When you are in a survival situation, having the correct outdoor survival jacket with you could end up saving your life. It is vital to select the correct clothing in order to survive the cold temperatures. However, with the large amount of clothing on the market, how do you know which coat to buy?

 

What to Know Before Buying a Winter Jacket

In order to survive in the wild, you need to pay attention to several elements that make up a good coat. Certain things like Gore-Tex fabric, waterproofing, comfort, breathability, and pockets are just some of the things you need to know before purchasing a quality outdoor coat. This guide will walk you through the different elements to look at when choosing a quality survival jacket.

What type of weather you will be in while wearing the jacket?

The purchase of a good coat comes down to your plans to wear the coat. Where are you planning to go? Is it a quick overnight camping trip to a 60-degree weather place, or are you planning to camp in temperatures below freezing? Since the weather likes to play games a lot of the time, we recommend considering a 3-in-1 jacket as it allows you to deal with all types of weather conditions. You can use it in extreme cold, then shed the lining if it turns out to be a warm, sunny day. Make sure you pay attention to the weather to know which jacket to pack. Certain areas have damp, colder temperatures so you need a coat that is built for this region.

 

Do you need a waterproof jacket?

Picking a waterproof coat is harder than you might think. Far too often a coat is marked as waterproof, but it doesn’t actually have DWR coating or treatment that prevents water from penetrating the fabric. If you are headed out camping, a good waterproof jacket is a smart investment to keep you dry.

 

What quality of material do you prefer? High, medium, or low quality?

How much do you want to invest in a nice outdoor coat? Some people want the option to use the coat year-round, while others just want it for camping. With so many on the market, you must determine what your budget will be, and keep in mind you do get what you pay for. Do you want a coat made of high, medium, or low quality? Higher quality coats are normally designed to withstand most weather conditions, while still being light enough to move around in.

 

What activities are you going to be doing while wearing the jacket?

Plan out what you will be doing in a coat. Are you hiking to the top of a mountain? Are you going fishing in the coat? Will you be sleeping in an igloo? Knowing the weather of the area makes a difference in selecting the coat. We recommend opting for the 3-in-1 coat for those readers that aren’t quite sure what to choose. 3-in-1 coats are normally quite versatile and easy to pack along wherever you go.

How many pockets do you need in your jacket?

Pockets are practical! Pockets are literally the best thing ever because they can be your go-to source for emergency items you need to take with you. Small sunscreen, chapstick, sunglasses, even small snacks fit into those handy pockets. Look for a jacket that allows you to hold onto some of those needed items, but one that you also love for personal reasons like one that includes audio compatibility. Pocket placement and depth should always be considered when you are purchasing a quality outdoor survival jacket.

 

Do you need a jacket that breathes, so you’re not constantly sweating?

Outdoor survival coats are always tied into “will I be too hot?” Far too often some coats do a great job of keeping you warm, but perhaps TOO warm. If you don’t buy a coat with breathable material, or side vents, you might overheat. Individuals that already run hotter will find a down winter coat to cause them to sweat. Our pro tip here is to make sure you have room for layers and you always purchase moisture-wicking clothing that you play to layer under the coat.

 

How important is comfort over usability?

This is another question we run into all the time. You want the coat to fit right, but it also needs to look nice and compliment you. A good plan here is to try on multiple coats and really move all around in the coat to see how it responds to your body. If you are planning to do some winter rock climbing, you already know you want a coat with a snug fit. Air circulation is one of the big elements to look for when you are comparing coats. What happens when you run into a coat that is so comfortable, but it doesn’t have all those pockets and cool extras as other coats? The best thing in this instance is to consider a 3-in-1 coat since they usually combine both the comfort with the extra perks of a versatile coat.

 

What clothing are you going to be wearing underneath the jacket?

Any time you are thinking about survival, you need to think about layers. What you will wear under the coat will play a role in how hot you get wearing the coat. If you rely solely on the coat for moisture-wicking, you are going to find out fast that you can sweat inside the coat, or you might be freezing due to poor undergarments. Layers are great for outdoor activities. You want a base layer that will prevent overheating, causing you to sweat and get your clothing wet. Start with a base layer that is moisture-wicking and then a survival coat that comfortably fits over the base layer.

 

Conclusion

Finding the right survival jacket is essential to having a successful trip. No matter where you are headed, you want to make sure you take the time to plan ahead for the trip so you will have all the things you need in place. A good, quality outdoor survival jacket can make a difference in keeping you from getting hypothermia in a survival situation. We encourage you to save for a quality jacket that will last for many years, and help you get into some unique terrain around the world!

Already know what type of jacket you want? Take a look at our article “What is the best outdoor survival jacket?“, where we review the top jackets for males, females, and children.

Nothing beats the feeling of being in nature and seeing all the beauty of this world. However, heading out into nature does require a few helpful items to make the overall experience nicer. If you are headed camping, you likely have a bunch of “checklist items” that can make the trip a little more pleasant like matches and maybe some marshmallows! However, one item to consider adding to your survival gear bag is an outdoor survival jacket. If you’re a beginner in the camping and survival world you may walk into a sports store with the expecting of finding a jacket that day. However, the difficult moment comes when selecting the right jacket. It’s not easy to select a jacket off the rack as there are so many to choose from, and it also comes down to where you are going. Here are just a few of the types of outdoor survival jackets you’ll find on the market:

• Hardshell jacket
• Softshell Jacket
• Windshell Jacket
• Fleece Jacket
• Insulated Jacket
• Technical Jacket
• Waterproof Jacket
• Down Jacket
• 3-in-1 Jacket

Surviving in the outdoors comes down to being prepared. A good survival jacket includes waterproofing, insulation, and has quality construction to ensure it works effectively. As you look over the different types of jackets that are available, we hope this guide will help you find the best one for your trip:

Hardshell Jacket

What is a hardshell jacket?

Hardshell jackets are designed for the fiercest weather.

Advantage of a hardshell jacket

A hardshell jacket is designed to protect you from water and wind.

The disadvantage of a hardshell jacket

While the jacket can assist in keeping you dry, they are not always as strong as keeping you warm. If you wear several layers under the jacket and you end up hiking and sweating, you can get warmer than usual as the hardshell is not as breathable as other options. Venting the moisture is not always provided with most hardshell jackets as their goal is to seal out water.

What type of weather is a hardshell jacket mostly used for?

Hardshell jackets are the ideal solution for winter and cold weather. If you plan to head out in the colder months, you’ll need a good hardshell jacket to go with it.

Recommended hardshell jackets

Women’s hardshell jacket: Finding the right hardshell jacket depends on how long you plan to be outside, where you are going, and if you are planning to layer your clothing underneath. Here are some of the top hardshell jackets for women. If you want to purchase the best jacket on the market, we recommend the Mammut Kento Hardshell Hooded Jacket.

Men’s hardshell jacket: Women and men have different needs when it comes to hardshell jackets. The hardshell jackets are durable and offer protection against the snow and rain. Here are some of the top hardshell jacket for men to consider. The Helly Hansen Alpha 3.0 Jacket is one of the top jackets for men for outdoor survival.

Softshell Jacket

What is a softshell jacket?

A softshell jacket is designed for warmth, can be waterproof, but are highly breathable. These jackets are often used for hiking and mild weather days.

Advantage of a softshell jacket

A softshell jacket is extremely versatile as it does allow the water to evaporate from the layers below the jacket. They are ideal for hiking, warm skiing, and climbing.

The disadvantage of a softshell jacket

A softshell jacket is not designed to be waterproof and they are not for the extreme weather conditions.

What type of weather is a softshell jacket mostly used for?

A breathable softshell jacket is perfect for individuals planning to go venture in the great outdoors, and possibly sweat a little bit. A good softshell will have moisture wicking capabilities, allowing the sweat to dissipate easily.

Recommended softshell jackets

Women’s softshell jacket: Most softshell jackets have a thin fleece lining with a simple outer layer for protection. We recommend trying the North Face Women’s APEX Nimble Jacket.

Men’s softshell jacket: We recommend the North Face APEX Bionic 2 Hooded Softshell Jacket for men.

Windshell Jacket

What is a windshell jacket?

A windshell jacket is often called a windbreaker. This jacket is designed to resist light rain and wind chill. It is a lightweight jacket designed to protect you when the weather turns windy and chilly. Normally it includes armbands to seal out the cold air around the wrists and waist.

Advantage of a windshell jacket

A windshell jacket is lightweight and versatile. These jackets can include a hood with elastics to help protect you from the cold wind.

The disadvantage of a windshell jacket

Windshell jackets are great for light camping days, but they should not be used for snowlike conditions.

What type of weather is a windshell jacket mostly used for?

A windshell jacket is ideal for warmer seasons, or to use as an outer layer in the cooler seasons. These jackets are perfect for hikers planning to climb mountain peaks where the wind tends to pick up quickly.

Recommended windshell jackets

Women’s windshell jacket: This Nike Women’s Sportswear Windrunner Jacket is ideal for women.

Men’s winshell jacket: This North Face Novelty Cyclone 2.0 Jacket is perfect for men.

Fleece Jacket

What is a fleece jacket?

Fleece is one of the top options for a versatile jacket. Fleece is often used for jackets because it is warm, soft, and breathable.

Advantage of a fleece jacket

Fleece jackets are perfect for those seeking a warm jacket to wear for hiking, light camping, and general outdoor enjoyment.

The disadvantage of a fleece jacket

Fleece on it own can struggle to keep you dry. Fleece is not designed to prevent moisture from penetrating the skin due to the fact that it doesn’t have a moisture-wicking layer.

What type of weather is a fleece jacket mostly used for?

If you want to travel light, a fleece jacket is one of the best options. They are easy to stash into a backpack for a quick weekend camping trip, a day hike, or general outdoor enjoyment.

Recommended fleece jackets

Women’s fleece jacket: The North Face Arcata Full Zip Fleece Jacket works perfectly for general hiking and camping weather.

Men’s fleece jacket: The Arc’teryx Covert Cardigan Fleece Jacket for men is ideal for most weather conditions.

Insulated Jacket

What is an insulated jacket?

Insulated jackets are one of the most common jackets seen on the market. Insulated jackets are meant for cold weather. They have an outer layer that is constructed to prevent moisture from getting in. The interior layer has moisture wicking and typically fleece or down material to keep you warm.

Advantage of an insulated jacket

A quality insulated jacket has multiple layers to prevent you from getting cold in all types of weather.

The disadvantage of an insulated jacket

Depending upon the insulated jacket you purchase, you may find the insulated jacket to be too warm. Some jackets will allow you to shed a layer, which does make it versatile for multiple weather options.

What type of weather is an insulated jacket mostly used for?

Insulated jackets are built for cold weather. When you are planning to go out in weather below 40 degrees, consider buying a good insulated jacket.

Recommended insulated jackets

Women’s insulated jacket: We love this Columbia Hillsdale Spring Reversible jacket!

Men’s insulated jacket: This REI Co-op Stratocloud Down Hoodie is one of our favorite insulated jackets.

Windbreaker Jacket

What is a technical jacket?

A technical jacket is designed to be used in most weather conditions. These jackets are weather resistant, lightweight, and has insulating properties.

Advantage of a technical jacket

Technical jackets are used for multiple conditions, and many people add them to their daily outfits. Technical jackets are breathable and idea for all types of weather when it changes from cold to warm.

The disadvantage of a technical jacket

Technical jackets are perfect for daily living, and they can be used for moderate hiking, campaign, but they do not work well in extreme cold. If you are planning a camping trip in the woods, below 40 degrees, you’ll want to consider another jacket.

What type of weather is a technical jacket mostly used for?

The weather-resistant jacket is used for just about any weather condition. If you want to get the most out of the jacket, you’ll want to add on some layers if you are planning to venture out in the cold.

Recommended technical jackets

Women’s technical jacket: Ladies, you’ll love this technical jacket for your next day hike!

Men’s technical jacket: Men, this is the perfect technical jacket for daily use!

Waterproof Jacket

What is a waterproof jacket?

A waterproof jacket provides the best level of protection against water. Rain can quickly soak the out layer of other jackets, which makes it harder to stay dry.

Advantage of a waterproof jacket

A waterproof jacket has water wicking materials with high-tech laminates or coatings to keep water out. If you are headed to camp in a wet area, with a lot of rain, you’ll want a good waterproof jacket!

The disadvantage of a waterproof jacket

The brand makes a difference in waterproof jackets. Some jackets are capable of resisting some water, while others will not wick the water away, leaving you wet and cold. The Durable water repellant coating is one of the most important elements of a waterproof jacket.

What type of weather is a waterproof jacket mostly used for?

A good waterproof jacket is designed to be used in the rain. If you are headed to a place where rain is expected, you’ll want to purchase a waterproof jacket.

Recommended waterproof jackets

Women’s waterproof jacket: Stay dry with The North Face 1990 Mountain Jacket GTX.

Men’s waterproof jacket: Enjoy the Columbia Watertight II Jacket to stay dry in the rain.

Down Jacket

What is a down jacket?

A down jacket is designed to provide warmth and comfort. Down jackets have soft and warm under feathers from duck or geese and remain insulated and warm in cold weather conditions. Goose down is normally warmer than duck down jackets.

Advantage of a down jacket

Down jackets are extremely comfortable, and some campers even use them as a pillow when in need. Down jackets are great for cold days and last for several years.

The disadvantage of a down jacket

Down jackets are hard to understand the ratings as there are a lot of synthetic materials on the market, many of which do not provide the same protection in the cold weather.

What type of weather is a down jacket mostly used for?

Down jackets are built for the cold weather. Many of the jackets include multiple insulated layers for extreme weather conditions.

Recommended down jackets

Women’s down jacket: The Mountain Hardwear PackDown Jacket by REI is one of our favorites.

Men’s down jacket: We’re loving this 1996 Retro Seasonal Nuptse Jacket by the North Face.

3-in-1 Jacket

What is a 3-in-1 jacket?

If you are torn between the selection of an insulated or non-insulated jacket, consider a 3-in-1 jacket as it does give you everything in one!

Advantage of a 3-in-1 jacket

3-in-one jackets have multiple layers in one coat. You can zip off the outer layer for those warmer days, or wear just the liner or the shell depending upon what the weather is doing.

The disadvantage of a 3-in-1 jacket

Most brands do a great job with the way the 3-in-1 jacket fits, but there are some that do struggle to have the liner properly assembled with the outer layer. The important element is to do some research to find the best one.

What type of weather is a 3-in-1 jacket mostly used for?

3-in-1 jackets are for everyone and can be used in just about any weather condition. You can have a comfortable experience in a 3-in-1 jacket in moderate to cold weather.

Recommended 3-in-1 jackets

Women’s 3-in-1 jacket: We are loving the new Columbia Catacomb Crest Interchange Jacket.

Men’s 3-in1 jacket: The Men’s Bugaboo II Fleece Interchange Jacket is a great one for anyone seeking a versatile jacket.

Conclusion

With so many options out there, it can be hard to choose the best survival jacket for your specific situation. To help you make that decision, I have written a step-by-step guide that should make your decision easier. It’s called “What to Know Before Buying a Winter Jacket.” In this guide, I’ll help you answer the following questions. What to Know Before Buying a Winter Jacket

1. What type of weather you will be in while wearing the jacket?
2. Do you need a waterproof jacket?
3. What quality of material do you prefer? High, medium, or low quality?
4. What activates are you going to be doing while wearing the jacket?
5. How many pockets do you need in your jacket?
6. Do you need a jacket that breathes well so you’re not constantly sweating?
7. How important is comfort over usability?
8. What type of clothing are you mostly going to be wearing underneath the jacket?

Purchasing the correct outdoor survival jacket could save your life in a survival situation. Certain jackets are designed for light to mild weather while others are commonly used for snow and cold winter nights. We hope this survival guide helps you along your outdoor adventure journey! 

FEMA Strongly Encourages Everyone To Be Prepared

One of my favorite articles on the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) website is called:

Emergency Preparedness Is A Year-Round Responsibility

“Everyone should have an emergency kit with enough supplies to survive for 10 days, including water, non-perishable food, non-electric can openers, flashlights, batteries, cash, and important family documents. Children also should be allowed to include favorite small toys or games.”

According to Dictionary.com

A prepper is “a person who believes a catastrophic disaster or emergency is likely to occur in the future and makes active preparations for it, typically by stockpiling food, ammunition, and other supplies.”

What Is A Prepper?

I believe the word prepper has evolved over the years. Even though there are still some people that think a “catastrophic” event is coming, most preppers are people that just want to protect themselves and their families from any rough times that might come their way. Now, that could be a natural disaster, but it could also be a job loss or even something as simple as a short power outage. Your level of preparedness is up to you. What concerns me is that the word prepper has a kind of negative, “crazy person” type connotation around it. This pushes people away from any level of preparedness. If you buy insurance, you’re a prepper. If you have food in your cupboards, you’re a prepper. If you do anything to be a little more prepared for the eventualities of life, you are by definition a prepper. If you’re just getting into “New Aged Prepping” and don’t really know where to start, this helpful guide will walk you through the beginning steps and put you on the right path, no matter what level of preparedness you want to achieve.

How do I Become a Prepper?

There are 10 easy steps that will help you start your preparedness journey. There is no time limit or quantity set behind each step, but according to FEMA, it is recommended that you have at least 10 days of supplies on hand. I think you should have more like 3 weeks or 3 months of supplies if your finances and situation permits. If you survive through a tornado, hurricane, or an earthquake, it could take up to 3 weeks to get your power and or gas back on. If that’s the case for you, it’s also the case for your neighbors. If you store 3 weeks or 3 months worth of supplies, you can come to the aid of your neighbors that might need additional help.  

An 8 Step Guide To Preparedness For Beginners

1- Ideation Period

What Areas Are You Most Concerned About?  Depending on what area of the country (or the world) you live in, you might be more prone to certain types of natural disasters, terror attacks, sickness, and more. You also have to consider the uniqueness of your family. You might have a lot of kids, or no kids, or have your parents living with you. Consider the specific types of medication you’ll need to have on hand. What about an extra pair of glasses or some extra contact solution? Think about all areas of your life and what you will need over the 3 week period when your power is out. You should build your preparedness plan around your specific location and situation. Create A Plan And A Budget And Stick To It. **Don’t get overwhelmed** Use the steps below to help you build out your full preparedness plan. After you have a plan written down, create a budget for the plan. DO NOT GET OVERWHELMED. You should plan a budget that is suitable for you and your current situation. If that means $25 per month, then stick with $25 per month. You do not need to go into debt for this. Prioritize your plan and buy what you can with your allotted budget each month.

“All you can do is all you can do. But, all you can do is enough”. – Art Williams

2- Water Storage

Buy And Store Plenty of Water (And Water Filters) You can survive 3 weeks without food, but only 3 days without water. This is by far your most important purchase in this process. It’s pretty simple to stock up on a few weeks of water if you get creative. Ready.gov recommends that you store one gallon per day per person. The more you can store the better.

“Store at least one gallon of water per person per day…, for drinking and sanitation. A normally active person needs about three-quarters of a gallon of fluid daily, from water and other beverages. However, individual needs vary, depending on age, health, physical condition, activity, diet and climate.

  Option 1: I would start out buying a few cases of water bottles. As long as they’re stored out of direct sunlight, and not on the concrete, they should last you a few years. Option 2: I would then purchase a few 5-gallon food-grade water containers. Fill these up with house water (already filtered and treated) and put one in each closet of the house. Trust me, you’ll forget they’re even there. Option 3: Buy a few 15-gallon drums and fill them with house water (already filtered and treated). You can either put these in closets, under the stairs or in the garage. Remember, do not store any water containers directly on the cement. The chemicals in the cement can seep up into the water through the plastic. This is not safe. You can store them on a palate or any other type of wood. Option 4: Get your hands on some blue 55-gallon water drums. You can usually find these for pretty cheap on your local classifieds website. They will come used, but as long as you make sure they have only been filled with unharmful liquids, you will be fine. Most of the time I find them filled with soda pop syrup. Buy them and give them a good rinse. After that, you should be fine to fill them up with water. If you can fill them with the already filters and treated water, that would be better. Most water spouts coming directly from the house offer this kind of water. If not, then you’ll want to treat them with some bleach. *See bleach to water calculation below. Option 5: Get your hands on a bigger food-grade water container and fill that sucker up. They do make these containers that fit well in your basement, but I find that they don’t work for everyone. Option 6: Buy some water filters to help just in case you run out of your stored water and you need to clean the water from a nearby lake or stream. I recommend the Sawyer Water Filter. It cleans up to 100,000 gallons of water. The formula is: “To use household bleach for disinfecting water: Add two drops of bleach per quart or liter of water. Stir it well. Let the mixture stand for a half hour before drinking.”  

3- Food Storage

Buy and Store Plenty of Long-term Food Storage You’ll find all sorts of different opinions online around how much food storage you should have on hand. Read.gov says at least 3 days. FEMA says at least 10 days. And everyone else ranges between 3 months and as much as you can possibly store.  I am of the opinion that you should have as somewhere in between the 3 months and as much as you can possibly store. As I mentioned above, you need to evaluate your family and your current situation. If there is a natural disaster that takes out the power and gas for 3 weeks, do you have enough food on hand to take care of your family? What if you get let go from your job and can’t find another job for 3+ months? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about feeding your kids?  How much food you store is totally up to you. Also, there is nothing wrong with storing up 3 weeks worth of food and then evaluating to see if you’d like to continue growing that storage to 3+ months. You might think differently after you’ve taken the time to build up your 3 week supply. What Kind of Food Storage Should I Buy?  There are a few different levels of food storage buying. Phase 1: Short term food storage (3 weeks to 3-months worth) Phase 2: Long term food storage (3 to 12 months+ worth)  The short term food storage should be foods that you like eating right now. You don’t need to go crazy and buy buckets of wheat for phase 1. As long as you enjoy eating the food, I would start by buying foods that won’t expire soon and that are easy to make. Examples:

• Mac and cheese
• Romen noodles
• Soups in a can
• Pasta and sauces
• Rice and beans
• Canned meats
• Canned veggies
• Crackers and chips
• Pancake mix
• Peanut butter and jelly/honey
• Granola bars
• Cereal
• Beef Jerky

*Please note that you will also want to store a few things for your sweet tooth. Especially if you have kids. If you’re used to having treats throughout the day or deserts each night, it would be wise to store some hard candy’s so you can get a bit of sugar during the harder times.  After you have your short term food supply on hand, you will want to begin phase 2. This is where you will buy food that is packaged for longer shelf life. You often see this food in the #10 cans or the white 5-gallon buckets.  Long term food storage can still taste good and be healthy for your family. It just lasts longer so you don’t have to rotate through it as often. We’re talking about a 15 to 20-year shelf life. Examples:

• Mountain House Food
• Wise Food
• Eden Valley Farms
• Thrive Life
• Daily Bread
• Emergency Essentials

You don’t have to choose from just one place, but I would recommend you buy a few types from each location and test them out. See what your family prefers the most. Most of these places have an email list sign up where they send out weekly and monthly deals. There’s no reason you couldn’t sign up for each email list and wait for the right deal to make your bigger purchases.

4- None Food Essentials

Buying These None Food Items to Stockpile (Trust me. You’ll thank me later) Food and water are by far the most important items to stock up on, but once you start to feel good about the amount of food and water you have stored, you need to consider other items that will make your life easier after whatever you just lived through that is now making you use your supplies. Think about it. There a lot of luxury items you probably wouldn’t want to run out of, but my guess is that running out of toilet paper would be one of the worst things to live without. Am I right? Buy more feminine products than you think you’ll ever need. Not only will the females in your life thank you, but these can also be used in first aid situations. Keeping up on your personal hygiene is very important as well. You will feel better about yourself and you will also have less risk of getting any sicknesses, infections, and cavities. Buy stuff like extra toothbrushes and toothpaste, floss, soap, deodorant, and Q-tips. Along with toiletries, personal hygiene items, and medicines, I’d also recommend stocking up on the following.

• Baby Products
  • Binkies (pacifiers)
  • Blankets
  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Rash cream
  • Food and formula
  • Warm clothing for the babies

• First aid supplies
  • Basic first aid kits
  • Trauma kits

• Shelter and Sleeping
  • Tents
  • Sleeping bags
  • Cots
  • Blankets

• Around The House Items
  • Garbage bags
  • Cleaning/sanitary supplies
  • Ziplock bags

• Items Your Grandma Used
  • Clothespins
  • Rope to make a clothesline
  • Equipment (buckets, soap, scrubbers) to help wash clothing

• Navigation Instruments and Logistics
  • Compass
  • Paper maps of your area

• Weapons For Protection and Hunting
  • Bow and arrow
  • Slingshot
  • Knives

• Tools For Repair and To Clean Up Debris
  • Shovel and rakes
  • Chain saw
  • Other types of saws
  • Hammer and nails

• Fuel For Cooking and Keeping Warm
  • Wood
  • Charcoal
  • Butane
  • Propane
  • Kerosene

• Indoor and Outdoor Cooking Gear
  • Butane tripod
  • Propane stove
  • Wood burning stove
  • Dutch oven
  • Solar oven

• Seeds For The Garden and Seeds For Sprouting
  • Sprouting Seeds
    • Beans
    • Alfalfa
    • Barley
    • Basil
    • Beets
    • Broccoli
  • Garden Seeds
    • Radish
    • Broccoli
    • Onions
    • Lettuce
    • Kale
    • Tomatoes
    • Peppers
    • Cabbage
    • Corn
    • Carrots
    • Beets
    • Swiss chard
    • Pumpkin
    • Beans
    • Peas
    • Soy
    • Peanuts
    • Sunflower
    • Eggplant

• Clothing For All Seasons And All Weather
  • Jackets
  • Socks
  • Hats
  • Pants
  • Shirts
  • Shoes
  • Towles

• Tools to Help Start a Fire For Cooking, Cleaning, and Heating
  • Matches
  • Lighter
  • Flint and steel
  • Glass lens
  • Friction sticks
  • Reflective tools
  • 9-volt battery and steel wool

5- Education and Skills

Learning how to use all of these tools is almost just as important as actually owning them. Just remember, if you do survive through a disaster and end up using your food storage and tools, you are going to want to know HOW to use them in the most efficient way. Chances are you will not have Google or Pinterest to help you out. It would be almost impossible to learn every possible skill that could benefit you in a situation like this, so I recommend you buy these physical books to have on hand. You can always reflect back on them when the time comes to help you get through almost any situation.

Learn Valuable Survival Skills Through Reading

• Recommended Outdoor Survival Skills Books

• Recommended Emergency Preparedness Books

 

6- Disaster Planning, Drills, and Protocols

Have you ever wondered why we do fire drills while at school? Ever wonder why we teach kids to practice saying no to drugs before the time comes when they have to think about it? The human brain is an amazing thing. If we tell it to do something, it usually does it. The problem is that we have so many other chemical and hormones going on in our bodies, and sometimes our brains are affected by those other chemicals and hormones in a way that we kind of go brain dead. The human brain has 6 different sections.

1. Frontal Lobe
2. Temporal Lobe
3. Brainstem
4. Cerebellum
5. Occipital Lobe
6. Parietal Lobe

Most of the time we use the frontal lobe which helps with motor control, problem-solving, and speech production. The problem is that when something major happens like a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, our frontal lobe is filled with a hormone called adrenaline. This basically shuts down motor control, problem-solving, and speech production. Think about it. Have you ever seen someone get into a car accident and then just sit there speechless? It’s because of this adrenaline. When our brains are filled with adrenaline we literally have zero ability to make decisions. Unfortunately, these are the times where we need to be able to make tough choices. The good news is that our temporal lobe is there for back up. Our temporal lobe helps us with auditory processing, language comprehension, and memory and information retrieval. Having these drills set to where we practice them over and over again is called a protocol. Every time we practice going through a protocol, it trains the temporal lobe to take over when the going gets tough. Stop looking at these drills as a waste of time. Start looking at them as a temporal lobe training. This simple act just might save your life someday.

7- Building A Survival Kit

I won’t go into a lot of detail on this section because I’ve already written a blog about this in detail. It’s called “What Should Be Included In a Natural Disaster Kit?” What I will say is that every basic kit should at least have water and water filters, some sort of food storage, equipment and fuel for cooking, a light source, a portable crank radio, your important personal documents, and a first aid kit. You should prepare your survival kits with a lot more than that, but I want you to customize it based on your specific situation. You’ll need to prepare differently if you have a family of 6 verses a family of 2. You’ll need to prepare differently if you’re preparing for hurricane season verses a potential earthquake. Take the basic items mentioned above and build a custom survival kit that works for you and your family.

8- Reevaluate And Adjust As Necessary

There’s not a lot I can guarantee in life, but the one thing I do know is that change is inevitable. Families grow and family shrink. People move to different parts of the country to follow their career path. You need to be flexible and willing to change your survival plans according to your situation at any given moment. I like to evaluate my situation about every 6 months. I don’t see major changes every six months, but I do see changes. I have 4 small children so I have to update their clothing in the emergency kits. The bigger my kids get the more food I need to pack away. Things change, so I adjust. You should too.

Conclusion

If there is one thing I would like you to take away from this, it would be that you need to have a plan, create a budget, and stick to it. Too many people don’t prepare because they get overwhelmed in the planning stages. Too many people don’t prepare because they have information paralysis. Too many people don’t prepare because they don’t know where to start. I have laid out this basic 8 step guide to help you get from zero to where you need to be.  No matter where you are in your preparedness journey, just keep doing a little bit each day. You’ll get there. One day you will look back and be amazed at how prepared you are. That’s when you take it to the next level and start preparing for your family, friends, and loved one. You should also be educating them along the way, but if they don’t jump on board, you should put a little aside to help them out just in case.