There are many skills needed to live through and apocalyptic situation. This will summarize all of the needed informations.

A. Preperation

I will give you my advice as to not go out and buy all the food you can to prepare for the "doom" You are just wasting money if there isn't one. You'll also be on the run in just about every situation involving an apocalypse. It will way you down and make everything that much harder. Just follow these steps.

I. Excercise

Walk once a day, ride your bike to work, do something. Make sure the excercise is something that is enjoyable and won't be something you will start and stop all the time.

II. Read

Yes, read. Get some books about wildlife, plants, and the area you live in. They are interesting books, and they can help you sometime. Get books on local plants (with the information about where they're found and what they are used for, make sure there are pictures), Animals, and wildlife.

III. Master Two Weapons or More

Be smart about what weapon you choose, but it most be able to save your life if needed. I advise mastering a gun or some projectile weapon. Also master one or two secondary weapons. (Swords, knifes, staffs) Learn one hunting weapon. This will help against raiders, theifs, and zombies. It will also get you good at hunting.

IV. Learn to Garden (Also stock up on seeds)

Seeds are very light weight and can give you a reusable means of food. Keep a garden so you know the basics of gardenings. Grow tomatoes, potatoes, corn, and whatever good you can think of. Also make sure to keep some bamboo sprouts for growing when the time comes, it has many uses. (bows, heat source, energy source, spears, eating the sprouts, etc.)

V. Learn to Make a Fire

Look up the different methods of fire making. Learn to use flint and steal, wood and stick, and 9 Volt battery and steal wool. The easiest to do is 9v battery and steal wool, but it you have to get more and more steal wool when needed.

B. The Day of Disaster

I. Get Stuff

Hopefully you have a backpack or some means of storage. Get it out, go through your house and grab anything and everything that can help you.

Things to take:
Pocket Knife(s)
Some sort of cord or rope (100ft)
non parishable food
Book on plants/animals
Seeds
Cell Phone (you may get it working)
Radio
Flashlight
Bandages
Thread and Needle
Blanket
3 Bug Spray Cans (depending on location)
Compass
Maps
Jacket
Beanie Hat
First Aid Kit
Pencil
Journal
(If there is anything else, please tell)

II. What to Wear
Jeans. Not tight or loose, ones with good movement.
Underwear, warm ones.
Longsleeved clothing, if its hot, pull up the sleeves, if its cold roll them down.
Long, Tight socks, to keep away ticks from your feet and protect from scratches.
Boots or hiking shoes. Just be smart. edit: also, wear dark clothing, not black, but dark grays, greens and browns.

III. Looting

Anything you may need, get it. Bring weapons of some sort. Not everyone is going to be peaceful.

IV. Find Shelter

Abandon your house, there WILL be theifs. Make sure you have what you need and get away. Find abandon places that people don't think about. If you don't mind the outdoors, live in the woods. Do not travel by day, travel around twilight, or at night.


To be continued at a later time...

Extra post just incase needed. I will be back to finish, don't worry, discuss if you like.

Good thread! and good start. I would add a couple items that don't take up much space.

Iodine pills. These can greatly reduce your absorbsion of radiation, should something like that happen.

Water purification tablets and canteens/jugs. Bleach can work, but the tabs take up less space. A good steel canteen would be best, but a couple of used water gallon jugs can be tied to a pack, and when empty, are very lightweight.

If you are taking the time to prepare ahead of time, get a magnesium fire starter with a flint(about $10). Magnesium scrapings go a long way, burn when wet, and burn so hot it will light just about anything you can find for kindling.

If the SHTF we planned on staying low, waiting until everyone else shot each other. Then go shopping, find a houseboat and get away from ALL people!

Nice list a couple thoughts to add would be a small hammock that is the size of your hand. this could come in handy for sleeping above the ground in the trees if you're in that type of enviornment. I'm a carpenter so i would throw in a hammer and maybe some chizels or something to help build or construct things.Just a few thoughts to add thanks

Originally posted by Phlynx
There are many skills needed to live through and apocalyptic situation. This will summarize all of the needed informations.

B. The Day of Disaster

I. Get Stuff......

Hmmm, don't you think it might be a good idea to have this BEFORE something happens??

And you seem to have forgotten one important thing. How about water? How are you going to clean it, filter it, transport it, store it?

Originally posted by Phlynx
III. Looting

Anything you may need, get it. Bring weapons of some sort. Not everyone is going to be peaceful.

So it's OK to kill someone else for what they have, simply because you didn't prepare correctly?

Originally posted by Phlynx
IV. Find Shelter

Abandon your house, there WILL be thieves. Make sure you have what you need and get away. Find abandon places that people don't think about. If you don't mind the outdoors, live in the woods. Do not travel by day, travel around twilight, or at night.

If it looks like a good place to hole up, others will think the same thing, too.

And travelling around by night or twilight is going to make it hard to scavange for much. And a light will draw people to you.

Just throwing ideas down to see who might pick them up.

I like running these scenarios in my head sometimes when I'm bored. While I hope it never happens, first thing I would do after establishing security at my home, is to gather a group of friends and seize a wal mart or 2.

That or buy a ranch in the middle of nowhere some time before X happens. Build the place up to be self sustaining and watch the fireworks.

Beanie hat?
What the hell is a beanie hat?
Somehow it doesn't sound like it would provide much protection.

Originally posted by kettlebellysmith
Beanie hat?
What the hell is a beanie hat?
Somehow it doesn't sound like it would provide much protection.

I think he means "Boonie hat", not an actual beanie with a propeller on top, tho I think in an post Apocalyptic situation, rocking around with one of those on would be hardcore.

Beanie - close fitting woollen cap with fold up edge. Keeps your scone warm in cold weather.

edited due to brain fart - just realised what the OP meant by the looting thing.

[edit on 25-7-2009 by tangotemper]

Originally posted by joe_dirt976
That or buy a ranch in the middle of nowhere some time before X happens. Build the place up to be self sustaining and watch the fireworks.

Except that in times of extreme duress, violent bands of men will be hitting farms houses and ranches that are secluded from law enforcement.

Think about it...isolated homes are vulnerable to marauders who will hole up in your joint, raping your women and children, then torturing and killing all of you when they're done.

In a meltdown, you need to be in the middle of a community that can guard itself from thugs. Isolation is certain death.

Originally posted by Praetorian Guard

Originally posted by joe_dirt976
That or buy a ranch in the middle of nowhere some time before X happens. Build the place up to be self sustaining and watch the fireworks.

Except that in times of extreme duress, violent bands of men will be hitting farms houses and ranches that are secluded from law enforcement.

Think about it...isolated homes are vulnerable to marauders who will hole up in your joint, raping your women and children, then torturing and killing all of you when they're done.

In a meltdown, you need to be in the middle of a community that can guard itself from thugs. Isolation is certain death.

Excellent point. Look at what regular citizens do in war zones, disaster areas, etc... Unless the military comes and forces them out, neighborhoods often band together to protect themselves and their property. If you go it alone, you are relying on "security through obscurity" (ie living your life in hiding), because you can get overwhelmed very quickly if bad people know where you are. Thugs will band together for an advantage... good people should do the same.

Is there no edit button at all? Lots of great suggestions, When I find the edit button, I'll add them in.

its a good idea to go through this kinda thing.
i am curently putting some thing like this together my self as ide rather have it than not, should the shtf, but i hope nothing happens.
any way i read some of the ideas on this thread, & ide suggest if you can manage it, get some thing to trade with like solid gold & silver coins, sure if things go realy crazy & their may well be nasty people best avoided, but its also likley you may be able to trade with other people & gold coins are small & keep some value compared to paper money.
but hey lets hope we all sigh in reliefe come 2013