Table of contents for June - July 2015 in RECOIL OFFGRID

When scavenging from a vehicle, always check the glove-box, center console, and other storage compartments for miscellaneous items. You might be surprised by what you’ll find — bottled water, medications, first-aid kits, hand sanitizer, flashlights, lighters, pens and paper, tools, and more. In addition, vehicles have a lot of glass, wiring, and rubber hoses to be salvaged. You might even be able to use the vehicle itself as a temporary shelter — or disconnect and use the hood and trunk lids as roofing or sleds. Car parts and accessories have many uses beyond what they were built for, so your adaptation will be limited only by your creativity and ingenuity.…

On the Rider Backpacking backpack Tent with rain fly and footprint Rip-stop ponch (camouflage color) Sleeping bag (in compression sack) Small sleeping pad Light binoculars with harness Passport and/or ID $400 in cash Cellphone 1 Nalgene Water Bottle (full) Platypus Gravity Water Purifier Gortex Rain Parka Sunglasses Wind-up watch Toothbrush and toothpaste Tampons (if necessary) Single Kleenex pack (doubles as toilet paper) ChapStick Mechanix Gloves GPS and fresh batteries Maps Compass Fire-starter(s) and Bic lighters Sidearm Sidearm holster with magazine pouches 6 sidearm magazines 200 rounds of sidearm ammunition Folding AK-47 2 AK-47 magazines (loaded) 300 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition Fixed-blade knife Knife sharpener Leatherman multitool Petzel headlamp Tactical flashlight PVS-7 night vision google In a Pack on the Bike Trauma medical kit with manual 2 Motorola two-way radios with…

If we’ve learned anything from the classic children’s book Everybody Poops, it’s that your companion animals have to go too. In a crisis event that forces you to stay holed up at home, housebroken dogs and outdoor cats probably won’t change their deuce-dropping style. It really doesn’t matter where they pee, as long as it’s outside. You should make an effort to clean up their poop, though. This will prevent the spread of bacteria (e.g. when you step in it and track it all over the house), and thereby prevent the spread of potential illness. When your furry pal is done, use a bag over your hand to pick up their poop and drop it in your latrine hole. You’ll have to get creative when you run out of litter…

As is often the case, innovations come first — then are followed by regulations. Just like many other emerging technologies, drones have developed exponentially in the past decade, but U.S. lawmakers are slow to catch up. As of press time, it’s legal for civilians to own and use drones for recreational use, but there are certain restrictions (e.g. drones can’t fly higher than 400 feet). However, in February, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed regulations updating the laws to specifically address the different ways people and business have come to and want to use drones. Among the proposed rules is that a drone operator must maintain visual contact with the vehicle at all times. How can these proposed rules affect your SHTF drone plans if they become law? And what will…

1. Route Plan Does your route avoid both choke points and population centers prone to social unrest? Will your vehicle get you across the terrain you might encounter (i.e. mountains, waterways, unimproved roads, etc.) 2. Weapons and Concealment Do you have a means to carry your weapons in a manner that makes them accessible, but not obvious to onlookers. 3. Conflict Avoidance Like your route plan, your mindset needs to be one of avoiding all contact with people. 4. Roadblocks Never willingly approach a roadblock. Walking up to a roadblock is tantamount to surrendering everything you possess. There is never a reason to enter into a zone where you’re knowingly covered by direct fire from multiple angles. Find a way around. 5. Gas is Life As Mad Max taught us,…

If your mail is being delivered by Kevin Costner on horseback, then things are pretty grim — all the more reason to make use of every commodity at your disposal. “Nicer” waste, like trash, can have a myriad of uses. Paper products can be used to start frees. Bottles and cans are useful as containers. As for other forms of waste, urine can be collected and sealed in bottles. Add a bit of dirt before sealing and leave them in the sun until they turn almost black. You’ve now created a nitrogen-rich fertilizer which can be poured sparingly around your crops. Your “hu-manure” can be used similarly. After a year-long composting, most (if not all) of the dangerous pathogens are gone, and this rich compost can be used in the…

As a prepared individual, you’ll want to be proficient with at least one empty-hand self-defense system. But where to start? There are thousands of methods, from military combatives and reality-based programs to traditional Asian fighting styles and modern mixed martial arts (MMA). Below is a brief overview of the three we’ve highlighted in this article. Muay Thai: The Art of Eight Limbs Muay Thai (or Thai boxing) is often referred to as the art and science of eight limbs because competitors use their fists, feet, knees, and — yes, you guessed it — elbows to beat each other into a bloody pulp. Originally from Thailand, MMA competitors have known for many years that this “science” is a must learn for effective stand-up fighting in the cage. The elbow techniques of…

The great thing about ration bars is that they’re designed to last a long time under a wide range of temperatures. Many bars can be stored at temperatures ranging from negative 40 degrees up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit without worrying that they’ll go bad before you ever need them. (For specific details, take a look at the manufacturers’ information.) All of the emergency ration bars we featured in this taste test list a five-year expiration date. Many of the expiration dates are mandated through certifications, so they might actually last past those printed dates, as well. We do, however, recommend swapping out expired ration bars for new ones. Afar all, when it comes to food and water, it’s always better to be safe than sorry! SOURCE Emergency Essential www.BePrepared.com…

1. Make sure there’s stable footing around outdoor latrines. In wet weather, or by heavy usage, the rim around a pit privy can become slippery. Fix this by using a few boards around the perimeter and nailing them together for stability. Trust us, you don’t want to slip and step in the hole.2. Check for paper before you go. Even in pre-apocalypse times, this one can get the best of us. Make sure there’s a stock of wiping material before you begin.3. Sanitize those hands. A quick squirt of sanitizer or diluted-bleach water can take the place of hand washing in austere environments. Don’t skip this step. You could literally sicken your entire group by touching things with your dirty hands.4. Be vigilant for vermin. In a grid-down situation, pests…