Over the years, the term prepping has earned a somewhat controversial reputation, not just among the general public but even within the preparedness community. This is largely due to how news and popular media often depict preppers — as paranoid hoarders gearing up for a fictional, postapocalyptic world straight out of dystopian cinema and literature. Regardless of how you feel about the word prepping, let’s set that aside and focus on the true value of preparedness — and the diverse individuals who embrace it.

What is Preparedness?

Preparedness is a broad concept that applies to many aspects of life, all rooted in the idea of being ready for emergencies. In its simplest form, it encompasses everyday actions: a motorist carrying jumper cables for a breakdown or a parent keeping a first aid kit for minor injuries. While these are clear examples of preparedness, most people who take these precautions wouldn’t consider themselves preppers.
On a larger scale, an outdoor enthusiast prepares with the skills and gear needed to handle injuries or unexpected delays in the wild.

Those living in harsh weather zones — prone to blizzards or hurricanes — stock up on supplies to endure extended power outages and keep emergency kits for navigating their home should the lights go dark. Yet, like the previous examples, most wouldn’t label themselves as preppers.

Even if they don’t identify as preppers, many people engage in some form of emergency planning as part of their daily lives — and that’s exactly what preparedness is. Stripped of media hype, being a prepper simply means being ready for potential emergencies.

Your backyard firepit may be a comfort item, but in an emergency the addition of a grill top can allow for cooking.

How Prepared Do I Need to Be?

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Preparedness depends on individual factors like household size, location, and potential hazards unique to your situation. For newcomers — or even those who have only planned for minor emergencies — this process can quickly become overwhelming. It’s easy to start with highly likely scenarios, only to find your mind spiraling into an endless list of possibilities, from realistic threats to highly improbable situations.

For many, this flood of potential threats can lead to analysis paralysis, the overwhelming feeling that if you can’t prepare for everything, why bother preparing at all? Even those who move past this doubt often struggle with where to begin, leading to inaction. Despite recognizing the value of preparedness and self-reliance, the idea never gains traction, leaving them, and potentially their loved ones, vulnerable when disaster strikes.

Preparedness is a lifelong journey, not something you can achieve overnight. Even with unlimited resources to buy the best gear, developing the right skills, mindset, and physical conditioning takes time and effort. Let’s explore some key prepping fundamentals that beginners can start working on today. These aren’t just for newcomers, even those who consider themselves well-prepared often have gaps in their skillset that could use improvement.

Maintaining baseline physical fitness will make any emergency situation easier to handle

Physical Fitness

We begin here because physical fitness is one of the most critical-yet-overlooked aspects of preparedness. Basic strength, endurance, and conditioning aren’t just important for overall health, they can be the difference between success and failure in an emergency. While most situations won’t demand elite athleticism, the ability to travel long distances on foot, lift and carry heavy loads, and scale obstacles like fences, walls, and rough terrain can be essential for survival.

While many imagine unlikely, worst-case scenarios, like trekking across a postapocalyptic wasteland, scaling barbed wire, and dodging raiders — physical fitness isn’t just for extreme survival fantasies. In reality, far more common emergencies can put your strength and endurance to the test, where even basic fitness can make all the difference.

While driving, we may experience a car breakdown. If you’re in an area with cell service that may be a small inconvenience, but in a more remote area you may need to walk for miles to get service or find help. While most people don’t think much of it, without physical endurance, covering 5 to 10 miles on foot can be difficult if not impossible.

Another more likely scenario could occur while hiking with your child or partner, they trip and break their ankle. They’re unable to walk, and you’re at least a few miles away from your vehicle. Do you have the physical strength to pick them up and carry them over the necessary distance?

Developing physical conditioning is something that most of us are capable of, comes at no monetary cost, and only requires time and effort. Simple exercises like walking jogging, and body weight strength training if done regularly will already provide you with a better baseline physical than a majority of the public and leave you better prepared for an emergency.

Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills is enhanced by playing challenging puzzle games

Mindset

Mindset is another crucial yet often overlooked aspect of preparedness. Strength, skills, and gear mean little if you can’t stay calm and focused in an emergency. Like physical fitness, mindset varies from person to person, shaped by life experiences — some beneficial, others detrimental. But just like muscles, mental resilience can be trained and strengthened through practice and discipline.

There is a misconception that our mental strengths and weaknesses are simply a roll of the genetic dice. While we may not be able to change our brain’s raw ability to process information, with the right conditioning we can have our minds running at peak performance. Let’s look at some of the ways that we can do this on a regular basis.

Physical Fitness: We already know having basic physical fitness can help our body overcome challenges, it also has an impact on our brain function. In general, having a healthy body contributes to a more highly functioning brain.

Diet: Like any other organ, our brain, requires fuel. Maintaining a healthy diet contributes to the health and functionality of our brain.
Stimulating Activities: Just like muscles, the brain performs best with regular exercise. Activities like reading, solving puzzles, playing strategy games (including video games), and engaging in sports all help sharpen problem-solving skills and improve cognitive function under pressure.

Skills Training: Regularly training new skills keeps the brain sharp and more adaptable, making it easier to absorb and retain information. While learning naturally slows with age, an active mind remains far more effective than one left idle. Practicing skills in realistic settings builds confidence and reinforces quick, decisive action in actual emergencies.

Stress Management: Effectively managing daily stress strengthens our ability to stay composed in high-pressure situations. If we struggle to handle everyday challenges calmly and logically, we’ll likely struggle even more in an emergency. Developing consistent sleep patterns, staying physically active, and practicing simple breathing techniques can significantly improve stress management and overall resilience.

Understanding your local environment can give you clues as to where resources can be found and provide foreknowledge of potential hazards.

Evaluating Your Location

While some emergencies — like infrastructure failures and injuries — are universal, how they unfold and are managed can vary drastically by location. Certain threats are environment-specific; for instance, preparing for hurricanes in the Midwest isn’t practical, but planning for tornadoes or drought is far more relevant. Urban areas are more prone to civil unrest and panic during infrastructure failures, while in rural settings, encounters with wildlife, like bears, are a more pressing concern, something you’re unlikely to face in Midtown Manhattan.

Understanding what could potentially go wrong in your area is a great place to start. Developing skills and acquiring gear for emergencies that occur where you work and live will be far more valuable than preparing to survive in locations you spend little time in. While there is value in developing skills for different environments, that should be done down the road. Instead, try something much more basic, and less overwhelming:

Identify Potential Catalysts: These are things that can lead to an emergency. These can include natural events such as weather or human activity like crime and civil unrest.

Identify Potential Resources: This can include sources of food, water, and fuel as well as helpful people, medical resources, etc.

Identify Potential Safe Places: If you can’t get back home, have an idea of locations that may be safe to shelter temporarily.

Identify Potential Hazards: Identify the challenges that may arise in an emergency but aren’t typically a concern in daily life. Human-caused obstacles can include impassable roads, gridlocked traffic, panicked crowds, and opportunists looking to exploit the situation. Natural hazards may range from flooded waterways, rockslides, and extreme weather to encounters with wild animals and other environmental threats.

Identify Potential Egress Routes: In the event an emergency requires you leave the area, it’s good to know multiple routes of getting out. Natural events can make certain paths inaccessible, and in highly populated areas, common routes may be congested with many people trying to leave. It’s also best to leave the area before panic among the population sets in.

Small, compact tents can be stored in larger packs or on the outside of smaller packs, providing a quick and easy shelter while on the move.

Have a Plan

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” When it comes to preparedness, this couldn’t be truer. Having a solid plan for common emergencies is essential to ensuring the safety of you and your loved ones. In a perfect world, emergencies would only occur when everyone is together, but reality often dictates otherwise.

A basic emergency plan should include designated meeting places, clear instructions for children if they get separated, and specific actions household members should take if evacuation becomes necessary. A well-prepared plan can make all the difference when seconds count.

Some basic plans can include but aren’t limited to:

• Getting out of the home safely in the event of a fire

• What a child should do if they are lost (this should
also include details of what other family members
should do)

• Having a plan in place to evacuate your home and
immediate area (bugging out)

• Having a plan to shelter in place (bugging in)

Equipment, Tools, and Resources

The placement of this topic further down the list is intentional. While gear is often the focus in media, it’s actually the least important aspect of preparedness. Yes, tools can be lifesaving in an emergency, but without the skills, physical ability, and mindset to use them effectively, they’re nothing more than dead weight.

For those with experience or survival training, the phrase “skills over gear” likely comes to mind — and for good reason. The right tools help, but knowledge and capability will always be the most valuable assets in a crisis.

This isn’t to downplay the importance of high-quality, reliable gear — far from it. As mentioned earlier, the equipment you choose should be relevant to your environment and specific needs. This is a broad topic with countless variables, but we’ll cover the essentials to help newcomers build a solid foundation.

Instead of looking at EDC from a collector or enthusiast standpoint, having a functional EDC kit is essential for the prepared person.

Everyday Carry

Everyday carry (EDC) refers to the essential gear we carry daily, typically on our person or in a small bag. While the concept originally centered around self-defense and utility tools, it has also grown into a passionate community of gear enthusiasts who collect pocket tools and accessories.

When we talk about EDC in a preparedness context, we focus on practical, reliable gear that helps keep us safe and assists with daily tasks. What each person carries will depend on factors like environment, local laws, job requirements, and potential challenges, but there are a few essential EDC items that everyone should consider.

These include:

• Self-defense

• Pocket utility tools

• Illumination

• Fire/combustion

• First aid

Jumper cables or a jump pack is one of the most important components of a vehicle emergency kit.

Vehicle Kits

If you have a vehicle, you should have a kit on hand to handle basic maintenance and repair of your vehicle in the case of a breakdown. This can help avoid lengthy waiting times for help or the need to walk long distances. Some items to have in your vehicle kit are:

• Jack and tire iron

• Tire repair kit

• Spare tire

• Jumper cables

• Road flares or reflective signs

• Simple hand tools

Along with basic vehicle maintenance essentials, it’s crucial to keep seasonally appropriate gear like blankets and spare clothing on hand. Additionally, carrying extra water, nonperishable food, and a well-stocked first aid kit can make a significant difference in an emergency.
Equally important is maintaining a near-full tank of gas whenever possible and ensuring your vehicle’s maintenance is up to date to avoid unexpected breakdowns when you need reliability the most.

Keeping flashlights and lanterns like the Fenix LD45R and Princeton Tec Helix LI can ensure safe navigation around your home and immediate area during a blackout. Battery packs and solar generators can keep your portable lights and other electronics charged and ready for multiple days if needed.

Home Supplies

Basic home preparedness doesn’t require a bunker stocked with canned beans, but having extra supplies can make a world of difference. Natural disasters like hurricanes and winter storms can knock out power, block roads, and disrupt supply chains, making it difficult to restock essentials or rely on modern conveniences. With a little foresight and planning, you can ensure your household has everything needed to shelter in place until infrastructure is restored. Here are some essential emergency items to keep at home:

• At least one week’s supply of nonperishable and
long-shelf-life food

• One flashlight and one lantern per person

• Batteries: AA, AAA, C, D, and 9 volts

• Backup power for modern rechargeable devices,
including charged battery packs and solar generators

• Solar panel to recharge battery packs and devices

• Medical items, including first aid, over-the-counter
meds, and a good supply of any prescriptions when
possible

• Items for warmth in the winter such as blankets

• Alternative cooking methods like a propane grill,
charcoal grill, or firepit

• Home defense, if you have the appropriate training

• Emergency radio with hand crank, if possible

This is a bare-bones list. There are many other items to help you not just survive but thrive in adverse conditions. Start here and grow your home emergency kit as you learn and develop skills.

Having a robust and comfortable backpack like the Badger Claw Outfitters Discovery M1 to store your essentials allows for better movement and weather protection.

Bug-Out Bag

The bug-out bag has become nearly as iconic in popular media as the term prepper itself. Designed to hold everything you need to survive for a few days in case of evacuation, assembling one can be a major challenge — especially for beginners, who often overpack or leave out critical essentials. The key is striking the right balance between carrying the essentials while keeping weight manageable, ensuring mobility isn’t compromised. Countless resources cover bug-out bag setups, but here, we’ll focus on the must-have essentials.

• Copies of important documents including IDs

• Change of clothes (ideally three days)

• Personal hygiene items

• Medications, both over the counter and prescription

• Water and water purification tools should you run out

• Nonperishable food items, high-calorie protein and
adventure bars are ideal.

• First aid kit

• Flashlight or headlamp

• Basic survival kit including cordage, shelter, fire tools,
navigation/maps

• Self-defense tools

• Multi-tool

• Cash/currency

• Seasonal items like gloves, hats, scarf, sunblock, bug
repellent, etc.

• Repair items like duct tape, swing kit, superglue, etc.

• Power banks and charging accessories for any
electronics you carry

• Extra batteries for non-rechargeable items

• Portable cooking and water boiling equipment

This is just the basics, but as you can see, a bug-out bag can get heavy quickly. The best way to refine your setup is to train with it. Carry it over distances to build endurance and improve your ability to move efficiently under load. Regular use will also help you determine what gear is truly essential and what can be left behind, ensuring your bag is both practical and manageable in a real emergency.

A fire kit is essential in both wilderness and urban environments. Fire provides warmth, can boil water, and be used for signaling.

Skills Training

You may have noticed that training has been emphasized multiple times — and for good reason. Training is essential, and it comes in many forms. Ideally, incorporating a combination of methods will help you develop the well-rounded skills needed to survive. When training with others, be sure your instructor is reputable, and whenever possible, take similar courses from different instructors. Gaining multiple perspectives will broaden your understanding and refine your skillset.

Self-Taught: Training on your own isn’t a bad thing. Many people start here after reading books or watching videos. While this does have its benefits, it lacks having someone standing over your shoulder pointing to mistakes or areas of improvement.

In-Person Training: One of the most effective ways to learn may be through hands-on training with a skilled professional in the field. This provides firsthand experience in a realistic environment, reinforcing critical skills. However, in-person training may require travel and can be costly, making it less accessible for some individuals.

Online Training: Many professionals now offer online training programs, providing the advantage of guided instruction, feedback, and Q&A support — all without the need for extensive travel. While this approach is often more effective than simply watching videos, it lacks the hands-on, real-world experience that in-person training provides.

Having a first aid kit and some more advanced medical items if trained can keep you moving in a bug-out scenario.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this has helped dispel the myths surrounding prepping, often misrepresented by popular media. The desire to be prepared and self-reliant is deeply rooted in human nature. While it's impossible to plan for every scenario, following basic preparedness principles can significantly improve your ability to handle emergencies. If you're ready to take the next step, there's no better time to start than today. Take your time, build your knowledge, and grow your skills — preparedness isn’t a final destination, it’s an ongoing journey.

Read More From Issue 67

Don’t miss essential survival insights—sign up for Recoil Offgrid's free newsletter today!

• Editor's Letter Issue 67
• Review of the Tiny Survival Guide 2.0
• Offgrid Adventures: South Africa to Hawaii
• Reiff Knives F4 Field Test: A Comparison of the Three F4 Variants
• Urban EDC
• Interview with Reuben Bolieu
• Choosing an EDC Knife
• Urban Emergency Vehicle Kit
• Gear Up: Spring Into Action
• The Death File

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original version for the web.

Editor’s Note: The following is a true story. For security reasons, names and exact locations will be withheld and a few minor details changed.

“Now we have an understanding.”

The airport official tapped the envelope stuffed with American currency and let the group pass through the checkpoint. The clock was ticking, and my friend’s group was trying to get back to the United States from a country in Africa that had imminent flight restrictions pending due to a disease outbreak.

My friend and his associates had traveled to Africa for an expedition, but when they attempted to return home, they were stopped at security and told they could not proceed. This was more than an inconvenience — it was a potential disaster. The country was preparing to shut down all flights to the United States due to a worsening health crisis. If they didn’t get on that plane, they might be stuck overseas during a pandemic, far from their family and their health care providers.

As they gathered in the lobby, trying to figure out why they had been stopped, they noticed something odd. Other travelers were passing through the checkpoint after discreetly handing over plain envelopes to the guard. A quick call to their in-country guide confirmed what was happening.

They pooled their remaining cash into an envelope provided by their in-country guide; it was all in American dollars, fortunately. The American dollar still holds value in all corners of the world. It’s seen as the World’s Reserve Currency, one of the safest and most dependable currencies (for now).

The group leader approached the guard again, discreetly handed over the envelope, pointed to my friend’s group, and asked if they could board. The official took a glance inside, turned back to them, and uttered the words that would get them out of the country.

“Now we have an understanding.”

They made it onto the flight just before the lockdown took effect. This incident raises a critical question: What if the dollar no longer held its status as the world’s reserve currency? What then?

When cash loses its value, precious metals can become currency. In a crisis, bartering with things like gold or silver could mean the difference between getting what you need or going without.

“You Can’t Eat Gold”

In the prepping community, the most common argument against precious metals is: “You can’t eat gold.” And to be fair, that’s absolutely true. If you’re starving in a total collapse scenario, gold and silver won’t fill your stomach the way a stockpile of rice and beans will.
I’d never suggest that someone make precious metals their first prep. Before you even think about stacking silver or gold, your priorities should be food, water, medical supplies, security, and shelter. Those are survival essentials. We all know this. There’s no point arguing against those facts.

However, different preps serve different purposes. Precious metals aren’t about immediate survival. They aren’t about filling your stomach (at least, not directly). They’re about long-term financial resilience, barter potential, and mobility. When fiat currencies fail, or governments impose financial controls, gold and silver have historically provided a means of escape and recovery.

Let’s return to my friend’s airport story for a moment. He got lucky that the officials still accepted U.S. dollars. But what if they hadn’t? What if the dollar was worthless or banned in that country? Historically, in times of crisis, people have used gold to bribe officials, escape war zones, and rebuild their lives when paper money became worthless. We know this happened during World War II, and we know it's happening now in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Bartering isn’t just about what you have, it’s about how easily you can trade it. The Prepper Bar — a credit card-sized piece of precious metal — is designed to break into smaller segments, offering increased flexibility when cash is worthless.

A Currency That Has Stood the Test of Time

Gold has been used as a form of currency for over 2,000 years. Empires have risen and fallen, yet gold has retained its value through every collapse. The Weimar German Mark and the (pre-2009) Zimbabwean dollar, they all became devalued in the end. But gold remained.
During WWII, some RAF pilots carried small gold coins in their emergency kits. If they were shot down behind enemy lines, they could use those coins to buy safe passage, food, or shelter. Why? Because gold holds universal value. It isn’t tied to any one country’s economy, and once melted or broken into smaller pieces, it becomes virtually untraceable.

During historical times of strife, refugees have used gold to escape economic collapse, war, and oppressive regimes. When paper money became useless, some black markets still accepted gold and silver in exchange for vital supplies. If the financial system ever fails or digital currency restrictions are imposed, precious metals could serve as a black market currency to obtain needed food, medicine, or safe passage.
Recently, a U.S. senator was convicted of accepting gold bars as a bribe.

Why gold? Because, again, it is nearly untraceable if melted and reformed. Once it has been repoured as a coin, bar, or piece of jewelry, it becomes very difficult for authorities to determine the origin. Yet it retains value in weight, nearly anywhere in the world.

e: Sometimes, a well-placed $100 bill can open doors when nothing else will. A Wazoo Cache Belt keeps it hidden but accessible, perfect for emergencies where a Benjamin speaks louder than words.

“Gold Is Too Expensive”

Some people argue that gold is out of reach for the average person. And while it’s true that a single ounce can cost over $2,800 now, there are more affordable options.

Fractional gold coins or bars in smaller weights, such as 1/10th of an ounce makes gold ownership accessible for more people. Not only is it easier to accumulate over time, but it's also more practical for trade. In a crisis, trying to barter with a full ounce of gold could be like trying to buy a loaf of bread with a $1,000 bill. In some situations, flashing that much gold could be risky and make one a target. Smaller denominations offer more flexibility.

Silver is another option. It has historically been the common man’s money and is far more affordable than gold. Silver coins, rounds, and bars provide a tangible way to store wealth without breaking the bank. Of course, if mobility is the goal, it is hard to travel with a large amount of silver. In other words, a handful of gold coins can be easily exchanged for the equivalent of $10,000 in U.S. dollars at nearly any jeweler or coin shop, at almost any major city in the world. Travelling with that much silver is not easily accomplished though.

“Nobody Will Want Gold If SHTF”

Skeptics in the prepping community often argue that in a total collapse, nobody will care about gold and silver. While it’s true that in an immediate survival situation food, water, medicine, first aid supplies, batteries, and ammo will be more important, history tells us that every economic collapse eventually leads to a barter market and then some form of stabilized recovery.

Gold and silver have always been valued in those markets when this has happened in other areas of the world. When a currency is replaced, typically gold has retained some value and can be exchanged for the new currency. Older, discontinued currency often doesn’t have that reliability. And when recovery does happen, nobody wants to buy your stockpile of canned peaches.

However, even if a full-blown SHTF scenario never happens, precious metals still serve a purpose. Unlike food storage, which eventually expires, gold and silver retain value. They can be passed down to future generations or sold during retirement. If nothing else, they act as a partial hedge against inflation and financial instability. If a true collapse never happens, what would you rather have to help you in your retirement? A basement full of canned spam or a safe full of fractional gold? Maybe you want a bit of both?

Or sometimes a person just needs to “get off the X.” We all plan to “bug in” if there is a crisis, but history shows us that sometimes a situation is so bad that you’re forced off your location. If someone needed to get out of country quickly, a handful of gold coins might not only help them obtain passage when it was otherwise prohibited, but it can be exchanged nearly anywhere in the world for that local currency, giving the “refugee” a chance to escape and start anew, with anonymity.

This has happened historically and is happening today. This is why “flight risk” is often considered elevated when courts are assessing bond for rich criminal suspects. It's easy for them to disappear, and gold makes that disappearance anonymous and challenging to trace.

Security

Depending on your situation, you’ll need to determine how and where you store your precious metals. Most people will recommend a fire-resistant safe that’s cemented into your floor or wall. I prefer to store mine offsite in a bank vault. Some worry that the bank could confiscate that, but that’s rare, and I stay within the law. I also don’t have to worry as much about losing it all if there’s a burglary, fire, or flood by storing it off-site in a bank vault.

The choice is yours. One thing that most in the precious communities say is “if you’re stacking, you better be packing.” I’ll let the readers determine for themselves how they provide for the safety of their family, but please don’t make yourself an easy target. And if you buy your gold in jewelry, don't flash a lot of it on your person at the same time.

Stacking gold and silver isn’t just a hedge against crisis — it’s a smart move, no matter what the future holds. Whether for barter in a worst-case scenario or as a long-term investment, precious metals offer security when paper money can’t.

How to Tell If Your Gold Is Real

Due to gold’s high value, there is, of course, the concerns for counterfeiting. If you’re going to add gold to your preps, you need to know how to verify authenticity. Some basic tests include:

The Magnet Test: Pure gold isn’t magnetic. If it sticks to a magnet, it’s not pure gold. Some coins are alloys, so they may have some degree of magnetism. But gold coins and bars marked .9999 should not.

The Ping Test: Gold and silver coins have a distinct acoustic ring when tapped together with the same metal. This can be a learned test that you can recognize by ear memory, and there are downloadable apps that’ll match this. This test, however, can be tricky for some, and counterfeiters are getting clever at mimicking silver’s acoustic ping especially with mixed alloys.

Weight and Size Test: Genuine gold coins and bars have precise weights and measurements. A good digital scale and calipers can help detect fakes. Experienced collectors often can spot a fake gold bar or coin by comparing it to one the already possess or even by holding it in their hand.

The Ceramic Test: Pure gold is softer than ceramic. When dragged across a piece of unglazed ceramic, it should leave a residue gold streak. Counterfeit gold will often leave a black streak.

The Acid Test: There are kits that will test acid reactivity with pure gold. Pure gold shouldn’t react to nitric acid. Impurities in counterfeit gold should have a chemical reaction. A word of caution: This can damage jewelry and coins that have some gold content but are not .9999 pure. This test might be best left to a professional jeweler or at least someone very experienced in handling precious metals.
There are instruction videos online to demonstrate how to test the purity of gold with other techniques such as the specific gravity test. Many jewelers, pawn brokers, and coin shops around the world have an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer, which allows them to test gold and silver for purity. These machines are often cost prohibitive for the average person, but a shop will test your coins, bars, and jewelry if you're polite and regular customer. I would advise readers to please not abuse this courtesy service, as the shops have spent a lot of money for that equipment. It’s good etiquette to make a purchase in their store before asking if they would do this for you.

If you’re serious about buying precious metals, consider purchasing from reputable dealers. The more reputable dealers have been in business for years and usually wouldn’t want to risk their reputation by shipping counterfeit coins. The same can be said for jewelers and local coin shops. The longer they have existed in a community, the more likely they have established a safe reputation, but be sure to check online reviews as well.

Lessons from the Airport Bribe

After my friend returned to the United States, we talked about what happened. We both agreed that for any future international travel, carrying a backup form of wealth was a must. Most people who are experienced preppers and travelers know to always carry some cash from both the country they’re visiting and their home country. Even if you’re not from the United States, it still may be wise to travel with a few hundred in U.S. dollars and/or some euros when travelling abroad, because those currencies are recognized and trusted worldwide.

Carrying a bit of gold may also be beneficial, even if only in the form of jewelry that you keep on your person discretely. (I'm not a fan of anyone wearing a lot of flashy exposed gold unless you’re travelling with personal security guards.)

The experience was a real-world reminder that when things start to fall apart, money talks — but only if it still holds value. The dollar still holds that value today, but history has shown that all fiat currencies eventually fail. If that happens in our lifetime, those who prepared by diversifying into precious metals may have a big advantage.

You also don’t have to go all in. You don’t have to buy kilos of gold or fill a safe with silver bars. There is, of course, a risk of fluctuations in value with precious metals, just as this can happen with real estate and other assets. But having some precious metals as part of a well-rounded preparedness plan? That just makes sense to some of us.

After all, when the system breaks down, having options could mean the difference between being stuck in a bad location or getting out in time.

About the Author

Tom Sarge is a trauma therapist with over 27 years in mental health, specializing in first responders. A dedicated prepper, he runs the YouTube channel, Prepping With Sarge, and its Instagram counterpart, @Prepping_With_Sarge, where he shares insights on mental health first aid, wilderness foraging, financial preparedness, and food self-sufficiency. He also manages The Official Mental Health Matters Channel, teaching strategies for coping with trauma, anxiety, panic disorder, and insomnia. When he's not working with patients, Sarge enjoys traveling with his wife, hiking, camping, gardening, foraging, and collecting knives.

Read More From Issue 67

Don’t miss essential survival insights—sign up for Recoil Offgrid's free newsletter today!

• Editor's Letter Issue 67
• Review of the Tiny Survival Guide 2.0
• Offgrid Adventures: South Africa to Hawaii
• Reiff Knives F4 Field Test: A Comparison of the Three F4 Variants
• Urban EDC
• Interview with Reuben Bolieu
• Choosing an EDC Knife
• Urban Emergency Vehicle Kit
• Gear Up: Spring Into Action
• The Death File

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original version for the web.

The Doors frontman Jim Morrison said it best. “No one here gets out alive.” At some point every single one of us is going to shuffle off this mortal coil and move on to whatever lies beyond. Few of us get to choose the time, place, and manner of our demise.

Make no mistake, financial preparedness should absolutely be part of your prepping plan, and that includes planning for how your family should handle things when you pass. This is especially important if you’re the bookkeeper for the household.

My dad died in July of 2019. It was a longtime coming, as he’d been in poor health for a few years prior to his death. Suffice it to say, it wasn’t exactly a surprise. After my mother had died about a decade earlier, I started asking him about his own last wishes and such. All he would say is that everything I would need was in a file in his desk. He’d then change the subject and refuse to discuss it further.

When he died, I located the folder. Inside was a very bare-bones will that was two pages long, and that’s it. Nothing about last wishes, no estate information at all. Ownership of his home, along with the mortgage and other attached debts, transferred automatically to me (see Transfer on Death Deed sidebar). We also had information about some of his utility accounts, as we’d been paying a few of them by then.
But that’s about all we knew at that point, and it got ugly quickly after that.

The level of disarray found in many basements, attics, and garages can be remarkable, and that’s just the beginning when it comes to closing an estate.

It seemed like every day we were finding out about money he owed to this or that company. He’d not kept up on the maintenance of the house, and numerous repairs were needed before we could put it up for sale. All the while, my wife and I were paying the mortgage on it, as well as paying for the repair work that we couldn’t handle ourselves.

Through this entire process, which took months, there was so much to do that there was no time to just grieve for our loss. So much of it could’ve been avoided had he just taken the time to plan ahead.

Don’t do that to your family. Take responsibility and put together your Death File.

Few of us have unlimited budgets but seriously consider retaining an attorney to help you set up the legal components of the Death File.

The Death File

Sure, that name is a little morbid. Change it to whatever you’d like. Some folks label it In Case of Death or It’s Your Problem Now. The idea here is to collect, collate, and curate as much information that your family will need upon your passing and put it all in one place.
It might be referred to as a “file,” but more likely it’ll be a collection of files, or perhaps a binder with divided sections within. Use whatever organizational scheme works best for you. Don’t rely on digital media for this, either. The Death File should consist of hard copies of everything. If you want to supplement it with digital copies as well, more power to you.

The reason for actual paper copies is that digital files could be lost in a computer crash or just flat out be inaccessible if someone doesn’t know the password to log into the system. Plus, in many cases, you’ll need to have hard copies of certain documents in hand to present to someone, such as when dealing with healthcare directives at the hospital.

So, what should be in your Death File?

Estate planning should involve far more than just deciding who gets saddled with your grandmother’s collection of tiny spoons. 

Funeral Arrangements & Last Wishes

If you’ve already made funeral arrangements, that information should be detailed. If you haven’t done so, then you should include any specifics you desire, such as if you want to be cremated, and, if so, do you want your ashes scattered somewhere? Are there certain flowers you would like present at your service? Any special music played? Is there anything specific you want included in your obituary? Anyone in particular you want appointed to be pallbearers?

This is also where you could include instructions to your next of kin regarding any pets you have. Are certain family members supposed to take possession of them? Are there provisions for their care?

It’s important to note that a last wishes document isn’t legally binding. It isn’t your will. It’s simply information that your family will hopefully consider as they move forward.

Safes are great for protecting valuables, but make sure your next of kin know how to get into them.

Legal Documents

There are several legal documents that should be present in your Death File. The Last Will and Testament appoints the executor of your estate and specifies what you want done with your assets.

The Living Will states your medical treatment preferences if you’re unable to communicate them yourself. This includes things like life support and resuscitation. This is sometimes augmented by an Advance Directive. Among other things, that will appoint a proxy to make healthcare decisions for you if you’re unable to do it yourself.

Power of Attorney (POA) is what allows someone to make legal decisions for you. This includes buying or selling property on your behalf and often includes healthcare decisions. The scope of the POA can be detailed so as to be limited to certain capacities or functions.

Financial Accounts

This should include a list of every single account you have, such as checking, savings, money market, IRA, 401(k), and such. Provide the account number and any necessary contact information related to the account. A copy of a recent statement can be beneficial as well. It’s a good idea to include log in information for all of the accounts that are accessed online. Remember to update this information in the Death File any time you change the passwords on those accounts.

Vital Records

Include copies of your birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree, and DD214 and other military records. Most of this might not turn out to be absolutely necessary, but it’s better to have it all in one place, just in case.

Insurance Policies

Here you should include information related to life, home, auto, and property insurance policies. You don’t necessarily need to include the entire policy for everything. But you should make sure to jot down the contact information for the insurance agents, along with any necessary account numbers and similar information. You might include a note as to where your family can find the full policies if they aren’t included here.

About four months after my dad passed, I received a call from an insurance company. It turned out that dad had one life insurance policy he’d never mentioned. They had discovered his death information when they were doing a routine file audit. The policy netted us a whopping $400.

Bills

Many of us have most of our routine bills set up on autopay. That’s not a bad thing. But you probably won’t need your gym membership renewed after you’ve died, right? Put together a list of every single bill that gets paid routinely, whether it’s on autopay or not. This would be things like credit cards, utilities, memberships, and loans. Include the company name, their contact information, and your account number. Make it as easy as possible for your family to know where to call to cancel the account and settle up the tab. Continuing to accrue charges doesn’t help anyone but the billing company.

It sounds counterintuitive, but your Death File should have information that’ll allow your family to open your email so they can send and receive messages.

E-mail

Have a section in your Death File that spells out how to access all of your e-mail accounts, both work and personal. This is something that’s often overlooked but can be very important, especially when time is of the essence. While your employer should be able to access any work accounts, your family may need to get into your personal e-mail to check for messages there and respond as necessary. If family members need to access online accounts, the password reminders or generators for those sites will send messages to the e-mail accounts tied to them.

Social Media

Along with e-mail, you should list the log in information for any social media accounts you maintain. You might also include a list of specific people your family should reach out to and notify of your passing. Many of us have developed several contacts online through social media that our families might not know. That’s not because you’re hiding something, of course. It’s just the nature of social media. We have work colleagues, we have real-life friends, and then we have our imaginary friends we only interact with on Facebook and Instagram. Those online contacts can then help spread the word through the various groups and such to which you might belong.

Home Information

You should list the locations for all spare keys, as well as codes for gates, combination locks, and the like. Don’t forget about any keys you’ve hidden outside so you wouldn’t accidentally get locked out of the house.

If you maintain a safe or other secure location where you store cash, precious metals, important documents, and similar items, be sure to leave instructions on where to find those things and how to access them. My father had a small safe that stayed in his bedroom, but he never wrote down the combination. I ended up having to reach out to the manufacturer and jump through a few hoops to get them to send me the combination. I’m glad I went to the effort to do so, as that’s where we found a stash of antique money he’d received in a trade with someone many years prior.

Some people like to hide money or other valuables, rather than use a safe. If you’re one of those folks, now’s the time to reveal those hiding places. Think about it like this. In many cases, family is going to sell your home. Do you want those valuables going to the buyers? If not, make sure your survivors know where to look and what they should find there.

Last Words

One more thing to consider adding to your Death File are notes or letters to your loved ones. This is an opportunity to share with them what they’ve meant to you. This can be particularly important for those who have difficulty expressing their emotions to their loved ones. These sorts of letters can help bring closure to your grieving family. Write as much or as little as you’d like. You might go so far as to provide explanations for any bequeathments that might cause friction among family members. Doing so may help ease tensions, particularly if things are already contentious among certain people in the family.

The Death File should have copies of all of your important documents, including marriage certificates and divorce decrees if applicable.

Death File Location

Once you start putting the Death File together, the question becomes where will you keep it? As with everything else, there’s no one size fits all answer. But consider that your family will need to know where to find it, and they should be able to access it easily. This isn’t the time to leave a trail of clues for them to try to follow one after another. As much fun as that might sound, be practical.

A fire-resistant lock box would be a great way to store the Death File. Going through all this work only to have the file be destroyed in a house fire would be truly unfortunate. Just make sure your family knows where to find the key to open the box.

Wherever you decide to keep it, make sure you update it regularly, such as when you change passwords to any accounts. This isn’t a one and done sort of project. It’s much more of an ongoing sort of thing, or at least it should be. Make a point of revisiting it at least twice a year to bring all the information current.

Final Thoughts

Losing a loved one, especially a parent, can be traumatic. It takes a while for grief to pass, even under the best of conditions. Add in the stress of closing out an estate, especially one that’s monumentally disorganized, and it can take months or even years to get through it. Give your family the gift of time to grieve by making things as easy as possible for them. The Death File will go a long way in that regard.

Transfer on Death Deed

In many states, establishing a Transfer on Death Deed (TOD) allows you to transfer ownership of real estate to a beneficiary without going through probate. This can potentially save serious amounts of money. The TOD might be called a revocable transfer on death deed, a “Lady Bird” deed, or beneficiary deed in some areas.

Without getting into all of the legalese, the high points to remember are that the TOD only takes effect when the owner dies. Until that happens, the beneficiary has zero rights to the property and the owner retains full control of it. The TOD can be revoked or modified at any time by the owner.

This isn’t something the average layperson should set up on their own. Consult an attorney who is experienced in estate planning and have them draw up the paperwork. They can also explain how a TOD will work in your specific situation.

The Nokbox

In 2021, Marla’s father died. Just like what happened in my situation, as well as what happens to thousands of other people every year, she quickly realized there was so much more to closing an estate than simply locating and reading the will, if the decedent had even gone that far with their planning. Marla and her family spent countless hours trying to track down bank accounts, investment accounts, and so much more — all while grieving the loss of their patriarch.

This experience eventually led to the creation of the Nokbox. It’s sort of a one-stop shop for estate organization to make things easier for your next of kin. The core system consists of 15 colored and labeled hanging file folders. These are for the organizational categories, such as legal, medical, income, assets, primary residence, and bank accounts.

Within each of these folders are several subfolders to further organize the information. For example, in the primary residence folder, you’ll find subfolders for mortgage or lease, utilities & HOA, maintenance & repairs, people, and home inventory & other information. From there, it drills down further through the use of worksheets that are filled out with important information, such as listing all of the utility companies and how to contact them. On the reverse of the worksheet is a detailed list of instructions for the next of kin.

There are also two zippered bags. One is for critical documents, such as passports, property deeds, and birth certificates. The other is for keys for home, vehicles, and such. Both of these bags are intended to be kept in a locked safe or other secure location.

It all comes packaged in a watertight plastic file box. This is a great system, particularly for those who aren’t prone to keeping things organized.

Find it at thenokbox.com

About the Author

Jim Cobb is a nationally recognized authority on disaster readiness. He has been involved with preparedness for nearly 40 years and has developed a reputation for his common-sense approach to the subject. In addition to his numerous books and several hundred magazine articles, Cobb is one of the co-hosts of the How to Survive 2025 podcast. He offers a free weekly newsletter called The Survival Weekly Dispatch jimcobb.substack.com

Read More From Issue 67

Don’t miss essential survival insights—sign up for Recoil Offgrid's free newsletter today!

• Editor's Letter Issue 67
• Review of the Tiny Survival Guide 2.0
• Offgrid Adventures: South Africa to Hawaii
• Reiff Knives F4 Field Test: A Comparison of the Three F4 Variants
• Urban EDC
• Interview with Reuben Bolieu
• Choosing an EDC Knife
• Urban Emergency Vehicle Kit
• Gear Up: Spring Into Action

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original version for the web.

Every year, spring brings with it a picturesque landscape. Just as snow melts from the hills and trees, it also generates dangerous road conditions. Depending on where you live, lagging winter remnants can be met with spring storms, sometimes with little warning, creating hazards that can leave you precariously alone. The circumstances that lead to cars being stuck, damaged, or altogether disabled are also the circumstances that hamper first responders, delay roadside assistance, or make immediate aid an impossibility. It’s in those situations, where a little preparation and a vehicle emergency kit could go a long way. It could even save your life.

For those who live in areas prone to harsh winters, nasty storms, or evacuation gridlock, stocking and storing an emergency vehicle kit isn’t a novel idea — it’s simply part of the culture. For everyone else, it’s just a smart move. What to place in that kit, though, is as individual as the person putting it together. There isn’t one catchall that’s right for all emergency kits, although there are certain commonalities that’d be beneficial regardless of region.

Like most, there are some basic tools I’ve always kept in my vehicle. Articles found in most pre-made vehicle kits that you would see in any big-box store or with a quick Internet search: a small toolbox, flares, and a tow strap, among other basics. I do, however, add an additional cache of gear, which are compact, but pack a punch in their respective categories. For those who live in urban areas, where they are never very far away from homes or commercial buildings, a far less robust kit could suffice. But if there’s even a remote chance that my vehicle can be incapacitated away from help or stuck either in traffic or bad weather, I have my gear with me.

Lastly, I try to be efficient with my selections. When putting together my emergency vehicle kit, I don’t fill it with items that are exclusive to that kit. I pull pieces from my gear stash that wouldn’t only be useful in an emergent situation but also provide comfort or assistance in a variety of perilous situations, threatening weather scenarios, or even adventure outings.

The Bag

In most vehicles, space is a premium. It’d be easy to load up all available areas with preparation things. I employ a more realistic approach. I also drive a truck, so trunk space isn’t an option. The bag I use is the Gregory Alpaca Gear Tote 30. It’s sturdy and durable, and the tote style allows me to easily access items in it. It’s designed to fit nicely on the floorboard behind one of the front seats. There’s a faction of people who would prefer to use an enclosed bag to avoid advertising its contents, but, in my experience, people with nefarious intentions are often drawn to closed bags and backpacks with the hope of high payout treasure. So, I place the more enticing or identifiable options at the bottom and top it with the less attractive components.

Be ready for the unexpected. A well-stocked vehicle emergency kit can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major crisis.

Vehicle Care

There are a few vital pieces of equipment that are a must for any emergency vehicle kit: a battery jumper, a power bank/charger, and an air compressor. A dead battery, a phone with little power remaining, or a flat tire can all be disastrous. To meet all those challenges, based on recommendations and ratings, I chose Uncharted’s Zeus Air. Because my truck has a 5.7-liter engine, I needed to ensure I bought a charger/jumper strong enough to get my engine going. The Zeus Air can jump up to 6-liter diesel engines.

It can also charge cell phones, tablets, etc., and includes a built-in flashlight. The air compressor has to be strong enough to inflate a flat truck tire in a timely manner and, just as importantly, be able to reach the tires from the 12-volt plug that’s often near the dash. The Zeus Air takes cord reach out of the equation with its battery-powered 150-psi air inflator. Finally, after the previous mistake of including a low-cost/low-quality snow shovel that quickly broke, I upgraded to the MSR Operator for its low weight, high strength, and durability as well as added a folding utility shovel. Neither take up much space and meet most digging-out needs.

Thermal Protection

Even in warmer months, cold temperatures lurk when the sun goes down. Survival is the priority, but comfort is also a factor. Outdoor Research makes quality warm and durable gloves with good dexterity that I add along with a lined beanie and extra-thick socks. Hand warmers are always a bonus addition that aren’t going to make or break a survival situation but can add a little comfort that could go a long way if I’m stuck and cold. My big-ticket addition is the Therm-A-Rest Honcho Poncho. It’s a 650-fill down poncho that’s functional, warm, and packs nicely into the bag without taking up too much space. It has so many uses beyond a cold-weather crisis and is handy to have available.

For sun protection, I pack a bottle of high SPF sunblock. Be it a calamitous situation or any random outdoor event, a sunburn will quickly ruin your week. For when the clouds roll in, quality rain gear is a big benefit, but for an emergency vehicle kit, a few cheap rain ponchos will suffice. As a matter of fact, they’re likely to be used more than most elements of your kit for all those various caught-in-the-rain situations.

Survival

To some, it may seem like overkill to include food, hydration, and fire-starting pieces, but in my mind, they’re essential additions and take up very little space, providing a lot of bang for your spatial buck. From my hiking supplies, I add my small and reliable MSR Windburner Personal Stove, a few Backpacker’s Pantry meals, a long spoon, and Tailwind electrolyte powder to add hydration and flavor to water. For simplicity, low cost, and low bag space reasons, I threw in a LifeStraw for water filtration. Combined, these provide food and drink that could realistically sustain one person for several days.

Two Nalgene bottles are included. One is 80-percent filled with water to allow expansion if it freezes. The other one is for an often-overlooked aspect of preparation: restroom needs. Heavily stickered to differentiate, my other Nalgene bottle, along with a ziplock bag full of dog potty bags and wipes, is for those emergent needs.

Lighters and long-burn matches are incorporated because every kit for any purpose should have fire-starting capabilities. As a fan of high-quality and multi-use items, I also include the SOL fuel-free rechargeable plasma lighter that also comes with a built-in flashlight. And because you can never have enough light, a rechargeable headlamp is great to free up your hands while providing illumination (and I can rely on my battery charger for a boost if power gets low).

Extras

There’s additional equipment no pack would be complete without. I include a pre-built first aid kit that I customized with additional items. My choice is the First Aid Plus. The compact, water-resistant case holds an impressive cache of medical supplies and features extra gear beyond first aid, such as a multi-tool, matches, Mylar blanket, zip ties, and chem lights.

A full-sized roll of Gorilla or duct tape offers countless options, most notably for clothing or gear repair. And, although it provides zero thermal protection, duct tape can also block ambient wind if glass becomes broken or there’s a puncture into the passenger compartment. Finally, leather work gloves and a folding saw complete the kit. The saw, even though it is a limited-use tool, becomes invaluable when needed. Tree limbs can be caught up under or into a vehicle that need to be cut, and, of course, it gives the ability to cut firewood in a survival situation.

Closing Thoughts

Every year, I raid my outdoor supplies, re-evaluate my needs, and combine them into what you see here. A lot is packed into one small tote. This kit provides peace of mind if I get into a pinch with my truck. It also offers an organized stash of often-utilized items that, honestly, are used far more often for day-to-day adventures than survival, but I have the peace of mind knowing that, if things turn dire, I’m ready.

Read More From Issue 67

Don’t miss essential survival insights—sign up for Recoil Offgrid's free newsletter today!

• Editor's Letter Issue 67
• Review of the Tiny Survival Guide 2.0
• Offgrid Adventures: South Africa to Hawaii
• Reiff Knives F4 Field Test: A Comparison of the Three F4 Variants
• Urban EDC
• Interview with Reuben Bolieu
• Choosing an EDC Knife

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original version for the web.

Reuben Bolieu is a man who trades tents for tarps, drumsticks for jungle knives, and panic for a steady pulse. A California native turned global adventurer, he’s whittled his adventure life down to a 4.5-pound pack and a philosophy forged in frostbite, bear chases, and seismic shakes. From Big Bear’s campsites to Peru’s rain-soaked jungles, Reuben’s path — part ultralight backpacker, part survivalist scribe — spans decades of mistakes and triumphs. With a camera in hand and a story to tell, he’s less about mastering the wild and more about learning from it, one steady, deliberate step at a time.

Interview with Reuben Bolieu

You’ve been on some wild adventures. What sparked that interest?

Reuben Bolieu: I’ve been hooked on camping since I was a kid. My grandfather would haul me, my cousin, my brother, and a gaggle of friends up to Big Bear, California. We’d wrestle with this massive canvas tent — poles, mud, the works. I loved those trips, but, man, I hated the setup and teardown — wet, heavy chaos. Even so, I couldn’t quit camping.

As I got older, I decided to rethink the whole game. I wanted to go lighter, faster, simpler. That’s when I dove into ultralight backpacking — super ultralight, like 20 pounds base weight. I was training for big hikes: Grand Canyon, Mount Whitney, stuff like that.

When did you make that shift from clunky kid camping to ultralight?

High school was the turning point. I’d had enough. I’d never been so cold or scared as I was in those big tents. You’ve got all this airspace you can’t heat, and every squirrel rustling outside sounds like a bear — or a serial killer. I’d lie awake, freaking out over chipmunks. It wasn’t fun anymore. I wanted to love the process, not just the scenery. So, I started trimming weight — down to 10 pounds of base gear, four-season ready. High altitude, snow, whatever. Eventually, I crunched it to four and a half pounds. That’s my sweet spot now. I’m always comfortable, always dry — something to sleep on, in, and under. Best sleep in camp, guaranteed.

Four and a half pounds? No tent? How does that work?

Tents are history for me — I haven’t owned one in years. I’m a tarp guy now. Lean-to or A-frame setup, depending. Why? When you hear a noise, you flick on your light and see it’s just a squirrel or an owl. No more lying there, imagination running wild, picturing a grizzly. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard something creeping close, flipped the light, and laughed — it’s a raccoon, not a monster. That visibility matters to me.

What about snakes, mosquitoes, creepy crawlies?

Mosquitoes? Worst bites of my life were in tents — they get trapped inside. Under a tarp, they just buzz through. In the tropics or summer swamps, I’ll use a hammock with a net, or one of those box nets you tuck around you. Bugs don’t faze me much. I’ve never met anyone killed by one. Snakes? Growing up in the Southwest, I’ve slept on the ground forever — desert camping, rattlesnake country. Never woke up with one curled on me. I was a hammock hanger for 12 years, but I ditched it to go lighter. Now I’m ground-only, unless I’m teaching in Alabama or Georgia in August — jungle vibes — or somewhere like Peru or the Philippines. Otherwise, no issues. Animals don’t care about us half as much as we think.

That urban myth about snakes snuggling up for warmth? Busted?

Totally. People swear it happens, but in decades of sleeping on the ground in rattlesnake territory, it’s never once been true for me. I’m not naive. I know they’re out there, but I don’t sweat it. Tents aren’t the answer anyway. They trap bugs, get grimy, and if a bear wants in, that zipper’s not stopping it. It’s a false security blanket. I say take what makes you happy outdoors, but I’ll be over here with my 5-minute setup, no wet tent to pack, just a tarp and a mesh-sided pack. Works for me.

How did you go from ultralight camping in high school to freelance writing and jungle trips?

It started with backpacking — those grueling Whitney hikes in the late ’90s, early 2000s. I’d be out with fit, gear-heavy friends, training at all altitudes for six months. One day, I tossed out a question: “What if our packs slid down this hill?” Nobody had an answer. That bugged me. I hated feeling dependent on stuff. What if my tent rips? Where’s the duct tape? So, I decided to ditch the gear crutches and learn real skills.
Back then, pre-YouTube, I ordered VHS tapes, Ron Hood’s The Woodsmaster series, mid-’90s stuff. You’d see an ad in a magazine, send a check, and wait. I devoured those, plus old-school books like the SAS survival manuals. John “Lofty” Wiseman was my hero — jungle badass. The tropics became my holy grail. I thought, I can’t go there clueless, so I built skills, took photos — crappy ones, just to remember — and kept at it.

Meanwhile, I was a pro drummer, gigging worldwide for Disneyland. That let me sample wildernesses — Spain, New Zealand, Egypt — and return to dig deeper. I’d fumble skills, make mistakes, learn. Grand Canyon, SoCal peaks, Whitney again. Then, in September 2007, my cousin asked, “What’s next?” I said, “The jungle.” Ten minutes later, I’m on the phone with Mike Perrin from Randall’s Adventure & Training. He goes, “We’ve got a November trip, one slot left.” Most people overthink and talk themselves out of it. Not me. I had a weird two-week break from drumming, so I said yes. Picked up from Disneyland, gear packed, next stop: Lima, Peru. Life-changing doesn’t cover it.

What was that first jungle trip like?

A riot. Five of us: an Alaskan survival instructor, a Maryland bartender hooked by Survivorman, a Google coder who’d never camped but matched my gear from forum posts, me, and Jeff Randall, co-founder of the school. Newbies thrived, no bad habits. Skills carry over, sure, but the jungle’s a reset. We made mistakes — tons — and learned fast. Jeff, a magazine writer I’d read for years, sat across from me for hours and said, “You should do this — write.” I laughed. “I don’t know about cameras or writing.” Two days after we got back, I’m drumming again, but his words stuck.

How’d you leap from drumming to writing and photography?

Jeff hounded me, gave me editors’ contacts, said my forum posts about gear and trips were gold. I’d documented everything — Whitney prep, desert hikes, skill flops — with photos. He told me, “Shoot everything. You never know who’ll need it.” Also: “Don’t ask permission — just shoot. Apologize later if you have to.” That clicked. No posed smiles, just raw shots. I got into manual photography, metering from the hip, built a wild library — grizzly scat, shipping docks, you name it. An editor once asked, “Got animal feces pics?” I did. Shoot everything paid off.
I resisted writing at first. Fear of rejection, the unknown. But Jeff pushed: “Tell your story, rough as it is. Editors’ll fix it.” So, I pitched. Gear reviews, trip tales. They said yes. Drumming faded; this grew. Mistakes fueled it. Every screwup taught me more than success ever did.

Why are mistakes so key for you?

You learn more from your mistakes than your successes, you know. When we teach classes, one of the things I like to say at the beginning is, “The only difference between you guys and us is you’ve probably made a hundred mistakes in the woods. We’ve made thousands and thousands of mistakes.” So that’s why we’re able to do this and release information in this way. So, this weekend, let’s make all the mistakes we can together. We’ll get it right. A friend, Amanda Kay from TV, put it better: “Practice till you can’t get it wrong.” That’s it. No triumph without the flops. It’s life, not just the woods.

Back to the jungle — any close calls?

That 2008 Amazon trip for Dutch TV, Try Before You Die. I’m training a director, star, and cameraman. We finish by 5 p.m. — jungle’s dark at 6, raining till dawn. I set up my hammock a quarter mile off, cozy under the rain’s white noise. Then, CRASH, like a car wreck. An hour of that, getting closer. Live trees dropping, roots too shallow in Peru’s soil, wind and rain toppling giants. Widow makers, random and ruthless. No safe spot to move — just crossed fingers. Morning showed the carnage, fallen titans everywhere. I’d made it, but it was pure luck. Wind’s no joke.

What is the most challenging aspect of survival in the jungle?

Simple: trying to sleep in 90-percent humidity, spending about 10 hours in a hammock or swamp bed.

How do you source food during jungle expeditions?

Nothing is sacred! It’s impossible to starve in the jungle if you’re willing to eat what presents itself. Most things universally taste like chicken, pork, or fish. The gag factor gets most people. Initially, guides are the best food source, as they see and smell things we don’t. They are keen at gathering wild edibles, snakes, sloths, fish, and bats. Eventually, these skills will transfer over to your mental hard drive. Sometimes, a simple ride in a dugout canoe or tuk-tuk boat will literally cause fish to jump into the boat. I call that good living.

What is the one tool you rely on most in the jungle?

I’m inclined to say your brain. This works in all places, including any jungle. However, the more tangible choice is a machete in Latin American jungles/rainforests. In Southeast Asian jungles, a bolo, parang, or golok would be the best tool for that terrain — shorter and thicker.

As someone who regularly travels to different parts of the globe, what advice can you give to someone who is traveling to another country for the first time?

Obey the laws and never lie to officials abroad. Understand that you are out of your country, and your nationality will rarely get you out of the bad situations you got yourself in. Saying, “But I’m Canadian/American,” won’t get you anywhere. However, it will make you and your nationality look foolish. Most importantly, remember that the art of travel is being flexible.

Any standout skill-building trips?

Jungle survival classes at J.E.S.T. Camp in the Philippines (Jungle Environment Survival Training). They trained U.S. and European soldiers for Vietnam: bamboo fire-making, plant knowledge, jungle warfare. No hypothermia risk there, just humidity and awareness. They’ll even teach you to cook rice in a bamboo chamber. Been back multiple times. It’s less about gear, more about doing. Skills trump stuff every time.

Speaking of doing, you have a brutal frostbite story. What happened?

First time was a wake-up call. December, teaching man-tracking and survival for U.S. Marshals in Alexandria, Louisiana — humid, 50 degrees, no big deal in trail runners and deerskin moccasins. Then, I took a flight to visit my brother in New Jersey. A buddy says, “Snowstorm’s coming, let’s camp.” Snow up to my thighs, 35 hours in thin polyester dress socks, an ultralight trick, less moisture, quick-dry. Feet went numb. Built a fire, massaged my toes, warmed them — big mistake. Rubbing smashes ice crystals into nerves, and fire burns numb skin. Felt pins and needles, slept it off in my bivy. Morning: frozen shoes, hiked out. Shower later, still numb. Two days on, another storm, same deal. Got worse.

Flew to Hawaii next — trail running Waimea Canyon with superficial frostbite. Skyped a friend with a medical background in Ohio. He says, “Three to four months for the sensation to fade, but nerve damage stays. Cold feet? It’ll flare again.” Same with my ears, nose, fingertips — Grand Canyon, Big Bear, no gloves or beanie in my youth. Dumb then, smarter now.

Your minimalist style may be intimidating for some. How do you make it approachable?

It can scare people — deep wilderness, tiny pack. I get why. But I pack like a backpacker and lean on skills, not stuff. It’s comfy for me, and I want others to try it. Great books and guides exist now; nobody’s reinventing fire here. I tell folks, “I did it, and you can too.”

Any moment in the wild where you thought, “This might be it”?

Never. Close calls, sure, but I don’t think I’m done. Closest was with my cousin, the first time I took him backpacking — Lytle Creek, California, November, 4,000 feet. Snow line’s usually 6,500. We’re in hammocks, loving it, sunglasses weather. Then, a freak storm hits — snow at levels unheard of in 20 years. Midnight, it drops to 20 degrees. I’m geared up; he’s got steel-toe boots — terrible for cold. By 1 a.m., I’m sloshing through snow to pee, realizing we’re stuck. Trail’s gone.

By morning, a blizzard lashed us like angry bees, with no rescue in sight, so we slashed our hammocks free using a Swiss Army Trekker, the frozen ropes snapping as we salvaged what we could, abandoning the rest in the snow. I opted to hike out rather than hunker down, but we overshot the trail, climbing above tree line where disorienting white peaks surrounded us. He started shutting down — shivering at first, then claiming he wasn’t cold, just tired, the telltale signs of hypothermia. I slapped him awake, forced melted lemonade down his throat, and fibbed, “Found the trail!” Bear tracks led the way, and after 12 grueling hours, townsfolk stared in disbelief. Superficial frostbite, no hospital. Never panicked — just kept moving.

How’d you stay calm through that?

Mental toughness builds over years — long hikes, bad days. Each tough slog makes the next easier. After, I felt fine — not cold, not tired, just numb. Better than freaking out. Coast Guard stat from my cruise-line days: only 7 percent of people panic in emergencies. Most freeze or follow; few act.

Any animal encounters rival that chaos?

Bears! It started at Mammoth Lakes, California, after setting up for a drumming gig. Dusk settled in, 20 degrees, snow blanketing the ground as I roamed near the cabins, phone in hand. I hung up and caught sight of fresh tracks, their edges crisp, laid down mere minutes ago. My gaze traced them to a hulking brown “couch” lumbering my way, a massive black bear, curiosity glinting in its stare. I froze. Running’s a fool’s game. Instead, I eased back slowly, slipped below a bluff, then picked up pace. Compass out, south to the cabin, straight into bear territory. I crept along, veering onto a snow-draped golf course. Then, 100 yards off, three bears burst into view — two giants and a cub — galloping right at me. Laughing through the adrenaline, I fast-walked toward distant brake lights.

Then, there was Mount Whitney’s base camp, 8,890 feet, my second bear tango. A packed backpacker grid, food stashed in lockers below, no scraps allowed up top. Mid-chat with a stranger, I spotted a black bear nosing around campers sleeping exposed — no tents, just pads beneath a starry sky. We hollered, campers flung gravel, and it bolted like a scolded mutt. No spray needed — numbers scare them off.

Weather or wildlife, what’s your real foe?

Weather, hands down. Falling trees in Peru’s jungle — wind and rain toppling giants — scare me more than claws. Bear encounters need a cool head, but the weather’s untamed. Big Bear’s got bears in name only — never seen one. Mammoth’s 8,000 feet tempt fate, but a tree limb’s my nightmare, not a growl. Robert Pelton nailed it: People are the worst disaster. Weather’s close second — rain, snow, wind. Stuff you can’t outsmart.

One survival nugget from all this?

Slow down — simple, but gold. Rushing screws me every time — spilled gear, botched fires, blurry shots. Slow it, think it through. Music, shelters, photos — mastery starts slow. A YouTuber’s instant fire took 50 fails off-screen. Stop, sit, rethink. I tell students striking ferro rods too fast: “Back up, breathe, you’ve got this.” Works. Applies anywhere — hikes, gigs, life.

Reuben's EDC

• Armatus Carry EDC Wallet
• Wazoo Gear FireCard
• Griffin Pocket Tool
• Mechanics keychain
• Thrunite Ti2 flashlight
• TOPS Knives whistle
• Pocket knife

About Reuben Bolieu

• Hometown: South Orange, New Jersey
• Education: MIT Music School, School of the Wilderness
• Recommended Reading: The SAS Survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman, Camping and Woodcraft by Horace Kephart
• Favorite Food: Shrimp fried rice
• Favorite Movie: Princess Bride
• Favorite Quote: “The little things. There’s nothing bigger, is there?” -Vanilla Sky (2001 movie)
• Social Media Handle(s): @reubenbolieu

Read More From Issue 67

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• Editor's Letter Issue 67
• Review of the Tiny Survival Guide 2.0
• Offgrid Adventures: South Africa to Hawaii
• Reiff Knives F4 Field Test: A Comparison of the Three F4 Variants
• Urban EDC

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original version for the web.