olive Drab Lensatic Compass looks just like what we were issued in the Army. It won’t do you any good unless you know how to use it too, so a good book on orienteering might be a nice addition.
$60 – $100
Emergency Radios – These communication devices are incredibly useful for emergencies, car trips or camping trips. Stay connected with your group with these Motorola MR350R 35-Mile Range 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Walkie-talkies. They are a great tool for all sorts of uses. I keep a set charged at my house all the time.
Individual First Aid Kit – Does your Dad have an individual first Aid kit for their go bag or Load bearing equipment? This kit gives our soldiers the basics they need to perform lifesaving procedures on themselves or a buddy if they are unable to get to medical attention. I would recommend always having some type of basic first aid when you are alone, camping, hunting or any time you are away from society. This right here can save a life and your Dad will appreciate that you are thinking about his safety or life saving prowess.
Cross Draw Vest – IF the SHTF your Dad will need a simple way to carry all of the gear he will need to help defend the homestead. My favorite setup is the Cross Draw vest because it carries a lot and is easily slipped on. The Tactical Crossdraw Military Cross Draw Vest w/Pistol Belt–ACU Camo looks like a great option and could be the missing piece to your fathers set up he has been looking for.
Solar Charger – The Goal Zero 12301 Nomad 7M Solar Panel allows you to charge your batteries when you are miles away from an electric outlet. This handy set up is great for camping or bugging out and can recharge weapons light batteries (assuming they are double AA) Your cell phone, GPS and flashlight batteries.
Gear Bag – The Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack is what I personally use for my Get Home Bag. This bag is just the right size to carry everything I need to make it back home from my usual daily commute. I also use this bag if I am going on day trips to carry my extended EDC and its also great for camera’s and extra fleece and some snack bars for a day hike.
Bulletproof glasses – Well, not quite bullet proof but the ESS Ice will protect you from shotgun pellets from 30 feet away according to the manufacturer. This kit comes with three interchangeable lenses that I use for the range, regular sun protection and the clear lenses will be used if I am ever in a night time environment and eye protection is called for.
Walter Filtration – A primary need to have covered is water that is safe to drink in any situation you are in. This could be if you have bugged out into the woods or you are just traveling to a foreign country and don’t want to end up straddling a hole in the ground all day. The SteriPen Adventurer Opti Water Purifier gives you peace of mind when it comes to your drinking water and makes a nice gift for Dad.
Over $100
Rocket Stove – The Stovetec Rocket Stove is a great option for tailgating, cooking if you are car camping, or total grid-down scenarios. You can easily power this stove with small branches you gather off the ground and the flame will cook just about any meal you can make. It is also useful for boiling water if your water has been contaminated.
New Boots – A good pair of boots will make the difference between someone who can keep on walking and someone crying in the corner with feet that look like they have been through a grain grinder. Everyone should have a good pair of high-quality boots for their bug out bag and Lowa makes great boots.
Certificate for a Combat training Course – You can purchase gear and supplies but training is crucial to ensure you are properly conditioned to use the tools you have. If your Dad has a ton of guns and ammo, but no real experience shooting anything it may be nice to get him a certificate to attend a professional shooting course. Companies like InSights offer a wide selection of courses for the novice to the expert to hone your skills with a firearm.
Bulletproof vest – One of the last items to purchase potentially a bullet proof vest is probably the best at saving your life. There are a ton of options for vests from small arms, concealable to full on tactical with metal plates. If your dad has everything else, a bullet proof vest may be just the thing to give him for this Father’s Day. We actually tested a vest from SafeGuard Armor and you can see the results here.
Weapon Light – For the ultimate in hardware for your AR or AK model rifles, a quality weapon light is high on the list. The better lights come with a high price tag too, but Surefire has a reputation for quality lights. The Raid WeaponLight is not inexpensive but at 150 lumens it puts out a bright light and can take a beating. I have heard first hand that Surefire lights were given to soldiers deploying to Iraq as gifts. It they are good enough for our troops, they should be good enough for Dad.
I hope that gives you some ideas for Father’s Day.