Starting a survival gear business: tools for your shop

This is something echoed by Leif Jacobsen, Senior Marketing and PR Manager for German gun oil and accessories brand Ballistol. “Growth [in the survival market] is assessed as moderate,” he says. “Nevertheless, there are certainly factors that are strengthening public awareness of crisis preparedness: the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (Germany) has repeatedly called for private preparedness and published corresponding guides. Media formats on the topic of outdoor survival are also enjoying a positive response. These developments could lead to broader awareness in the medium term.”

What you need to know about starting a survival gear business

As a speciality retailer in the shooting and hunting industry, you know by now never to ignore the potential of a market that appears to be showing the signs of growth. As more of your customers become interested in how they can protect themselves and their loved ones and survive through a crisis – whether that be a simple multi-day power failure or a food shortage – you can be the ones they turn to when they consider stocking up their emergency stores. But where do you start? What do you need to know? Who are the brands you should turn to?

Tobias Schleder, the Managing Director of portable lighting solutions provider Zweibrüder, has some ideas: “Within this category, practical usefulness is often more important than brand alone – brightness, runtime, robustness, water protection and ease of use are the key decision factors.

“That said, a trusted brand with clear communication and good after‑sales service significantly reinforces the feeling of safety, especially because survival products are bought for moments when failure is not an option. Zweibrüder was founded precisely with this in mind: to combine honest service and high‑quality, well‑engineered products with lean startup structures, enabling us to offer reliable headlamps and flashlights at fair, competitive prices.”

Products that have multiple uses will be most useful in any survival scenario.So, the products you stock in your first survival gear range need to be useful. Sounds obvious, but these are products that people are likely to need in an emergency situation, not products they want in order to enjoy their hobby in a different way. Specialist tools like lights, cooking equipment, clothing, first aid kits, and fishing rods all have their place – but it’s even better if you can stock products that are multi-purpose, rapidly increasing their worth to would-be preppers.

Leif from Ballistol adds: “For specialist retailers, multifunctional products that cover a wide range of applications are recommended. Particularly noteworthy here is Ballistol universal oil - a versatile care product that can be used not only for the maintenance and cleaning of metal and wood (e.g., axes, knives, mess kits), but also for wound care and disinfection, and even for waterless personal hygiene.

“The decisive advantage of these products lies in their multifunctionality: they meet a variety of requirements and are therefore relevant both for emergency preparedness and for regular outdoor activities.”

From first aid to bushcraft tools – what are the essential items to stock?

So, you’ve decided that your customer base has the desire and interest in emergency supplies and necessities for a crisis situation – now what? Which products should you be stocking, and from which categories?

“At the foundation of any survival or preparedness plan are food and water, so those categories should be a priority,” says ANTARTA’s Vladislav Denkov. “Long-shelf-life food solutions like freeze-dried meals are essential because they address one of the biggest concerns people have in an emergency — sustained nutrition.

“Freeze-dried food stands out because it works not only for emergencies, but also for camping, hiking, travel, and outdoor recreation. That versatility makes it an excellent entry point for consumers new to preparedness.”
 

After food, what comes next in the list of emergency supplies? A way in which to secure and treat drinking water is probably just as important, whether you use advanced filters, water treatment tablets, or heating the water to boiling point with a stove. Ways to generate power are probably the next stopping point – solar panels, wind-up radios or batteries, or a store of gas to help cook and heat your home with. Lighting is also an essential consideration – especially in the event of a power cut. You could also consider stocking some camping kit and navigational tools like compasses or paper maps.

The rest of it comes down to your own creativity and also thinking about the topic logically. Think about those products that are highly useful and also have multiple uses – from items as simple as duct tape, multi tools, and flint to light a fire, through to more complex items such as walkie talkies or jumpleads to start a car. Don’t be afraid to talk about this topic with your customers – you may just uncover a profitable product line in waiting.

Building a brand identity in survival gear

Stocking the products is just one part of the puzzle – giving your store a strong reputation in the survival gear game is another entirely. Like in any other category, to do that, you must showcase expertise, innovation, and open communication with your customers.

Tobias Schleder of Zweibrüder says: “To position themselves as destinations for survival gear, retailers should create clearly visible, curated assortments with ready-made kits (for example, ‘blackout kits’ including a headlamp, flashlight, batteries and power bank) and offer advice plus educational content both in store and online.

“Shops with an existing audience in hunting or shooting can bridge into survival by focusing on overlapping use cases, such as night hunting, checking the grounds in darkness or roadside emergencies, and then positioning lighting as essential baseline equipment.”

Vladislav Denkov from ANTARTA agrees: “Education is key. Retailers who succeed in this category don’t just sell products — they help customers understand why they need them and how to use them.

“For stores already serving hunters, campers, or outdoor enthusiasts, the transition is very natural. These customers already value reliability, self-sufficiency, and planning. Positioning survival gear — especially food — as a logical extension of outdoor readiness works extremely well. Clear in-store messaging, bundled kits, and staff training can quickly establish credibility and trust in this space.”

Let IWA OutdoorClassics be your guide

This year’s IWA OutdoorClassics show in Nuremberg from 26 February to 1 March is the ideal place to make progress in your quest to build a survival gear business. Whether you are coming to the topic completely from scratch, you already have some ideas but want to develop them, or you’re big in the sector and want to see the latest trends, a day or two spent wandering the halls of the Nuremberg Messe will not be wasted.

In its continuous mission to help retailers and brands find new revenue streams and more ways to grow their businesses, IWA has identified the survival trend as a key place where energy should be directed. Survival and crisis preparedness will be the key theme at the IWA VISION hub within the show, which will include talks from knowledgeable and inspiring speakers, first-time exhibitors in the newcomer area, and a job centre. In short, IWA VISION will demonstrate how retailers in the hunting and shooting industry can strategically position themselves and successfully tap into this emerging trend.

And that’s before you consider the exhibiting brands mentioned in this article, all of whom have products that can help be the building blocks of a successful survival gear range within your store. Taking some time to prepare yourself by examining the online exhibitor list will ensure you have a fruitful time in Nuremberg and make the very most of this emerging trend.

“In the past, the market has occupied a niche position, but it shows clear trends (approximately 6 per cent growth p.a.) towards broader social acceptance,” summarises Ballistol’s Leif Jacobsen. “Our assessment: the market will continue to grow, particularly because the topic is increasingly being communicated in a factual and solution-oriented manner rather than driven by fear. The development is moving from a niche toward pragmatic preparedness, which is also understood by the general public as a reasonable approach.”

Learn about what IWA has to offer and secure your ticket as a retailer or distributor in the outdoor- or survival-industry!