It’s a dangerous world. Not just your bottom line is giving you a headache, so too might the imagined fears of disasters such as a nuclear war, poison gas attacks, floods, and – if you watch too much TV – the Zombie Apocalypse. How to survive these unprecedented calamities? A handy help-you-survive kit would obviously help; and they are on the market. Apart from tiny sardine can-sized helpers, you can even prepare for the end with kits that make provision for pets, particularly dogs. These are some of the survivalist aids currently available. – Peter Wilhelm
By Stephen Pulvirent
(Bloomberg) — Being prepared never hurt anyone. Whether you need an emergency survival kit to get through a surprise all-nighter at the office, or live through the zombie apocalypse, a bag with some food, drink, and first-aid supplies is handy. You could build your own, but that would mean missing out on the ridiculously luxurious options that are already pre-made. Below, the wildest (and most wildly expensive) survival kits on the market — and a few more reasonable options.
There’s the Minuteman IV ($749) for those who feel that being over-prepared is close to godliness.
The food and water have shelf lives of five years. There’s a pair of tents and enough ponchos and hand warmers to protect against almost anything, along with pots for cooking and a nearly 300-piece first- aid kit. (Bring your own doctor.) There are enough supplies to keep four people going for a few days, stored in two matching backpacks. It’s his-and-hers for the tough times.
The folks at Just One Eye aren’t messing around. The Ulysses Tier 1 Pet Essentials kit is designed to sustain two people and a furry friend — cat or dog, although a dog is what you want in an end-of- the-world situation — for up to a week. High-tech gear such as personal water filters and a flash cooking system sit alongside luxurious touches like a cashmere blanket and organic toiletries.
Your fortress could have a Wolfram Cabinet as its nerve centre. The bright orange cabinet is delivered pre-stocked with more than 170 brand-name items ranging from a Coleman coffee pot to DeWalt saws and drills. The food supply has more than 100,000 calories, and all the medical, sanitation, and shelter goodies to let you sit tight. If you want a mobile version, there’s also the Wolfram Pack (at a totally reasonable $3,900), which includes a foldable solar charger and a two-person Marmot tent.
Just because there’s a natural disaster, it doesn’t mean you’re using store-brand moisturiser. The Prepster is a chic doctor’s bag filled with things like a Malin+Goetz travel essentials kit, non-GMO meal replacement bars, and Marvis toothpaste. Sure, there’s a tent, an LED headlamp, and a space blanket..
If you’ve gone totally off your rocker (or just watching too much of The Walking Dead), there’s the ZERO, which stands for Zombie Extermination, Research and Operations kit. Because “there’s no room for error when dealing with the undead” — their words — the kit includes reinforced gloves, thermal and night vision scopes, a few knives, and nearly a dozen accessories such as laser sights and slings to make your firearm of choice more effective. Rations not included.
Even if you’re not worried about a nuclear war, a bad thunderstorm can leave you stranded or wishing you had thought ahead. The Boltwell B*10 includes a water bottle with some filters, a weather radio, and the tools for starting a fire. You can keep the box under your desk without anyone staring. Boltwell also offers a ton of pre-packaged kits tailored to such events as tornados, floods, 
and biological warfare.
If your idea of a fun weekend involves mud, animals that can kill you, and a nasty sunburn — good. TV survival maven Bear Grylls has lent his name and personal logo to a line of survival tools from knife-maker Gerber. The Ultimate Kit has a signalling mirror, waterproof matches, and a pocket guide of tips from the man himself. Plus it will fit at the bottom of whatever bag you’re already carrying.
If you really don’t have room for the Grylls kit, this one will fit in your
pocket. The Sardine Can is waterproof, crushproof, and holds 25 (tiny) items that will force you to dig deep to find your inner MacGyver. A fishing hook, safety pin, tea-bag, and piece of chewing gum might not sound exactly what you need when the world is ending, but you’re the person who won’t carry more than a sardine can.
