Watchtower - Member - The Prepared

Discussions

Reply to: What is the best camp stove for an emergency power outage or camping? Posted March 29, 2024

I’ve had great luck from a Gas One single burner butane stove. No experience with their dual fuel model, but that’s a nice idea and to be able to connect to a 20 lb propane tank from a bbq is very useful in theory. I’ve had no wear and tear issues from my Gas One stove, there are many copy cat brands out there so beware. I also own a Bayou Classic propane cooker, which is a heavy duty single burner used for outdoors with large pots like for lobster boil etc, It connects to a 20 lb propane tank or larger. Small alcohol/backpacking stoves are fine but for home emergency I prefer what I have, it’s more stable, can be placed on a deck, table top or tailgate. Plus I have a propane BBQ like most people. Lastly, some cast iron cookware to be used over a campfire. Oh and microwaves and electric pressure cookers, can be used with a generator or portable power station.

Reply to: Ideal distance to bugout location? (For the sake of discussion.) Posted March 28, 2024

I would consider the idea of mixing different dry beans into a medley, and goes for pastas as well. Difference in textures can make a repeatable food much more interesting.

Neutrality for the sake of survival and how to manage the full spectrum of ideologies

Scenarios 3

0

Posted March 24, 2024

Reply to: Ideal distance to bugout location? (For the sake of discussion.) Posted March 18, 2024

Call it what you may. A simple answer to your question for me would be somewhere within 100 miles to 1000 miles, there are too many variables to compute an exact answer, but a conversation and discussion on the topic is possible. A three hour drive in any direction for me puts me amongst several vast high elevation regions that have moderate temperatures year round and national forest land in abundance. Bugging out to your own recreational land sounds good but it’s also likely to be used by people who’s names aren’t on the deed, like an avid woodsman or local hunters or people who wander about undetected regardless of it being private property. I see that happen all the time locally under normal conditions. It’s almost useless to own a large tract of recreational land in a rural area and claim it your own. Surviving is a reasonable goal and being prepared helps. Ultimately, it’s my belief that surviving a dire situation will not be achievable for the general population long term, and long term survival for an individual may not be a pleasant existence anyhow. Its reasonable for me to assume you’d like to survive as long as possible on your own terms and while feeling well. If not feeling well what’s the point of surviving?

Reply to: Ideal distance to bugout location? (For the sake of discussion.) Posted March 17, 2024

It all depends on you means and abilities and severity of a situation. Its helpful to be prepared but you’ll never likely be prepared to manage multiple scenarios and issues that are wide spread. To escape a crisis and regroup a few miles away only serves as a rendezvous point and doesn’t suggest you’d be safe or could exist for an amount of time in limbo. Another plan would need to replace the plan that got you to that point. If an emergency is localized, it only requires common sense to seek an appropriate path to safety and is not necessarily bugging in or out. If you are faced with an overwhelming situation, luck, fate, health, fortitude will probably factor into your survival more so than a wide array of gear and stockpiles stored in some remote location you’re trying to reach. Humans become feral in times of crisis. You’ll realize rather quickly to survive means to exist in very simple terms. Increasing your awareness, using your senses and making do with less will likely be you best plan for what is largely out of your control.

Reply to: Some things to consider when building fallout shelters Posted March 11, 2024

You’d need to reinforce the slab by cutting and removing portions of the slab, to dig and pour footings for walls to be built upon. It’s typical in residential construction to have areas under the slab that are poured thicker to support a point load from above, (load bearing), essentially a footer under the slab. You could probably build a footer on top of a slab that could support the heavy loads you mention. In any case, a consultation from a structural engineer would be more useful than an architect. An architect simply designs, an engineer makes sure it can be built safely.

Neutrality for the sake of survival and how to manage the full spectrum of ideologies

Scenarios 3

0

Posted March 24, 2024

Reply to: What is the best camp stove for an emergency power outage or camping? Posted March 29, 2024

I’ve had great luck from a Gas One single burner butane stove. No experience with their dual fuel model, but that’s a nice idea and to be able to connect to a 20 lb propane tank from a bbq is very useful in theory. I’ve had no wear and tear issues from my Gas One stove, there are many copy cat brands out there so beware. I also own a Bayou Classic propane cooker, which is a heavy duty single burner used for outdoors with large pots like for lobster boil etc, It connects to a 20 lb propane tank or larger. Small alcohol/backpacking stoves are fine but for home emergency I prefer what I have, it’s more stable, can be placed on a deck, table top or tailgate. Plus I have a propane BBQ like most people. Lastly, some cast iron cookware to be used over a campfire. Oh and microwaves and electric pressure cookers, can be used with a generator or portable power station.

Reply to: Ideal distance to bugout location? (For the sake of discussion.) Posted March 28, 2024

I would consider the idea of mixing different dry beans into a medley, and goes for pastas as well. Difference in textures can make a repeatable food much more interesting.

Reply to: Ideal distance to bugout location? (For the sake of discussion.) Posted March 18, 2024

Call it what you may. A simple answer to your question for me would be somewhere within 100 miles to 1000 miles, there are too many variables to compute an exact answer, but a conversation and discussion on the topic is possible. A three hour drive in any direction for me puts me amongst several vast high elevation regions that have moderate temperatures year round and national forest land in abundance. Bugging out to your own recreational land sounds good but it’s also likely to be used by people who’s names aren’t on the deed, like an avid woodsman or local hunters or people who wander about undetected regardless of it being private property. I see that happen all the time locally under normal conditions. It’s almost useless to own a large tract of recreational land in a rural area and claim it your own. Surviving is a reasonable goal and being prepared helps. Ultimately, it’s my belief that surviving a dire situation will not be achievable for the general population long term, and long term survival for an individual may not be a pleasant existence anyhow. Its reasonable for me to assume you’d like to survive as long as possible on your own terms and while feeling well. If not feeling well what’s the point of surviving?

Reply to: Ideal distance to bugout location? (For the sake of discussion.) Posted March 17, 2024

It all depends on you means and abilities and severity of a situation. Its helpful to be prepared but you’ll never likely be prepared to manage multiple scenarios and issues that are wide spread. To escape a crisis and regroup a few miles away only serves as a rendezvous point and doesn’t suggest you’d be safe or could exist for an amount of time in limbo. Another plan would need to replace the plan that got you to that point. If an emergency is localized, it only requires common sense to seek an appropriate path to safety and is not necessarily bugging in or out. If you are faced with an overwhelming situation, luck, fate, health, fortitude will probably factor into your survival more so than a wide array of gear and stockpiles stored in some remote location you’re trying to reach. Humans become feral in times of crisis. You’ll realize rather quickly to survive means to exist in very simple terms. Increasing your awareness, using your senses and making do with less will likely be you best plan for what is largely out of your control.

Reply to: Some things to consider when building fallout shelters Posted March 11, 2024

You’d need to reinforce the slab by cutting and removing portions of the slab, to dig and pour footings for walls to be built upon. It’s typical in residential construction to have areas under the slab that are poured thicker to support a point load from above, (load bearing), essentially a footer under the slab. You could probably build a footer on top of a slab that could support the heavy loads you mention. In any case, a consultation from a structural engineer would be more useful than an architect. An architect simply designs, an engineer makes sure it can be built safely.