My wife and I prep, but as a former member of the military with a great deal of "field experience", I agree with your assessment of most preppers.
We own revolvers, no ARs, no Glocks. No need for that. Even the FBI shows than in drastic situations like home invasions, the average number of shots fired is 3. The zombies are not coming. We are not going to end up in a Walking Dead situation. I know enough preppers and have listened to enough to know a lot of what they write is coded and has meaning. Zombies are not real, even though they use this term in their writings. They are referring to inner-city people or city dwellers (or even the unprepared) who may attack during a protracted emergency like a hurricane that removes power for weeks and people start looting to survive.
I based my preps on water purification, medical (wife has doctor after her name), and calories. As a guy who has carried a 65# ruck for hours on end for days, I can assure you, you don't need as much as you think. While the military does have a supply chain for soldiers in the field, there have been times when that wasn't a reality for a week or more and you had to make do with what was in your ruck.
The military sends troops into harm's way with 180 rounds of ammunition for rifles, and 45 rounds of ammunition for handguns. That's it.
I focused on water purification, caloric intake, regulating body temperature, medical, and have two solar chargers. Have two of everything (two is one, one is none). I'm not worried about a protracted battle with anyone. Smart preppers will avoid any fight because it's just plain dumb as hell to get into it with anyone when there is no medical help around. To the people that have amassed thousands of rounds of ammunition, I laugh. Why? Military experience. I often ask these people when they brag about their "warehouse full of preps", "How many gunfights do you reasonably expect to survive?" What if someone launched flaming arrows into your home in a protracted situation? How will you carry your stash? Do you have children? Any babies? If so, your job is to protect your family by fleeing. Not trying to pretend you're a warrior. Discretion is ALWAYS the better part of valor.
Good preps:
- Light tent for your family. Waterproof. In warm regions, two light tarps.
- Water purification tablets for a year. Takes up no space. Also water purification straws, pref. the 25,000 gallon variety. Again, light and no space.
- Revolver with 200 rounds of quality ammunition. One for each adult.
- High-quality light rucksack with waterproof cover.
- Two folding solar panels.
- Two full medical kits.
- Steel canteens and canteen cups for cooking and water purification.
- 1000' of 550 paracord.
- Two fixed blade knives and two folding knives.
- Light thermal technical clothing.
- Hand warmers and space blankets.
- Lighters and matches along with ferro rod for fire.
- Compass x2 (learn how to use it. Most people fail land navigation, even basics, because they think using a compass is easy. Get grid maps for your area and learn the difference between grid, true, and magnetic north (declination). Learn the declination for your area and program your compass with the correct settings. At even a mile, the wrong declination will send you off by hundreds of yards.
- Safety goggles, shemaghs, and expanding toilet paper wipes (light, 250 take up the space of a can of soda)
- Pack according to your weight, height, and abilities. Children should carry their own clothes and water and nothing more. Adults should limit it to 35#.
- Firearms should always be out of sight.
So with the exception of the gun, that is basically reasonable camping gear. Maybe even the gun, if camping is to happen in, say, the Canadian wilderness.
Given how fast outside help is reaching disaster zones, that would be more than enough. Of course, exceptions proof the rules.
> The military sends troops into harm's way with 180 rounds of ammunition for rifles, and 45 rounds of ammunition for handguns. That's it.
I am reminded of the apocryphal tale:
> Shortly before World War I, the German Kaiser was the guest of the Swiss government to observe military maneuvers. The Kaiser asked a Swiss militiaman: 'You are 500,000 and you shoot well, but if we attack with 1,000,000 men what will you do?' The soldier replied: 'We will shoot twice and go home.'
Having a stock of ammo is sometimes more about making it through droughts of ammo availability and still being about to out and train/practice regularly. Supposedly over the last few months there's been limited ammo availability?
“expanding toilet paper wipes (light, 250 take up the space of a can of soda)”
Most of the items listed are familiar to me except for this. I’ve been sterling the short ends of big commercials toilet paper rolls (no center tube so toilet paper all the way to the middle), but this sounds better.
Map and compass seems excessive for most. Even if you live in a very rural area you probably know the surrounding 5 miles by heart (I do at least). More critical imho is making sure your gas tank is always half full (or charged) and that you've downloaded maps on your phone.
Magnetic declination cancels out. Pretend magnetic north is true north. Walk a mile north, then walk a mile south. The error cancels out perfectly, returning you to your origin.
Outside of national parks, the land is usually either featureless or full of roads. Navigating by topological features is thus more of a hobby than a survival need.
We own revolvers, no ARs, no Glocks. No need for that. Even the FBI shows than in drastic situations like home invasions, the average number of shots fired is 3. The zombies are not coming. We are not going to end up in a Walking Dead situation. I know enough preppers and have listened to enough to know a lot of what they write is coded and has meaning. Zombies are not real, even though they use this term in their writings. They are referring to inner-city people or city dwellers (or even the unprepared) who may attack during a protracted emergency like a hurricane that removes power for weeks and people start looting to survive. I based my preps on water purification, medical (wife has doctor after her name), and calories. As a guy who has carried a 65# ruck for hours on end for days, I can assure you, you don't need as much as you think. While the military does have a supply chain for soldiers in the field, there have been times when that wasn't a reality for a week or more and you had to make do with what was in your ruck.
The military sends troops into harm's way with 180 rounds of ammunition for rifles, and 45 rounds of ammunition for handguns. That's it.
I focused on water purification, caloric intake, regulating body temperature, medical, and have two solar chargers. Have two of everything (two is one, one is none). I'm not worried about a protracted battle with anyone. Smart preppers will avoid any fight because it's just plain dumb as hell to get into it with anyone when there is no medical help around. To the people that have amassed thousands of rounds of ammunition, I laugh. Why? Military experience. I often ask these people when they brag about their "warehouse full of preps", "How many gunfights do you reasonably expect to survive?" What if someone launched flaming arrows into your home in a protracted situation? How will you carry your stash? Do you have children? Any babies? If so, your job is to protect your family by fleeing. Not trying to pretend you're a warrior. Discretion is ALWAYS the better part of valor.
Good preps: - Light tent for your family. Waterproof. In warm regions, two light tarps. - Water purification tablets for a year. Takes up no space. Also water purification straws, pref. the 25,000 gallon variety. Again, light and no space. - Revolver with 200 rounds of quality ammunition. One for each adult. - High-quality light rucksack with waterproof cover. - Two folding solar panels. - Two full medical kits. - Steel canteens and canteen cups for cooking and water purification. - 1000' of 550 paracord. - Two fixed blade knives and two folding knives. - Light thermal technical clothing. - Hand warmers and space blankets. - Lighters and matches along with ferro rod for fire. - Compass x2 (learn how to use it. Most people fail land navigation, even basics, because they think using a compass is easy. Get grid maps for your area and learn the difference between grid, true, and magnetic north (declination). Learn the declination for your area and program your compass with the correct settings. At even a mile, the wrong declination will send you off by hundreds of yards. - Safety goggles, shemaghs, and expanding toilet paper wipes (light, 250 take up the space of a can of soda) - Pack according to your weight, height, and abilities. Children should carry their own clothes and water and nothing more. Adults should limit it to 35#. - Firearms should always be out of sight.