There are many things we can do to mentally and physically prepare for a SHTF moment, whether it is a situation where you need to get out of dodge ASAP or if you get lost in the wilds. I'm busy working on improving my practical skills that could be used if I ended up in that type of scenario. I thought I'd share my experiences as they may be useful to someone else too.
There are a few fundamentals of survival that you need in order to outlive your competitors.
Depending on where you are and what situation you're in, they may change priority ranking, but whether indoors or outdoors, they will include warmth, water, food, and weapons.
Colder climates will have a higher demand for warmth as without heating, your body can go into hyperthermia in a very short space of time. It only takes 2 to 3 degrees in body temperature drop for you to be fighting for your life.
If you live in an area where it gets very hot and you're outdoors, you will need water more than warmth during the day, but will still need fire for warmth, to cook your food and to ward off predators at night.
Your comfort zone in terms of body temperature is around 36,5 degrees so keeping it in that range is important. In order to do that you will need to regulate your body temperature using either an external heat source or by keeping your body heat circulating around you by means of insulation.
A good jacket as well as layering underneath it is going to get you far in this regard. Choose a jacket that has good properties against wind chill factor, a hood, a zip up or Velcro collar and sleeves that are adjustable. The face, neck and sleeve areas are going to be the main areas that your body heat will escape so managing these is of paramount importance. One that has an adjustable waistband and a removable down inner is even better.
Wearing clothing that traps air pockets is also what you want and for this, down is generally considered the best option with fur coming close thereafter.
Wool is an ok option for an under jacket but the air pockets tend to be much larger than down and will lose heat at a faster rate as a result. If your body is continuously burning energy to keep you warm, you will grow tired and weak fast and could even get chills and a fever as hyperthermia sets in.
Layering your pants is also recommended, especially at night.
A good pair of gloves that fit well snuggly will keep your digits warm and prevent frost bite which can lead to gangrene and the loss of those extremities.
Keeping dry is also important. This also includes staying dry from sweat. If you are retaining so much body heat that you are sweating or from doing activities that make you hot, then your body is temperature regulating by removing heat.
Wet clothing can be dangerous when the temperature drops. For this reason wearing a layer on your skin that takes water away from it to evaporate is a good choice. Cotton absorbs and retains water whereas polyester and nylon are hydrophobic and do not get saturated like cotton - the water is repelled from it. That's also why so much sporting gear like cycling and running shorts are made from it.
Socks should also be kept dry as having wet socks can lead to trench foot, an immersion injury which can increase the risk of infection. It can even lead to blood poisoning, septic shock and death if not treated.
Having an extra set of clothing with you in your pack is a good idea if you have the space available.
Insulating your shelter is also considered good practice and this includes buildings, but I will broach this in a separate post.
Do you feel that your clothing is sufficient for a survival situation? If so let me know what's in your survival closet and if not, let me know what you'd like to add
Image is my own
