If you have ever discovered a nest of baby bunnies in your yard, or perhaps you have raised your own, you likely noticed that their little eyes remain firmly shut for the first days of their lives, unable to see. It is definitely adorable, but the little things seem so helpless. Despite our sentiments, there … Read more
Preparing for a long-term survival situation, or just a massive downturn in society, means accumulating the right gear, supplies, and provisions. The one provision that most of us are predominantly preoccupied with is food, and with good reason. You might be able to go without food for weeks and still survive, but slow starvation will … Read more
In some cultures around the world, insects feature heavily on the menu. Throughout Asia, Africa and South America bugs make up an important resource of nutrition. Similarly, bugs have commonly been turned to as a food of desperation by those in survival situations or living in times of extreme lack. It sounds gross, and it … Read more
Probably the most popular, and the most common, theoretical survival situation that preppers game out is that of a woodland survival scenario. Forests all over the world, dark, deep and enticing, all have a nearly mythic proportion in our minds. We are drawn to the woods while we are simultaneously afraid of them, and whether … Read more
One of the single most important and most fundamental survival skills is building a fire. Knowing how to build a fire will help you get dry and keep warm, as well as signaling for help and cooking food. But, in really harsh conditions you’ll need to stay inside your shelter for safety, and this begs … Read more
I don’t think there is anyone alive who has spent any amount of time outdoors who hasn’t been plagued by mosquitoes and other biting critters. Whether they are trying to suck your blood for dinner or are just biting you out of some misguided instinct of self-defense, it is always aggravating, sometimes painful, and potentially … Read more
Preppers spend an inordinate amount of time packing, customizing, and generally fussing over their bug-out bags. This is understandable, as the bug-out bag is a central and crucially important prep in all kinds of scenarios. Whether you are facing a calamitous natural disaster or a man-made catastrophe, your bug-out bag, bristling with precious gear and … Read more
Ramen noodles. You love them, or you hate them, and probably not much in between. That being said, you have to respect them for becoming so ubiquitous and so cheap. Whether they are tossed into a pack as a reliable if uninspired camping meal or used to desperately stretch the dollars of broke college kids, … Read more
Root cellars used to be the residential standard for storing food long term prior to the advent of modern refrigeration technology. With increasing uncertainty about the status of modern society and especially utilities, root cellars are making a comeback in prepping circles. But what all can you store in a root cellar? Root cellars are … Read more
Out of all the things you’re worried about taking care of during a survival situation, your usual oral care routine might rank pretty low on that list, if it is on the list at all. What, with concerns like water, food and exposure to worry about it is understandable why personal cleanliness and daily hygiene … Read more
Ounce for ounce, you will never do better for a useful daily carry tool than a good, dependable flashlight. There is no gun, perhaps even no knife that is as vital in all situations, all seasons, and all places as a flashlight. From boring everyday chores to hardcore survival situations, you’ll always have a need … Read more
Ask any prepper what the most vital piece of gear they own is and 9 out of 10 times they’ll tell you it is their BOB. The bug out bag is an essential, some would say pivotal, piece of kit for any savvy and properly equipped survivor. It is not a stretch of the imagination … Read more
No prepper needs to be told how important water is in a survival situation. When it comes to material needs, the only resource more important than water is oxygen. Depending upon your environment, you might have water all around you when you need it, but the irony is that the water could be of uncertain … Read more
Raccoons are one of the most iconic North American animals, and instantly recognizable thanks to that adorable ringed tail, charming black mask and those expressive, dexterous paws so very much like human hands. Sure, raccoons are cute, but they are also an enormous pain in the butt in many settings, especially one where you are … Read more
Preppers are correct and honorable for working so hard to protect their families and the people they care about from all of the many dangers and disasters lurking out in the world. It seems there is never any shortage of pain and suffering that can be brought on by natural disasters, man-created catastrophes, and good … Read more
Heat guns are one of those tools that, when you need one, you pretty much have to have one. Nothing else can apply intense, directed heat with as much accuracy or safety. But, sometimes you just won’t have one and the work still needs to get done. What might you use to replace a heat … Read more
Exposure is a constant threat anytime you are outdoors. Or at least it is if you don’t live very near the equator! But in seriousness, no matter where you live and no matter how seasonally warm it is you should not discount the threat you could be facing should the weather turn against you. When … Read more
Space is always at a premium when it comes to storage space inside your home, even when considering such vital preps as water. For those of us who already have our homes packed to bursting with supplies, or who just so happened to be living in smaller quarters, coming up with enough space can be … Read more
Water is an incredibly precious resource, essential for life, and it is no wonder that so many preppers spend so much time accumulating it and storing it in advance of a major disaster. You have at most only a few days to live without anything to drink and dehydration is a bad way to go, … Read more
Living off-grid is seen as the ultimate goal for many preppers. Reduced dependency on society, its regulations and its luxuries that invariably make you softer and weaker. Quite a few of us want to free ourselves from the rat race entirely, living in a way that is much closer to what our great grandparents experienced. … Read more
One of the most important tools in a prepper’s arsenal is their vehicle. Serving as a conveyance for evacuation or bugging out, a prime mover for mass amounts of cargo or a taxi to get you and your group where you are needed, when you are needed, it is difficult to overstate the flexibility and … Read more
Canned food is a reliable, convenient option, and aside from being an everyday staple in the kitchen it also serves as a fundamental part of a long-term food storage plan. You might have seen various depictions in media of people heating up canned food right in the can prior to eating it, but is this … Read more
Berries are a bountiful, delicious and nutritious wild food that can make for a great supplement to your rations anytime you are out in the wilderness. But before you go and chow down on a bunch of fresh-picked berries, you had better know which ones are safe to eat and which ones are poisonous. Choose … Read more
Amateur or “ham” radio is both a time-honored hobby and a valuable skill that you can add to your survival toolbox. But if you want to do anything more than operate handheld radios at a nearby, local level you’re going to have to get proper licensure from the government. What’s the big deal? Why do … Read more