Make sure you get to the Hideaway this weekend and also check out our latest back to school stuff! We realize that some of our Hideaway family members live in far off places and just can’t travel to good ole’ Lubbock… In that case we got your back… Just go to our website and type the words SUMMER in the discount code area and we’ll thrown in an extra 20% off of regular stock items. Feel free to browse the site for up to 70% off savings!

Search for Brands:  The North Face, Patagonia, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Prana, Royal Robbins, Horny Toad, ExOfficio, Osprey, MSR, Big Agnes.

 Not only can we inform you about our products, but we will support you in your efforts to make your life better (and no we won’t recommend you an Anthony Robbins series). For example, many of us have realized that we spent way too many hours in front of the computer devouring potato chips and Shiner Bock Beer (ok maybe that’s just me, but you get the point) and are not as fit as we would all like to be. Well…Why not kill two birds with one stone and get fit and save money? Why not be a bike commuter commute to your job and school on your bike? We can help you with this and get the right gear to support your commute! Just ask our veteran Sammy who has many years of experience being a bike commuter and also many years of experience at just about everything.

One more reason to come by the shop is to just hang out! Most of us here were either in school at one point or are going to school now; and some of us like me are professional students. We know what its like to start school and we would love to help! Make sure you check out our awesome selection of daypacks, The North Face, and Patagonia clothing and outerwear.

What are everyday items that you might carry? Most people carry car keys, wallet, purse, and for some a pocket knife. These items are with us through out most of the day and can be used to transport micro-preps. Here are some items that can easily be carried with you that I found to be extremely effective tools for survival; Magnesium Fire Starter, Swiss Tech Micro Pro XL 900 Keychain Multi-Tool, and the Leatherman Skeletool CX. So you might look at these and say ok why would I need a firestarter with me everyday around town? Well an answer to that question is why not? Do not underestimate the need for a fire. Fire can fufill some of the most primary needs we have such as warmth, light, cooking, sterilizing water, making tools, and boosting morale. Also another main reason why I carry one with me is so that it reminds me to work on my fire making skills in my backyard or at a friend’s house using their fire pit. Sometimes we can easily forget and take for granted the small things in life that make it better such as having a warm fire.

 Have the right tools with you so that at any moment you can not only be prepared, but work and build up your skills. One quick thing about Leatherman; This company/brand is awesome! Yes I thought at first that I could never be able to afford a nice tool like the Leatherman Skeletool CX, until I finally coughed up the money and got one. This tool stand alone is one of the most functioning, compact, and heavy duty tools I have ever used. Not only do I stand by this tool, but there is something to be said about the company Leatherman who stands by their products and had excellent customer service. Do Not Buy cheap pieces of junk for survival tools! Those crappy made in china tools will only steal your money and leave you frustrated. I hope you have enjoyed this post and as always, if you have any questions or suggestions I am open to both. Shoot me an email at kerry@themountainhideaway.com

Take a garden for example, a garden may simply be just another way for you to grown your own supply of healthy fresh foods; but on a deeper lever its more than that. A garden is a teacher. It teaches us the value of hard work, and seldom does anything good in life come without hard work. It also teaches us that we can’t have everything we want, when we want it. Watching the fruits of our labor grow literally is a feeling that no one can take away, but only if we trade it for the lie that a simple quick meal at MacDonald’s will be ok. Growing a garden can plant seeds of truth and lifelong lessons in your life. The rewards of growing a garden far exceed the planning, effort, and hard work that you put in.

Another way in which prepping and survivalism can better your life is the idea of self-sufficiency and self-reliance both of which are different but work together to make us more confident in our abilities to independently provide for ourselves. When you can master your problems; you gain a sense of control and well being. Surviving is finding solutions to problematic areas of your life that seem almost impossible to gain control. What I am more specifically referring to is debt! When you conquer your debt, you are free to choose what your money can accomplish, rather than having your money choose for you. Living debt free is one of the central components to survivalism, because it acknowledges that your own survival is a direct relationship to your habits and your way of thinking. Think of it this way, wealth is not how much money you make, but rather how long you can sustain yourself on the resources you currently have without your income. Live within your means and throw away the “American dream” of affluence that is sold by the media to keep you in debt.

So far everything I have talked about is far removed from the media painted picture of survivalist living in bunkers waiting for the apocalypse. There are so many benefits to this way of life that I could write a book, but for now I’ll explain one last benefit. The most important thing about being a survivalist prepper, is that it teaches you principles in life. It teaches that you aren’t owed one dang thing in life, and that good honest hard work and integrity are great virtues to have. The principle of thinking for yourself is HUGE! I encourage everyone reading this to examine your own life, and see how you and your family can live better lives by the principles of being prepared so you can survive tomorrow.

 The items I have picked down to the brand and type I have picked for specific reasons, mainly being durability, multi-use, and sustainability of the items. Also, a lot of items are not the most expensive because I have realized in my research that greater expense does not always mean better quality or durability. I found it is easier to build a BOB overtime which means more time to do research and I pay for it little by little (Keep it affordable).

Important: Please remember when building your own Bug Out Bag is that every person is different and every person may need or desire different items/gear in their BOB. There is not a specific formula to follow other than meeting the overarching big needs such as water, food, shelter, and clothing. Any items outside these categories are at your own discretion. Try to take the items I list and modify it to your own situation and needs.

I am continually doing research and will revise my contents as I see fit. I try to maximize my BOB by having gear that will have multiple uses and take up very little space and weight as possible.  If you have any suggestions, questions or comments; please feel free to let me know. To view most of the items I have listed please view my Bug Out Bag Page on our website. Also, if you have any questions about the items I list, you can email me at kerry@themountainhideaway.com.

1. Documentation: All documents (described in the above text) should be organized and duplicated for all family members. All contents should be the exact same for everyone.

2. Bug Out Bag – Osprey Kestrel 58:  I choose a backpack instead of a duffel bag like most people because I believe hands free is a much better way to haul gear than a duffel and it’s way more versatile.

3. 1 MSR Dromlite Bag 6 Liter

4. 2 Nalgene Water Bottles

5. Katadyn Pocket Micro Filter

6. Mountain House Freeze Dried Food (3 Day Supply)

7. Change of Clothes (Including cold weather beanie hat and gloves)

8. Brunton Compass

9. Communications- Motorola EM 1000R 2 way Radios

10. Eton Microlink FR160 Solar and Crank AM/FM Radio

11. Leatherman Wave Multi -Tool

12. Gerber Sport Axe (small, durable axe)

13. Princeton Tec Fuel Headlamp (Xtra batteries)

14. Weapons: XD .45 ACP (With extra rounds of ammo) ; Pelican hard case for gun

15. 50 feet Paracord ;  50 feet rope

16. Jetboil Stove

17. 6 250g fuel pressurized Fuel Bottles

18. Black Diamond Apollo Lantern

19. 10’X12’ Nylon Tarp

20. 1 UST Blastmatch (with wetfire tender)

21. 1 Flint and Steel

22. First Aid Adventure Med Kit Guide 1

23. Bug Spray

24. Personal Hygiene Items

            A. Toothbrush/Toothpaste

            B. Toilet Paper

            C. Concentrated Campsuds Soap

            D. WetOnes anti-bacterial wipes

            E. Sunscreen

25. Other Random Accessories:

            A. 2 Large Trash Bags (heavy duty contractor bags)

            B.  Rite in the Rain Notebook

            C. Pens

            D. Extra batteries for flashlights, lanterns, radios, ect (preferably Rechargable)…

            E. Granite Gear Tough Sacks – Great bags for organizing gear

Generally, most things are left unsaid, and most often, unnecessary. However, in a culture where the prevalent attitude has more to do with quantity than quality in nearly every aspect, where the individual is expected to get the job done rather than get the job done well, the stark contrast of the Mountain Hideaway, its staff, and owners, Kyle and Misty Jones draws my respect and appreciation.
I am an avid outdoorsman. I require that my equipment be dependable, high quality, and durable. I would expect to find those qualities in most specialty businesses, so it is no surprise to find the best equipment at the Mountain Hideaway. I would also expect to find a knowledgeable staff, which I do. The rarity is that beyond the workings of a successful business is a genuine benevolence, a concern for the person, not just the customer, the ability to be a friend beyond the business relationship. That attitude which I find in the staff of the Mountain Hideaway is a direct result from the guidance and example that is genuine in Kyle and Misty Jones.

To you all, thank you for your professionalism, courtesy, and service. More importantly, thank you for your genuine interest and concern for building friendships instead of just customers. It is an honor and a privilege to know you.

Sincerely,

Long Time Mountain Hideaway Customer

Survivalism is the acquiring of skills, knowledge, and equipment for being prepared for the worst case emergencies, disasters, and crises whether natural or man-made. It is not only being prepared, but the practice and application of the principles of surviving in undesired living conditions. It is important to be prepared for emergencies for the safety, security and well being of you and your family. A great example of how important survivalism can be is Hurricane Katrina. Katrina showed us how a natural disaster can systematically shut down vital public services and leave you and your family to survive on your own. While there could be much to discuss on the details of this matter; we will just give you a brief synopsis for now.

Survivalists are stereo-typed for many different reasons, but mainly because of the attention of the media, who commonly portray these individuals as anti-government extremist. It is important for us to understand that not only are these views biased, but it also prevents people from ever exploring this issue because of the fear of being labeled “crazy”. So let’s look at the broader scope and realize that like everything else, people’s views and beliefs about survivalism lie on a continuum from one extreme to the other. On one extreme we have people that believe that there is no potential for any disaster to occur and therefore do not prepare, while on the other extreme you have the paranoid people who tend to be militarist.

No matter where you live or who you are, it’s only a matter of time before you will be affected by some type of natural or man-made destructive force. That being said it’s imperative to approach this subject in light of today’s current socio-economic climate that we find ourselves. In today’s world we find that we rely heavily on the structure of the government and other private entities to maintain our daily lives. Public resources like water and electricity are vital to our modern day survival. The infrastructures of these systems are ever increasingly vulnerable to disasters that can occur without warning. Even our food supply runs on a 1 day trucking system, in which there is not a surplus of food at supermarkets, but rather enough food for a 1 day supply.

Now that we have discussed the importance of survivalism, let’s explore some resources for you to look at regarding the subject of survivalism. You can find vast amounts of information and resources from blogs to books. Here’s a list of some recommended educational resources. We have one goal; be educated and don’t be fooled into believing in complete reliance on our current system! We hope you enjoyed reading this and your comments are welcome. We will be writing more on this subject; so keep watching our blog for updates.

Blogs and Information:

http://www.survivalistboards.com/

The Survival Podcast

Survival Quarterly Magazine

Tools, equipment, and survival Gear:

The Mountain Hideaway Survival Gear Department

Mountain House #10 Cans
BlastMatch Fire starter
Katadyn Water Filtration Systems

We have been working hard to make sure we serve our community and those in need this holiday season. We teamed up with a local church to start our first ever coat drive. This coat drive means that for every coat that someone wishes to donate, we will give them a 10% discount on a new one. All coats are then donated to a local church to distribute among those who are homeless and in need. This years coat drive was a huge success with lots of warm clothing donated!

We at Mountain Hideaway feel grateful for the 17 years of successful business in Lubbock and the surrounding area, and feel passionate to help the marginalized in our community. Just as the company Patagonia has set the standard for an environmentally friendly business; we feel that our company, Mountain Hideaway will continue to set the standard for a business that serves people and the greater good of our community. Keep checking our blog, website, and store for more ways you can team up with us to help our communities.

OK, I get it.  It rocks.  So, what is Outdry?

Outdry is the lamination process that holds the different parts of a glove or shoe together.  Since we are carrying only gloves with this technology, that is what I will focus on.  When wind/waterproof gloves are made, they have two primary layers: an outer shell for durability and an inner, breathable, wind or waterproof membrane.  In normal production, the inner membrane is stitched into the shell in a way that leaves lots of space between the layers.  This space can absorb water, cold air and bad vibes far too easily!  In addition to the problematic space is the stitching process itself.  By nature, stitching equals holes.  And we all know holes do not equal wind and waterproofness.  This is where Outdry allows technical materials to shine!

Because Outdry bonding is a fully laminated process, there are no holes.  Because there are no holes, there is no need for seam-sealing tape–tape that hinders 100% exposure and breathability of the internal membrane and tape that adds weight and bulk, hindering movement and dexterity.  It is thanks to this that gloves with Outdry construction are the lightest, long-term-waterproofest (please excuse the viability of that phrase) and most dexterous gloves on the market.

“OutDry surpasses the promise of waterproof and actually delivers the goods. I’ve plucked skis out of creeks, hand-trenched for hours up snowy slopes and climbed dripping ice in my Jalapeno gloves while my hands were warm, comfortable… and dry.”

- Wasatch Backcountry Resident, Andrew McLean.

One place you want space in a glove is around your hand.  The warm, dry air that should surround your skin is as potent as the insulation at regulating your temperature.  With the lessened bulk out Outdry, there is more space for your hand and the air that keeps condensation from forming.  Combine this with the ultimate breathability found in Outdry products and you have perfection in protection for your digits.

Come in the Hideaway or any other outdoor retailer and try on some gloves with OutDry.  We sell the outstanding Jalapeno Glove, and can get any of the others if requested!  From light wind protection to sub-zero alpine climbing, gloves with OutDry outperform and outlast any others on the market.