What I'm covering in my prep

[Meta]

Hey you lovely people, just read through far more posts on here than I should be doing at work. The site is great and everyone seems incredibly forthcoming with support / information, which is really unusual from my experience!!

I wanted to go through a couple of bits I have covered myself / family for & would really appreciate any advice or tips you may have.

I grew up next to dartmoor and have worked with (unable to serve due to breaking my hand beyond 'acceptable' function) a couple branches of the armed forces - mainly rescuing / training new recruits in & around dartmoor, so outside is where I am most comfortable in a screwy situation.

I recently took my son on a 20 mile wild camping / hiking trip across dartmoor which was an awesome refresher and I have managed to convince my other half to do a 'bushcraft' 48 hours in the countryside (she's ex army, but has become very attached to her creature comforts )

My bug out bag(s) - there is a large version in my car and a smaller version in my other half car consist of:

Knife
Compass
Map
Fire Steel
Char cloth
Signal Mirror
First Aid Kit
Snap Lights
Torches (and spare batteries)
Mini Stove
500ml stainless cup for cooking / drinking
Lifestraw
Collapsable water container
Multi Tool
Gaffer Tape
Zip Ties
Trap Wire
Paracord
Tarp
Poncho
Water
Food - have boil in bags and a couple of jars of peanut butter (1,000's of calories in a very small container).

We both have maps of UK with three different locations marked - so should we be split up, we will know how to find each other.

Sounds like overkill I know, but this all fits in a pretty small rucksack with another in each car with basic changes of clothes for the family (primarks finest - but its an emergency right).

I also have reasonable (3-4 weeks) supplies of things like rice, pasta, tinned food in the house as space is a major factor for us I cannot add any more. This is the reason I have focused more on catching food than storing it. I am a reasonable trapper, ok at fishing, but have my BSA Lighting air rifle which I am confident I would be able to feed the family with for a reasonable extended time.

Is there something you would be doing differently? Am I going OTT? Am not really sure what I am prepping for in particular but I am convinced that in the near future I will be relying on these things.

[pseudonym]

Is there something you would be doing differently?

Nope.

Am I going OTT?

Do you think you are?

Am not really sure what I am prepping for in particular but I am convinced that in the near future I will be relying on these things.

Best reason to prep.


You don't have to convince anyone apart from yourself and your immediate family. If they are all on board, prep away.

Everyone here preps for different reasons, all have one thing in common......

We Prep. Our future is in our hands to a certain extent.

Makes me warm and fuzzy.

[Meta]

Is there something you would be doing differently?

Nope.

Am I going OTT?

Do you think you are?

Am not really sure what I am prepping for in particular but I am convinced that in the near future I will be relying on these things.

Best reason to prep.


You don't have to convince anyone apart from yourself and your immediate family. If they are all on board, prep away.

Everyone here preps for different reasons, all have one thing in common......

We Prep. Our future is in our hands to a certain extent.

Makes me warm and fuzzy.

Thanks for this - glad there are some like minded people about To be honest I don't think I am too OTT with it, was just when I wrote it all down - I thought 'how much have I spent on that!!'

But with doing some bush craft days and hiking with the kids it does get used. And my other half is just as bad as I am really...

[Arzosah]

Hey you lovely people, just read through far more posts on here than I should be doing at work. The site is great and everyone seems incredibly forthcoming with support / information, which is really unusual from my experience!!

I wanted to go through a couple of bits I have covered myself / family for & would really appreciate any advice or tips you may have.

Hello

My bug out bag(s) - there is a large version in my car and a smaller version in my other half car consist of:
contents of bug out bag snipped here

We both have maps of UK with three different locations marked - so should we be split up, we will know how to find each other.

Sounds like overkill I know, but this all fits in a pretty small rucksack with another in each car with basic changes of clothes for the family (primarks finest - but its an emergency right).

If you're certain that its bugging out thats most likely, there's levels of bugout - a chemical spill on the local main road says that some directions are no-nos. A riot at the railway station says something else. Concerted terrorist attacks in your area might well mean you need a bug out location further away - I'm absolutely not saying don't bug out, but I am saying, don't overkill on bugging out - Americans are very suspicious of FEMA, for instance, but our version of a FEMA camp will be the WRVS or St John's Ambulance or the WI with a cup of tea and a cheese sandwich. Along with the recruits you currently help train.

You need to take environment and environmental disasters into account too - no good bugging out for 50 miles if you're surrounded by floods.

I also have reasonable (3-4 weeks) supplies of things like rice, pasta, tinned food in the house as space is a major factor for us I cannot add any more. This is the reason I have focused more on catching food than storing it. I am a reasonable trapper, ok at fishing, but have my BSA Lighting air rifle which I am confident I would be able to feed the family with for a reasonable extended time.

Thats really interesting - practising the skills of trapping/fishing/shooting would be good (I know of somebody who regularly shoots their own pet food, which is great practice). What about supplies for these methods of hunting? Reloading, making your own flies, mending nets, all that sort of thing? What about learning to forage greens?

Is there something you would be doing differently? Am I going OTT? Am not really sure what I am prepping for in particular but I am convinced that in the near future I will be relying on these things.

I'd say, have a think about what you're prepping for, because thats important. What kind of life are you leading when you use the preps you've listed, and how long would you be living it? I'm not sure if you live near Dartmoor now***, but what would it be like to bug out during winter? Would it be possible to stay in your living space for some problems that may arise?

Do you work away from home at all? What do you have with you when you do that?


Mmmm .... your bug out list doesn't have any soap, hand gel, toilet paper, trowel for burying waste, no wind up radio. Or phone.

Really interesting exercise, thanks for posting


***just seen your listing on the page describes you as being in Milton Keynes, doh!

[Meta]

Hi Arzosah,

Thanks for the great reply

I have the bug out option as a last resort, I also have the materials stored under my decking to be able to barricade windows / doors on the ground floor. My plan would be to stay put if possible, but 'run for the hills' if needed (not that MK has any hills).
The locations I have for bug out are 1, local, 1 southern and 1 northern - depending on issue causing the bug out.

In terms of shooting, i practice very regularly - both live and target. I keep a stock of around 4,000 pellets for the air rifle (and replacement spring, seals and service kit) and for fishing / trapping I have what I consider to be a large surplus of materials as it was cheaper to buy in bulk.

I don't live near Dartmoor any more unfortunately - but i do get there regularly. I have spent a couple of weeks on 'moors in winter without any major issues - it can get really cold, but there are plenty of ways to resolve that. Cant really use open fires tho as the ground is so peaty you can cause huge amounts of damage.

Good shout on the toiletries - I should have mentioned I have in the pack tissues, wipes, dry wash and some soap that is suitable for use in rivers without harming wildlife (as that may end up being your food) - I also have one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

Straps to the side of the bag easily - a little larger than ideal, but i also use it when out on my mountain bike to fix trails.

I do need to get myself a wind up radio, am not overly concerned about the phone as if a true bug out situation happens, I get the feeling there will be plenty to salvage from less prepared people. Also, I would fully anticipate telecommunication infrastructure to be one of the first things taken down in a SHTF scenario.

I will see if i can get some pics together of the pack and post on here - Im quite pleased with it, am trying to cover all eventualities but I do completely agree that the safest place will be in your home if you can stay there. In MK I'm quite fortunate being on the outer boundaries so there is a lot of water and green areas with the usual rabbits, birds, squirrels and fish. My only concern would be the number of others tapping into the same resource.

Thanks

[Arzosah]

Hi Arzosah,

Thanks for the great reply

You're welcome

I do need to get myself a wind up radio, am not overly concerned about the phone as if a true bug out situation happens, I get the feeling there will be plenty to salvage from less prepared people. Also, I would fully anticipate telecommunication infrastructure to be one of the first things taken down in a SHTF scenario.

Your reply post sounded great, but this paragraph has stuck with me. Your second point first: there are plenty of situations that would need you to bug out (floods, for example) that would mean the telecoms infrastructure would still be operating, past a certain point anyway.

Your first point *really* concerns me, though I hope its just a matter of phrasing: "salvaging from less prepared people"? Can you say what you mean by that?

[Meta]

I was thinking along the lines of a nightmare situation, disease, riot, political coup etc - where I have made the assumption that phones etc would be left. But thinking about it, I haven't considered the 'what if everyone takes them with them'.

Also - I hadn't really though about floods etc and you are right - thinking about it - there are plenty of situations my phone could get damaged and I still need mobile / telecoms, I will pick myself up a cheap phone to keep in the pack just in case.

Thanks for that, made me think a little more on some of the other bits I have - will add the phone and radio, have also seen other posts about having important docs on USB - again something I hadn't thought of & will include this too

[Arzosah]

Sounds good, Meta - I think you've probably been doing something we all do, preparing for a full-blown apocalypse when local apocalypsesesses like happened in the Somerset Levels a few years ago is comparatively more likely.

All power to your elbow

[Meta]

Sounds good, Meta - I think you've probably been doing something we all do, preparing for a full-blown apocalypse when local apocalypsesesses like happened in the Somerset Levels a few years ago is comparatively more likely.

All power to your elbow

Guilty

[Arzosah]

There's a reason why fiction shows the end of the world, etc, and not "ooh, we had to rough it for two weeks using the camping stove in the kitchen"