The end of the world might not be pencilled into your calendar, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. These 17 apocalypse-ready gadgets are built for the moments when things get tough, or just when you fancy an off-grid escape that feels a little Mad Max.
From duffels designed to withstand doomsday to solar systems that can power an entire cabin, each piece of kit earns its place for being rugged, reliable, and ridiculously well-made.
From you’re braving the elements and bunkering down during a blackout to simply upgrading your camping setup, these tools prove that survival gear can look good, work hard, and last a lifetime.
COTOPAXI ALLPA GETAWAY 100L DUFFEL
Designed to be thrown around and generally treated with contempt, the massive 100-litre Allpa Getaway can be used as a cavernous duffel or slung on the back when an all-day hike is on the cards. It boasts a mammoth main compartment, numerous zippered interior pockets for keeping essentials safe and two exterior pockets for those quick-access items. It’s easily large enough to house everything you need in the event of an emergency, and its 840D TPU-coated, ripstop nylon shell is designed to last as long as doomsday chooses to linger.
LEATHERMAN ARC
When the power is out, food is running scarce and phone signal is dead (so you can’t call your favourite handy person), it’s time to bust out the tools and attempt to remember what your design and technology teacher preached back at school. The ARC from Leatherman is the first tool to feature a blade fashioned from CPM MagnaCut steel – or in other words, a really rather bloody sharp knife. There are also 20 other, meticulously designed, disaster-averting tools that cover everything from needle-nose pliers to a large screwdriver.
PRIMUS MICRON III PIEZO
Weighing in at just 73g, this foldable, sit-on-top gas stove is compact and small enough to slip into the side pocket of your bug-out bag, leaving more room for clothing and other essentials. It plays nicely with most diminutive gas bottles and features a portable, matchstick-style Piezo igniter to get things started quickly. There’s a large, foldable control valve for fine adjustments of the narrow, high-speed, wind-resistant flame. Yet, with an output of 2,600W, it’s plenty powerful enough to heat up rations in seconds.
LIFESAVER FIRE STARTER
When civilisation as we know it collapses, there will be a distinct lack of corner shops selling cheap, disposable lighters. That’s where this campfire king comes into its own. It might look simple, but the Magnesium Ferrocium rod fire steel and multi-tool striker can handle up to 15,000 strikes, creating a ferocious spark that’s good for getting tinder crackling. What’s more, the multi-tool striker also features a map gauge, and a bottle opener for when you stumble upon that discarded crate of beer.
NEBO RAMBLER 20K
When disaster strikes, it pays to have a reliable power bank that can keep essential gadgets going should power be difficult to come by. This chunky unit from Nebo Tools can deliver up to 4.5 smartphone charges and can handle two-way, multi-device charging from its dual input/output ports. There’s also a super-bright LED floodlight and a colour digital display that shows a reliable charge indicator, all wrapped up in an apocalypse-proof exterior that can be hung from your bug-out bag.
ORU LAKE SPORT KAYAK
The smallest and lightest portable kayak in the Oru stable is perfect for getting out on the water without the faff of transporting gigantic, heavyweight equipment. This origami-like vessel packs down to the size of a duffel bag, assembles in under a minute, proves super stable on the water and has built-in fishing rod holders – essential for when the supermarkets have run out of line-caught salmon.
YETI TUNDRA HAUL
YETI makes some of the best coolers out there, but its Tundra Haul is one of the largest and most convenient you can buy, owing to the fact that it has chunky wheels and a massive handle to drag it around. It fits up to 82 cans or 29kg of ice, which is good enough to keep perishable items fresh for days. Of course, you still need access to ice in order to extend food life for longer, but it’s perfect for a two or three-day catastrophe.
LIFESYSTEMS WATER FILTER PURIFIER BOTTLE
How does the Rule of Threes go when surviving? Three minutes without air, three hours without shelter and three days without water. If the end is nigh, finding a clean water source is going to be vital. This handy bottle uses electro-adsorptive technology in its built-in filter to remove waterborne viruses, bacteria and protozoa. Basically, it rids water of particulates, chemicals and heavy metals and can treat up to 600 litres of the wet stuff.
SNOW PEAK TAKIBI FIRE & GRILL
It’s difficult to argue against the quality of this product. This Takibi Fire & Grill is built to last, folds down to almost nothing and can use a variety of fuel types – be it wood or charcoal. It is as basic as campsite cooking comes, but boasts an impressive cooking surface and beats sticking a sausage on a stick and holding it over a fading fire.
ECOFLOW STREAM SOLAR PLANT
This simple portable power station from EcoFlow can power an entire home using flexible DIY solar storage. It reduces household bills and reliance on the grid, but EcoFlow’s app can also detect power outages well in advance and ensure the system is primed to keep most household appliances online until the storm passes.
NEBO CURVBEAM 600 FLEX
Fashioned from aircraft-grade aluminium and specially crafted to comfortably sit on the head (thanks to a rear-positioned battery pack), Nebo’s Curvbeam headtorch kicks out all manner of powerful light for an unfathomable amount of time. A 30-lumen low spotlight will last for 10 hours, while the full 180-degree wide-angle illumination plus a powerful spot will happily run for 1.5 hours and cast light up to 92 metres ahead.
SEA TO SUMMIT SPARK UL SLEEPING BAG
If you opt for the version that remains comfortable at temperatures of 7°C, this ultra-high-tech, lightweight sleeping bag weighs just 363g and packs down to the size of a bag of sugar. Even the option that can handle the minus figures is positively teeny, yet it is packed with RDS-certified goose down, features a water-resistant and breathable hood and footbox, as well as female versions and options for taller folk.
BIG AGNES COPPER SPUR UL3 XL
Often regarded as one of the lightest, most packable and repeatedly reliable backpacking tents on the market, the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 XL can sleep three adults, yet it packs down into a sack that’s small enough to hang on a backpack. Two doors make it easy to get in and out of, an oversized bin pocket provides dry, off-the-floor storage, and walking poles can be used to prop open the doors for a semi-luxurious awning effect.
HELINOX CHAIR ZERO
Helinox says its Chair Zero is the lightest camping chair available anywhere, and we aren’t going to argue with that. It packs down into a minuscule bag but is strong enough to handle a 120kg load capacity. When outrunning the zombie apocalypse or setting up an impromptu base camp when the proverbial hits the fan, the Chair Zero provides a lot of extra comfort without the weighty burden on your poor back.
QUECHUA INFLATABLE CAMPING MATTRESS
Sleeping on the hard floor is no fun, but then neither is lugging around one of those squeaky foot pumps that rarely ever works. Decathlon’s Quechua brand has the answer in this self-inflating mattress that is ten times more comfortable than those noisy, wobbly things that tend to gather dust in the garage. Thermal insulation allows for all-seasons’ use, and the single version is small enough to slip into a backpack.
PARAMO ASPIRA 360 SMOCK
In the outdoor world, Paramo needs very little introduction, as it is a brand that has long been favoured by extreme weather walkers and snow sports enthusiasts alike. Put simply, it’s pretty much unrivalled for warmth and the ability to keep out the rain when it comes to waterproof shells. Nikwax Analogy technology cleverly pumps out 80% of sweat build-up, so if covering serious ground in inclement weather looks likely, there’s only one smock you need to be packing.
THRUDARK ADVANCED FIRST AID KIT
Despite its relatively compact size, this Complete First Aid Kit packs enough potentially life-saving products to cover a group of up to 14 people. Thru Dark was set up by a collection of ex-special forces operators, so the contents of this durable, waterproof and portable pack have been selected for their usefulness in the field.
GARMIN INREACH MINI 2
When phone signal is down and there’s no data connection to update your Instagram account, turning to the global satellite network and SOS messaging might just be the only answer. Garmin’s InReach Mini 2 is a tiny sat-comms device that offers two-way messaging, interactive SOS alerts, comprehensive mapping and live weather forecasts. Plus, it can last up to 30 days in power-saving mode and can charge on the sort of intermittent currents a solar setup might provide.
LOWA ZEPHYR GTX MID TF
A popular choice with the armed forces, the versatile, lightweight, waterproof and hugely comfortable Zephyr is capable of covering huge amounts of ground without the stiffness and rubbing that can be caused by other hiking boots. The upper is made from suede leather and Cordura fabric for toughness and the Monowrap frame provides plenty of ankle support.
