What have you done this week to prep?

[dusty88]

We finally bought a Berkey water filter. It is impressive. Now we can, theoretically, gather water from the creek do a preliminary filter through a cloth to get big debris out, and let the Berkey do it's thing.

 

[Phase2]

We finally bought a Berkey water filter. It is impressive. Now we can, theoretically, gather water from the creek do a preliminary filter through a cloth to get big debris out, and let the Berkey do it's thing.

There are a lot of reasons to like the Berkey. I've had mine for about 4 years. Here is another one that just came out yesterday:

Michigan Declares State Of Emergency After Cancer-Linked Toxin Found In Drinking Water

Most people in the area have been drinking this water for some time. If you use a Berkey, you are much better protected against items like this, temporary "boil water" orders, and other problems with the public water systems where problem announcements almost always come after exposure.

 

[rhino]

Everyone I know who has a Berkey or similar use it every day. That's a good prep.

 

[Nevermore]

I use my berkey for my daily drinking water. It actually tastes better than what comes directly out the tap, plus the metal container usually keeps the water at a reasonable temp without needing a bunch of ice.

 

[dusty88]

We actually used it for a few days then put it away. I think it's great, but I couldn't taste a difference between that and our well water. I realize of course that you don't always taste contamination.

We were considering leaving it out but the Big Berkey was just slightly taller than the distance between our countertops and the base of the kitchen cabinets. So we kept hitting it when we opened a cabinet (first world problem, to be sure). We just couldn't find a happy place for it.... but we are still renovating so maybe it will get one later

How often do you replace the filters if you use it for all of your drinking water? We didn't buy any spare filters yet and that's an obvious prep need.

 

[flatlander]

Did a complete inventory of everything. Need more of everything to meet my goals for 7 people EXCEPT, dare I say, weapons.

Bob

 

[Lex Concord]

We actually used it for a few days then put it away. I think it's great, but I couldn't taste a difference between that and our well water. I realize of course that you don't always taste contamination.

We were considering leaving it out but the Big Berkey was just slightly taller than the distance between our countertops and the base of the kitchen cabinets. So we kept hitting it when we opened a cabinet (first world problem, to be sure). We just couldn't find a happy place for it.... but we are still renovating so maybe it will get one later

How often do you replace the filters if you use it for all of your drinking water? We didn't buy any spare filters yet and that's an obvious prep need.

When you buy spares, be sure to store them in an airtight environment. I made the mistake of not doing that once.... once.

 

[teddy12b]

I've been tinkering with and testing rain gear. I tried out a 2gosystems poncho that'd cover me and my pack and my initial results weren't exactly great.

I've upgraded my hard use field jacket. I've got some lightweight rain resistant gear, but really nothing that can go crashing through thorn bushes and still be water tight that fits and has plenty of room underneath for layers. Ended up with a Tru-Spec ECWS Gen 2 with the fleece liner in a size too big. These last couple storms I've been putting on my rain gear and just standing there in the rain at night testing this stuff out staying nice and dry. I still need to hike some miles with it in the rain, but so far I'm very happy with it.

 

[longbow]

Nothing for 5 months until today.

Why is it always the rich prep'r that gets killed in survival books?

 

[churchmouse]

I've been tinkering with and testing rain gear. I tried out a 2gosystems poncho that'd cover me and my pack and my initial results weren't exactly great.

I've upgraded my hard use field jacket. I've got some lightweight rain resistant gear, but really nothing that can go crashing through thorn bushes and still be water tight that fits and has plenty of room underneath for layers. Ended up with a Tru-Spec ECWS Gen 2 with the fleece liner in a size too big. These last couple storms I've been putting on my rain gear and just standing there in the rain at night testing this stuff out staying nice and dry. I still need to hike some miles with it in the rain, but so far I'm very happy with it.

When I wear rain gear the heat tends to stay in the gear. It gets stuffy if I am working at a decent pace. Is this gear you are testing the same or is that what is to be expected.

 

[churchmouse]

We have made concerted efforts to get the water stores back on track.

 

[1DOWN4UP]

Need to drive a new well,and install a pitcher pump.

 

[rhino]

Started getting my sewing gear re-stocked and sorted-out. I have been delaying some repairs that need done!

 

[jerrob]

Fully replenished short term stores and sending old stuff to food pantry (still has good dates on it, lol).

 

[Phase2]

Fully replenished short term stores and sending old stuff to food pantry (still has good dates on it, lol).

Best way to handle it. I generally donate older cans when they have a couple of months left. Food pantries turn them over quickly.

Those dates really aren't magical. The foods they contain are still edible well afterwards, but people are trained to believe what is stamped on the can, so it makes everyone feel better.

 

[jerrob]

Best way to handle it. I generally donate older cans when they have a couple of months left. Food pantries turn them over quickly.

Those dates really aren't magical. The foods they contain are still edible well afterwards, but people are trained to believe what is stamped on the can, so it makes everyone feel better.

Yup. I dare not donate something with an expired date.
I just bought way more canned veggies than we could eat when Meijer's had their last 3 for $1 sale. Kept it within reason this time around.

 

[churchmouse]

Yup. I dare not donate something with an expired date.
I just bought way more canned veggies than we could eat when Meijer's had their last 3 for $1 sale. Kept it within reason this time around.

There are ample mouths to feed around here. No worries on dates going negative.

 

[bwframe]

My timing is often messed up for the fall garden. May have gotten lucky this year. I tilled most of the spring garden under a couple weeks ago. Local greenhouse had fall plants. For $10 I picked up quite a few plants that went right in. Think I'll take another ride down for a couple/three more spinach starts to fill a bit more space.

 

[teddy12b]

When I wear rain gear the heat tends to stay in the gear. It gets stuffy if I am working at a decent pace. Is this gear you are testing the same or is that what is to be expected.

To some extent, if you're out doing work that you'd be sweating while doing without rain, you're still going to be sweating wearing rain gear if not more. Adding to that, the humidity in the air gets around in your gear. My experience with rain gear is basically the old BDU nylon rain top & bottom (not the nice gortex, never got issued that), some civilian Gore-Tex jackets, and marmot precip rain gear. The time I spent running around yelling Hooah in the BDU stuff worked, but would eventually soak through. The civilian goretex was a North Face jacket I bought 20 years ago and it's always performed very well, but it's greatest advantage is the "pit zips" to let heat out from under your arms. Last year I used a the marmot precip jacket over the top of a wool t-shirt while kayaking in Lake Superior. That jacket kept the water off me, but in heavy waves I still got a little wet inside, but that had more to do with getting a hand in the water and then raising my hand for another stroke while paddling. The wool t-shirt from Minus33 in this case was the real hero.

For me, and keeping in mind a lot of this kind of thing is personal preference, the pit zips let me vent the moisture out and I'm the type that sweats like a pig. That's a feature in a rain jacket that I really look for.

Part of the reason I've been really looking hard at all of this is because I'm less than two weeks out from backpacking in Denali. There are few if any actual trails, and while it's mostly open tundra, I do expect to have some bushwhacking to do. If I were purely going on a trail again I'd be packing that marmot precip without question. It's light, packable and keeps you dry within any reasonable expectation. The north face goretex I bought 20 years ago would be perfect for going through brush and thorny spikey twigs, but it was snug when I bought then, and now my dad bod needs a little more room. I bought the tru-spec H2O proof ecws gen 2 because it's a heavily built goretex jacket that can be used with a backpack on. It's a copy of the military goretex jackets. While it's thicker and heavier and clunkier that the precip, in this particular case, that's a really good thing because the current forecast looks like very low 50's as a high for the day. Add in some rain & bushwhacking and all of a sudden a heavyier & tougher jacket makes a lot of good sense. Really, it's just a good thing to have around anyway. The other nice thing about that jacket is that it has a zip in fleece liner. Again, for backpacking uses that's a bit of overkill, but for where I'm going I'd rather be sure I'm warm than be shivering all night long. If nothing else it'll make a great additional sleeping pad. That's my two cents on rain gear. I'm going to write up an after action report of the trip when I get back and I'll post it somewhere here.

 

[churchmouse]

To some extent, if you're out doing work that you'd be sweating while doing without rain, you're still going to be sweating wearing rain gear if not more. Adding to that, the humidity in the air gets around in your gear. My experience with rain gear is basically the old BDU nylon rain top & bottom (not the nice gortex, never got issued that), some civilian Gore-Tex jackets, and marmot precip rain gear. The time I spent running around yelling Hooah in the BDU stuff worked, but would eventually soak through. The civilian goretex was a North Face jacket I bought 20 years ago and it's always performed very well, but it's greatest advantage is the "pit zips" to let heat out from under your arms. Last year I used a the marmot precip jacket over the top of a wool t-shirt while kayaking in Lake Superior. That jacket kept the water off me, but in heavy waves I still got a little wet inside, but that had more to do with getting a hand in the water and then raising my hand for another stroke while paddling. The wool t-shirt from Minus33 in this case was the real hero.

For me, and keeping in mind a lot of this kind of thing is personal preference, the pit zips let me vent the moisture out and I'm the type that sweats like a pig. That's a feature in a rain jacket that I really look for.

Part of the reason I've been really looking hard at all of this is because I'm less than two weeks out from backpacking in Denali. There are few if any actual trails, and while it's mostly open tundra, I do expect to have some bushwhacking to do. If I were purely going on a trail again I'd be packing that marmot precip without question. It's light, packable and keeps you dry within any reasonable expectation. The north face goretex I bought 20 years ago would be perfect for going through brush and thorny spikey twigs, but it was snug when I bought then, and now my dad bod needs a little more room. I bought the tru-spec H2O proof ecws gen 2 because it's a heavily built goretex jacket that can be used with a backpack on. It's a copy of the military goretex jackets. While it's thicker and heavier and clunkier that the precip, in this particular case, that's a really good thing because the current forecast looks like very low 50's as a high for the day. Add in some rain & bushwhacking and all of a sudden a heavyier & tougher jacket makes a lot of good sense. Really, it's just a good thing to have around anyway. The other nice thing about that jacket is that it has a zip in fleece liner. Again, for backpacking uses that's a bit of overkill, but for where I'm going I'd rather be sure I'm warm than be shivering all night long. If nothing else it'll make a great additional sleeping pad. That's my two cents on rain gear. I'm going to write up an after action report of the trip when I get back and I'll post it somewhere here.

Thanks.