American Survival Guide - June 2015

EXTREME SURVIVAL: AYS IN THE AMAZON
DIY BUG OUT ON A
Survival SOLAR
Kit eBIKE
on $50
or Less
Tactical
Driving
Strategies
Treat Wounds
With Sugar
DISASTER
Four Best
Firearms for
Self-Defense
Long-Term
Fuel Storage
Done Right ONTHE
BE PREPARED
OR BE A VICTIM
8 Easy Cures
k
for Poison Oa
and Ivy
DIGITAL ISSUES AVAILABLE ON
www.engagedmediainc.com
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 • JUNE 2015 • U.S. $8.99

DISPLAY UNTIL: 6/30/2015
REVIEWS
THRIVE ULTI RRIVE 06

IN STYLE! DURA VE WITH
WELL-EQUIPPED SCHR L’S
GUNSLINGER SCHF AR KIT
0 71486 01319 8
Engaged Media, Inc.
AKM247 7.62 x 39mm
AKM247-C 7.62 x 39mm
SUGGESTED MSRP
$604.95 SUGGESTED MSRP
$654.95
AKM247-T7.62 x 39mm
SUGGESTED MSRP
$645.95 M214 7.62 x 39mm
SUGGESTED MSRP
$664.95
M214 NANO 7.62 x 39mm
SUGGESTED MSRP
$604.95
M215 MIRCO QR/7
M215 AFRAME SUGGESTED MSRP

$749.95
SUGGESTED MSRP
$735.95
DEALERS
SCAN HERE TO FIND
VALUED CUSTOMERS PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FAVORITE
YOUR STOCKING GUN DEALER DISTRIBUTOR
100% MADE
USA
INC. IN THE
INTER ORDNANCE
www.ioinc.us • 321.499.3800
ARE YOU
PREPARED?
America’s Foremost Preparedness
Food & Gear Co.™
Exclusive American Survival Guide Offer
10% OFF Your Order | Code: ASG15 by the wall
Voted #1 street journal
Executive Bug-Out Kit
Year Supply Entree-Pak™
3ĮƎ0!.Ǝ%(0!.Ė
The Only Insurance Policy You Can Eat!” SM
ēƎúýýƎ+1.)!0Ǝ*0.!!Ǝ!.2%*#/
ēƎ+Ǝ++'%*#ĎƎ.!,.0%+*Ǝ+.Ǝ%))!.%*#Ė
ēƎ! 5Ǝ0+Ǝ0Ǝ%*ƎüĨÿƎ%*10!/Ė
ēƎ'! Ǝ%*ƎĨ Ǝ!0(Ǝ*/Ė
ēƎ%4Ǝ/5Ǝ0+Ǝ0+.!Ǝ/!/čƎÿûƎ(/
ēƎ Ǝ ƎƎú÷Ǝ5.Ǝ$!("Ĩ %"!Ǝ++ /Ė
Item #1805
List $1299........................Sale $1149 146 Survival Essentials Included !
ēƎ.+0!0/ƎùƎ,!./+*/Ǝ"+.ƎþùƎ$./
18 different REAL Freeze-Dried meals ! ēƎ
*(1 !/Ǝ++ ĎƎ0!.ĎƎ$!(0!.ĎƎ%.!/0.0!.ĎƎƎƎ
ƎƎƎ.!)%1)Ǝ %+ĎƎĔƎĖƎƎItem #5808
%/0ƎŋøþüčĀĀččččččččččččččččččččččččččččččƎ$139.00
year supply vegetable-pak REAL FREEZE-DRIED Meats! deluxe security-pak™
ēƎúĀ÷Ǝ!.2%*#/ƎēƎøÿƎŕø÷Ǝ%6!Ǝ*/ //!*0%(Ǝ0+ƎƎ++ Ǝ!/!.2!Ė ēƎ+),0ƎþĨ5Ǝ++ Ǝ!/!.2!Ǝ"+.Ǝ
ēƎ+.*ĎƎ!/ĎƎ.!!*Ǝ!*/ƎĴýƎ!čĵ ƎƎƎ3+Ǝ!+,(!
ēƎ.+1* Ǝ!!" ēƎûùŧƎ!(/
Item #1848 ēƎ%! Ǝ!!"ĎƎƎ Item #1880
%/0Ǝŋûøü Ǝ )ĎƎ %/0Ǝŋùüÿ Proven Brands
$377 Ǝ$%'!*ĎƎ* ƎƎ
Ǝ1.'!5
$232 You KNow & Trust!
ē +.' $+,
%!!/ Great Gift
Item #1852 Idea!
List $345.90....$312 New!
tactical surgical kit aquapod® kit

ēƎ0%*(!//Ǝ0!!(Ǝ1.#%(Ǝ1(%05Ǝ
ēƎ
*(1 !/Ǝ3+Ǝ0!.%(!Ǝ101.!/
emergency water storage Nuclear
Accident
ēƎ+*Ĩ101.!Ǝ0.%,/ƎēƎùýƎ%!!/ ēƎ0+.!Ǝ1,Ǝ0+ƎýüƎ(č %* +1. 0$ 1 Must!
Item #3141 %/0ƎŋýüčĀĀ...$55.99 ƎƎƎ%*Ǝ*Ǝ)!.#!*5
ēƎ +3Ǝ+/0Ǝ
ƎƎƎ0!.Ǝ0+.#!Ǝ
NEW Item! Potassium Iodide Tablets
ēƎøûƎ5Ǝ1,,(5ĮøƎ!./+*
ƎƎƎ+(10%+*
ēƎĮƎ * Ǝ1), ēƎ+,Ǝ!((!.Ǝ"+.Ǝù÷Ǝ!./Ė
Item #2510 ēƎ +*#ƎþƎ!.Ǝ$!("Ǝ %"!
%/0Ǝŋùýčččč #4505
Sale $23.99 %/0Ǝŋøûčččččččč$9.95
sutures 3 pak Ĵúč÷ĎƎûč÷ĎƎüč÷ĵ oxy-stable 5 yr astronaut freeze-dried

ēƎ Ǝ +/,%0(Ǝ. ! water storage ice cream RECEIVE A
#3191 List $30 preserver
$17.99 ēƎ.!0/Ǝøø÷Ǝ#(
ē !,+(%0*

! .!) FREE SAMPLE
#2177 List $22 #300019 WITH ANY ORDER
$14.99 List $3.99 ĴŋýƎ2(1!ĵƎ
$2.49
FREE SHIPPING! On all orders over $149

(*Lower 48 States)
2011, 2013, 2014 Gold Medal Winner
800.866.4876 | nitro-pak.com/asg
Promo Code:
ASG15
.%!/Ǝ.!Ǝ#++ Ǝ0$.+1#$Ǝ0+!.ƎúøĎƎù÷øûƎƎēƎ5,+#.,$%(ĎƎ !/.%,0%+*ĎƎ+.Ǝ,$+0+#.,$5Ǝ!..+./Ǝ.!Ǝ/1&!0Ǝ0+Ǝ+..!0%+*čƎłƎù÷øûƎ%0.+Ĩ'
THE COVER:
Surveying the horizon to assess
any threats is former Navy Seal
Trevor Maroshek and his nine-
year-old combat veteran dog,
Chopper, a pure-bred German
Shepherd. Chopper was one of
the first MPC Seal Tactical dogs
implemented in the Seal
assault platform. Maroshek is
the director of the Seal Dog
Foundation (sealdogfounda-
tion.com), an organization that
provides dogs, training, and
funds for fallen veterans. The
Gunslinger Emergency Pack
courtesy Survival Bags, Inc.;
and the SCHF3 Extreme Survival
knife courtesy Schrade.
Photo: HENRY Z. DEKUYPER

Design: JESSE CAO
AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE (ISSN 2331-8937) Volume 4, Number 6 is published 12 times a year – January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December by Engaged Media,
Inc., 22840 Savi Ranch Pkwy., Suite 200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887. POSTMASTER: send address changes to American Survival Guide c/o VSI, Inc. 905 Kent Avenue, Liberty, MO 64068. © 2015 by Engaged Media, Inc.
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. GST #855050365RT001 Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian
addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC. P.O. Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6B2.
4 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 | JUNE 2015
GEAR
GUIDES
FEATURES 49 ESCAPE TOOLS
84 SOLAR-POWERED GEAR
20 STORIES OF SURVIVAL: 96 COMPASSES
ESCAPE FROM BERLIN 116 FISHING GEAR
Hans-Peter Spitzner and Peggy Spitzner Are
the Last Ones Out Story by Bryan Dumas
26 HEART OF DARKNESS
Into The Amazon with Bushcraft Global
Story by Joshua Swanagon 49
40 KEEP IT CLEAN
Proper Firearms Maintenance Could Mean
the Difference Between Life And Death BACKCOUNTRY
Story by Robert K. Campbell
37 NIGHT LIGHT
72 DRIVE TO SURVIVE Zippo’s Rugged Lantern is Built to Last
Knowing All the Right Moves May Just Save Story by Gary Kimball
Your Life Story by Jeff Zurschmeide 84
46 FOE: LEAVES OF THREE,
102 HANDLING HAZARDS LET THEM BE
A Day in the Life of a Chemical Management Getting to Know Poison Oak and Poison Ivy
Officer Story by Carrie Visintainer Story by Christopher Nyerges
URBAN 66 BITES AND STINGS

Nothing Makes a Bad Situation Worse Than
38 DURABLE SURVIVAL a Bug Bite Story by Kevin Estela
Schrade’s SCHF3 Extreme Survival Knife 96
Story by Simon Meyers 106 WEARABLE GEAR
The Modern Survival Vest Can Be a Lifesaver
54 THE BIG FOUR Story by Kevin Estela
The Pros and Cons of the Pistol, Shotgun,
Rifle, and AR-15 Story by Duke Montana 126 GET OUTTA DODGE
The Beast: A Solar-Powered eBike to the
62 FULLY LOADED Rescue Story by Ryan Lee Price
The Eberlestock Gunslinger II BOB
Story by William “Billy” Boggs HOW-TO
116
82 ARRIVE ALIVE 34 EN ROUTE TO DEATH
SOL’s RoadTripper, a Car Emergency Kit How to Escape From a Car’s Trunk
Story by J. Ellis Bourke Story by Nikki Grey
90 KEEPING COOL 78 SWEET SALVATION

Finally, a Survivor’s Ice Chest How to Use Honey and Sugar to Treat
Story by Phil Tobin Wounds Story by Ryan Lee Price
110 SAFETY NET IN THE SKY 92 BROWN-BAG SURVIVAL DEPARTMENTS

The History and Inner Workings of NORAD How to Build an Emergency Kit on the FIRST WORDS 6
Story by Scott Fischer (Very) Cheap Story by Ryan Lee Price NEW PRODUCTS 10
PREPPING WITH RALSTON 14
PHOTO BY HENRY Z. DEKUYPER
121 AT THE READY 122 GAS CACHE NEWS & NOTES 16

Kilimanjaro’s Morsa is Light But Solid How to Safely Store Fuel for a Long Time SURVIVAL LIT 128
Story by Andrew Philips Story by Jeff Zurschmeide
DEAD END 130
JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 5

FIRSTWORDS
Ryan Lee Price VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 / JUNE 2015

rp ric e @ E n ga ge d M e d i-
a In c .c o m
EDITORIAL
Group Editor: Doug Jeffrey
Editor-in-Chief: Ryan Lee Price
Managing Editor: Ian Hamilton
Senior Creative Director: Eric Knagg
How Far Could You Go?

Art Director: Jesse Cao
CONTRIBUTORS
Bob Campbell, Mike D’Angona, Bryan Dumas, Kevin
Estela, Scott Fisher, Nikki Grey, J.D. Hughes, Christopher
to all of them, perhaps I got the opin- Nyerges, Duke Montana, Tim Ralston, Joshua Swanagon,
Tori Tellem, Carrie Visintainer, Jeff Zurschmeide
ion of about 20…so this is hardly scien-
ADVERTISING
tific. The first person I spoke to was a Gabe Frimmel - Ad Sales Director
(714) 200-1930 - GFrimmel@engagedmediainc.com
university professor of some kind. He Casey Clifford - Senior Account Executive
was nicely dressed and seemed well (714) 200-1982
Mark Pack - Senior Account Executive
versed in current events. I handed him (714) 200-1939
Gennifer Merriday - Ad Traffic Coordinator
my list and asked him, “The prospects
of you finding food before you die is DIRECT MARKETING GROUP
John Bartulin (866) 866-5146 ext. 2746
nil. What would you eat?” He started Tommy Mora (866) 866-5146 ext. 2093
low, asking questions about the found
OPERATIONS
food, and I knew he wasn’t going to Gus Alonzo: Newsstand Sales Manager
make it very far down the list. He said Celia Merriday: Newsstand Analyst
Mohit Patel: Newsstand and Production Analyst
he could never eat his dog and sup- Alberto Chavez: Senior Logistics & Facilities Manager
John Cabral: Creative Graphic Designer
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I was at posed that a rat, if properly cooked,
a cocktail party with my wife’s cowork- would go down alright. EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE
22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200
ers. I could think of 10 other things I The first woman I spoke to was an Yorba Linda, CA 92887
Ph: (800) 332-3330
would rather do on a Saturday night, office clerk for a tool and die company. Fax: (800) 249-7761
www.americansurvivalguidemag.com
but the allure of free drinks is strong. She was petite, not drinking but instead www.facebook.com/americansurvivalguidemagazine
Once there, I was adrift in a sea of eating those little batter-wrapped hot www.facebook.com/eembybeckett
strangers. I decided to play a little dogs. She said she found bugs of any AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE (ISSN 2331-8937) is published
12 times a year – January, February, March, April, May, June,
game I invented. kind revolting and couldn’t make it past July, August, September, October, November, December.
Engaged Media, Inc., 22840 Savi Ranch Pkwy., Suite 200,
On a napkin, I wrote down 10 possi- expired meat. She said she had some in Yorba Linda, CA 92887.
ble things that one could eat if they her fridge at that moment, joking she’d
POSTMASTER: send address changes to American Survival
were in a survival situation but lacked do well in the zombie apocalypse. Guide c/o Engaged Media, Inc., VSI, Inc. 905 Kent Avenue,
Liberty, MO 64068. © 2015 by Engaged Media, Inc. All rights
normal food stuff or any reasonable At the other end of the scale, a drunk reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole
likelihood of obtaining food in the fore- guy in the gathering quickly blurted out or in part is strictly prohibited. GST #855050365RT001 Canada
Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Return undeliv-
seeable future. Each item gets more “human” as soon as I handed him the erable Canadian addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC. P.O.
Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6B2.
off-putting the closer one gets to 10. list. I’m guessing it was the whiskey
talking more than honesty. CUSTOMER SERVICE
1. Dog food (canned, wet) My game/experiment accomplished ENGAGED MEDIA, INC.
22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, Suite 200
2. Expired meat or dairy (several months two things: 1) It passed the time for me Yorba Linda, CA 92887
expired but refrigerated) during an otherwise boring office party; SINGLE COPY SALES
(800) 764-6278
3. Found food (outside and on the ground, and 2) Gave me a pretty good idea that (239) 653-0225 Foreign Inquiries
not wrapped) the vast majority of the people surveyed subscriptions@engagedmediainc.com
customerservice@engagedmediainc.com
4. Bugs (unknown kind) wouldn’t last long after the pantry emp-
BACK ISSUES
5. Lizards (ones you’d find in the yard) ties out. With the exception of the drunk www.engagedmediamags.com
6. Moldy bread (completely covered) and the professor, only two other peo- BOOKS, MERCHANDISE, REPRINTS
(800) 764-6278
7. Rats (and mice) ple I spoke to would eat rats but nobody
NEW PRODUCTS OR TO CONTRIBUTE
8. Your pet (dog, cat, fish, hamster, etc.) would cook up Fido or Mittens if it came A STORY OR PHOTO
9. Rancid food covered in maggots down to it. rprice@engagedmediainc.com
10. Human How far could you go?

I imagine the results of this would be
Sure, there are a lot worse things in quite different at an ASG office party.
the world to eat between nine and 10 ENGAGED MEDIA, INC.
Nick Singh: Executive Director
but I wanted to see who would go the Vikas Malhotra: Vice President
distance, if any. Erin Masercola: Editorial Director
There were about 50 people at the

This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the
party and although I know I didn’t talk understanding that information presented is from
various sources from which there can be no warranty or
responsibility by Engaged Media by Beckett as to the legality,
completeness or technical accuracy.
6 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > J U N E 2 0 1 5

Fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, terrorism, nuclear/biological/chemical, destruction, panic.
These disasters present lethal challenges in daylight. They are compounded by darkness. Are you ready?
TNVC is the only place to obtain all the necessary low light and no light gear to not only survive, but endure and
prevail when disaster strikes. Don’t be caught in the dark!
NIGHT VISION THERMAL LASERS LIGHTS HELMETS MOUNTS
WWW.TNVC.COM
© Copyright 2014, TNVC, All Rights Reserved Booth 6502
Now . $4 . 5
$39.95
. 2 . Now
$22.95 Now SWEDISH FIREKNIFE
. $10. 5
$7.95 ITEM #03-0197
The Swedish FireKnife™ is a new product
by Light My Fire® which incorporates both a
Mora Knife and a Swedish FireSteel®, the
ultimate way to light a fire in any weather. The
3.75" blade is constructed of Sandvik 12C27
Swedish cold-rolled special stainless steel (Rc
56-58). The handle, with a high friction rubber
grip, is comfortable, and safe to use. Profile
grinding makes the blade extremely sharp
from the factory and is easy to resharpen
without special tools. The back of the knife
. 2 . Now has been ground to work perfectly with the
$23.95 Swedish FireSteel® which is contained in

the rear of the handle. The durable Swedish
FireSteel®works equally well when wet and
creates a 5,400°F Spark. Just twist and
STRIKE FORCE™ pull on the back of the handle to reveal the
Fire Starter System Swedish FireSteel®which measures .25"
ITEM #14-0580 in diameter by 1.5” long. Overall measures
8¾"L x 2"W x 1"H.
The patented Strike Force is an exceptional all-weather
flint based fire starting system. The system offers
you an all-in-one compact, durable package, with a
special alloy flint bar and hardened steel striker. When
you scrape the striker down the high performance
flint material you generate a spark three times as hot
as a standard match which will easily ignite any dry
tinder material, or you can use WetFire
tinder which burns at more tha
. 1 . Now degrees. You won’t find a bett
$17.95 non-toxic, odorless tinder that
actually burns longer when we
When conditions are at their
worst you can count on Strike
Force to make you a warming
fire. It also is a safe
and easy lighter for your ITEM #03-0041
backpacking stoves or
barbecues. Available
. 2 . Now
$24.95
in Black or Orange.
SNAKE BITE KIT (PACK OF 2)

2
PA
ITEM #30-0020
C
Now Now
A complete, compact kit for the treatment of snake bite
using the constrictor/suction method. Kit includes detailed . 1 . . 1 .
instructions, three pliable suction cups, easy to use with
one hand lymph constrictor, scalpel, and antiseptic swab.
$9.95 $10.95
THE RENEGADE
SURVIVAL KIT
TEM #11-0020
he kit, made by a survivalist. Compact,
ghtweight and effective. We kept only
what’s necessary. Keep in your car, put
ne in your Bug Out bag or leave one at
he office. Kit provides you with some
of the most basic human needs, Food,
Fire, Shelter and Rescue. Measures
6"L x 5"W x 2"H.
. 2. Now
$39.95
. . Now
COMPLETE UNIVERSAL $59.95
SURGICAL KIT
ITEM #10-7688
. . Now
$34.95 Now
. 1 .
$6.95
G.I. LENSATIC COMPASS

ITEM #02-1405
This is the current U.S. Issue with
induction damped needle swing
and magnifying lens in the sighting
bracket for easy dial readings. The
O. D. hinged aluminum case has
a straight edge calibrated in centi-
meters. This compass has degree
and millimeter scales and operates
in -49ºF to 158ºF temperatures.
Neck lanyard and O. D. nylon LC-1
. . Now compass/1st aid pouch with ALICE

clip included. Phosphorescent
$59.95 markings (requires external light to
become luminous)
. 2 . Now . 11. Now

$22.95 $9.95
. 1 . Now
$7.95
VISIT OUR STORE: 435 W. Alondra Blvd. Gardena, CA 90248

NEWPRODUCTS
1. SEAL
1
ELECTRONICS
It’s probably one of our greatest
fears: damaging our lifeline—the
phone. But LOKSAK has created
peace of mind with its aLOKSAK,
a special resealable bag. But not
just any bag — a hermetic seal
will keep electronic devices air-
tight-dry, even if submerged 200
feet. You’ll still have screen func-
tionality while it’s being protected
from rain, during fishing or camp-
ing, while swimming, and so on.
Can also be used for firearms.
Specifications
• 13 different sizes
• Laptop size, too
• Water, dust, snow, sand,
humidity-proof
loksak.com
Starts around $8
2. OUTDOOR
WATCH 3. EMERGENCY
The PRO TREK line of outdoor CRANK RADIO
2
watches from Casio America fea- This ER200 digital AM/FM and
tures the PRG270 with functions weatherband Wx radio from Mid-
like a compass bearing, atmos- land can work via solar, hand
pheric pressure/altitude, and crank, or rechargeable battery. It
temp readings. There’s also an also has a low/high flashlight and
alarm warning for a sudden rise or SOS flashlight beacon; it activates
drop in atmospheric pressure, for Morse code for assistance.
a heads-up that weather condi-
tions will change. Specifications
• 6.5x2.8x1.9
Specifications • Up to 25 hrs battery life
• 100-meter water resistance • Charge phone/tablet through
• World time clock USB port
• High-capacity solar-charging
• Has water and low-temp midlandusa.com
resistance $59.99
3
protrek.casio.com
$180

4
CAN'T GET ENOUGH ASG ? WHEN YOU'RE NOT OFF
THE GRID, BE SURE TO FIND US ON FACEBOOK:
facebook.com/americansurvivalguidemagazine
4. SURVIVAL harness for easier and quicker

BRACELETS extraction. Resists direct contact
SecureLine created the Survival with flames for four seconds.
Bracelet, which gives a look of
paracord bracelets, but can be Specifications
used outdoors by converting to • Impact-tolerant from 32 foot
more than seven feet of rope. jump
Within the rope are seven strands • Heavy-duty zippers
of nylon that can be used for any- • Dress in under 60 seconds
thing from fishing line to dental
floss to sutures. Use the cordage whiteglacier.com
to build a shelter, create a clothes- $1,450
line, make shoelaces, and more.
Specifications 6. BBQ GRILL

• Nylon-braided construction The Coleman RoadTrip NXT 200
• Easy to pack grill is about potent outdoor
• Can be tourniquet or secure cooking — 20,000 BTUs of inten-
splint sity. It has Instastart ignition for
matchless/push-button lighting.
securelineproducts.com There’s a thermometer and mix-
Starts around $4 and-match cooktop for grill,
stove, or griddle.
5. COLD-WATER Specifications
IMMERSION SUIT • Scissor legs
The White Glacier Arctic 25 cold- • 321 square inches of grill space
water immersion suit protects • Fits 16.9 ounce or 20 pound
against freezing temps, gnarly cold propane tank with attachments
water, arctic wind, and the effects • Low-profile storage
5
of hypothermia for more than 25
hours, without manual adjust- sportchalet.com
ments. Allows for vertical or hori- $220
zontal floating and has a built-in

NEWPRODUCTS
7. GEAR TIES
A reusable rubber twist tie? This
isn’t your grocery-store twist tie!
There’s a tough wire inside to hold
shape, and it’s waterproof in fresh-
water or saltwater, meaning no
damage. It’s UV-resistant, too.
Secure your gear easily.
Specifications
• Weighs 2.5 ounces
• 64x0.4x0.4
• Twist or tie it
• Won’t scratch or mark
7
niteize.com
$7.95
8. MEASURE
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
The Kestrel 4500 Weather & Envi-
ronmental Meter can tell you every
8
condition as well as wind direction
and has automatic crosswind cal-
culation. Measures: ambient
temps, relative humidity, altitude,
barometric pressure, dewpoint and
more. It also has a compass.
Specifications:
• Soft carry pouch included
• Neck lanyard
• Weighs less than 8 ounces
• Waterproof
nkhome.com
$409
9. HATCHET/
SOAP COMBO
Strange bedfellows? The Duke
Cannon American Soap and
Hatchet Set has bricks of Duke
Cannon soap, and a Duke Cannon
hatchet with custom leather
sheath. The set also includes a
Stanley screwdriver and a cold-
weather skull cap. The soaps come
9
in a U.S. military .30 cal ammo kit.
Specifications
• Six soaps
• Hatchet: 19 ounce, 18 inch handle
• Portion of proceeds for veteran
causes
dukecannon.com
$150

10
10. DON’T GET

STUCK
The Traction Jack creates a surface CAN'T GET ENOUGH ASG ?
for traction if your vehicle gets WHEN YOU'RE NOT OFF
THE GRID, BE SURE TO
stuck in sand, snow, mud, or ice.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK:
Put it under the front tires to regain
facebook.com/
grip. The product is two pieces with americansurvival-
a hinge, which means you can fold guidemagazine
it and store it with ease.
Specifications
• 4.3 feet long
• Can be leveling trailer, too 12. RUGGED
• Basic model holds up to 10,000 TABLET
pounds The Toughpad FZ-B2 is a rugged
• Heavy-duty for nearly 22,000 and portable Android tablet. It
pounds meets military standards — so go
ahead, drop it up to five feet. It’s
tractionjack.com able to withstand shock, vibra-
Four kits; prices start at $174.99 tion, altitude, humidity, and
extreme temps. And it’s water-
resistant.
11. FOLDING COT
The lightweight Helinox Cot One Specifications
can be put anywhere, anytime. It • Quick charging
has quick-tensioning locks, mak- • 7-inch daylight-readable
ing for easy setup. It uses Helinox screen
TH72M aluminum. A storage bag • Glove-friendly touchscreen
is included.
panasonic.com
Specifications $1,299
12
• 72 inches long
• Weighs 4.2 pounds
• 6 inches off the ground
• 320 pound load capacity
bigagnes.com
$300
11
PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM RALSTON
PREPPING RALSTON WITH
BY TIM RALSTON
Timothy Bryan Ralston is an American inventor, veteran, adventurer, author and movie consultant for his expertise in the field of
survival and preparedness education. He is best known for his appearance in the powerful motivational film, The Compass, and
for being the international spokesperson in the launch of NatGeo’s No. 1-rated program, Doomsday Preppers.
Know Your Region

Before The Emergency
Where will you be when an emer-
gency strikes? The odds are you’ll
probably be in your home region –
beyond that it’s a mystery.
There are a lot of preparations
people make for emergency scenar-
ios. Yet without being able to predict
what the circumstances of the sce-
nario will be there’s no predicting
your best course of action. For exam-
ple, would bugging in be an option – Knowing your way out of a big city or even your own city could be a very important step to
or would you be forced to bug-out? If your survival. For example, consider subway tunnels as a means of escape.
so, which route will be deemed
safest, and can your supplies even your part of the country – and how hungry. The focus is in learning
withstand the duration? to eat them safely. which are friend and which are foe. In
A great way to prepare for this Medicinal — There may not always other words, which can be eaten and
type of “unknown” is to learn about be a pharmacy around…but fortu- which will eat you.
your region. In the event that you had nately nature provides its own. Prey — Every region has temperate
to find refuge in your local wilder- From headaches, to sore throats, creatures that are ideal for con-
ness, it is critical to know what to blood clotting– there are many sumption. Learn which ones in your
resources are available – and how to plants that have the power to heal area are the easiest to find, the best
avoid the dangers within. minor ailments and injuries. hunting techniques, and the right
Poisonous — Eating the wrong type way to cook them. This includes
Vegetation of plant can easily seal your fate. mammals, reptiles, insects, and
Many plants have the ability to Some will make you violently ill, everything in between.
save your life. But if not researched while others will leave you cold as Predators — Do you know what
carefully, they can easily be confused a doornail. It is for this reason that deadly beasts stalk your neck of
with those that cause an adverse making a positive identification the woods? If not, it is imperative
effect. Take the time to practice plant before usage is extremely vital! that you do. Every place has their
identification in your surrounding Building Materials — You may have own potentially vicious animals –
area. Learn which will aid in your sur- to rely on using natural materials from bears, to mountain lions, to
vival, and which to leave be. for building things like shelter, wolves. There are also many poi-
I’d recommend keeping an Identi- tools, weapons, etc. Because time sonous and stealthier ones, such
fication Guide in your BOB. is of the essence, it’s a good idea as snakes and spiders.
Edibility — Some plants in the wilder- to know beforehand which items For each predator, there are rec-
ness can provide you the vitamins are best for getting the job done. ommendations of what to do when
and nourishment needed to sur- you come across it. Spend time really
vive. Discover which edible roots, Animals educating yourself about the proper
grasses, herbs, flowers, berries, or Finding an animal in the wilder- protocol for handling the dangerous
even cacti grow abundantly in ness can be a blessing when you’re animals that reside in your region.

Weather Conditions
There are negative weather condi-
tions that occur all across the country.
Extreme temperatures or winds, nat-
ural disasters, and flooding could all [CLOCKWISE] Take the time to practice
be dangerous if you were bugging plant identification in your surrounding
out in the wild. area. For example, the seeds of the castor
oil plant contain ricin, one of the world’s
A good idea is to pinpoint the most most lethal toxins. Potentially dangerous
deadly weather risks in your region, animals lurk in most outdoor environments,
and the time period during which so care and understanding of them need to
be considered. The mountain lion, when
they occur. Research and discover properly motivated, can easily make a meal
solutions that would help you survive of you. Knowing your region’s weather
patterns and the likelihood of a weather
when facing them. What steps do you
event will help you not only choose the
take to avoid overheating in the right path but might provide you with
desert? How can you create fire in much needed information about surviving.
harsh conditions? Prepare yourself
with plans for various scenarios. an alternative safe destination or
shelter, a reachable meeting spot for
Escape Routes on Foot you and other local family members,
The type of escape route you take secluded routes you feel no others are
is dependent on whether you are in aware of or an area with an abun-
PHOTOS BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
the city, or in a rural environment. dance of natural resources?

Let’s pretend regardless of your loca- It’s always important to prepare
tion, you were forced to flee on foot for the worst and hope for the best.
from your home. Do you know By studying the details of your home
enough about your area regarding the region – it should give you a better
location of the closest water source, chance of surviving when SHTF.

Biometrics May Be
the New Password
SOUND WAVES TO ID HOW TO STOP HACKERS?
NUCLEAR POWER Biometrics is one form of identity

protection leading the way (be it
PLANT CRACKS fingerprints, voice recognition,

or iris scanning, for example),
and the Apple iPhone with Touch ID
A NEW SYSTEM that relies on sound waves that could be used to find
and the Samsung fingerprint scanner
cracks in pipes, aircraft engines, and nuclear power plants has been
are at the forefront of consumer
developed by an academic at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. It
interaction with this technology.
could be used to detect structural defects or other weak points, such as
Yahoo is even experimenting with
within a special type of weld that’s hard to inspect.
eliminating passwords.
GUESS HOW OLD

THE FBI’S MOST
WANTED LIST IS
YOU’RE LIKELY AWARE of the FBI’s Ten
Most Wanted Fugitives program. But did
you know it’s 65 years old in 2015? It
started March 14, 1950, and in the decades
since, 504 fugitives have been added, and
473 apprehended or located. The FBI
noted that 156 were found due to citizen
cooperation. In its early years, the
dangerous fugitives were typically bank
robbers and murder suspects. Now, it has
grown to include cyber criminals, child
predators, and white-collar criminals.

One particularly ready
fault is the Southern
San Andreas, which
contributes to its continued
status of being the most
likely to host a large
earthquake. Specifically, it
has a 19 percent chance of
having one or more events
larger than magnitude 6.7 in
the next 30 years.”
—FROM THE EARTHQUAKE-FORECASTER FOR CALIFORNIA, CALLED
UNIFORM CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE RUPTURE FORECAST (UCERF3)
Ohio Has The Most School Threats

A STUDY BY NATIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES found that
the top state for school threats is Ohio, followed by California, New York and
Texas. Threats were studied from August 1-December 31, 2014, which is the first
half of the school year. Ohio had 64 reports of school threats, more than California
with 60. New York had 46 and Texas had 41. Bomb threats top the list, followed
by shooting.
Gary L. Sigrist Jr., president of Safeguard Risk Solutions, a security consulting
firm based in Grove City, Ohio said: “Should we do a better job training staff and
schools to better respond to bomb threats? Absolutely.”

ARE ANTIBIOTICS CREATING Aluminum is
NEW EVIL BACTERIA? Poisoning Crops
A SIDE EFFECT OF SOIL
SHORT ANSWER: YES. Long answer: “For a long time we’ve ACIDIFICATION? Aluminum, which
thought that bacteria make antibiotics for the same reasons that reduces plant growth, potentially
we love them— because they kill other bacteria,” said Elizabeth preventing roots from reaching water or
Shank, an assistant professor of biology nutrients, according to researchers from
in the UNC-Chapel Hill College of The University of Queensland. Food
Arts and Sciences as well as security being at risk is the side effect of
microbiology and aluminum. Soil degradation is natural,
immunology in the UNC- but now efforts can be made to create
Chapel Hill School of better aluminum tolerance.
Medicine. “However,
we’ve also known that
antibiotics can
sometimes have
pesky side-effects,
like stimulating
biofilm formation.”
PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

“It was never that
surprising that many
bacteria form biofilms in
response to antibiotics: It
helps them survive an attack.
But it’s always been thought that
this was a general stress response, a
kind of non-specific side effect of antibiotics. Our findings indicate
that this isn’t true. We’ve discovered an antibiotic that very
specifically activates biofilm formation, and does so in a way that
has nothing to do with its ability to kill.”
IN FLORIDA, DON’T SAY

“CLIMATE CHANGE”
THE FLORIDA CENTER for
Investigative Reporting learned
officials with the state’s
Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) have been banned
from saying the phrases “climate
change” or “global warming” or
“sustainability” in any official
communications, including emails
and reports. A spokesperson for the
DEP told Bloomberg there’s no
policy on this.

STORIES OF SURVIVAL
Escape
from
Berlin
HANS-PETER SPITZNER AND PEGGY SPITZNER ARE THE LAST ONES OUT
Story by Bryan Dumas | Photography Courtesy Hans-Peter Spitzner | Additional Photography Courtesy Library of Congress
“Sorry, no. It is too dangerous.” ASG had the opportunity to speak with
Those are the words greeting Hans-Peter Hans-Peter and Peggy Spitzner and have
Spitzner each time he approached a U.S. sol- them tell their incredible story of survival.
dier in East Berlin. But, he did not give up
and, finally, on his third day in the hot sum- American Survival Guide: What was life like
mer heat he found a soldier — Eric Yaw — for you in East Germany?
who was willing to ferry his seven-year-old Hans-Peter Spitzner: I was a 35-year-old tex-
Hans-Peter Spitzner and
his daughter Peggy at a
daughter and himself across the East/West tile-engineering teacher living in Chemnitz,
Berlin Wall Memorial. Berlin border and into freedom. Saxony. Our everyday life was quiet; we
worked and our child was in first grade.
Friends and family could talk freely about the
injustices in the GDR, but it was not foresee-
able that the wall would come down one day,
that’s why many people turned their backs
on the GDR.
Peggy Spitzner: As a child it was a good life. I
had enough friends and toys, and I remember
my fancy washing machine. In Kindergarten
we all looked the same and the rules were
very strict. We had to sleep on our bellies
with our hands under the pillow. The group,
as such, was very important and school itself
was very practically orientated. I loved my
uniform and regularly embarrassed my mom
by singing the political songs we learned at
school in public. I do not remember knowing
anything about the world outside the GDR.

ASG: The Stasi arrested you because you My wife was already in Austria [it was com-
refused to follow party orders in an elec- mon practice for the GDR to allow a member
tion. How did you feel during your arrest? of the family to leave briefly so long as there
H-PS: I was paralysed and feeble. I felt com- was family left behind, almost as hostages for
pletely exposed, but I was strong inside and their return] and this encouraged me to try to
not willing to give up, I had not committed escape and not have to expose my wife to the
any crimes and did not feel guilty at all, yet risk. She and my daughter did not know any-
still I cannot deny a feeling of fear. I was infe- thing specific about my plans. Shortly before I
rior to all these people; the psychological prepared my daughter in a playful way. While
pressure was enormous. on our way to Berlin, I passed it off to her as a
kind of hide and seek game.
ASG: Where did you get the idea for your PS: I do not remember my father telling me Conrad Schumann,
the first person to
escape, if you would call it that, in a car? anything except that we had to get through escape the Berlin Wall
What set your plans in motion? What did this in order to see my mom. For me it felt August 15, 1961.
you think about it all, Peggy? like an adventure, because in my under-
H-PS: The idea of escaping in the trunk of a standing, I was doing this whole wait-hide-
car came to my mind while reading an article seek thing only to be able to see my mum.
in the newspaper Junge Welt. I read that She was gone and I wanted her back. Actu-
there was an official instruction that said ally, you are the first person to ask if I would
members of the allied military forces were call it “an escape”. I never thought about the
not to be searched. Only the usual passport word to use to describe it. On one side it was
check was conducted. In the case of a reason- not an escape in the sense that we had to fear
able suspicion of a flight risk the car was sur- for our lives, but my father wanted to go
rounded and the occupants forced out. It away because of the threats and fear for his
wasn’t until then that they could be arrested social life if he did not behave the way the
since the inside of the vehicle was de facto Socialist Party wanted people to behave. So,
American territory. yes, I would say it was an escape.

Escape
from
Berlin
caught], but the urge to live in a free country
gave me the strength to try it over and over
again. I wanted to escape the system and
wanted to give it the cold shoulder. I wanted
to demonstrate that its power could not keep
everybody from leaving.
I wanted to meet a soldier, who was dri-
ving a car, and I also tried my luck with bus
drivers. Peggy was always by my side, this
made me less suspicious; a child was rather
unsuspicious to the authorities. I felt power-
less and I was sad every time I was rejected.
But it was a special kind of challenge indeed,
dangerous and special, and this is why I did
not give up. I have always been the warrior
type who pursues his goals to the end and
does not give up that quickly.
PS: Unfortunately, I do not remember much
about those three days, merely a few scenes.
I remember being in a café on Alexaderplatz.
I also remember being in a parking lot and
that we forgot my cuddly too in our green
Wartburg. I was very sad about that.
ASG: How did you eventually meet with

Eric Yaw?
H-PS: I saw him by chance right before I
Eric Yaw standing at the
Checkpoint Charlie sign
on wanted to cancel the whole thing. I saw him
the same day he helped parking his car on Karl-Marx-Allee, a central,
the Spitzners escape.
busy road in East Berlin. I saw a black car
with a US license plate and decided to try
one last time to find someone by walking
over to his car and signaling with gestures
that I wanted to talk to the young man, who
was wearing a uniform. I recognized that it
Eric Yaw ’s Toyota
Camry, then in was a US military uniform. He was hesitant,
Afghanistan. but to my delight he opened the car window
and I could bring my request forward. When
he agreed, at first I thought that he maybe
misunderstood, because I could not believe
that he would take on such a burden, that he
would, at the risk of his life and knowing that
he was breaching official instructions, help
me and my daughter. I was a little confused
and very, very excited at the same time.
ASG: What was going through your mind

as you rode in the trunk of Eric Yaw’s car
and crossed through Checkpoint Charlie?
ASG: Could you explain what it was like in H-PS: The drive from getting into the car to
Berlin for those three days while you the border (Checkpoint Charlie) took us
sought out anyone who might help you approximately 25 minutes, but we got into
cross the border? the car near a park to prevent people from
H-PS: Before the escape, and until Peggy and watching us. Until then we had been driving
I were able to leave the car after the success- the two cars separately. The drive to the bor-
ful escape, I felt panic and fear; it was life der was not very long, but the tightness, the
threatening. I was totally aware of [being darkness, the broiling heat, and the black car,

At the end of World War II, Berlin became a divided city with the three western Allies — the
U.S., Great Britain, and France — controlling the western half of the city and the Soviets
controlling the east. Between 1941 and 1961, nearly 2.7 million people simply walked across
the border from East to West. Half of these refugees were under 25. The labor and eco-
nomic crisis that loomed for the East German government had to be stemmed before there
was a complete collapse of the East German economy.
Early in the morning of August 13, 1961 temporary barriers of coiled barbed wire were
erected along the border between the Soviet and Western sectors of Berlin and the roads
connecting the two were torn up. Over the next few weeks, the wire was removed and
replaced by concrete slabs. The Wall would divide neighborhoods; houses that impeded the
wall were condemned, boarded up, and became empty carcasses ensnared within the
labyrinth of the border security.
The Spitzners, reunited in West Germany, a few months

after their escape.
which seemed to suck up the shafts of sun-

light, made it seem like an eternity.
In the trunk many thoughts crossed my
mind. On one hand I did not want to be
caught by the border patrolmen, because
that would have meant prison for me, and
my daughter would have been taken to an Construction
unknown place, probably a state community of the Berlin
Wall in 1963.
home or to new parents who were loyal to
the party. I was scared, anxious, and pic-
tured many scenarios. It was like a thunder-
storm in my head, I was unable to think
Ostensibly, the Berlin Wall was not directed at keeping East Germans from escaping but,
straight. I was shivering with fear. Of course,
as East German leader Walter Ulbricht said in the weeks after the wall rose, “we have sealed
I knew about the firing orders and the cruel
the cracks in the fabric of our house and closed the holes through which the worst enemies
methods the civil servants used against peo-
of the German people could creep.”
ple who tried to escape, everybody in the
GDR knew about this. From its creation in 1961 to its fall in 1989, the Berlin Wall saw four major revisions, but
throughout the years it was always being modified and security measures perfected after
PS: I was not nervous. I even calmed my
each and every escape attempt was analyzed.
father down in the trunk of Eric’s car. He
But the Berlin Wall was only a small portion of the entire “Iron Curtain” that tore across
tried to talk to me to avoid me getting scared,
but I told him that we could not speak or central Europe. Separating East and West Germany was a no-man’s land of barbed wire,
someone might hear us. Of course, I could minefields, watchtowers and dog runs called the Inner-German border. At nearly 860 miles
not estimate the scope of this undertaking, long, the border ran from the Baltic Sea to Czechoslovakia, where the governments of other
but I knew that it was important to my family Eastern Bloc nations implemented their own security measures. In 1967, utilizing their expe-
and my dad that we got where we wanted to riences constructing the Berlin Wall, the GDR modernized the entire barrier. The new system
go safely and therefore I had to listen to my was extremely effective; there were approximately 1,000 escapes per year in the mid-60s
dad and be brave. to less than 120 a decade later.
The Berlin Wall stood, as Hans-Peter Spitzner described it, as a “razorblade in the flesh
ASG: What was your reaction once you of the German folk” for almost 30 years and it would take a mistake for it to ultimately
reached West Berlin? come down. On Nov. 9, 1989, East German Politburo member Guenther Schabowski mistak-
H-PS: We were relieved, because we could enly announced that East Germans would be allowed to cross into West Germany immedi-
finally escape the tightness and the heat, but ately. The rush of people caught the GDR border agents off guard, and, without orders to
also that we were not exposed to the GDR the contrary, began allowing people to pass peacefully between East and West. Official
dictatorship regime and the repressions that reunification of East and West Germany did not happen until Oct. 3, 1990 and the last ves-
tiges of the Wall were not removed until 1992.

Escape
from
Berlin
a guy came to our open window that was
promoting some kind of red strawberry
lemonade. He gave one to me for free and
this was a completely new thing for me, I
was over the moon. Usually, I went to stores
with adults and we were waiting in a queue
for hours. Nobody just came to you and
offered you stuff.
ASG: Looking back at everything, what do

you think of the Berlin Wall and every-
thing you went through?
H-PS: I was glad when the wall came down,
that the razorblade in the flesh of the Ger-
man folk, the wall, had lost its awful effect,
and I was happy for the GDR citizens that
they could finally be free and would not have
to risk their lives, like me and Peggy
and Eric, to be able to live in peace.
For me this was a very happy day,
we celebrated with friends past mid-
night. I will never forget this day, as
well as the day of our escape and I
am thankful to Eric and the Germans
that everything happened entirely
peacefully. The reunification in the
German minds will take a little
longer, but this is manageable com-
pared to the conditions in the GDR
— look to North Korea, people are
still held in prisons like animals,
look to Iran, where religious groups
restrict the freedom of the people. I
am happy I get to live in a free and
beautiful country.
PS: I admire my dad for doing such
a brave thing, he is my hero and I
think he is responsible for my strong
belief that I can accomplish every-
At Hans-Peter came with it anymore. We called Berchtes- thing if I really want to. He wanted to give his
Spitzner’s birthday gaden [where Ingrid was staying] after Eric family the opportunity of a better life. He
party. The painting was
created by Peggy and had picked us up from the refugee camp once wanted me to grow up in an environment
done with coffee. more. Unfortunately, my wife was not at the where I would be able to speak the truth and
guesthouse that day, so I had to rely on the where the individual is worth something.
[TOP] Eric Yaw and
Ingrid Spitzner during owner of the guesthouse to break the news of This was not the case in the GDR. My child-
Hans-Peter Spitzner’s our escape to her and that she believed us, hood was good. I was a happy child, but hav-
60th birthday party.
after all we didn’t know each other. The next ing inherited my father’s persistence and
morning I could talk to my wife Ingrid in per- love of liberty, I think I would have thought
son and explain the situation. about escaping later on in my life (given the
PS: My first memory is the trunk opening. I circumstances would not have changed).
saw a big red brick building. Eric had taken
Author’s Notes: I’d like to thank Hans-Peter and Peggy Spitzner for
us there, because some of his friends lived
taking the time to speak with ASG. You can read more about their
there. He asked everybody in the building to escape in their book, written by Hans-Peter Spitzner and illustrated
donate clothes for us, because my dad had by Peggy Spitzner, Die Nadel im Ozean. I’d also like to thank Lydia
Dollmann with the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer for helping facilitate
forgotten to pack some for me. Later we contacts. A special thanks goes to Charmagne Braden for her help
were driving through Berlin, and while we translating the many German sources and interview for this story.
were waiting at the traffic lights somewhere,

Before ordering yours, answer one question . . .
yes x HELL yes www.topsknives.com

P.O. BOX 2544, IDAHO FALLS, ID 83403
Phone: (208)542-0113
Heart of
Darkness
INTO THE AMAZON WITH BUSHCRAFT GLOBAL
Story and Photography by Joshua Swanagon | Additional Photography by Joe Flowers, Andy Tran and Dan Eastland
I
n early 2014 my friend Joe Flowers invited me on the inaugural
Bushcraft Global trip, his new company taking people to the Amazon
Jungle at the southern tip of Colombia and teaching them jungle sur-
vival. Having camped throughout the Rockies and Michigan I can
honestly say I never had the opportunity to camp anywhere like the
Amazon, so naturally I was in. Fortunately, Bushcraft Global is sponsored
by TOPS Knives, so even though my entire knife collection is designed
more for North America, it wasn’t an issue. Each member of the expedition
was provided with a TOPS Knives Machete .170 and Shango XL knife,
which was a perfect combination for traversing the dense Amazon jungle.
“THE AMAZON JUNGLE IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING PLACES ON EARTH AND, EVEN THOUGH
EVERYTHING THERE IS CONSTANTLY STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL, IT IS ALSO TEEMING WITH LIFE.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN EASTLAND OF DOGWOOD KNIVES

A
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN EASTLAND OF DOGWOOD KNIVES
A. The jungle was very dense and at times D

impossible to get through without
machetes. B. Rodolfo, one of our Jacuna
Guides, making a roof panel for the kitchen.
C. The thatched roof over the kitchen and
food. D. Our hammocks at the second base
camp about nine miles into the jungle. E.
TOPS Knives Machete .170 and Shango XL
with my finished blow gun. F. A frog we got
at the second base camp. It was delicious.
PREPARATION/PACKING
I think the hardest part of this trip
was packing. Having never been any
place like the Amazon, I had no idea
what I should and shouldn’t bring.
Fortunately we were given a list, but it
was more of a guideline really and it is
still difficult to determine what, of the
gear you are used to, will be useful
and what won’t. Some of it might be
and some of it might not, but all of it
will be susceptible to the dense
humidity of the jungle. For that reason, the most impor- it isn’t there and it can’t kill you. Also, some form of water
tant piece of gear on the list was dry bags; I used multiple purification; regardless of what type of water purifier you
bags to organize my gear as opposed to one big dump have you should also have iodine tablets as a backup for
bag. Of equal importance was quick drying nylon clothes good measure. You will also need your typical gear, but
and shorts; do not wear cotton, you will be wet and miser- the things listed here are vital.
able the entire time there.
There are a few other items that topped the list of ARRIVAL
importance and are highly recommended. Once you think Upon arriving in Leticia, there were small taxis and
you have enough Deet, go buy some more, because you dirt bikes zipping around everywhere. Fortunately we
don’t have enough. Make a foot powder ball with any had a bus waiting for us, which would deliver us to the
kind of antifungal powder and one leg of pantyhose; your Arenosa (which is a part of Reserva Natural Tanimboca)
feet are imperative when traversing the jungle and jungle owned by our host Goran. Here we would spend our first
rot will surely slow you down. A blister kit; you want to night in preparation to head into the jungle to our first
make sure you have some good ointments and tapes base camp.
specifically designed for blisters, plus Vaseline to prevent As soon as the sun went down on the first day we were
blisters. Two or three flashlights and plenty of batteries; taken for a night hike through the surrounding jungle to
traveling through the jungle during the day is not even learn about the local flora and fauna; at night is the best
close to as hard as traveling through it at night. Trust me time for this because that is when the jungle really comes
when I say that just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean alive. One of the most important lessons we learned on

B C
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY TRAN OF INNERBARK OUTDOORS
E F
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY TRAN OF INNERBARK OUTDOORS
that hike was to always be aware of your surroundings in pose of the first base camp was to give us a few days to
the jungle. At one point we stopped to discuss something acclimate to the jungle, giving us a comfortable place to
and one of the gentlemen with us had a tree frog right begin learning some of the skills we would need for the
next to his head, it wasn’t a dangerous variety, but longer hike that was ahead.
it was a lesson in paying attention to your sur-
roundings. Everything there is fighting for FOOD PROCUREMENT
survival and that makes all of it danger- Perhaps one of the most amazing
ous on some level. Not to mention next
NATURE’S things about the jungle is the fact that
time it could have been a scorpion, ALARM there is literally food everywhere.
tarantula or a killerpillar (what we The jungle has its own natural alarm system. However, just like anywhere else on
affectionately nicknamed the caterpil- When there is a dangerous predator, such as a the planet, you don’t want to just start
lars down there). jaguar or large snake, the whole area will get grabbing things and eating them.
really quiet and then the area the predator is With the help of our indigenous
BASE CAMP ONE actually in will erupt in sound alerting the Jacuna (Pronounced Yah-Coo-Nah)
The day after we arrived we got up surrounding area to the exact location guide we were taught some of the eas-
early and hiked about three or four miles of the predator. ier to identify edible plants and fruits
into the jungle, to our first base camp. This during our many jungle walks. The easiest
location had a good size hut and some fenced to identify was a palm tree we also used to
in property that was part of Tanimboca and is harvest the leaves for shelter building, so we
owned by our host Goran. The property was remote and knew it well; the inside has the consistency and flavor of a
surrounded by jungle and although it had no electricity it cucumber. Along with that was the star fruit, another easy
did have running water (we each had to pump the well to identify edible that was so delicious it almost put me
300 times a day to bring the water to the hut). The pur- off fruit back home altogether.

A B
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY TRAN OF INNERBARK OUTDOORS PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE FLOWERS
E F
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE FLOWERS PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY TRAN OF INNERBARK OUTDOORS
However, we all know we need protein as well, so MACHETE MAINTENANCE

making sure there were no holes in training we set out to One of the things I noticed immediately upon getting
rustle up some grub. Literally. Once we found a tree with to Colombia is the machete is life there. Most people in
grubs in it (find a dead tree and put your ear up to it, you Colombia (at least in areas like this) are given their first
can hear them eating on the inside) we chopped the tree machete when they are four and they have one for the
down and used an axe to open it up and start harvesting rest of their lives. So it was no surprise that a strong
the grubs. Before putting the grub into the pouch we emphasis was placed on proper machete maintenance.
made out of a palm leaf, we bit the head, thus killing it Sharpening our machetes with a couple files that made
instantly and ensuring it won’t crawl out and make an the trip with us became a daily ritual. But aside from just
escape. We had that day’s harvest with dinner that night. using the files we were also shown a means of sharpening
I thought they were a little greasy when cooked, but our machete on a log using the sand from the jungle floor.
tasted like raw almonds. What made this even more effective is the fact that you
In the evenings, after the sun went down, we would go can use different grains of sand to go from a basic edge to
for long hikes along the rivers and spear fish. Using flash- a keen one.
lights we would spot the fish as they slept near the bank
and use the spears we fashioned back in camp to attempt WASN’T ALL WORK
to spear our quarry. I say “attempt” because the truth of The last full day we were there we were taken for a
the matter is that our Jacuna guide was the only one pro- hike a few miles deeper into the jungle where we met the
ficient enough to ensure we had fish to eat. But we Chief of a Makuna tribe, where we were invited into his
learned a lot during our attempts and I am convinced that large maloca (term for a traditional Indigenous house)
with a little more time we could have done pretty well. and shown great hospitality as he sat with us and enlight-

C D
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE FLOWERS PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE FLOWERS
G H
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE FLOWERS PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN EASTLAND OF DOGWOOD KNIVES
A. Joe Flowers and Rodolfo working on one of the traps on the trap line. B. The platform we built down into the small river by us for easier
access to the water. C. Working on hollowing out my blow gun during some down time. D. Chief Gustavo, of the Makuna tribe. E. Jacuna fish
traps. F. The best way to keep boots dry. This will not keep small critters like scorpions or killerpillars out of your boots, so you still need to
shake them out before putting them on. G. The table in the commons area. H. Rustling up some grub.
ened us with stories of his tribe and how he became HIKING IN

Chief. After spending this time with us and providing us The hike in was definitely different than the hike to the
with something to eat he allowed us to go down the path first base camp, which made us all glad for the time we had
and fish from his river. spent the first few days learning to traverse the jungle.
Although the altitude was relatively the same from the
BASE CAMP TWO beginning of the hike to the end, there were a lot of steep
After returning back to Tanimboca from the first base ups and downs, fairly deep waters and dense jungle with
camp we took a short excursion into Leticia (the local many obstacles. Unfortunately for me I was sick during the
town) and did a little shopping, eating and sight-seeing hike (I believe from the salad I had eaten in town the day
before returning to prepare our gear for the long hike in before) with diarrhea and a fever that registered upward of
the morning. It was important to really scour through our 102 degrees. I have done a lot of hiking in my life, but this
gear to rid ourselves of unnecessary weight, which is was the most grueling I have ever experienced. Although I
never easy, but was essential. The next morning we was a bit delirious I forged on in autopilot and just fol-
awoke and loaded our gear onto the truck that would take lowed the man in front of me, taking quick power naps at
us to the drop off point to begin our nine mile hike. every stop. It wasn’t easy, but I made it.

SET UP This was one of the most rewarding experiences of the
Due to illness, as soon as we arrived at our final desti- trip for me, but more than just rewarding, they almost
nation I immediately set up my hammock and laid down became necessary when Andy, Dan Eastland of Dogwood
for a nap. Fortunately for me our expedition included Knives and I spent the last night in our own camp about a
some very good people and they helped to finish setting mile away from base camp. Having found evidence there
up my bug net and shelter while I slept. When I awoke was a jaguar in the area, we were provided with a quiver
for dinner I made my way down to the commons area full of poison darts to go with our new blow guns for
that had been established and was surprised to find a security.
table, much like a picnic table, fashioned by our Jacuna
guides out of surrounding trees and chicken gut vines. It HIKING OUT
was quite sturdy and very impressive. After dinner I Being much healthier for the trip out made it much
immediately went back to bed to attempt to sleep off easier and I was actually lucid enough to remember a lot
what ailed me. of the hike. Unfortunately, due to some heavy rains two
The next morning when I went back down to the com- nights before, most of the smaller streams were now
mons area for breakfast there was a shelter over the table about chest high and the only option was wading
and a whole kitchen area, made from the surrounding through. I made sure to remind everybody of the caiman
materials, complete with a long counter for food and a roof we were hunting in these waters just two nights before,
made of palm leaves thatched together. The Jacuna guides just to keep our eyes peeled. Other than the periods of
work fast and they work well. Later that day we were deep waters (some almost the length of a football field)
taught how to thatch together the roof the hike was good and we made it out
panels and we helped complete the roof unscathed.
over the kitchen. The next day we went
down to the river and constructed a small
deck out over the water for use in wash-
SKILLS CONCLUSION
As if to not be outdone by the jungle
LEARNED AND
ing dishes, water procurement and a plat- PRACTICED itself, our host Goran gave us a great
form to set toiletries while bathing. send-off, starting with a boat ride on the
IN THE JUNGLE:
Amazon River, lunch at a very cool
HUNTING/TRAPPING > Making a Jacuna blow gun restaurant right on the river (complete
One of the Jacuna guides brought a > Making a Yaknua bow with hammocks for siestas) and then fin-
blowgun and we attempted to hunt for > Spear fishing ishing off with a great dinner and cele-
monkey (in hunting parties of two). > Making thatched roof panels bration back at the Arenosa. The trip to
Unfortunately, probably due to having a > Building structures completely the Amazon was one of the most reward-
group of people maneuvering around in out of natural materials ing things I have ever done and I was
the jungle, the hunt for monkey did not > Setting trap lines for ground bird grateful to have such great guides from
go well and the hunt for caiman met the > Machete maintenance in the which to learn. I truly felt after this expe-
same fate. However, we did set up a trap middle of the jungle with and rience, and the skills learned, that I could
line to snare some Bird of Paradise and without a file have found my way out of the jungle
that ended up paying off. We only got > Staying dry (just kidding, you alive in an emergency situation. Along
one bird, but it was enough for a deli- don’t stay dry in the jungle) with that were the friends made during
cious stew that filled us all. > Making and setting fish traps this experience I will count as friends for
> Finding food in the Amazon the rest of my life.
PASSING THE DOWN TIME The Amazon jungle is one of the most
We didn’t have a whole lot of down amazing places on Earth and even
time, because in the jungle there is always something to though everything there is constantly struggling for sur-
be doing, working on, fishing, etc. But there were times vival it is also teeming with life. It is almost impossible to
when we would all just spend some time sitting around go more than a few feet without finding some source of
the table and it was at these times that we got to tell sto- food and all around you are ingredients to make medi-
ries, joke around, sharpen our knives and machetes and cines to cure almost anything. After leaving the Amazon
work on projects. Some guys would take this time to write jungle it occurred to me that you may leave it, but it will
the day’s experiences in a journal, some guys would carve never leave you. I will be going back.
little figurines out of the beautiful blood wood we har-
About the Author: Joshua Swanagon has studied survival in both urban and wilderness
vested, etc. Andy Tran of Innerbark Outdoors and I used
environments for most of his life. With years of diverse martial arts training and real
this time to make our own Jacuna blow guns and bows, world application, Joshua with his partner Kenny Pipes has put together Urban Defense
with the guidance of our Jacuna guides, out of all natural Institute, a reality based self-defense and combatives program, in Mid-Michigan.
materials harvested from the jungle around us.
Bushcraft Global: www.bushcraftglobal.com | www.facebook.com/bushcraftglobal (for more photos and videos of the expedition)

HOW-TO VEHICLE ESCAPE
EN ROUTE TO
HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A CAR’S TRUNK Story and Photography by Nikki Grey
t happened so fast. After a dinner with friends slammed the trunk door shut they noticed some-
in October 1995 Janette and Greig Fennell one else was in the car.
pulled their car into the garage of their San Seconds later, the abductors pulled the vehi-
Francisco home; their nine-month-old son cle out of the garage. The Fennells couldn’t hear
Alex was asleep in his car seat behind them. any sign of their son and were terrified of what
Before the garage door closed completely, two could have happened to him. Janette thought she
masked men with guns rolled in underneath it. and her husband were en route to their deaths.
They pointed the guns at the Fennells’ heads “I start pulling at everything I could and I got
and demanded they get in the trunk of their 1991 the carpeting pulled out and the taillights,”
Lexus LS400. It wasn’t until after the gunmen Janette Fennell, who was closest to the back

bumper while her husband was clos- Janette now focuses her advocacy “Find the right moment, preferably
est to the backseat, remembers. “I work as president of KidsAndCars.org at a stop sign or when car is slowed
exposed a bunch of wires. I didn’t quite (formerly TRUNC), a nonprofit dedi- down and stopped,” she says. “Be
know what the wires were but I cated to preventing injuries and death careful because you don’t want to get
assumed backup lights … I thought I’d to children in or around motor vehicles. out if they’re at a gas station because
pull all those wires and it would look For vehicles manufactured before they’ll be right there and get you.”
like something was wrong and we’d 2002, KidsAndCars.org sells a retrofit “If you’re in an older vehicle, if there
get pulled over.” kit called the Quick Out Emergency isn’t a trunk release, I suggest you do
The gunmen took them to a park in Trunk Release for $9.99, like we did ripping the lining off the
a remote area, where the Fennells kidsandcars.org/online-store. back of the trunk and see if there’s a
could hear another vehicle running. KidsAndCars.org reports at least tool or anything to break the backup
The abductors robbed them and 951 (living) people have been locked in light. People have stuck their hands
demanded the PIN number for their a car trunk since 1973. At least 305 of out there to grab attention or taken a
ATM card. If the pin number didn’t those people, children and adults, died bra off and stuck it out there to get
work, the gunmen threatened, they’d (this is considered to be below the true attention. People have found a paint
come back and kill the Fennells. The number of incidents because there can and started dripping paint
abductors then shut the car trunk door aren’t other organizations with data- because that [will make a trail] to
and left in the other vehicle. bases chronicling these events.) where you end up...you definitely want
Although unexplainable because KidsAndCars.org has not been to try to draw attention to yourself.”
the car was turned off – Janette calls it able to document any cases of a per-
divine intervention – she saw a light son dying in the trunk of a car that DON’T END UP IN A TRUNK
shining on a piece of metal in the dark has a glow-in-the-dark internal trunk Aside from ensuring your vehicle
trunk. Janette put Greig’s hand on the release. has a trunk release, there are ways to
piece of metal and he found the cable improve your chances of survival,
that opens the trunk when pushed or HOW TO SURVIVE including preventing an abduction-
pulled from inside the vehicle. If you’re locked in a trunk, Janette turned-car-entrapment situation.
He pulled the cable and the trunk says, stay calm and look for the Shawn Rafferty, a former Marine,
lid popped open. Janette found the release, which predominantly is a T- police and corrections officer with 20
spare car key, hidden in the owner’s shaped plastic, she says, and be inten- years of experience in the public and
manual in the glove compartment. tional on how you try to escape. private security sector, says prevention
After the Fennells reached a pay
phone and called the police, an officer
went to their home and found their
baby still in his car seat, unharmed,
outside of their house.
Many people told the Fennells how
lucky there were to survive such an
ordeal and that most instances don’t
turn out like theirs did. Janette says
she couldn’t help but wonder how the
other situations ended and ‘how can
you put someone in the trunk of their
car and they can’t get out?’
She made it her mission to ensure
no one else would have to suffer
through being trapped in a car trunk.
After four years of advocacy, including
founding TRUNC – Trunk Releases
Urgently Needed Coalition — a federal
regulation was passed that mandates
all vehicles manufactured globally for
purchase or lease in the U.S. must
have a trunk release installed inside
the car’s trunk.
The regulation was effective Sep-
tember 1, 2001 and began in the 2002 Beginning in the 2002 model year, a federal regulation mandates all vehicles manufactured glob-
model year. ally for purchase or lease in the U.S. must have a trunk release installed inside the car’s trunk.

EN ROUTE TO
Death
starts with situational awareness hat teach realistic fight training such
and “knowing your surroundings.” s Krav Maga, Muay Thai, Mixed Mar-
First, park your car in a lighted al Arts and Jiu Jitsu. Most importantly
area, where other people are, to e smart, he says, and be aware of
lower your chances of becoming a our surroundings.
victim, says Rafferty, who is develop Fiona Quinn wasn’t paying atten-
PHOTO COURTESY OF KIDSANDCARS.ORG

ing a video series for his business Th on in the summer of 1983 when she
Safety Blueprint, nd her sister were headed to her car
thesafetyblueprint.com. fter a funeral and four men
“Scan cars you’re walking by ttacked them.
— people could be hiding in them,” he “I was inwardly focused and so
says. “If you’re wearing loud shoes, (a ot aware of my surroundings. The
potential abductor) can hear you; if ar stopped beside me and the guys
your keys are jingling, they know you’r umped out before I knew it,” says
coming...if you unlock your car 10 or 15 Quinn, who is a black belt and sec-
feet before you get there, then they nd dan black belt-qualified in Tae
know you’re nearby as well.” Kwon Do and is also trained in
If you’re approaching a car from the weaponry including guns.
rear, Rafferty says, quietly walk at an Quinn’s sister froze, she says, which
angle as you pass the trunk and back- KidsAndCars.org sells an after-market is a common response.
Quick Out Emergency Trunk Release for $9.99.
seat, so that someone can’t jump out “So I fought fast and hard and as if
at you. Softly push the trunk lid down my life depended on it, which it did. I
to make sure it’s not open (if it is, get punched one man in the throat and he
out of there) and check the backseat “IF YOU DO GET ATTACKED collapsed. I kicked another man in the
of your car to ensure no one is hiding in
there; meanwhile look at the cars
AND YOU DON’T HAVE ANY groin so hard that he vomited.”
The men got back in their car and
around you to see who is in there as KIND OF WEAPONS, NOW YOU left. Quinn, an author who runs Thrill-
well, says Rafferty, a former force pro- (HAVE TO) USE YOUR HANDS Writing,
tection officer in Kuwait who has also http://thrillwriting.blogspot.com/, a
worked in security in Iraq and AND FEET AND TEETH, blog for writers that includes expert
Afghanistan. WHATEVER YOU CAN; interviews and advice on topics such
“If you happen to be carrying some as safety and escaping from predators,
type of weapon — pepper spray, Taser,
THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO says chances of survival drop drasti-
handgun — walk out ready to use it,” EYE GOUGE. TRY TO POKE cally when someone is taken from one
he says, noting people should know
the pros and cons of their weapons
THAT PERSON IN THE EYES.” location to another.
“Decide at the beginning you will
and practice using them so they fight to the death there and not get in
will be able to follow through in at car. Know you will be hurt.
stressful situation. e willing to be hurt. And fight
“If you do get attacked and r your loved ones.
you don’t have any kind of “Remember they will suffer
weapons, now you (have to) us you are not there. I know that
your hands and feet and teeth, someone was going to hurt
whatever you can; the best ne of my children all hell would
thing to do is to eye gouge. Try eak loose as mama bear went
to poke that person in the eyes to action. Understand that
Jabbing your fingers into an at is who you are fighting for —
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FENNELL FAMILY
attacker’s eyes, he says, can changes your perception and

incapacitate someone who is ows you to do things that you
high on drugs or used to being ould not do for yourself alone —
punched or kicked and t one of those weird psycho-
wouldn’t respond to other ical twists.”
forms of defense. A young boy who was once locked in a trunk Quinn noted research shows
but found the glow-in-the-dark trunk release
He says be ready to escalate in wrote the Fennell family a letter thanking
attacks often come from people the
force; if eye jabs don’t work, try some- them for their advocacy that led to the victim knows. “Listen to your intuition
thing else. Rafferty recommends peo- release that saved his life. The Fennells and act to remove yourself from dan-
framed it.
ple learn self-defense but take classes ger,” she says.

BACKCOUNTRY LED LANTERN
Night Light The port for the

recharging cable is
sealed with this plastic
and rubber grommet.
ZIPPO’S RUGGED LANTERN IS BUILT TO LAST with a 10-hour burn time on high (15
hours on medium and 40 hours on low).
Story by Gary Kimball | Photography by Henry Z. DeKuyper
THE CONS
ake out your favorite LED One of its downsides is that it is
lantern, hold it above bulky and somewhat heavy. Though
your head and drop it on this will have an excellent place in your
the ground. Did it sur- cache of equipment awaiting use, this
vive? If it did, now throw won’t ever see the insides of any kind
it in a lake. Odds are good it stopped of pack.
working sometime soon after water The lithium-ion battery is the best
seeped through the seams and fried battery suited for this application, but
its electronics… or it just sank to the it would have been nice if the lantern
bottom to never be seen again. Either could accept standard batteries,
way, it wasn’t built to take what life because not every situation in which
and emergencies may throw at it. you will need this lantern will you
At a foot in height, the Rugged have access to 110 volts of recharging
Lantern isn’t compact and it won’t fit power. A car charger is available as an
nicely in your backpack, but it wasn’t accessory.
meant to. It was made to take a beat- Though it does take some effort to
ing, wet or dry, and continue shining depress the button, we can see how it
bright. It features rubber corners and might be bumped on in transport and
stainless steel bars on the four long will have its batteries depleted by the
sides that keep the main unit and time they are needed. However, the
plastic housing from being broken. button is recessed behind the rubber
The diffuser scatters the light from a corners, so the likelihood of that hap-
single LED bulb over a wide area, pening might be remote. Perhaps a
bouncing off of the mirror finishes at switch would have been better. The
the top and bottom. rubber grommet that covers the
recharging port is a weak point. Break
THE PROS or lose that little piece and it is no
Besides its drop rating, the major longer waterproof. A screw-in cover
feature that should attract outdoors- would have been more secure.
men is that the Rugged Lantern floats
and it is waterproof. At just over four OVERALL
pounds, there’s enough buoyancy built From a design perspective, this is a
into the lantern that it will float indefi- great piece of gear for those that are
nitely and has a waterproof rating of settled into a camp already or have the
IPX7, which means it remains water- The Rugged Lantern’s strong suit: its ability
means to transport a lot of equipment.
tight up to three feet (and if it floats, to float and maintain a waterproof exterior. It is rugged enough to survive most
so that’s not an issue). The nylon web- Accidentally drop it in a stream or lake or journeys, be it a weekend dress
leave it out in a rainstorm, it will still work
bing strap detaches on one side so the without incident. rehearsal for the big event or the emer-
lantern can be hung from a tree or a gency event itself. It provides plenty of
hook in your shelter. After fully charging the battery, light in four different modes and is sim-
When the lithium-ion battery needs clicking the big red button once starts ple to operate, even fumbling for it in
charging, the indicator light near the the SOS function, which seems like an the dark. It is sturdy, well built, and
diffuser will blink red; while it is charg- odd choice to lead with. It would be designed to last a long time.
ing, it will blink orange, and when it is expected that one push would turn on
fully charged, it will glow green until the unit on its highest setting. However,
SOURCE
you unplug it from the 110v, which only two pushes of the button, and the zippo.com | MSRP: $89.95
takes about two hours. lantern is emitting 220 lumens of light

URBAN FIXED-BLADE KNIFE
Durable
Survival
SCHRADE’S SCHF3 EXTREME SURVIVAL KNIFE
Story and Photography by Simon Meyers | Additional Photography by Henry Z. DeKuyper
here are many that suppose the single piece of gear one would
need to successfully survive in an away-from-civilization environ-
ment for any length of time is a good fixed-blade knife. Its adapt-
ability and versatility can withstand the rigors of daily life in the
wilderness, as it can be anything from a weapon to a can opener
and everything in between. There is much said about cost versus quality in the
outdoor industries, and although survival can’t be entered as a budget line
item, economical blades usually fit the mold of “you get what you pay for.” In
this case, however, the SCHF3 breaks that mold.
THE BLADE
As a full-tang knife wrapped in Micarta grips, the
SCHF3 exudes durability. Also, this knife is made of
440C high carbon stainless steel. This is a good
steel for survival knives because it is very hard and
holds an edge well. It is important, especially in a
survival situation, to not have to sharpen your knife
frequently. The SCHF3 retains its edge and main-
tains its cutting strength.

Schrade makes several other sur-
vival blades with serrated or flat edges,
but the SCHF3 is the only one that com-
bines a flat and serrated edge on the
same blade. That flat edge is perfect for
slicing through rope and twine, while
the serrated knife lets you saw through
small trees and heftier branches. The
SCHF3 is a drop point blade which
The deep choil provides security in the grip, The partial serration on the blade allows for
lends to a very tactical appearance. especially when making piercing motions. a wide variety of cutting options.
The large sweep of the blade
makes the SCHF3 ideal at chopping,
while the drop point makes the knife
good for carving, small detail tasks,
and for piercing. This knife could be
used for defensive purposes or lashed
to a stick as a spear.
The thick blade makes up most of its
1.37 pounds, which is a nice balance for a
survival knife. Any lighter and the knife
loses a lot of its momentum in the swing
but any heavier and the operator might A single snap keeps the knife in the sheath. A The jimping, though slight, provides the
hook and loop portion of the retainer is thumb a slip-resistant point when carving or
become fatigued quicker by its bulk.
adjustable. lateral slicing.
THE HANDLE
Micarta is a woven resin laminate
created with high pressure. It is a go-to
handle material because of its durabil-
ity and performance in all weather
conditions. It doesn’t slip when wet
and won’t deteriorate in the elements.
The grips are attached via three Allen
screws for security but also for ease of
changing if need be. The deep finger
grooves and large choil add a sense of The SCHF3 comes in a combo blade or with a This extra bit of line allows it to be fixed virtu-
full edge (non-serrated). ally anywhere.
security when gripping this knife. It just
has a solid feel, and doubly so when
the attached lanyard is used.
THE SHEATH
This knife includes a heavy nylon
sheath with a plastic insert, reinforced
with steel grommets. The sheath can
be used on the left or right side and has
two lanyards (one for the thigh and one
to attach to elsewhere). The sheath has
a small external pocket you can use to
The knife’s lanyard, when worn on the wrist, The large loop will fit most belts, either on
hold a sharpener or small flint for fire
will help prevent accidental drops. the left or right side.
starting, and there is a plastic insert to
keep the knife from piercing the sheath.
The hook and loop retention clasp
doesn’t get in the way when you are try-
ing to draw the blade, and there are
multiple ways to attach this knife to
Specifications
yourself or your gear with the four loops Blade Length: 6.4 inches
of webbing on the reverse. Handle Length: 5.6 inches
Overall Length: 12.0 inches
Weight: 1.37 pounds
SOURCE
taylorbrandsllc.com | MSRP: $74.29
Plenty of nylon rope is included.

Keep It
Clean Story and Photography by
Robert K. Campbell
PROPERLY MAINTAINING A GUN COULD MEAN
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH
Whatever type of handgun, rifle or shotgun
you rely upon, you should be prepared for nor-
mal maintenance and parts breakage as well.
Changing the lube and replacing springs is
standard operating procedure and makes for a
long-lived handgun. As a trainer and some-
times a gunsmith, I have seen many firearm
malfunctions. The majority were the result of
operator error, but many failures are a result of
something the shooter did not do — proper
maintenance. Poor maintenance, a failure to
change out springs, and improper lubrication
shorten the useful life of your firearm. Worse,
this lack of care may result in a failure during a
critical incident.
SIMPLE CLEANING
Simply keeping the piece clean will prevent
most problems. Caked up carbon deposits will
impede function and reduce slide and bolt
velocity. Debris under the extractor will cause a
failure to extract, and particles in the firing pin
channel will stop the firing pin short. Debris in
These 9mm pistols
range from a few the action will stop the action. Corrosion occurs
months to 30 years old. when the firearm’s metal is exposed to salts
All are as reliable as a
and not cleaned or oiled. If the bore isn’t
machine can be. If you
are going to bet your life scrubbed free of crud, lead, and copper
on a firearm, then you deposits, accuracy will suffer. The 1911 barrel
must maintain it.
few years ago, I suffered an bushing and the Beretta 92 locking wedge may
injury during on an on-duty inci- break if subjected to improper cleaning and to
dent. Although I eventually an extent this is true of the AR-15 locking lugs
recovered, my Colt Government as well. Additional weight on the parts and
Model suffered an immersion in hardened debris in the parts are not part of a
soupy mud. While the Colt would have fired well oiled machine.
again if need be, it was pretty soaked. By the A well-maintained vehicle and a well-main-
time the Colt was given a thorough cleaning, tained firearm have a lot in common. A regular
corrosion had attacked the internal parts. I cleaning is like an oil change — out with the old
received speedy service from Brownells, but the and in with the new. Lubrication will run off of
gun was out of action for a few days while I the firearm and simply does not adhere to the
waited for these parts. Since then, I have kept a metal. If you have carried the handgun a month
few parts on hand for my 1911. you should not be surprised to find that it is free

of lubrication. After lubrication and normal
cleaning is maintenance. There are renewable
resources that need to be changed. Grips crack
and become worn. They should be replaced.
Model 1911 grip screws are a common replace-
ment, and something you should have on hand.
Magazines do not last forever. The useful life of
a quality magazine is far less than that of the
firearm. You should have a spare magazine on A
hand just in case - and while it could be new, it

should have been proofed on the range before A. I am not recommending
storage. Just a tip - some magazines do not B that this old .455 be on the
front line - but Apex Gun
come out of the box running, although it is rare Parts has kept it going.
for a Glock, SIG, Beretta or HK magazine to fail
B. The locking lugs of the
when new. AR-15 rifle should be
inspected from time to
time for cracks. They must
“FIREARMS COME IN LEVELS OF COMPLEXITY. be kept clean.
THEY ARE MACHINES OF IRREDUCIBLE

COMPLEXITY. IF ONE PART DOESN’T WORK
THEN THE WHOLE MACHINE SHUTS DOWN.’”
C
PRACTICE ISN’T COMBAT
When you practice, you hit the range with a
properly lubricated handgun. It isn’t difficult to
safely clean and lubricate the firearm at home.
You may also check for problems that should
be addressed. Snap caps and dummy rounds
are a great resource for checking the extractor
and feed function. Check for grit under the
extractor and be certain the springs feel right.
You cannot properly clean a self-loading
firearm without field stripping. At some point
you will also need to learn to change the
springs. Firearms come in levels of complexity.
They are machines of irreducible complexity. If
one part doesn’t work then the whole machine
shuts down. If you feel that your schedule does
not allow the level of maintenance demanded
by a self-loading firearm, then a manually oper-
ated firearm is for you. This means a pump
action shotgun, a bolt action rifle or a revolver
handgun. If you practice you can save your life
with any of these. They too require mainte-
nance but the regimen isn’t as demanding. C. A few magazines through
D a pistol confirms reliability
The carry gun demands attention whether and also that the magazines
or not it is fired. As an example, a student in one function. A few spare parts
will also go a long way.
of my classes suffered a failure to fire. He had
carried the pistol in a pocket without a holster, D. Keeping the tight spots —
a common idea and a bad one. When I detail such as the slide lock and
plunger tube — clean and
stripped the pistol there was a hard piece of free of lubrication is impor-
something — a breath mint perhaps — lodged tant to reliability and long
in a pivot of the trigger. There has to be some term service. Note lint and
fuzz around slide stop and
give somewhere and the foreign object was unburned powder on frame.
small and hard enough to slip into the path of

Keep It
Clean
H. This M9 9mm and the

Kydex rig are among the
E author’s trusted training
tools. Two spare maga-
zines are good, but five is
much better.
I. This SW 908 is a
reliable handgun
that serves the
owner well. It is
often carried in a
Cover 6 Gear holster.
When spare parts begin to
become difficult to obtain you
have to question whether you
should purchase a long-out-of-
production handgun.
handguns and has a schematic of the chosen

pistol on it, which is really neat. I do clean the
Glock on the 1911 mat and vice versa , but it is a
E. This type of
disassembly isn’t least resistance and jam the action. On another nice reference when needed. I have been using
always necessary, but occasion one of the smartest fellows I know Sharp Shoot R green cleaning material for sev-
if you have the skill to
allowed his cocked and locked Springfield’s eral reasons, most of all because they work and
replace parts and repair
the handgun you are safety to rust shut. The Novak custom pistol work well. The pungent smell of conventional
ahead of the game. had not been fired in months and corrosion got cleaning products is OK outside but I do not
F. This M1A1 Springfield into the hard-chromed safety. Stainless isn’t change the Ford’s oil on the front steps either. I
bolt and receiver are stain-proof and should be cleaned and lubri- not only clean the piece I also check it thor-
easily accessible once
cated. Still another pistol was found with brass oughly for function. There must be no lint or
field stripped.
shavings in the firing pin channel and another debris in the action and nothing under the
G. The TEKMAT is with a piece of brass beneath the firing pin extractor. Lubricant must be replaced often
among the neatest
block, locking it in the fire mode. with a carry gun. The muzzle down carry results
tricks the author has
used. You do not need a in the lube running forward.
lot of space to get the LOCATION, LOCATION
job done right, just a
lack of clutter and the When you clean and maintain the firearm, MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
best tools. find a quiet location. This is not time for TV or The family sedan lets you know when it
the kids. I do not need a lot of space, but I place needs struts or shocks and so does the hand-
the firearm on a surface that will not absorb gun. When slide velocity increases the spring is
cleaning material. The TEKMAT mat is ideal for weak. When slide velocity slows the pistol is

dirty. Recoil springs should be replaced when
the spring has lost a free inch of travel.
Replacement springs are available at fair prices
from Brownells. Recoil springs should be
replaced every 3,000 rounds. The firing pin
spring should be replaced every 5,000 rounds.
The extractor in the 1911 probably should be
replaced at 8,000 rounds, likewise for the CZ
75 in most renditions. Magazine springs are
more difficult to gauge, but if the force needed
to load the magazine becomes noticeably less
the spring needs replacement. If the follower
and magazine body are in good condition a
magazine spring will make the magazine func-
tion as new. If the spring is weak, feeding prob-
lems occur and in some cases the slide lock will
not lock properly on the magazine follower. The
minimum number of magazines for a personal
defense firearm is three - one in the gun, one on
the belt and one resting.
SPARE PARTS
You should keep on hand spare magazines
and clean fresh ammunition. A recoil spring and L
a firing pin spring should be in the kit. It isn’t a
bad idea to have a spare set of stocks or grips
J. Whatever type of rifle you deploy M. Keeping a few parts on hand for
there is always maintenance involved. hard-use firearms is a good idea.
J K. Ease of maintenance should not be N. This pistol is perfectly clean but not
the only criteria in choosing a handgun. yet lubricated. The locking block doesn’t
The 1911 is tightly fitted and can be a show signs of wear. (Beretta 92)
bear to field strip.
L. Keep a small area clean and free of

distractions, then cleaning and mainte-
nance is a simple thing.

Keep It
Clean
O. If you change grips on

a handgun — keep the
old ones just in case.
P. It isn’t difficult to
place magazine springs
in handguns. Most
require that the maga-
zine plate be removed.
Q. The Beretta open top

slide allows easy access
to clean the breech face
and check the extractor. S
R. This Sharps Rifle Com-

pany bolt and carrier are
coated with space age
NP3. In the long run this
high quality bolt makes a
P lot of sense.
S. A spare set of grips

for a hard-use handgun
as they are frequently cracked. For more spe- is never a bad idea. The
author has this spare set
cific recommendations short slide pistols are times called the locking block) is a good idea. I
for his Beretta, along
harder on recoil springs. The shorter the slide with grip screws and have seen them crack at 3,500 rounds and oth-
the higher the momentum to be controlled. grip bushings. ers seem to go on forever. They are a good bet
Conversely, the new Glock-type recoil T. This is the firing to have on hand.
spring/buffer seems never to give trouble. For mechanism of an M1A1 For the AR-15 an extractor is a good idea. An
Springfield. It is easy
the 1911, grip screws and bushings are a must- NP 3 coated bolt from Sharps Rifle Company
enough to clean and
have for spares. A spare extractor from Ed lubricate this assembly. will put you in like flint and solve a lot of long
Brown, available from Brownells, should be in term wear problems. For the Remington 700, an
the kit. extractor and plunger is a good idea. The Glock
Be certain to specify Series 70 or Series 80 trigger return spring should be kept on hand by
when ordering. A barrel bushing for those 1911s Glock fans. For the K frame revolver a set of
that use a barrel bushing is a great idea. No, springs (service power) from Brownells.
they seldom break although I broke For the other firearms — do some
one at 12,500 rounds. They are lost research. Meet me halfway and care-
more often than they break. Be cer- fully consider the weak and strong
tain that the extractor and barrel points of each design. Perhaps study
bushing are pre-fitted. You will have the weak and strong points of each
to do the fitting. For the Beretta T firearm and the availability of parts
92A1, a spare locking wedge (some- before you buy.

GUN OIL
GUN BUTTER M-PRO 7 LPX SHOOTERS STEEL SHIELD ROYAL

Gun Butter gun oil reduces M-Pro 7 Gun Oil LPX is a CHOICE FP-10 WEAPON PURPLE
wear, extends the life of premium lubricant and FP-10 Lubricant Elite pre- SHIELD SYNTHETIC
firearms and provides two protectant for advanced vents friction and wear GUN OIL GUN OIL
years of rust protection. It military and law enforce- and protects against Weapon Shield has been Royal Purple’s Synthetic
adheres well and is safe ment weaponry used in metal damage, eliminat- designed and formulated Gun Oil is specifically for-
for use on all varieties of extreme environment ing most malfunctions for the shooting sports mulated to provide excep-
metal-to-polymer and operations. This oil cleans due to unlubed parts. It industry, military and law tional protection against
metal -to-metal firearms. surface fouling without creates no build-up and enforcement. Weapon wear, rust, and saltwater
Made from a special blend the use of solvents and is does not change the toler- Shield cleans, removes corrosion and fouling. It
of synthetic lubricants great for removing surface ances of moving parts. lead, lubricates, guards works well in a variety of
and safe to use from -20° carbon in the field. Pro- Tested successfully in against pressure and wear, temperatures and will not
F to over 400° F. tects against wear, temperatures from -76 F and protects from corro- thicken in cold weather.
humidity, and moisture, to more than 500. sion. Weapon Shield uses Its performance advan-
midwayusa.com including salt water. Advanced Boundary Film tages come from Synerlec,
$14.49 Leaves a long-lasting film cabelas.com (ABF) technology which Royal Purple’s proprietary
that repels dust/dirt and $9.99 reduces coefficients of chemical technology that
is excellent for long-term friction between the bullet strengthens the oil for
storage. and bore surfaces assist- unmatched performance
ing in the ballistic move- and protection.
grainger.com ment of the bullet and
$9.06 improving bullet flight. amazon.com
$8.18
midwayusa.com
$24.99

FRIENDORFOE
Foe: Leaves of
Three, Let Them Be
GETTING TO KNOW POISON OAK AND POISON IVY Story and Photography by Christopher Nyerges
them be”) and they are slightly
T
hese vining plants are south into Baja California. The vines
close relatives, both can stretch for many feet up and toothed on the margins. But for the
members of the Sumac or around oak trees, and can sprawl record, poison oak isn’t the only
Cashew Family (Anacar- over entire hillsides. And in the win- plant with three leaflets, but it is one
d iaceae), containing the ter, the plant can seem nearly invisi- of the most common.
same chemical urushiol which ble, since it is deciduous and loses all Botanists have defined sub-vari-
causes the itching rash for which its leaves for the winter. Poison ivy is eties of these two as well, but this
they are so well-known. Poison oak much more widespread, found east simple description is sufficient for
is a widespread vining plant of the Rockies to the Atlantic coast. our discussion here. I will refer to
throughout the western states. It can Each leaf is composed of three poison oak because it is so common
be found north into Canada, and roundish leaflets (“leaves of three let where I live.

The newly emerging leaves of Ivory dishwashing liquid works fine reactions depending on people’s
spring are red, and quickly become to break down the oil in poison oak various chemistry, be careful with
glossy green. The leaves remain that’s gotten on your skin. this technique.
green through their growing season, After the first time I received a seri- Most important, if you know you
and then turn yellow or red as ous poison oak rash, my mother took get a rash from poison oak or poison
autumn comes around. Late in the me to the doctor, who gave me corti- ivy, learn to identify and avoid it.
season, small round fruits develop sone spray and pills to heal the rash.
which are about the size of a BB. The rash went away, and I had some CURES
They have a tan or yellow tone. scars that lasted nearly two years. Besides going to a doctor, there
Poison oak’s most notable As I researched poison oak, I are many backwoods medicine
attribute is that most people will get learned the Native Americans of remedies for the rash of poison oak
an itchy rash on their skin within Southern California actually used and poison ivy. Here are some com-
two days of being in contact with the poison oak in many ways and were ments on each:
plant. Most of the time, hikers get not known to get a rash from this
the rash when they unsuspectingly plant. It turned out that baskets were The fresh juice of the aloe vera
walk through a patch of poison oak,
or brush up against it on the side of
made from the long and even-thick-
ness vines of the poison oak, and
1 plant is the best natural cure for
poison oak rash. While any of the
the trail. You can also get the rash in they also produced a black dye from aloes can be used, aloe vera seems to
the winter when there are no leaves the sap of the leaf. Young poison oak be best. To use, cut open a section of
on the vines, and when you pet your leaves were in their acorn meal and the succulent leaf, and apply the
dog who has just run on a hillside of other foods. Apparently, Native inner, wet side directly to the rash,
poison oak. In fact, highly sensitive Americans were no more immune to which will result in an immediate
people can actually get the rash on the rash of poison oak than anyone cooling sensation and a subsequent
the very hottest days of summer else – approximately 20 percent of rapid healing. When I still got the rash
when the oils are in the air around any population is naturally immune, this was by far the best cure. It would
the plant. And firefighters are known and there are several factors that cause an immediate cooling sensation
to get serious infections from poison contribute to this. But it is believed to the skin with a rapid healing.
oak, whose oils are in the smoke of the ingestion of poison oak on a reg- Other succulents, such as Chi-
nearly all forest fires. ular basis rendered the Native Amer-
ican effectively immune.
2 nese jade and ice plant, have
been used with some success.
BEEN EXPOSED? I decided to try this nearly 40 Rub mugwort leaves (Artemisia
If you know you have been
exposed to a poison oak plant, you
years ago, and I no longer get a rash
when I’ve come in contact with poi-
3 spp.) over the exposed parts of
your body before entering poison oak
can sprinkle a clay soil over the son oak. I just eat a few of the areas to prevent the rash. The
exposed area, and then wash with newly-emerging leaves every mushed-up fresh mugwort leaves can
hot water and soap as soon as possi- spring, perhaps every other week, also be applied directly to the rash.
ble. Though there are specialized and I no longer worry about getting If you live in the eastern states,
soaps for poison oak, I have found a rash. Though there are differing 4 take the succulent stems and

FRIENDORFOE
leaves of the jewelweed plant, crush can apply the fresh leaves directly to product for firefighters. It is spread
it, and apply to the rash. the rash. on the skin before fire fighting in
Wash the infection with an infu- Drink an infusion from the leaves poison oak-infected areas to prevent
5 sion of wild buckwheat leaves
(Erio go num sp p .).
8 of manzanita leaves (Arcto stap hy-
lo s sp p .).
the rash.
Another method is to quickly
Wash the infection with yerba wash the contacted skin with anhy-
6 santa leaves (Erio d ictyo n sp p .).
Drink a tea of the leaves of chick-
In the old days, mud or dirt
would be spread on one’s skin to
drous alcohol, which breaks down
the urushiol, the active oil in poison
7 weed (Stellaria m ed ia) for stop
ping the spread of the rash. Or you
prevent a rash. Interestingly, a man-
ufacturer has produced a clay-based
oak and poison ivy. Afterward, wash
well with soap and water.
Remedies are a traditional homeopathic

Urushiol is the toxin known to formula for the relief of symp-
cause the itching and rash toms after contact with poison
associated with poison ivy, ivy or oak, when the skin breaks
oak, sumac, poisonwood, and out with red, swollen, intensely
related plants. The most itching, burning, watery blisters
important step in eliminating from the itching within 30 sec- sometimes followed by oozing
the rash is to remove urushiol onds of application. The rash or crusting. Hyland’s Poison
from the skin as quickly as will begin to subside within Ivy/Oak is safe for adults and children and can be used in con-
possible after exposure. There hours if the reaction is mild to junction with other medications.
are several products on the moderate. This tube contains hylands.com | $5.19/50
market that do exactly that. enough Zanfel to wash approxi- tablets
mately 15 patches the size of an
ZANFEL WASH adult hand or face. IVYX TOWELETTES
Zanfel works by surrounding zanfel.com | $35.22 IvyX poison ivy treatment tow-
urushiol and bonding with it, elettes allow you to easily scrub
enabling it to be rinsed away HYLAND’S TABLETS uneven surfaces of the face,
with water. Zanfel offers relief This is a natural relief for itching, arms and legs to remove more
at any stage of the reaction and burning, and crusting skin due to of the rash-causing oils of poi-
often with only one wash. Most exposure to poison ivy or oak. son ivy, oak and sumac.
individuals experience relief Hyland’s Poison Ivy/Oak Tablets gemplers.com | $21.15
About the Author: Christopher Nyerges is the author of How to Survive Anywhere and other books. He has led wilderness and wild food classes since 1974 and was one of American
Survival Guide’s original contributors. He can be reached at SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com

Gear Guide
ESCAPE
Escape Tools BREAKING

THE GLASS
Don’t Get Trapped in an Auto Coffin Keep one of these small car escape
By Alan Stewart tools handy by storing it in the
door’s pocket if you frequently
Cars are rolling deathtraps and one of the leading causes drive alone or the center console if
of unnatural fatalities in this country. The combination of you often have company (therefore
high speeds, heavy weight, driver error or natural ele- accessible by the passenger as
ments such as an icy road have the potential for disaster. well). The first step to using it is to
Rollover situations can torque the frame and body of the have it handy.
car, making the doors nearly impossible to open and the There are a lot of things in your
water pressure during a crash into a lake or river can be car that will break the glass if you
high enough to prevent you from pushing the door open. have the time to employ them. For
The electrical system will be damaged so rolling down the example, the metal post on your
windows is not an option. You’ll have to break them. headrest or the ignition key. No
Windshields are made of laminated glass, basically matter what the object, make sure
two or more pieces of glass with a plastic film sand- it is a small, preferably pointed or
wiched in between, making it very safe but nearly impos- sharp, so that the maximum
sible to shatter. However, the side and rear windows are amount of force is applied to a
made from tempered glass, which is designed to shatter small space. In a panic, it might not
into very small pieces when struck. Auto escape tools are be possible, but the best place to
most effective with this glass. break the glass is in the lower cor-
ners. The entire window will shatter
and gravity will cause the rest of it
to cascade downward. Breaking it in
the middle will only create a hole
that will need to be widened.

Gear ESCAPE
Guide
Crown Hammer Car Escape Tool

This carbide-tipped hammer comes with two heads, a blunt one and
a sharp one. Also it features a protected seatbelt cutter near the head, so it
is easy to use while holding the handle. It includes a mounting bracket and screws
to attach to any solid surface on your car, such as the door trim or dash panel. It
weighs eight ounces and its dimensions are 9 x 3.5 x 1.1 inches.
Pros: Heavy hammer head, well protected and sharp cutter, fits nicely in the hand.
Single-function tool.
Cons: Made of cheap plastic. Terrible instructions for mounting it. Tiny screws.
SOURCE autozone.com
MSRP $15.68
ResQMe Car Escape Tool

It comes in a variety of trendy colors (who Swiss+Tech BodyGard
says emergencies can’t be fun?) and fits The BodyGard 5-in-1 emergency tool incorpo-
easily on your keychain. It has a spring- rates five specific devices: automatic glass
loaded spike that you only have to press breaker, seat belt cutter, sonic alarm, flashing
against the window, so no swinging is red distress light, and bright-white LED flash-
needed. The seatbelt cutter is small but light. The automatic glass breaker is a spring-
razor sharp. loaded, high-carbon steel pin that only needs
to be pressed against the window.
Pros: Small and lightweight. Fits on key-
chain or hung from lanyard or clipped. Two Pros: It is very small and lightweight. The
ways to break the glass. light is fairly bright. The alarm is piercing.
Cons: Difficult to remove from the clip. Cons: The key ring attaches to the one part
that is supposed to come off to expose the
SOURCE resqme.com cutter. This will get lost soon.
MSRP 12.95
SOURCE swisstechtools.com
MSRP $9.77

ESCAPE Gear
Guide
Tire-Pro 4 In 1 Safety Tool

Made from plastic, it feels heavy and solid, but the handle is too thick to
get a good grip while swinging. The tire gauge is a great feature but that
makes this more of a car tool that will be placed in a toolbox or with the
spare tire than where you need it most — by your side in an accident.
The flashlight is powered by a different set of batteries than the tire
gauge, but it didn’t work anyway.
Pro: Heavy and pointed hammer head and well-placed tire gauge.
Cons: Hard to hold. Flashlight stopped working after first test swing.
SOURCE sears.com
MSRP $21.97
Accutire MS-4520B
This emergency tool features a
very tiny LED light on the top of
the tool and a digital tire gauge.
The seatbelt cutter is at the top
of the tool so there’s no switch-
ing the tool around to use it from
cutter to glass breaker. It comes
with three AAA batteries.
Pros: Very ergonomic in your

hand. Comes with batteries.
Measures pressure up to 150psi.
Cons: Lightweight. Made of
cheap plastic and feels hollow.
No backlight on the tire gauge. CS-044 Emergency Rescue Hammer
This heavy-duty hammer and seatbelt cutter is a no-frills tool with a
SOURCE sears.com singular purpose. The hammer heads on either side are identical and
MSRP $12.06 both are covered with a small plastic cap. It is made with high-den-
sity plastic and has a heavy head. The handle has small bumps on it
for extra grip.
Pros: Lots of force in its swing. Bright orange. Sharp cutter.

Cons: No included mounting hardware. Double-sided tape is flimsy.
SOURCE theknifeseller.com
MSRP $8.01

Gear ESCAPE
Guide
LifeHammer Escape Tool

A spring-loaded plastic punch ejects from the top
when pressed against the glass. The non-slip grip is
a soft molded plastic and feels comfortable in your
hand. The seatbelt cutter is well protected and has
a wide insert slot.
Pros: Well made and very robust.

Cons: Bulky and expensive.
SOURCE lifehammerproducts.com
MSRP $24.95
Signstek Multifunctional
Emergency Tool
If there was a Cadillac of the emergency tool industry,
this would be it. Not only does it have a hammer for
breaking glass and a cutter for the seatbelt, a com-
pass in the base, a magnet on the top (to attach to
the car), a flashlight and red signal beacon, but it
come with an AM/FM radio. The entire thing can be
charged by a hand crank built into the side.
Pros: Hand crank dynamo, radio, bright beacon and

flashlight, and well made.
Cons: You can forget it is an escape tool, small ham-
mer head, expensive.
SOURCE sears.com
MSRP $27.99
SOS Rescue Tools

Comes in a two pack, one yellow and one red, along with
four Mylar emergency blankets. The safety tool has a
hands-free magnetic base, a red emergency beacon as
well as a flashlight. The buttons are easy to find, but the
seatbelt cutter is small and thin.
Pros: Bright beacon light, magnetic base, solid feel.

Cons: Weak flashlight, batteries not included.
SOURCE sosrescuetools.com
MSRP $19.95

ESCAPE Gear
Guide
YupbizAuto 5 in 1
Emergency Tool
It is heavier than it appears, but it
should have a little more weight to
it. The bright orange makes it very
visible and the tool is constructed
well. It has a small LED light at the
base and a small seatbelt cutter
under the hammer head.
Pros: The added whistle, finger

grips, sharp hammer head.
Cons: Weak LED light, lightweight,
useless airbag deflater, bulky
mounting plate.
SOURCE yupbizauto.com
MSRP $9.99
Generic Car
Escape Tool
This is what you think of when you
picture an escape tool. Inexpensive,
solidly built and serves only two pur-
poses, to cut you out of the seatbelt
and to break the window of your car
so you can escape. This is important.
Your life and the lives of your family
depend on it. If you don’t buy one of
the other 10 tools for whatever rea-
son, buy this one. It can be found at
Amazon, eBay, Target, WalMart.
Pros: Inexpensive, well made, and

easy to use.
Cons: The mounting bracket is bulky.
SOURCE amazon.com
MSRP $9.99

THE
BIG
FOUR
THE PROS AND CONS OF THE PISTOL, SHOTGUN, RIFLE, AND AR-15
Story and Photos by Duke Montana
HICH GUN IS BEST: A PISTOL, A SHOTGUN, A RIFLE OR AN AR-15?

You can ask this question of five different people and get five answers.
Depending where you ask the question could determine a different answer as
much as who you ask. If you were to ask a salesperson, they may say “the one
that you can conceal the best.” A physical trainer may say the gun that is the
lightest to carry is the best choice. Talk to an instructor at a gun range and that
person is likely to tell you the one that best fits your hand and is the most comfort-
able to shoot is what you should buy.
If you ask me which gun is best, I’ll ask you what’s the target? In other words, our
world has become a world of choices. For the gun enthusiasts, it’s like walking into a
candy store with 50 choices. However, for a person who doesn’t know a Colt from a
Kimber it can be overwhelming. Below we’ll break down the four most common types
of guns and discuss their pros and cons.

Pistol “FOR THOSE OF YOU
The most common reason a person buys a gun LOOKING FOR THE
is for home protection. A pistol is nice because
it can easily fit in a small drawer of a night-
4X4 OF PISTOLS,
stand, under a mattress or in a holster hanging THERE ARE SEVERAL
from the headboard. But... in all of these cases, OPTIONS. THE MOST
the gun isn’t locked up. Do you have children in POPULAR ARE .357
the house? If so, none of those should be For those of you looking for the 4x4 of pis-
options of where to store a pistol. Be responsi-
MAGNUM, .40 S&W tols, there are several options. Stopping power
ble and get a safe and use a trigger lock. AND .45 ACP.” is available from several calibers. The most
popular are .357 magnum, .40 S&W and .45
REVOLVER VS. AUTO ACP. Keep in mind these choices will be on a
Now, what type of pistol, a revolver or an bigger frame that is more often heavier and will
[TOP] Early versions of
automatic? the Glock were wider pack a punch on both ends of the bang. I
Either can be bought new for under $400 than a typical 1911. Many wouldn’t suggest these to a person who makes
pistol enthusiasts didn’t
depending on the caliber. Most revolvers will a living riding a race horse or dancing on a four-
like that because it felt
limit you to six shots and you will feel more of too bulky and square. inch beam that is four feet off the ground.
the kick. An automatic can hold as many as 17 Part of this design
comes from being able
shots in a full size frame. Accuracy isn’t the to double stack the .45 RENT BEFORE YOU BUY
selling point of a pistol. How it feels in your ACP bullets, that allows Before buying one or the other a smart
you to hold 13 rounds of
hand and does its work when you need it to move would be to visit a gun range that rents a
superior fire power.
means more than if you can hit a target at 100 few choices of calibers and designs. Better to
[TOP, INSET] A semi auto-
yards. Most law enforcement officers who use spend a hundred dollars or more figuring out
matic pistol is nice
their pistols do so at a distance of 15 to 20 feet because it can carry more the one that will best suit you now and in years
or less. A pistol is ideal for close range but rounds of ammo at a time. to come, than to pick the one that looks cool
The design of the action
should have sufficient stopping power. but shoots like a fat guy on a moped trying to
also helps reduce its
recoil. A hollow point bul- climb a steep hill. You need to remember why
WHAT CALIBER? let increases the chances you bought the gun. It is to defend you and your
of stopping the threat.
Calibers are like horsepower...there’s no family, not to show off to the neighbors who
replacement for displacement and horsepower [RIGHT] Left to Right: don’t care that it is a limited edition.
.22LR, 380 auto, .38 spe-
comes at a cost of mileage, noise and size. A cial, 9mm Luger, .40
9mm is a very common caliber and one with Smith & Wesson, .45
ACP and .44 Magnum.
respectable ballistics. It’s easy to find on most
They each have strong
ammo shelves and isn’t the most expensive and weak points. Cost is
choice. A double tap in the chest of most bad a factor, as is availability.
guys will keep you alive and them wishing they

would have stayed home.

THE
BIG
FOUR
[ABOVE] What was at first a not so good weapon used by U.S. ground forces in the early
’60s has now become one of the most diverse designs. The most popular cartridge is a
5.56mm round, but other calibers ranging from .22LR to .308 have become very com-
mon. [BELOW] You may have seen some ARs advertised at an incredibly cheap price. It
AR-15
could be because they are lacking a forward assist or dust cover like seen here.
If you spent any time looking through gun mag-
azines within the last several years, you will
have seen many choices of what is often called
an AR-15. These are a legal version of what was
once called the M-16 our military used for a few
decades. They have many good points and only
a few bad. First off, they don’t offer “automatic
fire” like a machine gun. For the most part, they
are lightweight, easy to operate and are capa-
ble of hitting small targets at far distances, way
past 100 yards.
5.56/.223
The most common caliber for this style of
gun is 5.56mm (or .223). It was explained to me
this caliber wasn’t originally designed as a
“killer” round, rather a “to wound” bullet. How-
ever, you can walk into just about any gun store
in the country and be in an argument within 30
seconds about what this caliber of bullet can
and can’t do at distances up to 600 yards.

[ABOVE] An estimated 70 percent
of AR gun owners will put on a
small scope or laser sight of
some kind. The idea is the red
dot will naturally be put on the
target as you scan the room. A
magnifier (normally x3 or x5)
ACCESSORIZE mounts behind the red dot in
One of the best things about this style of order to better see down range.
gun are the accessories. You can dress them up [RIGHT] A muzzle break reduces
fast and easily. Most people will start with a some of the recoil which can be
nice if you need to put two shots
scope or laser dot of some kind. A front grip is close to each other.
another popular item that is pretty handy and a
laser pointer is also a nice feature that doesn’t
add much weight but goes a long way on the
“cool” scale. Another popular feature for this
gun is how many rounds they are capable of
carrying. A 30-round magazine is almost the
standard, but some aftermarket companies are
making 60 magazines and 100-round drums.
Of course, this packs on some extra weight, but
if a few dozen zombies are knocking down your
front door it may come in handy to have that
much ammo available at one time.
Because of the popularity of the AR-style
platform, manufacturers have expanded the
calibers that you can buy one in. Choices range
from the tiny .22LR to the rather large 300 Win
Mag. and just about everything in between.
Before buying one of the less popular calibers,
you may want to check availability of the maga-
zines and ammo. It may be capable of hitting a
toaster at 500 yards, but if the ammo is hard to
find and costs twice as much as other calibers,
Front grips are one of the most popular accessories to mount on the hand guard of an
and magazines are more often on back order AR-style rifle. Some like this one have retractable legs that work as a bipod for quick
rather than in stock, just make sure it’s worth it. stabilization on long shots.

THE
BIG
FOUR
[ABOVE] A bolt action rifle on a shooters mat could be a very common set up for a
prepper. The bag or soft case can hold about 100 rounds of ammo along with a small
notebook to use as a sniper’s log book. You can even have them sprayed to help keep
Rifle
dry and repel water. [MIDDLE] Gun manufacturers engrave a lot of information into the
The rifle is what won the west... that’s what the
barrel. Some more than others. If you’re looking at various rifles and need to know the
caliber, it should be stamped or engraved into the barrel. In some cases it will also folks at Winchester will tell you. They’ll refer
have the rifle twist of the barrel. you to the model 1873, a lever action rifle that
[BELOW] A bolt action rifle may
be the slowest, but it’s arguably came in several calibers and was part of at
the most accurate. They are least five wars in the late 1800s. It was pro-
obviously less expensive than a
duced from 1873 till 1919.
semi automatic and often weigh
less as well. A good scope is like
having a good knife. BOLT, LEVER, AUTO
Modern day rifles come in several actions,
including bolt, lever and auto loading. With
advancements made in bullets and barrels it is
now possible to put several bullets through the
same hole at distances of 100 yards and fur-
ther. Of course to do that you need custom
work on the barrel and trigger. And paying for
that accuracy is about as much fun as that first
ticket you got when you were 16. A custom
bench-rest rifle that can shoot five rounds
within the size of a dime at 200-300 yards can
easily cost $4,000 to $6,000.
Rifles are more often used for hunting and
not intended for fast fire. Some manufacturers
will include a scope with a rifle. It’s possible to
spend as much or more on a great scope than
what you paid for the rifle. The list of calibers
start at .17HMR and go all the way up to a 50
BMG. To make it easier, picture bullets speeding

These are all 300
Win Mag, but
some are 180
grain and others
are 200 grain. Why
label them? If
you’re shooting
heavier bullets
than what you
zeroed your scope
at... there will be
significantly more
drop at a further
distance. You’ll
need to calculate
for that.
“One of today’s
best thriller writers.”
—Publishers Weekly
One of the best accessories for a sniper is

a bipod to stabilize the front of the rifle.
“A GOOD RIFLE WITH WELL-MADE

BARREL IS CAPABLE OF VERY
ACCURATE SHOOTING. DEPENDING
ON THE CALIBER, IT’S POSSIBLE TO
AIM AND HIT A TARGET THE SIZE OF
A MICROWAVE OVEN AT OVER 1,200
YARDS AWAY.”
through the air that range in size from

a fly to a clothes pin.
A good rifle with a well-made bar-
rel is capable of very accurate shoot-
ing. Depending on the caliber, it’s pos-
sible to aim and hit a target the size of
a microwave oven at over 1,200 yards
away and in some special cases… even
further. In order to reach these kinds of
distances you’ll need to start looking
at calibers of 6.5mm and up. Keep in
mind the bigger the cartridge, the
more kick it will have.
Most hunting style rifles have built- Also Available
ON SALE
in magazines that will hold up to five NOW
rounds. If it’s a caliber larger than .308 drug cartel wants their stolen
it may only hold three rounds. The
point is it wouldn’t be a good idea to
Avicious
$200,000,000 back from a prep school
computer hacking club—but they didn’t plan on
carry a hunting rifle as a primary
weapon due to the lack of ammo it
survivalist Jake Dent’s mission to save his only son.
holds and the amount of time it takes
to load each round. But if you’re looking KENSINGTONBOOKS.COM • DANIELPALMERBOOKS.COM
at taking out your target at 300 to 500 /danieljamespalmer @danielpalmer
yards away, this is the one you’ll want. ENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.—America’s Independent Publisher

THE
BIG
FOUR
Shotgun [ABOVE] Many gun enthusiasts will agree that a shotgun makes a great home defense
weapon. It has limited range, so it won’t go through your wall and into the neighbor’s
house. Yet you don’t have to be a great shot to hit your target. [MIDDLE] One of the
The shotgun is arguably the most common gun most popular shotguns, the Remington 870. Only this one has a tactical kit, giving it a
few advantages for those who appreciate them. The pump has picatinny rails on three
used for self-defense at home. Why? Two big sides for accessories, a pistol grip and collapsible stock... similar to an AR-style rifle.
reasons. You don’t have to be the most accurate [BOTTOM] Have you ever wondered what was inside the various shotgun shells? From
left to right a 20-gauge shell with small steel shot that is typically used for pheasant
shot to hit a target and the “bullets” don’t travel
or quail. The 00 Buck is much bigger is size, but fewer in quantity. It’s designed for
that far. That second part is important if you live bigger game or padlocks or door locks. The solid slug is a one ounce piece of lead,
in an apartment building where the walls are (hollow) that will take out some fairly big game. If you look closely you can see the
spiraling on the sides of the slug. This is for barrels that have rifling... to improve the
thin and neighbors could be on two sides.
accuracy and distance of the slug.
SHELL SIZES
Unlike a pistol or rifle bullet, a shotgun shoots
what is called a shell. Instead of a single bullet,
the shells are loaded with various sized BB’s.
Looking at a box of 12 or 20 gauge shells, you
could see it say #4 #6, #7 shot. The bigger the
number, the smaller the shot. A #7 is good for
shooting small game (quail or pheasant) and
skeet. And when you see 00 or 000 it is double
or triple buck shot. This is intended for bigger,
heavier game like deer. There are many gauges
(calibers) of shotguns, but the most popular are
from smallest to largest, .410, 20 and 12.
Shotguns also come in a few different
designs. Older styles are single shot, and some-
times have two barrels. They could be next to
each other or on top of one another. These are
called “side by side” or “over-under”. The most
common shotgun would be the pump action. In
most cases it will hold five shells and you pull
the handle backwards (in a pumping action)
ejecting the spent shell and loading the next. A
semiautomatic style is also available from

many manufacturers, but they are also the No matter which one(s) you get there is one
most expensive of all the choices. Anyone who thing you’ll need to do: practice. Shooting once
enjoys shooting skeet will appreciate a light- a month is good, but doing it three to four times
weight, long-barreled semiautomatic shotgun. a month is better. If you expect to have a tight
Because the shot from the shell spreads out pattern at any distance it will take practice.
as it leaves the barrel, a shotgun is a popular If you’re on a tight budget, one thing to con-
choice for home defense. Many stories have sider is how much is the ammo for the particular
been told by people with shotguns saying all gun you’re looking into and is it readily available?
they will have to do is aim down the hallway at
an intruder and if they are any closer than 20 to
Use your sources if you have any doubts.
Ask questions at more than one gun shop and
“IF YOU ASK ME
30 feet away they will be hit. There is some don’t always think the biggest store has the WHICH GUN IS
truth to that, but if you only hit them in the best answers. Don’t believe everything you read
hand they could still be a threat. Using a shot- online on the forums. Find a gun store/range
BEST, I’LL ASK
gun still requires good aim, but it allows for and rent a few guns to see what you like best. YOU WHAT’S
some tolerance. Some small gun shops may have the best
experience and advice. If they’ve been around
THE TARGET?”
Which One is Best? for a long time, it’s a safe assumption they’ve
been doing something right. Good luck.
That’s the tough question and there is no right
About the Author: Duke Montana has spent more days/nights off
or wrong answer. Each has their strong and
grid in trailers or RVs in desert camps than most. He bought his first
weak points. But the thing to figure out is which Glock on his 21st birthday. He is useful with weapons, solar and
will work best for you… in the way you need it to wind energy and tries to be diverse in his preps. He believes you
have strength in numbers, but a good sniper is handy, too.
work. Having one of each isn’t a bad thing either.
WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF TRUSTED SURVIVAL PRODUCTS

INCLUDING:
Eberlestock, Ontario Knife Company, LifeStraw,
Fox Tactical, UST, Mossy Oak, SureFire,
Leatherman, GSI, CRKT, Coghlan's,
Adventure Medical Kits, Dynarex, Outdoor Edge
and many more.
SurvivalBagsInc.com WARNING – THESE SURVIVAL BAGS ARE NOT FILLED WITH TOYS

URBAN BUG-OUT BAG
FULLY
LOADED
SURVIVAL BAGS’ GUNSLINGER II BUG-OUT BAG
Story and Photography by William “Billy” Boggs | Additional Photography by Henry Z. Dekuyper
he decision to abandon your

house is monumental. Every situ-
ation is different. Perhaps an out-
of-control wildfire is clawing its
way up the valley toward your
normally quiet cabin in the woods and you have
mere minutes to grab what you can and leave.
Maybe Martial law has been declared three
Eberlestock
towns over thanks to an outbreak of a mysteri- Gunslinger II
ous disease. Do you stay and wait it out, hoping Pack Features
it will blow over or they’ll find a cure quickly, or
> Made from 1000D
do you grab what you can and leave? Either
Cordura nylon
way, not knowing if you’ll ever be able to come
> Scabbard folds into the
back is scary and stressful. Did you make the
bottom of the pack
right decision to leave? More importantly, did
> Heavy-duty compression
you bring the right gear with you if you did
straps
leave?
> Hydration sleeves on
If you have the Gunslinger II Bug-Out Bag by
back wall
Survival Bags, Inc., on your back or in the trunk
> Semi-transparent tuck
as you speed towards safety, be assured you’ve
pockets
got the right gear to see you through any uncer-
> Interior Padlock (PALS)
tain times you’ll experience in the near future.
webbing
It’s fully loaded. It’s ready to go. It’s with you.
> Includes GSTC butt cover
Realize from the outset that this isn’t a light
with pull-out sleeve
kit, as it is completely packed with all the gear
> Adjustable/Removable
you’ll need, but what is great about this partic-
Waist Belt
ular pack is two-fold: 1) The pack is expandable
> Total Volume:
to accommodate any rifle under 60 inches in
2700 cubic inches
length; and 2) The services offered in this kit
> Weight: 5 lbs. 6 oz.
are redundant, like a good kit should be. There
are four sources for water, five cutting/sawing
devices, four ways of starting a fire, and three
shelter options (even one for the pack itself)
among other redundancies.

UST’s hexagon-shaped tarp (108
inches at its widest) can be used
The various ways the Gun- for many things like a shelter,
slinger II will help you start a ground cloth or thermal blanket.
Most of the weight of the pack,
fire include UST’s innovative It is aluminized on one side for
not surprising, comes from the 18
BlastMatch, a one-handed thermal insulation and comes in
4.22 ounces of water pouches,
spark generator, simple storm a stuff sack with guy lines and
meant to last three or four days if
matches and a 36-hour candle. eight steel stakes.
used sparingly.
Keep all of your knives sharp
with Smith’s Pocket Pal, which
also features a ferro rod, com-
pass, and flashlight.
The Kaito Voyager is a beautiful example of a

quality piece of gear. It does AM/FM, plus
NOAA weather channels, has a two-way LED
flashlight, a red emergency beacon and six
ways to power it: dynamo cranking, solar, AA
batteries, rechargeable batteries, AC adap-
tor, USB port.
Adventure Medical Kits SOL

Escape Bivvy bag comes in
low visibility OD Green, is
breathable and body heat Handle most of the medical needs that might crop up while
reflective while you sleep, and you’re bugging out with SOL’s Hybrid 3, a three-in-one kit
offers water resistance. It that provides medical supplies for dressing wounds, stabi-
comes in a compact sack. lizing fractures, and treating illnesses; survival tools to sig-
nal rescuers, start fires, and stay warm; and gear repair
items to put just about anything back together.
Survival can get messy, and

living in that mess will
deflate your hope and might
eventually get you sick. The
N95 masks will keep you
breathing right, while the
gloves will keep your hands
The kit includes a few items that are not safe. The Dynarex mouth-
found in run-of-the-mill kits, such as a mos- wash and body wash can
quito head net or a waterproof notebook and keep the germs at bay.
pencil. The pocket survival credit card is
handy to keep close for quick fixes. And what
can’t you do with 100 feet of paracord?
The included steel comes courtesy
Ontario Knife Company with its
Ranger series tomahawk and the
RAT 3 plain-edged knife. Nearly
eight inches long, the RAT 3 is
made from 1095 carbon steel with
a micarta handle, while the 12.4-
inch Ranger ’hawk features 1075
carbon steel and black texture
powder coated blades.
The Surefire G2X
Pro Dual-Output LED
flashlight provides 320
lumens, is 5.2 inches
Shelter is provided in long and the 123A bat-
The Adventurer Survival teries are included.
many different forms,
Gill Net is an essential
from ponchos to s
piece of equipment you can
reflective two-man tent
simply set in a stream to
and emergency blan-
catch fish while you work
kets. The two carabin-
on other essentials with
ers are heavy-duty and
Coghlan’s mini shovel and
can handle around
pick, for instance.
5,000 pounds of force.

FULLY
LOADED
Packing Up Your Gunslinger II

The Gunslinger II arrived in a big box and not completely packed, which is good
because it gave us a chance to open each item, inspect it, learn about its functions,
and become familiar with the pack’s abilities. Then we had to put it all together, so
we were able to decide for ourselves what is important enough for the top pocket
and what we could place deep inside the pack.
There is plenty of webbing on the exte-

rior of this pack, just waiting for MOLLE
bags or additional gear.
The first order of business was to remove everything and all the The Aquamira water purification tablets The main cargo area is accessible from
packaging. If it had cardboard attached to it, we removed it. It are stowed inside the GSI Outdoors the top or the bottom. In the middle,
not only saves space and weight, but makes it easier to pack water bottle, which was placed in an place items, such as the radio and the
everything later. outside pocket for easy access. hygiene items, that you won’t need
quickly or even soon. These are camp
The large Ontario
items for when you settle for the first
Knife Company’s
night.
Ranger series
tomahawk found
a home strapped
to the side web-
bing for quick
access, as did the
two caribiners. On the front pouch is a waterproof zip-
pered pocket intended for personal
items such as phones, glasses, and even
keys, so we left this pocket empty with The heavy items, such as the water
the expectation you’ll fill it with per- pouches, go on the bottom, while the
sonal-carry items when you need to. bricks of food bars can be placed at the
top so you can get at them easily during
your trek.
The Eberlestock
pack has a
plethora of straps,
all able to cinch
down something,
making this pack
one of the most
secure available.
As an added Within that outside pouch goes things
bonus, all of the you’ll need in a hurry and the things you Once packed up, use the buckles and
strap tails are might use often, such as the Lifestraw straps to compress the pack down as
neatly rolled up and/or the SOL Hybrid 3 first aid kit. small as possible. This will make it eas-
and stowed away. Also, it is a good idea to keep the sur- ier to store, less likely to make noise, and
vival manual handy. more stable while you are travelling.

EBERLESTOCK’S
GUNSLINGER II PACK
WHAT’S IN THE 2 Best Glide ASE outdoor mosquito patches
1 pair couble palm work gloves
The pack itself is the hunting ver- GUNSLINGER II? 1 UST Waterproof 3 x 5 notebook paper and
sion of the G2M tactical pack by Eber- Food/Water pencil
lestock, which is based on the original 2 MREs with flameless heaters 1 SAS survival guide 2E handbook
GS05M Gunslinger. The main differ- 2 2400-calorie food bar packets by SOS
ence between the two is that the gun Food Lab Paracord
scabbard built into the G2 can accom- 18 4.22-ounce drinking water packets by SOS 100 feet of Gladding #550 paracord-Black.
modate a longer rifle. The newest ver- Food Lab
sion of the G2 comes standard with 1 Infinity Dukjug one liter water bottle Shelter
the Intex-II frame system, a quiet and 24 Aquamira water purifier tablets 1 Adventure Medical Kits SOL Escape Bivvy
compact frame that can handle very 1 LifeStraw personal water filter 1 Ultimate Survival Technologies UST HEX
heavy loads. The Intex-II can be 1 Eberlestock 2-liter water bladder tarp
exchanged with the Endo frame, as 1 two-person tube tent
well as more compact, softer Gos- Survival and First Aid Kit 2 emergency ponchos
samer frame (or you can simply 1 Adventure Medical Kits SOL Hybrid 3 1 emergency blanket
remove the frame altogether). 1 Eberlestock pack lightweight rain cover
The scabbard of the G2 folds into Safety/Tools
the bottom of the pack and is secured 1 Ontario Knife Company Ranger-series Fire and Warmth
by a buckle. This configuration is good Hawk 1 Coghlan’s 36-hour survival candle and
for shorter weapons and other gear; it 1 Ontario Knife Company RAT 3 knife with matches
also makes the scabbard a great place sheath 1 UST’s BlastMatch fire starter
to carry a laptop computer. It features 1 Smith’s Pocket Pal X2 sharpener and sur- 12 UST’s WetFire fire starting tinders
side handles on both sides for easy vival tool 1 package Coghlan’s storm matches
loading, and the heavy-duty compres- 1 Surefire G2X Pro LED flashlight (with bat- 2 pairs of hand warmers
sion straps which can be folded com- teries)
pletely flat. The padding on the back is 1 Coghlan’s mini shovel with pick Sanitation/Hygiene
very breathable and comfortable, sup- 1 Kaito Voyager KA500 flashlight/radio 3 N95 particulate respirators
porting a lot of the weight of the gear. 1 Omega Pacific Tactical straightgate D cara- 1 toothbrush with toothpaste
The top pocket/pouch features an biner 1 dental floss
internal organizer with several small 1 Omega Pacific Tactical Jake HMS Quik-Lok 1 Dynarex mouthwash
pockets, pen holders, and a padded Carabiner 1 Dynarex body wash
pocket that can hold AR mags just as 1 survival gill net 1 package toilet paper
easily as fishing gear, a smart phone, 1 Best Glide ASE fishing kit 1 package tissue
or blocks of tinder. The internal web- 1 Best Glide ASE spiral camp saw 8 shower-in-a-bag cloths
bing allows you to strap down your 1 Best Glide ASE pocket credit card camper 8 wet naps
gear inside the pack, which equates to tool 2 sanitary pads
not only a quieter experience but a lot 1 Best Glide ASE mosquito head net 2 Blistex lip balms
less weight shifting from side to side
as you travel.
Accessories to the
FINE QUALITY The one-liter Infinity Eberlestock Gunslinger
Dukjug water bottle by GSI
Survival Bags, Inc., avoided using II pack itself is the two-
is BPA-free and is made liter water bladder and
one-time-use products and low-end from polypropylene, which the lightweight rain
equipment when gathering the gear is about 25 percent less cover in “hide open”
weight than standard timber camo pattern.
for this pack. A survival pack needs to polycarbonate. It has a
be self-sufficient, and it is only as secure silicon grip and a
strong as its weakest link. Because of wide mouth for easy filling
and cleaning.
this, the Gunslinger II isn’t cheap, but
survival isn’t cheap either. If you’re in
the thick of a situation and you’re not
The two MREs provided
sure what the outcome will be, having have eight-ounce entrées
quality gear that will last through the with six possible varieties,
ordeal is always a matter of life and from beef stew to vegetar-
ian chili. Also included are
death. Survival shouldn’t be measured dried fruit, nut/raisin mix,
by dollars and cents, but instead, by fruit-flavored drink, utensil
pack, and a flameless SOURCE
minutes and hours. survivalbagsinc.com
meal heater.
MSRP: $989.95

BACKCOUNTRY INSECT CONTROL
Bites ally and figuratively

h nasties from canopy to
flo etation foreign to travelers
hide hree inch long thorns, crawling
leeches, leaf cutting ants, fast moving
piders and countless other insects some of
NOTHING MAKES A BAD S which may yet to be discovered and are com-
pletely unknown to scientists. Thorny tree
PHOTOS BY THINKSTOCK
WORSE THAN A BUG BITE runks, acid covered leaves and reptiles also
all the jungle home and contribute to the
nhospitable environment where everything
Story and Photography by Kevin Estela
eems to move and come alive.

Despite the high heat, near 100 percent
humidity, insects and regular heavy rain, there
is an allure to the jungle which draws in thou-
sands of explorers each year to the tropics and
subtropics. The adventurer need not board a
plane though to experience jungle-like condi-
tions as American swamps, glades and wilder-
ness areas from Alaska to Maine, Michigan and
Florida and all points in between are plagued
with their own dangerous residents and defen-
sive flora. With careful preparation, the choice
of clothing one packs can make the difference
between relative comfort and absolute misery.
Beyond clothing, there are many skills and
knowledge locals have learned to mitigate the
potential threats allowing the explorer to enjoy
his/her surroundings. These concepts can be
applied anywhere and will improve survivabil-
ity in jungle conditions and when surrounded
by insects.
WETNESS COVERS ALL

One aspect of the jungle an outdoorsman
must accept is the near constant state of wet
experienced while traveling through it. The
combination of humidity and sweat requires
clothing that dries easily and breathes. For this
reason, coated nylon is less desirable than gar-
ments with some percentage of cotton in their
fabric or those designed for conditions like
these. Full cotton and cotton blends are other
options but they will not dry as quickly as those
with more nylon content. Some of these
advanced fabrics are impregnated with propri-
etary insect treatments guaranteed for “x”
amount of washings. Don’t take chances and
use permethrin prior to heading out. For short
term trips, both blended and pure cotton are
fine but on longer trips, the ability to get rela- [FROM TOP] The Clark
Jungle Hammock is an
tively dry will improve your morale. Morale is integral sleep system for
not the only characteristic of the jungle travel four season camping. It
is ideally suited for jun-
preserved, hygiene will be as well. Prolonged
gle travel as it keeps the
exposure to wet clothing leaves skin softer and user above the ground
more prone to blistering, tearing and abrading if where more threats
exist. The integral
mixed with abrasives like mud or under the pocket underneath is
stress of pack shoulder and waist straps. It’s ideal for keeping equip-
also important to wear clothes that are loose ment off the ground at
night. The author
fitting. Tight compression style shorts and crossing a stream near
shirts are significantly warmer and are gener- dusk in the Jungle of
Costa Rica. Even in the
ally more synthetic than natural fabric con-
high heat of this volcanic
struction. If a second set of undergarments and thermal stream, cane
socks can be carried in a small bag, the ability toads and other animals
live comfortably.
to change into anything dry at the end of the
night is a welcomed luxury.

Bites
&Stings
Jungle plants want to ankles and wrists, you should still make it a reg-
poke, prick, scratch COLOR MEANS EVERYTHING ular routine to use a mirror (the inside of your
and impale you at
Recently, while in Costa Rica, I was mirrored compass works well) to check your
every turn. Clothing
helps prevent injury reminded of the value of light colored fabrics. In armpits, waistline, groin and other warm areas.
in an environment addition to absorbing less sunlight and there- Regardless of how well you assume your cloth-
where infection can
easily set in.
fore less heat, the light fabrics also helped me ing will ward off these pests, do not disregard
identify ticks (not the Lyme disease carrying this practice. A friend of mine assumed he was
but still an annoyance) crawling on my pant free of ticks because he was seated in a canoe
legs. If you are aware of a particular threat, con- paddling through thick grass. At the end of the
sider wearing clothes that contrast with the day, he had a tick buried in the sweaty crease of
colors of that threat. Deer ticks in the North the back of his knee. Don’t get too comfortable
East are brownish and are easily spotted on or you invite trouble.
light green, tan, white and light blue clothing.
Speaking of ticks and other bugs that find their CLOTHING SELECTION
way into tight places, bloused pants or boots When selecting clothes for the jungle, the
with laces tied around the ankle will prevent swamp or the glades, one should also consider
ticks from making their way up your legs and a good wide-brim hat and gloves. I prefer a
gloves with wrist fasteners will keep them from wrap around brim to baseball cap as that style
going up your sleeve. Even if you take precau- protects my face from sharp vegetation and it
tions to prevent insects from entering from your also protects both my head and neck from the
The All will be available to make in my direction of travel.

Important effective use of the blade. There’s no need to walk into
On any machete I carry objects in the dark you could
Jungle Blade into the field, I attach a small otherwise avoid.
If I had to choose one blade bastard file to the scabbard. The machete is more than
for the jungle, I’d make mine This file is meant to repair a great tool for the jungle; it
a machete. The jungle is any larger chips or rolls acci- excels in the hardwoods too.
filled with green vegetation behind the blade, the dentally caused by misuse or Machetes don’t bind in wood
that a long, fast-moving and machete will help make jun- an errant swing. Whenever in as readily as thicker stock
thin blade can cut easily gle travel safer. the field, I tend to two-hand knives and a compact 12
through. The machete is also Since the machete is the carry my machete, slung over inche machete, properly
a “do all” blade and as long tool used predominantly, the my shoulder baldric-style so I ground, will out cut custom
as the user knows how to handle should be comfort- can at least pivot the sling to knives many times the value
handle it, it can chop, dig, able and the blade the cor- allow easy cross draw of the of the economical machete.
skin, carve, shave and draw rect size and length for the blade. This allows me to eas- With proper technique and
cut. Many reputable makers user. Too long of a blade and ily access it quickly if needed. experience, the best tool for
are producing quality the machete will be hard to It also allows me to carry a the jungle becomes a great
machetes and as long as the use in tight quarters. Too small flashlight, in the same choice for just about any
user is willing to put time light and not enough mass hand as the sheath, pointed other environment too.

THE JUNGLE HAMMOCK
The jungle floor is home to countless insects that star in countless nightmares.
Spiders, scorpions, centipedes and beetles are not what you want to find on
your body when you wake up. Getting off the jungle floor is important and when
it comes to a good night’s sleep, nothing beats a jungle hammock. Of all the
hammocks on the market, Clark Hammocks is well-known and considered the
industry leader in anti-insect research and field testing.
The Clark Jungle hammock is meant for the worst conditions. The hammock
Poison Oak is an example of an American plant that
is part of a larger set in the shelter system. The hammock body has attached
can cause dermatitis and irritation. Like those found in
the jungle, there are plants in the continental U.S. that mosquito netting for seamless protection. The spacer bars provide the all-
should be identified and avoided. important distance that keeps the hammock spread open allowing the user to
sleep unmolested from mosquito stingers. These spreaders also allow a natural
sleeping position without pressure on the shoulders causing a stiff neck.
sun when out from under the canopy. Wide
brim hats can be treated with permethrin just
as easily as clothing. Deer hunters here in Con-
necticut, home of the original Lyme disease
case, swear ticks wait to fall on hosts from
overhanging branches. A good wide brim hat
can prevent insects from literally jumping down
your neck. Often, many of these hats are
equipped with some sort of brim strap that can
be used to hold chemical insect repellent strips.
When using repellents of extremely strong deet
concentration, avoid using it on synthetic cloth-
ing as it can rapidly disintegrate the
fabric. When taking off your hat at the end of
the night, always examine your hairline and
hatband line for ticks. Run your fingers through
your hair or carry a fine-tooth comb and comb
gently. You don’t want to crush the body of a
disease carrying insect. Remove these with a
good pair of tweezers or have a trusted friend
The Clark Jungle Hammock has
do it if it’s on the back of your neck.
been improved over the years to
Gloves might seem like overkill in the out-
include drip rings that prevent water
doors but they protect your valuable sense of
from running down the support straps.
touch. A few encounters with razor grass and
To keep ants from making their way
you’ll understand why it makes sense to wear
down just as easily, some users smear
gloves and move vegetation out of the way
toothpaste on the straps and report
rather than walking, hands up, switching from
great effectiveness. Certain models of
side to side moving flank first through the most
the Jungle Hammock have an integral
convenient path. My Filipino relatives learned
pocket on the bottom for a sleeping
the value of carrying walking sticks with natural
pad or to store gear off the ground.
hook features formed from branches. These
Wake up to a lizard or snake in your
can be used to move vegetation out of the way,
boot and you’ll consider hanging or
to examine the ground for anything they didn’t
storing them at night.
want to step on or to reach edible fruit outside
Clark continues to do research in the
of reach or within the protective guard of a
field of anti-mosquito protection. The
thorny tree. There are not only thorns in the jun-
company currently has experimental products in the field in the Amazon and is
gle but plants with oils and irritants on fine
reporting advancements in technology. For now, the existing product line is the
hairs that cause skin rashes. In the United
best out there and can be used during all seasons and in almost any condition.
States, all three big poisons (Oak, Ivy and
To get that much needed sleep, strap up a hammock from Clark and catch some
Sumac) have urushiol oil that causes dermati-
“zzz’s” worry free of insects.
tis. Be warned, your gloves may collect those
irritants and you may inadvertently rub your

Bites
&Stings
“LEECHES DO NOT COME IN ONE SIZE AND

THEY CAN BE EXCEPTIONALLY ANNOYING IN
THEIR PERSISTENCE TO PENETRATE ANY
OPENING IN YOUR CLOTHING DEFENSE.”
often draw inspiration from those worn by the
U.S. military during the Vietnam conflict. They
are roughly eight inches high, have a self-clean-
ing tread and are constructed with wet weather
and mud in mind. I prefer closed toed shoes in
the jungle unless I’m in a camp or in a swim-
ming hole. Leeches do not come in one size and
they can be exceptionally annoying in their per-
sistence to penetrate any opening in your cloth-
ing defense. Lacing eyelets can be an entry
point unless the tongue of the boot is attached
to the upper. Also, a potential weak point is the
drainage holes many footwear manufacturers
are putting on the side of their shoes. These
eyes if not careful. Water resistant gloves are [ABOVE] The author drainage holes should have a mesh backing if
carefully examining a
not necessary but gloves with a leather palm they are truly meant to offer protection above
thorny plant in Costa
are. I’ve had very good success with gloves Rica. Once identified, the benefit of draining water. This attention to
meant for rappelling and working with wire painful encounters are detail will save you the horror of finding a leech
less frequent with
cable. Just as wire fibers can slash your hand increased awareness. that entered your shoe and has been gorging
and stick you, jungle thorns can as well. One itself on your blood and is now many times its
[BELOW] Lizards are
word of warning, be careful to dry out your original size. Thanks to the anesthetic in leech
common in the jungle as
gloves and treat them with conditioner (not well as warmer parts of saliva, you won’t feel it bite and only the occa-
waterproofing agent) if they feel too dry after the United States. Many sional wiggle can give away the presence.
are harmless but the
your trip. This will extend the life of the leather. scurrying noises they
Should you find one on you, use citric acid, salt
make at night can star- or a match to remove it. Don’t be alarmed if you
PROTECT YOUR FEET tle the outdoorsman. notice the bite mark bleeding for a length of
Just as important as protecting your hands time after the leech is removed. There is yet
is protecting your feet. Modern jungle boots another substance in the saliva that acts like an
anticoagulant that will eventually wear off.
Drainage holes will function better than full
Gore-Tex booties that act like personal foot
bath tubs leading to a bevy of foot ailments
never allowing feet to dry.
A leaf cutter
ant can be
quite the force
if their work is
disturbed.
Hundreds of
bites are
possible in
a matter of
minutes.

STAY RESTED
NATURAL Assuming you are spending more

than a single day in the jungle or jun-
INSECT gle-like conditions, it is important to

never underestimate the value of
REPELLENTS sleep and to have a sleep suit. This

second pair of clothes is worn inside
It is said mud is an excellent insect repellent your shelter and kept dry as much as
when applied to the skin. This is somewhat possible. It is free of dirt, crushed
true. Mud can be used to mask unfamiliar insects from swatting at them all day,
smells that draw insects in. Mud can also be blood, sweat, insect repellent odor
used to cover exposed skin if no other option is and funk. Part of the sleep suit in really
present. Mud will eventually dry out and must buzzing environments is a cheap pair of
be reapplied regularly. There are also some ear plugs. Assuming you are in a group
stinging insects that can penetrate a relatively setting where there is collective security,
thick layer of mud regardless of the efforts in the foam ear plugs will suppress the
applying it. sounds of insects that can keep you
The Mountain Khakis
awake or play games with your mind thinking
Granite Creek shirt is
one slipped inside your hammock or tent. available in light colors
Whenever hammock camping, my routine prior making it easy to spot
critters with contrasting
to swinging for the night includes putting on a colors against them.
pair of hiking socks with a terry cloth-like inte- The Mountain Khakis
rior after powdering my feet with medicated Granite Creek pants are
a synthetic pant that the
powder or baby powder. Also, prior to retiring author has worn in jun-
for the night, it is not uncommon for moss to be gle conditions and found
them to be quick drying,
used in smudge pots made from adding camp-
lightweight and durable
fire coals to metal cans with wet vegetation on for many adventures.
top. Used around the perimeter of your camp,
you can smoke out some of the flying nui-
sances around you at least long enough to get
you to sleep before the coals burn out. Sleep is
In North America, cedar trees are relatively truly underrated in the outdoors while afield.
common and some will use the smoke from The jungle, glades and swamp are home to
cedar to smudge their clothing and person to nocturnal animals that will interfere with your
ward off mosquitoes. Another common natural recovery and rest time. Spend enough days get-
repellent is tobacco and fishermen have long ting little to no sleep and the stacked insomnia
advocated smoking cigars for the same reason. can lead to potentially hazardous issues during
These two natural plants have roots in certain your day.
Native American cultures. With proper planning, it is possible to enjoy
A natural diet, one free of processed foods the jungle, or places like it, in relative if not
and local to your area of operation is also said complete comfort. All the sights, sounds and
to help prevent insects from bothering you. smells of the jungle can be appreciated with
People are what they eat and just as some will the correct jungle clothing choices and fol-
claim they can “sweat garlic”, pheromones we lowing indigenous information. When you
cannot detect are believed to be secreted from realize you are merely a guest in the jungle
the body. These inconspicuous odors may con- and change your perspective of man vs.
tribute to claims insects are often worse at the wild to man in wild, you begin to under-
beginning of an extended trip than they are at stand and accept the flora and fauna and
the end. how best to deal with them. The jungle
Natural insect repellents have questionable becomes more inviting and you will
effectiveness. If a supply of commercial repel- start planning your next trip before you
lent runs out, knowledge of these may provide even make it home.
some comfort even if that is more psychologi-
cal than physical. Knowledge weighs nothing About the Author: Kevin Estela is Owner/Head
Instructor of Estela Wilderness Education and former
and is always with you. Sometimes like the
Lead Instructor of the Wilderness Learning Center. Kevin is
mosquitoes that always seem to be there too. trained in bushcraft, wilderness/urban survival and is an instructor in
Sayoc Kali. Kevin is also an avid outdoorsman, martial artist, writer,
adventurer and full-rime high school history teacher.

KNOWING ALL THE RIGHT MOVES MAY JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE
Story by Jeff Zurschmeide
C
heckpoints have been set up just outside of town and the national
guard is doing house-to-house clearing of all people in the quaran-
tined zones. Democracy has slowly slipped away and Martial law rules
the inner cities. The time to leave was two days ago. Pack up the car,
air up the tires, and tighten your seatbelt. They’re not going to let you
escape easily, and you’ll have to do some pretty intense driving if you plan to make
it into the countryside and to your bug-out shelter. Two blocks away and the mili-
tary police are on your tail. What’s next? You floor it.
The car chase is a basic building block of the action-adventure movie genre, but
don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s all just Hollywood stunt driving.
Around the world, the very wealthy and politically powerful learn to do everything
you’ve seen on the big screen, and quite a bit more. The reason is simple – if some-
one is after the guy in the back seat, the driver is nothing more than a threat and
PHOTO BY ISTOCK
more likely just an annoyance. The first bullets are always headed for the driver,
creating an imperative to get himself and the car out of harm’s way.

“WE HAVE TO TEACH PEOPLE TO USE THE CAR AS A
LETHAL WEAPON, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST
THINGS TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. ”

DRIVE
TO SURVIVE
“The company I work with provides exec-

utive protection. It’s a growing program.
I’ve been to every country in Latin Amer-
ica except Cuba. We go down there for four
to five days at a time to teach executive pro-
tection, mostly for private sector folks. The
main thing we try to teach is situational
awareness, route planning, motorcade dri-
ving, evasive driving, and ultimately how to
use your car for protection and as a weapon,”
CB says.
DRIVING IS MENTAL
Experienced readers will not be surprised
that most of the training that happens during
a tactical driving course is mental.
“There’s a lot to it,” CB says. “The very
first thing we teach is situational awareness of
the car, and how to drive with three other
Your car can take a Depending on the location and the sce- cars, each six inches off your bumper. We also
lot of damage to the
nario, drivers are trained not only in evasive talk about communicating with a radio or lap-
bodywork and remain
drivable. Protect your and tactical driving, but also in situational top computer. We also understand what the
radiator and front awareness and advanced firearms handling. car in front is supposed to do, what the car
wheels, however, so
you can keep moving
To learn a little more about this world, I con- with the principal is supposed to do, and
and steering. tacted a longtime friend. “CB” is a profes- what the car in the back is supposed to do.”
sional racecar driver who moonlights as a
[BOTTOM] This
bumper is a pretty tactical driving instructor. Not to be too PREPARATION IS KEY
good candidate if the cloak-and-dagger about it, but CB requested As with all survival scenarios, preparation
driver had to drive
anonymity for the purposes of this interview. is the keystone.
tactically. The high
center of gravity and
light weight of the
small SUV would be
drawbacks, however.
“THE VERY FIRST

THING WE TEACH IS
SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS OF THE
CAR, AND HOW TO
DRIVE WITH THREE
OTHER CARS, EACH
SIX INCHES OFF
YOUR BUMPER.”

TIP “WE COVER WHAT TO DO IF THERE IS AN ATTACK, WHERE
Tactical drivers know the best
way to disable a pursuing car is to DIFFERENT PEOPLE SIT IN THE CAR, EVEN HOW TO SURROUND
use the rear bumper of your own THE PRINCIPAL IF YOU HAVE TO WALK ALONG THE ROAD.”
car against the front bumper of
the attacker. The front of a car
contains the radiator, headlights,
and the most sensitive airbag
deployment sensors.
The PIT Maneuver
Your rear bumper can take out a pursuing car. If they hit
you hard enough, their radiator will be pushed back
onto their engine and destroyed.
“We cover what to do if there is an attack,

This diagram shows,
where different people sit in the car, even in broad terms, how to
how to surround the principal if you have to execute a PIT maneuver.
PHOTO COURTESY THE PERFECT DEFENSE

What it cannot teach you,
walk along the road. We also get into case however, is how it feels to
studies on terrorist attacks. The level of plan- perform the maneuver,
ning and preparation that goes into some of and how to keep control
of your own vehicle while
these attacks is mind-boggling,” CB says. executing the maneuver.
The core of the course covers what to do For that, you need to go
to school.
when an attack is in progress.
“My forte is driving, obviously. But the
biggest thing we try to get across to them is
that a car is a lethal weapon. It’s a different The Precision Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver is probably
mindset and sometimes it’s hard for me to the worst-kept secret in the history of tactical driving. The point is
flip the switch,” CB says. to disrupt the forward momentum of an opposing driver, leaving
them stopped on the road, generally facing into oncoming traffic.
FORGET THE RULES The PIT maneuver is performed by approaching the opposing
In the course of our normal lives, we are vehicle from behind, and using the front corner of your car to
taught to be safe behind the wheel. From the press into the opposing vehicle at or behind the rear wheel, caus-
first driver training we ever had, we focused ing a skid. Once the opposing car begins to skid, accelerate and
on avoiding crashes, playing by the rules, keep the pressure on and the opposing car will rotate across your
being courteous, and staying safe. But when front bumper and end up on the other side of your car, facing
safety has already gone well and truly out the backwards.
window, the focus must shift to survival by Obviously, ramming another car or attempting the PIT maneu-
any means necessary. ver are not to be undertaken lightly. Performed without justifica-
“We have to teach people to use the car as tion, either maneuver is likely to be considered as attempted
a lethal weapon, and that is one of the hard- vehicular manslaughter or worse. If you want to learn to perform
est things to get people to understand. If you such maneuvers, sign up for a course from one of the driving
go toward someone, you must intend to kill academies that offer tactical driving instruction.
them. You cannot wing them, you cannot
maim them, you must intend to kill them,

DRIVE
TO SURVIVE
Most armored limou-

sines are made in
Colombia, and much of
the international driver
training available for
because if you don’t, they will get up and kill
Driving on Flats
limo drivers takes place you,” CB says.
there as well. This is an In the training, drivers are taught how to
armored Mercedes-Benz
W221 made for the gov- use their vehicle as a battering ram, how to
ernment of Germany. drive on flat tires, and how to perform the Driving with one or more flat tires is
well-known PIT (Precision Intervention among the most challenging situations
[BELOW] Police vehicles
are outfitted with those Technique) maneuver. that a driver may face. Your tires are
big push bars and wrap- “We wear full protective gear, including your car’s only point of contact with the
around protection in case
they have to do the kind
mouth guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. road, and the source of all traction for
of driving described here. Because when we train, we train in a full-con- your car.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but
it’s easier to drive with a flat front tire
than with a flat rear. A flat front tire
presents itself as heavy and sluggish
steering, and the car will pull strongly
toward the side with the flat. It’s no fun,
but it is at least predictable.
A rear flat, on the other hand, pre-
sents itself to the driver as a tendency
to slew out of control – pitching one
way when you press the accelerator,
and the opposite way when you lift off
the pedal. Steering inputs also induce
swings. The motions are far less pre-
dictable and harder to control than a
front flat.

tact environment. We’re going to pit know which drivers on the road are you have to overcome. I really strug-
them, and then we’re going to ram ready for anything. gled in my first year. It’s a whole dif-
them. Pitting is probably the most “The people who are very, very ferent world.”
delicate maneuver we can do. We good at this; you’d never recognize
About the Author: Jeff Zurschmeide is a professional
also teach them how to counter-pit them. They blend in,” CB says. “It’s a
automotive and motorsports journalist who got his
and to be counter-evasive,” CB says. completely different mindset. When training in tactical driving from the experts at Portland
But the training doesn’t end with I travel now, I see the world in a very Speedway and other west coast circle tracks.
cars, because the threats don’t end different way. It’s a mental attitude
there, either.
MORE THAN DRIVING

“From there we teach people how
to use firearms, and where to hide
behind a car if you’re being shot at.
We’ll take a car and shoot thousands
of rounds into it to show people INTRODUCING THE
where to hide. Most people head for
the rear wheel, which is near the gas
LAR-47 CAR A4
Combining the best of both worlds, allowing you to
tank, or the driver’s door,” CB says.
use standard AK-47 magazines in the LAR platform.
For the record, you want to crouch
by the front wheel, so that bullets
must pass through the engine to get
to you. Car doors offer very little pro-
tection, and the trunk area even less,
plus the gasoline is back there.
“You might be surprised, but
motorcycle training is just as intense
as for the cars. The other thing that’s
big right now is scooters. Around the
world, that’s the primary means of
transportation,” CB says.
BLENDING IN
LAR-47 CAR A4 AK1263
Finally, most will not be surprised WITH RRA 6-POSITION TACTICAL CAR STOCK
to learn that you’ll probably never MSRP: $1270*
Tactical Driver
Instruction Schools
You are probably wondering where to learn tac-
tical driving, and the good news is that there are
several schools that can teach you.
“I was trained at a private sector academy in
Virginia that trains a lot of government folks,”
says CB. These are just a few of the schools that
offer various levels of tactical driving instruction
in America.
http://www.bsr-inc.com/
http://g4siti.com/
http://www.fbi.gov/about-
us/training/tevoc - official only
* Prices are subject to change.
Sights sold separately. ROCKRIVERARMS.COM

HOW-TO WOUND TREATMENT
Sweet Salvation
HOW TO USE HONEY AND SUGAR TO TREAT WOUNDS are mentioned in the Bible, Koran,
and Torah.
Story and Photography by Ryan Lee Price Avicenna (980–1037), an Arab
doctor in ancient Islam, advised the
use of honey and sugar to reduce the
T
he smell of peanut butter wrapping them with strips of your
in your pack can easily handkerchief. amount of wound seepage. From the
reach the nose of a bear Honey was found in King Tut’s early Middle Ages to the late 19th
that’s over a mile away, tomb, and no doubt ancient man century, there were many descrip-
and if he’s in a hurry, the enjoyed eating it ever since it was tions of the use of honey and sugar
bear can cover that mile in about discovered, but the first mention of to cleanse and heal traumatic
three minutes. You, on the other honey and sugar being used to treat wounds, in particular gunshot
hand, won’t know what hit you until wounds was found in the “Edwin wounds and battle injuries where a
it does. With your gear scattered all Smith Papyrus,” a 2500-year-old mil- loss of flesh led to infections.
over the forest floor, you’re left itary medical textbook describing the Today, people around the world
bleeding and wondering what to do. treatment of 48 cases of injuries and apply honey directly to the skin for
You’re days from a hospital, maybe battle wounds. Specifically, the text wound healing, burns, sunburn,
weeks, and your first aid kit is refers to the use of honey as a topical cataracts, and diabetic foot ulcers.
nowhere to be seen. Luckily the aide to vertebral compression frac- While less people use sugar to treat
pouch of sugar for your coffee is tures and spinal disc sprains. open wounds — because of the
right at your feet. Remembering Honey was used by the ancient widespread use of antibiotics — it is
your ancient history, you stop the Greek physician Dioscorides in 50 making a resurgence because of
bleeding, pack your wounds with A.D. for sunburn and infected people’s continued resistance to
ample amounts of sugar before wounds and its healing properties modern medicines.

WHAT IS SUGAR AND HONEY?
Sugar: Known by a wealth of names,
such as glucose, dextrose, fructose,
and galactose (monosaccharides) and
sucrose, maltose, and lactose (disac-
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

charide), simple sugar is a short-
chain, soluble carbohydrate com-
posed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxy-
gen. It is commonly derived from
sugarcane and sugar beets, which are
cultivated in tropical climates around
the world. It can then be converted
into a variety of products from sim-
ple granulated table sugar to syrups Sugar has an ability to draw fluid out of the wound. Reducing water in the wound inhibits the
growth of bacteria. And bacteria leads to infections.
and other powders.
Honey: Honey is a viscous, hyper-
saturated sugar solution coming “TODAY, PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD APPLY HONEY DIRECTLY TO THE SKIN FOR
from nectar which has been col-
lected and modified by the honey
WOUND HEALING, BURNS, SUNBURN, CATARACTS, AND DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS.”
bee. Honey primarily contains sugar
Honey kills certain
(75–79 percent) and water (20 per- kinds of bacteria, and
cent), according to Alexander also removes fluid,
but acts as a great
Heyneman at the Department of anti-inflammatory.
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery,
Burn Centre at the Ghent University [BELOW] Mixed
together, honey and
Hospital in Belgium. sugar (or sugar and
cooking oil) can pro-
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

vide a healing paste
HOW DOES SUGAR HEAL?
that can be applied
The use of sugar in treating an directly to an open
open wound is based on its high would to stave off
infection, hasten the
osmolality, its ability to draw fluid healing process and
out of the wound. Reducing water ease the pain (when
in the wound inhibits the growth of applied to burns).
bacteria. The use of sugar also aids

in the removal of dead tissue while
preserving tissue that is still alive.
According to Dr. Richard A. Knut-
son, who first published his
research on the healing effects of
honey and sugar: “Honey kills
staphylococci, including the fear-
some community-acquired methi-
cillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus, within a few hours; it has
anti-inflammatory activity; and its
hypertonicity [ability to absorb
water] provides antiseptic activity.”
It is thought that honey’s healing
is derived from its ability to produce
hydrogen peroxide from the glucose
oxidase enzyme found in honey.
HOW TO USE IT
For starters, the wound has to
stop bleeding. All forms of sugar
(including honey) react and easily

Sweet Salvation
bind with calcium. If calcium is not

available because it is in constant
bleeding, no clot can form and the
sugar will merely wash away. Also,
the wound needs to be clean of all
foreign debris such as dirt. The Egyp-
tians washed their injuries with beer,
while the Greeks used wine, and the
Romans, vinegar. Clean water or a
saline solution will suffice today.
Dr. Knutson recommends com-
bining three parts powdered sugar
and one part cooking oil until the
PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

mixture is uniformly smooth. A thick
layer (1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch) is then applied
directly to a wound.
Why powdered sugar and cook-
ing oil? Dr. Knutson explains:
“While antibiotics chemically inter-
fere with bacterial chemistry and
function, sugar and oil depend upon
Until as recently as World War II, honey was still being used to treat wounds on the battlefield.
physics for their antibacterial power. However, because of the development of antibiotics, the practice has fallen out of popularity
Sugar is hygroscopic and functions and is condemned by some as ineffective.
to dehydrate all bacteria. Bacteria
requires water to survive and multi- the cell; it also prevents egress of cel-
ply. The lack of water results in bac- lular waste products. As a result, the Step 1—Make sure the wound is very
terial death. When bacteria die, they bacterial cell withers and dies. No clean by repeatedly rinsing it with a
cannot reproduce. No infection can infection occurs secondary to a dead mild soap and warm water or a saline
occur if all bacteria die. crop of bacteria.” solution. Completely pat the area dry
“Oil also functions in a physical However, using just table sugar until you’re sure there is no moisture
way. Oil coats the outer bacterial and honey is always a quick and left inside the wound. If debris or for-
membrane or cell wall, interfering effective option when other medica- eign objects are still seen within the
with the normal capacity of the cell tions aren’t available. Although sci- wound, remove it as best as possible
to transport foodstuffs and water ence and technology are making and clean it all again.
into and eliminate the cell’s capacity huge strides in wound treatment, Step 2—Pour granulated table sugar
directly into the wound, making sure it
to transport waste materials out of always consider natural products,
gets down as deep into the wound as
the cell. The oil therefore prevents especially those that were tried and
possible and doesn’t stick only to the
water and foodstuffs from entering proven thousands of years ago.
surface and outer rim of the injury.
Step 3—If the wound is especially
large and the sugar won’t stay in
place, slather it with honey first and
then pour sugar on top. Also, you
Practical Application of Honey could make a topical. The honey will
According to a study conducted by Peter Molan, Professor in Biological Sciences and Director help the sugar stay in place and pro-
of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand: “In total in this vide its full healing benefits.
review, positive findings for honey in wound care were found to have been reported in all of Step 4—Cover with a clean bandage
the 17 trials involving a total of 1,965 participants, and in the five clinical trials of other forms immediately and secure it with tape
involving 97 participants treated with honey. The benefit of honey in assisting wound heal- or ties. The bandage will prevent bac-
teria and debris from getting into the
ing was also found to have been demonstrated in four case studies where there were multi-
wound and it will prevent the honey,
ple wounds, allowing comparison of honey with other treatment.”
sugar, and oil from leaking out.
For example, 25 patients with superficial and partial thickness burns were given silver sul-
Step 5—Change the bandage and
fadiazine cream and 25 similarly burned patients were treated with honey alone. The findings
repeat the cleaning and sugar appli-
reported: “Wounds giving positive swabs took three weeks to all become sterile with honey;
cation once a day or when you notice
took five weeks with the control.” Within two weeks, 52 percent of those treated with honey
the bandages are wet (from the
were healed, while only 20 percent of those given the silver sulfadiazine cream were healed.
removed fluid).

MAKE READY
WITH THE EXPERTS
Now instead of you going to the instructor, the instructor comes to you! Regardless of
your experience level, Panteao has training courses from over 30 instructors on DVD
and HD Online Video that fit your needs.
Natural disasters, terrorist hazards,

blackouts, and localized emergencies.
Bad things happen. It’s a fact of life.
Now be prepared.
PANTEAO PRODUCTIONS, LLC

STREAMING PANTEAO.COM
URBAN CAR KIT
Arrive B
reakdowns are inevitable. The
older your car gets, the more
likely it will, one day, leave you
stranded on the side of the road.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be within
range of help, but sometimes, you’ll be left
Alive
up to your own resources.
Known for its survival emergency kits,
Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) has put
together a preparedness kit specific for your
car, the RoadTripper Auto Emergency Kit.
SOL’S ROADTRIPPER, A CAR EMERGENCY KIT This kit is comprehensive, easy to use and
designed to reside in your car and be helpful
Story by J. Ellis Bourke | Photography by Henry Z. DeKuyper in an emergency, natural disaster, or storm. It

is small enough to store in your trunk or different pockets inside the pack so you can
under the seat, but big enough to include all reach specific gear quickly and easily. It fea-
of the basic essentials you might need in a tures a reflective orange triangle on the pack Features
car emergency situation. so it can be used to alert other drivers to your
• Watertight pack
Housed in an 11 x 10.75 x 4-inch orange hazard, and it stands up on its own.
• Weight: 4 lbs. 8 oz.
and black nylon pack that is designed to fit Inside, there is extra room to add any
• Multitool
inside the wheel well of most spare tires, the additional items you might need in your part
• Duct tape
kit consists of a small medical kit (basic first of the country. The kit itself is well thought
• Mini LED headlamp
aid supplies), a multi-tool, duct tape, a mini out but not fancy. It has the basic elements
• Emergency rain poncho
LED headlamp, an emergency rain poncho, that most people will need in a typical break-
• Emergency Blanket
an emergency blanket, 10-foot long 250-amp down scenario and not a lot of extraneous
• 10-foot 250 amp
jumper cables, a tire gauge, a reflective haz- gear you wouldn’t likely use (which would
jumper cables
ard triangle, a reflective safety vest, and also drive up the cost of the kit). Whether
• Tire gauge
work gloves. you’re changing a tire in the pitch black night
• Reflective hazard triangle
Weighing at just over four pounds, the or jumping a dead battery on a busy highway
• Reflective safety vest
RoadTripper is well organized with several in the rain, this kit has you covered and will
Work gloves
keep you safe on the side of the road.
SOURCE
surviveoutdoorslonger.com
MSRP: $70

Gear Guide
SOLAR POWERED
Solar Powered
Survival Gear
Exploit the Sun to Survive
Story By Michael D’Angona
In the past, solar power was a new con-

cept to the average person and its appli-
cations were limited to only a few avail-
able items throughout daily life. Such Rothco 36-Bulb
objects included novelty wristwatches, a LED Solar and
student’s calculator and a select few Handcrank
children’s toys and science kits. However, Lantern
You can’t rely on batteries to
times have changed. Now more than ever the
keep your campsite goods run-
use of solar power is the main component in
ning under continuous use. At
numerous electric and even non-electronic least with the Rothco Solar
products. Survival items, in particular, such as Lantern, you don’t have to. Just
lanterns, radios, flashlights, and even entire leave this item out in the sun
ovens and fire-starting devices offer alternatives throughout the day and you will
to batteries and to “relied upon power” such as have two full hours of steady
electricity that may become non-existent dur- nighttime use. Repeat the
ing a natural disaster, an electromagnetic process to continuously have
pulse, or other life changing scenario. light when you need it. As an
added feature, this lantern also
The applications for solar power today is seem-
operates on hand power. Just
ingly endless. Solar panels can be easily installed
one minute of cranking can pro-
on your home or at your Bug-Out location to lit- duce 20 minutes of light using 18
erally take you off the grid and cease your LEDs or 10 minutes of extra
reliance on local power plants. Your 72-hour bright light using 36 LEDs. Bat-
bag can be equipped (or bought already teries can become scarce during
installed!) with solar cells that can power an emergency situation or during
your phone, or other electronic devices with an initial warning of an impend-
no effort on your part. Once camped, let the ing natural disaster. This item
sun’s rays warm the water in your shower, ensures you constant light with-
out the needed search for hard
fire up your radio for important news infor-
to find batteries.
mation and even light up the night to give
you a sense of comfort in the dark. The sun is SOURCE Rothco.com
a free and reliable energy source and should MSRP $57.99
be a top choice to power your goods during
any unexpected emergency.

SOLAR POWERED Gear
Guide
Rothco Solar/Wind Up
Flashlight with Radio
Never be left out in the dark again with Rothco’s dual-action solar and
wind-up powered flashlight with included AM/FM radio feature. This
valuable emergency or campsite item emits a bright and steady stream
of light through its five powerful LEDs. Use the sun’s energy throughout
the day to charge its solar cells, then at night use it to light up a walking
path, scan your surroundings for predators or use the radio function and
listen for important newscasts or instructions. Batteries can’t last
indefinitely, make sure to prepare yourself ahead of time with this
unique survival tool. Its bright yellow color makes it difficult to lose in
nature and its crank power feature gives you yet another option for pro-
ducing light or operating the radio.
SOURCE Rothco.com
MSRP $60.99
OffGrid Solar Backpack

Versatility is a key feature of this useful solar backpack. The
included solar pocket is removable and can be attached eas-
ily to other bags as it charges. It’s perfect to power up all your
handheld electronics, so no more dead cell phones, pocket
radios, or mini-tablets. This allows you to always get up-to-
the minute information when broadcasted through the air-
waves or through the internet. The pack itself is roomy with
over 1,500 cubic inches of storage space. It features a padded
laptop sleeve for comfort and protection, an integrated
phone pouch and numerous other pockets to keep all your
belongings secured and organized until needed. Available in
charcoal, silver or emergency orange colors.
SOURCE VoltaicSystems.com
MSRP $199 99
Urbanpack U01
This solar backpack boasts adaptability and Euro-
pean style and delivers on all counts! The Urban-
pack features a solar panel that recharges your cell
phone or MP3 player as you move about through
your day. You never have to worry about finding a
plug to “recharge.” Just use one of the included
adapters and your electronics will always be ready
to use. The bag itself is pure craftsmanship. It fea-
tures an integrated main compartment (utilizing
hidden zipper tabs for security), with countless
smaller pockets used for storing your laptop, sun-
glasses, small food items, important paperwork,
maps or currency and several small side pockets
that hold all those little items that can get lost in
an instant. Organization is first rate with this solar
backpack and when time matters, you’ll get to your
goods fast. Optional extras include embroidery, the
addition of a chest strap, and customization of the
laptop pocket to fit your particular model.
SOURCE SeizPacks.com
MSRP $356

Gear SOLAR POWERED
Guide
D. Light Solar Light

This solar item packs a powerful bright light punch. The D. Light pro-
vides solar powered illumination for an entire room utilizing its wide-
angle capability. The unit features four separate levels of brightness
depending on your particular situation. Use it on high for four full
hours, on medium for eight hours, on low for 16 hours or a staggering
100 hours on its extra low bed-light setting. An included USB port
allows your cell phones to always maintain a charge. The ergonomi-
cally designed handle and top carrying strap offers maximum flexi-
bility and convenience around your house, workplace, and bug out
location or anywhere you take this essential piece of equipment. No
longer fear a blackout or a loss of your electrical grid. You will have
all the essential light you need to complete the tasks at hand. No
battery replacements needed. Weather, dust and impact resistant.
SOURCE Nitro-Pak.com
MSRP $49.95
Solar 5-Gallon
Shower
Few things feel more satisfy-
ing than a hot shower, and
while in the wild this luxury
isn’t an option…until now! This
amazing solar shower is built
Solar Powered Radio tough, using heavy gauge black
This is the ultimate solar-powered survival gadget. vinyl with an extra strong rein-
It comes with all the features you need for nearly forced tube running across the
any emergency situation, including an AM/FM and entire length of the unit. Even
seven band weather radio, a multi-function LED under the weight of a full five
flashlight, a super bright LED red emergency signal gallons of water, this shower
light, and a campsite reading lamp all powered keeps its form and heats water
using natural sunlight. The added weather alert uniformly for optimum results. In
feature enables you to receive the alert signal when direct sunlight 70 degree water
an unexpected disaster strikes. Its uniquely will reach 100 degrees in only
designed solar panel maximizes the sun’s rays by three hours. The unit features a
tilting in the direction of the sun’s position. A hand handy on/off switch that helps
crank, AA batteries, or an AC adapter can be used as conserve water for all members of
alternate power sources on overcast days. Perfect your group. Simple, easy-to-use
for use at home, at the office or in your vehicle and a refreshing comfort when far
because you never know when a “worst-case sce- from home.
nario” may occur.
SOURCE KaitoUSA.com MSRP $12.50
MSRP $69.95

SOLAR POWERED Gear
Guide
Goal Zero Foldable

Solar Panel
You never miss electrical power until it’s
gone, but with the Nomad 7 Solar panel, you
won’t have to. This handy, portable solar
panel can charge your cell phone or other
small electrical devices in the same amount
of time as a wall plug. Simply place the
panel in direct sunlight and let it do the job
quickly and efficiently. Better yet, attach it
to your backpack and charge your goods
while on the move. A built-in pocket keeps
your devices safe and secure. It is weather
resistant, lightweight (only 13 ounces) and
14 times more powerful than similar units. It
features a rugged design that folds up when
not in use to save space and stores away
easily. The set includes the Nomad 7 Panel,
one DC adapter and one USB cable.
MSRP $85.95

Gear SOLAR POWERED
Guide
Sunflair Solar Oven Kit

Cook your food and boil water to drink with one of the most portable
and user friendly solar ovens on the market today. This unique survival
item and perfect B.O.B. addition is specially insulated to obtain oven
temperatures between 210 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to
boil “questionable” water for drinking or for slow cooking fish or small
game. No more hauling wood, charcoal, propane or other fuel sources;
just let the power of the sun do the work for you. Perfect when power
outages occur, or as an alternate cooking source at locations where fires
are not allowed. The Sunflair solar oven weighs only three pounds and,
when folded, can be easily transported or stored in any location. This
deluxe set includes the solar oven, two collapsible silicone pots, one
round roaster, two racks, two baking trays, a thermometer and a
convenient carrying bag.
SOURCE Sunflair.net
MSRP $154.99
All American Sun Oven

This solar oven is the perfect addition to your food preparedness
supplies. Use it to bake, boil, or steam your food directly under
the bright, brilliant sun. During survival situations or power out-
ages, fuel to cook your food takes up valuable storage space.
Using a Sun Oven on the days when the sun shines decreases the
amount of fuel which must be stored. It can be used year round
and essentially pays for itself by reducing energy use and costs.
The Sun Oven comes equipped with a built-in thermometer,
spill-proof levelator, four attached collapsible reflectors and a
useful CD featuring recipes, pictures, and video clips perfect for
everyday cooking or emergency preparedness tips.
SOURCE sunoven.com
MSRP $349
Luci EMRG
This very well could be the ultimate solar-powered emergency
light. It is portable, lightweight, waterproof, rechargeable, shatter-
proof, and always ready for an unexpected blackout, weighing only
2.5 ounces, this solar light features four lighting settings; bright,
super-bright, flashing and an S.O.S. signal. The sun’s rays charge
the unit and provide up to 12 hours of brilliant light, enough to get
you through the entire night. Keep several on hand for any emer-
gency or for everyday use while boating, hiking, camping, or any
outdoor activity. Eco-friendly, extremely safe and produces
brighter light than candles or kerosene lanterns.
SOURCE MPowerd.com
MSRP $9.99

DOUBLE
OUBLE DOWN & S VE BIG
onlly
$39.95
It doesn’t get better than this. Get 2 G

Great Magazines at 1 Great Price. Combine 1 Yr sub t
American Survival Guide along with 1 Yr subscr t Bow & Arrow Hunting and save 71% off the cover price
DON’ T LE T HIS OFFER EXPIRE. AC T NOW!
YES!!! ign me up for a subscription to American Survival Guide and Bow & Arrow Hunting
That is a total of 18 issues for a total savings of $97.87 off the cover price
FILL
Method of Payment Check enclosed Credit Card Money Order Bill me Later
Payment tthrough credit card Visa MC AMEX Discover Name on credit card
Credit ccard number Expiration date
Subscriber name First MI Last
Address
City State
Phone
Email
Signature Date
URBAN ICE CHEST
KEEPING
Built for the rugged
outdoors in mind, the
Esky Series coolers are
well constructed with
heavy duty materials
and made to last.
COOL hen the grid goes down, whatever is left

FINALLY, A SURVIVOR’S ICE CHEST
Story by Phil Tobin | Photography by Henry DeKuyper
DURABILITY
in your fridge is given an immediate With a scratch-resistant texture and coating to inhibit UV
death sentence. With about 12 hours to light, as well as a super hard exoskeleton, the Esky is a
live, your food is intrinsically tied to your strong cooler, made to survive rough treatment, accidents,
own ability to survive. A gallon of milk, or incidents that would cause it to be thrown around. Large
for example, stored at room temperature has a lifespan of a hinges and the heavy-duty rubber catches won’t catch on
day or two until unhealthy bacteria levels make it no longer anything and tear loose if this cooler takes a spill. Coleman
safe to drink. Of course, there’s no way any cooler can offers a six year warranty.
replace the chilling power of a fridge, but the Esky Series of
coolers from Coleman is a step in the right direction. FEATURES
You know that small button drain that always comes loose
KEEPS COLD INSIDE at the most inappropriate times? This cooler has a two-stage
With a two inch sidewalls of insulation and 2.5 inches of drainage port. There is a threaded hose adapter so you can
insulation in the floor and lid, the cooler has the ability to direct the drain-off in any direction, but if you need to evacu-
retain vast amounts of cold for longer periods of time. This ate the cooler quickly, a two-inch-wide mouth releases the
means less ice melt and a lower overall temperature. The water immediately. Underneath, the feet are non-skid and
air-tight seal from the rubber gasket and overlapping fit of these coolers can be stacked on top of one another.
the lid provides a solid airflow barrier, keeping warm air from The included cutting board (as well as inner liner) is
entering and cold air from escaping. infused with an antimicrobial additive that resists mildew,

A
E A. The innovative rubber

latches keep the lid tight
and don’t protrude from
the cooler.
B. The heavy-duty han-
dle attachment points
and the flexible rope
handles offer a multi-
B tude of carry options
over the stiff handles of
other coolers.
C
C. The double drain with
a garden hose attach-
ment and a two-inch-
wide mouth for quick
F draining.
D. Inside is a dry basket
and a steel wire lid
retention strap. The
internal dimensions are
171⁄8 x 101⁄2 x 133⁄8 inches.
E. The large knuckle-
shaped hinges are
recessed so they won’t
catch on anything, and
the cooler can be stored
snugly against the wall.
mold, and that stale odor found in most other F. The soda can test: The
coolers over time. The handles are rope (that cooler was able to keep
this soda relatively cool
can be replaced) with rubber grips, and the over a longer-than-
cooler features tie-down points to secure it to a expected period of time.
G. Stored underneath
boat or the deck of your bug-out shelter, while you’re escaping a neighborhood catastrophe,
the lid is a wide cutting
holes on either side can accommodate a two- but then again, it was never designed to do so. board that is treated
inch padlock for security. Maybe this is a negative to some, but the con- with an antimicrobial
additive that resists
They’re available in four sizes (in quarts): 55, cept behind this cooler is to keep things colder mildew, mold, and
85, 135, 208 and in two colors, white and khaki. for longer, and if that means that it can keep a odors. It sits in divots on
gallon of milk cold for seven days so you only the cover so it won’t
slide around.
TO THE TEST have to leave your shelter once a week, then it
Not to be left to the brochure, we placed a is doing its job and doing it well.
single can of soda and 20 pounds of ice inside a
55-quart cooler to test to see how long the SOURCE
cooler would retain the cold, keep the soda at a eskyseriescoolers.com
MSRP: $339.99
drinkable temperature and prevent the ice from G
melting. Stored in a garage at roughly 80
degrees, the cooler kept the soda at around 42
degrees for four days until the ice began to break
up and melt. It steadily rose to about 60 degrees
and the last of the ice melted on the 8th day.
Of course, the more you pack into the design
of anything, the heavier it will become and this
cooler is no exception. At 30 pounds empty,
this isn’t something you’ll strap to your pack as

HOW-TO LOW-BUDGET KIT
Brown-Bag
Survival
Story and Photography by Ryan Lee Price
HOW TO BUILD AN EMERGENCY
KIT ON THE (VERY) CHEAP
and safety/light. Under those cate-

gories sits an enormous array of gear.
Some cross over from one category to
another, as a knife can be used for both
protection and for food prep, for exam-
ple. Basically, if all of these categories
are satisfied, you have the makings of a
good kit. The problem is every single
thing at the dollar store costs exactly a
dollar (plus tax) and while that might
be good for matches and small rolls of
duct tape, that’s bad when it comes to
knives and heavy-use gear that would
see hard use in a survival situation.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
We decided that an emergency kit
of this caliber should be kept simple.
We could have purchased an entire
new outfit — shoes, pants, shirts, and
hat — for a dollar each and we could
have included a plethora of food-
stuffs. But we decided not to. The
point of our emergency pack was to
he philosophy “you get gear? We took $50 bills and have a kit that could solve a
what you pay for” is quite headed off to two different dol- variety of situations in a short
a double-edged sword. lar stores to see how much sur- amount of time. It’s not a get-
On one hand, an item vival gear we could find, if any, home bag or a bug-out bag,
doesn’t need to be to decently outfit an emer- but instead a one-time-use
expensive to be high-quality, while on gency bag. Essentially, we bag, a collection of very
the other hand, the quality of an wanted to see if we could cheap products (99 percent
expensive item can be low. Are you make a Mercedes out of Kia made in China) that will
buying the name brand? Are you pay- parts. At first, we were skepti- serve specific purposes in an
ing for expensive marketing, gimmicks, cal, but once we started wan- emergency situation, such as
high overhead, a famous spokesper- dering the aisles of our local an earthquake or tornado.
son, and the fancy packaging? A Kia dollar stores, it became pretty
works just as well as a Mercedes, clear there were dozens of
right? They both have four wheels, an things that could easily be
This was the best bottle to be had.
engine, and a seat. Isn’t a Mercedes included in our DIY cheap kit.
It lacks a ring to clip to your belt or
just a Kia in a fancy package with an The parameters for most pack, but it sealed tightly and the
expensive spokesperson? survival kits can be summed up cap snapped into place. The ribbing
makes it easier to hold and the large
Can this same philosophy apply in a few categories: food/water, opening helps in cleaning.
itself to emergency survival bags and shelter, fire, first aid, signaling,

WHAT TO EXPECT
With the above in mind, don’t
expect much. Though there are a host
of gems on the shelves of your local
dollar store, don’t go in with the idea
that you’re going to climb Mount Ever-
est with the gear you’ll find. At best,
this is an illustration of gear you could
use to supplement your off-the-shelf There was a host of things to be used to tie
Keeping clean is an important part of sur-
down other things, such as duct tape, twine,
pack. That being said, about half of vival. Small wounds can lead to big infec-
zip-ties, nylon rope, and bungee cords.
what be bought came in multi-packs tions if not properly cleaned. The pink
grooming kit was a little girlish, but it went
— there were three packs of tissue, nicely with our pink sewing kit (so we com-
three rolls of twine, 25 feet of alu- bined them). Three-pack bar of soap, three-
minum foil — so our purchases could pack of tissues and a roll of toilet paper will
keep everything ship-shape. Though the toi-
have easily been spread over a couple let paper is bulky and can be replaced by the
of different packs. Keeping our six pack of tissue, if there’s a need for toilet
paper, you’ll be glad you had it.
parameters in mind, we scoured the
shelves for items that could be used in
an emergency situation.
Food/water: The shelves of the dollar

stores are littered with a wide variety of
The biggest catch at the dollar stores was
food stuffs, from bags of chips, sodas, first aid gear. Cold and hot chemical com-
boxes of pasta to spices, nuts, and presses that are activated by squeezing
them were a great find, as was a variety of
canned soup. Look for small cans of ointments and balms. Gauze, tape, anti-bac-
high-protein meats like tuna. It is help- terial gel, and anti-inflammatory pain medi-
cine were included.
ful if the cans have pop-tops so you A host of lighting tools were found, from
chemical sticks and AAA LED flashlight to a
don’t have to worry about opening
hand-powered flashlight, a bicycle strobe
them. There isn’t much in the way of light and a two-pack of high-visibility reflec-
water but instead lots of choices for tors that can be wrapped around your arm or
hung off of your pack.
water bottles. Find the sturdiest one
with a tight seal. If it has a ring, it can be
clipped to your pack as you are walking.
Shelter: Nope, no tents at the dollar

store, but they do have painter’s tarps,
those low-end extremely thin plastic
covers you use when painting your
We packed the tea candles and about 50
walls. They rip easily and probably matches in one of the two small containers,
won’t make for a good emergency and we cut the handle off the magnifying
glass so it would stow in a smaller space.
tent, but will keep the rain off of you Take care with the chafing fuel, as it burns at
We wrapped the five extra blades of the util-
and your gear in a pinch. Plus, they can a low temperature and takes more time to
ity knife around the outside of it with a little
cook food.
be used for capturing rain water or to duct tape. The cans of sausage and tuna will
help stave off hunger, and the hard candy (25
make a water distiller.
to a pack) is a refreshing treat to a dry mouth.
Fire: There was a wide variety of fire-

making items available. From a box of
wooden matches and lighters (two-
pack) to candles and a can of chafing
fuel. We even found a magnifying glass.
First Aid: One thing the dollar store

has in spades is first aid gear, so we put
together a mini first aid kit for only a
Canvas gloves as well as latex gloves will We folded three feet of aluminum foil into a
few dollars. Is it high-quality stuff? Of keep your hands safe when you need them to flat square. The two small carabiners are
course not, but a cheap bandage that be. The 0.7-mil plastic drop cloth will be fairly weak but they can be used to attach
you have to replace every couple of nearly useless when the going gets rough, things to your belt or pack. The three coils of
it’ll come in handy to shelter under when it wire are useful in a variety of ways, from
hours because it won’t stick to sweaty rains. The pack of 28 plastic bags has a mul- snares to lashings. You can’t go wrong with a
skin is better than no bandage, right? titude of uses. deck of cards.

Low-Budget Kit
ou s packaging and placed into

groups, the 50 items don’t take up much
space, so you can choose a relatively small
bag…which is one thing the dollar stores
didn’t offer: something to carry all of this in.
However, everything that would be ruined if
Your choices are limitless. If we wanted to Outside, the anti-bacterial gel is easily
wet was placed in sealable plastic bags.
keep with the theme, we could have very well accessible and the carabiners hang at the
kept the items in the paper grocery bags they ready. The Plan B has plenty of webbing for a
came home in. Barring that, we can choose a variety of gear.
school book bag or a bag that was a give-
away from a clothing store. We chose Haz- Safety/Light: There is no gun aisle or
ard4’s Plan B sling instead. Sure, at $125.98
rack of hunting knives available at the
it goes against the theme here, but because
it has the compartments needed to organize dollar store, but that doesn’t mean
our gear and it was small enough to perfectly there isn’t a host of things that can be
fit everything, you shouldn’t skimp on the
pack itself.
used as protection (including the utility
knife). A large cooking knife can be used
around the campfire and to fend off
attackers, and a large two-tined roast-
ing fork can be lashed to a stick and
made into a fishing spear. We found
The Plan B’s main compartment can be
several methods of light, including one
adjusted with the movable divider. On the powered by a ratchet mechanism.
top we placed the toilet paper and a few of
the bulky items, such as the cans of food and
containers of matches and toiletries. Misc.: Canvas gloves, bungee cords,
twine and nylon rope are staples of the
dollar store. The pretty pink sewing kit
The lower pocket contains a few things we’ll for girls contained a dozen needles and
need to grab quickly: anti-bacterial wipes, thread. Anti-bacterial wipes, a bag of
gloves, lighter and a utility knife.
hard candy, two small boxes to seal in
small gear, and essential items to keep
you clean, organized and sane. Speak-
ing of sane, a deck of cards goes a long
way in keeping you mentally awake.
GO QUALITY OR GO CHEAP?
While on the bottom, everything else fit nice Handing over $50 at the check-out
and snug. It is always a good idea to place stand, we wondered if going cheap
the first aid kit on top for easy access.
(and getting a ton of stuff) is better or
worse than paying two or three times
more and getting higher quality gear.
The upper pocket contains the hard candies
How many squeezes will this ratchet
for the trail and the hand-operated flashlight.
flashlight take before it breaks? Can
this very thin aluminum foil wrap a fish
without tearing? How long before the
bungee cords snap or the gloves wear
through or the twine unravels? Is pay-
ing $1 for 50 bandages better than
paying $50 for a fully packed first aid
kit? It depends on what y
In a mesh pocket on the inside flap the water
bottle, knife and serving fork can be stored.
afford, as money is
We made sheaths for both the knife and fork object to a lot of pe
out of aluminum foil and stored them in a ple. Again, I’d rather
Intertwined down the side webbing is where way that they would rest on their handles
the zip ties are stored and a couple of the instead of their points when the pack was have cheap bandage
bungee cords. set upright. than no bandages.

A
Hazard4
Plan B
Modular
Sling Pack
Sometimes having a large bulky pack is
more of a hindrance than help. The larger
your pack, the more stuff you will put in B
it, logically, but the more stuff, the heav-

ier the pack. With a smaller pack, such as
the Plan B, you become more conscious
about what goes in it, thereby saving
weight and conserving energy.
This sling pack is designed for front or
rear wear and is slim to fit the profile of
the wearer and not be a bulky or obvious
addition to his back. The padded sling fits
perfectly over your chest and is comfort-
able to wear over long periods of time,
and one of the main benefits of using a
sling-style pack is that it can be easily
switched to and from either shoulder as
well as to the front with little trouble.
The Plan B has three compartments,
including an additional hydration area to C
hold up to a 2.5 liter capacity. The small
stuff pocket on the top of the pack can
D
be used for small items one might need
to access often and quickly, while the
larger pocket has several sub-pockets for
a variety of storage options. The main
compartment runs the full height of the
pack and is capable of holding more than
1,000 square inches of gear.
Made from Invista
1000D Cordura, it is
PU X2 water repel-
lent and
scratch/tear resis-
tant. It comes in
black, coyote (shown), OD
green, Multicam and A-Tacs.
E
A. A small zipper allows for a barrel to pro-
trude or perhaps a radio antenna. B. All of the
straps can be rolled and secured via hook and
loop fasteners. C. The back is well padded and
breathable, making it more comfortable and eas-
ier to wear in hot weather. D. All zippers are double
and covered to keep out water in wet environments. E.
There is plenty enough webbing to attach several MOLLE bags
to it as well as any number of additional gear that will be needed
quickly. F. The large grab handles located on the top and the bot- SOURCE
tom make carrying around the Plan B just that much easier. hazard4.com | MSRP: $125.98

Gear Guide
COMPASSES
Never Get Lost Again Story by David Putnam
Mountain passes and arroyos direction, while the Vikings, extensive

clogged with twisted foliage can be sea travelers, used cordierite, a bire-
confusing when you’re lost. The sun fringent stone that refracts daylight.
might peek into a canyon for only a From China, nomadic Arabs brought
brief moment before disappearing the compass to Europe.
behind the rim again. Subtle turns of Modern compasses usually use a
the trail mask your direction. Being magnetized needle or dial inside a
lost can induce a panic that will sap capsule completely filled with a liq-
your energy, your ability to reason, uid (lamp oil, mineral oil, white spir-
and to make smart decisions. There its, purified kerosene, or ethyl alco-
are many myths and methods asso- hol). Many modern compasses
ciated with the cardinal directions. incorporate a baseplate and protrac-
Moss on trees, flights of birds at tor tool, and are referred to variously
dusk, the direction a squirrel sits as orienteering, map compass, or
while they’re eating. Which ones are A simple compass is an essential piece of protractor compasses.
gear that should be with you at all times, in
true? Do you remember? If only you
every emergency kit and pack you own. You
had a compass.
Prior to the introduction of the
can’t get lost if you have a good compass and
a map.
What to Look For:
Ideally, a clear baseplate is better
compass as a navigation tool during
than an opaque one because you
the time of the Song Dynasty in China
can see the map through it. Rulers
(960-1279), navigation could only be
and distance markers are good for
done by the sighting of landmarks or
measuring scale miles on the map.
the observation of celestial bodies
Usually, a good compass will be
such as the North Star. The compass
equipped with a magnifying glass
had been around for several hundred
that can help you better see the
years, but was used for fortune
details of a map. Some compasses
telling, astrology, and construction on
come with more advanced features
the principles of feng shui.
such as a mirror, a sighting feature
The Chinese discovered lode-
(for aiming at distant objects), a cli-
stone, a naturally magnetized iron There is a little bit of skill and knowledge
needed to orientate a compass with a map, nometer, and other more complex
that always pointed in the same but once learned, it is a skill difficult to forget. features.

COMPASSES Gear
Guide
Brunton Boss 70M

The next generation of the Eclipse 8099 line,
the Boss 70 featuring the three clinometers
system, combined clear base plate for map-
ping, a mirror for sighting, and a level bubble
for more level measurements. The 70M has
been fitted with the Brunton OSS alignment
system for greater precision and reliability.
Features: Declination adjustment, on the

map meridian lines, a magnified read-out, a
rubberized protective case for quick sighting,
field reference cards for map reading.
Dimensions: 4.1 x 2.5 x 1 inches
SOURCE campingsurvival.com
MSRP $84
Brunton OSS 60M

The OSS 60M is quick and easy to use, with
a one-hand flip-up alignment mirror and
easy-to-turn orientation dial. It has a large
magnifying glass for reading small details
on maps and a scale in inches on one side
and mm on the other for measuring.
Features:
Tool-free declination adjustment, on-the-
Brunton TruArc 5 map Meridian lines, two-degree resolution,
The TruArc 5 baseplate model has additional extra long straight edge, reversible slide
map grid lines for quick orientation and a scale, Dimensions: 3 x 4.7 x 0.8 inches.
magnifier for easy reading. TruArc Global Nee-
dle system means you don’t have to buy a SOURCE campingsurvival.com
new compass when you make that trek to MSRP $49
South America or Australia, and tool-less dec-
lination adjustment for easy orienteering.
Features: TruArc’s Global Needle; two-degree

resolution; map magnifier; inch/mm scales,
Dimensions: 2.9 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches.
SOURCE brunton.com
MSRP $19.99

Gear COMPASSES
Guide
Silva Ranger CLQ

Similar in quality as the Ranger CL but instead has quad-
rant gradations. It features a large mirror for accuracy
when sighting on distant landmarks, and the three
scales provide quick, easy plotting with any topographic
map. Romer scales can be used to create grid references
for use with maps. The three silicone feet provide a non-
slip grip. The geared declination sets easily from the bot-
tom of the compass with the included tool.
Features:
Quadrant dial, two-degree graduations, sighting mirror,
1/20 inch and millimeter rules, 1:24,000 map scale,
1:25,000 and 1:50,000 Romer scales, map magnifier,
luminous points for night use, and silicone feet.
SOURCE silvacompasses.com
MSRP $53.95
Silva Lensatic 360

The rugged Silva Lensatic 360 is a traditional
military-inspired design used in the world’s
armed forces for its precisely accurate bear-
ings. A liquid-filled compass with two-degree
increments, top cover with sighting slit, and a
magnifying lens in the sighting arm for easy
dial reading at a distance.
Features: 0-360 degree scale, two-degree

graduations, 0-64 mil scale, sighting arm with
magnifying lens, sighting notch on lid, lumi-
nous markings every 45 degrees, powder-
coated aluminum housing.
MSRP $22.99
Brunton TruArc 10
Designed for outdoor wilderness racing where criti-
cal navigation data is needed in an instant, Tru-
Arc™ 10 baseplate compass features quick refer-
ence cardinal points, high-visibility needle for low-
light performance, and an ergonomic base plate for
extra durability. Plus the balance lets you take a
reading without breaking stride.
Features: TruArc Global Needle, ever-north mag-

net, a clinometer to 90 degrees, reversible slide
scale (inches and mm), GPS confidence circles,
Roamer scales, magnified readout, and 1 degree of
resolution. Dimension: 5.2 x 2.8 x 0.5 inches.
SOURCE brunton.com
MSRP $39.99

COMPASSES Gear
Guide
Brunton TruArc 3
This is a no-frills scouting compass. Simple to use and
small, the TruArc 3 baseplate compass is equipped with
the TruArc Global Needle system, with metric and stan-
dard scales, and a tool-less declination compensation.
Features: TruArc Global Needle, two-degree resolution,

and inch/mm scales. Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.5 x 0.5 inches.
SOURCE brunton.com
MSRP $12.99
Silva Guide 426 Graphite

The Silva Guide 426 is a compact mirror-
sighting compass that’s great for many out-
door activities. The lightweight polypropylene
baseplate floats, which is a great feature for
any water or near-water adventure. The com-
pact size slips easily in a shirt pocket, readily
available for all excursions.
Features: Two-degree graduations, full-size

sighting mirror with V-sight, inch/mm scales,
declination scale, and lanyard.
MSRP $22.99
Sun Triplebiner Compass

This small and lightweight gear is actually three tools in one:
compass, LED light, and a thermometer. The anodized alu-
minum carabiner clips snugly most places. The compass is
liquid filled and reads the basic cardinal directions. The ther-
mometer reads in both Celsius (from -30 to 50 degrees) and
in Fahrenheit (from -20 to 120 degrees).
Features: Lightweight (1.1 ounces), anodized aluminum

carabiner, liquid-filled compass, batteries included (3 x
LR41), and bright LED light. Dimensions: 3.2 x 1.5 x 0.7 inches.
SOURCE campingsurvival.com
MSRP $19.23

Gear COMPASSES
Guide
FEATURES
OF A COMPASS
MODERN COMPASSES CAN COME EQUIPPED
WITH A HOST OF FEATURES THAT WILL AID
YOU IN NAVIGATION AND ORIENTEERING
WHEN OUT IN THE BACK COUNTRY.
The term “lensatic compass” comes from the

magnifying lens feature on the compass.
With the lid open to 90 degrees and the lens
arm to approximately 45 degrees, place the
compass near your eye and angle the lens so
you can read the compass face. Align the
notch in the lens and the slit on the cover
with the object you are sighting. The com-
pass will display its direction. Mirrored compasses allow the user to sight a location through the small hole at the bottom of
the mirror, while the mirror is pointed down at the compass face. Because of the angle, the user
can see the direction of the compass in the mirror and accurately line up the needle with the
marking on the mirror to get an accurate direction reading.
Romer scales help take the guess work out of Rulers (in either metric or standard) on the
grid references. With these scales lined up to sides of the compass’s longest end are
the grid markers on the map, you can accu- needed for measuring distance on a map,
rately give and plot six- and eight-figure grid using the map’s scale. If two inches on the
references to better measure travel distance A non-tool adjusting declination scale allows map equals a mile, you can use the ruler on
and exact location. This Romer scale works the user to turn the dial on the compass and the compass to measure out as many miles
both for 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scale maps. orient the map to the proper declination. as you need to go.

COMPASSES Gear
Guide
Brunton TruArc 20
Further upgrades to a trusted classic, the TruArc 20 is the modified grandchild of the original
8099. It features a system that will not lose polarity and resists magnetic interference. Classic
innovations like the triple clinometer system, tool-less declination adjustment, and the protective
cover and foot make this a timeless backcountry companion.
Features: TruArc’s Global Needle; two-degree resolution;

map magnifier; inch/mm scales, declination adjustment,
on the map meridian lines, a magnified read-out, a
rubberized protective case for quick sighting, and
field reference cards for map reading. Dimen-
sions: 4.1 x 2.5 x 1 inches.
SOURCE brunton.com
MSRP $59.99
Find us on
THE T-SHIRTS OF REAL

AMERICAN HEROES
-RLQ WKH FOXE DQG JHW D QHZ 7VKLUW HYHU\ PRQWK
Be prepared when
UHSUHVHQWLQJ D GLIIHUHQW JURXS RI VSHFLDOL]HG XQLWV
disaster strikes. IURP WKH 86 0LOLWDU\ ORFDO DQG IHGHUDO ODZ
HQIRUFHPHQW DQG ILUH GHSDUWPHQWV
ONLY $24 A MONTH
www.facebook.com/americansurvivalguidemagazine
HeroTshirtClub.com

HANDLING Story and Photos by Carrie Visintainer
Hazards
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CHEMICAL MANA
GEMENT OFFICER,
DEALING WITH BODILY FLUIDS AND CAUSTIC SPILLS
E
verything changes for Chris Giglio when his phone
beeps. It’s a page from the Colorado State University
Police Department and there is blood in a bathroom
on campus. He calls dispatch to learn more, and
although there’s not much information about the situa-
tion — it’s unclear how this happened — he gets the details he
needs. It’s a small spill, and he needs to go clean it up.
Giglio had driven into work at dawn on a snowy Tuesday
morning in khaki pants, a black hoodie, and an orange ball cap.
Before the page on his phone, his morning was free of meetings
and he hoped to catch up on the paperwork piling up on his desk.
Instead he walks into his office as intended but only stays for a
few minutes. He doesn’t even sit down at his desk. From the cor-
ner, he grabs a bucket containing latex gloves, safety glasses, and
a cleaning product that has a fast contact time and kills a wide
variety of agents. He also takes a dust mask and lab coat, in case
the situation happens to be more serious than expected, and he
considers colleagues he’ll call to help, if necessary.
When he gets to the bathroom and views the spill he sees it’s
something he can handle alone. He’s been trained for this. He ini-
tiates a procedure he knows well, starting with putting on his pro-
tective gear. Then he begins at the outside of the spill and moves
inward, wetting the blood with the cleaning agent and allowing it
to sit for several minutes so it can do its job of destroying live cells.
And then half an hour later, voila — the blood is gone and the
bathroom is clean and safe for people to use again. He throws the
soiled clothes in the trash, and on his way out, he removes the
“Do Not Enter” sign blocking the door.
This is a day in the life of a Chemical Management Officer and
emergency response professional, housed on a campus of about
30,000 students and 1,700 faculty members.
But it’s only one day, and one incident. Giglio’s job, which
resides within the Environmental Health Services department,
involves dozens of different types of scenarios. As Murphy’s Law
A mislabeled bottle, corrected by Chris’s team, and would have it, they sometimes occur in the middle of the night, or
prepared for disposal. This is why we need Chemical
on major holidays.
Management Officers.
“A university is a little city within a city,” says Giglio. “So there
are so many things that can happen, at any time.”

USE THESE
“WE JUST FOUND SOMETHING UNDER THE SINK. IT DOESN’T TIPS TO
STAY SAFE
LOOK GOOD. CAN YOU COME AND SEE WHAT IT IS?” If you come across a bot-
tle of chemicals, maybe
Giglio has a long list of examples. For involved completing a total inventory of the shoved back under the
starters, he and his colleagues recently chemicals on campus. Brought on by Depart- kitchen sink, or in a corner
helped respond to a break-in on campus, ment of Homeland Security regulations, of your shed, Chris Giglio
where the perpetrator shattered a plate glass Giglio and his team worked diligently to bar offers the following tips
window and spurted blood on the floor. He’s code all the chemicals used at the university. for handling the situation
also dealt with minor explosions, one which They instituted an amnesty period as part safely.
involved both chemical and blood clean-up. of this initiative. Giglio told people to “bring > Do not touch the bottle.
Once, he had to remove inactive ricin from a me your old chemicals. Box them up, call > Put on protective gear,
microbiology lab. them amnesty, and email me with where which includes safety
And about three years ago, there was a they are.” Then he went and picked every- goggles and latex
major fire in the Equine Reproduction Labo- thing up in his white work pick-up truck, and gloves.
ratory, resulting in the building burning to he turned to focusing on how best to dispose > Go up to the bottle.
the ground. A few days after the fire, when of them. Can you identify the
the facility was released back to the univer- In a couple of situations, people found chemical? If there’s a
sity, Giglio and his colleagues spent a few unknown chemicals in a dusty corner, and label on the bottle, can
days cleaning up chemicals spanning the full the bottles had crystals on them, which you read it?
spectrum of “hazardous,” from gas cylinders meant they could be explosive. They called • If yes, look the chemi-
to anesthetics. They also had to secure a Giglio saying, “We just found something cal up online. For exam-
controlled substance box and clean under the sink. It doesn’t look good. ple, if you find brake
up burned refrigerators and jani- Can you come and see what it is?” fluid, many communi-
torial closets. In these types of cases, where ties have household
Because the school is a danger was potentially high, hazardous material
Carnegie Research University, Giglio puts on his “explosive pick-ups a few times a
there’s a high amount of team” hat. He has expertise in year (or drop-off days),
research activity (read: lots of this area, and he works closely so see if this exists in
chemicals) involving every- with a bomb tech who’s been your community.
thing from snake venom to highly trained, including • If no, get a picture of it
peroxides. One of Giglio’s through an FBI program. and send it to your local
major tasks, which spanned Giglio describes himself municipality or health
almost six months in 2014, as “the chemist part of department. Ask them
for advice on disposal.
Things to keep in mind:

> What material is the
bottle made of? Plastic,
metal, glass? If it’s plas-
tic, remember it can get
brittle over time and
may disintegrate if you
touch it.
> Is there corrosion or
crystals on the outside
of the bottle? Chemi-
cals left in sunlight can
produce peroxides (crys-
Chris Giglio is a Chemical tals) in the container,
Management Officer and
which can be explosive.
emergency response profes-
sional, working on a campus If you find something
of about 30,000 students like this, don’t go near it.
and 1,700 faculty members.
Call for help.

HANDLING
Hazards
The HazCat
chart that
helps Chris
and his team
identify
unknown
chemicals.
the partnership.” The bomb tech designed

the charge and together they got rid of the
explosive component.
“We hand-carried the bottles out to a
vacant lot, with a special permit, and deto-
nated them,” he says.
But with most unknown chemicals, deto-
nation isn’t necessary, Giglio and his team
bring them to their facility and sample them
using a Hazardous Categorization Kit (Haz-
Cat Kit), which is basically a big chemistry
box and includes a chart they follow in order
to identify the constituents. Then they put the
The team’s chemical into a category.
chemistry kit. “We look for corrosivity, reactivity, and
toxicity,” says Giglio.
Once the chemical has a category, they
often bulk it up, which means transferring it
into a large drum under protective hoods, in
order to prepare it for hazardous waste dis-
posal. Sometimes this means an incineration
facility. Other times, it’s more complicated.
In this case, the chemicals get held in various
“cells” — rooms with locked doors, separated
by category — until Giglio determines the
best options for disposal.
At the end of the day (which never actually
ends) Giglio feels good about his work, and he
Bottles of discarded believes he’ll stay with it for many more years.
chemicals in a cell, “I love the problem solving and variety,”
categorized for disposal.
says Giglio.

DOUBLE DOWN
& SA
AVE BIG
Two is Better than One
ON
NL
LY
$30.00
Ta
ake advantage of this special offer
and get 1-year digital subscription to
American Survival Guide (12 issues)
with a 1-year digital subscription to
orld of Fir
Wo epower (6 issues) and
irepower
save up to 81% off the cover price!
TO SUBSCRIBE:
L og on to: www
w.engagedmediamags.com/eem-3067
• No more waiting! This magazine can be read on:
• Instant access to all the latest issues
• Safely store all past issues purchased
• Universal access across all devices
• Easy to use anytime anywhere
For
o a full listing of our titles, visit www
w.engagedmediamags.com/digital today!
*this offer is available on www
w.engagedmediamags.co
. om only..
For questions on downloading the magazine apps contact 800-764-6278
BACKCOUNTRY SURVIVAL VEST
Wearable
Gear
f an aircraft goes down, the vest the
MILITARY-PROVEN VEST CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE
Story and Photography by Kevin Estela
pilot is wearing might be the only ticket to

survival. In use throughout the 20th cen-
tury, the aviator’s survival vest can also be
adapted by civilians for use as an effec-
tive bug out option for the vehicle, around
camp or prepared and stored in the
house for grab and go scenarios. It
allows carrying extra equipment
within reach while wearing a pack and
can be part of a modular system. Since
the needs of the military and civilian vary,
what contents should be carried and how?
What are the likely scenarios where a vest
would be a viable option as a survival kit
carrier and how can the vest be incorpo-
rated in the greater goal of survivability?
Read on for our answers.
BLENDING IN
The trained eye can pick up military
surplus and military style gear easily. The
color scheme, layout of webbing and general
shape and form all scream military. To reduce
visibility, the modern survival vest can be made
out of any number of civilian vests intended for
hunting, photography or fishing. The individ-
ual’s scenario and environment will dictate
which vest can blend in best. A fishing vest will
look more out of place in the city than a vest
for photography. Desirable features include
pockets of varying size, orientation and quan-
tity, internal D ring attachment points, breath-
able construction and attention to detail in
double or triple stitched seams and quality
fabric. Vest choice will also vary by the user
and some designs, like an open front fishing
vest, will be better suited for different body
types where zippered fronts won’t work. As
with any clothing, the vest must be comfort-
able or it will not be worn.
Once the vest is chosen, the gear that will
fill the pockets comes next. Scenario-based

The preferred vest, emptied of
planning comes into play. Logical its contents, is from Orvis, a
needs rather than fantasy wants reputable clothing company that
offers a wide variety of multi-
should determine what is carried. Fire
pocket vests. [BELOW] The modern
starting equipment makes less sense survival vest carries all of these
in a strictly urban environment than contents, plus more, comfortably.
The weight is distributed over the
personal protective gear like gloves, garment and carries easier than
face mask and goggles because deal- a duffle bag over the shoulder.
ing with structural collapse is a more
likely scenario than one where there is
a need to start a fire. That doesn’t
mean a lighter should be left out of
the everyday pocket carry kit. For this
article, the survival vest for the subur-
ban commuting car will be examined.
It can be carried in the back seat or at
arm’s reach and used in conjunction
with other items carried in the car that
supplement it (see sidebar). Consider
the elements of a scenario, leave out
no details and the kit will essentially
build itself.
“THE LIMITATIONS OF
SHELTER THE MODERN SURVIVAL
The benefit of having a vest to wear is VEST BEGIN WHERE
mobility. It allows easier distribution
of weight and access over a standard
YOUR VISION ENDS.”
backpack or duffle. Assuming the sce-
nario requires movement from a vehi-
cle, the shelter provided by a vehicle SIGNALING
will be abandoned. Therefore, it is Just like the military pilot
important to carry quality shelter survival vest, a good
components. A good compact tarp strobe with lithium bat-
along with tie down cords and stakes teries can be carried. This
is one option as is a sil-nylon bivy bag electronic device can be
and poncho duo. Add in hand warm- seen for miles. Pair it
ers for psychological comfort and the with a strong pea-less
makings of a complete shelter system whistle and signal mirror
take shape. (impact-resistant glass is
preferred) and the basics for signa ing
WATER are covered. Add in surveyor’s tape and
Emergency drinking water packets are an old phone still capable of dialing
part of some commercial marine sur- 911 and signaling ability is enhanced. FIRE
vival kits. These pouches provide four For a suburban commuting vehicle, it
ounces of water each. Since the vest FOOD absolutely is logical to carry a fire kit as
will be stored more than carried, hav- Food is relatively low on the survival the distance between home and work
ing emergency water on hand in hierarchy of needs in most situations. may be filled with remote fields,
pouches that can freeze in a trunk That being said, food can absolutely ditches or other natural features where
without popping is logical. Bottled boost morale. Many types of pre-made making a fire for safety is practical.
water is fine if pouches are unavail- emergency food bars can be packed in The components should be easy to
able. Add to this a small water filtering a vest to provide the wearer something use, lightweight and packaged in a
straw and the vest allows the wearer to consume. MRE components can be water-resistant manner. In general, the
the ability to drink water without wait- broken down to fit in pockets and even more imperative fire making is, the
ing to treat it. This allows better mobil- candy can be packed to boost morale. larger the fire kit. Ferro rod starters are
ity and easier use on the move. Addi- Depending on the scenario, fishing kit the industry standby with lighters and
tional collapsible bladders and treat- components and trapping items can matches as backups. Make sure to
ment tablets allow the wearer to store also be packed to provide an activity carry ample pre-made tinder and con-
treated water if it is found. to clear the mind in an emergency. sider an emergency candle.

The Supplemental
KIT
The survival contents of military aviator The author carries a last ditch shelter kit in
his vest. This includes a disposable poncho, In an age where most emergency situations
vests were not meant to be standalone
emergency blanket, small roll of duct tape, are called in by cell phone, reliable means of
gear. Ejector seats housed a larger kit with lightweight cordage, small candles and cable signaling should still be carried. Whistle, mir-
items too bulky for personal wear. Similarly, ties. Even if the larger kit carried in the car ror, AA battery strobe and surveyor’s tape
can’t be grabbed, this shelter kit will provide make up part of the author’s survival vest kit.
the modern survival vest can be comple- some protection.
mented with a secondary kit that increases The author car-
survivability. Ideally, this is done without ries his
trauma/first aid
increasing visibility to the outside world.
kit within reach in
After all, the gear carried in a vehicle offers the large middle
no advantage in an emergency if stolen. pocket for easy
access with
If a survival vest is made out of a pho- either hand. In an
tographer’s vest, a supplemental kit can be emergency, a kit
made from an oversized camera bag. These that is hard to get
to does not
bags look non-threatening and come in improve the odds
backpack and shoulder bag form. If your kit of survival.
is to be used as an urban “get home bag” in There is a distinction between a trauma kit
and first-aid kit. Depending on your scenario,
an emergency, the combined gear carried in
you may wish to include a tourniquet, pressure
a vest and pack will last for days, maybe bandage and compressed gauze in your kit.
weeks. Reporters and photographers are
common sights in the city and someone car-
rying a kit in this manner should blend in.
Whatever you do, do not leave a camera
bag out in the open in a back seat. Put it in
your trunk where peering eyes can’t see.
The logical supplemental kit for a PFD
A quality compass like this Suunto MC-2G
survival vest is one offering protection from and compact fixed blade like this Bark River
the elements. This can be a dry box if space Gunny should be considered essential sur-
vival equipment and carried securely in the
is not an issue or a dry bag that can be
The ability to make fire is essential. The modern survival vest.
squished into tight nooks. Lightweight author complements the ferro rod attached
breakaway cord can be used to attach items to the belt knife in the kit with these backup
to the vest that could be dropped and lost. starters.
The weight of the contents should allow

the bag or box to float when fully loaded.
Perhaps the best option for a supple-
mental kit is a civilian backpack stored in a
laundry bag. Military-looking bags stand
out, but a bag with smart camouflage won’t
get a second look. Risk versus reward is how
most people live and criminals are not an
A minimum of two light sources should be A small survival kit tin is tucked away with
exception, unless of course, they are under
included in the modern survival vest. One last ditch components.
the influence. Breaking a window to steal a should be a high output handheld light and
laundry bag is a disproportionate risk to the other a compact headlamp.
reward. Add in some ratty looking clothes

and the appeal is even less.
The items carried in this supplemental
kit can include a firearm, folding saw,
hatchet, extra food, extra water, insulated
clothing and an intermediate shelter. These
items make life much easier than the
smaller compact gear found in the modern
survival vest. Having them is a luxury, pack-
The author carries a collapsible water blad- When paired with a camera bag (also filled
ing them is your responsibility. der along with a filtration straw. This pairs with survival equipment) the travel vest
with the vest-carried supplemental emer- looks even more innocuous. Exercise caution
gency water pockets and metal container for where you store these items since they are
boiling, which are stored separately. valuable, in another way, to a potential crook.

FOOD neighborhood grocery stores and
specialty survival stores sell
sumed with water and a little
goes a long way. A single match-
ages and use common sense for
how long food is stored. The
OPTIONS options appropriate for a vehicle box-sized food bar may hold longer food sits, the more nutri-
The average number of calories kit and room should always be between 200 to 400 calories. tional value it loses.
consumed per day is between made for these options. Aside from commercially When packaging food for the
2,000 and 2,500. This is only an Condensed food rations offer available rations, there is no vehicle, consider the nutritional
average and dietary needs will upward of 1600 calories in a rel- problem purchasing squeeze value for what is carried. Simple
vary. The more calories burned, atively compact package. These packets of peanut butter, foil sugars provide short term energy
the more calories must be are often foil wrapped and packages of nuts, granola bars and fats are very calorie dense.
replaced or else weight loss is stored for long periods of time. If and canned food. It is also ok to Remember too, survival foods
inevitable. Even if half the nor- space permits, larger blocks can use a vacuum sealer to create need not taste good to keep you
mal calories are replaced, the be purchased and if space is lim- air-tight packages of high calorie alive. Sometimes overcoming
food intake will mitigate the ited, individual serving sizes are foods that are temperature- the palate is the hardest part to
effects of long-term survival on available as well. This con- resistant. Just pay attention to eating these foods and other
body weight and health. Both densed food is meant to be con- the expiration dates on pack- times the food itself is harder.
UTILITY aid items can be carried to address Chemical light sticks are long lasting
Items in this category include paracord cuts, burns and bumps and bruises. and should also be included because,
and accessory cords of smaller diame- These do not require as urgent place- in the presence of spilled fuel, they can
ter. Zip-ties and wire also fit into this ment in the vest but should be easily be safely lit and carried.
as do smaller multiple use items like identified when the pouch is closed.
duct tape and glue sticks. Extra batter- Use a different color paracord or zipper COMFORT ITEMS
ies for lights and a small sewing kit are pull to identify your med kit. A small portable emergency radio can
also good additions. be carried for radio updates and enter-
NAVIGATION tainment. Pictures of family members
CUTLERY Typically, military vests are equipped can also be tucked inside a vest
Knife selection is very personal and with a lensatic compass and possibly pocket to remind the wearer of who
there are countless options. Find a charts of the area. For the civilian, the and what is at stake. Instant coffee
good stout fixed blade you can carry base plate compass is a lighter and bet- packets can be carried near emer-
and hold comfortably and one that will ter option to carry. The mirrored hood gency water to provide a familiar flavor
stand up to the rigor an unforeseen can be used for signaling and self- and energy boost. These items fall into
emergency situation will throw at it. examination above its regular use in the miscellaneous category of equip-
Weight will be an issue as well as dis- taking bearings. Road maps should be ment but their psychological value
creet carry. Pair it with a good multi- carried in the car that cover the entire cannot be measured.
tool with a set of wire cutters. In the distance commuted even if that
vehicle and around the suburbs, there requires multiple maps. These are often ADAPTED FOR THE VEHICLE
may be wires to cut and screws to free or relatively inexpensive from auto AND BEYOND
tighten or loosen to access or escape. clubs and online map generators. Have Depending on the scenario, better
points of interest marked off including communication devices for remote
FIRST AID alternative routes home. Leave room in areas, more water for high tempera-
During an emergency, there is a very a pocket for your vehicle’s GPS unit tures, firearms for defense and other
good possibility injuries will occur. should you have to leave your car. scenario-based gear can be carried.
Therefore, having first-aid components Always start with the reality of a sce-
is essential to the modern survival vest LIGHTING nario and build the appropriate kit
kit. One must differentiate between the A minimum of two lights with spare around it. The limitations of the mod-
items for trauma and the items that are batteries should be carried in the modern survival vest begin where your
more “ouchy boo boo”. Military survival ern survival vest. One light should be a vision ends. It has been a proven
vests are sometimes equipped with strong handheld light allowing for illu- method of carry for years and is cer-
tourniquets. This is one piece of kit that mination of objects at a distance. The tain to be for many years to come.
should always be carried. Since the other should be a headlamp for hands
About the Author: Kevin Estela is Owner/Head
vest will be stored in a vehicle, the free operation. These lights should
Instructor of Estela Wilderness Education and former
tourniquet should be immediately take the same batteries. Since the vest Lead Instructor of the Wilderness Learning Center.
accessible and situated within reach will be stored for long periods of time, Kevin is trained in bushcraft, wilderness/urban survival
and is an instructor in Sayoc Kali. Kevin is also an avid
and with the fewest deliberate steps these lights should be checked to
outdoorsman, martial artist, writer, adventurer and full-
necessary to put it to use. Smaller first- ensure the batteries are still charged. time high school history teacher.

URBAN AIR DEFENSE
SAFETY
IN THE SKY
THE HISTORY
AND INNER
WORKINGS OF
NORAD

B
illy Mitchell was court-martialed while trying
to convince the U.S. military of its importance.
Isoroku Yamamoto delivered an “infamously”
unforgettable demonstration of its effective-
ness. And in the tense, dangerous first years of
the Cold War, the mainstream military finally under-
stood. Air power was the key to victory in any future
global conflict.
Out of this strategic vision, the U.S. Air Force was cre-
ated in 1947, and a year later, the Air Defense Command
(ADC) was established to coordinate the efforts of differ-
ent Air Force commands within the United States. The
goal was simple to describe: detect incoming enemy air-
craft in time to prevent an attack on the continental U.S.
The eventual implementation involved the national gov-
ernments of the U.S. and Canada, and required coordina-
tion with multiple branches of the service.
“THE DAY HAS PASSED WHEN ARMIES ON THE GROUND

OR NAVIES ON THE SEA CAN BE THE ARBITER OF A
NATION’S DESTINY IN WAR. THE MAIN POWER OF DEFENSE
AND THE POWER OF INITIATIVE AGAINST AN ENEMY HAS
PASSED TO THE AIR. ” —GEN. WILLIAM “BILLY” MITCHELL, NOVEMBER 1918
DEFENSE NEEDED
At the close of the World War II, the chief threat to the
U.S. was the Soviet Union. The cutting-edge aerospace
technology of the day, on both sides of the Iron Curtain,
was the long-range bomber. The first Soviet bomber
developed at the end of the war was the Tupolev Tu-4,
which had a range of 3,355 miles. By 1949, the Soviets
introduced the Tu-85, which had a range of 6,500 miles,
making it capable of reaching the United States and
returning to its home airbase over a polar route. It
became apparent that North American defense required
NET
two key components: first, an early warning system which
could detect any incoming threats and sound the alarm;
and second, the ability to strike airborne targets quickly
and effectively, preferably before they were over popu-
lated areas.
Story by Scott Fischer | Photography Courtesy U.S. Department of Defense

NORAD
Command
Center,
Cheyenne
Mountain

Billy Mitchell Development and Legacy
The first U.S. military figure of William Mitchell’s Strate-
to predict the critical gic Thought’, in
importance of air power in Melinger,Phillip S. ed., The
future conflicts, William Paths of Heaven: The Evo-
“Billy” Mitchell is regarded lution of Air Power Theory,
as the father of the U.S. Air Alabama, Air University
Force. His service in France Press, 1997, 79–114, p.92.)
during World War I demon- Mitchell’s final conflict
strated the effectiveness of with the military establish-
air attacks, and in particular ment came about in 1925,
he felt that the tradition of after the September crash
building “dreadnought” of the Navy dirigible
battleships — huge vessels Shenandoah and the loss of
with vast armament but lit- three seaplanes in a flight
tle maneuverability — was from the West Coast to
a waste of resources. He Hawaii. Mitchell accused
By April 1962, the Cheyenne Mountain Combat Operation Center was correctly predicted, as early senior leaders of incompe-
under construction, near the original site of the ADC, CONAD and
as 1919, that the Air Service tence. The following month,
NORAD center of operations at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
could develop a bomb with Mitchell was charged on the
the capability of sinking a direct order of President
The Air Defense Command (ADC) of the newly battleship. Calvin Coolidge, and his trial
formed U.S. Air Force (USAF) was created in 1948 to His outspoken support began in November. After
coordinate communication between existing facilities, of air combat made him no seven weeks, and in spite of
but it rapidly became evident a truly integrated solution friends in the military or in testimony from war hero
was required, involving increased monitoring of the air- the civilian leaders of the Eddie Rickenbacker and
space over the pole and a strike force capable of both armed forces, and his ideas New York Mayor Fiorello
defense and retaliation. Operating out of Ent Air Force were publicly declared LaGuardia, Mitchell was
Base (AFB) in Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1951, the “pernicious” by then-Assis- found guilty and suspended
Air Defense Command was soon seen as insufficient for tant Secretary of the Navy, without pay from active
the kind of coordinated response that would be required Franklin D. Roosevelt. duty for five years. The
in the event of all-out war. By 1954, the Continental Air Within a few years, Mitchell youngest member of the 12
Defense Command (CONAD) oversaw joint operations successfully demonstrated judges presiding over
involving the Navy, Army, and Air Force. However, it that aircraft could destroy a Mitchell’s court-martial was
was the Air Force which developed and operated the battleship, when the cap- Douglas MacArthur, who
radar warning systems which served as the first line of tured German battleship found Mitchell not guilty.
defense against an attack. Ostfriesland was eventually Although President
The need for maximum warning time made it crucial sunk after tests that took Coolidge later changed the
to the defense plan that CONAD obtain sites in Canada, place over several days. suspension to half-pay,
so that enemy aircraft could be detected as early as possi- In a rare lapse of pre- Mitchell resigned from the
ble. As early as 1940 (the year before the U.S. would enter science, Mitchell dis- service on February 21, 1926.
counted the effectiveness
of aircraft carriers in an Cheyenne
attack on the Hawaiian
Islands: “not only can they
Mountain
not operate efficiently on How do you safeguard the
the high seas but even if nerve center of the opera-
they could they cannot tions charged with defend-
place sufficient aircraft in ing the United States in the
the air at one time to insure event of a nuclear attack?
a concentrated operation.” You drill a mile-long tunnel
(Mitchell, William. “Strate- into the granite heart of a
gical Aspect of the Pacific mountain in the Colorado
A pre-construction
diagram of the layout of Problem” as quoted in Rockies, making sure that
Cheyenne Mountain. Clodfelter, Mark A. , ‘Mold- the tunnel will deflect most
ing Air Power Convictions: of the blast in the event of a

inside Cheyenne Mountain,
which directed nuclear
retaliation. The simulated
data was mistakenly inter-
preted as an actual attack,
and the simulation’s mis-
siles showed up on warning
consoles in the command
post and on the computer
screens of command cen-
ters nationwide. The false
attack data were visible for
roughly eight minutes,
before NORAD officers
finally verified that it was in
fact a simulation that had
somehow crossed to the
Cheyenne Mountain tunnel construction. operational system. Intense
interest both among the
detonation of up to 30 Cheyenne Mountain. Con- which the address is Ent general public and mem-
megatons within one nauti- struction began on May 18, Avenue, named for Major bers of Congress caused
cal mile of the center. Inside 1961 and the center was General Uzal Girard Ent, for NORAD to initiate correc-
the mountain, you con- completed on May 1, 1964, whom the initial site of the tive actions.
struct a steel complex delayed due to the discov- Air Defense Command, In spite of these correc-
(behind 25-ton blast doors) ery of a geological fault in NORAD’s progenitor, was tive actions, on June 3 and
inside a shell of granite one of the intersections. named. Ent was responsi- then again on June 6, 1980,
2,000 feet thick, built from The fault was reinforced ble for selecting Lt. Col. a malfunctioning computer
3/8” thick continuously- with a concrete dome, cost- Paul Tibbets to lead the chip inside a line multi-
welded low-carbon steel ing an additional $2.7 mil- organization that dropped plexer (a Nova 840 com-
plates supported by steel lion. On February 6, 1966, the atomic bombs that puter, responsible for con-
structural frames. The the NORAD Combat Opera- ended World War II. Ent veying information between
metal walls act as a Fara- tions Center became oper- himself was seriously computer systems) in the
day cage to absorb electro- ational, and on April 20 of injured during takeoff in a NORAD Control System,
magnetic pulse (EMP) that year, operations were B-25 from Fort Worth Army sent false missile warning
weapons. You mount this transferred from the origi- Airfield, Texas; paralyzed data to the Strategic Air
structure on more than nal site of NORAD, Ent AFB from the waist down, he Command, the National
1,300 steel springs, each in Colorado Springs. retired (due to disability in Command Center, and the
weighing half a ton, which Upgraded and the line of duty) in 1946 National Alternate Com-
allow the complex to move enhanced over the years, and died in 1948. mand Center. A further
12 inches in any direction. the Operations Center con- round of technical and pro-
And how big is this struc- tinued to provide ballistic War Games— cedural changes followed.
ture? The main excavation missile warnings during If any of this sounds
includes three chambers, Operation Desert Storm in
For Keeps familiar, it should be: it
each one 45 feet wide, 60 the 1990s. Defense Sup- In the late 1970s, several served as the basis for the
feet high, and 588 feet port Program (DSP) satel- events occurred that made (fictional) 1983 movie, War
long, intersected by four lites tracked the heat sig- it clear why the advanced Games, in which a young
chambers 32 feet wide, 56 natures from missile computer systems used by computer-gaming enthusi-
feet high and 335 feet long. plumes and provided warn- NORAD still required ast, played by Matthew
Inside these interior cham- ing to civilians and military human intervention. On Broderick, discovers a
bers are fifteen freestand- personnel in Israel and November 9, 1979, a test secret, not-too-secure
ing buildings, twelve of Saudi Arabia. simulation of a missile “back door” into a military
which are three stories tall. In 2006, NORAD moved attack on North America computer and nearly starts
That’s the layout of the the majority of Cheyenne was accidentally trans- World War III. Compared to
Cheyenne Mountain Com- Mountain’s operations to ferred to the operational that, driving his friend’s
bat Operations Center, usu- Peterson AFB in Colorado side of the 427M, the warn- dad’s Ferrari off the carport
ally referred to simply as Springs, Colorado — for ing and response computer was nothing.

SAFETY NET
IN THE SKY
[ABOVE, LEFT] The system is fully self-sustainable as these turbine engines provide the complex with emergency power if there is ever a grid failure.
[ABOVE, RIGHT] The massive door (one of two) that leads into the complex is rated to withstand a direct nuclear blast.
World War II but nearly a year after Canada declared war prisoners of war in Japan — were cause for discussion
on Germany), the Ogdensburg Declaration had outlined and reflection, but as LeMay was quoted in the New York
a plan for joint military defense between the U.S. and Times, “if the war is shortened by a single day, the attack
Canada. Further agreements in light of the Korean con- will have served its purpose.”
flict led to the construction of early-warning radar sites in
Canada. Completing the defensive network was a system AIR DEFENSE COMMAND IS BORN
of radar ships that patrolled both the Pacific and Atlantic In 1948, contemporaneous with the founding of the Air
coastlines, as well as radar-bearing aircraft to warn of Defense Command (the predecessor to NORAD), LeMay
attacks from the ocean, as had been proven so decisively became head of the SAC, replacing Gen. George Kenney.
at Pearl Harbor. The SAC’s headquarters, Offutt AFB near Omaha,
By 1957, after an exchange of liaison officers between Nebraska, was significant as the construction site of the
the USAF and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), the two first two bombers to drop nuclear weapons. Throughout
nations had agreed on the details, and on September 12 the Cold War, LeMay’s insistence on training and prepa-
of that year, the new North American Air Defense Com- ration helped ensure that NORAD was backed up by the
mand (NORAD) become operational at Ent AFB. ability to scramble fighters and bombers for both defen-
The best guard dogs, however, don’t just bark to let sive and retaliatory actions in the event of an actual
you know there’s an intruder: they also have teeth to back attack. His insistence on minimal-interval take off (MITO)
up the alarm. And if NORAD was the bark, the bite was techniques, in which bombers and tankers were scram-
provided by the Strategic Air Command (SAC). While the bled at intervals of 12-15 seconds respectively, was a cru-
SAC had its roots in a collection of different units (some cial part of his rapid response strategy.
in the Atlantic theater, others in the Pacific) during WWII, But there’s a well-known axiom in military history,
the SAC as it came to be known during the Cold War was that every war is initially fought with the strategies of the
the work of General Curtis LeMay. LeMay served in the previous one. And just as Pearl Harbor had proved Billy
European theater, where he developed the box formation Mitchell’s insistence on the superiority of air power over
for B-17 bombing runs on Nazi industrial targets. In naval power to a military still devoted to the dreadnought
August 1944, LeMay was transferred to the Pacific the- battleship, the Cold War introduced a new threat that
ater, where he became the architect of the campaign of required a response faster and more comprehensive than
low-level bombing flights using B-29 Superfortress scrambling a few squadrons of F86 Sabrejets: the inter-
bombers. Before LeMay’s arrival, fewer than five percent continental ballistic missile (ICBM).
of the bombs reached their targets when dropped from Even then, however, LeMay and the SAC retained
the B-29’s high-altitude range of 20,000 feet. A powerful bombers and fighters, offering the following comment on
jet stream over the Japanese homeland scattered the the necessity: “It is important to recognize, however, that
bombing loads, so LeMay switched (as recommended by ballistic missile forces represent both the U.S. and Soviet
other senior tactical commanders) to low-level night-time potential for strategic nuclear warfare at the highest, most
bombing. The horrific death toll resulting from these indiscriminate level, and at a level least susceptible to
raids — official estimates claimed half a million Japanese control. The employment of these weapons in lower level
casualties in 66 cities, as well as reprisals against U.S. conflict would be likely to escalate the situation, uncon-

The Distant Early Warning (DEW) line formed the northernmost of the three bands of radar systems dedicated to detecting incoming enemy air-
craft across the polar route.
trollably, to an intensity which could be vastly dispropor- NEW WEAPONS ON THE OFFENSIVE
tionate to the original aggravation. The use of ICBMs and The weapons changed as well. Where the initial SAC
SLBMs [submarine-launched ballistic missiles] is not, response strategy included jet fighters and long-range
therefore, a rational or credible response to provocations bombers with in-flight refueling capability, the ICBM-era
which, although serious, are still less than an immediate NORAD arsenal changed to include missile-based
threat to national survival. For this reason, among others, defense systems, initially using Nike and Bomarc mis-
I consider that the national security will continue to siles. The first successful test of a Nike missile against an
require the flexibility, responsiveness, and discrimination airborne target (a remotely operated B-17) was conducted
of manned strategic weapon systems throughout the on July 14, 1952; by 1958, the SAGE system was able to
range of cold, limited, and general war.” (National identify, track, and destroy an incoming QB-17 drone at a
Archives and Records Administration, RG 200, Defense distance of 78 miles and an altitude of 30,000 feet. On June
Programs and Operations, LeMay’s Memo to President 3,1960, a Nike Hercules missile shot down a Corporal mis-
and JCS Views, Box 83.) sile in the first instance of one missile destroying another.
NORAD’s role in this changing view of the nature of NORAD’s role changed further in the post-9/11 world.
conflict was to develop anti-missile defense systems and a No longer were the primary threats expected to cross over
space-based satellite observation system. In addition, the Pole or from the oceans, but had been proven to be
they took on the responsibility for the protection and sur- delivered from anywhere. In an eerie preview of the
vival of command, control, and communication centers grounding of all commercial flights in the days after the
and systems. Much of this had been learned and applied World Trade Center attack, NORAD had — on October
during the construction of the Combat Operation Center 14, 1961 — conducted a test called “The Day the Planes
in Cheyenne Mountain (see sidebar), and in the design Stood Still.” For 12 hours that day, NORAD conducted the
and construction of NORAD’s computer network, the largest airborne military exercise in history, when 1,800
Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE). SAGE, NORAD fighters flew 6,000 sorties, requiring the delay of
which became operational in 1959, identified and tracked 2,900 commercial flights. Today, NORAD communicates
incoming targets and automatically communicated track- with civilian law-enforcement agencies in tracking and
ing information to the closest resources. Any actual intercepting illegal drugs coming into the U.S., and acts as
orders to scramble or launch, however, were still under a center of command and response against the ongoing
the control of operational staff at NORAD. threat of terrorism.

FISHING GEAR
Feed Your-
self for a
Lifetime
Story by Michael D’Angona
Fish can be your go-to food source out

in the wilderness.
Lakes, streams, and ponds, more
often than not, are stocked with an
abundance of fish, ready to be cooked
over an open campfire. But first they
must be caught. That’s the tricky part.
With no equipment you will have a diffi-
cult time obtaining your dinner. So
always remember to include in your
packs the necessary tools to secure an
abundant catch. These fishing items
range from a simple spool of line, a few
hooks and a lure or two, to more elabo-
rate set-ups that may include a bow-
fishing kit, or a complete mini-sized rod
and reel perfect for any unexpected sur- Survival Fishing Kit II
vival situation. A fishing kit is an absolute necessity when plan-
ning for any survival situation. This kit combines
Keep in mind, all survival fishing gear
quality items with a sleek, compact and easily
must be easy for you to use, compact
storable container. Over 63 high quality pieces are
enough to fit into your pack or even contained within its steel hinged-lid box (which
secured on your body, and should con- doubles as a signal reflector in a pinch), including
tain a variety of items needed to fish both 20 and 40 pound test lines, numerous jigs,
whenever the need may arise. No lures, swivels, and variety of different sized hooks.
unnecessary searching around your Sinkers, bobbers, leaders and even safety pins,
camp for make-shift parts should be razor blades and aluminum foil complete this
required. With some patience and the diverse assembly of goods. An included instruction
correct equipment, your fish dinner will sheet explains the basics of fishing knot tying. This
is the perfect kit for temporary survival situations
be caught, cooked and ready to satisfy
when the presence of nearby fish could make a
your nagging hunger. Here is some great
tasty and filling dinner. Assembled in the U.S.A.
gear to get you started.
SOURCE UncleFlints.com
MSRP $23.95

FISHING GEAR Gear
Guide
Packer Rod Bear Grylls Ultimate Kit

Compact, yet powerful enough to tackle the fight of the A survival kit and fishing kit — all in one compact unit. The
hooked fish, this rod is a perfect survival fishing item for any Bear Grylls kit is perfect to cover most of the basics of sur-
bug-out kit. Its handle is constructed of cast aluminum while vival and is especially useful when you want to add fish to
its rod is pure stainless steel ensuring years of heavy-duty, your outdoor dinner menu. Contained within a waterproof
long-term use. It features a patented quick disconnect for pouch are needed fishing essentials including hooks, sinkers,
hassle-free breakdown; allowing the unit to be stored easily a multi-tool with wire cutters, an all-purpose knife and a
in your backpack, under your car seat or tucked away with pre-wound spool of nylon line. Quality of goods is a top pri-
your boating supplies. Choose from eight colors and five coil ority with Gerber Gear and these items will hold up to years
preferences. Eating fish can add much needed calories and of outdoor punishment.
protein while under emergency situations. Give your chances
of catching them a boost with this amazing fishing rod. SOURCE GerberGear.com
(Reel not included, but available as an add-on). MSRP $59.99
SOURCE EmmRod.com
MSRP $69.95

Gear FISHING GEAR
Guide
Beginners Bowfishing Kit
Brand new to bow fishing? Start with this kit
to get all the basics down before you head
out on the water. This beginner’s kit includes
a five inch tape-on bowfishing reel with line
clip, fishing line, an AMS safety slide, a solid
fiberglass arrow installed with a Mayham™
fish point and finally an instructional DVD to
take you through all the ins and outs of this
unique activity. When lost in the wild, hunger
comes quickly and fish can make a great meal
— if you can catch them. This kit gives you the
upper hand and before you know it you’ll have
plenty of fish to eat to keep your energy up
and replenish much needed lost calories. Fits
both right and left handed bows. Instructions
included.
SOURCE 3RiversArchery.com
MSRP $43.99
Kingfisher Bowfishing
Recurve Bow Kit
Not all fishing requires a rod and reel. If
you have a knack for archery then this kit
is for you. The Bowfishing Recurve Bow
kit includes everything you need to “cap-
ture” your dinner when out in the wild.
The kit includes a multi-use bow, avail-
able in weights of 40, 45 and 50 pounds
at 28 inch draw, a front mounting reel
with 50 yards of 80 pound test line, and
a 31 inch solid fiberglass bowfishing
arrow with point. A Snap Shot rest
rounds out this complete set. Avail-
able in an all-season camo finish. Per-
fect for beginners or seasoned pros.
SOURCE 3RiversArchery.com
MSRP $156.99
Adventure Bracelet
Paracord bracelets are abundant from many
sources, but none like this. This Adventure
Bracelet is essentially a survival toolbox on
your wrist. It’s loaded with essential survival
gear including, a compass, fire steel, whistle, a
reflector, surgical tubing and a reliable signal
mirror. Important fishing gear is also a key
component to this wrist-full of gadgets that
can help you gain necessary sustenance and
much needed calories by assisting in catching
your dinner when out in the wild. Hooks, fish-
ing line and included weights can help do the
job; just add your own bait. Clip the bracelet
around your wrist and you’ll never have to
worry about forgetting your fishing kit again.
Black, goldenrod or olive drab colors are avail-
able. Fits small, medium and large wrist sizes.
SOURCE WazooSurvivalGear.com
MSRP $89

FISHING GEAR Gear
Guide
Survival Fishing Kit

No fishing pole? No problem. The Vigilant
Trails fishing kit has everything you need to
catch a wide range of fish species while you’re
under survival conditions. This kit is chocked
full of all your fishing necessities including a
pre-wound spool with 150 feet of clear 8
pound test, a lock-back knife, artificial worms,
lures, floats, leaders, and a variety of different
sized hooks. It fits easily in your bags and even
your glove compartment or back pants
pocket. An included fishing guide helps you
identify different species and allows you to
use the best techniques available to make a
catch. Fishing basics, including tying knots,
making fish traps, de-scaling, rigging and vari-
ous baiting methods are detailed for the
“average Joe” not familiar with the funda-
mentals of fishing.
SOURCE Vigilant-Trails.com
MSRP $11.95
Survival Gill Net

A compact gill net makes a perfect addition to your survival fishing
gear. It provides an excellent alternative means to gather food when
you’re nearby streams, lakes and small rivers. Just stretch the durable
mesh across a narrow channel and let it do its work. Fish get ensnared
and dinner is soon on the table. The net is constructed of a leaded bot-
tom rope which acts like a weight to keep the net low in the water and
the top polypropylene structure floats and allows visibility to
others and maximizes coverage area. This versatile
survival item is extra strong, perfect for land use to
snare or trap rabbits, birds and other small
game animals. Large 12 foot by 4 foot size. For Standard Survival
survival applications only. Fishing Kit
This kit combines the necessities of fishing
SOURCE BestGlide.com with the mindset of survival. The Emergency
MSRP $24.95 Survival Fishing Kit is an exceptionally well-
stocked kit that is not only durable and
watertight, but filled with all the necessities
needed to secure a catch when food is in lim-
ited supply. This upgraded set of gear includes
a Derma-Safe utility knife and pre-assembled
fishing line which cuts down on prep time. An
included fishing manual supplies you tips and
techniques to increase your chances of catch-
ing fish. Over 40 name-brand items complete
this very compact kit. It was designed by avid
fisherman and the valuable survival contents
exceed over-flight requirements of both
Alaska and Canada.
SOURCE BestGlide.com
MSRP $22.95

Gear FISHING GEAR
Guide
Yo-Yo Fishing Reel

Economical and easy to use, this Yo-Yo Reel catches fish auto-
matically so you can tend to other survival matters at hand. Just
attach the reel to an overhanging tree while you set up camp and
before you know it, dinner will be caught. The unit is constructed
of stainless steel (not carbon steel that will corrode) and wound
with 60 pound test nylon rot-resistant line, strong enough to
land even the biggest fish. It features an extremely sensitive trig-
ger that offers quick and fast reaction times and adjusts to vari-
ous line tensions. Buy and set several units to increase your odds
of a fish dinner during any outdoor excursion or survival situation.
SOURCE NotIfButWhenSurvivalStore.com
MSRP $5.24
Survival Fishing Kit

All the basics are included in this compact fishing kit that literally fits in
your back pocket. You will have instant access to 20 feet of 10 pound
fishing line, hooks, leads, jig hooks, plastic bobbers, safety pins, and tin
sinkers. Just find a long pole or discarded soda or beer can to wrap your
line around and you’re off fishing. This basic kit allows you the chance to
catch fish when near a pond or lake in the wilderness. A hard-shell
metal tin holds all your items securely and away from the elements.
Supply one kit for every member of your group to ensure everyone has a
fighting chance to fish, eat and ultimately survive.
SOURCE Rothco.com
MSRP $27.99
Piddly Stik
A unique name for a very unique piece of survival
fishing equipment. This compact, durable and inno-
vative hand-line fishing system is designed for any-
one needing reliable and effective fishing gear. The
Piddly Stik kit contains the wooden stick (in place
of your pole) with included fishing line and three
loaded tubes filled with hooks, lures and additional
useful tackle. All items are packed tightly in its clear
carrying tube which saves valuable space in your 72
hour bag, fanny pouch or jacket pocket. Every Pid-
dly Stik is rigorously tested for structural and func-
tional integrity before it leaves the shop, ensuring
years of dependable use.
SOURCE Piddlystik.com
MSRP $25

URBAN FOLDING KNIFE
At the Ready
KILIMANJARO’S MORSA IS LIGHT BUT SOLID
Story and Photography by Andrew Philips | Additional Photography by Henry Z. DeKuyper
A
here’s a certain obvious-

ness about a fixed blade
dangling from your hip.
It’s not that it lacks use-
fulness or flair, but rarely
is it subtle. Trolling the streets in the Specifications
wake of a community-wide incident Overall Length: 8.3 inches
with 13 inches strapped to your leg will Blade Length: 3.5 inches
undoubtedly gain a lot of attention. Closed Length: 4.8 inches
And most of it will be unwelcomed. A Weight: 5.2 ounces
prepared man is a well-heeled man, Blade Material: 8Cr13MoV Stainless Steel
and people might take advantage of Handle Material: G10 Composite
that. Sometimes, it is necessary to HANDLE
avoid suspicion and to easily blend in The material in the han-
to the crowds, and the best way to do dle is G10, which is a fiber-
that—especially during troubled glass-based laminate. Lay- no thumb ramp on the spine of the
times—is by discreetly carrying a well- ers of fiberglass cloth are blade itself, there are three areas of
outfitted folding knife in your pocket. soaked in resin and are jimping to increase the knife’s grip. In
compressed and baked. The addition, the locking mechanism is
BLADE resulting material is very slightly serrated which increases the
Easy to access thanks to the pocket hard, lightweight, and stability of the handle. The belly of the
clip and quick to deploy because of strong. The wood surface blade is bowed out, which ergonomi-
the thumb flipper on the spine of the texture is added to form cally fits the hand very well. A small
blade, Kilimanjaro’s Morsa is a drop- checkering, which adds to hole on the pommel allows for the
point blade made from 8Cr13MoV the ability to better grip, addition of a lanyard.
stainless steel. This type of steel is along with the nine grooves Overall, the eight-inch knife is
similar to AUS-8, which has a carbon pressed into the sides. G10 solidly built, and the blade’s thickness
content close to 0.75 percent, giving is an ideal material for tacti- lends to its strength and confidence
the Morsa the ability to take and keep cal folders because of its under pressure.
a sharp edge. The downside to this ruggedness and lightness. B
grade of steel is that it isn’t as abrasion The knife is assembled
resistant as a VG-10 or S30V (which via three Allen screws and a
have a higher carbon content), and larger Allen screw as the
that is why Kilimanjaro coated the blade’s pivot point. In addi-
blade with a titanium nitride finish, tion to the thumb flip, there
besides the fact that it just looks cool. are thumb posts on either
Titanium nitride is a non-stick surface sides of the blade to ease
that is wear resistant, scratch resis- its opening. Though there is
tant, and enhances the corrosion pro-
tection of the blade.
A. At 5.2 ounces, the knife’s
weight feels solid in your hand
but is light enough to not feel tax- D
ing or cumbersome. B. The thin
C profile is discrete in your pocket.
C. The Morsa has a drop-point
blade made from 8Cr13MoV
stainless steel, which is strong
and keeps a sharp edge. D. The
SOURCE
handle belly protrudes out to fit
kilimanjarogear.com | MSRP: $41.99
nicely around your fingers.

HOW-TO STORING FUEL
Gas Cache
HOW TO SAFELY STORE FUEL FOR A LONG TIME Story by Jeff Zurschmeide
generator without fuel is as use-
ful as a gun without ammuni-
tion. No matter how we look at
any survival situation, the
reliance on gas-powered equip-
ment — be it our bug-out vehicle or our genera-
tor when the lights go out — is immense. How-
ever, there is a host of calamities that might
befall you and your family, the results of which
mean gasoline and other fuel supplies will be
cut off immediately. A tank of gas in a truck or
Jeep will only go so far. What then? Have your
fuel saved in containers in your garage? Believe
it not, if improperly treated, fuel goes bad.
You can read a lot on the Internet about how
to store fuel and the effects of various addi-
tives and conditions on fuel storage. You also
hear a lot of talk about this or that product
being a useless ripoff. In the case of additives,
it’s not obvious what these products really are
and whether they will improve the longevity of
stored fuel.
GAS, DIESEL, AND KEROSENE

First, it’s useful to know what gasoline and
other fuel oils are made of. We all know gaso-
line is made from refining crude oil, but exactly
how oil is refined is a key concept not often
well-understood. The basic method for refining
is to boil the crude oil and then capture the var-
ious components of the crude by their boiling
point. Heavier oil products can be used to cre-
ate asphalt and tar. Somewhat lighter distil-
lates produce gear oil, motor oil, and similar
With ever rising fuel
products. Moving up the scale, you get costs and availability in
diesel/heating oil, kerosene, gasoline, and then question during a disaster
or survival situation,
various lightweight oils and naphtha all the
storing your own gas for
way up to petroleum gas – the lightest of all. emergences is a great
step toward self-
sustainability.

To then make gasoline and diesel as you buy
What’s
it at the pump, the refinery adds other products Wrong with
such as detergents and ethanol (which is just Gas?
plain alcohol). These additives help gasoline Gasoline has two prob-
and diesel and home heating oil adhere to lems when burned in car
composition standards so that automakers, engines. The first prob-
engine manufacturers and other manufacturers lem has to do with smog
can design their products to meet performance, and ozone in big cities.
economy, and emissions standards. The second problem has
When it’s ready to sell, there are a bunch of to do with carbon and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in gasoline. greenhouse gases. When
VOCs are somewhat lower in diesel or cars burn gasoline, they
kerosene, but they’re still there. Have you ever would ideally burn it per-
noticed that you can see wavy fumes coming fectly and create nothing
out of your gas filler when you tank up your but carbon dioxide and
car? Those are the VOCs that help make your This is a 30-gallon fuel drum that has been in use for
water in their exhaust.
several years and should be replaced. You can see
gas burn properly in your engine. You can see Unfortunately, the inter-
where expanding fuel has bent the top of the drum. It’s
the VOCs start escaping from the moment you also starting to rust. Almost as important as the fuel nal combustion engine is
expose gasoline to air, and if enough of them inside is what you keep it in.
far from perfect. In the
escape, your gasoline reverts back to a low- process of burning the
octane hydrocarbon fluid. gasoline, it also produces
carbon monoxide, a poi-
ISSUES WITH STORING FUEL sonous gas; nitrogen
The issue with storing fuels long-term is oxides, the main source
two-fold. First, the VOCs will evaporate away, of urban smog as well as
and second, water can get into most fuels sold unburned hydrocarbons,
in America. The fuels are thirsty for it, and will which are the main
pull water right out of the air. Almost all gaso- source of urban ozone.
line sold in America has ethanol in it. As men- Carbon is also a prob-
tioned before, it’s just corn alcohol, and it mixes lem. When it burns, it
with water quite readily – like a bourbon and turns into lots of carbon
soda. Diesel fuel will also attract water. dioxide gas. Gasoline is
To apply this to your thinking about your mostly carbon by weight,
bug-out location, or to keeping a stash of fuel so a gallon of gas might
at your home, you have to address both of release five to six pounds
those issues, and hopefully not create a fire or of carbon into the
explosion hazard in the process. atmosphere. The U.S. is
releasing roughly two bil-
STORING FUELS SAFELY lion pounds of carbon
If you want to keep a stash of fuel at home into the atmosphere
or at your bug-out location, you need to follow each day. If it were solid,
some simple rules for effectiveness and safety. carbon would be
First, get good containers. Most modern con- extremely noticeable—it
tainers are made of plastic, and that’s good. would be like throwing a
Gasoline is supposed to go in red containers, five-pound bag of sugar
If you choose a drum of fuel, be sure to get a good drum
while diesel goes in yellow containers and pump. Siphoning large quantities out of a drum is a out the window of your
kerosene in blue containers. The color-coding messy business. Drum pumps have a threaded collar
that matches the bung in a standard fuel drum.
car for every gallon of
will help keep things orderly, especially if you’re gas burned. But because
trying to remember which can had the diesel and the five pounds of car-
which can had the kerosene. You can also label Drums are good, but not without their bon comes out as an
your cans, of course. A Sharpie works wonders. issues. You want to make sure they’re com- invisible gas (carbon
If your needs run to more than a few gallons, pletely dry before filling them, and then leave dioxide), most of us are
you can buy barrels for all different fuels. Rac- them filled and sealed tight until you plan to oblivious to it. The car-
ing shops and farm supply stores are two great use the fuel. If you have a partial drum, the air bon dioxide coming out
places to look for barrels. You can get the stan- in the drum will introduce water through con- of every car’s tailpipe is a
dard 55-gallon drums or smaller 30-gallon densation. If you’re going to store fuel like that, greenhouse gas.
drums quite readily. you need to keep that fuel safe, which means

Storing Fuel
[BELOW] Be careful how you store your different

fuels, as different engines (diesel, two-stroke,
etc.) require different kinds of fuels. Mixing the
[BELOW] A basic red
two would be disastrous to your equipment. Be
plastic can like this
wary of an old can of gas. Test it before use.
may be purchased at
any home supply store
for fuel storage.
Although it is only five
gallons, having several
of these is easier to
manage and handle
than one large drum.
It’s also handy to have
some small cans even
if you store fuel in
greater quantities.
as good as they could be. For example, the gov-

ernment specifies minimum standards for
[ABOVE] If you think you need to get
gasoline out of a fuel tank, one of these gasoline, and some brands choose to exceed
tools from gastapper.com could work for those standards. That’s why some fuels work
you. You have your choice of a powered
well in your car and others do not.
unit that runs off the 12-volt plug in your
car, or a strictly gravity-based siphon. To pick one well-known brand, Chevron
adds Techron to its gasoline, as well as selling it
away from your home, your garage, and as an additive. Techron is a trade name for
any sources of heat, sparks, or flame. A polyetheramine (PEA), which breaks down car-
metal garden shed at least 50 feet from bon deposits so they travel through the engine
other structures is a good choice. and don’t build up.
You also need to consider heat from the sun Other additives may be as simple as a bottle
[BOTTOM, LEFT] Prolong
is a well-respected man- and air as a threat. If you fill your drum or plas- of common alcohol or kerosene. Most of these
ufacturer of petroleum tic jug in winter, the fuel will expand as ambient are sold at absurdly high prices for what they
and synthetic oil and
temperatures rise and may burst. You’ll want to are. While these products “work” in that alcohol
fuel products, and they
offer this diesel treat- open it up from time to time and let the fumes will mix with any water in your tank and
ment to condition your out. That will allow some moisture in, but that’s kerosene or other mineral oils soak into carbon
diesel and keep water
from polluting your fuel. unavoidable. deposits and loosen them, their effectiveness is
highly variable.
[BOTTOM, RIGHT] The jar
USING FUEL AND OIL ADDITIVES One product that has been used and
of gasoline on the left
sat unsealed in the tank So, both gasoline and diesel are refined respected by boat owners for decades is Sea
of a generator for about hydrocarbons with additives already included Foam. According to its material safety data
two years, while the jar
at the refinery. Why do you need to buy fuel sheet, Sea Foam’s basic motor treatment fluid
of gasoline on the right
was stored sealed with additive on top of that? is made up of a lightweight oil called pale oil, a
Sea Foam treatment The answer is both fuel and oil reflect stan- light hydrocarbon fluid called naphtha, and a
added. You can see the
difference. dards imposed by the government or specified little bit of isopropanol (IPA). Remember the
by fuel and automobile manufacturers working discussion of the refining process? Pale oil and
together. Those standards are not necessarily naphtha are higher up the “lightness” ladder
than gasoline, so they help prevent gasoline
from turning into thick varnish.
Similarly, Sta-Bil and other gasoline and
diesel stabilizers are made from “Petroleum
Distillates” such as naphtha and aromatic
hydrocarbons, while Marvel Mystery Oil is made
with mineral spirits, naphtha, and chlorinated
hydrocarbons.
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR FUEL?

It’s generally accepted that stored fuel
should be used within six months to a year. You

This graphic shows the difference between
domestic production and consumption of
gasoline from state to state. Because of our
reliance on foreign oil, it is easy to imagine how
an incident in another part of the world can
affect our supply of fuel in this country.
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
can extend that a bit with additives, but it’s a drop several octane numbers, so be generous
good rule of thumb to cycle through your fuel at with the dilution.
least every six months for maximum quality.
However, fuel that has been well-sealed in a
However, it is best to use it up within six
months and replenish your supplies.
Material
proper container has been known to last far
Safety
longer. You might think twice before putting HOW MUCH GAS SHOULD YOU Data Sheet
two-year-old fuel into your brand new truck, STORE? You can always discover
but for the lawnmower it should be fine. Pour a More is better, right? Not necessarily for what’s really in any prod-
bit into a mason jar and take a look and a sniff. fuel. Because of its volatility, having more than uct by searching for the
If the gasoline smells like gasoline and nothing 50 or 60 gallons of fuel on your property might Material Safety Data
else, it is still fine to use. If it smells sour, it has end up being more of a liability than an asset. Sheet (MSDS) on the
become stale and shouldn’t be used. Stale First, it’s a beacon to anyone who might ever product. It’s an EPA-
gasoline has been allowed to get warm, thus see it and, most importantly, it is difficult to required public document
catalyzing olefin decomposition reactions, and keep that much fuel properly treated. However, that lists every ingredient.
perhaps also losing volatile material in it really all depends on what your plans are. If If the only ingredient is
unsealed containers. Such fuel will tend to you need a vehicle to get to your bug-out shel- alcohol or kerosene, you
rapidly form gums and will usually have a sig- ter, add about 50 percent more fuel than it can save some money by
nificant reduction in octane rating. The fuel can takes to get there. If you need to only run a gen- buying generic.
be usually used by blending with twice the vol- erator, have enough fuel on hand to run it con-
ume of new gasoline. Some stale fuels can tinually for at least a week.
Jeff Zurschmeide is a lifelong automotive enthusiast, and has been writing about cars professionally for more than 15 years. He is the author of eight published books on automotive
topics, with his ninth book underway. Additionally, Jeff covers new cars for The Oregonian newspaper as well as classic and specialty cars for Sports Car Market and American Car
Collector. Jeff serves as Editor in Chief of our sister publication, Maximum Drive Magazine.

BACKCOUNTRY SOLAR-POWERED eBIKE
Get Outta
Dodge THE BEAST: A SOLAR-POWERED
eBIKE TO THE RESCUE Story by Ryan Lee Price
The Beast comes in three different trim options, Standard,

Deluxe, Ultimate. The basic difference is the type of battery
used. The Standard and Deluxe models use a lead acid type,
while the Ultimate employs a lithium battery.
ociety has deteriorated; civilization as you going off on dirt roads, and then going straight on to legal
remember it is nothing but a crumbled shell of roads. This Beast can do it all,” said Daymak CTO, Aldo
its former self. There are no gas stations, no Baiocchi. “We want the rider to have a comfortable, powerful
power grid, no grocery stores, no money, no ride whether it’s on or off-road.”
nothing but you and your bug-out vehicle suck- The stand-out feature on this bike is a solar panel and
ing the last vapors of what’s left of your emergency fuel sup- battery pack that continuously recharges, allowing the rider
ply. Miles from nowhere and still miles to go, it is time to break to enjoy a completely silent experience while still charging
out the B Team, Daymak’s latest off-road offering, the Beast. the battery. When depleted, merely rest it in the sun and wait
The Toronto, Canada company has launched its all-new a few hours for a full charge. Fully electric, the Beast can go
eBike, a street-legal two-wheeler geared for rough off-road as fast as 20 mph with up to 28-mile range with the Beast
terrain as well as city riding. “The Beast is perfect for the Ultimate model. It is quiet, economical, good for the environ-
woods or the road. Imagine going quietly in the woods or ment, and can take the rider anywhere they want to go.

FIVE ADVANTAGES
The enclosed solar panel battery
case offers five distinctive advantages:
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The battery is always trickle BEAST STANDARD BEAST DELUXE BEAST ULTIMATE
charging, regardless of if it is in use or Battery 48V 12AH Lead Acid 60V 12AH Lead Acid 60V 12AH Lithium
not. This avoids the number one fail-
Motor 500W Gearless Hub 500W Gearless Hub 500W Gearless Hub
ure of most eBikes on the market
Controller Daymak Drive Daymak Drive Daymak Drive
today, which is battery failure due to
prolonged time without charging. The Solar Panel Optional 15W/hr output 15W/hr output
longer a battery sits idle in a no Torque Sensor Sprocket Sprocket Sprocket
charge mode, the less likely it will Shocks Stock Inverted/Adjustable Inverted/Adjustable
fully charge again. Frame Steel Steel 6000/7000 alloy
The solar panel yields about six
Rim – Front 10” x 4.10” 10” x 4.10” 10” x 4.10” alloy
miles of range per eight hours of any
Tire – Front 21” x 7” x 8” 21” x 7” x 8” 19” 7” x 8”
ambient daylight. If the rider does not
ride more than roughly 25 miles a Tire – Back 21” x 7” x 8” 21” x 7” x 8” 19” 7” x 8”
week, he never has to plug it in to Headlight Stock Stock LED 4500 Lumens
charge the battery. What if the battery Length/Height 6’3 / 45” 6’3 / 45” 6’3 / 45”
runs out mid-trip? No worries, because Weight 165lbs. 165lbs. 165lbs.
the pedals drive a chain to the rear
Tool Kit Standard Standard Deluxe
wheel (like a traditional bicycle) to
continue on. Charging Ports 2 USB 2 USB 2 USB + 110v
The Beast offers a lower cost of Battery Life Cycles 300 800 1000
charging. With the solar panel working, Carrying Case Not Included Not Included Included
the battery takes less grid-based elec- Speedometer Not Included Included Included
tricity than standard plug-in eBikes.
Range 15.53 miles 21.74 miles 27.96 miles
There is less of a carbon footprint
Top Speed 15.6 miles/hr 20 miles/hr 20 miles/hr
as well. With the world in a heap of
smoking ruins, this isn’t exactly a big Charger 60V1.8A 110V/220V 60V/2.5A 110V/220V 60V5A 110V/220V
concern, but an electric motor pro- Charging Time 6 hours (by 110V) 4 hours 3 hours
vides little to no impact on the envi-
ronment. When the solar panel is used,
electricity from the grid is
avoided.
The removable battery pack
be used as a back up generator,
On the lower models
comes with two USB plugs. You a small incandescent
plug in your phone, tablet or any headlight is used
while the Ultimate
running off of USB-supplied pow utilizes an LED bulb
The Ultimate model also comes and turn indicators.
110-volt power converter.
At only roughly 165 pounds,
Beast can be easily transported
trunk of a car or the back of a tr
and pulled out when needed. Th
removable solar panel/battery p
can be charged when removed
the bike, so even when parked in
shade, the battery can be placed
the sun to charge. When an alte
source of transportation is need
after the gas runs out or the sta Built compact and sturdy,
the simple design keeps
internal combustion engine of y
weight to a minimum, pro-
primary vehicle has quit, as long viding more overall power
the sun still shines, the Beast ca and a longer battery run
time between charges.
you get outta Dodge.
The large wheels and tires
allow for riding on a variety
SOURCE: daymakbeast.com of terrain, from pavement
to trails to no roads at all.

SURVIVALLIT
“The Disaster Diaries”

by Sam Sheridan | Review by J.D.Hughes
What you think you know the pin Sheridan pokes in

can get you killed as easily the assumptions that far too
as what you don’t. How many of us make. We think
often have you heard we know how we will react.
someone say, “I’m not We think we know how
worried, when it hits the others will behave. From
fan, I’ve got guns. I’ll be psychological trauma to
able to get what I need.” physical fitness, each chap-
“I’m gonna head for the ter starts with a fictional
hills, live off the land.” story and then with Sheri-
“When it happens it’ll be dan’s effort to overcome the
like the stadium during obstacle presented. Need to
hurricane Katrina.” These escape an alien invasion?
sort of assumptions are How do I really steal a car?
exactly what Sam Sheri- Confronted by a group of
dan’s book shatters. cannibals how do I fight
Sleepless nights, that’s them off?
where it starts. Would it be Sheridan learns these
a tidal wave? Earthquake? skills and more, not by
Zombies? Had he done reading how to manuals,
everything possible to pro- but by searching out sub-
tect and provide for his ject matter experts and
family? Have you? learning the skills it takes
Being a prepper brings to survive. Have you ever
with it a certain level of really asked yourself the
paranoia. We wouldn’t hard questions about your
stock food and supplies if level of preparedness? Did
we were confident in the you like your answers?
future. We wouldn’t Reading “The Disaster
research bunkers and rad Diaries” won’t teach you
counters if we didn’t think how to do anything, but it
there was even the most Sheridan covers practically from one example to the may help kick start your
remote possibility they every scenario. “The Dis- next without sounding prepping efforts by mak-
might be needed someday. aster Diaries” is an easy overly dramatic. ing you confront your own
From stunt driving and engaging read. Sam Perhaps the greatest assumptions.
school to freezing desert Sheridan’s voice is com- takeaway from reading
nights with Cody Lundin, pelling and he takes you “The Disaster Dairies” is amazon.com | MRSP: $12.24

AD INDEX
JUNE 2015
ADVERTISER PAGE Enable Your Ideas with a PCNC Mill
Battlbox LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Discerning gun and knife enthusiasts know there’s only one choice in CNC for affordable precision: the
Food 4 Patriots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 Tormach PCNC 1100. Take aim at your most demanding machining needs - engraving, milling, threading,
Ground EFX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 reaming, and boring. Big or small, Tormach hits the bullseye to
Hero T-Shirt Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 deliver for you.
Tormach PCNC 1100 Series 3
Hogue Grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
I.O. Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Shown here with
optional stand, LCD
starting at
$8480
(plus shipping)
monitor, machine
Kensington Publishing Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
arms, and accessories.
Kershaw Knives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
LifeStraw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Cantilever GoPro camera Picatinny
Mount made by Strikemark,
Major Surplus & Survival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9 manufactured on a PCNC 1100.
Nitro-Pak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Panteao Productions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Rock River Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Survival Bags Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Tactical Night Vision Company . . . . . . . . . . . .7
TOPS Knives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Tormach LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
ollow knifemaker John rimsmo as
Water Wise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 he makes his own knives with a PCNC
1100 on his web series, Knifemaking
The Advertiser Index is provided as a service to American Survival Guide readers. Tuesdays, at www.tormach.com/kmt.
American Survival Guide is not responsible for omissions or typographical errors
on names or page numbers. www.tormach.com/asg
Get Your official american survival guide T-Shirt Today!
only
Front
$19.95 plus s&H
back
BUY THEM ONLINE AT ENGAGEDMEDIAMAGS.COM OR CALL US AT 800-764-6278

100% Pre-Shrunk Cotton with Gold, Black and White Screen Print

DEADEND
The Nuke Map

Looking out over a particularly beau- devastation on those two cities was would survive a nuclear blast,
tiful sunset dipping below the crisp enormous. What would that look like depending on how close you live to a
angular buildings of downtown Los in your town? selected attack site. On NukeMap, you
Angeles, it is difficult to believe a sin- Usually, we would have to wait for can select a target, enter a bomb yield
gular bomb could destroy many a nuclear apocalypse to find out, but (in kilotons) or select from an alarm-
square miles of buildings, houses, and thanks to Alex Wellerstein and his ingly long list of actual weapons in the
parks, not to mention the eight million Nuclear Secrecy Blog, we can get an arsenals of the world’s countries, from
people calling the city their home. Our idea of what the effects of a nuclear a crude terrorist’s “dirty bomb” all the
only scrap of reality to help wrap our explosion would be in your hometown. way up to the world’s largest nuclear
heads around this concept are pictures Not only that, but it can estimate fatali- weapon ever tested, Russia’s 50-mega-
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only ties and injuries based on location. ton “Tsar Bomba.”
two inhabited locations on which Morbid as it may sound, it is a fas-
nuclear bombs were dropped, and the cinating look at whether or not you SOURCE: nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/
What a 15 kiloton bomb would look like centered on downtown Manhat- Castle Bravo is a 15 megaton bomb, the largest ever tested by the United
tan. This is the same strength bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. States. This is what it would look like if dropped on the White House in
The fireball itself is 1,080 feet wide, while the green circle represents an Washington, D.C. The thermal radiation radius is 21.1 miles.
area of up to 90 percent mortality rates.
Dropped on the Minute Maid Park, where the Houston Astros play, is Most of the greater Los Angeles area would be completely leveled by
this B-83 bomb (1.2 megatons), the largest bomb currently in the U.S. the “Tsar Bomba,” Russia’s largest bomb ever tested at 50 megatons.
arsenal. A 5 psi blast of air will topple most buildings within the grey The orange circle (which flows off the map) represents how far away
9.3-mile-wide circle. from the blast the thermal radiation will be felt with third degree burns
(37.2 miles from the epicenter).

DON’T BUY SURVIVAL
FOOD...
BAD NEWS... THIS IS FRANK’S NEW LINE OF SURVIVAL FOOD:
There are some people out there who think Food4Patriots is an incredible value.
folks like you and me are a bit “odd”. This high quality survival food is without
DQ\ ÀOOHUV RU SRRUTXDOLW\ ÍUDQNHQIRRGµ
They think having a stockpile ready for a that the other guys use to pad their
disaster is something they can put off for survival meals. They are made and
“someday” or “never”. SDFNDJHG ULJKW KHUH LQ WKH 86$ <RX
ZRQ·W EHOLHYH WKH SULFHV RQ WKHVH NLWV ²
But those people are just hiding their heads a fraction of the price that other brands
in the sand. They are dead wrong -- and you charge.
are dead right.
7KHUH·V QR IDQF\ SDFNDJLQJ LW·V PLOLWDU\
grade sturdy stuff and can stand up
<RX·YH VHHQ WKH HYLGHQFH DQG \RX NQRZ
to the crazy things that happen in a
the situation is way too serious not to do
crisis. This food has a shelf life of up
VRPHWKLQJ DERXW LW :KHQ D FULVLV KLWV \RX·OO to 25 years, so you have complete
EH UHDG\ <RX·OO PDNH GDUQ VXUH \RXU IDPLO\ SHDFH RI PLQG IRU WKH ORQJ WHUP $QG
ZRQ·W JR KXQJU\ KH·V XVLQJ WKH PRVW FRPSDFW NLWV VR
you can store them anywhere in your
7KH IDFW LV LI \RX GRQ·W WDNH DFWLRQ RU LI \RX KRPH ZLWKRXW DQ\ H[WUD KDVVOH 7KH\·UH
stockpile the wrong foods, you could be VWXUG\ ZDWHUSURRI DQG VWDFN HDVLO\ $QG
setting your family up to starve. It sounds extremely covert too. Protect your family in a crisis with 25-year
harsh, but the truth is too many people with shelf life survival food from getfood46.com
good intentions are making critical mistakes You can make these meals in less
with their food stockpiles. than 20 minutes; just add boiling water, , ZDQW WR PDNH VXUH \RX GRQ·W PLVV RXW RQ
VLPPHU DQG VHUYH , WULHG ¶HP DQG , this because this is the #1 item to hoard
MISTAKES LIKE… think they taste as good or better today.
WKDQ DQ\ RWKHU VXUYLYDO IRRG ,·YH
Buying MREs (meals ready to eat) with EVER had. $QG \RX JHW D ZKROH VOHZ RI +HUH·V ZK\« ,I \RX GRQ·W WDNH DFWLRQ WR JHW
a 5 year shelf life (depending on where choices, including breakfast, lunch and
\RXU IRRG VWRFNSLOH ULJKW QRZ \RX·OO EH LQ WKH
GLQQHU VR \RX GRQ·W JHW VWXFN HDWLQJ WKH
you buy them, they could be nearly same boat as the brainwashed masses who
same thing day-in and day-out.
expired)… WKLQN ´HYHU\WKLQJ LV ÀQHµ $QG LI D FULVLV KLWV
and your family asks, “What are we going to
Frank has come up with some
Getting gross survival foods that taste impressive FREE bonuses that are HDW"µ \RXU PRXWK ZLOO JR GU\ DQG \RX·OO IHHO
terrible and are so high in salt, MSG ONLY available to folks who purchase powerless.
and preservatives you could clog your RQH RI KLV NLWV RQ D ÀUVWFRPH ÀUVW
served basis. For example, my 3-month But what if you decide right now to secure
arteries and get yourself sick…
kit came with 5,400+ heirloom survival your food stockpile instead? Just imagine
seeds, 4 hard copy books, an 11-in-1 KRZ PXFK EHWWHU \RX·OO IHHO ULJKW DZD\
Or simply buying the wrong foods and $QG LI D FULVLV KLWV DQG \RXU IDPLO\ DVNV
survival tool, and some other cool stuff.
leaving a critical hole in your meal plan, ´:KDW DUH ZH JRLQJ WR HDW"µ \RX·OO FDOPO\
which means your family can become UHDVVXUH WKHP WKDW WKH\·UH VDIH DQG WKH\ ZLOO
malnourished… have plenty to eat.
Well, I decided to stop worrying. Obviously, /LVWHQ , FDQ·W SUHGLFW WKH IXWXUH , GRQ·W NQRZ
waiting for the government to give me a handout exactly when or how a crisis will hit. But from
LQ D GLVDVWHU MXVW ZDVQ·W DQ RSWLRQ IRU PH $QG everything I see, it could be soon and it could
I was completely turned off by the crazy prices EH D ELJ RQH 7KDW·V ZK\ , UHDOO\ ZDQW \RX WR
of survival food sold by most stores. get the same peace of mind that I do.
So I got in touch with my buddy Frank Bates 36 *RW D FDOO IURP )UDQN DQG \RX·OO QHYHU
and put my order in for his Food4Patriots EHOLHYH ZKR MXVW WULHG WR EX\ XS KLV HQWLUH
survival food kits. VXSSO\ RI IRRG <RX·OO EH VKRFNHG
LOG-ON NOW TO GETFOOD46.COM

PREPAREDNESS,
AMERICAN STYLE
LINK 1776
You know that a big part of being ready
is having your head in the game. But
you also know that another important
1776
part is having the right gear. So you
MSRP $59.99
want to buy American. But that kind of
quality usually comes at a steep price.
Not any more. Now you can own a
made-in-the-USA Kershaw at a price
just about anyone can afford. Check
out the new Link 1776 models and 1776T
MSRP $59.99
get a lot of ready for a little price.
What are YOU carrying?
1776GRYBW
MSRP $69.99
1776TGRYBW
MSRP $69.99
kershawknives.com

American Survival Guide - June 2015

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

American Survival Guide - June 2015

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

EXTREME SURVIVAL: AYS IN THE AMAZON

DIY BUG OUT ON A

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 • JUNE 2015 • U.S. $8.99

THRIVE ULTI RRIVE 06

M215 AFRAME SUGGESTED MSRP

tactical surgical kit aquapod® kit

sutures 3 pak Ĵúč÷ĎƎûč÷ĎƎüč÷ĵ oxy-stable 5 yr astronaut freeze-dried

FREE SHIPPING! On all orders over $149

Photo: HENRY Z. DEKUYPER

4 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

URBAN 66 BITES AND STINGS

90 KEEPING COOL 78 SWEET SALVATION

110 SAFETY NET IN THE SKY 92 BROWN-BAG SURVIVAL DEPARTMENTS

121 AT THE READY 122 GAS CACHE NEWS & NOTES 16

JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 5

Ryan Lee Price VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 / JUNE 2015

How Far Could You Go?

10. Human How far could you go?

There were about 50 people at the

6 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > J U N E 2 0 1 5

NIGHT VISION THERMAL LASERS LIGHTS HELMETS MOUNTS

. 2 . Now has been ground to work perfectly with the

$23.95 Swedish FireSteel® which is contained in

SNAKE BITE KIT (PACK OF 2)

G.I. LENSATIC COMPASS

. . Now compass/1st aid pouch with ALICE

. 2 . Now . 11. Now

VISIT OUR STORE: 435 W. Alondra Blvd. Gardena, CA 90248

10 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

4. SURVIVAL harness for easier and quicker

Specifications 6. BBQ GRILL

JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 11

12 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

10. DON’T GET

PREPPING RALSTON WITH

Know Your Region

14 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

the city, or in a rural environment. dance of natural resources?

JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 15

NUCLEAR POWER Biometrics is one form of identity

PLANT CRACKS fingerprints, voice recognition,

GUESS HOW OLD

16 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

Ohio Has The Most School Threats

JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 17

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

IN FLORIDA, DON’T SAY

18 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

20 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 21

ASG: How did you eventually meet with

ASG: What was going through your mind

22 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

The Spitzners, reunited in West Germany, a few months

which seemed to suck up the shafts of sun-

JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 23

ASG: Looking back at everything, what do

24 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015

yes x HELL yes www.topsknives.com

JUNE 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 27

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN EASTLAND OF DOGWOOD KNIVES

A. The jungle was very dense and at times D

28 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > JUNE 2015