We’ve spoken before about essential technology for preppers. Things like GPS systems, filters, and solar panels. But there’s one item that most people don’t think about: e-readers.
An e-reader is a tablet-like device used for reading e-books. Popular for a short time, they were quickly pushed to the wayside when people realized they can just use their tablets and smartphones to read their digital novellas. But they’re by no means the same technology. E-readers possess a number of unique technological features that make them ideal for prepper usage.
Why They’re Good
By their nature, they’re meant to emulate books. No screen glare, no battery fuss, no eye strain. By utilizing a digital ink system instead of a traditional LCD or OLED screen. manufacturers manage to succeed in all of these accounts. Digital ink is a special system where text displayed on the screen is done so through solid state visuals. This means that it doesn’t take any power whatsoever to maintain what’s on screen, only to change it. This means its battery will last weeks without charge, even as much as a month with conservative use.
The non-LCD screen also means that it handles sunlight far more efficiently than a phone or tablet. Books are made to be read in the light after all. When you’re traveling the outdoors and the sun beats down on you, you can still read fine.
What They’re For
So they last a long time with little charge and can easily be read in the sun. But what exactly are you reading? Prepping information is the first answer. You can’t be expected to just keep everything you’ll ever need to know in your head at all times, that’s too much. That’s why informational resources (like this website) exist. There’s a wide collection of prepper books out there that would be a valuable addition to an e-reader.
Not everything has to be serious survival and all that. Sometimes it’s just good to enjoy some recreational reading. Download some Stephen King or Tolkien. Take an evening to enjoy a good book.
What To Get
Amazon basically has a powerful hold on the e-reader market with the Kindle series. And while they’re good, they’re not the best about free ownership of digital content, nor about storage capacities. If you want the best option, you will likely want the Kindle Oasis. It’s the most recent model, introducing a new waterproof option (great for wilderness survival) and a larger screen. It’s also the most expensive one I’m going to list, at $269.99.
If you’re wanting something easy but also affordable, then the original Kindle e-reader is a good choice. It works reliably and as described, and only costs $99.99.
If you’re not a fan of the Kindle line, Barnes and Noble also produce e-readers, called Nooks. They have Nook Simple Touch eBook Reader for around $150. The kicker for this one is that it accepts a micro SD external card. This means you can expand the storage capacity to more than ten times as much.
No matter what you get, it’ll serve you well. Pair it with a solar panel charger, and you could have a digital book that’ll outlive all of your smart devices.