Most preppers are on a
pretty tight budget when it comes to obtaining all the survival gear they may
need. One of the best ways to save money is to take advantage of yard and
garage sales in your area. Quite often you can find fairly decent gear items at
bargain prices that have very little wear and tear. It’s very important to
remember that used gear items need to be tested prior to being needed in a
survival situation.
Many times flaws and
problems with different items of used gear may not be readily apparent. If you
fail to do a proper check of that gear, you may find yourself in a survival
situation without a reliable resource. The time to check your gear for proper
function is before it’s needed in a crisis. Here are some simple tips that can
be used to check used gear before you purchase it to find out if it can
function in a reliable capacity that will aid in your survival.
Testing Used Survival Gear for Reliability
and Function
1. Always check used survival gear to make
sure all the parts for proper functioning are included. - Quite often gear items can be found that appear
“new and unused” that are still in the box. This may be a bargain but it can
also be a money trap. Many times items are purchased and never used. Parts may
be missing that even the seller may be unaware of simply because they’ve never
checked. It may even have been a gift that was never opened. Whatever the case
may be, always check to make sure everything is included. You may have
difficulty obtaining or making a replacement part to restore proper function.
2. Always check used gear items in case
they can be quickly and easily repaired. - Many times used gear items can be easily repaired to
restore proper function. It may even be as simple as replacing a dead battery,
a zipper or some other minor repair that is easily performed. A used tent may
simply need some additional water-proofing of the seams to make it a reliable
piece of equipment.
3. Always check used survival gear to see
if it can be used to repair a broken gear item to make it functional. - Don’t automatically discount a broken gear item
you may come across. Sometimes the parts from broken gear can be used to fix
other items of gear you may already have in your inventory. You can even
bargain for a lower price if something is missing and may even be able to get
it for free.
4. Always check the primary function of the
used gear item. - If the used gear
item won’t perform its primary function, it will be of no use in a survival
situation. That used manual can opener you bought for 10 cents as a backup is
worthless if it won’t even open a can. Any type of used survival gear should be
able to perform its primary function or it’s just a collection of spare parts
you may never use.
5. Always perform a “real world” test of
used gear for proper function and reliability. - Spraying
water from a hose on a used tent may not make cause it to leak but setting it
up in the backyard during a thunderstorm will let you know real quick if it’s
going to perform as needed in a survival situation. Don’t be afraid to be a
“little” abusive when testing used survival gear. In a “real” survival
situation, that used gear will almost certainly have to be pushed to its limits.
Buying used survival gear
can be a great way to cut down on your equipment costs. As long as you check to
make sure it functions properly or can be easily and simply repaired, it can be
an excellent way to improve your survival resources when on a tight budget.
Got used tent in a thunder storm?
Staying above the water
line!
Riverwalker
6 comments:
great post rw!
used gear really can be blessing or a curse - this is a great primer on making sure to keep on the winning side.
it's also a great nod towards training oneself to being able to repair and recycle equipment - which is essential in a survival situation. learning to repair a usedtent during a thunderstorm is a little late ;-)
cheers!
and watch for mold/mildew on old tents and sleeping bags
Goood information and very true, always good to take the time to check and prepare before the unexpected. Hence "Prepper"
To: HTSG
Taking a little time to be prepared is always a good thing.
Thanks HTSG.
RW
So many times I've met people carrying gear on the trail that they did not even know how to use, much less even know it is in working order.
To: Survival Topics
I've seen a bunch of people that look at something simple like a firesteel...and all they do is ask "What is it?".
If you don't know what it is and how to use it...it's virtually worthless.
Thanks Ron.
RW
Post a Comment