Mindset change

[izzyscout21]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.

Traditionally, my thought process has always been to prepare and collect the items I deem necessary for my family to survive a life changing event. While this is still very important to me, I'm changing the plan a bit.

Through some soul searching, I've come to realize that I and my family are severely dependent on what we store to survive. Likewise, we are becoming more dependent on our equipment as a means to survive as well. We are too tied to the "stuff". Isn't that almost the same as being a non-prepper?

All of you know that I'm a gear geek through and through, but them more time I spend using that gear, the more my basic survival skills have degraded. I can no longer allow this to happen. As much as I like cool stuff, behind me are the days where I pine for the latest greatest addition to my gadgets, firearms, and apparel. Don't take this to mean I'm ditching optics on my rifles or giving away my multicam, or throwing out my Mountain House stash......cause I'm not.

What this does mean for me however, is that I now strive to do more with less. That I will be testing myself to some limits that I haven't touched in a while. For the foreseeable future, my training and preparing will be more skills and mindset oriented. I will be going farther with less. I will be making natural shelters, scrounging and hunting for food (again, not ditching the Mountain House......lol). I plan to learn. I plan to fail. I plan to learn through my failures. There may come a time when I'm separated form my basic equipment, and I need to prepare myself for that. Not to ruffle any feathers, but I think many of us fall into the same trap.

I plan on breaking that mold I have backed myself into. I'll also make an attempt to document my journey to share with all of you here.

I challenge you all to to the same.

Who's with me?

Izzy

[helomech]

I never have got into the gear very much. I do like my scopes on my rifles, but other than that not much. The only camo I have is what I use for hunting season. My back packs are just what ever we have. I don't have gear belts, or any pouches. I do have good knives though. We don't really stock any food, except what we can ourselves. Never had a camel back, or anything like that. The closest I come to a gear bag is my old ruck sack from the Army.

[Twitchy]

Gear is cool, and useful... But should be used as a tool to more effectively prepare, rather than reply on it to survive. I agree with all of your points Izzy, and I feel it is a widespread problem amongst preppers. How often do we really go out into the field to practice basic, and I TRULY mean BASIC survival skills? The answer is often ignored, and its because it isn't very often.

[mitunnelrat]

Does that mean you don't want a pop can stove after all? I was just gonna ship one on the sly, but if you want I can send a couple sticks for you to rub together instead. ;)

[izzyscout21]

Does that mean you don't want a pop can stove after all? I was just gonna ship one on the sly, but if you want I can send a couple sticks for you to rub together instead. ;)


lol. send it on down.

[ak474u]

I've got gear, and food. I've also started gardening heavily and we're learning more every day that doesn't require storage space other than in our skulls.

[ElevenBravo]

I hope you wont be getting rid of your gear, but rather keep your gear and practice skill that would minimize your dependency on them... simply to add to the tool box. Please dont go bush hippy on us bro! :-)

EB

[eagle326]

Very good man in the mirror reflective thought Izzy. It's very comforting to have the gear you need to survive but as you stated it's the basics that ensure survival. Knowledge of fire ;shelter ; food gathering and such without all of the modern day equipment is the base line or life line to living if caught without gear or lost of gear.

You're correct in your looking back to days of minimal tools and will be able to refresh and expand your talents to meet requirements in the future. After all isn't this how we all started out. By keeping both skill sets fluid you double you odds of living.
Thanks for bringing this to the fore-front so that we may all brush up on some of the old skills we are rusty on or have forgotten.

[izzyscout21]

I hope you wont be getting rid of your gear, but rather keep your gear and practice skill that would minimize your dependency on them... simply to add to the tool box. Please dont go bush hippy on us bro! :-)

EB


Im not the hippy type.

Im not ditching what i have by any means, but I am going to focus on not using it if I don't have to. Basic bushcraft and primitive skills are my focus for now. Doing more with less.

[ElevenBravo]

Ill still never give up my Fiskers pruning saw.... If I went into the woods with only that, would that be primitive enough?? HA HA Just kidding... Im working hard with what little time I have free to school the daughter in field craft so her life can be enriched with knowledge. A little bit each week will add up over time...

EB

[Caveman Survival]

I've never been much of a gear person, so I applaud you whole heartedly on your re-examining a back to basics approach. I have basics (Firesteel, compass, etc) but I don't spend a lot of time or money on gadgets...only on skills and equipment that are re-usable or can be replaced or fixed using only that which I can scavenge (as I see in a post shtf scenario it will be all that is available long term).

Once the rechargeable batteries no longer hold a charge, or the tactical flashlight gets lost in the river will you have the skills to carry on. I think it's important to work on the skills and knowledge first... Then the toys.

A note to add, which I am sure you have taken into account, but you have to practice what you learn in extreme conditions, in order to fully understand the processes involved. I have a buddy that learns a new skill (say friction fire as an example), he'll do it a couple of times, in his backyard, on a hot dry day, and then never do it again, thinking he has it mastered. I told him to try it on a humid day, or after a storm (even with dry wood), or in the winter, but he doesn't listen. And he'll be up shits creek without a paddle when he really needs to know how to handle adversities

[Stormfeather]

Does that mean you don't want a pop can stove after all? I was just gonna ship one on the sly, but if you want I can send a couple sticks for you to rub together instead. ;)


lol. send it on down.

Once a geardo. . . always a geardo!
LOL! Ya know im just messing with ya!

I like where your mindset is Izzy! I too have thought about this before, but unlike you, havent taken the steps in the opposite direction to ensure that I have the basic skillsets mastered. So you know what, Im going to jump on in with ya on this, and I will document this as well, so we can draw off each others experiences and see where it leads! Count me in bro!

[mitunnelrat]

I'm actually feeling the same way. I cant say count me in, but don't count me out either!

[mitunnelrat]

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/motivator19340af0306905fd4f4a513927.jpg (http://s304.photobucket.com/user/mitunnelrat/media/motivator19340af0306905fd4f4a513927.jpg.html):D

[Gunfixr]

That's great. I've kind of thought in the same direction, but hadn't carried it as far as you have.
I did decide this year I would devote what resources I could to training and skills, instead of gear or having fun, like competition shoots, for example.
For you are right. Gear can be broken or lost. Supplies eventually run out.

As a bushcraft instructor friend says, "the more you know, the less you carry".

And then, there is the "new economy" effect. You can only barter items until you run out. Skills can be used for barter over and over.

[Grumpy Old Man]

My best survival gear is between my ears.

[Stormfeather]

My best survival gear is between my ears.

I agree, but sometimes you have to put all of that knowledge to work and make sure that it works. I liken it to shooting, knowledgeable skills, like shooting skills, are always perishable, if you dont use them, you lose them.

[bacpacker]

My best prep is my ability to grow a large part of our food. That prep is growing this year. Making a huge effort to improve my health and condition this year.

[Kodiak]

Does this mean your cleaning out your trunk?! :D

[mitunnelrat]

Because you know Kodiak wants to be around when you do!

[izzyscout21]

Does this mean your cleaning out your trunk?! :D

I took a deuce this morning.........

[Stormfeather]

and on that note. . . the thread starts to derail.