Table of contents for Spring 2014 in RECOIL OFFGRID

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No one has to tell you that being able to successfully execute your SHTF plan means being organized down to the last detail. We go to great lengths to make sure we have everything we’ll need to get us through whatever crisis comes our way. We all know that the kits, bags, gadgets, and food are of no use if we can’t find them or if they’ve outlived their usefulness. So, we fold, roll, and stack our goodies and put them in an accessible place where they’ll remain good to go until SHTF. Sometimes, though, out of sight can also mean out of mind. Some of us, out of habit, take for granted that our bug-out bag and supplies will always be at the ready. Nothing could be further from…

Don’t let the hyped-up doomsday television shows fool you. You don’t need to have a bunker full of olive drab-colored gear crates and radiation-proof water barrels to consider yourself wealthy in the realm of survival gear. To a creative and resourceful survivor, the average broom closet, kitchen pantry, and bathroom cabinets are already loaded with useful items. Many of these everyday household supplies can be repurposed into vital survival gear, home remedies, and emergency equipment, should you ever find yourself in a disaster setting or be faced with an urban survival scenario. Get ready to look at the ordinary things around you in a whole new way. Source Supplies in Your Closet Linen closets, broom closets and hall closets can all contain a treasure trove of good stuff. From towels…

When early mankind discovered fire and its many wonderful uses, mankind surely also quickly became aware of one of its painful consequences — burns. Though we have evolved since then, some more than others, modern man continues to deal with burn injuries and treatments. Most burns are caused by thermal heat, which we will discuss further, but some are due to a chemical or an electrical source. First Action The first action to take is to move the burnt area away from the heat source, and measures must be taken to stop any residual flames. Remember your schoolyard teachings… no, not “don’t eat glue,” but rather “stop, drop, and roll.” Second, assess the damage in terms of location, extent, and degree of the burn. TBSA and the Rule of Nines…

Waking up to the alarm clock, washing up, grabbing a cup of cofee, and driving to work are almost automated afairs for most of us. Food is readily available in the fridge or just down the street at the local market or restaurant. Making contact with anyone you want over phone, text, or email is not only efortless, it’s expected. So much so, that we curse getting stuck with a slow connection or dealing with the hassles of dropped calls. Sufice it to say, taking life for granted in our modern society is an easy thing to do. But what if the normal flow of the city you live in is abruptly disrupted? What if electricity stops coursing from the outlets? What if water stops flowing from the pipes? The…

Longbow The oldest, longest used and simplest of the bow types. A long semiflexible plank of wood is put under tension by a length of string. As the bowstring is drawn back, the bow is put under increased tension. When the string is let go the release of tension propels the arrow. Recurve An upgrade to the longbow, the recurve has the basic shape of the longbow, but curls (recurves) the tips in the opposite direction. As the bow is put under tension not only does the bow itself bend, but the recurved tips also straighten out. When released, the bow goes back to its original state with extra oomph imparted to the arrow as the recurved tips return to their original state. Takedown Recurve This bow is born for…

<5yrs These are common categories of emergency supplies with a finite shelf life; about five years or less depending on the item and condition of storage: Cheese/soy storable dairy, including powdered eggs Canned foods (commercial or self-canned) Baking goods (sugar, flour, grains) Condiments, peanut butter, jams, and jellies Pastas, grains (such as rice), and legumes (such as beans) Pharmaceuticals/medicines Water/soda/non-alcoholic and some alcoholic beverages >5yrs Items with longer-term effective dates; many are five years and beyond, depending on item and condition of storage: Batteries First-aid supplies Fuel MRE, dehydrated, and freezedried foods Seeds, fertilizers, and items for self–sustainability Some alcoholic beverages Ammo Candles Water purification systems…

Bicycles come in all different flavors, as do their riders, intended terrain, carrying load, and distance to be ridden. Picking the right bicycle can be tricky — and writing about how to pick the right bicycle can be even trickier. This topic can quickly become a 100-page dissertation, but we only have the space inside this little box, so we’ll make it brief. We are speaking in generalities here so you have a cursory idea of what to look for in a bike, but the experts at your local bicycle shop will be able to nail down the specifics of what bike will best fit your needs. Remember that fit is of upmost importance, so getting a bike that is the correct size for you along with being fitted to…

WARNING! This article is meant to be a quick overview and not a detailed guide on procedures relating to the treatment of concussions. To be prepared for any emergency, we encourage you to enroll in a certified medical course or, at a minimum, a familiarization course, which will deliver comprehensive knowledge of how to treat different types of concussions. Recent news has brought the problems of concussions to the forefront of the sports world. However, concussions not only affect overpaid jocks (and seemingly our lawmakers), they can also afflict regular people — so be wary of those clumsy friends you hold so dear. Concussions are brain injuries caused by a force applied to the head area. Any blow to the head, or even a slight fall, will cause a rapid…

SURVIVAL EXPERT Tim MacWelch Tim MacWelch is a professional wilderness survival instructor for the past 18 years and a survival skills and outdoor writer for numerous publications over the past 10. MacWelch has trained members from all branches of US Armed Forces, along with State Department, DOD, and DOJ personnel. He resides in Virginia. For info on his school, visit www.advancedsurvivaltraining.com TACTICAL TRAINER Chris Costa Prior to starting his company, Costa Ludus, Chris Costa spent four years as the president of Magpul Dynamics. Before that, Costa spent seven years in the private sector at Applied Marine Technologies Inc. (AMTI) on assignment with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Risk Management Division teaching police tactical assault operations for both maritime and critical infrastructure take-back. Costa also spent 12 years with the…

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…

DISCLAIMER: The information provided is for illustration purposes only, and is not, nor is it intended to provide, legal and/or financial advice. The reader should consult with an appropriate professional regarding their individual situation. Any use of the information contained in this article shall be solely at the reader’s risk. You’ve weathered the storm and your family is safe. But, as you emerge from the rubble of what used to be your home, the full extent of the devastation becomes painfully obvious — your house is in ruins, and your personal belongings are scattered as far as the eye can see. Planning and preparation really made a difference in the outcome of this scenario — your food, water, first-aid, and self-defense capabilities are all intact. But, as the days go…

One of the most compelling reasons to include bow and arrows in your TEOTWAWKI plan is the flexibility of using interchangeable arrowheads. Below is a rundown on arrowhead types: Bullet The simplest and least intimidating of the group. Used for target practice and occasionally small game (very small and frail game). Blunt A flat or bulbous tip made of metal, rubber or plastic. Used for knocking the crap out of small game that would be torn apart by other types. Snare This arrowhead screams, “to hell with aerodynamics.” Loops at the edge of the arrowhead entangle a bird’s wings to bring them down. Field A little bit more aggressive tip used mostly for target shooting and small game. Judo The most, steam-punk, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot-looking of the bunch. Spring activated…

Long before the epidemic of tweeting duck-faced selfies with the Prime Minister of Denmark or posting your latest pasta selection at Olive Garden, Sam Morse (with some help from Joe Henry) was posting status updates to his BFFs as early as 1836. This partnership of a struggling artist and nerdy physicist would match letters of the alphabet to the varying durations between switching an electric current on and off. What they created was a binary encrypted alphanumeric code that could be just as easily transmitted visually, sonically, or tactilely. That’s tech talk for a system of “dots” and “dashes” that represent numbers and letters. Unless you’re a radio operator, Eagle Scout, or grew up in a telegraph office, your exposure to Morse code has probably been limited to RUSH pounding…

“Sell By” This date has nothing to with the spoilage of an item, and everything to do with how long the seller wants it to stay on the shelf. It’s not mandatory to label items with a “sell by” date. That being said, if you want the best of what’s on the shelf (freshness, taste, brand-consistent quality) and to avoid the one that’s been looking for a home the longest, reach to the back. “Best By” This too has nothing to with the shelf stability or safety of an item. This is kind of like the manufacturer’s booty-covering move, telling you how long they feel the quality of their product is at its peak. In some cases there should be a “better if used after” date — think wine, cheese,…

City dwellers are well accustomed to — and largely spoiled by — the conveniences and wonders of modern plumbing. A twist of the wrist unleashes a never-ending flow of the wet stuff for drinking, cooking, bathing, cleaning, and more. The benefits and convenience of having large quantities of fresh water available to you at an instant are obvious. However, in an environment where clean water may not flow freely from the tap, those benefits become a necessary luxury and rare commodity. On January 9, 2014, a massive chemical spill near a water treatment facility in West Virginia affected roughly 300,000 people spanning nine counties. The root of that spill came from a single source, a company that produces chemicals used in the mining, steel, and cement industries. The chemical spilled…

Electricity is the cornerstone of modern civilization — most everything in our lives revolves around it. It’s the lifeblood that keeps the world turning, and without it our civilization would hit a serious bump in the road. We need it to illuminate the night, refrigerate our food, pump our gas, run lifesaving medical devices and, needless to say, it’s essential to our vast communications networks. In the United States, blackouts like the 2003 New York event, and the more recent power loss event in 2011 on the West Coast, cost us millions of dollars in lost revenue. While none of these incidents were believed to be intentionally caused, it does show how reliant we are on our nation’s power grid. It’s this very grid that can be an enticing target…