Modified clothing for the prepper

[Tarrel]

Quote:So where is the best place to start?

That sounds like the start of a long discussion! I'm sure there are many of the gurus on here who will share their experiences and viewpoints, but my start point was "what am I prepping for?"

I happen to believe that slow, grinding erosion of our society and systems, leading to periodic shortages, power-failures, etc. is more likely than a sudden catastrophic collapse, though there are others that see it differently. So, I tend to prep for short-to-medium term shortages of food, power, fuel and water.

The next thing is "what are the basic necessities?" Water, food, shelter, warmth and security. So, how might these be threatened in some of the scenarios one can imagine? Events over the last few years have shown how easily these basics can come under threat; Tewkesbury floods (water shortage due to pumping station flooding - now there's an irony if ever I heard one!), government-initiated fuel shortages (this year), fuel-protests in 2000, meaning supermarkets were a day or so away from running out of food, riots last year (security).

So, how would you cope if the "tap was turned off" on any of these basic necessities? The rest follows logically; stockpiling non-perishable food for several weeks at least (others would say longer). Storing, or at least having a way to purify, water. Having a way to cook and, ideally, heat your house (camping stove, woodburner, etc). Having plenty of warm clothing, blankets, etc in case the latter is not possible. Maintaining a low profile and not advertising what you have, and finally, having an escape (bug-out) plan in case the situation worsens and you can no longer safely remain in your home.

Northern Raider has some amazingly comprehensive notes and ideas (as have others) which you can access by searching the forum, but having a strategy or game plan is important before getting hooked into the detail IMO.

Hope this helps.