I cant remember when it started. At a very young age for sure. Maybe around 7 years old. I grew up spending all my free time in the woods with no parental supervision. I have always been far more interested in skills than gear and have always only carried the most basic gear, at least until a little over a year ago. I still maintain a very significant interest in studying and practicing "primitive" skills first and foremost, though I rarely discuss it here since it is off topic for most threads.

Anyway, a little over a year ago I decided that I needed to increase the amount of gear I carry on my "primtive" hiking and camping trips and starting researching pocket-sized kits. This is how I found ETS. I've studied every thread and every word of every article Doug has written and placed on the website. I have read every book that Doug has recommended in the past year and I have asked lots of questions in the forum in that time as well.

In addition to gaining much more information than I orginally needed (or thought I needed at that time) on pocket kits for wilderness use, I have also learned much about being prepared for natural or man-made disasters that may effect myself and my family at home. Sure, it's nice to know that federal, state and local governments and many non-profit orgs like ARC do a lot to try to help the masses in disaster situations but I would never bet my life or well being or that of my family on expecting them to be there for me in a time of need. At least not now that I have gained at least some of the knowledge needed to take responsibility to my own survival and that of my family as well. Don't get me wrong... I'm no isolationist. I would not turn down outside aid by any means but I don't want to be forced to rely on it either. The information I have aquired here has helped me to significantly increase my ability to take an active role in my family's survival in the event that we should ever encounter one of those situations. Sure, this is not what I was looking for when I first found ETS as a mature, responsible venue for aquiring information about wilderness PSKs but it's a heck of a great added bonus IMHO.