What if SHTF during the winter?

[Kaiser7 33]

Not that I would ever want to see it happen, or that I even think it is likely, but I've often wondered what a person in my position, young, little money, and with (apart from farming) relatively little survival skills would do (besides likely die).

 

Now, whenever we envision these SHTF scenarios, on TV and stuff, it always seems to be summer-time, but honestly, I would imagine it being far easier to hide and survive in the summer. Winter is the real challenge.

 

Not only the standard issues of what guns would be preferred for long term cold-exposure, but what could you do for food from the land? How would you prioritize carrying extra clothing? And how would you do this on a budget?

 

For one, I already have the outter wear I would use, and that I do use whenever it's snowing.

 

http://www.armynavydeals.com/asp/images/product_images/bgermgreato1.jpg

 

...As well as an Ushenka, though mine's a little nicer than this one is.

 

http://guidepetersburg.com/uploads/image/%D1%83%D1%88%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0.jpg

 

Other clothing preferences of mine, thin wool gloves underneath leather, insulated ones. doesn't restrict movement too much, but is warm....But then again, I could be doing this all wrong!

[johnp 45]

From my research most survivalists, people who live off the land year round, mostly eat food that was prepared before winter time.(jarred, canned food) Sure you can hunt in the winter, but growing food is not going to happen. Bugging out should be a last resort, once bugging in fails. Unless you have a bug-out location and the means to get there.

[mipafox 438]

What are the chances the ruskies will attack on a Thursday?

 

There isn't going to be SHTF during the winter.

[heaterbob 53]

you will be a food source

[Kaiser7 33]

What are the chances the ruskies will attack on a Thursday?

 

There isn't going to be SHTF during the winter.

 

So you don't think that something could happen between the months of November-March? I very well think that it would be important to know how to handle the unique challenges that happen when one isn't prepared in winter time.

[mipafox 438]

I very well think that it would be important to know how to handle the unique challenges that happen when one isn't prepared in winter time.

 

I was joking (except the part about the Russians attacking on a Thursday).

 

But I think it would be better to be prepared than know how to be one who isn't prepared.

[Kaiser7 33]

I was joking (except the part about the Russians attacking on a Thursday).

 

But I think it would be better to be prepared than know how to be one who isn't prepared.

 

Haha, that's true, sadly all my money goes to school, and I doubt knowledge of genetics, resonance structures, or enantiomers or anything will help me survive!

[brizbane 1]

Good idea to make a plan and slowly build toward your goal. Being you are young, that is an advantage some of us don't have.

 

I am older, with some health problems, but I keep plugging along slowly toward our goal. We have been doing it for several years and I think that a short term disruption won't be all that bad for us, I hope.

 

Something that would go on for an indefinite period would not be good, and would separate the men from the boys, so to speak.

 

And yes, winters would be difficult, but our ancestors were able to survive, but they had the knowledge to do so. Unfortunately, after several generations of a more modern life style, a lot of that knowledge has been lost, and now somehow must be relearned.

[mipafox 438]

In all honesty, a really good place to start is to dress properly. Don't go anywhere in Winter that you couldn't survive a walk home without the modern conveniences and technologies. We have weather reports nowadays. If it is going to get below freezing in the next 24 hours you should be wearing longjohns, double and/or wool socks, an undershirt, and have gloves and a hat along for the ride. Even if you drive to work and wear a suit on the job. Or even just running to the store for milk.

[Kaiser7 33]

In all honesty, a really good place to start is to dress properly. Don't go anywhere in Winter that you couldn't survive a walk home without the modern conveniences and technologies. We have weather reports nowadays. If it is going to get below freezing in the next 24 hours you should be wearing longjohns, double and/or wool socks, an undershirt, and have gloves and a hat along for the ride. Even if you drive to work and wear a suit on the job. Or even just running to the store for milk.

 

What did you think of the gear I posted up there? In some of the fiercer storms we've had (like the ones a couple years ago) I managed to pick up shoveling work, and could go for 12+ hours with just that coat, a scarf, and my ushenka and gloves. Underneath I just wore a white undershirt and a thin hoodie and jeans.

 

I like those coats though, they keep you amazingly dry. I don't get a bit wet, no matter how much slush or crap I walk through.

[mipafox 438]

That's awesome, if you wear it when you drive to the store for milk

[Malsua 1,422]

Not that I would ever want to see it happen, or that I even think it is likely, but I've often wondered what a person in my position, young, little money, and with (apart from farming) relatively little survival skills would do (besides likely die).

 

Find the most organized group you can and offer to help them in any way you can. If you are an asset, you'll be fed. If you're a layabout, you'll be dead.

[JSF01 13]

Haha, that's true, sadly all my money goes to school, and I doubt knowledge of genetics, resonance structures, or enantiomers or anything will help me survive!

Well if it were to be a zombie virus, that infomation could be invaluable in the serch for a cure.

[greatgunstatenj 32]

I like the hat, but I think you can do better than that jacket. I have an old military over coat very similar to that from my father. I can't imagine trying to be mobile in it, it's too bulky. I think it would be better to have tighter fitting, layered clothing. Probably something made of gore-tex. Survival might include ditching into the woods, running from bad guys, etc.

 

In terms of likelihood... Ron Paul and Gary Johnson think it is very likely (at least an economic SHTF).

[johnp 45]

A peacoat and a fur lined hat.

 

Are you invading Serbia this winter?

[Kaiser7 33]

I like the hat, but I think you can do better than that jacket. I have an old military over coat very similar to that from my father. I can't imagine trying to be mobile in it, it's too bulky. I think it would be better to have tighter fitting, layered clothing. Probably something made of gore-tex. Survival might include ditching into the woods, running from bad guys, etc.

 

In terms of likelihood... Ron Paul and Gary Johnson think it is very likely (at least an economic SHTF).

 

It's fairly tight fitting, and I've run it in airsoft games with no problems, that's pretty much, IMO, a pretty good bench-mark for it's effectiveness, plus it was $35.

A peacoat and a fur lined hat.

 

Are you invading Serbia this winter?

 

Not a Pea-coat, they're far shorter. It's warm as hell, and is military issue, even if communist XD.

 

As for the hat, I really like the Ushenka, I mean, that's what it was designed for, staying out in the cold for extended periods, plus, if you get too warm, raise the ears up, and you cool down a bit, but still keep some cover on your head!

[GeorgeHM 5]

First off glad you are looking to be self responsible. For everything else it comes down to a matter of importance.

 

 

Shelter. This is primary in that with out a place to stay warm and dry in, as well as store supply to make it through the problem everything else will almost become moot.

 

Water. This is the next priority. You either need to store enough or be able to purify it for you, for a what ever time frame you choose.

 

Food. Here is the next thing to work on. You can build up a supply of food in as little as a few months. Start buy buying thing you like but only and extra can or 2 every time you go shopping. Be for you know

it you will have a few weeks of food set aside for just in case.

 

From here on it is just a matter of putting money aside and getting things to make your life easier.

 

Here is a web site I like to look at to help me figure out things I might need. http://alpharubicon.com

 

HTH

[bulpup 98]

Shelter. Seconded. Even a half tent that can be a wind break will be a great help if you soak that coat and need to dry it.

 

After that learn to make a fire with nothing but your hands and some wood.

 

A warm coat full of your own sweat is no longer warm, especially overnight. This could kill you in less than 24 hours.

 

Extra dry clothes helps quite a bit.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kaiser7 33]

Lol, I'm not really looking for advice, I'm more curious what you guys think would be important in winter SHTF scenarios. Just a discussion and stuff haha.

[johnp 45]

Lol, I'm not really looking for advice, I'm more curious what you guys think would be important in winter SHTF scenarios. Just a discussion and stuff haha.

 

What kind of shtf scenario are we talking about? Way to many big variables here.

[Vlad G 345]

Well for one thing I'd chuck the clothing designed at the start of the last century and go for modern one. Light weigh layered winter clothing with a gor-tex or equivalent outer shell and fleece or wools for your head plus decent water proof boots, and a pair of waterproof over-pants.

 

That coat weights what .. 20+ LB? That hat probably doesn't breath very well either. Why carry all that extra weight around when you can probably get the same or better insulation from a 5lb or less 2 piece modern jacket which also is considerably waterproof?

 

A lot of folks have an attraction to mil-surplus stuff, hell I do to, but we need to remember this stuff is surplus because it was replaced by something better. Why not get the better stuff?

[CMJeepster 2,778]

...I think it would be better to have tighter fitting, layered clothing. Probably something made of gore-tex...

 

Think COLD!

 

Stay CLEAN

Avoid OVERHEATING (sweat)

Wear LOOSE LAYERS

Stay DRY

 

Loose layers allows for air close to your body to be warmed and retained. ;-)

 

I am outfitted with Gor-Tex from head to toe. Rain pants, jacket, socks, boots, gloves and hat. I've found that my light Gore-Tex outer shell, when backed up with a loose cotton innerblayer can sustain me for hours. I would supplement that if I were, say, in Alaska, but it seems to work for New Jersey.

[BlueLineFish 615]

I have winter clothing and. A 4x4. I'm feel secure with that her. It's not Alaska.

[remixer 1,645]

Most people who think about Prepping only think of Food, water and defense.. 1 thing allot of us forget about is medical care. Without proper medical services anyone of us can die from a small cut that gets infected. Since hygiene would be an issue during a "SHTF" situation i would recommend getting a Home Cure book like the ones our parents had it would not be a bad idea to get herbal remedy books and lots of alcohol pads to clean any open cuts etc etc.

 

This being said i have done nothing i mentioned above but if your preparing might as well do it right

[ClangClang 14]

Ever heard the saying "cotton kills"? It does. If it's cotton, it's useless in winter. Full stop. When cotton gets wet, it literally pulls heat from your body. If you get caught out in a cold rainstorm wearing only a cotton t-shirt, you will be warmer if you take the t-shirt off. The same principle applies for wearing a cotton undershirt. Don't.

 

You want synthetics or merino wool against your skin as a base layer, then a fleece as a midlayer, then a gore tex-type (AKA "waterproof-breathable") shell on top. Costco actually has very nice, high quality, inexpensive synthetic baselayers. Tops and bottoms for about $15-$20 each. Ramsey Outdoor and REI both a nice selection of all of the above as well. Don't bother with hunting/"outdoors" stores if you can avoid it - their stuff is frequently garbage.

 

More thoughts - Avoid getting sweaty at all costs - this depletes your water reserves and if you can't dry out, puts you at risk for hypothermia. Hands and feet are the most vulnerable. NO COTTON SOCKS. Get a pair of good quality wool socks. Carry a spare pair always. Same for gloves - get a decent pair of ski gloves and carry a spare pair. Also get a pair of lightly insulated leather work gloves for labor - you'll trash your warm ski gloves chopping wood. If either socks or gloves get wet, swap them out for the dry pair and stuff the wet ones inside your shirt, right up against your skin and keep them there for an hour. They'll dry out, especially if you're exerting yourself and generating heat. It's dark 12+ hours a day in winter - get a high quality LED headlamp by Petzl, Black Diamond, or Princeton Tec. (The Black Diamond Storm is possibly the best headlamp ever made). No flashlights. You need your hands free. In that same vein, take your D-cell Maglite and toss it in the trash. It's worthless. The battery life is abysmal and it weighs more than a pistol. Small, lighweight, and LED is what you want.

 

Feel free to ask me anything, this is just off the top of my head.

 

Source: I spend my winters camping on glaciers and doing things that must people in their right mind avoid.

 

 

[remixer 1,645]

 

 

 

 

Did you notice the 6 UFO's on the right side of your picture?

[ClangClang 14]

Did you notice the 6 UFO's on the right side of your picture?

 

Haha, that's a series of 6 cable cars that connect France to Italy and run right over the Alps. Timing just happened to catch them as they were crossing over.

[remixer 1,645]

Ahh ok... Just wondered... BTW fantastic pictures!

[Damjan 73]

 

 

Haha, that's a series of 6 cable cars that connect France to Italy and run right over the Alps. Timing just happened to catch them as they were crossing over.

 

What brand of tent is that? Any recommendations of brands.......i m sure you didn't get this at Dicks or Cabelas?

[Vlad G 345]

Also get a pair of lightly insulated leather work gloves for labor - you'll trash your warm ski gloves chopping wood.

 

Speaking of which, the Mechanix Winter Armor type gloves are awesome for winter work. They are not treestand kind of gloves, so not the warmest, but if you are active and need to use your hands in cold weather they are awesome.