Get It and Forget it! (No, Seriously, Don't)

Many of us have a habit of 'buy and hide' when it comes to emergency gear and supplies. I think we're all guilty of it at some point: finding gear you're excited about, purchasing it happily, take it out of the packaging, fiddle with it for a few minutes, and then tuck it away in a bag, box, or drawer and completely forget about it.

I strongly advise against such habits, whether it's intentional or not. Consider this scenario: you have an emergency that requires you to grab your kit and go, and you actually have it together! However, the time comes to use it and you quickly discover that some parts of your gear are already broken, feel flimsy and will break soon, or you are completely unfamiliar with how to use them. Now you not only have the stress of the emergency on your mind, but you are also stressed that you are almost as helpless as you would have been without a kit to begin with.

I may be preaching to the choir, but if I don't talk about it there's bound to be someone who falls ill to this condition. Therefore I say unto you, when you buy gear, PLEASE, take it out of the package, read its instructions, handle it, familiarize yourself with it inside and out, and, take it out for field trials. This will obviously help you have the knowledge you would need later to use it properly, and will help you determine if you should keep it in your kit or work on finding something better. I find this to be very true with such items as knives (including multi-tools and machetes, always a painful letdown), ponchos, and FLASHLIGHTS!! (can't stress that one enough). Also, sleep is VERY important, so make sure your sleeping arrangements are adequate! 

So get out there and try it all out! And if you'd like to share some of your findings, feel free to comment below!