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Tevatha · Scoring Methodology

How We Grade Gear

Every item in the Provisioner catalog is scored across five objective dimensions. No sponsored placements. No affiliate relationships. No brand exceptions. A low-scoring item receives a C or D regardless of brand recognition.

Grade Thresholds

A
90–100

Non-negotiable. Acquire before anything else.

B
80–89

High value. Acquire after all Grade A items are covered.

C
70–79

Situational. Adequate if nothing better is available in category.

D
<70

Not recommended. Better options exist in every case.

The Five Dimensions

01

Durability

100 →

100 = Military-spec. Survives submersion, impact, extreme heat/cold. Expected lifespan 10+ years with zero maintenance.

0 →

0 = Consumer-grade. Fails under first-use field stress. Planned obsolescence within 1–2 years.

Examples

100NAR IFAK Trauma KitMilitary TCCC spec. No moving parts. Sealed storage.
100Wavian NATO Jerry CanUN-certified steel. Won't crack, leak, or explode.
72WaterBOB BladderSingle-use design. Vulnerable to puncture.
02

Grid Independence

100 →

100 = Zero reliance on grid power, cell networks, or supply chains. Fully self-contained.

0 →

0 = Non-functional without grid power or continuous internet/cell connectivity.

Examples

100Garmin inReach Mini 2Satellite-only. Works globally with no infrastructure.
100Wavian Jerry CanPassive storage. No power dependency.
84Reolink RLC-810ARequires PoE power. Can run on local solar.
03

Field Repairability

100 →

100 = Any component repairable or replaceable with hand tools, common parts, and basic mechanical knowledge.

0 →

0 = Sealed unit requiring factory service or proprietary software to repair. Unrepairable in the field.

Examples

80Baofeng UV-5RBattery and antenna user-replaceable. Common parts.
88EcoFlow DELTA ProModular battery design. Some field-serviceable components.
48Faraday Bag XLShielding layer cannot be repaired once torn.
04

Value Density

100 →

100 = Maximum life-saving utility per dollar. Cost is negligible relative to the scenario it prevents.

0 →

0 = High cost, marginal utility uplift. Duplicate capability already covered by higher-grade item.

Examples

99QuikClot Combat Gauze$25/unit. Stops life-threatening bleeding. No substitute.
98SOL Emergency Bivvy$20. Prevents hypothermia. Packs to fist-size.
78Potable Aqua TabsBackup to Berkey. Limited use case at scale.
05

Supply Chain

100 →

100 = Available globally. Multiple manufacturers. No single point of failure. Stocked at retail.

0 →

0 = Single manufacturer. Import-dependent. Frequently out of stock. No substitute available.

Examples

96Garmin inReach Mini 2Sold globally at REI, Amazon, Garmin direct.
98NAR IFAKMilitary supplier with civilian distribution. Multiple equivalents.
68Titan Survival TarpFewer retail stocking points. Niche supplier.

Safety Index — Real Estate

Real estate listings are scored on a separate four-dimension Safety Index, measuring how well a location functions as an Ark node in a high-severity scenario.

Nuclear Distance

Proximity away from likely nuclear strike zones based on NATO target analysis and FEMA nuclear planning zones. 100 = no known strategic value, no nearby military installation, southern hemisphere preferred.

Disaster Risk

Inverse natural disaster exposure. Sources: FEMA Hazus, EM-DAT global disaster database, national emergency management agencies. 100 = minimal seismic, flood, wildfire, and extreme weather risk.

Population Density

Inverse population density score. Lower density = higher score. 100 = fewer than 2 people per km². Extreme rural isolation scores maximum. Urban proximity lowers score.

Political Stability

Composite of Global Peace Index (GPI) rank and Freedom House freedom index. 100 = top 3 GPI + full democracy rating. Accounts for civil conflict risk, rule of law, and property rights security.

Editorial Independence

Tevatha is a nonprofit with zero revenue from any product listing, affiliate link, or brand relationship. All external links go directly to manufacturer or retailer sites. Scores are assigned by Tevatha analysts and are not negotiable with brands. A Grade D item will be listed as Grade D. Period.