My prepping objects of desire. Give me your opinions/criticisms/ideas
Posted by irish4281@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 66 comments
So my big concern is a prolonged problem with the utilities. Water, gas, electric. Either through gov’t restrictions or some sort of catastrophic event.
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Stationary and portable powerstation. I’m thinking for stationary either the EF Delta Pro Ultra or the Delta Pro 3. They’re modular so you can increase the power storage as needed. And for mobile I’m thinking theAnker 60,000 mAH power bank.
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I’m designing a water catchment system. I figure that storage the size of 5 garage pales should be enough for my family to survive on and to keep my garden watered.
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Life straw water bottles for each member of my family.
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MRE’s. My father had a 6 month supply that supposedly lasts for 20 years. I would like to get it up to 2 years worth though. Has anyone eaten these before? How do they taste? Any brand recommendations?
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Ham radio, CB radio, police scanner.
silasmoeckel@reddit
1 Batteries in a box are massively overpriced and use junk components. Learn to DIY it's literally only a couple wires at it's most basic. Now you have something you can fix. Mobile be wary of chemistry and use a useful voltage. 60ah is nice an all but thats single cell in that world, and 3.7v or whatever with no direct access to it is so far less than useful. Think a lifepo4 jump box it's nominaly 12v you can start a car from it but also acts as a big power brick.
2 Storage it doesn't necessarily rain when you want it to. Used food grade barrels tend to be cheaper and no worried about things leaching into the water.
3 Ok thats a small subset of things to filter out how about the rest? Unless you live way back in the bush and the only contaminants your worried about is a dead animal upstream you need to do better.
4 They don't last 20 years rated for 5 at 80f ambient. They will get you very constipated as designed. This is really not what you want to prep very expensive. Deep pantry and once you have a solid power prep deep freeze. MRE Freeze dried etc are your travel rations not your day to day.
5 Ham radio get your lic in general the kit can be unlocked to cover everything else. Their simply is no substitute.
GarbageContent823@reddit
My powerstation is made to survive 30 or 40 years (known from car batteries). 10000+ deep cycles (Guarantee).
standard chinese lifePo4 batteries cannot reach even \~4000 cycles as they are avertised for currently. They die after \~3 years usage average!
silasmoeckel@reddit
10k deep cycles on what chemistry?
The old railroad batteries can survive nearly forever just keep adding water but efficiency is about 50%, they make a lot of heat charging.
Cycles is DoD dependent for lifepo4 the middle 60% giving you the most cycles per most manufactures. Mind you that's till 80% of original capacity so you still have a working battery. Temp also plays a big park but that's not a big deal for my locality. A garage in AZ would be rather different.
GarbageContent823@reddit
Military grade Lithium with non standard components. You know "Saft" Brand? it can handle \~12000 w of output. my battery uses 120 cells and the best BMS to allways keep them on same voltage. this is also important for long time reliabilty and very low resistance (important if you want to handle 12000 w).
Virtual-Feature-9747@reddit
Agree with everything except the hate for "batteries in a box" - not everyone can manage DIY solutions. Reputable brands use quality components and come with a warranty. Bluetti, EcoFlow, Jackery, Anker are all top tier solar generator solutions.
irish4281@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I would rather spend the money and have a pro built system with informational display screens, rather than try building something myself and not really having any confidence in it.
silasmoeckel@reddit
That's a bit laughable you can have a lot more info on a DIY than the premades.
Skills prep on how to do it is important never trust a tool you can't at least troubleshoot. Your talking about 2 wires at the most basic halves your price with good kit even less with their level of kit.
4r4nd0mninj4@reddit
Laugh all you want until your apartment burns down, and you get to defend your home brew battery setups in front of your insurance company...
Not everyone has the knowledge and skills to safely build these from scratch, and even if they do, they're still one defective component away from total losses that may or may not include loss of life. Could I build one? Absolutely. Would I? No.
silasmoeckel@reddit
Thats nice I'm an EE I've seen the teardowns they are meh components. At a very basic level your talking about connecting 2 wires from a battery to an inverter that's not a high par for a skills prep.
irish4281@reddit (OP)
They’re designed to constipate you?! What’s that about?
InsaneNorseman@reddit
If you're referring to US Military Issue MRE combat rations, then yeah, they are designed to "minimize" the number of bowel movements you have. So, not actually designed to constipate you, but pretty much the same damn thing! It's a good idea if you're in active combat, as you don't want to be literally caught with your pants down, but it's also part of the reason they aren't a great long-term food supply. I would personally recommend looking into Mountain House freeze-dried food, and the reason I recommend that particular brand is that I've eaten a lot of it when working in remote areas and have always enjoyed the taste, and have not experienced any negative effects from eating it for weeks on end. I've tried many other brands and not liked them nearly as much. Additionally, Mountain House has a shelf life guarantee of 30 years while military MREs have a shelf life of "up to" 7 years with optimal storage conditions.
irish4281@reddit (OP)
Ok, I should clarify. I’m not really talking about Military MRE’s. I just keep seeing infomercials for food that supposedly lasts 20 years. Thats the stuff I’m referring to
silasmoeckel@reddit
Not MRE's at all then. Freeze dried stuff can last a long time the general issue to pre made meals is they are just salt and cheap carbs fine if your backpacking but it's like planning to live on packets of raman. For hoofing it from A to B that's fine if a bit unpalatable but not what you should be storing to bug in etc. The lack of fats is a long term problem nutritionally, so you need to grow/hunt some.
InsaneNorseman@reddit
OK, that makes sense. Like I said, I've eaten a LOT of freeze-dried food while working in remote areas for long-term job assignments, and some of it was pretty terrible, and some of it was just OK. The only brand I've really been impressed with is the Mountain House stuff, and that's pretty much all I'll buy these days. A lot of the "meal kits" that are advertised for "preppers" really just consist of crap like instant oatmeal, pasta, drink powders. and other super cheap ingredients to "pad out" the calorie counts of the meals. Mountain House has real meat, while many of the other brands use soy protein exclusively.
Virtual-Feature-9747@reddit
What is the deal with all the EcoFlow people here? It's the second best brand. Team Bluetti! Decide what you want to run, check the power with a watt meter and then double that figure. Figure out how much solar and battery capacity you need then double both.
Just make sure you can filter the water that comes off your roof. Especially if you have shingles... they are full of crap. 5 gallon buckets for water collection/storage should be new and food grade quality.
These are ok for a bug out bag or get home bag. Not my go to for bugging in. Get a decent countertop gravity filter and a LOT of extra filters.
MRE's do not last for 20 years. Maybe five. Yes, I have eaten them... some menu items are pretty good but others are just terrible. I have a few cases but they are less than ideal for a long term food option. They are expensive, heavy, not terribly healthy and come with a lot of extra stuff you probably don't need. Instead I would get canned food (meats, veggies, fruit, soup, stew) and dry goods (rice, beans, pasta).
HAM radio is a great idea but you do need a license. My understanding is that CB is not used much anymore, look into GMRS. I just have some FRS radios (walkie talkies) which work well for local comms (guard duty, patrol, scouting, whatever).
Where are your firearms?
irish4281@reddit (OP)
The water I take off my roof would have to be either filtered with a life straw type of thing (can those even remove chemicals?) or distilled, or used strictly to water my garden. But really I think I would just try to make a large funnel and not take it off my roof if possible. And honestly I say Ecoflow because they have really good marketing so I came across their products first. But if someone has a better brand I’m all for it.
NoAssist8185@reddit
If I have a little warning I can fill the fresh water tank on our travel trailer with 40 gallons of fresh water. The grey water tank holds 20 gallons to use for flushing toilets.
Eredani@reddit
Clean tarps and food grade buckets can make a decent rain catchment system.
irish4281@reddit (OP)
These are things I aspire to get. I may or may not already be set with firearms. I don’t discuss that :)
TheCarcissist@reddit
Smart man... discussing firearms is nothing but a swift decent into pointless arguing. Someone is always waiting in the shadows to flex their knowledge that has no bearing on your situation
TheCarcissist@reddit
I really, really want one of the ecoflows. My biggest concern is dropping 20k on something they are going to phase out with "planned obsolescence"
GarbageContent823@reddit
Ecoflows aren´t known to last longer than \~3 years. See my post above. They use chinese cheapo cheapo LifePo4 batteries as well! These batteries aren´t even suitable to withstand a powerdraw of 3000 Watts over time.
My battery can withstand a powerdraw of \~12000W (12KW = 10Culoumb in my battery´s case). E.g. starting a car, building an electric fence for self defence etc. Such batteries will last very, very very long if you don´t draw 12kW out of them too often.
sttmvp@reddit
The solar battery options just don’t compare to a generator. If you rent or live in an apartment then I understand.. With a generator you can keep regular daily food and also supplement with MRE and other long term food choices, eating MREs everyday gets old quick. Everything else looks ok
Unusual_Dealer9388@reddit
Solar panels don't run out of fuel, generators do.
sttmvp@reddit
Everything has limitations, including solar. I have both like I clearly stated, if I was starting out, wanted the best bang for the money or had to choose one, it would be a generator..
FurEvrHome@reddit
I like the idea of having both as well. You can use solar when it's possible but then also run the generator for an hour or two to charge the solar battery if you need to which will give you many hours of power. Solar allows the user to prolong their fuel by 4x using it this way.
sttmvp@reddit
My $1200 generator powers my whole house, a comparable solar system and batteries would be about a minimum of 8k to do the same thing.. While I like the quiet times of the solar system the upfront cost is still a factor. On rainy and or cloudy days it's a bust on using solar the entire day, extended outages are really a bust on the solar unless I add more batteries..
GarbageContent823@reddit
yes...but this thing is making a ton of noise right? Not advisable to do in a blackout! Gas powered generators are also often stolen because they have to stand outside of the house.
Unusual_Dealer9388@reddit
Your 1200 dollar generator does nothing without fuel, so it's a false equivalency. How many litres of fuel does it take to power your house for how many hours is the question.
GarbageContent823@reddit
I have a powerful replacement pedal generator, if solar fails (no sun).
enolaholmes23@reddit
This is the big advantage to solar.
WeekSecret3391@reddit
Not to mention the sound a generator does. It signals far and wide that you're prepared.
TheCarcissist@reddit
Yes, but, depending on where you live solar can pay for itself in time. My buddies house is set up to run off batteries everyday from 5-9 when the power company Jack's up rates. He estimates that his system will have paid for itself in 8 years and he can run his A/C to his hearts content.
AvatarOR@reddit
Prolonged living would include solar panel/battery for lighting and coms, solar radio, a "community sized" gravity fed water filtration system, a composting toilet, a washboard, a laundry wringer and a clothesline.
Mundane-Jellyfish-36@reddit
Solar panels and hydro panels provide power and water ,and eliminate the need for gas. In order to heat with rooftop solar a house would need a lot of insulation.
irish4281@reddit (OP)
What is a hydro panel? Never heard of that before
Mundane-Jellyfish-36@reddit
Hydro panels extract water from air
pants-pooping-ape@reddit
Life straw water bottles for each member of my family.
Get sawyer filters instead they can screw on a standard soda bottle or smart water bottle. Back flushable, last a million gallons and can be made to work with a camelbak
MRE’s. My father had a 6 month supply that supposedly lasts for 20 years. I would like to get it up to 2 years worth though. Has anyone eaten these before? How do they taste? Any brand recommendations?
Mountain house is delicious and my choice when camping.
intruderTroy@reddit
Grayl
Leelee362@reddit
Repent, Jesus Christ is coming back soon. If you read the Bible it talks about the things that are happening now, the best and only way to really prepare is to give your life to Christ and let him take care of you. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus is real and he is waiting for you to give your life to him. Believe and trust in him and he will show you the way that you should take; even, and especially during a catastrophic event… God will always prevail.
NightOperator@reddit
I hope you can digest bibles
Leelee362@reddit
I’ve already have that’s why I’m warning you about the word… but the end will tell the story
Nothing further
Outpost_Underground@reddit
How big is a garage pale? Is that like a trash can?
irish4281@reddit (OP)
Yeah like a trash can. What you bring to the street for the garbage man to empty
chasonreddit@reddit
Thank you, I was wondering as well. So about 50 gallon each or 250 gallon total.
On one other point, MREs are fine but 2 years worth is beaucoup bucks. (about $20USD per meal) I had to eat C rations for a while, these are much better. But even Mountain House is less expensive.
BabushkaCrab@reddit
Damn did mres shoot up in price recently? I bought 2 cases (24 mres total) for $100 the last time I bought them maybe 1.5-2 years ago
chasonreddit@reddit
I probably over estimated as I was looking at quantity 1 prices. $5 per seems much more reasonable. That puts them in line with Mountain House with probably better variety.
Sr_K@reddit
What abt home preserving foods? Canning, pickling, maybe making meat into jerky?
chasonreddit@reddit
I do all of these. I just finished canning apples, and am moving to tomatoes. It's that time of year. Not pickling this year, as I have plenty and don't go through them that fast. (but pickling carrots, green beans, zucchini, the like works really well. plus you have pickling juice.)
I just wanted to point out that MREs are about the least cost effective thing you can do. They are not bad by any means, a great improvement over C rations, or MCIs. But with the self heating and such are really only suitable for a military budget.
Jerking meat (heh, heh,heh) is a bit more complicated. I usually can those as well. You just have to watch the temps and acid levels. Now if you are looking to 20 years of shelf time, this may be a bit problematic. But I have stuff 5-7 years old that is just fine.
2020blowsdik@reddit
I think he meant garbage
Unlucky-Idea-2968@reddit
Tea light candles. Grab a few thousand if you can
XRlagniappe@reddit
I would get more water filters. I am partial to Katadyn, but there are other good brands out there as well. Be sure to get extra filters and other replaceable parts. I would get some gravity filters as well. You can make your own bucket type filters using Berkey filters or other brands. Check out if there are other water sources around you that could be used.
TheCarcissist@reddit
6 months of MREs it might be cheaper to buy a freeze dryer and make your own
KB9AZZ@reddit
I agree, MRE'S are ok, but I view them as your portable option if your on the move. They can also be used for trade. There are far better options for 6 months worth of food. I only keep a few weeks worth of MRE'S on hand for our household. You can eat them with no preparation obviously and that also means stealth. Eat a few MRE'S while you are setting up other systems for day to day.
No-Ideal-6662@reddit
Overall I’d say this is a solid plan! Here’s my 2 cents that are probably only worth a penny:
2 years worth of MREs would be super expensive and, as a former Marine, “clogging”. I have 2 boxes of humanitarian aid MREs, half a box of military MREs, and 4 buckets of readywise shit I bought when I first started prepping. These are my “bug out” foods since they are prepackaged and convenient to throw in a car. That said, the VAST majority of my preps are rice, beans, pasta, canned meats and veggies, salt and sugar. It’s cheaper, more calories, healthier, and tastier.
Also, it’s just my opinion, 2 years of food is a bit overkill. If the supply chain hasn’t been restored in 6 months it means the country has collapsed and won’t return for a decade and you better have hunting and farming down pat. I’m not saying a 2 year food storage is bad, I’d just say prioritize water and a 3 month food storage, than go to your other preps and circle back to food storage after the more important stuff is in place.
Lastly I don’t see anything about firearms. The odds of a home invasion or assault on the street are significantly higher than a prolonged grid down scenario. I don’t think you need to be a gun nut, but a pistol, shotgun, AR, and 22lr should pretty much be in every home so long as you are mentally and legally fit to own them. Ik how some people feel about guns, but a home invader doesn’t care how you feel. A thug in the street doesn’t care how you feel about guns. Your children won’t care how you feel when they haven’t had meat in 3 weeks. I’d definitely recommend those 4 types of guns in that order with plenty of ammunition.
Goodluck bro!
irish4281@reddit (OP)
I’m only mentioning the things I want to get. Not the things I already have. That’s why I don’t mention firearms
No-Ideal-6662@reddit
Oh fair enough, alright well disregard that last paragraph. Over all it seems like a solid plan, I’d just tweak it a bit to have whole foods
Sea_Perspective6891@reddit
Power bank or battery generator good to have. I got one for running a few basic things & charging my laptop during a black out. I also got a solar panel to go with it for when in the off chance the blackout lasts way longer than normal.
Foragologist@reddit
Skills will set you apart.
Learn to grow food, learn to hunt, and learn to forage. Learn to preserve and then prepare all of this with nothing a basic wood fire.
If you have that set of skills, everything else is gravy baby
irish4281@reddit (OP)
I’ve been working on my gardening skills this summer. Learned some tricks. Next summer I hope to be completely self sufficient for the produce O can grow
Foragologist@reddit
Learning to grow from seed, and learning to grow in quantity is a different animal. Especially if you dont have modern equipment to help you out.
FurEvrHome@reddit
We just planted our spinach and lettuces for our winter garden. We use raised beds with PVC hoops for frost cloths and plastic greenhouse sheeting.
Traditional-Leader54@reddit
I’ve heard military MREs do a number on your digestive system. I don’t think you want to be eating them for 2 years. I would spend the money on the deep pantry route instead.
I’m working on my ham radio license as well. I have a Baofang for emergencies or listening only until I get my license.
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
Look at something like a HydroBlu Versa Flo kit for water filtering. It has a device where you can make it a gravity water filter. Use 5 gallon buckets for the most convenient size.
Add a sand filter for a pre-filter and you should be good to go. And if the water had a taste, you can get much better than a Zero water filter. Our well has sulphur and it is amazing at cleaning up the smell and taste.
eczblack@reddit
2 & 3. Water catchment is great but it will need to be filtered, a few times. Rather than the life straw bottles, I'd get a Berkey or similar gravity filter. You will water for more than just drinking and it will still need to be filtered.
MREs are good for in a pinch, short term meals. The trouble with any emergency food is that if it isn't food you are used to eating, it's gonna throw your guts off something fierce. For the cost per calorie, looking into long storage pantry foods that you can rotate through and there is little/no upset to diet in an emergency will be much better for you in the long run.
Scanners are a good idea, I'd throw a weather radio in there as well. Get used to using them so your first time isn't when you are fumbling in the dark. My husband and I used to listen to the different stuff we could hear on the scanner channels when we lived in Vegas. This casino security channels were a hoot!
threadbarefemur@reddit
Steve1989MREinfo is probably the best source for MRE reviews if you’re curious about what’s inside and how it tastes, I’d bet good money you can find a review of his that’s similar to the ones you have.