Category: Survival Mindset

The Final Countdown: Last-Minute Readiness Checks – Part 2, by Michael X.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Water List This is an item for the first three days. This is super important and needs to be one of the first items confirmed. Check locations and condition of water sources: Bottled Water/Stored water containers Well water (power dependent) Lake water – are there containers to carry and larger containers to store lake water? Is there a rainwater collection option available? Is the Berkey/Filtered water system ready? Can the tub be successfully filled with water from the system before the power goes out or the line pressure is gone? Can I …


The Final Countdown: Last-Minute Readiness Checks – Part 1, by Michael X.

Hypothetically, (of course), assume for a moment that the proverbial fan has been hit. Now you have three days….or two weeks….or two months…until the consequences of the event hit where you are. Good luck guessing how long it takes to hit you. Are you as ready as you can be? Are you sure? How do you know? How and when it hits you, whatever it may be, may be based on three key things: the type/cause of disaster, your proximity to the disaster or populated areas, and the stability of your systems (electricity, water, fuel, and human support systems). THE …


Prepper Group Training: Indigenous Guerrilla Teams – Part 1, by Bulldog

I would like to begin my topic by examining two concepts. I feel both ideas illustrate the hearts and souls of many men and women within today’s prepper and survivalist communities. The first one is an analogy. Its origins have most been often attributed to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. Lt. Col. Grossman’s premise was that all people can be placed into one of three groups; “sheep, sheepdogs, or wolves.”


Preparedness Logistics – Part 1, by 3AD Scout

The science and practice of logistics is often defined as getting the right stuff, in the right quantity, to the right place at the right time.  For those who are preparedness-minded, logistics takes on additional nuances.  Unlike those in business and industry, where orders for goods drives the logistics process, Preppers are preparing for threats that have no pre-determined date, have many unknown impacts including time to recovery (if ever), and spatial impact.  Whereas a car manufacturer, who has an order for 100 cars knows they need 400 tires (not including the little donut spare).  Preppers have no idea how much of a …


Building a Versatile AR, by Bulldog

Living the prepper lifestyle for many decades has fas its perks…well, sort of! It typically means there are mounds of extra supplies, boxes of spare parts, jars of both home and commercially canned foods, dry-canned foods, buckets of grain and beans in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, and shelving anywhere it can possibly be built. Yeah, I’ve probably left out a few things, but you get the idea. It also generally means you are often versed and proficient in tasks the average person has never even considered. This of course can be a hindrance when you and your wife are …


Field Intelligence Collection – Part 4, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 3.) Map Markers are similar to Favorites but much simpler, since they don’t allow you define a custom name or add them to a group. Markers are designed to allow you to plan a route, but they can be very useful for documenting the route you’re taking. Adding a Marker is similar to adding a Favorite – tap and hold your current location, then click on the ‘Marker’ (triangular flag) option on the bottom pop-up menu. A colored Marker flag will be added to that location; note that the color of the flag will automatically change for …


Field Intelligence Collection – Part 3, by J.M.

By using a standardized set of tags you’ll ensure everyone’s notes are categorized consistently, which makes it a lot easier to manage a lot of notes from a lot of different people on your home Intel system. Every note should have at least one standard tag in it. I recommend that you use separate smaller notes for each separate observation or thought instead of having a single large note with a lot of different tags in it, which simplifies management. This ensures that each note file will have its own unique creation date/time, which helps with understanding timelines when you’re …


Field Intelligence Collection – Part 2, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 1.) There are also a variety of different types of image collection devices that the lenses sit in front of to view and process the light coming through the lens: Mark I eyeball – Many types of lens devices like binoculars are designed to be held directly up to your eyes, typically to allow you to view things at a distance. Digital Single Lens Reflex (DLSR) cameras – These are large-body cameras that have interchangeable lenses and lots of advanced bells and whistles. Compact digital camera – Smaller digital cameras with built-in lenses. Cell phone camera – …


Field Intelligence Collection – Part 1, by J.M.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War In a post-disaster scenario, your survival and the survival of those you care about is going to depend heavily on several factors: Skills and experience – Knowing how to perform tasks that are critical to survival Mindset – The ability to face reality and take appropriate actions Resources – Having the right equipment, tools, and supplies Information – Knowing what’s going on around you and how it impacts you While the first three have been …


Prepper Outreach – An Example, by PrepperDoc

Most movements or organizations require some form of “outreach” in order to grow – or even to avoid getting smaller! Perhaps one of the only group to gain ever larger adherents without any form of outreach…..is the cemetery! Political parties, private schools, certainly retail establishments, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies all understand that outreach is part and parcel of growing their income and influence in a society. The survivalist/prepper movement has traditionally left outreach to the purveyors of related products. Preferring anonymity and eschewing public recognition, leadership and followers alike have avoided any form of outreach. But Christian love and compassion …


Bartering in a Post SHTF World – Part 2, by D.K.

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) Equivalent Value When most people think of the word ‘barter,’ they think ‘trade,’ or ‘like-for-like.’ The following is a list of possible items that you might want to consider having for bartering purposes, or charitable giving, should the need ever arise. These are merely suggestions. Barter Item Categories & Suggestions Air Gun/Archery: BBs/pellets, CO2 cartridges Spare bow strings, arrows/bolts Food: Freeze dried, #10 cans, MRE Flour, yeast, sugar, wheat Coffee/tea, drink mixes Hand crank grinder (meat/grain), spare parts Alcohol: Homemade wine/liquor Airline mini-bottles Fuel: 93-octane, diesel, kerosene, white camp fuel, 1 lb. …


As Ukrainian Defenses Collapse, What Can US Patriots Learn?, by Brandon Smith

In my article ‘Russia Is About To Overrun Ukraine’s Defenses – Why Are There No Peace Negotiations’ published in May, I outlined my reasons for predicting a near term collapse of Ukrainian front line defenses and a sweeping territory grab by Russian forces. Since the early months of the war my primary argument has been that Ukraine is trying to hide steep declines in manpower, and that this ruse would eventually be exposed. Bottom line? Wars are won by men, not by DARPA technology and suitcases of fiat cash. A year ago mainstream analysts said Ukrainians troops (with NATO’s help) …


Ballistics, Rifle Marksmanship and Why They Matter – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction I would argue that if Donald Trump’s would-be-assassin on July 13, 2024 had used a bullet with a higher ballistic coefficient, or if the wind had changed, regardless of the cartridge actually used, then Trump would have been killed or gravely injured.  How is it that Trump turned his head just before the bullet passed by?  This attempt on Trump’s life is a clear indication of the lateness of the hour.  Only by an act of God do we have more time to prepare.  Like many other SurvivalBlog readers, I was an admirer of the late Bob Griswold who …


The Well-Rounded Prepper, by Cactus Jack

The recent Crowdstrike computer/IT outage got us thinking about a host of things that affect our everyday lives. How do we get cash out of the bank, fuel for our vehicles, food, water, etc. when the power or internet is out? Start pulling on a loose thread and we soon realize that in life everything seems to be connected. There are ‘must have’ items that we always carry with us. Cash, a small amount of US 90% silver coins, firearm(s), knives (as in more than one), water, food, some tools, gloves, hat, and some cordage (rope or heavy twine) In …


Unexpected Homelessness: An AAR, by A Grateful Mechanic

Editor’s Introductory Note: This article is an After-Action Report (AAR).  At more than 6,400 words, it was long enough to serialize into three parts. But because it is in narrative form, I thought it was best to present it all in one piece. — In late 2019 into early 2020 I experienced a several month unexpected period of homelessness. This was during the incipient stages of the COVID-19 pandemic situation where there was significant “fog of war.” The severity of the situation was unclear. This was an exceptional learning opportunity that yielded significant operating experience that I am sharing here. …