4 Preps I Probably Should NOT Have Purchased

Raise your hand if you have a box somewhere full of holsters that you’ll probably never use again, I know I do.  Remember when drop legs were the thing to have, how about one of those 1970’s leather TV Detective types that fit over the shoulders.  *Shudder*  I suppose we all have purchases that we have grown out of or regret and as they say, hindsight is 20/20.  I should make a few points of clarification with respect to the rationale behind this post.

• Just because I state I shouldn’t have probably bought it, doesn’t mean the item couldn’t come in handy in a SHTF situation.
• It’s about usefulness, how much I personally use it and also value.  Something that I bought for $10 and didn’t use much doesn’t rate a second thought, something that cost 10x that and collects dust might be another issue.
• These are my own personal observations based on where I live, my habits, priorities and more.  You might find yourself in a totally different situation which is understandable.

#1: Night Vision Goggles

As you can imagine I’ve used all types of Night Vision while in the military so naturally I felt the “need” to have some for the homestead.  One thing you need to understand, there are layers to this thing.  There are some seriously crap night vision components out there, some decent stuff and some really really (read: $$) good stuff.  The thumbnail for this article shows a set from TNVC, link here as they sell the good stuff.  I’d say on a scale of 1-10 I own a set of 7.5’s (dual lens), more advanced tech than the typical green stuff most people are used to.  In addition I have IR lasers and all the appropriate items that one might need to own the night.  My wife inquired as to why I needed all that stuff and once I started to explain myself she cut me off with: “stop, it’s not going to happen.” As such I do train with it occasionally but mostly use it for conversation starters when folks are over and it’s dark and I show them what Gen 4 White Phosphor looks like off the back deck.

Yes, should SHTF happen Night Vision would be a major advantage in any conceivable environment, even something as simple as pulling security when there was no power on a night with very little illumination.  Yet good quality night vision is NOT cheap and to have something like that just sitting in the safe collecting dust makes me wonder if my money would have been well spent elsewhere.

#2: Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s)

What can I say, who doesn’t love to hate MRE’s.  I’ve been enjoying these packaged delights for over 20 years and while they are a relatively good prep they have one thing going against them: Shelf Life.  Stored in a nice cool environment some say 5-7 years is the max and at around $80 to $100 a case that means you’ll be tossing $500 worth of MRE’s away every few years.  I know we like to say, store what you eat and eat what you store but there is no chance I’m busting open an MRE unless I absolutely have to.  Even out on hikes or whatnot, I take freeze dried food vs an MRE…they just are not good.  Like previously stated I’ve gone for long periods only subsisting on MRE’s and they do have merit when it comes to packaging and calorie count but for the average prepper that just has a few cases in the garage I think money could be better spent elsewhere.  I don’t even keep any in my vehicle anymore, I suppose in a post SHTF environment they could be a nice barter item however.  One final thought, I’ve had some civilian MRE’s shipped to me to try and they were far worse than the military variant, and their extra components besides whatever the main course was were equally terrible.  Try before you buy.

#3: Reloading Equipment

Shields up!  Here comes the storm!  I get it, reloading is near and dear to the firearms community and let’s get a few of the common phrases out of the way:

• Once SHTF, bullets will be currency
• Reloading because precision
• Reloading because once a ______ is in office it will be the only way to generate ammunition cheaply

All that said, allow me to provide my own input:

• Most people do not train with their firearm(s), even the one they carry to protect themselves so why the need for exorbitant amounts of ammunition?
• The price of ammunition is relatively cheap now, what’s the point – what’s your time worth?

I do admit that I did get into reloading for a bit and still load for my precision rifle.  Yet I have all of these projectiles, powder and the other stuff just sitting around…just in case?  A case of 1000 rounds of 9mm is like $160 from most places.  5.56 is less than $300.  It’s not unreasonable to say that one could stack 10,000…20,000 rounds of whatever over a couple years and not break the bank in which case  – reload for what?  Especially since we know most people DO NOT TRAIN with their given firearm.

I understand that for some it’s more than numbers, people like to sit in the reloading room and churn out cartridges.  I’m more of a what is my time worth kinda guy and instead of spending 9-10 hours making 1000 rounds of whatever on my Lee 4 stage press, I can click a button and it will be at my doorstep in about a day.  I suppose I can say that I do have the capability though, so that’s worth something.

#4: Giant Tactical Bugout Bags

If you have a big bag you will fill it up and then it will be damn near impossible to carry.  I remember going through the Infantry Officer Basic Course years back and I had to be the 240B Machine Gun Assistant Gunner (AG).  In my life I have never had a heavier pack, not only all of the kit  we needed to live out in the field but add to that a tripod, spare barrel, extra ammunition and more.  It was one of those scenarios where people had to help me stand up if I had my rucksack on.

People love giant bags for bugging out or vehicles and I have to admit that I own a few.  Over time I have migrated to smaller packs and even backpacks (quality ones, not junk).  I mostly run Eberlestock and have gotten away from the giant expedition packs.  You can always do more, pack more, carry more…where does it end?  So you have a pack that has enough for 2 weeks and are pulling a sled and what does that do to your mobility?  Helicopters or MRAPs are not a radio call away, being on foot sucks.  Truth be told it’s nice to sort of back down from the military mindset in some avenues and keep things more reasonable.

Final Thoughts

Everyone is different and like they say: to each his own.  These are just my thoughts and experiences as I have progressed through this journey.  I can guarantee that you could find contradictions or even differences of opinion in my own writings over the last 8 years on this blog because guess what….we all evolve and change over time.  That’s the beauty of it all and I thank you for reading.  Leave your comments below.