^ Truth.

Since we are having fun, to me an ideal thing to have when SHTF is a large underground nuclear bunker with stores of food, supplies and energy and a community of highly trained men ready to defend the base from rogue groups, gangs and outsiders.

Or living quarters inside a military base would also work.

the tower is a tarot card considered to be a bad omen. one would think it represents strength and ingenuity, but people who seek shelter in fortified positions often regret their salvation as a death trap. your resources must be greater than your enemy, and include outside help with a mutual agreement to come to each other's rescue. Otherwise it's just a means to prolong the inevitable.

Interesting, hvybarrels.

Ultimately, anything can happen to the best laid plans (Murphy's Law) and I don't have a guaranteed answer for this.

The only real thing that I have confidence in this world is my God who is true to His Word.

Isaiah 45:22

An important item to have is a plan.

For barter and looks cool while you wait for SHTF

http://www.providentmetals.com/1-oz-silver-bullet-45-caliber-acp.html

The ideal item is being in a group.
No matter how well you're prepared you are, even in your sealed bunker with it's own oxygen generator and all of your provisions and will never see the light of day, you can't hold on by yourself.
You need a team/group/family, each of which have specific skills or trades who are all prepared and trained to defend each other.
Why do you think humans (and animals) started groups/tribes/villages.

No man is an island, but when you piss urination 

being a marauder, and robbing your neighber is an option
and IMO, should be your last option
there are many, better options that come before this.
assembling a mini-community, with food, water, shelter, and security is a good place to start.
but the time to plan all this is now.  my plans are always evolving, always preparing. 

Robbing people should never be an option.  That said... you never know what people (even the best of people) are capable of when desperate.

Looting robbers / marauders on the other hand is a whole different category.

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The rough quote of one of my favorite philosophers is "live by the sword, die by the sword"

In a SHTF scenario you will be at the mercy of armed gangs in short order. If you have what they want, and you don't have your own armed gang then they will take it. When societies have collapsed, the era of 'big men' always followed. Charismatic leaders who rule with an iron fist find armed men with some training very convenient, but the problem is those armed men end up in high risk positions as canon fodder on the regular small brutal skirmishes with other gangs.

In that kind of scenario it's much better to have some sort of skill that makes you valuable enough that the big guy hesitates sending you to the front lines. Doctors, mechanics, electricians, and people who know how to make things and do stuff that are considered necessary and irreplaceable reap the benefits without taking unnecessary risks.

If you have family to protect then your death could put them in a horrible situation even among 'friends'.

Care to expand upon this statementnteresting comment, bruddah dirsh.

Not sure if joking or not, but respectfully (and not knowing whether joking or not) this comment leaves me with a somewhat negative impression.

It was a joke

It would be true somewhat though. I'd hook up with people who had supplies and help them defend from robbers   

One of these to put outside the gate.

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