So you have a few survival skills. Maybe you have a pressure cooker and a grain mill. Maybe even a rifle for hunting. You're well on your way to being able to care for yourself and yours in most any emergency situation.
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, there are endless options for basically every piece of gear and accessory you can think of. It can be pretty overwhelming trying to figure out what is going to meet your needs best. It’s easy to end up with a whole pile of stuff that got great reviews and looked good on the Internet, but just doesn’t work for you. This can quickly get frustrating and expensive.
Here’s my suggestion—make your gear. Not all of it, and not all in one caffienated frenzy of weekend enthusiasm. Pick one thing, be it as complicated or simple as you feel comfortable with, and make it. Even if it turns out looking worse than a kindergartner's best effort at emulating the Eiffel Tower, you’ll be ahead and here’s why.
The first part of making a piece of gear forces you to think critically about what exactly your requirements are for that item.
What am I going to be doing with this gear? What kind of climate and environment will I be using it in? How much does it weigh if I'll be carrying it? How big is it if I have to fit it into my house/car/office? How will it need to function in the real world scenarios that I will find myself in?
Notice that I said “will find myself in”, not “might find myself in”. By that I mean, it helps to be realistic when assessing your gear needs. Sure, in a zombie-ravaged wasteland, a sawed off shotgun and a machete would be perfect. Problem is, you probably spend more time sitting in your car in the line at the drive-through than you ever will slaughtering the undead - and that's if you only hit the drive-through just once in your entire life. So, while that Special Edition Zombie-Slayer carbon-fiber machete sheath may look like the coolest thing ever, it may not be worth the money to buy it, but you could have some fun making one out of scraps.
Once you know what you need, then you can begin the process of gathering your materials and getting started on the project. This is another opportunity to consider the merits of features like water-proofing, heat resistance, durability, weight, and even aesthetics. Some of these things may be crucial, others less important to you. You can also choose the origin of your materials, if you wish to patronize companies that align with your ideals. Also, since purchasing or scavenging raw materials is usually cheaper than buying ready-made merchandise, you’ll probably save some dough (hello food fund!).
Many people in the sustainable living movement are interested in self-sufficiency in one way or another. Crafting a piece of your own kit is a great way to promote that mind-set, and maybe gain a new skill at the same time. In the ‘teach a man to fish’ way of thinking, skills are infinitely more valuable than goods. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of having made something with your own two hands instead of just watching maker videos on your couch all evening.
Chances are good that as you move through the project, you will also gain a better understanding how quality gear is produced and what’s worth paying for. You’ll likely see the short cuts that some companies take in mass producing gear and keeping costs low. You can decide for yourself what’s worth extra time and money, and which details are less important.
Once you begin running your homemade gear, you can reassess its functionality and decide what changes need to be made. Sometimes that means modifying the piece to achieve the desired results, and sometimes it means starting a whole new project, in which case you might have just gotten yourself a new hobby (which I know your
family and friends are going to love - they may get involved with you).
In practical survivalism, there's a wide range of opportunities for DIY.
Canning your own produce and ready to eat meals gives you a whole new appreciation of canned goods. You can make carriers and storage shelves for your canned goods to wither showcase them or to keep them out of the light.
Building your own medicinal herb cabinet allows you to craft a fine piece of furniture as well as one that fits your specific needs.
Sewing your own aprons, pockets, pouches, dish storage containers, wall pockets, and more allows you to customize according to our needs.
Making your own planters from tufa lets you fit the container to the space you have instead of trying to find the space for the store-bought containers.
It allows you to recycle. I have so many ideas pinned on Pinterest for reusing wine bottles!
Oddly enough, steampunk has also given me wide range of ideas for making my own gear. I work at a lot of conventions, why did it never occur to me to make a belt that has the hangers I need for the tools I use most: masking tape (most hotels won't allow any tape other than masking tape to be used when hanging signs and posters), scissors, clipboard, pens, markers, sewing kit, netbook, texting phone, measuring tape, clips, notebook, glasses,flash drives, camera, fan, handkerchiefs, Itzl snacks and water, cleaning cloths. The leather belt tool caddies you can buy at hardware stores are nice enough, but they just don't adapt well to the stuff I need to hang from my waist at conventions. And how cool to make gardener tool caddies, or housekeeping tool caddies, custom made for the things you really use, not the things some mass production company thinks you use?
Steampunk inspired he concept of making my own caddies and making them pretty. And no just for conventions, gardening, and housekeeping. I have one for work. And one for trips to the zoo or museums. And I'm making one for the OU Medieval Fair for when I run the Water Paws booth. I even have one for when I host tea parties!
It's not just leather accessories you should consider DIY. I briefly mentioned building a medicinal herb cabinet. But don't limit your wood-working to large items like that. Why not smaller wood caddies for things like a first aid kit, or portable medicine chest, or a blanket chest, or what about shelves for specific functions - not just books or canned goods. What about shelves for craft items and tools? A game chest for those times when the power's out and you need some entertainment?
How about a portable pantry?
Think of the things you do and the accessories those things need. Access what accessories you need for them, and then set about learning how to make those accessories.
Even if hand-tooling bottle holsters or sewing nylon instructor belts doesn’t end up being your life’s passion, the experience of producing an object that you need and will use often is sensible and satisfying. It will also make you a better-informed consumer and more acutely aware of your own requirements and expectations for all kinds of accessories. And, who knows? Maybe when the zombie apocalypse does happen you will be the only one making those sweet bandoliers of zombie dissolving potions.