What’s One Prep Item You Can’t Live Without?

[MarigoldBreeze]

If I had to pick just one item, a high-quality water filter would top my list. Clean water is absolutely essential and too easy to take for granted. Curious what everyone else would choose if you could only have one key piece of gear—what’s your non-negotiable, and have you had to use it in a real emergency? Always interested in hearing about things that have actually held up when it counted.

 

[OrbitJazz21]

Solar charger, hands down. When the power went out for days after that ice storm a few years ago, being able to keep my radio, lantern, and even a tiny speaker going made a world of difference. It’s not flashy but man, having some steady juice without relying on the grid feels pretty crucial. Anybody found a small solar setup that’s truly durable in rough weather?

 

[StarlitNavigator]

If I had to choose just one, it would honestly have to be my wind-up emergency radio/flashlight combo. I know it sounds a bit old-school, but after we had that big thunderstorm a few summers back and lost power for almost three days, being able to get news (and light!) without batteries or electricity was a lifesaver. The thing’s also got a USB port so you can crank and charge your phone in a pinch—not fast, but in a true emergency, anything helps. I like that you don’t have to depend on sun or batteries, just a bit of elbow grease.

I’ve tried a couple of solar chargers too but around here, with the cloud cover we get, they’re hit or miss unless you plan ahead. Anyone else used those hand-crank radios in rough situations? Mine’s a few years old, but it