I had an epiphany earlier this year when I walked into a room full of outdoors stuff strewn about and figured it was time to cycle through some of this clutter like I would old cans of soup. This year in particular I've tried to take a big picture look at what I've got, what I'm capable of and what I need for the family/others. All of these things change over time and much like a backpacker on their first overnight trip carrying shovels and cast iron skillets I think a prepper tends to lighten their pack the farther they go along the trail. That lead me to really stop and wonder, what do I need and why.
For example, I started looking around and since I like sharp pointy things every so often I'd buy a new one and now I had a box full of pretty good knives, but only really ever used a small handful of them. It's got me wondering what safety nets do I really need to have in place, and what's the test to measure if I've got that covered or not.
I enjoy watching ultralight through hikers and bushcrafters on youtube and seasons of Alone on TV and it makes me think. The ultralight hikers don't carry big ole knives and largely depend on people to be good to one another on the trail which largely happens. The bushcrafters do a pretty good job of little projects and knowing plants, but honestly I don't think I'm going to have to carve spoons or blacksmith a knife after some SHTF event. The episodes of Alone seem to be the most beneficial reality check I see for what I like learn. People go out for months in a contest that ultimately leads to a self induced starvation contest and some do very fine with a mora knife and others tap out the first week with all kinds of fancy gear.
Largely I've gotten quiet in the prepping world because so much of the conversation tends to revolve around gear and anymore I want less of it.
To answer my own question I'm starting to value experiences and training classes more than any pile of whatever I've got stashed away in a closet somewhere. Last time a nasty storm hit we had the kids in the basement and I sat there listening to weather stations, had plenty of backpacking water filtering devices, and some food on hand that I knew we were fine.
I'm questioning everything I've generally accepted over the years about prepping and now I'm trying to see what mindset others have.
For example, I started looking around and since I like sharp pointy things every so often I'd buy a new one and now I had a box full of pretty good knives, but only really ever used a small handful of them. It's got me wondering what safety nets do I really need to have in place, and what's the test to measure if I've got that covered or not.
I enjoy watching ultralight through hikers and bushcrafters on youtube and seasons of Alone on TV and it makes me think. The ultralight hikers don't carry big ole knives and largely depend on people to be good to one another on the trail which largely happens. The bushcrafters do a pretty good job of little projects and knowing plants, but honestly I don't think I'm going to have to carve spoons or blacksmith a knife after some SHTF event. The episodes of Alone seem to be the most beneficial reality check I see for what I like learn. People go out for months in a contest that ultimately leads to a self induced starvation contest and some do very fine with a mora knife and others tap out the first week with all kinds of fancy gear.
Largely I've gotten quiet in the prepping world because so much of the conversation tends to revolve around gear and anymore I want less of it.
To answer my own question I'm starting to value experiences and training classes more than any pile of whatever I've got stashed away in a closet somewhere. Last time a nasty storm hit we had the kids in the basement and I sat there listening to weather stations, had plenty of backpacking water filtering devices, and some food on hand that I knew we were fine.
I'm questioning everything I've generally accepted over the years about prepping and now I'm trying to see what mindset others have.