Test your preps!

As noted in my previous post, it is important to test your equipment on a regular basis. It should be noted that it's important to checkout any new equipment BEFORE taking it to the field. First off, if there is something wrong with it you have a chance to exchange or repair the item before you need it. Most retailers will only exchange items for a limited time, so do yourself a favor and check the item out as soon as you get it home, and deal with any issues as soon as possible.

The second reason to check your equipment regularly is highlighted in my previous post - stuff can go bad just sitting on a shelf. I live in the desert of Arizona where the air is dry as a bone most of the time - this didn't prevent the valves on my stove from rusting up almost causing a real issue with my last camping trip. I should have known better with my 10 years in the military, I can't claim I don't have the proper training. Everybody needs a reminders sometimes....

By checking out your equipment when you buy new stuff, or just performing normal maintenance you will be familliar with the items you use which translates to quick and easy setup when it comes time to utilize your stuff - whether you are on a family camping trip or during an emergency situation. I like to setup my tents at the beginning of the camping season to air them out and make sure nothing has eaten holes in them over the winter while they are stored. At the same time I also set them up and thoroughly clean them out before storing them for the winter. These two steps make sure I have a good place to sleep at night when I get where I'm going.

I cannot stress enough how much of a difference it makes to check your stuff. We use a checklist for our outings, I have even taken it to the level of having a list for each container so I know what is (or should be) included in each of our bins / bags. This makes the process much quicker when we take a family camping trip, but more importantly gives us piece of mind that if there were an emergency requiring evacuation we can accomplish this in a minimum of time.


John
http://www.redbarnworkshop.com/