Okay gear junkies, I have a $25 gift card from amazon. What should I buy?

I don't need any flashlights, knives, water treaters, or murses.

I am interested in pistol-mounted lasers, holsters, emergency power sources, solar water pumps, hand tools, fire starters, emergency preparedness books, etc.

Thoughts?

-Blast

Here is a book I am reading on long term survival (we are talking
civilizations) the is very interesting with potential applications
for today, and is just a good read too.

http://www.amazon.com/Collapse-Societies...2413&sr=1-1

Ferro rod
Firesteel
Your own copy of Deep Survival or,
The Survivors Club

I would suggest some classics for bushcraft books.

Kephart

http://www.amazon.com/Our-Southern-Highl...5785&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Camping-Woodcraft-...5785&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Captives-Among-Ind...173&sr=1-20

Nessmuk

http://www.amazon.com/Woodcraft-Camping-...5785&sr=1-6

But your daughters might like a tent if you bought one.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_t_4_5?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-keywords=play+tent&sprefix=play+

The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery.

Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands by Brad Lancaster (2 of the 3 volumes are available, so far).

The NEW Create an Oasis with Greywater: Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systems - Includes Branched Drains by Art Ludwig

Sue

Maybe buy a few ResQMe's and give them to your loved ones?

That's where I got mine.

Hey Blast,

I agree with Sue and Izzy's recommendations. A reference guide is always a fun way to discover new things or new ways of thinking.

Matt Stien, the author of "when tech fails..." is a bit into mysticism but his engineering approach to survival problem solving is worth wading through the spiritual and political commentary.

If you are set on buying gear though I would recommend bug head nets. Also useful for fishing and catching other edible critters. Especially in your neck of the woods

Cheers,
Logan.

When Technology Fails... has a lot of references in it that could be extremely use. I noticed two large gaps in his book, but I forget what they were.

Sue

Collapse is a great book, as is the author's other book, Guns ,Germs, and Steel.

Hey Izzy,

Out of all the homeopathy recommendations in "When tech fails" I could see how the whole "colloidal silver" could potentially have a beneficial effect. In some of our microbiology classes here on campus I learned a positive charge does provide a mild antimicrobial effect. Since silver is relatively benign it has been used in everything from tooth fillings to polyester clothing to help decrease microbial growth. I even read a while back of folks making counters with a positive charge to kill bacteria.

Although taking it everyday seems excessive. We need a little exposure to bugs to adapt and retain our immunity. Don't want to get into a "bubble boy" scenario.

~Logan.

I think that blue tint may be coming from the portapotty...

...

I know you don't need any more knives, but this just came down today. Amazon is running a 50% off or more (from original list) on Swiss Army Knives:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=xs_gb_rss_90...tag=rssfeeds-20

Supposed to be on until March 17. The only knife I have on the list is the Farmer Silver Alox which is $19 now and I paid about $26 a year ago.

-Tommy

Good suggestions! That "When Technology Fails..." book looked good until you mentioned the homeopathy stuff.

Gardening books are always fun, though I already have a big shelf full. Sue, have you seen 'Gardening when it counts"? Any thoughts on it if you have?

Matt, your suggestion of entertainment sent me over to see what new "Munchkin" updates are out, but we already have an entire room filled with games/fiction/amusing toys which do get pulled out often enough. I'm happy with what we have there.

However, while surfing through Amazon looking at y'alls suggestions I discovered I can order stuff from The Sportsman's Guide!

I'll never run out of things to buy ever again. Woo hoo!!

-Blast

p.s. I think I'll spend the card on this .

In the end I took some advice ClarkTX gave me and bought Eneloop Rechangable Batteries. The thing which sets these apart from regular rechargable batteries is the Eneloops have a very low self-discharge rate. Normal rechargable batteries will self-drain in just a few weeks even without usage. The Eneloops retain over 80% of their charge even after one year in storage.

-Blast

I've been running those for a couple years now. I get way better run time in my gear with them when compared to alkaline batteries and close to lithium run time. And thats after they have sat for 6 months.