Preparation makes you better-equipped to deal with an emergency before it happens — hopefully years, months, or at least a few days ahead of a disastrous event. But what if you found yourself in a situation where your preparation window was a matter of minutes, and your resources were limited? Although none of us would ever want to be in that position, it’s an interesting exercise in quick decision-making and gear prioritization. In a recent video, Shawn Ryan of Vigilance Elite and Mike Glover of Fieldcraft Survival used their experience as survival instructors and former U.S. Special Operations team members to approach this problem. Specifically, they gave themselves $50 and 10 minutes to buy SHTF gear at WalMart for their Apocalypse Challenge.
After a few minutes of speed-shopping, Ryan and Glover sat down to unpack and analyze their purchases, from first to last. Glover’s first few items, a tarp with bungee cords and a water bottle, addressed some of key points in the “Survival Rule of 3s” — three minutes without shelter (in severe conditions) or three days without water can be fatal. Ryan went straight for a tool that provides the means of acquiring other tools: a crowbar. This item could be used for forced entry and scavenging in dire circumstances, but also serves as an impact weapon for self defense.
Their other picks diverged slightly — a folding knife versus a multitool for cutting tasks, and a LifeStraw versus a large bottle of bleach for water purification. In the end, each looked at their picks in retrospect and discussed what they would’ve done differently. Check out the full 34-minute video below, and even if you don’t spend real money on this Apocalypse Challenge, keep it in mind next time you’re out shopping. You never know when you might need to grab some last-minute survival gear, and it’ll be easier if you think about it before that day comes.
