(Natural News) For most people, it takes quite a bit of time to get set up as a prepper. Between learning about and obtaining the right gear, growing food and figuring out what to put in a bug out bag, nothing happens overnight.

But far too many preppers just go through the motions of prepping – they don't ever really take the time to get out into the field and actually test their gear as well as their knowledge. And like any other skill, if you don't use it, you lose it.

As an Army vet, I can tell you that backpacks and rucksacks look comfy and accommodating, but many of them aren't very comfortable to carry around for several hours. Everyone is different – in terms of fitness, physique, stature – so one rucksack or backpack does not fit all. You have to test your packs and adjust them to your body so that you'll be able to carry them for hours at a time if you have to. That requires actually getting out in the field and using that piece of equipment. Or it could be as simple as strapping it to your back and hitting a local hiking trail that goes for a few miles, just to get a feel for it so you can adjust it to fit you.

The same is true with any gear. You may have two or three ways to start a fire stowed in your bug out bag, but if you've never used flint and steel to start a fire, it doesn't do much good to have it. (RELATED: How To Make Your Own Bug Out Bag (BOB) For Emergency Preparation)

Here are some things preppers need to do in order to get familiar with their equipment, learn its applications and understand its limitations before you need it to survive:

— Get up to speed: Strapping on a 35-40lb pack once in a while is not a big deal for most people. But strut around with it on your back for a few hours – up and down hills, across rivers, through fields, over fences – and it'll get real heavy, real quick. Get up to speed: Take your pack and hike with it at least once a week, no matter what the weather.

And for the record, don't buy a pair of heavy-duty leather hiking or military boots and then let them sit in your closet "until needed." If you don't break them in well in advance, you're going to regret it a few miles into your bug out when your feet become so sore and blistered you can't go on.