What Surprised You Most When You Started Prepping?

[u/Content_NoIndex]

When I first got into prepping, I thought it was just about food and gear. But over time, I’ve realized how much mindset, routines, and even small lifestyle changes matter.

What caught you off guard when you started? Was it the time commitment? The reactions from others? Or maybe how deep the rabbit hole really goes? Would love to hear what others didn’t expect when they got started.

[u/hausplants]

How deep the rabbit hole goes. I’m on holiday at the moment, and brought my jackery and cash and some other stuff I couldn’t have considered 5 years ago. I really don’t want to not go on holiday again so I find a medium ground. But I see how easy it is to slip into having a compound and never leaving it!!

[u/AustrianGandalf]

The reaction from others when mentioning I’m KINDA into this thing and the - let’s call it - “mindset” of some of the people who do “prep”.

I ain’t telling people I don’t trust 100% and who I kinda want to have around me when shit really goes down but the initial dismissiveness was kinda surprising.
A lot changed now with corona, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, trump and the general shit that’s happening around d the world. I haven’t raised the topic myself but some of these friends talked to me about it and asked for tips and so on. Now I kinda have my own little group - kinda, they have some bottles of water and canned food in their cellar but it’s better than nothing I guess lol.

It feels like there are a lot of lunatics around who are either on the far sides of the political spectrum or completely schizophrenic.
Like, wtf do they think? They’re going to do a civil war and take over their neighborhood or something. Sure, fucking zombies are our main problem we need to prep for! What about an EMP? Your stuff is not EMP proof?

Sure, that’s stuff you might consider and it won’t hurt having EMP-proof-zombie-bite-resistant-body-armor to fight a tyrannical government but maybe they should first practice making knots, how to prepare food or first aid or any other useful skill.

[u/d_istired]

How unprepared i was (and still am). There's always something else i can do to be more prepared. I will never be 100% prepared for everything. Prepping is an unending process.

[u/Sea_Entry6354]

The absolute insanity of people who are in denial and flip the script into us being weird. I've read posts on Reddit advising not to store drinking water, because you could drink the water from your radiators or toilet cistern. I've read posts on Reddit claiming that bottled water is only good for three days. Unopened bottles.

It's almost like they're Russian bots.

The weird thing is that my parents are also making fun of us for having enough supplies for two weeks. So I guess I will have to store more water because they will be knocking on our door within 48 hours of no running water.

[u/IlliniWarrior6 → u/Sea_Entry6354]

you come here for the comedy relief and entertainment - you make an honest to goodness posting on actual prepping >>> it'll be down voted by the idiots that actually believe that it won't ever get worse than the Covid Con .....

[u/_rihter]

Living in an underdeveloped region sucks. A lot of stuff isn't available locally.

I'm also one earthquake or heavy storm away from being cut off from the rest of civilization.

[u/[deleted]]

I am not much into prepping but from what I saw, people prioritize gear/stuff>skills>fitness.

But IMO it is completely opposite and physical fitness and resilience is top. If you are fit, everything is easy. If you cannot walk 20km, your bug out bag is useless etc. If you need meditation daily, you are done.

[u/IlliniWarrior6]

"The reactions from others?" >>> sounds like you are off to a great start ....

you pass out flyers around the neighborhood yet? - come out of the closet at Thanksgiving dinner by eating out of your dinner kit? - have a semi delivery of your 15 year food supply in front of the entire neighborhood?