Imagine a situation where the world is going into chaos for whatever reason – natural disaster, financial collapse, whatever.  Bugging in is just not an option because your dwelling is in immediate peril.  It’s time to bug out!  But you have to act fast. What do you do?

Bugging out is going to be the beginning of one of the most difficult things you’re going to do in your entire life. I say “the beginning” because when you’re out there, every hour and every day is a race against time. You either get to safety or you don’t.

In what follows, I’m going to let you in on some of the ways to get out of a crowded city, and I’m also going to offer solutions for those of you living in the ‘burbs.

You should know ALL the ways to get out of your city and should have at least a car at your disposal to do so if you’ve done a proper job of prepping. If you live in the suburbs, you probably have one, maybe two ways to get out assuming you’re not going to evacuate through the other side of the city. But that’s not a bad thing; the advantage is that those one or two roads are less likely to be blocked, giving you the opportunity to make a quick exit.

Bug Out Early

This scenario is the best option. If for whatever reason you find out that things are going south before anyone else, you have enough time to bug out before the rest of the town figures they need to do the same.

How can you find out in advance?

• Listen to local radio or TV; police band radio is also a great resource
• Maintain a network of friends and preppers who keep in touch with the latest local happenings
• Anticipate big events by keeping an eye on national news events that could potentially affect you locally

If any or all of the above happen:

• Immediately contact your family and friends and meet them at a pre-determined rally point
• Follow social media as well as local radio and TV networks to confirm that this is really happening
• Decide whether you need to bug in or out or not
• Act as soon as humanly possible

Bug Out At Night

Wait until 3 or 4 in the morning to bug out would be wise if you haven’t waited until the masses are on the move. There should be fewer people roaming the streets at those early hours.

Do not push the pedal to the metal and take off despite the open road. Police may still be patrolling and being pulled over for speeding will delay your exit and potentially foil it completely.

Yes, you need to be quick, but you also have to be on alert. Just because a road looks ok, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Darkness is not just your friend it’s also a friend of your enemies.

Bug Out Undercover

Whether you’ll bug out on foot, using a motorcycle or your car, one thing you need to do is to do it undercover. That means you don’t want to stand out in any way – and they’re a lot of ways you can stand out.

For example, it may be ok to use one of those electric scooters by Segway to evacuate if you have no choice, but do it at 3 AM in the morning might attract attention. Sure, it could work if that’s all you got but keep in mind these can only take you about 15 to 20 miles until you have to recharge them.

One way of staying undercover is to use a more common means of transportation.  It is less obvious what is going on if you’re in a normal vehicle than something that stands out more.  Wouldn’t a quad on the highway stand out to you?

The next thing you should be careful about what you’re wearing. Jewelry, suits and provocative clothes are a no-no. They say wearing a hat can make you look taller in a riot, but if you’re evacuating at night, that won’t matter. It’ll have the added benefit of hiding your face from certain angles. Hats and baseball caps are great in keeping a low profile.

Last but not least, tell as few people that you’re leaving as possible. The fewer neighbors know you left, the better. Otherwise, rumors will spread and someone might eventually burglarize your home.

If you’re evacuating during the day, the same rules apply. Know where you’re heading. Don’t tell anyone and keep going while traveling as calmly as possible.

Conclusion

As you can see, there’s no secret information when it comes to bugging out. You have to be quick. You have to be alert. And, above all else, you must anticipate how and when things will go wrong. There is no bulletproof plant for you to stay safe during a bug out, but bugging out gives you mobility, and it might be the only option for you regardless of whether or not you prepped to bug in.

I don’t know anyone involved with preparedness and survival that hasn’t heard of, seen or even purchased paracord. Be it a survival bracelet or a 100ft coil, you stow it in your Bug Out Bag for an emergency situation.

I am a strong believer that you should know HOW to use each and every single piece of gear in your pack before you need it. There is no point trying to learn on the job, so to speak. That approach could mean all of your best-laid plans fail because you didn’t invest the time upfront.

In this article, we will take a look at 10 uncommon uses for paracord. They are easy to do and I recommend you try some of them out once you’ve finished reading.

They could save your life one day.

Where To Get High-Quality Paracord?

Getting a “good deal” on survival equipment should be a secondary consideration – Quality is the primary concern. You need to be able to trust the paracord you have and you do that by buying high-quality paracord.

There are a lot of vendors out there for paracord.  I support my local shop most of the time and you should too if you have the option. If you don’t have any paracord close by, then check out Amazon for 100-foot sections at a good price.

Let’s get to the paracord projects!

Project #1 – Fishing Lure

Procuring food will be high on the agenda if you decide to bug out or when the delivery trucks stop running. Feeding yourself and your family will be a skill that every man and woman will need if they are to survive.

Fishing is one of the ‘easiest’ forms of catching food, plus it expends very few calories when compared to stalking, hunting and trapping animals for example.

Not only can paracord be used as a fishing line, but also a lure. A Lure is used to attract the attention of the fish and is a kind of Trojan horse, in that it’s designed to be something it is not and hidden in plain sight.

In the video above, you can see how she frays the ends and each strand of the cord to make it more attractive to the fish and to look like bait.

Project #2 – Fishing Line

That’s not all those small inner stands are great for, you can also make an improvised fishing rod and a line from a long piece of wood and a few meters of an inner stand that has been split down to it’s single most thread.

Combine this with the fishing lure mentioned above and you have everything you need for a spot of fly-fishing.

Project #3 – Paracord Net

During a SHTF event, a net made from paracord can be used for a number of applications, such as:

• Gear and vehicle concealment
• Catching fish, turtles and other food
• Shelter roofing to add leaves and other materials
• A hammock

The examples above a just a few ways to make use of a paracord net, watch the video below to find out how to make one from scratch.

Project #4 – Sutures

Most top-grade paracord has at least five strands, most of the time you will find seven small strands enclosed within the outer casing. These inner strands are what provide the strength to the paracord.

On their own, they are tough but fairly weak. However, combine them and you have some seriously strong stuff. The outer casing itself is weak and shouldn’t be separated from the inner strands and used to bear any weight alone.

One of the great uses in a SHTF situation is to remove one of those inner strands, which can then be split down even further to make a thread that is thin enough to thread through the eye of a needle.

If you have an open wound that needs to be closed up, you can use this to do so, whilst this is only a temporary measure, you will feel like Rambo afterward!

It is easy to make these smaller strands by taking just a single length of inner paracord strand, and twisting it between your fingers until the 2 smaller stands come away from each other. They can then be spliced apart easily.

Project #5 – Sewing and Gear Repairs

By using the same method used in the last section to create small thin strands, which have a load capacity of around 25lbs each, you can perform running repairs on your gear.

Think about it, you have a pack full to the brim, bursting with all the gear you need to survive. Now say you snag the pack on a branch and it tears open, or one of the straps breaks under the heavy load.

You can use these smaller inner strands of cord to sew your gear back together and get on with the task in hand.

Obviously this will require you to have some sewing needles in your pack or on your person, however, you can improvise by using a stick that has been sharpened to a point and simply tie the cord onto the end.

There is a downside to this however in that the holes in your gear will be larger and make the attachment points weaker.

Project #6 – Snares and Traps

I also mentioned trapping as a low-calorie expending way to catch your dinner. Setting snares and traps is a great way to spend some time when out in the wilderness in a survival situation.

You may have seen these spring-loaded traps before. In the video above, the young man uses string. Depending on the type of animal you are aiming to catch, paracord is much better suited due to its high breaking strength.

Project #7 – Replacement Boot Laces

Even if you have a bug out vehicle, the chances are you are going to have to spend some time on foot getting to your bug out location and/or protecting your home from opportunistic looting.

A good pair of sturdy tactical boots are perfect and will last a good few years if looked after. However, it’s the boost laces that often are the first point of failure I footwear.

They can get snagged, you can pull them too hard and they break. They degrade over time from the water, dirt, strain and the general wear and tear you put on them.

Paracord is a perfect replacement for your shoelaces. In fact, I swap out my laces each time I buy a new pair of boots for that very reason. It will stand up to pretty much anything you can throw at it and it can also be used for several other things such as the fishing lure I mentioned above.

Simply snip off one end to make the lure, and you still have enough lace to tie off your boots.

Project #8 – Splint, Sling, and Tourniquets

A broken finger, or any bone for that matter, in a SHTF situation is amplified by ten because of the situational requirements on you when you need your body to be fully alert and functional.

A broken finger, whilst painful, is also manageable. To aid the healing process and to prevent further damage, simply wrapping the broken finger and the finger next to it with paracord will act as a splint that will be strong and sturdy enough to provide support.

Should you be unlucky enough to break your leg, you can also use paracord and a thick branch, about the thickness of your wrist, to support the leg.

If you have a broken arm, however, you are in trouble and you need to get that arm secure and out of the way, again to prevent further damage.

By wrapping the paracord around the broken area a few times and then looping it around the neck and over your shoulder, you can have a makeshift sling.

If you have a large wound or have a member of your group who is losing a lot of blood, the first thing to apply is a tourniquet. Which, can be improvised by using a single length of paracord, tied off above the wound and then using a small stick, you twist the paracord to tighten against the leg and slow the loss of blood.

Project #9 – Bow Drill String

Making fire by friction is a skill all preppers and survivalist should possess. This is one skill that required practice and a lot of patience.

There is a great feeling of accomplishment when you complete your first friction fire. That’s not to mention the feeling of comfort and safety that comes from within, knowing you have the skill to keep making something that can keep you warm, cook your food and purify your water.

You can use paracord to make the bow section of your bow drill set, as it is strong enough to withstand the pressure exerted by the drill.

Fire, or as woodsmen call it…the outdoors TV is truly a remarkable survival tool.

Project #10 – Vehicle Hose Clamp

If you’re bugging out by vehicle and one of the clamps on the hoses in your engine fails, you can use paracord to cinch down tightly around the hose which will hold it in place until you can make a full repair when appropriate.

In fact, there are many uses for paracord with vehicles such as securing items to your roof and even to dip into the gas tank to soak up extra fuel which can then be wrapped around a stick for a torch or to help get a fire going in less than ideal conditions.

Conclusion

I hope you got a few new ideas about what you can do with paracord. It isn’t just for making colorful bracelets! You should be developing your skills with paracord all the time so when you really need them, you can work effectively under pressure. That is what survival and prepping is all about.

What is your next paracord project? Let me know in the comments below.

Whether you’re a suburban homesteader, ranch owner or a city dweller, being a prepper is about possessing a particular mindset that governs each of your decisions. It means utilizing each resource to the max, never discarding a resource that can provide some value someday, and staying in the moment while also preparing for the future.  A prepper feels no shame in using man made tools or forged goods to accomplish a certain task. They also tend to refrain from luxury or the unnecessary. There is usually is no room for a big screen television, fancy automobile, or anything beyond what is necessary to live. Those that can live happily without luxury items will have the easiest time transitioning to a TEOTWAWKI. Here is how you start putting that idea into practice.

Firesale!

If you don’t need it, get rid of it. Sell everything you have that holds any financial value and isn’t necessary for you to carry out your life. Why should you do this? One, you can use it to pay down any outstanding debts you may have (this will be touched on later), and second so that you can practice living on only the items that you need to live – an absolute must for when SHTF.

Craigslist and EBay are the tools to meet this end. You’ll find certain items that won’t sell on Craigslist will be picked up in only a few hours on EBay, and others have needs for items you don’t. This money should be socked away for later emergencies (medical or for stocking up on supplies). Or, if you have outstanding debt, put this money towards paying those debts off.

Debt – The Iron Shackles of Our Time

Why is debt such a bad thing and how is it relevant to prepping?

Because it is modern slavery.

People love owning your debt.  They want you to owe them.  They hunger for that interest payment accruing on your outstanding accounts. This interest is going straight from your bank account and into their pockets. Whether that interest you pay on a mortgage, car payment, credit card, or student loan, money going towards interest will stack up quick. Think of interest as money being tossed straight out the window. This is part of being in debt, and it is holding you back from any goals you may, financial or otherwise.

Whether you have to sell everything you own to get out of this debt, consolidate smaller debts into one lump sum, or declare bankruptcy and start anew, take any means necessary to get out of debt and break the shackles holding you back.

Now What?

So I’m free of debt, but also free of my big screen television, sound system, video streaming accounts, motorcycle, and anything “fun” I once previously owned. This bites, so where do I go next?

If you are committed to being a prepper, you need to rethink your entire lifestyle; new mindset, new hobbies, new values, new you.

• Mindset – This new mindset will be about living life the way you expect to when SHTF. This means without excess and enjoying the little things in life. Material goods are useless fragments of clutter and hold no value beyond the initial euphoria of owning something new.
• Hobbies – Lessen your dependence on electronics. Spend time with friends and family, play cards or board games, and spend evenings having meaningful conversations with others. Another popular prepper hobby is canning food, it can be a surprisingly enjoyable way to spend time and you’re able so prepare food supplies to be stored for later dates.
• Values – When SHTF, protecting your family and yourself will be the number one objective on a day to day basis. Commitment to the family should be instilled within your spouse and children. Spend time with each other do things together. Also teach them to save, use only what they need, and to think carefully before making any decision.

Prepping is about being ready for any event that could happen in the future, but to do that you must take action now. Reexamining your current lifestyle, removing the shackles of debt, and completely changing your life may all seem like unclimbable mountains now, but chipping away and working towards this lifestyle is what prepping is about.

When SHTF, will you be able to hit the ground running?  Does The lifestyle you’ll need to lead then differ much from the lifestyle you’re living now?

Ask yourself – Are you truly prepared?