This article has been contributed by Lisa Bedford, TheSurvivalMom.

What would-be survivalist or prepper wouldn’t love to hunker down with a military-grade sleeping bag, tent, and sleeping pad?Add a pair of new combat boots, and you could survive just about anything!When you shop at the online auction site, Government Liquidators, you can stock up on the same supplies used by our armed forces.

Government Liquidators sells truckloads of goods that come directly from the Department of Defense. You’ll find batches of such survival essentials as latrine screens, field gear bags, video recorders, night vision goggles, and even your very own Army cargo truck. Most items are used, but I have come across brand new boots and plenty of unused miscellaneous supplies.

Karly Kepler represents this company and offers these tips for first-time users.

• Do a keyword search in plural form to get more results.
• Also search using the Find Items tab, which is the more advanced search setting.
• All bidding begins at $150, and the lots are sized accordingly.  For example, there might be 18 backpacks in a lot and just 2 or 3 generators in another lot.
• Government Liquidation has an exclusive contract with the Department of Defense and gets shipments daily.
• Auctions are usually open for three days, some for as long as five.
• If you live near the auction site, it’s possible to make an appointment to inspect the items.
• Check back often if you don’t find what you’re looking for.
• Shipping is not included so you’ll need to arrange for that on your own.
• There’s a helpful video on the website under the Help tab.

I noticed that some product lots now include a video of the items for sale. Of course whenever you’re purchasing something online, it pays to remember the slogan, “buyer beware.” According to Karly, “On every lot detail page you will find more information about the condition of the item(s).”

With the large lot sizes, you’ll have plenty to share, re-sell, or for equipping your bug-out location. These supplies could come in handy sooner than we might think.