Doom and gloom are in the air, and so many would-be prophets are proclaiming the end is nigh. Whether it comes from homegrown zombie deer, mutated coronavirus from China, stock market collapse, or global climate catastrophe, doomsayers expect you to fear for your lives. While most of these scenarios are highly unlikely to happen soon, there’s nothing wrong with preparing for the worst.
Wearable Gear
Preppers are the Boy Scouts of the apocalypse. While all their training will most likely remain unused, the skills they learn can be applied to unusual scenarios. Boy Scouts have their uniforms, and preppers have wearable survival equipment. Forget base jumpers — preppers, hikers, and hunters can keep your local paracord store in business. Paracord bracelets, belts, and slings are integral to any survivalist’s outfit.
A ten-inch paracord bracelet holds enough rope to span ten feet — with enough strength to hold up 550 pounds. Caps are also fashionable. They protect your face from glare and harmful UV radiation, while also holding flint and steel in one of their many concealed pockets. Men don’t usually wear necklaces unless they are dog tags, but male preppers are ready to don survival necklaces that can hold flint and cutting blade.
Adequate Food and Water
Stocking up on food and water might seem a bit extreme, but modern rations have come a long way from the canned food of yesteryear. Dry rations that last up to two years are now easily available in prepper stores, and the high demand for them has Walmart stocking its supplies.
While the food and water you store will probably go bad before an actual apocalypse, natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes are not completely out of the picture. Modern dry rations (from the right suppliers) taste good. While you won’t be serving them at your backyard barbecues, they’ll serve you well during a freak snowstorm and your refrigerator is empty. If you have pets at home, make sure to keep them in mind when stocking up on food and water; they need to survive a disaster, as well.
Training, Training, and More Training
Like scouts, preppers need training — and so do you. Learn the basics of survival like starting a fire from scratch, foraging for food in the wilderness, identifying potential places to find water, and setting up snares and traps. Throw in a bit of First Aid just to prepare for the worst cases of societal collapse. Add some cardio to your routine, and you’ll have the endurance to face or flee any post-apocalyptic scenario. Even without a looming apocalypse, all that training will do you good — making you a bit fitter and saving you from serious illnesses, like diabetes and heart problems, sweeping the nation (this one’s real).
The apocalypse is coming — if not in your lifetime, then someone else’s. You don’t need to go all out in becoming a prepper. But there’s no harm in being prepared to face survival scenarios — just as how it’s only sound to keep a fire extinguisher even when your house doesn’t show signs of catching fire.
