Percentage of training vs gear

[mercop]

Overall what do you think the percentage is for you? I am talking everything from first aid to field craft. Guns to cooking. Whatever.

I would say I am 70/30.

Are you as high speed as your gear is? You have to have gear with you to be of any worth. Training is something you always have. The more you know that less you need.

A few questions to answer if only to yourself-

Last time you or someone else needed a band aid how long did it take for you to find it?

How much gas is in your car as it sits in your driveway?

How long would it take you to find a pair of gloves if you needed them right now?

 

[Eddie]

My own thinking

Overall what do you think the percentage is for you? I am talking everything from first aid to field craft. Guns to cooking. Whatever.

I would say I am 70/30.

Are you as high speed as your gear is? You have to have gear with you to be of any worth. Training is something you always have. The more you know that less you need.

As far as supplies, I set an amount that I want to have "In stock". I steadily set aside money, even if it is only a dollar a day, until I have the amount that I want to have in stock. After that I will continue to periodically purchase more of the item and rotate out the older stuff. Once it is rotated out of stock, it is then available for training.

Example: I have two ammo cans for twelve guage 00 buck. I will frequently pick up a pack of 00 buck when I see it for a good price. When I get home, I put the new rounds in the shiny green can, which is full, and take out some of the oldest rounds and put them in the beat up can that is spray painted orange. When I want to go practice with my shotgun, anything that is in the orange can is available to train with.

A few questions to answer if only to yourself-

Last time you or someone else needed a band aid how long did it take for you to find it?
Less than a minute.

How much gas is in your car as it sits in your driveway?
We treat a half tank as "empty", when it hits half it is time to fill up. So the minimum is 1/2 tank.

How long would it take you to find a pair of gloves if you needed them right now?

One second as they are in my coat pocket.

 

[Woodsman]

I think training is the foundation to have before you get too many widgets. 150 years ago people lived without them, so the only reason we couldn't again today is dependence. Some of the basics like shelter, fire, food, and water can take time to acquire, develop, or grow so you need the basics to get to that point.

Things such as cast iron cookware, axes, saws, and other hand tools would be a minimum to have and know how to use.

Ohhh, don't forget to have something to defend yourself with and to put food on the table.

1/2 tank of gas is minimum and other things will be ready to go soon.

A couple of things I would like to be better prepared for is first aid. Looking at a wilderness first responder course now and have a carbine class to finish yet.

 

[irishfan]

Its a lot more fun to buy and "play" with the toys you think you will use rather than actually putting them to use. It would be a good idea to at least test out the things we have so that we know they are quality products rather than be on the move in a disaster and find out your water filter isn't quite as good as a certain review said it is.

 

[flatlander]

I have the barest of necessities but, thanks to .mil etc,. I have been trained extensively. I am prepared for a lot of things but still don't get out as much as I'd like.

Bob

 

[mercop]

Before attending a Wilderness Medicine course I would take the Red Cross basic course. First aid is principle based. You don't need a lot of high speed gear to save a life, just calm nerves and basic knowledge.- George

 

[infidel]

Well the way I look at it, I only set things back that I know how to use. Not much use to me if I can't use it. I think this would technically make me 1:1. I would love to get more training on some things, particularly first aid, but do not see the point in having a hospital in my house when all I can do is fix cuts.

Last time you or someone else needed a band aid how long did it take for you to find it?

How much gas is in your car as it sits in your driveway?

How long would it take you to find a pair of gloves if you needed them right now?

These are not hard questions to me because this is my mindset all the time. I'm always running scenarios like this through my head.

 

[Woodsman]

Before attending a Wilderness Medicine course I would take the Red Cross basic course. First aid is principle based. You don't need a lot of high speed gear to save a life, just calm nerves and basic knowledge.- George

A Wilderness Medicine course is going to be taught close to me during the first week of January, but I just found out about it. It's probably too late to get enrolled now anyway. That one is a 5 day course.

Another location has a 2 day course on basic first aid, etc.

A Red Cross basic course is not a bad idea either, for anyone. I attended one of these many years ago, but wanted to start getting back up to speed.

 

[Sailor]

Its the natural progression of gun owners. Ooh, that gun is cool. I want that AR with the laser.... You end up with a lot of guns. Then you kind of come full circle and realize that they are just a tool, and that proper training is your best weapon. So you start selling the extra .50 Desert Eagles and getting some training. You end up with a Glock 19, and an AK, and the skills to use them.

 

[jeremy]

Oh I would say i am somewhere North of 90% training and 10% gear. I have spent most of my adult life either training or living the suck.

 

[Lex Concord]

Oh I would say i am somewhere North of 90% training and 10% gear. I have spent most of my adult life either training or living the suck.

Sadly I am probably nearly the opposite.

I am, however, aware of my deficiencies, and am working to increase training, knowledge, and skills as opportunities arise.

 

[grunt soldier]

i have trained and continue to train constantly. honing your skills is a must. it doesn't matter if you have 50 rifles and all the ammo in the world if you don't understand how to shoot move and communicate and hit what your aiming at. if you don't practice and know what to do when your gun goes click and you fumble around trying to figure out how to sports (slap,pull,observe,release,tap, and shoot then your kinda up the creek w/ out a paddle. i mean everyone thinks about it but how many practice it. how quick can and effective can you do a magazine change. this stuff is all as important as having the right kit . in my opionion.

 

[Dr Falken]

Something to think about with training, or rather learning a skill set, is the learning curve involved with it. There are somethings that you can take a class for, but until you use them for an extended period of time, you never really know that skill, or understand the nuances of it, wether it be firing a weapon, or learning to can, or read the weather. I guess that I'd call that not just training, but experience.

As to my percieved percentage, of gear versus training, maybe 70% gear, 30% training? But there are a lot of things that I like to do, and I like to read. So my skillset may be greater based on the wide variety of activities that I engage in, though my overall training may be lower..