During uncertain and dangerous times, having the right tactical equipment can be crucial for your survival – and creating a well-planned survival cache is an important part of your disaster preparation. A survival cache is a stash of essential items that are hidden and placed in a strategic location, making them easily accessible when necessary. You can bury your cache in your backyard, near a cabin, or in any remote area as long as you can remember its location. But the most important question is – what do you put in it? Luckily, we have the answers right here at TD! In this post, we’ll cover the importance of using survival caches to improve your tactical preparedness and provide guidance on how to create your own.

The Importance of Survival Caches

Imagine a scenario where your home is destroyed, and you're forced to evacuate with only the clothes on your back. In such situations, a survival cache can be a lifesaver. By distributing your emergency supplies and tactical equipment across multiple locations, you minimize the risk of losing everything at once. A well-hidden cache can also provide critical resources if you find yourself stranded away from your main shelter during a crisis.

Choosing the Right Location

Choosing the right location for your survival cache is a crucial step. Your cache should be easily accessible, yet concealed from potential looters or scavengers. We recommend choosing remote areas close to water and natural resources where you can easily blend the cache with the natural environment. Avoid obvious hiding spots, such as under rocks or fallen trees, as these may be checked by others in search of resources. Make sure to verify legal considerations before placing the cache, and use GPS or discreet markers to find it when needed.

Essential Items to Include

When it’s time to build the cache, the first step is to choose a durable container. You need something that locks and is made out of a material that can withstand the elements and animals – check out our collection of tactical bags and cases for inspiration. From there, you’ll go on to select your items. The objects you include in your survival cache will depend on your specific needs and the potential risks you might encounter. To make things easy, we've compiled a step-by-step guide on everything you'll need in your cache:

• Non-perishable Food: Go for lightweight, nutrient-dense food items like energy bars, dehydrated meals, and canned goods. Pack some freeze-dried meals as well as rations and protein bars; things that won't go bad for several years will help fill you if necessary. Browse our selection of nutrition/hydration products to start building your stash.
  
  
• Water Filtration System: If everything goes to chaos, you have to assume that safe drinking water is going to be difficult to find. Because of this, you’ll want to include portable water filters or purification tablets in your cache to ensure a clean water source.
  
  
• First Aid Kit: You never know what injuries you’ll encounter, so prepare a comprehensive first aid kit with bandages, antiseptics, medications, and any personal medical supplies you require. A trauma kit is good to have if you have access to one.
  
  
• Fire-starting Tools: Carry waterproof matches, lighters, or a fire starter kit to create warmth and cook food when needed.
  
  
• Shelter and Clothing: Pack compact emergency blankets, a tarp, a lightweight tent, and extra tactical clothing suitable for the climate in your area.
  
  
• Misc. Tools: A sturdy multi-tool is useful for various tasks, from building shelters to preparing food. Here at TD, we offer a variety of multitools in our tactical knives collection. Additionally, rope, duct tape, batteries, and flashlights are always good to have on hand in an emergency, while a pot or pan can be helpful if you need to cook.
  
  
• Communication Device: Include a battery-powered or solar-powered radio for staying informed about the situation outside your immediate area. We always recommend the Garmin inReach Mini – it performs well in a wide range of scenarios.
  
  
• Personal Documents: Keep copies of important documents (such as personal identification, medical records, and emergency contacts) in a waterproof container. 
  
  
• Currency: We don't mean cash, because if things collapse in our world, that money will be useless. But gold and silver will still have value, so keep some in your cache!
  
  
• Weapons: If you’re comfortable carrying a gun, store one (plus ammo) in the cache, as well as a hunting knife to help you when it comes time to find your dinner.

When it comes to survivalist tactical equipment, these are the bare minimum items that you need in your cache container. If you have extra space, you can include additional items such as toilet paper, towels, blankets, etc. These aren’t essential, so make sure you at least have the basics.

Enhance Your Tactical Preparedness with TD

We hope this post has convinced you that having a well-prepared survival cache can offer a sense of security and peace of mind during the end times. To increase your chances of survival in emergencies, remember to carefully choose the location of your cache and include essential items. It's also important to maintain your cache regularly, so make sure to check it at least twice a year to ensure the items are in good condition and update them if necessary. And don’t forget to check out our blog for more tips – our Survival Skills Checklist is a great resource!