Imagine you wake at two in the morning to the sound of breaking glass. Your heart races. In a split second your brain goes into overdrive: you worry about your family, defending your home, and the safety of the people you love. You jump out of bed, grab your weapon, and move through a house you know like the back of your hand. In the living room you see the silhouette of a figure who is too large to be one of your loved ones. You turn on your weapon light. A pistol is raised toward you and a shot rings out — it misses to the left. You raise your weapon, present, engage, fire three shots, and the intruder drops to the ground. You move forward cautiously, weapon trained…
Travel today, to just about anywhere in the world, is accessible to most. But the risks involved in travel, especially for the international traveler, are many. However, taking a few precautions and developing a security minded lifestyle can make your journey safe and enjoyable. When considering international travel these days, applying the lessons learned and countermeasures I used as a special agent will help keep you return with enjoyable memories. Prior to travel, always make sure you are fit to do so. Having a clean bill of health and more than enough prescriptions (if necessary) is a foundation level prep. Always anticipate being delayed while traveling and carry the provisions necessary to get you home without missing a beat. Never pack prescriptions in checked luggage, they need to be in…
For all of life’s biggest and heaviest decisions — changing careers, moving out of state, choosing a college to attend, proposing to a spouse, and so on — it’s wise to take a moment to consider your options. Some of us make lists of pros and cons, ask friends or mentors for insight, or “sleep on it” before committing to a choice. But no matter what, we avoid making split-second decisions about any situation that’s likely to change our lives for years or decades. There is, however, one instance where this level of deliberation will not be possible: deciding to pull the trigger in a self-defense situation. When you’re thrust into one of these life-threatening situations, there’s usually no time to pause and ponder what to do. You’ll need to…
On the first day of Undisclosed all the participants were issued the gear they would be using over the course of the event. Part of their setup included the Mission First Tactical ACHRO 22L EDC Backpack loaded with some minimalist survival essentials. While I received the same pack, my role as support staff and field photographer put me in the position to require a bit more gear, so I decided to modify my loadout to accommodate my duties for the event. Like the participants, I was facing long days and nights in the intense summer heat while traversing the rough terrain of the Ben Franklin Range. Keeping my kit as minimalist as possible to keep the weight down and reduce fatigue were top of mind when building out my kit.…
Every year, spring brings with it a picturesque landscape. Just as snow melts from the hills and trees, it also generates dangerous road conditions. Depending on where you live, lagging winter remnants can be met with spring storms, sometimes with little warning, creating hazards that can leave you precariously alone. The circumstances that lead to cars being stuck, damaged, or altogether disabled are also the circumstances that hamper first responders, delay roadside assistance, or make immediate aid an impossibility. It’s in those situations, where a little preparation could go a long way. It could even save your life. For those who live in areas prone to harsh winters, nasty storms, or evacuation gridlock, stocking and storing an emergency vehicle kit isn’t a novel idea — it’s simply part of the…
Accomplishing tasks onehanded is often challenging — hence the phrase “with one hand tied behind my back.” Whether you’re cleaning a gun, changing your truck’s oil, or preparing dinner, simple undertakings can become frustrating ordeals if you can’t use both hands. This reinforces the importance of hands-free lighting. Without it, you may find yourself clenching the light in your teeth, balancing the light in a precarious position, or wishing you could grow a third hand that can hold the flashlight as you work. In previous issues, we addressed three common forms of hands-free lights: headlamps (Issue 2), lanterns (Issue 6), and angle-head flashlights (Issue 15). In this issue, we focus on an often-overlooked fourth variety: magnetic lights. These magnetized flashlights can be indispensable in urban areas where metal surfaces abound.…
1 MAKE & MODEL Zippo OUL LENGTH 7.75 in. MSRP $20 URL www.zippo.com NOTES If fre-building isn’t in your skill set, consider the OUL, or Outdoor Utility Lighter. It has a dual fame technology that makes it wind-resistant, while its metal construction and rubber handle let it shrug off harsh conditions. There’s also an adjustable fame dial, a patented childresistant safety button, and a ring to attach the OUL to a backpack. Once depleted, it’s refllable using Zippo Premium Butane Fuel. 2 PUBLISHER & TITLE Ulysses Press Countdown to Preparedness: The Prepper’s 52-Week Course to Total Disaster Readiness FORMAT Trade Paperback MSRP $16 URL www.ulyssespress.com NOTES If you’re a city slicker who’s completely new to prepping, fguring out where to start can be daunting. Fortunately, there’s Jim Cobb’s Countdown to Preparedness.…
Thinking about drinking some pee? You’re not the only one. Every time I teach a survival class, someone asks about drinking urine when we get to the section on water. But just because it’s yellow, I tell them, doesn’t make it lemonade! The Myth: Thanks to the exploits of certain shock-value survival TV personalities and the misadventure of Aron Ralston (and the subsequent movie adaptation of 127 Hours), many rookie survivalists think it’s OK to drink urine when you run out of water. The Reality: The average person can live about four days without any water to drink, if they have adequate shelter during that time. And while a few lucky survivors have lasted an extra day or two from pee drinking, looking at a few special cases doesn’t mean…
With your friendliest smile, you walked up to the stranded motorist and said, “Hello sir, can I give you a hand?” From the headlights of your own vehicle, you could see him well enough in the darkness. His expression seemed to be one of relief. He pumped your handshake hard and offered his prolific thanks for your help. Instinctively, you profiled the stranger and checked your surroundings. He wasn’t dressed like a country boy (even though you were in a rural area), and you could see numerous tattoos peeking out from his shirt collar and sleeves. A few spider webs and skulls ran across the man’s visible skin. No big deal, you reasoned to yourself. Plenty of people have tattoos these days, you thought. But little red flags kept popping…
Whistles have developed a bad rap among survivalists, so we’d like to set the record straight. Some claim that only wimps carry these devices, since a truly prepared individual will be able to self-rescue in any scenario. Frankly, this is an ignorant viewpoint, and it seems most common among those who naïvely believe they’re infallible. In reality, there’s always a slim chance that Murphy’s Law will kick in and you’ll end up in a situation you can’t get yourself out of. If that happens, you should be able to make your whereabouts known to anyone in the area. Although calling in the cavalry should never be your primary plan for survival, it’s a necessary contingency for times when all else fails. In Issue 37, we covered visual rescue signals such…
MAKE & MODEL 1 SITKA Equinox Guard Pants COLORS Coyote, Lead, Optifade Elevated II, Optifade Subalpine, Optifade Waterfowl Timber MSRP $100 URL sitkagear.com NOTES These pants are designed to provide comprehensive protection against insects while ensuring comfort and breathability in hot, humid conditions. Engineered with SITKA-developed fabric, the Equinox Guard Pants offer a lightweight, moisture-wicking solution that promotes maximum airflow. The raised internal grid pattern enhances breathability, while zippered leg vents with mesh gussets allow for heat to be expelled during high-intensity activities, providing the flexibility to zip up for added protection when needed. SITKA’s Scent-free Insect Shield material repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and midges (nosee-ums), reducing the risk of insect bites. Internal leg gaiters provide an additional layer of defense, preventing ticks and chiggers from crawling up…
Have you ever considered what course of action is best when the fabric of society crumbles apart, and the rug of your worldview is pulled out from under you? Should you bug out to a safe location? Bug in and wait it out? Do you throw up your hands and decide to DIP (die in place)? It’s difficult to consider what you would do if war has never affected your life, but there are plenty of war survivors out there with compelling stories and a treasure trove of wisdom. The 411 In a world increasingly fraught with uncertainty, the stories of those who have faced the unimaginable and survived provide not just a blueprint for endurance but a call to introspection. The SHTF Anthology by Selco Begovic, a survivor of…
“The final weapon is the brain, all else is supplemental.”– John Steinbeck We recently had the opportunity to attend a unique training event put on by a new start-up in the training space. It’s called The Solution, and it comes to us from BRVO Tactical (pronounced “Bravo Tactical”). The founder is an activeduty Special Forces Weapons Sergeant, a job that the Army codes in its database as “18B” or “18 Bravo” hence the name. He’s passionate about making Americans better prepared to deal with worst-case scenarios, saying: “I’ve spent my whole career in Special Forces going over-seas and training foreign militaries so they can be better. I want to do the same for our own men and women here at home.” We believe that’s an admirable goal. First, let’s talk…
The secret of war lies in the communications. — Napoleon Humans are social creatures. From the moment we’re born, we begin working to communicate with those around us — it starts with parents, siblings, and extended family, then friends and classmates, and eventually coworkers, spouses, and children of our own. In the best of times, our ability to communicate is fundamental to our happiness, but it’s when things go wrong that we feel its true importance. Whether it’s lost hikers in the backcountry, a town devastated by a natural disaster, or a country ravaged by war, our instinct is to call for help from neighbors, authorities, and allies. However, there’s another truth that must be acknowledged: Humans are predators. Even before organized societies formed, we hunted to stay alive —…
As winter’s grip loosens, we welcome apricity filtering through thawing branches. Though frigid days linger, we turn our eyes to trusted gear, knowing spring’s arrival brings unpredictable weather and mud-laden trails. With snow still blanketing parts of the nation, we prepare by sharpening blades, inspecting packs, and awaiting the first signs of green returning to the landscape. As migratory birds reappear, so does our longing for campfires, fresh air, and open trails. It’s time to lace up our boots and step into the wild places once again. 1 MAKE & MODEL Nemo Riff Endless Promise WEIGHT 2 pounds, 7 ounces MSRP $400 URL nemoequipment.com NOTES The three-season Nemo Riff sleeping bag offers a customizable sleep experience with its Spoon silhouette, providing extra room at the elbows and knees while trimming bulk…
Tony Peel doesn’t look like your typical radio operator. No uniform, no government badge, just a guy who knows his stuff. He’s the founder of Wyoming Survival, a former survival instructor, a blacksmith, and a licensed General HAM operator. That last bit matters because, in the world of radio communications, a General HAM license is your gateway to operating on high-frequency (HF) bands — a skillset that stretches far beyond the limits of the popular Baofeng handheld radios many preppers stash in their bug-out bags. On day one of the HF Operations class, Peel wasted no time breaking down the fundamentals, starting with a question: What is HF? Short for “high frequency,” it refers to the spectrum of radio frequencies between 3 and 30 MHz. Unlike UHF and VHF radios,…
I did not expect to start a training course taped to a chair. Wrists bound to the armrests. Forearms pinned. Ankles secured to the legs of a battered office seat. There is a saying that echoes through survival circles, “You do not rise to the occasion. You sink to your lowest level of training.” It sounded dramatic when I first heard it. It felt different with adhesive biting into skin. The room smelled like dust and coffee. The instructor’s footsteps moved behind me. A timer started. I took a breath and tried to think like someone who had done this a hundred times. That scene was no movie set. It was a drill at Grey Man Academy. The program promises a quiet path to an uncommon skill set. Think less…
When you think about lung damage, you might think about pneumonia, but not all damage to the lungs and chest is related to inflammation due to infections. Trauma is also a possibility, especially for those of us who venture off the grid for activities such as hunting, hiking, or mountain biking. In austere settings, a family medic may have to deal with injuries that can sometimes be lethal without immediate intervention. Penetrating chest wounds often fall into this category. First, some anatomy: The lungs are protected by the rib cage. Humans have 12 pairs of ribs, numbered from top to bottom. These are sometimes called “true ribs,” “false ribs,” and “floating ribs.” The true ribs (ribs 1 to 7) connect to the sternum (breastbone) via flexible connective tissue called cartilage.…
It’s always a good idea to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. In this case, we’re applying that thought to vehicular travel. As a city dweller, you may already realize that if something bad happens in a major metropolitan area, a chance of monumental gridlock occurring is almost guaranteed. In that instance, you’re not going anywhere via car, truck, or most other land conveyances. But, if the disaster is not widespread and is localized to your particular area or you choose to bug-in and lay low for a while, the streets might clear up enough for you to escape. In that case, you need your wheels to be good to go at a moment’s notice. A key thing to keep in mind is that your vehicle should…
Time for a reality check, America; disasters happen and not just at the local mobile trailer park. Disasters happen in large cities, too. In 2003, a power outage in the Northeast left more than 7 million New York City residents without any type of power for two days. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated and flooded the city of New Orleans for weeks. In 2007, wildfires whipped up by the Santa Ana winds destroyed thousands of homes in the northern suburbs of San Diego; and in 2012, Hurricane Sandy erased some towns in New Jersey of the map and flooded New York City to levels not seen in 100 years. Most times, we have some indication that trouble is headed our way and we can make some preparations for weathering the…
When most people think of survival knives, images of 1980s action films with muscle-bound heroes sporting massive Bowie knives with serrated spines, hollow handles to store fishing gear, and a mostly useless compass spring to mind. The fact is that more often than not, a sub-3-inch blade can take care of 95 percent of your cutting chores. If you’re in a rough and rugged setting where you need to baton up batches of firewood, clear massive amounts of brush, or perhaps skin a lot of game in a short period of time, you may need a better choice of tool. For most day-to-day uses, however, a short blade can make a lot more sense than tromping around with a Bowie knife or a Woodsman’s Pal. These are the knives for…
If you find yourself in trouble and need help on the double, you’ll want to make your whereabouts known to anyone nearby. One of the best ways to catch the attention of rescuers is via the glow of an ultra-bright, fiery flare — day or night. When shot up high in the air, aerial flares can broadcast your signal for help to a wide-ranging area. Flare guns are commonly stored onboard boats, other watercraft, and aircraft, as well as carried by people traveling through the wilderness. Not a Firearm A flare gun, as its name implies, functions like a gun (although not recognized legally as a firearm in most jurisdictions). Pulling its trigger will draw its hammer back until it releases. The hammer then strikes the flare’s detonating cap, which…
As noted by nearly every outdoor enthusiast and reputable survival teacher, clean drinking water is at or near the top of the priority list. There are many good reasons for this, so we want to help you be able to use and drink whatever H2O you find in an urban or semi-urban environment during a crisis or post-crisis situation. WARNING! This article is meant to be a quick overview on improvised water fltering and not a detailed guide. Techniques, concepts, and photos shown here are for illustrative purposes only. Consuming water of questionable quality is potentially dangerous and you do so at your own risk. For the purposes of this story, we’ll assume that you’ve practiced some common sense and found water from a relatively safe source — but you’re…
Concealing your presence isn’t just a skill needed for military operators or backcountry hunters. Knowing how to defeat observational efforts is a lifesaving skill that can be applied in downtown Manhattan just as easily as the jungles of Panama. Predators, both man and beast, seek out their prey on a daily basis, and being able to disappear as a target has wide-reaching implications. Freddy Osuna, expert tracker and former U.S. Marine Sniper met up with a small group of students interested in the art of hiding in plain sight at a Michigan Defensive Firearms Institute (MDFI) training site in the middle of a remote forest to do just that. Our group was diverse, with a wide range of experience and skills, including a former IT engineer, a retired cop, a…
One of the biggest sources of controversy in the world of survival is the credentials of those teaching its fundamentals. Let’s face it, there’s a lot of static out there about what really constitutes an expert. There are really no permits, licenses, and certifications one must get before they open an Internet store or school and call themselves a “survival instructor.” That makes it tough on those new to this world who must navigate through heaps of celebrity survivalists who don’t speak from hard-earned, viable experience. It’s up to the student to vet the instructors and their ability to differentiate fact from fiction — that’s a tough road for the novice to hoe. As a former Green Beret, Mike Glover’s not out looking for endorsement deals and social media followers…
MAKE & MODEL 1 MineLab Pro-Find 35 POWER SOURCE 9V MSRP $129 URL minelab.com NOTES Whether you're searching for a lost item, locating a wire or water pipe for safety reasons, or have personal security in mind, having a reliable metal detector can be a game-changing tool. MineLab offers multiple metal detecting solutions in their product lineup, including the Pro-Find 35 pinpoint metal detector. At 9.38 inches long and weighing just over 6 ounces, it can be stored easily in a pack, on your belt, or in a vehicle, ready to be used whenever it's needed. The Pro-Find has five sensitivity settings so you can filter out undesirable metal detections, and it's waterproof up to 3 meters, making it ideal for shallow water searching. Volume from its detection indicator can…
According to the Small Arms Survey, American civilians owned an estimated 393 million firearms in 2018 — that number has undoubtedly grown considerably in post-COVID years. The vast majority of those firearms will never be used maliciously against another human being, but as with any tool, some will inevitably be misused to harm the innocent. If you consider yourself a prepared individual, are concerned with protecting your family from violence, have an active shooter plan, or are just a firearms enthusiast — and I imagine you’re one or all these things if you’re reading this magazine — you should seriously consider owning a set of body armor, or “plates” as they’re often referred to. With advances in ballistic technology, rumblings about legislation banning civilian body armor ownership, and recent violent…
The most important thing about owning a tool is having it when you need it most. Think of a compact pistol in a self-defense situation or a first-aid kit after a catastrophic accident. Neither does you any good if it’s sitting at home while you’re on the road. Of course, it’s not always possible to carry a whole toolbox everywhere you go. That’s why humans have used multi-tools for centuries — at least since roughly 200 A.D. when the Roman Empire was using a folding utensil set. That’s why our focus here is on multipurpose gadgets that can fit on your keychain ring. Why rummage through your bug-out bag for the right tool when you can just reach into your pocket? What these little puppies lack in size and leverage…
The Premise: The Baofeng UV-5R and its derivatives are perhaps the most prolific handheld radios in use today due to their simplicity, versatility, and low price. In a SHTF or grid-down scenario, a Baofeng may be one of the few widely available communication tools. The Guerilla Guide is written for all levels of experience, using techniques taught to special operations personnel, but with the end user in mind. The 411: The guide consists of seven chapters and three appendices. Topics include field programming, improvised antennas, operation, and communications security. Chapter one starts with an introduction to the Baofeng radio and its capabilities and continues with communications basics and the three roles of communication: sustainment, tactical, and clandestine/strategic. The author explains that the Baofeng operates as a dual-band radio, transmitting in…
With our cities weathering everything from natural disasters to an aging infrastructure, power outages are becoming an all too common occurrence. Aside from needing power to run everything from lights to microwaves, many people depend on electricity to run critical medical equipment and refrigerators for medicines. If the power does go ofline for a few days or more in your area like it did during the large-scale blackout of the Northeast in 2003, do you have a plan to get your home up and running? Having a power generator handy is definitely a great idea and should be on the top of every prepper’s musthave list. We’re going to take it one step further than to simply have a generator at your beckon call. We will prepare our house so…
If you’d been abducted and your family was notified by the perpetrators that you’d be released in exchange for money, what course of action could ensure your safe release? Who should your family call or not call to assist them? How could they verify if it’s a hoax or not? There are so many variables to deal with that it’s difficult to know if steps taken to meet the kidnappers’ demands will be successful or trigger additional problems. The truth is, even if you’re not wealthy, recognizable, or associated with any illicit activities, all that kidnappers need to do is make an assumption that you’re worth something to someone. The longer the clock ticks on any kidnapping, the greater that victim’s level of incarceration becomes and the less likely it…
In 2017, three major hurricanes affected the U.S. — Harvey, in Texas; Irma, in Florida; and Maria in Puerto Rico. Recently, we’ve seen the devastation of Hurricane Michael, and it’s only a matter of time before certain areas are battered by another such disaster. In the aftermath of these storms, many of the victims discovered that they were either underinsured or simply didn't have the proper insurance coverage — and would soon be facing enormous out-of-pocket reconstruction costs. This was a very loud wake-up call. We see it all the time. Every year, many people are driven to financial ruin because they incorrectly assumed that the insurance they had would adequately cover the damages caused by a natural or man-made disaster. To their shock and horror, people often don’t find…
Christmas is a time for warmth, wonder, and — if you’re like us — a dash of wilderness grit. Once the lights are strung and the hearth glows, step outside into the relentless cold beneath a sky glittering brighter than your holiday tree. The wind cuts and whispers, telling stories older than carols and time. Out among the snow-laden pines, frozen trails call to those willing to listen. Survival has never been solely about gear or skill. It’s a celebration of self-reliance, an act of reverence for wild places untouched by complacency. This year, I’ve taken much of the guesswork out of shopping for your favorite adventurer or preparedness-minded loved one. From thoughtful stocking stuffers to main-event gifts, each item here has been used, tested, and proven worthy of your…
You’ve just been briefed on the mission. Time is short, so hit your cage or wall locker and get geared up. Success begins with preparation, and preparation means making smart choices about the kit you’ll trust your life with. Plan for how long you expect to be out, then add half again to that time. Check the weather and layer up accordingly. Load mags, top off canteens, swap batteries, and inspect snaps, zippers, buckles, and swivels. If it shakes, rattles, or rolls, tape it down. Bring what you need, leave what you don’t. Link up with your battle buddy for gear checks. We step off on in 30. 1 MAKE & MODEL 5.11 Tactical TacTec On Duty Bundle MSRP $390 URL 511tactical.com NOTES This is a great quick mission setup. The TacTec…
For some, the holidays and winter months bring more isolation than cheer. The cold months test both body and mind, and survival can depend on more than just firewood and food. Here’s how to protect your mental health when darker months close in. The first Christmas I spent alone wasn’t in a snowbound cabin or a remote survival shelter but rather a quiet night alone in my own home. I was on call for emergency mental health crises for my area, while my spouse visited family. I couldn’t travel with her. Outside, the streets were empty, the air dry and sharp, and the sky clouded with that dark “winter gray” that seems to hover from November to March in some states. It was sprinkling wet, fluffy snow, something I would…
For this edition of Offgrid Adventures, we’re setting our sights on two landscapes that tell very different stories of wild America. First is Jack Creek Preserve, an expansive stretch of Montana wilderness tucked between Ennis and Big Sky, where mountain trails lead deep into country still shaped by the hands of its original stewards. Then, we’ll move west to California’s Pinnacles National Park, a place born of fire and fracture, where ancient volcanic rock towers above caves and canyons. Together, these two destinations offer a study in contrast, one rooted in alpine forests and conservation, the other in shifting geology and survival of the land itself. Adventure Appeal Jack Creek Preserve offers a rare wilderness experience in Montana’s Madison Mountains, where 4,500 acres of protected land serve as both a…
Just because you’re of-grid doesn’t mean you have to be out of touch. Previously we covered using ham radio as an alternative to cell phone and other wireless communication (OFFGRID Summer 2013) — but there’s another option. Satellite phones will allow you to keep in touch with everyone you need to, and it is as simple to operate as dialing a phone. Advantages to satellite phones over traditional mobile phones in times of emergency or disaster are obvious. Because they communicate directly with orbiting satellites, satellite-based phones are not dependent on terrestrial cell towers. This means they are completely independent of the power grid and traditional mobile telecommunications infrastructure. As long as you have a charged battery, you can not only make and receive calls, but texts and email as…
MAKE & MODEL Gerber Center-Drive Multi-tool TOOLS Pliers, Bit Driver, Plain Blade, Serrated Blade, Pry Bar, Awl, Wire Cutters, Wire Strippers, File, Ruler, Bottle Opener MSRP $89 URL www.center-drive.com NOTES Like you, we’re impatiently waiting for the release of the ME3 handheld cutting torch as used by the brave Colonial Marines on their failed mission to rescue the doomed terafarming colony on Archeron. In the meantime, Gerber released it’s latest multitool aimed at taking the place of a real set of tools. The Center-Drive features a long, offset bit driver that’s angled to spin on-axis, as a proper bit driver does. It uses standard 1⁄4-inch hex drive bits for universal compatibility. It sports another 10 (by our count) tools making it almost, but not quite as useful as a pocket…
1 MAKE & MODEL ACLIM8 Combar Foldaxe MODELS Titanium, Foldaxe Pro, Pro Titanium MSRP $199 URL aclim8.com NOTES It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a nearly indestructible three-in-one folding ax, and potentially the Superman of multi-tools. Born from a fusion of the need for adventure and the creators’ experience while serving in the Israeli Special Forces, the Combar combines strength, toughness, and versatility. The Foldaxe features a highly durable design, with the handle’s body composed of glassreinforced polymer and an overmolded head for a strong, safe head and shaft connection. Understanding that most outdoorsmen typically don’t need a full-sized ax, the Foldaxe instead features a hatchet-size blade to tackle the most common tasks around the campsite. And as if an indestructible hatchet hammer wasn’t enough, the Combar can store a knife, a folding…
1 MAKE & MODEL Miller Bros Blades M-4 BLADE LENGTH 16 inches MSRP $2,100-$2,400 URL millerbrosblades.com NOTES That’s not a knife. This is a knife! Miller Bros Blades is what happens when a group of makers listens to their hearts and acts accordingly. Focusing on overbuilt knives and swords, they create a product with jaw-dropping aesthetics that can be put to the test without worrying about damage. The M-4 is a serious chopper with a back sharpened blade designed to cut no matter which way it’s swung. Composed of Z-Wear PM steel, it has a durability and toughness that exceeds many standard stainless steel grades. The sheath is designed to endure whatever beatings it may be exposed to and is equipped with a leather back carrying system so you can rock…
As Americans living in 2020, we each are searching on our own for a defining moment. We all do this to some degree, either actively in the pursuit of grand goals, or passively, waiting for life to bestow some sense of meaning. We do this with events too, attempting to put into perspective what something like the death of George Floyd or the subsequent burning of the Minneapolis Third Precinct means for America. These considerations typically take place in the aftermath of such events, invariably influenced by pundits, politicians, and people seeking to control narrative. In the moment, however, neighborhoods came together to protect local businesses and their own homes — and spontaneous Emergency Networks spread across the city. As a Minneapolis native, this first-hand narrative represents the antifragility of…
The digital spaces that society has become virtually dependent upon over the last 10 to 15 years are increasingly becoming nonpermissive. Big Tech censorship, intelligence organizations, and law-enforcement agencies continue to push against the First Amendment rights of Americans in ways that were previously only encountered by those living in overtly authoritarian regimes such as Iran, China, or Russia. It’s not surprising then, that many people have been turning to secure communications (COMSEC) tools such as Signal or Keybase, both of which provide end-to-end encryption. COMSEC is essential, protecting the contents of your communications, whether you’re chatting with family members on Signal or accessing your online banking via HTTPS. Sometimes, COMSEC isn’t enough to protect your privacy or security, however. The Problems with Cryptography When operating in a nonpermissive space,…
This is the first of a three-part series on Spyware. Not the kind that infects your computer, but the type of hardware a spy might have a need for. Even if you’re not James Bond, these tools can serve as discreet and potent force-multipliers in non-permissive areas where you may not be allowed to carry traditional defensive weapons. You may never need to use one, but if you do, you’ll be glad to have it. Nonmetallic knives are not a new thing. Mankind’s earliest knives were made of stone such as flint, chert, obsidian, or even heat-treated wood. Many of those materials were still in use by the time man was making tools of copper and bronze because they were so effective. In today’s era of super steels, they’re less…
The air in the jail was hot, humid, and foul beyond words. You were separated from your friends and shoved in a cramped concrete holding cell. There were no beds or chairs. The space just had three rough walls, a low ceiling, a filthy floor, and a row of rusty bars bearing a locked door in the middle. There wasn’t even a toilet in the cell, just a hole in the floor near the back corner of the room. You thought this was likely to be the source of the stench that filled your nostrils, nearly making you retch; but this wasn’t the most worrisome thing in the room. Three local men were also in the cell with you. The expressions on their faces were varied. One man looked at…
“Where the rubber meets the road” is a saying that indicates a critical point of success or failure — in other words, the moment of truth. The logic behind this phrase is instinctual to anyone who has ever driven a vehicle and struggled to maintain traction in rain, snow, mud, or sand. Four tiny rubber-to-road contact patches are the only things that keep your two-ton vehicle under control, and by extension, keep yourself and your loved ones inside the vehicle safe. This is why good tires should be at the top of your priority list for every vehicle you own, especially for those of us who enjoy off-roading, overlanding, and driving through remote and challenging environments. In the city, bad tires might cause you to lose control and get into…
When the chips are down for whatever reason — be it a power outage, civil unrest, or the grid is down — you still gotta eat. Urban survival comes in a variety of flavors. Not all are great. Electric or gas stoves will probably be obsolete in times of trouble. Urban survival hobo stoves to the rescue! Why a Hobo Stove Imagine the attention of sight and smell a big ol’, cozy, warming campfire gives off. In an urban survival scenario, you want the opposite. Less attention is a good thing to strive for (unless search and rescue is looking to evacuate you or your group). A hobo stove helps you fly under the radar with a small, contained fire to stay out of view from the possible unsavory characters…
Communicating during a disaster is incredibly challenging. Even in everyday situations, communication is a complex process for anyone involved in an exchange. Add the stress and urgency of a crisis, and things can go wrong quickly. In times of disaster, human beings often struggle to absorb life-saving information effectively. We process messages differently under pressure, retain little of it, and respond unpredictably. In fact, during such high-stress moments, people often revert to simpler levels of understanding, meaning the information shared must be clear and simple enough for a sixth-grader to grasp. Crisis communication should be approached from both the perspective of the listener and the spokesperson. According to the latest Gallup Poll, only 20 percent of U.S. citizens expressed a fair amount of trust in the federal government, while others…
1 MAKE & MODEL Blue Ridge Overland Triple Run MOLLE Seat Back Panel COLORS Black; Black/Orange; Blue, Coyote/Orange MSRP $80 URL blueridgeoverlandgear.com NOTES Many folks take pride in what they consider their EDC, but usually limit that term to the gear they carry on their person. Little do they know that vehicles are often just as important when it comes to preparedness. Enter the Triple Run line of gear from Blue Ridge Overland. They take vehicle EDC to the next level by crafting a back-of-the-seat MOLLE panel and with enough options to suit almost anyone’s needs. Laser-cut MOLLE rows are backed with a high-vis orange underlay, which not only looks cool, but makes attaching gear more efficient. Velcro paneling on the top is perfect for securing grab-and-go pouches or affixing your…
MAKE & MODEL 1 Pangea Designs Engima DIMENSIONS 2.5 by 1.7 by 0.1 inches MSRP $20 URL pangeadesigns.com NOTES At first glance, you might think the Enigma is an aptly named object. After all, its purpose in life isn’t immediately apparent. But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear what this clever device can offer. The one-piece multi-tool has a set of wrenches (in metric or standard), a prybar that can also work as a screwdriver in a pinch, and not one but two bottle openers (for both pry-off or twist-off caps). And the slit in the main body allows you to slide it onto your belt loop, acting as a suspension clip for your keys so they’re not sitting in a big pile at the bottom of your pocket. And…
Founded by two retired Green Berets, Spartan Blades has a well-earned reputation for excellence. While many of their designs are jaw-dropping gorgeous, they aren’t just wall hangers or safe queens. Every single one is built for hard use. The Spartan-Ronin Torii is an excellent example. The Torii was designed to be the ultimate close-quarters combat knife, and it’s designed by people who know that subject matter intimately. It’s a collaboration between Spartan Blades and Tu Lam of Ronin Tactics. They wanted to commemorate the Green Berets who have served at Torii Station in Okinawa, Japan. This knife is a tribute to them and is intended to honor the C-1-1 CIF (CINC’s Extremist Force), a unit that has a formidable reputation for close-quarters battle and tactical prowess. Being the curious sort,…
Make & Model Spot Global Phone diMenSionS 5.3x2.2x1.5 in Weight 7 oz Battery life Four hours talk time, 36 hours standby featureS Satellite-based technology Superior voice clarity with no noticeable delay or echo Backlit color display optimized for outdoor daytime viewing Data capable enabling email and file transfers Quick online activation, 10-digit dialing with local phone numbers Lighted keypad 911 emergency service access MSrP $499.95 plus airtime url www.findmespot.com Finally, there’s a satellite phone for the rest of us. We may not all be arctic explorers or secret agents, but now we can communicate like we are. Spot Global Phone ensures users can connect with family and friends, even when their adventures take them out of cell coverage. The only satellite phone to be offered in major retail outlets provides…
Tracking is one of humanity’s oldest survival skills, honed by necessity and refined by generations. Yet, in our modern age of convenience, the primal art of tracking often feels like a relic of the past. That was the premise of “Grayside Hunter,” a two-day urban tracking course taught by Freddy Osuna, founder of Greenside Training. As the only Native American-owned and operated tracking school, Greenside Training offers a perspective deeply rooted in tradition while addressing contemporary challenges. Here are some of the key lessons I took away from this transformative experience. A Modern Skill with Ancient Roots Day one began in a classroom setting, where Osuna laid the groundwork for understanding tracking. He reminded us that the ability to track is hardwired into human nature — our brains evolved to…
Every year, we hear stories of stranded motorists who, for one reason or another, end up in a situation that culminates in a fatality. Although we’d like to think we’d never end up in a similarly grim position, the people who actually found themselves in those circumstances probably assumed the same thing. Our overreliance on the GPS systems found on our phones or in our vehicles, as well as the belief that we can “just call someone” whenever we need to, has made us a little too complacent in our preparatory measures. If those luxuries proved to be out of service or just plain useless and your vehicle broke down in a remote location, what — besides luck, hope, and instinct — do you have to rely on to help…
MAKE & MODEL 1 SOG Specialty Knives & Tools Double Key Tool overall / Closed / Blade length 4 inches / 2.5 inches / 1.5 inches Weight 0.8 ounce Blade shape Drop point Blade Material 5Cr13MoV stainless steel ColorWay Black Msrp $14 Url www.sogknives.com notes This puppy brings new meaning to the phrase “everyday-carry knife.” Unlike conventional folding knives, this SOG tool can be connected to your keychain without attracting prying eyes or taking up too much pocket space. The blade is ideal for light-duty tasks like cutting fruit, opening packages, or severing that oh-so-annoying thread from your frayed but favorite shirt. There’s also a handy nail fle, because even prepared individuals need to stay well groomed. Make & Model 2 HTM knives GBMP1 overall / Blade length 9.25 inches…
When Hollywood isn’t recycling and “reimagining” movies from yesteryear with unlikely cast lead actors/actresses like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as everyone, they occasionally get something right in the survival genre. Hollywood films have incredible reach and one blockbuster has the potential to create a whole generation of new outdoorsmen from its viewers. For all the good influence movies can have on inspiring the audience, there’s also plenty of bad as the collective efforts of writers, directors, and technical advisors frequently fail to hit their mark with respect to accuracy, safety, or plausibility. We’ve taken six Hollywood survival films and broken them down for their solid survival practices as well as the scenes that make us cringe. The Right The Edge (1997) “What one man can do, another man can do!”…
Do you remember the movie Cast Away? In this film, protagonist Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks) survives four years on a deserted island after his plane goes down in the ocean. At one point in the movie, Mr. Noland develops a bad tooth. Since a professional dentist isn’t available to extract the tooth, he’s forced to improvise and gruesomely knocks the tooth out with an ice skate blade and a rock. Isn’t there a better way? Could he have prevented the situation from getting that bad? While this may have been played up for dramatic effect, think about that scenario for a second. If you develop severe dental problems, such as an infected or cracked tooth, lacerated gums, an oral fungal infection, or one of many other nasty issues…
You’re standing in line at a crowded consulate in a foreign country when you get a sinking sensation that you’ve been flagged to be detained. As you begin to slink away toward the lobby, an agent calls out to you. You calmly and deliberately take stock of your situation, noting several Marines posting security and another agent readying handcuffs. You stop and raise your hands to a surrender position, which appears submissive while also being an effective fighting position. Your eyes continue to scan as you’re surrounded by three men — a Marine and two in suits. As the Marine places his hand on your shoulder, you control him with a wrist lock, strike one of the others in the throat, elbow the Marine, and kick the other one again.…
Without water, there is no life. Since the dawn of mankind, people have congregated around sources of water which provide the ability to stay hydrated, bathe, attract the prey we hunt, create fertile soil to grow crops, and travel by boat. From the Nile Delta to the Mighty Mississippi, water isn’t just the primary component of our bodies, it’s also the glue that holds together our communities. We often consider the collapse of our government or financial institutions as the most severe blow that could be dealt to our society, and eras such as the Civil War and Great Depression attest to this severity. But the failure of our water supply has the potential to be far worse. Take a look at the most impoverished nations, or areas decimated by…
Developing night-time shooting capability is expensive. First, there’s the cost of the required equipment: night vision devices, infrared lasers and illuminators, helmets, counterweights, IR strobes, helmet lights, and NV-specific optics mounts. Once you manage to get all of that, there’s the additional, and real cost, of ammo mo associated with the increased amount of training you’ll have to do in order to develop new skills. We can’t lower the cost of night vision equipment itself but, just like with daytime training, if you can substitute rimfire training to save ammo … why not? That’s what led us to dig an old Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 out of the back of the safe and outfit it as a budget-conscious night-fighting trainer. Finding a low-cost IR laser is one of the…
1 MAKE & MODEL PLANO Rustrictor All Weather 2 1-Pistol Case INTERIOR DIMENSIONS 12.5 inches L by 10.1 inches W by 4.8 inches H MSRP $69 URL planooutdoors.com NOTES Safely transporting sensitive items requires a special degree of protection. The Rustrictor All Weather 2 1-Pistol Case by Plano is designed to offer that protection for firearms during transport or storage. It integrates Plano’s Rustrictor technology, which is said to block rust and corrosion five times longer than competing products. This case is constructed with industrial strength materials, making it highly durable and reliable. It features TSA-approved lockable latches for secure transport and a Dri-Loc seal for watertight, dustproof protection. The interior includes customizable pluckto-fit foam, allowing for a tailored fit to your pistol and accessories. This case ensures comprehensive protection…
Having a dedicated precision rifle in the safe can be an invaluable addition to a well-rounded preparedness plan. The ability to project firepower to 500 yards and beyond is a capability that can be directed to both game-getting and property protection. For those who are interested in building a skillset, the proliferation of the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) has made competing at these ranges more accessible than ever. The flipside of that coin is that the popularity of precision shooting and the purpose-built rifles that go with it has driven a market expansion that, on the surface, seems to have significantly raised the cost of entry. It’s frighteningly easy to spend five figures on a long-range rifle, quality scope, and ancillary equipment. While this may be a worthwhile investment for…
Richard Bottomley, who has worked in Antarctica, says: “Your body knows what it wants! If you’re a chocolate eater, then your brain knows that chocolate is a great source of fats and sugars. When we’re cold, our body metabolizes either stored or consumed sugar. This process produces heat. Chocolate is a good source of simple sugars, which can be easily converted to heat — easier than breaking down stored glycogen from the muscles or liver and much faster than breaking down stored fats.” There are a lot of reasons why chocolate is a good survival food. It’s energy-dense, providing high-calorie, long-lasting energy from fats and carbohydrates. It also contains protein, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial antioxidants, which support bodily functions and morale. Its high caloric content in a small, portable package…
Dad was a baby boomer born in 1946. At age 18, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served a 13-month term in Vietnam. Dad was very proud of his “service to his country.” He wore the hats and pins that immediately identified him as a proud veteran and would often suggest that debit cards and the internet were a means of social control. Even with all his suspicions he never quite appreciated how technology and information could be weaponized against him. In 2019, my father joined the 21st century and purchased a smartphone. He called me on his new device and said, “Now, do I have to go to the library and checkout a Facebook?” A follow-up question was, “What’s an app?” Needless to say, he was in over…
The participants who signed up for RECOIL OFFGRID Undisclosed knew very little about what they were getting into. They knew that they were signing up to be part of an immersive tactical training event that would last approximately 36 hours somewhere in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — and they knew that we had selected some of the best instructors in their respective fields to train them. On arrival, Undisclosed VIPs hit the Lodge, got the mission brief, split into teams, geared up, and prepped for what was coming next. The night set off with a trauma care overview, a primer for the training to follow. The evening was spent getting to know one another, the instructors, and the support crew over good food and easy conversation. Still, unease lingered.…
Electronics of all sorts are a fixture on the modern battlefield, just as they are in everyday life. While they can provide critical capabilities, such as communications and information gathering to combatants and civilians alike, abuse or misuse of your systems can also give away your position to those you may or may not want to have it. Conversely, should you find yourself in the position of a pursing force, whether to find and fix a hostile group, or locate someone’s emergency beacon in the wilderness, knowing how to home in on radio signals could prove crucial to the success of your mission and even save lives. The technique of tracking down radio signals, generally known as radio direction finding (RDF) or simply direction finding (DF), can be done with…
In the year of our lord 2025, to see another backpack review is somewhat unexciting. More pockets, less pockets, marginal material improvements, fancy colors, minor frame style tweaks, it’s an endless series of copy/paste from years prior, or fads that never really catch on. One would think that something as figured out as the humble backpack had reached its peak. Even more so when they’re designed to carry a rifle due to the inherent form factor of incorporating a scabbard. However, one company found a way to buck the trends and produce something that I had initially written off until I strapped my rifle in, threw it on my back, and started putting in the miles. About Skili Gear Skili Gear was founded by Ernie Robinson, an automotive industry professional…
At first glance, the training near Vero Beach, Florida, looked like a straightforward tactical course. It was hosted by Gorilla Ammunition, a company better known for precision cartridges than emotional insight. Yet beneath the surface of its trauma drills and field exercises, something deeper took shape. The lessons were not only about how to save a life, but also how to regulate one’s own nervous system under threat. What unfolded resembled a form of therapy in motion, a physical and cognitive practice that echoed the principles of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR. EMDR is a therapy developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro. It helps people process disturbing experiences by combining focused attention with bilateral movement, such as eye motions, taps, or alternating tones. The technique…
Auxiliary Manufacturing has done a great job translating the fixed blade version of the Pocket Bowie into a practical folder that is designed to tackle the same tasks. While folding knives have their inherent limitations when it comes to some hard-use tasks, neither the original fixed blade or the folding version of the Pocket Bowie were designed to be a hard-use survival knives — both are designed to be capable EDC knife with some viable self-defense features and both variants deliver in a big way. The Pocket Bowie became an instant classic thanks to the ergonomic handle design, aggressive piercing point, compact size, and surprising utilitarian functionality in everyday tasks. This led to several new knives including the larger Pocket Bowie XL and several different blade styles using the Pocket…
Editor’s Note: The following is a true story. For security reasons, names and exact locations will be withheld and a few minor details changed. “Now we have an understanding.” The airport official tapped the envelope stuffed with American currency and let the group pass through the checkpoint. The clock was ticking, and my friend’s group was trying to get back to the United States from a country in Africa that had imminent flight restrictions pending due to a disease outbreak. My friend and his associates had traveled to Africa for an expedition, but when they attempted to return home, they were stopped at security and told they could not proceed. This was more than an inconvenience — it was a potential disaster. The country was preparing to shut down all…
Aboard: On or in the vessel Abaft: In the direction of the stern Above board: In plain view on the deck Absolute bearing: The heading of the vessel in relation to True North Aft: The rear portion of the vessel, toward the stern Aground: Vessel resting on the bottom of the seafoor Aid to navigation (ATON): A device, not on the vessel, implemented to help determine position and course or to provide warning of a hazard Alee: The lee side of a ship or to leeward Aloft: The rigging of a sailing ship; above the ship’s highest solid structure; or high above Alongside: By the side of a ship or pier (A)midship: The middle portion of the vessel Anchor: Typically a hook or plow designed to secure to the seafoor…
Our philosophy is the same for pretty much every tool or product in our pile of goodies. If we can’t find it, or if the choices on the market don’t meet our needs, we create it. If the choices available on the market meet our needs, but are too expensive, then we make it ourselves. If the available options meet our needs, and it would cost us more to make it ourselves, then we purchase it. Our hydroponic system is a combination of three choices. Some of the components come from a hydroponic store and others we found at big-box stores for very little money, and we used tools that many people have to assemble it. Our skill level may be higher than most people, but we assure you that…
Praemonitus, praemunitus: To be forewarned is to be forearmed. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, every year about 3.7-million burglaries are committed in America. Roughly 28 percent of those burglaries take place while someone is present in the home and about 7 percent result in violent victimization of a resident. While those figures aren’t staggering, they aren’t particularly comforting either, especially if one of those unlucky homes happens to be yours. If you’re reading this magazine, odds are you already have some type of plan to deal with a potential home invader. Whether it’s accessing a weapon, hunkering down in a safe room, or a little of both, the key to implementing that plan is time. The longer it takes you to react and get your strategy in…
MAKE & MODEL Dakine Poacher 14L Backpack MSRP $110 URL www.dakine.com When it comes to how you can carry a weapon, variety isn’t just the spice of life, it’s a measure of responsible carry. Few things are worse for your credibility than forcing a carry option to apply in a situation where it shouldn’t … or just can’t. In my work, well-done concealed carry is far more prudent and professional than the alternative. As a result, I have firearms and holsters for nearly every occasion and type of dress I’d likely need. That being said, I realized that despite trying to cover as many bases as possible, I was missing an off-body carry (OBC) option. OBC is somewhat controversial and has its fair share of critics. Opposition usually breaks down to…
Did you watch, or better yet, read The Martian by Andy Weir? If you didn’t, the premise is an astronaut is stranded on Mars and survives for over a year. He happens to be a botanist and engineer, both attributes help him in his survival on a foreign planet. In the book, the astronaut has a few vegetables to choose from to grow for his survival and he quickly selects the potato. Nowadays the potato gets a bad rap. This is mostly attributed to the fast food industry frying them in oil. While delicious, this does hurt their nutritional value and add several unhealthy components to an otherwise nutritious food. When you look at the potato by itself, it offers good nutrients, vitamins, and minerals — all of which are…
Take a moment to consider a few hypothetical survival scenarios: Scenario 1: It’s 6:10 a.m. The city you live in, which happens to be below sea level, is assailed by torrential rain and sustained winds of up to 140 mph. Sea surge of nearly 30 feet quickly overwhelms the levies, and entire neighborhoods are swallowed by water. Whether you moved to safety beforehand or decided to stay, it’ll take at least two more weeks before utilities are fully restored. Scenario 2: It’s 1:25 a.m. Awoken by the sudden absence of the electric hum that pervades everyday life, you look around the darkness confused. Temperatures have dropped over 40 degrees below normal for this time of year, and an overtaxed energy grid has forced rolling brownouts. Unpredictable winter weather is on…
Over the last several years, recce has become a popular topic. Recce, short for reconnaissance, is simply information gathering or surveying of an area. This is typically thought of in a military role, but it’s also useful for hunters or even for checking a resupply or escape route during a disaster scenario. Recce is meant to be non-kinetic — if you encounter a threat, the goal is to break contact ASAP — and low visibility. This means minimal gear and austere conditions. To successfully complete the task of infiltrating an area, gathering information, and exfiltrating, you’ll need highly capable gear and a good system for carrying it. The Low Vis Gear ISR pack (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) is a purpose-driven midsized pack with approximately 35 liters internal capacity. The focus of…
Whether you find yourself in the backcountry on a hiking trip, working on a home project, or standing in the wake of a natural disaster, you may encounter the need to move something heavier than you can safely move by yourself. In those situations, you can apply a few pieces of lightweight and relatively inexpensive equipment to take off some of the load. Recalling a little grade school science, there are six types of simple machines: lever, wedge, screw, inclined plane, wheel and axle, and pulley. From this list, you can employ a pulley in the aforementioned scenarios to lighten your workload by half or more by utilizing mechanical advantage. Simply put, rope-based mechanical advantage is using ropes and pulleys to leverage force. A haul system is the utilization of…
The Premise: Since the 1950s, the United States has had a plan on how the government could survive a nuclear attack. In August 1949, the Soviet Union detonated their first atomic bomb, sparking the nuclear arms race and the Cold War. In the early days, the nuclear threat was small, but it gradually escalated to earth-shattering superweapons such as the Russian Tsar Bomba. At 50 megatons, that hydrogen bomb was over 1,500 times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. What started as a few hardened facilities able to withstand a near miss snowballed into a multibillion-dollar, multitiered plan to save the government in hopes of rebuilding the United States of America after a catastrophic event. The 411: In writing Raven Rock, author Garrett M. Graff…
Reiff Knives hit the scene with a purpose and just raised the bar with two new additions to their ever-popular F4 series, which features Scandi grinds and MagnaCut steel. It looks like good just got a whole lot better, and it may be safe to say that Reiff Knives has once again outdone themselves. Reiff Brothers Born from a family inclined to the great outdoors and a respect for blade cultures, these knives are a slice of Americana. Crafted with the quality that would make your grandpappy nod in approval, each knife is a testament to American ingenuity and elbow grease. With steel that laughs in the face of wear and tear and handles that fit like a glove, Ben and Stu Shank have taken a significant risk by starting…
Modern technology has created numerous ways to keep lines of communication open. Cell phones and tablets keep us connected while on the go, and computers and smart devices make communicating with anyone in the world fast and efficient. All this can happen because of a complex infrastructure of cell phone towers, miles of cables, and submarine fiber connecting the continents. Even with a vast infrastructure in place, those of us who spend time in the wilderness often encounter places where our mobile devices have no signal. Even many rural areas have spotty and limited coverage despite having an established population. The complex network that keeps our communications lines open is incredibly fragile. Natural disasters, human conflict, and sometimes the simple deterioration of equipment over time can all lead to mass…
“You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong and sound as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice. Wouldn’t you then first discover how much you really trusted it?”—C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed Every time I leave my house for a search-and-rescue mission, clutching gear which I’m about to stake my life on, I think about that quote from Lewis. Sometimes it’s a battery-operated rescue beacon to ride shotgun with me for a flight across the Gulf of Mexico, in search of high adventure on Florida’s Lost…
For most Americans, the security of the southern border is a subject to debate from afar. While the ripple effects of drug smuggling and human trafficking reach throughout our nation, reading news articles and studying statistics doesn’t yield the same perspective as witnessing the problem firsthand. Since his election in 2017, Sheriff Mark Lamb has been serving at the forefront of this complex situation. His jurisdiction — Pinal County, Arizona, which covers a large area between Tucson and Phoenix — is smack dab in the middle of one of America’s most active trafficking corridors, and the problem is only getting worse. In February of 2023, Lamb testified at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing that human trafficking incidents in Pinal County had quadrupled during the previous two years, and that…
During the American Civil War, soldiers carried their supplies in haversacks. In addition to the supplies transported by boat, each soldier was responsible for carrying 40 rounds of ammunition in cartridge boxes and four days’ worth of rations in their haversacks. A haversack consists of a rugged canvas sheet that folds around its contents, including a bedroll, clothing, daily rations, and personal items, all secured by flaps and adjustable buckle straps. Incredibly, more than 150 years later, the design of haversacks has changed little. Old-School Oilcloth The oilcloth pays homage to the haversacks of yesteryear. In a world filled with high-tech fabrics and waterproof membranes, the rugged simplicity of an oilcloth exudes undeniable romance. With its distinctive glossy finish, this time-honored material conjures images of adventurous explorers and weathered travelers.…
Using the right tool for the right job makes all the diference. Sure, you can get away with using a flathead screwdriver on a Phillips screw, but every time you do so, you run the risk of stripping the screw. It’s much better to use the correct driver for the proper fit to avoid damage to the screw and the driver. Similarly, using the right knot can be a huge factor in the success of accomplishing a job, easily and safely. Unless knots factor into your daily grind like bungee jump operator or first mate of the S.S. Minnow, the majority of people may only use one or two knots on a daily basis — or if you have Velcro on your shoes, maybe even none at all. Whether or…
MAKE & MODEL 1 GRAYL UltraPress Covert Edition WEIGHT 12.5 ounces MSRP $90 URL grayl.com NOTES We’ve had great experiences with GRAYL’s previous water purifiers, the minimalist Ultralight and the high-capacity GeoPress, so we were pleased to see that the new UltraPress takes influences from both. It removes bacteria, viruses, protozoan cysts, chemicals, and other contaminants from 16.9 fluid ounces of water in 10 seconds flat — just scoop water into the outer sleeve, then press down to force it through the purifier cartridge. The RiverFlow spout has a threaded cap to prevent cross-contamination, and makes this purifier as convenient to drink from as any regular water bottle. Each replaceable cartridge is rated for 300 cycles (40 gallons). The Nature Edition features high-vis colors; the Covert Edition comes in black and…
Both of us grew up in seafaring families. We have lived on and around the water our entire lives. Yet, we still think bugging out on a boat would be more challenging than a land option and could potentially be a bad idea for the average person. So much so that both of us realized it was easier, safer, and more cost efective to move to landlocked Wyoming than to try to maintain a viable vessel in emergency departure readiness. Still, some knowledgeable and well-prepared individuals who live near a lake, river, or ocean might prefer a water escape route. If that’s the case, before even picking a vessel, you must determine where you will keep it. Obviously, having your primary residence located on the bay or a canal, or…
“The final weapon is the brain, all else is supplemental.”– John Steinbeck Shooting and gunfighting aren’t the same thing. You may be able to nail the bull’s-eye every time at an indoor range or competition stage, and that’s a good sign that your fundamentals are solid. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re prepared for the enormous physiological, mental, and environmental challenges of a real-world defensive situation. Ideally, you should spend time honing both your technical shooting skills and your defensive gunfighting skills. I recently attended back-to-back Fieldcraft Survival Gunfighter Pistol and Gunfighter Carbine classes that addressed both of these important elements. One unique aspect to this class was the pair of instructors who taught it — Hunter Constantine, a sponsored competition shooter, and Lucas Aguilar, a former U.S. Army SRT…
In a world where millions go to the supermarket to get their meat, it’s funny how many people have no concept of the work that goes into producing that perfectly wrapped and presented protein product. We can’t count the amount of times we’ve talked with people who eat meat, but somehow find it distasteful that others spend their fall and winter hunting to fill their freezers. With more and more people looking for organic and free-range animals to incorporate into their diet, what would happen if they couldn’t just go to the store? For some, hunting an animal and processing it from start to finish is a way of life, whereas for others who never learned the sequence of tasks necessary to prepare an animal without contaminating the meat, their…
I first met Greg Mihovich while training at Deep Woods Ranch, home to former SEAL and firearms trainer Rich Graham — owner of both Deep Woods Ranch and his training company, Full Spectrum Warrior. Greg and Rich are coauthors of some of FSW’s training material, including their unique Combat Mobility Program, which we’ll showcase in more depth in an upcoming issue. During my time at the ranch, I had an opportunity to sit down with Greg and discuss his background and the experiences that brought him to partnering up with Full Spectrum Warrior. I was quite surprised to learn about the landmark disasters that had tested this soft-spoken man with a calmly commanding presence. His story is not only a Cinderella-slipper fit for the guiding principles of this brand but…
MAKE & MODEL 1 Tyrant Designs S&W Shield Extended Magazine Release COLORS Various, including Blue, Gold, and Red MSRP Starting at $25 URL tyrantcnc.com NOTES In a life-and-death situation, having a second magazine full of ammo won’t do you any good if you can’t eject the first empty magazine efficiently from your firearm. That’s why Tyrant Designs has come out with this extended magazine release for the popular Smith & Wesson M&P Shield. By extending the length and increasing traction with a crosshair pattern, this sturdy component increases purchase and adds control to your reloads so you can press the release quickly without having to grope for it. Not just for show, this upgrade can boost both your gun’s aesthetics and performance. It can be installed in seconds without any…
Fear of flying is a relatively common phobia, but in most cases, air travel is actually quite safe. Each year, commercial airline travel accounts for less than 0.001 passenger fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, vastly lower than passenger trains (0.05) and cars (0.57). The likelihood that you’ll ever experience anything beyond an uncomfortably hard landing on a commercial aircraft is extremely low. However, there’s an exception to this comforting statistic: small private planes. According to the National Transportation Safety Board’s 2022 report, scheduled commercial airline flights experienced only 20 accidents and one fatality (a ramp worker, not a passenger) over the course of 17 million flight hours. That equates to an accident rate of 0.117 and death rate of 0.006 per 100,000 hours. In comparison, general aviation —…
The concept of a “bug-out bag” is one that can be interpreted a variety of different ways. Some take it as a complete survival kit for living in the woods indefinitely, in which case it’s usually a huge pack crammed with a wide range of sustainment gear and heavy tools. Personally, I like a more limited approach — I don’t see a lot of scenarios where I’d need to live off the land for months without resupply, but I can think of many where I’d want to be out for two or three days with the essentials for safety and comfort. So, that’s the role this pack fulfills. It covers water, food, shelter, fire, and defense — each with redundancies — as well as some lower priorities like entertainment. Backpack…
One of the fundamentals of fighting well is to know your enemy. When we’re talking about fighting violent crime and criminals, there are a lot of varied opinions. Some people see violent criminals as victims of a flawed economic system or argue they’re just mentally ill, while others see them as cunning rational actors engaged in rational acts. Hopefully, the essay that follows will give you a quick summary of who criminals are, how criminals think, how they pick their victims, and how to truly win confrontations with them. Any time we’re generalizing, we must be careful to remember there are always exceptions. The discussion that follows reflects the reality of a Western country with a somewhat intact legal system and a place where scarcity is a forgotten concern. As…
1 MAKE & MODEL Kelty Big Shady DIMENSIONS (OPENED) 14 by 10.8 by 10.8 feet MSRP $250 URL kelty.com NOTES Anyone who’s ever spent time at a picnic or farmer’s market will be familiar with pop-up canopies. But most only provide decent shade when the sun is high in the sky. That’s why the Big Shady is far more effective at blocking out the elements. Once erected, it kinda looks like a humongous flying squirrel that’s trying to shield you from the rain. That’s our odd way of saying it does a fantastic job of blocking out sun, rain, and wind from different angles. Peak height is 90 inches while the 151-square-foot floor area can house a foldable table and six chairs. Its fly is made of 68-denier polyester while the…
Disclaimer: This 72-hour survival challenge was performed by a professional survival instructor under close supervision by rescue personnel. Do not attempt any potentially dangerous survival challenge without prior training, and always establish contingency plans in case something goes wrong. Working for Fieldcraft Survival, I’ve learned to expect each day to be filled with the unexpected. We have a highly dynamic work environment with new projects and tasks on a regular basis. One day, we’re scouting land for upcoming courses, the next we’re flying to another state to teach a defensive handgun class, the next we’re filming online content in the mountains — you get the idea. In June 2021, my boss Mike Glover challenged me to survive for 72 hours in the desert with nothing more than the contents of…
In May 2017, Frank Massabki and his fiancée, Jennifer, traveled to Mexico City to scout locations for their upcoming wedding. An hour after renting a car in the city, they were rear-ended by another vehicle. The couple told Inside Edition that they stepped out to inspect the damage, but were approached by several men with guns who threw them into the backseat and drove them to a location they didn’t recognize. The kidnappers bound their wrists with shoelaces, blindfolded them, and said they planned to demand a ransom. The men then attempted to sexually assault Jennifer, but she fought back, receiving a punch to the face that broke her nose. During this struggle, Frank managed to escape from his crude restraints and ran to call for help. Realizing they had…
Over the years, the term prepping has earned a somewhat controversial reputation, not just among the general public but even within the preparedness community. This is largely due to how news and popular media often depict preppers — as paranoid hoarders gearing up for a fictional, postapocalyptic world straight out of dystopian cinema and literature. Regardless of how you feel about the word prepping, let’s set that aside and focus on the true value of preparedness — and the diverse individuals who embrace it. What is Preparedness? Preparedness is a broad concept that applies to many aspects of life, all rooted in the idea of being ready for emergencies. In its simplest form, it encompasses everyday actions: a motorist carrying jumper cables for a breakdown or a parent keeping a…
Surviving the wilderness requires skill and reliable gear. The same can be said when facing emergency situations in an urban environment, but there’s one variable that we won't often find in the wilderness — people, and a lot of them. Emergencies in the urban jungle can be caused by weather events, infrastructure failure, and civil unrest. In all these situations, having skills and survival gear can help keep us safe, but carrying a larger wilderness survival kit in an urban environment would draw some unwanted attention that could lead to trouble. That’s why adopting the gray man aesthetic and applying that to our everyday carry (EDC) is the key to success. What is a Gray Man? “Gray man” is a term that means blending in with your environment, not standing…
After I turned 50, I got it into my head that I wanted a brand-new vehicle, not used, just once in my life. Our minivan was about 22 years old and Midwestern winters had taken their toll on the body, so it was time for an upgrade. We ended up buying a dealer’s demo model that had fewer than 2,000 miles on it. It has so many gadgets and gizmos, I feel like I’m piloting a spacecraft. While we’re still learning how everything works, I wanted to get the van outfitted properly for the numerous road trips we have planned. I think one of the best parts about getting a new-to-you vehicle is customizing it for your needs. Enter the AP Premium Bag from KY Handcrafted. AP stands for All-Purpose,…
When you’re out camping or hiking and old man winter strikes with an unexpected fury, it can be challenging to stay safe, much less comfortable. Sudden temperature and weather shifts can transform a chilly day outside into a harrowing or even deadly incident, especially for those who are caught underprepared. But don’t worry — even if you’re not acclimated to harsh winter weather, there are a few easy tips to make any outdoor experience more enjoyable. In this article, we’ll explore them together. Remember the Basics There’s no denying the incredible experiences and unforgettable moments that can be had in the great outdoors during the winter months, despite the cold temperatures. And while some of the basic rules may seem like common sense, they’re absolutely essential to ensure a safe…
