Table of contents for August - September 2016 in RECOIL OFFGRID

Let’s think about the times that we’ve suddenly and unexpectedly needed a flashlight. For many of us, the last blackout we experienced probably comes to mind. Blackouts, like emergencies, are almost always a surprise. Whether we find ourselves in the dark due to an overloaded circuit breaker or a much greater disaster, being able to locate a flashlight to assess what’s going on becomes an urgent concern. If you don’t happen to have a flashlight in your pocket when darkness descends — how many people keep flashlights in their PJs — how would you quickly find a torch with no electricity? Yes, our tactically black flashlights may look sexy, but their stealthy color can make them harder to find than a ninja on a nighttime mission. This is where we…

Anyone vacationing or visiting family in Brazil in 1964, Chile in 1973, or Thailand in, well, numerous years over the past few decades could tell you that being considered a subversive and denied what they thought were their rights is as easy as the old saying, “If you’ve been accused of it, you might as well be doing it.” You’re only as innocent as the people with the power say you are. Getting swept up in the political, civil, and financial turbulence of a coup d’état is no different than being in the path of a tornado. The mayhem doesn’t care who you are, but if you’re in the way, you could get injured, kidnapped, or killed. Or you could be without communications and resources indefinitely. In other words, don’t…

Forced to Survive the Night? Turn Your Stranded Situation into a Success Story It’s 3 p.m. and you’re not out of the woods yet. You only have a few hours left before sunset, and you have a decision to make; make preparations to spend the night or carry on. Everyone knows that in winter the days are short and nights are long, but being stranded overnight is dangerous any time of year. The temperatures at night are drastically different than those during the day, and survival demands more planning and grunt work from the survivor to survive the night. In warmer weather, mistakes and lack of effort are more forgivable with less concern for hypothermia, but the threat is never completely gone. You may be lost, separated from your group,…

The kukri is an intimidating weapon. With its fat, forward-curving blade, it looks like a dagger on steroids. Whether you’ve seen one in a movie or in the hands of a famed Gurkha soldier, you’ve probably wondered if it’s any more special than a bowie knife — and you’re probably curious as to how to use it. Well, guess what? It’s been used as a utility, tactical, and survival tool for generations. An original hybrid, the kukri (also spelled “khukuri”) is native to Nepal. Some scholars theorize that it originated from the sickle, the knife, and the bent hunting stick. As with any ancient weapon, opinions differ. There’s speculation that the angled blade came from Europe via the Greek kopis or from Egypt by way of the khopesh. Any which…

Some of you might look at this issue’s cover and say, “Caught in a coup? Please. That’ll never apply to me.” Well, I’m sure that’s what American tourists thought before they saw army tanks rolling down the streets of Bangkok in 2006. While that event was relatively bloodless, history has usually proven otherwise. Just 16 years into the 21st century and we’ve already seen almost two dozen coups and coup attempts. Sure, a traditional coup d’état is quite unlikely here in the United States. But that doesn’t mean they can’t happen while you’re overseas for work, school, or vacation. Plus, other situations might not technically qualify as coups but, on the ground, present the same kinds of dangers to innocent bystanders — protestors clashing with police, anti-government demonstrations, military crackdowns,…

There it was on the huge HD television at the bar. I could see it happening as clearly as if I were there myself. The news footage showed the beautiful statue, just down the street, being pushed over by a huge mob of angry people. The blood drained from my wife’s face as she watched, and she gripped my arm. I quietly said to her, “This isn’t good” — the understatement of the century. As we looked at each other, I realized that the lack of color in my wife’s complexion made her stand out even more from the tan, bronze, and copper-skinned locals all around us — some of whom were shooting dirty looks in our direction. “I want to go home,” my wife said plaintively, her voice cracking…

Whether you’re preparing a bug-out, get-home, or general survival bag, much of the focus on assembling a survival pack is on what gear to pack. While there’s little doubt that packing the right equipment (along with having survival skills) plays a big part in giving you an edge, there’s another important factor that often gets overlooked: knowing how said gear should be packed. Anyone who has ever carried a heavy load can attest to this. Packing a go-bag is a simple concept, but don’t take its simplicity lightly. It’s essential to properly organize the contents of your survival backpack — or any backpack for that matter — to help your body maintain peak performance, especially over long durations. We’ll cover several rules of thumb that should be applied to any…

Let’s see a show of hands. After a long, hard day, who doesn’t like a hot meal? Yep, that’s what we thought. Make no mistake, the aftermath of a crisis or disaster will require large investments of sweat equity in order to put things right again. From cleaning up storm debris to helping neighbors track down lost pets, you’ll be burning quite a few calories. A protein bar and sack of trail mix won’t cut it, not after the first day or so. You and your family will want to be able to prepare at least some semblance of a real meal. On top of being able to cook actual food, having a heating source means you can boil water for disinfection. Run the water through a coffee filter to…

The phrase “heat island” isn’t some new nightclub — but it sorta operates on the same principle. When you enter a packed club, you can feel the temperature difference. Everyone’s body heat gets trapped inside the building, and that spike in temperature makes you sweaty and thirsty — and could possibly leave you at greater risk of fainting if you overexert yourself. Cities and surrounding areas also trap heat because of how they’re built, the materials used, and the high concentration of structures in close proximity. This causes longer-lasting, higher temperatures in urban areas compared to rural settings. Urban areas also lack vegetation, which naturally cools its environs. The map here shows how annual average air temperatures have changed throughout the United States since the early 20th century. According to…

1 MAKE & MODEL Liong Mah Designs Xeno LENGTH 5 inches MSRP $120 URL www.liongmah.com NOTES Whether your car breaks down or you’re facing TEOTWAWKI, you want as many tools at your disposal as possible. But it’s impractical to lug around a toolbox wherever you go, so most of us stuff a Leatherman in our bug-out bag. But what if you’re separated from your pack? Fortunately, the Xeno from Liong Mah Designs gives you a slim multitool that you can carry every day. This 1/4-inch-thick titanium item works as a keychain, pry bar, bottle opener, screwdriver, and hex-bit holder. There’s also a variety of integrated hex wrenches and a finger loop, the latter of which can be hooked around a belt and helps make the Xeno an improvised striking implement.…

No matter the season, weather, or environment, one survival principle is constant: Keep yourself and your kit dry. Why? Dampness can kill. Consider: Anyone who’s ever exercised knows a sweat-drenched cotton shirt doesn’t exactly dry quickly — especially if it’s left in a gym bag. Aside from building a nice “stanky” collection of jock-itch inducing bacteria, a wet cotton shirt can cause hypothermia in even mild weather thanks to the convective cooling action of the wet clothing against your skin. So what can you do? Invest in moisture-wicking apparel, of course. Modern fabrics have made staying dry much easier than in the past. They’re now developed from synthetics (like polyester) and from complex blends of synthetics and natural fibers (such as wool). Then there are fabrics that are treated with…

Humans have always harbored a deep-seated fear of the dark, and for good reason. Darkness yields uncertainty. You never know what dangers could be obscured ahead — especially in a disaster scenario. This is why we’ve carried torches, lanterns, or flashlights for centuries, and why our vehicles invariably include headlamps. But there’s a glaring flaw present in modern cars and trucks. In many cases, automotive lighting has fallen far behind the technology present in the rest of the vehicle. Most cars on the road are still using halogen bulbs in mirrored reflector housings — a design that was invented in the early 1960s. Just like you wouldn’t lug an oil lamp instead of a 200-lumen flashlight, it’s foolish to continue lighting the road ahead with headlights that haven’t progressed much…

You’re bound to suffer an injury. It’s more a “when” than an “if.” Especially in a fight for your life, you can’t play it safe. But, you can’t let an injury stop you from getting in shape and staying that way. After all, your physical ability may be the deciding factor in your survival. Catastrophes and crises don’t call timeouts, and neither should you. You need to learn how to safely train through injuries if at all possible. Here’s how. Injured? Keep Sweating So, you hurt yourself. It sucks, but it doesn’t mean you need to quit all physical activity. Especially with uncertainty ahead, you can’t afford to cease training. When you think about it, many injuries you may get don’t involve your entire body. Take, for instance, an injured…