The Gear You Don’t Use (But Probably Should) – Part 2 | Episode 578
Opening
It’s 14 degrees, I’m on the way to work, my voice is rough, and we’re continuing part two of the gear you don’t use — but probably should.
This episode is about expensive preps people treat like insurance policies. You buy them, put them away, and assume they’ll magically work when needed. Generators. Guns. Big-ticket items that absolutely matter — but only if you actually know how to use them.
Generators Aren’t Set-and-Forget Gear
Generators are expensive, and yes, I absolutely think you should own one. Where people screw this up is treating them like a one-time purchase instead of a system that needs familiarity.
Most people buy a generator, put it in the garage, and never touch it again. They’ve never changed the oil. They’ve never tested it under load. They don’t know what it sounds like when it’s running right — or wrong.
Worse, their spouse has no idea how to start it, hook it up, or troubleshoot anything. That’s not preparedness. That’s hope.
Teach Your Family — Don’t Just “Show” Them
Taking your spouse out once and running through the steps isn’t enough. Especially if mechanical stuff isn’t their thing — and that’s not a knock. People’s brains work differently.
The best solution is stupid simple: make your own instructions. Take photos. Write steps. “Push primer four times. Pull cord. Plug this in.” Print it. Laminate it. Or record a short video walking through the process.
That way, if you’re not home, your spouse — and even your kids — can follow it without guessing. Clear instructions beat memory every time.
Teaching Makes You Better Too
One of the reasons I do this podcast is because teaching makes you better at the thing you’re teaching. Explaining how to start and run a generator forces you to actually understand it.
If you can’t teach it clearly, you probably don’t know it as well as you think. Making instructions, videos, or checklists doesn’t just help your family — it locks the process into your own brain too.
Preparedness improves when you stop being the only one who knows how things work.
Firearms: Ownership Isn’t the Same as Skill
Firearms are another expensive prep people tend to buy and then barely use. I’ve never regretted buying a firearm — not once. But for a lot of people, guns sit in safes and only come out every couple of years.
At some point, buying another firearm helps less than buying training. Range time matters. Classes matter. If it’s been years since you’ve taken a shooting class, it’s probably time to take another one.
Spending a few hundred dollars on training may improve your capability more than adding one more gun to the collection.
Skills Age — And They Need Refreshing
Firearm skills aren’t permanent. Neither are mechanical skills. If it’s been years since you practiced, you’re rusty whether you want to admit it or not.
That applies to me too. I’m at the point where another fighting pistol class would be a smart move. Skills decay. Refreshing them is part of staying ready.
Closing
Big, expensive gear only counts if you know how to use it — and if the people around you can use it too.
Practice with what you own. Teach your family. Take classes instead of just buying more stuff.
This has been James from SurvivalPunk.com.
DIY survives.
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