Spyderco Native 5Spyderco has made a lot of amazing knives, but very few of them have been as popular as their Native line of knives. The Spyderco Native 5 is the 5th generation of the Native line and they've just about perfected it in my opinion. The Spyderco Native 5 is one of the most popular knives that Spyderco makes. It features a CPM-S30V spearpoint blade and a fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle. It's available in straight, serrated (aka Spyder Edge) and partially serrated blades and a variety of handle styles.
Overall, I feel great recommending this knife to just about anyone! It fits the hand well, doesn't slip even when it's wet and stays sharp for a long time before you need to touch up the edge. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. [/wc_box] Who should be Interested in the Spyderco Native 5?The Spyderco Native 5 is ideal for anyone who is looking for an EDC knife to fit into most roles. It's just as suitable for an office environment as it is for the trail or while you're out camping. The size, blade shape, and handle, as well as the variety of available blade designs, makes is it versatile enough to fit just about any role that you can come up with. You can even get it in Spyderco's Salt finish which is designed to resist corrosion in humid and wet environments. FeaturesThe Spyderco Native 5 comes in right around 7" when opened and 4" while closed. The normal Native 5 model comes with a 2.95" S30V spearpoint blade, and the Salt version uses LC200N. Both types of steel hold an edge well and are resistant to corrosion, but the blade of the Native 5 Salt takes it even further with its extremely corrosion-resistant design. The sharpened edge of the blade is 2.42 inches with a finger choil at the base so you can hold it closer to the blade if you need to do some finer work. The blade is 1/8" thick. Spyderco says that the blade has a full flat grind, but there is a secondary bevel at the edge so it's not a true full flat grind. The handle is made of injection-molded fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) to make it both strong and light. Unlike some of their other knives, there is no steel reinforcement inside to add strength to the handle. They do this to keep the knife as light as possible. The good news is the handle doesn't flex like some other plastic handled knives that aren't reinforced. There is a decent amount of grip without the handle being too rough. It uses Spyderco's Bi-Directional Texturing which I really like. It provides a firm grip when the knife is wet or when you're pushing or pulling. Some of the knives from Spyderco have brass inserts that allow the blades to open easier. The Native 5 doesn't. This means that it can be a little stiff opening when you first get one. Regardless of how you like to carry your knives, the Native 5 has you covered. You can carry tip-up or down on both the left and right sides. The knife comes with the clip installed for tip-up right-handed carry. I've been a little less than enthusiastic about Spyderco's stock pocket clips in the past. With the Native 5 that really isn't the case. The squared-off back edge of the knife fits well with the pocket clip. The back lock mechanism of the knife keeps the blade firmly in place. There is a secure click when it opens and almost no movement once it's in place. With the knife open, you can flex the handle and blade if you really try, but it's not a lot. Spyderco Native 5 ProsI really like the blade design of the Native 5! It's really similar to the Spyderco Shaman that I carry on a regular basis. It has a sharp point that's both fine and strong at the same time and the cutting edge is perfect for most common uses. The handle design makes the knife really comfortable after periods of longer use. Being able to choke up on the blade a little is a nice touch because it really helps with any finer detail work that you may want to do. You can get the Native 5 in a ton of different colors and blade finishes. You may just have to shop around a little to get the exact color/blade combo you want because not all retailers carry all of the different combinations. There's a Salt version of the Native 5! The Salt version is designed for use around water (specifically saltwater) and humid areas where other types of knives tend to rust and corrode quickly. This is actually the version of the knife that I own. It's the same as the regular Native 5 but the steel is different and it comes with a high visibility handle. Spyderco is based in Golden, Colorado and their knives are made in the United States. When you buy a Spyderco knife, you're supporting a quality American company and American workers. This probably doesn't matter to a lot of people, but I like to support American companies. Spyderco Native 5 ConsMy biggest complaint with the Native 5 is how stiff it is when first buy one. It takes quite a bit of use to finally get the knife to feel like it's opening smoothly. Even after it's broken in, it still isn't nearly as smooth as some other Spyderco knives. With a 2.95" blade and a 4" handle it's going to be too small for some people. If you have big hands then you could end up with a pinky hanging off the end of the handle. It's not a deal-breaker at all, but it's something to think about. I like the light weight of the knife, but some people seem to find the light handle to kind of unsettling. I will admit that it can feel a little weird at first and make you think that it's going to break even though the handle is super strong and doesn't flex at all. ConclusionIf you're looking for a great all-around knife for every day carry then the Spyderco Native 5 is a great choice. With a medium-sized blade, a lot of different styles available and a lifetime warranty, it just works really well in a wide range of lifestyles. That's why it's so popular! Spyderco Native 5 Review – Spyderco’s Lightweight Classic is courtesy of: www.readylifestyle-staging.gtgrgq9c-liquidwebsites.com via Blogger Spyderco Native 5 Review – Spyderco’s Lightweight Classic
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Bug Out Bag FoodThere is a lot of different information out there about bug out bag food. Most people are doing their best to provide information that they think will be helpful, but some of it is just bad. Bug out bag food should be light, compact and calorie-dense. It should also need very little preparation. MREs, freeze-dried food, canned food, tuna/chicken pouches, energy gels, emergency rations, energy/ protein bars, nuts/dried fruit/trail mix, jerky/pemmican, candy, and drink mixes are all solid choices as bug out bag food. Let's look at the types of food you should pack in your bug out bag and why. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. How To Choose Bug Out Bag FoodBefore we dig into the different types of food that make sense for a bug out bag, I want to quickly lay out the general idea behind a bug out bag. I'm a firm believer that you should understand why you're doing something instead of just following checklists. [wc_box color="primary" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] For a more in-depth look at bug out bags, check out this article. Purpose of a bug out bagA bug out bag is designed to get you from your home to a bug out location if you have to leave on foot or with no notice. That's it. You shouldn't be packing like your going to go camping for a week. You shouldn't be planning to walk for 8 hours then setting up a campsite and waiting until morning to start moving again. Once you bug out you should keep going until you reach your bug out location only stopping to briefly rest, collect water, eat quickly or sleep. Considerations for bug out bag foodThe food that you decide to pack in your bug out bag should be light, compact, calorie-dense, and not need a lot of preparation. I also prefer food that doesn't need to be prepared and has a long shelf life. The shelf life of food is important because your bug out bag is going to spend most of its time just sitting in a closet or basement. The longer the shelf life of your bug out bag food, the less that you need to change it out. This means less money and less work over the life of the bug out bag. Size (being light and compact) is also important when choosing food for your bug out bag. As an example, canned food may seem like a good idea when you first look at it, but it weighs a lot and takes up a lot of space. Being calorie-dense is another important factor to consider. Calories are energy, and that's the only reason that you're packing food in your bug out bag. The more calories that you can pack into your food, the more energy you'll be providing your body to keep moving toward your bug out location. Finally, you want to pack food that doesn't need a lot of preparation. Try to focus on food that you can eat while you're walking so you don't need to stop to start a fire or get a stove going to cook your food. Bug Out Bag FoodsThe list below is there to get you thinking about what types of food works well in a bug out bag and why it works. It isn't all-inclusive so feel free to pack food that you like as long as it makes sense. MREsMREs (meals ready to eat) are military-style meals that meet all of the requirements for bug out bag food. They're easy to prepare, calorie-dense, light and don't take up a lot of room. The shelf life is also pretty good (around 5 years) so you won't have to replace them all that often. You can make an MRE even lighter and more compact by opening them and removing all of the extra packaging. Feel free to take any of the other things that you don't need or won't eat. Freeze-dried FoodFreeze-dried foods are great for backpackers and campers that are looking for a lightweight option to take along with them. They fill most of the boxes for bug out bag food, but they also usually need to have boiling water added to them before you can eat them. Does that mean that you should completely rule them out? Not necessarily. I don't keep any in my bug out bag, but don't write them off if they make sense for you. As long as you're willing to boil water to cook them they're great. I'd suggest choosing something else if you live in an area that doesn't have a lot of natural water sources. Canned FoodsCanned foods last for a long time and usually can be eaten cold so they don't take a lot of time to prepare. I don't like canned foods because they take up a lot of space and weigh a lot compared to the number of calories that you get from them. The exception to this is canned meats like chicken, tuna, and Spam. I'd rather have tuna and chicken in pouches because they're a little lighter, but a can doesn't add all that much weight. Tuna/Chicken PouchesTuna and chicken pouches are a great option for a bug out bag. They're cheap and last for quite a while. The only thing they have going against them is the pouch. Try to pack them in a way so that the pouch won't get punctured by other things in your bug out bag. Energy GelsThere has been a ton of research put into inventive ways to fuel the body during strenuous activity. Energy gels are one of the products that have come out of that research. They're mostly sugar so don't expect them to be good as your sole source of food, but they're great when your body is depleted and run down. I'd have a few on top of your normal food to keep you going through a few long days of walking. Emergency RationsEmergency rations (sometimes called lifeboat rations) are specifically designed to be shelf-stable for years, calorie-dense and relatively lightweight. They're pretty much a perfect food for any emergency and always have some in my bug out bag. You may have seen people saying that they aren't good for bugging out but that's pretty ridiculous. I would suggest ignoring the serving suggestions and just eating enough so you're replacing the calories that you're using during the day. They may not be great food, but they are a great emergency food. Energy/Protein BarsEnergy bars and protein bars can be good survival food and bug out bag food. Most of them are specifically formulated to maximize the way that they provide the body with calories and other nutrients. They have the added benefit of being easy to eat on the move and with no advance preparation. Jerky/PemmicanJerky and pemmican are both a good source of food and calories. They last for a couple of years as well so they shouldn't need to be replaced too often. One of the best things with having jerky in your bug out bag is that it can be eaten while you're walking and tends to make you feel more full than something like a PowerBar. Drink MixesDrink mixes aren't exactly food, but they do provide some calories and energy so they can make sense to add to a bug out bag. Don't rely on them too much, but they can give you a little sugar boost and change things up so you're not just drinking water. Dried Fruit, Nuts and Trail MixDried fruit, nuts and trail mix can be a good idea for bug out bag food, but you need to be careful about how long you leave it in your bug out bag before checking on it. The oils in some of these foods can lead to spoilage pretty quickly. Dried fruit can normally go for about a year before it spoils while nuts have about a 6-month shelf life. CandyCandy of all kinds is the old school way of providing the body with quick energy during hard work. It basically does the same thing that energy gels would do for you plus having something sweet is a good way to lift the spirits during a stressful time. Look for candy bars that can last for a while in a backpack and will hold up well to being bounced around and beat up a little. How Much Food Should go in a Bug Out BagThe amount of food that each of us needs in our bug out bags is going to vary based on our individual needs. A generic "72-hour" bag is going to need enough food to keep you going for three days. This obviously doesn't work if you're in a situation where you may need to spend 4 or more days walking to your bug out location. Make sure that you have enough food in your bug out bag to last for however long you plan to be traveling. How much food do you need per day?WebMD says that an active average-sized man should consume somewhere between 2,200 and 2,800 calories per day. That number is a good goal if you fall into that category and you're not in a survival situation. In a survival situation, you need about 1,200 calories at a minimum for long term survival. This does vary based on size and weight but it's a good average for most people. At 1,000 calories a day the physical effects on the body are roughly equivalent to total starvation. Keep these numbers in mind when you're planning how much food you need to have for each day. I try to pack about 1,500 calories per day in my bug out bag. That's going to leave me hungry when I get to where I'm going, but it keeps the load lighter and is still in the normal calorie range. Recommended Bug Out Bag FoodsYou're free to choose whatever kind of foods that you want, but this is the food that I pack in my bug out bags. ER Bar - These make up a majority of the calories in my bug out bags. Each 3,600 calorie ration will last me 2 days. I expect to feel kind of hungry, but I also have other food to snack on as I need it or when I need a boost of energy to keep going for a little bit longer. Clif Bars - Everyone probably knows what a Clif Bar is. They taste good, provide a decent amount of nutrients and have about 250 calories apiece. I pack 1 or 2 per day in case I need something extra to fill me up a little more than just the ER Bars. GU Energy Gel - I pack some GU Energy Gel because I find that it gives me a decent boost of energy when I need it. These have 40mg caffeine, 55mg sodium, 30mg potassium and sugars that are designed to quickly absorb into the body. They aren't going to work miracles for you but they definitely help toward the end of the day. I like to have 2 per day to use toward the end of the day when I find myself dragging and wanting to rest more and more often. ConclusionBug out bag food doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to make sense for your situation. Choose foods that you like, don't take up a lot of space, don't weigh a lot, pack a lot of calories and last for a while. You also need to make sure that you're getting more than 1,200 calories a day at a minimum. Other than those few guidelines, you can choose whatever you like! Best Bug Out Bag Food – The Top Food for Bugging Out is republished from: https://readylifestyle.com via Blogger Best Bug Out Bag Food – The Top Food for Bugging Out Signs of a TornadoTornadoes often pop up with little notice with wind speeds of up 250 miles per hour and can clear a path 50 miles wide. That's horrifying! Luckily there are usually some signs that a tornado is about to occur. These are the 8 signs that can signal the approach of a tornado:
Keep reading to get more information about these signs. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. What Are the Signs that a Tornado is Coming?Tornadoes are extremely powerful columns of air that extend down from the base of thunderstorms. They can happen at any time of day, at any time of the year and have been recorded in all 50 states. They usually only last for about 10 minutes but they can last for up to an hour and travel more than 10 miles before they go away. During that time, they can tear trees from the ground, level buildings and throw objects through the air at deadly speeds. One thing that I'll say is to always trust your "intuition". What I mean by this is when things get weird and you feel like something is wrong, but you don't know why, you need to trust yourself. Most of the time this is your brain subconsciously picking op on what's going on before you consciously catch on. Trust yourself! Because they can be so deadly, it's important to know the warning signs of a tornado. Approaching Cloud of DebrisTornadoes throw a massive amount of material into the air. Sometimes you'll notice that there is a lot of debris circling around for seemingly no reason. This can happen before you can even see the swirling formation of the tornado. Debris Falling from the SkyJust like the swirling cloud of debris that shows up before a tornado, another way to tell that a tornado may be on the way is falling debris. Some of the material that gets sucked up into a tornado gets flung into the air and can land in the surrounding area before you can detect the tornado in other ways. Even if it's not a tornado, falling debris can be a sign that any number of bad things are headed your way. You should get to the best cover you have as soon as possible. Loud Rushing SoundThe power in a tornado can sometimes cause the earth itself to rumble. This can sound like an incoming freight train where the ground rumbles loudly. Dark Skies with a Green HueThe clouds that often accompany tornadoes can be full of hail and ice. As more and more ice builds in the clouds, it refracts the sunlight causing a greenish color. Don't think that a tornado won't form if the clouds are just really dark. It's still possible for a tornado to form even without the green hue. Complete Calm Following a ThunderstormThere's often a really strange phenomenon that comes before a tornado. A strange complete calm immediately after a thunderstorm may mean that a tornado is forming. Sudden Large Heavy HailJust before a tornado, there is often large hail. This happens even if there wasn't any rain associated with the storm. This hail can reach sizes of up to 4 inches and can cause a lot of damage all by itself. Immediately take cover from the hail, but keep moving to a strong shelter if you can. Rotating Funnel Cloud Reaching Down from the SkyThis is a no brainer. When you see a rotating funnel cloud reaching down from the thunderstorm toward the ground, you can be sure that a tornado is on the way. Wall CloudsA wall cloud is a lowering of the cloud under a thunderstorm. This can be the beginning of a tornado. These are also called a pedestal cloud. This makes a lot more sense because they look a lot more like a pedestal than a wall. The Difference Between a Tornado Watch and Tornado WarningThere are times when there are signs of a coming tornado and there is enough time for local and national weather services to issue a warning. When that happens, they will tell you that there is either a tornado watch or a tornado warning. They both mean that a tornado could be coming, but they mean slightly different things and require you to take slightly different actions. Tornado WatchA tornado watch is the lesser of the two warnings. It means that tornadoes are possible in your area. This is when you need to make sure that you're prepared in case the watch changes to a warning. During this time, review your emergency plans and check your supplies in your safe room. Most importantly, be ready to act if the watch is increased to a warning. A tornado watch will usually cover multiples counties or states. Tornado WarningTornado warnings mean that a tornado has been sighted or seen on radar. If you're in a tornado warning area, you need to take action immediately! Warnings usually cover a small county or a single city and are very specific to the local area. They're spotted by trained weather and law enforcement officials who pass the information to local weather personnel. It means a tornado is happening right now. What to do if a Tornado StrikesOnce you see the warning signs of a tornado, get a tornado warning or see a tornado, you need to immediately seek cover. Your life is in danger. Go to the safest place you can reach. Get underground if you can! Always avoid windows during a tornado. If you have a basement you should get into the basement and cover yourself with a mattress, heavy blankets or sleeping bags to protect yourself from falling debris. If you have a heavy table or workbench get under it. If you live in an apartment or other building without a basement you should go to the lowest floor and find an interior room to shelter in. Get low to the floor and cover your head and neck. Cover yourself with heavy blankets, sleeping bags or a mattress. If you're in an office building, hospital or highrise building get into an enclosed room in the middle of the building that doesn't have any windows. Interior stairs make a good shelter and allow you to get to the ground floor quickly. Get low to the floor and cover your head and neck. Don't use elevators! If you live in a mobile home you should get out immediately and take shelter in a storm shelter or permanent structure. Then seek an interior room to take shelter, lay on the ground and cover your head and neck. Schools will have a disaster response plan that the staff should follow. Go along with the plan and follow them to the place they have designated as a shelter. Get on the ground and cover your head and neck. If you're in a car or truck then you have two options. If traffic is light enough for you to keep driving, then move at right angles to the tornado's path to get out of its way. If you're too close to the tornado to drive away or there is debris or traffic preventing you from continuing to drive, you should stay in your vehicle, cover your head with your hands, a coat or blanket and duck below the level of the windows. If you're stuck in the open you need to realize that you're in a very bad position, but there are still things you can do to improve your chances. Lay flat on the ground and cover your head and neck. Stay away from cars, trees, and other things that can fall or get thrown on top of you. After the Tornado StrikesOnce the tornado has passed you should listen to emergency notification systems, NOAA Radio, and local authorities for any new information. If you're trapped you should cover your mouth with a cloth or a dust mask and try to contact rescuers. Send a text or call if you can. You can also try to bang on a pipe or wall or use an emergency whistle. If you're outside or need to travel you should avoid fallen power lines or broken utility lines. Stay out of damaged buildings until they are cleared by authorities. Stay off of your phone except for emergencies to keep the strain on cell networks to a minimum. During clean-up, you need to make sure that you are as safe as possible. Wear sturdy footwear (preferably boots), long pants and leather gloves. ConclusionTornadoes are powerful natural disasters that have the potential to strike quickly and with very little warning. That's why it's so important to have an idea of the signs that one may be on the way. Always trust yourself and seek shelter as soon as possible when you see the warning signs of a tornado. If nothing happens then you've only lost a couple of minutes of your day. If a tornado does strike then you'll be much better off than if you hadn't taken shelter! The blog post 8 Signs of a Tornado – How to Tell a Tornado is Coming and What to Do was first seen on: readylifestyle-staging.gtgrgq9c-liquidwebsites.com via Blogger 8 Signs of a Tornado – How to Tell a Tornado is Coming and What to Do EDC a Fixed Blade?Most people decide to go with a folding knife of some kind for EDC, but what about all the great fixed blades that are out there? Can you carry a fixed blade every day? Carrying a fixed blade knife as part of your EDC can be done pretty easily. For hard use, you really can't go wrong with a fixed blade knife. If strength is the most important thing to you, then a fixed blade knife for EDC is the way to go. If you interested in adding a fixed blade to your EDC, keep reading to get some ideas on how to go about it! [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. Carrying a Fixed Blade as Part of Your EDCCarrying a fixed blade knife (a knife that doesn't have a folding blade) can be a little more difficult than carrying a folding blade. It also has some of its own advantages. The main disadvantage of carrying a fixed blade is that the blade doesn't fold, so they tend to be longer than a folding knife. This makes them more difficult to carry comfortably and to conceal, but those are the only real disadvantages.
Most people that carry fixed blades use them as part of their daily jobs or live in more rural areas where seeing someone carrying a large knife doesn't draw any extra attention. If you're carrying a fixed blade in an urban area, then people that see it may react differently. How to EDC a Fixed Blade KnifeAt first glance, there doesn't seem like there'd be a lot of ways to carry a fixed blade knife for EDC, but after you look around a little, there are actually a lot of creative ways that people have come up with. These are just some of the ways that you can carry a fixed blade. OWBOutside the waistband carry is probably the most popular way to carry a fixed blade knife. This just involves attaching the knife to your belt, either tip down or tip up. It just works. There really isn't a lot to say about it. IWBInside the waistband carry is similar to the way that you'd conceal carry a pistol. The sheath and blade are inside of your pants so they can't be seen and the handle protrudes up so you can grab it and get to the knife when you need it. This is the least comfortable way to carry a fixed blade for me. The only time that I don't mind it is if I'm carrying something small like a Ka-Bar TDI. Make sure you check your local laws before you start carrying a knife this way. In most states, this is considered as carrying a concealed weapon. If you're not allowed to carry a concealed weapon, then you probably can't carry a fixed blade knife this way. DroplegA dropleg sheath can make carrying a fixed blade much more comfortable for a lot of people. By moving the sheath below the beltline, you don't run into issues where the handle can jab you in the side. Most dropleg sheathes have some way to attach the bottom of the sheath to your thigh to prevent it from moving around while you're walking or crouching. I suggest giving it a try with the sheath tied down and with it loose. They both feel very different and you may find that you like one over the other. NeckA neck knife is simply a fixed blade knife with a sheath that hangs from a cord around your neck. I've never been a fan of neck knives, but there are a ton of people out there that really love them. The advantages of this style of carry are that you can carry this way in shorts and a t-shirt without any problems. This really lends itself to smaller knives that aren't going to be too annoying as they swing around on your neck. Bag/BackpackThe easiest way to carry a fixed blade is by attaching it to a bag or backpack. It's not the best way to make sure that you'll always have a knife with you, but it does ensure that you'll have your fixed blade with you while you're out hiking, backpacking or doing anything else that requires you to have your bag with you. I see this being most effective as a work/recreation style of carry, and probably not a true EDC carry method. Scout CarryScout carry is probably the way that I'm most comfortable carrying a fixed blade as part of my EDC. This is when you attach the sheath inline with your belt. The downside of scout carry is that if you carry a larger knife, then you end up with the handle (or the blade) sticking out away from your body. You can get around this by carrying in the small of your back, but I don't recommend carrying anything hard directly over your spine. Cant CarryCant carry is pretty much like scout carry, except that the blade is angled up slightly. This sometimes lets you carry a slightly longer blade without it sticking out like it can with scout carry and it can make getting a grip on the handle a little easier. Pocket CarryYou can pocket carry a fixed blade by attaching the tip of the sheath to your belt or belt loop with a cord and then putting the knife and sheath into your pocket. This way, when you grab the handle of the knife and draw it, the sheath will pull away when it reaches the end of the cord. Pocket carrying a fixed blade can be comfortable for some people, but I don't really like it. I prefer to have the knife firmly attached to something rather than loosely sitting in my pocket. What Side Do You Carry a Knife On?There are a lot of options for carrying a knife beyond just the specific type of sheath or carry style. One of the most important is deciding exactly where you carry the knife. For most people, carrying on your strong side is probably the easiest. This means that left-handed people will carry around the 9 o'clock position and right-handed people will carry around the 3 o'clock position. This changes a little if you're carrying a pistol as part of your EDC. In this case, most people carry their pistol on their strong side so a cross draw option may make more sense for you. Some people will carry their pistol and their fixed blade on the same side. I don't like this because I wouldn't want to be reaching for my knife and have someone mistakenly think that I'm going for a gun. It's not likely to happen, but it's not a scenario that I want to find myself in. For me, I like to carry a fixed blade on my left side. I appendix carry my EDC pistol so I could also carry it on my strong side if I wanted to. Best Fixed Blade Knives for EDCIt's always hard to come up with a list of things that are the very best in any category, and fixed blade knives are no different. These knives are chosen based on quality construction, ease of carry and overall usefulness on a day to day basis. Ka-Bar TDIThe Ka-Bar TDI is probably the best known defensive fixed blade knife out there. It's comfortable to carry inside and outside the waistband and the handle angle makes it easy to grip and carry. The blade is around 2 1/2 inches long with an overall length of 5 5/8 inches. It's really more of a defensive knife than anything else. You could carry it to do other cutting tasks but there are better knives out there for those tasks. If you're looking for a fixed blade to carry for defense then you can't go wrong with the TDI. Buck Knives 853 Small SelkirkThe Buck Knives 853 Small Selkirk is probably the best looking knife on the list. It's marketed as a survival knife due to its full tang design and the metal base of the handle that can be used as a hammer in a pinch, but the blade size and blade design is perfect for EDC use if you're routinely doing tough jobs. The blade itself is 4 inches and the overall length is 8 1/4 inches. It has a micarta handle with small serrations to give it a decent amount of grip without being too rough and comes with an injection molded sheath that can carry the knife vertically or horizontally. The popularity of the Small Selkirk is nice because there are a few custom leather sheath makers that make great scout carry leather sheaths for these! SOG SnarlThe SOG Snarl is an interesting little sheepsfoot style blade. It's different than any other knife on the list because of its all-metal design and handle that has finger rings. The blade itself is 2.3 inches long and the overall length is 4.3 inches. The handle can be so small because the finger holes let you get a secure grip without the chance of your hand sliding up on the blade. As a neck knife, the Snarl is a solid purchase. It comes with a kydex sheath with a clip on the back to clip it to a belt or backpack as well. Gerber StrongarmThe Gerber Strongarm is the most "tactical" of the knives on the list. It's strongly marketed toward the military and police, but it would also be perfect as an EDC fixed blade out on the homestead or in a more rural area. It's a full tang knife with a small striker on the base of the rubber-coated handle. The blade length is 4.8 inches and it's 9.8 inches overall making it on the larger side of knives that I'd carry regularly. It comes with a plastic sheath that has a slightly confusing attachment system that lets you connect it to Molle webbing, wear it scout style or attach it to your belt in a traditional vertical carry position. Gerber Gator PremiumThe Gerber Gator Premium is made to be a good looking knife that uses premium materials but is still perfectly at home doing hard work out in the field. I like the handle of the Buck Small Selkirk more but this is probably my favorite fixed blade on the list. The knife has a lot of similarities with the Buck Small Selkirk. It's 3/4 inch longer at 9 inches and the blade is the same length at 4 inches. It also has a full tang and a handle with a lot of grip, but the Gator Premium is glass injected nylon coated with rubber. The sheath is the downside of this knife. Gerber claims it's made of premium leather but you'd be better off with a different sheath if you're really going to carry this every day. ESEE 3HM (Handle Modified)The Esee 3HM is a slightly modified version of the ridiculously popular Esee 3. The HM in the name stands for handle modified. The original Esse 3 had a more tactical feel to it while the Esee 3HM has a more bushcrafting style to it. A lot of people seem to like this handle better than the original. The cutting edge of the blade is 3 1/2 inches long and the overall length is just over 8 inches. The handle is a textured micarta that cleans up easily after hard use. There are three sheath options with the Esee 3HM. You can get it with black leather, brown leather or in Kydex. The downside is they're all designed for a traditional vertical belt carry but you can get creative with 550 cord to modify how you can carry it. ConclusionIn the end, it's really up to you if carrying a fixed blade as part of your EDC is for you. I like it when I may need a knife that's stronger and may need to take a little bit of a beating. When I'm camping or hiking I carry a fixed blade. The truth is a fixed blade just doesn't make sense for me every day so I only carry one when I feel like it may be necessary. Other than that, I rely on a folder of some kind tucked into my pocket. You may be different though, and I encourage you to at least give it a try. You may like it! EDC a Fixed Blade? (How to do it, and What Knives Are Best) is courtesy of: https://readylifestyle.com via Blogger EDC a Fixed Blade? (How to do it, and What Knives Are Best) Why EDC a Prybar?EDC prybars have been pretty popular for a few years. You know what I'm talking about, the little metal prybars that are a couple of inches long and probably have a few other tools forced onto them. What are they good for? A prybar is the most effective tool to apply leverage to open something or pry it apart. On top of that, EDC prybars usually have other tools built into them like bottle openers, screwdrivers and wrench flats. They also make good keychains. Is an EDC prybar right for you? Keep reading to find out. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. EDC PrybarsAt first glance, it's kind of hard to see why you would even want to EDC a tiny little prybar. They don't look all that impressive, they aren't big so you're not going to get a lot of leverage out of them, and they don't normally have many other useful tools on them. So what's the big deal? Well, in all honesty, the main thing that my little Gerber Shard does is keep me from breaking the tip off of my knife. I can't tell you how many times I've broken the tip off of knives doing things that I know I shouldn't do with them. These little EDC prybars have stopped me from doing that so I consider them to be worth it right there. I've also bent a few keys trying to use them as a prybar... Purpose of an EDC PrybarEDC prybars didn't make a whole lot of sense to me when I first saw them, but the more I carry one, the happier I am that I have it. Knives are a cutting tool, these are prying tools. One thing that's overlooked so often with these prybars is that most of them are completely airline safe! This means that you can have a useful tool with you even if you fly a lot. Prying ThingsThis is a no brainer... There's no need to think outside of the box here. Whenever you have something that takes more force than you can exert with your fingers then these things are great! From popping open keyfobs to replace the batteries, to pulling thumbtacks out of walls, to prying off paint can lids, to working nails out of walls, a little prybar definitely has its uses. If you find that you run into situations where you need a little more prying power then one of the larger EDC prybars is probably a good idea for you. Opening PackagesI used to just use a sharp edge on one of my keys to cut the tape on all the stuff I have delivered, but it's really not ideal. The prying ends of these prybars tend to be a little sharp so they cut through the tape on packages pretty easily. Stripping WiresSome prybars (like the Gerber Shard) work really well as wire strippers. The narrow "v" at the bottom of the prybar end makes short work of just about any wire you'll run across. ScraperIf you ever need to scrape the rust or corrosion off of battery contacts or remove paint from a small surface then most of these prybars have you covered. There's just a lot of things that you can do with a small tool like this. ScrewdriverThe prybar end of some of these can be used as a flathead screwdriver. On top of that, most of them have areas that are specifically designed to be used as a screwdriver. Bottle OpenerMost mini prybars have some kind of bottle opener, but even if they don't they're still easy to use to pop the top off of a bottle. Just hold the bottle near the top and pry the lid off. Tire LeverIf you ride mountain bikes then you've had to change out a tire. I haven't made the switch to tubeless tires yet, so I still have to occasionally replace a flat tube in one of my tires. The prying edge of these EDC prybars makes a great tire lever to help get the tire off the rim and back on. Any Other Functions Designed Into the PrybarMost of the prybars out there have other functions designed into them to make them more appealing and more useful. The most common ones seem to be bottle openers, screwdrivers, wrenches, and carabiners. What to Look for in an EDC PrybarFor the most part, the design of the prybar that you choose is really mostly personal preference, but there are a few things that I think make some prybars better than others. Don't Buy a Prybar with a Cutting EdgeI don't like any tool that's designed to sit in your pocket and has an exposed cutting edge. This goes double for things like prybars. Most of these tools have areas that a pretty sharp but an area that's specifically sharpened can make them really dangerous. Prying usually involves putting a lot of force behind the tool in order to move something that's stuck. If your hand breaks free from the prybar then it can easily slide on to the sharp edge and cut you pretty badly. This is especially true when you're working with something as small as these EDC prybars. Look for a Prying End with a Good AngleSome of these prybars have very flat prying ends which makes them difficult to use as prybars. If you find one that's angled, you can usually pry much better. Choose a Prypbar That's Longer for Serious WorkIf you want a prybar that has some real power behind it, then choose on that is on the longer side. A 2.5" - 3" prybar can do a lot but a 5" or 6" prybar is MUCH more effective for prying. Like everything else, there are trade-offs based on what you choose. Smaller prybars are easier to carry around in your pocket, but longer ones are definitely more effective as prying tools. Best EDC PrybarsThere are a lot of EDC prybars on the market today. Some are good, and some just don't make a lot of sense for one reason or another. The ones listed below represent the best that I've seen. Gerber ShardThe Gerber Shard is my preferred EDC prybar. I really like the angle of the prybar which makes it much more effective than a lot of other prybars in this size range. One of the best parts is it's usually somewhere between $5 and $7 depending on when and where you buy it. The only downside that I can see with it is all the pointy edges. I don't have a problem with it, but some people have. Length: 2.8" Additional Tools:
Kershaw PT-1The Kershaw PT-1 is great for pocket carry because it doesn't really have any sharp edges. If you want an EDC prybar that isn't going to tear up your pockets or jab you in the leg, this is the one for you. The prying edge also has a good angle to make it really effective as a prying tool. The glass injected handle also makes it a little nicer to use than others. Length: 2.75" Additional Tools:
Gerber MulletThe Gerber Mullet has a great prying angle and doubles as a way to hang your keys from a belt loop or strap. It's also has less pointy parts than the Gerber Shard. Length: 3" Additional Tools:
Nite Ize DoohickeyThe Nite Ize Doohickey is the only carabiner-style prybar on the list. This lets you hang your keys from straps, loops, and backpacks pretty easily and makes getting your keys on and off of it really fast. The lack of an angled prying edge and short length make it the worst at prying, but if you want a carabiner-style prybar, then this is probably the one for you. Length: 2.6" Additional Tools:
Kershaw PT-2The Kershaw PT-2 needs a little work when you first get it. I recommend sharpening the point of the box opener/can opener just a little. Not enough to cut you, but enough to make it a little more useful. The prying angle is pretty much non-existent as well so it struggles as a prybar compared to some of the others on the list here. That being said, it's the only one that has a can opener. Length: 3.75" Additional Tools:
ConclusionSave your knife and keys and pick up an inexpensive EDC prybar for your keychain. You won't use it every day, but I can almost promise you that there's going to be a time where you're going to be happy that you had it with you. The article Why EDC a Prybar? (What They’re Good For and the Best of 2020) was first published on: Ready Lifestyle Blog via Blogger Why EDC a Prybar? (What They’re Good For and the Best of 2020) Body Armor for PreppersA lot of preppers are really focused on buying things like body armor but do preppers even need to worry about buying body armor? Does it make sense for preppers to buy body armor? Body armor for preppers makes sense but it shouldn't be the first thing you buy. Once you've stored enough food, water, and medicine for your family, you should start looking at things like body armor. I would recommend getting level III body armor. Choosing the right type of body armor for your situation makes it much more effective. This basic explanation of body armor will let you choose what's going to work best for you. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. Prepper Body ArmorIn an SHTF situation, there are a lot of things that can go wrong, but the thing that scares me the most is other people and what they will do when they get desperate. A lack of food and clean drinking water will drive people to do just about anything they have to do in order to get access to food and water. If you're asking if you need body armor for SHTF, then you can probably already see where I'm going with this. The answer is yes. But that doesn't mean that the first thing you should run out and get is body armor when you're first getting started. Food, water, and medicine are all more important than body armor for preppers. If you don't have a month (or more) of those things already stored, then you need to do that first! Body armor and weapons should only come in after you get that initial buffer of food and water built up. Different Levels of Body ArmorBody armor comes in a variety of levels that are based on what they're rated to stop. You probably have heard people talking about hard and soft armor as well. This just means that the armor panel is either soft or hard and doesn't necessarily mean anything about what the body armor can stop. Level IIA ArmorYou'd want to wear level IIA armor when you need concealable body armor and need protection from pistol rounds...but it only protects from some pistol rounds meaning that there's a very good chance that the threat you're facing can still defeat your armor! For this reason, we always suggest that you wear level II body armor as a minimum level of protection. Level IIA armor is capable of defeating some pistol rounds. These include the 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP & .38 Special. Level II ArmorLevel II body armor is the minimum level of protection that we recommend if you think you need to defend yourself from pistol rounds and still need (or want) to conceal your body armor. With level II armor you're getting much better protection that you would with level IIa and it's still almost as concealable. Level II body armor can keep you safe from all but the most powerful pistol rounds. If you don't need to have concealable body armor, we'd suggest going for level IIIA armor instead of level II. Level II armor is capable of defeating most pistol rounds. These include the .357 Magnum, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP & .38 Special. Level IIIA ArmorLevel IIIA body armor is designed to protect you from practically any pistol round. It can stop up to a .44 magnum so you're not likely to come across a pistol that will defeat it under normal circumstances. Level IIIA can come in both soft or hard versions with the soft armor panels still being pretty concealable. Level IIIA armor is capable of defeating most pistol rounds. These include the .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, .357 SIG, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP & .38 Special. Level III ArmorLevel III body armor is hard armor designed to stop many rifle rounds out there. These are plates worn on top of soft armor or by themselves. Make sure that you know exactly what you're buying from the manufacturer since level III armor is sometimes improved upon to provide guaranteed protection from certain rounds that can defeat other level III armors. Level III armor is capable of defeating most rifle rounds. Steel plates are usually capable of protecting from 5.56mm green tip "penetrator" rounds while UHMWPE level III armor usually cannot. Level IV ArmorLevel IV body armor is the highest level of protection available. They typically weigh about as much as level III armor but are made of materials that make them more expensive. Level IV armor is capable of defeating most rifle rounds .30 caliber and smaller. Level V+ ArmorYou may have heard of level 5 body armor, and you probably have seen people asking if there's such as thing as level 5 or higher body armor. There is no such thing as level 5 body armor. If you see someone trying to market body armor as level 5 then they're either lying or don't know what they're talking about. Choosing the Correct Level of Body ArmorChoosing the right body armor level for your particular situation makes body armor make a lot more sense. If you choose body armor that doesn't protect against the threats that you're probably going to face, then that body armor is useless. If you choose body armor that protects against higher levels of threats, then you'll be protected, but you'll be carrying a lot more weight than you need to. It's a delicate balancing act between weight and protection. You can use this flow chart to decide what type of armor is best for your situation. Other Prepper Body Armor ConsiderationsThese are some common body armor questions that get asked a lot and you may want to take into consideration. Can civilians buy level IV body armor?Right now there are very few restrictions on who can buy body armor, including level IV body armor. This changes based on the state and country so make sure that you check in your particular area before you make any purchases. There is a movement among lawmakers in the U.S. to push for more limitations and laws on who can buy body armor and what types of body armor are legal. What level body armor do police wear?Police usually wear level II or level IIIA body armor because they're most likely to encounter a shooter with a pistol in a common caliber. Level II and IIIA both protect against that type of threat. They also normally have a plate carrier with level III or level IV plates in it close by in case they have to face someone with a rifle. Is it illegal to wear body armor in public?Wearing a bulletproof vest in public is legal in most states as long as you aren't a convicted felon. In some areas, it's illegal to wear body armor on school grounds so make sure that you check ahead of time if you plan on wearing body armor in or around a school. [wc_box color="primary" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] You can read all about the legalities of wearing body armor in public here. [/wc_box] Most states have some kind of provision that makes it illegal to commit a crime while wearing body armor. Committing a crime while wearing body armor will result in everything from an additional fine to extended sentences to additional felony charges. How much does body armor cost?The cost of body armor varies a lot! Some companies charge very little for basic plates and plate carriers, like AR500 Armor. Other companies focus more on the government and military so they tend to charge more. If you're looking for something that will get the job done, then I'd suggest giving AR500 Armor a look. They make solid products that usually won't break the bank. ConclusionI definitely suggest getting body armor at some point if you're a prepper but don't do it if you don't have the basics like food and water covered. Always start there and then get the "extras" like body armor and other gear later. If you're interested in more ideas and information about body armor, make sure you check out our complete body armor guide before you go. The post Body Armor for Preppers – Do You Need It? was first seen on: Ready Lifestyle Blog via Blogger Body Armor for Preppers – Do You Need It? Can You Drink Rainwater?Have you ever wondered if it's okay to drink rainwater? At first glance, it would seem like there should bee no problem drinking rainwater, but then you start to think about air pollution, the stains left on your car after it rains and all of the different things that rain touches before it ever gets to a point to where you could drink it and it starts to not be so clear! So can you drink rainwater? Rainwater is almost always safe to drink. In fact, it's normally cleaner and contains fewer chemicals and other things than water that you'd get from the tap at your house. Just remember rainwater is only as clean as the container that you're collecting it in. There are a few things that you should know before drinking rainwater, so let's look at them a little closer. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. Is it Okay to Drink Rainwater?Normally, it's okay to drink rainwater, especially in a survival situation where other sources of water aren't available or are obviously contaminated. The problem is that the answer isn't always as cut and dry as that. There are a lot of variables to consider when collecting rainwater for drinking. The type of pollutants in the air, what the rain has come into contact with after it hit the ground and the container that's holding the rainwater can all change whether it's okay to drink it or not. Is rainwater pure?Rainwater starts out mostly pure but it quickly picks up some of the pollution that's in the air as it falls through the sky. Then, it may come in contact with things like your roof before it finally settles into whatever container that you're collecting it in. Each step in this process can contaminate the water and make it unsafe to drink. Believe it or not, the amount of pollution that rainwater collects as it's falling through the air is pretty limited! This can obviously change depending on where you live and the types of pollution creating factors in your area. Factors that increase air pollution:
After the rainwater hits your roof (or the ground) it then can be contaminated by the materials your roof is made of, pollutants from the air that have settled on the roof, and things like animal feces. Finally, the container that you're collecting the rainwater in can contaminate the water if it's not clean. What can be in the water?A study done in New Zeland found that there is a bunch of things that can in rainwater that can make it less than ideal for drinking. Salmonella, Giardia, Cryptosporidium and E. coli are all found on roofs and can contaminate the water. There's also a risk of chemicals getting into the water but they were found to be low and would only have an effect after someone drank rainwater collected from a roof for years on end. The main risk is from a potential disease. [wc_box color="primary" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Galvanized steel is the best roof type for rainwater collection, but asphalt shingles, other types of metal, and clay tiles are all fine. Try to avoid treated wood shingles if possible. [/wc_box] Preparing Rainwater for DrinkingThere are a few ways that you can reduce the chance of diseases and pollution getting into your water before you drink it. Installing first flush diverter (like this one) is a good idea if you're going to be collecting rainwater for any reason. It's just a simple device that takes the initial water runoff and keeps it from getting into your tank. It basically lets the initial rainwater wash some of the contamination off the roof before it gets to your storage tank. This reduced the amount of contamination by up to 5x in some tests! The next step you should take is to run the rainwater through some kind of filter before you drink it. Any of these water filters will work but you should choose something that will last for a long time and be able to easily filter a lot of water at once. I personally have a Big Berky water filter for that purpose. [wc_box color="primary" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] The best way to treat rainwater for drinking or cooking with it is to run it through a filter that removes any microorganisms and chemicals. [/wc_box] You could also boil all of your water before you drink it or use it for cooking. (This makes a lot of sense for people that have a wood heater to heat their homes.) Boiling will get rid of any of the disease-causing microorganisms but most of the chemicals in the water will stay behind if you don't use some kind of filter. Adding 8 drops of household bleach to 1 gallon of rainwater water will also kill off any disease-causing microorganisms. Just give it 30 minutes to work before you drink it. If the water is cloudy, then double the amount of bleach to 16 drops. Harvesting Rainwater May be Illegal Where You LiveMost states in the U.S. allow you to collect rainwater, and many even encourage it because it can reduce the strain on city and state-run water treatment plants. Others only allow it under certain circumstances and some even highly regulate who can collect rainwater. This list is just here as a quick reference. I highly suggest that you look into the laws in your area for yourself before you set up any kind of rain collection system. Rainwater Collection Laws by StateAlabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Why is rainwater harvesting illegal?It probably seems crazy to some people that rainwater collection is illegal in some areas. I would honestly agree, but that doesn't change the fact that there are some areas where collecting rainwater can get you in trouble. Most of the laws around rainwater collection seem to come from laws that regulate the use of water on private property and water rights. They're designed to prevent people from using water in a way that will negatively affect the environment. That still doesn't explain how certain states see rainwater collection as a huge plus and others almost completely limit it. Best Ways to Use RainwaterRainwater is certainly able to be used as drinking water as long as you filter it sufficiently, but that's not really the best way to use it! When you don't use rainwater for drinking or cooking, you usually don't need to filter it or do anything special to make it useable. Most people that collect rainwater, don't actually drink it. The most common use is for watering and irrigating gardens. This saves on the amount of water that they need to use from outside sources and it's why most states allow you to collect rainwater. Showering is another great use for rainwater. If there's ever a time when water is in short supply or you decide to live off-grid, you can shower with rainwater. Again, this is probably a better use than drinking because you don't need to treat the water as long as it's relatively clean. Rainwater is also good for washing clothes. I would stay away from washing whites and any light colors because rainwater tends to be slightly off-color depending on how you store it. The last way is something that a lot of people probably don't think about at all! You can use it to flush toilets. Even if everything starts going south and the world falls apart, you can still fill up the back of your toilet to flush it. ConclusionRainwater can be used for drinking as long as you take some measures to kill off the diseases that it could contain. Filtering is the best way, but it also takes more time than other methods. You also need to make sure that rainwater collection is legal where you live. It sounds kind of crazy but it may be illegal in your state. Can You Drink Rainwater – How to Collect Free Drinking Water is republished from: Ready Lifestyle via Blogger Can You Drink Rainwater – How to Collect Free Drinking Water How to Make Bleach with Pool ShockEmergency situations can make clean water hard to come by and a potential spread of disease can make it extremely important to sanitize commonly touched items in your home. The good thing is bleach can do both of these things, but it doesn't last that long on the shelf and storing gallons of bleach will take up quite a bit of room. This is where pool shock comes in. Mixing one heaping teaspoon (1/4 oz.) of granular calcium hypochlorite (HTH) into 2 gallons of water will make a chlorine bleach solution roughly equivalent to normal household bleach. You can use it to clean, sanitize and disinfect water. Let's look at using pool shock to make bleach a little more closely. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. Making Bleach with Pool ShockMaking bleach with pool shock starts by choosing the pool shock that contains the right ingredients. Figuring out what ingredients will work is probably the most confusing thing so I'm going to try to make it easy. What you want in pool shock:
There are obviously other ingredients in pool shock, but they aren't necessarily bad in the very small amounts that will be in your bleach mixture. Don't use lower strength calcium hypochlorite (HTH) pool shock or anything that uses a chemical other than HTH. If you absolutely have to use lower HTH content pool shock then you can use 68% calcium hypochlorite (65% available chlorine) but your numbers will be a little different. 73% calcium hypochlorite is the preferred mixture. I personally buy the pool shock that comes in 1 lb. bags instead of the buckets because one pound will make at least 200 gallons of bleach solution. It's probably going to take me a long time to go through that much bleach! Each bag of pool shock is good for at least 10 years but once it's mixed the bleach solution is really only at full strength for about 6 months. [wc_box color="primary" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Examples of pool shock that we're looking for: Rx Clear Mega Shock, Zappit 73, and DryTec Extra Shock. [/wc_box] Using numbers that come straight from the EPA, you're going to mix 1 heaping teaspoon of high test HTH (73% calcium hypochlorite) to 2 gallons of water to make a bleach solution similar to household bleach. This solution will kill germs, strip the color out of fabrics and disinfect water the same way that household bleach will. To purify water, add the bleach solution to water in a 1:100 ratio. This comes out to one pint to 12.5 gallons of water or 1.25 oz to 1 gallon of water. You can make a cleaning spray that will disinfect surfaces by mixing the bleach solution in a 1:10 ratio with regular water. This is great if you're stuck in quarantine or just trying to prevent the spread of disease. The important numbers:
Advantages Over Household BleachStoring pool shock has a lot of advantages over storing household bleach, but there are really two main advantages that stand out to me...shelf life and storage space. The shelf life of store-bought household bleach is only about 6 months. After that, it begins to lose its potency and will gradually continue to decrease over time. It's not really a big deal if you're just using it to wash clothes. It's when you start to mix it with drinking water for purification that the loss of potency can get a little concerning. You just don't know if you put enough in if it's lost some of its strength. By storing pool shock you get 10+ years of shelf life and can mix it on demand. That's a lot better. The other great thing with pool shock is the fact that it takes up so little space. Six 1 lb bags of pool shock fit in a box that's about 6" x 6" x 12". That's enough to make 1200 gallons of bleach! Having that much potential bleach in suck a small package is pretty amazing. The only trouble (if you can even call it that) with storing it is that it does put off a slight chlorine smell so I wouldn't store the bags near any food products. Why Bleach is so ImportantBleach is an amazing disinfectant! It alters the proteins in microorganisms that will quickly kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The low cost and availability of bleach make it important throughout the world to treat water and clean surfaces. The Uses for Bleach During a DisasterBleach has a lot of different uses before, during, and after a disaster. Purifying WaterPurifying water is one of the most often talked about uses for bleach, and in some parts of the world, it's one of the few ways to make sure that you're getting drinking water that's clean enough for drinking. Even in developed parts of the world, chlorine is pretty much universally used to treat drinking water. To use your bleach mixture to purify drinking water, add 1 part bleach mixture to 100 parts water. This comes to right around 1.25 oz per gallon. Before you drink the water it should have a slight chlorine smell. If you can't smell the chlorine, then you need to add more. As the water sits, the chlorine will naturally off-gas. You can speed this process up by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. Cleaning After A FloodA flood is one of the most destructive types of disasters that you can experience. Even if it's just your basement that floods, the floodwaters can be contaminated with all kinds of waste and microorganisms. Everything that the floodwaters touch has to be assumed to be contaminated! Use 1 cup of bleach to one gallon of water to kill mold. You probably want to get rid of most things that got wet during the flood, but you can also use bleach to wash things that you need to keep. Disinfecting During a PandemicA pandemic is the worldwide spread of a disease that can't easily be contained. If you experience this type of disaster, then having plenty of bleach on hand will let you routinely decontaminate things like doorknobs, countertops, and food preparation surfaces so you limit the spread of the disease. A 10% bleach mixture is great to clean these types of surfaces. Clean them several times a day until the threat of the disease spreading has passed or a vaccine is developed. ConclusionBleach is often overlooked as an item that should be on your shopping list when you're out buying preparedness supplies, but it's actually extremely important. The bad thing is traditional store-bought bleach takes up a lot of space and only has a shelf life of about 6 months to a year if you're lucky. This is where pool shock comes in. Pool shock takes up a lot less space and stores for 10+ years. All you need to do is mix it with water and you have a bleach mixture that's just as good as any other kind of bleach and can do all of the same things. The previous blog post How to Make Bleach with Pool Shock was originally seen on: https://readylifestyle.com/ via Blogger How to Make Bleach with Pool Shock How to Survive a PandemicThe thought of a pandemic is pretty scary. Is there anything you can do to protect yourself if a disease is spreading across the entire world? Yes! Surviving a pandemic is best done by preparing ahead of time and knowing what you need to do to not spread the disease around your home once it starts to spread in the community. The real way to keep yourself as protected as you can is by preparing ahead of time. Don't listen to the people that try to act like preparing ahead of time is for crazy people! We all have insurance and prepping isn't any different than an insurance plan for disasters. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. How to Prepare for a PandemicPreparing for a pandemic before one begins is the best way to protect you and your family. On top of helping you, it also helps the community because you're one less willing victim that the local and state government officials are going to have to save when things go bad. The first way to prepare for a pandemic is by getting rid of the attitude that nothing can happen to you. Guess what? Just because you live a relatively easy life, doesn't mean that nothing bad is ever going to happen to you. Store the Things You're Going to Need Ahead of TimeStore the supplies that you're going to need if you have to spend a couple of weeks in your home. We live in a just in a world that relies on just in time delivery of everything from food and water to gas and medicine. If you don't plan ahead and store the things you need before something happens, you're going to have to try to rely on a system that can't support the strain that a pandemic will put on it. Simply put, if you wait to try to get the things you need until the last minute, you're probably not going to get them. The DHS suggests having a 2 week supply of food and water. I personally suggest having 4 weeks of food and water stored. This is what you need for a long term quarantine:
Over the Counter MedicineOver the counter medicines are easy to get when everything is going well, but when things start to go bad, they can be hard to come by. I suggest starting by boosting your immune system boosting medicines because our immune system is still our best way of beating a disease. Cough suppressants can help limit the spread of and disease but I prefer expectorants since they thin mucus and can help you clear your respiratory system when mucus starts to build up. Most diseases are going to be accompanied by a fever. Tylenol and NSAIDs will help reduce your fever and get rid of any body aches you may have. Over the counter medicine to stock:
[wc_box color="primary" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Read our article on home quarantine to learn what to do with step by step instructions. Don't Forget to Check on Family MembersIf you have elderly family members or other family members that need special assistance, you should check on them as soon as you feel something like this may happen. You may want to temporarily move them in with you until the pandemic looks like it's over. At a minimum, you should take them the supplies they'll need to make it through a quarantine and any prescription medicines they need. What Type of Disease is the Most Likely to Become a PandemicMost experts agree that some variation of the flu is the most likely disease to cause a pandemic. What Happens When a Pandemic OccursAccording to the CDC, pandemics happen when a new disease occurs that is easily transmitted from person to person in a sustained way. This happens when diseases can be transmitted for a long period of time while remaining asymptomatic. How Diseases SpreadLearning how diseases spread is one of the best ways to keep yourself from getting sick. Avoiding the things that spread disease will keep you from getting it and keep you from spreading it to others. Direct contactDirect contact with a person or animal with the disease is probably the easiest way to get a disease. Infectious diseases can be spread through these different means of direct contact:
Indirect contactMany types of diseases can stay on surfaces for hours (or even days). When you touch the infected surface you can then transfer the disease to yourself and others. Insect bitesAnother common means of transferring disease is though insect bites. Some of the worst epidemics in history have been transferred by fleas. Mosquitos are another really common insect that spreads disease. Food contaminationContaminated food can spread disease too. E. coli is a common bacteria that's transmitted through food contamination. Individuals can also help reduce the spread of disease by:
How likely is a global pandemic?The World Health Organization has been saying that we need to increase our focus on global pandemic for years. As I'm writing this, COVID-19 is still spreading across the world and has just started to spread in the U.S. among people with no travel history that would expose them...community transmission. I'm going to say the chances are very high! Even if COVID-19 dies off and never really becomes a massive disaster, there's always the next disease that's coming. Be prepared and get stuck in the mentality that nothing will ever happen to you. How long would a pandemic last?A pandemic isn't going to just be one wave of the disease and then it's gone. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says that it will take 3 months for a disease to spread to the pandemic level with modern means of travel. They also say to be on the lookout for 2 or 3 rounds of the disease and for the entire pandemic to last between 12 and 18 months. Prepare for Services to be UnavailableDuring a true pandemic, many services that you're used to will probably be discontinued, at least temporarily. Banks, stores, post offices, utility companies, and even hospitals may all shut their doors. Medical facilities will probably try to stay open for as long as they can and the government will likely try to force local utilities (like electricity and water) to stay up for as long as they can as well. Even if medical facilities are open, they're going to be packed full of people that are contagious. Think carefully before you head to the hospital and be sure that you can't treat yourself at home. ATMs and gas stations will probably be out of money and gas. Have some emergency cash on hand and some extra gas in the garage. I don't think the gas will be gone because of increased demand, but gas probably won't be getting delivered. Once the Pandemic StartsOnce everything really kicks off you need to do what you can to stay healthy.
ConclusionA global pandemic is probably one of the most likely threats that we face. If we prepare ahead of time, then it's more likely that we'll be safe and make it through the pandemic. If we don't prepare then we'll be at the mercy of public health offices that are overwhelmed. I personally won't ever blindly put the lives of my family in the hands of others. How to Survive a Pandemic – Make Your Family as Safe as Possible was first published to: Ready Lifestyle Prepping Blog via Blogger How to Survive a Pandemic – Make Your Family as Safe as Possible Difference Between an N95 Mask and a Surgical MaskA lot of people are trying to figure out what the difference is between an N95 mask and a surgical mask. What do they protect against? How long can you use them? It can all be pretty confusing! An N95 mask is a respirator that removes 95% of particulates that are .3 microns and larger. This includes bacteria and viruses. A surgical mask protects the wearer from splashes of blood and bodily fluids and protects others from diseases that the wearer may have. It does not protect against bacteria or viruses. If you're going to be within 6 feet of someone that may have an infectious disease, then you should be wearing an N95 mask. If you have the disease then you should be wearing a surgical mask. Make sense? Keep reading to get all the information you need about N95 and surgical masks. [/wc_toggle] [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Thanks for supporting Ready Lifestyle! We participate in the Amazon associates program and other affiliate programs. We earn a small commission on qualifying orders at no expense to you. Surgical MasksSurgical masks are mainly used by doctors and other healthcare professionals to protect them from drops of blood and other bodily fluids. They also protect others from any large droplets of bodily fluid that may come off of the wearer. You can see why it makes sense for people in the medical community to wear them, but does it make sense for other people to wear surgical masks to protect them from diseases they may come in contact with? Do surgical masks keep out germs?Surgical masks don't keep germs out! They just aren't designed to prevent small airborne contaminants from making it into the wearer's mouth and nose. The small particles (not visible to the naked eye) can get in straight through the mask or around the sides of the mask because they aren't designed to seal tightly on the face. Simply put, surgical masks will not keep you from getting sick, but they can keep other people around you from getting sick. In the U.S., only masks certified from the Food and Drug Administration have been tested to stop blood and bodily fluids. Make sure the FDA signed off on any surgical masks you buy. How often should surgical masks be changed?Surgical masks aren't meant to be worn for long periods of time. Once they get moist they lose a lot of their ability to stop the spread of diseases. Change out surgical masks once they're moist, come in contact with human bodily fluids, or in between patients if you happen to be treating people. At a minimum, change them out at least every day. Can I reuse a surgical mask?Surgical masks aren't made to be used more than once. Don't re-use, share or try to wash surgical masks. Throw them away in a lined garbage can and dispose of them with your other trash. Is it bad to wear a surgical mask all day?There's nothing specifically bad about wearing a surgical mask for a whole day. The problem comes when the mask gets wet. At that point, it gets a lot more likely that it won't be as protective as you expect it to be. N95 MasksThe N95 mask is a NIOSH approved respirator designed to capture 95% of all particles that are larger than .3 microns. They're mainly used by people that work in environments with a lot of airborne particles that can be harmful to the lungs. Medical professionals use them to limit the chances of inhaling airborne viruses and bacteria. The main difference between surgical masks and N95 masks is the fact that N95 masks are actual respirators. This means they are designed to filter the air you breathe. Surgical masks are there mainly to keep fluids from coming out of your mouth and onto someone else or preventing fluids from someone else from getting into your mouth. Proper Fit of the N95 MaskIn order for an N95 mask to work correctly, you need to make sure that it fits you properly. When you breathe in all of the air should be sucked through the mask itself and not come in around the sides of the mask. If air is coming in around the sides of the mask, then it's not being filtered and you are being exposed to whatever it is that you're trying to protect yourself from! Make sure that you tighten the elastic straps on the mask to get it as secure as you can. N95 masks come in several sizes, so try a couple out to see which one fits you the best and gives you the best seal. They also come in different styles so you may find that one style doesn't really work with the shape of your face, but another style fits great. Go with the mask that fits you the best. FDA Approved N95 MasksSome N95 masks that you find will be FDA approved on top of being NIOSH approved. This just means that they have been tested by the FDA to adequately stop fluids from getting through them and have been tested for flammability. This style of mask is a medical-grade N95 mask. Other than being tested for those two things, they work the same way as other N95 masks. You don't need an FDA approved N95 mask to protect yourself from illnesses. What does the N in N95 stand for?The N in N95 means that the mask isn't resistant to oil. Other masks are designed to stand up to airborne oils and they have an R or P in front of the 95. I'll touch on P95 and R95 masks at the end of the article. What is the thing on the front of some N95 masks?You probably noticed that some N95 masks have a small plastic thing on the front of them. This is just an exhalation valve. It's meant to decrease the resistance when you exhale to make breathing in the mask a little easier. I find that they help to keep moisture from building up inside the mask and make it more comfortable to wear for a long time. The good thing is you don't need one! If you have a mask with one, then great. If you don't, it isn't going to change the level of protection that you're getting from the mask. Are N95 masks reusable?Technically, N95 masks are reusable until they become deformed, dirty or difficult to breathe through. This is great advice if you're wearing the mask to protect you from dust and other things that can get into your lungs and cause problems. Does that make sense for preventing the spread off disease? Not really. If you're wearing an N95 mask to prevent you from getting a disease then you should really get rid of it after you wear it. Think about it this way. The mask that you're wearing is stopping all of the potentially infected droplets that other people are coughing and exhaling around you. It's great that you didn't breathe those droplets in, but now they're on the outside of that mask. The outside of that mask is now contaminated. Do you really want to take that mask off, save it for later, and put it back on your face? Here are a few tips for wearing an N95 mask:
Other Types of MasksThere are tons of other types of masks out there that you'll probably end up seeing if you go looking for an N95 mask. Knowing what you're looking at will make buying masks a lot less confusing. [wc_box color="primary" text_align="left" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class=""] Interested in learning about gas masks? Check out our article that tells you everything you need to know about gas masks. R95 and P95 MasksR95 and P95 masks are designed to be used where there are oil particles in the air. They both still filter out 95% of the junk that bigger than .3 microns in size. R95 masks are good for about 8 hours in an oily environment and P95 masks can go for 40 hours. That's the only real difference. If you're looking for N95 masks and can only find R95 or P95 masks then you can buy them and they'll be just as good as an N95 mask! N100 and P100 MasksN100 masks are basically the same as an N95 mask except they filter out nearly 100% of all particles over .3 microns. P100 masks do the same except they're designed for oily environments. Are they better than N95 masks? They do provide a little more protection so yes, but most people will be just as well off with an N95 mask. ConclusionRemember, surgical masks are for those people that have the disease, and N95 masks are for those people that are trying not to get the disease. If you know that, then you know about as much as you really need to know about the difference between the two types of masks. Remember the other types of masks out there! People may rush to buy all the N95 masks they can find if there is some kind of scare about a disease, but they probably won't know what a P95, R95, N100 or P100 mask is. These could still be in stock when all of the N95 masks are long gone. Difference Between an N95 Mask and a Surgical Mask is available on: Ready Lifestyle via Blogger Difference Between an N95 Mask and a Surgical Mask |
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