The importance of quality in Preparedness

Like many in our modern culture, I am infected with the consumerism bug. I like stuff, and I like to pay as little as I can for it. I'm trying to get a better handle on this, especially as I look around my house and see just how many things I own but never touch. This glance has saved me a few bucks recently (why buy the Xbox 360 when there's literally dust on the Wii?), but it has also made me think about the level of quality in what we buy.

First off, let me say that I am not a hard-edged "Made in the USA" sort of guy. Yes, I do try and support our country's economy where I can, but the fact is the "American Made" does not always mean "Well Made". My Toyota Tundra is one example. This truck is solid, and has a historical longevity outstripping all the competition. Granted, it was also built here, but by a Japanese company. However, we have a preponderance of cheap items available in stores like Wal-Mart that seem a great deal. Why spend a lot on a DVD player when you can toss it out and buy a new one for less than getting a top notch one now? I think that attitude can work for those items we don't need to rely on, but what about the really critical items in our lives? What if your life actually depends on it?

Growing up, my father had an assortment of tools in the basement. The fact is, he wasn't the most handy guy around, so his tools tended towards the affordable yet functional side. I know my brother killed a few of those tools as he became more and more mechanically inclined. He began to adopt our grandfather's attitude of buying a quality tool that wouldn't fail. As I later became more handy, I took this to heart. My old business partner, a very skilled blacksmith, helped to drive it home. Why buy a cheap grinder that couldn't be repaired and kept going when your livelihood depended on getting product out the door?

When it comes to survival and prepping items, this becomes my #1 concern, over cost. Yes, cost comes into it, but I would rather spend 2-3 times the cost on, say, a pocket knife that is of quality construction and steel than picking up a poor substitute at Harbor Freight. I will grab items like sand paper and grinding wheels there, just not items I know may become "mission critical" at some point. I try very hard to physically lay hands on items I worry about before a purchase, or make sure the return policy is one that allows me to return it if I am unsatisfied. Even if I have to pay to ship something back, I'd rather not keep it around if I can't rely on it.

So, what are those items we need to stress about from a preparedness standpoint? Here's a short list, please share your thoughts with me in the comments:

1) Survival kit items: Anything that might actually save your life in the field. Lighters, pocket knives, emergency blankets, etc. Learn to look for signs of poor construction, and then test the item out when you get it. If you can't rely on it, put it aside for use where it won't be critical. For instance, a cheap lighter can still light your fireplace, but shouldn't be in your Bug Out Bag.

2) Critical work tools: When we think about having to board up the house for a storm, cut up a fallen tree, or fix a busted fuel line, knowing your tools won't fail you is vital. Consider that in an emergency you may not be able to go buy a replacement. A friend of mine has a good rule on what he won't buy at Harbor Freight. If it spins, cuts, oscillates, or passes life-threatening levels of electricity, he won't buy it there. That said, you need to investigate tools you'll rely on as buying them at a big box store doesn't guarantee quality. Read reviews, do your research, and give it a good looking over. If it feels poorly made, it likely is.

3) Storage containers: This is a pretty wide category. Not only does it include the plastic totes and glass jars you might use for food storage, but also bags for vacuum sealing, backpacks for Bug Out Bags, and gas and water cans. If it holds something you might rely on, buy quality. Also learn the limits of that container. Plastic totes are fine at room temp and out of the sun, but store them below freezing and they become brittle. Store a plastic gas can in the bed of your pickup and the plastic will start to break down. That last one is the voice of experience, leading me to investigate metal "jerry cans" for that purpose.

4) Footwear: It took me a long time to understand the value of spending money to buy quality footwear. I was a fan of Payless until I realized how much longer I could walk and stand in good quality shoes and boots. Now imagine needing to walk home from work, or being stuck at a friend's place for weeks on end. Being stuck in crappy shoes could really blow. I tend to wear new shoes a few days for the first few weeks I have them till I feel they can really go the distance. I do have certain shoes, like Crocs, that only get worn for trips close to home, and I also like to keep a pair of solid, reliable shoes in the car for trips further than a few miles from home.

5) Self-defense items: Yes, you can buy cheap pepper spray canisters, but will you want to rely on it when you need it? Have you tried the specific type of ammo in your EDC firearm, or will it jam in the cheap magazine you bought? If your training is up to speed but your equipment isn't, you'll get caught in the lurch should you ever need it.

6) Vehicle needs: Bargain tires and batteries won't be a bargain when you get stuck on the side of the road in a snowstorm. Shelling out for quality is really a form of insurance payment.

There are plenty of cheap items out there with which we can get by. If your guitar controller for Rock Band dies on you, you'll survive. But the one time you need some quality rope to hold something together and the cheap poly twine you bought gives out, you'll wish you'd thought a bit more about quality.