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Some of the most useful survival items are sitting on shelves in places you’d never think to look. If you’re resourceful and you what you’re after, you can walk into an ordinary store and come out with a cart full of gear that’ll help you patch, repair, build, and organize your emergency supplies.
Hobby Lobby is a perfect example. It’s not the first place that comes to mind when you’re thinking about preparedness, but it’s loaded with the little things that round out a solid kit, the kind of stuff that’s easy to overlook until the day you actually need it. Best of all, most of it’s cheap yet works just as well as the “official” survival version at a fraction of the price.
These ideas come from the YouTuber, Cowboy Survival, who went to his local Hobby Lobby to show you just how much handy gear is hiding in plain sight. Most of what you’ll want is toward the back of the store. You can see his video and list of items he found below.
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1. Sewing Needles
Head to the needle section and you’ll find a huge selection of needles that hardly cost anything. A set runs you around $2 to $3. You can grab them in plastic or metal, though the metal ones tend to hold up better and are easier to work with. If you’re putting together a sewing kit for your backpack so you can repair torn gear and clothing, this is a great place to look.
2. Bobbins
These little spools are meant for winding thread, but they’re a lot more versatile than that. You can wrap wire, paracord, duct tape, fishing line, or thread around them and keep it all neat and tangle-free. They come in larger and smaller sizes, and they’re perfect for organizing small items so everything in your pack stays organized and easy to grab.
3. Clock-Building Supplies
Here’s one nobody thinks about. In a grid-down situation, you won’t always have digital clocks to rely on. Hobby Lobby carries everything you’d need to build an old-fashioned analog clock from scratch. If you want a way to keep time that doesn’t depend on batteries or the power grid, this is it.
4. Brads, Hinges, and Small Hardware
If you like to build and repair your own gear, don’t skip the hardware bits. Hobby Lobby stocks little feet, brads, and small hinges, exactly the kind of thing you’ll want if you’re building a box or crafting a small item. They don’t cost much, and they’re the sort of parts that are a real pain to track down when you need one.
5. Craft Wire
You’ll find wire in a few different spots in the store, in a range of gauges. The 19- and 20-gauge wire is especially handy because it’s right in the sweet spot for making snares. At roughly four bucks a spool, it’s an inexpensive way to add small-game trapping capability to your kit.
6. Canning Supplies and Storage Jars
If you do any canning, Hobby Lobby has a great selection of supplies for it. Beyond that, they carry all kinds of storage jars and bottles, some with lids, some with stoppers, and even brown glass bottles that are ideal for herbs or medicinal items you want to keep out of the light.
These are perfect for storing dry grains, salt, dried herbs, jams, jellies, or anything else you want sealed up and shelf-stable. Look for the ones with sealable lids in particular. They’re great for keeping contents fresh and protected.
7. Monofilament Fishing Line
Over in a different section you’ll find monofilament line in various pound-test ratings. You don’t need to spend a fortune on premium fishing line just to have some emergency line in a kit. This is a cheap way to stock a small fishing setup for your bug out bag or emergency box, enough to catch a meal if you ever have to.
8. Beads
You might wonder why on earth you’d want a bag of beads. The answer is ranger beads. Beads are perfect for making your own pace counters, which help you track distance as you walk. Hobby Lobby has them in every color and material so you can build a set for each of your packs and always know roughly how far you’ve traveled.
9. Zippered Pouches and Drawstring Bags
For keeping your kit organized, grab a few small zippered pouches (about $3 each). They’re great for making little ditty bags to hold possibles, toiletries like a toothbrush and toothpaste, wipes, or any small odds and ends.
Back in the fabric and sewing area, you’ll also find canvas drawstring bags. Buying a couple to keep in reserve is a smart move for corralling loose items in your pack, your pocket, or your haversack.
10. Small Glass Jars
Hobby Lobby carries all kinds of glass jars, both individual and full sets. They make excellent containers for storing small quantities of just about anything you want to keep sealed and separated. Handy, cheap, and endlessly reusable.
11. Resealable Plastic Bags
Small plastic bags tend to be cheaper here than at a lot of other stores, so you can pick up a big batch for very little. They’re great for waterproofing. Just toss small items inside to keep them dry and protected from the elements. A simple thing, but one you’ll use constantly.
12. Modeling and Hobby Tools
The modeling section is a goldmine of precision tools. You might not think of them as survival gear, but for fine, detailed work they’re hard to beat. You’ll find scissors, tweezers, dental picks, X-Acto knives, small files, and sets of mini screwdrivers. Those little screwdrivers alone are worth having on hand for fixing electronics, tightening the screws on your glasses, or any small repair where regular tools are too clumsy.
13. Leather and Leather Tools
Hobby Lobby has a whole section for leatherwork including various types and shapes of leather, full rolls, and pre-made kits. Down below, look for the leather remnant packages. These are an affordable way to grab scrap pieces for patching gear, making repairs, or crafting small items. They also carry a decent selection of basic leather tools. They’re not top-of-the-line, but if you just want to do some simple leatherwork, they’ll get the job done.
14. Wax and Beeswax
You’ll find wax in all kinds of shapes, blocks, and weights, including blocks of beeswax. Wax is incredibly useful in a survival scenario. You can use it to make candles, cook up homemade fire starters, or seal jars. Having a supply on hand opens up a lot of options, and Hobby Lobby keeps plenty in stock.
15. Small Metal Canisters
The little metal canisters they carry are perfect for a fun DIY project: a homemade canister stove. Pack one with wood chips and sawdust, mix in some wax, add a wick, and you’ve got a compact little stove for your backpack. You can buy versions of these online, but making your own is cheaper, and a lot more satisfying.
16. Paracord, Clips, and Carabiners
Hobby Lobby stocks paracord too. It doesn’t advertise itself as military-spec, so it’s probably not what you’d want for heavy loads, but it works fine for light-duty jobs like tying things off or rigging up a quick shelter. Right alongside it you’ll find all sorts of clips, carabiners, and quick-release buckles you can add to your packs and belts. They’re handy for clipping gear where you can reach it fast.
17. Button Compasses
Keep an eye on the pegs in the paracord area — Hobby Lobby often hangs packages of little button compasses there. They’re a cheap, easy addition to your kit and a good backup for basic navigation. Grab a pack and toss one in each of your bags.
18. Bungee Cord
Last but not least, they carry short lengths of bungee cord, around 15 feet for about $2.50. If you just need a little bit to lash something to your backpack or field gear, or to rig up a small project, it’s a cheap way to get exactly as much as you need without buying a giant roll.
None of this is meant to replace your major gear, but it’s exactly the kind of small, supplemental stuff that fills in the gaps: things to repair with, things to build with, and tools for the odd jobs that always come up. Next time you drive past a Hobby Lobby, it’s worth a look.
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