Prepper Handbook Blog: Dual Purpose Items

Friday, March 27, 2020

When selecting what to put in our backpack, we should look for items with more than one use. For example:

A poncho can be used as tent, tarp, solar still, and when worn, keeps you warm, dry and covers your hands so you can be holding a pistol and no one realizes it. The real point here is that a poncho has four (4) uses, for about 2 pounds of weight. That said, you can only use it for one use at a time. So lets look at some other items with multiple uses.
A mesh hammock can be slept in, a net for catching food, and a bag for carrying things, or securing them high and away from animals (bear bag).
Paracord can be used for building shelter, hanging your hammock or bear bag, setting up your poncho as a tent, it can have the individual filaments used to make a fish net, or as fishing line. It can be used as a bow string, shoe laces, bow drill to start fire, snare traps, and sewing. Paracord can be used for so many end uses that we could never list them all. Mason line, #18 or #36 tarred, twisted line are good additions and alternatives to paracord.
Military Survival Shovels have multiple uses, axe, saw, entrenching, hoe, etc. depending on the model you choose.
Safety Pins are small, but serve many uses.
A Leatherman Multi-Tool serves many functions and is great for Every Day Carry.
A metal water bottle can be used for cooking, boiling water as well as carrying it. Avoid insulated bottles and those with plastic on the bottle. Plastic on the cap is okay.