When many people, including many of your friends and family, discuss the topic of survival, the conversation steers toward the latest gadgets and gear aimed at preppers and survivalists. You might have a closet or a garage full of this gear. While it is certainly true that some of this gear will help to make survival substantially easier and more comfortable, you need to learn that you cannot rely on it. You need to take steps to become more self-sufficient and not gadget reliant when it comes to survival. Sure, you can buy all the gear that you like, but be prepared to survive without much if it comes down to it.
Knowledge and Skills
No matter how much gear you have, you will not get far unless you have the knowledge and the skills needed to survive. You need to know how to use that gear, and you need to know how to improvise when you do not have the gear available.
To survive, you need water, fire, shelter, and food. You probably have gear that can help you to get each of these things. Now, you need to learn ways that you can improvise so you can still have those four essential elements of survival without the gear.
For example, you might have a handy fire starting kit that can help you get a blaze up and going in minutes. Maybe you have a water filter built for survival. These are great tools, but you need to know how to start a fire with nothing but your bare hands. It is difficult, and it takes time to learn how to do it properly. Even then, you might not always be successful. However, you need to know how to do it. Then, when you can start fires the primitive way, you can boil water to make it safe to drink.
You might have a tent or a tarp, and that’s great. Now, take the time to learn how to build your own shelter, such as a lean-to. If you live in an area where it snows, take the opportunity to build winter shelters and see how well you can make them. Since you are not in an actual survival situation at the time, you do not have to stay in it if you do not want to, but it will be nice to know you can build one if needed.
Think about all the different tools you have and the primitive methods to get the same result. Gather the knowledge and then put it to use. The next time you go camping with all your gear, keep some of it in the pack and practice the primitive way. Build your skills in all areas of survival. When you do, you will find that you have far more confidence when it comes to real world survival. You will realize that you can handle anything that comes your way, just like our ancestors, who did not have access to all of the fancy gear.
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