Armed defense is always an interesting topic when it comes to prepping, survivalism and suburban homesteading.  At the end of the day, I strongly believe in a person’s right to stand their ground and protect themselves.  Jim Cobb shares that belief.  He has used his latest offering, Prepper’s Armed Defense, as a means of explaining how individuals can arm themselves in the pursuit of self-defense.

Book Set-Up

Jim Cobb has written numerous books to date and he has hit on a style that just plain works.  He uses this style in Prepper’s Armed Defense.  It’s a concise, intelligent approach that walks you through each topic and allows the reader to grow their knowledge base chapter by chapter.  That being said, the inquisitive reader can skip to any chapter and consume that knowledge without needing the information provided in previous chapters.

The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1 – The Realities Of Self-Defense

The unfortunate truth is that self-defense is nothing like it is shown in the movies.  If the good guy thwarts the bad guy in a lethal manner (or even just maims him), he doesn’t get to ride off into the sunset with the girl.  More than likely, he’s going to have a long talk with the local authorities and possibly even spend a night in jail before everything is squared away.  Jim understands the reality of this situation and spends this chapter talking about these kinds of topics.  He talks about such things as situational awareness, training, post-confrontation action plans, self-defense legal concepts (read up on the Castle Doctrine) and the difference between criminal and civil law.  If you take one thing away from this chapter it’s that self-defense is not without possible legal ramifications and you should be prepared to handle that part of the act as well.

Chapter 2 – Non-Lethal Self-Defense Options

As Jim says, “the whole point of self-defense is to make sure you’re still alive and kicking come the next morning.”  That means that if running gets you out of a situation, then it is just as good of a self-defense option as fighting (possibly a better one from a legal perspective).This chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense centers on all kinds of non-lethal approaches to protecting and defending yourself such as pepper spray, stun guns, tasers, flashlights, and restraints.  On a personal level, I found this chapter to be one of the most beneficial ones in the book as I believe the topic is highly underrated when it comes to self-defense in the prepper/survivalist/homesteading world.

Chapter 3 – Firearms

Ahhh, guns! Every keyboard commandos favorite topic.  Listen, I’m a firm supporter and practitioner of the Second Amendment and completely believe in having firearms for self-defense.  At the same time, I hope to never, ever have to use my firearms in a defensive manner.  That being said, you can’t write a self-defense book without addressing the 800lbs gorilla in the room.  Jim does a great job of writing about firearm selection, ammunition selection, safety (both in the home and handling) and maintenance required.  Truth be told, this chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense is a great primer for folks who are looking to buy their first firearm.  Even this (somewhat) experienced firearm owner learned a thing or two.

Chapter 4 – Projectile Weapons

Keeping your distance from an attacker may be the difference between life and death in a self-defense situation.  Projectile weapons help you keep that distance while also maintaining a certain degree of safety.  Obviously, a firearm is the most lethal projectile weapon.  But what if you can own a firearm or don’t want to?  Well, there are other projectile weapons like bows and arrows, crossbows, slings and slingshots that can fill the void.  Jim does a great job of describing all these weapons and spends a lot of time explaining how to properly fit and use them.

Chapter 5 – Knives

If you’ve been around this site at all, you know I like sharp things.  Knives are something of a hobby for me (not as much as my buddy Mike at The Backyard Pioneer, but I digress…).  That being said, I loved this chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense. Jim dug right in and laid down all the basics about knives – folders vs fixed blade, blade material, handle material, blade geometry and general knife terminology.

Much like the firearms chapter, this chapter could be a stand-alone primer for the new knife owner.  Once the basics were laid down, Jim spends time talking about knife fighting and how personal of an experience it will be.  It’s not presented in a manner that is intent on scaring you off, but more as a means of laying down the reality of the situation.  In his words, “Using a knife to intentionally harm another human being takes a certain mindset and commitment.”  Be prepared if you’re going to use a knife for self-defense.

Chapter 6 – Melee Weapons

What’s a melee weapon you ask? Well, I didn’t really know either.  According to Prepper’s Armed Defense, a “melee weapon is used in close proximity to your attacker.”  They can basically be broken down into two categories – blunt weapons and bladed weapons.  Blunt weapons include items such as brass knuckles, batons, bats, canes and walking sticks.  Bladed weapons include items such as machetes, spears, tomahawks and karambits.  Training is key for these items as understanding moving with them in hand is critical to success.

Chapter 7 – Martial Arts Weapons

It’s easy to foresee a situation where a trained martial artist would want to use something they’ve trained with such as a bo staff, nunchaku, tonfa or kubaton.  In reality, unless you’ve spent a lot of time training with them, these weapons are not very realistic or practical for self-defense.  Jim spends some time in this chapter walking you through some common martial arts weapons and the rest talking about important training with them is to your success.

Chapter 8 – Homemade Weapons

The MacGyver chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense! Jim walks you through a bunch of homemade weapons such as homemade pepper spray, Molotov cocktails, hairspray flamethrowers, modified baseball bats (Lucille anyone?) and slungshots (not a typo).  You’ve probably got everything you need in your house to make most of these and, while they’re not ideal, these items can be a great last line of defense.

Chapter 9 – Force Multipliers

Simply stated, “force multipliers are devices or tactics that allow you and your group to be far more effective against intruders than they might otherwise be.”  Think about how surveillance cameras, drone cameras, alarms and booby traps could be in upping your ability to defend yourself.  This chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense had me thinking about The Walking Dead and all the preventative measures the different groups have set up around their locations.  Jim does a good job describing the pros and cons of each force multiplier and he spends times talking about how you can roll them into your self-defense plan.

Final Thoughts Section

Jim summarizes the books and gives a few parting shots of wisdom which hinge on the fact that taking a life is no small matter.  One must be prepared for the after effects of such a catastrophic event.

Resources Section

Prepper’s Armed Defense is gear and information heavy.  Jim outlines a bunch of recommended resources – both knowledge-based and hardware – in this section.

Why I Liked Prepper’s Armed Defense

I’ve reviewed a lot of books by Jim Cobb at this point.  In fact, I jump at the opportunity to read his books above most other folks in this genre.  The reason for that is that Jim is very formulaic in the way writes a book.  He provides information in a straightforward, no-BS kind of way.  Jim’s approach doesn’t confuse and doesn’t mince words.  He gets to the point and explains things in plain English.

What I Didn’t Like

Prepper’s Armed Defense didn’t spend a lot of time outside of Chapter 2 talking about ways to avoid the fight.  Why is this important?  Taking a life is a catastrophic event for both parties.  The person performing the act will forever be haunted by it to some extent or another and I think that exaggerating the fact that one should avoid it as much as possible could have been more strongly presented to the reader.

Overall Thoughts on Prepper’s Armed Defense

I think Prepper’s Armed Defense by Jim Cobb is a good addition to your library if you are at all concerned with situations that would warrant self-defense.  While it is gear heavy, it has to be to meet the requirements of the book.  There is also a lot of thought on topics such as the end-effect of self-defense and how to avoid situations where self-defense may be required.  As usual, Jim Cobb doesn’t disappoint.

Disclaimer: Jim Cobb supplied a copy of Prepper’s Armed Defense for me to review. I can assure my readers that I gave it a fair and honest review.

Communication is important – both in normal, everyday life and in a SHTF scenario.  Suburban homesteaders have the benefit of being nearby people and, often, don’t have to worry about being stranded without normal communication equipment functioning.  That doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from Jim Cobb’s latest offering, Prepper’s Communication Handbook.  This book will not only walk you through communication equipment and strategies you may need but also talks about communications methods that will increase your quality of life – both in and outside of disastrous situations.

Book Set-Up

In what has become typical Jim Cobb style, Prepper’s Communication Handbook is laid out in a concise, intelligent manner.  Each chapter is precise in its information and to the point.  There’s no fluff or extraneous information – “Just the facts, ma’am!”

The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1 – One-Way Radio: Receivers

Mark Hortsman of Manager Tools (completely non-prepping related, I know…but I do have a real job that I have to work at and improve in) always says “Communication is what the listener does.”  In this sense, it makes sense that Jim starts his book with ways to listen to communication.  Receivers are an important part of a communication plan and this chapter covers AM/FM, satellite, shortwave and National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) or weather radios.  Radio scanners are also addressed.  Overall, Jim spends a lot of time on how to collect information as opposed to sending, or broadcasting, information.

Chapter 2 – Two-Way Radio

Listening to and gathering information is great, but sometimes you need to interact with people or send out critical information.  This point is where two radios come into play.  Jim talks about the power required for different radios and goes in depth on items such as telephones, Citizen Band (CB) radios, Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios and Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) radios.

Chapter 3 – Amateur Radio

FRS, GMRS and MURS radios are great for local communication, but HAM radio is really where it’s at if you want to communicate over long distance.  This chapter of Prepper’s Communication Handbook is dedicated to the HAM radio: licensing information, test taking, local clubs, emergency communication versus normal operation and required equipment.  This topic is so broad that Jim cannot possibly provide everything there is to know about HAM radio in this chapter but he does a great job of setting the stage for further investigation by the reader.

Chapter 4 – Online Communication

We live in a digital world and I would hazard that a majority of our current communication is done online.  Jim would be remiss if he didn’t devote a significant portion of this book to such things as instant messaging, email, message boards, blogs and the myriad of social media networks out there.

Chapter 5 – Putting Together A Plan

This chapter is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak, for me in this book.  All the background information is great, but how do we pull it all together into an actionable plan?  While there’s no template to follow, Jim does one better – he provides a structure one should follow and can use to author their own plan.  This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

Chapter 6 – Emergency Business Communications Planning

Think emergency communication only pertains to you and your family?  What about your place of business?  Corporate emergency communication plans are just as important today as are personal plans.  Jim uses this chapter to discuss how and why a plan should be implemented.

Chapter 7 – Codes And Ciphers

It’s easy to foresee a situation where you would want to safeguard your communications from prying eyes (or ears, as it were).  This chapter of Prepper’s Communication Handbook explains the differences between codes and ciphers.  It also talks about way to safeguard your communications and situations in which you might want to do just that.

Chapter 8 – Essentials For Effective Communication

The next three chapters of Prepper’s Communication Handbook could just as easily be found in a management training handbook as in a prepper communication handbook.  Jim doesn’t talk about gear and codes and strategy here.  Instead, in this chapter, he talks about how to increase the effectiveness of your communication by doing things like active listening, not interrupting, giving feedback and tailoring your language for your audience.  Sometimes how you communicate is just as important as what you communicate.

Chapter 9 – Body Language

Body language can tell you a lot about a person.  Are they telling the truth? Lying? Are they defensive?  This chapter is useful in understanding certain “tells” in body language and may also be used to help you learn how not to have these tells if you’re put in certain situations.

Chapter 10 – Conflict Resolution

Strategies for conflict resolution such as concession, consensus, mediation, arbitration, compromise, collaboration, and competition are discussed.  Jim also suggests some tips for conflict resolution in a leadership role.

Final Thoughts Section

Jim summarizes the books and gives a few parting shots of wisdom.

Resources Section

As with most books on this topic, Prepper’s Communication Handbook is gear and information heavy.  Jim outlines a bunch of recommended resources – both knowledge-based and hardware – in this section.

Why I Liked Prepper’s Communication Handbook

As you might have noticed by now, Jim has a basic style when he writes a book.  There’s solid information provided in a no-BS kind of way.  In addition, the topic of communication is very broad and can be quite confusing.  Jim does a good job of providing introductions that allow the reader to continue a self-study off of.

What I Didn’t Like

What I didn’t like about this book was the same thing I liked – it’s high level.  If you’re looking for communication plan templates and the like, this isn’t the book for you.  This book is more of a “teach a man to fish” kind of book.

Overall Thoughts on Prepper’s Communication Handbook

I think Prepper’s Communication Handbook by Jim Cobb is a solid addition to your long-term survival library.  The book is not just a gear guide but talks about communication methods and theory – both of which are important in stressful situations that preppers may face.

Disclaimer: Jim Cobb supplied a copy of Prepper’s Communication Handbook for me to review. I can assure my readers that I gave it a fair and honest review.

Financial freedom is something I often preach about here on Suburban Steader. All suburban homesteaders can benefit from being free of financial burden.  How do you get there?  There are lots of ways to go about it.  You can get quite overwhelmed with all the different ways to get to financial independence.  Jim Cobb’s latest offering, Prepper’s Financial Guide, walks you through different topics which will lead towards financial independence.

Book Set-Up

Jim has laid out Prepper’s Financial Guide in a very concise manner as is typical with his books. Each chapter is precise and addresses both the why and how of each topic. The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1 – What Is An Economic Collapse?

Jim spends some time talking about the definition of an economic collapse as well as describing what can cause one.  He goes into depth talking about some economic collapses in history including Germany (1921-1924), the US (1929-1940) and Argentina (1998-2002).

Chapter 2 – Debt Reduction

The first step in finding financial freedom is debt reduction. You’re halfway home if you don’t owe anyone anything.  Jim discusses topics such as authoring a budget, reducing your realistic debts (debt snowball, anyone?), managing credit cards and cutting your expenses in both soft and hard approaches.

Chapter 3 – Currency

Do you know the difference between commodity and fiat currencies? Want to understand more about exchange rates? This chapter of Prepper’s Financial Guide will set you straight.

Chapter 4 – Precious Metals And Minerals

Most preppers know that gold and silver are the mainstays in ‘prepping currency.’  Jim dives into these precious metals and others.  He also talks about minerals (diamonds, rubies, etc.) in this chapter.

Chapter 5 – Post-Collapse Barter And Trade Goods

Stocking up on vices, consumables and medical supplies is recommended in this chapter because barter items will be the ‘normal’ currency in a SHTF scenario.

Chapter 6 – Bartering Skills Instead Of Stuff

Don’t have any material possessions to trade? No worries. Jim talks about trading time and sweat of your brow in this chapter.

Chapter 7 – Safeguarding Valuables

Safes, hiding spots, and caches – as you might expect – are the main topics in this chapter.

Chapter 8 – Investing In Self-Sufficiency

This chapter of Prepper’s Financial Guide is one of the longer ones.  Jim spends a lot of time explaining how the best way to survive a financial downturn is to reduce your dependence on purchasing power.  Grow a garden, raise your own livestock, learn about medicinal plants and herbs, grow your handyman skill set – these are all skills you can be doing now to reduce your financial dependence later.

Chapter 9 – Putting It All Together: The Home Of The Self-Sufficient Investor

Setting up your property to be self-sufficient and maximize your investments is a key part of being a financially free prepper.  Jim’s exploration of this topic is broad and general due to the fact that each situation will be unique.

Chapter 10 – Final Thoughts

Jim summarizes the books and gives a few parting shots of wisdom.

Why I Liked Prepper’s Financial Guide

You’ll notice that Jim doesn’t have any Earth-shattering information in his book when you compare it to most financial books. Everything he presents is rock solid advice that most anyone will provide AND he paints it in a prepper’s hue. In my opinion, there are a few things in this book that make it a quality addition to your long-term survival library:

• Bluntness – Jim has a history of not sugar-coating anything. An economic collapse situation is going to be tough. Getting your mind wrapped around that idea and accepting it is going to be half the battle.
• Checklists – Much like in Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide, Jim disperses valuable checklists in the chapters and provides a large, long barter item checklist at the end.
• Creativeness – Jim’s approaches are not always in line with mainstream thinking.  He’s not afraid to think outside of the box and present unorthodox ideas.

What I Didn’t Like

In my opinion, an economic collapse will bring out the worst in people.  Folks will be capable of doing most anything when they are hungry, thirsty and cold.  I would have expected a bit more in the chapter about safeguarding your valuables.  I think Jim’s view is a little too utopian – although this book wasn’t intended as a prediction of social environments.  I have to say that I was a bit surprised that the “Oldest Profession In The World” didn’t come up in Chapter 6.  I wouldn’t expect Jim to promote it, but I would expect that – if you’re talking about bartering “skills” – the topic would come up.

Overall Thoughts on Prepper’s Financial Guide

I think Prepper’s Financial Guide by Jim Cobb is a solid addition to your long-term survival library.  Most of the financial information and advice provided is no different than the majority of financial books and websites out there, however, the book is written with the prepper in mind.  That last fact makes it a good read.

Disclaimer: Jim Cobb supplied a copy of Prepper’s Financial Guide for me to review. I can assure my readers that I gave it a fair and honest review.

A suburban homestead is the kind of place that goes hand-in-hand with prepping. Why else do you want your land to produce and become self-sufficient if not to be prepared to take care of yourself? But are you thinking about what would happen if we got into a long-term survival situation?

Enter Jim Cobb’s latest book Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide.

Book Set-Up

Jim has laid out the book in a very concise manner. Each chapter is very on-topic and begins with an interesting narrative that is a fictional journal entry related to that chapter’s central them. The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1 – Long Term Events

Jim takes time to describe the different scenarios that may trigger a long-term survival situation. They include:

• Pandemics
• Famine
• Economic Collapse
• Freak Occurrences
• New Madrid Earthquake
• Yellowstone Caldera
• EMP

He spends a little bit of time describing each and talking about the possibility of it occurring.

Chapter 2 – Water

Storage, purification and filtering of water are essential to long-term survival. Jim addresses all three topics in detail within this chapter.

Chapter 3 – Food

Jim talk about finding, generating and preserving food in this chapter.

Chapter 4 – Medicine

Everything from setting up a “Crash Bag” to dealing with medications and what happens when they run out in a long-term survival situation are talked about in this chapter.

Chapter 5 – Hygiene

Staying clean can keep you healthy. Jim talks about bathing, laundry, waste disposal and all the other “unsexy” parts of prepping in this chapter.

Chapter 6 – Stay Warm and Keeping Cool

Clothing is addressed here as well as keeping your shelter warm or cool, depending on the season.

Chapter 7 – Security

Gotta protect yourself and your gear, right? Jim talks about how to do that here.

Chapter 8 – Tools

Which do you need? Which are going to be useless for long-term survival? Jim will tell you.

Chapter 9 – Surviving Boredom

Keeping morale up in long-term survival is key to getting by. Jim has a few thoughts on how to keep the mood light and have fun.

Chapter 10 – Barter and Trade

In a long-term survival situation, money may end up being useless. Learning how to barter and trade will be a critical skill for survival.

Chapter 11 – Community Survival Planning

Lone wolves won’t last in a long-term survival situation. Community planning is crucial for extended success in a dire situation.

Chapter 12 – Final Thoughts

Jim summarizes the books and gives a few parting shots of wisdom.

Why I Liked Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide

If you’ve been around prepping for a while, you’ll notice that Jim doesn’t have any Earth-shattering information in his book. Everything he presents is rock solid advice that most anyone will provide. In my opinion, there are a few things in this book that make it a quality addition to your long-term survival library:

• Reference Material – Jim isn’t afraid to point you towards an expert. In fact, he provides a four page reference directory at the back of the book. This list alone is worth getting the book.
• Checklists – While there are not a ton of checklists, the ones that are there are VERY pertinent to a long-term survival situation. The Medicine and Tool chapters are especially heavy on this information.
• Bluntness – Jim doesn’t sugar-coat anything. A long-term survival situation is going to be tough. Getting your mind wrapped around that idea and accepting it is going to be half the battle.

What I Didn’t Like

As I mentioned, this book is very straight forward. Jim doesn’t sugar-coat how hard life will be when/if life gets turned upside down. Jim seems to have a general sense that most people will band together and that, while life will be tough, the community will make it work. Perhaps I’m too cynical or perhaps he’s too utopian, but I think some time spent talking about what happens when the ugliness in people shows up would be beneficial to a book on long-term survival.

Overall Thoughts on Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide

Overall, I think Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide by Jim Cobb is a solid addition to your long-term survival library. Jim’s no-nonsense, straightforward approach to the book gives you the information you need in case the world as you know it goes south. Read it, use the checklists and keep it in an easily accessible area. You’ll want to grab this book from time to time because it’s great reference material.

Disclaimer: Jim Cobb supplied a copy of Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide for me to review. I can assure my readers that I gave it a fair and honest review.