Survival books are one of the best investments you can make.

We try to pack as much information into our posts as possible – and you can use the search function to find guides on specific topics!

But unless you have easy access to alternative energy and off-grid internet, you’re going to want a mini library of survival books!

To help you out, we compiled a list of the best ones for you – 5 survival books to read before.

Where possible, we added links to Amazon Kindle versions too.

Make sure you know how to make a DIY Solar-Powered Cellphone Charger keep your Kindle device up and running if the power is out!

1. Bushcraft 101 – A Field Guide To The Art Of Wilderness Survival

SHTFBushcraft 101 is jam-packed full of useful survival skills to practice. No matter how long you’ve been a prepper (but especially if you’ve only just started), it’s a valuable resource to have.

There’s also an advanced version, Advanced Bushcraft: An Expert Guide To The Art of Wildnerness Survival, and the supplementary The Bushcraft Field Guide To Trapping, Gathering, and Cooking In The Wild.

Author: Dave Canterbury
Price: From $9.98
Buy: Paperback on Amazon and Amazon Kindle

BONUS: Get all 3 books as The Bushcraft Boxed Set on Amazon or Amazon Kindle from $35.99.

2. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods

It’s always a good idea to know how to find food in the wild when SHTF before you try bugging out.

And with so many poisonous plants, Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods is an absolute must-have survival book.

Authors: Thomas Elias and Peter Dykeman
Price: From $12.34
Buy: Paperback on Amazon

3. Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual

The full title is quite a mouthful – Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual: Essential Strategies For Shelter and Water, Food and Fire, Tools and Medicine, Navigation and Signaling, Survival Psychology and Getting Out Alive!

But if you’re only going to have one survival book in your bag, then you won’t go wrong by making it this one. Yes, it’s a lot more expensive than the other books on our list, but it’s worth it.

Author: Mykel Hawke
Price: From $50 (used) or $358.26 (new)
Buy: Paperback on Amazon and Amazon Kindle

4. SAS Survival Handbook

This is the third edition of the SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere, which includes an entirely new chapter dedicated to urban survival.

If the price for Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual scares you off for the time being, then this a fantastic alternative.

Author: John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman
Price: From $16.32
Buy: Paperback on Amazon and Amazon Kindle

5. Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit

We post a lot of guides on Building A Bug Out Bag. Some of our favorites include Building A Better Bug Out Bag and The Ultimate Bug Out Bag List For Every Survivalist.

A great idea would be to print the latter out and keep it in your copy of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit – which you should keep near your bug out bag, of course.

Author: Creek Stewart
Price: From $10.57
Buy: Paperback on Amazon and Amazon Kindle

Let me start this out with a bit of a test for you. Try to answer the following questions:

• The last time you stopped for gas, how many other cars were getting gas?
• What color socks was your boss wearing today?
• What did the people in front of you and behind you at the grocery line look like?
• How many of your neighbors left this morning, before you did?
• Were there any unusual cars parked on your street when you got home today?

If you can answer any of those questions, without it being pure guess work, you’re doing good. The truth is, though, that most of us can’t. We become used to the situations around us and then just stop noticing them. Then, when something new or different comes along, we don’t even recognize it for what it is.

 

Instead, we’re looking at our smartphones — checking email, texting friends, or posting pictures to Facebook.

“So, what?” you might say. “Who cares about my boss’s socks or the other people stopped in the same gas station?” If that’s your reaction, trust me, you’re not alone. Most of the adults on this planet would say more or less the same thing. But then, those same people would step on a land mine, without even realizing it until it went “boom.”

The thing is, not being aware of what’s going on around you can be deadly. Just about every dangerous situation we can find ourselves in has some sort of warning. But like the intelligence before the attack on Pearl Harbor, ignoring those warning signs can have grave consequences.

What we need is situational awareness. Situational awareness is nothing more than being aware of what is around you and what the people or things around you are doing. It is being so aware of your surroundings that when something changes, you notice it. It’s knowing what to expect, so that the unexpected stands out. More than anything, it’s seeing things that could be a threat, and analyzing that threat before it can manifest.

Without situational awareness, we’re more likely to get mugged, to get carjacked, to get pickpocketed.

Hand held solar generator provides dependable backup power

I recently re-watched one of the Sherlock Holmes movies, starring Robert Downey, Jr. At one point in the story, his female companion asked him, “What do you see?” To which he responded, “Everything. That’s my curse. I see everything.” That’s part of what made Sherlock so successful. He saw things that others didn’t see. Had he been a real person, rather than just a character in a story, his situational awareness would have served him well.

Ask any soldier who has been in war, and they’ll tell you how important situational awareness is. Seeing things that can be a threat, before that threat manifests itself, can be the difference between life and death, especially in the close environment that is urban warfare.

But situational awareness goes totally against our nature. We are creatures of habit, and we normally go through life without noticing things around us. Few of us can remember details of what happened in the television shows we watched last night, let alone tell what the person in front of us ordered at our favorite coffee house. Thus, we’ll never be a Sherlock Homes and if we are ever put into a position where seeing is survival … we might not make it home.

 

Developing Situational Awareness

So if situational awareness is so important and is against our nature, how does one acquire it? What can we do, to make ourselves more aware of our surroundings, than we are today?

To start with, we must make a decision to become more aware — not a wishy-washy decision, but a firm one. That, in and of itself, will make a huge difference, simply because we’ll be thinking about the need to be aware. We’ll open our eyes and start looking around us, just because we know that we should.

Still, that isn’t enough. It’s just a start. Building situational awareness requires practice. We’ve got to train our mind to pay attention to what our eyes are seeing. So, we need to develop a series of exercises, which will help us to see. Things like:

• Make a habit of knowing how many people are within 100 feet of you, where they are and what they are doing.
• Count the number of cars of a particular color as you drive somewhere.
• Look at what a co-worker wears to work every day and try to remember it. See how many days’ worth of attire you can recall, and if you can recall the last time they wore a particular shirt or outfit.
• Learn what cars your neighbors drive. Then, make it a habit to look for new or different cars, every time you step out of your home. Look for patterns, to see if certain cars show up at certain times.

Once you are more aware, it’s time to start putting that awareness to use. Start looking at people to see what they are doing and try to evaluate how much of a threat they are. Use a scale from one to 10, with one being no threat at all and 10 meaning it’s time to draw a gun to protect yourself. Rate each person, even if there are many people around you. Then, keep track of those with a higher score, updating your score as you go.

Ultimately, that’s what situational awareness is all about — finding threats. Once it becomes a habit, it will help you in countless ways.

What advice would you add on becoming more situationally aware? Share your tips in the section below:

 

The post The Surprisingly Simple Way To Avoid Being Robbed appeared first on Off The Grid News.

It is very hard to face the future when you don’t have any hope.  Today, our society offers more ways to entertain ourselves than ever before, but it offers very little hope.  Most people spend most of their lives wandering from one thing to another looking for meaning and purpose, and of course most of those journeys come up empty.  We may have a much higher standard of living than any other generation in history, but we are also have the highest rates of addiction, depression and suicide.  As a society, we are deeply, deeply unhappy, and this is especially true for our young people.  In fact, a report that was just released discovered that there was a 56 percent increase in suicide among Americans from age 10 to age 24 in just 10 years…

Suicides and homicides are on the rise among children, teens and young adults in America, according to a new report that highlights what experts say is a disturbing trend among the young.

The report, published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that from 2007 to 2017, the rate of Americans ages 10 to 24 who died by suicide rose by 56 percent, from 6.8 deaths per 100,000 persons to 10.6.

Is anyone out there going to argue when I say that it looks like what we are doing for our young people as a society is definitely not working?

We appear to be rapidly running in the wrong direction, and yet our leaders just keep pushing us even further down the same road.

I was particularly horrified to learn that the report had found that the suicide rate for Americans from age 10 to age 14 had “almost tripled” between 2007 and 2017…

When broken down by age groups, the suicide rate for those aged 10 to 14 almost tripled between 2007 and 2017. For teenagers 15 to 19, the rate surged 76 percent in that decade.

For 20- to 24-year-olds, the rate of suicides has been increasing from 2000 to 2017, at a rate of 36 percent.

How can things get that much worse in just 10 years?

Sometimes people criticize me for being “too negative” about our society.  But the truth is that I am often not being negative enough.  Kids are killing themselves at an astounding rate because our society is feeding them an endless series of lies and giving them absolutely no hope for the future.  Our society is deeply, deeply broken, and if we continue going down the same path we are going to continue to get similar results.

According to the report, it has gotten to the point where suicide is now “the second leading cause of death” for Americans from the age of 10 to the age of 24…

Suicide was the second leading cause of death among Americans ages 10 to 24 in 2017, according to the report. And homicide ranked third for those ages 15 to 24 that same year.

We have completely and utterly failed our young people, and it is because we are teaching them the wrong things.

Oh, we love to think that we have everything together, but the truth is that we are a complete mess and we are passing on our flawed views to the next generation with devastating results.

In addition to an unprecedented rise in suicide, rates of depression among our young people are escalating dramatically as well…

Since 2014, millennials (or people who turned 23 to 38 in 2019) have seen a 47% increase in major-depression diagnoses. “Deaths of despair,” or dying from suicide, alcohol, and drugs, increased in the millennial population in the last 10 years, and they are more likely to report feeling lonely than other generations.

For Gen Z, the mental illness crisis continues. In 2017, 13% of teens reported having experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year, Pew Research Center reported. In 2007, when more millennials were teens, that number was just 8%.

It shouldn’t be surprising that this is happening.  We teach our kids that they came from monkeys and that the only thing they have to look forward to at the end is to return to the dust from whence they came.  In between, we offer them all sorts of temporary pleasures that don’t give them any sort of lasting meaning and purpose in order to pacify them and to keep them from asking too many hard questions.  Because if you start asking hard questions, you quickly find out that virtually every major system in our society is broken.  But we urge our young people to work really hard so that someday they can take their places as important cogs in a machine that is rapidly steamrolling toward oblivion.

If you only read that last paragraph, you would probably come to the conclusion that I am a deeply depressed individual.

But that is not true at all, and that is only because I have fundamentally rejected the lies that society tries to feed all of us.  My wife and I are not down, we are not depressed, and we are not on any pills.  Life is meant to be lived with great hope and great purpose (#ad), and not too long ago I spent an entire year of my life talking to voters and trying to point this nation in a fundamentally different hope-filled direction.

If you want to escape the pit of despair that is swallowing countless other Americans, the solution is not hard to find.

We were all created for a purpose, and we were put on this planet for such a time as this.

Unfortunately, the entire behavioral matrix that society has constructed is designed to pull you away from your true purpose.

Our education system, the mainstream media, our entire entertainment industry and most of our national leaders are trying to take you in a direction that only leads to depression, despair and death.

It can be exceedingly difficult to break free from that matrix, but once you do you will discover a level of freedom that you never even dreamed was possible.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep.  I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters.  (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing those books you help to support my work.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles in written form on their own websites as long as this “About the Author” section is included.  In order to comply with government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished.  This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate.  You can follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of this website.

 

Written by Wild Bill on The Prepper Journal.

What if you were suddenly overwhelmed by an event? An earthquake, a micro-burst along a lonely road that did in your vehicle, you barely got out before it was washed down a swollen creek during a flash flood? An avalanche that cut off your trail back to civilization? Heads down in your work and you step out the door to finally head home for the night and you step into the middle of a riot? Or a pandemic? The world suddenly gone mad!

Assuming being prepared is a habit chances are you have your EDC (every day carry) with you, and we all have a general idea of what that  should be, but most of it was in that car now heading down the river to a used car lot in rural Arizona to be sold in the future as “newly arrived.” Or your pack stolen the minute your emerge from your office door, headphones still on, oblivious to the SHTF going on all around you? What is the one tool that would serve you the best if you were smart enough to keep it close?

In The Prepper Journal’s opinion it is a knife. The universal tool that has served humans since we first picked up a stick and realized we needed something to sharpen it order to make our point and carrying a boulder as a sharpening implement was not working out.

And knives throughout history have been made from many interesting materials from sticks and stones and animal bones and are at the foundation of the development of metallurgy throughout human history. History actually defined as the Stone Age, The Bronze Age et al. 

So, whether you are a newbie to prepping and survival or an expert,  the importance of survival knife for not only a planned adventure but a true survival situation, is clear.

While some people may consider knives as a prized possession, I for one have a special one as a wall decoration hanging between two black-powder pistols, all in their own clear display cases, I also have others for use as survival equipment to their full potential when faced with dangers of the unknown, the unexpected.

From self defense to making fire to making traps and spears to obtain food to opening found supplies to making shelter the knife is the singular tool I would never want to be without (other than when the government makes me – airports, government buildings, public schools, and the like.)

As Caityln Bell says, finding the best survival knife is not just about convenience  – it’s about safety. If you don’t have a good knife in your survival kit, you are not prepared. So, with hundreds of options in the market, it can become hard to choose the right knife that would suit your needs. That’s why she is going to break it down for you today and make  choosing the best survival knife more an intelligent process than a random selection on factors that may catch the eye but not preform when the rubber meets the road. 

These are a few factors that you must keep in mind while choosing the right knife.

Blade Type and Material

While a pocket knife is convenient to carry and use, the fixed blade knife is really the best bet for survival. Fixed blade knives perform well from carving to chopping and they don’t have a built-in fail point where the blade connects and folds into the handle. Of course folding knives are easier to pocket, but at a price – durability. Therefore, you should go for a knife with a spine ranging from 0.6 to 0.25-inch thickness, which lasts longer without failing on demanding functions. 

Talking about the blade material, you can pick from carbon steel and stainless steel to find your right match. Carbon steel blades last long but get rusted if you don’t take proper care of them. On the other hand, stainless steel blades don’t rust- but are more difficult to keep sharpen.

Blade Size

Size matters! When it comes to picking the right survival knife, it is important to choose a knife that comes in the right size. Since you’ll be using the knife for multiple functions, don’t pick one that’s too broad as you cannot use the same for cutting down snare traps. Similarly, a small blade might be too delicate for cutting wood. 

So, pick an average sized knife, of about 10 to 12 inches, that is good enough to do most of the tasks that require the use of a survival knife.

Now, carrying a 12″ knife everyday, to work and play is a challenge in itself, so temper this with your attire and your daily travels. A knife with a blade of less than 4″ is not going to be a true survival tool. 

Handle

Just because the blade is strong enough to cut a piece of wood doesn’t mean that the handle is not important. If you go wrong with the handle, you might be putting a lot at stake. The knife with a small handle can give you blisters while the one with a large one might not have an excellent grip.

That being said, go for a knife that has a firm handle and facilitates better action. Also, make sure that the guard of the knife is sturdy enough and excels at keeping your hand from running up onto the blade.

Shank

A shank or tang is the back portion of the blade component that connects the blade and the handle. If you are looking for a reduction in weight, then you can choose between the partial tang and half tang, but if you are after something that helps you tackle extreme conditions, then the only tang worth your money and time is full tang. 

Since the handle is connected to the tang through bolts, pins, glue and more, opting for a full tang allows for great balance and leverage capabilities. The bottom line is a full tang will reinforce stability, ensure a firm grip and enhanced strength when in use.

These are some of the things you must consider when you are out picking a survival knife for long trips in the back-country. Just make sure the survival knife you choose, is the right one for you.

Fixed Blade V/S Fixed Blade: The Knife For You

Choosing a survival knife is mostly a matter of personal choice. And when it comes to picking either a fixed blade or folding knife, the debate has been going for years among knife aficionados and we already gave our two-cents above but…

Every knife owner has their opinion on what works the best given the tasks they face in their everyday life. Therefore, the following section of the article looks at some general areas for both types of blades.

Folding Knives

When it comes to everyday survival, folding knives are generally considered the most popular for their ease and convenience. Generally, folders are associated with everyday carry because they are perfect for routine tasks that make people want to carry a knife in the first place. 

For instance, trimming a wire, cutting open a box, cutting a rope or paracord or self-defense. There are some more advantages of the folding knives:

• They are more discreet and easy to conceal
• Th blade of a well-constructed folded knife is as tough as a fixed blade

On the other hand, the biggest disadvantage of a fixed blade is that their folders are tough to clean and also have, historically at least, been known to break easier.

Fixed Blades 

Perhaps because of the way they have been introduced in the movies, fixed blade knives have a reputation for being the more serious type. That’s definitely true. But, this doesn’t mean that they cannot be used in almost any situation. 

There are a lot of advantages to the fixed blade. For the most parts, they are associated with rough outdoor work – jobs like splitting, food preparation, skinning a buck, digging etc. Other advantages include:

• They are big and come in whatever size you need, from a small handy blade to a large-monster sized blade. One trait that is common among all sizes is the strength of the blade 
• They are easier to clean and maintain. So, you don’t have to worry about the hinge as you have to with a folding knife
• They don’t break easily as there are no moving parts on fixed blades 
• Fixed blades are generally twice as long as folding blades
• During tactical situations, a fixed blade knife can be brought into play faster than a folding knife.

On the other hand, the biggest disadvantage of fixed blade knives is that they are not as convenient to carry and are harder to conceal.

There you have it – Advantages and Disadvantages of Fixed and Folding Blades. The ultimate decision comes down to the buyer and how they plan to use the blade! 

Be Safe out there and be sure to check out The Prepper Journal Store and follow The Prepper Journal on Facebook!

The post If You Only Had One Tool appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

If you’ve been contemplating getting a tent heater – you’re in luck…

Never before have there been so many options.

I’ve personally invested in a tent heater and you SHOULD too.

It will make your offseason camping experience 10 times better!

So today I’m going to teach you everything I know about tent heaters, specifically:

• What Exactly Is A Tent Heater, Anyways?
• 6 Reasons Why You Should Get A Tent Heater
• Benefits Of Investing A Newer Tent Heater
• How To Choose The Best Tent Heater For YOU
• 6 Best Tent Heaters On The Market Today
• How To Safely Use A Tent Heater

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Camping Essentials Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A TENT HEATER, ANYWAYS?

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If you’ve never considered a tent heater, you’re not alone…

Most people have discovered that using a heater in a confined space can be very dangerous. So they never research tent heater solutions.

Heaters that are specifically designed for use inside a tent.

They’re efficient, portable, and much safer to use than past portable heaters.

And depending on the model, they can be fueled by propane or butane cylinders.

Or even from a battery pack or extension cord for electric heaters…

Tent stoves are also a special type of tent heater but we will not be covering tent stoves in this article. Why? Because we wrote a separate post dedicated to tent stoves.

So if you’re interesting in getting a tent stove instead of an electric or gas tent heater, click here.

6 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GET A TENT HEATER

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1 – Extra Comfort

First off, nothing ruins a fun camping trip more than shivering all night long in a frigid tent.

In the past, the thought of winter camping in a tent didn’t sound like a good time.

But not anymore!

A good tent heater opens up a whole new world of camping comfort in cooler seasons.

2 – Expanding Your Camping Season

With a tent heater, you can extend your camping season into the late fall and early spring.

OR with the right gear, even extending your camping season to YEAR around!

It just takes a certain confidence in your equipment and your survival skills to head out into the snow for the night.

Sure, a high-quality sleeping bag (or bivy sack) and 4-season winter tent are also crucial. But they’re not always enough for the coldest conditions.

But with a tent heater, you can even extend your camping season well beyond the summer months.

3 – Camping For FREE

Many of the most expensive camping spots “close” in the late fall, winter, and early spring.

But while these facilities may no longer have all the same amenities – they are often not locked behind a gate.

So you can just pull up – choose any open site without paying for a reservation.

4 – Empty, Peaceful, Quiet Campgrounds

If you want to camp in premier campgrounds without the crowds – then cooler seasons are your best friend.

Many of these campgrounds stop taking reservations and become first-come, first-serve.

Why? Because there’s very low demand. Most people never consider camping in cooler months.

For example, in the past, I’ve been the only person in a campground near Leadville Colorado in late October – on a weekend!

So if you enjoy quiet, isolated camping without having to go backpacking – start camping in the cold.

5 – Choice Of The BEST Sites

In the busy summer months, you have to reserve a site in a popular campground at least 6 months in advance…

And you’re lucky if you get a crappy site with no views and no flat surfaces to pitch your tent!

However, if you do in the winter you can often snag the BEST sites in the BEST campgrounds ANYTIME.

It’s why I’m a huge fan of cold season camping.

6 – Avoid Buying Expensive Winter Camping Gear

Most hardcore winter campers have never considered adding a tent heater to their winter camping gear.

Traditionally, they’ve relied on more insulated versions of their summer camping staples.

For example, instead of a lightweight sleeping bag, they carry a 0-degree down bag.

Instead of a breezy backpacking tent, they buy a 4-season winter tent. One with great insulation properties and a heavy-duty waterproof rain fly.

These campers also know the power of good winter boots with warm liners, down jackets and insulated pants. And have learned to wear thick gloves and warm socks (even at night).

All these “upgrades” can be expensive and still leaves you camping in the cold.

The bottom line is: adding a tent heater is a camping game changer!

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Camping Essentials Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN A NEWER TENT HEATER

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There are many benefits to having a tent heater, here are a few of the BEST benefits:

Push Button Comfort

A tent heater is designed to help keep you warm by adding heat.

Even the warmest down jacket doesn’t create any heat on its own. They only help retain the heat your body is losing to the cold air.

This means the only way to warm up is to perform activities that force your body to work out.

This can be hard to do if you’re stuck in a tent for days with bad weather.

By contrast, a tent heater generates heat using electrical power or gases.

This allows you to warm up beyond what your body could do alone.

Tent heaters generate on-demand heat without effort on your part.

Better Safety Features

Modern tent heaters are a much safer option than the old space heaters your grandparents owned.

Many have extensive safety features built into the design, such as:

• Tip-over switches – in case it’s accidentally knocked over
• Overheating protection – which shuts the heating element off before it reaches dangerous temps.
  Propane and butane fueled tent heaters also frequently include carbon monoxide/dioxide sensors.
• And some include low oxygen sensors to prevent the build-up of exhaust gases in a small space. These sensors shut down the fuel source if dangerous air conditions are present. Which is especially important when the tent is closed up tight to keep out the cold.

Extreme Portability

Most tent heaters are very portable. They’re made to be lightweight (not backpacking light, but well under 20lbs).

They’re self-contained and often can be carefully re-positioned even during operation.
“Fuel” Efficient:

A good tent heater doesn’t do much good if it burns through all the fuel or battery charge on the first night.

An efficient heater helps conserve energy. This reduces the amount of fuel or batteries you’ll need to take with you.

While there are a lot of benefits to a tent heater, they’re not for every situation.

The extra fuel or batteries needed can often be a major deterrent for longer, unsupported trips.

And, if the conditions aren’t too frigid, you may be able to get by with some better winter camping gear alone.

SIDE NOTE: As a side-effect of the low-oxygen switches, some heaters won’t work at high altitudes.

The low oxygen levels found above 6000ft can confuse the sensors. It may cause them to shut down prematurely, even if there’s no build-up of exhaust gases.

I’ve used my Mr. Buddy Heater at 8160 feet in Rocky Moutain National Park with no issues!

But, typically anything closer to 9,000 ft (or higher) and you’ll run into issues with keeping it lite.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST TENT HEATER FOR YOU

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As with any piece of outdoor gear, there are tons of options available from a wide range of brands.

There are many factors to contemplate to ensure any tent heater you select will meet your needs.

Two Main Types Of Fuel Options

There are two main “fuel” types for portable tent heaters: electric and gas.

Electric

Electric tent heaters have many benefits.

First, they generate absolutely ZERO toxic emissions. Which equals clean air and less worry about suffocation dangers.

But they’re not always the best option.

In a campground with service hookups, a corded electric model works well. But for most situations, a battery-powered heater is your only real option.

Unfortunately, the selection of battery-powered heaters is very small. And their heating capacity is limited.

So they are not the best solution for most.

Propane/Butane

Tent heaters fueled by propane or butane gas canisters are far more common than electric.

These fuels are cleaner burning than other options such as white gas or kerosene. And they tend to have fewer complications when used in an enclosed space.

Also, it’s easy to find fuel in portable canisters. The energy density of these gases means you can carry and resupply fuel for extended trips.

The Size Of Your Tent Matters A LOT

Next, you should consider the size of the space you want to heat up.

A 2-person tent will heat up faster than a huge canvas wall tent meant to sleep 10 people.

So be sure to choose a heater with an output that matches the space of your tent.

We measure heat output in BTUs (British Thermal Units). This is the amount of energy needed to heat one pound of water by one degree F.

You can use this formula to calculate the heat output needed for your tent:

Measure the space’s dimension to determine cubic feet (Length x Width x Height = Cubic Feet).

Next, subtract the outside temperature from the desired inside temperature. This is your desired temperature increase.

If you measure temperatures in Fahrenheit, calculate the required BTUs with this formula:

• Cubic Feet x Temperature Increase x .133 = Required BTUs

If you measure temperatures in Celsius, calculate the required BTUs with this formula:

• Cubic Feet x Temperature Increase x .2394 = Required BTUs

Matching Your Heat Output Needs

A typical home furnace might have a BTU output in the 100,000 range. But a small tent heater only needs to heat a fraction of that space.

A heater rated to 5,000 BTU is usually more than enough for a tent.

If you get a heater with fine-tune BTU controls you can adjust the proper temperature level.

This provides a wider temperature range and control.

Getting A Unit That’s Durable Enough For Extreme Conditions

If you depend on a tent heater as part of your cold-weather camping setup, you need it to work every time.

That’s why durability is such a key factor to consider for such a crucial piece of gear.

Quality materials, clean construction, and attention to detail are all good signs. But be sure to read plenty of reviews before making a purchase.

Also, consider the brand reputation and support before making a final decision.

Along with these indicators of durability, it’s always best to buy from a reputable company.

This helps ensure your heater is the original designer. Not a cheap knockoff version, who may cut corners to reduce costs.

6 BEST TENT HEATERS ON THE MARKET TODAY

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Here are the best tent heaters for winter camping, based on the size of the tent:

Best Heater For The Small Tents

We’re going to look at a couple of small heater options that are perfect for small tents. For small tents, a large heater would be overkill.

1 – 750W/1500W Ceramic Space Heater Portable Electric Heater

This small but mighty space heater can work for both small and medium-sized tents.

It has three settings 1500-watt high heat, 750-watt low heat, and normal cool blow fan.

It also includes safe with both overheat protection & tip-over protection.

But how well can it heat a tent? First, let’s convert the Watts into BTUs, I’ll use this simple online calculator to do that.

• 750 W = 2559 BTUs
• 1500 W = 5118 BTUs

Now using the equations we provided above, using 2559 BTUs and a 40F degree temperature rise. This heater will work with a 481 cubic foot tent space.

For example – that’s a tent a bit over 7ft wide by 7 ft long and 7 ft tall. Nice. But this comes at a very large power cost!

Here’s a chart showing us what we’re up against without grid power…

8D is one of the biggest and best deep cycle batteries you can buy. And at 750W of power draw, it will only last about 2 hours!

To provide heat for 5 hours with batteries, you’d need at least 3 deep cycle batteries at over $300 each. Plus, you’d need an inverter to convert the DC battery power to usable AC power at over $100.

The cost and complexity of batteries and inverters quickly make this electric heater a “NO GO” for anything but grid power camping! Otherwise, you’ll need to look to gas-powered heaters.

Check Out Today’s Price

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2 – Texsport Portable Outdoor Propane Heater

The Texsport Portable Propane Heater is the lightest one we found at about 1 pound but still produces up to 2,890 BTUs!
It’s also very a durable stainless steel burner, so it won’t easily break.

It includes an auto shut off valve shuts off fuel if the flame goes out but it doesn’t come with low oxygen shut off. That can be good or bad…depending on how you look at it:

• Bad, because if you use this inside a tent it MUST be very well ventilated and don’t use it while sleeping!
• Good, because it will work even at high elevations.

Finally, it has a large fold-away paddle plastic foot you add to the propane canister to provide greater stability.

Check Out Today’s Price

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3 – Mr. Heater Portable Little Buddy

This is one of the smallest and lightest tent heaters specifically designed for INDOOR use on the market today.

But don’t let its small size fool you. The Mr. Heater Portable Little Buddy is a champ in extremely cold weather.

It’s capable of up to 3800 BTUs and is a great choice for a small tent. It uses common 16oz propane canisters, which last for up to 5 hours.

If you need longer heating, you can use an adapter and hose to connect to standard BBQ canisters.

Low oxygen sensors and an automatic tip-over shutoff switch make this a safe choice.

And the rugged design means that you can count on it to function when you need it most.

Check Out Today’s Price



Best Heater For Medium Tents

4 – Mr. Heater Buddy

This Mr. Heater Buddy tent heater can pump out 4,000 OR 9,000-BTUs. This is ideal for spaces up to 225 square feet.

However, due to the low oxygen shutoff switch, it may not work at altitudes over 7,000 FT.

It also includes a tip over auto shut-off switch.

Fuel Consumption/Burn Rate (Gal/Hr) at 4000 BTU = 0.044 Gal/Hr, at 9000 BTU = 0.099 Gal/Hr

It has a smart designed fold-down handle, a swivel-out regulator or it can connect to a propane tank with an adapter kit.

Estimated run time on a 16oz. propane canister (at Max BTUs) is about 3 hours.

Note: this is the exact tent heater I purchased for my late season camping trips in the rocky mountains.

Check Out Today’s Price



Best Heater For Larger Tents

5 – Mr. Heater Big Buddy

The Mr. Heater Big Buddy Heater is a much larger version of the same technology in the Little Buddy.

This Big Buddy radiates heat at different levels (4000 to 18000 BTUs per hour). These rates options mean you’ll be able to heat all but the largest cabin-sized tents.

At around 12lbs, it’s fairly lightweight for the amount of heat it produces. And the built-in handle makes moving it around camp easy.

Check Out Today’s Price

Best Heater For Massive Event Sized Tents

6- Zodi Outback Gear X-40 Tent Heater

This tent heater is hard to find, but the Zodi Outback Gear X-40 is a beast of a tent heater.

It’s built to sit outside the tent!

It draws air from the tent, across a heat exchanger, and back into the tent via a pair of insulated ducts.

This means that the exhaust gases are all outside!

Reducing (and pretty much eliminating) the chance of any dangerous gas buildup.

It can provide a huge 40,000 BTU boost to your tent. Making it possible to heat even large wall tents. Even massive canvas tents you see at events (like those found at outdoor weddings).

But it comes at a high price – both in purchasing the unit and in propane needed to operate the heater.

But if you’re faced with the challenge of keeping a large group of people warm in frigid temps, this is your best option.

Check Out Today’s Price

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Camping Essentials Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

HOW TO SAFELY USE A TENT HEATER (safety tips)

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Bringing a tent heater along on your next camping trip can be a huge relief.

Instead of canceling a trip – you can go enjoy camping even in the bitter cold. But it also comes with life and death safety considerations.

You MUST understand ALL the safety guidelines and follow them exactly.

Here are some tips:

Electric Heaters Are Safer

Electric heaters have their drawbacks in both their output and heat capacity. But they outperform gas-fueled heaters in one very important factor: Safety.

Electric heater DO NOT depend on combustion for heat. So, they don’t create carbon monoxide/dioxide while in use. Nor do they consume oxygen from the air inside your tent.

This means they don’t need the same ventilation that a gas-fueled heater would.

A switch malfunction or incorrect setup won’t result in suffocation and death.

But they can still create a fire if the heating element touches any combustibles.

SO Keep Clear

ALL tent heaters (electric/gas) get very hot during use, even if they do not create an open flame.

So keep all potentially flammable objects clear of the heater. Items such as the tent walls, your sleeping bags, spare clothes, EVERYTHING!

Vent Gases

All gas-powered heaters create carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide as byproducts of combustion.

These toxic gases can build up inside the tent and become very dangerous.

All heater instructions will specify exactly how much ventilation is necessary.

Always err on the side of being overly cautious and allow fresh air into the tent and exhaust gases to escape.

Don’t Fall Asleep

While it’s tempting to fall asleep with the heat on, it’s too dangerous to leave a heater running while you sleep.

It doesn’t take long for the heater to warm up the tent in the morning, so be sure to turn off the heater before you head to bed.

Some people do run their heaters when sleeping.

We DO NOT recommend doing this. The downside risk is not worth it.

But if you choose to ignore our advice, make sure to invest in a separate carbon monoxide detector.

Here’s a video on someone who does sleep with their tent heater unit running. It also “proves” that it’s possible – but again, to me, it’s not worth the risk!



FINAL THOUGHTS

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A quality tent heater is a simple way to make winter camping more enjoyable.

For those of us who are resilient, it feels a little like cheating to turn on a tent heater.

But if you end up going camping more often and in colder temps ( instead of staying home), you’ll get over it.

There’s no shame in using technology when it helps to get you OUT more often and in harsher conditions!

“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 6 Best Tent Heaters To Make You A Winter Camping Hero appeared first on Skilled Survival.

This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge.

Russian President Vladimir Putin may have openly shamed 16-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg in early October for selectively guilting everyone except China over pollution, but one German politician has suggested the Kremlin may have actually “financed and steered” her eco-movement.

In a letter to the European Commission, Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) MEP Jörg Meuthen questioned the measures Europe has taken to “avert hybrid threats” that may “influence decision-making, to weaken societies and undermine unity.”

Meuthen then points to several campaigns, such as Thunberg’s “Fridays for Future” school protest movement, along with those by Greenpeace and NGO rescue boats in the Mediterranean. He then inquires whether the EU has investigated said campaigns and if so, he would like to know what they have concluded.

And lastly, he asks if the Commission can “rule out the possibility that these campaigns are being financed and steered by Russia.”

Shirley, you must be joking…

If Thunberg is a Putin puppet, he must have clearly been drumming up sympathy for the autistic eco-avenger. After she shamed the UN earlier this month for “ruining her childhood,” Putin shamed her back – saying “Sure, Greta is kind, but emotions should not control this issue.”

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg at #UNGA: "This is all wrong…You all come to us young people for hope. How dare you! You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words—and yet, I'm one of the lucky ones." https://t.co/YTVSvKxTkg pic.twitter.com/px90HghuQd

— ABC News (@ABC) September 23, 2019

 

“Go and explain to developing countries why they should continue living in poverty and not be like Sweden,” he added, before saying that it was deplorable how some groups are using Thunberg to achieve their own goals.

In Joseph E. Postma’s book, The Layman’s Guide to the Greatest Scientific Fraud in History, You’re going to learn about the greatest fraud which has ever, and which could ever, occur in science. The audacity of the fraud is matched only by its simplicity. The amazing thing is that anyone, down to Kindergarten children, can see the fraud and appreciate it as a fraud, while almost no scientist, particularly physicists at universities, cannot and refuse to. This book will give you all of the information that you need to debunk what is now the single greatest political and scientific fraud in history. It doesn’t matter what else the other side tries to plead, it doesn’t matter what “data” they emotionally believe themselves to be referring to – absolutely nothing that they say about their ploy will be taken seriously any longer. This book debunks their narrative at step one, and everything else they say afterward is junk pseudoscience.

Road flares are a safety device FEW people own and it’s a shame.

These devices save lives – no doubt about it.

And nowadays, with advancements in flare technology, you have more options than ever.

But honestly, it can feel like too many options.

It can be overwhelming to figure out which ones are the best for you.

That’s why you’re here now, and we’re going to clear the air.

So today we’ll be covering the following road flare topics:

• Why EVERYONE Should Own A Set Of Road Flares
• Different Kinds Of Road Flares
• How To Use Road Flares In An Emergency
• Key Features To Look For In A Quality Road Flare
• 7 Best Road Flares On The Market Today

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

WHY EVERYONE SHOULD OWN A SET OF ROAD FLARES

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Most people already know what a road flare is.

They’re a visual warning device for when your vehicle breaks down on the road.

It’s a device used to warn oncoming unsuspecting traffic that something is wrong up ahead.

And these devices are a MUST own.

Why? Because when someone leaves their broken down vehicle on the road at night without an insanely bright warning – they’re putting innocent lives at risk.

Listen, I’m not one to make anyone do something they don’t want to do. But I feel like all vehicles should be required by law to have a set of road flares.

Sure, if someone doesn’t want to wear their seatbelt – I’m fine with that. They’re only hurting themselves. But without clear visual warning of a broken-down vehicle, especially on highways…terrible things happen.

There’s no way to know for sure. but I feel like a “bright as hell” set of road flares could have prevented this:

Or how about this one?



The bottom line is: Owning a bright set of road flares will protect yourself AND innocent travelers when your vehicle stops on (or near) a busy roadway.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROAD FLARES

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There are two main types of roadside flares being used today:

1. LED electric flares
2. Pyrotechnic “fusee” flares
3. SnapLight Flares

LED Electric Flares

Modern LED flares are battery-operated, running on several AA or AAA cells.

Most of them are waterproof designs, shaped like a hockey puck with bright LEDs on the outer edge.

These flares can run for hours (even days) on a single set of batteries.

Pyrotechnic Flares

Pyrotechnic flares are often called “fusee” flares.

They are handheld sized cardboard cylinders filled with a bright-burning chemical mixture.

The exterior is often treated with wax or other waterproofing materials. But beware, the fusees can absorb moisture and lose their efficiency over time.

They typically burn for under an hour and produce a lot of heat. So they can also double as firestarters in an emergency.

SnapLight Flares

These are more like the traditional Pyro flares but without the dangerous fire components.

Snaplights work the same way Halloween safety lights work for kids. You know, those neon light sticks parents force their kids to wear hoping to make them more visible…

You just apply pressure to them (or “snap” them) and this creates a chemical reaction of neon bright light.

Simple, safe, and effective.

HOW TO USE ROAD FLARES IN AN EMERGENCY

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The entire point of a road flare is to alert other drivers. So it’s important to consider how other drivers will see your flares.

If they’re hard to see or don’t provide enough warning distance, they’re not doing their job.

How Many Flares?

Most road flares sets contain 3-4 individual flares. This is plenty for the majority of road emergencies.

If you decide to go with pyrotechnic fusee flares, get multiple sets as they only burn for a limited time.

Otherwise, with LED flares, just make sure you keep some spare batteries with your set.

Where Do You Place The Flares?

The best location for the flares is determined in part by the type of road your on.

On a one-way road, all traffic should be approaching from behind your car.

In this case, you can place all your flares behind your vehicle to warn drivers before they reach you.

If you’re on the side of a two-way road, be sure to place at least one flare in front and behind your car.

This allows you to warn drivers coming from either direction.

How Far Do You Space The Flares?

Spacing changes based on the type of road your on. You want to give drivers enough warning to stop or avoid your vehicle.

Let’s go over 2 extremes to give you some rough guidance:

On a limited-access divided highway with traffic moving at 70mph –

It this case, you’ll want to put the first warning flare pretty far back behind your vehicle.

This may mean putting the first flare 200-300ft (or further) before your car. With a second flare 100ft closer. A third flare can be placed near the vehicle to give a final warning.

On a two-way, undivided road on a residential street with traffic moving at 25 mph –

Place flares roughly 100ft in either direction.

The bottom line is: You must give other drivers enough warning to slow down or stop to avoid your vehicle.

Speed and “divided vs undivided” are the two biggest factors for optimal placement.

How Can You Make Flares More Visible?

Some LED flares come with magnetic bases or hanging hooks. Why? Because height can drastically increase the mounting options for your flare.

Guard rails, traffic cones, and even roadside vegetation can provide a higher location.

This allows it to shine further down the road.

For flares used at the vehicle location, a magnet base makes the side or roof of the vehicle a great location as well.

How Does Weather Affect Flares?

Wet or snowy conditions can present challenges to both LED and pyrotechnic flares.

Snow or mud can build up on the flare, obscuring its light until it’s cleaned off.

Be sure to check your flares frequently if they show signs of being blocked.

Heavy slush or deep puddles can soak pyrotechnic flares, putting them out prematurely.

Again, keeping your flares elevated can help with these weather-related problems.

KEY FEATURES TO LOOK FOR IN A QUALITY ROAD FLARE

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The best LED road flares have some common features, so be sure to look out for these:

Waterproof Design

Chances are that you’ll need road flares most when the weather is worst.

A waterproof design means an LED flare will withstand the worst that nature can throw at it. And not fail when you (and innocent travelers) need it the most.

Multiple Strobe Modes

Most LED flares have a flashing strobe mode, while some also have SOS and flashlight modes.

Either can be helpful and while similar, they are not quite the same thing.

SOS is a universal urgent call for immediate help or assistance. This should only technically be used if someone needs immediate assistance. Usually due to injury.

A regular strobe just signals a warning of a hazard up ahead.

Magnetic Base

A magnetic base allows you to mount the flare to any steel object – cars, signposts, guard rails, etc.

Hanging Hook

Sometimes it’s best to have another mounting option that doesn’t require steel surfaces.

A folding hook is a great way to hang the flare from branches or other objects.

Rugged Design

Like all emergency equipment, look for a flare with a rugged design.

They need to be able to withstand weather, drops, and falls. Or more likely being run over by vehicles and still function.

A cheap design will not last and you’ll find they fail at the worst possible times.

If you decide to store some pyrotechnic flares in your vehicle kit, there are some features to look out for:

Waterproof Storage Box

As I’ve mentioned, pyrotechnic flares are susceptible to moisture. That’s why it’s so important to keep them dry at all times.

Many people store them in Ziploc plastic bags, but they can often get torn or ripped with rough treatment.

If you’re going to carry them in a vehicle all the time, it’s best to store them in a waterproof box. Just add a desiccant pack to be sure they’re as dry as possible.

Built-In Striker

While keeping a lighter with the flares is a good plan, it’s best to have flares that can light on its own.

You don’t want to pull out a flare only to realize you don’t have a match or a lighter on you.

That’s why most flares have built-in strikers that allow you to light them like a giant match.

Non-Toxic Design

It’s harder to find a pyrotechnic flare that doesn’t contain toxic chemicals, but they do exist.

7 BEST ROAD FLARES ON THE MARKET TODAY

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1 – Emergency Roadside Flare Discs

These Emergency Roadside Flare Discs are made from the same strength-tested materials used by the Army, making them insanely durable.

Plus, unlike a regular flashlight, these Roadside Discs actually REFLECT light back, in addition to emitting powerful beams on their own.

These discs can be seen from 5,000 feet away, so any oncoming traffic will have plenty of time to react to your presence.

If you are concerned about your safety on the road, or the safety of a loved one, don’t leave it to chance these LED flare discs will give you peace of mind, in case anything should happen.

Check Out Today’s Price

Check Out Today’s Price



2 – Hokena Roadside Warning Care Safety Flare Kit

Hokena has packaged a set of five bright LED flares (including batteries) in a solid storage bag. It also includes the tools to replace the batteries. Plus, it has an emergency glass breaking and seatbelt cutting tool.

These flares are very bright, with several lighting modes that will be useful in any situation.

They’re solidly built and feature a strong magnet base.

But the devices are someone on the light side. So they may move if not solidly attached to something.

Check Out Today’s Price



3 – Cyalume Industrial Grade SnapLight Flare with Wire Stand

The Cyalume SnapLight flare chemical light stick is the flare alternative you didn’t even know you needed!

These durable, waterproof signaling devices are safer and more reliable than typical pyrotechnic flares thanks to their non-flammable, no-heat generated chemistry.

Additionally, these chemical light sticks provide ultra-intense, bright orange light for 30 minutes – no matter what condition or environment they are in.

They’re the perfect choice as emergency or safety lights and an ideal flare alternative.



Check Out Today’s Price

4 – Garage Monkey Engineering LED Road Safety Flare Roadside Warning Safety Flare Kit

One of the things that set the Garage Monkey kit apart from the others is the fourth flare.

This allows you to be more visible right away!

They also feature 9 different light modes, giving you a lot of options for signaling.

Finally, if you are not 110% thrilled, simply get in touch and they’ll send your money back.

Check Out Today’s Price

5 – Emergency Roadside Smart Flares Kit

These Emergency Roadside Smart Flares are a highly visible LED road flare.

These super-bright red LEDs array can be seen a mile view at day and night.

It has 3 different flash modes: Strobe(SOS)/Flashlight/Solid and they only require 12 AAA batteries (battery included).

It comes with a solid storage case and a 100% SATISFIED guarantee.

Check Out Today’s Price

6 – Reliancer 5PCS 18″ Collapsible Traffic Cones with Nighttime LED Lights

If you have extra space in your kit, consider these Reliancer Collapsible Road Cones with LED strobes.

They store in 10″ cube but pop up to give you 5 bright orange, 18″ tall road cones to be visible during the day.

At night, turn on the LED flares and these cones flash to give other drivers plenty of warning.

Check Out Today’s Price



7 – StonePoint Emergency Road Flare Kit

StonePoint Emergency Road Flare Kit comes with three LED Emergency Beacons.

Also included is a bag to store and protect these LED road flares.

They produce light with 360-degree visibility up to two miles away!

Each light has a 20-hour run time on steady mode, while it has a 60-hour run time in flash mode.

These lights have a powerful magnetic base and are crush resistant for up to a 6,000-pound vehicle.

Check Out Today’s Price



WRAP-UP

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Times have changed and LEDs road flares are the way to go for most situations.

The only time I would include pyrotechnic flares would be in a winter emergency kit. That way, they can be utilized as a fire starter in a pinch.

Otherwise, they’re not worth the trouble. Skip the toxic smoke and fire risk with vehicle fluids or dry conditions near the road.

Check out some LED road flares and add a bit of visibility to your roadside emergency kit today!

Jason K.

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 7 Best Road Flares For Emergencies On The Market Today appeared first on Skilled Survival.

Editor’s note: the writer is an active duty officer in the military.

If you are new to shooting or are unhappy with your shooting abilities, here you will find some basic shooting techniques to become a better shot.

Becoming a better shooter takes more than simply going to the range and shooting. While that will probably help a little bit, the only way to improve is by changing your techniques – techniques I learned early during my military service.

Since I’m directing this article at both skilled shooters and beginners alike, I should say something very important at the outset. Please ensure that you have zeroed your weapon and know how to properly and safely operate it.

One can break proper shooting technique down into three main categories: shooting position, breathing and trigger squeeze.

 

Shooting Position

Shooting position refers to how you position your body and your weapon while you are shooting. With a long gun, there are a few key things to keep in mind. The weapon should be firmly positioned against your body, in the pocket between your shoulder and your chest. Your head should be pressed against the stock of the weapon in a comfortable spot that you can easily return to each time you shoot. Aiming down the sights becomes much easier and more natural when you position your head in the exact same way each time. Your non-firing hand should have a light grip, but also should be slightly pulling the weapon into your shoulder.

With a handgun, your grip should be the exact same each time you shoot. There are many different ways to hold a handgun. My recommendation would be to practice with all of them until you find what works best for you. Personally, I like to have both of my thumbs on the side of my pistol, pointing downrange. I also like to put a little tension on the weapon by pulling a little with my forward hand against my locked elbow. For me, this limits recoil and makes it easier to reacquire a target.

As far as your body position, you want to have your elbows locked, and you should be in a slightly crouched position so that the weapon is at eye level. Similar to what was mentioned above, get used to shooting in the same body position every time, as it will make aiming come much easier. Usually, when someone has trouble aiming down the sights, it’s because of their body position. Regardless of weapon, get comfortable shooting in the same position. You’ll be surprised how easy it becomes to aim.

 

Breathing

The next step is breathing. While you are breathing and your arms are in your shooting position, they will naturally move up and down slightly. This causes your weapon to move up and down slightly, which throws off your aiming ability. There are two easy ways to fix this problem. Either hold your breath momentarily to steady your aim or shoot in between exhaling and inhaling. In a controlled situation, shooting between breaths is preferable, but in a high-stress situation, holding your breath will work, as well.

Black Ops Shooting Skills Leaked To Civilians For The First Time — Click Here To Learn More

 

Trigger Squeeze

The final tip may be the most important. A good trigger squeeze will save you tons of heartache at the range. The fundamentals of a good trigger squeeze are a slow, controlled pull followed by a slow, controlled release. Jerking the trigger back will cause you to twitch the weapon slightly, which results in inaccuracy. Many people teach you to “pull the slack” out of the trigger, which means pulling the trigger back to the final positive block before the firing pin goes home. Practice on your unloaded weapon.

Most weapons have a slight stop in the trigger, right before it engages. After “pulling the slack” out of the trigger and then firing the weapon, keep the trigger held back momentarily. This prevents a jerky release, which once again moves the weapon slightly and interferes with your ability to continue looking down the sights to reacquire your target. Then, slowly release the trigger back to that positive block, ready to shoot again. One last tip on pulling the trigger – try not to anticipate the shot. If you are anticipating the recoil, you will jerk the weapon and have an inaccurate shot.

These three simple tips will almost certainly improve your shooting ability. When I just want to practice shooting, I usually shoot four rounds at a time and judge each iteration to see what I need to improve. You will find that it gets easier and you improve each iteration that you shoot. Practicing shooting using these tips will allow you to develop muscle memory so that in the event the unpredictable does happen, you will be ready to accurately engage the threat.

What advice would you add? Share your tips in the comments section below:

The post 3 Military-Approved Techniques That Will Make You A Better Shooter appeared first on Off The Grid News.

Pepper spray is becoming one of the most popular self-defense weapons available today.

But there’s a lot of confusion and misunderstandings around peppers spray, such as:

• Can pepper spray REALLY neutralize a dangerous threat?
• What’s the difference between pepper sprays and heat ratings?
• What factors matter MOST when choosing a pepper spray for self-defense?

That’s why today, I want to clear the air.

By the time you’re finished reading this article, you’ll know everything you need to know about pepper spray, specifically:

• Pepper Spray Vs Firearms
• Pros Of Using Pepper Spray For Self Defense
• Cons Of Using Pepper Spray For Self Defense
• Key Factors To Consider When Buying Pepper Spray
• 7 Best Pepper Sprays On The Market Today
• How To Properly Use Pepper Spray
• How To Make Your Own Pepper Spray

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

PEPPER SPRAY VS FIREARMS

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No question about it, firearms are a more powerful form of self-defense than pepper spray if someone is properly trained.

But that’s the issue with firearms, many folks don’t want to take the time to properly train. And some people don’t believe in an armed society.

Plus, firearms are a lethal form of self-defense. This can also make someone hesitant to concealed carry a handgun – even if they own one.

The bottom line is this: firearms come with some extra baggage that doesn’t come with pepper spray.

No, we’re NOT saying YOU should carry pepper spray instead of a gun. You do you.

But there are plenty of people who are more comfortable carrying pepper spray.

Plus, there are situations where pepper spray is the most logical deterrent. Pulling a gun on an unarmed threat might unnecessarily aggravate or elevate the situation.

Many (including military and law enforcement) choose pepper spray as a first option. Then back that up by a more lethal defense (such as a firearm).

This prevents premature escalation in certain circumstances. For example: if the threat is unarmed and/or there are lots of innocent bystanders.

And for some people, carrying a firearm just isn’t an option for moral reasons. Making pepper spray the perfect addition to your nonlethal self-defense arsenal.

Watching the video below provides an excellent example of why EVERYONE can benefit from carrying a professional grade pepper spray:



PROS OF USING PEPPER SPRAY FOR SELF DEFENSE

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Affordable Cost

Clearly, even the most expensive pepper sprays are far cheaper than a handgun.

If you want a cost-effective self-defense weapon it’s hard to beat pepper spray.

Fewer Regulations

Yes, pepper spray does have some legal restrictions (based on strength and delivery). But still far fewer than most firearms.

Many locations prohibit firearms (college campuses, national parks, shopping centers, etc.). But these “safe zones” don’t have the same bans on pepper spray.

Plus, pepper spray is simpler to travel with across city or state boundaries.

Where firearm laws (and even knife laws) frequently change from locale to locale.

Easy Concealment

Pepper sprays are generally smaller and lighter than firearms. Even lighter than the smallest and lightest handguns (such as S&W Airweight and Kel-Tec).

Making them easier to carry while working out, running, or even walking the dog.

And some of the most compact pepper sprays are small enough to hang on a keychain.

Note: These mini pepper sprays tend to have very short spray durations…

A Non-Lethal Weapon

Pepper spray is extremely irritating and painful – but not fatal.

It also has a much lower chance of injuring a bystander, which makes it safer to use in a crowd.

CONS OF USING PEPPER SPRAY FOR SELF DEFENSE

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A Non-Lethal Weapon

While “non-lethal” made the list of pros for pepper spray, it’s also one of the main “cons”.

In some situations, pepper spray may not be enough to stop the most vicious attacker. Especially if they are on drugs that numb their senses or are extremely intoxicated.

If a situation gets out of hand, a perpetrator with firepower is no match for someone with pepper spray.

Reloading (one time shot)

Unlike a handgun, reloading isn’t an option with pepper spray.

Most sprays have a short duration, which means knowing exactly when to use it!

Availability

While pepper spray is becoming more common, it’s still not as easy to find in every sporting good store.

Unlike common handguns and ammo rounds – like the 9mm – which can be found dang near anywhere.

Effectiveness

Not all people will respond to pepper spray – nor will all animals.

With people, this can be due to mental illness, drug abuse, or training.

Plus, face shields, masks, and sunglasses can reduce direct contact with the eyes. Lowering its overall effectiveness ing stopping a threat.

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KEY FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING PEPPER SPRAY

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When choosing pepper spray, there are a few factors you’ll need to be sure to consider.

The Formula

The first, and most important, factor in choosing a pepper spray is the formulation.

There are three major formulas on the market when it comes to self-defense sprays: CN, CS, and OC.

OC (Oleoresin Capsicum)

OC is one of the most common and popular forms of pepper spray. OC stands for Oleoresin Capsicum.

The active ingredient is capsaicin, the same chemical which gives peppers their heat.

Capsaicin acts as an inflammatory agent.

It not only causes pain but also causes instant inflammation of the mucous membranes. This makes it difficult and painful to breathe or even open your eyes.

The remaining ingredients form an oily liquid to help with the delivery of the capsaicin.

The oily liquid means the solution is not soluble in water. So you can’t easily wash it off.

Victims are encouraged to blink excessively to produce tears to help to flush the eyes. They are also told not to touch any other body parts to avoid spreading the substance.

There are wipes available to help remove pepper spray. But your attacker is unlikely to have them on hand fast enough to be useful!

But not all peppers are the same…

Scoville Heat Rating

People who like spicy foods know there are regular peppers, HOT peppers, and INSANELY HOT peppers! And there’s a way to measure these differences, it’s called the Scoville Heat Scale.

You can see from the image below – a bell pepper is essentially harmless, while a Habanero Chili is a very HOT Pepper and a Dragon’s Breath is an INSANELY HOT.

Ever heard of the “Scoville Heat Challenge”? – Yeah, it’s as brutal as it sounds:

CS

CS isn’t technically a “pepper spray”, but rather a military tear gas. It can be used alone or in combination with OC spray for added effectiveness.

CS is the most popular since it induces a range of nasty symptoms – from mild tearing to immediate vomiting.

It’s often used for riot control or to force people out of an area. CS can be found in aerosol canisters or can be deployed by grenades.

CN Gas

CN is an older form of tear gas, which has similar effects to CS gas and also includes temporary loss of balance.

The effects of CN tear gas last longer than that of CS. But it can also cause permanent skin and lung damage, so it’s much less common than it was in years past.

Dye Additions

In some pepper sprays, the manufacturers add either a visible or UV dye.

This dye can serve as a marker for your attacker, making ID easier if they run.

This can be helpful for law enforcement, but the visible dyes can also help you avoid them if they try to come back.

Spray Pattern and Range

Another critical factor in choosing a pepper spray is to find the right spray pattern.

The most typical patterns used are spray or mist.

If you have respiratory issues, spray patterns help avoid the risk of accidental user inhalation.

Stream Spray

For accuracy and longer range, some pepper sprays shoot streams of fluid.

This allows you to hit a single attacker without spraying bystanders.

Of course, stream pattern sprays require more training and practice. If you miss, you may have lost your only chance at self-defense.

Mist Spray

A mist spray pattern produces a large cloud of gas which is more easily inhaled. But it comes at the price of a far shorter range.

Since they form a cloud, mist spray patterns do not allow you to target your attacker directly.

This means there is a risk of spraying people other than your attacker. Including yourself, if the mist cloud blows back on you.

Foam Spray

The least common spray pattern is foam.

Foam sprays are difficult to aim and have a shorter range than stream pattern sprayers.

It’s also slower to take effect, so it’s not as useful in most situations. Avoid foam spray patterns unless they’re the only option.

Canister Size Options

Finally, you’ll want to consider the sheer volume of spray you might need.

Stopping a petty thief in the city may require far less spray than a charging grizzly bear in the backcountry.

Think about how you intend to use your spray and pick the right size for your needs.

Small Canisters

Keychain pepper sprays are marketed to runners and college students. These small bottles contain less than a half-ounce of usable spray.

This only gives you a couple of seconds of spray at close range.

Better than nothing, but you can also run out before an attacker has been properly neutralized.

Medium Canisters

Larger sizes tend to come with belt holsters for easy retrieval. Most purses can fit a medium-sized 2oz canister.

These include many backcountry bear sprays and personal defense sprays.

Two ounces of fluid are good for up to 30 seconds of spray and many can achieve accurate patterns up to about 15 feet.

Sure, 15 feet doesn’t feel nearly far enough during an attack. But its good enough as a close-in self-defense weapon.

Remember, you’re aiming at a small target like the eyes and nose, so long-range shots are risky either way.

Large Canisters

There are much larger sprays on the market, but they’re only good for home defense.

Anything larger than 2 ounces is generally too bulky for everyday carry.

Now that we’ve covered all the key features, let’s take a look at some of the best ones on the market today.

7 BEST PEPPER SPRAYS ON THE MARKET TODAY

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First off, A lot of people don’t know where to buy peppers spray.

And in the past, this was a problem since many sporting good stores don’t carry it. But nowadays, it’s not difficult to find – you CAN buy it online.

That’s the easiest place to buy pepper spray. And the good news is some of The Very Best Pepper Sprays you can only find online.

For example, the first pepper spray on this list is the one we recommend and can only be purchased online.

1 – Devil Juice Pepper Spray

This pepper spray claims to be banned in 12 states. That’s why when it comes to nonlethal self-defense, nothing beats Devil Juice Pepper Spray!

Why? Due to it’s insanely powerful 3 million Scoville Heat Rating!

This is the highest legal pepper spray strength and packs a punch so hard your attacker will be begging you to leave them alone!

Note: Possession of this product is regulated or prohibited in some jurisdictions – click here to see if it’s legal where you live.

Check Out Today’s Price

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2 – Sabre 3-in-1 Pepper Spray

Just about any list of preferred pepper sprays is going to contain something from Sabre.

They’re a well-known manufacturer trusted by police departments and other law enforcement agencies nationwide.

The 3-in-1 Pepper Spray is one of their most popular offerings, with OC pepper spray, CS tear gas, and a UV dye.

They have a tight stream spray pattern. And they offer an inert practice spray canister so you can train without the risk.

This practice can ensure that in the heat of the moment you don’t fumble with the twist-lock safety or accidentally spray backward!

The included training documents have links to instructional videos and other training tips. These can help you get the most out of your new pepper spray.

The Sabre 3-in-1 also has a good shelf life (4 years) and a low price, so it’s easy to outfit your entire family.

Check Out Today’s Price



3 – Sabre Frontiersman

Sabre is also in the bear spray market.

These sprays are generally larger canisters, have longer ranges, and include higher concentrations.

The Frontiersman delivers on all those fronts.

The 9.2oz canister is huge and hard to conceal. But the 35ft range is amazing compared to the 10-15ft max ranges of most personal pepper sprays.

If you’re in the backcountry a lot or want a good option for home or vehicle defense, this is your best bet!

Check Out Today’s Price



4 – Fox Labs Mean Green

Fox Labs Mean Green trades the UV dye for a highly concentrated, bright green dye.

This immediately colors the skin and clothing of your attacker.

The 3 oz size is available in both stream and spray patterns. Depending on the spray pattern, you can expect a range of 12 to 15 feet.

The Mean Green has metered half-second burst sprays. This provides you with over thirty “shots” without the risk of holding down the trigger until you run out.

Check Out Today’s Price



5 – POM Pepper Spray

This one is for those looking for something a bit more discrete and pocket-friendly.

This POM Pepper Spray is compact and designed to look a little less intimidating.

This makes it a good option for those looking to carry without making it obvious.

It’s a small canister and a closer range than other sprays. But that’s a decent trade-off for being able to carry it in more situations.

Check Out Today’s Price



6 – Wrist Saver Pepper Spray

This pepper spray is made for athletes.

The Wrist Saver is a convenient padded wrist band that contains:

• a small pepper spray in a holster
• a built-in LED flashlight
• some space for ID and other information (or cash)

Of course, it’s a small canister made to fit in a wrist holster. But it’s still capable and worth checking out if you need a portable option for your runs.

Check Out Today’s Price

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7 – 3 Pack POLICE MAGNUM OC Pepper Spray Keychain

This 3 Pack Police Magnum Pepper Spray is a great bundle offer for those who want to protect multi-family members.

This is a pepper spray keychain – which is an ideal size for pockets and purses.

But don’t let the small size fool you, it can deliver over 10ft range in a powerful stream.

It also has added UV Perpetrator marking dye to identify a suspect.

This professional-grade Prepper Spray Keychain Spray is HPLC lab tested before being used in production and sales.

Check Out Today’s Price



HOW TO PROPERLY USE PEPPER SPRAY

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No matter how “non-lethal” pepper spray may be, it’s still a dangerous weapon. It can cause serious injury if not handled or stored correctly.

Each model comes with instructions for safe use and handling. Take the time to read through it before heading out into a situation where you may need to use your pepper spray.

One of the first things to learn is how to draw, aim, and release the safety mechanism on your spray canister.

If your model offers a practice canister, this is the best way to learn.

Practice with the inert spray until you can:

1. Smoothly pull the pepper spray out of your holster or bag
2. Turn off the safety without fumbling

Proper body position is key to aiming any weapon.

For pepper spray, you’ll want a solid defensive posture. That means your knees are slightly bent and the pepper spray held out in front of your face. This helps with your line of sight during aiming.

This balanced, athletic posture will help your accuracy.

When you press the trigger, resist the urge to close your eyes. This only serves to interrupt your aim at the worst possible time.

Spray in a slight “back and forth” pattern, as if spray painting a surface.

This helps ensure that you don’t miss smaller targets like the eyes and nose.



Always remember, pepper spray isn’t an absolute.

Be sure to keep your eyes on your target. But be ready to elevate the fight or flee if your attacker doesn’t back down.

Finally, here’s a good video on the DO’s and DON’Ts of pepper spray:



HOW TO MAKE PEPPER SPRAY

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Yes, you CAN make your own pepper spray. But it’s highly unlikely you’ll make it as powerful or as good at delivery as commercial brands.

But if you still want to pursue making your own – read our step by step article.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

FINAL THOUGHTS

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Pepper spray might not have the reputation that other self-defense weapons enjoy. But they should!

The best ones have powerful high concentration formulas. And ease of use makes them an attractive option for anyone.

From backcountry defense against bears to people intent on doing you harm. There are plenty of options on size and range to suit any situation.

It’s a smart move to add pepper spray to your EDC bag, get home bag, bug out bag, your vehicle’s glove box, and even your home.

Jason K.

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 7 Best Pepper Sprays For Self-Defense, Emergencies, And Survival appeared first on Skilled Survival.

A lot of people out there don’t like when I write these kinds of articles, because they directly contradict the false narrative that humanity has an extremely bright future ahead.  Sadly, the truth is that our planet and everything that lives on it is rapidly deteriorating.  And I am not talking about the false environmentalism being pushed by the mainstream media, Greta Thunberg and countless well-funded NGOs.  What I am talking about is the stuff that is happening right in our face.  We are systematically poisoning our planet, thousands upon thousands of species are going extinct, and we are literally running out of all of our most important natural resources.  There isn’t going to be enough of anything in the not too distant future.  In fact, even National Geographic is admitting that up to five billion people could soon be facing “shortages of food and clean water”…

As many as five billion people, particularly in Africa and South Asia, are likely to face shortages of food and clean water in the coming decades as nature declines. Hundreds of millions more could be vulnerable to increased risks of severe coastal storms, according to the first-ever model examining how nature and humans can survive together.

“I hope no one is shocked that billions of people could be impacted by 2050,” says Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer a landscape ecologist at Stanford University. “We know we are dependent on nature for many things,” says Chaplin-Kramer, lead author of the paper “Global Modeling Of Nature’s Contributions To People” published in Science.

The clock is literally ticking for humanity, but meanwhile we spend immense amounts of energy on relatively meaningless political squabbles.

Look, the reality of the matter is that this is going to happen no matter which political party is in control of the White House.  We are in very big trouble, and nobody really has any idea how we can possibly turn things around.

At this point, we are running out of topsoil at a staggering rate.  In fact, we have already lost “nearly half of the most productive soil” within the last 150 years…

The world grows 95% of its food in the uppermost layer of soil, making topsoil one of the most important components of our food system. But thanks to conventional farming practices, nearly half of the most productive soil has disappeared in the world in the last 150 years, threatening crop yields and contributing to nutrient pollution, dead zones and erosion. In the US alone, soil on cropland is eroding 10 times faster than it can be replenished.

If we continue to degrade the soil at the rate we are now, the world could run out of topsoil in about 60 years, according to Maria-Helena Semedo of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

So do any of you have a viable plan for how we can stop losing our topsoil?

Because if nobody has a plan, mass starvation is an absolute certainty.  Even if we found a way to save our topsoil, we aren’t going to have anyone to pollinate our crops because all of the insects are dying.  I covered this phenomenon in a previous article entitled “Insect Species Are Rapidly Going Extinct Across The Globe – All Insects Could Be Gone ‘In 100 Years’”.

And without enough insects to eat, the bird population is rapidly declining as well.  This is something that I wrote about in a previous article entitled “North America’s Bird Population Is Collapsing – Nearly 3 Billion Birds Have Been Wiped Out Since 1970”.

Despite all of our advanced technology, we can’t seem to do much of anything to stop the death and decay that we see all over the globe.

Even the human race is steadily deteriorating.  Scientists tell us that humans are now smaller, shorter, weaker and dumber than our ancestors were thousands of years ago.  Today, our genes contain tens of thousands of mistakes (mutations), and those mistakes are passed on to the next generation.  And each new generation adds additional mistakes (mutations) to the gene pool, and so over time the number of mutations being passed on continues to grow.  In virtually every case those mutations are harmful, and we have absolutely no way to stop this systematic decay of the human genome.

Literally, our planet and everything in it is falling apart.

Here in the western world, things may seem okay for the moment because our debt-fueled lifestyles and our advanced technology allow us to live fairly comfortable lives.

But things are already starting to change, and global events are accelerating at a pace that is very alarming.  As the fabric of our society unravels, it is going to be imperative to have others that you can lean on for support.

Unfortunately, making friends is not something that most of us are very good at doing.  In fact, one recent study discovered that the average American adult “hasn’t made a new friend in the last five years”…

Spending time in the company of good friends regularly has been shown to have a positive impact on health. But for many Americans, socializing in adulthood gets harder with age. A recent survey reveals that 45% of adults admit they find it hard to make new friends. In fact, the average adult hasn’t made a new friend in the last five years, according to the survey.

In this day and age, our screens have become our friends.  We spend countless hours with our televisions, our phones and our computers.  Meanwhile, many of us don’t have any idea how the people living right next door are doing.

One of the reasons why I write so many articles is because that is how I can reach the most people.

If the most effective way of waking people up was traveling the country and holding meetings, I would do it.

But these days it is exceedingly difficult to get people to leave their homes and go to a meeting.  But once I publish this article on the Internet, it will be seen by enough people to easily fill a sports stadium.

The Internet is where the battle for hearts and minds is being won or lost, and we need to do all that we can to wake more people up.

Because the clock is ticking for humanity, and the destiny of billions hangs in the balance.

About the author: Michael Snyder is a nationally-syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is the author of four books including Get Prepared Now, The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters. His articles are originally published on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News. From there, his articles are republished on dozens of other prominent websites. If you would like to republish his articles, please feel free to do so. The more people that see this information the better, and we need to wake more people up while there is still time. Of course the most important thing that we can share with people is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if you would like to learn more about how you can become a Christian I would encourage you to read this article.

The post National Geographic Admits Billions Of People Will “Face Shortages Of Food And Clean Water” Over The Next 30 Years appeared first on The Economic Collapse.