u/NotThePopeProbably

I have an REI Magma 30 sleeping bag that, due to a combination of ADHD & depression, I kinda just forgot existed- and only now realized that I’ve kept it in its compression sack since AUGUST. Is that thing done for, or is there anything I can do to help get it back to where it needs to be?

Hi! Soft-handed office worker here. I plan to buy a circular saw and drill and such (planning on building a chest of drawers to organize some outdoor gear in my garage).

As I began shopping and saw the (usually good-natured) brand rivalries between end users, I first thought it was sort of like Ford vs. Chevy guys (i.e., people have preferences, but at least some people will buy a Chevy as their next truck after driving a Ford and vice versa). Then I learned about the battery ecosystems, with people describing themselves as being "locked in" to DeWalt, Milwaukee, etc.

Obviously, cordless tools are more convenient to use far from a power outlet than are corded ones. Also, it seems like it would be nice not to have to pay attention to a cord to avoid tripping hazards and such (it's minor, but it's one less thing to think about). On the other hand, gambling hundreds (or, over time, potentially thousands) of dollars on the continued viability/affordability/benevolent corporate governance of a single brand seems ill-advised.

Should I just get corded tools and a large portable battery instead of cordless tools? Do you use corded or cordless? Why?

Thanks in advance!

"My little handheld transceiver here only makes about 0.01 horsepower. That huge tower over there with the Yagi on it, though? The HF rig attached to it is pumping out 2 full ponies. The thing's a monster! I know some dudes on CB whose radios make more power than their daily drivers."

Edit: "Depending on what the sun and the earth's magnetic field are doing, I can push the signal out between 3,000 and 10,000 furlongs per bounce. Longer if I get chordal hop! I've made contacts in Siam, Ceylon, Rhodesia, and Yugoslavia."

I really got into ultralight backpacking a few years ago (thanks to r/ultralight). Trimming my base weight forced me to think completely differently about “survival math”. Every gram/ounce has to justify its existence, and luxury items are constantly reevaluated. You start semi-obsessively asking questions like: what does this item or piece of gear actually do for me, and what's the lightest way I could accomplish the same thing? That line of thinking bled directly into how I think about bug-out bags, redundancy, comfort vs practicality, and more. And the “fun suffering” of walking long distances in nature, sleeping outdoors in a variety of conditions, dealing with hunger, water purification, critters, boredom, physical strain… I imagine this would help my mindset in a real emergency.

The other one might sound ridiculous, but I read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction. Good authors put their characters under believable pressure and stress and the decisions they make often leave me wondering how I’d react in that situation, fictional or not. And there’s often some valuable practical info and prep wisdom buried in those stories. And mentally, it helps me foresee how communities could fracture, or how quickly norms might collapse. What people actually barter for versus what they think they'll barter for. You get a kind of low-stakes mental simulation of scenarios that can’t really be reproduced outside of fiction. “The Road”, “Station Eleven” (awesome Canadian novel), “Lucifer's Hammer” (my favorite), “Bird Box”, “The Passage” (trilogy), and so many more. I probably pulled more mindset insight from those than from half the forums I hang out at.

So what's your prep-adjacent hobby? What do you do that isn't officially prepping but is actually making you more prepared or resilient?

In Washington State, intentionally killing an on-duty search and rescue dog is a class C felony (punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, though, realistically they'll serve much, much less time than that). Recklessly doing so is a gross misdemeanor (up to 364 days and a $5,000 fine).

Now, if you steal the dog (without otherwise harming it), that's a class B felony (10 years and a $20,000 fine). Even then, Theft 1 is only a seriousness level II offense. That essentially means that, if you've never committed a felony before, the presumptive sentence is 0-90 days in jail.

Why is stealing a dog punished more harshly than intentionally killing it? And, given that it is, why is the "harsher" penalty so lenient?

I'm not saying Washington laws are categorically too lenient. After sixteen years working in the criminal justice system, I've seen miscarriages of justice in both directions (too harsh and too lenient). For example, if you do nothing more than shove a cashier while shoplifting a candy bar from Walmart after you've been trespassed, you can serve life in prison. Still, I can't help but feel like killing a SAR dog is a big enough deal that you shouldn't be able to plead guilty as charged and get a standard-range sentence of no jail time. Maybe I'm biased, though.

While we're at it, search and rescue personnel also don't get the same type of enhanced protection under Washington's assault or homicide statutes as other emergency workers (e.g., cops, firefighters, nurses, and even bus drivers).

But hey! At least we get woken up at 2:00 am to work for free in the pouring rain and get to buy all our own equipment. Sometimes, when I'm very tired, I wonder why I spend so much time, money, and effort doing this.