What Preps are you doing this week

[lonewolf]

fine, good day was had by all, took us about 2 hours to get there, A30 then A303, first OH wanted to go to Clarks Shopping Village in Street, so I had a wander around the high street and in the cheap shop and the butchers, got a bushcraft magazine in Smiths, OH came back to the car and we went to Glastonbury, looked for some of my "alternative" friends but I guess they were already on the festival site at Worthy Farm, had lunch at one of the corner cafe's and had a look around the book shops, then did some shopping at the hardware shop, then came home across country(I never return home the same way I travelled out..thats boring), too many people in Somerset that's one of the reasons we moved and came home to rural Devon, but was a good day out,must have been the hottest day of the year so far. we're off again on Sunday morning, big car boot in Exeter, up at 5AM

[2ndRateMind]

Hi buddies.

I haven't posted in a while, but I haven't forgotten you.

Here's a piccy of some kit I've gradually bought over the last 35 years.

resized.jpg (27.5 KiB) Viewed 1442 times

Left to right, but otherwise in no particular order, you're looking at:

1. My 35 litre car boot. Not driving at all, this is my general purpose rucksack for everyday shopping, etc. It's actually a special forces daybag, but I like it because it has MOLLE bands and is too small for me to load it with a weight I can't subsequently carry all the way home.

2. My expedition rucksack. A Karrimor 85 litre Jaguar. My first purchase, and I still love it. It's such a comfortable carry. I use it for extended camping trips. It's due for replacement soon, though.

3. Jack Pyke 3 in 1 hunter's jacket. Warm and waterproof, with more features than I care to list. Google it; it's a good piece of kit.

4. Belt order (and, underneath, MOLLE assault vest). The belt order goes with me foraging. It carries water in one pouch and edc stuff in the other. The assault vest I bought for being unable to find a yoke that fitted my belt order. It didn't work, and I don't use it. I keep it now just in case it someday proves useful.

5. My weekend warrior adventuring kit. Conceptually based around the 58 pattern webbing I used in the army, but adapted for prepping, civilian use. The yoke and belt came, eventually and most recently, via a company called 'Bulldog'. The pouches are mainly 'Viper'. This is what I use for 24-48 hour 'reconnaissance' trips around the local area. The whole contains 48hrs rations, sleeping, camping, emergency and cooking stuff. If my housing block ever caught fire, this also would be what I grab on the way out.

Basically, I've gone for olive green, because I like to be unobtrusive in the countryside without being too military. But these days, much of the best kit is produced in multicam, designed for forces use. I might have to alter my strategy! And, just to say, I love the MOLLE system; it's such a radical improvement on the stuff we got issued with, 30 years ago, suit it or not. MOLLE allows you to tailor your gear to each adventure, as well as your personal preferences.

So, those are my bug out options. There's still gear I want, but right now I'm more concentrated on stocking up food, etc, for bug in scenarios, which, I think, are the more likely to occur.

Comments welcome!

Warm regards to you all, 2RM.

[Arzosah]

Lack of experiencing other cultures even if only on holidays will leave gaps in the way you socially interact with others, still its your very sad and great loss. I've had two periods of my life living overseas and loved every moment, opened my eyes to the way others think and certainly made me more aware of others.

I'm just catching up with the travel debate, having been away ill for ages... I'm a traveller, always have been, always will be as long as I've the money to do it, or the time to do it even more cheaply than I do now when my income goes kerpluie ... but part of travelling, and of genuinely experiencing other cultures, is respecting them. In Istanbul, I took my shoes off and put a scarf on my head to enter a mosque, and made sure I did so where I could see women's shoes. In Greece, I rigged up an impromptu skirt from a jumper (tied the arms around my legs!) so I could legitimately go into an Orthodox nunnery to look around. In expat Africa, I didn't spend my time being a missionary for multiculturalism, and only spoke up about their prejudice when I could see a helpful opening. And when I'm in a part of the world where there are no tourists at all, I'll explore on my own but not treat them as if they're there for my viewing delectation, and be respectful of their way of life.

Same goes over here - people have choice, and if they know there are other options, and still choose to live the way they do, then thats their choice, as long as they're not infringing on the rights of others. I just hunted out a postcard I keep close, a quote from someone called Wade Davis (and, erm, I have no idea who he is, sorry):
The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you: they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.
You could say that thats the insight that travelling gives you, but we need to apply that at home as well.

[moocher]

Hi buddies.

I haven't posted in a while, but I haven't forgotten you.

Here's a piccy of some kit I've gradually bought over the last 35 years.

resized.jpg

Left to right, but otherwise in no particular order, you're looking at:

1. My 35 litre car boot. Not driving at all, this is my general purpose rucksack for everyday shopping, etc. It's actually a special forces daybag, but I like it because it has MOLLE bands and is too small for me to load it with a weight I can't subsequently carry all the way home.

2. My expedition rucksack. A Karrimor 85 litre Jaguar. My first purchase, and I still love it. It's such a comfortable carry. I use it for extended camping trips. It's due for replacement soon, though.

3. Jack Pyke 3 in 1 hunter's jacket. Warm and waterproof, with more features than I care to list. Google it; it's a good piece of kit.

4. Belt order (and, underneath, MOLLE assault vest). The belt order goes with me foraging. It carries water in one pouch and edc stuff in the other. The assault vest I bought for being unable to find a yoke that fitted my belt order. It didn't work, and I don't use it. I keep it now just in case it someday proves useful.

5. My weekend warrior adventuring kit. Conceptually based around the 58 pattern webbing I used in the army, but adapted for prepping, civilian use. The yoke and belt came, eventually and most recently, via a company called 'Bulldog'. The pouches are mainly 'Viper'. This is what I use for 24-48 hour 'reconnaissance' trips around the local area. The whole contains 48hrs rations, sleeping, camping, emergency and cooking stuff. If my housing block ever caught fire, this also would be what I grab on the way out.

Basically, I've gone for olive green, because I like to be unobtrusive in the countryside without being too military. But these days, much of the best kit is produced in multicam, designed for forces use. I might have to alter my strategy! And, just to say, I love the MOLLE system; it's such a radical improvement on the stuff we got issued with, 30 years ago, suit it or not. MOLLE allows you to tailor your gear to each adventure, as well as your personal preferences.

So, those are my bug out options. There's still gear I want, but right now I'm more concentrated on stocking up food, etc, for bug in scenarios, which, I think, are the more likely to occur.

Comments welcome!

Warm regards to you all, 2RM.

An I thought I was bad,got 2 lots of webbing in loft,and just bought a Bergen at car boot today.

[Briggs 2.0]

I'm still on a no-prepping vacation. no water filtering, no stockpiling, no bushcrafting, no woodcutting. I did pick up a new tarp after some drunken eBay shopping earlier in the week and I rigged that up for a night outside in the hammock but otherwise I've done nothing and it feels good.

[Plymtom]

Same goes over here - people have choice, and if they know there are other options, and still choose to live the way they do, then thats their choice, as long as they're not infringing on the rights of others. I just hunted out a postcard I keep close, a quote from someone called Wade Davis (and, erm, I have no idea who he is, sorry):
The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you: they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.
You could say that thats the insight that travelling gives you, but we need to apply that at home as well.

What I was and remain a little surprised about is that Rik thought me odd or depraved in some way, by my lack of enthusiasm for long range travel, I as do my kids suffer from motion sickness, don't have a lot of money and never have so live life the way I do with the hand I have been dealt, this doesn't mean I don't think others who are inclined and can afford to shouldn't, in fact I like to hear their stories, I can get into their heads and it saves me a fortune

A few other phrases which cause puzzlement for me have been "where do you drink?" a phrase I often used to hear around these parts meaning of course what pub do you frequent as if it was mandatory.
"What team do you support?" often asked by men to other men at work, who thought me weird when I said simply "I don't"

When you're a bloke who doesn't enjoy the usual ball games ( or sport as a whole) hates soap operas, won't dance,aren't religious they assume your life to be flawed, but no I like shooting, archery, play guitar, keyboards and sing (in my youth in a rock band, duo, or all on my own) I like to go walking ( though parts of me complain about it) I'd go camping, bushcrafting, if life hadn't taken the health of my family to the extent that only the odd day trip is possible.

Whatever you do, enjoy it, after all a Doomsday Prepper can be a happy bunny knowing their chances of continued interaction with those of us who don't turn into Zombies are better than the unprepared person's.

Briggs.. you've probably earned you're little vacation.. nice night for it last night was I hope you enjoyed it

[Decaff]

Just added to my stores:

4 packets noodles, chicken curry and chicken flavours
2 tins chunky soups, beef with dumplings and chicken with vegetables
2 tins beans with Lincolnshire sausages
1 jar crunchy peanut butter
2 boxes cup a soups chicken noodle and mushroom
3 bars milk chocolate
1 bar dark chocolate

Chocolate and peanut butter right at the back or I will just eat my way through them!

Just need to log it all onto my spread sheet with the rest of my supplies.

It makes me feel I can breathe a bit easier as my stocks grow and I do try to pick up something every time I go to the shops even if just a bag of pasta or rice. Will do a bigger shop when I get paid. Need the home bargains shop to open near me to get lots more water, noodles and tinned goodies.

[jansman]

Today I have been tidying my workshop. Then the yard. All to make everything more accessible. Once I had bench space I repaired the door to the ash box on my wood stove. Won't go into detail but a bit of crafty bench grinding and filing and I have saved having to buy a new stove- cannot get the bits for it anymore. What a surprise! Anyhow, it is now operational again

[junmist]

Still unpacking boxes slowly getting the shed into shape and sorting out the loft Found out to day that my health has deteriorated again but still managing the power walking but running is out

[nickdutch]

Ordered my weight bench so that I can work on my physical fitness a lot better. The bench plus my dumbbells plus my elliptical trainer and my resistance bands should provide me with all that I need, at least for this part of my development into fitness.