In the video below, “Just In Case” Jack puts the Bluetti AC200P Power Station through its paces as:

• A Backup Emergency Solar Generator
• A Cold Weather Camping Essential

Watch his detailed review and his final thoughts in the video below:

My Overall Thoughts On The Bluetti AC200P

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If you watch the video (or read the transcript at the end of this post) you’ll discover just how impressed I am with the capabilities of this power station.

It was able to provide me a surprising amount of clean, quiet, power as well as capture solar power anytime the sun was shining. For survival and camping, its combinations of features (clean, quiet, solar, and power storage amounts) are real game-changers!

Yes, it is a serious investment – but so is ANY fuel generator you could buy.

So if you’re looking to purchase either a fuel generator OR this Bluetti Power Station, you have to look at the INCREMENTAL costs between the two and try to compare as close to apples to apples on the power capabilities.

But then you have to factor in the clean, quiet, solar aspects. So while you do give up some overall pure power production – I feel like it more than offsets the costs with all the positives aspects. But ultimately it comes down to your own personal choice and priorities.

So, let me expound upon those pros and cons in more detail…

Bluetti AC200P Advantages and Disadvantages

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Major Advantages

Safe, Clean Power

I believe the biggest advantage of the Bluetti AC200P is how clean it is.

When you compare it to a fuel generator; it’s not even close. 

You can run this unit safely, INSIDE your home. You can’t say that for any fuel generators.

Every year people who don’t know any better run their fuel generators inside and die. Seriously, it’s a major risk if you make this mistake.

For example, according to consumerreports.org:

However, with the Bluetti, there are absolutely NO toxic, deadly fumes to worry about.

It’s Whisper Quiet

This is the second biggest advantage the Bluetti Power Station provides.

Walk around any neighborhood after a power outage and you’ll hear the loud and constant hum of fuel generators EVERYWHERE.

They are quite loud and annoying and it’s always been a necessary evil. But with the Bluetti, you can capture and use power at a whisper.

If you’re a prepper you’ll want a stealthy solution to your backup power system – the Bluetti Power Station IS your answer.

And this no-noise feature is even more useful during camping. I was able to run all my electronics and recharge my deep cycle battery without generating any campground NOISE!

Fuel generators are loud – that’s why most campgrounds and restrictions on when you can run them. If you want to avoid these restrictions, get the Bluetti.

“Free” Fuel Via Solar

You can’t beat solar when it comes to survival and preparedness. And the Bluetti AC200P is the ideal portable power station to capture that free energy.

In a grid-down scenario, the Bluetti (paired with solar panels) will never leave you without some power.

This is a HUGE advantage in a dire power outage emergency.

For example, if you depend on a C-PAP machine for health reasons – you need a reliable backup power system. This Bluetti Power Station does just that with its solar capabilities.

Lots of Output Options

The Bluetti AC200P has a ton of power outlets. I mean, this beast has 6 typical AC outlets, plus, DC outlets, and USB outlets, etc.

The bottom line is, there’s essentially no typical electronic device you can’t power using the Bluetti.

Major Disadvantages

For A “Portable” Unit, It’s Fairly Heavy

The Bluetti AC200P is quite heavy and doesn’t come with a built-in cart system (like many fuel-based house generators do). This can lead to a real struggle when loading it into a vehicle trunk or moving it around your home.

At 60 lbs. it IS PORTABLE but you also want to station it in a central location and leave it there when in use. So you want to avoid moving it more than necessary.

Won’t Completely Replace A Large Fuel-Based Generator

While this is one of the biggest power stations available on the market today, it’s still not ready to replace your home generator. There’s just not enough power to keep all your systems up and running at the same time for the long term.

However, if your willing to significantly reduce your energy needs in a crisis – you CAN get by pretty well with the Bluetti. So for some families, it may be just enough for most families, it’ll come up just short.

And for the price, a fuel-based home generator provides more power per dollar (at the time this review was written).

Price

The Bluetti AC200P is a bit of an upfront investment. And the total price goes up when you add solar panels (which you SHOULD do!). However, you can offset this initial cost over time by using it regularly.

If you use it to charge your cellphones and run a C-PAP machine nightly, well, little by little, month by month, you’re saving some on your electric bill. This is assuming you’re using solar power to recharge the unit.

And you have to factor in the INCREMENTAL cost vs. a traditional fuel-based generator that can provide a similar amount of power.

Once you look at it as a whole, for the right person, the price is worth it.

Bluetti AC200P Charge Time Estimates

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Below are approximate estimates of how long you can power a common device. This may help you decide whether the Bluetti AC200P is the right power station for you.

Note: the following estimates are assuming you’re only powering THAT single electrical device at a time. If your plugin and run several devices at the same time, the charge time estimates drop.

CHARGE TIME ESTIMATES

• Refrigerator(800w) 2.1Hrs+CPAP(60w) 28+ Hrs
• Laptop(60w) 28+ Hrs
• Fan(12w) 140+ Hrs
• Smartphone 180+ Hrs
• Led Lantern Light(10w) 170+ Hrs
• LCD TV(100w) 17+ Hrs

Final Thoughts

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For the right person, the Bluetti AC200P Power Station is the ideal solution to both your emergency backup and camping power needs. 

It’s best for those who understand its limitations and are fine strictly managing their power needs during a power outage. It’s also best for those who live where the sun is reliably abundant.

Or anyone who prioritizes producing power with no noise or dangerous toxic fumes.

If these features are important to you, then I bet you’ll be completely satisfied with the Bluetti AC200P.

If not, then you should continue searching for other options…

Click For Bluetti AC200P Video Transcript

Today, I’m going to show you this impressive piece of gear from Bluetti.

It’s their 2000 watt power station. And I’m going to show you their solar panel kit that goes with it as well.

Now, before we jump into the power station specifics, and whether it’s good for preparing, you might be asking, what the heck is a power station anyway? Because these units are still relatively new, many people are confused about what they do and how they work.

In simple terms, a power station is a large portable battery with an intuitive user interface.

Basically, it’s a large battery with a lot of inputs and outputs. All these power inputs and outputs make it sort of a smart battery, which can be used to power lots of different household items or camping appliances.

For example, it can power a refrigerator, a small freezer, entertainment systems, microwaves, small ovens, computers, heated blankets, C-PAP machines, et cetera. You get the idea.

Yes, this unit can run a full-size refrigerator for several hours, or even longer if you’ve got hooked up to solar panels. I did it. I tested It. It does work.

So now that you have a better idea of what a power station is, and its potential, let’s go over the main functions and features of this Bluetti AC200P Power Station.

This unit has five different charging methods. The first and most straightforward method is to use a three-pronged electrical cord, and the power supply, to go from your wall straight to this unit.

The second way to charge this unit is to use a series of solar panels out in the sun. You hook the solar panels up in a series and you feed that into this smart battery and you’ve turned it into a solar generator.

So yes, you’ll definitely want to pair solar panels with this, if possible.

Another way to power your Bluetti Power Station is through a running vehicle.

This is done via the 12-volt outlet, or what some people call your cigarette lighter in your car.

The next method to charge this power station is using a fuel-based generator. Basically, it’s similar to the wall plug hookup. Only, instead of plugging into the wall, you’re plugging into your generator while it’s running.

And finally, you can hook up the power station off a lead-acid battery. You just connect the positive and negative poles of the battery to then feed that energy into your power station.

So as you can see, there are many ways to keep your Bluetti AC200P Power Station ready to go for an emergency or for a quick escape outdoors for camping.

Okay, let’s move on to the power out options.

First of all, this power station has one 12 volt, 10 amp DC out. It’s got a 12 volt, 25 amp DC out and it’s got two 12 volt, 3 amp outputs. It’s got two type C 60-watt outs and it’s got four, 5 volt, 10 amp USB ports.

And it’s got six typical AC out, either 100 or 120 volt. Six of those. That’s your typical plugins for most appliances right there. So I primarily use the typical AC output plugs. And there’s six of those.

They provide six because that’s the output you’ll use most often for small electronic devices or your appliances. We’re talking refrigerators, smartphones, computers, C-PAP machines, Et cetera.

The power station’s also able to provide 12-volt output power. This is a great option when you want to charge your pop-up or RVs deep cycle marine battery.

I had to buy a special adapter that went from this DC port, and then it comes out into two alligator clips that you then plug onto the ends of the deep cycle marine batteries posts. And you just plug in, turn the power station on, and it’s that easy. It starts charging the deep cycle marine battery back up.

You can also use that same method to charge a dead car battery as well.

Now that you have a good overview of this power station, here’s the real question. Should you get one?

So there are two main reasons to get the Bluetti Power Station. First of all, it could be used as an emergency backup when the grid power is down. Or it can be a very nice camping accessory.

Let’s go over the Bluetti as a home emergency backup system first. And then we’ll go over the use as an off-grid camping system.

As an emergency back to power supply, the Bluetti will help you get through shorter-term emergencies with some extra luxuries. However, for most people, it won’t be enough to fully replace your full-blown home generator.

To give you an idea of what this power station you can do, here’s a chart I found. It provides some estimates of typical run times for different devices.

My own test results for some of these devices were right in line with the numbers on this chart. So I feel like they’re fairly good approximations for all the devices listed.

Now, before you get too excited, remember these approximate run times are if you’re running that single device only.

If you start powering multiple devices at once, let’s say your refrigerator, your television, your laptop, and a microwave, all at the same time, well, first of all, that’s really poor power management in a crisis. So shame on you. But you’re also going to run through all the available battery power fast.

And with that said, this unit is perfect to provide power for smaller electronic devices with ease, such as smartphones, tablets, computers, video-game consoles, TVs for quite some time. And since you can recharge the power station with solar panels, you’re never fully out of options for long.

If you use all of your power up, sure, you’re now at the mercy of the sun, but that’s better than nothing.

And if you’re smart with your energy use, there could be enough power to support several smaller electronic devices perpetually.

So while the Bluetti AC200P Power Station is a very nice addition for the whole house power backup system, it’s not quite ready to replace the traditional whole house generator, unless of course, you have very low power needs.

But in a real crisis, if you forget everything except a refrigerator and one smartphone during critical emergencies, and to keep your solar panels out and pointed to the sun, whenever available, you can probably keep your food from spoiling and your phone operational for an extended period of time.

So again, with wise power management, this unit can really help provide some much-needed power during a multi-day power outage.

Now, before we move on, there’s one aspect of this power station that’s worth noting for preparedness. A power station provides clean, quiet power.

I want to let that sink in for just one moment.

With a fuel-based generator, there’s no way to run it without everyone in the neighborhood hearing it. Sure. There’s always a way to muffle a camping generator, or there’s a way to try to run it quieter. But in my opinion, this power station’s superpower is that it almost produces zero noise.

Now, to be honest, it’s not completely silent. It does have a cooling fan that kicks on from time to time. But it’s not really louder than a laptop cooling fan. So compared to a fuel-based generator, it’s pretty much silent.

It also doesn’t produce any toxic fumes. So you can keep this unit inside your home when you’re using it. This ability allows you to power your critical appliance without nosy neighbors even knowing about it.

So if you’re at all concerned about your neighbors, trying to mooch or steal off you during a crisis, because hey, you have the luxury of power and they don’t. Then this unit provides that sort of stealth.

Let’s now take a look At where the Bluetti really shines; Off-grid camping.

I recently took this unit with me on a camping trip to the Sand Dunes National Parks, near Alamosa, Colorado.

Side note, if you ever get a chance to go there, do it. It’s incredible. Stunning.

And we went the first week of April. So I was banking on the power station to keep my family and I warm and comfortable in the chili overnight temps.

For example, the first night, the temperatures briefly dropped down into the twenties. Fortunately, the pop-up camper we rented has a small propane heater and heated mattresses. But the location we camped at, Zapata Falls Campground, has no power whatsoever. So in order to run the furnace and the heated mattress, we had to rely on the deep cycle marine battery and this Bluetti Power Station.

One thing to note, it’s not possible to run the heated mattress off the marine battery. It’s just the way the pop-up campers’ electrical system is set up. So in order to take advantage of the heated mattresses, the power station was our only option.

The great news is, the Bluetti Power Station was perfect for such a task.

All three nights I was able to run both heated mattresses, the one my wife and I slept on and the one the kids slept on. And it helped keep everyone nice and toasty, even though the outside temperatures were frigid.

And after this experience with cold-weather camping, I’m confident we could have enjoyed camping in temperatures that dip down into the teens. This is a big deal to me because I hate crowded campgrounds.

So to me, the Bluetti Power Station significantly opens up shoulder season camping, which is much less crowded. So with this power station, I can now go camping nearly any time of the year, as long as we avoid blizzards or deep freeze winter temps.

Now, not only was the Bluetti AC200P Power Station up to the challenge of running heated mattresses. But as long as I took advantage of running charging every day, I could keep our small electronic devices powered up as well.

And we were able to cook some delicious cinnamon rolls on our small toaster. And even, one morning, we made pizza pockets one evening.

So I want to go over some specific setups and uses and what I figured out while I was on my camping trip.

I showed up at the campsite with the power station at 100%, which equates to 2000 watt-hours. The first time I set solar panels up for camping, I set them out in an open area and tipped the angle to capture as much sun as possible.

While this did an all right job of recharging the power station. I was also slightly disappointed at how much progress it made over two hours. For example, when I hooked up the power station to the solar panels for the first time, it was down to about 33% capacity or 660 watts.

Obviously heading in towards the evening, I was concerned I might not have enough power to get through the chili night with the heated mattresses. By the end of the two hours, it only charged up to about 57% or 1400 watts.

At this rate, about 240 watts per hour, I’d need to have the solar panels set up for nearly five and a half hours in order to get packed to a hundred percent. And like I said, the sun was going down. So my rate was getting less and less every moment.

The other downside with this setup is it took several minutes of work to actually set up the solar panels. While it’s not hard work, per se. It is a bit of a hassle after a long day of hiking. Plus, we had to get the fire started and get dinner ready and keep the dog and the kids happy, and on and on.

So the setup and tear down onto the solar panels quickly became a bit of a pain point. Not to mention having to lug the 60-pound power station between the camper and the solar panels each time I wanted to charge.

Again, it’s not that big of a deal. But it could be for someone who’s older or not as strong. I’d much prefer to leave the power station in the camper itself. But my cords were not quite long enough to do that and get full sun.

Another issue with this solar panel setup is it did attract quite a bit of attention. Everyone who drove by saw them. And two people decided to stop by and ask a bunch of questions.

Now, if you’re looking to meet people at your campground, this is a great way to do that. However, most folks also understand that a solar setup like this isn’t cheap. So now you’ve got to worry about an opportunistic thief snagging your gear when you’re away from your campground.

So after two days of these minor problems, I got smart and I made some strategic adjustments to my recharging setup. I decided to try putting my solar panels flat on top of the pop-up trailer and to run the charging cable from the roof through the Velcro side of the camper and down into the power station.

This setup helped me avoid moving the cumbersome 60-pound power station unit any more than necessary. And it also kept the power station out of the sun, which is recommended to keep the unit cool. As with all electronics, overheating can result in premature failure and longevity issues.

I was obviously interested in the security of such a setup because if I put the solar panels on the roof, it’d become an even more of a hassle to put them up and take them down each time I wanted to recharge the power station.

The great news is, once I laid the panels on the flat roof, I couldn’t even tell they were up there.

I looked from all angles of the campground, anywhere our camper was visible, to see how obvious it was to anybody passing by that I had expensive solar panels up on top.

So once everything was set up, the only thing that was visible was the tiny cord coming off the roof and into the side of the pop-up. This cord was facing away from the road.

So with this new setup, I was confident enough in the security to leave the solar panels and power station in a charging setup while my family and I went on a short hike up to the Zapata Falls. It was about a half-mile each way. I was gone for about an hour and a half total.

So I was able to charge pretty much all day with this setup. And with the solar panels pointed straight up, which helped to maximize charging during the bright lunch hour.

So how did this setup do?

When I left for our hike, the Bluetti Power Station was down to about 34% or 480 watts. And when I got back an hour and a half later, it was roughly 55% or 1100 watts. But that was when things got really interesting. We were just entering the best part of the day as far as solar panel production goes. And from 11:30 to about 02:30 PM, the power station went from 55% up to a hundred percent, or 900 watts in about three hours.

Now that’s an impressive 300 watt per hour. I was pleasantly surprised by this rate and I was glad to have the power station back up to a hundred percent well before the evening time. This felt way better than limping into the evening with only a half-full power station.

Now I was charging all my devices and appliances plus recharging the power station without having to move the unit or the solar panels around at all. It was in a permanent location that was hidden away from prying eyes and creating no noise or toxic fumes.

If these features are important to you, clean, quiet, hidden power, and you love camping, then this Bluetti Power Station is a big winner.

Now I also tested charging the power station using our Jeep Cherokees battery while driving to and from the sand dunes. I was excited to test this out as I felt like this could be a significant win, and the main way to keep the power station at full battery on an extended trip.

Plus, I liked the idea of taking the expensive power station with me on our adventures away from the campground for security purposes. However, I was slightly disappointed at the amount of power I was able to generate this way.

During my test, I was only driving for a total of an hour or so. But it also gave me about a 10% bump in power. That’s about 200 watts per hour, meaning it would take about 10 hours of driving to go from zero back up to a hundred. Now, I like that it’s another way to keep the power station charged up during longer travel days.

So after all my uses and testing, where are my overall thoughts on the Bluetti AC200P Power Station and the solar panel kit? I was pretty impressed.

I didn’t expect to be able to power my large refrigerator, yet it did. And it did so for eight or 10 hours. Now, I live in Colorado. So we get a lot of sunny days here. So I’d rarely be 100% out of power at any given time during a power outage. And when the sun is shining, I could probably power the refrigerator and several smaller devices here and there as well.

Plus this device significantly extends my camping season and keeps me warm and toasty even in bitter, overnight temps.

And I feel like that’s where a power station like this separates itself from a camping generator.

• You get most of the pros of a fuel-based generator without all the cons.
• You get ample amounts of quiet, clean, hidden, flexible power distribution for emergencies and camping.
• And as a prepared survivalist who loves outdoor adventures, the Bluetti Power Station not only provides some peace of mind for a power outage. It also provides a better camping experience.

And I love prepping gear that functions as a wise backup and as a helpful tool I use regularly. So instead of an investment just sitting around in my basement, just in case, I’m actually putting it to good use often, and I own it just in case as well.

So if you want to make your camping life even better, and you want a bit of peace of mind should the power grid go down, then this Bluetti Power Station is a great investment for you.

 Remember: Prepare, Adapt, and Overcome,

“Just In Case” Jack

The post Bluetti AC200P Review: REAL WORLD Tests For Emergencies & Camping appeared first on Skilled Survival.

This article explains survival fishing tips that will help to keep you alive in the wild. Have you ever wondered how long you would survive if you become lost in the wilderness? If you are unable to eat, you will last a maximum of 3 weeks. Now imagine, you, a healthy person with three proper […]

Having a renewable source of water, food, and other materials is one of the only ways to successfully survive a large-scale disaster. And I hate …

Read more

The post Survival Farming Guide: 10 Things To Know appeared first on Survival Cache.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Daniel_J._Smith/2570911

Up Next: 

• List of Best Hikes in the U.S. for Your 2021
• Must-Try Campfire Fish Recipes For Your Next Outdoor Adventure
• 5 Common Weeds You Can Eat For Emergency Nourishment

Calling all preppers, craftsmen, bushmasters, outdoorsmen, and all-around skilled people, Survival Life needs YOU! Click here if you want to write for us.

RELATED: 5 Unconventional Fishing Techniques

15 Fishing Hacks for the Everyday Fisherman

Anyone that has been around TSP for any length of time knows that one of my real joys in life is fishing. I love to fish and I mean no matter what or what type of fishing I love it. 10 days on the beach in the amazing waters of Sanibel Island Florida like I just did, yes, please.

Yet I still enjoy sliding down a bank at the back of a small park to see what is in a small creek running on the back boundary and it doesn’t bother me a bit if it is just some green sunfish or pan-sized bullhead cats. From small park ponds, limited river bank access, or top-notch stripers on a guided boat, I do not care. I prefer fishing to just about any pastime.

And I have for most of my life! I started really fishing in earnest in the early 80s when I was like 8 years old. Kids were more free at the time and our apartments had a pond of about 2 acres. From that time on I have fished almost any and every time I have had the opportunity. We are talking more than 40 years at this point. As you may imagine I have learned a few hacks along the way and today I give you some of my favorites.

Today’s show is going to be a lot like finding an old crusty fisherman in a bar somewhere and hearing some of his best tips and tricks. I hope you enjoy it and put some of it to work for yourself.

Up Next:

• How To Catch A Fish Without a Fishing Pole
• Fishing Basics: What Equipment To Start With
• How to Maintain Your Hiking Boots

Calling all preppers, craftsmen, bushmasters, outdoorsmen, and all-around skilled people, Survival Life needs YOU! Click here if you want to write for us.

Don’t forget to stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!

Today I’m going to share the top 10 prepping mistakes you should avoid at all costs.

My name is Jack, and I’ve been involved in the preparedness community my entire life.

For example, I grew up on a rural farm in Iowa. Times were tough in the 80s, and we had to make ends meet. So we were forced into living a resilient lifestyle just to survive.

I began sharing what I know and learned back in 2013 here at SkilledSurvival.com. Since then, this website has helped millions of people, and with that comes lots of questions.

People send me emails about the prepper mistakes they’ve made. Sharing stories about their mistakes, their confusion, their anxiety.

So here are the top 10 prepper mistakes you should avoid:

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

1. Getting Overwhelmed

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The very first prepping mistake I see a lot of folks make is getting overwhelmed right out of the gate.

If you’re new to survival and preparedness, you may have already made this mistake. But it’s ok, getting overwhelmed is natural.

There’s so much information to process. For example, there’s the basics of stockpiling water and food. Or you can go straight into aquaponic systems and quickly feel in over your head. It’s so advanced.

That’s why you need a program or mentor to break it down for you or the 10 basic prepping steps you need to take. And the good news I’ve created that for you.

This post shows you the 10 basic preparedness steps so you don’t get overwhelmed. It starts off with two weeks of food, two weeks of water, a hand-crank radio, etc.

It will help you make meaningful progress without feeling overwhelmed. It’ll give you the confidence you’re doing the right things, in the right order.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

2. Trying To Predict The Future

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The next prepping mistake a lot of people make is trying to predict the future.

Most people spend way too much time and energy trying to figure out the next big crisis.

For example, will it be:

• another pandemic?
• a massive financial collapse?
• a supervolcano eruption?
• a massive drought?

Sure, this sort of thinking can be helpful and “entertaining” to some degree. But it’s not really helping you get prepared. Instead, I like to prepare for ALL potential crises.

I try to avoid focusing on anything I can’t control. And what the next widespread disaster COULD be is not something I can control.

So what CAN I control?

I can control are how resilient my family is to anything the future may hold. Focusing my energy on improving my readiness instead of spending time-consuming news.

Sure, it’s wise to be informed. But there’s a point at which you’re no longer being “informed”. At some point, your just not spending your time wisely.

So focus on what you CAN control and AVOID trying to predict the future.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

3. Comparing Your Progress To Others

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The next prepping mistake is comparing yourself to others in the prepper community.

There are a lot of people who’ve been doing this a really long time. And you should look to them for inspiration, not envy.

I was even guilty of this when I first got started. I’d watch videos and read forums and quickly become discouraged.

That can be so disheartening.

That’s why you should try to focus primarily on what you can control. And comparing will only get in the way of your progress.

I heard a quote one time that said,

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

When you compare, it steals a little bit of your joy.

You’re excited to get started, you’re hopeful, but as soon as you start comparing, and say things like:

“I’ll never make it. I’ll never be good enough.”

Comparison can undermine your progress and make you feel depressed and anxious.

That sort of thinking is stealing your joy. Don’t let that happen.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

4. Over Sharing Progress With Neighbors

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The next mistake people make is sharing way too much information with other people. This is especially true if you live near neighbors you don’t trust.

So try not to get too excited and start blabbing to everyone about your progress.

Also, avoid a food delivery at your house and next door neighbors across the street asking,

“Hey, what’d you just get? I saw it come to your garage and you pulled it in, all that food.”

So keep your preps under wraps.

And if you have young kids, you’ve got to watch them. Because they’ll go to school and if you’re into this and you’re talking about it. They may start sharing your progress with their friends and family.

You don’t want everybody to know that you have all these prepper supplies, right? When times get tough you don’t want your neighbors knowing about your preps.

I recommend only sharing your preps with those you truly trust. I’m talking about family members or really good friends.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

5. Not Calculating Your Food And Water Requirements

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Next up, people buy food and water without knowing how much they ultimately need.

First, you need to decide your target amount of calories and water.

If you’re new to this, 2 weeks is a reasonable goal, but of course, feel free to go higher than that if you are able.

With food, we have a chart to help you out.

The right amount of replacement calories per day depends on your age and your activity level.

Once you have the number of replacement calories per day per person, you add up each family member. This gives you your entire family’s daily calories needs.

Now, multiply that number by how many days you want your stockpile to last.

So yes, you need to do some very basic math. But once you have that number, you know exactly how much food to buy.

The same thing with water but water is even easier.

Instead of having to know how many calories, I recommend 1 gallon per person, per day. Then just multiply it by how many days you want.

Some “experts” recommend you go with a half-gallon per person per day, but I think that’s a big prepping mistake.

If you ever get a chance to do an emergency practice run, I bet the amount of water you’ll need will surprise you. Because you need it for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and consumption.

And if you’re in the heat of the summer, you’re going to consume a lot of water. So prepare for that.

And if you have any animals, like a dog or a cat, they use water as well. If you have farm animals, oh my goodness, now you got to provide for them.

The bottom line:

I’d rather have too much water than not enough. So I go with 1 gallon per person, per day.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

6. Afraid Of Making Small Mistakes

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The next mistake I see is kind of funny because people are so afraid of making a mistake that they don’t move forward.

If your reading this article, that might be you. I wrote a post over at TheResilientLife called Failure Is The Secret Sauce To Success. And I truly believe that.

People overanalyze and plan in order to avoid ANY mistake. They’re so worried about mistakes they just plan and plan but never move forward in a meaningful way.

But forward momentum is critical to success.

Sure, you want to avoid making any major mistakes, but after that, move forward.

And if you make a mistake, it’s okay. You just need to make sure your mistakes are not fatal.

For example, don’t spend every dollar you own on one thing and then that’s it. Instead, make small mistakes, learn from those mistakes and keep going.

That’s the way we humans learn. We make small mistakes and then adjust. “Experts” tend to become experts by pushing forward through mistakes.

So don’t be afraid to make a few small prepping mistakes.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

7. Focusing On Only One Aspect Of Preparedness

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People spend too much money or time on just one aspect of preparedness and resiliency.

It’s a big, broad topic so you can’t spend all your energy and time only on food. Because you have water and communications and escape/evasion plans and on and on.

There are so many preparedness topics and you should try to spend a little bit of time on each one.

And again, that’s why I put together a list of 10 basic steps to basic preparedness. I want to help you get your bases covered before you start going down the rabbit hole. If you deep dive too far into any given topic it could consume all your time and your whole life.

For example, you may decide that aquaponics is the solution to all your problems. And it could be an excellent solution for you.

But I want you to get your 10 basics steps in place before going down that rabbit hole.

Don’t get me wrong, I love aquaponics, but that’s just one aspect of things many things you can look at. For example, there are topics such as:

• Power Stations
• Cooking Pemmican
• Making Hardtack
• Buying A Gas Mask
• Packing A Bug out Bag
• Harvesting Wild Lettuce
• Etc.

I just want to make sure that you got your bases covered before you deep dive. So make sure you’re spreading your time out in all the areas of preparedness.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

8. Ending Up On Too Many Email Lists

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The next prepping mistake I see too many folks make is ending up on way too many email lists.

Perhaps you read an article on a survival site and then there’s a pop-up and they go, oh, okay – I’ll put my email in. And then you go to another site and there’s another pop-up or a scroll up.

The next thing you know, you’re on 10 or 15 different site’s email lists. And I’ll be honest, most of these lists are not putting your best interests first.

You see, there’s a lot of marketers in the survival space nowadays. Often, their sole purpose is to generate as much money off you as quickly as possible. And they’re very good at convincing you,

“This is the exact course/item you need to solve all your problems.”

But it’s just not true.

Now, there are some good products out there, and there are good people in the industry. And I like to think that we’re one of them.

Sure, we’ll share some courses and items that make sense. But we test and make sure the products are of high quality.

But there’s a lot of people that don’t. Instead, they just say,

“How much can I get paid to send this offer to their email list.”

And boom, they send it and make good money doing so. But that just leaves you feeling overwhelmed.

That’s why I recommend you sign up for only the lists that provide FREE value upfront. It’s ok if they provide some courses and things that… But only if they’re doing it in a way you can trust.

It’s not just blindly sending you stuff all the time.

We send offers, it’s true. It’s a one-way we generate some money here at Skilled Survival. That way we can keep producing tons of FREE content for everybody.

But we also have a few products and courses to help achieve your goals.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

9. Avoiding Intimidating Gear / Supplies

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The next prepping mistake to avoid is investing in critical survival gear that seems too advanced.

A perfect example of this is a gas mask.

You see images of people with a gas mask and perhaps you feel only doomsday preppers buy those. And to some folks, they look cool, and for others, it can look really scary and intimidating.

But gas masks are not that difficult to understand. We have a great post on gas masks to educate you. And then, at the end of the post, we show you our favorite gas masks.

But it’s a very important piece of your basic preparedness starting plan.

For example, what if there’s a chemical attack or a nuclear attack and the air you breathe is dangerous?

Or perhaps the next pandemic is 10 times more deadly than the one we just had. In such a case, you’re not going to the grocery store with a face mask. You’ll only go to the store if you have a gas mask.

Why? Because you’ll want to filter EVERYTHING through these masks.

And if you don’t own one, good luck getting one after the event happens. A gas mask is something you need to buy ahead of time.

For example, people were trying to buy gas masks in March and April after the pandemic was first taking root. But they were having to wait up to eight months for a gas mask.

So, if the pandemic was 10 times more deadly, you put your order in and you’re dead before it arrives. So don’t wait on gas masks. Don’t be intimidated; it’s an important piece of critical gear.

Do some research and then you can go ahead and buy a good one.

I recommend at least one per family if your budget’s tight. If you have some more resources, I prefer you get one for each family member with extra filters as well.

10. Saying “I’ll Never Bug Out”

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The next big prepping mistake I see often is people say,

“I’m NEVER bugging out. No matter the crisis, I’m staying put in my house.”

And for the most part, you’re probably right.

But what happens if there’s a wildfire that gets out of control. We’re talking about immediate evacuation.

We’re seeing more of these out-of-control wildfires out west nowadays. That’s why you need a bug-out bag. A bag of YOUR supplies and YOUR gear you can grab out the door.

I’m talking about some:

• basic water filtration
• a few food bars
• a hand-crank radio
• a small medical kit
• a survival knife
• etc.

You need a bag with supplies that are YOURS and only YOURS. That way you won’t be dependent on handouts or the kindness of other people.

You have a little bit of resiliency right there on your back.

Everyone should own one because you just never know when you have to evacuate.

Now, some people are disabled, and some people just don’t want to leave their prepper supplies. But recently there were folks in the last wildfire season, who decided not to leave.

And they perished because of it.

I’m sure they loved their home and didn’t want to leave, but that’s foolish. You can replace “stuff”, but not your life.

So just grab your bag and get the heck out of dodge until it clears.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

11. BONUS – Trying To Go It All Alone

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The last prepping mistake I see people make is they try to go it all alone.

Now, my earlier mistake about oversharing, you’ve got to be careful about that. You don’t want to overshare, but you also don’t want to do this all alone.

For example, I’m helping you avoid mistakes I’ve seen other people make. And mistakes I’ve made myself. Why? To make your path to resiliency smoother.

Going it alone will mean you’ll make way more mistakes than necessary. It’s a really hard road to get from the point you’re at now to where you want to be alone.

My job is to help you reach your goals without wasting time, energy, or money in the wrong places.

That’s why I think the answer to the lone wolf mistake is to become a part of our community called The Resilient Life.

The Resilient Life

You should join our online community of like-minded people called, TheResilientLife.

Inside TheResilintLife we’ve broken down each aspect of preparedness into different preparedness badges. And underneath each badge are a list of prepping requirements.

These requirements are activities perform and as you meet them, you get to check them off.

And what’s cool is, as you check them off we keep track and give you a score. It’s called your readiness score. You can go from 0 up to a 200 readiness score.

So as you get started, you can check off actions you’ve already done. That way, you’ll get an accurate preparedness score you’re at today. And then you highlight some preparedness actions you want to focus on next.

And as you complete these next steps, you’ll see your score go up and up.

Perhaps you start at a score of, let’s say 50, and then three weeks later, after you’ve done a few activities, you’re at 60. And then you focus on some more actions and move up to an 80.

You’ll see your progress (and watch your resiliency) go up.

We’ve also tied The Resilient Life to an exclusive Facebook group. That way, you can share your successes or questions with the group. And these fellow preppers are there to help you.

It’s sharing of information to help you succeed. When you have a question, they’re there to help and answer it and say, hey, this is how I did it or this is how you can do it too.

And people are sharing some really cool stuff on this Facebook group.

For example, people are sharing their:

• bug out evacuation plans
• bug out bag supplies
• the best prepper foods to store
• the water storage containers they choose
• etc.

These are real people sharing real information with each other. And it’s very cool to see.

So with TheResilientLife, you get to a tool that:

1. Tracks your preparedness progress
2. Helps you choose the next best preparedness actions to take
3. Motivates you and holds you accountable via the community

So I think you should take a few minutes and check out TheResilientLife.

I truly believe it’s the best way to help you avoid as many prepping mistakes as possible.

“Just In Case” Jack

P.s. Do you know where the closest nuclear bunker is from your home?

There are a lot of natural nuclear shelters in the US that are absolutely free. And one of them is near your home.

Click here to see the Closest Natural Nuclear Bunker to Your Home?

Click on the image above to find out where you need to take shelter.

The post 10 Prepping Mistakes You Need To Avoid At All Costs appeared first on Skilled Survival.

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