Prudent Prepping: December Round-Up

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

I have several things that need mentioning and can't make them a separate post.

Son of First Aid
My first post on first aid and its follow-up received many comments, all of them appreciated. I have no problem being educated on topics I know very little about, like first aid and tourniquets. In fact, I have no problem with listening to anyone talk to me about most anything related to prepping!

https://amzn.to/2Uat0q2

My two pack of tourniquets arrived last Sunday, and so I'm returning the loaner to the Master Chief. Next on my list is learning the proper way to use them correctly. Google and YouTube may be a friend, but I need a life saver to walk me through the proper steps. My local Red Cross doesn't have anything going until the new year, so I have to wait.





Disaster Relief
My local Food Bank, Contra Costa/Solano County is directly helping the people displaced by the Butte County/Paradise fire. They've been delivering food to the area since the 20th of November and are now in their usual drive to help the local people too. If you have a mind to donate, the information is in the linked web page. Thanks!

Holiday Gift Ideas

Crank Flashlight

Go and check out your local Big Box store for special buys and close-outs! I found this Emergency Flashlight just by walking down the aisle.

This has been shown before and is now a Special Buy, non-stock item in my two closest Home Depot stores. It works as advertised and is almost sold out! If I didn't have any backup power plans this would be under my tree or in my stocking!

Look for the large selection of under $10 battery flashlights too. There are some reasonable sized AA and AAA lights that I'm giving out to friends this year.

The Takeaway

• As we have all said and Chaplain Tim said last week, there is nothing wrong with starting small and getting big, step by step.

The Recap

• Nothing was purchased this week, but the two pack of tourniquets is still a screaming deal and in limited supply when I checked.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Return of More First Aid

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.  

A quick follow-up to last week's post and an update to another.

I mentioned last week that I wanted to start carrying a tourniquet in my EDC first aid gear. Little did I know what I was missing, in terms of both information and tools.

To Tourniquet,

Or Not To Tourniquet?

That is the question, and it's pretty easy to answer if you do any reading at all. Everyone even remotely connected to first aid recommends having one in your first aid gear and learning to use one correctly. The kit I mentioned in last week's post contained what I thought was a good tourniquet, but as it turns out the SWAT-T tourniquet was not recommended by every commenter on the BCP Facebook page (join up, it;'s fun!) or this blog.

Ouch.

I'm not "ouching" because my choice was knocked, but because another bit of information was missing from what I had thought was a good knowledge base. Fortunately, my friend the Master Chief graciously loaned me a CAT until I could get some of my own. 

2 Pack Genuine NAR CAT Tourniquet Gen 7 Black

https://amzn.to/2Uat0q2

From the Amazon page:

The CAT Tourniquet utilizes a durable windlass system with a patented free-moving internal band providing true circumferential pressure to the extremity. Once adequately tightened, bleeding will cease and the windlass is locked into place. A hook and loop windlass retention strap is then applied, securing the windlass to maintain pressure during casualty evacuation. The tourniquets unique dual securing system avoids the use of screws and clips which can become difficult to operate under survival conditions.

Be certain to get the real thing, as everyone tells me there are many, many counterfeit CATs on the market. Here's a video on how to identify fakes.



Keys  

My key

Last April, I wrote about having extra keys made for my car. It was an expense I really had a hard time justifying at the time, but it paid off this week. A key isn't supposed to be able to reach around corners or wiggle when put into the ignition switch!

The plastic molding holding the metal portion in position cracked right at the front edge. Looking closely, the original key looks like it was done by a slightly different manufacturer than the current copies. There seems to be a bit of a flatter front where the metal enters the plastic body. I'm not taking things apart to check it out, but that's how it looks.

Now I'm down to one complete, full-function key as a spare, not counting the valet key.

Another learning moment. I'm just glad this is only costing cash to fix.

The Takeaway

• With my budget I need to be absolutely certain that what I order is what I need the first time.
• Planning pays off, even it the initial expense hurts.

The Recap

• One Two-Pack of North American Rescue CAT Gen 7 Tourniquets on order from Amazon: $53.97 with Prime. 

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: More First Aid

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

I always look for ways to add to and improve my preps, and while food is most important, right after are my first aid supplies.

Every Day Carry
I have in my lunch box a very small first aid kit that has various band aids, triple antibiotic, and Tylenol. In a separate zip lock bag is Advil, aspirin, gauze pads and QuickClot. After an employee cut himself on some metal strapping this week, I decided it was time to look for a better way to carry more and better gear. I'm exploring several different options for keeping gear close to me (which means future blog posts on this subject), but this is my first step to improving things.

Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Pak

https://amzn.to/2m2JPU5

This kit was mentioned by both Erin and myself in the $30 First Aid Kit Challenge prompted by this post from Chaplin Tim.

I really like the fact that it is sealed in a very sturdy plastic(?) bag and also has a zip lock seal to close it up after you open it the first time. Erin and I both really like what is included.

Since I really like this kit, it made sense to me to look at what else might be available from Adventure Medical Kits.

This is what I found:




Adventure Medical Kits Professional Series Trauma Pak Pro

https://amzn.to/2E6ps3o

The Pro is similar to the regular pack; however, it includes a SWAT-T tourniquet and loses some of the gauze pads. I'm good with trading some gauze for being able to stop serious bleeding.

From the Amazon listing for the Trauma Pak Pro:

• Stops Bleeding: The Advanced Clotting Sponge uses zeolite, a common mineral, to help blood clot up to three times faster than blood on its own.
• Critical First Aid Information: Instruction sheet with information on managing life-threatening and traumatic injuries.
• Made for Tactical First Response: Designed for fast deployment in critical situations; fits in BDU pocket.
• Personal Protection: Nitrile examination gloves plus biohazard disposal bag.
• A Tourniquet Anyone Can Safely Use!: The SWAT-T is easy for anyone to use without advanced training. Instructions are printed directly on the SWAT-T.

Luckily, the injury to the employee didn't require the use of a tourniquet, but I don't know when I may need one.

The slight downside to the Trauma Pak Pro is everything isn't in a sealed package but in a woven pouch. All of the critical gear appears to be contained in waterproof and sterile packaging, so those items won't be ruined by water, but the pouch itself could get knocked around some in my lunch box. If worst comes to worst, I'll put it into a zip lock bag like I've done to my existing gear that could be ruined by water.

The Takeaway

• Improvements to my gear come in tiny steps as I am able to afford it.
• If bleeding can be controlled, the chances of survival until expert medical care arrives is increased.

The Recap

• To be ordered: one Adventure Medical Trauma Pak Pro from Amazon, $39.53 with Prime.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Thanks Giving

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

Corny or not, this is a good time for reflecting on all the good things that have happened to me and all the good people I have in my life.

THANKS
Some names listed here don't read this blog, but many do. Some have reasons listed, but many don't and that's okay too.

In no particular order or importance:

• I am very thankful to be on Blue Collar Prepping with this group of writers. I'm always excited to read what is put up. I count you as friends.
• I am extremely thankful for Erin Palette and her very patient work to make my writing readable.
• Evelyn and D.R. for the couch and mail box.
• Darryl, Sean and Jonathan for answering questions that clarified much.
• John and Ella for being such a good fit. He got lucky!
• Shane, Jenn and Cassie for the dinner invites and for how mad you get when I bring things!
• Bubba. Sir! Yes Sir!
• Jason Rennie for the free books. Like my To Be Read pile wasn't large enough.
• Mark for signing my books, for my first Red Shirting, and for writing in such a cool universe.
• Rick for shipping me an OOP copy of a book AND signing everything!
• MadMike for OOP books and signing them, as well as the commentary on Facebook and the blog.
• The ILoH Larry Corriea for putting out so many great books and hysterical fisks.
• The Mata family for all the prayers sent to me. Gihigugma tamo tanan.
• Janelle and Don. Thanks for the quiet.
• Myeong
• Liza
• Susan Lee for calling me 'DB'.
• Kitty and The Kid, I WILL touch the iPad!
• Van and all the Saturday group. Being 外人 is fun!

I am especially thankful for all the new friends I've made this year, and for all the people who have commented on my writing offering corrections and praise. Thank you.

I could go on all night and even then I'd miss someone, so if you aren't here, please know you are memorable to me.

Thank you.

GIVING
I really went through my stores and stripped out a bunch more stuff that wasn't close to outdated to make room for incoming goodies. I still have a good three-day supply in each bucket, but now the duplicated items are gone. 

I spent $10 extra this week at the grocery store on food to go in the Food Drive barrels. I also wrote a check to the Food Bank for a turkey.

I don't have a picture to show my progress, but I didn't make it to the end of the month for Movember; my beard was just way too itchy to last. Everyone said the third week would be less scratchy, but I couldn't stand it. Regardless, $25 dollars that I would have spent on a haircut and shaving went to Prostate Cancer research instead. 

The Takeaway

• I hope I am as good a friend back to the people who call me Friend. 
• If not, I will try harder.

The Recap

• A donation of $25 to support men's health and Prostate Cancer research.
• A total of $30 in food and cash to my local Food Bank.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Get Out Of Dodge

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent 
Prepping.

California is on fire again...  or perhaps "still on fire" is a better way to describe what's happening.

Here are some stories from the N. California fire:

• November 7: Nine dead in Paradise Ca Camp fire.
• November 9: 29 dead in Camp fire. 
• November 12: Deadliest wildfire in Ca. history. Warning! auto-play video! Turn down your sound. 

The final report lists 42 confirmed deaths and over 200 missing.

I only have one thing to say about this entire year's fires in California and the disasters around the country:

What Were They Thinking?
I can only talk about the situations here where I am, and this latest fire in Butte County follows the Oroville Dam disaster, so the Sheriff and the local people know how to handle mass evacuations. The Sheriff ordered an evacuation when the fire first reached the edge of the town, and while it took some time to burn into the center of town, people had time to leave.

I have close friends who live there and they lost everything, but they're safe. Why? Because they left when told to! They listened to the warnings and left as soon as they could. From what I understand, since basic items were already staged, my friends were able to get many sentimental items out with them. 

What Can Be Done

• Double and triple check your plan! Verify your designated meet-up spot and have a 2nd or even a 3rd in mind. 
• Know how to get out out of your neighborhood. Have all the routes memorized! 
• Have your BOBs ready, along with what is really important close by. 

The bloggers who were here in 2015 picked our favorite or essential items in our own personal BOB or GHB and put them in a blog post. We've added several more people since then, and everyone has written about their own setup. The Discerning Shootist has several posts about gear, starting here with a definition of what all those initials mean.

 If you want to spend time looking at what else is available to read, a look up "BOB" in the Blogger search box (upper left corner) on the Blue Collar Prepping page. There are 44 articles just with that term, and "Bug Out Bag" shows 74 and "GHB" lists 115! That is only the posts with those terms in the title or tags. Everyone has written about their gear, and I feel it is important to read what is different in each person's bag. Not only do you have different climates, there are enough differences in climates to make "What's In the Bag?" a fun rabbit hole!

I highly recommend a search by author name on our blog. You'll see we have many things in common, and some that might make the proverbial light bulb go off and trigger an AHA! moment.

The Recap and Takeaway

• There are few heroes in a disaster, most people are better off to get out with their group. 
• Have A Plan. Hell, have 2 or 3! Just make sure your group is on the same page! 
• When the authorities say it's time to leave, leave. Right then. 

Nothing was purchased this week, but if this latest round of fires starts those extra dollars burning a hole in your pocket (heh!), see below on how to keep us here!


Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: A Milestone In My Preps

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent 
Prepping.

With some discipline in my budget (not my strongest suit) I've been able to buy my first bucket of freeze-dried, long-term storage food!

This has been a struggle, right from the start of my posts at Blue Collar Prepping. I'm pretty sure I've written about food and how to store it more than any other topic, and I'm positive whatever is in second place is way behind.

Even with saving more, I still have to be extremely careful with how I look to spend money. What did I buy? I'm glad you asked!

Mountain House "Just In Case" Classic Meal Assortment
 

https://amzn.to/2qAmATG

I'm going with what I know to be a good brand and with a good assortment of food I know and like.

From the Mountain House website:

Mountain House Just in Case... Classic Bucket is the perfect solution for those who want a reliable emergency food supply that doesn't take up a ton of space. With 29 servings of some of our most delicious options, Mountain House Classic Assortment Bucket is compact and easy to store just about anywhere – even in your car for that next camping adventure.

Mountain House Classic Assortment Bucket contains two pouches of each delicious meal:

• Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
• Chicken Teriyaki with Rice
• Beef Stew
• Lasagna with Meat Sauce
• Noodles & Chicken
• Granola with Milk & Blueberries

This is just a start in the change-out of regular grocery items in my pantry and the Buckets of Holding that I've been using to store my disaster prepping food. I'll still be using the original buckets for quite a while, since the Classic Assortment is not enough to fill all five buckets at one time; in fact, I'll be leaving the Mountain House pail as-is for the foreseeable future, since it has a good start on meals and there isn't any reason to try to squeeze a water filter in there. I have too many standard food items and other supplies (like a filter, can opener and bulky foods) that are perfectly fine right now, and I see no need to rush into swapping them out, even if I could afford it (which I can't). The Master Chief is still going to buy his own stores and I will buy mine, but both of us are looking to complement each other and duplicate as little as possible.

Food For The Holidays
It's almost time for me to go through my stored goods and weed out the short 'Sell By' dated foods. It's also the time where I add one or two extra things to my regular grocery list and put them into the Food Bank collection barrels I see in the local stores. The short dated things I drop off myself and, depending on where the donation station is, I may buy a Turkey Voucher instead of a frozen one to drop off. The economy is improving here, but the need for food is still the same as last year.

The Takeaway

• Have a plan and be honest with it and yourself. 
• I do know how to save, I'm just not very good at it. 
• Finding what is important, really important, made the difference for me.

The Recap

• One Mountain House Classic Meal Assortment: $75.71 with Prime from Amazon.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Fall Is Here

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

It's finally cooling down here and two things are going to happen sooner or later: it will be cold enough to fire up the heater instead of the air conditioner, and there will be rain. I know many folks are already drying out for the third time, but it hasn't rained much here for months and I expect both things to happen soon. Very soon.

Check Your Heater
I'm lucky in that my landlord is a friend and keeps the property up reasonably well. He maintains everything and usually replaces things before they break, but how do you know if something is wearing out?

Inspect it and check it. There are too many different types of heaters for me to be able to recommend anything but general tips, but this information can be used as the starting point for having your system checked.

How often should you have your heater looked over? My friend the HVAC guy says "once a year for all systems", regardless of  whether it's new or not.

Some work is best left to the pros, but we can do our part in having clean air!

Change Your Air Filter
If you have a filter, change it now. If you have a central heating and cooling system, more than likely it's full of dust and pollen from the summer. Filters are as little as $4 for disposables, to as much as $30 and up for washable and reusable ones. Look for your filter either in the return air ducting or right at your furnace. Can't find it? Ask a pro.

Clean Your Element
Speaking of "ask a pro," here's an example. Having a trained technician go through the insides of your heater is more that just running a vacuum over things: they will also check for any damaged parts, gas leaks, bad motors and proper venting.

Having the heating system looked at should be anywhere from $50 to $100 depending on your type of heater. I often see discounts offered in some Big Box stores in my area for that service.

About that venting: the CDC estimates that on average, 430 people per year die from Carbon Monoxide poisoning, and many thousands more are sickened from exposure to it. Making certain that the supply of clean air going in is equal to the bad air going out is very important. 

This is also a good time to look at your CO2 detector. There should be one on each floor of your house or other occupied space.

Rain Is Coming Soon
More than likely in the first part of November, so it's time to clean your gutters so water can flow off the roof and away from your house. I see many people near me having their trees trimmed and doing gutters at the same time, since leaves and small branches end up on the roof. For those of you that freeze, having gutters clean along with proper insulation will prevent roof damage from water freezing on and in your roof.

I don't have that problem, just occasional very heavy rain. Since this house is a slab foundation, water will sometimes not flow away fast enough and often get into the garage. Several neighbors with worse drainage than this house resort to sand bags in order to keep the water out.

Something I saw recently in my wandering through a Home Depot looks interesting as a replacement for sand bags, or maybe as a complement to them:

Quick Dam

Quick Dam

This looks really interesting as it is a continuous piece of protection, instead of several smaller items like sand bags.

From the Quick Dam Amazon listing:

• Water Activated Flood Barriers, Rated #1 in Flood Control.
• Grows to 3.5in high in minutes, just get them wet.
• Long, flexible design creates all sorts of shapes.
• Use to control, contain & divert flood water.
• Ready to use, no sand or labor needed.
• Compact & Lightweight, stores away until needed.
• Use to protect doorways, garages, leaking hot water tanks, erosion control & more.
• Dual chamber design prevents unit from rolling out of place.
• Use indoors or out.
• Do NOT use with salt water, chemical reaction causes deflation.

Sorry coastal people! If you get salt water intrusion, this product is not for you.

There are multiple lengths available, so finding something useful for your situation should be easy. Look at the parent company, Quick Dams, for even more interesting flood control products.

The Takeaway

• A little prevention can keep everyone safe, healthy and alive.

The Recap

• Nothing was purchased by me this week, but the Quick Dam 15' Water Barrier for $24.98 with Prime sure looks like a very good thing to have if you experience flooding. 
• Here is a good buy on a Combo CO2 and Smoke Detector: $22.36 with Prime.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Size(ing) Matters

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

I call on Big Box stores for my job covering hardware items: nut, bolts, screws and related products. Luckily for me I don't have to wear the uniforms of a store employee,  but I do have a corporate logo on my shirt which attracts customers like, well, several NSFW analogies. Let's just say that being on the aisle, not running from customers, and looking reasonably competent makes me popular!

There are two questions I hear multiple times a day. I wish I could get a quarter every time I hear them because I'd have lunch money forever:

1. "Excuse me, do you work here?" 
2. "Excuse me, do you know what size/length/thread bolt this is?"

Smartphones with decent cameras have helped shoppers find equipment and parts by being able to show a picture of what they need to someone who can help find it.

Most of the time. Pictures do not help with nuts, bolts and screws. This does.

Gage-It Hardware Gauge

From the Gage-It Home Depot page:

• Provides more than 20 measurement capabilities in English and metric units for finding lumber sizes, making conversions, calculating angles and much more
• Measures screw, bolt, nut and nail sizes with ease
• Measures steel, brass and PVC pipe sizes by O.D.
• Measures copper and CPVC tubing sizes by O.D.
• Measures drill, rod, tube and wire sizes by O.D.
• Measures copper and CPVC joint tube fittings and internally threaded pipe fittings by I.D.
• PVC construction with 2-color printing on the front side for ease of use and a stylish appearance
• All-purpose scales on the back side include 1/4 in. and 1/8 in. architectural scales and O.D. and I.D. in English and metric units for your convenience
• Rules graduated in inches and centimeters, an electrical wire gauge and conversion formulas are provided for converting measurements to other scales with ease

Thread Gauge

Why might this be important in a prepping situation? Having a way to match sizes of screws and bolts easily will shortcut the hunt for a match, since without a lot of exposure to different sizes, a 3/8" nut is hard to tell from a 7/16" or a 1/4" from 5/16" nut. 

What is not so easy to measure with this handy little tool is thread pitch. There are metal gauges that have threaded holes in them, but for the average person the cost is not worth it. Your local hardware store has a tool similar to this (see photo, left) for matching threads.

This particular tool is almost 3' long and also has threaded studs for matching nuts as well as sockets you see for matching screws and bolts. If you look right at the bottom of the picture, you can see that metric sockets are also included on the display.


The Takeaway

• Having a way to get 90% of a perfect match to that needed fastener before you get to the store is a good idea. 
• Why wander around looking for an employee to help and then stand in line to check out when you can find it yourself?

The Recap

• One Armour Technologies Gage-It tool: $1.98 from Home Depot.
• There's a similar item on Amazon that isn't solid plastic like this. I'm not mentioning it by name; just trust me and save your money.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: The "Key" to Security, pt. 2

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

In this post from last year, I talked about buying extra keys for my new (to me) car. Since then I've tried several different ways to hide a spare key and keep it waterproofed, with little success. That is, until now.




Monster Magnetics MiniMag Plus

https://amzn.to/2J1H7sN

This is what I originally tried to do with other boxes, but without any success. I couldn't get a good watertight seal or attach a magnet securely to the box. The usual hide-a-key boxes available from any hardware store aren't waterproof, and even with a liberal coating of silicone did not keep moisture out. I tried. This actually works.

From the Monster Magnetics Amazon page:

• HIDE A KEY, FOB, FULL SET OF KEYS - AND MORE! Covertly stash your valuables and magnetically mount in, on, under, or behind any magnetic surface - in a secret hidden spot that only you know! The watertight magnetic container will stay securely attached to any magnetic surface - in any environment. This all-weather dry box makes the perfect under-car hide a key, GPS tracker mounting case, geocache swag container, and stash box for securing keys, money, jewelry, meds or just stashing your goods.
• 16 CUBIC INCHES OF STORAGE SPACE! More storage capacity than the original MINIMAG ensures a great fit for the new larger GPS trackers, such as Spot Trace Anti Theft, Vectu, and Trackimo, and also fits smaller devices along with up to a 3-cell extended battery. Great for spare keys, fobs, garage door openers, cash, cigarettes, meds - most any reasonably sized item you might not want found in your vehicle. Great accessory for your geocaching accessories and swag arsenal!

My Honda key

From what I've read, this is designed to hold GPS/Tracking devices that mount to cars, so it has to be watertight and securely mounted to any steel parts of a car or truck. There is plenty of room in this box to hold 2-3 fobbed keys and have space left over to hold other things of value.

The box is actually larger than I need, with the interior measuring 4.25 x 2.81 x 1.38" and the exterior 5 x 3.75 x 2",  but the smaller version is just a little too short to hold my key. It will however hold a non-fob key just fine or one of the switchblade folding keys equally fine.

Since the box has a little more volume than I need, there is a little bubble wrap under my key to keep it from rattling around and possibly getting damaged.

In the top photo you can see the two magnets used to secure the box to your car. These are neodymium magnets and measure right at 1" (or 25mm) and are recessed into the case. They are also strong. How strong, you ask? I locked the box to the garage door track and, holding it square to the bracket, I almost lifted myself off the floor before the magnets let go. Where and how it is mounted on my car means I'll have to really do some damage to knock this thing off!

I always look at the Q&A portion of the Amazon ads, both for the reviews and to see what some of the questions others have asked the seller. This item has several 'interesting' questions, and the best one was a question if the box was smell or air tight! The answer was "No", so if someone finds it necessary to carry goods that might be detected through scent, find another container!

The Takeaway

• If you have an electronic key fob, there needs to be extra care in protecting you spare key from the weather. If I had planned things better, I would have made TWO valet keys and placed one copy in the hide-a-key box and hidden the regular key inside the car.
• This is a LOT more than I really wanted to spend, but I can't take the chance of ruining this key!

The Recap

• One Monster Magnetics MiniMag Plus: $29.98 from Amazon with Prime

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Calling an Entrenching Tool a Spade

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

My friend the Master Chief is a Geardo 1st Class with Oak Leaf Clusters (or whatever the Navy version is). He disposes his income in ways I can't on items that I really like. Here is one of them.



KP Solution Chico Group Folding Camping Survival Shovel

https://amzn.to/2QGN14X

From the KP Solutions Amazon page:

• VERSATILE, PORTABLE UTILITY: Take this folding shovel tool camping, hiking, in your car. Keep it handy at a backyard party and amuse guests using the bottle opener in the spade blade.
• LIGHT AND COMPACT: No need to haul a belt or bucket of tools. You’ve got what you need for the beach or a few hours gardening, hanging at your waist.
• GARDENING OR EMERGENCIES: This tactical grade multitool is a spade, pick saw, car glass hammer, fire starter and folds into a hoe. All in a small carrying pouch.
• PRUNE SMALL BRANCHES: Swap out the spade for a saw - the multi-piece handle lets you use either one. At just over a pound there’s no excuse not to take it camping.
• USE IN SNOW OR SUN: This multitool will be useful any time of year, whether to shovel snow off your steps, hoe your garden, or sawing kindling.

I like the weight (it's not listed, but I'm guessing < 3lbs), the fact that it stores in the included pouch, and how solid the handle feels when assembled. The segments thread together very easily, and there is a gasket (similar to the ones on better flashlights) to keep moisture out.

How the shovel blade articulates is pretty much how every folding shovel works: turn the locking ring to free the tabs and unfold to the angle you want. You have a choice to use this as a hoe, or to unfold the blade completely and use it as a shovel. The hinge and bracing plates that allow the dual use seem very stout and unlikely to wear out or break any time soon.

I'm not so sure of the durability of the included accessories, especially the saw blade. It certainly seems to be mounted firmly into its segment, but I don't know how well it will last if used as an actual saw. The Phillips screwdriver seems to be a #2 and I have the same questions on life span with it as I do with the saw.

Don't even ask what the Master Chief said about the compass on the end of the handle. Just don't.

Since this is not my personal tool, I'll have to wait for some action pictures, possibly this weekend, when spring bulbs get planted. All of our camping trips were canceled by being either directly affected by the N. California fires or were close enough to be covered in smoke and ash.

The Recap

• One KP Solutions Chico Group Shovel: $27.85 with Prime

The Takeaway

• For bugging out or camping, a shovel is a good tool to consider. 
• While this product needs further testing before I can recommend it. 
• If it works, though, then it's something I'd like to keep in my trunk.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: The Taste Test

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

When I wrote about my friend the Master Chief ordering freeze-dried long term store-able food, our esteemed Editrix asked the obvious question, "But how do they taste?"

Here is my answer.

Wise Emergency Food
I opened both buckets and chose one item from each that I am reasonably certain of how they should taste: Apple Cinnamon Cereal and Noodle Soup.

Easy Choices

Preparation
This was straightforward: read the label, boil the correct amount of water and taste. The cereal uses 3.5 cups of water which I nuked in a microwave.

WARNING! 

REMOVE THE OXYGEN ABSORBENT PACK

 BEFORE ADDING WATER!

Too much water

Apple Cinnamon Cereal
This is an instant cereal most of us have eaten. I take instant cereal with me every day, in case I didn't eat breakfast or get hungry before lunch.

Wise doesn't break down the ingredients, nutritional values or serving sizes for their multi-serving packages in an easily copied format, so here is the page for the entire contents of a bucket, with the cereal towards the bottom.

The flavor is very good with enough cinnamon to make things flavorful and not just sugary, and the texture is different from the single-serving oatmeal I've eaten; this is closer to slow-cooked whole oats. As is my normal way to try new items, I followed the directions as shown. Also as is usual, the amount of water listed is more than I feel is needed to mix or cook the test items: the cereal is runnier than I like, and I'm tempted to use at least 1/2 cup less water or add the cereal to the pot while still on the fire to cook off some of the water and possibly speed up absorption.

Noodle Soup
Another item most people have eaten in the past, and another favorite from my earlier days, before Ramen became popular. This product's information is also on the page mentioned above.

This package recommends 4 cups of water, which I'm going to use, because this is actual soup!

Noodle soup

The texture came out better than I expected, with the curly noodles cooked enough to be firm but not chewy. What did not come out better was the taste: salty.

Lots and LOTS of salt in the soup, to the point that the other flavors seem sharp tasting; I don't know and other way to describe the 'taste'. I've eaten instant soup exactly like this in the past and wasn't a fan then; I still don't like it.With water filtration systems available, something this salty might not be a problem if you have enough plain water to drink in an emergency.

The vegetables reconstituted as expected and you could tell you were chewing something other than a noodle, but that was all. Did I mention salt?






The Recap

• Wise freeze dried long-term storeable meals, first mentioned in this post. Available from Amazon
• As with most things, the more money you spend (to a point), the better off you are in quality. The Master Chief and I both think Mountain House is better tasting, butat a higher price point that neither one of us can afford at the moment.

The Takeaway

• Buy what you can afford and upgrade when you can. Nothing is perfect, but in an emergency the calories you have now are better than the ones still on a store shelf.
• Wise Foods gets my recommendation for emergency food, even with the minor flavor/salt issue.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: RE(I)-placing Gear

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

I like to see, feel, and try on my clothing before paying out my hard-earned Blue Collar Prepping budgeted cash. Doing this is harder and harder with so many stores closing or expanding their Online Only offerings. In the past I have shopped at REI, since they carried a wide selection of camping and rugged outdoor clothes. Nowadays I'm spending little money and less time in their stores, which is a shame since I need to buy some replacement items that REI has and I really like them. So why am I doing that?

REI statement on relationship with Vista Outdoor

03.01.2018
REI does not sell guns. We believe that it is the job of companies that manufacture and sell guns and ammunition to work towards common sense solutions that prevent the type of violence that happened in Florida last month. In the last few days, we’ve seen such action from companies like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart and we applaud their leadership.

This week, we have been in active discussions with Vista Outdoor, which has recently acquired several companies that are longtime partners of REI. These include Giro, Bell, Camelbak, Camp Chef and Blackburn. Vista also owns Savage Arms, which manufactures guns including “modern sporting rifles.”

This morning we learned that Vista does not plan to make a public statement that outlines a clear plan of action. As a result, we have decided to place a hold on future orders of products that Vista sells through REI while we assess how Vista proceeds.

Companies are showing they can contribute if they are willing to lead. We encourage Vista to do just that.

I believe that companies have the right to choose to do business with whomever they choose, for whatever reasons they choose. To do otherwise would be poor business and possibly un-American. I believe this decision is wrong for many different reasons, but it is their choice.

This puts me in a bit of a dilemma, since I need to replace some socks I've worn for the better part of ten years (no, not the same socks!) first purchased from REI and reviewed in this post a year and a half ago. I too have a right to shop where I want and spend my money however I choose, because the opposite would definitely be un-American.

I really like this sock, since it fits well and keeps my feet warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I'm now looking at websites for companies selling what appear to be the same sock, but I need to order and wait to see if in fact they really are the same. If not, I have to get an RGA, mail the items back, wait for a credit back to my card and then try a different company. Many of you younger people have no problem ordering and returning item after item until you get it correct. I have only one thing to say:

Get Off My Lawn!

Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino (2008)

I like these socks. I really, REALLY like them, and if the heel and ball of the big toe area weren't getting thin, we would not be having this conversation about capitalism, rights guaranteed (not given!) in our foundational documents, and socks. Especially socks.

I'll keep everyone up to date on how the search is going. Until then, Sourpuss McGrumpyface is signing off.

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Freeze Dried And Packaged Food Pails

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

My long, long-delayed plan to have food suitable for long-term storage is not ending. It is, perhaps, at the end of the beginning.

I must admit that I didn't buy the two buckets of assorted meals; that was the Master Chief. We've collaborated on several projects, and as his budget freed up some extra money, he bought two different assortments from the same company to show their basic meals. Besides, he liked what is in each bucket.

Wise Emergency Food Kits

Wise Food Kits

On the left is the Wise 56 Serving Emergency Food Kit, and the white bucket on the right is the 104-serving Wise Emergency Food Variety Pack. There's a small amount of overlap in each pail, but not enough to make a difference or make picking both a hard choice.

All information on contents and nutritional values are from the Wise Company.

The 56 Serving Kit contains:

• Creamy Pasta and Vegetable Rotini (4 Servings) 
• Savory Stroganoff (4 Servings) 
• Chili Macaroni (4 Servings) 
• Chicken Flavored Noodle Soup (4 Servings) 
• Cheesy Macaroni (4 Servings) 
• Pasta Alfredo (4 Servings) 
• Hearty Tortilla Soup (4 Servings) 
• Granola Strawberry Crunch (4 Servings) 
• Brown Sugar and Maple Multi-Grain (12 Servings) 
• Apple Cinnamon Cereal (12 Servings)

Additional Information:

• Includes 1 total bucket 
• Total calories: 13,600 
• Average calories per serving: 243 
• Food is safely sealed in Mylar pouches 
• To avoid waste, each pouch conveniently contains 4 servings 
• Lock-in stacking buckets for compact and secure storage without the need of shelving 
• Grab-and-go handles for easy transport in an emergency 
• 25 year shelf life
• Total Weight: 8 lbs (per bucket)

How this breaks down into servings per-package and calories-per-serving is a little on the skimpy side if you are doing manual labor, but if you are bugged in or trapped by bad weather, there is enough to keep you stomach from growling.

The Variety Pack contains:

• Pouch of creamy pasta and vegetable rotini (4 servings each) 
• Pouch of pasta alfredo (4 servings each) 
• Pouch of savory stroganoff (4 servings each) 
• Pouch of creamy tomato basil soup (4 servings each) 
• Pouch of freeze-dried peas and corn (8 servings each) 
• Pouch of apple cinnamon cereal (4 servings each) 
• Pouch of brown sugar and maple multi-grain (4 servings each) 
• Pouch of butter sauce (8 servings each) 
• Pouch of vanilla pudding (8 servings each) 
• Pouch of creamy yogurt (8 servings each) 
• 2 Pouches of whey milk (12 servings each)

Listed serving size and calories  per serving are similar enough to be not worth repeating.

The Chief did some of his own taste testing before ordering, and is confident that everything is suitable for people with standard taste buds and no restrictions on diet.

What About Restricted Diets?
I'm glad you asked! Wise Co. has a good selection of Gluten-Free foods available, along with organic foods.

I have to admit my personal favorite brand of freeze-dried food is Mountain House, but that purchase will have to wait until my budget opens up and their basic assortment arrives on the porch.

The Recap

• Wise Co. Freeze Dried 56 Serving Assortment: $97.47 & free shipping from Amazon, no Prime
• Wise Co. Freeze Dried 104 Serving Assortment: $119.99 from Amazon with Prime

The Takeaway

• Deals are around if you look and wait for them to arrive. 

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.