# Prepper Magazine - Recommendation/Reviews?



## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

In my little hole of a military base the local PX stocks some RANDOM magazines for our reading pleasure. From gun, fitness, cars, and general interest items are offered. Every once in awhile I am able to pick up a prepper oriented magazine such as _Survivor's_ or _Shotgun News Special: Be Ready_. So it got me wondering what other magazines are out there and are any of them recommended over others?

Much to my wife's displeasure I do love reading magazines as time killers between reading news and work information all the time. I already read multiple outdoor, hunting, and surf centered magazines and just wanted to see if there is anything out there that someone reads or has seen. So far _Survivor's_ (Winter 2015) was a decent little magazine that had some good gear reviews and articles related to prepping. Most of the information is pretty on point if not basic; but it offers not just the tactical; but practical every day gear reviews (such as water filtration, survival knifes, storage/food, and bags).


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Off grid is pretty good. Recoil is starting to lean towards prepping. Every now and then backwoodsman has some good info. Those are just off the top of my head. I got a whole pile of random ones from Walmart. If I remember I'll see which ones are better.


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

I have a subscription to Survivalist and I'll pick up a random magazine at the grocery store when I go. I'm like a sponge, I just try to absorb as much information as I can from every source I can. But I gotta say I learn just as much off this site than I do from the magazines. Only difference is the magazines have pictures and sometimes when it's a how to it's easier for me if I can see it. (like tying knots...) 

I just got the subscription cause I always feel weird browsing the "Men's Interest" magazines while the other women are browsing their Ladies Home Journals and Martha Stewart Livings. Husband hates going to Books a Million with me cause I always head straight to the Survival section.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> I'm like a sponge, I just try to absorb as much information as I can from every source I can.


Ditto that.


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## Derma-Redi (Aug 23, 2014)

It may be best that the folks in here don't post pictures LOL Survivalist is pretty good!!


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Inor will punch me in the face for this but I'll say it anyway: mother earth news has lots of good info in it also.

American Pioneer is another good one.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

MecGar is a good magazine


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

I've always thought this was a good one;
self-reliance | homesteading | canning | backwoods | magazine


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

One magazine that I have subscribed to for over 20 years is The Backwoodsman. 
This is not some commercialized "prepper" thing, it has been around longer than that. Also, do not confuse it with any other that has the word "backwoods" in the title. There is only ONE Backwoodsman.
It is written by. for, and about people who live the old ways - people who were "survivalists" and "preppers" before those words became common useage.
Mountain men and Long Hunters vs some slick copy writer in an air conditioned office. Do you know how to build a blacksmith forge? Make knives out of saw blades? Trap animals? Make a lean to out of materials at hand and survive being lost in the woods?
You will find out how our ancesestors made it through life. Frontier living. You will not find articles on tacticrap shotguns and the latest gee-whizz web gear.
No, not Backwoods Home, nor Back Home, or any of those other fluff magazines. There is only one - The Backwoodsman.

Backwoodsman Magazine


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Massad Ayoob

in the current Backwoods Magazine issue

He thinks MecGar is a good magazine also.


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## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

Thank you to everyone who posted some good information I will be sure to look out for a few of them. RECOIL magazine I try to pick up when its available for the "gun porn" as its my MAXIM and the closest I can get to a good entertaining (with little good info honestly ever in it) read.



rice paddy daddy said:


> Backwoodsman Magazine


Thank you for this! Just what I was looking for... and they have a Christmas Special deal going on right now.... two years....done and done.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Dalarast said:


> Thank you to everyone who posted some good information I will be sure to look out for a few of them. RECOIL magazine I try to pick up when its available for the "gun porn" as its my MAXIM and the closest I can get to a good entertaining (with little good info honestly ever in it) read.
> 
> Thank you for this! Just what I was looking for... and they have a Christmas Special deal going on right now.... two years....done and done.


I was originally drawn to this magazine by the articles on 1800's weapons of the American frontieer, such as blackpowder, tomahawks, single shot shotguns, bowie knives, etc but found so much, much more. It is Old School, with capital letters.
I have saved all my issues, and most have been read countless times.
My most favorite articles are about single shot shotguns, such as the one years ago studying their use by the primitive tribes in the South American rainforest along the Amazon river.


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## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

Well I got a two year subscription and paid the extra 6 to get the November/December issue..... 40 dollars and all. Not bad I think and hopefully will get a lot of read time out of it. Once more thanks for the recommendation. Until I get them mailed here I will be content with my other survival magazines and This lovely forum for entertainment.


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

Mother Earth is a wealth of knowledge and Inor can punch me in the face for saying so.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I'm with you, Jeep. MEN is a wealth of info on how to make your own and live off-grid. Even better is the dvd with all the back issues. I have some reprints of early 70's issues and no way would I ever let go of them.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

I pick up a copy of Mother Earth News from time to time as well. 

What is really funny is to go to our local Barnes and Noble. The books on guns, off the grid living and all things prepper are right next to the section on hippie topics (coexistence, etc.) When a hippie goes too far down the shelf and gets into the books on guns and knives, some of them become visibly upset. It is hilarious to listen in on their comments: "They should not even be allowed to sell books on guns", etc.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Inor said:


> I pick up a copy of Mother Earth News from time to time as well.
> 
> What is really funny is to go to our local Barnes and Noble. The books on guns, off the grid living and all things prepper are right next to the section on hippie topics (coexistence, etc.) When a hippie goes too far down the shelf and gets into the books on guns and knives, some of them become visibly upset. It is hilarious to listen in on their comments: "They should not even be allowed to sell books on guns", etc.


The Barnes and Noble in Jacksonville, before it closed down, put the gun mags and Field &Stream, etc, in the " men's interest" area. Right next to the gay magazines. I don't know who was more uncomfortable - me or them. I quit shopping there on general principle. That, plus the fact I didn't want to expose myself to any communical diseases.


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

Dalarast said:


> Well I got a two year subscription and paid the extra 6 to get the November/December issue..... 40 dollars and all. Not bad I think and hopefully will get a lot of read time out of it. Once more thanks for the recommendation. Until I get them mailed here I will be content with my other survival magazines and This lovely forum for entertainment.


Ordered my Christmas special 2 year subscription today as well. And paid the extra $6 to get the Nov/Dec issue as well.


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## Denver (Nov 16, 2012)

I have read Backwoodsman for a few years and always really liked it. Have put off subscribing untill today. Thanks for the link.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Arklatex said:


> Inor will punch me in the face for this but I'll say it anyway: mother earth news has lots of good info in it also.
> 
> American Pioneer is another good one.


They used to be much better (Mother Earth News), but about 1990 the original owner and founder sold out and retired. The new bunch were more into slick paper and major advertisers. One of yhese days I'm going to buy the compilation dvd of all issues. There are things in the early issues like how to build your own hydropower system and log cabin.


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

I would like to modify my recommendation of Survivalist magazine now that I've received and read 9 or 10 issues. It's a good magazine and I'll continue to read it but it feels like it's 75% ads. Like full page ads. I'll think I'm reading an article and get to the bottom of the page only to discover the link to go buy said water filter, solar oven etc. The articles themselves seem to be plain ole common sense. I haven't been doing this long and don't claim to be any kind of expert or that knowledgeable but I am honestly not learning anything much of value from this magazine. I rate it as entertainment value only.


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## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> I would like to modify my recommendation of Survivalist magazine now that I've received and read 9 or 10 issues. It's a good magazine and I'll continue to read it but it feels like it's 75% ads. Like full page ads. I'll think I'm reading an article and get to the bottom of the page only to discover the link to go buy said water filter, solar oven etc. The articles themselves seem to be plain ole common sense. I haven't been doing this long and don't claim to be any kind of expert or that knowledgeable but I am honestly not learning anything much of value from this magazine. I rate it as entertainment value only.


That's a problem with alot of the big magazines these days.. full of advertisements. That's why I love the digital content magazines and the smaller magazines. I'm anticipating that Backwoodsman will be a "smaller" scale with little to no ads in it. Sucks for me that I will have to wait till I get home to even open up one page though.... more to read when I return to be a bum for a week or so as I make beer, smoke meat, and make bullets... and then drink beer, eat smoked meat and shoot bullets.. not in that order; but you get the point


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

I've only received one issue of the Backwoodsman so far but I have to agree with previous posts, it's a _much_ better read.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I don't mind ads at all. After all,how else are you going to find out about things you need? But, I sure wish the digital mags would handle them differently. Put a small picture in there as a link. Go look if it seems interesting.


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

thepeartree said:


> I don't mind ads at all. After all,how else are you going to find out about things you need? But, I sure wish the digital mags would handle them differently. Put a small picture in there as a link. Go look if it seems interesting.


The chances of me buying anything I see advertised in one of those magazines is slim to none. At least at this point in time. Maybe a couple years down the road when I am better established with preps and can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on high tech fancy stuff it will be different.

I don't read many of the digital mags. I browse a little but I just prefer good ole hold in my hand magazines.

I have this forum and between the advice on it and the occasional link posted here I get a pretty good idea of the things I want to do & buy.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

While we're discussing buying stuff, does anyone know of any decent surplus store online? I've done searches, but nothing shows up within 150 miles of me.


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