Protect Your Hands, Save Your Hide | Episode 535

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com. It’s a chilly 41-degree morning, and we’re talking about something I’ve never dedicated a full show to — gloves.

You’ve probably heard me mention them in passing, but today we’re breaking it down: why you need them, what kinds to keep in your prepping supplies, and how the wrong glove (or no glove) can turn a simple cut into a disaster.

Your Hands: The Most Important Survival Tool

Your hands are t...

Survival Lessons from Horror Movies | Episode 534

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com, and today we’re talking about something a little fun — and a little dark. Halloween might be over by the time you hear this, but the lessons from horror movies never expire. This episode dives into some of my favorite (and not-so-favorite) horror flicks and what they can actually teach us about survival, mindset, and staying alive when things go bad.

Night of the Living Dead — Leadership and Panic

Let’s start with the one that bas...

Why Fear Is Fuel — Channeling Anxiety Into Action | Episode 533

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com, and today we’re going to talk about something that every prepper, homesteader, and human deals with — fear and anxiety. But instead of letting it crush you, I’m going to show you how to turn that nervous energy into jet fuel for preparedness.

Fear, Panic, and the Prepper Spark

A lot of people find their way into prepping through fear. Something shakes their foundation — maybe 9/11, the 2008 economic crash, or seeing empty shelves for the first tim...

navigation

Find Your Way When GPS Fails | Episode 532

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com — back again with another dose of practical self-reliance. This week we’re getting into something most folks don’t even think about until it’s too late: navigation.

In a world where every phone and truck has GPS, most people couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag without Google Maps barking directions. But what happens when satellites go down, your battery dies, or the system just stops working? Let’s dig into how to navigate the world the old-fashio...

gov shutdown

The Government Shutdown & The Looming SNAP Cut-Off | Episode 531

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com — and today we’re tackling something real scary: what happens when the system that feeds millions grinds to a halt. In this episode we break down how the current federal shutdown is putting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at risk, how many families are walking the tightrope right now, and what you as a prepper can do to stay ahead of the chaos.

Why SNAP Payments Are Suddenly on the Chopping Block

The mechanics are bru...

Where Have All the Antivirals Gone? | Episode 530

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com — and after a rough couple of weeks of family colds, mic issues, and tech hiccups. Today we’re talking about something that’s been bugging me for a while: why there’s a serious shortage of antiviral products in the world… and what you can do about it.

Cold and flu season is here, and Big Pharma’s got shelves packed with antibiotics, but almost nothing for viruses. So let’s dig into why that is, what actually work...

barter

Barter Like a Pro | Episode 529

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com, and after a few recording hiccups, we’re finally diving into one of the oldest survival skills in the book—bartering. In this episode, I break down how to make trades that actually work, why taxes make bartering awesome, and why every prepper should start practicing the art of the deal now, not after the collapse.

What Is Bartering, Really?

Bartering is as simple as swapping goods or services without money involved. Maybe you fix someone’s alternator and they...

winter is coming 2025

Winter Is Coming (2025 Edition) | Episode 528

Every fall, I drop a “Winter Is Coming” episode, but this one hits different. After five failed recording attempts and a cursed mic, I finally got it done — and I’m diving deeper than just telling you to “buy extra blankets.” This one’s about seasonal strategy, prepping for power loss, and fine-tuning your pantry before the freeze hits.

Adapting Your Pantry to the Season

As the seasons shift, so should your pantry. Soup season is here, and it’s a perfect time to stock up while...

troubleshooting

Troubleshooting: The Greatest Survival Skill | Episode 526

When it comes to survival — in life, in prepping, or in day-to-day problem solving — the most underrated skill isn’t shooting, camping, or gardening. It’s troubleshooting. Learning to break problems down, find the root cause, and fix what’s really wrong will save you more time, money, and frustration than anything else you can pack in a go-bag.

Learning the Hard Way

I’ve always been wired to take things apart and figure out why they don’t work — even as a kid. Half the time there were...

unpreppable

The Unpreppables: Comforts You’ll Miss (and Clever Workarounds) | Episode 526

Sometimes it’s not the collapse itself that breaks you — it’s realizing you’ll never have ice cream again. In this episode, I dive into the “unpreppable” things we love, why they matter more than we admit, and how to recreate a little bit of normal when the grid’s gone dark.

The Ice Cream Problem

Let’s start with the big one — ice cream. My wife’s an ice cream fiend, and she’d probably trade ammo for a pint of mint chip after...

mens suicide

The Men’s Suicide Epidemic | Episode 525

Good morning, folks — James from Survival Punk here. Today’s episode isn’t your usual talk about gear, prepping, or bushcraft. This one hits deeper.
We’re talking about the men’s suicide epidemic — a survival issue that too often goes unspoken. Because let’s be honest, the number one rule of survival is waking up tomorrow. If you don’t do that, nothing else matters.

A Personal Wake-Up Call

This topic came up after my wife saw a Facebook post about a friend’s brother...

Freeze-Dried Foods: The Prepper’s Powerhouse | Episode 524

What Is Freeze Drying?

Freeze drying is the gold standard of long-term food preservation. It works by freezing food solid, then slowly removing the moisture through a vacuum process called sublimation. This turns ice directly into vapor without going through the liquid phase. The end result? Food that keeps its original shape, flavor, and most of its nutrition for up to 25 years or more.

Unlike dehydrating, which uses heat to remove 90–95% of moisture, freeze drying removes about 98–99%, leaving you with light, c...

Canning for Beginners: Easy Wins and Meals in a Jar | Episode 523

When people think of canning, they picture grandmas sweating over giant pots, steam fogging up the kitchen, and dozens of jars popping away on the counter. It doesn’t have to be that complicated. Canning is one of the easiest, most rewarding ways to build long-term food security — and I’m going to show you how to start simple, cheap, and right now.

Why You Should Start Canning

Canning gives you shelf-stable food that doesn’t rely on electri...

The Dehydrating Deep Dive | Episode 522

There are three big food preservation titans — canning, dehydrating, and freeze-drying — but today, we’re zooming in on one: dehydrating. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to start preserving your own food right now, and I’ll show you how to do it whether you’ve got a $300 Excalibur or just your kitchen oven.

Why Dehydrating Rocks

Dehydrating doesn’t take much gear, electricity, or money. You’re just using gentle heat and airflow to pull moisture out of your food so it doesn’t spoil. You can us...

fall edc

Everyday Carry for Fall | Episode 521

Fine-Tuning Your EDC for the Season Ahead

Your everyday carry shouldn’t be static—it should evolve with your life, your gear, and the seasons. In this episode of The Survival Punk Podcast, I talk through my real-world EDC setup, the things that have worked, what’s failed, and the seasonal tweaks that make sense heading into fall and winter. From pocket knives to chapstick, we’re stripping it down to the essentials that earn their place every single day.

Check Your Gear Before It Fails<...

Fourth turning

The Fourth Turning Review — What They Got Right (and Wrong) | Episode 520

History Doesn’t Repeat, But It Rhymes

Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com. Today we’re diving into The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe — a book that’s been floating around prepper circles for decades. Written in the late ’90s, it predicted that by the mid-2020s America would face a massive, generation-defining crisis — something on par with the Great Depression or World War II.
Spoiler: we’re here, and it hasn’t quite played out that way.

The Gray Man Concept and When to Stand Out | Episode 519

Blending In to Stay Safe

Today I’m diving into one of the most practical — and misunderstood — survival concepts out there: being a gray man. It’s not about paranoia or cosplay; it’s about understanding how visibility affects safety. Whether it’s riots, protests, or just the wrong place at the wrong time, the more you blend in, the more likely you are to move unnoticed and unharmed.

What Is the Gray Man Concept?

The gray man isn’t inv...

Cold & Flu Prepping: Stock Up Before You’re Sick | Episode 518

It’s That Time Again: Cold, Flu, and Germ Factory Season

James from SurvivalPunk.com dives into cold and flu season prep — the stuff you always wish you had at 2 AM when someone spikes a fever. From over-the-counter basics to herbal backups and even prescription strategies, this episode is all about getting ahead before sickness hits.

Stock Up Before the Spike

Medicine prices rise with the season, just like groceries before a holiday. James breaks d...

5 Wild Fall Edibles You Can Find Right Now | Episode 517

Fall Foraging: Free Food Hiding in Plain Sight

Today, I  dig into fall foraging and the forgotten wild foods still growing as the leaves turn. From acorns to cattails, this episode covers what’s edible, how to identify it safely, and why knowing your local terrain beats hoarding field guides every time.

Know Your Backyard Before the Apocalypse Does

You don’t need to hike into the wilderness to forage — start in your own yard. James explains...

saving money

Stretching Every Dollar Like a Prepper | Episode 516

Inflation’s a beast, and most folks are out there pretending it’s tame. The government massages the numbers, leaves out the essentials, and tells us it’s “only 2 percent.” Meanwhile, everything from bread to bolts costs more, and your paycheck doesn’t go as far. If you’re not getting raises that match inflation, you’re losing money every year—and that’s before taxes bite.

But here’s the punk truth: you don’t have to play their game. You can fight back by saving smarter, spending...