IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY

[Bladerunner]

Hi guys (and gals),

My birthday is coming up soon and wifey will be spending about £100 on me, yippee.

Unfortunately, I can't think of what to ask for.

I have a dehydrator, a food saver, nice army bergen, sleeping bag, tent, dozens of firesteels, a few knives, a machette, wind up lanterns and radios, tarps, survival mirrors, compasses, torches, gloves, scarfs, snoods, bandanas, paracord, kelly kettle, etc.

What I am asking is, if it was your birthday, and you could have whatever you wanted for £100, what would you ask for.

You can have 1 item for £100 or 100 items for £1 or anything in between.

It can be anything survival or prepping related.

I look forward to your ideas with baited breath.
Be lucky

[Red Doe]

Well, was thinking earlier, that we all tend to prep on a solely practical level. But I have a feeling that after TSHTF, entertainment would be extremely lauded and welcome.
Think of it...we either are tv fans, music (played by some kind of electric media), or have hobbies which involve some kinda fuel, expense, etc, y`know?
I was thinking that in a world where subsistence was all there was, someone who could cheer the downtimes by playing music, or storytelling, or something out of the ordinary, would more than pay for his supper and keep in any group.
Long winded way of saying, why does it have to be purely practical if you already have most of what you need?
Why not do something crazy and learn the guitar or, if not that, buy as many dvd`s as you wish that have prepping or surviving disasters as a theme.

[beefy0978]

What about a bow or a cheap air rifle???

[smileyt]

A water filter? Either a berkey or a portable thing like a lifestraw?

Waterbutts for the garden?

Gift voucher from a seed company so you can stock up on seeds?

Board games for entertainment?

Or give the £100 to me - I'll definitely be able to find something to spend it on

[Furrytired]

How about a really good pair of walking boots or a good coat? They can be used and enjoyed even if it isn't the end of the world! Happy Birthday!

[Technik]

Happy Birthday mate!

I would probably get a katana (samurai sword), although you can't buy a decent one for £100 so maybe a comforting present, something that would give you some joy even after a disaster, with no electricity.... I remember seeing old movies where they had those old wind up turntables, all you would need are vinyls of your choice and you're sorted

[preppingsu]

How about shares in a few pigs or a cow?
Then you get lots of lovely meat.......

[Bladerunner]

Thanks for the quick replies, some great ideas there, thanks.

I don't have anywhere to put any animals at the moment but when I get some land I will defo be getting chickens. I couldn't physically kill an animal to eat. Hypochritical as I eat meat but I would find it easier to kill someone who threatening my family than a poor innocent animal.

I have 2 samurai swords, one is not sharpened but you could shave with the other one.

I like the turntable idea. I have an ipod with a solar charger and a wind up charger for after we loce electricity. It has tons of music on it as well as all my survival videos. Ray Mears, Dual Survival, Survivorman, Ron Hoods, etc. Not a massive fan of Bear Grylls. Whilst he is very entertaining if you followed his advice you would be dead within a week.

I am definately after a good pair of boots and an M65 jacket. I bought a No Fear ski jacket from Sports World which wasn't too expensive. Very warm, waterproof, lots of pockets, inner sleaves with the thumb hole. At the moment this is my Bug Out Jacket. Survival tin in the pocket along with cereal bars, firesteel, knife, compass, torch, etc. It's getting quite heavy but not as noticable if you are wearing it.

I have 8 water straws, a water butt, a water bottle with fitted filter, water purification tablets, Potassium Permangenate and Sodium Chlorite so water shouldn't be a problem. I also have a ton of empty 2 litre pop bottles which are ready to fill up with my emergency water. Not much use if I don't get any notice so I might start filling them up now and rotate them. I also have some 5 litre camping water carriers from the pound shop which will come in handy. One thing I have asked for is a Millbank bag. Wifey is working on that one.

The guitar idea is good but I am not very musical and I would prefer to keep myself to myself after the SHTF. I do believe that a skill is one of the most important things after the end of the world. you can trade it for food and supplies plus no one can kill you for it like food or other stuff. I just hope to be self sufficient before the time comes.

I was thinking of a good air rifle or cross bow Beefy. I think my favourites so far are the Bow, Rifle, Boots and Jacket. I am haggling a swap at the moment with a guy who has a good pair of meindl boots. Just need to find something he wants as much as I want the boots.

Thanks for all the ideas and keep them coming, they are appreciated. It might give someone else an idea of what they can ask for when it is their birthday.

Be lucky

[Bladerunner]

For those of you who might be interested, here is what I got for my birthday.

Birthday2.jpg (41.95 KiB) Viewed 2188 times

1) Cobra Slingshot with ammo.

2) Pair of Army Desert Boots.

3) Bear Grylls Gerber Parang

4) Millbank Bag Water Filter.

5) Fire Piston with Charcloth & Tinder

6) Hexamine Stove with additional fuel tablets.

7) Commando Pullover.

8) Mora Knife

9) Commando Wire Saw

10) New book on Earthships based on UK Earthships.

11) Mike Reynolds 3rd book on building Earthships

12) Not In Pic 58 Pattern Water Bottle & Cup

I am quite happy with these additions to my kit. I was surprised at the fire piston but wifey was talked into this by the guy in the shop. I have over a dozen Firesteels and tons of Peanut Lighters so this is surplus to requirements but it doesn't hurt to have something extra.

The Earthship books are great particularly the one that is based in the UK.

You can't have too many knives and the Mora is a good addition to my other knives. The Parang (Yang Kipperbang) is a sturdy bit of kit. I actually asked for a Kuhkri but I can wait till Christmas.

Been after a Millbank bag for a while now and they are getting more difficult to track down. Even Endicott's can't get hold of them. Now I can filter my Waterbutt water and boil it on my Hexi stove if I have to.

The Commando saw is for a Survival tin I am putting together. This will be my third tin, I always keep one in my Bug Out Jacket and one in my BOB.

The Boots are really comfy and I think they have steel toecaps which is a bonus. They take an age to get off though as you have to undo them to about half way otherwise they are still too tight. This involves actually removing the laces from the eyes on about the top 3 layers of eylets which then have to be re-threaded to get them back on.

The Catapult was a bit of a whim request. Doesn't hurt to have one but I am more likely to shoot myself so it probably DOES hurt to have one.

Well that is what I got. I also got a cheque for £15 from a relative, not sure what to get with that. Now I just have to start on a list for Christmas. Any ideas?

Be lucky

[jansman]

Just practise with the catapult-best food gathering kit you'll own.I take pigeons frequently,and rabbits occasionally .I make my own but those Barnetts aren't bad to start-and you can get spare bands EASY.The catapult is a very overlooked bit of kit.BTW happy birthday!