Reality Check: 5 common problems in your survival Kits

I was recently asked about my car kit so I took the opportunity to go through it.

What I found brought me very little peace of mind, the opposite of what preparedness is supposed to do.

After several months of neglect, my car kit was a mess and a reality check is in order.

Here are five of the most common fails found in kits.

1)Water

I had used up most of the water in my car for different reasons and only had one 2 liter bottle left in it. Hardly enough for my family if stranded in summer out in the road.

Water is so important, you end up using it up often. The problem is that sometimes we forget to resupply what we use.

2)Expired Food

While water gets used up, with food the problem I often come across as years go by is that is simply expires. Some types of food and some packaging is better than others but it’s still important to check. I just threw away several energy bars that came in individual mylar pouches. Mylar works well but it isnt magic and food can still go bad in them. Check the expiration date and replace as needed. Its cheap enough insurance.

3)Clothes

Spare clothes for each family member are an important part of the kit. For me it has saved the day more than once.

The problem is, kids grow and clothes don’t fit them anymore. I just realized we need to replace the ones we have for some that actually fit if/when needed.

4)Medical supplies

Just like food, your meds expire too. Check those vehicle first aid kits and make sure they haven’t expired. This goes for other supplies that have an expiration date or other items that require regular check, such as batteries or your fire extinguisher. Make sure it still has enough pressure.

5)Missing stuff

Oh, it sure is useful to keep a kit with gear handy. Now, you need to make sure you return everything back to its place because if not you end up with a kit missing many vital components. I just checked and cant seem to find the small folding shovel in my car kit. Who knows where that thing is now? I’m sure there are other items missing too.

FerFAL

Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”