The very best way to learn how to be a prepper is to be one. You can read all the books you want. You can watch all the how-to videos. You can stroll the store aisles in search of gear to amass. Nevertheless, you need to disconnect from your secure lifestyle first. Only then will you know if you can handle an SHTF or other disaster.

As a kid, I remember how tough it was to go camping with just bare-bones gear. We had it pretty good with a nice tent. My brother and I were both Boy Scouts. We had been on group overnight campouts many times. Still, being left alone for a week in the woods to rely on our resourcefulness was quite a trial. Today, my parents would probably be arrested for child abuse or some such nonsense.

So, if you had to bug out tomorrow, where would you start? Where would you go? What direction, what highways, or backroads would you use? Does the car have a full gas tank right now? Are your bug-out bags packed, secured, and ready to go? Are your defense weapons cleaned, loaded, and cased, ready to dodge out the back door? Have you got food, water, medical supplies, clothing, shoes, and emergency gear ready to leave?

When it comes to skills development, practice is the best way to improve. This applies regardless of the activity, from golf to shooting, camping, or even subsistence living. Start slow and go easy. If your bug-out is to try tent camping, pick a weekend. Choose a close by state park to try things out. If you move up to a pop-up camper, trailer, or even a self-contained RV, plan your timing carefully. Make sure to schedule your trip suitably. Test everything out, including yourself and the family. Find out before a catastrophe what works, what does not, and what needs tweaking.

Camping can be a good proving ground for prepping. This is the time to take all the gear. You can see what functions as it is supposed to do. Find out what turns out to be junk. Does that propane stove light easily and work well? Do the gas lanterns light without issue and give good camp illumination? Check out the camp food to see who likes what or not. How did the tent or trailer set up? All these things can be tested during a dry or wet practice run.

Prepping is best learned by being done. So get off the couch, start planning a trial run to check everything out. That way, you’ll be ready when a real SHTF hits the fan.

Article Source: All Outdoor