Survival's Edge 2017 - Summer

NEW
FOR ’17 PREPPER GEAR GUIDE
DEATH-DEFYING
SURVIVAL TALES
Q Lightning Strikes
SUMMER 2017
Q Bear Attacks
Q Car Wrecks
Q Cliff Falls
HOMELAND
TERROR
ARE YOU READY
TO REACT?
WILD WHAT TO
HOARD
GAME ON!
FOOD, WATER, COMMS & FIREPOWER
& HOW TO
BARTER
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SUMMER
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not pay as much attention to earth- everyone should have at least a 30-day 216-378-9811
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Contents 2017
VOLU M E 4 ISSU E 2
Features
SUMMER
14 WHAT TO HOARD
36
& HOW TO BARTER
Prepper’s guide to thriving long
after all hell breaks loose
By Frank Warren
26 WHAT’S IN YOUR SHTF BAG?

In a panic, you may forget life-
saving items. Here’s how not to
By Phil Elmore
36 PORTABLE PURIFIERS
Five next-generation devices for
drinking clean on the go—
26
because you never know where
that water has been!
By Laura Lancaster 98
44 AIRBOW SUPREMACY
Review of the fast and big-game
deadly Benjamin Pioneer Airbow
By Gordon D. Smith
50 BACKWOODS RIMFIRE
Hit the trail with Ruger’s ready-
to-roll takedown .22
By Steven Dick
56 ROCKIN’ REFLEXES
New holster options for red-dot-
topped field and defense pistols
92
By John M. Buol Jr.
72 HOT RODS 98 HAZARDS OF SUMMER
62 SECURITY SAINT Ancient piston-driven igniters Let our resident urgent-care
Defend your legacy with guaranteed to crank up doctor give you his tips
Springfield’s new anointed one the heat in the backwoods for staying safe and cool
By Terrill Hoffman By Charley Hogwood By Will Dabbs, MD
82 JUNGLE STEEL 108 CUTTIN’ UP A BUCK

Find out why ESEE is not your In a survival-related pinch,
typical knife company all it takes is one sharp knife
By Tim Stetzer and this DIY guide
By Bryce M. Towsley
92 HOMELAND HORRORS
Terror will strike again. How 114 FISH ZAPPERS
ready are you to cope with and Nine wild plants that will take
counter it when it does? the fight out of fish if you’re in
BY Michael D’Angona a life-or-death scenario
BY Christopher Nyerges
120 ANTENNAS UP
56 Stay informed with alternative
power and hand-crank radios
BY Andre’ M. Dall’au
124 SURVIVALIST
STOCKPILE
Cutting-edge off-grid blades
44 and gear fresh from the
2017 SHOT Show
By Jerry Cannon
| 04| 4| SURVIVOR’S EDGE| SUMMER

| SURVIVOR’SEDGE 2017| |
| SUMMER2016 | |REALWORLDSURVIVOR.COM
REALWORLDSURVIVOR.COM| |
Contents
S U M M E R 2017
Survivor’s Edge Summer 2017
Show and Event Calendar
April 1, 2017
Great Lakes Emergency
Preparedness Expo
Summit Sports and Ice Complex
Columns 9410 Davis Hwy, Dimondale, MI 4882

April 15, 2017
South East Self-Reliance Expo
02 UP FRONT
5622 US 231 Peanut Festival
06 CALENDAR OF Fairgrounds, Dothan, AL 36301
EVENTS
April 21, 2017
08 I SURVIVED Prepper Con 2017
Four true death-defying 9575 State St. South Towne
stories from everyday folks Exposition Center, Sandy, Utah 84070
22 ROAD WARRIOR April 28, 29, 30 2017
Sharpen your situational National Rifle Association
awareness skills Annual Meetings
25 TECH DEPOT 285 Andrew Young International Blvd.
First Tactical’s Canyon NW George World Congress Center,
32
Digital Compass
WATERWORKS
8 Atlanta, GA 30313
May 20, 21 2017
Guard against giardia SGK Emergency Prepper Expo
70 BOOK REPORT Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate
City Blvd. Greensboro, NC 27403
Four great manuals to
add to your survival library 32 May 21, 2017
78 PRESERVE & PROTECT Sustainable Preparedness Expo
Guide to fermenting Josephine County Fairgrounds, 1
veggies for the long haul 451 Fairgrounds Rd. Grants Pass,
OR 97527
88 ON THE EDGE
Work Sharp’s new Ken Onion June 2, 3, 4 2017
Sharpener gets put through Blade Show
the SE field test 2 Galleria Pkwy SE Cobb Galleria
104 WILD WOMAN Center, Atlanta, GA 30339
River fording safety tips June 10, 11 2017
118 BUNKER FOOD Bullseye Preparedness and
Review of Hungry Hikers’ Outdoor Expo
lightweight survival eats LeConte Center, 2986 Teaster Ln
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
June 10, 2017
Indiana Prepare to Survive Expo
215 Division Rd. Porter County Expo
88 Center, Valparaiso, IN 46383
June 24, 25, 2017
Greater Ozark Area Survival
104 Expo and Gun Show
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, 3001 North
Grant Ave. Springfield, MO 65803
July 8, 9, 2017
Greater North Carolina
Survival Expo
North Carolina State Fairgrounds,
Graham Building, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27607
July 22, 23, 2017
Greater Alabama Survival Expo
Von Braun Center South Hall 2, 700
Monroe St. SW Huntsville, AL 35801
| 6 | SURVIVOR’S EDGE | SUMMER 2017 | | REALWORLDSURVIVOR.COM |

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i Survived
Four true stories of falls, lightning,
and a raging momma griz
Compiled By Laura Lancaster

DON’T MESS When they left camp one chilly morning in late
summer, Neil Rico and his friends, Dewayne and
Cassie Wingfield and Jordan Abbott, had their
WITH MAMA sights set on one of the large elk bulls of southwest
Montana. After an hour of hiking, they reached the top
of a hill. From there, the four friends could hear elk
Hunter saved by bugling nearby. They decided to take a chance and
split up, to increase their odds of making a kill. “In all
friends in close my years hunting as a kid,” Rico said, “I’ve never had
any kind of a threat from any kind of animal.”
grizzly encounter As Rico descended the slope toward a thick stand
of trees, the elk suddenly stopped bugling. “I was
looking up the hill for a clear path so I could get onto
those elk again,” he said. A strange sound broke
the silence. “It was kind of a huffing,” Rico said. He
turned and saw a massive grizzly sow—500 pounds
or more—charging him at full tilt. “I’ve never seen an
animal move so fast in my life,” said Rico. He started
screaming at the bear, but when she was only 20 feet
away, he saw two cubs not far from where he stood. “I
instantly knew what was going on.”
The grizzly immediately attacked and took Rico
down. “They have so much force when they bite that it
was almost like somebody was chewing on a chicken
bone,” said Rico. “As she’s doing that, I’m screaming
bloody murder.” Hearing the screams, Rico’s friends
knew that he was in serious trouble. They also knew
that if their friend stopped screaming it would mean
the worst had happened.
Dewayne, Cassie, and Jordan found Rico a mere a
100 yards from the site of the attack and immediately
assessed the damage. “At some point, he had put his
ear up against my back to make sure I didn’t have a
collapsed lung,” Rico said. With his friends help, Rico
then walked out the 1.5 miles down the mountain,
where first responders met them. “I appreciate life
now more than I ever appreciated life,” Rico said.
“Every day is a blessing.”
“Hearing the screams, Rico’s

friends knew that he was in
serious trouble. They also knew
that if their friend stopped
screaming it would mean the
worst had happened.”
Shutterstock Photo
| REALWORLDSURVIVOR.COM | | SUMMER 2017 | SURVIVOR’S EDGE | 9 |

BEACH It would have been another uneventful bike ride
home for teenage lifeguard Ethan Riozzi-Bodine last
summer on the New Jersey shore. But two events
LIGHTNING conspired against him. First, the National Weather

Service issued a thunderstorm warning for over
a dozen counties. Then his bike chain snapped,
Teen lifeguard stranding him near the Bradley Beach boardwalk.
Seeing the sky darken on the horizon, Riozzi-
walks away from Bodine sought shelter under a small overhang near
the bathrooms. Before long, the storm began to swirl
two close strikes around the overhang while lightning repeatedly struck
over the Atlantic Ocean. Fascinated, Riozzi-Bodine
started recording the storm. “I just wanted to get a
cool lightning shot over the ocean,” he said, “I got it a
lot closer to me than I wanted.”
A lightning bolt struck near the overhang with a
serious crash and blinding white light. It struck so
close to Riozzi-Bodine that he decided to retreat to a
safer position, but before he could another bolt hit the
ground a mere 10 feet from him. “The whole ground
just vibrated,” said Riozzi-Bodine. “It went up through
my feet, up through my body, through my chest, and
out through my arms.”
After the storm had passed, a fazed Riozzi-Bodine
shared the video with his mother, Elaine. “When I saw
the video, I said, ‘OK, we need to get him to the ER,’”
she said. There, Riozzi-Bodine learned just how lucky
he had been. “They say if I wasn’t holding onto my
bike I wouldn’t be here right now,” he said. “My bike
kind of grounded me because of the rubber tires and
the rubber grips.”
Doctors were completely amazed to find high levels
of creatine in Riozzi-Bodine’s system, an indicator
of severe trauma, but no signs of burns or another
injury. “Now that it’s over I can say that it was cool, but
during the whole process of it happening it was not
cool at all,” he said.
“…he decided to
retreat to a safer
position, but before
he could another bolt
hit the ground a mere
10 feet from him.”
Shutterstock Photo

“If she stayed where
she was, the car
might move farther
downstream and over
a 90-foot waterfall.”
BAD WATERS RISING

Woman survives ravine
car crash with cool thinking
It was pouring rain one morning in late November on Despite her injuries, Drane freed herself and crawled
the Sunshine Coast Highway, just north of Vancouver, to the passenger side door above the water. From there
British Columbia. The posted speed limit sign read she could see twin dangers. If she stayed where she
40 mph and Carolynne Drane was playing it safe, was, the car might move farther downstream and over a
driving well within the legal limit. But on that particular 90-foot waterfall. Yet Drane, an experienced swimmer,
morning, even that was too fast for the slick road. knew that she would not make it if she tried to swim
On one very windy stretch, her vehicle fishtailed and ashore. She made the difficult decision to stay as still
Photo Courtesy Sunshine Coast RCMP
plummeted off a 35-foot embankment. “Before I knew as she could, both to preserve her body heat and to
it, I was going over that cliff,” said Drane. “I thought I avoid moving the car out of position. She waited.
was going to die.” When first responders arrived a few hours later
When the car finally stopped, it was on its side in a Drane was near death. “She was hypothermic,
fast-moving stream, and water was quickly pouring distraught,” a rescuer recalled. “I think she knew that
inside. Drane had survived the initial crash, but was there probably wasn’t much more time left.” For Drane,
fighting through the pain of a broken nose and a her survival was nothing short of miraculous. “It was
concussion. “I was stuck in my seatbelt and the water the first bit of warmth that I felt in four hours,” she said.
was rising,” she said, “I thought about my daughter and “I was just huddled in my car trying to survive. I did my
how I didn’t want her to not have a mother.” part. I stayed alive.”

WHISTLING
OUT OF
TROUBLE
Nurse summons rescuers
after tumble from cliff
Sometimes a little preparation is all it takes to save your life in

the backcountry. That was the experience of Amber Kohnhorst, a
nurse from Minnesota, when she took a short evening stroll along
the Rose Cliffs Trail in northern Arizona. After watching the sunset,
she started back to her car, but darkness soon set in. “I couldn’t
find my footsteps and that’s when my brain went into panic mode,”
Kohnhorst said. “I tried calling 911 right away, but I had no cell
service, so I needed to find my way down.” Before she could find the
trail, she lost her balance, and tumbled 100 feet down a cliff.
Kohnhorst survived the fall, but suffered severe injuries, including
a crushed pelvis, a broken nose, and three fractures in her back.
A piece of her ear was severed. “I couldn’t lay flat, and every time
I moved, I screamed,” she said. An experienced outdoorswoman,
Kohnhorst tried sounding her emergency whistle, but there was no
one around to hear it.
As the hours ticked by with no sign of rescue, Kohnhorst began
to prepare for the worst. Even though her phone didn’t have service
in the remote desert landscape, she was still able to type out a
message. “I wrote letters to my parents: ‘I’m sorry. I’m trying to
blow my whistle. I’ve fallen.’ That was going to be my goodbye,”
Kohnhorst said.
After 28 hours, Kohnhorst awoke to the sound of a helicopter
circling above her. Again she tried her emergency whistle, using
the pain of her injuries to power her through the ordeal. This time,
someone heard the whistle. The search-and-rescue team soon
rappelled down and hoisted her up to the safety of the copter. “I
knew this was my one chance,” Kohnhorst said. “If they found me I
lived. If they didn’t, I don’t know.”
The Southwest’s slot

canyons are beautiful to
look at but a labyrinth
for hikers and rescuers
alike. Always carry a
Shutterstock Photos
map, headlamp, and

emergency whistle, and
let someone know where
you’re headed and when
you expect to be back.

P O S T- C R A S H E C O N O M I C S
WHAT TO
HOARD &
When planning
your cache of
bartering goods,
remember to
consider the
everyday needs
of ordinary
people. Some
T imes have been tough. The old world
you knew before is long gone, replaced by
a harsh cruelty you never dreamed could
happen. People are scattered. Cities are
crumbling. Infrastructure is entirely non-existent. It
has been 18 months since the government collapsed
and several attempts to stabilize it or create a new
things you one failed, and with them went the last vestiges of an
might not think
organized economy.
are important
in your life— In the early stages of any long-term crisis, cash will
diapers, baby still play a major role in how people buy and sell things
formula, chia because people will believe that those pieces of paper
tea, Twinkies— still have value. The first to go will be credit and ATM
might just be
cards, as the lack of electricity prevents their use, and
the specialized
cravings that following any large-scale governmental collapse is pa-
will ensure your per money. But for a while, a couple of months at most,
supply earns a as long as a person has a wad of bills in his pocket, he
premium at the can still buy things from the ignorant and from those
trading block.
who don’t understand how economies work.
Now, as you stand in the crumbling ruins of a
deserted grocery store, you realize paper currency is
just a quaint relic of a bygone era. If you don’t produce
what you need yourself, you either go without it or find
someone who has it and is willing to trade for it.
What to Barter
There is a standard list of needs a person must fulfill to
survive any calamity. Food, shelter, fire, water, medi-
cine, and protection are the broad-stroke bullet points
of that list, as those categories must be satisfied and
Shutterstock Photo
Your savvy guide to thriving

HOW TO
BARTER
replenished when they run out. Otherwise, the odds
of your survival will be lower. Given that, the extra gear
you accumulate can be used to trade for the consum-
Large items,
like these various
packs and bags,
By Frank Warren
stack easily on
ables you deplete yourself. a shelf. Keeping
Remember, the value of a single item relies upon the them unboxed
law of supply and demand: the scarcer an item is, and means easy
the more people want it, the more valuable it becomes. access to
fill quickly, if the
So, when knives are in short supply, knives become
need arises.
much more valuable. The trick is figuring out what
things are essential in a survival situation, and the most
obvious are the things that expire quickly like food.
But that poses a problem. Storing an extra loaf of
bread with the intention of trading it down the road
won’t help because it will last no more than a few
weeks. But bags of flour and grains will last a few years.
The longer something lasts—like sugar, honey, bouillon
cubes, and salt—the better it can serve you in the future
when you want to trade for vegetables or fresh eggs.
People have vices, needs, habits and urges. Take
advantage of that. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol ad-
diction can be a double-edged sword, however. On the
one hand, their desperation might be great enough for
spirits, cigarettes, and coffee that they might be willing
to pay a high price for them.
On the other hand, these same addictions might be
so powerful, that they’d be willing to commit crimes to
satisfy them. Below are categories of things you should
hoard to use as bartering tools. They not only fulfill vari-
ous needs in people’s lives but can also last a long time
if stored properly.
after all hell BREAKS loose

Taking advantage of peoples’ vices

is an effective bartering technique.
Some people are addicted to
nicotine, caffeine, or alcohol.
Cigarettes go bad after six to eight
months, but raw tobacco and
packaged chew last much longer.
Though it is only a good idea to Alcohol/Cigarettes

barter ammunition and weapons People smoke, and people drink, and these vices
with people you know and trust,
keeping a stash of different calibers will never change. But what will change is their
in your stores may be important, access to alcohol and cigarettes. Despite how
if not to trade in the future, but for easy it is to make distilled spirits and the fact that
your personal protection. tobacco grows easily, most people will rely on
bottled booze and packaged smokes. The shelf
life of distilled spirits is a lifetime, and it has many
uses beyond drowning your troubles. Any alcohol
above 40 percent (vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.) can
be used for first aid purposes and as a sterilizer.
Store three or four cases of cheap vodka (the
price of alcohol has never gone down), and if kept
in a cool dark place, it will last forever. Consider
the 750mL bottles, which are easier to barter than
the larger jugs.

A pack of cigarettes doesn’t have the same shelf
life as alcohol. And if you’re a non-smoker, keeping
a few cartons of cigarettes in the freezer will only
preserve them another two to three years, at best.
SECRET ROOMS
After that, they begin to turn stale. These should be
rotated out periodically if you plan to use them for
trade. Instead, you can stockpile raw tobacco and
rolling papers, which store a lot longer.
Ammunition/Knives
Protection can be the No. 1 priority on some peo-
ple’s list, especially if society turns deadly—which
it will in the urban areas where people outnumber
supplies. Remember, stores only keep a couple
of day’s worth of anything on the shelves. Ammo
will always be of value, and it is storable for a long
time if kept in a cool place and vacuumed sealed to
avoid moisture.
The best calibers to stock are 12-gauge
shotgun shells, 9mm pistol rounds, and .22 Long
Rifle because they feed the most popular types of
firearms (as do .308 and 5.56). Keep no less than
200 rounds of each.
Knives and sharp tools such as axes and hatchets
are incredibly versatile gear that should be hoarded
and treated like gold. Everyone needs a good knife,
and if you’ve got tools to cut up firewood, carve
kindling, open boxes, packages, and even cans of
food, you’ll get a high price for them. Three or four
knives, axes, and hatchets each take up little room.
Toiletries
Striving for a sense of normalcy, people will long
for soap, shampoo and toothpaste to give their
strife a respite. Fresh breath and a clean body are
Some toiletries, like toilet paper, women’s sanitary

products, and contraceptives, are taken for granted in
normal life. But, as soon as an emergency situation rears its
ugly head, these things are quickly exhausted.

People usually
don’t think of
medication
unless they
need it.
Planning ahead
with a good
assortment of
over-the-counter
medicines—
allergy pills
and cough
medicine, for
example—will pay
big dividends,
especially during
flu and allergy
seasons.
Above medicinal necessities to enjoy a long life. Valuable anything from it. But what would a bottle of aspirin
Backyard
gardeners will
products include shampoo, toothpaste/toothbrush, be worth? Or what will be the value of a bottle of
be several steps bars of soap, razor blades, women’s sanitary needs, antibiotics, like amoxicillin or doxycycline?
ahead of the condoms, and toilet paper. Bronchitis, pink eye, ear infections, strep throat,
masses when Common, everyday items that most people take urinary tract infections and skin infections happen
food stores for granted will be the first to go. How many tubes frequently. Medicine to combat these infections
are no longer of toothpaste do you have in your house right now? will be a much-sought-after and therefore precious
in existence.
One? Two? When that runs out (as will the baking commodity, so it is best to keep a well-rounded
Seeds will be a
commodity that soda eventually), you can go without brushing your stash of it in your supplies.
will be in great teeth, but you need teeth to survive and having a Antibiotics are sensitive to heat and moisture,
demand. tooth infection isn’t the way to do it. You should and even though they will last for a few of years,
have at least 20 tubes of toothpaste, 10 bottles of store them carefully, and the best place is in the
Above, right
shampoo, a large stash of razors, etc. These items freezer. Do your research before you start to hoard
Remember to
safely store will go fast, and there will be no way of replacing medicines, as some may degrade after a short
fuel and fuel them. When’s the last time you saw someone make while, either losing their potency or becoming
canisters, a bar of soap? dangerous. Some antibiotics such as tetracycline
especially if and erythromycin, for example, can become toxic
you have a lot Medicine/First Aid after they expire.
earmarked Survival is messy. It’s dangerous, and peril is
for long-term
storage. around every corner. People will get hurt, and Fuel/Batteries
they will get sick. The smallest of cuts can lead to Your bug-out vehicle uses gas, as does your
severe, life-threatening infections if not properly generator. When the world shuts down, pushing
treated. Having a well-stocked first aid kit will everyone back 200 years, gasoline will be in a finite
be invaluable to you, and you’ll not likely trade supply, even though people will still need to drive

and to power their equipment. If you are staying put, Be A Seed Saver
keeping 20 or 30 gallons of gas will suffice for your Once you yank the carrot out of the ground, what
immediate needs and can be traded if not needed. then? Do you know how to process the seeds
Make sure to store fuel in metal containers and use so they’ll be ready for the next season? If you’re
a stabilizer to keep the fuel fresh as long as pos- going to grow crops in a post-collapse situation,
sible. The problem with storing gas is that it is bulky you should learn how to propagate all kinds of
and difficult to transport in large quantities. seeds. It’s easy, but a lot of people have no clue.
Most ordinary flashlights run on conventional bat- Not only do you have a sustainable source of food
teries, and those too will be in short supply after the but you can also start collecting and drying the
grid crashes. Keeping batteries long term requires seeds to trade.
a cool dark place such as a refrigerator, but make The easiest vegetables to grow are carrots,
sure you cycle them out after a year or two. Stock green beans, lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, and
D-, AA-, AAA-cell batteries and a smattering of the tomatoes. These grow in beginner gardens around
lithium CR123A for the modern flashlights. the world, so if you’re going to collect and save
BARTERING LESSONS:
LEARN NOW, OR PAY LATER!
[ As a society, we have become
so dependent on others for
either know each other or are in a
similar predicament with similar
near your stockpile. If someone
sees you have 10 cases of vodka,
everyday needs that the thought of mentalities. It only becomes risky the economies of scale will work
not being able to rush out for fresh when dealing with outsiders. against you and make each bottle
fruit or new clothes is difficult to Consider the ramifications of of vodka less valuable. Now, if the
fathom. With no formal way to buy trading ammunition with a non- person you are trading with thinks
goods and services, a future without vetted outsider who may use that that there is only one bottle of
money will involve trading surplus same ammo to steal the remainder vodka in 10 square miles of him,
items for what you lack. of your supplies. it increases in value and may be
traded for more. How desperately
RISK FACTORS: HOLD BACK: you need an item—and, conversely,
Bartering is as old as humanity When arranging a deal, never show how desperately someone needs
itself—a means of trading goods your whole hand. Always keep your something from you—affects
and services for millennia. cache of goods hidden away and how much that item is worth.
Bartering works best in small only bring forward what you intend Remember, the perceived value of
communities where all parties to trade. Better yet, don’t trade any item is completely relevant to a
person’s level of preparedness.
PLAY IT COOL:
The best deal is one that both
parties feel as though they have
won. But although you may have
that advantage, don’t anger the
other guy. You may want to do
business with him again. And don’t
ever admit your desperation for a
Keeping your
particular thing. Conversely, always
stockpile of
potential trading consider every trade and always
goods organized be gracious if someone declines to
and out of plain deal or doesn’t have anything you
view is a smart need. However, in the end, like in
play, especially every survival situation, you must
during tough
look after you, your family, your
economic times.
crew, and your best interests.

Although it is packages of seeds to trade, start with these

a good idea varieties. Seeds from beans, lettuce, peas and
to keep your tomatoes can last up to eight years if kept cool
goods labeled
and dry. Cucumber and melon seeds can hold out
(so you know
what you have for more than 10 years, but most seeds will last
and don’t have) around three years.
perhaps your
situation merits Coffee/Tea
a certain level Though not as potent a vice as alcohol or nicotine,
of clandestine
caffeine from coffee and tea can be a powerful Have you possessed any of them? It would do
hoarding so
prying eyes drug. Because of the nature of the bean, ground a prepper well to study up on them, and become
can’t see your coffee beans start to lose their flavor almost im- familiar with a host of low-tech professions that
collection. mediately, so they don’t store well. But freeze-dried have lasted the test of time. However, what often
instant coffee will last forever. Buying and keeping happens is an aspiration to become a jack-of-all-
several boxes of single-serving coffee packages will trades, but the apprentice becomes a master of
be a valuable article of trade, as there are people none. Focus on an area that interests you and turn
who will always need a good cup of coffee. it into a hobby.
Skills After the Trade

Goods aren’t the only useful things in the aftermath When something happens that decimates our so-
of a catastrophe. If you have a much-desired skill, ciety and destroys our government to the point that
your services can be great bartering tools. For its currency is useless paper, there will be such a
example, a doctor or a nurse can trade surgery for seismic shift in our lives that even the very concept
food, or a skilled carpenter can repair a roof or a of commerce will become foreign. The only people
shelter wall for a box of 12-gauge shells. A preach- who can hope to survive are those with goods or
er, teacher, farmer, mechanic, blacksmith, butcher, services up for barter.
mason, brewer, and leader have skills that only a Your first step in survival is making sure you are
few people in our current society possess, and they well stocked, not just with stuff you’ll need today
will command a premium when it comes to barter- or tomorrow or next week, but also things other
ing goods for services. There will always be a need people will need too—so much so that they’ll want
for these skills. to trade. Caveat emptor.

R OAD WAR R I OR
Tourist Trap
Escapes
Don’t get burned—learn to sharpen
your situational awareness skills
BY REUBEN BOLIEU
Flashing lights and the eruption of classical music filled the crisp air 1:25
a.m. on the Neva River, just behind the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The cheering crowd confirmed it was time to raise the drawbridges—three total—a
festive scene celebrated by locals and tourists alike. The spirit of Mother Russia was
brought to a frenzy as the revelers cheered and filled the sky with flash photography.
Unfortunately, this remarkable event also attracted opportunists.
I entered the crowd, and after taking my photos, I crossed the street with other spectators.
Before stepping foot on the sidewalk, a man jumped in front of me and bent over as if to
pick up something he dropped. With his arms extended, he shuffled as a basketball player
would, side to side, blocking my movement. Suddenly, two “casual strollers” were closing
in on me. Next thing I knew, I was jammed up between the three of them. It took me about
four seconds to figure out what was happening. By then, a hand was already in my over-the-
shoulder, messenger-style bag. I grabbed the wrist and yelled at the three crooks. Without
even a single glance, they stood upright and walked away, not making a scene, for they had
an entire crowd to work before they called it a night.

Are You Easy Prey? Above, top: As drawbridges famously open in St. Petersburg, Russia, tourists celebrating
In a perfect world, you could pinpoint the event are targets for thieves. Above, bottom: Some people favor a money belt, but the
author prefers using a neck pouch that can be tucked in a shirt or jacket, or looped over a
when or where you’d risk becom- belt and kept in the waist of a pair of trousers.
ing a victim of a violent crime, or not
become a victim at all. You can buy are flagging yourself to take a hit. If In the Philippines and Malaysia,
all sorts of tools for self-defense, but, you’re looking down while walking the first thing a taxi driver does is
if you’re not careful, they might cause to a vehicle, then you haven’t seen reach back to lock the doors for
you more trouble than they’re worth. anything. Obviously, you won’t even everyone in the car. He is at the
Gadgets provide a sense of security, see them coming. same risk as everyone. However,
but total reliance on them can stifle Vigilance can be as easy as avoid- when we take to the streets to see
our powers of observation. So, they ing dodgy parts of town after dark, the sights, taste the food, and enjoy
become a crutch. but often when traveling abroad, the culture, we’re on our own. How
Situational awareness will save you we don’t always know where those we carry ourselves, and our personal
from a lot of trouble. Muggings and places are until it may be too late. A belongings, is paramount! Victims of
Shutterstock Photo
pickpocketing are crimes of oppor- taxi or some third-world tuk-tuk, may casual pickpockets are self-devised,
tunity. If you look like an easy victim frequently drive through these places in other words, we ask for it.
with your hands full, talking on the and stop to get gas. At that point, it’s Thieves operate full time in touristy
phone, or reading a map, then you too late; you’re already there. areas of the world. It’s what they do,

R OAD WAR R I OR
to take the shot and keep the camera

Only spare clothes
secured at my side or, when I feel I got
like scarves, hats,
jackets, water, the right image, I put it in my backpack
or miscellaneous and switch to a smaller point-and-shoot
articles should go camera for touristy photos. But on
in a backpack while this New Year’s Eve in Lima, a friend
traveling. Keep decided to put a small camera in an
important things in
outside pocket of my backpack. And, at
front and hidden.
some point, a thief stole that camera. I
never felt a thing! Good thing it wasn’t
mine, or my mistake.
Front Carry
Anything stolen from me was because
it was behind me and out of my line of
sight. While taking a train from Athens,
Greece to Piraeus, I was traveling with
three other guys, all Americans who
were accustomed to carrying their
wallets in their back pockets. I’ve heard
rumors that pickpockets target trains in
and they are good at it! They look for Greece, especially near bigger cities.
weak and absent-minded, careless We all stood up, facing each other and
people. But rarely are careful people the train wasn’t too packed. But when
targeted. Where we carry our impor- we arrived in Athens, one guy was miss-
tant stuff or the “goods” determines ing his wallet. I kept mine in my front
whether we’ll be victims. My ordeal in pocket, attached to a chain on my belt
Russia was partly my fault and incred- loop, with my hand over it in my pocket.
ible timing on their part, as they are the After my recent ordeal in Russia, I
experts, not me! The fact that I carried switched to carrying my important stuff
an over-the-shoulder messenger bag in front of me, where it is easy for me to
meant I just had to be distracted from keep tabs on it, yet not easily accessi-
the opposite direction for them to com- ble to casual crooks. The only thing that
plete the heist. However, this wasn’t my goes in a backpack behind me is water,
first rodeo. extra clothes, and maybe an extra cam-
Lima, Peru during New Year’s Eve era battery. In my front pouch or neck
is a magical place. I was doing travel wallet (depending on the trip) I carry my
The most important documents, tickets, photography, as I do from time to time, passport, local currency that I estimate
boarding passes, and money should be in a which puts me in a precarious situa- to use that day, debit card, phone, and
stash pouch or belt. None of these articles tion. I use a big digital single-lens reflex memory SD card or flash drive with
should ever be in a backpack when abroad. camera that seems to scream, “Pick photos of important documents.
me as your next victim!” I do my best Only fools and victims would put
anything of great importance in a
back pocket or keep them stored in a
“ Muggings and
pickpocketing are crimes of
opportunity. If you look like an
backpack behind them. Cover up large
cameras and other photo gear as much
as possible as they otherwise paint a
target for the predators. Cargo pants
made of some synthetic material dry
fast, but they also have more pockets
easy victim with your hands to carry belongings. Cargo pants keep
important stuff close to us, and it will
full, talking on the phone, or be simpler to feel if something is miss-
ing or about to be.
reading a map, then you are If you seek adventure, be vigilant
to safeguard your belongings. Use a
flagging yourself to take a hit.” money belt or neck pouch kept close
to your body, but out of reach from the
average thug!

TECH DEPOT
The strap has inch/millimeter measur-
Practical ing marks and a Morse code key on the

inside, where it is not visible when worn.
There are five function buttons (one of
them green). The entire package offers
Timepiece
as much utility as possible, including
the markings on the inside of the band.
Fit & Function

“We own all the real estate on the band,”
explained Cory Nykoluk, vice president
Wearable survival technology of merchandise at First Tactical. “[We
from First Tactical I BY PHIL ELMORE decided, let’s] do something with it and
convert it into an additional tool.” The
In a world where nearly every- raised marks, which aren’t perceptible
one carries a smartphone, the when the watch is worn, also double as
wristwatch is an endangered stand-offs for ventilation.
species—a largely unnecessary As for the watch overall, Nykoluk
affectation. Our phones have timers, said, “The design needed to have both
alarms, and of course Internet con- ruggedness and simplicity within one
nectivity; of what use would be even [package].” His requirements? “Over-
the most full-featured digital watch? In sized lugs for crystal protection and
response to that question, the crew at a simple case design able to be worn
First Tactical has introduced a series of with different band types,” he said. The
watches that apply technology to every- watchband rotates, allowing the user to
thing from day-to-day living to surviving stand it on a table, while the band has
harsh conditions. The first of these is
multiple keepers, so the strap doesn’t
the Canyon Digital Compass, a wearable
hang up on anything.
piece of survival technology combining
the best features of a digital watch with The Canyon Digital Compass is a
life-saving navigation capability. durable, stylish, and eminently practi-
cal piece of survival technology. Its size
and full loadout of features will appeal
More Than A Watch to those inclined toward sports chrono-
The ruggedized watch offers a dizzying graphs and related accessories.
array of features, including an inverted Wristwatches may be an affectation,
display readout that shows the time and but wearing the Canyon Digital Com-
other indications in the absence of color, pass means you won’t get caught with-
rather than its presence. Other features out vital survival tools when you need
include a digital “second hand” consist- them most. (firsttactical.com)
ing of a ring of dots that constantly move
around the watch face, a stopwatch, a
timer, and readouts for multiple cities
and time zones around the world.
The centerpiece of these features is, “Wristwatches
naturally, the compass. Pressing the may be an
most prominent button on the watch
switches it to compass mode, complete
affectation, but
with a direction measurement feature. wearing the
There is a backlight for reading the Canyon Digital
watch or compass in the dark. There’s
also a “mute” function for the beeping
Compass means
that accompanies a press of any of the you won’t get
Canyon’s buttons. caught without
The Canyon Digital Compass has a
liquid crystal display (LCD) face and
vital survival
a synthetic rubber strap. First Tactical tools when you
advertises it as water resistant to 100 need them most.”
meters. The housing is fiber-reinforced
polyamide with a stainless steel case.

BOB BUILDING
WHAT’S
IN YOUR
SHTF
BAG?
BY PHIL ELMORE
Here is a list of oft-forgotten items that you

No matter what you’ve got in your bug-out bag, you’ve missed something.
We’re not accusing; it’s just a fact of human nature. Murphy’s law says that the
piece of equipment you’re missing will be the one you need, while 20 other pieces
of gear go unused. And while smart preppers add gear to their bags or daily carry
each time they realize they lack something they need, you won’t catch everything.
There will always be items you don’t think of, and while it’s tempting to take an everything-and-
the-kitchen-sink approach to your carry gear, that’s impossible. A bug-out bag has to be light
enough to carry comfortably over long distances, while your daily carry loadout can’t be so heavy
that you clank when you walk. So where does that leave you?
While going through your bug-out bag, you must

refine and re-refine what you carry to remove all but
the absolute essentials. The problem, though, is that
during that process of winnowing what you tote, you’ll
be tempted to remove things you shouldn’t. You may
also dismiss certain critical items out of hand, thus
“forgetting” a valuable tool that might save your life, or
at least make life much easier.
Compiled here are items most often forgotten. Few
of us forget all of them, but we suspect you’ve missed
or dismissed at least one.
Let There Be Light

A reliable flashlight is essential for your bug-out
bag. There are manually powered lights that must
be shaken to charge the batteries. Though a solar-
powered flashlight might seem like the punchline to
an old joke, new solar lights charge their batteries
with ambient light, so they’re available when you need
them. Batteries are heavy and there’s no way you can
carry enough of them. Every store selling batteries
will eventually run out, leaving you to scavenge more
or wander helplessly in the dark. Always pack at least
one flashlight that doesn’t need batteries to power
it. Other options include “dynamo” lights that are
fed power by the rapid turning of a hand crank or a
bicycle pedal.
Straight 8 Photo
Why would you forget a solar or dynamo light?

Because we love our high-tech flashlights, that’s why.
V Pack, evaluate, and revise the contents of your bag well before you bug out!
It’s very tempting to throw the latest portable-sun
tactical light in your bag with a waterproof container
simply can’t forget to pack in your 72-hour bag

BOB BUILDING
1 2
1. While bugging of extra batteries and consider yourself well covered

out, written for nighttime navigating. That’s fine until you burn
messages or
through your supply of power cells. Any device pow-
taking critical
notes, even in a ered by batteries is a point of vulnerability, especially
downpour, may be as a short-term emergency becomes a longer crisis.
critical.
2. A headlamp Small Prybar
is essential for For physically bugging out, a compact prybar is
hands-free light crucial. In urban or rural areas, you may encounter
while walking a obstacles on your route. A locked fence blocking
trail. your bug-out truck is possible, as is a locked door
3. There is no that separates you from reaching safety ahead of
better disposable rioters. A small prybar brings brute force to circum-
lighter than the
3
vent barriers.
standard Bic.
Why would you forget this? In this era of
sharpened prybar tactical knives, we tend to think
our survival blade can do it all, so we pack the
knife intending to use it for everything. All prying,
however, is an abuse of a knife. Yes, we all do
it, and yes, some manufacturers even tout their
knives as implements that can withstand prying
A small prybar is essential
and batoning, but you can’t be surprised when you
for getting past certain locks and
barriers during a bug-out situation. break a knife while prying something. It’s just not
designed to do that if it is a knife first.
Make A Note Of It
“Any device powered by With dry, sturdy pages you can leave messages
or, yes, take notes, even in inclement weather.
batteries is a point of There’s a scene in the old classic novel series by
Jerry and Sharon Ahern called The Survivalist,
vulnerability, especially as in which a character has no way to leave a note

for her husband except on the back of a check.
Don’t find yourself looking for a scrap of paper,
a short-term emergency any scrap of paper, when you need to write
something. Carry a waterproof notebook and
becomes a longer crisis.” prevent the problem entirely.

UGLY BANDANNA ON THE RUN
[ The bandanna or shemagh is
one of the most useful items
of your own. And chances
are your new friend chose
of survival gear anyone can pack. his headscarf because
It’s simply a square of cloth—some it looked cool and
larger, some smaller—but always a “tactical.”
multifunction survival implement “Muted” tactical
for which you’ll find many uses in clothing blends with
emergency or bug-out scenarios. urban and rural
It weighs almost nothing and environments, which is
can be folded or wadded to fit great if you’re an AR-
clothes pockets or any corner of toting operator, but not
your bug-out bag. Uses include so great if you’re a civilian
makeshift slings, carrying pouches, survivalist caught in a
or improvised water filters. natural disaster or some
You could also fill it with rocks other emergency.
or even camera batteries, tie it off, This raises a question:
and use it as a sap or blackjack. Or is your bandanna—or your If you carry shemagh or other headscarf/bandannas,
at least one should be as visible as possible.
tie it around your face to block dust shemagh or battle scarf—
and debris, such as volcanic ash ugly enough?
during an eruption. Use it to dress If you want your bandannas, or shemaghs must be
a wound or as a binding strap for scarves to be as useful as possible, brighter-than-bright colors, such
makeshift repairs. make sure some are ugly or gaudy. as blaze orange.
There’s a certain “cool factor” These bandannas should be “blaze” But you don’t have to pack only
with the larger shemaghs, and orange—also called “safety” or the bright stuff. Include a variety
also with the bandannas and “hunter” orange—while shemaghs of colors to pick and choose for
headscarves worn by survivalists should also be as bright as possible. various situations. Just don’t forget
and preppers. When you spot a There may come situations in at least one blaze orange bandanna
guy using a shemagh as a neck which you want to be noticed for when you need visibility.
scarf, there’s an equal chance that or even rescued. You might be It’s better to pack one of these
he’s a hipster or a fellow prepper, signaling members of your party away than to realize after the fact
but a lot depends on context. Add to your location. You might even that you need it, but then, that’s the
a paracord bracelet and a pair of be trying to ensure hunters don’t foundation of absolutely everything
cargo pants, and you’ve got a dead mistake you for a game animal. in survival and preparation.
giveaway that you’re looking at one Thus, some of your headscarves, —Phil Elmore
Why would you forget this? The need to Why would you forget this? Because with so
take notes and pass messages frequently gets many great kits for fire starting and tinder, we tend
overlooked when packing emergency gear. Few of to make lighting a blaze too complicated. Since
us see a bug-out crisis as the time to take down our Bic flames aren’t adjustable, so many preppers
memoirs, so we don’t think to include this critical opt for different brands, but absolutely nothing
piece of gear. beats the Bic for durability.
Bic Lighters Headlamp

The ubiquitous Bic lighters are the best disposable A powerful head-mounted light is the only way
butane products on the market. These humble, non- to stay hands-free in the dark. Yes, you can rig
adjustable devices are more durable than any other up a headband for your flashlight—and you might
butane lighter I’ve tried. I’ve had fancy “windproof” need to if your headlamp batteries die—but these
survival lighters that lost their butane charges are never as comfortable or as functional as a
over time or that otherwise failed. But I’ve had Bic purpose-built headlamp. You don’t have to buy
lighters remain functional after years in storage, something that equips you for a trip to the center
even with a striking wheel partially clogged with of the Earth; small models do just fine.
rust. Carry whatever other fire-starting materials you Why would you forget this? It’s because most of
like, but always supplement your fire kit with Bic us typically carry handheld pocket torches. That’s
disposable lighters specifically. what we use most often, and that’s what we tend

BOB BUILDING
HAVE GUN BAG, WILL TRAVEL

1 DISASTER-PROOF LUGGAGE
Getting out of Dodge for more than a day so that you can hunker down
someplace safer? The nearly indestructible Pelican ProGear Elite lug-
gage is what you need. Molded of high impact polymer and fitted with a
watertight O-ring seal, this luggage can resist everything on the wild open
road, the high seas or at 30,000 feet. That’s right, Pelican ProGear Elite
luggage passed submergence tests for an hour at a depth of one meter!
This luggage also includes a waterproof purge valve that vents the interior,
while blocking moisture. Pelican ProGear Elite luggage uses its time-test-
ed locking latches—the same design on Pelican’s Protector Case used by
soldiers, firemen and police forces around the world. (pelicancases.com) 1
2 COMPLETE RANGE GO-BAG
5 Star Gear’s DRB-5S Deluxe Range Bag is designed for all-in-one carry
of guns, ammo and accessories. Its main compartment has a removable 2
rigid bottom and side panels with two adjustable dividers for easy access.
Overall size is 18 x 8 x 12 inches. Available in ranger green, black or coy-
ote. (5ivestargear.com)
3 DISCREET RIFLE BAG

Durable 500D Cordura Nylon in casual colors, Tuff Products’ Sentinel
Concepts Revelation Back Pack is designed to conceal a SBR with up
to 10.5-inch barrel or AR-platform rifle sporting a Law Tactical Folder
up to 22 inches—including a 30-round magazine. This covert gun bag is
designed to look like any other backpack while also holding water bottles,
keys, phone, etc. Overall size is 22 x 12.5 x 4 inches. (tuffproducts.com)
4 EDC ESSENTIALS
Maxpedition’s Daily Essentials Pouch (DEP) is a two-compartment pouch 3
designed for everyday carry. It is sized to wear on a belt or to attach to the
side of a pack. The DEP comes equipped with two matching TacTie PJC5
Polymer Joining Clips for modular attachment to any AGR or legacy pack.
(maxpedition.com)
5 TURKEY GUN CASE

The Shocker Turkey Case from Allen’s Gear Fit Pursuit line of gun cases
accommodates all essentials from strikers and calls, to choke tubes. The
lining is heavy-duty dual-density foam. Green with Mossy Oak Obsession
and National Wild Turkey Federation camo. The case fits shotguns up to
52 inches. Oversized zippers make it easy to open and close. Lockable,
with front and rear pockets for calls and choke tubes. (byallen.com)
— John Higgs
4

to pack. We don’t often encounter Far left: The bug-out
situations in which hands-free in the bag is the foundation
dark is critical, at least not in our daily of all survivalist
lives. When such a scenario rears its preparation.
head in an emergency, we may be Left: Smaller bags
caught trying to strap flashlights to our are the only way to
organize your bug-
noggins with bandannas or even cord.
out bag, making the
contents modular.
Burn Gel
Any fire kit should include this first
aid item, especially for those who
don’t spend a lot of time outdoors.
When it’s time to bug out and build
fires for cooking or boiling water,
getting burned is very possible. The
lidocaine in burn gel instantly soothes
screaming burns that would otherwise
leave you suffering. Never pack the
means to build a fire without lidocaine
burn gel or cream.
Why would you forget this? Because
many first-aid kits simply don’t include
it. Also, a lot of us buy medical
kits and throw them in our bug-out
bags without critically checking
the contents. Burn gel frequently
is overlooked for this reason. Cuts,
scrapes, and abrasions are far more
likely for first-aid kit use, but you’ll miss
lidocaine burn gel a lot when you do
finally need it.
Bags Of Bags
Even if you’ve got all the essentials in
your bug-out bag, they aren’t much use
if you can’t find them. Always include
bags of smaller bags to organize gear
modularly. Put your water purification
kit in one bag, your fire starting materi-
als in another, and so on.
Why would you forget this? Most
people don’t think about unpacking
and rearranging a bug-out bag when
they first assemble it. They arrange
the contents with methodical care, but
then the bag tends to sit unused. It isn’t
until you’ve rooted for a particular item
in your bug-out bag, then scattered its
contents, that you appreciate the ease
of repacking a modularly organized bag.
There’s no way for us to cover
every item you might have missed,
but these are frequently forgotten
items. Your bug-out bag is a starting
point only—but it’s an essential one.
It’s the base on which you’ll build
for all your preparations, so don’t
overlook critical, useful items like the
ones cited here.

WAT E R W O R K S
Guard
Ag ainst
Giardia
Warning : Deadly
parasites lurk where
em
you least expect th
BY PHIL ELMORE
Are you at risk from Giardia? Along with diarrhea, symptoms of Giardia
Have you even heard of it? You probably infection include cramps, flatulence, and greasy
know that untreated drinking water can stool. As with any diarrheal disease, giardiasis
carry certain dangers of sicknesses, can cause dehydration, which can cause a
but you may not have considered what some of variety of more serious problems (and ultimately
those diseases are. One of them is a diarrheal leave you less than functional).
illness called giardiasis. Contract giardiasis during an emergency and
According to the Centers for Disease Control you’ll have more trouble than stomach problems
and Prevention, Giardia is a microscopic parasite and diarrhea; you’ll eventually shut down
that, if ingested, causes giardiasis. Giardia is because you can’t take in enough water to offset
incredibly common throughout the United States the dehydration. And if the water you’re drinking
and across the globe. It harms people, pets, and is the very thing giving you giardiasis, you’ll only
wild animals alike. The CDC reports that Giardia be making the problem worse by drinking more.
“is found on surfaces or in soil, food, or water It can take up to three weeks for symptoms to
that has been contaminated with feces from manifest, which means your entire family could
infected humans or animals.” become ill before you even realize the danger.

Just because found
water is clear doesn’t
mean it’s safe to drink.
Chlorine Can’t Compete

The parasite has a tough outer shell,
which makes it resistant to chlorine.
Therefore, Giardia cysts can survive A filter straw is
for months outside a human or animal a critical piece of
“host.” Consequently, there are multiple survival kit.
dangers of exposure beyond drinking
from a fouled stream or even a well. Ice
cubes made with contaminated water
“
will carry the disease. Swallow pool
water contaminated with feces and you Contract giardiasis
might get Giardia because the chlorine
in the pool won’t kill these cysts. during an emergency and
Giardia found on surfaces contami-
nated with human or animal feces—from you won’t just be hindered by
a changing table to a bathroom stall
handle to a restaurant kitchen where your stomach problems
employees don’t wash their hands—will
also lead to infection. Uncooked food and diarrhea; you’ll eventually
containing Giardia will spread it, as will
contact with a person who has giardia- shut down because you
sis. Significantly, Giardia doesn’t attack
through blood. You have to swallow it can’t take in enough water to
to become infected.
It’s also possible to test positive offset the dehydration.”
for Giardia infection while showing
no symptoms. In those cases, it’s not
usually necessary to do anything. But,

WAT E R W O R K S
in the absence of telltale diarrhea, most susceptible to giardiasis,

an individual who tests positive namely pregnant women, infants,
for giardiasis should be care- and children still in diapers.
fully monitored for fatigue, upset The CDC points out that at-risk
stomach, lack of appetite, and groups include backpackers,
weight loss. hikers, and campers who don’t
If you do get giardiasis, expect practice good hygiene, or who
to suffer two to six weeks, pos- drink untreated or improperly
sibly more. Symptoms can be treated water. The same goes for
treated and even curtailed with international travelers. Heed the
medication. Your only other choice travel warnings of certain nations
will be to ride it out if you can’t get to not drink the local water or use
to a doctor. Staying hydrated is it to brush teeth.
critical. Severe dehydration poses In an emergency or bug-out
a real danger of death to those situation, all of these factors get
PETS & PARASITES

Shutterstock Photo
DIAGNOSIS: Pets suffering from

giardiasis may show no symptoms
of discomfort at all, just like humans,
which makes detecting Giardia in
your pet, and protecting him or her
from it, a lot tougher. Watch your
pet’s feces—but don’t touch without
protective gloves—for these telltale
signs: liquid or watery consistency;
softer than normal; unusually
greenish. The animal may vomit, just
like a person, and may have reduced
appetite. Dehydration and poor
appetite will also lead to gradual
weight loss, so watch for that, too.
THE UPSHOT: Most pets suffering

from giardiasis will get over it.
There are no over-the-counter
[“Beaver Fever” isn’t just a

problem for people and wild
not shy about drinking from puddles
and other stagnant, possibly
remedies; you need a veterinarian
to diagnose and treat giardiasis in
animals (like, yes, beavers). Your contaminated water sources. your dog or cat. Follow-up care,
dog can get giardiasis, too, and if he The risk of you contracting as recommended by the CDC, is
does, he can’t describe his symptoms giardiasis from an infected dog or essential. Your dog or cat isn’t just
to you. Given most dogs’ natural cat is relatively low, as different a pet, but part of your family. Some
tendency to root around in, well, just types of the parasite affect dogs are service animals; others are
about anything, your dog could be pets compared to humans. The part of your security preparations.
at much greater risk from giardia exception would be “exotic” pets “Beaver Fever” is a real risk to your
parasites than you. like rats that might carry human- animals and demands attention.
affecting strains of the parasite. Keep this in mind, especially if your
THE RISKS: While people avoid Assuming your furry friend has animal accompanies you when you
exposure to feces, our beloved dogs Giardia and you don’t, you’ll still “bug out” during an emergency.
are much more casual about it. need to know when to take your pet If you take good care of your
Dogs will regularly consume feces if to the veterinarian for treatment. So furry friend, he’ll likely take good
left to their own devices and they’re what are the signs? care of you. —Phil Elmore
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/prevention-control-pets.html

“ These parasites are unimpressed by
hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps,
given that chlorine won’t kill them
either. What you’re looking to do is
physically remove the Giardia parasites
by washing them down the drain.”
Having the ability to treat

water chemically is the next Where will you be when
best thing if you don’t have you lack access to potable
the means to boil it. water... and will you be able
to access what’s there?
worse. People moving from Point A looking to do is physically remove the Alternatively, you can filter the water,
to Point B in social chaos or a natural Giardia parasites by washing them but not all filters remove Giardia.
disaster will naturally consider some down the drain. According to the CDC website,
shortcuts. But drinking directly from Also, be extremely careful not to “Filters that are designed to remove the
a stream without treating the water swallow anything by accident, like parasite should have one of the follow-
could leave families crippled with diar- “recreational” water from a swimming ing labels: reverse osmosis, absolute
rhea and endanger the lives of small pool or hot tub. Even if you take the pore size of 1 micron or smaller, [or]
children. water into your mouth and then spit it tested and certified by NSF standard
out, a parasite may have stayed behind, 53 for cyst removal [or reduction].”
Defensive Hygiene and you’ll eventually swallow it despite Knowing that drinking untreated
Given all this, the best way to deal with your best efforts. Never drink untreated water might make you sick is a good
giardiasis is to avoid Giardia altogether. “found” water. If you get your drinking thought to have nagging you, especially
The first line of defense against the water from a well, it should be tested while trekking through the woods—or
parasite is good hygiene. Wash your to make sure it is not contaminated. At an urban environment—when you’re
hands frequently, particularly after all times and in all contexts, you should tempted to drink from a puddle or a
bowel movements, after changing dia- avoid contact with human and animal creek. Armed with the knowledge of
pers, and always before preparing and feces. what Giardia is and how to prevent
eating food. Use an antibacterial soap if Because Giardia beats chlorine, the exposure to it, you are that much better
it makes you feel better, but understand only reliable ways to purge contaminat- prepared for survival.
that the antibacterial quality won’t ac- ed water are boiling and filtration. The
complish anything. These parasites are CDC recommends bringing water to a
unimpressed by hand sanitizers and rolling boil for one minute (three min- FOR MORE INFORMATION
anti-bacterial soaps, given that chlorine utes if you are higher than 6,500 feet cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/
won’t kill them either. What you’re above sea level) to kill the parasites.

ADVENTURE GEAR
Portable
Purifiers
Five next-generation devices
for drinking clean on the go
By Laura Lancaster
This is arguably the most important part sources—springs, rivers, and lakes. But with
of any outdoor survival kit—the water fil- backcountry water sources come risks: Crypto-
tration system. Fail to drink enough clean sporidium. Giardia. E. coli.
water, and you’ll weaken, suffer cramps, dizzi- To protect yourself and your family, you’ll need
ness, and even death. In the backcountry, staying to treat backcountry water sources before drink-
hydrated is the first step to staying alive. How ing. For years, treating backcountry water meant
much water you need depends on you. The aver- dealing with the strange taste and the smell of
age person needs a gallon of water a day—much iodine, or juggling the unwieldy tubes and balls
more for bigger people, or in a dry, hot climate. of a pump filter. But today’s water treatment
Many people plan to carry all of their water systems offer more flexibility, reliability, and
with them when they head out into the back- performance.
country, but this strategy quickly falls apart the Which one is right for you will depend on your
farther you get from civilization, and for one sim- particular situation: where you live, whether
ple reason: water is heavy. A gallon of it weighs your family is with you, how fast you need to
more than 8 pounds. That’s 24 pounds to survive travel. Choosing the right one is a big step to a
a three-day journey and nearly 60 pounds over successful outdoors experience.
the course of a week. It’s just impractical for all Here are five of today’s top performers, care-
but the very strongest to carry that much water. fully crafted to meet a range of needs in different
Most of us will need to get water from natural environments.

V CUTTING
THROUGH: This
remarkable photo
was taken as
part of a killer
ongoing project
that Gabriel Gray
(photographer’s
friend and
expedition mate)
is involved in
to promote the
preservation of
American rivers.
Last summer,
Gabriel hoofed
all that gear into
Idaho’s Sawtooth
Range and
made the first
SUP descents
in Sawthooth
watersheds.
Jackson Berger Photo

ADVENTURE GEAR
Sawyer Squeeze
Since it entered the market in 2012, the Sawyer
Squeeze Filter System has gone from the niche
world of ultralight backpacking to become the go-to
filter for thousands of outdoorsmen and women.
And for a good reason: the Sawyer is simplicity
itself, eliminating the cumbersome tubes and ball
valves of the pump systems of yore for a simplified
design: a single bag and screw-on filter.
To operate, just fill your bag from the “dirty” water
source, attach the screw-on filter, and squeeze the
water through the filter into a “clean” container.
This pared-down system makes it easier to keep
the “dirty” parts of your water filtration system
away from your “clean” parts, a common source
of contamination with the pump filtration models.
For most solo backcountry travelers, 3 ounces and
a couple of minutes of squeezing are enough to
secure fresh, safe drinking water, but the ultra-
prepared may want to carry a replacement pouch
and the back-flush syringe to ensure their filter
stays in good working order for the duration of its
lifetime. (sawyer.com; 800-356-7811)
The Sawyer bags

easily fold down to
fit in your pack’s
outside pockets,
making it easier
than ever to filter
water when you
need it.

Platypus GravityWorks
If you’re out off the grid with your loved ones, then you may want
something that’s both high capacity and minimizes the exertion required
for each liter of water. Fortunately, the folks over at Platypus came up with
an ingenious design, one that uses gravity itself to filter water effortlessly.
To use the GravityWorks, fill the dirty bag with water, and position it high
up—tying it to the branch of a tree or placing it on a high boulder. Your
clean bag, clearly labeled so that it isn’t accidentally contaminated, goes
beneath it, connected by two tubes with the filter separating them. Then
just release the hose clamp and let gravity do the rest.
This system is surprisingly fast—capable of filtering up to 4 liters in
under three minutes. So by the time you’ve finished setting up your tent or
prepped your meal, you have clean, safe water, ready for the whole family.
Depending on the size of your group, the GravityWorkses come in 2-liter
or 4-liter capacities.
(platy.com; 800-531-9531)
Just sit back and let

gravity do the work
for you with Platypus’
ingenious high-capacity
filtration system.
Aquamira’s
NEXT-GEN innovative system

is a smart choice
for the health
conscious.
PURIFICATION PILLS
If you associate water purification pills with excellent choice for your bug-out-bag.
[ metallic tasting water and permanently (potableaqua.com; 800-558-6614)
yellowish brown bottles, then it’s time for a new
look. Today’s newest generation of water purification AQUAMIRA:
tablets result in water every bit as tasty as those Another popular chemical treatment option is
treated by filters or UV light. Aquamira Water Treatment Drops.
Aquamira comes with two bottles, Parts
POTABLE AQUA: A and B. These first must be mixed to
One of the most widely used treatment activate the ingredients before adding
options, Potable Aqua+, is a breeze them to the water to be treated. The
to use. Just drop two tablets into a innovative chlorine dioxide formula
liter of water, wait 35 minutes, and releases a highly active form of oxygen
you have safe drinking water. While that kills dangerous germs. Unlike
the active ingredient here is iodine, Potable Aqua, Aquamira is free of both
the neutralizing tablet eliminates any iodine and bleach, making it a smart
offensive tastes or colors. Remember choice for long-term use.
that iodine isn’t a good solution for (aquamira.com; 877-644-4650)
long-term water purification, but
that doesn’t mean this hassle-free,
lightweight option doesn’t have a place Shelf life and ease of use
in your kit. In fact, since these tablets make Potable Aqua tablets
have a four-year shelf life, they’re an an important standby.

ADVENTURE GEAR
Grayl Ultralights
Sometimes your biggest backcountry consideration
is speed. Spending precious minutes at a water
source fussing with tubes or bags isn’t an option.
Fortunately, making miles is what the Grayl Ultralight
Water Purifier does best. The filter fits inside the
bottle, making it easy to carry on the outside of your
pack without worrying about potential damage. When
you need to refill, simply dip the bottle inside any
available water source (river, marsh, cow pond) and
press the filter, slowly but firmly, down until all of the
water has passed through.
Unlike most filter systems, the Grayl blocks
everything: bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and even heavy
metals. In just 15 seconds you get half a liter of water,
clean and pure. Now that’s hard to beat.
(thegrayl.com; 877-293-7861)
“A gallon of water weighs

more than 8 pounds. That’s
24 pounds to survive a
three-day journey, and
nearly 60 pounds over the
course of a week. It’s just
impractical for all but the
very strongest to carry that
much water.”
It’s a snap to
learn how to
use the Grayl
ultralight
system: just
scoop, push,
and drink.

MSR Guardian With its innovative
backflushing
We’ve all been there technology, the
before: you’re out of iodine, MSR Guardian may
the filter is clogged, the well be the last
hose contaminated. In filter you’ll ever
have to buy.
those moments, you’d give
just about anything for a
trustworthy filter that required
little to no maintenance.
The MSR Guardian Purifier
delivers reliability again and
again through an innovative
design: every time you
pump, a portion of the water
pulled through the filter
is then pushed out again,
backflushing the filter with
every pump so that you never
need to worry.
To ensure that this is the
last filter you’ll ever need, the
folks at MSR put the Guardian
through its paces: dropping
it onto concrete from 6 feet
up and subjecting it to sub-
freezing temperatures. The
Guardian withstood all tests
without damage to its filtering
capacity. How good is the
Guardian? This bad boy was
designed at the request of
the military to meet National
Sanitation Foundation
Protocol P248—ready to be
deployed anywhere in the
world to provide fresh drinking
water to the troops.
(msrgear.com;
800-531-9531)
“For years, treating backcountry

water meant dealing with the strange
taste and the smell of iodine, or juggling
the unwieldy tubes and balls of a pump
filter. But today’s water treatment systems
offer more flexibility, reliability, and
performance.”
ADVENTURE GEAR
SteriPEN Classic 3 The SteriPEN

If you’re like me and you’re tired of pumping a filter, again and Classic 3 uses
again, every time you need a fresh liter of water then it’s time to ultraviolet rays to
try something radically different: the SteriPEN Classic 3. It uses eliminate 99.99%
of dangerous
ultraviolet light to sterilize bacteria and viruses alike, making your
bacteria and
water safe to drink without changing the taste. viruses.
To operate, press the button (twice for a 1L container and once
for .5L), wait for the green light to flash, and place the lamp in the
water so that the two sensors are submerged. The wand will glow
blue for a minute and a half as you swirl it in your drinking vessel.
The treatment has completed when the green light comes on again
(a red light will flash if anything has disrupted the process).
The SteriPEN is an exceptionally strong choice for dry climates
with a significant daytime/nighttime temperature differential—where
most filter units need protection from freezing temperatures to
prevent damage to their internal mechanisms; warm the SteriPEN
back up and it works perfectly fine.
(steripen.com; 207-374-5800)
Before You Hit It

There is only one scenario in the outdoors when
I’ll risk drinking water without filtering it first: I’m at
the glacier, and I’m watching its water pour into my
bottle. That’s it.
Backcountry lakes, rivers, and yes, even springs,
all get treated first. That will sound like overkill
to some—probably 90 percent or more of those
water sources are okay to drink. But how to
know which ones are which? Springs may look
crystal clear bubbling from the ground, but it’s too
difficult to know just by looking if the water table is
impermeable to runoff.
Rivers may feel cold to the touch, but I’ve seen
trash, human waste, and even dead animals
upstream. And lakes—don’t get me started on lakes.
So don’t be fooled by that outdoorsman you
cross paths with, who’s been drinking out of that
one stream for years with no ill effect. Giardia,
for one, does not always produce symptoms
in carriers. Do you know if you can withstand
exposure? Is it worth a couple of minutes of your
time to stay safe? Don’t cut corners. Always treat
your water.

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MODERN HUNTER
A powerful
new hunting
tool combining
the best of two
worlds—High
Pressure Air
Pre-Charged
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broadheads.
(Check local
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F
ARROW PERFORMANCE:
BENJAMIN PIONEER AIRBOW
Length: 26.25 inches
Weight: 375 grains (including 100 grain field point)
Velocity: 450 fps (rated), 437 fps (tested)
Energy: 160 fpe

AIRBOW
SUPREMACY Benjamin’s revolutionary
pneumatic Pioneer Airbow is fast,
accurate and big-game deadly
By Gordon D. Smith
You may already be familiar with pre-charged
pneumatic (PCP) airguns—the ones powered by high-pressure
air (HPA) stored in an on-board reservoir to launch a pellet or
soft lead bullet. If you consider such things “kids toys,” let me
bring you up to speed. It may surprise you that large-caliber
airguns have been around for at least a couple hundred years.
Lewis and Clark carried a .54-caliber repeating PCP air rifle on
their expedition to open the West.
But what if your interest leans more toward bowhunting as a
way to put meat on the table? Or you have a physical limitation
that hinders lugging a heavy firearm into hunting areas.
Perhaps the latest offering from Crosman’s Benjamin Airguns
has the solution, combining the power of HPA with the effective
and efficient use of a carbon-fiber arrow in a compact package.
The Pioneer Airbow joins the best of both worlds, launching
a full-length arrow at close to 450 feet per second (fps). It
is lightweight, easy to load and cock, flat shooting, powerful
but with little recoil, and lethal. Oh, and it’s accurate to boot. I
managed to drive an arrow into the back of one already in the
target. Very cool, but with these arrows being carbon fiber,
both were ruined, so my “Robin Hood” was an expensive shot!
V Capable of launching a full size arrow

at speeds up to 450 feet per second, the
Airbow is a new tool in the quiver of the
hunter (pun intended).
MODERN HUNTER
Bullpup Package internal regulator to release an identical amount of

The Airbow derives from a .357-caliber repeat- air each time the valve opens for consistent results
ing bullpup air rifle, called the Benjamin Bulldog, as the pressure drops.
released by Crosman/Benjamin a few years ago. The Airbow is also built here in the U.S. The
Lightweight and A bullpup design incorporates a full-length barrel sample I received came well packaged with
easy to field, the in a shorter package. But Benjamin used polymers everything to get started except the air source. In
Airbow gives to form a lightweight bullpup with futuristic styling. the package was the black Airbow along with a
a hunter the The Bulldog and Airbow appear very similar; design CenterPoint 6x40mm adjustable objective (AO)
advantage of engineers knew they had a great platform to adapt scope with steel mounting rings, and 6-inch
shooting angles
not conducive to
for the arrow-firing gun. Picatinny extension rail compensating for 20 minute
drawing a bow. The trigger is approximately midway on the of angle (MOA) when mounting the scope. The
Plus, muscle bullpup and the valve controlling the release of the AO bell provides parallax correction, important
fatigue sets in HPA is at the rear, so mechanical issues had to be when considering the effective range of the Airbow.
pretty quickly resolved to smooth out the firing sequence and Other items included a padded sling, Bohning
when holding a trigger pull. Obviously, because the two projectile arrow quiver and mount, three special carbon-fiber
bow at full draw
launchers have different missions and capabilities, arrows and an instruction manual. Benjamin also
for any length of
time; this isn’t a they differ somewhat in internal mechanics. For the included some full-length camouflage decals that
problem with an Airbow this includes moving the pressure gauge to allow the user to apply some Realtree brand camo
Airbow. the front of the air reservoir and the addition of an to the Airbow.
“The Pioneer Airbow

joins the best of both
worlds, launching a
full-length arrow at
close to 450 fps.”
V Futuristic in styling, the Airbow is

all business when it comes to shooting
arrows flat and hard. The Mossy Oak
trim decals are included for those who
want to apply them. Note the front sling
attachment point where an aftermarket
bipod could be attached.

Easy to Use
For air sources, Benjamin carries a line of HPA
tanks and a special manual pump. From the sur-
vivalist point of view, the pump is a must-have item
because it is self-contained and doesn’t require
any electricity or batteries—just good old-fashioned
elbow grease. But that’s the drawback because
it takes a bunch of pumping to fill an empty air
reservoir on the Airbow. But, once the reservoir
reaches its maximum of 3,000 psi, topping it off is
easier. And, with PCP air rifles, it doesn’t hurt them
to leave their air reservoirs charged for long periods
of time (except if you leave one under the back win-
dow of a car parked in the sun—extreme heat and
HPA tanks don’t mix).
Loading and firing the Airbow is simple. After
filling the reservoir to 3,000 psi, place the carbon- SHOCKEY & AWE
fiber arrow over the arrow rest/launch tube, which
is, essentially, an unrifled barrel. Each arrow,
traditionally fletched with three vanes, also comes [ Think the Airbow’s powerful enough to score some
bison burger? At full charge with 100-grain broadheads
with a “cock feather” in lime green; point it up while and traveling at 450 fps, the Airbow develops more than 160
loading the arrow. Next, the shooter pulls up and foot-pounds of energy (fpe)—enough power that professional
back on the cocking lever and then returns it to its hunter and Crosman’s spokesman, Jim Shockey, used one to
starting position. At this point, engage the safety take an American bison weighing 2,000 pounds!
by pulling it toward the trigger. The shooter then
Proprietary
carbon fiber
arrows must
be used with
the Airbow and
they come with
100-grain field
points.
F
SPECIFICATIONS: BENJAMIN PIONEER AIRBOW

OA Length: 33.5 inches
Weight: 6.9 pounds with no accessories
Trigger: Nonadjustable
Stock: Black polymer with Realtree decals
Sights: CenterPoint 6x40mm scope
Action: Cocking lever, requiring about 2 pounds pressure
Reservoir: Male probe intake; 350 cc, 3,000 psi or 200 bar max fill pressure
Capacity: About 8 shots at full power before top off needed
Warranty: One year for Airbow, one year limited for arrow shafts, scope
MSRP: $999.99 (military discounts offered by some retailers)

MODERN HUNTER
V ”Robin shoulders the Airbow, lines up the shot, disengages needed with the Airbow is a measly 11 pounds.
Hooding” one the safety and squeezes the trigger. Because it takes Accuracy was impressive with arrows placed in
arrow into a lot of air pressure to launch the arrow, the report a 2-inch circle with monotonous regularity at 30
the back of is loud, although not uncomfortably so when firing yards, including the aforementioned “Robin Hood”
another—a
outdoors. But since ear damage from loud noise is of one arrow into the back of another. The sup-
source of pride
on one hand, cumulative, hearing protection is a good idea. plied scope was specially designed to work with
an expensive Decocking the Airbow is simple and well covered the Airbow and sports a custom MTAG reticle,
trophy on the in the owner’s manual; thoroughly study it before which provides aiming points out to 75 yards with
other. However, using the Airbow. Please note that all firearm safety the scope centered for 30 yards. Of course, using
it does show rules apply while firing this device. heavier broadhead tips or allowing the reservoir to
the accuracy
Chronograph results showed the Airbow firing go below 2,000 psi will affect the aiming points.
potential of the
Airbow. slightly under the rated velocity at 6,000 feet above
sea level at an average of 437 fps—still much faster She’s A Shooter!
than almost all of the crossbows available on the The trigger pull of slightly over 2 pounds, 10 ounc-
market. Plus there are no ropes or pulleys to deal es also helped accuracy. Even though the trigger
with that require a good amount of upper body is nonadjustable (because of the bullpup design),
strength. A 200-pound draw weight is common to Benjamin provided a nice trigger for the Airbow. It
cock a modern crossbow, but the cocking force is a two-stage affair with a scant take-up in the first
“…with PCP air rifles, it doesn’t

hurt them to leave their air reservoirs
charged for long periods of time…”

stage in which the shooter feels a slight hang. Next, not yet qualify as archery equipment in your state. V The Airbow
comes that “surprise” as you squeeze the trigger And it may not come under air rifle hunting rules, lends itself to
and complete the second stage that “breaks” to assuming hunting with airguns is legal in your hunting from
release the arrow. Many trainers want you to strive state. However, states with an overabundance of a treestand by
being lightweight
for this to avoid anticipating or flinching. There is feral hogs or coyotes most likely do not dictate
and powerful.
a minor recoil impulse while firing the Airbow and how to take them—perfect hunting opportuni- The ease and
you’ll want to be mindful of developing bad shooting ties for the Airbow. Again, check with your state quietness of
habits or carrying them over from rifle shooting. authorities, preferably via email, so you have their cocking avoids
The safety lever sits in front of the trigger and replies in writing. spooking game.
is a long, sliding bar that is easy to operate, even Plus, it can
FOR MORE INFORMATION safely and easily
with gloved hands. If you are familiar with airguns,
be de-cocked.
you know that many of them automatically engage crosman.com; 800-724-7486
the safety when cocked. Not so with the Airbow,
and some will appreciate that feature. I got in the
habit of engaging the safety after my shot to block
the trigger while I loaded an arrow or cocked the
mechanism. When to engage a mechanical safety
is a personal choice as long as safety is uppermost
in your mind while handling any weapon.
This Bullpup Will Hunt

Without the three-arrow quiver mounted to the
Airbow, it will fit nicely into a soft gun case made
for the AR platform. The user can quickly attach
the quiver when needed by using the ample space
on the full-length Picatinny rail. An arm attaches to
the rail, which then connects to the quiver using a
quick-detach feature, leaving enough of the rail for
lights or night vision equipment. That is if local laws
allow night hunting of predators and hogs.
Check with your state’s department of wildlife to
determine if the Airbow is legal to take game. It may
LEGAL HUNTING
OPPORTUNITIES
[ Besides being a blast to shoot on a square range or 3D
target course, the Airbow can also be utilized for taking
game—legally—in many U.S. states.
As this issue of SE was headed to press, we learned of
some great news for hunters in the state of Maryland. The
Maryland Department of Natural Resources confirmed that
the Benjamin Pioneer Airbow has been approved for use in
the firearms season for whitetail and sitka deer. The Maryland
firearms season typically runs for two weeks beginning the
Saturday after Thanksgiving and for three days in January.
V Refilling the Airbow
Maryland joins a growing list of states allowing for the use of
from a High Pressure Air
source is a simple matter the Airbow during their hunting seasons. Arizona, Missouri,
as long as you remember Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington
the safety rules of State allow big game animals to be legally taken with the
working with HPA. Airbow. Feral hogs can be taken in Georgia, Florida and
Texas while coyotes and other predators may be hunted with
the Airbow in over 30 states. Florida, Georgia, and South
Carolina allow the Airbow to be used for alligator hunting.
—Athlon Staff

FIREARM FIELD TEST
RUGER’s NEW
Hit the Northwest’s rugged

forests with Ruger’s
ready-to-roll takedown .22
By Steven Dick • Terrill Hoffman Photos
Less than a week after I turned 21 years of age I

walked into Manchester’s Sporting Goods in Longview,
Washington and bought my first real handgun, a clas-
sic 6-inch barrel Ruger .22 LR Standard model. The
original Standards certainly had a lot going for them as
starter handguns. The price was great, $47.50 MSRP in
the 1971 Gun Digest Annual. They were tough as nails,
shot more accurately than most of us could hold, and
the trigger was, well, reasonable. To me, it was a near
perfect work gun for a forester to bury in his fire pack for
F
potting the small game encountered each day. In those

SPECIFICATIONS:
far off times, foresters also considered it their sacred RUGER MARK IV
duty to protect young fir seedlings by dispatching every Caliber: .22 Long Rifle Rimfire
porcupine they saw. Barrel: 5.5-inches bull/target style
That Ruger shared many firsts with me. In the fall Weight: 35.6-ounces
it bagged my first blue grouse high up in the Cascade Sights: Fixed front, fully adjustable rear
Mountains on a U.S. Forest Service timber cruising Action: Semi-auto
job. Not long after that, it added my first snowshoe Capacity: 10 rounds
hare to its list. While not a great challenge, the same MSRP: $529
goes for my first porcupine. Later it received credit for
my first handgun squirrel and groundhog. There were
probably other firsts, but it is safe to say it put a fair
amount of game on the table.

V READY TO PLINK
The new Mark IV
features a conveniently
located push-button
magazine release on the
left side of the frame.

FIREARM FIELD TEST
Hands-Free Carry
As with all handguns, a .22
trail pistol is the firearm you
carry when you need your
hands open for more important
tasks, and that was true in my forest-
ry days. But this concept worked equally
well while fishing, hiking, cutting firewood, running
property lines, and many other outdoor activities. In
a collapse-of-society scenario, having a suitable fire-
arm 24/7 means being ready when that furry meal
ticket appears. Experienced woodsmen have long V A simple push animals in the woods than large. A .22 handgun is
considered .22 pistols ideal for survival because the of the button at equally useful for putting a finishing round (better
ammo is light and the muzzle report low. the base of the safe than sorry) into a downed big game animal.
handle frame
Given the reasonable cost of .22 ammo, frequent I agree there are better calibers for self-defense.
breaks the Mark
target practice is far more practical than with most IV down for But who’s OK with a full magazine of .22 long rifle
large-bore weapons. When the going gets tough, cleaning. pumped center of mass into the chest? The light
it’s wise to remember there are a lot more small recoil and easy handling of a target-grade .22 hand-
gun make this relatively simple.
Flashback
But as all owners of the original Ruger Standard
models know, there was one rub to those old hard
working pistols. To put it mildly, reassembling them
after cleaning was very frustrating! There were
times when it took me a couple of days to get the
handgun back together, and when it finally did
reassemble, I was never sure, “why did it work this
time?” Fortunately, with a bit of oil on the moving
parts, a Ruger Standard will go a very long time
between serious cleanings. I usually ended up
shooting the pistol until it started to stutter before I
would even consider breaking it down.
V The Northwest version of trail-gun accuracy requires the pistol keep its I also made the mistake of economizing with the
groups on the head of a grouse at a reasonable range. At 50 feet, the Mark IV basic fixed-sight model, and not all brands of .22
meets that requirement. LR shot to the point of aim, as I desired. Eventually, I

F
PERFORMANCE: RUGER MK IV
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph
and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 50 feet.
Factory Load Velocity Accuracy
Winchester High Velocity Solid 40 1,074 1.00
Federal Champion Standard Velocity 40 1,033 0.80
Browning High Velocity Hollow Point 40 1,108 1.25
Eley Force HV 42 1,022 1.75
Norma Match Standard Velocity 40 857 0.70
Norma Tac 22 Target 40 824 0.75
CCI Tac22 Solid 40 1,033 0.70
CCI Mini Mag Solid 40 997 0.90
Federal High Velocity Solid 40 996 1.60
ON THE HUNT FOR:

REFLEX-READY HOLSTERS
VBlack Hills
[ Mounting red-dot reflex
sights on handguns is cer-
favorite way to carry heavy hunting
handguns in the field, and I have Leather flap
holster is based
tainly a popular topic in the firearm also carried a .22 auto in a full flap on the classic
press right now, but what I’m not rig many times on the job. While U.S. Military
seeing is a lot of suggestions for neither company had a holster to fit model and
how to carry these combinations my Mark IV, with a few photos and offers excellent
in the field. And without a good some basic measurements, they protection for
holster, all you have is a fun toy to were both happy to sew up custom the handgun
and sight.
show off to your shooting buddies versions to my requirements.
when you unbox it at the range. The Man Gear Alaska rig is
I needed a useful working rig heavy ballistic nylon with a Fastex
suited to carry the Ruger Mark IV plastic snap buckle securing the
on my timberland patrols and fall handgun in the rig. There is also
small game hunting jaunts. I’m a a side pocket for carrying a spare
modern shopper, so my quest start- magazine. This rig certainly is no
ed with a Google search of holster fast-draw self-defense harness,
makers. When that didn’t turn up but as a way to EDC a field pistol
anything useful, I sent out a series during strenuous outdoor activi-
of e-mails asking leather workers ties, it is near perfect. I don’t think
if they had anything suited to my this Ruger is going to be my last
DeltaPoint/Ruger Mark IV combi- handgun to mount a reflex sight on,
nation. Most makers just replied and I feel Man Gear Alaska will get
“no,” and a few seemed irritated more business from me.
that I even asked. Thanks to the Leupold sight,
Black Hill’s leather holster is a rela-
Fine Custom Shops tively massive chunk of cowhide,
Diligent searching of the web even- but it protects the pistol from the
tually led me to a couple of compa- elements and natural plant dust you
nies willing to work on the project: find in our forests. I also see it as a
Man Gear Alaska in Wasilla, Alas- good way to carry the handgun in
ka, with its specialty, the Gen2- a pack just as I did with my original
MTU Chest Holster; and Black Ruger Standard model. My custom
VIt may not be the nicest looking holster
Hills Leather of Laredo, Texas, holster ran $139, but this is going on the block, but the Man Gear of Alaska
in the Full Flap model. Shoulder/ to vary with the pistol model. rig is a very practical way to carry the
chest holsters have long been my —Steven Dick Ruger Mark IV with its Leupold sight.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Man Gear Of Alaska, mangearalaska.com, 907-414-4327;

and Black Hills Leather, blackhillsleather.com, 956-712-9434.

FIREARM FIELD TEST
“Once home and having a chance to

V This is the author’s
first squirrel with
really examine the MK IV in detail,
the Mark IV. Small
game is always a lot
I quickly discovered the pistol had many
more plentiful than
big game animals in
more desirable features than simply
survival situations. being easy to break down for cleaning.”
traded the Ruger off for a fairly long se- Leupold DeltaPoint red-dot sight. That locks back after firing the last round
ries of other handguns, some great and bright red triangle makes all the differ- from the magazine. And, given that I’m
some not so memorable, for everyday ence in my ability to shoot a handgun left-handed, I was also very pleased
carry in the woods. at more than few yards. to find an ambidextrous safety on both
Once home and having a chance to sides of the frame.
Mark IV Snapshot examine the Mark IV in detail, I quickly
With that background in mind, Ruger’s discovered the pistol had many more Solid Bull Barrel
press release on the new “one-button desirable features than simple disas- While this isn’t a change from earlier
takedown” Mark IV Standard instantly sembly for cleaning. As you would target versions of the pistol, the 5.5-
caught my attention. A call to Ruger expect from a target model, the factory inch bull barrel does make the Mark IV
soon had an evaluation sample on its sights are fully adjustable. Unlike the a little on the heavy side compared to
way to my local dealer. My vision gets awkward butt-mounted magazine some field carry .22s. Unloaded, but
increasingly farsighted as I age, so release on the original Ruger design, with rail and DeltaPoint sight, the test
after filling out all the proper transfer the Mark IV has a very convenient sample weighs slightly less than 46
paperwork, my next stop was to a local a button behind the triggerguard. ounces. The plus side of this course is
gunsmith to equip the handgun with a Another improvement is that the bolt that it makes for a very steady-holding
A TURNBULL FOR THE BETTER
[ SE recently learned that Turnbull

Manufacturing of Bloomfield, New York, is
offering a limited run of Ruger Mark IV pistols featuring
Turnbull’s color casehardening on the receiver and
barrel. These are available for purchase directly from
Turnbull and will be raffled, for free, at every 2017 show
Turnbull attends. The pistols are standard Ruger Mark IVs in .22 LR.
“The Mark IV is the newest iteration of this timeless target pistol design,” said
CEO and Founder Doug Turnbull. “This target pistol, starting with the Mark I, has
long been a standard for .22 target shooting. By adding our unique casehardening
to these great guns, we are making them tomorrow's collectibles.” For more
information, visit turnbullmfg.com. —Athlon Staff
weapon that certainly doesn’t wave
around in a breeze. Oh, and other than
the sights, the Mark IV I tested is 100 SPORT & GAME AMMO
percent stainless steel. If you spend
as much time working in the rain as I Jessie Duff-approved loads for the firing line and beyond
do, you will appreciate that.
I probably don’t have to tell anyone
by now that finding .22-caliber ammo
[ The days of pigeonholing Eley ammo as “for
Olympic competition only” are over. Eley
has entered the commercial .22 LR market with
has been a problem for the last eight
one goal—produce the most accurate and reliable
years. For a while, there wasn’t any
.22 LR available to shooters at every level and for
in our local stores, but things are
every purpose.
slowly returning to normal, and there is
usually something on the selves. The
THE HOLLOW POINTS: Eley is currently
problem is I tend to go through the
offering two hollow point rounds, Eley high
catalogs of the big names and think,
velocity hollow and ELEY subsonic hollow. Eley’s
“wow, I should test this new round,”
expansion into the commercial market was jump-
only to find there doesn’t seem to be
started by the introduction of Eley force and Eley
a single box available anywhere in the
contact—products specifically designed for use in
country. Consequently, you run evalu-
semi-automatic firearms. The traits of accuracy
ations with what you can actually buy.
and knock-down power are what pros like Jessie
Still, I was able to round-up nine or 10
Duff have come to rely on in competitive shooting.
brands and loads.
READY FOR ACTION: The Eley action cartridge
Range Work is an all-purpose round designed for a multitude
I consider 50 feet a good place to
of shooting disciplines. Eley action provides an
start when sighing in any small game
affordable option for the shooter to experience the
handgun. My standard method is to
legendary accuracy and performance that Eley is
use a solid rest over a sleeping bag.
known for throughout the world.
Adjusting the DeltaPoint would have
been easier if it had well defined
ALL-NEW ELEY: The full Eley line has an
“clicks” between stops, but eventu-
updated look in 2017. Keeping with its heritage,
ally, I was able to maneuver the eleva-
the competition rounds will boast the Eley color
tion and windage adjustments into
pattern most competitive shooters are accustomed
the center of the target. With a little
to seeing with a fresh new look. The recreation and
practice on the trigger, my group size
hunting rounds will stand apart with clean white
was running just under 1 inch at this
packaging that sports all the pertinent information
distance with both CCI and Norma
shooters rely on to make informed decisions. The
Tactical loads.
entire recreation and hunting product line will also
In general, I always felt this pistol
be available in a convenient rec pak designed for
was capable of holding tighter target
ease of shooting at the range or in the field. See the
groups than I was. Resting a pistol is new Eley look on shelves starting March 2017.
never as easy as a rifle, and it seemed For more information, email info@
like I would almost always call one eleyammunition.com or call 406-314-6249.
round a little outside the main group —Athlon Staff
as my fault. The rule here in the North-
west is a trail gun should be able to
keep its rounds on a grouse head at spread, but the Ruger never hesitated with a winner in that aspect of its new
a realistic hunting range. The Ruger at either end; it fed and fired with 100 Mark IV rimfire pistol.
certainly meets that standard. percent reliability. Being able to pot small game will be
Running a variety of .22 LR loads I suppose it’s time I got around to as important as self-defense if times
over my Shooting Chrony to check whether this really is the magical one- do get hard. The Ruger Mark IV will
velocities was interesting. The highest button takedown improvement of the handle either task with ease.
speed load proved to be Browning’s classic Ruger Standard. The answer
BPR Performance Rimfire 40-grain is a very simple, yes! If I can do it on FOR MORE INFORMATION
Hollow Point load at 1,108 feet per the first try, then anyone can. A full Ruger
ruger.com; 336-949-5200
second. The lowest was Norma’s disassembly for cleaning takes about
Tac 22 Target 40-grain solid at 824 90 seconds, and reassembly is just Leupold
leupold.com; 800-538-7653
FPS. That makes for a relatively broad as easy. Ruger has certainly come up

SHOOTERS’ GEAR GUIDE
ROCKIN’
REFLEXES
Slick new
holster options
for red-dot-
topped field
and defense
pistols
By John M. Buol Jr.
5.11 ThumbDrive
5.11’s ThumbDrive was designed to be the
quickest and safest Level II holster. A proprie-
tary single-thumb retention and release sys-
tem secures a duty-sized handgun for a quick,
natural, and safe release with a cut for optically
sighted handguns. A removable Chop-Block
switch guard provides added weapon retention
and the holster is adjustable for a variety of
placement and draw angles. Optional drop/off-
set and thigh rig kits allow additional customiza-
tion. ThumbDrives are available for Glock, SIG,
Smith & Wesson, and Beretta handguns.

H
Handguns mounted with red-dot sights are popular still too big for daily duty and concealed carry on handguns.
options for defensive shooting. Some serious instructors and This bulky issue also led practical shooting organizations
schools have been catering training towards, and sometimes to begin alternate equipment divisions to recognize and
selling, equipment for optically sighted pistols for duty and encourage more practical handguns. In addition to modifica-
concealed carry. It’s an interesting example of technology tion limits for Limited or Standard handguns, groups like the
expanding from experimental to practical. International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) also
Optical sights on handguns appeared in the 1960s when created size requirements and the need to fit standardized di-
competitive shooters embraced the “Bullseye” pistol scope mensions. In 1992, IPSC also allowed a unique hybrid option
by Burris. Gil Hebard, the Bullseye pistol match legend, called “Modified” that was anything goes like “Open.” How-
championed the scope, which came in 1X or 1.7X. About ever, the handgun had to fit the 225 x 150 x 45 mm internal
a decade later, the Swedish company Aimpoint offered its dimensions required of more practical “Standard” handguns.
first electronic sight, followed by several similar models from At about the same time, red-dot sight makers introduced their
Japan. Bullseye competitors quickly adopted these, and first “miniaturized” products. Just as with the full-sized sights,
Bianchi Cup (NRA Action Pistol) shooters were next. Initially these first micro red dots had some reliability issues that
thought to aid in precision handgun shooting, but too slow rigorous shooting quickly revealed, leading to more robust
for speed shooting, Jerry Barnhart proved this wrong by offerings. While IPSC officially retired its Modified Division
using an optic to win the United States Practical Shooting in 2011, the red dots became better and more common.
Association Nationals in 1990. These small but sturdy handgun optics caught the attentions
Optically sighted “race guns” at first were temperamental, of defensive shooters and trainers. A concept popularized in
requiring competitors to have two of them so one could be competitive shooting now had “real world” appeal.
down for repairs. Detractors labeled them “Rooney guns” Of course, the means to carry such equipment is another
as being removed from the spirit and intent of practical challenge. It’s possible that adding an optic to a handgun
shooting. Experiments and hard use by competitors led to won’t require a holster specifically designed for such dimen-
improvements that made red-dot optics more reliable. This sions, but some models simply won’t fit. To answer this, here
increased durability and battery life made them suitable for some holsters made for duty and concealed carry of optically
military and law enforcement long guns, but the sights were sighted handguns.
5.11 IWB
5.11 Internal Waist Band (IWB) concealed-carry holsters are suit-
able for a variety of handguns, including those sighted with optics.
Built in partnership with Blade-Tech and Viking Tactics, the 5.11
IWB is an appendix-carry holster designed to ensure high-speed
access and a secure fit that won’t ride up during extended peri-
ods of concealment. This holster, crafted from heat and oil resis-
tant high-impact polymer, can be worn front or back and offers an
integrated light clip for secure storage of a tactical light.
(511tactical.com, 866-451-1726)
“These small but sturdy handgun

optics caught the attentions of
defensive shooters and trainers. A
concept popularized in competitive
shooting now had ‘real world’ appeal.”

Armordillo
Concealment X-FER V2
The X-FER V2 holster accepts
suppressed or long-barreled pistols
with optics or suppressor-height irons
equipped with a SureFire X300U-A
or X300 WeaponLights. The holster
rides inside or outside the waistband,
or on drop leg mounts. The X-FER is
light specific, not handgun specific,
meaning it locks onto the attached
weapon light (X300U-A or X300)
instead of the firearm. This design
is very modular; any handgun with a
light will work. The holster includes
an IWB loop. However, the multiple
mounting holes allow attachment
to most platforms and a range of
adjustment for cant and ride height.
It accommodates extra weight from Blackhawk A.R.C. IWB
optics or suppressors. Also, the unit is The Appendix Reversible Carry (A.R.C.) IWB
completely ambidextrous. holster for concealed carry has a generous open-
(armordilloconcealment.com) ing for rear-mounted red dots. The holster body
is constructed of a soft injection-molded polymer
material and is fully reversible for ambidextrous
use. The cant and ride height can be adjusted,
and the included belt clips work with 1.5- and
1.75-inch belts. A passive retention detent
with adjustment screw allows users to vary the
amount of friction for a quick draw with good
security. (blackhawk.com, 800-379-1732)
Custom Action Sports Custom RMR Cut OWB

The Dara Custom Action Sports Holster is a quick outside- The Custom RMR Cut OWB Holster accommo-
the-waistband holster for optics. As the name implies, this is dates any firearm with a red-dot sight mounted
intended for competition shooting with two options for ejection to the top of the slide. This holster fits outside
port cutouts. Cut “A” features the top and side of the ejection port the waistband with a minimalist design. Only the
cut away while Cut “B” has only the top part of the ejection port top of the holster is cut away enough to clear the
removed. These options accommodate different rulebook require- optic and suppressor-height iron sights. The RMR
ments of different groups like USPSA and the IDPA. Both versions Cut OWB also uses a thick, 0.093-of-an-inch
have a thick, 0.093-of-an-inch Boltaron/Kydex body fastened with Boltaron/Kydex body fastened with Melonite-
Melonite-coated stainless steel hardware. (daraholsters.com; coated stainless steel hardware. (daraholsters.
919-295-5559) com; 919-295-5559)

RMR Cut RAM
Mounted Holster
This holster installs inside a vehicle,
under a desk, cabinet, nightstand, or
anywhere suitable for quick access to
an off-body handgun. Dara uses rugged
RAM Mounts featuring a diamond plate
that attaches the holster to a 1-inch
poly-coated ball. The RAM Flat Sur-
face Mount attaches with Philips head
screws. The holster can then be pivoted
in any direction and then locked down.
RAM Mounted Holsters completely
cover the trigger guard and magazine
release, giving secured, easy access.
(daraholsters.com; 919-295-5559)
WOODS WORK RIGS

A Bob Mernickle Custom for my 10mm Glock
One of Glock’s big announcements a couple of version would not fit my Trijicon-mounted slide. After a
[ years ago was the introduction of the Model 40
10mm long slide with the frame already milled out
few phone calls and e-mailed photos, Bob asked that
I loan him my sight for a bit. About a month later a box
for an interchangeable set of bases covering a variety arrived with a perfectly fitting SH7 rig for my Glock. It
of popular reflex red-dot sights. The 10mm is one of has been my regular companion on foot patrols of our
the few auto cartridges I would consider adequate for family timberland ever since it arrived.
deer and black bear. Stretching the slide out another Along with black bear and mountain lions, private
1.42 inches added just a forest landowners face pot
little more velocity to that growers and meth cooks who
already powerful round. I set up secret operations in
went on the waiting list with the woods. You just never
my local dealer, and after know when you might stum-
about another year I had my ble on something they would
own Glock 40, complete rather you hadn’t seen.
with a Trijicon RMR (Rug-
gedized Miniature Reflex) KEEP IN MIND:
sight. That was when I really One thing to understand
learned how difficult it is to about SH7 and the many
holster any modern red dot other shoulder holsters for
mounted handgun. heavy, hunting handguns is
they’re not about concealing
RESCUED BY the weapon. Their primary
MERNICKLE: function is to be comfortable
After a few dead-end e-mails and phone calls to vari- while hiking, hunting, or working in heavy vegetation.
ous holster makers that I thought might help, I thought My Mernickle rig has proven to be the perfect way to
of Bob Mernickle at Mernickle Custom Leather. I have carry the massive Glock 40 in the field. The MSRP on
long carried a Ruger Old Model Vaquero single-action the standard SH7 is $169.95, but the price varies on
revolver in one of Bob’s PS6-SA Extreme High Rise custom versions adapted for reflex sights, depending
belt holsters, so I was well acquainted with his qual- on how much work needed to fit the combination.
ity work. His SH7 shoulder holster looked like it would (mernickleholsters.com, 800-497-3166)
be a good match with my Glock 40, but the standard —Steven Dick

C-1 RMR
NSR Tactical’s C-1 RMR is a fold-over
holster for appendix carry with an optic-
equipped handgun. These hand-built Ky-
dex holsters are ambidextrous. While the
optic cut is for the dimension of Trijicon’s
RMR, these will fit a variety of optics. The
holster includes an IWB soft loop and one
tuckable strut. Current models are for all
sizes of Glock handguns.
(nsrtactical.com)
CTH
The Contour To Hip (CTH) holster is intended for
full-sized Glocks with optics. It comes standard
with loops for 1.5-inch belt loops, but belts of differ-
ent sizes are also available. There is no mechanical
retention device as the holster uses a very “crisp”
fit, keeping a full-sized handgun with optic securely
in place. (nsrtactical.com)
Archangel V3
Gabe Suarez was among the first instructors to recommend red dots
on handguns for defensive shooting. The original Archangel began
around 2009 as an improvement on existing appendix-carry, inside-
the-waistband holsters suitable for optics. A pistol with a shorter
barrel, a high-capacity magazine in a polymer frame, and an optical
sight, needs more support for the heavy parts. Shooters also noticed
that extra length in the holster body precluded the pistol spilling out of
the belt. Integral hooks in other models broke off during more dynamic
training. Those hooks may have been ideal for tucking in the shirt when
sitting at a desk or giving a speech while standing, but the Kydex did
not bear up to repeated heavy combat work or training.
This third version of the design is sleeker and easier to carry with a
muzzle/dust cover area. A hood protects the optic and keeps it from
digging into skin. (onesourcetactical.com, 928-776-4492)

Suarez NPE
The Suarez NPE holster is intended for the “Non-Permissive
Environment” application—that is, places sufficiently danger-
ous to require a covert handgun, but with maximum conceal-
ment. The NPE is a minimalist holster that completely covers
the trigger and guard and helps keep the pistol in place while
tucked in the waistband. Upon drawing, the holster remains
on the weapon until the nylon 550 cord attached to the
belt or waistband yanks it free. To reholster, the NPE is first
secured over the trigger guard with the cord looped or tied to
the belt or waistband, then tucked into place.
(onesourcetactical.com; 928-776-4492)
“It’s possible that adding an optic to a

handgun won’t require a holster specifically
designed for such dimensions, but some
models simply won’t fit.”
Uncle Mike’s Competition Reflex
Uncle Mike’s Competition Reflex Holster mimics the com-
pany’s older injection-molded holster designs. The I.R.T.
(Integrated Retention Technology) is used in duty Reflex
holsters as well, while the Competition model is more
suited for competitive practical shooting, especially 3 Gun
and the like. The I.R.T provides positive retention, even
when moving and shooting fast with a long gun and fully
loaded, optically sighted holstered handgun. It also allows a
fast draw. The Competition Reflex is removable for custom-
izing equipment for each stage or event and can be safely
stored and reattached to the same belt position.
(unclemikes.com, 800-423-3537)
Safariland 6354DO ALS Optic Tactical

The 6354DO features Safariland’s Automatic Locking
System (ALS) for handguns with red-dot optics. Wrapped
in the company’s SafariLaminate thermal-molded material,
the holster body protects the handgun and sights while re-
ducing infrared signature. It’s available in several U.S. mili-
tary issue colors and camouflage. It also features a double
leg strap shroud with mounting holes for optional acces-
sories. The 6354DO has the Safariland three-hole pattern,
so it’s mountable via the company’s Quick Locking System
(QLS). And it is available for most service handguns using
red-dot optics with or without light attachments.
(safariland.com, 800-347-1200)

EVE RYMAN AR-15
V The Saint is a sound M4-

style carbine that provides
excellent reliability and
acceptable accuracy. For a
defensive weapon, what more
could you realy ask for?
MANY OF US TAKE PRIDE in our preparations for just about every type of
disaster that could befall us. Some may even act a little smug and boast about
the tools and supplies they set aside for hard times. They will even try to relate a
feeling of warmth knowing that food, water, and shelter are nearby.
Now and then, however, they experience cold chills down their backs realizing
that what they’ve gathered could also be stolen. Let’s face it, in desperate times
those without will search out those who prepared. At first, some may ask for
help, but as conditions worsen even the meekest will demand you share supplies.
If you think you can handle the situation, just look around and run the
numbers. For each person who planned ahead, there are dozens who have not.
And you’re unprepared if you can’t defend what is yours.

By Terrill Hoffman
Alex Landeen Photo

EVE RYMAN AR-15
SELF-DEFENSE SAINT SPRINGFIELD SIMPLICITY

You are sorely mistaken if you think the government, The surprises didn’t end with the election because
or law enforcement, is just waiting to protect you. once I had the Saint in front of me it appeared to
Self-defense is exactly as it sounds; it is your ability be a rather simple rifle. I expected Springfield to
to protect yourself, your family, and your supplies. include the latest AR bells and whistles, but the
Surprisingly, this has been the basis for a recent gunmaker had other ideas. Since this was Spring-
advertising campaign by Springfield Armory. field’s first AR-15, its leaders wanted to start with a
The company is famous for its M1A, a civilian- basic rifle and concentrate on quality.
legal version of the M14, and its line of semi-auto They selected Type III aircraft-grade 7075 T6
handguns. But last year, Springfield launched a aluminum for the upper and lower receivers and
month-long advertising blitz to promote a new coated them with a hard-anodizing finish. The upper
firearm. All the public could draw from Springfield’s receiver is the flat-top design with a forward assist
“Defend Your Legacy” campaign was that this new and M4 feed ramps. It houses an M16 bolt carrier
weapon would be labeled the “Saint,” and its pri- group machined from Carpenter 158 steel which is
mary purpose would be self-defense. It didn’t take shot peened and magnetic particle inspected.
much hype before the public was trying to guess The rifle has a standard charging handle and
what Springfield was up to, and my money was on dust cover; the upper also has a Springfield flip-up
another handgun. However, I wasn’t the only one rear aperture sight. The upper and lower receivers
shocked when the company announced its entry merge without any play between them, thanks to
into the crowded AR-15 market. Springfield’s Accu-Tite mating system. Accu-Tite is
I’ve learned not to question the quality of Spring- a screw system adjustable to put upward pressure
It is said that field’s products or its business decisions. But on the upper receiver’s takedown pin lug, which
the sole purpose with the Saint, all I could think was the company’s eliminates any wobble between the two receivers.
of a handgun
is to help you
leadership had lost it. The lower receiver has standard AR-15 controls that
fight your way There are more AR makers than anyone could function smoothly and positively.
to your rifle. It imagine. And, in November, we faced a national
makes sense, election that some believed could lead to a total
and for a home ban of ARs. I don’t know if Springfield had a crystal
defense weapon, ball or if its leaders read tarot cards, but the com-
or a bug-out
mon man spoke, electing a gun-friendly candidate,
companion, it is
always nice to and easing the jitters of the gun industry.
have the help of a It also started a rush to see who could find out
Saint. W more about the Saint.

Springfield says the Saint’s trigger system is “GI V Springfield
maintained all the
style,” but it has been micro-polished and given a nick-
typical AR-15 controls
el-boron coating. The pull weight is about 5.5 pounds on the Saint. The only
by my scale, but it has a smooth, crisp feel. Granted, I difference is that they
prefer my triggers lighter, but most will appreciate the all operate without
extra weight when the adrenaline is flowing in a defen- the gritty feel found
sive situation. Bravo Company contributed to the Saint on some weapons.
with its Mod 3 pistol grip and enlarged triggerguard. Springfield may be
Magpul supplied a 30-round magazine with each rifle. planning on future
Saints to join the
The Saint has a 16-inch chrome-moly-vanadium bar-
congregation. Notice
rel with a 1-in-8-inch twist and a Melonite finish. An A2 the lower receiver
military-style “birdcage” flash hider/compensator caps is labeled “Multi-
the barrel. A traditional fixed A2-style front sight tower Caliber.”
and gas block combination forms a mid-length gas
system. The sight tower holds the front sling swivel,
The Bravo
and yes, it has that “evil” bayonet lug. As a side note,
Company six-position
the sight tower mounted in the mid-length position ac- buttstock provides
tually accepted an Ontario M7 bayonet, unlike typical a very comfortable
16-inch barrels with carbine gas systems. cheek-weld and
Springfield selected the traditional delta ring assem- third point of contact
bly and a forward handguard cap to mount a new and between the shooter
exclusive Bravo PKMR handguard. This handguard and his rifle.
has KeyMod attachment points on the bottom and
both sides of its top.
A mil-spec carbine receiver extension fashioned
from 7075 T6 aluminum houses the recoil spring and
the “H” heavy tungsten buffer. This setup works in
conjunction with the mid-length gas system and pro-
vides a much smoother recoil pulse, compared to the
carbine-length systems. The rifle is finished off with a
Bravo Company six-position buttstock.

EVE RYMAN AR-15
V Springfield’s
new Saint was
recently reviewed
wearing a Trijicon
MRO in sister
publication,
Ballistic. The
combo performed
lights out!
F
SPECIFICATIONS: SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT

Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
Barrel: 16-inch chrome-moly-vanadium barrel with 1-in-8-inch right-hand twist rate
OA Length: 35.5 inches extended; 32.25 inches collapsed
Weight: 6 pounds, 11ounces
Stock: Bravo Company 6 position
Pistol Grip: Bravo Company Mod 3
Handguard: Bravo Company, KeyMod PKMR
Alex Landeen Photo
Sights: Springfield Armory low-profile flip-up (rear); sight tower/gas block (front)
Action: Semi-auto
Finish: Matte black
Capacity: 30-round Magpul magazine
MSRP: $899
MARCHING WITH THE SAINT You can see
If you replaced the pistol grip, buttstock, and the Accu-Tite
handguard with military components you might think mating system
adjustment screw
the Saint was nothing more than a basic M4-style located under
carbine. Each part of this rifle, however, has been the takedown
fabricated and fitted with care, which was apparent pin once the
during the range sessions. upper receiver
A selection of Federal 69-grain Gold Medal Match, is pivoted.
77-grain Creedmoor Match, and Wolf 55-grain FMJ The trigger
assembly’s
was used to check function and accuracy. All three micro-polished
loads proved that the Saint works 100 percent, as it and Nickel Boron
should. Even the steel-cased Wolf ammunition fed, coating goes
fired and ejected without a single glitch. Velocities a long way in
ran, as you would expect, with the heaviest bullets improving the
being the slowest. The Creedmoor yielded an aver- “felt” trigger pull.
age of 2,691 feet per second. The Federal match
came in at 2,725 feet per second, and the Wolf load
was fastest at 2,859 feet per second.
Accuracy also ran well. The best five-shot 100-
yard sampling from the Federal Match ammo
grouped at .75 of an inch. However, 1.25 to 1.50-
inch groups was more the norm for this ammunition.
The heavier Creedmoor produced groups in
the 1.5-inch range and even the steel-cased Wolf
maintained groups just fewer than 2 inches. No one
would consider the Saint a long-range tack-driver, but
considering how it functioned, I’d call it a “precision” WThe Saint
rifle. The heavy buffer/mid-length gas system did, in comes in a
fact, smooth out the function, as compared to one of lockable hard case
for convenient
my personal rifles with the carbine-length gas system. transportation to
The smoothness of the trigger more than made up the range or to
for the heavier pull weight, and for a defensive rifle, store safely at in
I would not feel the need to lighten or replace the your home.
EVE RYMAN AR-15 There is no
such thing as
too much gun
when you are
defending your
home and family.
F
PERFORMANCE: SPRINGFIELD ARMORY SAINT

Load Velocity Average Group Best Group
Federal 69-gr. Match 2,725 1.37 inches 0.75 inches
Creedmoor 77-gr. Match 2,691 1.50 inches 1.37 inches
Wolf 55-gr. FMJ 2,859 1.87 inches 1.62 inches
Velocity is in feet per second measured 15 feet from the muzzle by
a Competition Electronics ProChrono chronograph. Accuracy was
measured in inches for four five-shot groups at 100 yards.
Alex Landeen Photo
factory trigger. The balance and handling qualities

of the Saint were above average, even with open
sights, or a low-powered scope. But, once a red
dot was mounted, this rifle was a pure pleasure.
Rapid fire drills at 50 to 100 yards might be more
fun than practice.
SURVIVAL-WORTHY?
Springfield Armory wanted to enter the AR-15 mar-
ket, and they did so with a sound carbine of excel-
lent quality. The only thing you could deem exotic is
the care the company took with its construction.
This carbine’s suggested retail price is only
$899. If the market holds this carbine in line with
other rifles the street price should dip even lower.
We often forget that not everyone has been
shooting since they were three, and the best way
to start is with a basic rifle. Even if you have been
shooting all of your life, there is something to be
said about keeping things simple. You and only you
are responsible for your safety. Life throws road-
The best group blocks in our paths. It may be a burglar breaking
of the author’s a window, or a complete collapse of society, but
range testing Springfield Armory has given you a way to “Defend
came in right at Your Legacy” with the new Saint.
.75 of an inch for
five shots at 100
yards.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
springfield-armory.com; 800-680-6866.

HOME SECURITY
MAKE YOUR HOME iSMART

Reliable, smart surveillance/alarm system on a prepper’s budget
[ Maintaining security in the

face of a hostile threat can
deactivated from a smartphone or
tablet. These remarkable devices
be a labyrinthine and expensive automatically monitor power usage
undertaking. Cameras, alarms, and provide peace of mind for
sensors and monitoring contracts potentially dangerous machines.
can cost a holy fortune. However, iSmart Alarm also offers window
having a modest budget does not stickers and yard signs if desired.
mean you have to be defenseless.
The iSmart Alarm offers powerful Ready To Watch
security capabilities at a The iSmart Alarm package comes
surprisingly reasonable price. with everything you need to install
The iSmart Alarm includes an effective home security system
everything you need to set yourself. The system allows remote
up a home security system The iSmart Alarm package is very easy for the monitoring of your home’s security
yourself through a home Wi-Fi homeowner to install and to operate. status through a cell phone via
router. Home Wi-Fi systems an easy-to-use free app. Such
are ubiquitous these days, and your home to provide instant information makes returning after
integrating an effective security notification of intruders. The dark a less risky proposition and
system has never been easier. Remote Tag looks like a key fob brings peace of mind when kids or
and can be given to anyone who teens are home alone.
DIY Setup needs access to and control of We drop hundreds to thousands
The Cube One is the brain of the alarm system. This compact of dollars on weapons, food, and
the system and plugs directly pushbutton device is simple to gear to keep ourselves healthy
into both a wall outlet and the use and can be used by children and viable in dangerous situations,
Wi-Fi router. This attractive who are too young to have their now a remarkably modest
unit supports an expandable own smartphone. Accessories investment greatly enhances the
number of cameras and includes can be mixed, matched, and practical security of your home.
a 110-decibel alarm that is louder customized for the unique Online specs will verify your Wi-Fi
than a car horn. The iCamera security needs of your home. compatibility. The iSmart Alarm
Keep records HD video with built- Lastly, the Smart Switch system is inexpensive, effective,
in motion and audio detection. interfaces between the power and easy to use. It can truly
The Keep is night-vision capable cords of critical household transform your home into your
and offers 350- x 40-degree pan appliances and wall power to allow castle. (ismartalarm.com)
and tilt controlled remotely from them to be remotely activated and —Will Dabbs, MD
your phone or tablet. The Keep
allows streaming on-demand
video visible on your phone. The
iSmart Alarm Contact Sensor
affixes to windows or doors using
two-sided adhesive tape. These
sensors are readily moveable from
one application to another and
instantly report when a door or
window has been opened.
Motion sensors are wireless
and portable. These devices
have a range of 30 feet and
can be mounted anywhere in

BOOK REPORT
Guns, Blades
& Self-Defense
Four great manuals to add to your
everyday survival library I BY STEVEN DICK
Chapters include the AR-15 in all is both the official close-combat system
its variations, the AK-47, sniper rifles, of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and
scout rifles, shotguns (semi versus a popular self-defense method widely
pump), lever actions, and other long taught all over the world.
gun subjects. The handgun chapters Although its techniques are more
start with a “clear-eyed look at stop- dynamic and much less ritualized than
ping power.” It then goes into striker those of traditional martial arts, like any
fired, double stack weapons, Glocks, self-defense system, the key to making
S&W M&Ps, the 1911s, J-frames, and them work on the street is putting them
many other pistols and revolvers. The into the context of real-world violence.
author favors calibers that start with “4” And that is exactly the theme of the
as the saying goes, but still has many book “Krav Maga Tactical Survival.”
good things to say about the Glock 17 Written by veteran Krav Maga in-
and similar 9mm handguns. structor and 5th-degree black belt Ger-
Other chapters discuss body armor, shon Ben Keren, and produced by the
guns for bugging out, suppressors, preeminent martial arts book publisher,
night vision, and hiding your weaponry. Tuttle, this comprehensive book shows
If you are a serious student of how the core skills of Krav Maga apply
firearms, you will probably find a few to lots of situational threats. Although
small things to nitpick with the au- it includes instruction in the basic strik-
Prepper Guns: Firearms, thor. Usually, these are more personal ing tools and body mechanics of the
Ammo, Tools, and Techniques opinions than real flaws in his logic. As system, most of the book is devoted
You Will Need to Survive the we all know, the 9mm versus .45 ACP to teaching defenses against knife and
Coming Collapse argument has simmered since before
By Bryce M. Towsley World War I without either side making
Hardcover, 272 pages, $29.99 the one convincing argument to settle
Skyhorse Publishing, the debate.
skyhorsepublising.com Towsley has shot them all, which
certainly counts with me. This is a good
F
or many years the bible of book, and I highly recommend it.
prepper firearms was the late
Mel Tappan’s “Survival Guns”
first published in 1977. The problem Krav Maga Tactical Survival:
with writing a reference work like that Personal Safety in Action
is that parts of the book are obsolete By Gershon Ben Keren
almost as soon as it hits the store Reviewed by SE ’s Michael Janich
shelves. For instance, Tappan’s work Paperback, 224 pages, $17.95
was published around eight years Tuttle Publishing,
before Glock revolutionized handguns tuttlepublishing.com
in the U.S., not to mention the vast
O
expansion of AR-15 variations. One of riginally developed by
Towsley’s goals was to provide readers Hungarian-Israeli martial artist
with a reference covering what is avail- Imi Lichtenfeld, Krav Maga
able now, rather than 40 years ago. (literally “contact combat” in Hebrew)

gun attacks, grabs, chokes, and other process. Tomihana’s book fills a very
extremely plausible scenarios. It also useful middle ground in the library.
presents a variety of preemptive tactics, The manual starts with basic knife
like fouling an attacker’s weapon draw, design, heat-treating and sources for
and addresses the vital skills of recog- steel. Next is a section on tools and
nizing potential threats and deescalating sharpening. I can’t promise you will
situations before they turn physical. have all of the tools described, but the
“Krav Maga Tactical Survival’s” 224 average garage contains most of them.
pages are profusely illustrated with The remainder will not require taking
high-quality color photos that not only out a second loan on your home. Other
show the techniques clearly, but also chapters cover how to make a full-tang
capture the speed, intent, and dynamic brush cutter, a hidden-tang hunter, and
body mechanics needed to make them a push-tang hunter. Cord wrapping a
effective. knife handle receives a section, as do
This book is an excellent comple- plastic sheaths.
ment to any hands-on training program While most of the illustrations are
in Krav Maga and a great resource for black and white, they are clear close-
any self-defense practitioner interested ups with good details on what to do
in learning more about Krav Maga’s at each point in a knife’s construction.
tactics for dealing with common violent Tips on making tools, like a long drill
threats in today’s world. bit for starting the tang hole in a handle
block, are also useful.
hand-forged survival knives. It just so
Wilderness Survival Knives happens that I bought a medium-size
By Clint Hollingsworth survival knife off Helm at the 2016 Usu-
Softcover, 88 pages, $14.95 al Suspects Network Gathering in Las
Icicle Ridge Graphics, Vegas and I’ve been carrying it around
clinthollingsworth.com the homestead on days when I thought
such a blade might be handy. I have
A
ny book with an introduc- to agree with the author. Helm makes
tion about finding his first great working knives that a person
good knife while snorkeling the isn’t afraid to get out and beat on. That
Icicle River (Stevens Pass, Washington includes some relatively large jungle
State) is bound to catch my attention. choppers that would take the place of a
I’ve camped along that river, and I can hatchet or machete when needed.
assure you it is well named! It also sug- Hollingsworth’s book isn’t big, but
gested the author was familiar with the it does compile a fair amount of useful
same backcountry environment I was. information from someone who leaves
So would I concur with his suggestions his backyard to evaluate survival knives.
for survival cutlery? You would be surprised how rare that
Yes, and here’s an example. I was seems to be among writers.
pleased to see the author appreciates
the value of a Swiss Army folder as a
second knife in all survival situations. Simple Knifemaking, A
As they say, “one is none, and two is Beginner’s Guide to Building
one.” From my days in the Vietnam Knives with Basic Tools New knife-makers should find good
jungle on, I’ve never ventured into the By Nicholas Tomihana information on an early project in the
wilds without at least two knives, and Softcover, 168 pages, $16.95 section about drawing the temper from
one has been a Swiss Army. backyardbowyer.com a mill file before grinding it into shape
Chapters include “Why a Survival as a knife.
Simple Knifemaking ends with what
I
Knife?”, “Small Survival Knives,” “Medi- ’ve been reading “how-to-make-
um Survival Knives,” “Mini Choppers,” a-knife” manuals for many years and the author calls a bonus section on
and “Big Survival Knives (defined as have found they tend to fall into two making a friction folder.
around 12 inches long).” Others cover general categories. One is the very In general, most of the knives cre-
“Knives on a Budget,” “Have a Kit,” simple variety that seldom involves ated in this manual are fairly plain but
“Sheath Stuff,” “Sharpening,” “Blade much more than gluing a handle on a totally functional cutting tools. Once
Steels,” and more. ready-made blade. The other type ex- the novice knife-maker learns a few
You might consider it an extra bonus pects the reader to have ready access of these skills, advancing to more
but near the end of the book is a chap- to a shop full of thousands of dollars’ elaborate blades will be relatively easy.
ter on blade-smith James Helm and his worth of equipment for each step in the I highly recommend this manual.

PRIMITIVE FIRE
HOT
RODS
Ancient
piston-driven
igniters
guaranteed
to crank up
the heat
BY CHARLEY HOGWOOD

In these days of endless anti-smoking
campaigns and ever fewer tobacco users, I
wonder how many homes have even a small
supply of matches or lighters to survive a disaster. If
there was an electrical grid failure, or similar calamity,
many of our favorite fire starters would be hard
to come by as they are likely to be the first things
to disappear from store shelves. A better backup
plan is to understand civilization’s earliest methods
of producing fire, including the “fire piston.” This
obscure piece of equipment was common until the
advent of the first safety match in the mid 1800s, a
much more convenient addition to every household.
Tribal Indonesians may have been
Three models
of fire pistons the first to discover that a hollow,
include (from left) wooden tube and a plunger could
the TERA-Light
from Wilderness help produce fire. This could have
Solutions; the
been a serendipitous discovery
FireLight Plexiglas
fire piston in while making blowguns. The first
firefly green, also
from Wilderness fire pistons were made of various
Solutions; and the materials, such as horn, wood, and
fire piston from
CampirePiston.com. even lead.

PRIMITIVE FIRE
Left entrance of the hollow base. The piston will usually

When using a fire have an O-ring seal lubricated with petroleum jelly,
piston, there are animal fat or even spit in a pinch.
various types of
When the plunger is rapidly pressed, the internal
tinder that can
be used. Here are temperature climbs toward 500 degrees Fahren-
a few examples, heit. This sudden surge causes combustion, which
including char ignites the ember. The plunger is immediately
cloth, jute twine pulled before oxygen in the cylinder is spent. Then,
and kapok fire the ember, now nursed with fresh air, can ignite a
fiber. waiting tinder bundle. This process is somewhat
similar to what happens in a diesel engine during
combustion.
In this process, the human muscle creates the
kinetic energy that presses the plunger, which in
turn, creates the conditions for combustion. There
are many other ways to build a fire, and arguably,
the “easier” way is to use a regular lighter, or the
survivalist’s favorite: a ferrocerium rod. While these
are great and dependable tools, a fire piston is a
Below nice fallback option.
Spare O-rings First, a fire piston is easier to work than bow
enhance your drills, hand drills or fire plows. Second, it’s quiet,
fire piston’s fast, and more controllable than a fire steel; it won’t
reliability. flash your night vision as bad as the sparks from a
Reputable
rod. Most important, it’s very simple to use and a
companies will
include spares great tool when controlled ignition is necessary.
with your A fire piston is an interesting way to learn primi-
purchase. tive skills, and the kids will get a lot out of it. It is
Piston Simplicity
The design is elegantly simple. These days it usu-
ally consists of a hollowed-out piece of wood, metal
or synthetic material, and a close-tolerance plunger
with a seal to trap air as the plunger is pressed. The
plunger has a slot or depression at the end to hold
a piece of tinder. The idea behind the fire piston is
not to directly light the fire, but instead, to create
an ember that will ignite your tinder bundle. It’s very
similar to the way that a bow drill makes an ember.
But first, we need to understand how fire hap-
pens. We have all heard of the fire triangle: oxygen,
heat, and fuel. If you provide all three sides of the
triangle, you can have a fire. Remove any one of
them, and the fire fizzles. In an unusual twist, the
air inside the fire piston tube makes up two sides
of the triangle: oxygen and heat. A piece of tinder
such as char cloth or chaga fungus is placed in
the cup on the end of the plunger, thus completing
the fire triangle. The plunger is then placed at the

“If there’s no
ember after
several tries,
disassemble the
device and check
the cylinder
for debris.”
both primitive and “mad science” all at the same Top Left ing for classic, elegant designs—composite plastics
time. Another major benefit is that you could use When you pack and machined aluminum are favored for industrial
it one-handed. Just wedge the base between the plunger with strength and durability.
something solid or dig a little hole, load the tinder tinder (here, it’s Early fire pistons were difficult to lube because
char cloth) make
and let it rip. You won’t be doing that with a bow they wouldn’t stay seated during travel. If the piston
sure not to over
drill or fire steel. pack. You just moved, this allowed debris, dirt, and water to fill the
need enough to chamber. The addition of an operable vent solved
Rings Of Fire sit in the plunger. this problem. When the tool is not in use, a screw
As with many things, advances in design, over vent allows the piston to be parked in the cylinder
time, will slightly change how a piece of equipment Top Right without the pressure pushing it back out. Once
works. The piston will always have the same basic Advances in parked, the vent is screwed shut, thus creating a
action principles, but there are several different technology mean vacuum and keeping it in place. This also helps to
that you can
schools of thought on the materials for the various keep the pieces together so that nothing gets lost.
get fire pistons
types of piston seals. in a variety A particularly intriguing design change involves
Originally it was thought that the seals were of designs, clear cylinders. These are usually made of trans-
made of string coated in pig or perhaps dog fat. including this parent plastic, such as acrylic. When the plunger
These days, O-rings are the preferred seals be- one in machined is pressed, the flash is visible, thus confirming
cause they’re durable and efficient. aluminum. ignition. While not a necessity, it is an option and
The basic body of the fire piston has also im- works as a very cool surprise to teach kids the sci-
proved. While various woods remain popular—allow- ence and magic of building a fire.

PRIMITIVE FIRE
Once you
have your ember,
make sure to
quickly move it
to your tinder
bundle.
“A fire piston is an
interesting way to learn
V After the
plunger is
primitive skills, and the
pushed, you
should have a lit, kids will get a lot out of
glowing ember.
If you don’t, then it. It is both primitive and
do some basic
troubleshooting
and give it
‘mad science’ all at the
another go. same time.”
A CASE FOR FLINT AND STEEL
[Flint and steel are proven fire-making
implements that go back at least as far
atmosphere. The resulting sparks land on
char cloth or tinder held on top of the flint
as the Iron Age. It’s a safe method, and there stone. Or the sparks fall onto the tinder of a
is nothing to break—no technology to fail. prepared fire bed.
Another advantage is that most people do not The key is to use high carbon steel
recognize flint and steel; robbers might pass and a good flint stone. Any stone that
on that stone and old piece of metal while will throw sparks, like quartz, will work.
trying to steal your fancy fire starter. Still, be sure to avoid stones sold as
We can get into trouble if we bank on the flint, but are a different mineral. Real
latest gadgets, but something “traditional” flint usually is dark gray, black, green,
doesn’t have to be your first choice. white, or possibly brown. It has a glassy
Everything in survival has a tradeoff, such as or waxy appearance, but it won’t be
a convenience versus dependability. The best powdery like limestone. It has a glassy
solution is always somewhere in between. or waxy appearance, but it won’t be
If you pick flint and steel as one of your fire- powdery like limestone. However,
making options, you should understand how flint can still sometimes be found in
it works, and practice using it. Flint and steel limestone areas.
throw the spark that starts a fire. The steel is
Simple fire and steel setups, like this one
scraped across the flint stone at a 90-degree
that comes in Henry’s US Survival Kit, are
angle. This friction softens the iron and causes easy to stow and use. Note, the SureFire
the particles to oxidize rapidly in the oxygen-rich Suppressors t-shirt was a happy accident.
| 76 | SURVIVOR’S EDGE | SUMMER 2017 |

Transfer your Troubleshooting
glowing ember Before you need a fire in some dark, wet place, be
into your tinder sure you understand how the piston works. While
bundle and begin
adding oxygen to it’s easy to use, it still demands practice and basic
grow your fire. maintenance. Sound technique brings consistent
results. If there’s no ember after several tries,
disassemble the device and check the cylinder for
debris. Also, make sure the O-ring is intact and
lubricated. A clean, lubricated cylinder is important.
The piston should try to bounce back as you press
on it if you have a good seal.
Make sure the tinder is loosely packed in the cup.
Air in and around the tinder is important to create
two sides of your fire triangle.
I like the piston because it is a great crossover
from primitive to modern fire making. If you ap-
preciate classic bushcraft, there are some awe-
some heirloom designs on the market, or you can
research and craft your own piston.
I’m not one to reinvent the wheel, so I like the
Blaze Prep Campfire Piston (available at campfirepiston.com)
Begin by thinking ahead. We’ve all seen miserable and the TERA-Light from Wilderness Solutions
survivors on reality TV shows who spend a week (wildersol.com). Both are rugged enough for regu-
trying to make a primitive fire, only to fall asleep or lar use and emergency survival. Also, both compa-
step away and the fire dies. Worse yet, they wear nies include char cloth, spare O-rings, and plenty of
the skin from their hands to get an ember lit, but nesting materials to build lots of fires.
then realize that they didn’t have enough kindling The Campfire Piston has a classic, no-frills, no-
or wood. Always get your fire supplies in place fail design, and it’s lightweight. When I’m traveling,
before you labor to make any fire. I like the TERA-Light for its industrial design and
Below
Before building your fire bed or teepee, be With a little bit of screw vent pressure relief that keeps everything
sure you’ve collected different sizes of wood. You coaxing on your together.
won’t get a tree to burn with just an ember; you part, you’ll have Regardless of the model, you can’t go wrong
must steadily add bigger sizes of fuel. Start with a fire in no time. with a fire piston in your pack.
grass, jute twine, paper or wood shavings, and
then have toothpick-sized sticks ready. You’ll then
move to pencil-size sticks, then finger size, then
arm size and finally trunk size. You are building
from small to large as needed depending on how
much heat you want and how long you want the
fire to burn.
Once you have everything in place, build your
bird’s nest of tinder and place it nearby. Load a
piece of char cloth into the fire piston’s plunger;
add lubricant as needed to the piston—you won’t
need to lube every time—but try not get any lubri-
cants on the char cloth!
Place the plunger at the entrance of the
cylinder and be sure the O-ring is settled inside
comfortably. Put the piston on something solid
and hold firmly in a position that will allow you
to slap it quickly and reasonably hard. Slap the
piston and immediately pull it all the way out of
the cylinder.Is the ember lit? If so, gently blow
to nurse it, and then use a small twig to scoop it
onto your bird’s nest. Lift the nest and ember into
the air and breathe life into your fire. If successful,
you will probably hear triumphant music in your
head as you conquer the primal need for fire.
If your ember was not lit, try again.

PRESERVE AND PROTECT
Simple
guide to
fermenting
nutrient-
enhanced
veggies for
At-Home the long haul
Superfood
BY KAREN HOOD
W
What good is having a large R!:AEH9><:HI>DCL>I=C6IJG6A fermentation converts molecules
garden full of vegetables if you can’t probiotics. into ethanol, which produces carbon
preserve them to eat later? Or what R,JEEDGIHI=:>BBJC:HNHI:BL>I= dioxide. Examples are wine and beer.
if you find a great deal on vegetables vitamin B12 and folate. Lactic fermentation converts molecules
in bulk? There are several ways to R"CKDAK:HDG<6C>HBHI=6I6G: into lactic acid, which does not
preserve your garden goodies. One themselves, good for your health. make carbon dioxide. This technique
of my favorites (and most nutritious) is produces pickled vegetables, kimchi,
simple fermentation. Fermenting Basics and sauerkraut. And this is the process
Fermenting vegetables is a simple There are two types of fermentation, we’re most interested in for survival
and inexpensive process used for and neither requires oxygen. Alcoholic food storage.
thousands of years. In fact, we regularly
consume many fermented items—beer,
wine, pickles, bread, kimchi, and
yogurt. The benefits of fermentation are
numerous. This process:
R)G:H:GK:H6C9:C=6C8:HK>I6B>CH
B and C.
“ In fact, we regularly
consume many fermented
R)GDK>9:HCJIG>:CIHBDG:G6E>9AN
to your body.
items—beer, wine, pickles,
R"H6AAC6IJG6ACD8=:B>86A
preservatives needed.
bread, kimchi, and yogurt.”
1 2 3
Shutterstock Photo
4 5 6
1. Cut cabbage in half lengthwise. Discard the thick, fibrous core. 2. Add enough fresh
The lactic method usually involves cold water to cover the cabbage. Place plastic wrap on top of water/cabbage mixture to
brining, typically with sea salt, ensure cabbage is covered with brine. Let mixture set at room temp for 12 to 24 hours.
which helps prevent the growth of You will notice the cabbage wilts; this is what you want. 3. Korean pepper powder
pathogenic (bad) bacteria. Some (gochugaru) and fermented chili paste are key ingredients. 4. The recipe calls for fish
recipes call for brining only, but others sauce. 5. Return rinsed cabbage to the bin. Now you’re ready to add all other ingredients
call for brining plus an “inoculation,” and mix with hands. 6. Pack your cabbage mixture into the container of your choice. This
such as a natural starter culture—like is a special fermentation container I like to use for kimchi.
whey—or a commercial starter powder
found in many natural food stores.
Then you let your vegetables ferment
in an anaerobic way (meaning, without with limited fertile areas. When early Japanese radish) peeled and cut
oxygen), usually at room temperature. Koreans started an agriculture-based into 2-inch matchsticks
Once the proper fermentation has lifestyle, they ate salted vegetables O 8 medium scallions, ends trimmed,
taken place, the vegetables are put to aid in the digestion of the many cut into 1-inch pieces (use all parts)
into an airtight container and placed grains they were eating. Kimchi O 8-10 garlic cloves minced (about
in the refrigerator to slow down the evolved as Koreans turned salting and 2-3 tablespoons; add too much and
process. My method involves lactic preserving (fermenting) into survival kimchi will be bitter!)
fermentation for vegetables that will arts. Today there are millions of kimchi O 1.33 cup Korean red pepper powder
last in the refrigerator for about a recipes; each Korean usually has a (gochugaru)
month. family favorite passed down through O 1.33 fermented chili paste
I am a huge fan of Korean cuisine, generations. I modified the following O 1/2 cup fish sauce (Asian anchovy
especially the fermented cabbage dish, process after searching online for sauce)
kimchi. If you have ever dined at an “best kimchi recipe.” O 1/2 cup peeled and minced fresh
authentic Korean restaurant, you know ginger
kimchi is served as an appetizer or Karen’s Spicy Kimchi O 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
side dish. I like to call it the Korean O 2 2-pound heads Napa cabbage O 4 teaspoons Korean salted shrimp
equivalent to sauerkraut. O 1 cup kosher or sea salt (no iodine) paste
Korea is a land of freezing winters, O Cold water to cover O 1.5 teaspoons granulated sugar
and much of the terrain is mountainous O 1 medium Daikon radish (white O 1/2 cup minced ginger

PRESERVE AND PROTECT
1 2 3
1. My fermenting container is available at amazon.com 2. My container comes with a press Eat by itself as a nutrient-rich snack
divider so I can press down on the vegetables to keep them anaerobic (without oxygen) while or experiment with some fun Korean
still allowing the gasses to escape through the tiny hole in the middle. This blocks oxygen recipes, such as the traditional kimchi
for maximum fermentation. Be sure to check on it every day. Bubbling is common. 3. Place pancake called kimchijeon.
the finished product in a glass jar with a plastic lid. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1.5 I recommend getting a good book
months. The refrigeration significantly slows the fermentation process. Eat and enjoy! on fermentation. I like Fermented
Vegetables by Kirsten K. Shockey
and Christopher Shockey. There are
Once the fermentation has slowed, in lots of recipes in this book, and it
Directions about a week, repackage in a clean does a good job explaining all about
Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise, glass container with a plastic lid and making krauts, kimchis, brined pickles,
then crosswise into 2-inch pieces. refrigerate up to one month. chutneys, relishes, and pastes.
Discard the root ends. Place in a large
bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and toss
with your hands to thoroughly coat the
cabbage. Add enough cold water to
just cover, but make sure the cabbage
HIGH-SEAS
is submerged. I cover my cabbage
with plastic wrap to keep it submerged SURVIVAL CHOW
in salty water. Let it sit at room
temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
Drain the cabbage thoroughly with
[ Here’s a little fermenting
flashback. We have all heard
entirely away from his crews.
Scurvy is a disease caused by
cold running water. Gently squeeze of British explorer Captain James the severe lack of vitamin C, but
out the excess liquid and transfer to a Cook and his three long-distance the captain was obsessed with
medium bowl and set aside. sea voyages, during which he buying fresh foods at each port of
Place the remaining ingredients in a nearly managed to keep scurvy call. These stores augmented the
large bowl and stir to combine. Then fermented vegetables he ordered
add the cabbage and toss with your for each voyage. And from those
hands until it is evenly combined, and supplies, he prescribed a daily
the cabbage is thoroughly coated. dose of the fermented cabbage
I wear plastic gloves to keep the dish, sauerkraut.
peppers off my skin. The fermentation process boosts
Pack the mixture tightly into a clean the vitamin C content in cabbage.
glass jar or a plastic fermentation-and- But at first, Captain Cook had a
National Maritime Museum, UK
storage container. hard time getting his crew to eat

Let it sit in a cool, dark place for sauerkraut. It was served each
24 hours. The mixture may bubble. day in a special manner at the
That is OK. The plastic fermentation officers’ mess. Later, when the
container I use has an air hole vent crewmembers saw their superiors
for the gasses to escape. If you use eating it, they assumed it was a
a jar, open it each day to release the delicacy and wanted it too.
gasses. The best kimchi is fermented
for a week at room temperature.

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S U R V I VA L S P OT L I G H T
JUNGLE
STEEL
ESEE is not your
typical knife company
—by any stretch
of the imagination
By Tim Stetzer
Jeff Randall Photos
W hen you think of a traditional

knife company, you have a
designer, or group of designers, a
production staff and a myriad of
support personnel.
With ESEE Knives, based in
Gallant, Alabama, you have all of
that, but you also have dedicated
people with decades of experience,
not just in using tactical and
survival blades. These folks have
spent years teaching survival and
bushcraft. It’s that experience and
commitment to sharing skills that
sets Jeff Randall, Mike Perrin, and
their crew apart from many other
companies.
1 2
3 4
1. Randall’s Adventure & Training offers a five-day technical course focusing on remote “vertical”
rescues. 2. The CR2.5 is a handy bird and trout blade designed by Cody Rowen based upon years of
field experience. 3. ESEE Knives is more than just a knife company; it’s a group of highly skilled people
who not only make knives, but also teach you what to do with them. 4. The jungle survival course
teaches fire making in a tropical rainforest, as well as procuring and cooking local fish and game.
V ESEE’s
Laser Strike
is a capable
bushcraft blade
with a bow drill
divot and a ferro
rod under the
handle scales.

WESEE’s
Laser Strike
is a capable
bushcraft blade
with a bow drill
1. Wendy Randall provides search and rescue
divot and a ferro
training, logistical support, and scheduling for
rod under the
the other courses.
handle scales.
2. Whether stateside or in the jungles of Peru,
Randall’s courses teach survival, especially how
to boost your chances for rescue.
ESEE Origins also developed a whole series of extremely popu-

The company traces its history back to 1997 when lar knives for Ontario Knife Company including the
Jeff and Mike became frustrated with the hype RTAK II, TAK, RAT-7, RAT-5, RAT-3, Model 1 folder
surrounding the survival market. They founded and the Model II folder.
Randall’s Adventure & Training (RAT) to perfect After working in the jungle for a few years Jeff
practical survival tools and training for customers. and Mike brought their knowledge back home and
They also partnered with the Peruvian Air Force’s added a sister company to make quality knives and
Escuela De Supervivencia En La Selva (ESSEL) or gear for clients and the market at large. And, so,
“School of Jungle Survival,” teaching clients sur- ESEE Knives was formed (eseeknives.com).
vival skills in the Amazon jungle.
(ESSEL later inspired the knife
company’s name.)
Meanwhile, Jeff and Mike were “The company traces its
hard at work on knife designs for
clients like the early RTAK, built
by Newt Livesay’s Wicked Knife
history back to 1997 when Jeff
Company. John Greco made the
RAT skinning-and-survival knife
and Mike became frustrated
while TOPS made the RAT Laser
Strike knife, which later joined with the hype surrounding
the ESEE knife line.
Randall’s Adventure & Training the survival market.”
Rowen Manufacturing in Idaho Falls, Idaho makes The model numbers also indicate blade lengths.
all ESEE knives with a mix of modern CNC machin- The more compact 3 and 4 feature a finger choil,
ing and hands-on work. The designs on most of which allows you to choke up on the blade. They
the ESEE line are the work of Jeff and Mike, along come with, or without an extended pommel.
with the folks at Rowen, although there are some The ESEE-5 and 6 use a larger more contoured
collaboration pieces in the line. Typical construction grip and do not have the choil. There’s a bow drill
is of 1095 high carbon steel with powder coated, pivot on the 5 and both have extended glass-
flat ground blades and Micarta handles, but varia- breaking pommels. A variety of finish and handle
tions in the line have included uncoated blades and colors are available on the knives. The Model 5
some 440C stainless models. Most of the knives also has the distinction of having been designed
come with either Kydex or injection molded plastic and field tested with the assistance of the U.S. Air
sheaths, but other options are available. Force Survival School.
The line includes the ESEE-3, 4, 5 and 6 knives. In 2016 ESEE launched the “HM” versions of
Chris Halleen
Patrick Rollins Mike Perrin Jeff Randall
RAT CURRICULUM:
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
[ While good tools are
important, it’s even more
by a variety of instructors. All of
them are cross-trained, so they can
one-day sessions on basic survival,
land navigation, and search and
important to know how to use team up for bigger classes. Many rescue. They are $50 each.
them, and Jeff Randall and Mike are held at RAT’s Alabama facility, Randall Adventure & Training
Perrin haven’t forgotten their roots although some are held off site. has a broad clientele ranging from
as a training company. The course listings (found at parents and kids, to civilians of all
Patrick Rollins instructs much of randallsadventure.com) provide the walks of life. There are many law
the survival and tracking courses locations along with what to ex- enforcement and military students.
these days at Randall’s Adventure pect and what gear to bring. Prices They’ve even trained a number of
& Training, while James Gibson range from $100 for a one-day ses- film crews and professional adven-
teaches bushcraft. Wendy Randall sion up through $500 for three-day turers and their courses have been
handles search and rescue courses courses. featured on the Travel Channel
and Jeff oversees the ropes The jungle survival course, how- and Discovery Channel, as well as
courses. ever, is $1,400 for nearly a week in numerous print publications.
The land navigation classes are Iquitos, Peru. Some courses, such as Intro
a group effort by Jeff, Patrick and If you’re looking for something and Advanced Sniper and Tactical
Hugh Coffee of Ditch Medicine, a little more basic check out the Ropes, are for police and soldiers
who also teaches first aid. Red Mountain courses held at Red only, but offered free with proper
Randall Adventure & Training Mountain Park in Birmingham, law enforcement or military
also offers firearms courses taught Alabama. These intro courses are credentials.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Randall’s Adventure & Training P.O. Box 99 Gallant, AL 35972
Patrick Rollins: 256- 613-3834. Training email: info@randallsadventure.com
ESEE Knives email: info@eseeknives.com, randallsadventure.com

Randall’s
Adventure &
Training offers
a number of
courses in
rope work
from a basic
course through
advanced Rope
Rescue training.
Other small blades include the little Candiru

neck knife and the popular Izula—both lightweight
skeletonized designs. The Izlua is one of the knives
offered in 440C stainless as well as 1095 carbon
steel. Optional handles are available for both the
Candiru and Izula.
Like the larger ESEE knives, several finishes are
available, including shades of purple and pink on
the Candiru. There’s even an exclusive Damascus
Izlula made of 180 layers of 1080 and 15N20;
it’s available as an exclusive option through Blue
Ridge Knives.
If you need something more specialized, check
out the Laser Strike—a 4.75-inch bushcraft blade
with a bow divot in the handle and a fire steel and
tinder hidden under the scales to ensure you have
options to make fire.
Or, for heavy work, there’s always the Junglas,
a 16-inch beast with a 10-inch blade capable
of quickly chopping up materials for shelter or
firewood.
Jeff and Mike haven’t forgotten their jungle roots
either and also offer the Lite Machete, a tool that
mates a 17.25-inch carbon steel machete blade
V Need to the ESEE 3 and 4. Other models such as the 6 from EL Salvador with a quality Micarta handle. It’s
hone your map HM are coming soon. These versions use a modi- assembled in America and comes either on its own
and compass fied handle, which does away with the finger choil or with a Cordura sheath.
skills? Randall’s and is a longer, a bit fatter, and more rounded than
Adventure
& Training
the traditional models. Camp-Lore Collaborations
offers basic I received one of the ESEE-3HMs for evaluation ESEE also has the Camp-Lore series for bushcraft.
and advanced and I have to say that I’m a fan. I found the handle These knives are made in the U.S. from uncoated
land navigation to be very comfortable and it shipped with a quality 1095 high carbon steel and use removable Micarta
courses. leather pouch sheath. handles. They ship with U.S.-made leather pouch
On the smaller end of the line are the AH-1 Ar- sheaths. The smallest of the bunch is the ESEE-
rowhead, a two pack of 1095 steel arrowheads in a CR2.5, a trim bird and trout blade designed by
handy wallet carrier. Cody Rowen, which is perfect for small game or

“The folks at ESEE build their kits based
on what they teach in survival classes.
And they’re eager to show you why
their kits work, and how to use them.”
folks wanting a light but capable field knife. they teach in survival classes. And they’re eager to Randall’s
survival courses
Next up is the ESEE-JG3, designed by James show you why their kits work, and how to use them. teach how to find
Gibson. Its 3.5-inch drop-point blade makes for a For example, the RAT Basic Survival Kit retails for food and cook
perfect hunting tool. $79 and is handy enough to carry in a cargo pocket with improvised
Last is the ESEE-RB3, a true bushcraft knife de- or pack. It contains the following items commonly tools in a
signed by Reuben Bolieu. The RB3 is a departure needed for a RAT survival course: primitive setting.
from other ESEE knives with its 3.5-inch Scandi
ground blade, which Reuben mates up to a very O Water bag
comfortable 4.5-inch handle. I’ll admit to a soft spot O Purification tablets
for blades of this style, and, in my opinion, Reuben O Space blanket
hits all the high points of good bushcraft design. O Snare wire
It has a handy-sized blade with a center point suit- O Ferrocerium fire starter
able for drilling, a big comfortable handle, and that O Survival matches
Scandi edge that does so well at woodcraft. O Fishing kit
O Victorinox pocketknife
Survival Kits and Other Gear O Starlite tinder
ESEE also sells high-quality survival kits. There are O Signal mirror
a lot of options in this market, but sometimes you O Baseplate compass
have to wonder if the folks that design these kits O Survival whistle
have ever used them. Let’s just say that quality var- O Wire saw
ies wildly. And an emergency is a bad time to learn O Duct tape
that your gear is substandard.
The folks at ESEE build their kits based on what Larger sets include the RAT Comprehensive Sur-
vival Kit, the Food Procurement
Kit, and the E&E Pocket Survival
W ESEE offers Kit. They also offer a series of
uncoated blades handy plastic survival cards cov-
at customer
request. ering navigation and signals.
The ESEE website showcases
these products and other gear
recommended by the folks at
V Reuben
Randall’s Adventure & Training.
Bolieu’s RB3
Jodi Cummings, the ESEE office departs from
manager, handles online orders. the rest of the
Bruce Bramlett, the company’s ESEE line with
Southeastern rep, makes sure its bushcraft-
retail shops are well stocked with oriented Scandi
grind—perfect for
ESEE blades and gear.
wood and field
There are a lot of great knives craft.
on the market, but few are
backed with the talents and
experience of Jeff Randall, Mike
Perrin, and their crew. Fewer still
offer firsthand training on these
tools from their actual design-
ers. If you need a working blade
or kit truly tested in the field by
folks willing to teach how to get
the most from them, consider
Randall’s Adventure & Training
courses and ESEE Knives.

ON THE EDGE
The Work
Sharp Ken
Onion model
makes
sharpening
practically any
edged tool a
breeze.
Beltin’ Out
Work Sharp’s Ken Onion Sharpener gets
You’re bugged out. You have so much to do to find food, guide that you can set anywhere from
make a shelter and locate water that you don’t know where to 15 to 30 degrees, which will cover
start. You reach for your trusty knife, which will help you do just about anything from a chef knife
just about everything, and you find that it’s dull. Now what? If you’ve to a timber-falling ax. The abrasive
belts come in five different grades,
spent any time around custom knife-makers, you quickly know that
from extra-coarse for rough grinding to
many can’t hand-sharpen a blade on a traditional benchstone—so
extra-fine for honing the inside bevel of
perhaps you’re wondering how their knives always come razor sharp. gutting hooks. You can adjust the belt
The secret is this: they’ve perfected justify getting a full-size Burr King, speed to about 15 different settings
their edge-honing skills on the same the company Work Sharp perfected by turning a dial on the underside of
belt grinders they used to shape the a small, handheld belt grinder several the handle grip. A locking button on
blades. We are constantly being years ago that met with wide approval. the side of the grip also enables you
warned not to try sharpening any- Recently, the company began offering to set the belt to run continuously. The
thing on a high-speed bench grinder an advanced version of this tool called machine’s fold-down blade rests help
because it could overheat the steel, so the Ken Onion Edition Knife and Tool stabilize longer blades being pulled
this may seem like a very risky practice. Sharpener. You should consider one for across the belt, and a built-in platform
Belt grinders, however, produce much emergency situations, whether you’re at below the main sharpening guides
less friction heat than the circular grind- home or afar. works for sharpening scissors. For re-
stones, and if you’re careful, you can ally big sharpening jobs like machetes,
use one to hone great edges on your Angle Guide lawn mower blades, and axes, you can
knives in short order. A great new feature on the Ken Onion remove the entire sharpening cassette
While you might not be able to version is an adjustable, grinding-angle and use it as a handheld grinder.

Edge Thinning
I believe one of the reasons many
blades don’t seem to cut well after a
“
few years of use is because owners
don’t consistently thin out the area
behind the primary bevel. The Work
For machetes,
Sharp device makes this task easy; you
simply set the adjustable angle guide
lawn mower blades,
slightly flatter than your normal cutting
angle, replace the abrasive belt with and axes, you can
one of the coarser grits and remove
the excess metal. You can also change remove the entire
belts easily without using any tools.
Once you’ve thinned out the blade a
little, just turn the angle guide back to
sharpening cassette
its normal setting and replace the belt
with a finer one. It’s never been easier
and use it as a
to hone a blade to a razor-sharp sur-
face with outstanding edge geometry.
handheld grinder.”
I’m not going to tell you the Work
Sharp is a completely skill-free system.
Probably the most important thing to

ON THE EDGE
remember if you use this grinder is that the belt runs only at the full speed set- the coarse belts, I could have reground
you need to make every pass across ting with the activation lever pressed the secondary bevels to a new profile,
the belt, on both sides of the blade, fully down; anything in between will but that wasn’t really necessary.
at a consistent speed. If you don’t do result in slower blade speeds and If you plan on using knives to survive,
that, you’re going to end up with an uneven grinding. you better include a plan for sharpen-
unevenly ground blade with hollows ing them.
and high spots. If you make the passes Test Results This tool will sharpen just about
too slowly, you can increase the blade I tried the Ken Onion on a variety of anything with a cutting edge. This new
wear more than you should. I suggest outdoor and kitchen blades and had Ken Onion sharpener is U.S.-made in
using the lowest belt speed, at least good results across the board, but I Ashland, Oregon.
until you are totally familiar with the did have to study the edges to deter-
grinding rate of each abrasive. Practice mine the correct grinding angles. On a FOR MORE INFORMATION
makes perfect, and you’ll soon get a couple of knives, the 20-degree bevel
WORK SHARP TOOLS
feel for what you need to do to hone I started with was too flat, so I had to worksharptools.com; 800-597-6170.
the best edges. One quirk to note is back off to 25 degrees. By using one of
The belt makes quick

work of dull edges
and restores them to
excellent shape in
a minute or two.
WORK SHARP’S MINI COMBO

[ Work Sharp is always looking
to introduce innovative new
and my own field-knife collection
looking for really dull blades—the
careful to not hold the grinder in
one spot for any length of time
products to its line, and its latest ones that escaped my attention on the knives’ edges, and I didn’t
creation in the knife-sharpening for longer than they should. The notice any blade steel overheating.
field is the Combo Knife Sharpener. instructions suggest starting with
Like all of the company’s electric five pulls down each side of the THE UPSHOT:
models, the Combo is basically edge, which I found was just about While the Combo isn’t the all-
a miniature belt grinder with the right for any blade not overly purpose sharpener that the larger,
addition of a very-fine-grit ceramic abused. Naturally, duller edges Ken Onion version is, it is a compact
rod that gives edges a smooth, require more work, but another machine that takes up little space.
polished finish. five pulls through the machine only Often, all you’ll have to do to
The replaceable, 120-grit, 3M take a minute or two. Every blade I sharpen a well-maintained kitchen
grinding belts are 10 inches long sharpened could slice ripe tomato blade is to give it a few, quick
and 0.5-of-an-inch wide. I know skin, the ultimate test. passes over the ceramic rod.
that probably sounds a little coarse, You can sharpen most kitchen The training curve to use the
but when you use them with the knives right up to the hilt, but Combo is low to no, so even if you
ceramic rods, it produces a very sporting knives vary considerably think knife sharpening is some
keen edge. in handle shape. Some of these mystical skill, you’ll be able to turn
WORKIN’ IT: I spent some time were a little awkward to hone out super-keen blades in no time.
going through our kitchen knife correctly at the base, but I With an MSRP of $59.95, the
blocks, my wife’s gardening bag, managed in most cases. I was Combo is well worth the investment.

MAJOR ROBERT R. STUTLER
USMC (Retired), VP of Operations
WE SELL DEALER DIRECT | BLACK-HILLS.COM | 605.348.5150

V IVGI G
I LI A
LNAN
CECE
Terror will
A bag or suitcase
left alone is
strike again.
definitely reason
to be suspicious.
Err on the side
How ready
of caution and
alert the proper
authorities.
are you to
cope with and
counter it?
BY MICHAEL D’ANGONA

0
Prominently shown across the local news channels nearly every night
are displays of violence, bombings, and mass destruction, occurring half
a world away as you watch from the comfort of your living room. The
reports show how terrorists plague places across the globe; those that
most Americans probably never knew existed or couldn’t find on a map.
“Out of sight, out of mind” is how most Americans viewed terrorism that
happened abroad. But now, unfortunately, that has changed.
Since 2000, there have been nearly 70 terrorist incidents in the U.S., including the
Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the San Bernardino
Christmas party shootings in 2015, and in 2016, the mass killings at an Orlando
nightclub. There have been murders, threats and property damage at churches, temples,
and mosques. Terrorism on American soil is a very real situation and one that needs to
be taken seriously by all. But where does one start?
The key to surviving and preparing for terrorism is to understand the perpetrators’
motives. Then, with well-organized plans, greater awareness, and emergency protocols
in place, you, along with millions of Americans, government officials and local law
enforcement can be ready. Together we can reduce the opportunities for terrorists and
save lives across our nation.

VIGILANCE
Shutterstock Photo
Terrorism Truths What are your Motivations

Many people misunderstand the definition of ter- neighbors up Each terrorist group has its particular motivations
rorism. During the past decade, the word has been to? Bombs can to create paths of death and destruction as they
be assembled
bounced around to describe any event, domestic pursue their goals. But what are these objectives?
using many basic
or international, involving violent acts carried out by and common Terrorists want to spread fear to gain control and
foreign people against large groups of people. components power. They also seek recognition through world-
But domestic terrorism has a very specific mean- found at wide media outlets. They get attention by attacking
ing. The FBI defines it as: hardware and revered monuments, key buildings, or by acting on
garden stores, important dates or holidays. The bigger the act, the
R8IH96C<:GDJHID=JB6CA>;:6C9K>DA6I: electronic more coverage they get.
shops and even
federal or state laws. fireworks stands. They also try to portray the local, state or national
RC68II=6I6EE:6GHID8D:G8:DG>CI>B>96I: governments as weak, repressive, and unable to
a civilian population or influence the policy of handle their threats. To that end, they incite conflict
a government by intimidation or coercion, or with security forces to drain resources and distract
affect the government by mass destruction, them from primary duties. Terrorists also disrupt
assassination or kidnapping. communication lines, utility facilities, and transporta-
R-=:68ID88JGHEG>B6G>ANL>I=>CI=:?JG>H9>8I>DC tion networks to prove that the government can’t
of the United States. protect its people or critical infrastructure. Simpler,
Notice the FBI does not say terrorism only

involves foreign groups or individuals. However,
that idea is engrained in the minds of many, creat-
“No, you can’t predict
ing a false sense of security as we, Americans, go
through our daily lives.
where terrorism
Other violent acts may appear to be terrorism, but
in reality, are not. Examples are a mentally disturbed
will occur, but you
person who randomly shoots into a crowd, suicidal
teenagers who choose to take their schoolmates can cut the odds of
with them, or people who committed hate crimes
against those who are deemed weird or strange. becoming a victim.”
FOREIGN FEARS
Common sense is best protection while traveling
[Traveling our vast world is very fulfilling and eye

opening. However, not all people are receptive to
scanned the documents onto a flash drive or memory
stick. It’s also wise to print out a few paper copies to
foreigners in their countries, but don’t mind trying to steal show the local authorities. Being in a foreign country with
tourists’ money. In fact, you can become a target as soon no identification worsens your problems, turning your
as you leave the airport. Kidnapping, theft, sexual assault, dream vacation into a nightmare.
and even human trafficking Be cautious of good
are very real dangers in Samaritans “too good
some foreign lands. Don’t to be true.” These are
be a statistic. Practice unusually friendly people
some common sense, who want to help you
and your vacation will be with directions, take you
memorable for all the right to the best spots in their
reasons! city, or offer to carry
Avoid the “tourist” your luggage, often just
look. Photographing local as soon as you leave the
monuments, wandering in airport. Yes, it could be
circles trying to find your legit, but err on the side
way, and wearing flashy, of caution. What may
non-native clothing, are all appear innocent might
dead giveaways that you Separate cash and stash in various locations while be the groundwork for a
are a tourist and a prime traveling abroad. Put some in your pockets or shoes well-laid plan to get your
candidate for theft. Instead, and keep a small amount in your wallet for daily use. money.
try to blend into your Do your homework.
surroundings and walk and talk with confidence. If you look Research your destination long before your plane takes
less like a target, you will be less of a target! flight. Read reviews, locate the safer areas, and learn which
Separate your cash. Don’t put all your eggs in one ones to avoid. Be familiar with local customs and have your
basket, or in this case, your entire bankroll. Divide your routes mapped as best you can to avoid being taken down
money into smaller bundles hidden throughout your bags, the wrong path by fake good Samaritans.
your spouse’s bags, your pants pockets, or even a money Think and act sensibly. Common sense is your best
belt under your clothes. That way, if robbed, the thieves defense while traveling abroad. Make sound decisions;
won’t get all of your cash. ask questions at your hotel before venturing out, and, when
Copy your important papers onto a portable, digital something doesn’t “feel” right, it probably isn’t. Listen to that
device. If robbed, you’ll be relieved if you had earlier inner voice, and it will help keep you safe! —Michael D’Angona
but no less significant motivations are vengeance or Crowded,

winning freedom for political prisoners. tourist-filled
places, such as
Times Square in
Wrong Place, Wrong Time New York City,
No, you can’t predict where terrorism will occur, but are magnets for
you can cut the odds of becoming a victim. Crowds terrorist attacks.
are magnets for terrorism, presenting opportunities
to grow body counts and maximum destruction. As
mentioned, terrorists choose targets with historical,
symbolic, or governmental characteristics, to strike
the “hearts” of the American citizens.
But don’t just worry about the initial attack, be-
cause the resulting pandemonium could be deadly.
To avoid being crushed or trampled by a panicked
crowd, don’t stand at the center of an audience.
Instead, stay on the outskirts and have a plan to exit
fast when chaos erupts.

VIGILANCE
“Since 2000, there have

been nearly 70 terrorist
incidents in the U.S.,
including the Sept. 11
attacks in 2001, the
2013 Boston Marathon
bombing, the San
Bernardino Christmas
party shootings in 2015, Avoid the overall
“look” of being
and in 2016, the mass a tourist when
visiting a foreign
killings at an Orlando country. You
will become a
magnet to locals
nightclub.” preying upon
newcomers into
their country.
There is a fine line between being paranoid and chance of saving themselves or helping others stay
being prepared. By anticipating the worst-case safe. But remember: one or two of the following
scenario, you lift the chances of saving yourself signs, separate or together, don’t guarantee that a
and your family. terrorist act will be committed. In fact, many of the
indicators are harmless and logically explained. It’s
Reading Red Flags when authorities start to add up the sum of all the
There are many warning signs of possible domestic parts, along with possible target locations and
terrorism. People who heed them stand a better resulting carnage scenarios, that signs emerge of a
planned terrorist strike.
Observing suspicious people is your first
indication of something that may not “feel” right.
THE AUTHOR’S CREDS And while suspicious activity, on its own, doesn’t
indicate terrorism, you may be able to stop another
crime, so always be alert. Don’t ignore people
[Michael D’Angona
is a freelance writer, who seem out-of-place. Check out their clothes.
survivalist and self-defense Are they wearing heavy jackets or coats in warm
instructor based in South weather? Or, as you notice their odd clothing,
Florida. With nearly 25 years do they have rigid midsections and make strange
of teaching experience, he has movements when walking? Both of these could in-
developed the Aiki-Survival dicate a harness, explosive belt, or bulky electron-
system that features self- ics hidden under the heavy garb. Also, notice the
defense techniques specifically person’s behavior and body language. Nervous-
designed for use while ness, agitation, pacing back and forth, and being
under survival or emergency alone at events typically attended by couples may
conditions. Michael teaches signal danger.
group and private classes, as Suspicious activity can be disguised by emu-
well as full seminars throughout lating how tourists explore city landmarks and
the country. For more, visit other populated destinations. Photographing and
aikisurvival.vpweb.com. recording video of possible targets help terrorists
plan for deadly attacks.

INTRODUCING
Nightclubs
can be targets
for domestic
terrorism.
Always locate
potential exits,
and limit alcohol
intake to stay
sharp.
PREMIUM FEATURES.
PERFECT PRICE TAG.
Again, these actions by themselves a particular apartment. Terrorists will try

may be harmless, yet coupled with to blend into the surroundings and plant
other indicators, may give you cause to roots in a neighborhood as they plan
alert security officials. Remember, it’s their attacks. Remember, it may take
better to err on the side of caution than many months to years of planning to
to regret not doing so later. Your keen achieve a complicated attack; terrorists
observations could very well save the need a base of operation, and a simple
lives of many unsuspecting people. apartment would do the job. Look at
what recently occurred in France. In
Special Observations February 2017, investigators uncov-
Terrorists need supplies to carry out ered a makeshift bomb factory and
their heinous acts, and this is where made arrests in the Montpellier area of
a special set of eyes comes into play. southern France. The authorities had
Some businesses could unknowingly been monitoring a teenage girl’s social
“assist” a terrorist, so the workers must media accounts where she talked about
be very observant in all interactions. wanting to attack France and her desire
Businesses like garden supply stores to go to Syria or Iraq.
selling fertilizers that can become It’s worth repeating that any of these
“ingredients” for crude but powerful scenarios, individually, could be in-
explosives should remain vigilant. Also, nocent and legitimate. It’s when linked
truck or heavy equipment rental facili- to other warning signs that a pattern
ties are where terrorists can get deliv- emerges.
ery systems to build “mobile” weapons
of destruction. Even the purchase of Stay Alert Ultra-smooth ball bearing action
a lot of fireworks may be a red flag; Vigilance is your primary weapon to Durable G10 handle with
bombs can easily be constructed with stay safe. The closed-minded idea that stainless-steel hidden liners
the explosive insides of fireworks and “it couldn’t happen here” is thankfully
BUILT IN
other simple parts. fading. Awareness of terrorism is a big THE U.S.A.
Seems obvious today, but “out-of- step toward detecting and prevent-
place” flight school students, who don’t ing it. Everyone must work together to
indicate why they want to fly or fail to limit potential targets. Report strange
express any enthusiasm for the train- or peculiar activities and question the
ing, should alarm the flight instructors, abnormal behavior of “strangers.”
who should alert the authorities. Even Finally, never doubt that you can
a landlord should question why many indeed make a difference in preventing GET YOURS AT
BEAREDGEKNIVES.COM
people constantly arrive and leave from a horrible act on American soil.
| REALWORLDSURVIVOR.COM |
H O T- W E AT H E R H A N D B O O K
Hazards
of Summer BY WILL DABBS, MD
Nature’s wrath, in the

forms of tornados,
hurricanes, floods,
earthquakes and
wildfires, are tough
to defend against.
Best course of
action is to heed the
warnings from the
National Weather
Service, and
plan your escape
accordingly.

Warm summer weather inevitably brings people outside.
Whether boating, hiking, fishing, camping, or just taking a walk, the
dog days of summer bring along a fresh set of seasonal hazards. Man-
aging these risks keeps the family safe while still having fun. Here are
a few things to think about as you hit the great outdoors.
Dehydration
Water is the universal solvent, the elixir of life. A typical healthy adult
can make it 30 days or more without food, but you won’t make it more
than maybe three without water. When the mercury rises, you can
burn through vast quantities of the stuff. Keeping the human machine
hydrated is critical to hot weather health.
How much water you should drink is a nebulous question. A good
guideline under normal circumstances is 2.7 liters per day for women
and 3.7 liters per day for men. With heavy exercise in hot weather, that
number can go up to a liter per hour. When in the field I try to keep
water handy and just sip throughout the day. A decent CamelBak
water carrier makes this easier.
Finding Water
You can indeed filter questionable water through clean socks and
then treat it at the rate of a quarter teaspoon of unscented bleach per
gallon of water to make it potable. I’ve done that before. The resulting
treated water tastes bad and will make you feel a bit ill. A much better
option is a quality water filter. They are inexpensive, effective, and
handy. Fresh bottled water is best.
V Although wildfires can occur during

the winter months, drought-stricken
areas of the U.S. take the really big hits in
summer. Wherever wildland fires occur,
the post-fire devastation impacts lives
and property, wildlife habitat, fragile
ecosystems, soil and water quality—and
most everything in the path of a fire.
Shutterstock Photo

Shutterstock Photo
Heat Injuries Sunscreen is a Sunburn
Exposure to excessive heat and humidity, must for times Not only does sunburn significantly increase your
particularly in the context of extreme exertion or you need to be risk of developing skin cancers later in life, but
out and about
inadequate hydration, can lead to heat injuries. severe sunburn can also be debilitating. In nasty
in the bright
Heat cramps are the mildest sort, and they sunshine, and cases, you can develop fevers, chills, nausea,
become manifest as painful muscle spasms during the higher headache, and weakness. The severity of sunburn
or after intense exercise and sweating in high- the SPF, the is a function of your complexion and the duration
heat environments. Heat exhaustion is the next better. Also, and intensity of exposure.
stage and occurs when the body is unable to cool keep in mind Keeping skin covered and using sunscreens
that you can
itself adequately. Heat exhaustion typically stems are the two primary defenses when you must be
incur sunburn
from a loss of water and electrolytes secondary from sunlight out in the sun. Wear a hat. Light colors reflect
to excessive sweating. Heat stroke occurs when reflected off of more sun than dark ones. Your sunscreen should
the body’s temperature-regulating system is water or snow. have a high SPF (sun protection factor) rating,
overwhelmed by excessive heat. Heat stroke is a Scant clouds are and the higher, the better. In a pinch, mixing wood
life-threatening emergency. a poor protection ash with water or petroleum jelly makes a decent
as well. W
Heat cramps result in painful muscle pain and improvised sunscreen.
moist, flushed skin. Heat exhaustion will also typi- Solar radiation reflected off of shiny surfaces
cally produce fever along with possible nausea, like water or snow can burn you in unexpected
vomiting, headache, fatigue, and weakness. Victims areas. One of the worst sunburns I ever had was
will sometimes become anxious and lightheaded. In at the bottom of my chin and nose. It came from
these cases, move the victim to a cool, shady place, sunlight reflected off of snow while on a glacier in
loosen clothing, and have them drink cool water the middle of the summertime. Avoidance is always
or sports drinks if able. Stretch cramped muscles better than treatment.
gently and slowly.
Heat stroke will produce warm, dry skin, a high Furry Critters
fever with a rapid heart rate, and all the previous The world is awash in wild animals. A friend who is
symptoms along with lethargy and agitation. In a game and fish officer once told me that distemper
extreme cases, heat stroke will produce seizures, ran through our local raccoons. In one six-month
coma, and death. In this case, place ice packs in period, he trapped and euthanized 260 of the
the groin and armpits, and drench the skin with cool animals in our small southern town without making
water. Heat stroke victims require immediate medi- a dent in the overall population. All wild animal
cal treatment. encounters are potentially dangerous. In a diseased

state, these creatures can behave erratically or
aggressively, frequently losing their fear of people.
Animal bites are notoriously filthy. Irrigate the
wound aggressively with cool, clean water as soon
as possible. Seek medical help and antibiotic pro-
phylaxis for any serious animal bite.
In all of human history, there have been five
cases of people surviving rabies infections after
the onset of symptoms. Rabies claims about
60,000 lives around the world each year. While
dogs cause 95 percent of all rabies infections
worldwide, extensive vaccination has pushed this
rate down very low in North American canines.
Bats cause most rabies infections in the U.S.
Any encounter with a bat, no matter how minimal,
should be discussed with a physician.
V Mountain victim calm and seek medical help. While one in four
Scaly Critters House freeze- snakebites are dry (do not involve envenomation),
dried foods
There are four species of venomous snakes in the possibility of catastrophic tissue damage war-
are yummy
America. Three are in the pit viper subfamily: water when properly rants medical intervention in all cases.
moccasins, copperheads, and rattlesnakes. A prepared. They
fourth species, coral snakes, is not as aggressive also last 25 Storms
but produces a particularly horrible neurotoxin. years if properly Hurricane season is always a crowd-pleaser in
CroFab is the commercial name for the polyvalent stored. Keep coastal areas. Tornadoes can strike most anyplace.
in mind that
antivenin commonly used in American emergency If the areas where you live or visit are susceptible
you will need a
rooms. CroFab is effective against the venom of all reliable source to hurricanes or tornadoes, proper preparation can
three pit viper species and typically brings improved of water to spell the difference between life and death.
symptoms within an hour of administration. If a make this stuff Keep a bug-out kit stocked and handy. It will
venomous snake bites someone, try to keep the palatable. need to include basic medicines, a little food and
water, tools and weapons, a weather radio, and
anything else you might need to survive at least
a couple of days on the move. Heed evacuation
warnings and keep enough fuel on hand to get to
safety if the gas stations are out of service.
Treat your stored fuel with Sta-Bil to make it
last longer. Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer is cheap and
available at any auto parts store. Treated gasoline
will typically last up to two years after treatment
if properly stored. I rotate several five-gallon cans
through the family vehicles to keep them fresh.
Flash floods can be catastrophic. Never try to
drive through flooded areas. If your neighborhood is
prone to floods, you might want to invest in a small
boat. Some inflatable boats are affordable, and they
need not take up much space. Keep a mechanical
pump handy for inflation.
A reliable blade is arguably man’s most

V Summer timeless tool. A sturdy knife can cut, pry,
weather brings and stab. A hatchet helps with firewood
folks outside. chores and doubles as a remarkably
Whether you are effective weapon. W
camping, hiking,
or just taking a
walk, keeping
abreast of
threats can help
keep you safe
during a summer
adventure.

SE TIP: You need not be the Power Outages

Summertime foul weather frequently causes power
prickliest guy around to keep your outages. If your household budget supports it,
a backup generator can preserve your frozen
family safe throughout your outdoor foods and keep enough lights burning to maintain
civilization. Test your generator monthly and be
summer adventures. However, sure to keep plenty of fresh fuel on hand.
investing a little forethought in the If you have a family member who requires refrig-
erated medications like insulin, invest in a portable
hazards unique to warm weather electric cooler. These devices are not terribly
expensive, and you can power them with a modest
can help keep fun times fun. generator or your car’s electrical system. Amazon.
com will have more options than you could need.
A reliable light can keep you on top of the
food chain when the sun goes down. There are
countless options powered by dozens of power
sources. If you opt for traditional battery-powered
lighting, be sure to keep your batteries fresh.
Swapping out the batteries in your flashlights on
your birthday is an easy way to keep track. I keep at
A proper bugout
bag like these least two or three different lighting options handy
from Echo-Sigma just in case. Mechanical or solar-powered lights are
can be literal inexpensive and reliable.
lifesavers when
you must flee Food Stockpile
with your family While the determined survivor can indeed live for
in the face of
civil unrest or
a month or more without food, you will be gaunt,
weather gone grouchy, and ineffective long before then. Fifty
wild. W pounds of dried legumes look cool on the survival

store shelf, but you and your family will Whether or not
get mighty sick of that stuff well before you will pack a
you run low. MREs are actually quite deadly weapon is
a personal choice.
tasty, but they have somewhat limited If you lack the
shelf lives. skill, training, or
Our family maintains enough dehy- resolve, you might
drated food to keep us going for two want to consider
weeks at least. If properly stored, de- less-lethal
hydrated food will keep for 25 years. A alternatives like
pepper spray. W
proper source of water is, of course, a
critical commodity if dehydrated foods
are on the menu. Mountain House
foods are available on Amazon and are
delicious if properly prepared. My fam-
ily exchanges tins of Mountain House
food regularly for Christmas presents
as an excuse to build up stocks.
Must-Have Gear or in the shower. If you are physically portunity. However, be prepared for
A proper knife has been the primary and emotionally able to wield a deadly unexpected travails. Self-reliance keeps
tool that has kept humans alive in weapon responsibly, a firearm is an you from becoming a burden on the
hostile environments since the dawn equalizer in dire circumstances. But, infrastructure in a crisis and can po-
of time. A small camp stove lets you if you cannot train enough to attain tentially keep you alive when life really
sterilize water, heat up dinner, and familiarity, comfort, and proficiency, you goes sideways.
chase away the late evening chill. It’s should probably opt for something less Remember that the most advanced
smart to keep at least three different lethal like a stun gun. survival tool ever devised rests solidly
methods of conjuring fire handy. Enjoy God’s creation at every op- upon your shoulders.
Sleeping bags in cool or mountainous
areas can make the difference between
a good night’s sleep and an evening of
shivering misery. If your family doesn’t
fit in your vehicle overnight, you need a
suitable tent.
Utensils and camping plates, pots,
and pans come in dozens of flavors,
but the disposable sorts mean not
having to draw water to wash them.
Sunglasses can be worth their weight
in gold. A little fishing gear need not
take up much space. A solar power
source adequate to keep your personal
electronics operational can summon
help, notify loved ones, and keep the
kids from freaking out.
Decent footwear is a must. Flip-
flops are comfortable but not the sort
of thing you want to be wearing in an
emergency. I always wear boots when
traveling by air. It doesn’t take much
longer to get through security and
crashed airplanes are inevitably fraught
with jagged metal. A single set of qual-
ity clothing is manageable for extended
periods in the field, but you’ll be hap-
pier with clean socks.
Ruminations
Weapons are a personal decision. I am
armed whenever I am not either asleep

WILD WOMAN
V Resist the
urge to rush
during a difficult
river fording.
Slow, careful
steps will help
you to maintain
your balance
against a strong
current.

CAREFUL
CROSSING!
Because taking a plunge while
river fording could end in disaster
BY LAURA LANCASTER
Five inches. That’s the average height difference between a man and
a woman. In the front country, this is at most an inconvenience: an item
difficult to reach on a high shelf, or a crowd of taller people hard to
see over at a concert. But in the backcountry, the physical differences start
to stack up between men and women. Longer limbs make it easier to scale
routine obstacles like blowdowns or rock scrambles. Increased muscle mass
allows for a faster pace over difficult terrain. And backcountry gear—so often
designed to fit a man’s physique—also compound these challenges.

WILD WOMAN
Above But don’t be fooled: women possess physi- tions change throughout the season and
Even shallow river ological and psychological advantages that even from year to year. Head upstream and
crossings require special make them more than a match for Mother downstream a few hundred feet, or farther, if
care, as a slippery rock
Nature. The trick is knowing how to maximize necessary, to explore other options. Ideally,
can easily lead to a
sprained ankle. your abilities. Take a difficult river crossing for a little scouting will reveal a log wide enough
instance. Here, a man’s height means that he to cross safely, or a series of rocks for
may be able to leap across a raging glacial stepping-stones.
Above Right creek or keep his pack dry during a wide river But if neither is a safe option you must
Don’t let your guard crossing. His larger mass is also an impor- be prepared to cross the water directly.
down after a successful
crossing. Riverbanks tant advantage, providing increased stabil- Paradoxically, the safest and easiest places
are loaded with lurking ity against the river’s current. To enhance to cross a river are often where the banks
critters, holes and confidence and ability during a river crossing, are farthest apart because frequently they’re
tripping hazards. women should think less about how to “keep shallower and slower moving. Even better is
up” with men, and more about what strengths a place where the river is “braided,” or bro-
they possess that will help them succeed. ken into multiple channels, with small islands
More often than not, this means that your in between.
strategy for the crossing will be different than
your male counterpart. Prep Your Gear
Next, get your gear ready. You want to hope
Pathfinding for the best but prepare for the worst. If you
Start by selecting a place to cross the river. and your gear end up taking a plunge, it’s es-
Where your trail or route indicates to cross sential that critical items stay dry. At the top
may not be the safest option, as condi- of your list should be clothing and sleeping
bag. Here, a dry bag can be worth its weight
in gold. To keep the rest of your gear dry,
take advantage of a few common household
“ Unfortunately,
losing your pack
items: a trash compactor bag and a handful
of Ziplock freezer bags. The trash compac-
tor bag works as an ultralight liner for your
pack, protecting everything inside, while the
Ziplock bags protect smaller items like your
might be just as first aid kit, headlamp, and matches.
Consider weight distribution as you repack
risky as falling into your gear. A top-heavy pack can throw you
off balance even under normal conditions,
a dangerous river.” which can be downright dangerous during a

tricky river crossing. Finally, check to ensure
everything on the outside of your pack is tied
down securely.

Unless you are crossing a perfectly clear
sandy bar, resist the urge to save your shoes
by tackling a river crossing barefoot. Jagged
rocks can cut your feet, and slippery stones
make it all too easy to fall. But there are dan-
gers, too, in plunging into a river in your hiking
boots. It can take days for boots to completely
dry after a river crossing, increasing the risk
of blisters and chafing, both of which can
cramp your pace and even cause infection.
Instead, pack a pair of hiking sandals (such as
Chacos) or secure, lightweight camp shoes
(such as minimalist trail runners). Either op-
tion will give traction and security while your
boots stay dry.
Make Your Move

Here, I’ve got some good news: women have
a significant biological advantage over men in
the vast majority of river crossing scenarios.
No, it’s not our caution or our patience (al-
though those will probably help too), but our
hips. That’s right: a woman’s wider hips mean
that her center of gravity is proportionately
lower on the body. Once you get out into the
middle of that river, with the current knocking
against your knees and your feet searching
for purchase amid slippery rocks, it’ll become
clear that a woman’s physique is ideally suited
to this backcountry scenario.
As you step to the river’s edge, take a mo-
ment to adjust your pack for maximum stability.
Conventional wisdom says undo your hip belt
and sternum strap first. That way, if you lose
balance, you can shed the pack and swim to
shore. But that may not be wise. Unfortunately,
losing your pack might be just as risky as
falling into a dangerous river. There is no guar-
antee that you can retrieve it, and the survival
gear it contains after it heads downstream. If
losing your gear could lead to disaster, choose
to maximize your balance by tightly securing it
to your body.
Another way to maximize your balance is
to increase your points of contact with the
ground. This concept usually comes in one of
two forms: a trekking pole (or a long, sturdy
stick), or with one or more people. During
especially difficult river crossings it can help
to cross in a group of three, all facing inward
with everyone’s arms across one another’s
shoulders. This technique is sometimes called
the “pivot crossing.”
In deciding which method to cross, pick the
one that is right for your size, skills, and abili-
ties. If you don’t like the look of the crossing,
then trust your gut, and look for another way.
Sometimes the advantages of getting to the
other side simply aren’t worth the risks.

GAME PROCESSING
CUTTIN’ UP
A BUCK
In a survival-related pinch, all it takes
is one knife and this DIY special
By Bryce M. Towsley
So you have been living on MREs, canned beans Bryce M. the back legs and insert a 1-inch-diameter green
and freeze dried pouches of mush since things Towsley with stick. Tie a rope in the center. Use some paracord
went south. You have come to a harsh understand- a Texas or wire to tie the legs to the stick to keep them
whitetail, taken
ing that this survival thing doesn’t really include fine spread out as far as you can. Toss the rope over a
in 2006 with
dining. Just when you believe you would sell your a Winchester branch, pull the deer up off the ground, and tie the
soul for a steak, you spot a whitetail deer and man- Model 94 in .30- rope off to something.
age to kill it cleanly. Now what? 30. What you do Raise the deer until the back legs are at a com-
If you have never processed your own game, with your deer fortable working level. You can adjust the height
it’s likely you don’t have the tools that your local next determines as needed as you proceed. Starting just below the
how your venison
butcher has at his disposal. Not to worry, you can cuts you made for the stick, follow the ridgeline of
will taste.
do this with nothing more than a knife. Sure, all the hair formed where the white and brown meet
those other tools help, and it’s and make a cut in the hide all the
even useful to have several dif- way to the anus on both legs. Re-
ferent knives. But I think it’s safe member when cutting deer hide
to assume a survival situation that you should always cut from
can be called a “pinch,” and in underneath. Cutting from the top
a pinch, you can process a deer cuts the hair and loose hair will
with a single knife. make a mess on the meat.
Now ring each leg at the point
Skinning Skills where you started the cut, again
As soon as you shoot the deer, always cutting from underneath
gut it and let the deer’s body the skin. Begin peeling the skin
heat fade. Some people argue off the deer by pulling on the hide
for hanging the carcass to let it as you cut it away from the meat.
age, but with deer that’s often a Use the knife to cut the connect-
mistake. Hanging the deer in un- ing tissue as you pull on the skin.
controlled conditions will usually When you reach the tail, you will
do more harm than good, and it’s need to cut through the cartilage.
better to process the deer soon Pull on the tail and chop at the
after shooting it. junction with the body, using the
I find it much easier to skin a knife to part the cartridge. When
deer that is hanging by its hind you’ve freed the hide from the
legs. Cut the skin between the legs and started down the torso,
tendon and the bone on each of you can switch to the front legs.

V Always cut deer
hide from underneath
to avoid cutting hair,
which keeps loose A little tug here and a
strands off the meat. little slice there.It’s way
easier to skin a big-
game animal when its
body is still warm. W
Removing a
whitetail’s
backstraps is easy
and produces
some of the
choicest cuts

GAME PROCESSING
1 2
Cut a ring around each of the front legs close 1. Continue

skinning until
to the knee joint. Then make a cut following the
reaching the
cowlick of hair up the leg to the armpit and continue head.
the cut on an angle that joins with the cut you made
2. To free the
when gutting the deer. Free the skin on the front backstrap,
legs by pulling and cutting. cut along the
Back at the rear; continue peeling the hide off by backbone. One
pulling and cutting. Often just pulling down on the side is complete,
hide will free large sections, particularly if the deer and he is starting
is still warm. As you come to the shoulders, work the other side.
the remaining hide from the front legs. Continue 3. Steve Elmore
demonstrates
4
skinning down the neck until you reach the head.
skinning a
You may find it easier to raise or lower the deer as
whitetail. Pull
you are working to keep the work area at a comfort- down on the hide Now use the knife to follow the backbone as you
able level. You should have a skinned carcass with as you cut. cut the meat free from the spine. Turn the blade
the hide hanging down over the deer’s head. slightly to the backbone so that the edge rides the
4. A good tug on
the front lets you bone and leaves little meat attached. Follow this
Making The Cuts cut between the cut forward until you seem to “run out of meat”
The front shoulders attach with just muscle tissue, shoulder and the around the shoulder and neck. This muscle will be
not bone. Have somebody pull on the leg while ribs to free the well defined, and you can easily locate the other
you hold the deer. Use your knife to cut under the front shoulder on edge. Using your sharp knife, separate it from
a whitetail.
leg and shoulder where it meets the body until the the other tissues, making a parallel cut to the one
shoulder comes free. Place it on a clean surface. along the backbone.
Now, do the same with the other front shoulder. Go back to the first cut near the hindquarters
The backstraps are the two long strips of and pull on the meat, peeling it away from the deer
choice meat that run parallel to the top of the a similar to what you did while skinning. As you pull
game animal’s backbone. Follow the muscle back the backstrap away from the deer, cut it free from
to where it appears to end or merge with the the bone along the back of the meat. Be careful
hind quarters and make a cut 90 degrees to the not to leave a lot of meat still attached to the spine.
backbone to define the rear of the backstrap. There are ridges and valleys, so don’t let them fool

Shutterstock Photo
BON APPÉTIT
BACKSTRAP
[ The backstrap is the
best cut of meat on the
ingredients to form a rub,
coating the meat’s entire
deer. Don’t waste it to bad surface. Lemon pepper
cooking techniques. Never salt Black pepper Thyme
overcook it; like beef, it and ground sage. (Easy on
should be rare in the center. both.)
Remember, venison is
very lean, and it overcooks • Next, coat the meat with
quickly. Here is one of my stone ground mustard.
3 favorite recipes. Rub it in with your hands to
make sure it’s well coated.
Golden Timber Backstrap
“Unless you are planning We named this recipe for • Cook on a hot grill to
to eat the entire deer the cabin where we first

tried it in the Blue Ridge
medium rare.
in the next few days, you Mountains of North Georgia. • Baste the meat often and
must process the meat Using ingredients on hand generously with melted
and the backstraps from a butter, olive oil, and
for storage. Canning young whitetail buck, we ate chopped garlic during
is an outstanding way like kings. I have used this grilling.
to preserve the meat and recipe many times since and
it never disappoints. • Flip only once. For 1-inch-
can be done in a thick meat, cook five
survival situation.” • Cut whitetail backstraps minutes on the first side,
into serving-size lengths, then flip and cook four
your knife into leaving meat behind. When you’ve about four pieces per minutes second side.
finished, you will have a long, flat, piece of meat. backstrap, three if the deer Adjust time by one minute
Now repeat on the other side. is small. per side per .25-inch
There are two much smaller and shorter muscles difference in thickness.
along the underside of the backbone, inside the • Mix Worcestershire sauce —Bryce M. Towsley
stomach cavity, that you can remove the same way. and balsamic vinegar
These “tenderloins”—also very choice—are soft and about 50-50 for a
are easy to detach. They are well defined, and you marinade. Soak meat at
simply cut them away from the backbone. least two hours at room
Next, starting on the underside of the neck, temperature. Puncture
carefully peel the meat off the spine. Work along with a fork to allow the
the length of the neck and roll the meat as you cut marinade to soak into the
around the bone. Remove the windpipe. Cut out the meat.
rib meat by simply following the shape of the bones.
• Blend the following
The Leg Action
Free one back leg from the stick that’s holding it

GAME PROCESSING
and pull it away from the carcass. Cut along the 1. Shown here the carcass. Hey, you worked hard for the kill.
bone in the pelvis to free the muscle. As you pull are the pieces You can process the meat in any order, but I usu-
and cut, you will eventually reach the large hip of a whitetail ally start with the backstraps. The key is to remove
hindquarter.
socket. Pull the leg as you work the knife into the all the silver skin, sinew, and fat. Never leave any
socket to cut the ligaments and tendons to free the 2. When using fat on venison. While fat wonderfully flavors beef,
a knife to
ball on the end of the leg bone from the hip socket. venison fat will wreck the flavor of deer meat. It’s im-
remove each
Then cut through the remaining meat to free the hindquarter, the portant that you have nothing but clean, lean meat
hindquarter. With a rutting buck, be very careful meat must be when you are finished. You can use the scraps for
about the tarsal gland on his hock. It secretes a cut free from dog food. They don’t mind the taste of the fat, and
pungent oily substance, so don’t touch it, as you the pelvis bone. it’s good for them.
can transfer the vile stuff to the meat. Pull on the leg to Once you have all the fat and silver skin removed
expose the joint.
You should now have two hindquarters, two front from the backstrap, trim the ends so that you have
The ball on the
shoulders, two backstraps, and two tenderloins, leg bone can be a long, flat, slightly tapered piece of meat. There
plus the neck and rib meat. You may wish to spend cut free from the are several ways to approach processing from
a few minutes removing any good meat still left on socket in the hip. here. You can cut the backstraps into chops about
3. Remove all half an inch thick, or cut them 1.5 of an inch thick
fat, sinew, and like filet mignon. One of my preferred approaches
silverskin from is to cut each backstrap in half leaving me four
venison. large pieces of meat. I cook these whole and slice
like roast beef. When in doubt, leave them in big
pieces. You can always cut them later.
Of course, a lot depends on how you can store
the meat. If you have a generator and a freezer,
that’s great. But, if you must can or dry the meat,
plan accordingly. Just remember, it’s a mortal sin to
can or make jerky out of the backstrap. So use that
cut for your first meals. Trust me. You won’t regret
1 it. Well-prepared venison backstrap chases away
2 3

“Just remember, it’s a mortal slide the knife between the meat and the bone.
Patiently work until you’ve cut all the meat above
sin to can or make jerky out of the the first joint. This meat works well for sausage or
backstrap. So use that cut for ground meat. But if you don’t have the equipment
your first meals. Trust me. You for making that, there are other options. Tie the
meat up with a cord to make roasts, or cut it into
won’t regret it.” cubes for stew or soup. You can even cut it into
steaks on a young and tender deer.
sure-to-get nightmares about MREs. The meat on the lower legs is very tough and full
Clean up the tenderloins. If they are messy from of sinew. You can cut it into small chunks for stew,
gutting the deer or covered with dried blood, rinse braising, or feeding the dogs.
or soak them. Remove any loose hairs. The neck makes a fine roast. It also responds
Cut away as much fat as possible from the well to braising, or you can chunk it up for stew or
hindquarters. There are several clearly defined canning. Go through the scraps you collected and
muscles; use the knife and your fingers to separate remove all the fat, sinew and silverskin. Again, strive
them along their natural boundaries. Work your for clean, lean meat; this takes a lot of time and
fingers along the junctions and cut (the meat, not 4. Separate the work, but it’s worth the effort. The resulting meat
your fingers) where it’s needed, including along muscle groups can be cut up for stew meat or canning. The bones
the bone. Continue until you have all the muscles in a whitetail can go to your dogs, or you can use them for soup
separated, off the bone and lying on the table. hindquarter. stock. In a survival situation, leave nothing to rot.
Clean them of all the fat, sinew and silverskin. The Each muscle Unless you are planning to eat the entire deer
must be cut free.
options are wide open, roasts, jerky, steaks what- in the next few days, you must process the meat
ever you like; the hindquarter meat is versatile and 5. To bone out for storage. Canning is an outstanding way to
eager to please. a whitetail preserve the meat and can be done in a survival
shoulder, start
on the raised
situation. In days of old, they just dried the meat
Boning Shoulders ridge of the bone over a fire, being careful not to cook it. This
There is a raised ridge close to the center of the that runs along primitive jerky for centuries has kept a lot of folks
shoulder blade, cut along both edges of it and then the shoulder. fed through winter.
4 5

PR I M ITIVE H I STORY
FISH
ZAPPERS
Nine wild plants that
will take the fight out
of fish if you’re in a
life-or-death scenario
BY CHRISTOPHER NYERGES
If you ever need to “live off the land,” fish will invariably be a part
of the equation. And ancient methods of gathering fish can help
set the table. A line with a hook was only one of many methods.
People, such as the Native Americans, used nets, dams, and spears to
catch fish. They also used plants with particular toxins to stun the fish. The
techniques were similar for most of these fish-catching plants. The entire
plant was beaten or crushed and tossed into a pool or enclosure with slow
currents. The stunned fish were then quickly scooped up by hand or nets.
However, these methods depend on several variables, such as water
temperatures ranging from icy cold to warm. Other issues include large
volumes of rapidly flowing water; various sizes of the actual pools; the
amount of sunlight hitting the water; the pH (acidity) of the water; and
the unique “chemical soup” of water with other animal species, etc. In
other words, the many variables of the water can affect the plant toxins
considerably.
And to put a full disclaimer to the following roundup of toxic fish
stunners: Be aware that poisoning (even natural poison) is illegal in most
states. Check your local laws.

Buckeye Seeds
Dolores Lynn Nyerges.
V Christopher
Nyerges slices a California buckeye
bit of the agave (Aesculus californica)
leaf. The plant is appears throughout
also a source of California and has been
fiber and paper. planted farther north.
The Pomo and other V These shiny brown pods
Native American groups are pulverized and put in
stunned fish with the water to stun fish.
buckeye. Horse chest-
nut (Aesculus hippocastanum), the buckeye of the eastern
states, apparently was not used to stun fish.
Agave The buckeye seeds are known to be toxic to humans if
Agave (Agave americana) is also commonly known as centu- eaten, containing a saponin glycoside, aesculin. Though not
ry plant or maguey. It is a Mexican native and is widespread known to kill, the results of human poisoning can include
throughout California and parts of the Southwest. The plant vomiting, weakness, lost coordination, diarrhea, and paraly-
has lance-shaped leaves about 3 to 4 feet long, with sharp sis. Native Americans in California learned to leach out the
tips on the margins. Sometimes there are yellow or white water-soluble toxins and then eat the buckeye seeds. The big
stripes in the leaves. Agave is a quintessential Southwestern brown seeds would be soaked for three days in the stream
plant. In Cuba and Venezuela, people stun fish by tossing so the aesculin would leach out. Some historians say this is
crushed agave leaves it into pools. how the people discovered that the plant stunned fish.
Shutterstock Photo

PR I M ITIVE H I STORY
of the Sierra Nevada in California

south into the mountains of Baja
California. The plant grows up
to 7 feet tall, with a hollow stem
and jagged saw-toothed leaves.
It was apparently a commonly
used and somewhat well known
fish poison among Native
Americans in California. The
specific toxin is unknown, but the
entire plant is used, preferably
when in flower or in fruit. It is
crushed and tossed into pools
to stun the fish. When in flower,
the plant has a superficial
resemblance to marijuana.
Turkey Mullein
Turkey mullein (Eremocarpus se-
tigerus) is a low-growing member
of the Euphorbia (or spurge) fam-
ily. It is widely dispersed through-
out the West and Southwest,
usually in poor soils, and even
along roadsides. It appears as
1 2 a low, whitish mound. Typically,
it grows about 2 feet wide and
about 1 foot high at the high-
Amole or Soap Root 1. Note the layers est point of the mound. There is no relationship to
of fiber that
Amole, also called soap root (Chlorogalum pom- cover the amole the herb mullein (Verbascum thapsus), though the
eridianum) is a member of the lily family found root, also called leaves of turkey mullein appear somewhat like little
throughout the West, generally from California soap root. furry mullein leaves. The primary toxin is probably
north to Oregon. To stun fish, crush up the entire 2. Fish float to phorbol, a diterpene alcohol, but other toxins in the
plant—the bulb and leaves—and toss it into the fish the surface when plant are possible. The very fact that it is a Euphor-
pool. The bulb, however, contains the most sapo- the entire leafy bia family member demands caution since most
Durango root is
nins. I have heard that jolting fish with amole de- crushed and put
members of this group are toxic to some degree.
pends on “quantity.” So toss in a lot of the crushed into water.
plant, even in a small pool. The abundant saponins 3. The turkey
Poinsettia
in the bulb stupefy fish. mullein plant is Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a well-known
very toxic. member of the Euphorbia family. The relative
Durango Root 4. Pencil tree toxicity to humans with this Christmas ornamental
Durango root (Datisca glomerata) is found along is a common is widely known. Usually, if ingested, the results
streams and in wet areas from the mid-elevations ornamental. would be vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pains.
3 4

Death is rare, but at least one recorded fatality Fish can be
happened 1919 in Hawaii. Poinsettias grow wild stunned by using
in Mexico, but people in Southeast Asia have also the immature
green nuts of
used them to zap fish. black walnut
trees.
Black Walnut
Black walnut (Juglans nigra) appears in the wild
throughout the United States. In the spring and
early summer, the green husks of the immature
walnuts have been known to stun fish. Nelson
Coon (author of the Dictionary of Useful Plants )
states that the green walnut husk contains “a
depression agent which has often been used ... to
immobilize fish.”
I spoke to Linda Sheer who grew up in rural
Kentucky where they practiced many of the “old
ways.” She said they crushed whole green walnuts
“Many variables of the
and put them in bags. They placed the bags in
likely sections of streams where fish did indeed
water can affect the plant
float to the surface. Sheer warns toxins should be toxins considerably.”
used sparingly, to avoid depleting life from entire
sections of water.
Wild Cucumber
Wild cucumber (Marah horrida and related spe-
cies) is a member of the gourd family that is some-
what widespread throughout the West. Each year,
the sprawling vines of this plant sprout anew from
the massive underground root. (The plant is also
commonly known as manroot). The vines grow over
other vegetatioan, and when the spiny green fruits
develop, they typically hang from the various trees
and bushes like Christmas ornaments.
The entire plant is extremely bitter, and poisoning
is rare because of this. Though the whole plant is
poisonous, the seeds are the most toxic. Ingesting
25 to 30 seeds can kill a person. The whole fruits of
Helen Wong Photo

the wild cucumber have been crushed and tossed
into the water to stun fish, though the results are
somewhat mixed. The toxins responsible may be
cucurbitacins, which are the compounds produced
by saponic glycosides, common in the gourd family.
Above, left
The wooly blue
Wooly Blue Curls
TWO FOR
All photos by Christopher Nyerges unless otherwise indicated
curls plant was

Wooly blue curls (Trichostema lanceolatum) are a favorite fish
related to the Salvia plants. According to Dr. stunner in the
Leonid Enari, my botanical mentor, wooly blue curls
were one of the most popular fish poisons in the
FURTHER STUDY old days with
western Native
past. Native Americans of the western U.S. would Americans.
drop the crushed leaves into the water. These
leaves then released their toxins that interfered [ Guide to Wild Foods and Useful
Plants by Christopher Nyerges
Above, right
Ingesting 25
with a fish’s ability to extract oxygen from the water. (contains sections referring to to 30 seeds
from the wild
People collected the stunned fish downstream; poisonous plants and fish poisons),
cucumber plant
any missed on the first pass could be recovered Chicago Review Press. reportedly can
an hour or so later. Wooly blue curls did not kill kill a person.
the fish but only stunned or stupefied them. Many Bush Food: Aboriginal Food and Herbal
Native Americans would collect the wooly blue curl Medicine by Jennifer Isaacs, 1987,
plants when available, dry them and save them for Lansdowne Publishing, Sydney, Australia.
the winter.

s a veteran of a Long “pork and puke”—fit only for feeding antly surprised to find that the variety
Range Reconnaissance the camp dog. Chili con carne also and the tastiness of freeze-dried
Patrol team (pro- was left behind because it was hard rations were rapidly improving. For
nounced “LURP”) in to rehydrate its beans. the next 30-plus years, my wife and
Vietnam, you might I should probably add that LURP I spent our summers on extended
say I got in on the ground floor of the teams usually ate their meals cold backpacking and camping trips all
freeze-dried field/backpacking meal because it was too risky to start a over the Northwest, and Rocky Moun-
movement. The Army’s Long Range fire. Needless to say, that didn’t im- tain States, experimenting with every
Patrol ration, also pronounced prove their edibility much. Food was variety of lightweight freeze-dried
“LURP,” came in an assortment of never on a high priority on our mis- rations from the shelves at the REI
eight lightweight meals. But not all sions, so we usually ate only once or (Recreational Equipment Inc.) co-op.
were considered worth taking to the twice a day. Any weight saved meant Along the way, we discovered
field. The most popular were beef you could carry more ammo! that these same rations stored eas-
and rice, chicken and rice, chicken ily—perfect for emergencies. Winter
stew, and beef hash. On the other Fast Forward storms off the Pacific Ocean are a
hand, meals of pork and scalloped When I started backpacking as a regular part of living in the North-
potatoes were universally called civilian in the early ’70s, I was pleas- west, and some have taken power
Sheppard’s Pie
As with the chicken pot pie, the instructions require 2 cups of boiling
water added to the potato package. I cut that back to 1.5 cups so that
the completed meal would be more like a “pie” than a stew. From there it
was a matter of once again adding the main contents to a pot, squeezing
in the gravy-tube contents and 2 cups of water. Add the potatoes after
12 minutes of simmering (there are fewer peas in this mix than the
chicken pot pie.) Tastes vary, but I found this one to be quite good.
+++++ Calories per bag: 466

Murry’s
Hurried Curry Chicken Pot Pie
The meal includes three packages—
It seems modern freeze-dried menus
one of the dehydrated potatoes, one
all have at least one curry dish.
of the chicken and vegetable mix, and
Murray’s Hurried Curry is Hungry
a small tube of gravy. The instructions
Hikers’ version. Theirs is a heavy
called for 2 cups of boiling water added
load of couscous with chicken, peas,
to the potato package, but I suggest
Beef Stroganoff onion, curry spices, chili powder, and
1.5 might be sufficient. Place the main
This one is easier. Instructions coconut. This meal only requires
ingredients in a pot, and add 2 more
say to boil 3.5 cups of water, place 2 cups of boiling water, which I
cups of boiling water. The instructions
contents of the bag in the pot, add consider a plus, as water is always
say to simmer eight to 10 minutes, but
liquid and “simmer 10-12 minutes.” limited in survival situations. The
I suggest going a little longer. There
Again, I felt the noodles required meal is also simple to prepare. Add
are lots of peas in this meal, which
more time than that, but if you 2 cups of hot water in a pot to the
require time to reconstitute properly.
prefer them “al-dente,” you should mix, and then simmer for 10 minutes.
After simmering, add the potatoes,
be good with 12 minutes. I would On the downside, I would call this a
and the meal is ready. I really like the
give it a plus for ease of preparation, “food-as-fuel” meal that won’t please
flavor of this one, but it was more like
but the pot required a fair amount of many regular curry eaters. Maybe a
a chicken stew than a pot pie. Less
clean up time afterward. little hot sauce would be in order?
water would have probably helped.
++++ Calories per bag: 632 +++ Calories per bag: 1,080 ++++ Calories per bag: 418
out for a week or more. Then there

was the little problem of the Mount St.
Helen’s volcano we had in our back-
yard in 1980. Did you know volcanic
“ Other than more choices, one thing
hasn’t changed from my LURP ration
days—that some mixes are way better
ash shorts out power transformers? than others. In general, the best way to
We do now. And of course, the entire
Northwest is continually waiting for “the
find your favorites before stocking
big one”—a seemingly overdue 9-plus-
magnitude earthquake.
Other than more choices, one thing
hasn’t changed from my LURP ration
up is to test them.
’’
Here, I test four meals ordered from the
Hungry Hikers website: Beef Stroga-
anyone could live a strenuous lifestyle
on the calories provided. Obviously, you
days—that some mixes are way better noff, Chicken Pot Pie, Shepard’s Pie need to find other items to supplement
than others. In general, the best way to and Murray’s Hurried Curry. I prepared these meals whenever possible.
find your favorites before stocking up is each for lunch with notes taken on ease
to test them. of reconstituting and flavor. FOR MORE INFORMATION
In this installment of “Bunker Food,” All of these meals were reasonably HUNGRY HIKERS
I will sample and rate a cross sec- pleasant to eat but, with the exception Visit: hungryhikers.com
E-mail: info@hungryhikers.com.
tion of meals from various companies. of the curry, I would question how long

E M E R G E N CY RAD I OS
ANTENNAS UP
Stay informed with alternative Lightweight, multi-powered
power and hand-crank radios radios like the Eton FRX5-BT

(left) or the Kaito KA500 (right)
can help you receive critical
BY ANDRE’ M. DALL’AU information in times of crisis.
A
After seeing the fabric of society torn several times in included) and a built-in rechargeable Ni-MH battery, which
disasters that cut electric power in communities, forcing fami- can be recharged from the AC adapter, or by a photovoltaic
lies to make do somehow, I have learned a couple of things. solar panel. The KA500 also has a dynamo hand crank,
First, the most popular items that folks stock up on, food which recharges the built-in battery, plus the radio, flashlight
and water, were seldom unavailable and were the first to be and reading lamp, even with no battery installed.
resupplied. Second, even when you prepare for the worst, Also, you can use the crank to power your cell phone or
the most needed but hard-to-find commodity is accurate other electronic gadgets from a USB port at the back of the
information on what is happening. unit, if they have USB connections.
A portable, variable-band radio that operates with multiple You can tune the KA500 to receive a broad range of
power sources will deliver vital local information, such as broadcasting, including AM or FM stations, shortwave, and
changes in weather, recovery and rescue efforts, and even seven pre-programmed weather stations operated by the Na-
contact with people outside the hot zone. tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NOAA
We looked at various models of survival and emergency channels, numbered 1-7, are reachable by turning a switch;
radios to find out not only what is available, but also what no more guess work with the tuning dial.
features work best for survival mode. Compared to similar solar-powered radios, the KA500 has
One of the first reviewed was the new Kaito Voyager a 180-degree adjustable solar panel, which can maximize
KA500 that is typical of most emergency and survival radios. sunlight exposure to power up the radio or charge the inter-
The KA500 meets emergency preparedness purposes or nal Ni-MH batteries. On the back of the solar panel, there
outdoor challenges with multiple power sources including is a five-LED reading lamp. Accessories include earphones
AC/DC (purchased separately), three AA batteries (also not and a user manual.

KAITO ELECTRONICS
Model: KA500 Voyager Emergency Radio
URL: kaitousa.com
MSRP: $59.99
SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency reception: AM/FM stations,
shortwave, NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)
Power sources: Dynamo/crank, solar, AA
battery, AC/DC adaptor, USB connection port
Light source: Light-emitting diode (LED)
Battery life: 12 hours
Weight: 2 pounds
Defining features: Provides light, reading

lamp, radio receiver, cell phone charger,
blinking light, and headphone jack.
MIDLAND RADIO CORPORATION

Model: ER310 Emergency Radio
URL: midlandusa.com
MSRP: $69.99
SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency reception: AM/FM stations, shortwave,
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)
Power sources: Dynamo/crank for 2600mAh lithium
ion battery, solar, AA battery, AC/DC adaptor
Light source : LED
Battery life: 32 hours
Weight: 1.46 pounds
The Midland ER310 with
Defining features: Flashlight with SOS strobe bright
charging handle is one of
the smallest survival radios Cree LED light, radio receiver, ultrasonic dog whistle (to
on today’s market. alert canine search and rescue teams), charger for cell
phones and other USB-compatible devices.
ETON CORPORATION
Model: Scorpion II Solar Powered
Radio & LED Flashlight
URL: etoncorp.com
MSRP: $59.99
SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency reception: AM/FM, NOAA
Weather Radio (NWR)
Power sources: Dynamo/crank, solar
Light source: LED
Weight: 10.5 ounces
Defining features: Light, radio

receiver, cell phone charger.

E M E R G E N CY RAD I OS
RUNNINGSNAIL
Model: MD-090 Multifunctional Solar Crank
NOAA Weather Radio
URL: See ebay.com or amazon.com
MSRP: $26.90
SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency Reception: AM/FM (520-1720 kHz);
FM (87-108 MHz), shortwave, NOAA Weather
Radio (162.40-162.55 MHz.)
Power Sources: Hand crank, 2000 mAh lithium
ion battery, solar, AAA battery (not included,) AC/
DC adaptor.
Light: LED
Battery Life: 1-minute hand cranking supports 25
minutes of light and 10-15 minutes of radio power.
Weight: 10.9 ounces
ETON CORPORATION
Model: FRX5-BT Shortwave Radio
URL: etoncorp.com
MSRP: $129.99
SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency reception: Digital tuner with AM/FM,
NOAA (with weather alert)
Power sources: Self-powered hand crank, solar, USB
port rechargeable NiMH 2000mAh battery
Light source: LED
Battery life: 12 hours rechargeable battery; 5-6
hours, solar charge.
Weight: 1.4 pounds
Defining features: Includes USB cell phone

charger, dimmable reading light, red emergency
beacon, headphone output, telescopic antenna,
alarm clock and AUX-IN jack. It’s Bluetooth ready.
MOTOROLA OUTDOORS
Model: MWR800 Portable Weather Alert Radio
URL: motorola.com
MSRP: $29.99
SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency reception: AM/FM, environmental Canada,
and NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)
Power source: Dynamo/Crank recharging a long-life
battery power bank, solar, three AAA batteries (not
included), AC/DC adaptor.
Light source: LED
Defining features: Includes LED flashlight, radio

receiver, cell phone charger, and telescopic antenna.

E-RADIO ANATOMY
[ After Category 5 Hurricane Andrew left South Florida
virtually destroyed with power restoration still weeks
have are dead batteries, plug them into a charger; about
half will hold some or all of a charge.
away, we honesty had no knowledge of anything outside of Considering power failures, the most important feature
the small circle of support that the survivors put together. for your emergency radio is a hand-crank or dynamo to
These days, with the preponderance of electronics and recharge it. Since the radio draws a small current, it won’t
media dependency the need for communications—and the take much effort to crank in enough juice to get clear
ability to continually recharge your devices—is probably 100 reception. And, if the radio has a USB or similar output
times more than what it was in 1992. jack, you can use the stored crank-generated power to also
Consequently, the lack of information and paucity of charge other devices, like your cell phone.
power would be much worse today. In this era, repairing REPORTS: The radio should handle broadcasts
cell phone towers is a priority, but if your phone’s battery is and alerts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
dead, that doesn’t help. What can a person do? Administration (NOAA Weather Radio). If you live in an
GET READY: Stock your home emergency kit, vehicle, area that is plagued with severe weather, you’ll want the
and bug-out bags with well-charged radios, the kind with most immediate alerts on hurricanes, tornados, etc. These
multi-mission capabilities. frequencies are where you
For example, get a radio get them.
that can receive AM/ SIZE: Your radio should
FM transmissions that be lightweight, durable,
carry critical emergency and portable. Some of the
broadcasts. And make units I have seen are very
certain that the radio has a compact, which means
tuner on it, not just a scanner easy to stash in most bug-
because a scanner will out bags. The military has a
ignore weak signals that you Storms are a fact of saying, “pounds equal pain,”
life. Forewarning and
might want and will only stop communication will meaning no matter what
on a strong signal. prolong that life and the gear is, there is a cost to
Check to see if it can work give you and your lug it. So, if it’s not mission-
family peace of mind.
on multiple bands, including critical, but it is heavy, you
shortwave frequencies that probably will stop carrying it.
can help you receive signals from greater distances. The LIGHT: Your emergency device should also have a LED
farther reach will help you get information from outside flashlight. After Hurricane Andrew it got dark! Without
of the disaster zone. Remember that because of the laws the “light pollution” from the typical urban environment,
forcing TV networks to broadcast digital signals, analog nighttime was incapacitating. You couldn’t see to walk, and
UHF/VHF receivers will not pick up those signals. if you tried without a flashlight, God knows what you would
POWER POINTERS: Find a radio that can work off step on, run into or trip over. A lighted radio will provide
of redundant power sources such as AC/DC, solar, hand the illumination you need to cook a meal, hold a family
crank, and USB (import and export) port. Solar radios, meeting, or even tend a wound. A bright LED light draws a
like any photovoltaic device, need two things: a bright light small current but puts out an ample beam.
source and lots of time to charge. You will need from five LIFE: The radio also needs a lengthy shelf life, especially
to 10 hours to recharge the radio, and you can’t do that in for its power supply. So check to ensure your its battery
cloudy weather or the dark. Solar radios require planning has a satisfactory rating so that, if it sits on the shelf
ahead, hence the need for multiple power options. without being used, it does not expire; if so, make sure it
DC power (batteries) has always been a mainstay for can work without a battery.
backup juice. But in a crisis, batteries get hoarded, so they These radios are inexpensive enough so can have one
will be hard to find and maybe even bartered. in your go bag, one in your camping or hunting gear, and
Shutterstock Photo
Rechargeable batteries, however, are brought back to one in your vehicle; no matter where you are, you will have
life with an AC power source. By the way, a little-known lightweight communications and most of all, control, of
fact is that some non-rechargeable batteries actually can any situation.Yes, it is better to plan ahead and always
be revived, so if you need some AA, D or C cells, but all you have the ability to see, hear and survive. — Andre’ M. Dall’au

NEW
G A R GGE U
A IRD E
SURVIVALIST
STOCKPILE
Cutting-edge backwoods
3
and prepper equipment fresh

from the 2017 SHOT Show
[ BY JERRY L. CANNON
1
5
3.
W
ith the conclusion of the 2017 Shooting, Hunt- CrossBreed Holsters springs, recoil springs, buffer
ing, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show last January Ark Resister Bag tube and a whole new bolt
in Las Vegas, there was a wide variety of new Civilians can now have carrier group. When folded,
firearms and accessories to anticipate this year. the same shield used by the stock assembly reduces
Presented here is a sampling of SHOT products sure to the U.S. military to keep the overall length of a rifle
personal electronic devices with a 16-inch barrel to 26.5
excite the survival and prepper communities.
safe from attacks, like an inches. A built-in adapter
electromagnetic pulse provides positive retention
1. 5ive Star Gear 2. 5ive Star Gear (EMP). The Ark Resister Bag for a folded stock, and with
Woobie Survival Blanket Para-Lite 550 from CrossBreed Holsters just a quick swing of the butt
Made of polyester 210T rip- Paracord/Tinder is made from the same stock. (deadfootarms.com)
stop fabric, the Woobie can The Para-Lite 550 Paracord/ materials used by the troops
work as a blanket, shelter, Tinder carries an extra dose and significantly exceeds all 5. Gerber
pillow, ground cover, or a of survival preparedness. government requirements Broadcut Machete
warm, lightweight sleeping Expose the red thread at to shield against an EMP or Gerber calls this blade
bag. It features ties to work the core of this product and unpredictable weather. a “modern version of the
as a poncho liner, but the ignite it for fire-starting tinder (crossbreedholsters.com) traditional jungle machete.”
two-way nylon zipper creates while camping, hiking, or any The Broadcut is as effective
a sleeping bag option. Or survival situation. Also, use 4. Dead Foot Arms as the name suggests.
leave the bottom open, form- it to make survival bracelets, Modified Cycle System The heavy fine-edge blade
ing a “tube.” Zippers accom- zipper pulls, handle wraps, The Modified Cycle System is corrosion resistant and
modate two blankets joined and gear lanyards. Core (MCS) allows a standard AR- makes short work of dense
together for a double-size threads also work for sewing 15 to transform into a folding- brush. An innovative “hook
sleeping bag. Dimensions: repairs, sutures, fishing line, stock rifle or pistol. MCS + cut” notch is an ideal tool
86 inches long, 64 inches and more. Each roll of the reduces bolt-bounce issues for tearing into troublesome
wide. It weighs 1.9 pounds. cord is 50 feet long. with a specially designed vines and branches. With a
(5ivestargear.com) (5ivestargear.com) system of modified buffer comfortable rubber grip and

9
10
11
a large finger choil, this is also a knife, multi-tool, and tweezers, pocket clip/bottle blade, but you choose the
the tool for the long days of more. Its compact footprint opener, folding pen, fire material: D2 steel, CPM-
tough tasks. leaves room for more starter, comb, wrench, and 3V, or S35VN. Finish
(gerbergear.com) supplies. With a clamping seat belt cutter. options come in PVD,
system, the user can attach (kleckerknives.com) Vulcan or NP3 that will
6. Gerber Compact the ax head to the optional withstand years of hard use.
Clearpath Machete handle or to nearly any small 9. Lethal Lace Contoured G10 handles
The Compact Clearpath branch in the woods. Other Concealed Carry Holster provide a comfortable grip
Machete is a tough, embedded tools include for Women in all weather. The Bonfire
packable blade for rugged hammerhead, knife, gut This versatile concealed- comes with a heavy-
backcountry travel. The hook/strap cutter, wrenches, carry holster for women duty nylon sheath and a
corrosion-resistant, dual- and more. is wearable at the chest, padded storage pouch.
function stainless steel blade (kleckerknives.com) under the arm, or around the (medfordknife.com)
comes with the confidence waist, hip, back, thigh, calf,
of Gerber’s “Gator Grip” 8. Klecker Knives or ankle. This holster holds 11. Medford Knife and
handle. The two-sided blade Stowaway Tools and handguns from a small .380 Tool Bearded Hatchet
has both a fine edge for Carriers ACP up to a full-size .45. Here’s a Nordic “bearded”
hacking brush and vines This customizable pocket- The unique wrapping feature design with a black PVD
and a crosscut saw edge sized toolbox accepts tiny allows concealment, even in finish and G10 handle. This
for heavier work, like cutting stainless steel instruments the tightest of clothing. It’s compact tool provides all
limbs or small trees. that stow easily in an iPhone available in four colors. of the cutting power but
(gerbergear.com) case but are rugged enough (lethallace.com) none of the bulk of a heavy-
for your everyday carry duty ax—a good choice for
7. Klecker Knives Ax needs. Tool options include 10. Medford Knife and the toughest backcountry
System (KLAX) folding lock-back knife, Tool Bonfire Knife chores. The blade and
With the Klecker Ax (KLAX) flashlight, Phillips/standard The fixed-blade Bonfire has handle are solid CPM-S7
you’re carrying a tool that’s screwdriver, pliers, scissors, a 0.30-inch-thick, full-tang steel. It comes with a Kydex

NEW
G A R GGE U
A IRD E
13
12
14
15
sheath for comfy and safe or 10 minutes at 5,000 attachment. They’re available are adapted from military
carry. (medfordknife.com) feet. A removable, hinged in a small, medium and large. technology, but are now
door allows easy access to (outdooredge.com) available to the civilian
12. Medford Knife and the inside for stoking the market in 12-gauge to 40-mm
Tool Bearded Hawk fire or adding more fuel. It 15. Princeton Tec rounds. This ammo can swat
This hawk, ground from breaks down to .25 of an Helix Backcountry a drone, but, in the case of a
super-tough and shock- inch, weighs 1 pound, and Rechargeable Lantern missed shot, the built-in “safe
resistant S7 steel, is another features a self-tightening The lightweight Helix return technology” allows
blade featuring the Nordic design assembly. Its sturdy, Backcountry Rechargeable the interconnected five-part
“bearded” design; with the titanium construction can lantern stands on four round to parachute back to
blade hanging down from support a pot with 10 foldable legs and features a earth slowly and safely.
the top, you get a higher pounds of food. collapsible globe, allowing (bulletbrothers.com)
grip on the handle for wood (mummertknives.com) the light to hang or stand
shaving and fine cutting. anywhere. The globe can 17. Supertool
The handle has G10 scales 14. Outdoor Edge be removed to create Magnetic Locking
and functions as a multi-tool Para-Claw a spotlight. An intuitive Pistol Case
with hex. The sheath has a This is the knife you wear on swipe control activates the The Supertool Magnetic
bungee loop for retention. your wrist—locked securely 150-lumen white or red LED Locking Pistol Case ensures
(medfordknife.com) but instantly deployed from a bulbs, which are dimmable. that you can travel with your
paracord survival bracelet. It The lantern recharges secured handgun and yet
features a 1.5-inch hawksbill through a micro-USB port. remain compliant throughout
13. Mummert Knives blade, integral glass/nylon (princetontec.com) the U.S., even without a
Phoenix Wood-Burning guard and a specifically concealed-carry permit. The
Titanium Camp Stove developed lock mechanism. 16. Skynet-Drone system secures your gun
The PHOENIX runs on Each bracelet is hand-tied Defense Munitions in the locked case, not on
biomaterials like sticks and from 550 paracord. The Any marksman can disable your body. According to the
twigs. One quart of water bracelet has an adjustable a drone midair if armed company, the “integrated
can be boiling in as little loop to fine-tune the fit with Skynet’s specially locking zipper makes this
as five minutes at sea level, and a steel T-post for easy engineered munitions. They case travel-and-storage

16
17
18
Multi-Angle
compliant. Legal in all 50 states.”

Also, an internal magnetized device
quadSharp
Four Sharpening Angles
™
can secure the magazine apart from

the pistol if required in the state you
are traveling. This case also provides
endless flexibility for internal
configuration.
(supertoolusa.com)
BladeMedic
®
18. Telor Tactical

Comfort Air Four Sharpeners in One
Portable Sharpening
GoBand Holster
Telor’s Comfort-Air GoBand wears i>ÀÊÀiÊ>ÌÊ>ÃÞ°VÊUÊnäänÓxÓÈÇxÊvÀÊ, ÊV>Ì>}
like the company’s Bodyband
Holster, but with features to strap on
more EDC items. It’s like a go-bag
worn around the torso, yet rolls up
neatly for grab and go, company
officials said. There is a holster,
a 2-inch strap for multi-tools, two
MOLLE pouches, and MOLLE
webbing to attach more gear. Telor’s
medical-grade materials keep you
cool and comfortable. “Sil-Air” foam
and “Slip-not” material are behind
the holster for lasting comfort to
stay in place, never slipping or
sliding down. Machine washable.
(telortactical.com)

NEW
G A R GGE U
A IRD E
21
19
22
20
19. UCO Gear essential outdoor lighting fire starter. The bracelet form a rasp-like surface
Bushcraft Survive accessories, has developed contains more than 10 feet of for sawdust fire starting.
& Thrive Kit a greener way to light a ParaTinder. (ustbrands.com) The finger guard area has
UCO Gear, Morakniv, fire. UCO’s “Sweetfire” is a cutout for more efficient
and survival writer Dave an innovative new strikable 22. UST Brands striking of an included ferro
Canterbury have teamed up fire starter made from a TekFire Fuel-Free rod. Hollow pins in the
to produce a new survival sugarcane by-product called Lighter handle are for lashing it to
kit. The Bushcraft Survive bagasse. This material The lightweight, compact a stick to fashion a spear.
& Thrive Kit contains produces fewer greenhouse TekFire Fuel-Free Lighter The handle has a cutout
Morakniv’s new Kansbol gas emissions than what are is quick and easy. It is for use with a fire bow.
stainless steel fixed-blade absorbed by growing plants. windproof, flameless and (whiteriverknives.com)
knife. Also included is This product gives campers electronic, so it doesn’t need
the Pathfinder stainless and survivalists a cleaner butane fuel or adjustments
steel 32-ounce bottle, the option for lighting fires. for altitude. The lighter
Pathfinder stainless steel (ucogear.com) comes with a USB cord to
750-milliliter pot with lid, easily recharge the built-in
UCO’s Sweetfire strikable 21. UST Brands lithium-ion battery. There is 23
fire starter, UCO Stormproof ParaTinder Bracelet also a 10-second time-out
Match Kit, UCO Original w/Flint Fire Starter feature for safety.
Candle Lantern with a nine- The ParaTinder Bracelet w/ (ustbrands.com)
hour candle, a stainless Flint Starter is an amazing
steel bottle hanger, and a innovation in emergency 23. White River
copy of Canterbury’s book preparedness. It combines Knife & Tool Firecraft
“Bushcraft 101.” life-saving fire tinder and 550 Meet any survival situation
(ucogear.com) paracord for the ultimate with this knife. Its deep
gear duo. The addition index finger choil cut allows
20. UCO Gear of a single tinder thread for high pressure whittling
Sweetfire Strikable allows this paracord to or precision cutting. The
Fire Starter pull double duty. To ignite, grooves at the top of the
UCO Gear, the Washington expose the red core thread blade are for more cutting
State manufacturer of and light it with the flint traction. The grooves also

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NEW

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nino Bosaz

CONVENIENT FOR STORAGE

Barrel and Action Easily Separated

© 2017 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. 010417

26 WHAT’S IN YOUR SHTF BAG?

82 JUNGLE STEEL 108 CUTTIN’ UP A BUCK

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Columns 9410 Davis Hwy, Dimondale, MI 4882

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Shown smaller than

Fastest way to order:

Answering the nation’s call to put America first, Donald Trump

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“Hearing the screams, Rico’s

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LIGHTNING conspired against him. First, the National Weather

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BAD WATERS RISING

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Sometimes a little preparation is all it takes to save your life in

The Southwest’s slot

map, headlamp, and

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Your savvy guide to thriving

after all hell BREAKS loose

Taking advantage of peoples’ vices

Though it is only a good idea to Alcohol/Cigarettes

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Some toiletries, like toilet paper, women’s sanitary

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Although it is packages of seeds to trade, start with these

Skills After the Trade

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to take the shot and keep the camera

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The strap has inch/millimeter measur-

Practical ing marks and a Morse code key on the

Fit & Function

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Here is a list of oft-forgotten items that you

While going through your bug-out bag, you must

Let There Be Light

Why would you forget a solar or dynamo light?

simply can’t forget to pack in your 72-hour bag

1. While bugging of extra batteries and consider yourself well covered

vulnerability, especially as in which a character has no way to leave a note

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Bic Lighters Headlamp

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HAVE GUN BAG, WILL TRAVEL

3 DISCREET RIFLE BAG

5 TURKEY GUN CASE

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Survival's Edge 2017 - Summer

Survival's Edge 2017 - Summer

>iÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚÚ GUNS OF THE OLD WEST