Would you pick a mobile bunker or fixed location?
Posted by wigglytail@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 56 comments
Obviously in doom scenarios a nuclear or underground bunker it pretty much the only place you'll survive in, but a jacked up overland truck/unimog type vehicle with a huge diesel tank and accomodation/trailer could also be used in less extreme situations, some even travel in those just for fun in normal times. My uneducated guess is that both options are similarly priced, so for the same price what would be your pick? For serious SHTF i'd prefer an underground bunker, but realistically if i had the budget i'd go for Mad Max...
P.S. this is not a "serious" question, please only comment if you want to participate in the hypothetical discussion. Sorry if this is not the correct sub for this kind of question.
OneAd4085@reddit
Me and a buddy are going to building a bunker /compound with camo netting and everything on weekends and after work . The only way that a vehicle can get to our spot is if it’s very offraod capable or maybe a side by side and it’s also a good walk off the trail to even find the spot . I live in British Columbia so there’s ample room for this stuff .
Dementor_Traphouse@reddit
of course i see a fellow dayz player here lol
OneAd4085@reddit
It looks like it lol . I got it from offline but im a chernarous fan through and through
lxccvr@reddit
Me gustaria tener esos amigos jajaja
wigglytail@reddit (OP)
This is some Walking Dead looking stuff!
OneAd4085@reddit
Thank you haha . I love the walking dead . We are kind of building this like a base off of the video game Dayz , there’s plenty of bears and stuff so the walls and wire will actully be nice to have lol
wigglytail@reddit (OP)
This is some Walking Dead looking stuff!
Emotional_Seat_7424@reddit
Bunker 100%, in a moving vehicle the idea would stille be to go to point to settle anyway. The truck also need maintaince, fuel and be able to use the infrastructure which might not be as accessible in such an event
Soff10@reddit
I can understand how mobile would sound good. But the conditions after a mass death scenario may surprise you. Even using a bicycle is difficult.
Imagine Seattle with all the bridges damaged or removed.
Think of all the bridges in your area. Not just the big ones. Even a 10 foot bridge being removed is a big obstacle.
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Shelter in place is the military standard. Unless it is burning. Flooding.
Duct tape. Keeps contamination out. Keep a roll.
Oh and enough guns ammo to arm the whole family.
DeafHeretic@reddit
But have a backup and preferably a backup to that backup. Even though I live rural, I have had to evacuate once already due to a forest fire. I am also in a wind/ice/rain/snow storm (during the winter), volcano, earthquake, forest fire, flooding area (although my home cannot flood) - so “stuff” can happen.
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Those are good evac reasons. Unless you house is made of concrete.
DeafHeretic@reddit
Even a concrete house is not proof against a forest fire - it may still be there (mostly), but humans inside might not survive in an intense fire (assuming no other fire protection) - and forest fire is the main risk/threat.
The best fire protection for any home is removing fuel around it, and covering the home in foam or a fire protection blanket.
Even underground homes may be iffy if the fire lasts long enough.
Falling trees (due to wind/ice/snow) are the secondary, although I do have trees fall almost every year (so far not close enough to hit the house). Falling trees on the mountain are common in the winter & early spring - often block roads for a few hours - can be days in certain areas.
Volcanoes are a regional threat and not likely to cause me to evacuate. Flooding just doesn’t happen on the mountain - although I get double the precipitation the valley gets, all that water drains off into the valley - at most it is an inconvenience if flood waters block a valley road or cause a landslide somewhere (common, but I just use detours).
I had my back acreage clear cut (and replanted) - although the hardwoods (mostly maple, some oak) have grown back with a vengeance (I am leaving them alone for coppicing - they make good firewood). I had the acreage around the house thinned and somewhat cutback away from the house (although some are still large enough to hit the house if they fall) - almost solely 60+ YO mature conifers now - they serve as a good windbreak and add to curb appeal (what young maple {smaller than 1’ diameter} is near the house I am slowly using for firewood).
mr-pootytang@reddit
this is the way
agm115@reddit
There’s always the “Mortal Engines” option
BallsOutKrunked@reddit
Fixed, in a smart location. I'll take that math any day over fuel / roads / traffic.
And then in practical terms real estate (typically) appreciates whereby vehicles (almost always, heavily) depreciates.
bdouble76@reddit
Smart location is the best little addition to this sentence.
Since we're playing around here, A well thought out spacious, and supplied bunker in a remote no one would think to specifically look for anything area is heads and tails the better option.
Assuming you don't get discovered. When the fuel runs out, or is no longer good to use, having good off road bicycles and some spare tubes etc. for transportation would be the best bet for that.
Obviously we can really get in the weeds here, but these are my quick choices.
flortny@reddit
E-bikes and solar panels, solid tires
bdouble76@reddit
I've ridden an e-bike, but I don't know much about them. Longevity, or what happens when the battery dies. But still quiet, even less of a calorie killer, and some at least have a 30 mile or so range I think. On paper, paired with a way to recharge, not a bad idea. Especially if you could charge while on the go.
RemeAU@reddit
Best part about ebikes is they are bicycles... The hub motor is only a little bit heavier than a regular hub. So going for an ebike then ditching the battery is the best way. Or just keep the original rim spare. Batteries can last a long time, they'll lose max range over time but your reasons to venture further will decrease over time assuming you have food production at home
BallsOutKrunked@reddit
Very high end ebikes are "a little bit heavier". Most every ebike out there is an absolute pig that no one will pedal more than a few hundred yards on flat terrain.
RemeAU@reddit
Production ebikes are made with the motor in mind. Converting a bike to an ebike with a conversion kit and hub motor is the best way to go. It's also easier to work on, all the cabling is exposed and if you do the conversion yourself you know how to repair and replace parts when things go wrong.
Remarkable-Opening69@reddit
They hall ass. That’s all that matters.
bdouble76@reddit
I can think of worse qualities in a apocalypse vehicle
palisairuta@reddit
Always fixed location will be more survivable.
Much-Department-9578@reddit
Neither. If something like nuclear happened - don’t think I want to survive.
smsff2@reddit
I would recommend you to read this book:
After the Flash: A Modern Guide to Nuclear Survival MARK A. RUSH U.S. Navy Submarine Veteran
Quote: "Although a largescale thermonuclear war would be humanity’s most devastating event, most of the U.S. population would likely survive. Basic knowledge, thoughtful planning, and preparedness can significantly enhance survival odds."
You can find the PDF version of the book on the Internet.
preppers-ModTeam@reddit
These kinds of jokes are specifically prohibited by the rules.
Achnback@reddit
Fixed, you know your neighbors (hopefully) and the terrain and your preps are located at home. I personally would not consider bugging out unless my house is on fire. Join 100,000 cars on the road of desperate anxious/angry people in a massive parking lot makes no sense to me. I don't think it matters if you have a super duper off roader, still going to deal with less than ideal people. Also; you can only carry so much stuff being on the go refuge.
JRHLowdown3@reddit
Assuming you mean a fallout or blast shelter? Definitely that over a mobile approach. Unless of course you live near a target area, which would mean you would likely need a BLAST shelter versus a fallout shelter- considerable differences there.
Moving around from place to place would be risky and potentially expose you to more violence, road issues, contagions, etc.
mystery-pirate@reddit
I'm also going with fixed but must have a backup mobile plan in case the base gets "poisoned".
Mission_Accident_519@reddit
If you need a bunker youre not getting anywhere with a vehicle. If you need a bunker life also isnt worth living, or sustainable. Id dig a small bombshelter at most. Since those have been proven usefull.
Invest your time and money in making your house off grid, growing your own food, stockpiling supplies and food, learning skills etc.
Internal_Raccoon_370@reddit
I don't know... the whole "Mad Max" thing looks cool in the movies but even in the movies almost all of those guys were operating out of a fixed base they returned to for supplies/protection.
Own_Cardiologist_989@reddit
Fixed location. I'd like to be able to know my area instead of having to learn about all the new places I travel to. Plus I don't have to worry about fuel as much.
Also, if you're interested in hypotheticals, I'm a fan of the zombie survival subs. I find they are good fun to think through the more hypothetical situations and occasionally have some real life things to consider. It's not all pretend in those, they actually think through situations in a reasonable way
Useful-Contribution4@reddit
Fixed all the way. You have more control and redudency systems in place.
Mobile can be for a fallback if fixed position is compromised.
RedSquirrelFtw@reddit
Fixed, not for prepping but for live enjoyment, with prepping as a bonus.
My personal plan: living off grid. I already live far from any major metro area so already got that going, being off grid will isolate me even more. Won't be 100% safe depending on the disaster, but I figure it's better odds than being in middle of a city.
Although at some point I do want to build an off grid van that could be used to bug out if needed. I would build it as a camping van so that I actually do want to take it out, but it could double as a bug out van if I need to leave my property due to say, a forest fire or something.
Tairc@reddit
Fixed. Roads will be jammed. You won’t actually get anywhere. Better to be in a smart location, take an e-bike to get to it, and hunker down.
2wt4u@reddit
ALWAYS be ready to bug out. NO PLACE will be secure enough to survive for any kind of long term SHTF scenario.
If possible, learn how to saddle up a horse and ride.
Lancashire_Toreador@reddit
If we're talking full societal breakdown, electrically powered mobile. Unless you're insanely rich and have thought of everything, you're going to need to trade/scavenge.
Reasonable-Teach7155@reddit
Both. A secure location and a mobile rig. Mine is built out to run off grid entirely for as long as necessary in a static location and about 500mi range offroad. I can carry pretty much everything I need for maintenance and trail repairs. Overlanding is an underrated prep skill.
WiskeyUniformTango@reddit
Youre talking about an extreme situation requiring a hardened bunker.
For most of us, prepping the house with a few months of food and water and fuel, while also having a camping trailer available if you have to leave home will be more than enough imo.
Austechprep@reddit
If it moves, it breaks, applies to cars, knees, doors, everything that moves will break.
In the hypothetical, I think I'd rather a big ass EV, and just have as many solar panels as practical and a wind turbine or something, drive for a few 100km's and setup at a new site for a week or two while you recharge. EV's have less moving parts than ICE vehicles, so should be able to last longer after a SHTF before something breaks, and then it's likely that where ever you broke down you've still got a giant power supply and solar panels, so you got yourself a decent very little base to keep out of the elements (hope your aircon still works) that could last decades till it's unusable.
Radtoo@reddit
Fixed.
See, as very rugged cellars with a lot of useful properties including multiple ventilation options and of course noise insulation etc, really almost all get used in less extreme situations too. As storage, as detached offices, as server rooms, as music/hobby rooms and so on.
It is like that in actual use. We built a lot of these in Switzerland. There is no way jacked up overland trucks/unimog type of vehicles would be as useful to the population. Likely extremely few would find these more useful.
silasmoeckel@reddit
Fixed location first.
grislyfind@reddit
It depends on the terrain. You can roam almost anywhere on deserts and plains, but in forested and mountainous areas there's a limited number of roads.
mcapello@reddit
Fixed, hands down.
Mobility makes you a target and a soft one at that.
smsff2@reddit
Fixed.
I own land in a remote location, and my nuclear fallout shelter is currently under construction. In the meantime, I have a fortified bug-out location disguised as a beach house.
This is an investment. The land value appreciates. While it’s harder to sell land compared to a regular house, its value can also increase faster over time. Land is a real asset. You can pass your bug-out location on to your children or grandchildren. You can make a positive change in their lives and possibly contribute to their survival.
I also have a travel trailer. Anyone who owns one will probably agree that it’s the worst financial decision you can make. It depreciates very quickly, maybe around 10% per year, similar to a car. It’s almost impossible to use it enough to make it cheaper than staying in hotels.
I’ve reached the point where I regret buying the travel trailer. It would have been easier and cheaper to build something on my own. That said, I still love my travel trailer and enjoy staying in it. I’m just saying it definitely wasn’t free.
Once you have land, it generally appreciates in value. And if you ever want to sell your property, you can simply describe the nuclear bunker as a wine cellar. “Wine cellar” sounds a lot more appealing to potential buyers than “nuclear fallout shelter.”
OperationMobocracy@reddit
As a boat owner, my sentiments are similar to yours about the travel trailer. My 2¢ is that some of the value proposition is the fun/enjoyment and experiences you get out of it and they can’t be reduced to a dollar value or be compared against something else (eg, hotel room vs trailer).
It’s of course a dangerous idea because you can decide your pleasure is worth any amount of money.
Many-Health-1673@reddit
I'd rather have a bunker buried in the side of a mountain with fixed fighting positions covering the entrance and exit options.
Too much can go wrong on the road, and a fixed position gives you the home field advantage against invaders.
Bugsy_A@reddit
Mobile but no vehicle. If its so bad I have to leave my home than each of us has a moving dolly w/solid tires (no flats for us) to walk off into the sunset.
We still have backpacks (essentials) w/our 20% body weight in case those dollies have to be abandoned but the extra stuff on those dollies are a force multiplier
AnxiousSeason@reddit
Mobile with several fixed caches.
Add in a network of other preppers so you aren’t alone and can defend one another.
DeafHeretic@reddit
Both.
I have a fixed position BOL. Not optimum, but better than what most people have; 15 forested acres on a low mountain. Not “remote”, but not suburbs, it is rural and not easy to find, not on a main road (private road off a back country gravel road that goes nowhere, that itself is off a back country “highway” (two lane asphalt) that is not a throughfare, just a road over the mountain, one of several). Plenty of rain (although dry in the summer, and I have had to evacuate once due a forest fire). I do have a separate shop and good neighbors.
I also have two mechanical only diesel powered manual transmission 4WD road worthy vehicles I am building into “overlanding” rigs. One small (Hilux), one large (Dodge 3500 12' flatbed one ton DRW). I also have two capable dirt bikes. These are my backups. I also want to get a 4WD ATV.
deadrelief@reddit
My uncle and I are working on a trailer, just enclosed landscaping one, where he wants to use it in case of natural disasters. Something he can hook his truck up to and leave in a moments notice. It’s a 7x16.
We put in the electrical, plumbing and finishing up with propane lines.
He’s close to retiring and wants to use it to travel in with his bike and use his Ham radio. I drew up a small desk area for him to put in the trailer and a way to put a telescoping antenna on the side.
I’d rather this with a backup location than a bunker.
Alejandra-689@reddit
La verdad es que para mí la mejor estrategia sería no necesitar el móvil prever antes e irse a un lugar seguro antes porque el vehículo te va a llevar hasta donde alcance la nafta o el diesel o El combustible, asumiendo que no vas a poder conseguir combustible más adelante ya que no hay garantías. Si bien nunca se sabe dónde va a caer una bomba nuclear hay algunos indicios que te pueden decir que se busca la mayor destrucción posible o el mayor alcance ciudades sitios estratégicos energéticamente o militarmente etcétera. Yo anduve con unimog por cerros y se comporta increíble aunque tiene sus limitaciones, no es un vehículo en el que puedas escapar a toda velocidad. Puede ser útil por un tiempo. Para mí parte de la estrategia de alejarse es buscar lugares lejos de todos los sitios estratégicos y ciudades llenas de gente y poblaciones, donde no tenga sentido una detonación.
naturalistwork@reddit
Fixed. Even in a short term situation, staying put with necessary supplies would be safer and more logical. Why use up lots of fuel to haul around water, food, and other supplies when I can stay where I am, and have access to more resources.
That being said, I could see the benefit of having a small camper. In the event of a relatively local temporary emergency, I could simply go camping. If I wanted to get out of the area. But for actual emergency prepping, it would make more sense to stay put.
Jolopy4099@reddit
Bunker. Over land camper will get you somewhere remote but not as secure and safe. Eventually it runs out of has and it stays there. More people could see you and follow also.
The bunker if in a good location could stay hidden for much longer and generally harder to break into. But honestly neither hopefully.