10 Ways Camping Helps You Prepare for Emergencies
Camping. You may have a love/hate relationship with it. Or you may have a hate/hate or love/love relationship with it. Regardless of your feelings, here’s the reality: camping is good for preparedness.
15 comments
Bob
The Berkey is not a carbon filter, but a ceramic filter. As long as you clean it and water flows through it, it should work fine. When water stops flowing through it even after you scrub it, it’s done and needs to be replaced.
Michael Huntsman
This is great advice. When a disaster strikes, such as an earthquake or something else that displaces you from staying in your house, set up camp in your yard.
beprepared
Hi Vito Labella,
Sorry that we did not have an explanation in the article for this. I will go in and put in a reason why into the article. We are not trying to say anything against cotton at all or those who wear it (I wear cotton all the time myself). Here’s the reason for our statement: 100% cotton clothes are not good for survival situations because they absorb and retain moisture. Since it absorbs moisture, wearing that wet cotton shirt could lead to hypothermia because if you are cold and wet, that makes you more susceptible to hypothermia. Also, Items that are 100% cotton are heavier, making running or hiking through the woods hot and could lead to easier fatigue. In other words, make sure that you have clothes made of lighter or more breathable fabrics packed in your emergency kit for a survival situation or in the winter. Cotton polyester blends are lighter than 100% cotton. In essence, look for cotton blends to help you in survival situations.
beprepared
Martin,
We are referring to all water filters that use activated carbon in general. You are correct that the life of the filter itself is largely determined by the gallons of water that pass through them and the type of water you’re trying to filter (turbidity, etc.) will lessen its life. If well taken care of, the filter itself will last for years. However, if your filter uses activated carbon to improve the taste of the water, as soon as that carbon gets wet, it’s life span is ticking away. You want to change out the carbon in the filter every six months. The filter itself should be fine as long as it’s still able to pump and filter out your water. Carbon is to improve the taste and to remove any chemicals or pesticides in the water.
Dawg
My wife’s idea of camping is motel six
Tim
This is an awesome article. Wise people that read this will take it for what its worth and incorporate it into their thinking and planning.
steve b
gone camping flastateparks
Martin
I was surprised by your comment that the carbon in water filters is only good for six months. Are you referring to a certain brand of water filter, or all water filters that use carbon in general? The reason I ask is that my family has been using British Berkefeld water filters for fifteen years and don’t replace these filters for years at a time. My understanding is that the life of these filters is based on how many gallons of water has passed through them (taking into account, of course, the fact that dirtier or more turbid water will shorten the life of the filters more quickly), rather than on how old the filters are. I’d hate to think I was putting my family and all who have drunk from our filters at risk and in danger of ingesting water-borne pathogens. So far, thank God, no one has gotten sick, and we have drunk hundreds of gallons through our two Berkeys over the years.Can you give me any more insight on this?
Timothy G. Hudson
Splendid article…I could not agree any more with every line in this article.
stratbastard
Great article! Here’s another suggestion which I have employed on occasion: Go out in the woods for 2-3 days with JUST your bugout bag and gear… just what you would carry if you had to run.
Mark
Despite the "loss" of the filter element, it might actually be a good idea to use that water filter unit regularly before, during and after camping to determine if it’s functional and adequate to your water volume needs. Most people use a lot more water than they think for consumption, cooking and hygiene.
angela
My daughter and grandbaby said that it made them more thankful for our budget furniture at home!
And I need to learn to do something without going online to do it.
vito labella
It is not fair to say cotton is the "fabric of death" without a explanation as to why. Not every can wear or afford fancy fabrics, or wear wool!!!
It would be more intelligent to tell people how to layer clothes and it is really stupid to call cotton the fabric of death…….maybe someone should tell the military???
Raygina
I love going camping. We’ve determined over numerous trips what are necessities and what are nice to haves. I always forget something. Generally it’s something small, like the ketchup, but it’s always something.
ChadlyChadwick
Excellent article and so true! Especially with kids; I first took my daughter camping at 3 and the noises at night freaked her out. Now at 10, she is an experienced camper that loves the outdoors and has a keen sense of adventure!