Discussions
Reply to: Best MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) Posted May 26, 2020

When I was talking about civilian alternatives I meant the non-MRE meals the article recommends instead… the freeze-dried mountain house stuff. I would think that one huge advantage of MRE is that it’s more covert because you could eat it just straight from the package. Am I thinking about it correctly? There must be a reason or a few reasons why the military uses them instead of other prepper/ camping food. I saw a documentary on the British SAS and being on the hard routine while at an observation-post ( intelligence mission). The documentary was simulated but in between some of the simulation footage the guys were talking about various past experiences in the SAS. One of them said that when I mission went a week over they lived on the powdered milk packets in their MREs for the week because everything else was gone. This gave me the idea to put toddler formula and medical nutrition shakes as a key part of my preps but other food has been difficult to figure out. As far as a group, it’s been difficult. There’s a group run by a national network of Preppers but without actually saying it, they have made it clear that they think I would be more of a liability than an assault to a team because of my chair. Okay their loss.  There’s advantages in using a wheelchair too. Like most places where they check bags, like fairs, theme parks, they don’t check mine quite as completely. And on camping trips with groups usually 2 or three people pile their stuff on my chair because they don’t want to carry it. So, then I have my stuff and theirs and it’s not a problem ( just a bit annoying if I end up carrying gear for people I don’t know). Besides the physical stuff, I think growing up differently-abled most kids become experts at improvised problem solving. I am working on less physical skills like navigating and knot tying that will hopefully increase my ability to be of equal help to a group. The only thing is finding a trustworthy group who won’t write me off because of the chair…

Reply to: Best MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) Posted May 26, 2020

One of my biggest concerns about prepping as a college student who is in a dorm most of the time is not announcing to people around me that I have food after the SHTF. If you use the heat packets on these do they let everyone know you are heating food or something resembling food by the smell? Also, would the recommended civilian alternatives to MREs be less covert, because of having to heat water etc?  I plan to bug out early and not ride out an SHTF event here in the dorms but that won’t happen if the fellow students figure out too quickly that I prepped and they didn’t. I think all things considered they might just try to take my whole bug out bag if they figure out that it’s not just “ a normal backpack”. ( I use a wheelchair too. So I know I probably look like an easy target. So my best bet is to look clueless, scared and as unprepared as possible.

Reply to: Best bug out bag backpack Posted May 19, 2020
Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 11, 2020

I have both duct tape and flex tape. The “list” ( 20 page or so booklet) that came with my bag recommends gaffer tape, duct tape, rescue tape and flex tape. Since I don’t know enough about each of them to exclude any of the 4 I was planning to get all of them but I might replace the flex tape with the spray can version. Gaffer tape comes in glow in the dark which is brilliant for adding to flashlights to make them easier to find. I have trouble cutting duct tape too but it tears easily at an angle. I took a class on escaping from kidnappers some years ago and they taught us that about duct tape. since I am already disabled, I figured the last thing I would need during a SHTF scenario is a gunshot wound on top of the issue I was born with. There’s been several incidents where some nut pulled a gun at a large public event such as a concert not too long ago. Also it would be harder for me to get to cover. Since my bag is probably going to just replace the backpack that lives on my chair right now I thought it might be worth adding my own cover to it. Thanks for the reply. It’s nice to be engaging with someone. the bag I got came with a huge list and video lessons and 12 Molle modular packs. Do most bug out bags come with video lessons about packing and bugging out? That was part of how I was able to convince my family to get it for me. Although they were like what kind of lessons could anyone need to pack a bag? I don’t have firearm. I don’t have a crossbow and the list recommends a certain type of air pistol for quietly hunting small game. I currently know where a colony of wild cats live near my house. If food were ever a huge problem, I would try setting a live trap ( for legal reasons) and either take my crossbow or the air pistol and dispatch any cat the trap caught. I’m in the suburbs and kill traps are illegal because they worry about people getting injured. I do leave food for the cat colony occasionally so hopefully they would trust me somewhat which would make it easier to use this insurance plan. The crossbow came with steel arrows so definitely enough to stop anyone who is trying to make off with my water supply unless they have firearms of course. One advantage to using a wheelchair is that I think most people would assume that they would not meet resistance and therefore feel less of a need to bring arms to try to raid my stuff. Also, I think people are less likely to think that I have preps to take in the first place. People do assume that if your legs don’t work it means you only have a preschool education. My bag is blue so it looks recreational and there’s a stuffie lion attached to the outside. So, hopefully it looks like I had no idea what to pack if I ever need up at an evac shelter.

Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 11, 2020

Thanks for the reply. I recently bought the Xbob 5 phase Molle bug out bag. How do I decide which level to use when packing it. I’m still in college so money is an issue. The backpack was my birthday gift from my whole non-prepper family. I think they are probably fairly convinced I have completely lost my my mind. I am also a wheelchair user which can be somewhat of an advantage because I won’t be carrying the bag the way most people have to.  I was actually quite impressed with the marketing video. The designer put the survival priorities in the correct order. Too many times companies play off fear and say that food is top priority. Also, the list it came with included Escape and Evasion items. They are the only company I have seen that includes that category. The next big purpose will be bulletproof inserts for it and to replace the board under the seat cushion for my wheelchair. The seat is a gel cushion in a fabric cover. Also inside the cover is a piece of wood that is meant to protect the cushion. I figure I might as well replace it with something a bit more functional. The bag came with a camel bag that holds a liter of water and an in-line filter. It also came with wholesale food discounts. Other than that I am on my way to buy everything. I recently discovered that flex seal tape is very difficult for me to cut. I’m wondering if it might work to get sticker backing paper and precut some pieces ( have someone help me ahead of time)

Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 10, 2020

I’m a bit confused. So, let’s say someone builds all 3 levels. How do they figure out which to grab when the fire department comes and says they have half and hour to get stuff together? Or do they just Molle all three together. For mental health I suggest:1 Water games. They are like very low tech handheld games with water inside. Plus side if you really had to you could drain them and filter the water and drink it. Might be a way to hide water in plain sight too if the guys next to you in the fema camp go through your gear while you’re in the shower. 2. Choose your own adventure trade paperbacks. Hundreds of stories in one book. 3 . McDonald’s made tiny handheld games for happy meals so year ago. They run on a watch battery that almost lasts for ever. You can still get them on EBay. 4 for children the most comforting stuffers are ones that they are already attached to. You might consider getting them a teddy bear that has a personal alarm or Gps tracking app attachment or at the very least an empty cavity that you can hide money in, ahead of a disaster. If you go to a build a plushie toy shop and get one with a sound chip, it will have a pocket with a zipper. The sound thing can be removed and money can be hidden in it instead. Another multi use plushie would be to get a recordable sound chip and record the child’s phone number. That way if they are separated from you they have something with your voice and they only have to squeeze the bears paw to tell someone how to contact you if they are too upset to remember your number. I have a lion plushie attached to my bug out bag by a puppy collar and carabiner. It has extra gear hidden in it. I used to go to summer camp and every year some of pretty much everyone’s stuff would go missing as a “ prank”. So yeah you know those bare-basics altiode tin kits? One is hidden in my stuffed toy. It’s in a plastic bag I thought the tin would feel too obvious

Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 8, 2020

The hard part for me is finding survival food that won’t trigger migraines. One thing I’ve found helpful is toddler/preschooler formula that you add water to.That said I haven’t found MRE type meals without a bunch of chemicals I can’t pronounce and I know those will probably trigger migraine. I would appreciate any suggestions about more natural options. No, joke: the best survival flashlight is a playskool 3 color flashlight now only available on places like EBay. Reasons: it’s completely plastic meaning that it can be dropped on cement and still work. It has a feature where the light switches off if you are not holding it ( great battery saver). It’s not LED which means that you can change the bulb. It has a red light which I know is useful for keeping a low profile. The other color is green which might be useful. Also, I think if someone were stealing gear they might overlook it since it says playskool on the side. I recommend the year 2000 remake because it has a handle that is a better size for adults. I think they did it with nostalgic adults in mind. Last year, the power was out for 4 days in a row. I have 2 of these as well as several other flashlights. These were the only 2 that lasted throughout on one set of Duracell batteries. The only thing they aren’t suitable for is water. I added a piece of glow in the dark tape to make them easier to find.  

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Reply to: Best MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) Posted May 26, 2020

When I was talking about civilian alternatives I meant the non-MRE meals the article recommends instead… the freeze-dried mountain house stuff. I would think that one huge advantage of MRE is that it’s more covert because you could eat it just straight from the package. Am I thinking about it correctly? There must be a reason or a few reasons why the military uses them instead of other prepper/ camping food. I saw a documentary on the British SAS and being on the hard routine while at an observation-post ( intelligence mission). The documentary was simulated but in between some of the simulation footage the guys were talking about various past experiences in the SAS. One of them said that when I mission went a week over they lived on the powdered milk packets in their MREs for the week because everything else was gone. This gave me the idea to put toddler formula and medical nutrition shakes as a key part of my preps but other food has been difficult to figure out. As far as a group, it’s been difficult. There’s a group run by a national network of Preppers but without actually saying it, they have made it clear that they think I would be more of a liability than an assault to a team because of my chair. Okay their loss.  There’s advantages in using a wheelchair too. Like most places where they check bags, like fairs, theme parks, they don’t check mine quite as completely. And on camping trips with groups usually 2 or three people pile their stuff on my chair because they don’t want to carry it. So, then I have my stuff and theirs and it’s not a problem ( just a bit annoying if I end up carrying gear for people I don’t know). Besides the physical stuff, I think growing up differently-abled most kids become experts at improvised problem solving. I am working on less physical skills like navigating and knot tying that will hopefully increase my ability to be of equal help to a group. The only thing is finding a trustworthy group who won’t write me off because of the chair…

Reply to: Best MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) Posted May 26, 2020

One of my biggest concerns about prepping as a college student who is in a dorm most of the time is not announcing to people around me that I have food after the SHTF. If you use the heat packets on these do they let everyone know you are heating food or something resembling food by the smell? Also, would the recommended civilian alternatives to MREs be less covert, because of having to heat water etc?  I plan to bug out early and not ride out an SHTF event here in the dorms but that won’t happen if the fellow students figure out too quickly that I prepped and they didn’t. I think all things considered they might just try to take my whole bug out bag if they figure out that it’s not just “ a normal backpack”. ( I use a wheelchair too. So I know I probably look like an easy target. So my best bet is to look clueless, scared and as unprepared as possible.

Reply to: Best bug out bag backpack Posted May 19, 2020
Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 11, 2020

I have both duct tape and flex tape. The “list” ( 20 page or so booklet) that came with my bag recommends gaffer tape, duct tape, rescue tape and flex tape. Since I don’t know enough about each of them to exclude any of the 4 I was planning to get all of them but I might replace the flex tape with the spray can version. Gaffer tape comes in glow in the dark which is brilliant for adding to flashlights to make them easier to find. I have trouble cutting duct tape too but it tears easily at an angle. I took a class on escaping from kidnappers some years ago and they taught us that about duct tape. since I am already disabled, I figured the last thing I would need during a SHTF scenario is a gunshot wound on top of the issue I was born with. There’s been several incidents where some nut pulled a gun at a large public event such as a concert not too long ago. Also it would be harder for me to get to cover. Since my bag is probably going to just replace the backpack that lives on my chair right now I thought it might be worth adding my own cover to it. Thanks for the reply. It’s nice to be engaging with someone. the bag I got came with a huge list and video lessons and 12 Molle modular packs. Do most bug out bags come with video lessons about packing and bugging out? That was part of how I was able to convince my family to get it for me. Although they were like what kind of lessons could anyone need to pack a bag? I don’t have firearm. I don’t have a crossbow and the list recommends a certain type of air pistol for quietly hunting small game. I currently know where a colony of wild cats live near my house. If food were ever a huge problem, I would try setting a live trap ( for legal reasons) and either take my crossbow or the air pistol and dispatch any cat the trap caught. I’m in the suburbs and kill traps are illegal because they worry about people getting injured. I do leave food for the cat colony occasionally so hopefully they would trust me somewhat which would make it easier to use this insurance plan. The crossbow came with steel arrows so definitely enough to stop anyone who is trying to make off with my water supply unless they have firearms of course. One advantage to using a wheelchair is that I think most people would assume that they would not meet resistance and therefore feel less of a need to bring arms to try to raid my stuff. Also, I think people are less likely to think that I have preps to take in the first place. People do assume that if your legs don’t work it means you only have a preschool education. My bag is blue so it looks recreational and there’s a stuffie lion attached to the outside. So, hopefully it looks like I had no idea what to pack if I ever need up at an evac shelter.

Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 11, 2020

Thanks for the reply. I recently bought the Xbob 5 phase Molle bug out bag. How do I decide which level to use when packing it. I’m still in college so money is an issue. The backpack was my birthday gift from my whole non-prepper family. I think they are probably fairly convinced I have completely lost my my mind. I am also a wheelchair user which can be somewhat of an advantage because I won’t be carrying the bag the way most people have to.  I was actually quite impressed with the marketing video. The designer put the survival priorities in the correct order. Too many times companies play off fear and say that food is top priority. Also, the list it came with included Escape and Evasion items. They are the only company I have seen that includes that category. The next big purpose will be bulletproof inserts for it and to replace the board under the seat cushion for my wheelchair. The seat is a gel cushion in a fabric cover. Also inside the cover is a piece of wood that is meant to protect the cushion. I figure I might as well replace it with something a bit more functional. The bag came with a camel bag that holds a liter of water and an in-line filter. It also came with wholesale food discounts. Other than that I am on my way to buy everything. I recently discovered that flex seal tape is very difficult for me to cut. I’m wondering if it might work to get sticker backing paper and precut some pieces ( have someone help me ahead of time)

Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 10, 2020

I’m a bit confused. So, let’s say someone builds all 3 levels. How do they figure out which to grab when the fire department comes and says they have half and hour to get stuff together? Or do they just Molle all three together. For mental health I suggest:1 Water games. They are like very low tech handheld games with water inside. Plus side if you really had to you could drain them and filter the water and drink it. Might be a way to hide water in plain sight too if the guys next to you in the fema camp go through your gear while you’re in the shower. 2. Choose your own adventure trade paperbacks. Hundreds of stories in one book. 3 . McDonald’s made tiny handheld games for happy meals so year ago. They run on a watch battery that almost lasts for ever. You can still get them on EBay. 4 for children the most comforting stuffers are ones that they are already attached to. You might consider getting them a teddy bear that has a personal alarm or Gps tracking app attachment or at the very least an empty cavity that you can hide money in, ahead of a disaster. If you go to a build a plushie toy shop and get one with a sound chip, it will have a pocket with a zipper. The sound thing can be removed and money can be hidden in it instead. Another multi use plushie would be to get a recordable sound chip and record the child’s phone number. That way if they are separated from you they have something with your voice and they only have to squeeze the bears paw to tell someone how to contact you if they are too upset to remember your number. I have a lion plushie attached to my bug out bag by a puppy collar and carabiner. It has extra gear hidden in it. I used to go to summer camp and every year some of pretty much everyone’s stuff would go missing as a “ prank”. So yeah you know those bare-basics altiode tin kits? One is hidden in my stuffed toy. It’s in a plastic bag I thought the tin would feel too obvious

Reply to: [Official discussion thread] Emergency kit / bug out bag list Posted May 8, 2020

The hard part for me is finding survival food that won’t trigger migraines. One thing I’ve found helpful is toddler/preschooler formula that you add water to.That said I haven’t found MRE type meals without a bunch of chemicals I can’t pronounce and I know those will probably trigger migraine. I would appreciate any suggestions about more natural options. No, joke: the best survival flashlight is a playskool 3 color flashlight now only available on places like EBay. Reasons: it’s completely plastic meaning that it can be dropped on cement and still work. It has a feature where the light switches off if you are not holding it ( great battery saver). It’s not LED which means that you can change the bulb. It has a red light which I know is useful for keeping a low profile. The other color is green which might be useful. Also, I think if someone were stealing gear they might overlook it since it says playskool on the side. I recommend the year 2000 remake because it has a handle that is a better size for adults. I think they did it with nostalgic adults in mind. Last year, the power was out for 4 days in a row. I have 2 of these as well as several other flashlights. These were the only 2 that lasted throughout on one set of Duracell batteries. The only thing they aren’t suitable for is water. I added a piece of glow in the dark tape to make them easier to find.