Whatever your pet theory is for TEOTWAWKI, you're going to need supplies and a lot of them. So to that end, here's a list of our five favorite places to pick up the goods you need to stay alive after it all goes down in flames and screaming.
And if you can't make it out to the Arizona Survivalist/Prepper Expo this weekend, you can still get what you need from these places.
See Also: -Jackalope Ranch's Gift Guide for the End of the World Prepper -Buckle Up: Arizona Survivalist/Prepper Expo Takes Over Glendale Civic Center
5. Scottsdale Gun Club: Since you're probably going to be up in Scottsdale anyway to check out the Gear Up showroom, you might as well make it a day and swing by this gunners' paradise. Inside you'll be able to knock out all your gun-related needs. Not only does the gun club stock the basics like guns, ammo and accessories but it's got a complete gunsmithing shop onsite.
Need your Glock, AK, or Springfield XD worked on? The gun club's got you covered. And if you've managed to, legally, lay hands on something a little more exotic and fully automatic, it can handle those repairs as well. Need to brush up on those headshots or need help introducing someone else the world of distance trepanning? This gun club also offers you a range of classes including concealed carry, defensive shotgun, and even one on urban survival. That also means it has a lovely air-conditioned range suitable for any self-paced studying you wish to do.
4. Allied Surplus Need something a little less aggressive and a little more "Oh, please don't let me die in the wilderness" during what you tell relatives is just a "camping trip"? Allied Surplus should meet and exceed all your non-weapon gear needs.
It sells everything from dehydrated food to backpacks suitable for building a bug out bag to tactically useful clothing that you can wear around town without raising too many eyebrows. Allied also sells all the things you probably won't think about before it's too late. You can pick up an Israeli gas mask, medical kits, and paracord. Everyone laughs at the guy with the "fucking rope" until they actually need this irreplaceable piece of equipment.
3. Honeyville Farms So now that you're loaded up on tactical backpacks, ropes, and guns, what are your plans for post-apocalyptic dinner? Unless you're overly fond of boiled shoe leather, you're going to need some eats, and here is where Honeyville Farms really shines.
The farm has a simply staggering selection of canned, dehydrated, and variously preserved foods. You could fully stock an emergency pantry just from this store and be comforted with the knowledge that you and yours won't spend the twlight of humanity eating oatmeal twice a day. More importantly, it'll also sell you all the gear you need to keep that food safe and sound. You can buy an assortment of water supply systems and grain vaults that will keep your food edible and, more importantly, pest free. Beyond that, it provides an even more valuable service: Education.
This store hosts a classes all week long, from water storage tips to introductions to animal husbandry. It even maintains a cooking blog, so you can learn how to use all of that wonderful stored food to its best effect.
2. Gear Up Now this a dedicated prepper store run by celebrity prepper Tim Ralston of National Geographic's Doomsday Preppers fame. It's really more a showroom for its extensive online presence, but still you can pop in to actually purchase equipment in person. That said, it's got a little bit of everything: food, clothing, survival equipment, and even a Geiger counter (if you can find batteries for it).
Of course, the real draw here is that it's probably the only place in the world, save specific appearances at conventions, where you can actually pick up and play around with a Crovel. This is Gear Up's signature product, and for those of you who aren't in the know, the Crovel basically is the alien love child of a multi-tool and an entrenching tool. The shovel head is knife sharp, you can stash a slingshot in the pommel, and it even comes with a convenient but unsanitary bottle opener.
1. Costco What is this? A prepper shopping list for ants? It doesn't sell guns, shemaghs, or any tacti-cool accessories for your favorite "zombie gun," but it does sell other niceties you might actually need after the proverbial shit has hit the proverbial fan. Or are you saying you're too good to do your prepping at anywhere besides a boutique prepper shop that turns out artisanal crovels?
When you need bulk, or if you're trying to prep on the sly, you can do much worse than a weekly shopping trip to your neighborhood Costco. Food, water, bulk cooking supplies, and more can be scored here on the relative cheap.
What's more, you can even order a somewhat staggering array of legitimate survival equipment -- mostly food in buckets -- through Costco. Of course, this is also an excellent place to stock up on things that most people are going to neglect when disaster strikes and everyone is subsisting on twigs and bugs. A gun and an ax might hold off looters but the woman with a Costco-size container of pepper or salt is going to be able to make a lot of friends.
A few of our other favorites: - 7 Favorite Tourist Destinations in Phoenix (That Aren't Just for Tourists) - 10 Favorite Hikes in the Valley - Seven Favorite Spots to See a Film in Phoenix - Ten Favorite Neighborhood Bars in Metro Phoenix - Ten Favorite Places to Geek Out in Phoenix - 10 Favorite Gay Bars in Greater Phoenix - 10 Favorite Street Art Sightings in Phoenix - Ten Favorite Arcades in Metro Phoenix - 10 Favorite Bike Shops in Metro Phoenix - 10 Favorite Strip Clubs in Metro Phoenix (NSFW) - Five Favorite Haunted Houses in Metro Phoenix - 10 Favorite Water Parks, Pools, and Watering Holes in Metro Phoenix
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