I tested gear at Prepper Camp and learned how to sleep warmer, eat safer, and talk off-grid without cell towers

We pivot to a practical Prepper Camp recap—what gear proved itself, what broke in the real world, and why small upgrades unlock big wins. We also answer a listener’s question on supplements and dig into off-grid comms with Meshtastic for simple, local resilience.

• Jeep-mounted Timber Ridge tent setup and benefits
• Cot failure lessons and why field testing matters
• Simple, effective supplement stack for energy and gut health
• 12-volt fridge performance and power pairing
• Swagman Roll versatility and seasonal kit rotation
• Wool blanket choices for vehicle safety and warmth
• Meshtastic basics, range factors, and practical uses
• How we plan to expand testing and map local coverage

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Support the podcast. Click on my affiliate link and use coupon code PODCASTPREP for 10% discount!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Chapters

• 0:17 Quick Pivot: Prepper Camp Update
• 1:23 Jeep-Back Tent: Wins and Lessons
• 3:03 Cot Failure and Return Policy
• 5:00 Listener Q: Supplements That Help
• 7:44 12V Fridge, Power, and RV Logic
• 8:24 Swagman Roll and Seasonal Kits
• 9:53 Wool Blankets for Vehicle Safety
• 10:34 Meshtastic: Off-Grid Texting 101
• 11:49 Sign-Off and How to Reach Us

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:17

To the Common Sense Practical Prepper Podcast, where prepping doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Coming to you from a well-defended off-grid compound high in the mountains. Coming to you from his Florida room in Richmond, Virginia. Neither off-grid nor well-defended, unless you count as chickens and cats, here is your host, Keith.

SPEAKER_00: 0:41

Hey all, welcome back to the Common Sense Practical Prepper Podcast. My name is Keith, October 10th, 2025. Well, I was going to talk about current events, but I decided to change at the last minute and give another update about prepper camp. So I think this is the third or fourth little podcast I've done about prepper camp. And I think I've got one more in me after this. So basically, I tested some camping gear, took some really cool classes. I'll talk about the Meshastic class here in a few minutes. What worked, what didn't, what broke, what didn't break. And I've also got a question from a listener about supplements. So first off, let's talk about my shelter setup at prepper camp. I used a timber ridge tent that hooked onto the back of my Jeep Wrangler. And looking for them, I just did a search for SUV tents, and there's a bunch of them out there. But mine's a Timber Ridge, and it was really, really good. I set it up a few weeks ahead of time in my backyard, and it was not difficult. Well, the first time there's a learning curve, but once you get it down, it's not that big of a deal. So at Prepper Camp, it did fantastic. I've got a two-door Jeep Wrangler, so it basically fits over the back half, still allowing you to have access to the cargo area for grabbing your gear without having to step outside. So I had the tailgate open, it was swung open, had the window up, and the flap was able to go around and hook up to the Jeep. And it kept the bugs out, kept the wind out, it kept the rain out. It was really good. It was kind of a unique tent. I've never stayed one before. The interior was about seven by seven, maybe eight by eight, but over seven feet tall. So I could, I'm six three. So I could stand up and stretch and not have to worry about hitting my head on anything. And it's also not too big in that if you're outside, you can unzip it and reach in and grab things without having to take off your campshoes and then go inside the tent. Step outside, try not to fall and slip in the mud, put your campshoes back on, and then head about your business. But I was really impressed. I liked it. It was waterlogged when I got home, had to set up in the backyard, hose it off, clean the mud off the bottom. Overall, I really enjoyed it. It worked perfect for me. So something that didn't work so well, I bought a heavy duty folding camping cot. Again, I'm about 6'3, weigh about 240. And most of the camping cots were too small for me. So I went with an extra large, extra wide, I don't know, rated for 500 pounds, something like that. Set it up at home, laid it out in the Florida room, worked great. Actually took a nap on it one day, didn't mess up my back but so much, and it was really sturdy. Well, when I set it up at prepper camp, I'm not sure if I got it on some uneven ground. Everything looked good. I made sure all the feet were making contact with the tent floor. But as soon as I sat down on it, I heard something break. And it was one of the supports that snapped. It was heavy-duty plastic, but it snapped. So, regardless, it's going back tomorrow. And I definitely learned my lesson that you should test your gear in the field. Again, worked great in the Florida room. It didn't work so great when I actually had it out there at the campground. So, with anything you buy, make sure you check the return policy. This was purchased on Amazon, so no issue in returning that and then getting a refund. All right, let's break things up a little bit. I got a question from a listener. Sarah asked a question about what supplements I take. So several podcasts ago, I talked about Dr. Berg, B-E-R-G. And if you don't know Dr. Bird, if you don't know Dr. Berg, he's on YouTube, he's on X, I'm sure he's on a lot of other socials. He's very knowledgeable and especially about food and supplements. He has a lot of great information out there. No nonsense. This is what he says about vitamins. He talks about the ultra-processed foods that we eat, robs us of those nutrients, and I can't argue with that part. And gut health, energy, and immunity. It all starts with what we put in our bodies. And in my opinion, gut health is right up there at the top with personal hygiene, mental health, and whatever else health you got going on. I think you can't really start the day if you're not feeling good. It makes the day drag on. So here's what I take: vitamin B for energy, vitamin C for immunity, vitamin D3 paired with potassium, Dr. Berg says that's a great combo, and magnesium for muscle and nerve support. I also pop two apple cider vinegar gummies every morning for gut health. Now that's after I've had something to eat. They don't, you don't burp up apple cider vinegar, you don't get that bad aftertaste. But if some folks have a sensitive stomach, you should always eat something before taking any medication or any supplements. So gummies are easy. So if you're not into taking them in the pill form, it's something that could possibly work for you. Now for folks that can't take pills and don't like gummies, or they're texture eaters. I found something when I was in Germany several trips ago. These are dissolvable vitamin tablets. And I'm sure they I'm sure they have them here in the States, but they're like Alka seltzer that come in a tube, you drop them in your juicier water, and you're set. So whenever I go over there, I stock up. They're only half a euro each, and I think there may be 25 or 30 in a tube. So I get a multivitamin tube, B12, a multi-mineral, and then a vitamin C version. So these are perfect for folks that struggle with pills or want something portable, hint hint, bug out bag, stash a few tubes in your kit and check online or maybe health stores for similar options. I'm sure we have them here in the States. I just got them when I was in Germany and I haven't had a chance to check them out. So just read the labels beforehand to make sure you're getting a quality product and not something that's full of a bunch of preservatives, sugars, and everything like that. It's going to defeat the whole purpose. All right, so back to prepper camp. My Ice Co 12 volt fridge was a rock star. I spoke about this before. It kept my food and drinks cold all weekend and without draining the power setup. So if you're camping or prepping off grid, a fridge like the Ice Co is a solid investment. Just pair it with a good battery or your solar setup. And when it comes to 12-volt appliances, 12-volt appliances have been in RVs for years. And I'm not really sure why they haven't made it into homes. I'm sure folks that live in tiny homes might have 12-volt fridges, but I'm not really sure why they haven't made the mainstream. I have a few theories, but they're just theories. All right, something I picked up as a suggestion from the bug out bag class that I took is a swagman roll, S-W-A-G-M-A-N roll, R-O-L-L. I've heard about these before. I've seen photos of people wearing them, but I really didn't look into it in that much detail. This thing is fantastic. It's a poncho, it's a raincoat, a makeshift sleeping bag, super versatile. It's got snaps, it's got ties, it's got clips. You can do a lot with this. So I grabbed mine on the latest prime days with Amazon. I got a decent discount, got about 20 bucks off. Now these things are not cheap, but you get what you pay for. There are some knockoffs out there that are a lot less expensive, so buyer beware. So now it's in my get home bag, perfect for colder weather. Again, as the weather gets cold, you want to switch out summer to winter, and then when the weather breaks again, you put in the spring and summer clothes, the rain jacket, the ball cap instead of the wool cap, that sort of thing. Keep extra socks regardless of the season. I also picked up a 100% wool extra large blanket. And about this time every year, I go ahead and drop one of those wool blankets in each one of my vehicles so it's there in the event there's a bad storm, the car breaks down, I run off the road, that with my get home bag, and I'm set. It keeps you warm even when it's wet, it's fire resistant, and it's very well made. These are very well made. So if you're stuck on a back road in some snowstorm, battery dies, you're gonna be in good shape. A blanket like that can mean the difference between shivering and surviving. So don't skimp, get a good one because it's an investment. A lot of them are 80% wool. Again, 80% is good, 100% is better, but there is a significant price difference in the 80% and the 100%. So depending on your budget, you may be able to afford the 100% wool, or you may have to drop down to the 80%. So one more highlight from Pepper Camp I took a mesh tastic class. It's a super cool mini off-grid communication system. I spoke about it before. So if you haven't heard about it, basically mesh tastic uses low power devices to create a mesh network for texting and providing your locations without cell towers or Wi-Fi. So basically, it talks device to device. Now, depending on the power setup, the antenna, like anything else, depends on the range that people are able to see you, and vice versa, how far you're able to see other folks. So I've got mine set up, wasn't too difficult. It's setting in the window of my office. And looking at the map, there aren't any other mesh nodes currently online within range. When I go out to dinner this weekend or do some other things, I may take it with me and set it up on the table at the restaurant or set it in the window of the Jeep, something like that, and we'll see what happens. So I'm kind of curious to see what kind of range I get, and then all the little doodads and accessories you can hook up to it to make it, I guess, more practical and have wider range. All right, folks, so that's about it for today. If you want to reach me, you can find me on the Twitter, Common Sense Practical Prepper, and you can always search prep underscore podcast and my email, practical prep podcast at gmail.com. Everybody have a fantastic weekend. Fall has finally arrived here in central Virginia. It got down to 45 last night. I had all the windows open. I was under my duvet and a quilt, and I loved it. I sleep the best in weather like this. So again, folks, thanks for stopping by. Everybody have a great weekend. And as always, be careful out there. Take care of one another, and until next time.

SPEAKER_01: 12:21

Thanks for listening to the Common Sense Practical Prepper Podcast. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. While you're at it, help spread the word by leaving a rating and review.