Last week I wrote up an article on the best prepper gear I could think to buy for myself – items that have been on my wishlist for absolute ages and were above average in terms of cost, but were worthy (in my mind) purchases considering my perceived value of them in terms of their ability to aid me in the realm of long-term survival.
The article had mixed reception, some expressing they weren’t a fan of the items I picked out.
Fair enough!
I’m obviously not infallible and I know it. Things I want I’m perfectly happy to admit are often not even close to the most maximized in terms of bang-for-buck. Also, yes, there are always going to be situations where something I want is a bit silly, considering, being a little bit of a nerd, I think the idea of having cool gadgets many times intrigues me more than the actual practical usability of said items.
So I need your help.
What I need from you:
Bahco Laplander Folding Wood Hand Saw – Amazon
Prepper Gear Recommendations
Have you tried anything that worked wonderfully well and did its job with little to no downsides? Have any items on-hand that any prepper would deem valuable?
Have you read up/researched a lot on specific prepper gear and so know your stuff when it comes to which water filters are best, say, or which solar panel brands are definitely better than the others?
Expensive or Cheap, Leave Your Recommendations in the Comments
Yes, the original article I wrote last week was about expensive gear, but for the purposes of this article, please list all the valuable items you can think of, regardless of price, down below.
I don’t care if the items you’ve got in mind are expensive or cheap, DIY’d or even unreal I’m-so-wealthy-I-don’t-think-about-money levels of expensive – leave your recommendations for me in the comments down below.
I’ll use your recommendations to come back with a list or two or three on the best prepper gear you guys have recommended, as chances are these will be more valuable to others than anything I could individually recommend.
Okay, get going – leave your recommendations down below!
See The Post That Resulted from This Experiment
To take a look at the list of gear recommendations that resulted from this experiment, head over to this article here:
One of the hardest things to find when on foot in an unknown semi rural or urban area is a public toilet. So, ducking behind something to do what comes naturally, needs:-
A reduced roll of toilet paper.
A handful of large dog ‘poop scoop’ plastic bags.
Pocket pack of wet wipes.
A small bottle of ‘no water’ alcohol wash.
And a single white or blue LED key fob torch you can lock on.
Weight? 120gm, 4 oz.
Total cost? £3.50 GB or $4.90 US.
A hell of a lot better than walking on with a sticky butt.
Very true. Not something people think about until they really need to think about it.
Paul,
I like your list but in a bug out/survival situation I’m pooping on the ground not into a doggie poop bag. Unless I’m being pursued by hostiles I’m not worried about “spoor.” Out hiking I have a small portable trowel I’ve used to dig a cat hole and bury my waste.
What kind of pellets do you use in your Benjamin
was just reading and came across this –
‘A lot of people don’t realize the variance that there is between different rifles when it comes to ammunition weight, shape, skirting size, and the like, and the best thing you can do is search out what different types of ammo are available, what they each are designed for, then ask around for the weapon that is going to be best with that ammo.’ …
airriflehunter.com/what-is-the-best-22-air-rifle/
I am not sure who you directed this question to and I was just chuckling at your ribald humor in the reply a few clicks above, which, I have to say, may be longer than some that I have compiled here and in other blog sites! We should get together over an iced down case of Yuengling and do a marathon sometime. I agree,
Regarding pellets, I have a Benjamin Trail, inert gas piston operated, break barrel .22 caliber rifle with one of the newer Center Point 3X9X32mm scopes. I have tried a few different types of pellets although the first type/brand,which were hollow point Premier hunting pellets have shot the most consistent small groups of the lot. I have shot targets at 31 yds. and 40 yds. and the Ruger pellets shot the worst of the 3 types I tried. Diablo had some nice groupings with their Exact Jumbo RS at 13.4 gr. and their Exact Jumbo Heavy at 18.1 gr.. The Premier HP pellets shot groups of under 1 3/4″x1 1/2″ at 31 yds starting out. My best 5 hot group was right at 3/4″ at 31 yds and average is around an inch to an inch and a quarter off of a rest, now that the rifle has had a break in period. 30′ to40′ is my most common shot distance with squirrels here where I am situated. There are houses all around me and my safest shots are at a couple of live oak trunks, 16″ to 22″ in diameter, near and above ground level up to 8′ without risking putting the kibosh on a neighbor’s window. Up above 8′ or so, I am OK on most of the live oak branches within a range of 50′ or longer. This nitrogen charged piston on this rifle packs a real wallop at any distance up to about 45′ or 50′. And the accuracy of the scope is excellent considering that it came with the rifle and was a China product. I have one shot kills mostly or I miss completely. I don’t take any body shots, only head shots and i only shoot enough to keep the neighborhood cats in fresh meat. They are the REAL resident hunters in the vicinity.
Thanks for the reply. That is useful info to know. The Benjamin Trail seems like a good entry level tool in spite of its potential weakness to cold weather below 40, or so I’ve read. Seems like a ‘springer’ in the 600 – 800 Dollar range would be nice to have, too. If I were rich, that is. Perhaps, I will keep an eye out for used versions of both/
Anyway, Yuengling is good stuff, unfortunately, they don’t sell it where I live.
Beware, ‘The Curse of the Coffee, Tea and Beer Drinkers’ …
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2011/12/bill-sardi/do-you-have-beri-beri/
Whoops, I didn’t mean to hit the, ‘Post Comment’ button. That comment wasn’t close to what I was intending to write about the Benjamin and ‘springers’. Too much going on in the background here –
‘a nitro piston is not affected by weather. With a spring gun, the main coiled spring is lubricated with grease. When the weather gets cold, springs get harder and tougher. So it slows down the gun and makes it hard to cock. With a nitro piston, the nitro cylinder is lubricated with high-tech lubrication so it operates almost the same regardless of outside temperature.’
http://airgunmaniac.com/what-is-nitro-piston-technology-and-why-should-you-care/
I will keep an eye out for a used set of both The Scope you mentioned and The Benjamin.
First, Basics: 100 mph tape (available at Amazon), parcord (parachute cord) get MilSpec (7 strand) extremely useful and can be braided into cords which can be braided into rope and the internal strands can be used for fishing line, 1 qt 1 gal & 2.5 gal freezer Zip-bags (I use the slider version). Fire starting: strike-anywhere kitchen matches and a GI issue waterproof match case (has a flint striker on bottom), a zip-bag with collected drier lint for tinder, GI Fuel tabs (trioxane) if you can find them 1/3 of a bar put in the center of your fire build will burn long enough to get wet twigs going (plus the remainder can be resealed in it’s pouch for future use). A few good knives, I am very fond of Ontario Knives, particularly their Spec Plus line I carry the SP-6 Fighting Knife, the SP-2 Survival Knife & the SP-8 Survival Machete (it’s not a long standard-style machete, sort of a machete/hatchet/planer) but whichever brand you choose, get a full tang knife (the blade steel goes the full length of the handle) plus a few good quality folders, personally, I like CRKT & SOG., but whatever you prefer don’t be afraid to spend the $$ to get the best you can afford, you can’t send them in for warranty replacement in a SHTF situation.
GI Fuel tabs are a good idea! Definitely hear you on liking Ontario’s knives, they’re great. Thanks for the list, it’s excellent.
Thanks for the advise about the Navy wool stocking caps. I’ll have to get over the nerdiness factor of them and check them out, your write-up makes them seem like, ‘Da Bomb.
Take the rest of this as my attempt to pass on good info. Discombobulated as it is… lots of distractions in the background.
You two old foggies have both got some pretty good advise about camping and roughing it. [I mean that in a good way.]
I didn’t see an, ‘attack’, per say, all I read was some good natured ribbing which was good for, ‘improved changes’ and some reflection.Ymmv. The response it created was great reading. I forget what shstuff I have too, sometimes. Lists aren’t terrible, but not great. …A person can get buried in lists. Balance is key, and IT IS subjective for each individual.
RE – ‘it has been proven that many forms of pill type vitamins cannot be broken down by the human body and pass right through and out the south end before any benefit is derived from the vitamins’
‘Proven’, by whom? Big Pharma? …Yeah, if so, that’s surely something to take to the bank to buy a certain well known bridge.
Editor In Chief Of World’s Best Known Medical Journal: Half Of All The Literature Is False
[Keyword – ‘Half’.]
“The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analyses, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness.”
People can choose to follow the advise and studies of those who are funded, and benefit from, ‘Big Pharma’ … – OR – you can listen to those who base their advise upon thousands of years of human, ‘evolution’ and from those who have lived before us and what worked best for them in combination with studies which may, or may not, be accurate. … Clear as mud, eh?
Consider this – In the financial arena, some would say that fiat Dollars are fine and dandy, how-freaking-ever; there’s 5000 years of evidence of what works well for People as money. …Take your side. Gnoe what I mean?
Truly – It’s really difficult to know, ‘what is right, and what is wrong’ [que- The Moody Blues] theze days. We are living in a barbaric time period where many people accept what the, ‘priests in white robes with stethoscopes’ pronounce as, ‘Truth’ – without question. …
I’m the sort that questions things. Especially, things from those who act as if they are your, ‘betters’, as opposed to those who seek prevention for your betterment. Perhaps, you should be, too?
The Richline Pro-404 Riveter… and a big batch of pop rivets, works really well for me. It’s a quality tool. I bought it when I was young, poor, and it was a bigger expense than I would like to take for such a tool. Looking back on things, I’m glad I bought it. [The quality of the tool has really paid off compared to those similar cheaper tools which have failed during use.] Especially after reading the Soviet bit, below.
‘Improved Changes’
– Streamlined –
– The film, ‘Land of the Blind’ – with Donald Southerland, keeps surfacing in my thoughts.
Check out the list of symptoms, signs, diseases associated with magnesium deficiency, especially if you’re the kind of person who is cold while bundled up with a jacket and such while standing next to a person wearing shorts and t-shirt who says, ‘I’m warm’.
Mortal consequences
‘Is there evidence that corroborates magnesium deficiency increases mortality? There certainly is.
As misleading as blood serum levels of magnesium may be, one large long-term study did find that those individuals with the highest magnesium blood concentrations were 85% less likely to die from all-causes of death! […]
How Ardent Dietary Supplement Users Unwittingly Make Things Worse Trying To Overcome A Magnesium Deficiency
https://lewrockwell.com/2016/11/bill-sardi/can-inadvertently-make-things-worse/
This was a timeless bit –
‘The best way to prepare for the future, is to understand the past.’
I spent a couple of days reading Gyprat’s insights into societal collapse (Frist hand experience of the collapse of the Soviet Union) over at AR15.COM, you all should check it out. In that thread, he mentioned how, during the Winter months, getting sufficient vitamins from food was a problem. – Take note.
Switching gears a bit, the graph/flow-chart at the beginning of this article is worth taking a look at, imho, to get an idea of what to maybe expect in the future and how to adjust to it, or, resist it?
https://mises.org/blog/vampire-economy-guenter-reiman
Bottom line [as a Freedomista, from a perspective of no particular ethnicity] if you can’t pass the, ‘The Jews In The Attic Test’ I’m A-ok with you having no clue – don’t take vitamins and minerals – they’re bad for you.
http://www.joehuffman.org/Freedom/JewsInTheAttic.htm
Go ahead, and get all your vaccine shots, too. They’re, *’proven’* to be perfectly safe.
Victims of vaccine damage can sue manufacturers in the US
https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/category/vaccinegate/
The widely unadvertised side effects of vaccines which surely don’t exist must surely be worth avoiding a runny nose or a bit of temporary pain, right?
I’ve read about it, but I haven’t seen the film, ‘Vaxxed’ yet, have you?
Ribbing – I do hope you can read, and, read between the lines. It’s too dang easy to unintentionally offend people with words online, especially when combined with bad grammer like mine.
In my tornado shelter bag I have a GP-5/SSB General Purpose World Receiver radio. It gets shortwave – and – HAM signals. So far, I like it a lot, but I have not tested it out enough to qualify it for the woman’s request for recommendations for stuff which works, backed up by a ton of research and practical applications. Perhaps, I’m making a mistake not having a two-way, but it’s a first step which I thought was worth mentioning.
One other product which I’m impressed by, Ballistol. I’ve only used it for a year or two, but so far, it lives up to its reputation. Some people mention they are thrown off by the smell, as far as I can tell, the smell goes away after awhile and all you’re left with is rust-resistance-lubricating joy.
I would like to find a more ‘editable’ lubricant, but until I do, I spray all my knives with it. It’s not perfect or everlasting, though. I sprayed the hinges to the door of my road-salt soaked 4×4 and it didn’t last all that long. Still, it beats the sheet out of WD-40 or anything else I’ve tested.
Also, the waterproof, flip-fold-and-clip bags they sell at Wallyworld, along with the el-cheap’O nylon bags about 5×10, 4×8, in a pack of three are great for dividing things in B.O.B.’s, G.H.B.’s, and tornado bags to help you find things, the different colors help SIGnificantly. i can’t stress the usefulness of those enough.
Make a tag, with some paper cover by water resistant tape, for good measure and ease of knowing what’s in the bag. List reducer.
P.S. – I LOVE the Wonder Bar -LOVE IT – [well, not actual ‘love’ but you know what I mean] however; in my tornado shelter bag, I have a bit thicker bar for digging out, as I’ve bent bars similar in thickness to the Wonderbar while prying on stuff, far too often. Ymmv.
Plus, I have one of those U.S. Army folding shovels which can be had for cheap. I use some extra thick heavy duty cargo velcro straps to attach a folding saw to it [like the one in the photo above] so it doesn’t jumble about. I’ve read that velcro fails after repeated uses so I try to only use it where it gets used infrequently.
Quite often, I’m hard on stuff. I try not to, ‘ride it hard, and put it away wet’ but it’s good to know about equipment which can withstand such punishment. That’s why I visit this blog.
I hope all that helps someone, To Live for Another Day. You know, like in a James Bond, or a Bourne film. Live and Let Die. Or, just simply, ‘home where you are’… so maybe I get an extra day, too, if you live.
I second (mostly) the list provided by Government Mule. My amendments would be to include:
1. As much cash as you can afford ($300 or more).
2. Specifically include a low lumen red lense flashlight.
3. Supplement or substitute freeze dried food with emergency survival rations, such as Mainstay rations from Survivor Industries.
I always have two machetes in my BOV. One is a Gerber 12″ blade with the saw tooth on top. The other is a 12″ Ontario Knife with the “D” handle. Either one is an effective self defense weapon (and far superior to a knife) if you are dumb enough to leave home with a firearm.
I’m surprised that military grade ponchos haven’t already shown up on the list. Tarps are incredibly important, but having a really good poncho enables you to keep moving in wet weather, plus it can serve as a shelter when needed.
…without a firearm…
Omg you’re right about the ponchos.. they’re so often forgotten. I feel like it’s one of those things I always forget, should go back and check my list posts to add ponchos to those. You’re of course completely right, they’re incredibly helpful to have on top of tarps, especially if you end up using your tarps for your shelter – you’ll need something to keep you very dry, too. Well especially here in the UK… would really come in handy.
Thanks for the comment!
In your GHB, carry:
Firearm/ammo!
10 – 20 oz silver
Flashlights
Batteries, batteries, batteries!
Fire starting kit (I carry two small jars of Vaseline-soaked cotton balls w/Bic lighters)
Freeze-dried meals
LifeStraw and backup Katadyn filter
I also carry an M48 tomahawk and a Gerber machete w/ sawtooth back
Thanks for the advice and for the tomahawk & machete recommendations. This is an excellent list. Definitely batteries – don’t want to forget batteries :). I like the idea of carrying the jars of Vaseline-soaked cotton balls with Bic lighters. Easy way to carry fire starting materials that would really ignite well.
I would only add that my long distance backpacking gear is a great comfort to me.
What do you use in particular?
Gerber Prodegy for a combat/survival knife. Blast Match and Wetfire tinder for fire starting. Celox packets/sponge & Israeli bandages for first aid. Sawyer Mini water filter (mini w/ squeeze bag). Also a canteen w/ pouch & metal canteen cup set (to boil water when needed, carry extra water and the set can be connected to your pack/belt for easy carry). Stanley Wonderbar (small prybar). Wool blend socks (nothing worse than sore feet when you must walk/hike/run). Sog Powerlock V-Cutter Multitool.
This is by no means an all inclusive list and as always, others may argue their validity. Just some items I have used and trust.
Excellent recommendations, thanks for sharing! There’s definitely a few items in that list we should get a hold of to review – the SOG Powerlock V-Cutter & the Gerber Prodigy for example.
Elise, I prefer having my Tesla Lighter as it is easily rechargeable and works in all types of outdoor conditions. I am also an avid Cacher. I have buried close to 25 different PVC tubes with emergency food/supplies to use if I ever have to leave my home and travel some distance. In my middle sixties, I don’t want to try and carry everything I need out in a backpack. I will utilize a 2-wheel game carrier to easily be able to carry much more than a pack on my back. Even a simple travois dragged behind me or a long pole on our shoulders will allow us to carry a lot more. Golf bag carts can be pretty useful also.
How have I never heard of the Tesla Lighter before? Thank you for pointing this out! Very cool item indeed.
& 2 wheel game carriers & golf bag carts – that’s an idea! Not the easiest thing to carry everything on your back if you’ve got a lot for sure.
Prepping equipment and supplies involves a whole lot more than just a simple list of preferred equipment. It needs to be broken down into manageable categories. I have EDC equipment/Bug Out Bags/Get Home Bag/Bug in Supplies/Car Bug Out Bag and Supplies, Food and Water supplies/Portable First Aid kits, Level 2 Primary SHTF First Aid Kit/Communication bag supplies, etc.
All fall under the category of prepping. All are inventoried and lists are kept with the equipment and in a master binder located in an accessible place with all family members aware of the location. Additionally, prepping is an ongoing project.
I think it would be better for this column to have the prepping supplies broken down into specific categories otherwise you’ll have a monster on your hands. I notice your prior articles are mostly about EDC Pocket/Purse dumps. Good place to start, then how about a EDC pouches, mini survival kits and what we have in them, followed by EDC knives/Axes we have and use. A good policy is KIS, keep it simple. JMHO!
Ha! That last line just got me laughing, after you broke down the “simplicity” of a catastrophic event or a total breakdown of government to the point of chaos in the streets causing a person to pull the plug and head for the hills with their bug-out bag in hand. By the time you get done “inventorying” all of your bags and pouches and stashes and whatever else you have in the form of kits and supplies and communications and this “Level 2 Primary SHTF First Aid Kit, [I don’t have a clue what that means short of a complete portable triage tent and supplies, maybe], you will have so much stuff that you will need a convoy of 4WD trucks to haul everything!! Man, when that time comes, I want to take whatever I can carry for necessary survival supplies and get the Hell out of Dodge!! Fire, water, food, and shelter are my main concerns in such a case and that will be more than I will be able to pack in for any great distances.
I’ll be you have all your shoes lined up in alphabetical order in your closet and sorted by color and type also, eh? It sounds like you are overthinking this whole concept of “bugging out” as a way to convert a wilderness survival or urban survival situation into a “just the way it was at home” type of thing.
I am a seasoned camper and have camped in a 5 lb. Eureka backpacking tent for many years. A buddy of mine who taught at the same college where I taught, decided to try camping on one of our planned teacher “man” trips into SoMO one weekend. We pulled up in front of his opulent home and tooted the horn and here he comes out of the house toting a large LEATHER suitcase AND a large nylon tent in a sack bigger than my entire weekend’s worth of equipment AND supplies! His wife is in tow carrying an air mattress still in the box, a sheet, a pillow w/pillowcase, and a light blanket, AND pulling a huge roll around cooler behind her! I almost needed to turn around and go back home to get my 12′ trailer to haul his stuff ……… for one weekend of camping!!
And that “good policy” you referred to is the acronym “KISS” aka, “Keep It Simple STUPID”, not “KIS” ……. but you already knew that, eh???
Ce la vie …….
Couldn’t let this pass as you attack me for no reason. My BOB is simple. Weighs 12 pounds has basic food, water, fire starting, shelter, clothing, hygiene basic first aid items. I inventory so I know what exactly is in the bag after it’s been sitting around for 6 months before I recheck it. I’m 65 and my memory isn’t quite what it used to be. Most items inventoried are for bugging in, I.e. Food stocks, emergency supply items, exactly what do I have available and where in the house it is works for me.
Personally, if I’m going to be prepared I like to know how much food I have on hand, calorie intake available, etc. You would think that makes sence?
My Level 2 First Aid kit is more comprehensive then my basic personal first aid kit, that’s all, more bandages, more antibiotics, dental kit, basic surgical kit, Celox, you know for those times a bandaid just won’t work?
The communications sling pouch I have for SHTF contains my HT dual band transceiver, extra batteries, J Pole portable antenna, portable handheld CB, and a portable SW radio.. I just keep it in one place Since I’m a Ham and SWLer.
. No I don’t need a convoy of four wheel drives. Everything for bugging out fits nicely in my SUV thank you. I don’t keep my shoes in Alfa/Numeric order, I can’t figure out where all your sarcasm comes from.? I’m not OCD, just like to keep things tidy. It works for me so that when the lights go out I can find what I need…..and yes I know KISS I just didn’t want to use stupid in my comment.
BTW, my tent weighs 2.5 pounds, and is four season rated. Bugging out is my last resort. Before you take anyone’s inventory, perhaps you need to look in the mirror and take your own? I’m glad you were never one of my teachers! Additionally when I was in the Army as a grunt we spent 2-3 weeks in the field camping out 6 times a year or more depending on deployment, along with week long or longer family camping trips when I was stationed in Colorado. I never did take to many weekend camping trips, our trips were extended ones.
I’ll write more about other gear later, but for now I would say that one of the best surprises has been my Condor Pack Golok. It cost around $70.00 (US), and is a MONSTER at chopping. It has an 11 inch blade and is about 1/4 inch thick. To me, it chops better than most hatchets I’ve used, and can be used as a machete as well. It’s very well balanced and comes with the usual awesome leather sheath. 1075 carbon steel. I’ve taken it camping a few times and have easily chopped through 12-16 inch logs in no time.
Thanks for the recommendation, Danjo! Seems like the kind of thing Thomas would really enjoy owning ;).
I ponder, which is better to have – a pellet gun – or a sling shot with a spare band. A spare band sure is cheaper to get than a spare pellet gun and you can almost never run out of sling shot ammo. Of course, the answer as to which to have is – both.
The Coleman company has a new flashlight out called, Battery Lock. It seems like this spells The End of having dead and corroded batteries in a flashlight tucked away somewhere, er at least a huge step in that direction.
For those who are not good at fishing, yet good with a knife, I would suggest getting some nylon string and some Eagle Claw hooks to use as a trot-line or didy-pole. Bait it, put it out, and you’re probably more likely to find a meal the next day than if you used a rod and reel. Plus, it’s a more stealthy method.
A casting net is good, too. Be prepared to go in the water to untangle it though. A practice run during a day at the beach can be fun.
Tarps are mentioned quite frequently by many, for use while staying at home, or travel by car, I would like to have a tarp like the big-rig truckers use, they are nothing like the tarps campers use. They are heavy duty tarps, water-proof, hard to rip and easy to patch multiple times, but they are HEAVY. While I have experience using them, I have yet to find where they can be purchased.
A tarp patch kit would be good to have as well, contact cement and or something similar to the old fashioned type of patch used to fix bicycle inner tubes.
I was never a ‘health nut’ and I used to think vitamins were something only astronauts needed. Tang was the closest I ever came to taking vitamins, but then, I did some reading…
Young athletes drop dead on the playing field from heart failure, I have read it is often due to not having enough magnesium in thier bodies. A good supply of vitamins and minerals would be good to have, and to take now, even if you think you are healthy, you might be missing something. Having vitamins and minerals – and knowing the best ratios to take – may even be more important than having a giant food stockpile.
Some preppers think they can get all the minerals they need from food, however; The Weston A. Price Foundation people have found that over the decades of intensive industrial farming practices the soil is depleted of minerals and is not replaced by the farmers, so the food is lacking in those needed minerals.
For instance, the ingredients list on every ‘Miracle Grow’ package I’ve looked at does not have magnesium listed.
Here’s some links to consider which vitamins and minerals are important to you – some things your doctor and the technocrats would likely never tell you –
Importance of Magnesium Is Far Greater Than Previously Imagined
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2012/12/joseph-mercola/importance-of-magnesium-is-far-greater-than-previouslyimagined/
This seems like THE BEST multi-vitamin anywhere –
https://lewrockwell.com/2016/12/bill-sardi/trouble-multivitamins/
Having some extra cheater reading glasses in ‘sizes’ higher than your current prescription would be good to have or to trade with. That said, if you wear eyeglasses, or think good vision is important, check this out –
https://lewrockwell.com/2017/05/bill-sardi/business-america-today/
There are many articles online which say how dangerous vaccines are, so this was nice to learn – Vitamin D Is More Effective Than Flu Vaccine, Study Says –
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2017/03/joseph-mercola/take-vitamin-d-2/
Having the right kind of salt on hand is important, too. If you have high blood pressure, or even are perfectly fine, you might want to read this –
http://blog.drbrownstein.com/lower-your-salt-intake-fugetaboutit/
I’ve been using a lot of coconut oil, they say it lasts forever and the health benefits are impressive. I’ve tried many brands, I think the Simply Nature brand is one of the best tasting – lowest cost – cold pressed products in my area. If I owned a warehouse or a root cellar, I’d buy a pallet load –
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/09/no_author/160-uses-for-coconut-oil/
Having said all that, a great BIG book I found which tells you what – should be – the vitamin and mineral levels and contents in milligrams and grams per serving in a huge number of plants and meats so you can have an idea of how much you’re getting and how much is enough to eat, is – ‘The World’s Healthiest Foods Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating’ by George Mateljan.
Perhaps you’ll value different foods differently after reading that?
I really like the commentary which can be found on the upper right drop-down box at BibleHub.com it explains the Bible better than anything I’ve ever come across. I just recently noticed you can get a free download from their website. Good for reading, if you find the internet is down and out.
Replace all your aluminum cookware with stainless steel. I know lightweight camp cookware is thought to be great because it’s lightweight, but aluminum is nasty stuff, the less of it around, the better, even if the air is filled with it… The Facts about aluminum toxicity, you can read more about that, here –
http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/
Myself, I would not replace aluminum cookware with copper cookware. This article briefly touches on a possible reason why –
Why Your Cardiologist Should Have Prescribed Zinc During Your Last Office Visit
‘Copper from plumbing may have altered the zinc/copper ratio in the diet.’ …
https://lewrockwell.com/2017/04/bill-sardi/cardiologist-prescribed-zinc/
I have been looking at the inexpensive butane camping burners as a good tool for cooking when the power is out short term, or for when you cannot light up a charcoal grill for whatever various reasons, however; I wonder how long the butane stays in the can while in storage. Do they slowly leak out similar to how a Bic butane lighter slowly fizzes out over time – and, how well do they work in freezing temps?
Last Winter I tested out using a wool stocking cap for the first time. I found it was superior to the cheap synthetic kinds I grew up using. Do you have any particular brand you like best?
A stocking cap, good boots, maybe wool socks, a hooded sweatshirt under canvas cotton bib coveralls are the best for Winter outer wear and indoor wear when the power goes out. That combo gives the best mobility and versatility. I know many say cotton is death, however; nylon rips too easy and wears out too fast to be useful as a pant, and I don’t live near a National Forrest, nor do I expect to ever be hiking through one during shtf. For pants, nylon is too noisy when you walk. I am a huge fan of Charthart bib-overalls, the kind with quality brass zippers up the leg to keep from overheating. That is prime, city or urban and high plains Winter survival gear, imho.
Maybe add a breathable lightweight waterproof hooded coat, canvas is too heavy as a jacket, most of the time. The Columbia brand with the fishnet liner on the inside is better to keep from sweating than the ones without. I never get one without a hood. Thrift stores such as The Salvation Army are great places to pick up spare ones at low prices while participating in the frugal revolution.
And, I can’t say enough good things about Columbia’s heavier down filled coats.
Whoops, this comment is turning into a book.
One last thing, while I am pretty good at BBQ, I am a terrible cook, but I recently learned how to make bone broth, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself and my family. I now know how to make a good soup with it. If you don’t, you should too. A cast iron or stainless steel stock pot with a really thick bottom is good to have. I would like to have a pricey All-Clad stockpot, but I am pretty happy with my inexpensive Chefmate brand stockpot.
Here’s a link to motivate you as to why you should make bone broth –
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-reasons-to-eat-more-collagen/
…Learning to can the broth with my All-American gasket-less pressure caner is ‘next’ on my list of things to do. I think that not relying on a gasket is a good move, the All-American is a well made piece of equipment.
Even-though we’re all dead in the long run, writing this comment sure has motivated me a bit more to try and stretch it out as long as I can in the short run and in the best way that I can.
More Than Just Surviving.
@helot – That’s quite an impressive list of concerns you explored, I will add some of my thoughts to the hash. If you are talking about a survival weapon for food and maybe personal defense at close range and the only choices would be a pellet gun or a slingshot, I would go with the pellet gun hands down. I would stock up on about 25 cans of pellets for my .22 cal. Benjamin Trail inert gas powered pellet rifle with the 4X40 scope on it. If I can see a squirrel or a rabbit in that scope, chances are it will be dead after the first pellet. This rifle is dead accurate up to about 40 yards as long as the wind isn’t blowing like crazy, and it has a 2 stage trigger like a more expensive target rifle is equipped with and would be powerful enough to bring down a bird as large as a pheasant or a grouse if you could catch one sitting. I am not much of a wing shot but food is food in a survival situation so you take it any way you can.
Regarding vitamins and minerals, I have read that liquid vitamins are the easiest for the body to assimilate, it has been proven that many forms of pill type vitamins cannot be broken down by the human body and pass right through and out the south end before any benefit is derived from the vitamins. Trace minerals, such as the magnesium you mentioned is lacking in most peoples’ diets since the coming of commercial food preparation and the use of such things as pesticides and herbicides in commercial farming operations and the GMO aberrations they are creating lately to pass off as “food”. I have seen accounts of magnesium, iron, and sulphur deficits in diets of “modern” grown and prepared commercial foods being the 3 that most are lacking. And many people are deficient in vitamin D because of the lack of outdoors time that many have to deal with in their hectic work schedules and busy times at home and not being able to simply get out in the sunlight and fresh air,[what there is of air that is still fresh].
There seems to be a wealth of information at the Lewrockwell website you posted and I have subscribed to their daily newsletter to see what they have to offer. And I have been a follower of Mark Sisson and his cave buddy Grok for many years, he is a walking breathing prime example of good living, eating, and exercise in a senior citizen. He has a photo of himself doing chin ups on an outdoors gazebo type oriental structure on his website and his entire back is ripped like a mid-20’s weight trainer instead of a guy in his 60’s!!
All wool stocking type cap for winter wear?? Get yourself a 100% wool Navy watch cap, they can be worn rolled up on top of your head for pulled down over your ears when the need arises. You can also go to Rothco’s website and find them. Rothco makes much of the military issue outerwear nowadays and I own one of their OD/orange reversible flight jackets and one of their black field jackets, a military type vest with a concealed carry reinforced pocket left and right inside the vest. I also have 2 of their black watch caps and they are a God send on a cold windy winter day down here in the Panhandle of FL, I also have used them up North when I lived in the REAL winters so they are time and temp proven in my book.
Stainless steel is better than aluminum cookware for home and camp cooking and I would sacrifice the added weight in a “bug-out” situation as it would hold up much longer than aluminum over an open fire. Now, if someone like Lodge ever comes up with a light weight cast iron line of cookware …… well, Katy bar the door then!! I cook with cast iron at home and the only reason I wouldn’t consider carrying my cast iron skillets and 12″ Dutch Oven with me on a long term survival trek into the back country would be the weight. I haven’t owned a pack mule for over 40 years and that would be a necessity if you wanted to play Cowboy Kent Rollins in the wilderness!! But he’s still my cooking idol, you can have all the bleach blond frizzy haired chefs who are popular on all these fandangled cook competition shows on the boob tube, I’ll take Cowboy Kent and his chuckwagon and ol’ Bertha any day!!!
’nuff said, it’s time to assume a horizontal position for a few hours of REM and CPAP. It’ll all look better in the mornin’ …….
Oops, I forgot to mention MY favorite prepper item, among many others, it is my homemade “Fire Piston” which I have used for my fire starting go to method for some time now.
C:\Users\Tom\Dropbox\IMG_0786.JPG
I don’t know if this will work or not but here goes ……..
That’s what I get for trying this at Odark30 in the morning!!
I spent a year playing around with various man-made fire makers, including the fire piston. Of all of them, the fire piston was the most difficult to work with and the least consistent.
There are a couple of fire steels that go beyond just a regular fire steel… strike it, and you’ll see molten metal fly off, not just a few sparks. It’s a particular kind of metal called misch metal by goinggear.com. The other one I carry is the Gobspark by firesteel.com.
I could go on and on about the advantages and disadvantages of most of the popular fire making tools, but I’ll restrain myself because it’s late & I’m tired. There are a few YouTube vids that compare various man-made fire makers.
Yeah I wish you guys could upload pictures to the comments, but sadly doesn’t work out so well :(. Part of the reason why we started the forum.
A DIY Fire Piston is such a good idea. Need to try that out!
Thanks for the novel, Helot! :)
Quite a lot to comment on so I’ll pick my favourite topics to talk about.
I need to research health topics more, but I’ve been on something of a health kick for the past year, trying to improve my diet slowly and steadily and it’s worked. Cut out as much sugar as I could, which I felt is the most important thing to do since too much sugar in your diet increases the chances of heart disease:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugar-increases-the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021
Now that I’m eating much healthier, I’ll be looking into as many things as possible. Not sure about vitamins, I’ve heard it said that they’re actually a marketing gimmick, but I haven’t formed a solid opinion yet as I haven’t dug in enough.
When it comes to clothes – I can never for some reason find a hat that’s durable that I like. Wool is amazing, so is cotton – I think cotton gets a bad rap. But of course where you buy your clothes from makes a huge difference. Here in the UK I’m spoiled by military surplus being sooo cheap. Nothing better in terms of quality, though I must admit, my mom brought back my Columbia jacket – one that’s got mylar I think it is on the inside – oh my goodness so warm. The only thing that kept me toasty back in Canada. Quality clothing is worth the money. I try to buy second hand whether that’s with eBay or charity shops; I feel like every time I buy something new I end up disappointed at the quality, so I might as well have bought something secondhand for cheaper at that rate.
I’m so lucky to have Thomas – he’s an amazing cook, though that’s made me a bit too lax about not even bothering to learn to cook at all. Not that I ever had any interest before, but I do think it’s important.
Thanks for the comments and the links. A lot to delve into! :)
I was thinking about your comment, ‘Not sure about vitamins, I’ve heard it said that they’re actually a marketing gimmick’…
As a starting point in forming my own conclusions, one of the first bits of info I delved into years ago began with the story of how sailors on wooden sailing vessels cured and prevented scurvy with vitamin C from fruit. I imagine that at that time some sailors were skeptical about such facts. I think it’s indisputable nowdays..
I know some people who live on fast food, potato chips, etc, and practically never eat vegetables and almost never eat fruit, they complain of all the symptoms listed for scurvy. One of them saw a doctor, the doctor prescribed a vitamin. The person didn’t say which vitamin, but I can guess which, and why. It’s too bad they have no further interest and continue on the same way as before.
‘Why Patients Use Natural Remedies – Because Modern Medicine has No Cures’
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/11/bill-sardi/why-patients-use-natural-remedies/
I think ‘they’ discovered, sometime around World War II, that IP6 does the same as vitamin C, but I couldn’t easily find the link .
Food for thought. I hope your journey yields success.
1) A good bushcraft knife. Fallkniven A1 is a do-everything knife which won’t break, the convex grind maintains a working edge forever, and won’t corrode. Esee-6 is a good knife as well, with a great warranty, but high carbon steel will corrode and it doesn’t maintain a working edge as long as the Fallkniven.
2) Sawyer squeeze water filtration. Boiling water takes much time and resources, and the Sawyer squeeze system is the best water filter I’ve ever found. Zero chemical taste, removes bacteria and parasites, weighs nothing, and is much more flexible than Lifestraw.
3) Firesteel. I live in the Pacific Northwest and while dry tinder and fat wood can be found and used even in a rainstorm, the materials for fire drills and plows are often not.
If I could only take three things, those would be it and I could survive. If I got a fourth, I’d choose an Aqua Quest Safari 10 x 10 tarp and I’d thrive..
The word, ‘squeeze’ is a keyword. The filter might last for a million gallons, but how long does the squeeze part last?
I am not a big fan of flexible plastic, I look for real durability in most products. Is it there?
Yah, the Lifestraw will shatter when someone accidentally steps on it, but there’s no pumps or squeezes about it as a point of failure.
And, how does the squeeze portion of the filter hold up in cold weather conditions? It gets brutally dry here in Winter, I cannot imagine a flexible plastic lasting very long at all under those conditions. I’m no expert in this area, just asking.
You don’t squeeze the filter, the “squeeze” is referring to the bags, which you don’t even need to squeeze as you can simply suck water through the filter.. The filter itself can be used as a straw, as a gravity filter, as a traditional filter to fill bottles. The Sawyer is the same as the Lifestraw, but with more flexibility in terms of use. the item itself is not flexible but hard plastic.
Thanks for that clarification, Jake. I’ve read quite a bit about their filtration abilities, which is impressive, but I’ve never used a Sawyer. The words, ‘plastic bags’ are like a great big red flag in this part of The Northland.
Do you have any thoughts about how to keep your filter from freezing during the Winter? The thing I like about the Lifestraw is that it could easily hang from a lanyard around your neck to keep it from freezing. I would think the Sawyer is bit round for that. I don’t know.
I like to keep my jacket pockets empty, even then, I’m not sure putting a water filter in a coat pocket would keep it from freezing.
It’s not a big issue, of course, but I like to have the ability cover as many bases as I can. Which is what you’re saying about flexibility.
None of the water filters I’ve ever read about do well after the first use if they are exposed to freezing temps. I suppose something like a battery powered sock might work, somewhat? I’m prolly over-thinking the subject and I hope to never have to put any of this knowledge to use.
I feel like I should add, I didn’t intend to re-hash the thread at http://morethanjustsurviving.com/lifestraw-personal-water-filter-review/
Don’t worry ;) Rehash all you want – if the questions need answering, they should be asked. Hopefully someone else will be able to help, though, cause I unfortunately don’t know the answer to the questions about freezing temps at all. Sorry, Helot!
Thanks for the recommendation on the Fallkniven A1 – think we should grab one for a review!
The Sawyers I feel like a lot of people recommend as being just slightly better than the LifeStraw. Unfortunately haven’t tested it out for ourselves seeing as how we bought one to try but it’s still back in Canada. Need to get on that once we go back for a visit!
Thanks so much for the recommendation on the Aqua Quest tarp. Sometimes it’s hard to know which brands are better for tarps without recommendations – there’s some really crummy quality tarps out there.