Never see folks mention extra shoelaces—can’t tell you how many times those have come in handy. Anybody else stash weird little things like that, or is it just me?

BlueSkyWanderer said:

Most folks have their bases covered with food, water, and first aid, but I keep thinking about all the little things that get pushed aside. For me, a serious overlooked item is extra eyeglasses. If your vision isn’t perfect (like mine), losing your glasses in a crisis could be a real problem. I stash away a couple of old pairs and a repair kit, just in case.

Also, I don’t see enough people talking about manual can openers. So many rely on fancy kitchen gadgets, but a simple, sturdy opener can make all the difference.

Curious what everyone else thinks: What’s the one overlooked item you always make sure to include in your preps? Not the big things, but those “small but crucial” bits and pieces. Anything weird or unique? I’m always looking to learn from other folks’ experience—seems

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Couldn’t agree more on the extra eyeglasses—mine are basically a lifeline, both for day-to-day stuff and if I wanna read star charts at night. I toss a couple of beat-up old pairs into every kit, plus one of those tiny screwdriver repair kits. Manual can opener is another classic. I once spent a cold night at a campsite staring at canned beans and cursing my electric opener back home, so that lesson stuck.

One thing I always stash that nobody mentions is several packs of guitar strings. Not just for music—those things are strong and can be used for all sorts of jury-rigging if something breaks. And if the grid’s down, I’ll want to play to keep spirits up. Also, wind-up headlamp. Not a little luxury: being able to see without draining batteries means you can do what you need late at night, whether it’s fixing something or sneaking out