My siblings and extended family have been using Kindles for a while now and we have borrowed them a few times, what a great way to read books. We recently bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7inch tablet this past CHRISTmas to aid our Autistic son’s learning experience, little did I know how much I would love using it too. I hardly turn on my laptop anymore for most things I used too because I like the tablet for most stuff, I might have to buy a second tablet so we don’t all have to share it anymore, plus our kids always want it when we are using it.

I recently read a forum post mentioning that a Kindle is great for a prepper because it holds plenty of books and data, is light weight, has a long battery life, and can be charged with a small USB solar charger (or other USB alternate power source). All these things make it great for a bugout bag or having at home. I found an article by M.D. Creekmore outlining what he likes about the Kindle that you might also find interesting. Personally, I like having a quality Android tablet over the Kindle family of tablets.

eBooks and PDF Documents

Kindles and Tablets can hold hundreds of books and documents that can be very useful in disaster like situations. I have found that there are plenty of PDF’s out there on the subject of prepping and survivalism that you can get for free or cheap, all of these can be downloaded to a Kindle or tablet to keep handy. I also think it would be nice to have something to read to pass the time if I were stranded for a long time like those of recent natural disasters, might keep me and my kids sane.

Recipes Archive

I have a huge pile of recipe cards and recipe print outs. I have started to put them on the tablet as PDF documents and this has been really nice. All of my recipes in one place and I can browse through them in a list, loving it. Plus, the tablet is small and easy to take on the go, so I can have my favorite recipes anywhere I am.

Games & Music

If you have kids, the stresses of a natural disaster can be very stressing on them. Having a few games on your tablet of Kindle Fire can help take their minds off what has happened and keep them more calm till things are more under control. This will also help you focus on disaster recovery instead of consoling you children too. You might even find me playing some of the games to pass the time. Music can also be soothing in a disaster.

GPS and Mapping

Not all tablets are GPS equipped but I would suggest getting one that is for compass, maps, route tracking, and other GPS abilities  None of the Kindles have GPS yet at the time of this article, hopefully this will change in the future. My Samsung tablet is GPS equiped and the cheap Lenovo tablet is also, if you wanted a cheap alternative.I really like the GPS Essentials free android app for most of my GPS needs.

Built-in Camera

Most tablets have a built-in camera and video camera which can also be nice in documenting things around you or actions of others. If your Tablet is GPS equipped  you can also have a record of the location of the photo too.

Great Apps for Android Tablets

• U.S. Army Survival Guide (free)
• Tiny Flashlight + LED (free)
• BackCountry Navigator PRO GPS (free with some paid features)
• Fishing Knots (free)
• Knots Guide (free)
• First Aid (free)
• ViewRanger Outdoors GPS Open (free with some paid features)

Share your thoughts about tablets for preppers or your favorite Android prepper related apps with me.