Another question please

[NorthernRaider]

Chaps and Chappesses

What piece of kit , equipment or action that you have bought , made or achieved do you think has been the best addition to your preps?

Mine I think still is my Berkfield...... I think, I dunno if the house is the best because though its a huge improvement from living in the city its still not what we would call even close to being the ideal for a prepper of modest means?

[Midnitemo]

no question...berky.....should be everyones first significant buy.

[Devonian]

Easy answer for this one!!

My cross trainer, whilst I wasn't massively overweight (just the usual middle aged spread), I did need to shed some pounds and couldn't face the gym and I don't enjoy running.

But with four 30 minute sessions a week (plus dog walking etc) and I've lost about 1.5 stone in the last 6 months, if I can loose another stone in the next 6 months I'll be back to my ideal weight.

But more important than my actual weight, is my general health and fitness levels which have massively improved, and to me this is an essential life saving prep if things go TU!

Remember you only have to be able to run faster than the slowest person to escape the zombies, but if you are unable to move quickly or if you are in poor health, then you are already disadvantaged if things go TU.

[bigpaul]

when things go TU definitely: 1. longbow and 2. crossbow.

[Danzord]

Books and knowledge without a doubt, still a lot to learn but these are the most important to me as if i cant buy things then knowing how to make, grow, fix, gather things will be usefull, everything bought will perish at some point but you can keep passing knowledge down.

[Midnitemo]

dirty water will kill you quicker than hunger.

[Sunna]

my local os map , with this iv found private fishing lakes , bridges over local streams , woods you cant see from the road or public footpaths.
also hidden from public view private moorings , well worth the cash and now on bing maps too

[Lightspeed]

Our number 1 is the multi-fuel mini-range we purchased last year. This thing is a life preserver for us. It does its thing day in day out throughout the winter period, providing heat, cooking, water sterilization, clothes drying, and most importantly tea / coffee and hot water bottle refills.

It is the single most important off-grid enabler that we have.

[Steve]

That's a difficult question NR, the Berkefeld is a great purchase, but of little use if you have no water to put into it, so perhaps an IBC trumps it.

Realistically, the two tons of coal I bought in Autumn is probably my best purchase this year. It's mundane, but it will allow me to heat the home, boil water, cook food. I prefer to burn wood, but when the chips are down coal is guaranteed to work, it doesn't rot or get waterlogged, and it produces a hell of a lot of heat.

[NorthernRaider]

Good point Steve, I'm lucky in that point fortunately cos 200 yards south of me is a fast flowing ( but murky) stream that has never ran dry in the ten years I have lived here, plus theres a small lake on the common, but best of all about 300 yards to the north is a spring that surfaces in a hollow so I think ( hope) I'm OK for water. But you make a valid point if one of us does not live close to a natural water source they need to store a fair bit.

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Steve I just got an E mail from another member to say he does not have an IBC but what he has done is slightly re-enforce the loft and added two more cold water tanks linked in series to the CW tank he already has, didnt say how big though