@MICHAEL_LEE1 I thought this might interest you.
Wilderness Cord | Rope and Cord
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Thanks for posting the link! Reminded me that I have been chipping away at my emergency paracord bundle for odd projects and I need to restock it.
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It sounds like you are thinking beyond putting together a bug out bag or stockpiling firearms/ammo, which is where many preppers fixate.
Consider ā¦ My system of 32 ground-mounted panels has now been running since 2016, and produces more than enough energy for my house and wheels the excess power back on to the grid (for which the local utility pays me). My monthly electric bill in 2016 averaged about $200, now, itās $9 (the minimum connection charge). It came with a $9,000 tax credit, which is my money that I did not have to send to DC to be squandered in social programs and military adventurism. Where I live, Iām restricted to a system that produces 125% of my monthly average usage, otherwise Iād have built something bigger. The more difficult aspects of the construction involved digging the holes for the posts through granite and running several hundred feet of very heavy wire underground to the house. All doable, 'tho.
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This looks like a great setup. I am envious.
I have a friend who has been experimenting with a portable solar setup and a battery bank of some kind. He has it connected to run the blower on his furnace. I donāt remember how long his batteries run his furnace fan. But itās fascinating. I am an electrical ignoramus so I get lost really easy.
I had little emergency kits for the kids. I am in the early stages of rebuilding them since they are older. I donāt really like the term bug out bag because it conjures up images of running for the hills and living off the land when things go south. I donāt think thatās a viable strategy-at least not in my case. Guns and ammo are great, but, as youāve stated, fixating there is a mistake.
I think āpreppingā is a lifestyle of self-reliance and getting oneās head out of the sand when it comes to the bad things that can happen in life. I also think thereās a spectrum in terms of what folks are prepping for. Iām not ready for the zombie apocalypse, but I hope I can cope with at least some of what might be coming.
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Just FYI I switched my BOB (Bug Out Bag) to a GHB (Get Home Bag). 
Slightly less survival items in a lighter bag. 
Call it whatever you want as long as you have one.
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Invest what you can when you can. Thereās no immediate urgency, but I fear there will come a time when prepping pays off.
Itās probably best to think in terms of what does your family need to survive. My priorities have been: (1) leave areas that will be dangerous (i.e., cities); (2) water (well, cisterns, roof-top collection, pumps); (3) power (toilets stop working if there is no water pressure); (4) food (greenhouse to lengthen growing season and keep critters out, canāt talk my wife into chickens or goats, 'tho); and, (5) heat (passive solar design of house, wood, radiant floor heat (requires power, 'tho)). Then, a lot of the work is self-education. For example, I did a lot of research into water cleaning/purification filters in the design of my water system.
Proponents of bug out bags and ammo often miss the need to have somewhere to go that can sustain them for a long period of time. Living off the land for an extended period is a fantasy and certainly not something one would subject their family to. My wife isnāt gonna live in a tent and spend the day chewing deer hides to soften them like Indians of yesteryear.
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This may interest you and others.
I buy a lot of Atwood Rope products from Fleet Farm, Made in USA. 
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Agree. Except, I think most people who have a GHB or BOB mostly have it for local, temporary, regional, etc, not, like, the whoel country/world has turned to mad max. Think ice storm, hurricane, earthquake, city riots, etc. The point of the bags mostly is to get from point A to point B and generally there is going to be a viable point B, be it family or friendās house in another location or merely a hotel room in an area that remains viable.
But, yeah, if things get movie/stephen king book level of bad nationwideā¦living off the land is pretty much not happening for anyone CONUS for any period of time (let alone east of the mighty miss)
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Agree with your thinking completely. Bags Iāve packed for self and family are for just that reason.
A worst case scenario where I live would be the melt down of the local nuclear power plant. That would be an āIām-never-coming-homeā scenario for us. We would temporarily relocate to family out of state and try to rebuild our lives in an area of the country where the grid is still up.
I do have an evacuation checklist for the family if we would ever have to leave with 30 minutes notice or less.
We did ābug outā years ago when a hurricane came through. But that was more of a situation where we knew schools would close so we could take the chance to visit out of state family and get out of the area just in case.
I carry a lot of stuff in my work bag. My vehicle also has additional items. I think I could get home from work in what I have with me. Of course, my situation is very unique. I work with a lot of people I consider close friends and several of them live in our neighborhood. So we would all walk home together in that scenario. No. I havenāt talked to them about this stuff. And it is a relatively rural area so we wouldnāt be walking out of a major city. Seems like an incredibly unlikely scenario anyway.
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I agree. Even the few people out there with the skills to do it would have an impossible time competing for wild food resources with all the āsurvivalistsā who invested all their money into guns and gear instead of beans and rice.
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Read W.W.Z. (not the movie). 
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My wife isnāt in to talking about preparedness or self defense issues but she does like zombie movies, books and games. So I can talk about those topics with her as long I keep it all in relation to an actual zombie apocalypse:)
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A good deal on 12 mil. tarp I bought 6. Got the first ones today, nice thickness.
If you donāt like blue you can spray paint them camo.
- 12āx16ā
$26.97
- 8āx10ā
$13.47
- 10āx12ā
$17.97
- 12āx20ā
$26.97
- 16āx20ā
$37.77
- 20āx30ā
$58.47
| Color | Blue |
|---|---|
| Brand | Teal Elite |
| Material | Plastic |
| Item Thickness | 12 Mils |
| Water Resistance Level | Waterproof |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Product Dimensions | 192"L x 144"W |
| Size | 12āx16ā |
| Center To Center Spacing | 18 Inches |
| Ultraviolet Light Protection | True |
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Just in time for the Snow. A vid with some good ideas and a pep talk at the end.
I have stopped using Duracell batteryās for the same reason about a year ago and switched to Energizer and have not had any blow up. 
Comments.
I have the same experience with Duracell. I use Energizer alkaline batteries for most applications, but Energizer lithium for seldom-used but vitally important stuff like electronics in the bugout bag or Eotechs. I have a lot of Eneloop NiMH batteries to use when things get sketchy. I plan to lend them to neighbors and exchange depleted batteries for charged ones as needed.
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@07blackdog
Great advice. I had a Streamlight flashlight ruined by some Energizer alkaline batteries. To their credit, they asked me for the serial numbers on the batteries and the model of the flashlight and promptly mailed me a check for a replacement flashlight.
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@stevebishop3796
Tough lesson for me as well! I switched to Energizer Lithium. Rated for 25 years. Rechargeables are ok but still not to same level.
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My experience is very similar. I have had noticeably more issues with alkaline Duracell than with alkaline Energizer but have had some Energizers go bad as well. If I have an item that is not going to be used for a long time I try to remember to pull the batteries out of it.
I have never had a set of Energizer lithium batteries go bad. If there is something I need to leave sitting for a long time but need the batteries left in so it is ready to go those are what I put in it.
Iāve had very good luck with Eneloop batteries. But after a decade in storage some of them had issues recharging and or holding a charge when I finally tried to use them. But I had others that I use in my GPS that are still working pretty well despite a decade or so of irregular use.
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We had some pasta set back and rotating through it we found out some moths or beetles had laid eggs in it. Had to give to the chickens.
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