Being Honest About Preparedness

[@ThomasThePanzerTank]

I didn’t truly realize how deep I was in the paranoid prepping hole until I met my girlfriend. She saw that it was kinda driving me insane and I wasn’t out enjoying life. Her compromise to mitigate this was to incorporate prepping into natural things that we could do together. Need to practice securing water, making a fire and braving the elements? Let’s go camping! Want to learn about preserving food? Let’s get into pickling, foraging and gardening! Want to practice physical preparedness? Let’s go on some hikes! Want to learn some medical? Let’s go to a stop the bleed course for free! You can prep without even realizing it by incorporating it into daily life and activities. Also yes, while I have a partner to do this with you can still do this stuff with friends/family. Do not let this stuff consume your life.

[@RuffinItAB]

That's the best way to go about it in my opinion. For me preparedness is just skills I enjoy learning and practicing and if you see it that way it's much more enjoyable and helps you find enjoyment in the life we have now. My girlfriend's skills and passions also compliment my own since she enjoys learning skills that I'm not as interested in. Having a good partner makes such a difference.

[@Bitter_Blueberry]

That's exactly how it's SUPPOSED to be! Living 2 different lives will cause both to suffer independently. 2,000 years ago, being a farmer/shepherd meant you were closer to God. Funny how that has become a fallback option.

[@RADIOACTIVEBUNY]

That's the way to do it. It's so easy to incorporate this stuff in such a way that it's nothing but fun and you're building rewarding, practical skills that will either continue to provide fun or may one day save your life. The perfect approach.

[@MiddleAgedLosers]

No doubt!

[@presidentdave1393]

This is the way

[@BrassFacts]

Lol, I forgot I made this video. It was sitting in the queue for 6months.

[@Just_a_space_cowboy]

I was wondering what was going on with these 5 month old comments.

[@han6211]

The Nova Group has discovered time travel. This will surely end well.

[@highdesertdrew1844]

I forgot you made this one also, I didn't remember watching this on subscribestar, yet here it is, nice to rewatch something I liked a few months ago, without remembering it in the hyperreal ADHD detail of something I saw a few weeks ago.

[@tommynobaka]

Lesson i learned from my Mom who survived the Khmer Rouge: Incorporate "preparedness" in everyday life. Go camping, practice lighting fires, finding good ground, learn to hunt and forage, survey the land. Also, learn to garden and recycle materials for sustainibility. Physical fitness can be done going hiking, going for walks, or simply lifting objects around the house. Most importantly, keeping the mental spirit intact. She did this all as a kid, and when SHTF, she knew what to do not because she was "prepared", she was practiced.

[@life_of_riley88]

Khmer Rouge? Damn. Your mom is/was a tough cookie. Us westerners can't imagine that world, but it's good to be aware of worst case scenarios.

[@Enjoyer.762]

There's no place to hide from a total surveillance state, drones, facial recognition software, AI, forced digital currency, satellites, de-banking/social credit scores, the political weaponization of law enforcement, rat neighbors, etc.

[@kalashnikovdevil]

Props to your Mom, she's a bad ass for making it through the Khmer Rouge.

[@jonadams8305]

This last summer we had a very large storm that knocked out power, and was followed by 4 more storms across 5 days. We went 5 days without power with an hour of notice. (Weather all week was supposed to be clear, even showed 0% rain as it was raining sideways). I live in Indiana, this is by no means normal. All my guns, ammo, gas masks, plate carriers, etc were useless with the exception of keeping a rifle with me while i stayed up all night watching the neighborhood. Cell towers went down after the 2nd day and the main road to our house was blocked by a huge tree and power lines that fell the first 5min of the first day. Our neighborhood was on our own for 5 days. What we needed (and luckily had most of what we needed) was water, a generator, nonperishable food, propane, gas, chain saws, flashlights, and ice. You learn real quick that it's hard to plan dinner with only dry foods and no oven/stove. It's hard to do dishes with water bottles. Going #2 sucks if you don't have running water and live in town. It's had to get gas when gas stations are out or closed. This situation is much more likely for all of us. Separate but related: I worked at a gun store before and during COVID. I talked to many men who's "preps" only included firearms and when asked about food, water, medical, etc it was not uncommon to hear "well i have all these guns, I can take from others." There are men, some could even be your neighbors, that believe that rather than stock up on something besides guns, they'd rather take from their neighbors and even FANTASIZE about being a 'raider'. I told both of these because i want people to realize: 1. You are not likely at all to need your plate carrier, thousands of rounds of ammo, or gas mask. It is much more likely to think of terms of an environmental disaster. BUT 2. Some people are truly bad people and it doesn't show until things get rough. It's important to have the tools and skills to defend yourself.

[@mrmcbeth]

I've lived through Katrina, a few big tornadoes, and a few snowstorms. Being able to do your thing for 30 days while well-armed is a good goal.

[@Enjoyer.762]

The government confiscated civilian firearms during Katrina. The government wasn't any different than looters. Nobody should trust the government.

[@ajax1137]

Katrina was my first serious indication that our nation is screwed. The f-d up behavior of the citizens, the retardation of Mayor Ray Nagan, the impotence of Bush and FEMA were astounding. Citizens shooting at first responders. The mayor's utter failure to adequately prepare and direct his resources. FEMA's pathetic response.

[@Enjoyer.762]

@ajax1137 "The f-up behavior of the citizens". No pass for the hoodrats however the government was disarming law-abiding people in their own homes. I don't blame anyone who shoots at government jackboot thugs under those circumstances.

[@splashysiren]

Don't forget to educate yourselves, knowing how to identify rhetoric and engage in meaningful conversations and/or debates is priceless, these skills will serve you every day of your life.

[@timunderbakke8756]

Great work as always. Now approaching 40, I have realized the likelihood I’ll be in any direct fire missions against are remote. I’m more interested in things that will help sustain a family through whatever bumps in the road may exist. The preps I’m saving up for and the projects I do are now more about redundancy from distant suppliers and more local sustainment. Picked up chickens about 2 years ago. Working on some small scale gardening as the next. I’d really love to buy a freeze dryer next instead of the Nods I never got around to, because I know I’ll use the freeze dryer for more than just fun while I might need Nods but more likely it’s an expensive toy.

[@pablo4yu]

I live in a major city with strategic locations… it would be very very hindering if said enemy could not gain a foot hold in my city… i need to fight, while u can have all the gay but sex with ur boywifes all in a cabin snuggled up together most of us are going to be the difference between 50 separate new counties and keeping a single large country. Join the fight or lick the boot that hates you, you pick

[@pablo4yu]

Loser

[@JohnLocke1776]

40? You're not 78 dude. What a copout

[@somethinsomethin7243]

Nice these things give you more options than NODS.

[@Bitter_Blueberry]

​@@JohnLocke1776 hey. More ammo for you jackwagon

[@duoofdefense8133]

I think the best thing you can do for overall preparedness is the really unsexy stuff. Get a whole bunch of food preps, water preps, and good shelter preps. In almost every situation we prepare for, you will HAVE to have these necessities. where I live, the only real threat from nature is lack of water, and cold temperatures in the winter, so I make sure to have lots of preps in those areas. The other big thing with this, is try to set the foundations for Nutnfancies "Micro Community." These things will ultimately be what keep you alive. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

[@Bitter_Blueberry]

I just do what my Bible tells me to, and others call it preparedness. Farming, raising animals, "sell thy cloak and buy a sword", congregate with fellow believers. It has already been written down 😊

[@putcheeseonit]

food, water, shelter, and energy. that's all you really need. 99% of the scenarios you won't even need self protection, but it is reassuring to have.

[@Enjoyer.762]

We're a low-trust society now for a variety of reasons too long to list. A micro-community isn't a bad idea. It's just difficult to accomplish. Have to be realistic about limitations.

[@davidpopowicz7689]

Been a fan for around 2 ish years now. I enjoy the gear reviews and other content, but by far the staple of Brass Facts is a well-nuanced view of prepping. Many people do tend to fixate on one side or the other. For example, if you do need to move out of an area you might not be able to take your big hunk of a power system with you. We all enjoy the content so keep up the good work and good luck!

[@Enjoyer.762]

Based upon crime statistics whether you are a "prepper" or not indicates do not live in or in very close proximity to urban sh*t hole environments.

[@Alloyaha]

Wow, thanks for making this- I honestly clicked on this thinking "ight, gunna strap in for what's probably another doomer rant"- but was pleasantly surprised. I think more people need to hear this, especially in the 2A community. Your perspective of a balance between living life yet being mindfully prepared, is what I have striven to achieve. Yet for the last decade, I cannot understate how much flack I get from friends, others in the 2A community, and hardcore peppers of "not taking it serious enough". My counter-argument is always "but what if 'IT' never comes- or looks more like Soviet Union circa 1991, or even the more recent coof," having resources other than those sitting in your basement are likely to be far more useful in those scenarios, when "more of the same, just slightly worse every 6 months," is more probable when we look at history. Thanks for helping ground [some pretty wild] expectations in the community.

[@Enjoyer.762]

A real 2A community would mean gun enthusiasts getting involved in politics and the legal fight to preserve 2A rights and push back against anti-2A laws. Since that's not tactical, and few gun owners get involved in that sphere, instead of calling generic gun owners a "2A community", gun enthusiasts is probably a better term. It's just a hobby for many. Various states continue to pass all types of draconian infringements of 2A rights, and few gun owners make any collective efforts to push back against said infringements.

[@DTreatz]

I think it's important to make the distinction that not all 2A advocates are preppers, just like not all 2A advocates are enthusiasts. We have a lot of overlap sure, but the distinction is enough to be made.

[@codyschaffer7788]

Man I appreciate the hell out of this video. The amount of people I the bear camp of "ur NGMI if you don't make ur entire life prepping and treat every breath as if it's ur last" was exhausting during covid, then we came out of covid, and they're still acting like "its going to get worse before it gets worse" is a rule and not the most flawed perspective of how the Roman empire actually eventually passed away. Anyway I appreciate the sanity.

[@timunderbakke8756]

Don’t forget about the “it’s basically too late to prep you’re dead if you didn’t have it all already” crowd.

[@Enjoyer.762]

Did you take the clot shot?

[@codyschaffer7788]

@@NoYoSaySo yeah no the Roman empire is just the example that gets brought up the most. The decline of that empire was like, 200-500 years. Certain guntubers + preppers act like empire collapse is just a straight drop off. And that's assuming things don't turn around or improve (I don't know the future but I can hope)

[@DTreatz]

covid was bullshit anyway lmao

[@SgtDestructionArma]

Totally needed to hear this. It is easy to get consumed by the plethora of the “this”, “that”, “other” mindset. Too many options, too many scenarios, too little money and too little time. Thanks for posting this…definitely a healthy dose of perspective reset! Love this channel!

[@DTreatz]

It's easy to feel _rushed_ especially in a shit sociopolitical and economic time.

[@99cobra2881]

Worry is the thief of joy Get out and live, thats why I ride mountain bikes on single track hiking/biking trails Great fitness activity and it gets me outside. Bonus my wife and I enjoy the hobby together, its our thing we enjoy doing together. Have the other things for "what if" but I dont live my life waiting for that what if to happen, that leads to burn out waiting on "it" to happen. Its better to realize that its better if it never does happen!!

[@SquallWulfhart]

The sad reality is that a lot of prepers probably aren't happy, they likely don't have a relationship either. Most aren't even preparing for common life struggles, they are preparing for a worst-case scenario and are wholly fixated on firearms. But I could be wrong, that's just the impression i get from a lot of commenters on YT.

[@99cobra2881]

@@SquallWulfhart Yeah guns and gear gets the views. There hasnt been much new in terms of beans and rice lately, nobody watchs videos about the new can of beans that was just released. On the other hand 80 guntubers will make a video and get thousands of views when magpul drops a grip.

[@SquallWulfhart]

@99cobra2881 It makes sense for them financially, unfortunately it doesn't for the viewer. Brass Facts is pretty open and honest about what people should focus on, but seeing cool stuff all the time makes people feel that they need to get everything or they aren't up to par. Probably puts a lot of people in debt, ultimately putting them in a poor situation in the current reality. It's almost like reverse prepping lol.

[@rocksolidhope]

I really enjoy these philosophy-type videos. Thank you Brass Facts.

[@BrassFacts]

glad you enjoyed it

[@NYAC760]

Hell yea man keep up the good work we got work towards everyone being independent

[@JamesMelton]

I just told my crew yesterday that I've boiled this game down to just 5 categories. 1. Fitness 2. Firearms handling 3. Redundancy setup for things I rely on (water, heat, food, shelter, transportation, etc) 4. Established area study that gets updated regularly. 5. Building community that repeats all of the above, including this point. I've learned that scenario based prepping is a recipe for insanity. Instead, build up the basics and then toss in a scenario to see how it would specifically mess up your AO. Tabletop how you'd fare given what you have and who you know. Evaluate if you need to shore something up by weighing how much that mcguffin or skill would improve things, how likely it is to need it, its cost, and overlap with other stuff. Maybe my way of saying the same thing can help someone else out there.

[@jameshanna8762]

Well said. That's a good list. As to the insanity of scenario based prepping, Steven Harris said, "If once you start down the EMP path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will..." Disaster commonalities are better to focus on, rather than specific disasters.

[@JamesMelton]

​@@jameshanna8762thanks! When it comes to things like the EMP scenario, I now believe the only reason preppers don't do what I outlined is because it would show you'd need to build skill sets, and that's not something you can buy. Or, you'd need to work in a community, which is itself a skill set and antithetical to

[@riley3760]

Can you go a bit into the area study? What is the goal, what should someone look for, what format do you use?

[@JamesMelton]

​@@riley3760Forward Observer is the originator of the source on this for me. I follow the outline from Mike Shelby, but you can find similar content from S2 Underground to help. Basically, an area study is a definite area you live and do life in very frequently. You'll note all the natural aspects, like lakes, mountains, etc. then you'll note the manmade stuff like hospitals, police stations, etc. You'll canvas the roads, and then you'd do something like identify several routes to that hospital. You'd do things like find out the response times of an ambulance and police car to you. You'd include things like local politicians residencies, facts about those individuals like voting records and proposed bills, etc. You'd collect demographic data to apply to your map, gang activity, etc. The applications for this info vary, but the purpose is to help you assess threats. If you don't have a power plant near your house, you don't have to worry about it being a target or directly affected by an attack, so that information your preparations. Say you wanted to purchase a new weapon for yourself and needed to know how to choose. An area study can inform you to say that while you have plains, there are too many trees to need to be able to shoot beyond 700m, so an AR 15 is all you'd practically need. Or if you needed to heavily invest in backup power solutions because you live next to a hospital and get to leverage their independent circuit. So on and so forth.

[@triggercrysisjames142]

Been "prepping" for 20+ years now, it has brought us peace of mind not to mention saved us stress during the 2003 northeastern blackout, severe weather events and the whole Covid-19 thingy. Knowing our family and close friends are taken care of at the onset of these "events" was worth every dollar spent, second of training/prepping while the rest of society was fighting in the local stores over shit tickets.

[@RandomStranger69]

This is a great way to look at preparedness ! I've slowly started having less of a doomsday outlook to being a prepper and having this mindset, thanks to channels like yours , bear independent , and fieldcraft survival. I find having hobbies that can relate to prepardeness more fun, ive recently been getting into gardening & trying to go out fishing more.

[@riley3760]

I’m starting a preparedness blog based around the idea of sustainability. There is A LOT of low hanging fruit that I have a hunch people will be searching for.

[@MrNpc81]

Details please

[@johnpoole8321]

Ideas?

[@jhutch1470]

You have low hanging fruit that women are looking for? Show us the women. Just leave your fruit out of it.

[@Alloyaha]

Drop a link!

[@thepracticalrifleman]

I’m quite a “prepared” person. I’m also a gun guy. Earlier this year, I was first misdiagnosed with cancer, then diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder affecting multiple organ systems. I spent nearly 10k this year out of pocket on medical bills along with a newborn at home. Fortunately, I did have things of value I could sell to keep financial padding.

[@andreahighsides7756]

Try fasting and the carnivore diet. Sounds crazy but it works

[@thepracticalrifleman]

@@andreahighsides7756 I’m on what’s called an AIP diet now. Designed to reduce inflammation. It has helped to some degree. Pretty interesting how it works.

[@frootiebootie3689]

No, fasting and eating meat doesn't cure cancer no matter how bad you want it to.@@andreahighsides7756

[@Brent-jj6qi]

@@andreahighsides7756that kind of stuff only really works if you have a very specific medical condition

[@thepracticalrifleman]

@@andreahighsides7756 I’ve been doing the AIP diet which is very similar to the carnivore diet. It is helping.

[@willc3384]

I think it's important to prioritize for most likely events. I have limited funds and space. I live in Hawaii. My prep starts off at power outages and hurricanes before it goes to some kind of Red Dawn event. Looking forward to more content. =)

[@KennethJoines-th4jk]

Don’t worry Zuckerberg will take you in

[@Enjoyer.762]

Your state government yeeted away your 2A rights.

[@krazykarl]

Zuckerberg might be needing staff to operate his new bunker...

[@willc3384]

@@Enjoyer.762 Just about.

[@willc3384]

@@krazykarl You should have seen the fireworks display he set off for his family on NYE. Rivaled Disney.

[@SuperiorAutocraft]

Reminder: you don't rise to the occasion, you fall to your level of training.

[@ManoliKvideos]

This was a great video, and I really appreciated the parts about not getting too hung up on any one scenario and using layering strategy. I’m not sure if this was in there and I missed it, but I would also suggest integrating your preps with your community at large (beyond immediate prepping circle) as well. For example, keep a steady rotation of canned and shelf stable foods, and give the older (pre-expired) stuff to your local food bank. Help the unhoused with tents and tarps and keeping warm where possible. I am trying to work out a compact and safe system for getting Crisco candles for heating out to some folks (having bad luck with wicks at the moment :-/). You may find this good for the soul, but I think it is also very useful to understand the environment and conditions around you. Happy New Year and best wishes to all!

[@AhHereWeGo]

My job is a means to get money to fund my prep addiction

[@Matthpaint]

Amen amen😂😂😂

[@RedDawnReadiness]

Same same ! It’s called living and surviving lol 😂

[@teamsonicx3127]

Same!

[@chupacabra304]

Aye aye 😂 Preppers anonymous here

[@Maurice599]

Amen brother 😂

[@DankasorusRex]

Laughed out loud at the One Second After reference because that was me for YEARS and then I found out only a portion of cars would be affected and it’s not huge, many optics and radios would be good, most stuff not on the grid charging will be good, stuff in safes, concrete garages, etc. I do buy almost exclusively etched optics but that’s just because rds/mag gives me a double dot and idk which is the real dot and they’re like 2.5moa off from each other

[@somethinsomethin7243]

I worked with EMP shielding, it is insanely thick copper shielding. There is this new rumor about "not connected to the grid" going around and I don't know where it got started. Only Very LOW frequency EMP (which can last for days) would effect power lines. The extremely high frequencies which act more like light can induce a current into the microscopic wires inside "microchips". These wires do not need much current induced. The effect of an EMP would not be as simple as all electronics are fried, some things would still work and it would be very random seeming due to the conductivity of the ground (near salt water vs high desert, the altitude and LOS to the device, etc, etc, so sensitive electronics have a chance a small chance a surviving and HEMP.

[@atranimecs]

Still something to be said about anything with "sensitive electronics". I have a extra fuses, an extra ECU for my vehicle, and an EMP gearbox with an electronic informational resource kit -walkie-talkie set, cell phone with electronic maps, relevant preparedness reading , material, and Wikipedia entirely offline with a mini solar panel/power bank There should be 1 smaller sized box in the inventory, I think, with a handful of useful electronics.

[@BluntGrown]

The best prepping mindset framing statement is from Jack Spirko with The Survival Podcast - "Helping you live a better life, if times get tough, and even if they don't"

[@StephenHuband]

I think most people buy gear to purchase peace of mind. Community and physical fitness are the most important. Im doing okay with community actually but fitting the physical fitness in with everything else is a struggle... And its the most important

[@weridebikes1000]

Fitness is The Most Important, if you can’t run you’ll never survive any of these scenarios.

[@StephenHuband]

@@weridebikes1000 I agree, I can run, I'm reasonably strong, I'm definitely not obese but I'm not in shape either. The wife's food is too good :P

[@DTreatz]

True, I think it's "if I have it, at least I can _somewhat_ use it than if I didn't have it at all" Of course, most of use here and the preppers fall into the rabbit hole of consumerism and obsession, very easy to do especially in a consumerist economy.

[@weridebikes1000]

@@DTreatz facts. The rabbit hole becomes more important than everything else. The reality is, if you’re an average preper, you’re fat and can’t run, and so you’ll be the first to go when SHTF, leaving all that stuff for people like me. Thanks guys!

[@adamsbyknoll4809]

Great content, new channel to me, keep up the good work. This last summer we had a black out in 104° heat. My family and neighbors were very thankful i went all in on back up power instead of nods/other cool guy stuff. Prep first for what is most likely, a hostile invasion could happen, but black outs and medical emergencies do happen every day .

[@zebdeming]

Spot on man, I'm probably one of the old guys you talk about, was raised to always be prepared for anything and to be able to make or fix anything I can. Prepping is about knowledge and training, not so much about gear, but sometimes the cost of that knowledge is loosing yourself in the damn mindset, and the cost of gear is just money. Great Video!

[@Bandoo21]

Watching this while performing the monthly 1am surgery on my toenail in bed. U made some good points. My main thing I keep on top is keeping an open mind. Putting a label on yourself or equipment only creates limits. Really enjoy your philosophy videos, thanks for planting some seeds in my brain.

[@Matt-xc6sp]

I make the decision every month by contributing to my 401k. It’s a calculation that money will still be currency when I’m in my 60s, opposed to ammo and rations

[@johnpoole8321]

Bad to rely on just that, diversify fast.

[@no-sway3709]

You can do both. Invest in a reloading setup and buy components when prices dip. I'm sitting on 5 years' worth, but I could easily stretch it 20 years if I wasn't shooting matches and training as much. MREs are cheap and so is a life straw.

[@99cobra2881]

And with a flip of a switch you have nothing. That 401k wont do anything when the music stops, I am not saying it will but if thats all you have for a prep youre gonna be a skeleton standing in line for relief aid. Thats if there even are aid stations which if its anything more than a localized disruption there wont be for long. Even your comment seems weird considering youre watching this video and still thinking your 401k is the only prep youll need? I hope you're right because if a 401(k) is all you need to survive Then the rest of us that have done a little bit more will be sitting pretty well off

[@no-sway3709]

@@99cobra2881 nowhere did anyone say a "401k is the only prep you'll need" except for you. He said he is prepping for the future by contributing to a 401k. It's possible to do that and be stocked.

[@Matt-xc6sp]

Thank you all for your financial advice based off my internet comment. I will look into better defensive preparations, as I was just planning on throwing my abacus and folder of itemized receipts at the National Guard when they bust through my door to take me the camps. Never seen a group of jokers be so humorless.

[@feraltrainer3554]

Enjoying your channel. I appreciate your reasonable views towards preparedness. Keep up the good work.

[@Hugh_Jassle]

"One Second After is not an accurate depiction of an EMP" Why you gotta call me out like that my faraday cage is mint.

[@Rebellion1776]

I NEED a MPX in 5.7x28mm for my preps! There, I feel better, but I do prep hard to stay out of gunfights! Outside of physical fitness, mapping and planning are some of my biggest preps anymore. I have all the Gucci toys, train regularly with them, but I am really focusing on staying hidden/grey as much as possible

[@no-sway3709]

5.7 is such an odd choice for a prepper. Can't reload it and won't be able to find it if things get worse.

[@Rebellion1776]

​@no-sway3709 it wouldn't be a primary for me. Obviously the AR in 5.56 is my go too.

[@Rebellion1776]

@@no-sway3709 you can reload it

[@BlueJayWaters]

I was relatively lazy and unaware about life before being in the military. Sure I barely passed my PFA's, but after getting out my bare minimum of keeping in shape has kept me above most Americans in general. Being a former Hospital Corpsman, I kept up on medical, and then I realized I thoroughly enjoy shooting, and am good at it (with pistols at least lol). So I basically fell into this life, and it just suits me. I don't know how others can find motivation to do the things necessary, cos certainly money is a huge obstacle for even the most basic gear just to be all around not useless in any negative situation. But it is a lifestyle, and just like getting out of bed and going to work, you gotta do the same for this too.

[@michaelstringer1840]

My brother and I just started to get into this stuff. We are a mainly focus on the physical stuff like hiking long distances with “big” backpacks and gear right now. Our parents taught us how to garden , camp, and hunt so we got that stuff. Like we definitely are not prepping for a specific situation just hey if something happens we are not totally screwed and a way to get my kid outside.

[@gbear34]

Perfect attitude!

[@avitenenbaum6676]

Solid perspectives, keep them coming. You always provide quality genuine content that is too real to ignore.

[@CutlassOutdoors]

I’ve been into preparedness for a long time and rode the same rollercoaster of events, influencers, philosophies, etc. Here’s what I’ve learned: a year of food is great, but if it’s not stuff you actually want to eat, it’s just going to expire waiting for the apocalypse. Homesteading is ideal, but not everyone can do that. Do it to whatever degree you can, even if it’s just a few chickens or some plants. Try to have about 3 months of food you’re actually willing to eat and rotate it by eating it. Non-food items (soap, TP, etc.) should have 3 months worth in rotation as well. If Covid taught us anything, it’s that you just need to get through the month or two of chaos and the new normal will eventually work itself out. Maybe that’s trading furs for shampoo and bottle caps for bullets. Maybe it’s society restabilizing. Maybe it’s somewhere in between. But the new system of getting stuff will develop in a hurry, because most people don’t have 3 months of food and TP. Don’t forget soap (to include alcohol, etc.) and TP. I’ve been saying this for a long time since before COVID. If society shuts down, those are two things you will really want (and so will everyone else) and won’t be able to get. Sanitation is going to be a bigger concern than food in any grid-down situation. Now if you’re squared away with 3 months of food that you want to eat, sanitation supplies, and have at least started homesteading… NOW you might think about buckets of rice and beans and burying ammo. My $0.02. Take it with a grain of salt. Also, store a lot of salt.

[@Enjoyer.762]

If COVID-19 taught you anything it is the government, politicians, and experts are pathological liars who used fear-mongering to justify taking extralegal powers.

[@codymagee1594]

I grew up in and spent most of my adult life in hurricane territory so I've always considered a basic level of disaster preparedness to just be a part of life. If we look to New Orleans after Katrina, it serves as a pretty solid model of a realistic SHTF situation. Food, water and medical were all in demand and armed "neighborhood watches" were absolutely necessary.

[@ironmikehallowween]

How did they have armed neighborhoods when the police and guard unconditionally disarmed law abiding citizens? To me the lesson of Katrina was to stay out of moronic blue cities and blue states. They are pathetic.

[@Bitter_Blueberry]

​@@ironmikehallowween if you know, you know. If your only goodies are at home, you're wrong.

[@jhutch1470]

@@Bitter_Blueberry Where do I put my other goodies?

[@robertkidnley93]

It's refreshing to hear "I don't have a house yet I'm working on it the market is horrible " as a. 27-year-old this hots home

[@GUARDIAN.13]

A prep that is good in almost every situation is water. I focus on whatever strikes my fancy as fun and exciting at the time and then water

[@prepperbookclub]

Good points. We all need to ponder what we can do and make a plan.

[@SeparateSpectre]

Yes, day to day, you need make the small things (rotating food, learning skills, etc.) fun and celebrate small wins like being able to jump a car. On a larger scale, though, most of us need to honestly consider replacing existing hobbies and gigs with more preparedness-related ones. Don't seek out more Funko Pops or processed food or a few extra hours at a low-paying job you hate. Instead, start slowly replacing your low-value and destructive hobbies with better skills, jobs, people, and gear. If you can, make your prepping profitable at a small scale by helping others get more prepared as well. It's possible to get more prepared, and to make a little money doing so. Once you learn, begin to teach. Thanks for all you do, Brass Facts!

[@Luckie-fm6np]

Good vid. I've been trying to practice the little things lately, and experience is invaluable to realistic preps. For example, get a butane or propane burner (I like butane) and cook with it alone in your kitchen with no refrigerator for a day or three....now figure out how to wash those dishes without your sink, or at least faucet. I've been trying it and what I thought was my system needed improvement and now I feel like I could cook/clean without power or running water long term. Or even smaller. You probably store rice. Learn to make your rice with just a pot on a burner...not look up the directions but do it until you actually like the rice that you make...

[@Ghostrider-71]

Having a “crew” is gold. Get to know your neighbors where you live. Make some likewise friends, stay in good physical shape.

[@vernongandy9026]

Good thinking. The idea of one person taking on force alone is a Hollywood movie. Now that drones are in modern warfare, you gotta have eyes looking like prairie dogs.

[@A8vscRrabbit]

Just as any "thing" folks get into, preparedness can either be further explored or left to spoil. I was once into fast European cars and big diesel trucks and rock crawler rigs. Now, I'm into land and ranching. Things develop and evolve organically. I see preparedness as insurance against the future. Why do I have so many guns? I'm gonna be that grandpa who passed down the "family sword" to multiple generations in our family.

[@Jkp1321]

I have been prepping since I was about 15 or so and I have learned how to prep by learning what is not a good idea the hard way

[@EeZ3-808]

Great dive into the reality’s of preparedness. It’s always good to hear someone else’s perspective. And the Nova footage at the end always puts a smile on my face. She’s the real Rock Star! Aloha 🤙🏽

[@ZEDemt]

The best thing about prepping is that it's scalable. You start small if you have a small budget. I started in my early 20's and I'll be 52 in January. When I started it was just a few extra cans of food when I went shopping. My focus then was food...or rather having enough to last a few months. I wasn't worried about weapons as much because I had a basic group of weapons. .22 cal rifle, 12 ga. shotgun, .357 revolver and that was it. As I got older and my thinking became more sophisticated and my budget began growing, I could focus on other areas of preparedness. I already had the food thing down so I expanded my approach to include upgrading my weapons, streamlining and increasing our surplus food procurement & I got my HAM license and began learning about comm's. Fortunately I was able to make really good contacts as I was working in EMS and Search and Rescue. I expanded my scope of community and people inside the "system" so I could get a "head's up" on local goings on. But it all takes TIME. Investment of your time into multiple areas will allow you to prep for everything all at the same time. Don't focus on prepping for one scenario...it's a waste of your time and resources. Prep by being flexible and by starting with the items you'd need in every scenario. If you need to spend more money on food, then do that. But also buy an extra box of ammo if you find it on sale, or whatever you've determined your next greatest need is. Take advantage of unplanned opportunities when they arise. Now that I'm and old hand at prepping and my budget allows for greater buying power (I own a business now after retiring from EMS/SAR), my focus is no longer on food. It's on the software side of things..i.e. information gathering, paying attention to current events without getting my info from MSM & building a like minded community of folks who can help each other when anything happens, not just SHTF. Find your tribe or build it, it's the only way you'll survive. I still buy food and I'm still upgrading our gear but it's not the MAIN thing anymore because I've spent 30+ years Doing the Things. As you prep you need to grow and change directions when budget or outside events or just generally growing up dictates you do so. The most important thing you can do though is Start Now if you haven't already or reassess your premise for becoming prepared. Is what you're doing the best use of your available resources, or do you need to make a turn towards something else? Good luck. We're all going to need it in the coming months and years.

[@jameshanna8762]

Perfect.

[@mattwalters6834]

This is a good video, I do take prepping seriously and all but I’m not focused on it 24/7; some people are like that, rather they ball too hard without realizing it, or they use it as escapism. I have a relative who won’t stop dwelling on it; I told her that she needs to be prepared but still live your life to the fullest! Have fun in life now because it’s more than likely going to be gone when “the happening happens”. I come from a prepping family who prepares for SHTF and WROL and the more small everyday things that may or may not happen. I along with the rest of my family have to explain to that one relative to take a break and enjoy life and everyday liberties while you can.

[@marz2467]

Start Small Look at the small emergencies. All the little things you need to plan for, power outages, storms and the aftermath, etc. post Katrina every county had to do a threat profile. Find that threat profile and use it as a basis for what you'll plan for.

[@mmancino1982]

Have to admit, this video is not at all I was expecting. This was very level headed take on this subject. Bravo.

[@badgerbusiness9059]

I don't care what you call it, it's good to see the younger generation out doing man shit and learning skills! I'm 52 and crippled now, but I was like you once, does my soul good to see you men carry the torch cause Freedom is never Free! Stay Frosty Lads!

[@hawaiiangunner]

Why do most people think that a shtf situation is going to be a constant run & gun battle. Did anybody think about doing some gardening? Hunting trapping? Fishing, spearfishing?

[@subdawg1331]

I have always prepared, and yes i love the benefits Argos, gardening, canning, ATV's ,boats , guns , fishing , hunting, learning to camp , practising live'n without hydro... learning first aid ... tactical training . doing "mag" training.. building the retreat, working my hunting dog, as well as my livestock dog, raising Quail , and livestock.... so yep you are right it's a job

[@andrewkoch4057]

Dear Mr. Facts, Would you mind doing a prioritization list of different preps? What should I be spending my hard earned money on first? Guns? Ammo? Night Vision? Food? Water? First Aid Kits? Communications? I am assuming a combination of the above but in what order? It would also be helpful for me to help guide other newbies on the preparedness journey! Thanks!

[@jhutch1470]

Just keep it simple. You will die first without water, then food. Store a gallon a day for each person, two if you will use it to cook, etc. Get canned foods like Chili, meat, and veggies. Then get a way to boil water, and heat food. I am getting a 2 burner "Coleman" stove with with the 6 foot hose adaptor for a 20 lb propane tank. I would then get candles for light, and find a safe way to heat your home in the cold weather. Grab a ton of toilet paper, paper plates, plastic silverware, etc. Stock meds like anti-diarrheal, Tylenol, Advil, sting/bug bite stuff. water treatment pills, and things like that. Then "stop the bleed" kits, and IFAK stuff. Then go for 3 inch long screws in your door frames, and other things for security. THEN go for the guns and ammo stuff. Just my way of thinking about it.

[@IO-hh2fz]

Prepare for the most likely scenario you will encounter, for most people that means that (one of) their utilities is out for a few days. For a scenario like that you need about 3-4 days of fresh water (1.5 L a day per person) and basic (cold edible) long storage foods (2 meals and 1-2 snacks a day), a basic solar charger for your phone, a decent first aid kit (always good to have), some candles and a way to safely light them, 1-2 spare rolls of toilet paper, some warm clothes + a nice warm blanket or 2 for warmth, a good book and some board/card games for entertainment, and of course good relations with your neighbours/local community. You may notice that you likely already have most of this anyway, that's because most of it is just stuff you will likely have around anyway. A little fancier would be a basic gas camping stove (even a basic backpacking model will get you a few days use) for warm food/drinks, and some heatpacks for in bed (reusable ones you can use for sore muscles are probably good enough if you have decent blankets). Utility skills like first aid training, basic DIY skills (and of course a basic toolkit, just leave gas and electric work to professionals) and cooking (a basic cookbook is a great investment) are always good to have. Have fun as well, go camping, learn to make your own jam (you can't find banana or grape jam in most supermarkets, but that doesn't mean those aren't tasty) or how to bake bread. Skills, knowledge, and experiences that are useful in everyday life or just enjoyable to experience are always a good option. Naturally you should tailor your list to local conditions, snowstorms require different preparations than floods after all. Just remember not to overdo it, modern industrialised societies and the institutions that uphold and maintain them are remarkably resilient (just look at Ukraine or WW2 UK). Whatever doom scenario you can come up with will have already been theorised and had contingency plans prepared for by the people and agencies tasked with preventing and responding to them. If you have the time for it you should also get involved in local politics and champion investment into quality infrastructure and its maintainance, since that helps to prevent problems from occuring in the first place and improves the ability to respond to problems if they do happen. Just remember that nothing happening is the most likely scenario (and the one you see every day), and make sure that everything you do remains compatible with that.

[@jhutch1470]

@@IO-hh2fz What about the Summer of Love? No utilities out, and roving bands of animals threatening to kill you, burn your hose down, and keep your dog?

[@NicholasMaus]

this is by far the best channel of it's kind.

[@ericbergfield6451]

I enjoyed this episode more than I expected; some of your ramblings are more ramble-able, whereas this was one where my mind was easily focused the whole time

[@mtnbound2764]

flexibility is definitely key. being able adapt your supplies and skills to any of the various scenarios that could unfold.

[@ryimscaith1593]

To me, prepping is about planing. To that end, I tell people that one plan a prepper should plan for is if "Nothing Happens". If nothing ever goes to have you use those prepping skills and items, what do you do? Do you still have fun? Do you still interact with society? Do you have a family? Do you have friends? You get the point. I believe in always being prepared. Part of that is being prepared to just enjoy life.

[@andreahighsides7756]

It’s a good idea to keep a few extra weeks of medication on hand for natural disasters etc

[@rgretchen]

Best rationalization of being prepared I have heard to date... thank you.

[@robsdeviceunknown]

I have been a relatively hard core prepper for over a decade. All I can say is, I have NEVER felt so safe and secure in my life than since I been prepping. I find it fun, it's my hobby too. It becomes a game when going to flea markets, marketplace, yard sales etc and looking at things and thinking "How can I use this after a collapse?" You would be amazed. We have had to use our preps 4 times in 8 years. We live a bit out in the country. Power goes out, I was literally killed by a tree once, so we were broke, so on and so forth. I don't prep for "End of the world" scenarios. I have however more recently focused more on a few more firearms for specific uses and tons more ammo. Don't forget to just prep for you and your family. You will need a community to survive. Keep extra gun and ammo for them, food for atleast a year with the ability to grow more. ANd THE MOST important next to security. FOOD PRESERVATION. Will run out of game fast if you can't preserve it.

[@blodus4521]

Glad you didn't stay dead.

[@robsdeviceunknown]

lol yeah. They had to shock me a few times, i had so much internal bleeding my heart stopped. @@blodus4521

[@65stang98]

canning is one of my favorite times of the year after the big harvest. Got to stock up on those lids and jars though. Most importantly the lids. I think ten years of lids is a good stockpile.

[@Bitter_Blueberry]

I have boomsticks I have water (Live 100 feet from Niangua river. Pumped to two 500 gal tanks) Full pantry But you know what I would be absolutely LOST without? My Bible. It was the 1st instruction to prep. Garden, raise animals, "sell your cloak and buy a sword", all in the Bible.

[@sheldoniusRex]

​@@blodus4521 I came here to make sure we all weren't just going to let that go by without addressing it.

[@ExtremelyAverageMan]

1:13. I hear ya, average price for a "starter house" in Colorado is over $500k

[@SHTFartofwar]

A very insightful commentary. Glad I took a chance on this video! Well worth the stop.

[@T3MPTAT10NS]

With your experience now, what order would you prioritize prepping in if you had to start over? A short vid or write up would be sweet. I’m a shooter (military exp. And civilian pistol comps on occasion but rusty) but my wife is not, struggling to get her into shooting. My wife is a nurse with ER/Trauma experience, but I have no medical training. We have some MRE cases and a deep freeze full of 1/4 cow from a butcher so as long as we have power we have good food (probably need solar to keep my food cold, look at that, writing it out helps). When do you throw in outdoor survival type stuff? Look forward to any feedback! Thanks for what you do.

[@kenatpach]

Straight up! Love this... Life is too short, to go down all the rabbit holes. Things are weird AF. They ain't "bad" though. Let's do the things, and enjoy this ride. Thanks Brass!!! I mean, I feel pretty good. haha That being said... Prepare, your mind, body, and heart! Gather with like minded people, and don't be surprised if/when things go south.

[@RKDriver]

After the TX freeze/power outage a few years ago, my preps have focused on sustaining more localized-realistic scenarios. Things that have a higher probability to disrupt like weather. I still have defensive capabilities and supplies but I just see those as tools similar to my home generator. I may need it, I may not but I do have them. I've given it a lot of thought and I believe that there really is no full-proof prep that can be done for a major SHTF event. A lot will come down to luck and fortune but there's just no way to prepare for all situations. On Day 2, you could be the best prepper on the planet and have your entire location go up in a bizarre fire while that guy in the suburbs is working with neighbors, building allies and reliable teams to sustain a small community long term. A few miles over from him, a similar suburb or town may be on the verge of collapse. I've prepared but I agree with this video on many counts. There's so much left to the unknown and just living your life is the best bet.

[@MotoCampAdventure]

If "prepping" isn't just being silly with the boys in the desert then iowanna prep.

[@fragnshrapnels]

around 9:45 minute mark. That was pretty awesome camo sitting on that hilltop.

[@raydaug4633]

Prepare to live, don't live to prepare. Life is a series of calculated risks and we rarely, if ever, have all the information to crunch the numbers. Eventually, you have to go out into the world and live your life, and things like what car you drive have a much, much bigger impact on your day-to-day life than what rifle(s) you own.

[@A_Qwynide]

Fun Fact: Youre not gunna John Wick through a collapse. Gun skills will be the last resort, not the main skillset. The only fights you want are the ones you choose unilaterally - so having the skills to avoid all the other ones is way better than reducing your splits a fraction of a second. Staying alive day to day via food water shelter resources, aka what you will do 99.9% of the time, is way more important than getting the newest optic or another AR variant.

[@flopus7]

Jokes on you. I was already autisticly building guns and larping without any preps

[@highdesertdrew1844]

I sometimes feel the need to point out, the S has already HTF once in the last 3.5 years. We can trivialize the experience now because that was just the start of our problems, but 2020 was a tough year, there was a lot of uncertainty, the world was locking down due to a virus running around that was supposedly causing healthy people to drop dead and I still had to go to work, go grocery shopping, pay my bills, and then a bunch of riots started. Either way, great add on to previous vid.

[@weridebikes1000]

There was no SHTF. Too much Faux Noods for this one.

[@waffleandchicken]

You guys cry and bitch and moan about the pandemic as if you were In fucking Fallujah for all of 2020. There was no SHTF, you didn’t live out the apocalypse, you’re not special, there were no riots within 100 miles of you because you live in a WASP suburb. The closest thing you’ve had to SHTF is having to go to divorce court.

[@lynnjr457]

Everyone experienced the pandemic differently depending on where they lived. I dug into my food stores twice when our local stores were literally empty shelved for weeks. It was a good opportunity to test out my mechanisms for survival and to test out my "plan". I can tell you that coming out of the pandemic I had more friends and family come to me to ask about my prepping lifestyle as they felt very uncertain when they couldn't just go to the store to buy basic things that they need everyday. The riots also greatly disturbed family in those cities who were previously anti-gun. I saw more people move toward gun ownership in my circles than ever before in my 50 years of life and we are seeing this align on a larger scale with the background check numbers as well. My prepping began and still roots itself in the Boy Scout philosophy I grew up with. Add to that a life of growing up with Hurricanes in Florida and you are indoctrinated in being prepared for disasters (natural or man made). Be Prepared Folks.

[@WQuantrill]

I think that the most important thing you can do is ensure that you are physically fit. If you’re able to run and have practical strength, you’ll have an inherent (probably decisive) advantage over most of our population.

[@remainingrex9471]

I've realized overtime, and with the help of this video that it's not prepping i enjoy. Prepping is an excuse to justify the fact that I like tacticool shit. I'm now starting to think of prepping as more a side effect.

[@bullphrogva1804]

I think the biggest issue the prepping community has is that it focuses to much on doomsday prepping. It's all esoteric supplies and martial skills. Where are your social skills, your trade skills, do you have a church? a community, attend clubs and sports? Do you ever go camping? Are you spiritually, physically and mentally grounded? Are you so ideologically possessed that you can't help but make enemies out of everyone you see? Do you have a stable job? side hustles? Diverse portfolio? etc. etc. The truth about preparedness is that the bulk of being prepared, are basic things like having a stable living situation, financial situation, and community. Most of the preppers I see will answer in the negative for all of these. It's all 10 year old spaghettis O's and Ar-15s that never get shot, or instagram andy's

[@TimberwolfCY]

Very good stuff here. Also I have to second Bear Independent, he's got some good stuff also. Both of you are well-rounded, chill guys who keep good perspective on things

[@samduffy7628]

Would love to hear your thoughts on drone usage even a cheaper dji 2 for recon

[@johngaltman]

As a prepper with well over a decade under my belt, skills over things always... How to find food over having it, how to find water over having it, have both in your tool kit. Gather a lot of things if you are not willing to learn how to make them yourself, make things if you know how to and have a lot of the things you need to make the thing you need... That is always the trade off you have to either make, have the things or the skills, and if you have the things, know how to use them... Otherwise they are just trinkets and trash...

[@albinoyak2755]

Damn... thays crazy, its a good thing you found somebody who tolerates your autism and was able to bring you from the brink and show you that theres a whole ass world out there to explore and enjoy.

[@elsenorloco84]

I will say this though always have backup irons i’ve broken to aimpoints ( the adjustment knobs are a failure point )

[@hurpaderpp]

duuuuude. my old youtube channel got banned awhile ago and I have never been able to find Bear's page again until now. I love that guy, totally forgot his name and you mentioning it just ended an over year long mystery for me haha

[@williamflowers9435]

10:21 even the zombie scenario has variables… sure, if it’s TWD, a suppressed .22lr is definitely the way to go. However, the zombies from The Last of Us (HBO) might make one consider having a 12guage and a .454 Casull revolver handy.

[@patb7723]

I dont larp i just use the same gear like my belt setup and rifle and hike a few miles every day during hunting season so hiking in amd out of woods all day for a couple months i get a good feel for it

[@ECTT1776]

How does one get their dog (whippet mixed pit bull) to ride in the vehicle without trying to jump out? More importantly that has the same energy level at almost 7yrs as 2-3yrs old?

[@Ammotax]

I’ve never been into prepping I just like guns and off-roading IE I’m going to be a pretty cool loot drop if anything happens

[@lINORSEMANIl]

any way that we could get a video going over the different intermediate cartridges that are out there for an spr, I know most people will just say use 556 but I think there are better options (6.8 SPC, 6.5 ARC, 6.5 grendel, 244 valkyrie) and I think you'd do a great job breaking it down

[@kidmosey]

My "prep" consists of developing an off-grid property and the self-sufficiency skills required so I have little to no expenses once I decide to retire. This feels less like throwing money into a pit because whether or not SHTF I'll be using it (hopefully).

[@j3ff100]

Hey brass, I'm curious if you have tried the older Gen 3 PA 3x prism and how it compares to the micro 3x. I am mostly curious if the perceived image is larger on the older unit? I understand the weight difference just would personally like a larger image then the micro.

[@dustin6342]

Have you done some low light comparisons with LPVOs? Something like being able to acquire a sight picture on a coyote (tyrant) at 100 yards with fading sunlight and in the shadows

[@szariq7338]

I started going into the prepping rabbit hole (the Polish style of prepping, that is what you mean, thanks to a channel Domowy Survival) some years ago, I mean before corona. However since I was then still underage I simply lived my life while maturing and gaining knowledge. Now, studying and with good enough financial pillow for couple of months I'll start actually buying some small stuff. Still I have quite a good brake from overprepping: if I want something, it needs to have a place, where it won't look like it creates a mess. and if something makes a mess, then I adress this problem by throwing it out, using, selling it and sometimes finding a better place.

[@BlueLoneWolf54]

B-roll dump!

[@The_Rat_Catcher]

Where can I get some tactical pants like bro's got on in 0:48. Caked up

[@Mattys556]

I LOVE PREPPING. I love the feeling of being prepared. Training is not only a blast, a great way to get outside with the boys. It's a freaking blast. If someone makes fun of me or calls me a larper or larping ( no idea what that is) then fine... lol. I love larping then!

[@gmclucy]

I've long come to the conclusion that in a real collapse scenario I'd never make it without the medication I need to take (I mean in theory it won't kill me but it would be miserable not worth living) so at this point the best I can do is hope things keep going ok and that anything I have to defend myself from will be in the context of society at least kind of existing still

[@williamflowers9435]

Have you looked into what to feed Nova once the supply of puppy chow has run out? Same question to Hop in regards to Socko? I’ve heard of cats having taurine deficiency with some “natural” diets 🙀

[@petersudol5887]

At the 9:29 mark of this video, that rock formation looks like PIZZA: 🍕 THE HUTT #spaceballs 😂

[@wanderingghost4507]

For me SHTF four months ago, healthy and in shape, decent job, prepared for most things, then boom i was in between health insurance got badly hurt and got slammed with thousands in bills, lost my job and had to move cross country for better care. Sold most of gats to fund trips. So for me, like you said in another video, small budget for preparedness, and the rest going to rebuilding my life, credit and health.

[@chris.t1629]

Mr. P25 can you make some follow up videos on comms? Our group recently got into XTS series and would love your more in depth take on the subject

[@coldsteel.and.courage]

Build a small farm. Practice food self sufficiency. Become friends with those around you. If you can't do this learn how to be useful to someone who can. A strong community based around these principles will go further than anyone who thinks they can just stockpile their way through.

[@bigchief4044]

1:00 Who makes those scope scrim wraps?