Table of contents for June/July #67 2025 in RECOIL OFFGRID

For those seeking more than a typical getaway, these handpicked wilderness escapes offer more than just scenic views — they challenge your grit, test your limits, and immerse you in landscapes where survival and adventure go hand in hand. Whether you’re prepping for a backcountry trek or looking to unplug off the grid, these destinations offer the perfect blend of raw beauty and adventure. First up is a submission by Caleb Stillians of Outfitter Services and our first international adventure. After, we get some island vibes going with an exciting location on the island of Kauai. Adventure Appeal: The Karoo Mountains aren’t just another scenic destination — they’re a rugged testing ground for those who crave adventure. From sheer rock formations to deep gorges like Meiringspoort, every step tells a story…

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…

The knife, or perhaps it’s more accurate to just say a sharp edge, is one of mankind’s oldest tools. Since time out of mind, we’ve kept a blade close at hand as we’ve gone about our day. It’s a valuable tool that does everything from slicing food and cutting cordage to carving needed implements and even defending lives. Thankfully, today, you need not hunt around for a chunk of obsidian or flint to knap into a handy size. Instead, you can head online and select a knife from a dizzying array of choices. Honestly, it can be a little overwhelming. How do you narrow down the choices? Budget This is where most people start, and rightfully so. You need to determine how much you’re comfortable spending on an EDC knife.…

The Premise Tiny Survival Guide 2.0: A Life Insurance Policy in Your Pocket is a practical and informative resource that helps individuals navigate the complexities of survival awareness. It’s s a compact and comprehensive emergency preparedness guide that fits comfortably in your wallet or pocket, making it convenient to carry around. Despite its power-packed compact format, it contains a wealth of survival information across a broad range of topics, including natural disasters, urban crises, and wilderness survival. It provides practical tips and actionable advice on essential skills such as first aid, shelter building, water purification, and signaling for help. The guide includes illustrations and diagrams that help clarify the content to enhance understanding. Its primary purpose is to equip individuals with the knowledge and basic skills necessary to improve their…

Prepping. Just hearing the word might conjure images of bearded hermits in underground bunkers, surrounded by canned food and ammunition, waiting for an apocalyptic event that never comes. That caricature has been repeated so often in movies, TV shows, and news segments that it’s practically become the mainstream definition of what it means to be prepared. It’s an unfortunate reality, because the truth is that any step we take to become more self-reliant is a step in the right direction. And if history has taught us anything, it’s that depending entirely on governments, institutions, or organizations to secure a stable future tends to end in disappointment at best and atrocity at worst. Even though the word has been stigmatized over the years, in its simplest, most condensed form, prepping is…

Reuben Bolieu is a man who trades tents for tarps, drumsticks for jungle knives, and panic for a steady pulse. A California native turned global adventurer, he’s whittled his adventure life down to a 4.5-pound pack and a philosophy forged in frostbite, bear chases, and seismic shakes. From Big Bear’s campsites to Peru’s rainsoaked jungles, Reuben’s path — part ultralight backpacker, part survivalist scribe — spans decades of mistakes and triumphs. With a camera in hand and a story to tell, he’s less about mastering the wild and more about learning from it, one steady, deliberate step at a time. You’ve been on some wild adventures. What sparked that interest? Reuben Bolieu: I’ve been hooked on camping since I was a kid. My grandfather would haul me, my cousin, my…

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…

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…