Table of contents for December 2017/January 2018 in RECOIL OFFGRID

This issue’s theme could be summed up by one of my favorite quotes from Bruce Lee: “To change with change is the changeless state.” While he was applying Taoism mostly to the fighting arts, his quote also applies to life in general — including survivalism. Megan Hine is no stranger to change. As a professional survivalist who leads clients and celebrities on expeditions into the harshest environments, she must adapt to change quickly or those in her charge will perish. And if that weren’t enough, she works closely with many TV productions, such with her good friend, Bear Grylls, scouting filming locations and spending days or weeks alone in the bush. Then once the cameras roll, she’s off-screen ensuring the safety of the cast and crew. Though her name and…

The Scenario SITUATION TYPE Natural disaster YOUR CREW You and your son, Bobby LOCATION Tulsa, Oklahoma SEASON Autumn WEATHER Cloudy and unusually warm, 85 degrees F As the fat raindrops pounded against the windshield, it grew harder and harder to see the dim red taillights of the vehicle ahead. I was clear-headed and wide awake, but the whole scene had the feeling of a foggy dream — the kind in which everything moved at half speed, except for my mind. The rain lessened, and as the visibility cleared a bit, my son spotted a massive twister attached to the cloud bank. Like a serpent, it writhed and slithered through the air. Where it touched the ground, it was wreathed in a ring of debris. As we watched in shock, it…

We see them all the time in movies, TV shows, and video games. Whether it’s a killer outbreak, a chemical attack, or just a plain ol’ run-of-the-mill apocalypse, this ominous piece of gear has become synonymous with doomsday. But are gas masks really practical? Or are they more prop than prep, providing a false sense of security? With so many survival products competing for our preparedness dollars, are they really worth the cost? In this article we explore the gas mask basics, set aside myth and fiction, and provide in-depth answers to some of the most common questions. The History The concept of the gas mask dates back to antiquity; reportedly the ancient Greeks used common sea sponges to filter out smoke and other toxic substances. Most of these primitive…

In this issue’s Survivalist Spotlight, Megan Hine makes a compelling case for the importance of the mind in a crisis. We agree with her assessment that mental fortitude is at the core of any life-and-death situation, but we’d also like to take a moment to counterbalance that point. The value of physical fitness to a survivalist should never be underestimated. When disaster strikes, you’d better be ready to handle it, both mentally and physically. Ask yourself: If my life depended on it, how fast could I run a mile? It might seem like a minor issue now, but there may come a time when your answer is the only thing that matters. Then think about how that pace would be affected if the mile was uphill over rough terrain, or…

1 MAKE & MODEL TOPS Knives Yacare 10.0 OVERALL LENGTH 15.5 inches MSRP $250 URL www.topsknives.com NOTES The Yacare 10.0 is a beefy machete with an international origin of sorts. Though designed and made in the USA, it was inspired by the tools TOPS general manager Craig Powell saw while he visited Colombia and Costa Rica — with a bit of influence from the Philippine barong. The 10.25-inch, proud-bellied blade is made of tough-as-nails 1095 tool steel and features TOPS’ new Acid Rain finish. The canvas Micarta handle scales are ergonomic and give the right amount of grippyness without shredding your paws. While the nylon sheath leaves something to be desired, overall the Yacare is a cut above the rest. 2 MAKE & MODEL SOG Specialty Knives & Tools…

Recent articles in Business Insider, Forbes, and The New Yorker have all reported that some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals are snatching up large swaths of land or even buying abandoned missile silos and converting them into condos in preparation for doomsday. If this is a sign of things to come, then it’s definitely time to start thinking about securing your own remote rendezvous. But where do you start, what do you look for, and what is really appropriate to sustain your family in the event of a long-term disaster? While it might sound easy enough to fall back to your vacation property a few hours away, play out some hypothetical events first to determine if that’s even realistic. If things get haywire, will angry hordes also desperately seek shelter…

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…

Food security is a big deal. If you disagree, try going for a week without eating and see what happens. After just 72 hours, you’ll begin to see a dramatic decline in your ability to function physically, mentally, and emotionally. Talk with anyone who has experienced the desperation of true hunger, and you’ll begin to appreciate why underestimating food will never be a good idea. But even with top-notch planning and preparations, feeding yourself during an extended crisis can be challenging. Initially you may be able to get by with whatever is readily available — a can of tuna, peanut butter sandwiches, or maybe some freeze-dried, camping-style meals. While these foods will keep you alive, when the days start turning into weeks, you’ll want more substantial meals. However, in the…

What is it that makes a survivor? This profound question demands a complex answer. Gear is one piece of the puzzle, since the tools and supplies at your disposal dramatically affect your chances of staying alive under adverse conditions. Physical fitness also plays a major role — strength, endurance, agility, and injury-avoidance help keep you safe. But there’s a third element that’s often overlooked: the mind. Without adequate mental fortitude, even someone in peak physical form with the best gear money can buy will fail to survive. Megan Hine is well aware of how the rigors of survival affect the human mind, but she’s no sedentary philosopher. In her career as a celebrity expedition guide and behind-the-scenes consultant for TV shows such as Bear Grylls: Mission Survive and Man vs.…

Picture the worst of the worst. Another Hurricane Harvey catastrophe. Maybe a man-made crisis akin to the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Or perhaps it’s one of those end-of-days scenarios — say, a pandemic — in which you’re forced to flee to your secret bug-out property. After seeking shelter and making sure your loved ones have plenty of food and water, you focus on the next necessity: fire … and firepower. In many survival situations, having a firearm (and knowing how to use it) may prove the difference between seeing a new dawn and, well, death. And when it comes to guns for survivalists, the AR-15 is an excellent choice. Mike Pannone, a veteran of both U.S. Army and Marine Corps special operations units and owner of CTT Solutions, says, “The…

The importance of having the right gear on hand was made crystal clear to this author early on in life while growing up in the Great White North. In some ways Canadians are born preppers. After all, if you didn’t properly prepare for winter, you’d find yourself frozen stiffer than a tauntaun in a Hoth snowstorm. This mentality carried over into my adulthood, and we’ve learned even more by training and sharing knowledge with some of the best survivalists, firearm instructors, and martial artists in the world. Our everyday-carry (EDC) gear — while usually minimalistic and compact — is never left at home, even if it has to change to match the demands and restrictions of the different environments we’re headed to. It’s that adaptability that we’re after, because adaptability…

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…