Category: Water Storage & Filters

XStream Straw Water Filter and AquaBrick, by Thomas Christianson

We all need air, water, food, and protection from the environment (clothing and shelter). If we are deprived of any of these necessities for a long enough time, we will die. Lack of access to clean drinking water can result in death through dehydration or disease. Emergency planning should include securing access to clean drinking water both at home and in the field. I recently had the opportunity to test the Sagan Life XStream Straw Ultralight Water Filter Deluxe. It is light, easy to use, and effective. It is an excellent tool for preparing potable water under field conditions. At …


What To Do in 2024?, by SaraSue

There has been a tremendous amount of change in our country, just in the past three years, not to mention the years and decades before.  It’s as if, the worst of the worst scenarios have accelerated, and many of us feel it in our bones that things are going to get worse in our country (America).  I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, and it was a wonderful childhood. But, as I look back, I can see how the gross inflation and economic problems of the 1970s affected my father, while he insulated us children from most of it.  …


SAR Lessons for Preppers, by H.F.K.

In this article, I will relate some key lessons for preppers that I have learned as a Search And Rescue (SAR) worker and volunteer.  I tell people that we live in a wonderful and fun place, as long as you never forget that the wilderness is always trying to kill you. They think I’m being funny. But s a member of both a county sheriff’s SAR Team and a Mountain Rescue Association-affiliated team, I can tell you that I am being completely serious. Any prepper should approach life very similarly to how they would approach a backcountry hiking trip. The …


Practical Rain Catchment, by Javelina

I think everyone agrees that water is an absolute necessity, regardless of the situation at hand. Catching what nature provides can be as simple as a bucket or tarp or as complex as multi tank systems with complete purification systems. I am no expert, nor is this meant to be a technical article but a simple guide to get started harvesting rain. As always consult your local codes and permit requirements. The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) is a great place to start. The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is also a source of installation information as well. …


For Your Bugout Bag: The Humble Sillcock Key

One often overlooked item for a bugout bag is a Sillcock Key. This handy little wrench will allow you to access tap water from commercial establishments that have “limited access” water spigots.  It is commonly called a Sillcock Key, Sillcock Wrench, or Sillcock Handle. You often see “security” spigot taps on the exterior walls of restaurants, stores, school buildings, shopping malls, and warehouses. There are several different styles.  Some of them are “frost free”, and some are not. There are at least four different anti-tamper key patterns in common use in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Hence the need …


12 Basic Actions To Make It Through The First 12 Weeks of TEOTWAWKI – Part 1, by Michael X.

Is TEOTWAWKI imminent? I do not know. But things are slipping toward it happening soon. Will it be a violent, giant crash, like one involving many cars on the turnpike, or will it be a quiet breakdown along the side of a deserted country road? For myself, at this point, I am not thinking it will be a catastrophic, instantaneous crash caused by nuclear war, an EMP, asteroids, or alien invasion. More likely, I think it could be a slow slide that will catch people off guard until it is finally too late to get the basics in place. This …


Reunite Your Family After a Black Swan Event, by J.P.

Like many of you reading this, I have been in the preparedness community for more than a decade. We have seen the videos, read the blogs, read and listened to books, and thought about the what-ifs and I would-bes…. Seemingly endless “when it goes down imma gonna get my kit and my body armor and my weebo disk made by Acme company” or “in the first hours imma gonna go here and do this and that”. The first person tends to be me, myself and I. To be honest, no you are not. Hard stop! You may have loved ones …


A Retreat for Aging Preppers, by Barbara H.

Addressing the problems facing aging preppers. Start early! Our initial problem was two-fold: Finding sustainable land while still trapped until I was retirement-eligible. Two years before retirement, we began our search for viable land approximately 100 miles from any major city. Our initial search was for about 20 acres, a nearby small town, and off of well-traveled roads. The land had to have a water source with a full-year-running creek. Remember moving to an unknown rural community places you at a disadvantage of finding appropriate skilled help and unscrupulous persons who will overcharge you based on your lack of knowledge. …


Bank Failures are Driving What I’m Doing, by Sara Sue

I’ve been trying to figure out what The Powers That Be (TPTB) are up to and how it’s going to affect me. I can only speak of my own strategy for the coming deep recession and/or depression. I can’t solve the big picture crisis. I can only attend to my own farm and family. My primary goals have been to grow food as if our lives depend upon it, and to get as far away as possible from any big city without being so remote I can’t get help. Additionally, since I rely on banking, a year or so ago …


A 12-Month Preparedness Checklist – Part 1, by Reltney McFee

It has been said that amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics. I have attempted to put things aside for rainy days, and, with Mr. Biden at the helm, and Mr. Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation, well, my achy knees tell me that rainy days are a’comin. This last November, I had the epiphany that I needed to check the condition as well as charge of my batteries. This is a task for me semi-annually. I inspect for signs of leakage, I test the strength, using a voltage meter. Radio Shack used to sell them for $10-$20, once upon a time. …


A Get Home Bag Alternative, by Rick S.

Anyone who leaves home should bring a Get Home bag with them. We regularly hear of incidents in which people leave home expecting a 30-minute jaunt in their climate-controlled vehicle only to find themselves in a grim, hours-long ordeal without even a bottle of water to tide them over. In some instances the individuals could simply pull over to the side of the road and walk home, but they are wearing high-heeled shoes and have no coat: after all, they had no intention of doing any walking nor did they expect to be out of their warm vehicle any longer …


My Ten-Day Test-My-Preps Adventure – Part 3, by St. Funogas

(Continued from Part 2.) Day Four It was completely overcast by 06:30. Yes! I can fully test my solar panel output. Freezer temps before the morning solar-panel electricity came on: 24°F. I can deal with that if it never gets any warmer during the test, and it didn’t. This on/off freezer method could potentially work year-round so let the SHTF when it wants. As the days get shorter and less solar power is available, seasonal temperatures also get cooler making it easier for the freezer to keep up in my unheated shop. This will be an interesting comparison test for …


Rainwater Harvesting – Part 2, by K.R.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Our Primary Rainwater Capture System When the time came for us to put in a new garage, we had the opportunity to install a larger rainwater system that could also capture snow melt, as well as store water during the winter. The collection system is an in-ground French drain running the 60-foot length of the building, between the eaves of the building and the hillside. The drain empties into a 1,000-gallon concrete underground cistern. We put in a septic tank for the toilet in the garage, so we just dropped a second …


Rainwater Harvesting – Part 1, by K.R.

Imagine that you have a 2,000 square foot cabin in the Inland Northwest and a spring rain shower thunders by that drops an inch of rain. If you were equipped to capture the rain that hit the roof of your cabin, you would have just picked up over 1,200 gallons of water. Rainwater harvesting is an easy win that can provide a significant supply of water. With a relatively small investment, you can provide a significant amount of water that you can use for gardens, washing, animals, firefighting, and–if treated–drinking. At the very least, capturing your rainwater as a redundant …


Lessons Learned: A Burst Pipe, by Kim F.

Thursday afternoon, I realized the full significance of the noise I heard running through my pipes. It wasn’t a dripping faucet somewhere, there was a leak under my slab. I live in hurricane country. I’ve had an abundance of experience with the aftermath of these storms in my more than half a century of life. You could say I’ve been prepping since I was 8 years old. In all that time, I’ve never lost water. Power, yes. Hot water, yes. I’ve never even experienced a “boil water” alert, except when I was volunteering for disaster relief in other communities. But …